New Jersey Tech

Jon Teitel's Coaches Interview Series: Chicago State's Bob Hallberg

Jon Teitel — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:14:01 -0700

In the latest installment of his coaches interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Chicago State head coach Bob Hallberg, who racked up a record of 223-84 in ten years at the Windy City school. Hallberg led the Cougars to a third place finish in the 1984 NAIA Tournament, capping off one of the most successful seasons in school history.

Jon Teitel: In high school you played for legendary coach Jim Arneberg. What was it like to play for him, and how much of an influence was he on your own decision to go into coaching?

Bob Hallberg: The defining moment in my life that changed my whole career was not making the varsity squad as a sophomore in high school. Coach Arneberg brought me up to the varsity for the playoffs, and to my surprise he grabbed me by the shoulders during a game and told me to "get in there and steal the ball." I went out there and played like I was possessed because he was such a great motivator, and I made up my mind to go into coaching soon after that.

JT: You began your collegiate coaching career at St. Xavier after starting out as a high school coach. What was the biggest difference between coaching high school players and coaching college players?

BH: One advantage of college coaching is being able to recruit players, and I have always believed that you can only win with good players. Some coaches think they can win with any kind of players due to their coaching ability, but they are wrong. College players are also more talented and athletic than high school players.

JT: In 1977 you became coach at Chicago State and went 25-5 in your first season. Why did you make the switch, and how were you able to be so successful so quickly?

BH: I have a bad gym story that tops them all. At St. Xavier we had an intramural gym with no bleachers: we did not even have enough room for a regulation college court. I went to Chicago ST for the facility, and I increased my coaching salary by a whopping $4,000, which was very good considering I had a wife and two kids. The main reason we won so many games is because we had good talent.

1984 NAIA Tournament

JT: Darron Brittman scored 31 points in a one-point double overtime win over Kearney State that saw both teams combine for 69 fouls. Was that the most physical game you have even seen?

BH: At one time it was considered to be the most exciting game in NAIA tourney history even though a lot of people do not remember it now. It was a very high-scoring game despite not having a three-point line at that time. We were down nineteen points before we even knew what happened, and I called over my two star players and told them that they were choking in front of a huge crowd. That seemed to get us going, and it was an amazing comeback victory for us.

JT: Your next game was a two-point win over Chaminade. How close did you come to losing that game?

BH: They had a 6'5" All-American, but Charles Perry hit a jumper over him with three seconds left, despite being only 5'10". Perry was known as "Captain Video" due to the goggles he wore.

JT: Your "Heart Attack Kids" had a two-point overtime loss in the semifinals to Fort Hays State. How devastating was the loss, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

BH: There were a lot of fouls called, but we had more depth than Fort Hays. Their coach Bill Morse had his son Ron on the bench who never played, but he put him in towards the end of the game because they were running out of players. They missed a shot with four seconds left, but Ron ran over, got the ball, and made a shot at the buzzer as he was falling out of bounds. They ended up beating Dick Bennett's Wisconsin-Stevens Point team in the title game to win it all.

JT: You had a four-point overtime win over Westmont in the third place game. Was your team just exhausted from all the overtime games, and did you consider your run in the tourney to be a success or a failure?

BH: Whenever I go into the locker room at the end of a season, I do not do any ranting and raving. Once it is over, there is nothing you can do about the outcome, so I just try to end on a high note. There is only one team in the country that ends their season on a successful note, and I was proud of my team for going so far.

JT: In 1985 your program made the leap to Division I and you set a record for the most wins at a school in its first season of Division I competition with 16. What was the biggest difference between the two divisions, and how was your team able to be so competitive so quickly?

BH: I had two good guards in Brittman and Perry, and I felt they could hold their own with anyone in the country. I am 5'7" myself, so maybe I am partial to the little guys, but you cannot score if you cannot get the ball up the floor. When we were making the move to Division I, a lot of people said we would not be able to compete, but we proved them wrong.

JT: You also set an NCAA record for consecutive home victories with a 75-game win streak from 1981-1986. How big a home-court advantage was your crowd, and did it eventually reach a point where the fans expected you to win every single home game?

BH: We had good fan support, and they made a lot of noise. Everyone has more confidence at home.

JT: In 1987 you became coach at UIC, where you only had one 20-win season during your nine years there. Why did you make the switch, and do you have any regrets when you look back on your decision?

BH: I have no regrets whatsoever, as the UIC Pavilion was the nicest facility in Chicago. I have never stepped into a program that was highly successful: they were all challenges, which I enjoyed. I looked up at the bleachers during my first game at UIC as they were singing the national anthem, and I counted 97 people in the stands (half of whom were probably my family!). I was born too soon before the big money came, but back then when I signed a $50,000 contract, I thought I had won the Illinois lottery!

JT: For the past decade you have been athletic director/coach of the St. Xavier women's basketball team. Is it hard to do both gigs at the same time, and what is the biggest difference between coaching men and coaching women?

BH: I never thought I would be back at St. Xavier at all, much less coaching women. I like being AD, and I have a great staff that helps me out. The confidence factor is a big difference; the men think they are all Michael Jordan but the women all think they stink. The women are more intelligent; if they get a B in a class, they are disappointed that they did not get an A. I tell them that they cannot always get an A on the court; turning the ball over or missing a shot is just part of being a player. My friends thought that I could not get the women to play my up-tempo game, with a bunch of pressing and running, but I did. However, I cannot yell at them the way I did with the guys.

JT: You have spent your entire coaching career in the city of Chicago. What do you enjoy most about the city, and has it been easy on your family to not have to move around all over the country?

BH: I became a trivia question, as I coached at three different schools without having to move even once. Former coach Dick Versace said that my downfall is that I never moved around the country. However, when a coach moves to Texas and has a son start high school there, and then moves to Maryland and has a daughter start college there, it can be tough to be so spread out, so I put my family first. I heard someone complaining about me once on sports radio after I said that I was happy in Chicago and "did not have to go to Duke to be happy", but that is the truth.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

BH: I would like to be remembered as a coach who really understood his players and was a good communicator. I loved winning, but I understood the difference between being an old coach and being a teenage player, which not all coaches can do. I was someone who my players could come talk to about any of their problems.

Hallberg is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Great West history (the league itself is going into its second year of official competition)

Chicago State: Bob Hallberg (1977-1987) 223-84

Houston Baptist: Gene Iba (1977-1985) 128-96, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY

NJIT: NO COACH HAS BEEN THERE FOR 5 YEARS

North Dakota: Rich Glas (1988-2006) 335-194, three conference titles

South Dakota: Dave Boots (1988-present) 465-182, six-time conference Coach of the Year

Texas Pan American: Sam Williams (1958-1973) 244-164, one NAIA title, one-time national Coach of the Year

Utah Valley University: Dick Hunsaker (2004-present) 121-80

College Basketball: 20 Random Thoughts & Observations

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:42:14 -0800

A rare Sunday morning version of the ever popular 20 Random Thoughts & Observations by CollegeHoops.net editor Shawn Siegel.

1 - Villanova's failed attempt to score from close range at the buzzer had to remind you of Charles Smith's Epic Fail with the Knicks. (1993 Playoffs, Knicks vs Bulls, Game 5. Still hilarious.)

2 - Kansas has yet to come close to winning on the road (0-2), but luckily their Big 12 road schedule begins with Colorado, Iowa State, and Nebraska.. a good chance for Bill Self's young squad to gain some confidence before their true road test (OU, Baylor, etc).

3 - Blake Griffin's line sounds good enough at face value: 29 & 15. But consider his 29 points were 48% of the Sooners total, and his 15 boards were 40% of their total as well. Talk about carrying a team.

4 - How did Duke and FSU only manage 33 points combined in the first half? Were they both facing the Ravens defense?

5 - Its been a forgone conclusion that Jerry Wainwright will not be DePaul's coach to begin next year. If you need more proof (and believe me, you don't) then how bout a 22 point home loss to South Florida. Ouch!

6 - If you didn't notice, 2 triple-OT games on the same day is impressive. Both URI/SJU and Cal/Washington played some bonus basketball. I've been slow to give Cal much credit.. but 15-2 is 15-2

7 - Statistically, UTM standout Lester Hudson hasn't improved that much from last year.. but now that OVC play has started, look out for some monster stat lines. How about these numbers from last night: 30 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists.. and 8 steals.

8 - Fred Hill brought in some big time names to Rutgers this yeas, but apparently it hasn't helped. The Knights are already 0-4 in league play.. and fans have already turned their attention to the recruiting trail.

9 - Gonzaga wasn't good enough to beat Porland State at home, but at least they knocked off Portland last night. Take that Rose City!

10 - Sure, UK beat Vandy in their SEC opener.. but 8 shots for Patrick Patterson? Can someone explain to me while he's still not getting the ball. I don't get it.

11 - UNLV, riding high on an 8 game winning streak fell back down to Earth with a 7 point loss at TCU.. which makes you wonder, when did TCU get any good? The Horned Frogs are 11-5, and coming off wins over UNLV and Texas Tech. This is a program that hasn't even finished at .500 the past 3 years. The emergence of JUCO big man Zvonko Buljan has been a major boost to a team that needed a solid inside presence. He's averaging about 17 & 9 over his last 3 games.

12 - Speaking of coming back to Earth, chalk down another loss for Boston College.. the #1 hit wonders.

13 - It's looking possible that the only team that might push Memphis in the CUSA race is Tulsa and not UAB as expected.

14 - Belmont's become a familiar face in the NCAA Tournament, and the Bears are once again beating up on ASun foes. They beat North Florida by 34, Stetson by 25, and now Campbell by 33.

15 - After being humbled in Maui, Oklahoma State is on a good run and is now up to 15th in the RPI. Still, their upcoming road trip to Baylor will prove if their recent form was just a matter of some home cooking.

16 - I mentioned this a couple weeks ago, that when Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount, it might be the worst WCC battle of all time. The Waves won by a point, and the 2 WCC doormats now have a combined 3 D1 wins on the year.

17 - Good job NJIT losing by 23 points to Columbia yesterday. And I'm not even being sarcastic. It was one of the Highlanders best road efforts of the season.

18 - Dayton's loss at UMASS on Saturday signified that the Flyers aren't ready to make a push for an at-large tourney bid. The A10 might have to settle for just 2 teams in the Dance.

19 - Utah State continues to be a highly efficient squad (3rd in KenPom's stats.) The Aggies once again hit over 50% of their shots in a win against NMSU, led by 7 of 10 from Gary Wilkinson who has amazingly shot over 50% in all but one game this season.

20 - I'll bet you think you can beat Indiana point guard Daniel Moore one on one.

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #6

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:06:02 -0800

Conference Honors

America East: Despite their loss at Binghamton on Monday night it was a good week for Stony Brook, who won games at Air Force and defending America East champ UMBC. Junior Muhammad El-Amin shared the conference Player of the Week award with New Hampshire's Alvin Abreu, and freshman Bryan Dougher was named America East Rookie of the Week. While El-Amin accounted for 19.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in the two wins, Dougher averaged 20.5 points per game.

Big East: St. John's guard Paris Horne was named to the league's honor roll for his play in a 1-1 week for the Red Storm. In their upset of #10 Notre Dame on Saturday Horne scored fourteen points, and he averaged fifteen per game along with three steals for the two games.

Ivy League: Columbia freshman Norwua Agho was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week for his play in two tough losses for the Lions. In games against Sacred Heart and Lehigh Agho averaged 14.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Area players named to the conference's Honor Roll include Columbia guard Kevin Bulger, Princeton guard Dan Mavraides and Yale forward Ross Morin.

MAAC: Marist guard R.J. Hall was named the league's Rookie of the Week for his play in games against Binghamton and Rider. Hall averaged 15.5 points per game and shot 55.6% from behind the arc.

NEC: Area players snagged both honors in the NEC this week, with FDU guard Sean Baptiste taking Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week and Long Island's Julian Boyd being named Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week. Baptiste averaged 25.3 points per game last week, while Boyd posted averages of eight points and six rebounds per game.

Weekly Honors

Team of the Week: Stony Brook

What they did: Road wins at Air Force (67-64) and UMBC (69-61)

Head coach Steve Pikiell has this team headed in the right direction, even with a loss on Monday night to a hot Binghamton team on the road. But for the Seawolves to get out of this three-game stretch on the road with a record of 2-1 is something that needs to be acknowledged. Winning in Clune Arena is tough for Mountain West teams, so for Stony Brook to go out west and pull out a close win is pretty impressive. Combine this with their win in Baltimore over the defending conference champions on Saturday and you've got two pieces of evidence that this program is moving up in the America East pecking order.

Newcomers Muhammad El-Amin and Bryan Dougher were both honored by the conference for their play, but the two wins were also results of solid defense (holding UMBC to 35.9% from the field) and rebounding (33-23 edge on the boards at Air Force helped counteract the Falcons shooting 52.8%; Stony Brook attempted nineteen more shots as a result). If the Seawolves can keep this effort up they'll have a serious shot at moving into the middle of the pack in America East.

Also deserving praise for their play last week are Long Island (home wins over Central Connecticut State and Sacred Heart moved the Blackbirds to 3-1 in the NEC), Rider (wins over Iona and Marist have the Broncs at 3-0 in the MAAC) and St. John's (recovering from a serious beating at Providence to knock off then-#10 Notre Dame at MSG).

Player of the Week: Sean Baptiste (Fairleigh Dickinson)

While he didn't start off the week in the best form, scoring just eight points in a loss to Rhode Island, Baptiste more than made up for that in the Knights' win over Quinnipiac on Saturday. 37 points and eight rebounds on 12-18 shooting from the field; simply put the junior guard was in a zone that some would have a hard time believing to be true. FDU may be 2-11 overall, with the newcomers still struggling to mesh in head coach Tom Green's system, but Baptiste has had a major role in both wins that also have the Knights right in the middle of the NEC standings at 2-2. One of the better guards in the metropolitan area, don't let his efforts get lost in the shuffle like the exploits of Manny Ubilla did last year.

Other players who should be mentioned (besides those honored by their conferences) include Rutgers' Mike Rosario (19.3 ppg in losses to North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Connecticut), Seton Hall's Jeremy Hazell (26 ppg in losses to Syracuse and West Virginia) and St. John's D.J. Kennedy (20 points, 10 rebounds in the Red Storm's 71-65 win over Notre Dame).

Schedule (January 6th-12th)

Tuesday January 6th

7 PM: Fairfield @ Army
8 PM: #17 Villanova @ Seton Hall The Pirates weren't done any favors in regards to their conference schedule, and they could be in serious jeopardy of starting Big East play 0-4. Visit a ranked Syracuse, host a West Virginia team that should have been ranked a few weeks ago...and follow those two blowout losses with Villanova. The backcourt matchups should be entertaining, but that's not the area of concern for the Pirates. John Garcia will have to work himself back into shape due to the time he missed with a knee injury, and neither Mike Davis or Brandon Walters have stepped up to fill that void. 6-6, 180-pound Robert Mitchell is playing the four, and while some may cite the fact that Brian Laing played that role at times last season you have to keep in mind that the now-departed Laing was much stronger than Mitchell is. Bobby Gonzalez needs this win in the worst way if the Pirates are to keep alive fleeting hopes of a postseason bid.

Wednesday January 7th

7 PM: St. Bonaventure @ Fordham
Delaware @ Hofstra This sets up to be a key game in the CAA with both teams sporting 1-2 league records. Hofstra was ice-cold from the field in their loss to Drexel on Saturday, but they take on a Delaware team that has allowed 72.6 points per game on the year. That could be enough to snap Tom Pecora's team out of their current slump, but the Blue Hens have a trio of outstanding guards in Jawan Carter, Alphonso Dawson and Marc Egerson, all of whom average at least fifteen points per game. Even with George Mason and Northeastern leading the CAA with 3-0 records, this conference is shaping up to be an absolute dogfight, especially in the middle of the standings.
Bryant @ LIU
Yale @ NJIT
7:30: #15 Marquette @ Rutgers

Thursday January 8th

7 PM: FDU @ Mount St. Mary's
Wagner @ Central Connecticut State
St. Francis (PA) @ Sacred Heart
Maine @ Stony Brook This one sets up to be a test for how much the Seawolves have improved given the fact that on paper they should beat the Black Bears at home. Winning games you're expected to win is another step in going from also-ran to a player in your conference race. If Muhammad El-Amin and Bryan Dougher can continue their solid play of late, look for Stony Brook to pick up another conference win in their first America East home game of the year.

Friday January 9th

7 PM: NJIT @ Columbia
Fairfield @ Loyola (MD)
Marist @ Manhattan
Rider @ Siena Rider is just a half-game behind overwhelming favorite Siena in the MAAC standings, but a look at their three league wins (Manhattan, Iona and Marist) may have some wondering of the Broncs are once again a contender. Ryan Thompson is up to his usual tricks, filling just about every column imaginable on a stat sheet and he's been helped by senior guard Harris Mansell and sophomore forward Mike Ringgold. The individual matchup between Thompson and Siena's Edwin Ubiles should be worth the price of admission itself, and the Broncs may still be smarting over the blowout they suffered in last year's MAAC Tournament final. Rest assured we'll know a lot more about Tommy Dempsey's team after this game.
Niagara @ St. Peter's
Canisius @ Iona

Saturday January 10th

Noon: Hofstra @ VCU
2 PM: Seton Hall @ #13 Notre Dame
Hartford @ Yale
4 PM: Colgate @ Army
Robert Morris @ Sacred Heart While neither team was picked to win the NEC, both are expected to be in the race throughout the season. And with preseason pick (and defending tournament champ) Mount St. Mary's sitting at 0-3 right now the winner stands to pick up some important separation in what should be a hotly-contested race. The Pioneers will have to account for Colonials' guard Jeremy Chappell, who's currently averaging just over seventeen points per game and also leads the team in rebounding. With four players averaging double digits Dave Bike's team is more balanced that Robert Morris, and they'll have to use that to their advantage in this one.
4:30: Mount St. Mary's @ St. Francis (NY)
7 PM: FDU @ Central Connecticut State
LIU @ Wagner
7:30: #9 Syracuse @ Rutgers

Sunday January 11th

Noon: St. John's @ #1 Pittsburgh
1 PM: #18 Xavier @ Fordham
2 PM: Loyola (MD) @ St. Peter's
Iona @ Rider
3 PM: Canisius @ Fairfield
4 PM: Siena @ Manhattan the Jaspers, my pick to be a sleeper in the MAAC this season, get a shot at the defending champs in Draddy Gymnasium. Both Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford have stepped up on the scoreboard this season, but this is a game in which head coach Barry Rohrssen will need outstanding performances from his two established stars (Antoine Pearson and Devon Austin) in order to pull off the upset. The frontcourt will also have to play to its full capability, with Siena having one of the league's best power forwards in Alex Franklin.
Niagara @ Marist

Updated Ranking (previous week in parentheses)

1. St. John's (10-4; 2)
2. Seton Hall (9-5; 1)
3. Rider (8-5; 8)
4. Fairfield (8-6; 3)
5. Rutgers (9-6; 5)
6. Hofstra (9-5; 4)
7. Wagner (9-4; 7)
8. Stony Brook (8-6; 9)
9. Manhattan (8-6; 6)
10. Marist (6-10; 10)
11. Iona (6-9; 11)
12. LIU (6-7; 14)
13. Sacred Heart (4-9; 12)
14. Columbia (4-9; 13)
15. Princeton (3-8; 16)
16. Yale (3-9; 15)
17. Army (4-9; 18)
18. Monmouth (4-12; 20)
19. St. Francis (NY) (3-10; 17)
20. St. Peter's (4-10; 21)
21. FDU (2-12; 19)
22. Fordham (2-10; 22)
23. NJIT (0-14; 23)

NYC Metro Hoops

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #5

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:23:13 -0800

The final days of 2008, for most of the teams in the area (save the Ivies and NJIT), mean a transition into full-time conference play. Some schools still have a game or two outside of conference play later in the season, but for the most part it's all about focusing on the direct way of getting to the NCAA Tournament. Big East play begins early this week, and despite a big win over FDU Seton Hall fans have to wonder what the opener at Syracuse will bring for a team that lacks bodies inside. St. John's has been juggling injuries of late, which has forced some youngsters to step into expanded roles. And Rutgers is making some history, becoming the first school to take on the nation's top three teams in consecutive games. Pitt at home on Wednesday, and then a trip north to take on UConn Saturday.

But that's not the only league that'll require metropolitan area schools to run the gauntlet, with the NEC looking to be wide-open and the MAAC possibly being a deeper league than many expected with the preseason "Siena and the rest of them" prognostications. Hofstra has won nine of their last eleven games and have the look of a serious contender in the CAA, while Steve Pikiell has a much-improved Stony Brook squad looking to make a move up the standings in America East. Can any of these teams, at the least, set themselves up for a run come conference tournament time? That remains to be seen, but these early conference games will set the tone for 2009.

Team of the Week: Marist

The Red Foxes were one of the few teams in the area to play two games last week, and they went ahead and won both while snagging a pair of individual honors in the MAAC as well. Marist was competitive last week while going 0-2 in the Aeropostale Holiday Festival, but it was painfully obvious how important injured point guard David Devezin is. Head coach Chuck Martin will definitely need Devezin back for the lion's share of MAAC play, but he had to be encouraged by the play of freshman R.J. Hall at the point in wins over Delaware and Bucknell. Five and a half assists per game and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.57 is a good way to play heading back into conference play.

And don't forget the stellar play of senior Ryan Schneider, who has taken off in Coach Martin's offensive system. It was known that Schneider can put the ball in the basket, but for him to rebound the ball as well as he has this season (9.3 rpg) and last week (14.0 rpg) could mean that the Red Foxes won't finish in the MAAC cellar. And he'll earn postseason honors as well. There were some growing pains for this program early on, but Marist could very well be a dangerous team for some of the MAAC favorites in the coming weeks.

Player of the Week: G Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall)

The sophomore from Harlem is at it again, cementing his reputation as one of the best scorers in the Big East while also expanding his game. In a 101-70 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Hazell went for 35 points and six rebounds. He currently leads the Big East in scoring at a clip of 22.4 points per game. But despite his scoring prowess, he can still improve as a ballhandler. He had five turnovers and no assists on Saturday, numbers that could make things very difficult for both himself and his team in conference play. Syracuse has played more man-to-man this season than in years past, and that may be a good thing for them heading into Tuesday's conference opener. This man is capable of hanging thirty on just about anyone.

Other outstanding performers last week include FDU's Sean Baptiste, Marist's Ryan Schneider, Rutgers' Mike Rosario and Stony Brook's Muhammad El-Amin.

Conference Honors

America East: Stony Brook juinor Muhammad El-Amin was honored as one of "The Best of the Rest" by the conference following last week's action. In a win over St. Peter's El-Amin tallied twenty-seven points, twenty of which came in the first half.

Atlantic 10: Fordham freshman guard Jio Fontan was named conference Co-Rookie of the Week following his eighteen point performance in the Rams' 60-56 win over New Hampshire on the 23rd. It's the second time winning the award for Fontan, who knocked down the gamewinning shot against the Wildcats.

Big East: Rutgers freshman guard Mike Rosario was named Big East Rookie of the Week due to his play in a 1-1 week for the Scarlet Knights. Rosario followed up a 24-point performance in a win over NJIT with twenty-six in a loss last night at #1 North Carolina. Rosario leads conference freshmen with an average of 17.5 points per game and leads the entire conference in free throw percentage (88.0%).

Ivy League: A pair of Yale Bulldogs were honored by the league for their play in a hard-fought 66-63 loss at Alabama last week. Senior Travis Pinick was named Player of the Week by the Ivy League for his seventeen points and eleven boards, while classmate Ross Morin was named to the Honor Roll for his twenty points against the Crimson Tide.

MAAC: Marist took home a pair of honors due to their 2-0 week. Senior forward Ryan Schneider, who averaged 25.5 points and 14.0 rebounds per game in wins over Delaware and Bucknell, was named Player of the Week. Freshman guard R.J. Hall, who averaged 8.5 points and 5.5 assists in the two wins, was named MAAC Rookie of the Week.

Schedule (December 30th-January 5th)

Tuesday 12/30

7 PM: Seton Hall @ #11 Syracuse this is the first game that will give us an idea of how the lack of size will affect the Pirates within the Big East. In Arinze Onuaku the Orange have one of the better big men in the conference; if it becomes apparent that they forget that and ignore him the look for the Hall to make this game very interesting. Eric Devendorf will also be back for Syracuse after missing time due to a university-imposed suspension. The Pirates will have to force turnovers and get the Orange to play faster than they want to if they're to steal the win on the road.
Rhode Island @ FDU
Princeton @ Lafayette
Marist @ Binghamton
Yale @ Hampton
St. Francis (NY) @ Ohio
Army @ Florida Gulf Coast
7:30: LIU @ Charlotte
8 PM: Wagner @ Kansas State

Wednesday 12/31

2 PM: #3 Pittsburgh @ Rutgers
Sacred Heart @ Boston College
Lehigh @ NJIT
4 PM: Manhattan @ La Salle
St. John's @ Providence Rutgers may be playing the higher-profile opponent on this night, but it's the Red Storm who find themselves in a far more important game within the Big East. No one is suggesting that either the Johnnies or Friars will crack the elite of the Big East, but any slim hopes of postseason play for either can be either helped or hurt in a big way in this game. Freshman TyShawn Edmondson will have to play well on the road against a solid backcourt led by Jeff Xavier.
5 PM: Stony Brook @ Air Force

Thursday 1/1

2 PM: Rider @ Iona
Fairfield @ Siena while most of the nation will focus on the bowl games being played, the top two teams in the MAAC preseason poll will meet in the Times Union Center. The Saints finally picked up a solid non-conference road win this weekend, beating St. Joseph's by a single point. But for as powerful as Fran McCaffrey's team remains, Ronald Moore has been inconsistent at the point thus far which could mean a big game for senior Jonathan Han. Individual matchup to watch: Fairfield's Warren Edney and Siena's Edwin Ubiles, two of the best swingmen in the league.

Friday 1/2

4 PM: Yale @ Bryant
7 PM: Columbia @ Lehigh
7:30: St. Peter's @ Marist these two were picked to finish in the MAAC cellar, but unlike the Peacocks Marist has shown signs recently of exceeding those expectations. As of right now it's unknown if David Devezin will be able to play, but if R.J. Hall can play like he did last week then Marist will be in good shape. St. Peter's has one of the better guards in the area that few people talk about in sophomore Wesley Jenkins.

Saturday 1/3

1 PM: NJIT @ Vermont
2 PM: #10 Notre Dame @ St. John's
Fordham @ Bowling Green
MIT @ Yale
UNC Greensboro @ Princeton
Drexel @ Hofstra the Dragons have struggled this season, but Bruiser Flint's team should still be respected as a possible spoiler in the CAA. As for Tom Pecora's Pride, they'll be looking to build on their win over Towson last month and stay on top of the league standings. Charles Jenkins will have his hands full with a defense that can make hunting for shots as fun as a root canal at times.
CCSU @ LIU
4 PM: West Virginia @ Seton Hall
7 PM: Army @ Dartmouth
St. Francis (NY) @ Wagner
Quinnipiac @ FDU
Manhattan @ Niagara The Purple Eagles are armed with the deepest backcourt in the MAAC, a good reason why they were picked to finish third in the conference. But the Jaspers aren't bad in that area either, with Chris Smith, Antoine Pearson and Darryl Crawford leading the way. The key to this one could be the frontcourt, where Benson Egemonye has been one of the league's best for Joe Mihalich's squad. As for Manhattan, Devon Austin will have to make some things happen for the Jaspers to pull off the win on the road.
Sacred Heart @ Monmouth
7:05: Stony Brook @ UMBC

Sunday 1/4

2 PM: St. Peter's @ Siena
3 PM: Marist @ Rider
3:30: Fairfield @ Iona the Gaels are still looking to find their way as a team, especially with Kyle Smyth and Gary Springer both missing time due to injury in recent weeks. While Springer is expected back soon, this is a key weekend for Smyth since he's only played in one game, leaving head coach Kevin Willard with arguably his best perimeter shooter. Scott Machado has played well recently, and he'll have to bring more of the same in this one.

Monday 1/5

7 PM: Hofstra @ Northeastern
Stony Brook @ Binghamton this game will give a clearer picture in regards to just how improved the Seawolves are this season. The Bearcats were picked to finish fifth in America East despite losing their top three scorers from a season ago, while Stony Brook found themselves in last yet again. The newcomers have played well for Coach Pikiell's team so far, most notably Muhammad El-Amin. This is a winnable game for Stony Brook, but a tight loss could tell us just as much as a win would: this team has improved.
Sacred Heart @ LIU
CCSU @ Monmouth
7:30: Manhattan @ Canisius
Columbia @ American
8 PM: Wagner @ FDU

Updated Rankings (previous in parentheses)

1. Seton Hall (9-3; 2)
2. St. John's (9-3; 1)
3. Fairfield (8-4; 3)
4. Hofstra (9-3; 4)
5. Rutgers (9-4; 5)
6. Manhattan (7-4; 7)
7. Wagner (7-3; 8)
8. Rider (6-5; 6)
9. Stony Brook (6-5; 11)
10. Marist (5-8; 13)
11. Iona (5-8; 9)
12. Sacred Heart (4-6; 10)
13. Columbia (4-7; 12)
14. LIU (4-6; 14)
15. Yale (2-7; 15)
16. Princeton (2-7; 16)
17. St. Francis (NY) (3-8; 17)
18. Army (3-8; 18)
19. FDU (1-9; 19)
20. Monmouth (2-12; 20)
21. St. Peter's (4-8; 21)
22. Fordham (2-9; 22)
23. NJIT (0-12; 23)

NYC Metro Hoops

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #4

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:32:09 -0800

With the end of 2008 just over a week away, it isn't too hard to figure out the main storyline for metropolitan area teams in the first half of the 2008-09 season: injuries. It's as if the run that began with Monmouth's Whitney Coleman going down for the season in the first nine minutes of the Hawks' season opener hasn't stopped, with teams all over the area being hit with key injuries. In fact, you could have a rather formidable six-man rotation with guys currently sitting out. At the guards, go with Marist's David Devezin (heel), Coleman (knee) and St. John's Anthony Mason Jr. (foot). Columbia's Patrick Foley (knee) can come off the bench, with St. John's Justin Burrell (hairline fracture to his face) and Seton Hall's John Garcia (knee) up front.

All six are either out for the year or have missed extensive time in recent weeks, with Devezin and possibly Burrell (he will play against Miami, but Malik Boothe won't) due back the quickest. Foley and Garcia seem to have the most time left in their recovery processes, while Mason Jr. and Coleman are both medical redshirt candidates due to their season-ending injuries. So which one is the most important? Judging by their last two games, it would go to Seton Hall's Garcia. Two games out, two losses to IUPUI (at the buzzer) and James Madison last night. And with the NCAA not clearing freshman Melvyn Oliver (he can practice and receive a scholarship this season, however), head coach Bobby Gonzalez will have to lean on Mike Davis and Brandon Walters inside.

Hopefully Garcia will be back in time for Big East play, maybe missing the opener next week at Syracuse, but even with him back navigating that loaded league with a limited number of bodies inside could be a serious problem. But despite the recent injury woes, it wasn't all doom and gloom for the area this past week, as another Manhattan player earned some MAAC recognition and some hot shooting sparked a Columbia run past Marist at the Aeropostale Holiday Festival.

Honors earned last week

- Manhattan guard Darryl Crawford was named MAAC Co-Player of the Week due to his twenty-nine point performance in the Jaspers' win over Binghamton last week. Also honored by the conference was Iona guard Scott Machado, who was named MAAC Rookie of the Week.

- The Ivy League named three area players to its weekly honor roll. Princeton guard Doug Davis, who could be well on his way to winning the league's Rookie of the Year award, and Columbia's Joe Bova and Norwua Agho were all pegged for the distinction.

- St. John's forward Sean Evans was named to the Big East Honor Roll, thanks to his averaging a double-double in two games at the Aeropostale Holiday Festival.

- Stony Brook freshman forward Danny Carter was named conference Rookie of the Week after he posted twenty points and six rebounds in the Seawolves 91-57 loss at Connecticut.

- St. John's D.J. Kennedy and Sean Evans, along with Columbia's K.J. Matsui, were named to the All-Tournament team at the Aeropostale Holiday Festival. Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney (MVP) and A.D. Vassallo rounded out the squad.

Team of the Week: Manhattan

The Jaspers picked up a pair of wins last week, knocking off Binghamton on Saturday and then turning around to beat a pesky LIU team on Monday night. While it was the aforementioned Crawford who was the catalyst for Barry Rohrssen's team against the Bearcats, leading scorer Chris Smith got the job done in the second half of Manhattan's 65-61 win over the Blackbirds last night. Smith scored twenty points in the second half, knocking down five three pointers in the run. What's encouraging about this team is that they can go to Crawford for scoring off the bench, and even though their numbers may not be that impressive at first glance people know what Devon Austin and Antoine Pearson are capable of. Sleeper in the MAAC? Why not.

Player of the Week: Darryl Crawford (Manhattan)

It was a lean week on the schedule for the area, so this honor may as well go to a guy who earned conference distinction for his effort. The numbers for Crawford in Manhattan's win over LIU weren't as impressive as the 29 points against Binghamton, but if he can give the Jaspers ten points and five rebounds per night then they could finish higher than their predicted sixth place (having seen Loyola, they should at least finish fifth). Other players with solid games last week included Danny Carter of Stony Brook (20 pts vs, UConn), Monmouth's Yaniv Simpson (25 pts against Lehigh) and the Rutgers freshman tandem of Mike Rosario (18 pts vs. Bryant) and Gregory Echinique (11 pts, 11 boards vs. Bryant).

Schedule (December 23rd-29th)

Tuesday 12/23

7 PM: Marist @ Delaware
Sacred Heart @ Penn State
Rider @ Binghamton
New Hampshire @ Fordham
Iona @ Hofstra The best game in the final day of games before Christmas break in the area, as the Pride will look to begin another win streak after falling at UMass on Saturday. The Gaels return to the area following a loss at ranked Ohio State, and they need a win following the road losses to the Buckeyes and before that Western Michigan. Keep an eye on both Iona's backcourt (especially Scott Machado) in how they deal with Charles Jenkins and Cornelius Vines, and a Hofstra frontcourt that has received better contributions from Greg Washington and Dane Johnson of late.
FDU @ St. Peter's
7:30: NJIT @ Rutgers

Friday 12/26

Fairfield @ #2 Connecticut no one will expect the Stags to win this game, but they've got the depth to make this one interesting for a little while. A very good test for Ed Cooley's team heading into MAAC play next week, and it could also be a preview of the type of team they could run into early in the NCAA Tournament should they earn the league's automatic bid in March. If Warren Edney and Jonathan Han can hold their own in the backcourt and forwards Anthony Johnson and Greg Nero avoid foul troubl, look for Fairfield to hang around. But it would be a little much to expect them to win this game.

Saturday 12/27

Noon: Miami (FL) @ St. John's there's no such thing as overstating the importance of this game to the Red Storm. They've been tested twice this season, and of course those games against Boston College and Virginia Tech are their only blemishes on the season. Now Jack McClinton and a Miami offense that can put some points on the board visits MSG, but unfortunately for the Red Storm Malik Boothe is out due to injury, but Justin Burrell will be available for this one. A final test before Big East play begins next week.
3 PM: Drexel @ Rider
4 PM: Hofstra @ New Hampshire
7 PM: FDU @ Seton Hall
Iona @ USF I'm not even going to lie to you about this game: this is very winnable game for the Gaels. The Bulls have had some moments of ineptitude this season, and working in transfers Mike Mercer and Augustus Gilchrist is still a work in progress. If Iona can force players other than Jesus Verdejo to rely too much on the perimeter shot they can leave Tampa with the win. Sorry, but USF frankly cannot shoot the ball with consistency from either behind the arc or at the foul line.

Sunday 12/28

2 PM: Stony Brook @ St. Peter's
Wagner @ NJIT
4 PM: Bucknell @ Marist
7 PM: Tennessee-Martin vs. Fordham The Rams are taking part in an in-season tournament at FIU, and they could be running into a buzz saw in this game. Lester Hudson is one of the nation's best perimeter scorers, and the Skyhawks are averaging just under seventy-seven points per game. Fordham doesn't have that kind of offensive punch, so they'll have to rely on their defense to win this one.

Monday 12/29

2 PM: Fordham @ Florida International
7 PM: Sacred Heart @ Columbia
American @ Manhattan the Jaspers host the defending Patriot League champs and the backcourt matchup should be entertaining at the least. Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer have been through it all during their careers at American, and the same can be said for the Jasper backcourt of Antoine Pearson, Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford. The wild card: Devon Austin. I think he can have a big game in this one.

Updated Ranking (previous ranking in parentheses)

1. St. John's (9-2; 2)
2. Seton Hall (8-3; 1)
3. Fairfield (8-3; 4)
4. Hofstra (8-2; 3)
5. Rutgers (8-3; 5)
6. Rider (6-3; 6)
7. Manhattan (7-3; 7)
8. Wagner (6-3; 10)
9. Iona (4-7; 9)
10. Sacred Heart (3-4; 9)
11. Stony Brook (5-5; 12)
12. Columbia (4-6; 14)
13. Marist (3-8; 11)
14. LIU (4-6; 13)
15. Yale (2-6; 16)
16. Princeton (2-7; 15)
17. St. Francis (NY) (3-7; 17)
18. Army (3-8; 19)
19. FDU (1-7; 20)
20. Monmouth (2-12; 22)
21. St. Peter's (3-7; 18)
22. Fordham (1-7; 22)
23. NJIT (0-10; 23)

NYC Metro Hoops

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #3

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:23:55 -0800

Before getting into the team and player of the week honors in the metropolitan area, it's time to acknowledge area players who picked up some praise in their respective leagues.

Atlantic 10: Fordham freshman guard Jio Fontan was named Rookie of the Week after two exemplary games for the Rams. Fontan averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists in the two games, which included a career-high twenty-two in a 69-66 loss to Fairfield.

Big East: Seton Hall guard Jeremy Hazell and St. John's guard Paris Horne were both named to the league's Honor Roll for their play last week. Hazell averaged 19.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg for the Pirates while Horne had numbers of 14.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 64.7% FG for the Red Storm. Both teams went 2-0 last week, with the two sophomores being big reasons why.

Ivy League: Princeton guard Doug Davis was named Rookie of the Week. Davis scored twenty-seven points in the Tigers' loss at Manhattan. It's the second time this season that Davis has won the honor. As for the conference's Honor Roll, four area players were on the list. Columbia's Joe Bova and Noruwa Agho, Princeton's Pawel Buczak and Yale's Ross Morin received the honor for their play.

MAAC: It was a nice haul for area teams in the MAAC, with Fairfield's Anthony Johnson and Manhattan's Chris Smith sharing Player of the Week honors and Iona's Scott Machado being named Rookie of the Week. Johnson averaged a double-double in two Stag wins last week (11.5 ppg, 14.5 rpg), including a fourteen and sixteen effort (not to mention four rejections) in a win over Drexel. Smith earned his honor thanks to a thirty-five point performance in the Jaspers' 70-60 win over Princeton. Machado was the picture of consistency for the Gaels in their 2-0 week, posting averages of 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

Northeast: LIU forward James Boyd was named Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week, averaging 12.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in a 1-1 week for the Blackbirds. In LIU's loss to Iona Boyd posted his first double-double with fourteen points and ten rebounds.

Player of the Week: Anthony Johnson (Fairfield)

Johnson was one of two players in the area to average a double-double last week (St. Francis' Kayode Ayeni being the other), but his team won both games which gives him the edge here. The ability of Ed Cooley's team to make a run at Siena in the MAAC hinged on the improvement of both Johnson and Greg Nero up front when the season began, and the juniors have answered the call so far. Now 8-3 on the season after their win over Drexel on Sunday, Johnson and his teammates are off until the day after Christmas when they take on UConn (the first of five straight road games). The Huskies have some NBA-ready big men, but don't expect Johnson and company to be a pushover inside.

Honorable Mention: Kayode Ayeni (St. Francis), Jio Fontan (Fordham), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), Charles Jenkins (Hofstra)

Team of the Week: Hofstra

The Pride weren't the only team in the area to win both of their games, but you could make an argument that they're the hottest team due to their eight-game win streak. Star guard Charles Jenkins was the focus of attention in their home win over St. Francis (NY) in Saturday, thus a total of eleven points. But unlike score-first guys who would allow their point totals to influence their play, he went out and did other things. Ten rebounds and seven assists as well for the sophomore, and others such as Cornelius Vines (13 points), Greg Washington (9 points, 12 rebounds) and Dane Johnson (8 points, 6 rebounds) did more than enough to wrap up the win. Head coach Tom Pecora may have a CAA contender at his fingertips this season.

Who's Hot: Fairfield, Seton Hall, St. John's

Who's Not: Fordham, Monmouth, NJIT

Schedule (Tuesday-Monday)

Tuesday December 16th

7 PM: Rider @ La Salle this will be a tough game for the Broncs, given the length that Dr. John Giannini's team has at all positions. Rodney Green is one of the better guards in the Atlantic 10 as well, so expect a battle.
7:30: Bethune-Cookman @ LIU

Wednesday December 17th

8 PM: Iona @ Western Michigan the Gaels visit Kalamazoo before taking on ranked Ohio State on Saturday, and this has the looks of decent game. The Broncos are led by guards David Kool (17.7 ppg) and Shawntes Gary (11.3 ppg), but lack overall firepower. WMU may be 2-8, but getting a win on the road is never easy.

Friday December 19th

7 PM: St. Peter's @ Monmouth
Albany @ Sacred Heart This game may not seem like much right now, but a win or loss here could have a big impact on your computer numbers come March. That's what the hidden incentive is for a Sacred Heart team that currently leads the NEC and should contend throughout the season.

Saturday December 20th

Noon: Iona @ #16 Ohio State
2 PM: Columbia vs. Virginia Tech (Aeropostale Holiday Festival)
Bryant @ Rutgers
Manhattan @ Binghamton
3 PM: NJIT @ Rider
4 PM: Hofstra @ UMass if you can find this game on TV, tune in. With the guard tandem of Jenkins and Vines taking on the likes of Chris Lowe and Ricky Harris this one will be played with some pace. But whether or not the Pride leave Amherst with a win will depend on how well their big men play against the resurgent Tony Gaffney, an early candidate for most improved player in America.
4:30: Marist vs. St. John's (Aeropostale Holiday Festival)
7 PM: IUPUI @ Seton Hall

Sunday December 21st

1 PM: VMI @ Army A serious contrast in styles in West Point. The Keydets lead the country in scoring, while Army would rather their games be played in the fifties. It'll be entertaining to say the least.
Lehigh @ Monmouth
4 PM: Brown @ Wagner

Monday December 22nd

7 PM: Seton Hall @ James Madison Last year's game at The Rock was a classic, with the Pirates escaping with a 112-110 overtime win. Eugene Harvey went for 27 in the game, while JMU's entire starting five scored at least fourteen points each.
LIU @ Manhattan
Albany @ St. Francis (NY)

Updated Rankings (previous week in parentheses)

1. Seton Hall (8-1; 1)
2. St. John's (8-1; 2)
3. Hofstra(8-1; 3)
4. Fairfield (8-3; 4)
5. Rutgers (7-3; 5)
6. Rider (5-2; 6)
7. Manhattan (5-3; 7)
8. Iona (4-5; 10)
9. Sacred Heart (3-4; 9)
10. Wagner (5-3; 11)
11. Marist (3-6; 8)
12. Stony Brook (5-5; 12)
13. LIU (3-5; 15)
14. Columbia (3-5; 16)
15. Princeton (2-6; 13)
16. Yale (2-6; 14)
17. St. Francis (NY) (3-6; 18)
18. St. Peter's (3-6; 17)
19. Army (3-7; 20)
20. FDU (1-7; 19)
21. Fordham (1-7; 21)
22. Monmouth (1-11; 22)
23. NJIT (0-9; 23)

NYC Metro Hoops

College Basketball: 20 Random Thoughts & Observations

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:26:11 -0800

20 Random Rants, Thoughts, and Observations from the Week in College Basketball by CollegeHoops.net Editor Shawn Siegel:

1 - Everyone knows the Big East is loaded. This is most unfortunate for Rutgers who will have a hard time winning more than a game or two in league play. The Knights have already lost to Lehigh, Binghamton, and St. Bonaventure (2 of those coming at home.) When they go on the road to face UNC in 2 weeks, the score could potentially be 100-0.

2 - One of the Big East's other 2nd rate teams is DePaul. It's only a matter of time before Jerry Wainwright loses his job. Home losses to Morgan State won't cut it.

3 - Gonzaga is real good.. and whether you like him or not, Josh Heytvelt is going to be on an NBA roster in less than 12 months.

4 - Davidson finally knocked off what will be an RPI Top 100 team for the first time in about 5 regular seasons. Granted, the opponent, West Virginia, was missing their starting backcourt, and it went down to the wire, but still.. a win is a win. Give Davidson a lot of credit for scheduling some tough non-conference games, which still includes Purdue and Duke. The administration was smart to maximize the programs' sudden national TV opportunities.

5 - I was at the Jimmy V Classic last night, and maybe I only saw him at his best, but Davidson freshman Ben Allison has some raw potential to look out for in the future. A lively and physically impressive 6-9 player out of England, Allison could become a top-level SoCo performer.

6 - Whatever happened to.. Scottie Reynolds? Except for a stat-boosting joke win over Houston Baptist, the Nova junior has been highly mediocre. His game has mostly remained stagnant since his breakout freshman season.

7 - On the flip side, Dante Cunningham has made impressive gains each of his four seasons in Philly. His stats have improved across the board (he's now averaging 18 & 8), and his 15 foot jumper is suddenly a weapon.

8 - I mentioned this on the message board, but since when did UMASS forward Tony Gaffney get good? The 5th year senior has been filling the stat sheet with averages of 13 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 steals per game. Gaffney made another triple-double run tonight with 17, 11, and 8 blocks in a win over Holy Cross. Will NBA scouts begin to take notice of his production?

9 - San Diego is now just 4-5, a weak start for a program some experts felt would make a push for a repeat tourney bid. Don't forget though that if not for hosting the WCC tourney, the Toreros would simply have never made the Dance, and no one would have paid attention to them in the off-season.

10 - Butler's solid start continued with a win at Bradley tonight, which sets up a very intriguing test against unbeaten Ohio State on Saturday. The player to watch is Gordon Hayward, a 6-8 wing who has quietly emerged as one of the country's best freshmen. Hayward's best weapon is his top-notch 3-point shot, but he's surprisingly athletic and can board, defend, and even pass the ball around with ease.

11 - Last week I spoke about Charlotte being a bit unlucky. Equally snake-bitten is Idaho State, who lost 3 overtime games in a row in November (against Hawaii, Boise State, and LBSU). Following an upset win over Utah earlier in the week, ISU almost pulled of a shock upset over Wisconsin last night. This is a dangerous team once Big Sky play takes off.

12 - While Eric Maynor is a lock to win the CAA Player of the Year award, next year's winner might be Hofstra's Charles Jenkins. Following the graduation of Antoine Agudio, the sophomore has emerged as the Pride's go-to scorer and overall leader. He's averaging 22 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists a game, and is one of the most consistent contributors on a night to night basis. Hofstra's 7-1 start has to be considered a surprise.

13 - I thought tonight would be NJIT's big breakthrough, but the winless Highlanders lost to lowly St Peter's at home. I don't see a winnable game on their schedule for almost another month.

14 - One formerly winless team off the hook is Wright State. The Raiders beat Toledo 50-35 to end a 6-game skid. This was a team that was supposed to contend for the Horizon title, but who so far as been a major disappointment. Even in the win, they shot a brutal 1-19 from three.

15 - Every season, I put together a best names in college basketball list.. Creighton's Booker Woodfox is definitely making an appearance.

16 - It boggles my mind that I'm not winning CHN's pickem game yet. You should sign up if you get the chance. (Need to get a little CHN promotion in here each week..)

17 - BYU has played an extremely soft schedule, so you can't get overly excited about their 8-0 start. But the Cougars have been pummeling people all year, and I'm a believer in this team's Top 25 pedigree. They make their debut on the national scene next week when they face ranked Arizona State. Lee Cummard is legit.

18 - For his sake and the female involved, lets hope today's story about Eric Devendorf hitting a student in the face turns out to be false. If it is true, I hope the University takes a firm stance and doesn't relax the rules because he's a basketball player.

19 - Somehow #19 ended up being a copy of #1 in a faulty copy and paste move along the way.. so a day late, here's the new #19: I cried last night knowing that Billy Packer won't be covering any more Final Fours..

20 - Tomorrow night is awful for college basketball fans. Just 8 games, and the lone TV affair (St. Joe's at Villanova) shouldn't be terribly exciting. Saturday's action can't get here soon enough.

- Think I'm wrong? Let's hear it below:

Metro Ranking and Report #2

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:10:14 -0800

This past week marked the beginning of conference play for metropolitan area schools in the Metro Atlantic and Northeast conferences. While Army, Fordham and St. John's were out picking up non-conference wins tonight, a Garden State rivalry took center stage in the NEC with FDU visiting Monmouth. The Hawks, thanks to an efficient half-court offense and confusing matchup zone, controlled the game for the first twenty-eight minutes or so with a lead as large as fifteen points. But things went south for Dave Calloway's team, with mainstays Sean Baptiste (15 of his 23 points came in the second half) and Cameron Tyler (17 points, 7 assists) making plays alongside big man Alvin Mofunanya (20 points and eight rebounds off the bench).

A Terence Grier follow with just under twenty-four seconds left in the game gave Fairleigh Dickinson their first lead of the game at 69-67, and they went on to win 71-67. Not only does the win get FDU to .500 in the NEC, it's also their first win of the 2008-09 season. This one should be a good confidence booster for a team that took on a tough schedule and wasn't competitive in any of their six defeats. For Monmouth, who drops to 1-9 on the year, this one has to hurt. A split of the opening weekend of NEC play was well within their grasp but they let it slip away.

That's the tricky part of opening conference play in early December. A 2-0 start, such as the one that Sacred Heart was able to get out to, has you feeling good about your chances to contend when league play hits full blast next month. 1-1 and you're OK; of course you wanted to win both games (St. Francis and LIU come to mind here) but you've got one win to lean back on, especially if both games were on the road. Lastly, there's the dreaded 0-2 start. Only Iona was this unfortunate, but in the case of the Gaels you've got to look at how they lost those games to realize that they aren't in as much trouble as they'd be had both defeats been blowouts.

Two losses by a combined three points usually boils down to the other team making the final shot, and that's exactly what happened thanks to Dejuan Goodwin (Marist) and Warren Edney (Fairfield). It's not the ideal start to league play, but it most certainly isn't the death knell for their championship hopes.

Team of the Week: Fairfield

Fairfield (6-3, 2-0 MAAC) picked up a pair of conference home wins last week to open MAAC play at 2-0. A balanced effort in a twenty-point win over St. Peter's (four players in double figures; eighteen assists on twenty-eight baskets) was followed by a thrilling two-point win over Iona on Sunday. Warren Edney answered a Jonathan Huffman three-pointer with one of his own to give the Stags the 78-76 win. Both shots came in the game's final twelve seconds, with the sophomore forward sealing things with 3.7 seconds remaining.

On the season four Stags are averaging double figures with point guard Jonathan Han leading the way. Head coach Ed Cooley has a number of bodies to turn to on this team, one that many expect to challenge in the MAAC. And after last week's league games they look to be on their way.

Honorable Mention

- Sacred Heart (Pioneers also won a pair of conference games at home, taking out defending NEC tournament champ Mount St. Mary's in the opener)
- Hofstra (Pride, winners of six straight, went on the road for their CAA opener and knocked off Towson by eleven)
- Stony Brook (say what you want about the Seawolves playing Mount Ida, but they did precede that win with a 21-point pasting of Lehigh)

Player of the Week: Ryon Howard (Sacred Heart)

The senior forward from the Bronx was named Choice Hotels Player of the Week in the Northeast Conference, and with good reason. In wins over Mount St. Mary's and Fairleigh Dickinson Howard averaged 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Howard was nearly automatic from behind the arc as well, knocking down seven of ten shots from distance. The win over the Mountaineers saw Howard tie his career high with twenty points, which he improved upon to the tune of twenty-five against FDU. Sacred Heart, who struggled in the early going to a 1-3 start, now finds itself atop the NEC standings and at .500 overall, with Howard being one of the primary reasons why.

Team that couldn't catch a break: Iona (last-second shots doom the Gaels in road losses to Marist and Fairfield)

Team that has some explaining to do: Rutgers (days after beating a decent Rider team, they lose by ten to Binghamton)

Team that could get out of their league cellar: Stony Brook (the Seawolves are now 5-3 on the season. Not saying that they'll contend in America East, but they could get out of that 8/9 game)

Team that needs a win this week: NJIT (the streak is now at 41 games, and St. Peter's on Wednesday may be their best shot at ending in within the next month)

Schedule (Tuesday through Monday)

Tuesday December 9th

7 PM: Marist @ Siena the rivals get together in Albany for their first of two meetings. The Saints may have been knocked down a peg by the national media following their 0-3 showing in the Old Spice Classic, but they're still the clear favorite in the MAAC. Also the first conference road game for Marist head coach Chuck Martin.
Columbia @ St. Francis (NY)
7:30 Cal Baptist @ Seton Hall

Wednesday December 10th

7 PM: Yale @ Boston University
Rutgers @ Princeton (ESPNU)
Army @ Penn State (ESPNU)
Iona @ LIU
Monmouth @ Rider
Hofstra @ Stony Brook this game should give better feedback on how much Steve Pikiell's team has improved since last season. Stony Brook has held opponents to fifty-four points per game, a number that's been bolstered by games against NJIT and Mount Ida. We'll see how they do against a Hofstra offense that features Charles Jenkins and Cornelius Vines, among others.
St. Peter's @ NJIT

Thursday December 11th

7 PM: Fairfield @ Fordham Fordham hasn't looked too good thus far, finally picking up their first win of the season against NJIT tonight. So they may not be in the best condition to take on a Fairfield team that is well on its way to competing for a MAAC title.

Saturday December 13th

2 PM: Seton Hall @ St. Peter's this probably won't be the most competitive game in regards to the score, but how often does a Big East school visit the Yanitelli Center? Thanks to renovations needed at the Jersey City Armory, this one will be played on campus. Wesley Jenkins will get to show his skills against the best backcourt in the area.
4 PM: St. Francis (NY) @ Hofstra
New Hampshire @ LIU
7 PM: FDU @ Army
Colgate @ Monmouth
Quinnipiac @ Wagner the Seahawks have yet to play a conference game, so this will be their first taste of life in the NEC without Durell Vinson and Mark Porter. The Bobcats, who are also making adjustments of their own thanks to the graduation of DeMario Anderson, have a trio of guards averaging double figures in scoring led by James Feldeine.
7:30: Cleveland State @ Marist

Sunday December 14th

2 PM: Delaware State @ Rutgers
St. Francis (PA) @ Iona
3:30: Drexel @ Fairfield
4 PM: Princeton @ Manhattan not the most impressive slate of games that you can find, but this could be an interesting game. Manhattan would like to get back on the right track following a close loss to Rider, while the Tigers are still finding out who their big guns will be before they head into Ivy League play. Not sure if the Tigers have enough answers for head coach Barry Rohrssen's talented guard quartet: Devon Austin, Antoine Pearson, Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford.
Bethune-Cookman @ St. John's
7 PM: Hartford @ Sacred Heart

Monday December 15th

7 PM: Stony Brook @ #2 Connecticut Steve Pikiell heads north to take on his alma mater, and it's going to be a serious test for the Seawolves. Should Stony Brook pull off the biggest win in school history, however, it would be safe to call them contenders in America East.

Updated Rankings

1. Seton Hall (6-1; previous ranking:1)
2. St. John's (7-1; 2)
3. Hofstra (6-1; 3)
4. Fairfield (6-3; 4)
5. Rutgers (5-3; 5)
6. Rider (4-2; 4)
7. Manhattan (4-3; 9)
8. Marist (3-4; 10)
9. Sacred Heart (3-3; 16)
10. Iona (2-5; 7)
11. Wagner (5-2; 8)
12. Stony Brook (5-3; 12)
13. Princeton (2-4; 11)
14. Yale (2-5; 13)
15. LIU (2-4; 14)
16. Columbia (3-4; 17)
17. St. Peter's (2-5; 15)
18. St. Francis (NY) (2-5; 18)
19. FDU (1-6; 21)
20. Army (2-6; 20)
21. Fordham (1-6; 19)
22. Monmouth (1-9; 22)
23. NJIT (0-7; 23)

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #1

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:19:19 -0800

We're just about finished with the first month of the season in the metropolitan area, and it's become quite obvious who the best team in the area is right now. Seton Hall has gotten off to a 6-1 start, which includes a pair of gutty comebacks in Puerto Rico to finish third in that in-season tournament. Jeremy Hazell has shown himself to be one of the most explosive scorers in the Big East; what has come in his sophomore campaign (23.3 ppg; tops in the Big East) is a level of consistency that wasn't always present last season. Hazell has scored at least fifteen points in each game, including a pair of thirty-two point games against Memphis (Seton Hall's lone defeat) and Monmouth.

It would be easy to look at the perimeter when dissecting Seton Hall's start to the season, but that would be a disservice to one John Garcia. The senior forward is currently averaging eleven points and ten rebounds per game for head coach Bobby Gonzalez, who isn't afforded the luxury of multiple post options like other schools in the Big East. Robert Mitchell is averaging around seven boards per game and despite their lack of interior depth the Pirates are just a -0.4 in rebound margin. Coach Gonzalez's team holding its own on the backboards is a case of maximum desire making up for a minimal amount of height, and that work ethic would go a long way in explaining the comeback wins over USC and Virginia Tech. All this makes the Pirates a rather easy choice for Team of the Month.

Honorable Mention

St. John's (6-1): The Red Storm have only lost at Boston College, but more importantly they lost Anthony Mason Jr. for the year due to injury.
Hofstra (4-1): The Pride were defeated soundly in their opener against Clemson in the Charleston Classic, but they recovered to win their final two games in the event. Charles Jenkins is averaging 23.6 ppg, but he's received help from Cornelius Vines and Tony Dennison in the backcourt.
Wagner (4-1): In all fairness, the Seahawks haven't been tested outside of a season-opening loss to Lafayette. There are still some questions to be answered for Mike Deane's club in the backcourt.

Player of the Month

It would be easy to go with Hazell by himself for this distinction, but Rider junior Ryan Thompson should get some credit as well. Thompson has helped fill the void left by the departure of older brother Jason (who's done alright with the Sacramento Kings so far) with 19.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, ranking first and third respectively in the MAAC in those categories. He's already got a pair of double-doubles in wins over Lehigh and Lafayette, and was just one rebound short in the Broncs' home win over Cal-State Northridge. Rider hosts Rutgers tonight, and with the unpredictable Scarlet Knights already owning defeats to St. Bonaventure and Lehigh it wouldn't be a shocker for the Broncs to win the game. And expect Ryan to play a large part in the victory should that be the case.

Five for the Month

G Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall) 23.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.7 spg
G Charles Jenkins (Hofstra) 23.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.6 apg
F Ryan Thompson (Rider) 19.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg
F Ryan Schneider (Marist) 12.5 ppg, 9.7 rpg
F/C John Garcia (Seton Hall) 11.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg

Two for the Bench: G Wesley Jenkins (St. Peter's) 18.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg and G/F D.J. Kennedy (St. John's) 15.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg

Schedule (Wednesday through Sunday)

Wednesday December 3rd

7 PM: Wagner @ Columbia
Holy Cross @ Yale
Fordham @ Hofstra
Rutgers @ Rider at first glance many would take the Big East school to win this one, even though it's on the road. But don't be fooled, Rutgers has had to lean on freshman Mike Rosario and Greg Echinique in the early going. The veterans haven't been as consistent as head coach Fed Hill needs them to be, an explanation for those losses to St. Bonaventure and Lehigh. Winner becomes the second-best team in New Jersey.

Thursday December 4th

7 PM: St. Francis (NY) @ Robert Morris
Mount St. Mary's @ Sacred Heart (ESPN360/ ESPN Full Court) a rematch of last year's NEC Tournament final, which the Mountaineers won on the road to grab the automatic bid to the NCAA's. Can the Pioneers slow down guard Jeremy Goode (22 ppg)? That'll be a key in this one if they're to win.
LIU @ St. Francis (PA)

Friday December 5th

7 PM: Canisius @ Manhattan
Lehigh @ Stony Brook
7:30 St. Peter's @ Fairfield
Iona @ Marist a Marist team that could end up better than many thought they'd be this year opens up MAAC play by hosting an Iona team that could make a move up the conference standings. Gary Springer leads the way for the Gaels with more than fourteen points per game, but after him this is a balanced offense with eight players scoring between 5.6 and 7.6 points per game. Iona is the deeper team, but will it mean a 1-0 start to conference play?

Saturday December 6th

2 PM: Binghamton @ Rutgers
NJIT @ Maryland-Eastern Shore
Monmouth @ Quinnipiac
Yale @ Wagner
4 PM: FDU @ Sacred Heart
7 PM: Hofstra @ Towson the CAA opener for both teams, and a game that is much tougher than it looks to be on paper. Towson is undefeated at home, but that can be forgotten due to the fact that the Tigers have been blown out in all three of their roadies. Forwards Jarrel Smith and Junior Hairston lead the way for Pat Kennedy's club, but they'll have their hands full with Charles Jenkins. Should be a good one.

Princeton @ St. Bonaventure
LIU @ Robert Morris
St. Francis (NY) @ St. Francis (PA)

Sunday December 7th

2 PM: Manhattan @ Rider Rider's been picked to be one of the top teams in the MAAC this season, while the Jaspers will visit Lawrenceville hoping to show themselves as a viable sleeper in the title race. Manhattan followed up a three-game win streak to start the season with consecutive losses to St. Francis (NY) and Hofstra, but it's their ability to hit the boards that gives them a shot in this one. Manhattan leads the MAAC in rebounding margin (+5.2), which could help make up for shooting percentages that rank in the bottom half of the league. And the individual matchup between Ryan Thompson and Devon Austin should be entertaining.

Canisius @ St. Peter's
Mount Ida @ Stony Brook
3:30: Iona @ Fairfield

Updated Rankings

1. Seton Hall (6-1)
2. St. John's (6-1)
3. Hofstra (4-1)
4. Rider (3-1)
5. Rutgers (4-2)
6. Fairfield (4-3)
7. Iona (2-3)
8. Wagner (4-1)
9. Manhattan (3-2)
10. Marist (2-4)
11. Princeton (2-3)
12. Stony Brook (3-3)
13. Yale (1-4)
14. LIU (1-3)
15. St. Peter's (1-4)
16. Sacred Heart (1-3)
17. Columbia (2-4)
18. St. Francis (NY) (1-4)
19. Fordham (0-5)
20. Army (1-6)
21. FDU (0-5)
22. Monmouth (1-7)
23. NJIT (0-6)

College Basketball: 20 Random Thoughts & Observations

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:08:29 -0800

20 Random Rants, Thoughts, and Observations from the Week in College Basketball by CollegeHoops.net Editor Shawn Siegel:

1 - This has unexpectedly become a weekly thing, so except 20 more random rants every Tuesday from now on.

2 - There's another Curry on the lose. Steph's brother Seth is quietly emerging as the star of an upstart Liberty squad that is 5-1. The Flames already have a win over Virginia, and just won an OT game against a quality George Mason side. Curry is already averaging 22 ppg.. as a freshman.

3 - Perhaps after tonight's drubbing, Purdue fans can take a step back from their "How dare you suggest we're not a Top 10 team" nonsense and return to reality. The Boilers are still (and have been for a year now) a fringe top 25 team.. nothing more, nothing less.

4 - Along with Tom Pritchard, Colton Iverson is another Big Ten rookie big who has impressed so far. Those two have put BJ Mullens to shame so far, as the highly-touted OSU center has yet to score double-digits.

5 - Another young Big Ten big to watch is Kyle Rowley.. a 7-footer on Northwestern. Don't get me wrong, Rowley is not an All-American talent, but as far as Northwestern recruits go.. he has the potential to be a major contributor with more experience.

6 - Who knew AD Vassallo could simply carry a team on his back like he did against Wisconsin Monday night. The Hokies ended up losing a well-fought thriller against Wisconsin, but it was a joy to watch Vassallo light it up from deep.

7 - One of the biggest league games of the year is about to happen tomorrow night. Cleveland State (5-2) hosts Butler (5-0) in an early-season battle between Horizon League contenders. I expect the Vikings to pick up the win and begin their quest for the league title.

7 - Mark down another quality win for Savannah State, who knocked off Bowling Green and are now 5-2. The fightin' Tigers lead all independent squads with a solid 125 RPI right now.

8 - I miss Thanksgiving basketball already.

9 - Remember when Siena was a trendy mid-major sleeper pick in all the preseason magazines?.. the Old Spice Classic sure killed all that talk.

10 - Last year, I gave Jon Diebler a lot of slack for hovering around college basketball's Mendoza Line (30 fg%), but it's nice to see he's off to a much better start this season and finding his long-range stroke.

11 - The emergence of Mike Davis has helped Illinois remain competitive despite a lack of big-time talent. The sophomore, who only played 10 mpg last year, is averaging over 15 ppg this year and poured in 28 against Clemson. The Illini lost by 2, but should pile up more wins in coming weeks as they continue to avoid the road. They'll end up playing only 1 true non-conference road game all season.. something to keep in mind when judging the team in March. Missouri on November 23rd (in St Louis) is their only remaining challenge before Big Ten play begins.

12 - Illinois' schedule looks treacherous compared to LSU's joke calendar. They start the season with 8 home games against teams that will all almost certainly finish in the bottom 150 of the RPI. It's almost like they're 0-0 so far.

13 - If Leo Lyons played 35 mpg like most big time players, you'd hear his name all the time. His 19 ppg and 7 rpg already look good enough, but are amazing considering he plays 24 mpg. He basically averages 30 points and 11 boards per 40 minutes.

14 - I don't watch enough Colorado State basketball (or his old NDSU teams) to know exactly how good a coach Tim Miles is, but he sure gives a good interview. This guy has a future.

15 - If not for Jack McClinton getting tossed from Miami's loss to OSU, the ACC might have finished 9-2 against the Big Ten. As it is, an 8-3 or 7-4 win is likely.

16 - IF UNC's bench (including Green & Davis when Ginyard & Hansbrough return) played as a separate team, I wonder how far they'd go in the NCAA Tournament?

17 - It will be unfortunate when UNC rips MSU apart on prime time TV tomorrow night. The Spartans were one of my teams heading into the season, but I dont see them coming close tomorrow. I've been wrong before though.

18 - Lowly NJIT had a chance over the weekend to finally win a game for the first time in almost two years, but blew a half-time lead against Monmouth. In two home games, they've lost by over 20 each time, but St. Peter's on November 10th could be the day the streak ends. For their sake, I hope it happens.

19 - I mentioned this on the message board, but Charlotte's had some rough luck so far. They've lost a game in double-OT, OT, by 1 point due to a late three, and another game by 1 point. All those losses add up to a disappointing 1-6 start for coach Lutz.

20 - There was an actual Zane Johnson sighting Tuesday night. The Arizona soph averaged a whopping 1 ppg in his 18 game career before blowing up for 18 against LMU. This was a consensus Top 150 product.

- Think I'm an idiot? Then prove your stuff in CHN's new Weekly Pickem Game.