Providence

Montana vs. Weber State: Tuesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:02:24 -0800

Conference tournament play in the Big Sky is just days away (Saturday) but there's some very important business to attend to before the six-team field is complete: decide the regular season champion. Montana (22-6, 14-1) and Weber State (23-4, 14-1) have been the class of the league, as expected, from start to finish and that should make for an entertaining affair in Missoula. Damian Lillard (24.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.1 apg) and company held serve on their home floor, and a win Tuesday night would not only give them the regular season title but also guarantee hosting the semifinals and title game of the Big Sky tournament.

Accomplishing that task will be far easier said than done for the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky, as Wayne Tinkle's Grizzlies are 13-2 at home this season. Montana may not have the nation's leading scorer but in senior Will Cherry (15.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.4 apg) they have one of the best perimeter defenders in the conference. Lillard and Cherry will receive a great deal of attention given their skill sets and experience, but it would be wise to take a look at their respective partners in crime as well.

Alongside Lillard, who also does a good job of setting up his teammates for quality looks, is Scott Bamforth and he's averaging 15.2 points per game and shooting 44.1% from the field. Bamforth is one of the primary beneficiaries when Lillard is able to penetrate gaps in the defense, knocking down three-pointers at a 41.2% clip. Freshman Gelaun Wheelwright has improved his play as the season's worn on and received more minutes as a result while guard Jordan Richardson and forward Byron Fulton are also capable of knocking down open shots.

For Montana there's sophomore Kareem Jamar, whose versatility allows Cherry to do a variety of things on the offensive end of the floor. In addition to averaging 13.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, Jamar leads the Grizzlies in assists with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.81. Undersized forward Art Steward is shooting 41% from three and averaging 9.5 points per game while guard Shawn Stockton is called upon more for perimeter depth and defense than his scoring prowess.

The winner could ultimately be decided in the front court despite the quality guards, and this was where Weber State was able to distance themselves in the first meeting. Frank Otis, who would be lost for an extended period of time in the Wildcats' next game, scored seven points in his return from a knee injury and Darin Mahoney accounted for eight points and nine rebounds. Adding those numbers to the 12 and six rebounds put up by Kyle Tresnak ended up being too much for the Grizzlies to deal with as no players besides Cherry and Jamar reached double figures.

Mahoney may not be much of a scorer but the senior has no problem mixing it up on the glass, as he leads Weber State with an average of 6.2 rebounds per game. Neither team is a great rebounding team, and it would be fair to say that the Grizzles could be in trouble in this department. Montana grabs 1.1 fewer rebounds per game than their opponents and they allow 10.9 offensive rebounds per game (rate of 31.3%). If Derek Selvig and the other Montana big men don't take care of business on the glass Weber State, who is average as an offensive rebounding team, could end up with a few more possessions than expected.

Cherry and Jamar do a solid job of helping out Selvig and Steward on the boards, as Jamar ranks second on the team in rebounds per game. Weber State's been the better offensive team while Montana's been better on the defensive end in spite of their rebounding woes, which will make for a fun contest to watch. While the other four teams in the Big Sky tournament have the ability to knock either team off there's no reason to believe that the Wildcats and Grizzlies won't meet again with an NCAA berth on the line. The only question is where that game will take place, and we'll get the answer on Tuesday night.

Outside of the big game in the Big Sky and the beginning of the Horizon League tournament it's all about the bubble on Tuesday night, with Xavier's trip to Saint Louis being the contest that stands out. Few (if any) thought that the Musketeers would find themselves in their current spot before the season began but for whatever reason Chris Mack's team is in desperate need of wins. Saint Louis is in better position at this stage but the Billikens can ill-afford to rest on their laurels.

Rick Majerus' team has been solid defensively with Brian Conklin leading the way inside, and Kenny Frease has to hold his own with the senior of Xavier is to win. Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons are definitely talented but who steps up to provide the intangibles that have been missing all season long? Whether or not the Musketeers get an answer will ultimately determine whether or not they make the Big Dance.

Connecticut fell just short of a win over Syracuse on Saturday night, and they'd better be prepared both mentally and physically for their trip to Providence. The Friars may lack depth and they've had a tough first season under Ed Cooley, but the Vincent Council-led bunch can be dangerous especially in front of a raucous home crowd. Add in one of the Big East's best freshmen in LaDontae Henton and the Huskies stand the chance of getting picked off if they sleepwalk into The Dunk. Also of importance to the bubble is UCF's trip to Memphis, and with the Tigers looking like a lock to dance this a good opportunity for Donnie Jones' Knights.

Florida can lock up second place in the SEC with a win at Vanderbilt, but given the Gators' showing at Georgia on Saturday who knows which team will show up at Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores put forth a good fight at Kentucky before falling, and this is a good opportunity for Kevin Stallings' team to pick up a quality win before the conference tournament. And in the Big Ten, Michigan State looks to seal the outright Big Ten title with a win at Indiana. Minnesota may have won at IU but that's the Hoosiers' lone home loss this season so we'll see what happens.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (3) Duke at Wake Forest (ESPNU)
7:00 PM (5) Michigan State at (20) Indiana (ESPN)
9:00 PM (13) Florida at Vanderbilt (ESPN)
8:00 PM Minnesota at (15) Wisconsin (BTN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Ole Miss at Arkansas (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Kansas State at Texas A&M (ESPN3)
7:00 PM DePaul at West Virginia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Wright State at Butler
7:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Detroit
7:00 PM Connecticut at Providence (ESPN3)
7:05 PM Green Bay at Youngstown State
8:00 PM Illinois-Chicago at Milwaukee
9:00 PM Xavier at Saint Louis
9:00 PM Weber State at Montana (Altitude)
9:00 PM UCF at Memphis
9:05 PM Idaho State at Eastern Washington
9:30 PM TCU at Wyoming (The Mtn.)
10:05 PM Northern Colorado at Portland State

Tuesday Recap: Paul Leads Illinois Past Ohio State

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:41:56 -0800

The matchup between Ohio State and Illinois was anticipated by many for the individual matchup between the Buckeyes' Jared Sullinger and Illinois' Meyers Leonard. Then there was the ceremony honoring Lou Henson, the all-time winningest coach in Illinois history. But few people expected Brandon Paul to end up being the center of attention, which is exactly what happened in the Fighting Illini's 79-74 win at Assembly Hall.

Palu scored a career-high 43 points, making 11 of his 15 shots from the field (8-10 3PT) and 13 of 15 from the charity stripe to lead Bruce Weber's squad to the win. But it wasn't all about the points for Paul, as he contributed in other areas as well. Paul also led the team in rebounds (eight) and blocked shots (four), more than making up for his game-high seven turnovers. Wehn you've got it rolling like Paul did on this night, the mistakes tend to fade into the background.

"I was laughing a couple times. After the first couple threes, I just said I was going to keep shooting," remarked Paul. "That's the mindset that I've got to have."

Paul's offensive explosion was essentially the difference in the game as both teams finished with four starters reaching double figures and zero points from their respective benches. Deshaun Thomas (23 points, six rebounds) and Sullinger (21 points, five rebounds and three steals) led Ohio State offensively, but Sullinger was also their best three-point shooter as he made both of his attempts.

The rest of the team made just three of thirteen from beyond the arc and with Paul shooting the way he was, Thad Matta's team found itself in trouble throughout much of the second half. Shooting 60% from the field and 61% from three can cure a lot of ills, as it did for the Illini as they turned the ball over 18 times. It also didn't hurt Illinois to have a plus-7 advantage in points from the foul line (14-7), with Sullinger not attempting his lone free throws of the night until late in the game.

All things considered Leonard did a good job in his individual matchup with Sullinger, scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds in 38 minutes of action. But Tuesday night was all about the guard who got hot early and stayed so throughout. Even switching Aaron Craft, one of the best defenders in the country, onto Paul did the visitors from Columbus any good. Sometimes guys just have one of those nights, and that was exactly the case for Brandon Paul.

Other Notable Happenings

1. If you haven't given Baylor their due by now, this would be a good time to do so.
For whatever reason, Scott Drew's Baylor Bears haven't been discussed in the same realm as teams such as Syracuse, North Carolina, Kentucky and Ohio State despite owning some impressive wins to date. But after the Bears made the winning plays they needed to make late in their 75-73 win at #18 Kansas State, it's time for the nation to put the Bears in that company when discussing teams that can not only get to the Final Four but win the national title. Perry Jones III led four players in double figures with 17 points and eight rebounds while two other players (A.J. Walton and Quincy Miller) scored eight and nine points, respectively.

By the four minute mark of the second half five Baylor players had four fouls, but none fouled out and it was one of those players who stepped up big in crunch time. Quincy Acy, who played just 24 minutes due to foul trouble, scored a basket and then stole a pass on Kansas State's ensuing possession to give the Bears a 73-71 lead with 3:14 remaining. The Bears wouldn't trail again, and it was Acy's deflection of a pass in the final seconds that preserved the victory. Rodney McGruder led K-State with 30 points but their mistakes late opened the door for the Bears, and the visitors took advantage.

2. Providence honors the '87 Final Four team and blows out Louisville for their first league win.
It seems as if every time Rick Pitino brings a team to Providence his 1987 squad that reached the Final Four is being honored. After Tuesday night however, he may look to no longer be involved in such ceremonies at The Dunk. Louisville didn't look ready for a street fight from the start, and that's a bad way to enter a game when playing a team desperate for its first league win. Bryce Cotton and Kadeem Batts scored 27 points apiece as the Friars more than made up for the absence of Gerard Coleman (back injury), beating the Cardinals 90-59 to give Ed Cooley his first Big East victory.

Louisville couldn't turn over the Friars as point guard Vincent Council was the consummate floor general with 15 points, 14 assists and just two turnovers, and from there things really got out of hand for the visitors. It's been known that Peyton Siva and the rest of the Cardinals have a hard time scoring when they're unable to get out and run off of turnovers. And until that changes results like this remain a possibility as they encounter league opponents who can take care of the basketball. Hindsight is 20/20, but it looks as if those who felt that the Cardinals were overrated when they reached the Top 5 were ahead of the curve.

3. Northern Iowa forced Antoine Young to make plays, and he did as Creighton kept pace atop the MVC.
UNI needed a win in Omaha to remain within striking distance of the top of the Missouri Valley thanks to their losses to Illinois State and Evansville, with the latter coming at home. But due to two defensive moves the Panthers left town with a 2-3 record as they fell to the Bluejays 63-60. Ben Jacobson's squad essentially dared Creighton guard Antoine Young to make them pay offensively, and he did just that with a game-high 21 points. On the other hand Greg McDermott and his staff made the defensive move that may have won the game, placing more emphasis on limiting Marc Sonnen's perimeter looks.

Sonnen scored 15 points in the first half as he made all five of his three-point attempts. Sonnen finished the game with 15 points, and without his shooting the Panthers sputtered offensively. UNI shot 33.3% from the field and 28.6% from three in the second half, a far cry from their first half numbers of 42.3% and 66.7%. In addition to Young, Creighton received some big plays from Grant Gibbs (ten points) and Doug McDermott (14 points, eight rebounds) in addition to 11 rebounds from Gregory Echenique.

Quick Hitters

1. Playing their first game as a ranked team in 11 years, Seton Hall used a 17-1 second half run to put away DePaul 94-73. Fuquan Edwin scored a career-high 28 points to go along with nine rebounds, and point guard Jordan Theodore finished with 26 and 11 assists. Theodore's play this season has been outstanding, so much so that he has to be considered for Big East Player of the Year. Makes you wonder what the Cousy Award committee was thinking when they left Theodore off the list of 20 finalists for the award.

2. After winning consecutive conference road games at Wisconsin and Minnesota, Iowa has found out the hard way that they've still got some distance to travel before becoming a factor in the Big Ten. Michigan State whipped the Hawkeyes 95-61 in East Lansing, and in their last two games Iowa has lost by a combined 63 points.

3. Bernard James put forth an impressive performance for Florida State, scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in the Seminoles' 63-59 win at Virginia Tech. James also blocked three shots and Ian Miller scored 15 off the bench as FSU picked up a much-needed win on the heels of their embarassing effort at Clemson.

4. An Atlantic 10 team to keep an eye on over the next two months: La Salle. The Explorers have won 11 of their last 12 games, beating Big 5 rival Penn 68-57 at The Palestra on Tuesday night. Point guard Tyreek Duren scored 21 points and dished out six assists while Earl Pettis added 18. The key for Dr. John Giannini's team, whose guards can play with anyone in the A-10, will be how they deal with bigger teams in league play.

5. Washington made things far more difficult than they needed to be in beating Seattle 91-83, but then again is anything expected to be "easy" for the Pac-12 this season? C.J. Wilcox scored a team-high 25 points off the bench while Tony Wroten scored 24 for the Huskies, who are off until Sunday's matchup with in-state rival Washington State.

6. Missouri State and Wichita State both took care of business at home to remain tied with Creighton atop the MVC standings, with the Bears beating Southern Illinois and Wichita State holding off Illinois State. And in Kyle Weems (MSU) and Joe Ragland (WSU), these two teams have players who can go off on a moment's notice if teams don't limit their looks.

7. Harvard avoided what would have been a catastrophic loss with regards to a possible at-large berth (should they need it) as they beat Monmouth 70-61. Keith Wright led the way with 18 points and 15 rebounds for the Crimson, who play George Washington before heading back into Ivy League play.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Brandon Paul (Illinois)
43 points (11-15 FG, 8-10 3PT), eight rebounds, four blocks, two assists and two steals in the Fighting Illini's 79-74 win over #5 Ohio State.

2. F Fuquan Edwin and G Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall)
The old Paterson Catholic teammates led the way for the Pirates in their 94-73 win over DePaul. Edwin scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Theodore added 26 and 11 assists.

3. F Kadeem Batts (Providence)
Batts, who was suspended for the fall semester, was one of the key figures in the Friars' 90-59 win over #15 Louisville. Batts scored 27 points, grabbed ten rebounds and blocked three shots in helping lead the Friars to their first Big East win under head coach Ed Cooley.

Saturday Preview: #20 Marquette at #1 Syracuse

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:09:27 -0800

Just two games on the schedule for Saturday match ranked teams, one of which being #1 Syracuse (16-0, 3-0) hosting #20 Marquette (12-3, 1-1) with the visitors looking to rebound from a disappointing loss at Georgetown earlier this week. The Golden Eagles led by as many as 17 points in the second half but they went away from the "paint touches" that are so valued in Buzz Williams' program, which led to the Hoya comeback. Those paint touches will be even more important at the Carrier Dome, as Syracuse does a good job with their 2-3 zone at limiting those opportunities.

Jim Boeheim's team is always well-versed in who should be allowed to shoot perimeter shots and who should be defended tightly as well, meaning that Marquette will need to be judicious in their shot selection. As a team Marquette shoots 34.7% from three, scoring 22.3% of their points from distance on the season. The most reliable shooters are also their leading scorers: Darius Johnson-Odom (17.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg) and Jae Crowder (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg) both start while freshman Todd Mayo (10.2 ppg) come off the bench.

The Golden Eagles can match the Syracuse depth on the perimeter, with those three along with Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Derrick Wilson, but the Orange have been flat-out explosive this season. Scoop Jardine (8.7 ppg, 4.3 apg) and Brandon Triche (10.3 ppg, 3.1 apg) are the starters and have played well for much of the season, but in sixth man Dion Waiters (12.6 ppg, 2.8 apg) the Orange have one of the best reserves in the country. It can even be argued that Waiters is Syracuse's best option when considering postseason awards, which is a testament to his growth as well as Syracuse's depth.

Freshman Michael Carter-Williams also sees some time at guard, and on the wing the Orange are deep as well. Senior Kris Joseph (13.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg) leads the team in scoring and when allowed to get out and fill a lane on the break is a dangerous player to contend with. But there's also sophomore C.J. Fair (8.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg), who is second on the team in minutes, and junior James Southerland (8.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg) shoots 42.6% from beyond the arc. Marquette will be smaller than Syracuse on the wing, but they can manage the difference due to their speed. The real concern comes in the paint, where the Golden Eagles are without a key contributor.

Chris Otule is still out with a knee injury and there's been no announcement on his prospects for the remainder of the season, meaning that Davante Gardner (8.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg) had to step into the starting role. Gardner came off the bench in Marquette's win over Villanova after a subpar performance in the loss to Vanderbilt, but he responded with 13 points and ten rebounds and followed that up with 11 against Georgetown. Facing the much-improved Fab Melo (7.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.1 bpg), Gardner's going to need a similar performance if Marquette is to win. Turnovers will also be a major factor with Marquette forcing nearly 18 per game and Syracuse almost 19.

Also in the Big East, #9 Georgetown hits the road to take on West Virginia, and Bob Huggins' team could definitely use a win like this for their resume. Kevin Jones has been one of the best players in the Big East for the Mountaineers, who will need young guards Gary Browne and Jabarie Hinds to mature as the season wears on in order to be a team that can win games in the NCAA Tournament. And Seton Hall will look to build on the momentum gained in their win over Connecticut with a win at Providence, but with the Friars desperate for their first league win that's going to be a tough task for Kevin Willard's squad.

League play tips off in the ACC and SEC this weekend, with the former looking to sort itself out after the generally accepted top three of North Carolina, Duke and Virginia. While the Tar Heels shouldn't have much of a problem with Boston College, Duke should be on upset alert at Georgia Tech while Virginia hosts a Miami team that could be a factor in the ACC as Reggie Johnson approaches full strength. In the SEC Mississippi State visits Arkansas, and the Bulldogs had better make sure that freshman B.J. Young isn't allowed to heat up.

The Big 12's got a pair of dangerous games for ranked teams on the schedule as well, with Baylor visiting Texas Tech and Missouri taking on Kansas State in Manhattan. The Bears should beat the Red Raiders but that trip to Lubbock could be a tricky one if you're not focused. As for the Tigers, their interior depth will be tested by the Wildcats, led by Jamar Samuels, Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez. If either Ricardo Ratliffe or Steve Moore get into early foul trouble, Missouri could end up in trouble as well.

Other games of note include Georgia State, who is currently in first place in the CAA, visiting George Mason just days after winning at VCU. Ron Hunter's done a masterful job with the GSU program in his first season in charge, and Devonta White and Jihad Ali have done a good job of leading the way offensively. Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson can be a handful up front for the Colonials, and there's a strong possibility that this game isn't decided until late. Temple hosts Dayton in the Owls' Atlantic 10 opener, and after they beat Saint Louis in overtime this could be a big week for Dayton's resume if they can win at Liacouras Center as well.

Top 25 Games
4:00 PM (20) Marquette at (1) Syracuse (ESPN3)
4:00 PM South Carolina at (2) Kentucky (ESPN3)
12:00 PM (3) Duke at Georgia Tech (ESPNU)
2:30 PM Boston College at (4) North Carolina (ESPN3)
1:45 PM (5) Baylor at Texas Tech (ESPN3)
1:30 PM (6) Missouri at (22) Kansas State (ESPN3)
3:00 PM (7) Ohio State at Iowa (BTN)
8:00 PM (8) Connecticut at Rutgers (ESPN3)
12:00 PM (9) Georgetown at West Virginia (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Notre Dame at (10) Louisville (ESPNU)
11:00 AM (14) Florida at Tennessee (ESPN2)
2:00 PM (15) Kansas at Oklahoma (ESPNU)
9:00 PM (16) Mississippi State at Arkansas (ESPN3)
8:00 PM (18) Murray State at Austin Peay (ESPNU)
2:00 PM Dartmouth at (21) Harvard
6:00 PM Miami (FL) at (23) Virginia (ESPNU)
8:00 PM (24) Creighton at Bradley (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Virginia Tech at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Xavier at Fordham
12:00 PM Canisius at Loyola (MD)
12:00 PM Wagner at Monmouth
1:00 PM Nebraska at Illinois (BTN)
1:05 PM Missouri State at Indiana State (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Ole Miss at LSU (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Auburn at Vanderbilt (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Colgate at American
2:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Fairleigh Dickinson
2:00 PM Albright at Cornell
2:00 PM Washington at Utah (FSN)
2:00 PM Northeastern at James Madison
2:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Cleveland State (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Western Michigan at Ball State
2:00 PM St. John's at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
2:00 PM NJIT at Longwood
2:00 PM LIU-Brooklyn at Quinnipiac
2:00 PM Charlotte at Saint Joseph's
2:00 PM Kennesaw State at USC Upstate
2:05 PM Evansville at Illinois State
2:30 PM Charleston at Furman (ESPN3)
2:30 PM UMBC at Maine
2:30 PM Western Illinois at IPFW
3:00 PM Georgia Southern at Davidson
3:00 PM Texas State at Northwestern State
3:05 PM Wichita State at Southern Illinois
3:15 PM Jacksonville at Stetson
3:30 PM Lehigh at Holy Cross
3:30 PM North Dakota at New Mexico
3:30 PM Robert Morris at Central Connecticut State
3:30 PM St. Francis (NY) at Sacred Heart
4:00 PM Washington State at Colorado (FSN)
4:00 PM Dayton at Temple
4:00 PM Florida State at Clemson (ESPN2)
4:00 PM Iowa State at Texas A&M (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Bucknell at Army
4:00 PM St. Bonaventure at Duquesne
4:00 PM Mercer at East Tennessee State
4:00 PM Florida A&M at North Carolina Central
4:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at North Carolina A&T
4:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois
4:00 PM Coppin State at Savannah State
4:00 PM Morgan State at South Carolina State
4:00 PM Southern Miss at Tulane
4:00 PM Delaware at William & Mary
4:00 PM VMI at Winthrop
4:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at Bryant
4:30 PM Denver at South Alabama (ESPN3)
4:30 PM Central Arkansas at Lamar
4:30 PM Liberty at UNC Asheville
4:30 PM Wofford at Western Carolina
5:00 PM Troy at Western Kentucky (FCS)
5:00 PM UCF at East Carolina
5:00 PM Jackson State at Alcorn State
5:00 PM Grambling State at Southern University
5:15 PM North Florida at Florida Gulf Coast
5:30 PM Tennessee State at Jacksonville State
5:30 PM Coastal Carolina at Charleston Southern
6:00 PM Ohio at Bowling Green (ESPN3)
6:00 PM San Francisco at BYU (BYU TV)
6:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Alabama State
6:00 PM Howard at Hampton
6:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Norfolk State
6:00 PM IUPUI at Oakland
6:00 PM Seton Hall at Providence (ESPN3)
6:05 PM Fresno State at Idaho (ESPN3)
6:30 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at Middle Tennessee
7:00 PM Alabama at Georgia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Akron at Miami (OH)
7:00 PM Richmond at Rhode Island
7:00 PM Appalachian State at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Oklahoma State at Texas (LHN)
7:00 PM Towson at Old Dominion
7:00 PM Hofstra at UNC Wilmington
7:00 PM Kent State at Buffalo
7:00 PM Toledo at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at Eastern Kentucky
7:00 PM High Point at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM Georgia State at George Mason
7:00 PM Lafayette at Navy
7:00 PM Southeastern Louisiana at Stephen F. Austin
7:00 PM SIU-Edwardsville at Tennessee-Martin
7:00 PM Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern
7:05 PM Samford at Citadel
7:05 PM Illinois-Chicago at Youngstown State
7:30 PM Louisiana-Monroe at FIU
7:30 PM Campbell at Presbyterian
8:00 PM George Washington at Saint Louis
8:00 PM South Dakota State at Oral Roberts
8:00 PM SMU at Tulsa
8:00 PM Marshall at Rice
8:00 PM Nicholls State at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM Green Bay at Milwaukee (ESPN3)
8:00 PM McNeese State at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM Florida Atlantic at Arkansas-Little Rock
8:00 PM Santa Clara at Gonzaga
8:00 PM New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech
8:00 PM Pepperdine at Portland
8:05 PM South Dakota at UMKC
8:05 PM North Texas at Arkansas State
8:05 PM Northern Iowa at Drake
8:05 PM Eastern Illinois at Houston Baptist
8:30 PM Morehead State at Tennessee Tech
9:00 PM Memphis at UAB
9:00 PM Nebraska Omaha at Colorado State
9:00 PM Loyola Marymount at San Diego
9:00 PM Houston at UTEP
9:05 PM Montana at Idaho State
9:05 PM Nevada at Utah State (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Northern Arizona at Eastern Washington
9:05 PM Seattle at Utah Valley
9:30 PM North Dakota State at Southern Utah
10:00 PM Cal State Fullerton at Cal Poly
10:00 PM Stanford at Oregon State
10:00 PM UC Riverside at Pacific
10:00 PM UC Irvine at UC Davis
10:00 PM Weber State at Portland State
10:00 PM Texas-Pan American at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM Northern Colorado at Sacramento State
10:05 PM Long Beach State at Cal State Northridge
10:30 PM Arizona State at UCLA
12:05 AM San Jose State at Hawaii

Wednesday's Preview: #22 Kansas State at #15 Kansas

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:34:59 -0800

Wednesday's schedule features two match ups of Top 25 teams, but only one ranks among the better rivalries in college basketball. #22 Kansas State (11-1), winners of six straight games, takes on #15 Kansas (10-3) in Lawrence in the first of two meetings this season. And despite its rivalry status this is a series the Jayhawks have dominated of late, winning seven straight and eleven of twelve before the Wildcats won 84-68 in Manhattan last February. The key for Frank Martin's team is a simple one: limit the paint touches for junior forward Thomas Robinson (17.7 ppg, 12.2 rpg), as he's near unstoppable when given the opportunity to go to work around the basket.

Jeff Withey has also been an important figure for the Jayhawks up front as he's shown the ability to be a key contributor at times. But he played just eight minutes against North Dakota, as Bill Self sent the message that the junior needs to be more aggressive if he's to continue to get minutes. This may also apply to junior Kevin Young, who only played six minutes against North Dakota, and while he only averages ten minutes per contest against the deeper front courts of the Big 12 Young will have to step up. What these two can do to help out Robinson on the glass tonight could determine the outcome, as K-State has the edge on depth and rebounding margin up front.

Jamar Samuels (11.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg) is the leader in the front court for the Wildcats, and he's allowed to step out and do more work on the wing thanks to the presence of Thomas Gipson (10.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts (7.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg). Kansas State out-rebounds their opponents by a margin of 7.1 rebounds per game, while Kansas has a margin of just plus-0.9. Kansas State is also good at attacking the offensive boards, grabbing 15.2 which is good for a offensive rebounding percentage of 42.3%.

Turnovers, especially among the guards, will also be key as Kansas has struggled with taking care of the basketball at times. Senior Tyshawn Taylor (15.3 ppg, 5.2 apg) is also averaging 3.8 turnovers per game, and he's had some absolute clunkers this season in this regard. But he's turned the ball over six times in the last three games, which is quite the improvement when compared to his 12 turnovers in the games against Ohio State and Davidson that preceded that stretch. Elijah Johnson (10.2 ppg, 3.7 apg) and Travis Releford (8.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg) are the other starters on the perimeter, with Johnson being the best at taking care of the ball when looking at assist-to-turnover ratios.

Kansas State averages 14.7 turnovers per game, which is slightly higher than Kansas' 14.6 average, but the Wildcats have a "better" distribution of those mistakes as no one averages more than 1.9 per game. Guards Will Spradling (11.8 ppg, 2.7 apg) and Rodney McGruder (12.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) handle the majority of the offensive duties for the Wildcats while Martavious Irving (6.2 ppg) is one of the better defensive guards in the Big 12. And a player to watch as a reserve is freshman Angel Rodriguez, who has scored in double figures in four of the last five games. If he can bring scoring punch while playing in control, K-State will be that much tougher to beat.

The other Top 25 matchup pits #20 Marquette against #9 Georgetown at the Verizon Center, with the winner remaining undefeated in Big East play. Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder have been two of the best players in the Big East, but what they get from Vander Blue could be the difference between a good season and a special one. It will also be interesting to see what Davante Gardner, who played very well against Villanova after being removed from the starting lineup, can do against Georgetown's Henry Sims. Sims is a tough matchup within Georgetown's system due to his ability to step out and make plays, and having perimeter players like Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson doesn't hurt either.

Duke plays a non-conference game before diving into ACC play and it won't be an easy one either, as they take on Temple in Philadelphia. The Blue Devils have to have an answer defensively for Ramone Moore, and senior Juan Fernandez had back-to-back games of 20+ points before scoring 11 in the Owls' win at Delaware. The question for Temple is whether or not they've got the bodies inside to keep Mason Plumlee off the glass. If not, beating Duke will become an even tougher task. In the CAA it's time to find out just how good Ron Hunter's Georgia State team is, as they visit a red-hot VCU team. Devonta White has helped lead the Panthers to a 10-3 start but with a strength of schedule of 344, we'll learn a lot more about their staying power tonight.

Indiana State/Northern Iowa is a key game in the Missouri Valley race with UNI already having two losses in league play, and in the Atlantic 10 Saint Louis visits Dayton in the Flyers' first full game without the injured Josh Benson (torn ACL). Those are both key contest when considering where those final at-large bids could go come Selection Sunday. Illinois' trip to Northwestern would qualify for that distinction as well, with the home team having never been to the Big Dance. Yancy Gates returns to the rotation as Cincinnati hosts Notre Dame, so that should be interesting to watch. And lastly, top-ranked Syracuse visits Providence as the late Dave Gavitt will be honored. The city is naming a street in honor of Gavitt, who founded the Big East Conference. Can Ed Cooley's team ride the emotion to what would be a historic upset? Not so sure about that.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (1) Syracuse at Providence (ESPN3)
7:00 PM (3) Duke at Temple (ESPN2)
7:00 PM (20) Marquette at (9) Georgetown (ESPN2)
8:00 PM (22) Kansas State at (15) Kansas (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Eastern Kentucky at (18) Murray State

NCAA Division I Games
6:00 PM Xavier at La Salle
7:00 PM Hofstra at Delaware
7:00 PM Auburn at Florida State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Illinois at Northwestern (BTN)
7:00 PM UNC Wilmington at Northeastern
7:00 PM Delaware State at North Carolina State
7:00 PM West Virginia at Rutgers (ESPN3)
7:00 PM George Washington at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM Pennsylvania at Lafayette
7:00 PM FGCU at Kennesaw State
7:00 PM Florida A&M at Ball State
7:00 PM Tulane at UCF
7:00 PM Notre Dame at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Columbia at Colgate
7:00 PM Towson at Drexel
7:00 PM Saint Joseph's at Duquesne
7:00 PM USC Upstate at East Tennessee State
7:00 PM James Madison at William & Mary
7:15 PM Belmont at Jacksonville
7:30 PM Coppin State at Howard
7:30 PM Stetson at Mercer
7:30 PM Richmond at Charlotte
7:30 PM Georgia State at VCU
7:45 PM Lipscomb at North Florida
8:00 PM Southern Illinois at Bradley (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Mayville State at North Dakota
8:00 PM Texas Tech at Oklahoma State
8:00 PM Tennessee at Memphis
8:00 PM Tulsa at Houston
8:00 PM Southeastern Louisiana at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM UTEP at Marshall
8:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at Texas State
8:00 PM Lamar at Texas A&M-CC (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Saint Louis at Dayton
8:00 PM Indiana State at Northern Iowa
8:00 PM Eastern Illinois at SIU-Edwardsville
8:00 PM East Carolina at Southern Miss
8:00 PM Rice at TCU
8:00 PM Nicholls State at UTSA
8:05 PM Wichita State at Evansville
8:05 PM Illinois State at Missouri State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Texas at Iowa State
9:00 PM Iowa at Minnesota (BTN)

St. John's Starts New Year Four Days Early

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:52:49 -0800

The 2011 pre-Big East season was one St. John’s fans will want to forget.

First came word that three members of the Red Storm’s talented freshmen class would be academically ineligible to start the season. JaKarr Sampson – the 32nd-ranked recruit, according to ESPN – and Norvel Pelle – ranked 77th – each de-committed upon word they would not be allowed to play during their first semester at St. John’s.

Cincinnati Reds draftee Amir Garrett, who was the 99th-rated incoming freshman, was also ruled ineligible for the first semester, although he decided to attend St. John’s for the second semester and became eligible on Dec. 21.

Current high school senior Ricardo Gathers – the 30th-ranked high school senior – also backed out of his verbal commitment to the program in the off-season.

Then came worse news. St. John’s coach Steve Lavin was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had surgery on Oct. 6. He has been declared cancer-free but has been replaced by Mike Dunlap on the sidelines until Lavin regains enough stamina to return.

On the court, St. John’s had to replace 98 percent of its scoring and 96 percent of its rebounding from a year ago – and it showed early. The Red Storm began the campaign 4-5, including losses to Northeastern and Detroit Mercy. With all of their missing parts, the played much of the early season with a 6- and 7-man rotation.

St. John’s 2011-12 season began with as much tumult in one semester as most programs have in a decade, but on Tuesday, things began to turn around in the Big Apple. A corner appeared to be turned.

Led by freshmen Moe Harkless and D’Angelo Harrison, the Storm opened Big East play with a 91-67 victory over Providence. The story wasn’t St. John’s third-straight victory, as big as it was. The story was how it happened.

On one night, Red Storm fans got a glimpse into an exciting future.

Harkless scored a Big East freshman-record 32 points and seemingly grab every rebound in sight. Harrison scored a season-high 25 points and scored them in nearly every conceivable fashion. Fellow-freshmen Phil Greene and Sir’Dominic Pointer added a combined 18 points.

“We were obviously happy that these young guys could learn that if they play a certain way, we could get a Big East win,” Dunlap said after the win over Providence.

“It was just a matter of time for everything to click, and I think right now we’re starting to click and can still get a lot better,” Harkless said.

Harkless leads the Storm at 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest. His game has been compared favorably to Ray Allen’s college game, and with his skill-set, most experts believe he will continue to improve each year.

“Moe Harkless is a terrific player,” Providence coach Ed Cooley said. “He is a great player. He’s definitely the face of the Big East. He’ll go down as one of the better players in the conference when it’s all said and done.”

With such little experience. it’s hard to imagine the Red Storm have many nights like Tuesday this year. But behind Harkless and Harrison, it may not be long before St. John’s returns to the glory days of its past.

Tuesday Recap: Pittsburgh Has Some Issues to Address

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Notable Happenings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quick Hitters

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

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

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

Three Notable Performances

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

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

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

Tuesday Preview: Minnesota at Illinois

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:47:44 -0800

After a day off college basketball is back with a small albeit important slate to keep an eye on. Why? The start of conference play in both the Big East and Big Ten, with more leagues due to join in on the fun later in the week. Tuesday's game of interest matches #24 Illinois (11-2), who is undefeated at home and looking to bounce back from their loss to rival Missouri, and a Minnesota (12-1) team that's managed to win six straight games. Many thought that the roof would cave in on Tubby Smith's team after losing Trevor Mbakwe for the year with a torn ACL, but guys have stepped up in his absence.

Before a five-point outing against North Dakota State on Thursday, guard Julian Welch (9.9 ppg, 2.5 apg) had reached double figures in eight straight games. He's shooting 48.8% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc, both which are improvements on his numbers as a freshman at UC Davis during the 2009-10 season. Andre Hollins (6.1 ppg), Austin Hollins (8.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and Chip Armelin (6.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg) are all players the Golden Gophers call on for production on the perimeter, and without a marquee scoring option they've adjusted their tempo some (267th in adjusted tempo per Ken Pomeroy).

Illinois will counter on the perimeter with D.J. Richardson (14.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Brandon Paul (11.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and Sam Maniscalco (10.6 ppg, 2.9 apg), and freshman Joseph Bertrand stepped up with 19 points in the loss to Missouri. But the one issue with the three starters has been shot-making, with Richardson's 43.1% being the highest number. Paul's only making 36.7% of his shots from the field, and that's a number that will have to improve in Big Ten play if the Illini are to contend. The real key for Illinois will be to make sure they get their big man quality touches inside.

Sophomore Meyers Leonard has improved a great deal since last season, and he's second on the team in scoring (13.4 ppg) while leading the way in both rebounding (8.2 ppg) and blocked shots (2.4 bpg). One thing that's seemed to be an issue for the Illinois backcourt has been the art of the entry pass, and with Minnesota ranking in the Top 10 nationally in steal percentage (14.3%) Bruce Weber's team will need to be sound with the basketball. Minnesota will counter with Ralph Sampson III (8.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 apg) and the high-flying Rodney Williams (9.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg), and it's become even more important that they stay out of foul trouble with Mbakwe's injury.

However it's Illinois that's taken better care of the basketball to this point in the season, and Welch and Andre Collins both have personal turnover rates approaching 28%. Sound decision-making will be key for the Golden Gophers on the road, and even though school's not in session Champaign is a tough place to play. Minnesota's done a good job of getting to the foul line, as their lack of an outstanding perimeter shooter means that they've got to attack the basket more than most teams. Whichever team continues to attack the basket while limiting their opponent's opportunities will likely win, meaning that Illinois can't afford to fall in love with the jump shot.

Also in the Big Ten, Nebraska gets their first taste of league play as they host #14 Wisconsin. The individual matchup between Jordan Taylor and Bo Spencer will be fun to watch, and the Huskers are going to need a big night from Jorge Brian Diaz as well. In the Big East, surprising Providence visits St. John's in a game both teams need as the schedules get much more difficult in their next games (Providence visits Georgetown, St. John's visits UConn). And Pittsburgh looks to rebound from their loss to Wagner at Notre Dame, and it's a game-time decision as to whether or not Tray Woodall will be able to go. But if the Panthers don't step up their perimeter defense with (or without) Woodall they could be in trouble against Notre Dame's Eric Atkins.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM (13) Pittsburgh at Notre Dame (ESPN2)
9:00 PM (14) Wisconsin at Nebraska (ESPN2)
7:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at (24) Virginia

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Winthrop at Georgia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Providence at St. John's (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Minnesota at Illinois (BTN)
8:00 PM Texas Southern at Saint Louis
8:00 PM New Orleans at North Texas
8:00 PM Belhaven at Southern Miss
8:00 PM Cal State Bakersfield at Texas Tech (ESPN3)
8:30 PM Eureka at Western Illinois
9:00 PM Cal State San Marcos at BYU (BYU TV)
9:00 PM Vanguard at Loyola Marymount

Friday Recap: Wagner Knocks off #15 Pittsburgh

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:52:34 -0800

Plenty of teams have pre-Christmas letdowns, when they allow their minds to wander a bit against teams they're expected to beat. But in a lot of those cases the favored team is able to bounce back and do enough to eventually win the game. But that wasn't the case for #15 Pittsburgh, who turned the ball over 18 times against a team in Wagner that was talented enough to make them pay for those errors. Dan Hurley's Seahawks scored 14 points off of those turnovers and limited Pitt to 2-for-15 shooting in winning 59-54, the program's first win over a ranked opponent since 1978 (Alabama).

Latif Rivers led Wagner with 18 points but the player with just as big of an impact was guard Kenny Ortiz, who scored 12 points and dished out seven assists while also being the main man responsible for defending Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, shot1-for-7 from beyond the arc and 5-for-16 overall in scoring 14 points while turning the ball over four times (one assist). Pittsburgh's turnover count was their highest since losing point guard Tray Woodall to groin and abdominal injuries following a win over Duquesne at the end of November, and when combining that with a clear lack of energy and focus it wasn't hard to see why Pitt lost (in addition to what Wagner did to make it happen).

"They pressured us and we didn't have a turnover in the backcourt, but in the second half we had a lot of turnovers that hard to understand," said Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon after the game. "We didn't play well and we got what we deserved."

While the offense will be the primary focus of the critiques on the Panthers' play against Wagner, the long-term concern has to be their perimeter defense as Woodall will improve their execution on the other end of the floor. With Ortiz, Rivers and Tyler Murray (12 points), Wagner was able to spread out the Pitt defense and take advantage of the gaps that resulted, leading by as many as 12 in the second half before the Panthers would look to rally for the win. But for every charge that Pittsburgh made the Seahawks, expected to be one of the contenders in the NEC, had an answer. As a result they've given themselves and the Staten Island school an early Christmas present no one expected beforehand.

"This is big for us as individuals and as a team," said Rivers. "When you play a top ranked team and can come into their home court and come out with the win, that's big."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Pierre Jackson makes the big plays late to lead Baylor past West Virginia.
We all know what the big question regarding the Baylor Bears is, and it will likely hover over Scott Drew's squad throughout the season. But the question about whether or not they had the guard play required to be a national title contender received quite the answer from junior Pierre Jackson. Jackson scored a team-high 23 points, including the game-tying three late in regulation, to go along with five rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead Baylor to an 83-81 overtime win over West Virginia in the title game of the Las Vegas Classic. Also big for the Bears was Boston College transfer Brady Heslip, who knocked down five of seven from beyond the arc and scored 19 points.

With Gary Franklin adding eight points in 22 minutes and A.J. Walton finishing with four assists the backcourt played pretty well in the victory. West Virginia had a chance to tie the game at the end of overtime but Jabarie Hinds' shot fell short as time expired. Kevin Jones was outstanding for the Mountaineers as he scored 28 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against one of the best frontcourts in America. Hinds added 18 points and seven assists while Truck Bryant scored 16, and the Mountaineers out-rebounded Baylor 39-36 with 15 offensive rebounds. But with guard play being key late, it was Baylor whose guards stepped up. That's a good sign for the Bears moving forward.

2. Josten Thomas' bucket results in the first three-game skid of the Chris Mack era at Xavier.
Chris Mack's team, which had its starting backcourt of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons on the floor together for the first time since their win over Cincinnati, led by as many as 12 points early in the second half and looked to be a good bet to beat host Hawaii at the Diamond Head Classic. But the offense bogged down in the second half as the Musketeers shot just 40.6% from the field in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Gib Arnold's Warriors took advantage of this to force overtime, and Josten Thomas' basket with eight tenths of a second remaining proved to be the difference in Hawaii's 84-82 win.

The loss makes three straight for Xavier, the first such streak in Mack's tenure at his alma mater. They'll get Dezmine Wells back after the final game of this event but even with the suspensions no one envisioned Xavier dropping their first two games of the event. What's become apparent in the aftermath of the brawl with rival Cincinnati is that the Musketeers lost all momentum gained from such an emphatic victory that moved them to 8-0 at the time. This is a talented team for sure, but they've got some work to do when it comes to regaining their confidence, and there's no better way to start that process than to end their trip to Hawaii with a good showing against Southern Illinois on Sunday.

3. UNLV controls the game from start to finish in whipping California.
Everyone knew how big of a game this was for both California and the Pac-12, with both entities being short on marquee victories. But the best thing that may have come out of their 85-68 loss to #21 UNLV is the fact that this could be their final game of the regular season against a ranked opponent. Cal has played two games against ranked teams and lost by a combined 56 points, and they haven't really been in either game (Missouri in Kansas City being the other). Anthony Marshall was too much for the Golden Bears as he led four Runnin' Rebels in double figures with 22 points and nine rebounds, and UNLV assisted on 22 of their 34 baskets while also out-rebounding a Cal team without the injured Richard Solomon 46-37.

But to be fair even if Solomon were out on the court it likely would not have mattered, as UNLV would take a 46-26 lead into the half. Cal shot just 32% in the first half while UNLV made 54% of their shots and assisted on 14 of their 19 field goals. To their credit Cal fought back to within 13 in the second half, but it was essentially "name your score" time at Thomas & Mack. UNLV had the look of a contender in the Mountain West alongside the likes of New Mexico and San Diego State, handing Cal and the Pac-12 another blemish neither the team nor the conference could afford at this point.

Quick Hitters

1. Angel Rodriguez scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half to help lead Kansas State past UTEP 78-70 in the semis of the Diamond Head Classic. Will Spradling added 11 and Jamar Samuels posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

2. Larry Anderson scored 16 points to lead three players in double figures as Long Beach State beat Auburn 64-43 to advance to Sunday's title game against Kansas State. Dan Monson's team was the better squad throughout and pulled away in the second half with a 16-0 run.

3. Is UCLA starting to figure things out? They capped a five-game stretch leading into Pac-12 play with a 71-63 win over Richmond, moving to 7-5 on the season. Jeremy Anderson accounted for 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists as five Bruins finished in double figures. As guys begin to step up offensively Ben Howland may be able to find more minutes for Anthony Stover, his best frontcourt defender. Stover played just seven minutes on Friday.

4. Pe'Shon Howard made his highly-anticipated season debut for Maryland, playing 32 minutes (seven points, three rebounds) in Maryland's 65-60 win over Radford. With Howard back and big man Alex Len slated to make his debut in Maryland's next game, Mark Turgeon will receive a much-needed boost in the depth department.

5. Bryce Cotton scored 16 second-half points and hit two three-pointers in an 8-0 run that set in motion Providence pulling away to beat in-state rival Rhode Island 80-61. The debut of transfers Andre Malons and Billy Baron provided a spark early for the Rams, but they were unable to sustain the momentum and fell to 1-11. The Friars finish non-conference play 11-2, and snapped an eight-game losing streak for the road team in this series.

6. Russ Smith scored 23 points while also tallying three rebounds, three assists and two steals at Louisville rallied to beat Western Kentucky 70-60 to remain undefeated. One of the best decisions of the off-season in college basketball may have been Rick Pitino's decision to no longer attempt to shoehorn Smith into the point guard position. He's far more effective at the two despite his height, and has had a major impact in the last two wins.

7. John Groce's Ohio Bobcats moved to 11-1 on the season with an 82-66 win over North Carolina A&T. Nick Kellogg and Walter Offutt scored 14 points apiece while Ivo Baltic added 12 for the Bobcats, who have won eight straight games.

8. Keep an eye on Penn in the Ivy League, as they've got one of the best point guards around in senior Zack Rosen. Rosen scored 13 points and dished out 12 assists while Tyler Bernardini knocked down eight three-pointers and scored 30 points for the Quakers, who had all five starters score in double figures as they beat Marist 84-71. Harvard is the clear favorite but look for Jerome Allen's team to put up a good fight.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
28 points, 17 rebounds and two assists in the Mountaineers' 83-81 overtime loss to #7 Baylor in Las Vegas.

2. G/F Alex Young (IUPUI)
27 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the Jaguars' 97-88 win over Valparaiso.

3. G Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall)
26 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals in the Pirates' 80-61 win at Longwood.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday Recap: Louisville Rallies to Remain Undefeated

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:02:19 -0800

For a while on Tuesday night it looked as if a Southern Conference team would hand another undefeated team its first defeat of the season. But an important suggestion by Louisville assistant coach Richard Pitino set things in motion for the fourth-ranked Cardinals, sparking a rally that resulted in a 69-62 victory. The idea: instead of relying on the frontcourt tandem of Gorgui Dieng and Chane Behanan to occupy the foul line area against the Charleston zone, use the versatile Kyle Kuric at the four. The move paid off, with Kuric scoring a team-high 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

"He made the move of the game," said head coach Rick Pitino of his son. "He told me to play Kyle in the four slot because the middle was wide open and they weren't playing it. He said, 'Put Kyle in there; he'll make the shot or something good will happen.' And he got in there and really bothered them."

Kuric may not have registered an assist but his presence in the high post made the Cougars respect the area, something they didn't have to do with either Behanan or Rakeem Buckles occupying the area. But he wasn't the only issue for Charleston, as redshirt freshman Russ Smith was also a handful. Smith has the ability to be both electrifying and mystifying within the same possession, and he was able to harness his energy enough to contribute 12 points, five steals and four rebounds in 27 minutes of action. He helped ramp up the pace to a level that made Charleston uncomfortable in the second half, and while both teams were reckless with the basketball such a change worked in Louisville's favor.

"I haven't coached any guys who are great steal guys on the ball like Russ Smith," said Pitino. "He is the best I have seen at that. You have a lot of guys who anticipate well and shoot the gaps well but he is awesome on the ball. He basically won the game for us."

Antwaine Wiggins led the Cougars with 23 points but was their only player in double figures, and the guards had their issues taking care of the basketball as well. Andrew Lawrence finished the night with eight turnovers and Anthony Stitt tallied five off the bench, and as a team Charleston turned the ball over 22 times. Both of Charleston's starting guards (Lawrence and Jordan Scott) finished with more turnovers than assists, while for Louisville both Peyton Siva (six assists, four turnovers) and Chris Smith (four assists, one turnover) finished with more assists than turnovers. Add in some key missed opportunites around the rim for the visitors and the end result is Louisville moving to 11-0 on the season.

Other Notable Happenings

1. C.J. Leslie's shot (which St. Bonaventure fans would argue shouldn't have counted) gives NC State the win.
It would be safe to say that the Wolfpack's 67-65 win over the Bonnies in Rochester, NY was the most controversial result on the night, with many wondering whether or not Leslie stepped out of bounds before taking the shot. Since it wasn't called whether or not Leslie stepped on the baseline is of little consolation for St. Bonaventure, who missed out on at the very least overtime as a result. If anything the Bonnies have their offensive showing in the second half to blame, as they shot just 29.2% from the field in the second half and turned the ball over eight times (four assists).

Andrew Nicholson and Demetrius Conger scored 16 points apiece to lead the way for St. Bonaventure while Scott Wood paced the Pack with 20 points despite making just two of eight from beyond the arc. Mark Gottfried's team was impressive in how unselfish they were, assisting on 21 of their 25 made field goals. Regardless of how the game was won this is a good result for NC State to build on, and they deserve credit for bouncing back from their loss to top-ranked Syracuse on Saturday.

2. Ohio picks up the most impressive win of the night at Northern Iowa.
John Groce's Bobcats have flown under the radar nationally for much of the season despite having one of the nation's better point guards in D.J. Cooper. That may all change on the heels of their performance on Tuesday, as they beat Northern Iowa 76-59 in Cedar Falls. Ivo Baltic made 10 of 14 from the field in leading four Ohio players in double figures with 22 points and the Bobcats shot 51.7% from the field on the night against one of the stingier defenses in the country. Ohio had it going from deep as well, knocking down 11 of 21 while UNI made just six of their twenty attempts from beyond the arc.

And it was Ohio, who allows opponents to shoot 39% from the field, who put forth the superior defensive effort. UNI shot just 35.2% and while both reached double figures, leading scorers Anthony James (11 points) and Jake Koch (15 points) combined to make just eight of their twenty-three shots from the field. Ohio's lone defeat was a 59-54 loss at Louisville, and with wins over Marshall, Oakland and now Northern Iowa the Bobcats are building a nice profile as they head into MAC play. Cooper and company sent Georgetown home in the first round a couple of years ago as a 14-seed; they can do the same (with a better seed) this season.

3. Arizona puts together their best offensive outing of the year to beat Oakland.
No one would have blamed any Arizona fans if they were nervous about the Wildcats' game against Oakland. With the Golden Grizzlies having one of the nation's best scorers in Reggie Hamilton and Arizona having their issues offensively, the visitors leaving with a win was a definite possibility. But Solomon Hill and company would have none of that, shooting 55.6% from the field on their way to the 85-73 win. Hill was outstanding with 23 points, 11 rebounds and three assists while Kyle Fogg (17 points) and Jesse Perry (13 points) also reached double figures and Nick Johnson dished out six assists.

Arizona went into the game making just 50.1% of their two-point shots but they made 61.1% of their attempts against Oakland. As for Hamilton, he proved to be as advertised with 31 points and six assists but as a team the Golden Grizzlies made just nine of thirty-two from beyond the arc (Arizona finished 8-for-18). With their next two games being against Bryant and in-state rival Arizona State (Pac-12 opener), Sean Miller's team has a chance to get rolling ahead of their visit to the LA schools the first weekend of January.

Quick Hitters

1. Not only did Jared Sullinger return to the lineup for Ohio State but he played 30 minutes, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the Buckeyes' 70-50 win over Lamar. With Pat Knight coaching the Cardinals, Ohio State took the opportunity to honor the 1960 national champions. One member of that team: none other than Bob Knight.

2. Darien Brothers had a good night for Richmond, shooting 7-for-11 from three on his way to 38 points in the Spiders' 90-82 overtime win over Old Dominion. Darius Garrett had an impact inside, grabbing 13 boards and blocking eight shots to go along with nine points. Next up for Richmond: a game at UCLA on Friday and they can definitely win there.

3. Two player transactions within the Big East to take note of: Providence's Kadeem Batts saw his suspension end, and St. John's freshman Amir Garrett has made it through the NCAA Clearinghouse. Batts scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in the Friairs' 67-52 win over New Hampshire, and Garrett could be in unform for the Red Storm's game against UTPA on Wednesday.

4. Butler will struggle to score this season due to a lack of premier offensive weapons, but what three of their key cogs managed in a 71-55 loss at Gonzaga isn't going to get it done in the Horizon League if it happens on a consistent basis. Chase Stigall, Chrishawn Hopkins and Andrew Smith combined to score just seven points on 3-for-21 shooting. Those guys have to be consistent factors for Brad Stevens' team.

5. Congrats to Prairie View A&M, who picked up their first win over a Division I opponent this season in beating Stephen F. Austin 53-50 in Eugene, Oregon. As for the Lumberjacks, that's not a good result for a team expected to be a contender in the Southland and it will definitely hurt the team's (and league's) computer numbers.

6. Unlike Marist last season, who began MAAC play 2-0 then plummeted to the bottom of the standings once play resumed in January, Manhattan may have some staying power. Not saying that Steve Masiello's team will be on the level of Iona, Fairfield or Loyola (MD), but the Jaspers have played some good basketball. Manhattan moved to 8-4 with an 81-62 win over winless Towson, with George Beamon scoring 21 points and Kidani Brutus adding 18 off the bench.

7. Terrence Jones didn't play due to a dislocated finger suffered in Kentucky's win over Chattanooga, but that wasn't an issue as the Wildcats blew out Samford. Doron Lamb scored 26 points and three other starters reached double figures in the 82-50 romp.

8. Shaka Smart's VCU Rams have the look of a team beginning to figure things out after struggling early due to the many personnel losses from last year's Final Four team. The Rams won their fifth straight on Tuesday, shutting down UAB 68-49 in Richmond. VCU forced 23 Blazer turnovers and Treveon Graham scored 18 points off the bench to lead the way offensively.

Four Notable Performances

1. F Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford)
A special mention for Ogwumike, who went off in #4 Stanford's 97-80 win over #6 Tennessee. Ogwumike finished with 42 points, 17 rebounds, three assists and two steals, making 11 straight shots from the field at one point.

2. G Darien Brothers (Richmond)
38 points (7-11 3PT) in the Spiders' 90-82 overtime win over Old Dominion.

3. G Preston Medlin (Utah State)
27 points (8-12 FG), eight assists and four rebounds in the Aggies' 73-69 win over UT Arlington.

4. G Vincent Council (Providence)
17 points (7-12 FG), 12 assists and seven rebounds in the Friars' 67-52 win over New Hampshire.