Washington

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 31 to 45

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:30:12 -0700

Continuing with the Early 2012-13 Ranking, here are teams 31 to 45.

Its worth repeating that I had to make many assumptions about the NBA Draft in compiling the following list, and I've noted which assumptions I've made. This ranking will be updated later in the summer once players have made their official draft decisions. Also uncertain is where some remaining unsigned recruits will end up, and how the coaching carousel will take form. I purposely made no assumptions about where unsigned prospects will end up. (All prospect rankings are according to the Rivals 150 ranking.)

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 31-45

31 UNLV UNLV loses two starters, though returnees Mike Moser and Anthony Marshall are two of the MWC's top talents. The hope is that incoming freshman Katin Reinhardt (7th best shooting guard by Rivals) helps offset the loss of sharp-shooter Chace Stanback.

32 Arizona While Solomon Hill and Nick Johnson are solid returning players, its really all about the newcomers. In Brandon Ashley, Kaleb Tarczewski, Gabe York, and Grant Jerrett, Arizona welcomes 4 Top 50 recruits with pro potential. The team's lack of star point guard could hold them back however.

33 Davidson Already the Southern Conference's elite team, Davidson should be even better next year with everyone of note returning. De'Mon Brooks and Jake Cohen form a solid inside-outside tandem, and with a little bit of luck in non-conference play, Davidson could be a Top 25 team. This is the year Davidson reaps the rewards of the Steph Curry recruiting bounce.

34 Tennessee Once Jarnell Stokes joined the team, Tennessee played like an NCAA Tournament team down the stretch. With the likes of Golden and Maymom returning, the Vols could even surpass this projection.

35 Ohio Everyone returns from a team that was just a few possessions away from the Elite Eight. Despite that, Ohio will not be a lock for the MAC title with solid squads returning across the league. Perhaps the league can potentially return to multiple-bid territory?

36 Washington It all comes down to the Draft for Washington. Freshman Tony Wroten and sophomore Terrence Ross are potential 1st Round Draft picks. I'm assuming for this prediction, that one of the two returns. If both return, UW could certainly make a push for the Pac-12 title.

37 Georgetown While Georgetown had a Top 15 season, they lose their best guard in Jason Clark and best big in Henry Sims. Hollis Thompson should return along with emerging talent Otto Porter to form a solid frontcourt. 5-star recruit D'Vauntes Smith Rivera (ranked 22nd by Rivals) is the key however. He replaces Clark as the team's main cog in the backcourt.

38 Cincinnati Cincinnati heads into next season without seniors Yancy Gates and Dion Dixon. Besides losing their 2nd and 3rd leading scorers, Gates was also their leading rebounder and main interior presence. With little recruiting help on the way, it will be key that Sean Kilpatrick continues to emerge as a bona fine star.

39 Colorado St The Rams were probably never as good as their RPI suggested, but they still had a damn good season. Will Bell is a minor loss, but the key cogs return for another shot at an MWC title. A pair of 3-star recruits join the fray as well, a better recruiting haul than usual.

40 St. Joseph's With the entire roster returning, St. Joseph's should be a contender for the Atlantic 10 crown. Anything less than a tourney bid would be extremely disappointing.

41 Murray St Although Isaiah Canaan is a star, others will need to step up now that Donte Poole, Ivan Aska, and Jewaun Long depart. In those three seniors, Murray loses almost 45% of its scoring. The program does potentially welcome the OVC's best recruiting class however.

42 UMASS Although leading rebounder Sean Carter graduates, UMASS should be in the A10's upper echelon. Do-everything sophomore guard Chaz Williams has been lighting up the NIT, and will be a contender for next season's A10 Player of the Year.

43 South Dakota St With no seniors on the roster, South Dakota St will be hoping to improve on their 1st round NCAA Tournament loss. Although Nate Wolters improved his all-around game this year, he needs to recapture the long-range shot that propelled him to 40% from three his sophomore year.

44 Purdue In Robbie Hummel, Lewis Jackson, and Ryne Smith, Purdue loses almost 50% of its scoring production, as well as their leaders in rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. Although there is young talent waiting to breakout and a top-25 recruiting class on the way, Purdue will need another year before they're a major contender.

45 Missouri Frank Haith will somehow try and rebound from this year's shock 1st round exit without Denmon, English, Ratliffe, or Pressey. Although Missouri is loading up on solid (though not amazing) freshmen, it will take another year or two before the new squad finds its identity.

>> Continue to Teams 46 to 60.

Return to 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 1 to 30

Huskies, Ducks Squander Chances to Advance

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:01:52 -0800

Thursday turned into a day of missed opportunities for a number of bubble teams across the country, and the Pac-12 may be in danger of being a one-bid league as a result of two results that bookended the day in Los Angeles. Top-seed Washington dropped a tough 86-84 decision to nine-seed Oregon State and poor foul shooting for both teams played a role in the finish. Tony Wroten set a school record for most points in a game by a freshman with 29 to go along with seven rebounds and three assists, but missing his final four free throws with the game in the balance will linger for quite some time.

Washington didn't close out the first half like a team playing with a sense of urgency, trailing 46-33 at the half as the Beavers scored 12 of the final 17 points. Oregon State outscored the Huskies 30-18 in the paint in the first 20 minutes, also scoring 12 points off of ten Washington turnovers, and the Huskies didn't show off the best shot selection either. There was more of the same at the start of the second half before Lorenzo Romar's team finally snapped out of their funk, evenutally taking control of the game and leading by as many as eight points.

But Washington could not shake Craig Robinson's Beavers, who followed a pair of Wroten free throws with a 7-0 run to take an 86-83 lead with six seconds to go. Following the Cunningham free throws to give OSU the three-point lead, the two teams would combine to miss their next six free throws with Wroten, a 57% shooter, missing four. The freshman made nine of his first ten free throws on the day, and the move closer to his season average came at the worst possible time for the Huskies.

"We tried to let him know that we still had a chance to win the game after he missed those free throws," said senior forward Darnell Gant. "Then he got another opportunity, but even though he didn't seize that moment, I tried to stay encouraging towards him and let him know we still have a chance to win this game."

What the Huskies have to hope at this point is that the selection committee looks at them as they did UAB last season. However it's important to point out that the Blazers had a better RPI (31 according to realtimerpi.com; Washington entered the day at 54 according to the NCAA's numbers) but the strength of schedule numbers (UAB - 78; Washington - 77) are close. The problem for the Huskies is that their best non-conference win came at the expense of UCSB, and their lone Top 50 win was a home victory over Oregon on New Year's Eve. Talent-wise a good case can be made for Washington to be in the field, but the resume doesn't match up right now and that's a concern.

Oregon is also in a bit of trouble as they've got no more chances to add wins to their resume, and what makes the Ducks' 63-62 loss to Colorado even more painful is the fact that a win would have given them a shot at a Top 50 win (California). But Andre Roberson's put-back with 13 seconds remaining advanced the Buffaloes to the semifinals in their first Pac-12 tournament, and as a result Oregon has to root for other bubble teams to falter in the final days before Selection Sunday. Devoe Joseph scored just 12 points on 6-for-19 shooting from the field, and the defensive job done by Nate Tomlinson was an underrated aspect of the Buffs' victory.

As a team the Ducks shot just 4-for-22 from beyond the arc, and the reliance on perimeter shots resulted in Oregon shooting just 4-for-8 from the charity stripe. The foul line was just one of the little things that ended up being big issues in both Washington and Oregon's defeats on Thursday, and as a result a rough season for the Pac-12 could get even worse on Selection Sunday. Teams and conferences are judged by their entire bodies of work, and at this point the Pac-12 doesn't have a whole lot to offer.

Three Notable Performances

1. G DeAndre Kane (Marshall)
40 points (15-32 FG), seven rebounds, three assists and three steals in the Thundering Herd's 105-100 triple overtime win over Tulsa in a Conference USA quarterfinal.

2. F Perry Jones III (Baylor)
31 points (11-14 FG), 11 rebounds and two blocked shots in the Bears' 82-74 win over Kansas State in a Big 12 quarterfinal.

3. G Elijah Johnson (Kansas)
26 points (8-11 FG), four assists and three rebounds in the Jayhawks' 83-66 win over Texas A&M in a Big 12 quarterfinal.

Bracketology: Saturday Afternoon Bubble Update

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:51:35 -0800

At this point in the season, a few hours can make or destroy a team's season. Besides conference titles on the line, at-large bids, NIT invites, and seeding remain up in the air. Since yesterday's Bracketology projection, here are the results that matter and how the impact postseason hopes:

Saturday Afternoon

Cincinnati 72 - Villanova 68
Having beaten Marquette last time out, Cincinnati seemed safely in the tournament for the first time in weeks. However, a loss to Villanova followed by a loss in the Big East Tournament could have pushed them right back to the edge. Instead, Cincy picked up a road win and a probable NCAA bid.

Cincinnati's projected seed: 10-11

Marquette 83 - Georgetown 69
Both of these teams were 3 seeds in my latest projection. Georgetown could certainly drop into the 4 seed range depending on how the likes of Wisconsin and Indiana fare over the weekend.

Marquette's projected seed: 2-3
Georgetown's projected seed: 3-4

Memphis 78 - Tulsa 66
With a win, the Tigers locked up the CUSA regular season title. With the tournament being held in Memphis, they have a great shot to win the postseason tournament as well. With a Top 25 RPI and a string of wins, Memphis is approaching a 6 seed.

Memphis' projected seed: 6-7

Murray St 54 - Tennessee St
It wasn't easy, but Murray St escaped with a 2-point win in the OVC Finals to lock up a bid. As a neutral bracketologist, a win by Tennessee St would have been much more interesting. Murray has a wider range of seeds compared to most teams considering their unique situation.

Murray St's projected seed: 4-6

Northwestern 70 - Iowa 66

Nothing comes easy for Northwestern. Wildcats trailed by a bunch, then led by a bunch, then escaped with a nail-biting win. As it is, Northwestern is still in the field, but a lot can change over the next week. A first-round exit in the Big Ten tournament could be enough to knock them right back out. (Iowa could have finished an impressive 9-9 with a win, but their best case postseason scenario is hosting an NIT first round game.)

Northwestern's projected seed: 11-13

Marshall 79 - Southern Miss 75
Southern Miss showed a lot of toughness fighting back from multiple deficits, but the Eagles could never pull away. A win would have no doubt locked up a bid for Southern Miss, but instead they drop closer to the bubble. I think they're still in, but there are a lot of analysts who question how good this team really is. (Marshall is fighting for an NIT bid, and this win certainly helped.)

Southern Miss projected seed: 11-12

UCONN 74 - Pittsburgh 65
The Huskies looked dominant in the first half, almost blew the lead, and then ended up pulling out a 9 point win. A loss would have 100% eliminated UCONN from NCAA Tournament contention. As it is, they exemplify what it means to be a bubble team. South Florida's loss to West Virginia definitely helped UCONN's cause.

UCONN's projected seed: 13 or NIT.

UNC-Asheville 80 - VMI 64
After a tight first half, VMI ran out of gas and UNC-Asheville cruised to the Big South title. Despite a solid 24-9 season and dominant Big South record, UNCA will most likely be looking at a 16 seed.

UNCA's projected seed: 16 (potentially in First Four game.)

UCLA 75 - Washington 69
While I question why the Pac-12 deserves more than one bid, you can rest assured the league will at least get 2 bids. This loss not only prevented the Huskies from locking up the regular season title, it also pushes them down out of a single-digit seed.

Washington's projected seed: 10-11

West Virginia 50 - South Florida 44
In an offensively inept game between bubble squads, West Virginia pulled out a huge road win. The Mountaineers once looked like a tourney lock, but needed two wins to close the season to remain in the field. As it is, they're in for now but can't be considered a 100% lock. After South Florida finally worked their way into my projected field of 68, they're back on the outside now. They certainly still have a chance to work their way back in, but if USF loses their first game at the Big East Tournament, they'd officially be toast.

West Virginia's projected seed: 11-12
South Florida's projected seed: NIT

Illinois St 65 - Wichita St 64

The Shockers have certainly locked up a bid, but this loss may have knocked them back from the lofty 4 seed I had them pegged at. More importantly, it opens the possibility that Illinois St could win the MVC title tomorrow over Creighton/Evansville and steal a bubble bid. Should be fun to watch tomorrow.

Wichita St's projected seed: 4-5

Xavier 72 - Charlotte 63
With 8 minutes to go, Charlotte led by 4 and Xavier's NCAA hopes were on the verge of collapsing. Tu Holloway scored 10 points in the final 8 minutes to spearhead a Xavier run that might have saved their season.

Xavier's projected seed: 12-13

Friday Night

BYU 73 - San Diego 68
The Cougars were pushed from the opening tip by San Diego, but escaped with a much-needed win. BYU's spot in the tournament is far from certain. Only if they go on to beat Gonzaga tonight would I say they're safe.

BYU's projected seed: 10-11

Creighton 68 - Drake 61
Doug McDermott's 26 points helped Creighton escape with a win over a pesky Drake squad. While Creighton is a tourney lock, a loss last night could have potentially dropped them as far as an 8 or 9 seed.

Creighton's projected seed: 6-7

Harvard 77 - Columbia 70 (OT)
While most have assumed for months that Harvard would win the Ivy League, they're only a half-game up on Penn. Not only would a lost last night have put Harvard's Ivy hopes in danger, it would have been crippling for their at-large hopes as well. There's no way the committee puts a 3-loss Ivy team into the tournament.

Harvard's projected seed: 11

#3 Duke vs. #6 North Carolina: Saturday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 07:07:54 -0800

Saturday's Conference Tournament Primer

For 37 minutes #6 North Carolina (26-4, 13-2) had the look of a team poised to beat their bitter rival and take control (at the time) of the ACC race. But the Tar Heels made mistakes that #3 Duke (26-4, 13-2) was ready to take advantage of, culminating with a Austin Rivers three as time expired to give the Blue Devils the 85-84 win. Saturday's winner will be the outright ACC regular season champion, and it's also important when considering the race for the two one-seeds that Kentucky and Syracuse haven't "spoken for" in regards to the NCAA tournament.

The area that North Carolina will have to defend on Saturday night is easy to figure out: the three-point line. Duke attempted 36 three-pointers in the first meeting, making 14 which was good for a percentage of 38.9%. Duke scored 49.4% of their points from three, and on the season they score 31.9% of their points via that shot. Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins and Austin Rivers can all knock down the shot and the same goes for forward Ryan Kelly. North Carolina has to turn Duke players into dribblers as opposed to shooters, but that's easier said than done.

Those three-pointers were an issue for North Carolina not only because of the number made but also because of the Tar Heels' struggles with the shot. UNC made just one of six, and perimeter shooting has been more of an issue than many expected in the preseason. Harrison Barnes has made just eight of twenty-seven shots from beyond the arc since the Duke game, and the Heels need both he and Reggie Bullock to shoot well in order to open things up even more for John Henson and Tyler Zeller inside.

Henson and Zeller combined to grab 28 of North Carolina's 42 rebounds in the early February meeting, and they could enjoy a similar advantage inside in the rematch. But the Plumlee brothers, Miles and Mason, have been playing solid basketball of late and Mason grabbed 14 boards in Chapel Hill. If they can stay out of foul trouble and make things difficult for Henson and Zeller inside the Blue Devils will have a good chance of winning. While defending the three will be key for North Carolina rebounding will be important for the Blue Devils, and whichever team gets the job done will ultimately win the ACC title.

Two other games match ranked teams, with both being Big East contests. While #2 Syracuse and #18 Louisville are locked into their respective seeds (SU - 1, U of L - 7) this is a big contest for the Cardinals when it comes to their NCAA tournament seeding. A win over the Orange would be a nice line to add to their resume, and the hope is that more minutes for Wayne Blackshear will get them over the hump. The winner of #12 Georgetown and #7 Marquette will wrap up the final double-bye, and despite teams lack of success with the perk that would be a valuable day of rest for two teams (especially Marquette) than don't have a great amount of depth.

Memphis, who has played very well of late, can wrap up the Conference USA regular season title with a win at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane have surprised some by hanging in the C-USA race but Doug Wojcik's team has taken advantage of a schedule that brought other title contenders to Tulsa without a return trip. Can they do the same against the Tigers and lock up the three-seed in next week's conference tournament? They'll need to slow down Will Barton if they're to do so. In the Mountain West both #23 San Diego State and Colorado State had better be careful on the road, especially the Aztecs who visit a TCU team that's undefeated in conference home games. The Rams, who beat UNLV on Wednesday night, visit an Air Force teams that's played better since the firing of Jeff Reynolds.

Washington and Northwestern both have road games they can't afford to lose at this point in the season, with the Huskies looking to win the Pac-12 title outright with a victory over UCLA. The Bruins played their best game of the season on Thursday night as they blew out Washington State, and if they can force Tony Wroten and Terrence Ross to play a half-court game UCLA's got a shot. As for Northwestern, they need to win at Iowa to keep their Big Ten tournament trip "manageable" in regards to how much work they may need to do in order to lock up an at-large bid. John Shurna and Drew Crawford can both score but they're going to need help against the Hawkeyes, who are led offensively by the talented Matt Gatens.

Temple can win the Atlantic 10 outright with a win at Fordham and Long Beach State can cap an undefeated run through the Big West win a win at Cal State Fullerton, while Texas has a golden opportunity at their fingertips as they visit #4 Kansas. The Longhorns could use a signature victory for their resume and to do so at Allen Fieldhouse would make quite the impression. But that's far easier said than done, especially on Senior Day in Lawrence. The same goes for hard-charging Tennessee, who hosts Vanderbilt and would make for an interesting case in the selection room given their play since the addition of Jarnell Stokes. Lastly both West Virginia and USF need a win to solidify their tournament hopes, but the truth is that both will need to do work in New York next week as well.

Top 25 Games
4:00 PM (18) Louisville at (2) Syracuse (CBS)
7:00 PM (6) North Carolina at (3) Duke (ESPN)
9:00 PM Texas at (4) Kansas (ESPN3)
2:00 PM (12) Georgetown at (7) Marquette (ESPN3)
4:00 PM (8) Missouri at Texas Tech (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Tennessee State vs (9) Murray State* (ESPN)
7:00 PM (10) Baylor at Iowa State (ESPN3)
2:35 PM Illinois State vs (14) Wichita State* (ESPN3)
10:00 PM Wyoming at (17) UNLV (The Mtn.)
9:00 PM San Francisco vs (21) Saint Mary's* (ESPNU)
7:00 PM (23) San Diego State at TCU (The Mtn.)
5:05 PM Evansville vs (24) Creighton* (ESPN3)
4:00 PM (25) Temple at Fordham

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Pittsburgh at Connecticut (ESPN)
12:00 PM West Virginia at South Florida (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Wake Forest at Georgia Tech (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Ohio at Miami (OH)
12:00 PM Memphis at Tulsa (CBS)
12:00 PM George Washington at Dayton
12:00 PM UNC Wilmington vs Drexel* (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Saint Louis at Duquesne
12:00 PM VMI at UNC-Asheville (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Appalachian State vs UNC Greensboro* (ESPN3)
12:05 PM Binghamton vs Stony Brook*
12:30 PM Nebraska at Minnesota (BTN)
1:30 PM Oklahoma State at Kansas State (ESPN3)
1:45 PM South Carolina at Georgia (ESPN3)
2:00 PM LSU at Auburn (CBS)
2:00 PM Washington at UCLA (CBS)
2:00 PM Cincinnati at Villanova (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Southern Miss at Marshall
2:00 PM Northern Illinois at Ball State
2:00 PM St. Bonaventure at La Salle
2:00 PM American University at Lehigh
2:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Toledo
2:00 PM Western Carolina vs Wofford* (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Charlotte at Xavier
2:15 PM New Hampshire vs Albany*
2:30 PM Delaware vs Old Dominion* (ESPN3)
2:30 PM Rider vs Fairfield* (ESPN3)
2:30 PM Northwestern at Iowa (BTN)
2:30 PM Boston College at Miami (FL) (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Utah Valley at North Dakota
3:00 PM UTEP at SMU
4:00 PM Rhode Island at Massachusetts
4:00 PM Alabama at Ole Miss (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Boise State at New Mexico (NBC SN)
4:00 PM Texas A&M at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Colorado at Oregon State
4:00 PM Colorado State at Air Force (The Mtn.)
4:00 PM Vanderbilt at Tennessee (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Chicago State at NJIT
4:30 PM Marist vs Iona* (ESPN3)
4:30 PM Lafayette at Bucknell
4:30 PM McNeese State at Lamar
4:30 PM Southeastern Louisiana at Nicholls State
5:00 PM Sam Houston State at Texas State
5:00 PM Idaho State at Eastern Washington
5:00 PM Arkansas at Mississippi State (ESPN3)
5:00 PM Prairie View A&M at Alcorn State
5:00 PM Texas Southern at Southern
6:00 PM Washington State at USC
6:00 PM Seton Hall at DePaul (ESPN3)
6:00 PM Detroit vs Cleveland State* (ESPN3)
6:00 PM Grambling State at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Jackson State at Alabama State
6:00 PM Bowling Green at Buffalo (ESPN3)
6:00 PM Furman vs Davidson* (ESPN3)
6:00 PM Utah at Oregon
6:00 PM Northeastern vs VCU* (ESPN3)
6:05 PM Maine vs Vermont*
7:00 PM Troy vs South Alabama*
7:00 PM Dartmouth at Columbia
7:00 PM Harvard at Cornell (ESPN3)
7:00 PM IPFW vs Oral Roberts*
7:00 PM Yale at Pennsylvania
7:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast vs Belmont* (ESPN3)
7:00 PM UAB at UCF
7:00 PM Northwestern State at Stephen F. Austin
7:05 PM Long Beach State at Cal State Fullerton
7:15 PM Arkansas State vs Florida Atlantic*
7:15 PM Texas-Arlington at UTSA
7:30 PM Brown at Princeton
7:30 PM Niagara vs Loyola (MD)* (ESPN3)
8:00 PM UC Irvine at UC Riverside
8:00 PM St. John's at Rutgers (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Houston at Rice
8:00 PM Central Arkansas at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM East Carolina at Tulane
8:05 PM Texas-Pan American at Houston Baptist
8:15 PM Hartford at Boston University
8:30 PM Georgia Southern vs Elon* (ESPN3)
8:30 PM Georgia State vs George Mason* (ESPN3)
8:30 PM Butler at Valparaiso
9:30 PM Florida International vs Western Kentucky*
9:30 PM Siena vs Manhattan* (ESPN3)
9:30 PM IUPUI vs South Dakota State*
10:00 PM Pacific at Cal Poly
10:00 PM Idaho at San Jose State
10:00 PM New Mexico State at Fresno State
10:00 PM Louisiana Tech at Nevada
10:00 PM Montana State at Portland State
10:00 PM UC Davis at UC Santa Barbara
11:00 PM Brigham Young vs Gonzaga* (ESPN2)
12:00 AM Utah State at Hawaii

Davis Leads #1 Kentucky Past Vanderbilt: Saturday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 20:30:42 -0800

#4 Kansas clinched their eighth consecutive Big 12 title with a wild 87-86 overtime win over #3 Missouri, placing head coach Bill Self in some esteemed company. Here are today's "Quick Hitters":

1. #1 Kentucky wraps up another SEC title with a win over Vanderbilt.
In what has been a superlative season for freshman Anthony Davis, the Chicago native may have saved his best performance (thus far) for Saturday. Davis made ten of his eleven shots from the field and scored 28 points while also grabbing 11 boards and blocking six shots to lead Kentucky to an 83-74 win over Vanderbilt. The victory also locked up the 45th SEC title in program history, and it's been clear that there's a lot more this group can achieve before this season ends. Jeffery Taylor scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Vanderbilt, who may have enough to hang around longer than they have in recent NCAA appearances when that time comes.

But on this day it was about the impact of Davis on an afternoon that saw Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (eight points, eight rebounds) and Terrence Jones (12 points, six rebounds) play 29 and 23 minutes respectively. Vandy may have out scored Kentucky 21-6 from beyond the arc but they also made just 42.2% of their shots inside of the arc, and going 15-for-23 from the foul line doesn't help on the road either.

Marquis Teague got off to a slow start but he got going as the game wore on, finishing with 15 points and six assists, and Darius Miller scored nine points off the bench. Kentucky won with two starters in foul trouble and a third (Doron Lamb) scoring just seven points. That lack of production is not going to happen very often between now and the end of the season, so good luck to all future opponents.

2. With #21 New Mexico completing an 0-2 week the Mountain West title is once again up for grabs.
After wins over San Diego State and UNLV last week Steve Alford's Lobos were undoubtedly the class of the Mountain West. But after losses to Colorado State and TCU, New Mexico is back in a three-way tie for first with the Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels going into the last week of regular season play. After going to the half tied (38-all) New Mexico was outscored 45-26 by the Horned Frogs in the 83-64 beating, moving TCU to a surprising 7-5 in conference play and 6-0 in league home games. J.R. Cadot led six TCU players in double figures with 15 points while also grabbing ten rebounds and point guard Hank Thorns dished out nine assists to go along with his 14 points, and a team few expected to contend remains alive in the Mountain West title race.

UNLV was able to hold off a pesky Air Force squad in Las Vegas, winning 68-58 with Chace Stanback's 21 points and eight rebounds leading the way, and San Diego State held off Colorado State 74-66. Jamaal Franklin, who's been banged up of late, went off for 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead the way. With all three teams at 8-4 having played each other twice the Mountain West race will be decided by how they all do against the rest of the conference (the three-way tie at this point would be broken by record vs. the fourth place team).

Before this week the Lobos were the ones who hadn't slipped up, but obviously that's changed. Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams need to be consistent if New Mexico is to win the MWC but at this point anything can happen, and given how dangerous the likes of TCU, Colorado State and Wyoming have played it probably will.

3. Gonzaga's 11-year reign atop the WCC ends as Saint Mary's clinches the WCC title.
While Kansas' current streak of eight straight Big 12 titles is nothing to scoff at, Gonzaga had won 11 straight West Coast Conference titles heading into this season. But that streak came to an end on Saturday night as Saint Mary's beat San Francisco 67-60, wrapping up the regular season title for the Gaels. It wasn't a pretty effort for Randy Bennett's team as they shot just 6-for-28 from beyond the arc, but Saint Mary's made the plays they needed to make down the stretch.

Clint Steindl, who entered the starting lineup with Stephen Holt out with a knee inury, scored a team-high 16 points while Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones (14 rebounds) scored 14 points apiece. Jones wasn't the only Gael to post a double-double either as Brad Waldow, who has emerged as the Gaels' second-best interior player in WCC play, scored ten points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Saint Mary's and Gonzaga wrapped up byes to the semifinals of next weekend's WCC tournament with the results while BYU and Loyola Marymount receive byes to the quarters as the third and fourth seeds. One would think that the top three teams are all safely into the Field of 68 at this point, and Max Good's Lions have the ability to run through the conference tournament and get the WCC a fourth NCAA bid.

Gonzaga's run atop the WCC may have ended but by no means is this "the end", in regards to both this season as well as the future. Players such as Kevin Pangos, Gary Bell and Guy Landry Edi will all have an impact for the Zags (and Kelly Olynyk will be back in the fold next season), and they'll need to if Mark Few's team is to make some noise next month.

4. #2 Syracuse wraps up the tenth Big East regular season title in school history with a win at UConn.
Jim Boeheim's team was walking into what was sure to be a charged environment, given the "ESPN College Gameday" presence and Connecticut's need for a marquee win. And even though things got tight down the stretch Syracuse was able to pick up their first-ever win at Gampel Pavilion, winning 71-69 with C.J. Fair blocking a Roscoe Smith shot in the final seconds to preserve the lead.

The concerns about rebounding going into the game given the Huskies' size inside? No issue for the Orange, who out-rebounded the Huskies 39-35 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds (UConn finished with 15 but was outscored 16-14 in second-chance points) on the night.Fab Melo's follow-up dunk with 31 seconds remaining gave Syracuse, who led by as many as 17 points, the victory but it was Kris Joseph and their reserves who stood out.

Joseph scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds as he bounced back from a 5-for-17 night in Syracuse's win over USF on Wednesday night. As for the reserves once again Syracuse showed that they're the deepest team in America. Dion Waiters led the way with ten points while Fair (six points, seven rebounds) and James Southerland (seven points) also made an impact. The Orange reserves outscored the UConn bench 26-0 on the night, allowing Syracuse to successfully navigate a quiet night from Brandon Triche (18 minutes played) and Scoop Jardine shooting 3-for-10 from the field (seven points, six assists).

With something of consequence from Shabazz Napier or Tyler Olander off the bench UConn would have had an even better shot of winning, and that's going to be the key in their games against Providence and Pittsburgh. Gain some consistency and the Huskies have the ability to be a tough out in the Big Dance, and while their close loss showed UConn's potential it also showed the difference between a team that can win games and one that can win a championship.

5. Northwestern and Texas avoid what would have been bad losses while Seton Hall and NC State aren't as fortunate.
The focus for bubble teams this time of the year tends to be on the search for that "signature win", but just as important is the ability to avoid shooting oneself in the foot. Northwestern and Texas looked to be headed towards bad (or in the case of Texas, catastrophic) losses but both the Wildcats and Longhorns were able to pull out victories on the road.

John Shurna made a pair of free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining to give Northwestern a 67-66 win at Penn State (the foul should have been called on the catch before Shurna was ever fouled on his shot attempt). And in Lubbock it took seven points from J'Covan Brown in the final 2:16 of overtime for the Longhorns to beat Texas Tech 71-67, with Rick Barnes' team closing the game on a 10-0 run.

Seton Hall and NC State weren't as fortunate, with the Pirates' slide commencing with Pope being called for an offensive foul (that many SHU fans vigorously disputed) with 44.1 seconds remaining in overtime and the score tied at 72. From there in-state rival Rutgers would score the final five points, exacting a measure of revenge on a team that beat them at the RAC in the first meeting this season. Jordan Theodore led the Pirates with 17 points and nine assists but it was Rutgers' Dane Miller (21 points, ten rebounds, four assists and three blocks) who stood out.

At least the Pirates are likely on the right side of the fence (or at least close to it) in spite of the loss. The same cannot be said for Mark Gottfried's Wolfpack, who seem to be freefall mode as they dropped their fourth straight game (72-69 at Clemson). Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie scored 18 points apiece to lead the Wolfpack but it wasn't enough as Scott Wood (1-6 FG) struggled and Milton Jennings led three Tigers in double figures with 17 points. The difference was the foul line, as NC State made five of thirteen and Clemson finished 16-for-21. While there are still games to be played there doesn't seem to be much sand left in the hourglass for NC State.

Quick Hitters

1. From Friday night the Big East Player of the Year race may have received some clarity. With three starters (Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Darius Johnson-Odom) suspended for the first half of #10 Marquette's game at West Virginia and Todd Mayo suspended for the second, Jae Crowder did everything in his power to lead the Golden Eagles to the 61-60 win. Crowder finished with 26 points and four rebounds while outplaying WVU's Kevin Jones, who didn't receive a who lot of help down the stretch from his teammates. And while Buzz Williams' dancing received the bulk of the postgame attention, Bob Huggins' visible frustration with his team shouldn't be ignored either.

2. There's now a tie atop the Ivy League in the loss column as Penn snapped Harvard's 28-game home win streak by the final score of 55-54. Zack Rosen's two free throws with 23 seconds remaining proved to be the difference for the Quakers, who are now 9-2 in league play (Harvard's 10-2). But don't start planning for a possible playoff just yet, as Jerome Allen's team still has games against Yale (home) and Princeton (road) to deal with. And if you haven't seen Rosen play by now...shame.

3. Following Purdue's blowout loss to Michigan State forward Ryne Smith made the comment that the dismissal of Kelsey Barlow was "addition by subtraction." Smith may have been proven right on Saturday as the Boilermakers handed #13 Michigan their first home loss of the season by the final score of 75-61. Terone Johnson led the way with 22 points and Purdue enjoyed a stretch in the second half in which they scored on 11 of 13 possessions. That's how you cement your status as a tournament team.

4. Arizona and Washington both did what they needed to do on Saturday, escaping with wins against UCLA and Washington State respectively. Kyle Fogg led the Wildcats to the 65-63 win on Senior Day in Tucson with 20 points and nine rebounds, giving Arizona their 21st win of the season. Tony Wroten accounted for 21 points, six rebounds and five assists in Washington's 59-55 win at Washington State, a game the Huskies trailed 45-32 with 11 minutes remaining. It remains to be seen how many teams the Pac-12 can get into the tournament, but at this point the best strategy for both is to simply keep winning.

5. Another interesting day in the Atlantic 10 as Saint Louis suffered a brutal loss for their resume while Dayton and Saint Joseph's picked up needed victories. Billy Baron's shot in the final seconds gave Rhode Island a 64-62 win over the Billikens in Kingston, but regardless of the venue that's a game Rick Majerus' team did not need on their resume as a loss. Langston Galloway led four Saint Joseph's players in double figures with 22 points as the Hawks beat #22 Temple 82-72 to earn a share of the Big 5 title, and Dayton blew out UMass 76-43 at home. Three seems to be the number of bids most expect the A-10 to receive, which makes games like these even more important down the stretch.

6. Cleveland State finally looked like a cohesive group with D'Aundray Brown out of the lineup as they beat Wright State 77-55. Trevon Harmon scored 20 points and Jeremy Montgomery 17 for the Vikings, who locked up the two-seed in next week's Horizon League tournament. That earns them (along with regular season champ Valparaiso) a bye to the semifinals, a perk that was much-needed by the Vikings.

7. Behind 31 points from Bradford Burgess, VCU was able to jump on George Mason early in what ended up being an 89-77 win in Richmond to grab the two-seed in the CAA tournament. VCU scored 12 points within a stretch of less than two minutes in the first half to establish a margin the Patriots were unable to overcome despite 24 points and nine rebounds from Ryan Pearson. These two could very well meet in the CAA semis next weekend, and a rubber match would have huge implications in regards to the NCAA tournament.

8. The pace wasn't in their favor but #7 North Carolina found a way to win as they beat Virginia 54-51 in Charlottesville. Tyler Zeller scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds on the afternoon and John Henson added 15 and 11 with two blocked shots. Defensively the Tar Heels were able to keep Mike Scott in check, something they were unable to do in Chapel Hill. Scott shot just 3-for-13 from the field and scored six points for the Cavaliers, who shot 6-for-23 from beyond the arc.

9. Fred Hoiberg's Iowa State Cyclones did themselves a favor from an NCAA tournament seeding standpoint with their 65-61 win at Kansas State, who was coming off of consecutive road wins at Baylor and Missouri. Scott Christopherson scored 29 points and Royce White added nine points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. The win also keeps the Cyclones tied with Baylor for third place, and they'll host the Bears in the regular season finale for both next weekend.

10. The Northeast Conference tournament, which begins on Thursday night, has the potential to be a wild event of Saturday's results are a harbinger of things to come. The top four seeds (who will host games on Thursday) all lost, including regular season champ LIU-Brooklyn getting pasted 106-78 at Monmouth, while seeds five through eight all won. King Rice's Hawks may be the hottest team entering the tournament as they've won seven of their last nine games, and Quinnipiac hasn't been bad either as they've won eight of their last eleven. LIU's the favorite with Wagner right behind them but don't be surprised if there's an upset along the way.

11. Things got a bit wild in Huntington but that didn't deter Memphis, who whipped Marshall 87-67 to remain in first place in Conference USA. Will Barton scored 24 points, Joe Jackson 21 and Chris Crawford added 16 and eight assists to lead the Tigers, who have enough talent to give an opponent headaches in the Big Dance. Josh Pastner's team has been maddeningly inconsistent at times this season, but don't sleep on them.

Poll: Which Bubble Team Is Most Likely to Get a Bid?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:55:18 -0800

Lobos Strengthen Grip on Mountain West: Saturday's Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 07:37:42 -0800

With games at #13 San Diego State and against #11 UNLV this week, Steve Alford's New Mexico Lobos had a great opportunity to not only take control of the Mountain West but also make a statement nationally.

Mission accomplished.

Drew Gordon was outstanding, scoring 27 points and grabbing 20 rebounds as the Lobos whipped UNLV 65-45 in Albuquerque. And while Gordon was outstanding the effort of New Mexico on the defensive end of the floor shouldn't be ignored. UNLV shot just 31.1% from the field for the game, by far their worst performance of the season, and the Runnin' Rebels scored just 18 points in the second half. Anthony Marshall, who finished with 18 points, scored 12 of those second half points and outside of the junior UNLV shot 2-for-13 from the field.

Meanwhile Gordon was a man among boys in the final 20 minutes as he shot 9-for-13 from the field and accounted for 18 points and 11 rebounds. Tony Snell added 12 points in a game that saw both teams go on runs early, but neither could establish any kind of distance in the first half. But the Lobos' intensity on the defensive end combined with heavy doses of Gordon proved to be too much in front of a frenzied crowd at The Pit.

"I don't know if we are the best team in this league yet but there is no team in the last month that has guarded the way that we have guarded," remarked Alford. "To hold a team like this who is averaging 80 points a game, and you hold them to four field goals in one half is great."

In addition to their victory New Mexico received some help from an unlikely source as San Diego State fell 58-56 at Air Force. As a result the Lobos find themselves two games up on both the Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels with four league games to go. Remember that SDSU/UNLV "round three" that many (myself included) were clamoring for in light of their split of the season series? We may get that matchup, but thanks to New Mexico it will likely have to come a round early in the Mountain West tournament.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Murray State takes care of a hobbled Saint Mary's in the Sears BracketBusters headliner.
Much importance was placed on the Sears BracketBusters matchup between Murray State and Saint Mary's, with many hypothesizing that the Racers would have to get this game in order to have a shot at an at-large bid (at 25-1 coming in, this talk seemed to be an absurd overreaction). The Gaels were with a hobbled Matthew Dellavedova and without the injured Stephen Holt, and Isaiah Canaan and company took care of business accordingly. Canaan scored 23 points and dished out four assists in leading Murray State to the 65-51 win, and despite their size disadvantage inside Steve Prohm's club out-rebounded SMC 31-24.

Just as important as Canaan however was the Murray State effort on the defensive end, as they limited Saint Mary's to 37.7% shooting and 2-for-14 from beyond the arc. Dellavedova managed a team-best 17 points but getting outscored by 21 points from beyond the arc (27-6) and Jorden Page and Rob Jones combining to shoot 3-for-18 from the field proved to be too much to overcome. The win should satisfy the masses with regards to Murray State's chances should they not win the OVC's automatic bid, and the task for Randy Bennett's team is to simply get healthy and protect their one-game lead in the WCC.

2. Trey Burke makes the difference as Michigan beat Ohio State in Ann Arbor.
It may be time to end the debate as to not only who the best freshman point guard in America is but also the conversation regarding the Big Ten's best point guard regardless of class. Michigan's Trey Burke scored 17 points and dished out five assists in the Wolverines' 56-51 win over #6 Ohio State to pull into a tie with the Buckeyes a game behind Michigan State in the loss column. His work against Aaron Craft proved to be the difference as Craft struggled, scoring four points on 1-for-6 shooting with three assists and two turnovers.

Deshaun Thomas led the Buckeyes with 25 points and Jared Sullinger was able to muster 14 despite being the focus of Michigan's interior defense, but with Tim Hardaway Jr. adding 13 points and Jordan Morgan a double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) Michigan was able to give the home folks what they wanted. Guard play wins out more times than not especially in March, and it's very apparent that Michigan is in a good position thanks to Burke.

3. Antoine Young's shot with three-tenths of a second remaining completes the Creighton comeback.
This Sears BracketBuster did not fail to live up to the hype that preceded it as the 49ers and Bluejays put on a show in Omaha. Dan Monson's club led for much of the night but down the stretch Creighton was able to turn the momentum in their favor. And they were able to do so by ramping up their intensity of the defensive end of the floor. "Holding" a team to 50% shooting from the field isn't all that impressive until two factors are noticed: Long Beach State shot 68% in the first half, and the 49ers were just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc after shooting 60% in the first half. Antoine Young would cap the rally with a jumper over T.J. Robinson with less than a second remaining, giving Creighton a needed 81-79 win.

Long Beach State's versatility allows them to switch just about any ball screen, and to head coach Greg McDermott and his players' credit they were able to take advantage of it. Creighton's win can't be mentioned without noting the play of Doug McDermott either, who took full advantage of playing a team unfamiliar with his skill set by scoring 36 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Robinson (20 points, eight rebounds) and Casper Ware (21 points) led the way for the 49ers, who have the remainder of the Big West season to look forward to. Creighton likely locked up an at-large bid barring a collapse, and while Long Beach State has seen some of their bigger wins devalued two things need to be remembered. One, it's not their fault that Xavier and Pittsburgh haven't performed to expectations, and two 37 teams are needed should the 49ers not win the automatic bid. Are there really 37 teams better than Long Beach State? No.

4. Kansas State picks up a win they truly needed as they beat #10 Baylor in Waco.
Given the tough four-game stretch that Frank Martin's team is currently in, it was clear that the Wildcats would have their work cut out for them from a tournament resume standpoint. But those games can be looked at as either a challenge or an opportunity, and how they're seen is up to the team and no one else. Opportunity knocked in the form of a trip to Baylor on Saturday and the Wildcats took advantage, beating the Bears 57-56 in a weird finish. A Jordan Henriquez dunk with 1:55 remaining gave K-State a 57-56 lead, and with neither team scoring another point that would be the final score as well.

Quincy Acy, who finished with 14 points, looked to have been fouled just over 20 seconds later on a shot attempt but no call came and Quincy Miller (12 points, 11 rebounds) missed a shot that would have given the Bears the lead in the final seconds. Angel Rodriguez and Rodney McGruder scored 15 apiece to lead the Wildcats, but the biggest story on the box score has to be the lack of production from Perry Jones III. Jones III managed just four points and four rebounds before fouling out in just 22 minutes of action, and if Baylor's to do anything of note in March these kind of performances can't happen. Kansas State picked up a win they desperately needed however, helping to relieve some of the pressure they may have felt going to their game at Missouri on Tuesday night.

5. Washington beats Arizona but was there anything gained from the result?
There's no denying the fact that the game between the Huskies and Wildcats was an important one within the Pac-12, as the Huskies (tied with California) enjoyed a one-game lead over Arizona (Colorado and Oregon as well) going into Saturday's action. But what does the game, which Washington won 79-70, mean to both in regards to their hopes of an at-large berth? For Arizona it seems quite simple in defeat: win out with games against the L.A. schools at home and a trip to Arizona State and then do some damage at the Pac-12 tournament.

The Wildcats shot just 35.5% from the field in the second half, 2-for-13 from three, as they were unable to make up the two-point halftime deficit (39-37). Terrence Ross led the Huskies with 25 points and Tony Wroten added 22 and nine assists, but with computer numbers that don't jump off the screen at first glance and an 0-4 record against RPI Top 50 teams it will be interesting to see what's made of the Huskies. To say the least a regular season Pac-12 crown would help their cause immensely, and Washington took a step in that direction on Saturday afternoon.

Quick Hitters

1. There were few results more impressive than Wichita State's 91-74 win at Davidson, moving the Shockers to 24-4 on the season. Joe Ragland scored 30 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way for Wichita State, who shot a scalding 63.5% from the field. Jake Cohen led the Wildcats, who are the prohibitive favorite to win the SoCon's automatic bid, with 25 points.

2. The story of Florida State's 76-62 win at NC State should be the Seminoles limiting the Wolfpack to 29.3% shooting from the field, but thanks to the actions of official Karl Hess that's not the case. Hess thought it necessary to throw Wolfpack legends Tom Gugliotta and Chris Corchiani out of the RBC Center, and according to those in the area it was a blatant overreaction. Much has been made about officials being overworked, but the real problem is that some act as if the fans show up to watch them. This really needs to be dealt with.

3. Things have gotten even worse for Connecticut and Illinois as both teams were on the receiving end of whippings on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies fell to #13 Marquette 79-64 thanks to 53 combined points from Jae Crowder (29 points, 12 rebounds) and Darius Johnson-Odom (24 points). But the bigger issue was point guard Shabazz Napier calling out his teammates following the game. The Huskies don't have the look of a team capable of turning things around and neither does Illinois, who was whipped at Nebraska. In the 80-57 loss the Fighting Illini saw Bo Spencer score 27 points and Nebraska shoot 55.3% from the field.

4. Saint Mary's may have lost but they actually gained a game in the loss column with regards to the WCC race. Rashad Green's jumper with 3.3 seconds remaining pushed San Francisco past #24 Gonzaga by the final score of 66-65. Gonzaga's now tied with BYU for second place at 11-3 with Saint Mary's a game ahead at 12-2 with all three having two games remaining, and the Bulldogs and Cougars meet in Spokane on Thursday night.

5. One way to make earning an NCAA berth tougher than it should be is to lose games you're supposed to win, which is exactly what #23 Mississippi State did. The Bulldogs struggled offensively, shooting 35.2% from the field and 5-for-22 from three in a 65-55 loss at Auburn. Frankie Sullivan led the Tigers with 16 points and Kenny Gabriel added 15 and nine boards.

6. Drexel went on the road and beat Cleveland State 69-49, and while the Vikings are a far different team without D'Aundray Brown this was an impressive result for the Dragons. Drexel has now won 15 in a row, and it may be time to consider where Bruiser Flint's team stacks up against last year's George Mason squad. The Patriots won 16 in a row but would eventually need an at-large bid (8-seed), and a quick look at the numbers (see the "Rankings" area) for both teams shows how difficult it could be for the CAA to get two bids.

7. Both Memphis and Southern Miss dropped games they weren't expected to, meaning that not only do the two teams remain tied for first in Conference USA but they also move closer to the pack. UTEP was able to come back and beat Memphis 60-58 for their first road win of the season, and Houston knocked off Southern Miss 73-71 as Jonathon Simmons led the Cougars with 28 points and eight rebounds. Conference USA needed Southern Miss and Memphis to separate in order to feel good about two bids, and that may not happen at this rate.

8. The streak will live for another year as Dayton was once again unable to win at Xavier, losing 86-83 in overtime at the Cintas Center. The Flyers, who were led by Kevin Dillard's 20 points and six assists, haven't beaten the Musketeers in Cincinnati since 1981. Tu Holloway (32 points, six rebounds, five assists) and Mark Lyons (20 points, three rebounds) led the way for the Musketeers, who remain in the A-10 race with the win.

9. The Patriot League race has become much tighter than expected with two games remaining. While both American (74-50 win at Army) and Lehigh (72-53 win over Lafayette) took care of business they received the help they needed from Holy Cross, who beat first-place Bucknell 54-52 despite 20 points and ten rebounds from Mike Muscala. The Bison are now just a game up on the Eagles and Mountain Hawks, and with two to go there's always the chance that Bucknell could drop all the way down to the 3rd seed. Bucknell and American meet in D.C. on Thursday night.

10. Not only did Belmont take care of what they needed to do in beating East Tennessee State 80-58 but they also received help in the form of Jacksonville's 81-75 win over Mercer. This gives the Bruins a one-game lead over the Bears in the Atlantic Sun with three to go, and the regular season finale is a battle between the two at Mercer (the Bears also host the conference tournament).

11. Similar to the battle between Arizona and Washington, the second meeting of the season between Wyoming and Colorado State is a contest that we'll still have some work to do when it comes to figuring out the meaning. Behind Greg Smith (14 points, eight rebounds) and a defense that limited the Cowboys to 38.6% shooting, the Rams picked up a much-needed split of the season series with a 54-46 win (Wyoming won the first meeting in Laramie by 19). Both teams have plenty of work to do (despite solid computer numbers for CSU) but this is a good step for the Rams.

12. Not only did Northwestern pick up a much-needed win (64-53 over Minnesota) but John Shurna became the school's all-time leading scorer. The senior was all over the stat sheet for the Wildcats, finishing with 18 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocked shots. At 6-8 in league play Northwestern has opportunities remaining as they host Michigan and Ohio State, while the remaining road games are Penn State and Iowa.

13. Harvard once again took care of Yale, this time by the final score of 66-51, to remain alone in first place in the Ivy League. Brandyn Curry scored 18 points and Keith Wright ten as the Crimson, who host Princeton and Penn next week, soundly defeated the Bulldogs for the second time this season despite 22 and 11 from Greg Magnano. A sweep of next weekend would guarantee Tommy Amaker's bunch at least a share of the Ivy crown.

14. The nation's second-longest win streak came to an end on Saturday night as Weber State edged out UT-Arlington 72-70 in Ogden. The Mavericks, who had won 16 in a row, limited the nation's leading scorer (Damian Lillard) to 17 points but Scott Bamforth scored 16 of his 19 in the second half to propel the Wildcats to the victory.

15. Two teams in need of wins took losses on the road Saturday as Texas fell 90-78 to Oklahoma State and Seton Hall dropped a 62-57 decision at Cincinnati. Safe to say that both the Longhorns and Pirates have work to do if they're to go dancing, but the good news for both is that their leagues will provide the opportunities needed to strengthen their case.

Five Notable Performances

1. F Drew Gordon (New Mexico)
27 points and 20 rebounds in the Lobos' 65-45 win over #11 UNLV.

2. G Keiton Page (Oklahoma State)
40 points (20-20 FT) in the Cowboys' 90-78 win over Texas.

3. F/C Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure)
32 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Bonnies' 81-61 win over Rhode Island.

4. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
36 points and 11 rebounds in the Bluejays' 81-79 win over Long Beach State.

5. G Louie Krogman (South Dakota)
37 points, six assists and four steals in the Coyotes' 93-92 loss to Texas State.

Washington vs Arizona: Prediction & Fan Poll

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0800

ARIZONA (19-8, 10-4 Pac-12) AT WASHINGTON (18-8, 11-3 Pac-12)

Time: 3 p.m. (Noon PT)

TV: FSN

Location: Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Wash.

RPI Ratings

Arizona 68 (No. 3 Pac-12)

Washington 64 (No. 2 Pac-12)

Line: Washington -3.5 (139 o/u)

Arizona Players to Watch: F Solomon Hill, 6-6 Jr. (12.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.7 apg); G Kyle Fogg, 6-3 Sr. (12.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 spg); G Brendon Lavender, 6-5 Sr. (4.6 ppg, 52.2% 3s, 50% FG). Lavender came off the bench for a team-best 17 points in Thursday’s 76-72 win over Washington State. The senior was 5-of-7 from the 3-point line in the victory.

Washington Players to Watch: G Tony Wroten, 6-5 Fr. (16.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.6 apg); G Terrence Ross, 6-6 So. (15.1 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.1 spg); G Abdul Gaddy, 6-3 Jr. (7.9 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.6 rpg). Wroten, who is third in the Pac-12 in scoring and seventh in assists, is one of five freshman nominated for the 2012 Wayman Tisdale Award that goes to the nation’s best freshman.

Storylines: Both teams have gotten back into the Pac-12 race with recent runs. Washington has tied Cal atop the league standings at 11-3 with seven wins in its last eight games, including recent victories at Oregon State (75-72 on Feb. 12) and at home against Arizona State (77-69 on Thursday). The Wildcats are a game back of the Huskies and Bears at 10-4 after five straight wins, including a 78-74 win at Cal on Feb. 2 and a 76-72 win at Washington State on Thursday.

Key Stats: Washington earned a big 69-67 win at Arizona on Jan. 28. Wroten scored 17 points and blocked Josiah Turner’s layup at the buzzer to preserve the win. In the victory, the Huskies hit 7-of-16 3-pointers (43.8 percent) and outscored the Wildcats 40-35 in the second half. UW is second in the Pac-12 in scoring at 75.3 points per game. Arizona is third in the league in scoring defense, holding opponents to 61.7 points per game. The Wildcats also lead in the conference in 3-poitn defense (27.4 percent) and are second in field goal defense (40.0). Washington appears to have a rebounding advantage. The Huskies lead the Pac-12 in rebounds per game (40.5) and are tied for the lead with Stanford in rebounding margin (plus-5.6). Arizona is 7-2 on the road this season, including three in a row and 5-of-6. The Huskies have won 12 of their 14 games at AAA this season. They are 8-1 at home in Pac-12 games.

The Bottom Line: The way Arizona is playing, combined with the home court advantage and UW’s youth, equals a big road win for the Wildcats.

The Pick: Arizona 70, Washington 66

#19 Michigan vs. #6 Ohio State: Saturday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:14:39 -0800

Previews of the top Sears BracketBusters games can be found here.

Saturday's received a lot of attention due to the lion's share of the games in the Sears BracketBusters event being played, but there are also key games in BCS AQ leagues on the slate. One such contest is #6 Ohio State (22-4, 10-3) making the short trek north to take on #19 Michigan (19-7, 9-4) and hoping to leave Ann Arbor as the Big Ten leader. These two teams have already played once, a 64-49 Buckeye win in Columbus on January 29th, so this is a key contest for the Wolverines with regards to possible tiebreakers down the line. Ohio State was able to pull away by shooting 59% from two in the second half, and while Michigan shot 5-for-14 from beyond the arc their 35.7% shooting from inside of the arc proved to be the difference.

The star on that afternoon was the one member of the Ohio State starting lineup who tends to be ignored by many, Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (6.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), who scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the way. The freshman is a player in a mold similar to David Lighty, as his job is to do whatever the team needs at that point in time. He may score more in some games than others, but Smith Jr.'s intangibles and defense are areas that Thad Matta and his staff expect to be present every night. Clearly Michigan will need to pay closer attention to him than they did in the first meeting, and it's expected that they'll make the necessary adjustments.

The main characters for the Buckeyes are well-known, from Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas inside to Aaron Craft and Will Buford on the perimeter. Sullinger (17.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg) was held in check in Columbus as he scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds, but in order for Michigan to do so again they need production from Jordan Morgan. Morgan (7.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg) is the man the Wolverines rely on inside, and that's more for defensive and rebounding purposes than scoring. Morgan's reached double figures in just three Big Ten games this season and has scored just 12 points in the last two games combined, but Michigan will need more from him on Saturday night.

Michigan does also have Evan Smotrycz and the versatile Zack Novak to call on, as both are versatile players who can do a variety of things within John Beilein's system. Novak's the leader of this team and when Michigan needs a boost he's usually the one to provide it. The other experienced options on the wing are Stu Douglass (7.6 ppg) and leading scorer Tim Hardaway, Jr. Hardaway Jr. (14.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg) may be shooting just 26.7% from beyond the arc but Ohio State won't allow him to fire away at will, and his 2.5 assists per game rank second on the team. How these players fare against Buford will go a long way in determining the outcome.

The battle at the point will bring the most intrigue as Michigan freshman Trey Burke (14.0 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.5 rpg) has shown himself to be more than capable of taking over for the departed Darius Morris, and he'll need to take care of the basketball against Craft on Saturday night. Burke racked up 13 points and five assists in the first meeting but also turned the ball over five times, and a ratio along those lines won't bode well for the Wolverines. Craft really doesn't have to score a great deal but he does have to be the consummate floor general while also locking down opposing point guards, which he has shown himself to be more than capable of doing.

In addition to the issues cited earlier in this preview, Ohio State attempted 18 free throws (making 15) while Michigan finished the game 3-for-4. Given their reliance on the perimeter shot Michigan isn't going to attempt a high number of free throws on most nights, as they're averaging 14 attempts per game, but Michigan has to be closer to that number if they're to send the fans home happy. If they can do this as well as hold their own on the glass against a far superior rebounding team, Michigan can remain a factor in the Big Ten race.

The Pac-12 battle between Arizona and Washington might as well be considered a "bracket buster" given both team's need for wins at this point in the season. The problem for both is that there aren't many quality wins in the Pac-12 given the league's struggles in non-conference play, but the closer either can get to a regular season title the better.

Washington won the first meeting in Tucson by two and the second battle shapes up to be every bit as close provided the Wildcats have an answer for Tony Wroten. Jesse Perry and Solomon Hill have been key factors in Arizona's run of five straight wins, and along with Kyle Fogg it will be Sean Miller's veterans who will ultimately lead them to the NCAA tournament.

Also out west is a key Mountain West battle between New Mexico and UNLV in Albuquerque, as the Lobos look to increase their lead to two games. The Runnin' Rebels blitzed UNM in the first meeting but this is a different group of Lobos now, with Kendall Williams scoring 21 points in their win at San Diego State and Drew Gordon adding 17 points and 17 rebounds.

Chace Stanback's production will be something to keep an eye on because even with Mike Moser and Anthony Marshall making things happen UNLV needs their senior wing to be a factor as well. Of the three teams at the top of the Mountain West the regular season title may be most important for Steve Alford's team from a resume standpoint, and a win over UNLV would go a long way in that department.

UConn will be looking to bolster their tournament resume with a win over Marquette at home and NC State needs to rebound from their loss at Duke with a win over Florida State in Raleigh. Kansas State visits Baylor in desperate need of a win at this point in the season given their recent struggles, and both Seton Hall and Cincinnati are in search of a resume boost as well.

The Bearcats still have the albatross that is their loss to Presbyterian hanging around, and with their resume and strength of schedule Mick Cronin's team has a lot of work to do between now and the end of the regular season. And the Ivy League race will take a serious turn one way or the other as Yale visits first place Harvard. The Crimson blew out Yale in their first meeting this season, and while the Bulldogs do have big man Greg Magnano this may not be their best matchup. It will take an awful lot for Yale to leave Cambridge with a win.

Top 25 Games
4:00 PM Ole Miss at (1) Kentucky (ESPN3)
2:00 PM (3) Missouri at Texas A&M (ESPN)
8:00 PM Texas Tech at (5) Kansas (ESPN3)
9:00 PM (6) Ohio State at (19) Michigan (ESPN)
4:00 PM Clemson at (7) North Carolina (ESPN)
7:00 PM (9) Georgetown at Providence (ESPN3)
1:45 PM Kansas State at (10) Baylor (ESPN3)
1:00 PM (11) UNLV at New Mexico (CBS)
6:00 PM (12) Florida at Arkansas (ESPN2)
12:00 PM (13) Marquette at Connecticut (ESPN)
6:00 PM (16) Saint Mary's at (14) Murray State (ESPN)
4:00 PM (15) San Diego State at Air Force
12:00 PM (18) Louisville at DePaul (ESPN3)
1:00 PM (21) Florida State at North Carolina State (ESPN3)
1:00 PM Maryland at (22) Virginia (ESPN3)
8:00 PM (23) Mississippi State at Auburn (ESPN3)
8:00 PM (24) Gonzaga at San Francisco (ROOT NW)
9:00 PM (25) Notre Dame at Villanova (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
11:00 AM Drexel at Cleveland State (ESPNU)
11:30 AM Bryant at Saint Francis (PA) (ROOT)
12:00 PM Tennessee Tech at Coastal Carolina
12:00 PM Wichita State at Davidson (ESPN2)
1:00 PM Stony Brook at Northeastern
1:00 PM UTEP at Memphis
1:00 PM Wake Forest at Miami (FL)
1:00 PM Liberty at Morgan State
1:00 PM Buffalo at South Dakota State (ESPNU)
1:00 PM UCLA at St. John's (CBS)
1:00 PM William & Mary at VMI
1:30 PM Tennessee at Alabama (ESPN3)
1:45 PM Oklahoma at Iowa State (ESPN3)
1:45 PM LSU at South Carolina (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Hampton at Delaware
2:00 PM Morehead State at Bowling Green
2:00 PM Akron at Oral Roberts (ESPN2)
2:00 PM Duquesne at Temple
2:00 PM Niagara at Vermont
2:00 PM Marist at Maine
2:00 PM Winthrop at Appalachian State
2:00 PM Southern Illinois at Ball State
2:00 PM Indiana State at Butler
2:00 PM UMBC at Canisius
2:00 PM James Madison at Detroit
2:00 PM North Dakota at Longwood
2:00 PM North Carolina-Wilmington at Manhattan
2:00 PM Northern Illinois at SIU-Edwardsville
2:00 PM Hartford at St. Peter's
2:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Green Bay
3:00 PM Towson at New Hampshire
3:00 PM Drake at New Mexico State (ESPNU)
3:00 PM Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Arizona at Washington (FSN)
3:00 PM Western Carolina at Elon (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Toledo at Sam Houston State
3:00 PM Marshall at Southern Methodist
3:15 PM Mercer at Jacksonville
3:30 PM Campbell at Northwestern State
4:00 PM Saint Joseph's at George Washington
4:00 PM TCU at Boise State (The Mtn.)
4:00 PM Bucknell at Holy Cross
4:00 PM Fordham at Saint Louis
4:00 PM Texas at Oklahoma State (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Fairfield at Milwaukee
4:00 PM Nevada at Iona (ESPN2)
4:00 PM American University at Army
4:00 PM Seton Hall at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Howard at Coppin State
4:00 PM Lamar at George Mason (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Siena at Hofstra
4:00 PM Lafayette at Lehigh
4:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at McNeese State
4:00 PM North Carolina Central at North Carolina A&T
4:00 PM Binghamton at Radford
4:00 PM Florida A&M at Savannah State
4:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at South Carolina State
4:30 PM Rhode Island at St. Bonaventure
4:30 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at North Texas (ESPN3)
4:30 PM Quinnipiac at LIU Brooklyn
4:30 PM Central Arkansas at Louisiana Tech
4:30 PM IUPUI at Nicholls State
5:00 PM Illinois at Nebraska (BTN)
5:00 PM Colorado at Utah
5:00 PM Furman at Samford
5:00 PM Old Dominion at Missouri State (ESPNU)
5:05 PM Wright State at UMKC
5:05 PM Oakland at Illinois State
5:30 PM Prairie View A&M at Mississippi Valley State
6:00 PM La Salle at Massachusetts
6:00 PM Cornell at Princeton
6:00 PM Charlotte at Richmond
6:00 PM Southern University at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Alcorn State at Alabama State
6:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Denver
6:00 PM Charleston at Kent State
6:00 PM Jackson State at Grambling State
6:30 PM Florida Atlantic at Middle Tennessee (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Minnesota at Northwestern (BTN)
7:00 PM Yale at Harvard
7:00 PM Monmouth at Mount St. Mary's
7:00 PM Brown at Dartmouth
7:00 PM UNC Asheville at Ohio (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Columbia at Pennsylvania
7:00 PM Citadel at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Rider at Albany
7:00 PM East Carolina at UCF
7:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Wofford at Charleston Southern
7:00 PM Illinois-Chicago at Eastern Illinois
7:00 PM IPFW at Eastern Kentucky
7:00 PM Delaware State at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM UTSA at Georgia State
7:00 PM Colgate at Navy
7:00 PM Kennesaw State at North Florida
7:00 PM Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris
7:00 PM BYU at Santa Clara (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Tennessee-Martin at Southeastern Louisiana
7:00 PM Sacred Heart at St. Francis (NY)
7:00 PM High Point at Stephen F. Austin
7:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Wagner
7:30 PM USC Upstate at Lipscomb (ESPN3)
7:30 PM UNC Greensboro at Georgia Southern
8:00 PM Tulane at UAB
8:00 PM Presbyterian at Jacksonville State
8:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Bradley
8:00 PM Rice at Tulsa
8:00 PM Texas State at South Dakota
8:00 PM Arizona State at Washington State (ROOT NW)
8:00 PM Idaho State at Pacific
8:00 PM Chicago State at Texas-Pan American
8:00 PM Texas Southern at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
8:00 PM Western Michigan at North Dakota State
8:00 PM Texas-Arlington at Weber State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Dayton at Xavier
8:05 PM Western Kentucky at South Alabama (FCS)
8:05 PM Western Illinois at Evansville
8:05 PM Florida International at Arkansas State
8:05 PM NJIT at Houston Baptist
8:15 PM East Tennessee State at Belmont
8:30 PM Youngstown State at Austin Peay
8:30 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Troy
9:00 PM Wyoming at Colorado State (The Mtn.)
9:00 PM Hawaii at Montana
9:00 PM Southern Miss at Houston
9:00 PM Cal Poly at Northern Colorado
9:05 PM UC Santa Barbara at Utah State (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Montana State at Cal State Fullerton
9:05 PM UC Davis at Northern Arizona
10:00 PM Oregon State at California
10:00 PM Southern Utah at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Long Beach State at Creighton (ESPN2)
10:00 PM Eastern Washington at UC Irvine
10:00 PM Portland at Pepperdine
10:00 PM San Diego at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM San Jose State at Sacramento State
10:05 PM Portland State at Idaho
10:05 PM Fresno State at Cal State Northridge

Blue Devils Storm Back From 20 Down: Thursday's Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:24:36 -0800

With hopes of not only remaining a factor in the ACC race but also notching their first win at #5 Duke since 1995, NC State was more than motivated for Thursday night's battle. And they played that way out of the gates, scoring the first eight points of the game and leading by as many as 19 points in the first half. But while the Wolfpack would continue to control play in the early portion of the second half, the foul trouble that developed for Mark Gottfried's team in the first half began to take its toll.

Forward C.J. Williams would be the first to have to sit with his fourth four, which he picked up less than a minute into the half. C.J. Leslie, who accounted for 12 points and six blocked shots in the first half, would pick up his fourth foul with 14:42 remaining and NC State leading 53-37. As the foul trouble sent NC State's best big men to the bench Duke would do their best to hang around, ultimately falling behind 61-41 with 11:33 remaining on a pair of Lorenzo Brown free throws.

This would be where the rally would begin, as the Blue Devils refused to lie down and simply take their beating. From that point on Duke outscored the Wolfpack 37-12, winning 78-73 to remain in a three-way tie for first in the ACC with Florida State and North Carolina. Seth Curry, who left the game early due to an ankle injury, returned to lead the Blue Devils with 26 points and Austin Rivers was their only other double-digit scorer as he tallied 16. NC State had the offensive balance (Brown led the way with 19 points) but they didn't have composure as things got tight, and that ultimately made the difference.

"If you look at it for us, I thought our foul trouble really strapped us and made it difficult," said Gottfried. "We lost our aggressiveness when we got so many guys in foul trouble. That hurt. We have to do a better job at defending without fouling."

While it is important to point out what NC State did not do down the stretch the focus should be on what Duke was able to do in order to get back into the game. After their Super Bowl Sunday loss to Miami there were many doubters of Mike Krzyzewski's team, but this group has proven itself to be tougher than many thought they'd be. Duke didn't give up against North Carolina and they didn've give up against NC State either, which is a good sign for the Blue Devils as they begin the stretch run.

"Whatever string of things happened, we are 22-4, we've been in the top five of the RPI all year, and we're not a perfect team, but we're a good team," remarked Krzyzewski. "And we're a team that has fought and instead of talking about inconsistencies and starts and struggles and all of that we're 22-4 and we got some kids that really fought their butts off and gave us one of the incredible wins."

Other Notable Happenings

1. #21 Florida State takes advantage of poor foul shooting to remain tied for first in the ACC.
Similar to NC State, whose best big men would be taken off of the floor due to foul trouble, Virginia Tech saw three key big men leave the game at various points in their game at Florida State. That severely limited Seth Greenberg's rotation, and for a team that's been struggling of late this was the worst possible thing that could happen for the visitors. Florida State would fight their way through turnovers (finishing with 15) and a 1-for-8 night from the foul line to beat the Hokies 48-47 with Michael Snaer providing the final points. His three from the right wing, in a spot similar to where he released his game-winner at Duke, with just under three seconds remaining was an open shot due to the Hokies collapsing into the lane on defense despite leading by two.

Virginia Tech didn't exactly close the door down the stretch either as they missed five of their last six from the charity stripe, finishing 7-for-16 on the night. The Hokies led by 15 with 14 minutes to go and by eight with just over a minute remaining, but they simply did not have the horses beeded to the the win. Erick Green led the Hokies with 18 points and four steals while Ian Miller led a balanced FSU attack with 11 points off the bench. Florida State will live the fight another day, but given the way in which this loss happened it's going to be tough for the Hokies to right the ship.

2. #8 Michigan State controls play throughout in their win over #17 Wisconsin.
With two of the best teams in the country when it comes to guarding the three-point shot on the same floor, the open looks were expected to be few and far between for both Michigan State and Wisconsin. And with that being the case the team that was more effective inside of the arc would likely win, and that's exactly what happened as the Sparants pulled away late in the first half in their 69-55 win. Draymond Green led the way with the "Kevin Garnett Line" of 20 points, ten rebounds and five assists and Keith Appling would score 20 as well. Michigan State shot just 2-for-9 from three but they were able to make 59.4% of their shots from inside of the arc, and their 34-18 edge in the points in the paint category underlines how unwilling Tom Izzo's team was to settle for perimeter shots.

The Badgers made just five of their twenty-four shots from beyond the arc, and for a team that's as reliant on that shot as Wisconsin is they'll struggle when the shots aren't falling. Ryan Evans scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way but Jordan Taylor struggled, scoring 13 points on 3-for-13 shooting from the field. Michigan State won the game inside of the arc, which is not only what they had to do but also what they wanted to do. The Spartans had at least six opportunities for the "old-fashioned" three-point play, and when they got to the charity stripe Michigan State took advantage there as well (19-24 FT). With the win Michigan State remains atop the Big Ten standings and also owns a sweep of the season series with Wisconsin, something that could come into play if tiebreakers are needed to determine the Big Ten champion.

3. C.J. McCollum's dagger pushes Lehigh past Bucknell in a key Patriot League battle.
Dave Paulsen's Bison had a chance to lock up at least a share of the Patriot League regular season title on Thursday night, but at the end of a tough battle with Lehigh it was C.J. McCollum who would make the big play. McCollum's three-pointer with less than a second remaining gave the Mountain Hawks the 56-53 win, keeping both Lehigh and American (8-3) alive in the Patriot League race. Lehigh shot just 33.3% from the field but their advantages from beyond the arc (18-9 in points) and the foul line (16-8) made up for their shooting at a 39.2% clip on two-point shots.

McCollum (15 points) and Mackey McKnight (ten points) shot a combined 8-for-22 from the field but that was OK as Lehigh defended Bucknell's interior star well. Muscala scored ten points and grabbed 12 rebounds but made just three of his twelve shots from the field, as the Mountain Hawks did their best to limit his clean looks. Clearly American will have something to say about a possible third meeting in the Patriot League title game, and the Eagles still have another shot at Bucknell next week. But in the race for the two-seed (at least) this win was a big one for Lehigh.

Quick Hitters

1. There's still a tie for first in the Pac-12 as both California and Washington picked up victories. The Huskies were able to hold off Arizona State 77-69 as Terrence Ross scored a team-high 18 points, and ASU didn't help themselves with an 11-for-21 night at the foul line. Things were much tougher for the Golden Bears as they needed an 11-2 run to beat Oregon 86-83 in Berkeley. Justin Cobbs scored a career-high 28 points and Harper Kamp added 20 as the Bears overcame a 33-point night from Devoe Joseph.

2. A game behind those two in the loss column are Colorado and Arizona, and the Wildcats received a welcome contribution from Brendon Lavender in their 76-72 win at Washington State. Lavender made five of his seven three-point attempts and scored 17 points to lead Arizona, who moved to 10-4 in conference play with the win.

3. Gonzaga moved into a tie for first place in the WCC with a 73-62 win at Santa Clara, withstanding a game effort from the Broncos due in large part to the play of forward Sam Dower and center Robert Sacre. Dower scored 18 points and grabbed seven boards off the bench and Sacre led the Zags with 20. A game behind the Bulldogs and Saint Mary's in the loss column is BYU, who used a 30-point night from Matt Carlino to win 85-84 at San Francisco.

4. West Virginia ran away in the second half as they paid back rival Pittsburgh with a 66-48 win at the Petersen Events Center. Kevin Jones scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Truck Bryant added 15 off the bench as the Mountaineers picked up a win they couldn't afford to let slip away if they're to be an NCAA tournament team. Tray Woodall and Ashton Gibbs combined to shoot 7-for-27 from the field, scoring 20 points, and Pitt can't win if those two don't have it going offensively.

5. It's safe to say that things didn't go well for Ole Miss on Thursday night as they were whipped by Vanderbilt 102-76 in Oxford. Jeffery Taylor proved impossible to stop as he scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and John Jenkins added 26. The Rebels lost their composure as things got worse, and according to multiple reports there was a verbal altercation between Jelan Kendrick and Reginald Buckner outside of the locker room after the game.

6. LIU Brooklyn won a shootout in Brooklyn to remain in first place in the NEC as they beat Sacred Heart 103-91 in overtime. Jamal Olasewere (27 points, 11 rebounds) and Julian Boyd (20 points, nine rebounds) led the way in the frontcourt and Michael Culpo added 20 on the perimeter. Shane Gibson (24 points, five steals) and Justin Swidowski (23 points, five rebounds and three blocks) led the Pioneers, who could very well have to visit LIU again in the NEC quarterfinals.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Devoe Joseph (Oregon) and G Justin Cobbs (California)
In Cal's 86-83 win over Oregon, Cobbs accounted for 28 points, eight assists and four steals to lead the way. Joseph shot 10-for-17 from the field and scored 33 points to lead the Ducks.

2. G Matt Carlino (BYU)
30 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists in the Cougars' 85-84 win at San Francisco. Carlino also made the game-winning basket with 18.9 seconds remaining.

3. F Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)
28 points (9-15 FG), nine rebounds and three assists in the Commodores' 102-76 pasting of Ole Miss.