In-Season Tournaments

College Hoops Tuesday Recap: Buckeyes Blow Out Duke

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:24:41 -0800

The game between #3 Duke and #2 Ohio State was a matchup expected to be a barnburner throughout. But in runs to begin and end the first half, the Buckeyes made a case to their fans and a national television audience that they should be mentioned in the same breath as Kentucky and North Carolina when talking about early favorites to win the national title. Thad Matta's team opened the game on an 11-0 run and finished the half with an 11-2 run on their way to the 85-63 win at Value City Arena, and four of their five starters finished in double figures.

Jared Sullinger scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds while William Buford added 20, and Buford would combine with Aaron Craft (17 points, eight assists) to score nine of Ohio State's first eleven points (Sullinger scored the other two). Duke would fight their way back into the game thanks in large part to freshman guard Austin Rivers, who finished with a game-high 22 points and three assists. Rivers was able to get to the basket with a variety of moves while also knocking down perimeter shots but when the time came for his teammates to step up they were unable to, and that's a credit to the Buckeyes.

"We couldn't hit a shot," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzweski. "Their defense was outstanding and then they got hot. They can score from a number of different positions. They had a great crowd, they had a lot going for them and they took advantage of everything."

Mason Plumlee played well for the Blue Devils as he finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, but the other three starters combined for just seven points (all scored by Seth Curry). Not only were Andre Dawkins and Ryan Kelly scoreless but they took just three shots combined, and few teams much less one the caliber of Duke can win big games with that happening. As a team Duke shot 47% on the night but made just three of fifteen shots from beyond the arc, a far cry from Ohio State's 8-for-14 night.

As for the run to end the first half, Deshaun Thomas was a big factor as he scored Ohio State's final nine points to push the margin out to 19 (47-28) at the intermission. Thomas finished with 18 points, scoring 13 of those in the final 7:41 of the first half. In pulling away the Buckeyes outscored Duke 10-0 in second-chance points in the first half, and they would lead by as many as 24 in the second half. While many will look to jump on the backs of the Blue Devils as a result of the big loss, more energy should be spent crediting Ohio State for their play.

"This team is still so young at times I don't know what to expect from them," said Matta. "There's a lot of uncertainty going into games like this, so I'm always excited to see how we respond. Our guys played to their strengths tonight which is a credit to them."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Virginia defends their home floor and beats Michigan.
It's still early but what a difference a year makes for Tony Bennett's Virginia Cavaliers, especially defensively. Last season the Cavaliers ranked 11th in the ACC in points allowed per possession, and their field goal percentage defense finished in the same spot. Through seven games this season Virginia leads the ACC in points allowed per possession and rank second in the conference in field goal percentage defense. Michigan shot 44% on Tuesday night but with Tim Hardaway Jr. limited to just five points the Wolverines fell 70-58 in Charlottesville. Michigan's offensive efficiency was 12 points below their season average as a result of Virginia's packline defense, and offensively Joe Harris and Mike Scott scored 18 points apiece to lead the way. Virginia moved to 6-1 on the season, and has the look of a team that can challenge for a possible NCAA Tournament berth.

2. Don't read too much into Saint Louis' loss at Loyola Marymount.
Saint Louis, fresh off of winning the 76 Classic over the holiday weekend, took on the test of playing a road game against a well-rested team in playing their fourth game in six days. LaRon Armstead scored a game-high 22 points and Anthony Ireland (17 points) made some big shots late to lead LMU to the 75-68 win at Gersten Pavilion. Cody Ellis led SLU with 18 points off the bench, but the fact that they turned the ball over 15 times (24.6% of their possessions) proved to be too much to overcome. Did fatigue play a role in the outcome? It likely did for a team that while talented has been out on the road for a week. So try not to make too big of a deal about this loss because there's plenty of time left in the season for a team that's proven itself to be a viable NCAA Tournament candidate. Plus, this isn't the first time LMU has beaten a ranked opponent this season (UCLA).

3. Arizona's freshman guards step up in a good win at New Mexico State.
Make no mistake about the fact that Arizona's short trip east to take on New Mexico State was a dangerous one, and given how the Wildcats began their last game (a home loss to San Diego State) it would have been easy to expect the Aggies to win. But Sean Miller's team rose to the challenge, winning 83-76 thanks in part to good nights from freshman guards Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner. Johnson scored a game-high 19 points in his first start of the season and Turner added 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals off the bench. With Kyle Fogg and Jordin Mayes quiet for much of the night it's likely a safe assumption that Arizona loses if not for their freshmen. The consistent Jesse Perry posted another double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Solomon Hill scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds to carry the load in the frontcourt. The reconfigured starting lineup avoided the slow start, and as a result Arizona picked up a solid road victory.

Quick Hitters

1. For a team that some thought could be an NCAA Tournament possibility out of the Big Ten, things sure have gone downhill for the Iowa Hawkeyes. They were ice cold from the field in a 71-55 loss to Clemson at home, shooting 28.6% from the field and scoring 20 points in the first half. Fran McCaffery's team has lost three of their last four, with all three losses being by 16 points or more.

2. Perry Jones III made his return to the floor at Baylor and it was a triumphant one as the Bears rolled Prairie View A&M 90-54. Jones finished the game with 27 points and six rebounds, but Pierre Jackson's line may be the eye-opener. 17 points and eight assists off the bench for Jackson, who turned the ball over just two times. It's been said many times: if the Bears can get solid backcourt play to go with their deep and talented front line, look out.

3. Harvard might have the best team in the Ivy League, but the best point guard in the league is Penn senior Zack Rosen. Rosen scored a team-high 20 points and dished out five assists in the Quakers' 75-72 win over Manhattan to move to 4-4 on the season.

4. Life without Demetri McCamey has gotten off to a very good start for Illinois, who moved to 7-0 with a 71-62 win at Maryland. The big reason why: the steady play of Bradley transfer Sam Maniscalco, who scored a team-high 24 points to lead the way.

5. As if things weren't going bad enough for UMBC, the 0-6 Retrievers learned that senior point guard Chris De La Rosa was leaving the team for personal and family-related matters. He played in just one game this season, but De La Rosa accounted for nearly a quarter of UMBC's field goals and more than half their assists in 2010-11.

6. Oregon lost another freshman with the announcement that Bruce Barron decided to leave the team. But the departures of he and Jabari Brown opens the door minutes-wide for the remaining players, and Johnathan Loyd took advantage to the tune of a career-high 24 points in the Ducks' 64-59 win over UTEP.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Wendell McKines (New Mexico State)
28 points (10-18 FG) and 10 rebounds in the Aggies' 83-76 loss to Arizona.

2. F Perry Jones III (Baylor)
27 points (10-14 FG) and six rebounds in the Bears' 90-54 win over Prairie View A&M.

3. F John Shurna (Northwestern)
25 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and three steals in the Wildcats' 76-60 win over Georgia Tech.

College Hoops Sunday Recap: Atlantic 10 Earns Two Titles

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:06:47 -0800

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Notable Happenings

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

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

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

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

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

Quick Hitters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three Notable Performances

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

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

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

College Hoops Saturday Recap: UNLV Hands Tar Heels First Loss

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:48:13 -0800

Just one day after a Top 5 team (Connecticut) suffered its first loss of the season, the nation's top-ranked team fell in the title game of the Las Vegas Invitational. North Carolina (5-1) fell 90-80 to UNLV (7-0) in a game that featured two standout performances from forwards...and neither played for the team with the frontcourt that many judged to be the nation's best. Mike Moser scored 16 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and dished out six assists while Chace Stanback scored a game-high 28 to go along with ten caroms to help first-year head coach remain undefeated at his alma mater. As a team the Rebels out-reounded North Carolina 48-39, grabbing 14 offensive boards and outscoring the Tar Heels 20-6 in second-chance points.

"I would like to congratulate coach Rice and his team," stated UNC head coach Roy Williams. "They did a nice job. We could never get our focus offensively the entire game. What killed us, they got 20 points on offensive rebounds to our six."

The rebounding and second-chance points stats were just two areas where North Carolina left much to be desired. Another: shot selection, specifically the ones that weren't set up in the open floor by Kendall Marshall. Marshall finished with eight of North Carolina's 14 assists and they shot just 42.4% from the field for the game, including 30.6% in the second half. The judicious shot selection that pushed the Heels out to a 42-38 halftime lead disappeared, opening the door for UNLV to not only take the lead but pull away. North Carolina assisted on half of their made field goals, a far cry from their assist percentage average for the season of 63.8%.

An important note about Marshall's stat line is that six of those assists came in the first half. As the defense of Oscar Bellfield (16 points, nine assists) and Anthony Marshall (13 points) improved the Rebels as a team took off, as they effectively neutralized the "straw" that stirs the drink for UNC. Harrison Barnes and P.J. Hairston scored 15 points apiece for the Tar Heels, but Barnes made just six of his sixteen shots on the night. And Tyler Zeller struggled mightily inside, making just one of his six shot attempts and scoring five points. UNLV did a better job of not only making shots in the second half (47%) but also creating the good looks, assisting on 13 of their 18 field goals.

"I was surprised about a lot of things we didn't do," said Williams. "We have to be stronger with the basketball. We have to guard the basketball better. We never did get the flow going. We have to be whole lot more patient."

Another tie that binds UNLV forwards Moser and Stanback is that they are both transfers from UCLA, which probably poured salt in the wounds of fans who also watched their Bruins lose 50-0 to rival USC on the gridiron. But UCLA's loss is UNLV's gain, and this experienced group is more than capable of building on Saturday night's performance. But they have to remain hungry due to the tough games that are on the schedule between now and Christmas. By the time that holiday rolls around the Rebels will have played UCSB, Wichita State, Wisconsin and Illinois (United Center) on the road and California two days before Christmas. How big of a threat is UNLV nationally? We won't know for sure until Christmas, but Saturday night sure was a step in the right direction.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Ryan Boatright makes an immediate impact in his first regular game as a Husky.
Freshman Ryan Boatright had to sit out the first six games of the season due to an NCAA suspension, and his absence hamstrung Connecticut in regards to their perimeter depth. When Shabazz Napier needed a rest at the point the option more times than not was Jeremy Lamb, as they didn't have another solid option to handle the duties. Boatright's return became that much more important against Florida State on Saturday as he scored 14 points and handed out three assists in the Huskies' 78-76 overtime win over Florida State. He also made three free throws in the final seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime, and there were occasions throughout the game in which UConn went with all three guards on the floor at the same time. Could this become something that Jim Calhoun calls on consistently? That remains to be seen, but at the very least the return of Boatright allows UConn to be more versatile on the perimeter.

2. Harvard slows down UCF in the first half on their way to the Battle 4 Atlantis crown.
The title game wasn't the matchup expected (UConn/Florida State), but it did offer a solid matchup between teams with designs on getting to the NCAA Tournament this season. Harvard took a good step in that direction in the Bahamas, leaving with the tournament crown as a result of their 59-49 win over UCF. The Knights shot just 25% from the field in the first half and they went into the break trailing 33-18, a margin that proved too big to overcome in the second half. Keith Wright combined to score 27 points and grab 17 rebounds and the Harvard frontcourt did a good job of slowing down UCF's Keith Clanton, who scored 12 points on 4-for-16 shooting from the field. Harvard outscored UCF 23-8 at the foul line, helping to make up for the 17 offensive boards they allowed on the day. With their best remaining non-conference game being a trip to UConn next month, to leave the Bahamas with the tournament crown is a very good result for Tommy Amaker's team.

3. Iowa State explodes in the second half to win the South Padre Island Invitational.
Fred Hoiberg's Cyclones capped a productive trip to South Padre Island with an impressive second half in their 90-63 win over Rice, scoring 53 points while limiting the Owls to 45% shooting on their two-point shots. One other thing about Iowa State: they can shoot, and the Cyclones made 14 of their 29 three-point attempts as they outscored Rice by 30 points (42-12) from distance. Penn State transfer Chris Babb led the way with 26 points (seven three-pointers) and Tyrus McGee led three other Cyclones in double figures with 17. Iowa State also out-rebounded Rice 46-31 with Melvin Ejim grabbing 11 boards to lead the way. The team many were concerned with due to the number of transfers is off to a 5-1 start, and while there may be slip-ups along the way the Cyclones could very well be a sleeper in the Big 12.

Quick Hitters

1. There will be concern as the season wears on about how St. John's will deal with their lack of depth. The Red Storm looked to run out of gas in the second half of their 73-64 loss to Northeastern, and if the Johnnies don't gain the services of at the very least Amir Garrett come December it could be a tough ride through the Big East.

2. Wisconsin won the Chicago Invitational with a 73-56 win over BYU, limiting the Cougars to 36% shooting from the field and 24 points in the second half. Ben Brust made seven of his ten three-point attempts on the night and Jordan Taylor added 18 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

3. For all the talk regarding where UNLV should be ranked come Monday, some may want to take a look at fellow Mountain West member San Diego State. The Aztecs moved to 7-1 on the season with a 76-75 win at UCSB, capping a week that began with the snapping of Arizona's 22-game home win streak.

4. Isaiah Canaan scored 36 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Murray State's 90-81 double overtime win over Southern Miss to win the Great Alaska Shootout. Three other Racers reached double figures, and this tournament win (and 7-0 record) is a good start for first-year head coach Steve Prohm.

5. Reason why people were told to calm down on the at-large talk concerning Long Beach State: there's a lot of basketball to be played between now and Selection Sunday. The 49ers fell 73-71 at Montana, and while the Grizzlies are expected to contend in the Big Sky this defeat (and the one at San Diego State) are exactly why one can't put the cart before the horse.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Chace Stanback and F Mike Moser (UNLV)
Stanback scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed ten rebounds while Moser posted a line of 16 points, 18 rebounds and six assists in the Runnin' Rebels 90-80 win over North Carolina.

2. F Marshall Bjorklund (North Dakota State)
27 points (12-15 FG), 13 rebounds and three assists in the Sioux's 78-65 win over Fresno State. NDSU is 6-0 to start the season.

3. G Devon Saddler (Delaware)
32 points, four rebounds and three assists in the Blue Hens' 81-78 win over Lafayette.

College Hoops Sunday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:56:47 -0800

The title game of the Old Spice Classic may not be the kind of matchup that leads off SportsCenter like say, North Carolina/Kentucky next week, but it is a contest that we could look back on in March when discussing tournament resumes. Dayton (4-1) and Minnesota (6-0) meet in the title game, with both surviving a pair of close games to reach this point. First-year head coach Archie Miller took over the Dayton program for the departed Brian Gregory (now the head coach at Georgia Tech), and the hope is that he can take the Flyers to the tournament (NCAA) that's eluded them in each of the previous two seasons.

Dayton's got a good mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers as well, with Paul Williams (12.6 ppg) and Chris Johnson (10.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg) being two of the scorers they call on. The Flyers have four starters averaging double figures, but the fifth will likely be a key player against the Golden Gophers. Matt Kavanaugh (8.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg) is averaging 12.0 rebounds per game in Orlando, and he scored 15 points in the quarterfinal win over Wake Forest. Kavanaugh and Josh Benson will need to be factors on the defensive end at the very least, but the athleticism of the Minnesota frontcourt has to be a concern.

Trevor Mbakwe (14.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and Ralph Sampson III (7.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) are the two who initially come to mind, with the explosive Mbakwe a tough matchup for most teams due to both his strength and athletic ability. But Mbakwe is the only insanely athletic frontcourt player that Tubby Smith has in the starting lineup. Rodney Williams has the ability to turn opponents into supporting "actors" in highlight films, and if he can ever become a more consistent player look out. The question for Dayton's big men is a simple one: can they at the least control the rules of engagement in the paint? A match of sheer athleticism could get Kavanaugh and Josh Benson in trouble.

Guard play will always be important, and with both teams breaking in new point guards this could end up being the difference. Southern Illinois transfer Kevin Dillard leads Dayton in scoring and he's averaging 13.5 points per game in Orlando, but he's also averaging four turnovers per contest this weekend. For Minnesota Andre and Austin Hollins (not related) are two key figures on the perimeter, and both are either at or close to two turnovers per game on the season.

The Golden Gophers have been slightly worse at turning the ball over with a percentage of 22% (Dayton comes in with a turnover percentage of 20%), but they're the better of the two teams at forcing turnovers. Points off turnovers and how well Dayton does at keeping Minnesota off the offensive boards (offensive rebounding percentage of 42%) will more than likely determine who wins the Old Spice Classic.

The 76 Classic will also crown its champion on Sunday as Oklahoma takes on Saint Louis. Both teams have put together solid starts to their respective seasons, with both posting impressive wins in their first two games in the event. Kwamain Mitchell (Saint Louis) and Steven Pledger (Oklahoma) will be two of the key figures, and SLU leading scorer Brian Conklin will look to bounce back from his first single-digit scoring performance of the season. Saint Louis could be an NCAA Tournament team while Lon Kruger looks to rebuild a program that took a hit from the NCAA, but a win would represent a nice step in the right direction for either team.

Butler visits Indiana with the improved Hoosiers showing further signs of growth by the game. The question for the Bulldogs is how efficient can they be offensively. Their offensive efficiency of 96.3 sits in the middle of the Horizon League, a sure sign that life without Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard hasn't been easy to get used to in that regard. Andrew Smith and Khyle Marshall are two of the players Brad Stevens will need more offensive production from, along with Chrishawn Hopkins and perimeter shooter Chase Stigall.

Butler allows just 60 points per game, so they will make Indiana work for everything they get, but this Indiana team is far better equipped to deal with tough defenses. Freshman Cody Zeller (14.6 ppg) leads five Hoosiers in double figures, and sophomore Victor Oladipo is one of the toughest defenders in the Big Ten to shed. Verdell Jones III, Will Sheehey and Christian Watford are all in double figures as well, and Tom Crean's club has been far more efficient on offense this season. Tends to happen with an infusion of talent like the one Indiana received with their 2011 recruiting class.

VCU could strike a much-needed blow for the CAA in their trip to Alabama, Notre Dame plays their first game without Tim Abromaitis (torn ACL) and don't be surprised if Robert Morris happens to scare Pittsburgh at the Petersen Events Center.

Top 25 Games
9:30 PM VCU at (13) Alabama (ESPNU)
5:00 PM Robert Morris at (16) Pittsburgh (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Binghamton at (21) Missouri (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
11:30 AM Texas Tech vs. Wake Forest* (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Hofstra vs. Boston University*
12:00 PM Michigan State at Eastern Michigan (ESPNU)
12:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast at Loyola (MD)
1:00 PM Chicago State at Illinois (BTN)
1:30 PM UC Riverside vs. Washington State* (ESPN3)
2:00 PM DePaul vs. Arizona State* (ESPNU)
2:00 PM Bryant at Notre Dame
2:00 PM West Alabama vs. Princeton*
2:00 PM Temple at Bowling Green
2:00 PM Holy Cross at Maine
2:00 PM Calumet College at Ball State
2:00 PM Brown at Sacred Heart
2:30 PM Cleveland State at Rhode Island
2:30 PM North Texas at Mississippi State
3:00 PM American University at Cornell
3:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Chattanooga
3:00 PM Georgia Southern at SMU
3:00 PM Cameron at UTSA
3:05 PM Bethune-Cookman at Illinois State
4:00 PM Tennessee-Martin at UAB
4:00 PM Boston College vs. New Mexico* (ESPNU)
4:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Albany
4:00 PM Eastern Kentucky at Norfolk State
4:00 PM Victory University at USC Upstate
4:30 PM Morehead State at Bucknell
4:30 PM Indiana State vs. Fairfield* (ESPN2)
4:35 PM UC Davis at Eastern Washington
5:00 PM NW Oklahoma St at Texas State
5:00 PM Wilberforce at Tennessee Tech
5:30 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Portland State
6:00 PM St. Bonaventure at Virginia Tech (ESPN3)
6:30 PM Villanova vs. Santa Clara* (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Butler at Indiana (BTN)
7:00 PM Minnesota vs. Dayton* (ESPN2)
7:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Navy
7:00 PM San Francisco St. at Saint Mary's
7:00 PM San Diego at Tulane
9:00 PM Saint Louis vs. Oklahoma* (ESPN2)
9:00 PM Louisiana Tech at Wyoming
9:30 PM Jacksonville State vs. Weber State*

Jon Teitel's 2k Sports Classic Observations

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:55:03 -0800

Last week, CHN writer Jon Teitel took in the action at the 2K Sports Classic Benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer at Madison Square Garden. He took down some observations in all four games of the event, which was won by Mississippi State.

Texas A&M vs. Mississippi State

- There were only about 500 people present for tip-off, so it was eerily quiet.
- The highlight was the great cameos by some basketball legends. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dropped by to receive some recognition for his work to fight cancer, while Pete Carril and Jim Phelan received the Lapchick Award.
- The Aggies were missing their leading scorer Khris Middleton due to injury, so they struggled to find an offensive punch in his absence. Elston Turner turned it on late in the first half and finished with a team-high 13 points, while Dash Harris fouled out after shooting 1-8 from the field.
- The Bulldogs hoped to use their size up front with the tag-team of 6'11" Arnett Moultrie and 6'10" Renardo Sidney, but they combined to shoot 2-for-16 from the field. Dee Bost had a game-high 20 points and four steals, but had some occasional sloppy play and seemed to force a lot of his shots. Mississippi State got out to a 31-9 lead after 10 minutes of action due to making each of their first five shots from behind the arc, then let the Aggies creep back into the game by not making another three-pointer until the final three minutes of the game.
- Best post-game quote from Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury: "Rodney Hood is as level-headed as any freshman I have ever had."

St. John's vs. Arizona

- Even though this was a late tip-off (9:35PM EST), the crowd had increased to about 5,000 people who cheered on the hometown team.
- Due to some eligibility issues the Red Storm only had eight guys on its roster and used a seven-man rotation. They like to run and do a good job of hitting the boards. Nurideen Lindsey is an athletic point guard who is good at getting into the lane, but his seven turnovers almost equaled that of the entire Arizona team, and his fifth foul with four minutes left took a lot of steam out of the Storm. Half of the roster are freshmen, and three of them scored in double digits (Phil Greene, Moe Harkless and D'Angelo Harrison). Despite their youth, St. John's was able to withstand an early nine-point deficit and make a nice 17-4 run midway through the 2nd half to take a 66-58 lead with seven minutes to play.
- The Wildcats came out strong by making five three-pointers in the first seven minutes. Bronx native and recovering shooting victim Kevin Parrom got a big ovation after checking into the game and earned more applause after making his first shot from beyond the arc. Arizona had five different players make at least two three-pointers, and their long-range shooting was the key to their victory. They have two impact freshmen of their own (Josiah Turner and Nick Johnson) who combined to score 19 points (which included a sensational alley-oop). The Cats' interior defense fell apart a bit in the 2nd half, but back-to-back timeouts by Coach Sean Miller got them back on track, and they finished the game on a 23-6 run to seal the win.
- Best post-game quote from Coach Miller: "I cannot understate the importance of Kevin Parrom, which is why I am excited about our future."

Texas A&M vs. St. John's

- This turned out to be the most exciting game of the tournament. The Aggies got out to a huge rebounding advantage (23-9 at halftime), as Kourtney Roberson came off the bench to grab 11 boards in only 19 minutes.
- Ray Turner almost became the goat after fouling Lindsey with two seconds left in a 58-57 game, but Lindsey missed both free throws as the Red Storm crowd groaned its disapproval. Lavin called Lindsey over before the free throws, and told him to "get some lift in the legs and use the fingertips for touch, as well as to have fun with it." St. John's could not blame the refs for the loss, as they ended up with a 38-3 free throw advantage, which is about as one-sided a stat as I have ever seen in a basketball game.
- Best post-game quote from Coach Kennedy: "I have never been in a situation with that big a free throw discrepancy, so we were blessed to get a win."

Arizona vs. Mississippi State

- The worst shooting display of the week was by a large Arizona fan in a shooting contest during a break in the action, as he missed ten straight layups in a 24-second span. Simply pathetic!! The Wildcats' undersized frontcourt kept them in the game. 6'7" Jesse Perry did a little of everything en route to his fourth double-double in five games, and 6'6" Solomon Hill constantly got to the rim while ending up with 12 points and nine rebounds. After shooting 21 free throws the previous night, the Cats did not make a free throw until there were eight minutes remaining in the game.
- Moultrie celebrated his 21st birthday in a big way with 19 points and 10 rebounds in only 25 minutes (8-9 FG, 3-3 FT), a beautiful alley-oop, and an MVP trophy to bring back to Starkville. Sidney was effective early before coming out midway through the first half with an injured hand. He later came back in after bandaging it up, but only ended up playing 20 minutes. Bost lost his shooting touch from the previous night (3-12 FG), but he played 38 minutes and his six assists almost matched the entire Arizona team. The Wildcats got as close as 57-55 in the final five minutes before the Bulldogs scored 10 straight points to win the title.

College Hoops Friday Recap: Huskies, Seminoles Fall in Bahamas

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 13:51:04 -0800

Prevailing wisdom had Florida State and Connecticut playing on Saturday in the title game of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. Well, they'll be playing on Saturday...but with third place on the line as both lost their semifinal games in disappointing fashion. The Huskies looked to be in good shape as they held a 50-33 lead on UCF early in the second half, despite a lackluster shooting performance from Jeremy Lamb. But it was almost as if UConn turned off their "power source", and the Knights took full advantage.

Marcus Jordan scored 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists to lead a comeback that resulted in a 68-63 win, and Keith Clanton scored 20 as well. UConn couldn't score and they couldn't stop the Knights either, and the defensive side of the floor is where they ultimately lost the game. UCF shot 46% in the second half after making just a third of their shots in the first 20 minutes, outscoring UConn 39-25. The Huskies were nowhere near as efficient offensively as they were in the first half, but simply put if they string a couple stops together the comeback is likely stunted.

"I can't be more disappointed in how we played," said UConn head coach Jim Calhoun after the game. "We just stopped playing. We couldn't even get the ball inbounded near the end. Nobody stepped up and it was a complete disaster for us."

Florida State's loss to Harvard could also be described as disastrous, but for what happened with them offensively. There's no disguising the fact that the Seminoles have their issues offensively, and despite those issues Leonard Hamilton's team reached the Sweet 16 last season. But things may have gotten worse for FSU, as in their 46-41 loss to the Crimson they finished with a offensive efficiency of 66.1.

Michael Snaer led the way with ten points but it wasn't enough to earn the win, setting up the third-place battle between the Seminoles and Connecticut. The good news for UConn is that Ryan Boatright (NCAA suspension) makes his season debut, giving them another ball-handler in the backcourt. That's something they need to help out Shabazz Napier, who turned the ball over seven times against UCF and will need someone to relieve some of the workload he's been given. Can the Huskies defend better? Can FSU shoot better? The answers will determine the outcome.

Other Notable Happenings

1. The Atlantic 10 will have two teams playing for championships on Sunday night.
Annually the talk regarding the Atlantic 10 from a national point of view has centered around Xavier and Temple, and rightfully so given the success of those two programs. But if early returns are any indication on the strength of the conference, there will be more for the rest of the country to pay attention to. After wins on Friday, Dayton (Old Spice Classic) and Saint Louis (76 Classic) will play for the title in those events on Sunday. Dayton shot just 36% from the field but Archie Miller's team turned the ball over just nine times and outscored Fairfield by 15 points from beyond the arc in their 56-49 win over the Stags. As for Saint Louis, Jordair Jett scored 19 points off the bench and the Billikens neutralized everyone outside of Maalik Wayns and James Bell in their 80-68 win over Villanova. Both have winnable matchups on Sunday, with Dayton playing Minnesota and Saint Louis taking on Oklahoma, and that's a good development for the conference in regards to possible rewards in March.

2. Oklahoma remains undefeated and looks to be a better basketball team.
A long rebuilding process was expected for Oklahoma when Lon Kruger took over the program in the off-season. Not much in the cupboard talent-wise along with NCAA sanctions made many think that though could be a rough campaign for the Sooners. But if there's one thing (among many) that Kruger can do it's rebuild programs, and the Sooners look to be on the right track with their 4-0 start. Oklahoma limited Santa Clara to 26% shooting in the first half and took a 42-19 lead into the break on their way to an 85-73 win. Steven Pledger scored 26 points and three other Sooners reached double figures, but the biggest differences between this team and the last two seasons are the effort on the defensive end and their unselfishness. It's still going to be a process for Oklahoma, and there will likely be disappointments along the way, but the Sooners are putting together a solid foundation.

3. Kris Joseph takes over late, allowing Syracuse to rally past Stanford.
Johnny Dawkins' Stanford Cardinal put forth an impressive battle in the title game of the NIT Season Tip-Off, leading favored Syracuse for much of the first 30 minutes. But the Orange went their full-court pressure and senior Kris Joseph scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half as they won 69-63. Could Joseph be the go-to guy that so many have looked for on this deep team? Friday was certainly a good start in that regard, but the two games in NYC were also good for sophomores C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters. They scored ten points apiece with Waiters adding three assists and three steals, and both were named to the All-Tournament Team as a result. Joseph can be considered a known commodity but for Fair and Waiters to begin their seasons in this fashion is a good sign of things to come, especially in March.

Quick Hitters

1. What's up with Rider? A team some thought could be a factor for third in the MAAC is 1-5 following an 86-69 loss to James Madison in the Philly Hoop Group Classic. The Dukes outscored the Broncs 48-31 in the second half, shooting 60% from the field in the final 20 minutes.

2. Southern Miss out-rebounded New Mexico State 38-26 and limited the Aggies to 41.7% shooting in their 80-72 win in a Great Alaska Shootout semifinal. LaShay Page scored 22 points to lead the Golden Eagles, who play Murray State in the title game.

3. Kendall Marshall scored just four points in North Carolina's 87-62 win over South Carolina, but his true value can be seen in his 14 assists and six steals. As long as he's on the floor the Tar Heels are going to be extremely difficult to slow down.

4. Marshall picked up a good road win as they beat Cincinnati 73-69 in overtime. Damier Pitts came up big late for the Thundering Herd, picked by many to be Memphis' chief competition in Conference USA. As for the Bearcats, this makes that loss to Presbyterian even costlier.

5. Good luck trying to slow down the Florida Gators. In their 107-62 win over Jacksonville five Gators reached double figures with Kenny Boynton (22 points) and Erving Walker (21) combining to score 43 points. Florida has made ten or more three-pointers in each of their games this season.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
31 points and 11 rebounds in the Bluejays' 104-81 win over Campbell.

2. G Reggie Hamilton (Oakland) and G Isiah Williams (Utah Valley)
In the Golden Grizzlies' 89-83 win over Utah Valley Hamilton scored 34 points (five assists, five steals and three rebounds) while Williams paced the Wolverines with 35 of his own (three rebounds, three assists).

3. F Patrick Heckmann (Boston College)
32 points and five rebounds in the Eagles' 66-62 win over UC Riverside.

College Hoops Saturday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 07:56:02 -0800

The championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational provides undefeated UNLV (6-0) with not only a great opportunity but also a great measuring stick, as they take on #1 North Carolina (5-0) at the Orleans Arena. The Rebels fought off a USC team that may not be long on talent but they do make you earn everything, and UNC wasn't challenged much by South Carolina in the nightcap. Whether or not Dave Rice's team can beat the Tar Heels likely depends on the play of their most recent UCLA transfer, forward Mike Moser (15.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, 3.2 spg). The versatile Oregon native can play either inside or out for UNLV, and his start after sitting out a transfer year has been quite the boost for an experienced UNLV team.

Another consequence of Moser's arrival has been the move of senior Chace Stanback (11.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg) to the more natural "three" after playing a lot of time at the "four" last season. Completing the starting frontcourt is senior Brice Massamba, and Quintrell Thomas is called upon off the bench to supply defense and rebounding. On the season UNLV has a rebounding margin of plus-7.4, and while they haven't played a team with the size that UNC brings to the table the Rebels are active enough to at the very least hold their own on the glass. What UNLV can do on the offensilve glass will be key because the more they force the Heels to stay in and hit the boards, the fewer opportunities Kendall Marshall will have to get out and run.

Marshall dished out 13 assists in the win over South Carolina, and over his last four games the sophomore has 51 assists and just eight turnovers. He makes very good decisions with the basketball and keeps Roy Williams' team running at a highly efficient rate (117.6 efficiency, 1.18 points/possession), and with their surplus of scorers it will be tough for anyone to completely shut them down. However, UNLV has some good perimeter defenders, which will allow Rice to choose among a few options to guard Marshall. He could go with either Oscar Bellfield or Anthony Marshall for a more "conventional" matchup, and the long-armed Justin Hawkins wouldn't be a bad choice either (tip of the cap to Ryan Greene of HeyReb.com for that last option).

Harrison Barnes (17.8 ppg), John Henson (16.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.4 bpg) and Tyler Zeller (15.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) are the three main options for North Carolina offensively, and reserves Reggie Bullock, P.J. Hairston and James Michael McAdoo have all been producitve off the bench. Hawkins and Kendall Wallace will be key for UNLV tonight off the bench, because while it may be tough to ask them (and Quintrell Thomas) to keep even in the bench scoring department they at least need to keep within striking distance in that statistical category.

Lastly, this is a matchup that fans of tempo-free stats will like, because due to the pace at which the game will likely be played pointing at the basic numbers (points scored and allowed) won't be the best way to judge what's happening. Both teams are limiting opponents to an offensive efficiency below 90 thus far, and UNLV has forced a turnover on 25% of their opponents' possessions through six games. The UNC fans traveled well but this will likely be a road game in regards to the atmosphere, making it a very good challenge as they get closer to the showdown in Lexington.

Also on tap is the championship game in the Battle 4 Atlantis, a matchup between Harvard and UCF. Both picked up wins over teams expected to play in this game (Florida State and UConn), and this shapes up to be a good matchup. Keith Wright and Kyle Casey make up a formidable frontcourt tandem for the Crimson, but in UCF's Keith Clanton they'll be faced with a versatile big man who can attack either inside or out. In that third place game it will be an interesting contrast with regards to what went wrong yesterday: Florida State couldn't score and UConn couldn't defend. Both will look to get off the island with a 2-1 record, and just as important will be the way in which that goal is reached.

Out west there's the title game of the Great Alaska Shootout between Southern Miss and Murray State, but the big one has to be San Diego State's trip north to take on UCSB. In Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally the Gauchos have one of the best perimeter tandems around, and SDSU has started the season 6-1 with their most recent win coming at Arizona. Santa Clara walked into UCSB's gym earlier this season and walked out with an 89-56 loss, so this will be a significant challenge for Steve Fisher's team. Wisconsin takes on BYU in the Chicago Invitational, and Denver will get a big test at Cal this evening. And if you're anywhere near Towson, the President will be there watching his brother-in-law's Oregon State Beavers take on the Tigers. Be sure to arrive early.

Top 25 Games
10:30 PM UNLV vs. (1) North Carolina* (ESPN2)
7:00 PM Portland at (2) Kentucky (ESPN3)
2:00 PM (20) Florida State vs. (4) Connecticut* (Versus)
8:00 PM (11) Wisconsin vs. Brigham Young*
5:00 PM Denver at (18) California
4:00 PM Western Michigan vs. (19) Gonzaga* (Root NW)
4:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at (24) Texas A&M

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Wofford vs. Prairie View A&M*
12:00 PM Coppin State at Purdue
1:00 PM Chowan at East Carolina
1:00 PM Siena at Vermont
1:00 PM IPFW at Iowa
1:00 PM Pepperdine at UTSA
2:00 PM William & Mary at Howard
2:00 PM Lafayette at Delaware
2:00 PM Western Carolina vs. Florida A&M*
2:00 PM Oregon State at Towson (ESPN3)
2:00 PM South Dakota State at Nebraska
2:00 PM Davidson at North Carolina-Wilmington
2:00 PM Milligan at Appalachian State
2:00 PM Hartford at Central Connecticut State
2:00 PM Columbia at Manhattan
2:00 PM Princeton vs. Morehead State*
2:00 PM Chadron State at Nebraska-Omaha
2:00 PM Youngstown State at Saint Francis (PA)
2:00 PM St. Francis (NY) at NJIT
2:30 PM Cleveland State vs. Hofstra*
2:30 PM Morgan State vs. Tennessee State*
3:00 PM Western Illinois at North Dakota
3:00 PM Harding at Louisiana-Monroe
3:30 PM UMKC vs. Longwood*
3:30 PM Penn State at Saint Joseph's
4:00 PM UC Irvine vs. Alaska Anchorage*
4:00 PM Fordham at Loyola (IL) (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Barber-Scotia at North Carolina Central
4:00 PM Miami (OH) at Southeast Missouri State
4:00 PM Northeastern at St. John's (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Delaware State at Wagner
4:00 PM Central Pennsylvania College at Winthrop
4:30 PM West Alabama at Bucknell
4:30 PM Harvard vs. UCF* (Versus)
4:30 PM Rider vs. La Salle* (TCN)
4:30 PM Northern Colorado vs. Southern University*
5:00 PM Boston University at Rhode Island
5:00 PM South Carolina State at Kennesaw State
5:00 PM Eastern Illinois at Central Arkansas
5:00 PM Cal Poly vs. Mississippi Valley State*
5:00 PM Gardner-Webb vs. Savannah State*
5:30 PM San Diego vs. Alcorn State*
5:30 PM Bradley vs. Nevada*
6:00 PM Dartmouth vs. Central Michigan*
6:30 PM Portland State vs. Louisiana Tech*
7:00 PM Florida Atlantic at South Florida
7:00 PM Texas Southern at IUPUI
7:00 PM James Madison at Pennsylvania (TCN)
7:00 PM Massachusetts vs. Charleston* (HDNet)
7:00 PM Yale at Army
7:00 PM Detroit at Akron
7:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at Duquesne
7:00 PM Citadel at High Point
7:00 PM Colgate at Marist
7:00 PM Illinois-Chicago at Toledo
7:00 PM Charlotte at Wright State
7:30 PM Iowa State vs. Rice* (CBSSN)
7:30 PM Coastal Carolina at Florida International
7:30 PM Liberty at Georgia State
7:30 PM USC vs. South Carolina* (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Grambling State at Arkansas
8:00 PM Southeastern Louisiana at Western Kentucky
8:00 PM TCU at Houston
8:00 PM Samford at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM Sam Houston State at Texas (LHN)
8:00 PM Milwaukee at Arkansas-Little Rock
8:00 PM Middle Tennessee at Austin Peay
8:00 PM New Orleans at Tulane
8:00 PM Fresno State at North Dakota State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Saint Peter's at Seton Hall
8:05 PM Cal State Northridge at Drake
8:05 PM Tulsa at Missouri State
9:00 PM Northern Illinois at Boise State
9:00 PM Long Beach State at Montana
9:00 PM Troy at Southern Utah
9:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at UTEP
9:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Wyoming
9:05 PM Utah State at Idaho State
9:05 PM Cal State Bakersfield at Cal State Fullerton
9:30 PM San Francisco vs. New Mexico State* (FCS)
9:30 PM Utah vs. UNC Asheville* (HDNet)
10:00 PM Northern Iowa vs. Providence* (CBSSN)
10:00 PM San Diego State at UC Santa Barbara
10:05 PM McNeese State at Sacramento State
10:05 PM Montana State at Idaho
10:30 PM Northern Arizona at Loyola Marymount
12:00 AM Murray State vs. Southern Miss* (FCS)

College Hoops Thursday Recap: Broncos Survive in Overtime

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:01:06 -0800

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

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

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

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

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

Other Notable Happenings

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

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

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

Quick Hitters

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

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

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

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

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

Three Notable Performances

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

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

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

College Hoops Friday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:50:09 -0800

Tommy Amaker's Harvard Crimson came into this season loaded, with all five starters and many of their key reserves back looking get to the NCAA Tournament. After blowing out Utah on Thursday night the Crimson will take on a far stiffer challenge on Friday afternoon, as Florida State is one of the best half-court defensive teams in the country. This will offer an interesting contrast, as Harvard is one of the better teams in the country when it comes to points per possession.

Point guard Oliver McNally leads the way for a team that averages 1.17 points per possession (22nd nationally), but he and his teammates will encounter a defense that's allowing just 0.77 points per possession (17th nationally). The Seminoles are also tops in the country in three-point percentage defense and rank in the top ten in both field goal percentage and effective field goal percentage defense. Leonard Hamilton's team is athletic, and they use that to their advantage on the defensive end. There may not be a Chris Singleton-like player on this year's team, but veterans such as Bernard James continue to make life difficult for the opposition.

The strength for Harvard can be found in the frontcourt, where Kyle Casey and Keith Wright average a combined 27.0 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Casey's healthy after having to deal with nagging injuries for much of his sophomore season, and this tandem can cause problems for James, Jon Kreft and the rest of the Florida State frontcourt. Harvard's also got a very good scorer off the bench in Laurent Rivard, and they've played ten players in each of their four games.

The question for the Seminoles: how efficient can they be on the offensive end? Luke Loucks has been the guy given the responsibility of being the primary ball-handler, and he turned the ball over six times in the win over UMass. As a team FSU finished with 22 turnovers, but they won comfortably because of their play on the defensive end. Loucks, Ian Miller and Michael Snear need to make solid decisions with the basketball, because on the season FSU has a turnover percentage of 26%.

The game will likely be decided in two areas: offensive efficency and turnover percentage. The team that gets more value out of their possessions will win, simply because of how solid both teams are when it comes to their points allowed per possession numbers. Also in the Bahamas is the matchup between Connecticut and UCF, with the Huskies still waiting for last year's Alex Oriakhi to show up. He was removed from the starting lineup in favor of freshman Andre Drummond, and the sophomore needs to show that he's worthy of regaining his job. UCF's Keith Clanton will provide a good challenge for the UConn big men as he can play both inside and out.

Stanford could strike a much-needed blow for the Pac-12 with a win over Syracuse in the NIT Season Tipoff title game, but given the way in which guards Dion Waiters and Brandon Triche played on Wednesday night that will be much easier said than done. There's also semifinal action in both the Old Spice Classic and 76 Classic, with Saint Louis getting another shot at an opponent from a BCS AQ conference. Rick Majerus' team, which plays Villanova in Anaheim, has already beaten Washington and Boston College this season. The matchup between Kwamain Mitchell and Maalik Wayns will be worth the price of admission.

In Orlando three of the four teams in the winner's bracket hail from non-AQ conferences, with Minnesota being the lone remaining team from a BCS AQ league. They'll get Indiana State, one of the teams expected to contend in the Missouri Valley, while Dayton and Fairfield play in the other semifinal. And the Las Vegas Invitational will play its semifinal games as well, and it would be a surprise of Saturday night's final didn't match UNLV and top-ranked North Carolina.

Friday's Schedule
Morgan State vs. Cal Poly 11:00 am
Longwood vs. Prairie View A&M 11:30 am
Indiana State vs. Minnesota 12:00 pm (ESPN)
Florida A&M vs. Southern 12:00 pm
Stony Brook at Northwestern 1:00 pm
Mississippi Valley St. vs. Tennessee St. 1:30 pm
James Madison vs. Rider 2:00 pm
UCF vs. (4) Connecticut 2:00pm (HDNet)
Cleveland St. vs. Boston University 2:30 pm
Saint Louis vs. Villanova 2:30 pm (ESPN2)
Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma St. 2:30 pm (ESPN)
Texas Tech vs. DePaul 2:30pm (ESPNU)
UT-Pan American at USC Upstate 3:00 pm
Northern Colo vs. Western Carolina 3:30 pm
Wofford vs. UMKC 3:30 pm
West Alabama vs. Morehead St. 3:30 pm
Miami (Fla.) at Mississippi 4:00 pm (ESPN3)
Navy at Albany 4:00 pm
Dartmouth at Alaska-Anchorage 4:00 pm
Robert Morris vs. La Salle 4:30 pm (CSN Regional)
(20) Florida State vs. Harvard (HDNet)
Cal Poly vs. Morgan St. 5:00 pm
Dayton vs. Fairfield 5:00 pm (ESPN2)
Stanford vs. (5) Syracuse 5:00 pm (ESPN)
San Diego vs. New Orleans 5:30pm
Houston Baptist at Washington 6:00 pm
Central Michigan vs. UC Irvine 6:00pm
BYU vs. Nevada 6:00 pm
Rice vs. Northern Iowa 6:00 pm
Princeton at Bucknell 6:00 pm
UMES vs. Louisiana Tech 6:30 pm
Valparaiso at (3) Ohio St. 6:30 pm (BTN)
Furman at Clemson 7:00 pm
Florida Gulf Coast at Maryland 7:00 pm
Marshall at Cincinnati 7:00 pm
Savannah St. at Chattanooga 7:00 pm
Ohio at (7) Louisville 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
Green Bay at Virginia 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
Jacksonville at (9) Florida 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
Charleston vs. UNC Asheville 7:00 pm
Barber-Scotia at North Carolina A&T 7:00 pm
Jackson St. at North Florida 7:00 pm
Utah Valley at Oakland 7:00 pm
Elon at N.C. State 7:00 pm
(16) Pittsburgh at Penn 7:00 pm (CSN Regional)
Wake Forest vs. Arizona State 7:30 pm (ESPNU)
USC vs. UNLV 7:30 pm (ESPN3)
Georgia at (12) Xavier 8:00 pm (FSN Regional)
Alcorn St. at Tulane 8:00 pm
Lamar at Tennessee Tech 8:00 pm
Nicholls St. at Auburn 8:00 pm
UT-Martin at Mississippi St. 8:00 pm
Chicago St. at Southern Illinois 8:05 pm
Campbell at (25) Creighton 8:05 pm
UAB at Wichita St. 8:05 pm
Providence vs. Iowa St. 8:30 pm
(11) Wisconsin vs. Bradley 8:30 pm (BTN)
Jacksonville St. at Northwestern St. 8:45 pm
Portland St. at Wyoming 9:00 pm
Murray St. vs. San Francisco 9:30 pm (FCS)
New Mexico vs. Washington St. 9:30 pm (ESPNU)
Massachusetts vs. Utah 9:30 pm
Monmouth at (22) Vanderbilt 10:00 pm
South Carolina vs. (1) North Carolina 10:00 pm (ESPN2)
Santa Clara vs. Oklahoma 12:00 am (ESPN2)
New Mexico State vs. Southern Miss 12:00 am (FCS)
Pacific at Hawaii 12:30 am

College Hoops Thursday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:25:34 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving! And while football tends to take center stage on this day there are also four in-season tournaments playing games, with action spreading from the Bahamas to Alaska. There really isn't a marquee matchup so to speak but there are games that could become important once March arrives, with New Mexico's game against Santa Clara in the 76 Classic being one. The Lobos were the preseason pick to win the Mountain West, and with players such as Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams there's no doubt that they can win this event. But in the Broncos of Santa Clara they'll take on a team that was a trendy sleeper pick in the WCC, and even with Marc Trasolini lost for the year with a knee injury they can still be a factor in the race.

Guard Kevin Foster is one of the top perimeter scorers on the west coast, as he scored 20 points or more in 16 games (30+ in three games) last season. The junior's shooting percentages are down through three games, but there's no doubt that Foster can turn it on in a hurry for Kerry Keating. Foster leads four Broncos in double figures, but just as important as Foster are forwards Niyi Harrison and John McArthur. Those two have had to step up in the aftermath of Trasolini's injury and they've done a solid job to start the year. But a lot more will be learned about both as they take on Gordon, who's scoring a shade under ten points per game while grabbing ten rebounds per contest.

Gordon may be the Lobo most likely choice to win Mountain West Player of the Year, Steve Alford's got a number of perimeter options from which to choose. Kendall Williams, Tony Snell and Demetrius Walker are three of New Mexico's top four scorers and freshman Hugh Greenwood may be ready to take over the starting point guard job as the Lobos look to make up for the graduation of Dairese Gary. UNM shoots 38% from beyond the arc and their effective field goal percentage of 53.2% is better than Santa Clara's by nearly five percentage points. The outcome will boil down to which team does a better job of generating quality looks, and that was a serious problem for Santa Clara in their blowout loss at UCSB.

Which game should you keep an eye on in the Battle of Atlantis in the Bahamas? Likely the first game of the day as College of Charleston takes on UCF, with the Knights needing to pick up a quality win in light of their 23-point loss to Florida State in their second game of the season. But that's easier said than done against Bobby Cremins' team, which is coming off of a good win at Clemson. Antwaine Wiggins and Andrew Lawrence have led the way for the Cougars, and their offensive execution looks to be the difference on paper (efficiency of 110.4 while UCF is down at 98.1).

In Orlando the Fairfield Stags have a game that, thanks to the current NCAA Clearinghouse issues for freshman guard Jahii Carson, has gone from "opportunity to pick up a decent win against a BCS AQ opponent" to "lose and essentially flush any at-large hopes down the drain". Sydney Johnson's team has already dropped games to Providence (home) and at Minnesota, and an early trip to the consolation bracket would be the worst possible outcome for the defending MAAC regular season champions.

And at the Great Alaska Shootout there's the chance to check out New Mexico State as either the food-induced coma wears off or die-hard shoppers fight off sleep in the quest to show up early for the "Black Friday" specials. The Aggies, who already have a win at New Mexico to their credit, are led by guards Christian Kabongo and Hernst LaRoche and forward Wendall McKines, with McKines averaging 18.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Central Michigan has sophomore guards Trey Zeigler and Derek Jackson, but for the Chippewas to have a shot at the upset they'll need to exercise good shot selection.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM UNC Asheville vs. (4) Connecticut* (HDNet)
4:30 PM Massachusetts vs. (20) Florida State* (Versus)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Texas Tech vs. Indiana State* (ESPN2)
2:00 PM Boston College vs. Saint Louis* (ESPNU)
2:00 PM Charleston vs. UCF* (Versus)
2:30 PM Minnesota vs. DePaul* (ESPN2)
4:30 PM Villanova vs. UC Riverside* (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Dayton vs. Wake Forest* (ESPN2)
9:00 PM New Mexico vs. Santa Clara* (ESPNU)
9:30 PM Harvard vs. Utah* (HDNet)
9:30 PM Arizona State vs. Fairfield* (ESPN2)
10:30 PM Central Michigan vs. New Mexico State* (FCS)
11:30 PM Oklahoma vs. Washington State* (ESPN2)
12:30 AM UC Irvine vs. Southern Miss* (FCS)