Washington St

James Donaldson on 'Standing Above the Crowd'

Jon Teitel — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:05:58 -0400

Jon Teitel: Why did you decide to write the book, and how has it been received so far?

James Donaldson: I decided to write "Standing Above the Crowd" because as I was reflecting on my life and career so far, I realized that there are several commonalities in place that I have used (and that most successful people use) and implemented along the way to help me in regards to my various career paths. I also wanted to show that it takes "more than just being 7=feet tall" to be a basketball player and "more than just starting a business" to be successful.

I do not think that anything that I have accomplished so far (becoming a college graduate, a 20-year professional basketball player, or a small business owner for over 20 years) has been all that extraordinary. However, you get people who look at these accomplishments and think to themselves that you are either lucky or that it just came easy to you.

JT: Early in the book you quote a proverb that says, "Your failures in life come from not realizing your nearness to success when you give up." What was your biggest failure, and what was your greatest success?

JD: I am not one who dwells on failure or shortcomings too long. I never would have been able to play in the NBA as long as I did if I dwelled on failure too long. In the NBA you are going to lose almost as many games as you win. Looking back, I guess my biggest failures (I prefer to call them "coming up short of my goal") are "I could have been a better student" or "I could have talked to the girl of my dreams when I had the chance." I really do not try to dwell on those things, but I can look back and see where I could have done better.

My greatest success was becoming a college graduate from Washington State. That is something that no one can ever take away from me. Do not get me wrong, the NBA was great and being a small business owner is great too, but those things will come and go. No one can ever take my education from me, and it shows that I am educated and qualified.

JT: You give a lot of credit to your father James for the way you turned out. What made him such a great mentor, and how did he balance "tough love" with "taking a strap" to you?

JD: I had a Pastor at our church speak on the fact that he has two children but does not love them equally, he loves them "adequately." That is how my father raised myself and my siblings. He did not raise us equally, he raised us adequately. When I needed tough love I got it, when I needed a strap taken to my behind I got it and when I needed praise and recognition I got that too! I was raised in a home where we got what we needed, but not always what we wanted.

I think it was a great way to grow up because I did not have a sense of entitlement or being spoiled. I also grew up with a "work ethic" and some discipline. I know that a lot of children do not get the opportunity to be raised like that anymore, but parents can still do a better job of raising their children and preparing them for the "real world" that awaits them.

JT: A major key to your development as an athlete was losing almost 100 pounds during your junior year of high school due to diet and exercise. How hard was it to do that, and what advice do you have for young people who want to get in shape?

JD: Do your push-aways!!! Push away from the extra servings and junk food. When I took it seriously to lose 100 pounds in one year, I stopped eating all of the junk food that I used to gorge on every day at school and after school. I used to live off of junk food in middle school and it was no wonder that I found myself obese by the time I was a high school student.

It was no problem to have 4-5 McDonald's burgers and fries...every day! Plus all of the soda, chips, candy, ice cream: you name it. So when I got serious I stopped all of that and started eating more sensibly (lean meat, salads, and cut out the junk food) and started to walk, jog and run every day up to 4 miles a day. That is how I was able to do it.

JT: Your book contains a lot of quotes and lists. What is your favorite quote, and why are lists so important?

JD: It is hard for me to narrow down my favorite quote. I love great quotes, especially the ones that you can live your life by. Here are a few favorites: "Be the change that you want to be" (Gandhi), "Whether you think you can or can't, either way you're right" (Henry Ford), and almost any quote by Martin Luther King Jr.). I also really like short poems such as "If" (Rudyard Kipling), "The Cold Within", and "A Flock of Geese."

Making a list is important because it helps you focus on your goals and the tasks at hand. Not only is making a list important, but just putting pen to paper helps your thoughts become a reality...along with follow up, hard work and dedication.

JT: You also discuss religion in a few of the chapters: what role does God play in your own life?

JD: God has been the "Centerpiece" to my life. My religion has been very important to me for as long as I can remember. Faith (even more so than religion) is something that you will always have with you, no matter where you are in your journey throughout life.

JT: There is an entire chapter on supplements and steroids. How prevalent are they in pro basketball, and how dangerous are they?

JD: The great NBA athletes take care of themselves if they want to have a long and productive career. Of course the younger ones tend to eat way too much junk food, but as they realize that their body is the only one that they will ever have they start to eat better and get their rest (along with proper nutrition).

Nutritional supplementation is very common among most NBA players, but steroids are virtually non-existent. Along with being a great athlete you still have to be flexible, quick, fast, and put the ball in the hole at some point if you are going to be a great NBA player, so steroids are not going to help you there.

JT: You played over 600 consecutive games during your NBA career, which is among the most ever. How were you able to remain so durable, and how proud are you of that streak?

JD: I was very proud of that streak and took great pride in the fact that I would play with aches and pains, injuries, sickness and illness, and just being plain doggone tired at some points. However, I worked hard to be in great shape and have my body hold up well under the grind of the NBA travel schedule.

I ate well (actually becoming a vegetarian midway through my career), exercised year round, did Taekwondo (martial arts) throughout the year, got my rest, and just pushed myself to be the best that I could be.

JT: You draw several connections between the world of sports and the world of business. How similar are the two fields, and are sports ever not a business?

JD: Sports and business have a lot of similarities in that they both require a game plan, focus, teamwork, setting goals, staying positive, learning from your setbacks and successes, and so many more things. I love the "Team Concept" that I am able to implement into both sports and business.

JT: During your career you played against a majority of the greatest players in NBA history. Who is the greatest player you ever saw, and which of today's players do you think will eventually be considered among the greatest?

JD: I did play against about 37 of the NBA's All Time Greatest 50 Players during my career. I broke in playing against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and ended playing against Shaquille O'Neal, and so many other greats in between that span. I always say that Abdul-Jabbar was the most unstoppable (with that beautiful "sky hook" of his), but once he started winning championships Michael Jordan had to be the very best player that I ever saw. Wow!!! He was so good, plus he was able to make his teammates even better than they actually were, all in their quest of capturing 6 NBA titles!!!

Jon Teitel's Forgotten Legends: Washington State's James Donaldson (Part 1)

Jon Teitel — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:49:35 -0400

In the latest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Washington State great James Donaldson. After two seasons of limited playing time Donaldson would eventually become the school's all-time leading shot blocker, going on to play a long professional career in both the NBA and Europe.

Jon Teitel: You were born in England but grew up in California. Why did your family make the move to the US?

James Donaldson: My dad was stationed at an Air Force base in England, and we ended up moving to the states a few years after I was born.

JT: You did not start playing basketball until late in high school. Why the late start, and how were you able to get up to speed so quickly?

JD: Physically I looked like an athlete, but I was never really into it mentally and emotionally. I was fortunate to come across some great mentors who showed me the way and took me under their wing. My two greatest mentors were Chuck Calhoun (my high school coach who saw the potential in me without intimidating me) and George Raveling (my coach at Washington State who allowed me to take my time to become a student-athlete).

JT: Despite not playing much during your first two years at Washington State, you averaged a double-double during each of your final two seasons and graduated as the school's all-time leading shot blocker. What changed between your sophomore and junior years, and what is the secret to blocking shots?

JD: Quite frankly, I was simply not good enough to play at first because I was so raw. Coach Raveling gave me two keys: one to the weight room and one to the gym. He told me that he could not hold my hand 24-7, and they ended up being the keys to my success as an athlete.

JT: In the summer of 1979 you were drafted in the 4th round by the defending champion Sonics (eight spots behind Bill Laimbeer), but spent your first professional season playing in Italy. What did it mean to you to be drafted into the NBA, and why did you decide to play abroad?

JD: It was the first of many dreams come true, as it showed that all of my hard work had paid off. The downside to being drafted by a championship-caliber team is that unless there is a lot of turnover, there will not be opportunities to get a lot of minutes. My agent convinced me that I would be able to improve my skills by taking a year-long detour, and he was right.

JT: In 1985 you led the league with 63.7 FG% (still one of the highest single-season performances in NBA history), and your career 57.1 FG% is seventh all-time. Do you feel like you were one of the best shooters in the history of the league, and what is your secret to shooting?

JD: I would not say I was a flat-out "shooter", but I wanted to be efficient with every shot I took. As a big guy, I was a lot closer to the basket than the guards, but every shot had a purpose. I did not throw up a lot of junk.

JT: In 1988 you were named an All-Star, but your West team ended up losing in Chicago (All-Star Game MVP Michael Jordan had 40 points in 29 minutes). What did it mean to you to be an All-Star?

JD: That entire weekend was like living a dream. I kept teasing folks from the Mavericks staff who were in Chicago about how they kept appearing in my dream! As an individual, it was the absolute pinnacle of my career. To be coached by Pat Riley, to be teammates with Magic, Kareem, Worthy, etc.

JT: Later that year you made the Western Conference Finals with Dallas, only to lose to the eventual champion Lakers in seven games. How close did you come to beating the Lakers, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

JD: We came so close, as we were one of the few teams that year who could play heads-up with the Lakers at every position (Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, etc.). The only difference is that we did not quite understand what it took to win, and the Lakers did. We were right there in the 4th quarter, but we let it slip away. We thought we would be back for years to come after that, but learned that the window can close on you very quickly.

JT: In 1989 you had a knee injury after playing at least 82 games in seven different seasons during your career. How frustrating was it to go from durable player to career-threatening injury?

JD: The knee injury kind of got me into the world of physical therapy and rehabilitation.

JT: In 1990 you established The Donaldson Clinic to provide physical therapy services to recovering athletes and others seeking enhanced mobility. Why did you go into the physical therapy business, and how is the business going these days?

JD: After eight months of having my own physical therapy sessions, I was able to get back into the NBA and play another 82-game season in the 1990-91 season. I was surrounded by a bunch of great trainers and therapists, and I just had a "light-bulb" moment where I realized that is what I wanted to do. We are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year, which I am very proud of.

JT: After retiring from the NBA you spent several years playing in Spain, Italy and Greece. What did you learned from these experiences, and how did they compare to the NBA?

JD: I still enjoyed the game, especially not having the responsibility of having to carry a team on my shoulders as an All-Star. At age 40, nobody expected me to play 40 minutes a night, so I got to teach a lot of the younger guys and be a mentor to them. We won the title in June 2000 in Lugo, Spain. Confetti, champagne, the whole thing. It took 20 years of playing basketball to win my first-ever title, and it happened in my last-ever game.

JT: You also toured with the Harlem Globetrotters. What was your favorite part of being a Globetrotter, and did you ever lose a game with them?

JD: It was a lot of fun playing with the Globetrotters, but it took a while to grow into that role as I had taken basketball very seriously for the previous two decades. They practice every day to become great passers and dribblers, which people do not always realize. We never lost a single game!

JT: In 2009 you ran for mayor of Seattle. Why did you decide to run, and how close did you come to winning?

JD: I heard a great quote the other day: "the price of not getting involved is way too high." I am a doer who likes to get involved, and I felt compelled to become a political candidate rather than just sit on boards and committees and talk about the issues. I finished 4th out of eight candidates, and we got our incumbent mayor voted out, so I feel like I had an impact. I think politics is one of the best ways you can make a difference.

JT: Earlier this year you were elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association. What do you do for them, and how do you like it so far?

JD: It has become one of my greatest passions, as we help retired players make the transition from pro athlete to everyday citizen. Two of the most eye-popping statistics are that only 20% of our retired players have a college degree (which really bothers me) and that 80% go through a divorce within five years after retirement. We put together internships and externships with major corporations, help the players get online degrees, etc. It is a brotherhood that I really love being a part of.

JT: You wrote a book called "Standing Above the Crowd". What is it about, and why did you write it?

JD: The book came out in October. It is comprised of inspirational and motivational stories from my different careers as a basketball player, business owner and community leader. I try to help people navigate the ups and downs, teach them the value of education/mentoring, and discuss the great coaches I had.

JT: When people look back on your career, what do you want them to remember the most?

JD: I am a man of strong faith and conviction, so if I can be called a "good and faithful servant" who stayed positive and was an example for many I would be satisfied with that.

Donaldson is also on Jon's list of the best pro players in Pac-12 history.

Arizona: Gilbert Arenas (2002)
Arizona State: Fat Lever (1983)
California: Jason Kidd (1995)
Colorado: Chauncey Billups (1998)
Oregon: Terrell Brandon (1992)
Oregon State: Gary Payton (1991)
Stanford: George Yardley (1954)
UCLA: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970)
USC: Gus Williams (1976)
Utah: Tom Chambers (1982)
Washington: Brandon Roy (2007)
Washington State: James Donaldson (1981)

Wednesday Predictions: Big Sky, NEC, Patriot Finals & More

Greg Mengelt — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:16:27 -0500

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking (just about) every conference tournament game over the next week, including tonight's three key championship games. Games listed in order with later rounds on top and earlier rounds at the bottom. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP: AT MONTANA

(2) Weber State (24-5, 14-2) at (1) Montana (24-6, 15-1)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Weber State 80-64; Feb. 28 – Montana 66-51. RPI: Montana 82, Weber State 69. Analysis: The Grizzlies are simply the better team. With the homecourt advantage, it should be a comfortable win for Montana. Pick: Montana 71, Weber State 61.

NORTHEAST CHAMPIONSHIP: AT LIU

(3) Robert Morris (24-9, 13-5) at (1) Long Island (24-8, 16-2)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 26 – Robert Morris 75-66. RPI: Long Island 91, Robert Morris 109. Analysis: Velton Jones is one of the hottest players in the country and should help the Colonials punch their ticket. Line: Long Island -1. Pick: Robert Morris 69, Long Island 65.

PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: AT BUCKNELL

(2) Lehigh (25-7) at (1) Bucknell (11-3)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 18 – Bucknell 68-61*; Feb. 16 – Lehigh 56-53*. RPI: Bucknell 89, Lehigh 113. Analysis: Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum is a superstar, but beating the Bison on the road twice may be too much to ask. Line: Bucknell -5. Pick: Bucknell 66, Lehigh 59.

BIG EAST SECOND ROUND: AT NEW YORK CITY

(8) West Virginia (19-12, 9-9) vs. (9) Connecticut (19-12, 8-10)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 9 – Connecticut 64-57. RPI: Connecticut 33, West Virginia 42. Analysis: Two good performances in a row may be too much to ask of this UConn team. Line: UConn -2. Pick: West Virginia 68, Connecticut 62.

(5) Georgetown (22-7, 12-6) vs. (13) Pittsburgh (17-15, 5-13)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Pitt 72-60. RPI: Georgetown 9, Pittsburgh 90. Analysis: Pitt may not win the game, but the Panthers should cover in a low-scoring game. Line: Georgetown -6. Pick: Georgetown 57, Pittsburgh 53.

(7) Louisville (22-9, 10-8) vs. (10) Seton Hall (20-11, 8-10)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Louisville 60-51*. RPI: Louisville 28, Seton Hall 60. Analysis: Great matchup for Louisville. The Cardinals defense will lead them to a big win. Pick: Louisville 59, Seton Hall 47.

(6) South Florida (19-12, 12-6) vs. (14) Villanova (13-18, 5-13)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – South Florida 74-57*; Feb. 15 – South Florida 65-51. RPI: South Florida 43, Villanova 105. Analysis: Love the Wildcats for the upset. Pick: Villanova 55, South Florida 52.

PAC-12 FIRST ROUND: AT LOS ANGELES

(8) Washington State (15-15, 7-11) vs. (9) Oregon State (17-13, 7-11)

Tipoff: 3:10 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Washington State 81-76; Feb. 9 – Washington State 83-73. RPI: Washington State 170, Oregon State 151. Analysis: Close game. The Beavers will at least cover. Line: Oregon State -3½. Pick: Oregon State 78, Washington State 76.

(5) UCLA (18-13, 11-7) vs. (12) USC (6-25, 1-17)

Tipoff: 5:40 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 15 – UCLA 66-47*; Feb. 15 – UCLA 64-54. RPI: UCLA 103, USC 259. Analysis: UCLA is playing its best basketball, rallying around Coach Ben Howland. The Bruins may make a run in this tourney. Line: UCLA -12½. Pick: UCLA 73, USC 51.

(7) Stanford (20-10, 10-8) vs. (10) Arizona State (10-20, 6-12)

Tipoff: 9:10 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 2 – Stanford 68-44. RPI: Stanford 96, Arizona State 248. Analysis: The Cardinal will blow out Arizona State for the second time this season. Line: Stanford -10. Pick: Stanford 71, Arizona State 54.

(6) Colorado (19-11, 11-7) vs. (11) Utah (6-24, 3-15)

Tipoff: 11:40 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Colorado 73-33; Feb. 18 – Colorado 55-48. RPI: Colorado 81, Utah 265. Analysis: The Buffaloes are really pretty good, and Utah … isn’t. Line: Colorado -11½. Pick: Colorado 66, Utah 51.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 137-103-3

Tuesday Recap: Spartans Lose Green and the Game

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:17:48 -0500

Tuesday's night matchup between #9 Michigan State and Illinois wasn't a pretty affair, as neither team could establish much of a rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. Whether it was due to good defense or just an inability to make shots on a consistent basis, neither the Spartans nor the Fighting Illini had much succes on that end of the floor. But when it's all said and done what matters is the result, which was a 42-41 Illinois victory as Brandon Paul made two free throws with 45 seconds remaining.

Paul finished with a game-high 18 points, and while he didn't shoot well from the field (6-for-17) the junior guard would be the closest thing to "scalding hot" that this contest would deliver. Freshman forward Branden Dawson led the way for Michigan State with 12 points and 13 rebounds, but their biggest loss came late in the second half as senior forward (and team leader) Draymond Green went down with a knee injury. There's been no word on the severity of the injury (that will likely come sometime on Wednesday), but a loss that simply prevented the Spartans from moving into a first-place tie in the Big Ten could become a lot more painful if he's ruled out for an extended period.

Before the injury Green's night was a microcosm of the contest as a whole, as frustration led to a poor performance highlighted by a technical foul that was also his third personal in the first half. Green finished with five points (1-6 FG), eight rebounds and five turnovers while Keith Appling wasn't much better with four points (1-11 FG), two assists and five turnovers. Even with Illinois struggling as they were offensively and Michigan State grabbing 23 offensive rebounds, it's extremely difficult to win anywhere (much less on the road) when your two best players have poor nights.

"I didn't think we handled adversity very well at all," remarked Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo after the game. "My two best players had their worst games." (quote credit: Associated Press)

Illinois now has two wins over teams ranked in the Top 10 this season as they beat Ohio State in Champaign on January 10th, but while that's a good stat to claim it also has to make one wonder why the Illini can't carry their play over. Following that win the Illini dropped three straight, including road losses at Penn State and Minnesota. Bruce Weber's team is clearly talented enough to beat many teams both within the Big Ten and nationally, yet for some reason this group doesn't seem to deal well with prosperity.

Next up is Northwestern at home before trips to Indiana and Michigan, and while Tuesday's win showed that Illinois can gut out a victory on a night where things aren't going their way more will be learned about this group based on how they navigate this stretch of games.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Jae Crowder leads Marquette past Seton Hall, handing the Pirates their fifth straight loss.
Remember when Seton Hall was one of the country's biggest turnaround stories and looked poised to earn their first NCAA tournament berth since 2006? Well, the Pirates dropped their fifth straight game on Tuesday night and look more likely to end up in the NIT at this point. With Davante Gardner sidelined due to a sprained knee #18 Marquette did what they've tended to do during Buzz Williams' tenure in Milwaukee, and that's find a way to win tough ball games. Jae Crowder led the Golden Eagles to the 66-59 win with 20 points and 12 rebounds while Vander Blue (16 points, eight rebounds) and Darius Johnson-Odom (14 points, seven assists, five rebounds) also scored in double figures.

One of the major issues for Kevin Willard's team during this skid has been the productivity of senior point guard Jordan Theodore. Theodore shot 3-for-14 from the field last night, scoring seven points while dishing out seven assists. On a team that lacks consistent scoring punch behind he, Herb Pope (16 points, seven rebounds) and Fuquan Edwin (13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals), Theodore can ill-afford to have nights like that. Theodore's shot 26.7% from the field in Seton Hall's last five games and while it would be unfair to place the losing streak on his shoulders alone, Seton Hall needs their senior leader to step up and soon. Their NCAA hopes may very well depend on how quickly he can get going.

2. Royce White's jumper with less than two seconds remaining caps Iowa State's comeback win.
With 14:27 remaining Kansas State led 53-39 and had the look of a team that was well on its way to a good win at Iowa State. But whether it was "Hilton Magic" or the fact that the Wildcats simply failed to execute down the stretch, it was the Cyclones who emerged victorious as Royce White scored the winning points in the 72-70 result. White (22 points, eight rebounds) was able to use a ball screen to work his way to the right side of the lane, and an up fake gave the Minnesota transfer enough room to get off a clean look that fell with 1.8 seconds remaining. Thomas Gipson led four K-State players in double figures with 13 points but that wasn't enough as the Wildcats fell despite shooting 58.3% from beyond the arc and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds.

Offensive rebounding was essentially the difference in the first half as Kansas State grabbed seven, converting them into nine second-chance points. Iowa State did a better job of keeping the Wildcats off the glass in the second half, limiting the Wildcats to five offensive boards while grabbing eight of their own. There were questions as to how Fred Hoiberg's team would bond given the fact that so many were transfers but these last two games are evidence that the Cyclones have established good chemistry, and they'll be a factor in the Big 12 the rest of the way.

3. Arkansas moves to 16-0 at home with an 82-74 win over Vanderbilt.
Mike Anderson's Razorbacks didn't shoot the ball well in the first half, making just 37.5% of their shots from the field. But the fact that they trailed #25 Vanderbilt by just two points (34-32) at the break had to have been an encouraging sign for the Hogs, whose problem was making shots as opposed to finding the looks they wanted. That changed in the second half as Arkansas scored 50 points, shooting 55.2% from the field, on their way to the 82-74 win. Rickey Scott led five Arkansas players in double figures with 18 points and Julysses Nobles added 17 for a team that's now 16-0 at Bud Walton Arena. John Jenkins (19 points, five rebounds) and Jeffery Taylor (18 and six rebounds) led the way for the Commodores, who did themselves no favors by shooting 6-for-21 from three.

So the question regarding Arkansas at this point has to be what are their chances of getting to the Big Dance. But with an overall record of 16-6 it's pretty clear that the focus at this point has to be winning some key games away from Fayetteville. NCAA tournament games are played on neutral floors but a team's success away from home is usually one of the factors that the selection committee values when filling out the field. That's what makes their games at LSU and Georgia that much more important despite the caliber of those teams (Arkansas doesn't have a quality road win opportunity left on their schedule outside of a trip to Mississippi State). If Mike Anderson's young team can take care of business away from home they can exceed the preseason expectations, but at the least their win on Tuesday is a good result to take to Baton Rouge.

Quick Hitters

1. Wisconsin didn't get off to the best of starts at Penn State, shooting 26.9% from the field and trailing 23-17 at the half. But Jordan Taylor (18 points, five assists) and company were able to rebound in the final 20 minutes, winning 52-46. The Badgers, who host Ohio State on Saturday, have won six straight games after starting Big Ten play 1-3.

2. Clemson fought hard despite the absence of forward Milton Jennings (academic suspension) but they fell just short in losing 65-61 at Virginia. The Cavaliers shot 63.2% from the field in the second half (efficiency: 140.3) and Mike Scott led the way with 23 points and ten rebounds.

3. Top-ranked Kentucky did allow 13 offensive rebounds in their 69-44 win over Tennessee, but that shouldn't overshadow how good the Wildcats were defensively. Tennessee shot just 28.1% from the field and 9-for-39 on two-point shots (23%). Having the likes of Anthony Davis (18 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (16 points, eight rebounds) and Terrence Jones (11 points, six rebounds) up front will have that kind of effect on teams.

4. North Carolina didn't play particularly well in Winston-Salem but they still beat Wake Forest 68-53. Is that a sign of how talented the Tar Heels are, or is it a sign of just how far Jeff Bzdelik's program has to go before they can be a consistently competitive team in the ACC? It's unfortunate for the Demon Deacons because in guard C.J. Harris they've got one of the better players in the league (Travis McKie can also play but he was kept in check by UNC), but due to their struggles he doesn't always receive the credit that he should.

5. New Mexico had no trouble with Air Force as they jumped out to a 40-19 halftime lead on their way to an 81-42 win in Colorado Springs. The Falcons, who took UNLV to overtime on Saturday night, had no such fortune against the Lobos as they shot 25.9% in the first half and 29.4% for the game. Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams scored 13 apiece to lead UNM, and two other Lobos finished with 11.

6. Washington State received the news many feared when guard Faisal Aden went down late in the first half of their loss at Arizona on Thursday night, with his season coming to an end due to a torn ACL. Aden averaged 14.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Cougars, who will now likely give even more opportunities on the offensive end to freshman DaVonte Lacy.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Markel Brown (Oklahoma State)
Brown led the Cowboys to an 80-63 win over Texas Tech by scoring 30 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

2. G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State)
Scored 30 points and dished out four assists in the Penguins' 73-65 win at Milwaukee.

3. F Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
18 points, 18 rebounds and three blocked shots in North Carolina's 68-53 win at Wake Forest.

Thursday Recap: Badgers Hold Off Indiana

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:28:21 -0500

The game between #17 Indiana and #25 Wisconsin proved to be every bit as competitive as expected with the largest margin either team held being seven points with two seconds remaining. In the end it was the little things that made the difference in the Badgers' 57-50 victory, as Bo Ryan's team shot 12-for-12 from the foul line in the second half and grabbed the final seven rebounds of the game. That rebound stretch was over the final 3:38 of the contest, with their offensive rebounds leading to four of their nine second-chance points. Wisconsin's offensive rebounding percentage in the second half was 33.3% after finishing the first half with a percentage of 22.2%, and that allowed them to shut the door late.

"It's our first game holding a team under 30 percent on the field, but they got a couple of really big rebounds at the end of the game at crucial times," remarked Indiana head coach Tom Crean. "We put ourselves in position to win, we just didn't finish it off."

Jordan Taylor didn't shoot particularly well, missing all five of his three-point attempts while scoring 12 points but there were other contributors to the win for Wisconsin. Ben Brust made three of his six shots from deep and scored 13 points off the bench while Mike Bruesewitz (ten points) and Ryan Evans (12 points, nine rebounds) reached double figures as well. The foul line was also critical on a night in which Wisconsin, who scores 35.4% of their points on threes, made just four or seventeen shots from distance. Wisconsin made 15 of 19 from the charity stripe, outscoring the Hoosiers by ten as Indiana made just half of their ten free throws.

"I've never tried to over-analyze free throws other than guys get their routine, they get comfortable, they get their elbow lift, they get their rotation, they get their target sights- some guys look to the front, some guys look to the back," said Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan. "And in every drill we do, you've got to be 80 percent or better. So, I think that's helped us over the years. We were close tonight."

Christian Watford and Verdell Jones III led the way for Indiana with 12 points apiece but Cody Zeller and a quiet night and Wisconsin's Jared Berggren was a big reason why. Zeller shot 2-for-7 from the field and scored seven points while grabbing just three rebounds in 19 minutes of action, and while the foul trouble was problematic having to deal with Berggren while he was on the floor didn't help matters. Berggren may not have done much offensively with just four points but he blocked five shots, helping limit the number of quality looks Indiana was able to get near the basket.

"I think he was in a help position and maybe got there a little late and tried to make sure that he didn't foul and waited until Zeller made his move, noted Ryan. "He was fairly effective with it, but Zeller's a good player- he got his offensive opportunities, he's the real deal inside and fortunately we got some fouls on him and that helped us."

With the win Wisconsin remains a game in the loss column behind the three teams atop the Big Ten, and despite their struggles earlier in league play the Badgers gave another reminder that it isn't wise to count Bo Ryan's team out of the title race.

Other Notable Happenings

1. North Carolina whips NC State in impressive fashion to move into a tie for first in the ACC.
Thursday night provided a good test for NC State in regards to how much staying power the Wolfpack could possibly have in the ACC race. Unfortunately for them North Carolina was ready to make a statement of their own, leading by as many as 29 points on their way to a 74-55 victory. Tyler Zeller (21 points, 17 rebounds) and John Henson (nine points, ten rebounds and five blocks) proved to be too much for the Wolfpack inside, and on the perimeter the Tar Heels performed well in their first game without starter Dexter Strickland.

Kendall Marshall dished out 11 assists to just three turnovers while both Harrison Barnes (15 points) and Reggie Bullock (11 points, five rebounds) reached double figures. Scott Wood led the Wolfpack with 11 points but they lost by 19 despite making nine three-pointers due to their struggles inside. NC State shot 32.4% from two as the Tar Heels outscored them 52-24 in that department, and the 46-28 rebounding discrepancy (UNC: 15 offensive rebounds) didn't help matters either. NC State is a bright future under Mark Gottfried with a talented recruiting class on the way and the current bunch is definitely capable of reaching the NCAA Tournament. But Thursday night showed that they may not be ready to think ACC title right now.

2. Robert Morris wins the guard battle and beats LIU Brooklyn to close the gap in the NEC.
LIU Brooklyn had a great opportunity to put even more distance between themselves and the pack in the Northeast Conference race, but winning at Robert Morris is a very difficult task. And in a rematch of last year's NEC Tournament title game, the Colonials went on two runs in the first half to establish a 34-26 halftime lead and led by as many as 15 in the second half of a 75-66 win. Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere did their part for the visitors as they combined for 43 points and Boyd grabbed 12 rebounds to go along with his 25 points. But their guards had a tough night and Robert Morris took advantage as Velton Jones scored 23 points, Coron Williams 13 and Lucky Jones ten.

Velton also dished out seven assists on the night, while LIU's perimeter trio of Jason Brickman, Michael Culpo and C.J. Garner combined to score 16 points on 5-for-24 shooting (Culpo shot 0-for-10). LIU shot 3-for-16 from three on the night and without the balance they normally enjoy offensively (24% of their points come from deep on the average) the Blackbirds were unable to beat the Colonials. RMU and surprising St. Francis (NY) are now a game back (and they play each other on Saturday) in the standings, and a race that could have been out of reach is now back on.

3. Milwaukee slows Butler to a crawl and moves to 7-3 in the Horizon League.
The matchup between the Panthers and Bulldogs was the defensive-minded slugfest that many expected going into the contest, with Butler taking a 25-24 lead into the half. But the Bulldogs went cold in the second half, shooting 5-for-25 from the field and scoring just 17 points in what would become a 53-42 loss. Milwaukee shot 48% in the second half and did a much better job of setting up good looks than they did in the first, assisting on ten of their 12 made baskets. Neither team finished with great efficiency numbers but Butler's were startling, as their offensive efficiency (67.7) and effective field goal percentage (28.9%) were season lows.

James Haarmsma (12 points) and Ryan Allen (11 points) led the way scoring-wise while Kaylon Williams made up for a rough shooting night by dishing out 11 assists and grabbing seven rebounds. Milwaukee remains a game behind Cleveland State in the loss column while Butler falls two games back, and they're also tied with Valparaiso in second place (the Crusaders lost to Green Bay). By no means is anything decided in the Horizon League, but Milwaukee took an important step with their win.

Quick Hitters

1. It's been a rough season for USC to say the least, but their injury issues reached a new low in their 74-50 loss to Colorado. Center Dwayne Dedmon was lost early in the game with a sprained knee (MRI scheduled for Friday) and late in the second half his replacement, James Blasczyk, went down with a lower leg injury. That left USC with just five healthy scholarship players, and at 0-8 in the Pac-12 things don't look good for the Trojans.

2. One player the nation needs to become more familiar with is UC Riverside guard Phil Martin. Martin nearly led the Highlanders past first-place Long Beach State with 31 points and seven rebounds but it wasn't enough as the 49ers strengthened their grip on first place with a 77-70 overtime win. All five starters for The Beach reached double figures with Casper Ware's 18 leading the way.

3. On Saturday, Arizona made just three of twenty shots from beyond the arc in a one-point loss at Colorado. Against Washington State on Thursday night the Wildcats made 15 of 26 in their 85-61 win over the Cougars, who also lost reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week Faisal Aden late in the first half with a left knee injury. Losing their most explosive scorer for an extended period time would be a terrible blow to take for the Cougars.

4. Interim head coach Wes Miller has done a good job of turning things around at UNC Greensboro, and the Spartans won their fifth straight 77-73 over Appalachian State in overtime. Derrell Armstrong scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench and Trevis Simpson added 24 for UNCG, who is now 5-4 in Southern Conference play (half-game behind Elon for first in the North Division).

5. Nevada was able to separate themselves from the pack in the WAC with a 68-60 win at New Mexico State, moving two games ahead of the Aggies in the standings. Deonte Burton scored 17 points and Dario Hunt added 15 and eight rebounds for the Wolf Pack, who also received some help in the form of Utah State's 77-72 win over Hawai'i.

6. Idaho State won a thriller at home, beating Northern Colorado 99-94 in double overtime. But even more important for the Bengals is that they're now a game ahead of both UNC and Eastern Washington in the standings at 4-4, and in the Big Sky only the top six teams qualify for the conference tournament. Chase Grabau led the way with 30 points on 11-for-15 shooting and Melvin Morgan added 22 and five assists for the Bengals.

7. Saint Mary's remained undefeated in WCC play with a 71-64 win at Loyola Marymount, remaining a game ahead of Gonzaga and two ahead of BYU with a trip to Provo next on the schedule (Saturday). Stephen Holt scored 19 points, Matthew Dellavedova 13 and Rob Jones 11 and 15 rebounds. But Brad Waldow's been a key contributor of late as well, scoring ten points following a 14-point, 16-rebound performance at Santa Clara.

Three Notable Performers

1. G Travis Bader (Oakland) and G Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
Wolters posted a very good line of 21 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, but it wasn't enough as Bader led the Golden Grizzlies to the 92-87 win with a record-setting night. Bader shot 10-for-14 from three on his way to 37 points off the bench.

2. G J.P. Primm (UNC Asheville)
30 points, five assists, five steals and four rebounds in the Bulldogs' 90-70 win over High Point.

3. G Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech)
34 points, six rebounds and three assists in the Golden Eagles' 82-65 win at Eastern Kentucky.

College Basketball Awards: Aden, Cohen, Snaer, Kansas

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:13:29 -0500

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

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Faisal Aden, Washington State Senior Guard: Aden came off of the Washington State bench to lead the Cougars to wins over two of the Pac-12’s top two teams with a combined 57 points.

In an 81-69 victory over Stanford on Thursday, Aden made 10-of-17 shots and all 13 of his free throws for 33 points. He also had five rebounds and two assists.

On Saturday, the Cougars upset league-leading Cal, 77-75 behind 24 points, two rebounds and a steal from Aden. In the victory, Aden hit nine of his 12 field goal attempts and was 6-of-7 from the foul line.

“He had a great weekend,” Washington State Ken Bone said. “He obviously played extremely confident. He was outstanding on the offensive end. Most coaches would start him.”

For the season, Aden is averaging 15.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 90 percent from the charity stripe.

Last week's winner was Matthew Dellavedova of Saint Mary's.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jake Cohen, Davidson Junior Forward: Cohen helped Davidson to a pair of Southern Conference with 29- and 20-point performances last week.

On Thursday, Cohen scored 29 points and grabbed 14 boards in the Wildcats’ 87-69 win over the College of Charleston. He connected on 9-of-17 field goals, including 2-of-5 from the 3-point line, and all nine of his free throws.

The junior forward then made eight of his 11 field goal attempts and 4-of-7 free throws for 20 points as Davidson blew out The Citadel 80-51 on Saturday. Cohen also had four rebounds, three blocks and two steals as the Wildcats improved to 14-4 overall and 8-0 in league play.

“I think Jake Cohen is playing at an unprecedented level for a front court player for us,” Davidson coach Bob McKillop said. “He’s doing just about everything we’re asking of him.”

For the season, Cohen is averaging 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. He’s shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 90.5 from the foul line.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Kansas: The No. 7 Jayhawks earned their two best wins of the season last week.

First, they knocked off previously-unbeaten and third-ranked Baylor 92-74 at Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas shot 57.4 percent from the floor, 54.5 percent from behind the 3-point arc and out-rebounded the Bears 36-21. Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey each earned double-doubles. Robinson had 27 points and 14 rebounds, while Withey had 10 and 10, including nine offensive boards. Tyshawn Taylor had a game-high 28 points and handed out six assists, and all five Jayhawks scored in double-figures in the win.

“I think we made a big statement tonight,” Taylor said. “I don’t know if people are sleeping on us. They know we’re good. But I don’t know if people knew what we could do.”

On Saturday, Kansas earned a big 69-66 road win at Texas. The Jayhawks led 46-34 with 15 minutes to play despite a poor shooting night. Taylor finished with 22 points, five rebounds and four assists in the victory.

“This is the best win we have had all year,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.

With the two wins, Kansas improved to 16-3 overall and 6-0 in the Big 12.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Colt Ryan, Evansville Junior Guard: Ryan had the best performance of his career with 39 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals in the Aces’ 90-67 Missouri Valley triumph over Bradley.

Ryan, who had 20 points and five rebounds in Saturday’s win over Illinois State, was 12 for 21 from the field, including 8-of-14 from deep, and 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the win over the Braves.

Ryan is sixth in the nation with a 21.1 scoring average. He’s shooting 44.8 from the floor, 45.3 from the 3-point line and 85.3 at the foul line. He’s also averaging 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals per contest for the 10-9 Aces.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame 67, Syracuse 58: The 12-8 Irish took an 11-2 lead and never looked back. They led as much as 35-17 late in the first half and handed the top-rated Orange their first loss of the season.

“I can’t even describe this,” said Notre Dame junior center Jack Cooley, who had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the win. “They were 20-0. I can’t put into words how amazing this is.”

Syracuse – playing without Fab Melo, who is dealing with an unspecified academic issue – shot 34 percent from the field, including 7-of-23 3-pointers, and were out-rebounded 37-24, allowing Cooley six offensive rebounds.

The Orange stay on the road tonight when they will try to avoid their first losing streak against 15-5 Cincinnati.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Missouri 89, Baylor 88: Most prognosticators figured Baylor would dominate inside and Missouri would have to hit perimeter shots to have a chance in Waco.

The Tigers and senior forward Ricardo Ratliffe had a different idea. Ratliffe hit 11-of-14 shots and grabbed eight rebounds – six on the offensive end – to help Missouri to a critical 89-88 road Big 12 road win.

The Tigers shot 54.5 percent from the field and made 10-of-12 free throws in the final minute to improve to 18-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big 12.

“Obviously, this was a great win for us,” Tiger first-year coach Frank Haith said. “Our guys showed tremendous poise down the stretch. Throughout the game, we played with great toughness.”

Missouri, which also got 18 points, seven assists and six steal from Flip Pressey, overcame a 29-point performance by Bears freshman Quincy Miller.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Tennessee 60, Connecticut 57: The defending national champions dropped a pair of 3-point decisions this week, including a 60-57 loss to 9-10 Tennessee on Saturday.

The Huskies, who were playing without freshman point guard Ryan Boatright for the second straight game, made just 20 of 55 shots and got exactly zero points from their bench.

The Volunteers didn’t shoot much better at 42.3 percent, but freshman Jernell Stokes, who joined the squad following the first semester, had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the first start of his career.

“They made some big plays and defended us pretty well,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “Mainly, they just dug, scratched and clawed. They played harder than we did. That’s how they won the game.”

The Huskies are now 14-5 overall. They are 4-3 in the Big East and returned to league play at home against Notre Dame next Sunday.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Snaer’s 3 silences Cameron: Snaer, who banked in a 3-pointer from the corner to end the first half and made a floater in the lane to give the Seminoles the lead just 55 seconds earlier, sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Seminoles a 76-73 road victory over Duke, snapping the Blue Devils’ 45-game winning streak at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

After Austin Rivers hit a layup to tie the game at 73-apiece with 4.9 seconds left, Luke Loucks found a wide open Snaer, who drained the 3 to give Florida State its fourth straight win.

“When it went in, I didn’t know what to think,” Snaer said. “It was amazing.”

“The kid hit a beautiful shot,” Devils’ coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Snaer, who leads the Seminoles at 13.5 points per game, had 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal as Florida State knocked off ACC powers North Carolina and Duke in a 7-day span. The Blue Devils and Seminoles are now tied atop the league standings, a half-game ahead of North Carolina and North Carolina State.

College Hoops Sunday Recap: Atlantic 10 Earns Two Titles

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:06:23 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Notable Happenings

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

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

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

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

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

Quick Hitters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three Notable Performances

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

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

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

College Hoops Thursday Recap: Broncos Survive in Overtime

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:00:42 -0500

While people didn't necessarily give up on Santa Clara when it came to discussing who could win the West Coast Conference, there weren't a lot of outside believers in Kerry Keating's team once forward Marc Trasolini was lost for the season in the summer due to a knee injury. And there were even fewer folks left in the aftermath of their 89-56 loss at UCSB just over a week ago. But if their 79-76 overtime win over New Mexico in a 76 Classic quarterfinal showed anything it's that Santa Clara remains capable of being a factor in the WCC race.

"The media was saying that New Mexico was going to win this whole tournament," said Kevin Foster. "We have a chip on our shoulder and bring it every day. It was a full team effort and we hope we could keep that going."

Guards Foster and Evan Roquemore scored 26 points apiece for the Broncos, who led by as many as 12 points in the first half before the preseason Mountain West favorites made their charge. Tony Snell led UNM with 18 points and freshman Hugh Greenwood added 14, but Steve Alford needs his two bell cows to get rolling. Drew Gordon did score 11 points and grab ten rebounds but was only 2-for-8 from the field and Kendall Williams wend 0-for-4, scoring all six of his points from the charity stripe.

The biggest development for Santa Clara in this win may actually be the play of forward Niyi Harrison, who scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 44 minutes of action. He's one of the players who has been asked to step up with Trasolini done for the season, and his scoring average has jumped more than ten points from last season to this. It's a pretty safe bet that Foster and Roquemore will be productive offensively, but if Santa Clara is to challenge the likes of Gonzaga, BYU and Saint Mary's they'll need the big men to chip in as well.

"We are happy that we got a chance to compete against [New Mexico]," said Keating following the game. "We have a really young team, but we grew up a little bit, showing some resiliency tonight. We came out with a great win,"

Other Notable Happenings

1. The perception of the Pac-12 takes another hit with three in-season tournament losses.
It's no secret that much of the college basketball world doesn't think much of the Pac-12, but to be fair the conference hasn't done well in improving that perception. Thursday night certainly didn't help with three teams losing by double digits, but it should also be noted that the three losers (Arizona State, Utah and Washington State) were all picked to finish in the bottom half of the league in the preseason. Utah was overmatched from the opening tip against Harvard as they were whipped 75-47 in the Battle For Atlantis in the Bahamas. Arizona State couldn't make shots as they lost to Fairfield 55-44 at the Old Spice Classic, and Washington State couldn't match the energy level of Oklahoma in the Sooners' 74-59 win at the 76 Classic. Washington State scored just 19 points in the second half and turned the ball over 22 times for the game. So what's the culprit in regards to the conference's struggles? Talent, youth or a combination of both? That's a question the Pac-12 teams will collectively look to erase in the final month before conference play.

2. Indiana State uses defense to beat Texas Tech and remain undefeated.
It certainly wasn't pretty but Greg Lansing's Sycamores were able to hold off Texas Tech 60-49 due to their play on the defensive end. The Red Raiders shot a better percentage from the field than Indiana State (42.9% to 35.7%), but their 18 turnovers in a 62 possession game resulted in a horrific offensive efficiency of 79.0. That's not going to get it done against many teams, much less one that's expected to be a major player in the Missouri Valley race along with Creighton and Wichita State. Jake Odum led the Sycamores with 13 points and four assists, and in addition to their ability to turn Texas Tech over ISU attempted 31 free throws to the Red Raiders' nine (25-5 scoring edge from the charity stripe). They'll face a Minnesota team that's got some size inside, but there's no reason why Indiana State can't win the Old Spice Classic.

3. Connecticut needs to get more production from their frontcourt, namely Alex Oriakhi.
There's no doubt that the Huskies have one of the best backcourts in the nation in point guard Shabazz Napier and shooting guard Jeremy Lamb. But if Jim Calhoun's team is tobe mentioned in a similar class to the likes of North Carolina, Kentucky and Ohio State come March they're going to need more from the frontcourt. The defending national champs' fast start established enough breathing room to take care of UNC Asheville 73-63, but they may not be so lucky against teams with better (and bigger) big men. Andre Drummond got the start for Alex Oriakhi and scored nine points while Tyler Olander added four and Oriakhi scored four off the bench. That's not going to be enough from those three as the Huskies move into Big East play. Keith Clanton and company will provide a good challenge on Friday, and whichever team they play in their final game in the Bahamas (Harvard or Florida State) should do so as well. The pieces are there for a run at a repeat, but not if the UConn big men don't bring their collective A-game.

Quick Hitters

1. Florida State once again has one of the best defenses in the country, but if they don't take better care of the basketball it'll be tough for them to mount a significant challenge to North Carolina and Duke in the ACC. FSU turned the ball over 23 times against UMass on Thursday, with Luke Loucks leading the way with six and Okaro White had five.

2. Be patient with DePaul. This is a team that's essentially being taught how to win by Oliver Purnell and his staff, and they received a tough lesson in their 86-85 loss to Minnesota. But the signs of improvement are definitely there, and in Cleveland Melvin (20 points) and Brandon Young (23 points) they've got one of the better sophomore tandems in the Big East.

3. At this point it would be a surprise if New Mexico State didn't win the Great Alaska Shootout. Marvin Menzies' team dropped the hammer on Central Michigan, winning 78-49 thanks in large part to their defense (CMU turned the ball over 21 times and was out-rebounded 54-35) and a balanced scoring effort in which all ten players who played scored (team-high 15 points for Bandja Sy).

4. UCF outscored College of Charleston 18-5 over the final 7:50 to win 74-63 in the Battle for Atlantis, and their defense was a key factor. Also of importance: the Knights' offensive rebounding rate of 40%, which played a big factor in their 44-25 rebounding edge.

5. All five starters reached double figures for Dayton in their 80-76 win over Wake Forest, but the biggest line could be that of Matt Kavanaugh. The junior forward/cernter put up 15 points and 13 rebounds, and is averaging 9.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Kavanaugh averaged just nine minutes and two points per game last season.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Keith Clanton (UCF)
28 points and 14 rebounds in the Knights' 74-63 win over College of Charleston.

2. G Kevin Foster and G Evan Roquemore (Santa Clara)
26 points apiece and nine assists combined in the Broncos' 79-76 win over New Mexico.

3. G Shabazz Napier (Connecticut)
23 points and seven assists in the Huskies' 73-63 win over UNC Asheville.

Pac-12 Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:23:43 -0500

As part of our 5-Year Ranking series, here's how the Pac-12 teams stack up according to conference wins. With the exception of Oregon St, every team in the league has had at least two .500 seasons or better in the last five years. The league adds Utah, who was a mid-level MWC team, and Colorado, who was in the bottom rung of the Big 12.

First Tier

1 - UCLA - 65 wins - This is a lot of wins for a program that seems to be a mess right now

2 - Arizona - 52 - While much of the Pac-12 is struggling, Sean Miller seems to building for the future

3 - Washington - 51 - Huskies have the most wins in the league over the last 3 seasons

Second Tier

4 - USC - 49 - For better or worse, have settled into a .500 team for the last 3 years

5 - Washington St - 47 - Propped up by 07-08 success, WSU is on the downturn

6 - California - 46 - Mike Montgomery has the Bears climbing the Pac-12 ladder

Wannabees

7 - Stanford - 43 - Ho hum sums up the state of Stanford basketball

8 - Arizona St - 38 - Devils have been up and down under Sendek. This seems like a down year

9 - Oregon - 36 - It's been a miserable few seasons for Oregon, but I have faith in Altman

Also-Rans

10 - Oregon St - 23 - The league doormat has NIT potential this year, which would be a positive step

***The Pac-12 adds

Utah, who won 38 games in thw MWC

Colorado, who won 21 games in Big 12

All 5-Year Rankings.

College Hoops Monday Recap: Pangos Catches Fire in Spokane

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:27:13 -0500

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have some impressive offensive performers that Washington State likely made themselves very aware of in preparation for their game at midnight. Elias Harris and Robert Sacre are formidable frontcourt players while Marquise Carter is a jet-quick point guard who is more than willing to attack defenses. But if the Cougars had a plan for how to slow down freshman guard Kevin Pangos it sure didn't look like it. Pangos knocked down nine three pointers, tying the school record held by Dan Dickau (he did it twice) and scoring 33 points in an 89-81 victory that ended up being closer than it needed to be.

"We knew he was a very good shooter and he was a concern of ours when the game started," remarked Washington State head coach Ken Bone after the game.

The problem for Washington State defensively is that rarely was Pangos forced to take a hurried shot, and the majority of his threes that fell came without a hand in his face. Gonzaga rode the Canadian's hot shooting to a lead that would be as large as 21 points in the second half, but they had to hang on as Washington State fought back to within three points late in the second half. Harris (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Sacre (15 and 10) both posted double-doubles for Gonzaga and freshman Gary Bell Jr. added 14 points off the bench, and Gonzaga also held a 16-point edge (30-14) at the charity stripe.

Brock Motum led five Washington State players in double figures with 17 points, and Cougars shot 47.5% from the field. But they were outrebounded 41-33, and Gonzaga's edge of nearly eleven percentage points in the offensive rebounding percentage category (Gonzaga rebounded 37.8% of their misses to 27% for Wazzu) was a factor. Harris and Sacre combined for eight of Gonzaga's 14 offensive rebounds on the night, and keeping them off the boards proved to be a problem for a Washington State team that lacks bulk inside. That will need to improve, but the big news was Kevin Pangos putting future Gonzaga opponents on notice. If this becomes a habit, the Bulldogs become that much tougher to guard.

Other Notable Happenings

1. UCLA suspends Reeves Nelson indefinitely.
Already owning a loss on the season, things took another turn for Ben Howland's UCLA Bruins on Monday night as it was announced that he'd suspended forward Reeves Nelson indefinitely. The two were supposed to meet to talk things over on Monday but the coach instead made the move to suspend Nelson and delay the talk until after the Bruins play Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday. There have been attitude issues in regards to Nelson, who was a preseason All-Pac 12 selection and a player of the year candidate in the league. But it's tough to play at that level when not fully invested in what the coach wants done. This is just the latest happening in what could develop into a soap opera of sorts if the Bruins aren't careful. Better to try to handle these issues now, because the longer they're allowed to fester the more damaging the issues can be.

2. Florida State clamps down on UCF in the second half, winning by 23.
From an efficiency standpoint the UCF Knights haven't been at their best this season. But those numbers hit a new low on Monday night in Tallahassee as they ran into one of the toughest defenses in the country. Florida State limited UCF to 30.5% shooting from the field and an offensive efficiency of 72.5 in their 73-50 win over the Knights to move to 2-0. But it wasn't just Florida State's abilty to defend that did in the Knights. Florida State finished with a rebounding advantage of 46-31, with their 16 offensive rebounds helping to make up for 19 turnovers. Bernard James led four Seminoles in double figures with 18 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Tristan Spurlock led the Knights with 12. UCF is a bit shorthanded with A.J. Rompza and Josh Crittle out of the lineup, but it likely wouldn't have mattered on Monday. FSU was that good defensively.

3. Northern Iowa can't make a shot in Moraga as Saint Mary's picks up the convincing win.
Northern Iowa put together one of the best defensive performances of the season to date this weekend in holding Old Dominion to 46 points on the road. But the tables were turned early Tuesday morning at Saint Mary's as the Panthers struggled mightily offensively and fell 57-41. It wasn't pretty for either team in the first half but the Gaels closed the half on a 14-2 run to lead 26-13 at the break. Things only got worse for the Panthers, especially Anthony James as he shot 1-for-15 from the field on the night. Matthew Dellavedova led Saint Mary's with 11 points but it was UNI's inability to score that provided the headline. UNI shot 27.1% from the field, making just 25% of their two-point shots. Can't win on the road shooting that poorly, especially at a place as tough to win in as Saint Mary's.

Quick Hitters

1. Don't underestimate Providence's 80-72 win at Fairfield in Ed Cooley's return to his previous employer. Rakim Sanders' second half foul trouble triggered a Friar run, and they ultimately held on. This is good win for a program still looking to build its foundation.

2. Temple picked up an important Big 5 victory, outlasting Penn 73-67 in overtime at the Palestra. Juan Fernandez's 19 points and five assists led the way as the Owls survived a 27-point effort from Penn's Zach Rosen.

3. UNLV led by 14 points with just over four minutes left in their game against rival Nevada but had to do everything in their power to get the 71-67 win. Justin Hawkins led a balanced scoring effort with 13 points and the Rebels assisted on 18 of their 26 field goals while also outrebounding the Wolf Pack 47-40.

4. In a game that could linger throughout the season George Mason fell to FIU 79-76 in overtime in the Blackburg regional of the Preseason NIT. Paul Hewitt's team thus allows a resume-building opportunity against Virginia Tech slip away as a result.

5. Eric Atkins and Joey Brooks scored 13 points apiece to lead Notre Dame to a 59-53 win over Detroit, with the game changing once the Titans' LaMarcus Lowe fouled out. Lowe finished the game with eight points, ten rebounds and five blocks but with him no longer in the middle things became easier for the Irish offensively.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga)
33 points (9-for-13 3PT) and six assists in the Bulldogs' 89-81 win over Washington State, tying Dan Dickau's school record for made threes in a game.

2. G Kyle Vinales (Central Connecticut State)
39 points (15-23 FG) in just 26 minutes of action for the Blue Devils, who lost 103-96 in overtime at Niagara. CCSU led by as much as 17 in the first half.

3. G Gerald Suero (Albany)
29 points (9-12 FG), nine rebounds, three assists and three steals in the Great Danes' 77-68 win over Brown.