Player of the Week

Top 10 Performances of 2nd Round: 2012 Tournament

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:41:31 -0700

The top 10 performances of the 2nd Round. No more intro is needed:

1 Brady Heslip, Baylor - 27 pts, 4 rbs, 9-12 from three. Against a Colorado team that had been winning with defense, Heslip exploded with 9 threes.

2 Kenny Frease, Xavier - 25 pts, 13 rbs, 2 blks - The biggest game of Frease's career. Previously had only 4 double-doubles all season and not a single 20 point game.

3 Draymond Green, Michigan St - 16 pts, 13 rbs, 6 asts, 2 stls - Where would MSU be without him? Majerus sung Green's praises after SLU fell.

4 Walter Offutt, Ohio - 21 pts, 3 rbs, 4 stls, 4-4 from three. Offutt's hot shooting helped a team put 60 on the board vs. USF for first time since February.

5 Jae Crowder, Marquette - 17 pts, 13 rbs, 3 asts, 3 stls, 2 blks - There's a reason he earned so many Big East plaudits. Was the difference in a game that was closer than the score suggests.

6 Royce White, Iowa St - 23 pts, 9 rbs, 4 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk. Stat-sheet filler isn't greatest shooter, but take him off Iowa St and they're not even an NIT team.

7 Drew Gordon, New Mexico - 21 pts, 14 rbs, 2 asts - He accounted for 38% of the Lobos offense in a close loss to Louisville.

8 Robbie Hummel, Purdue - 26 pts, 9 rbs, 3 asts - Had monster 22 point first half, but faded along with Purdue's upset hopes. Still managed 43% of Purdue's points.

9 Aaron Craft, Ohio St - 17 pts, 10 asts, 3 rbs, 3 stls - Had his first 10 assist game of the season. Owned Gonzaga's opposing guards.

10 Marquis Teague, Kentucky - 24 pts, 7 asts, 4 rbs, 10-14 shooting. First 20-point game of the freshman's career. Where was this Teague 2 months ago?

Others of Note:

DJ Cooper, Ohio - 19 pts, 7 rbs, 6 asts, 2 stls - Standard do-it-all performance from the Bobcats main main.

John Henson, North Carolina - 13 pts, 10 rbs, 4 blks, 2 steals - Back from injury, his presence was felt even more than his stats suggest.

Elijah Johnson, Kansas - 18 pts, 4 rbs, 3 asts, 2 stls - With Thomas Robinson struggling, he keyed Kansas to a comeback win.

Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati - 18 pts, 6 rbs, 2 stls - With Wright and Dixon 7-24 from the floor, Cincy needed Kilpatrick to step up.

Kendall Marshall, North Carolina - 18 pts, 11 asts, 4 rbs, 7-8 shooting. Every jumper he hit seemed to be worth 4 points to UNC.

Hollis Thompson, Georgetown - 23 pts, 5 rbs, 3 stls, 2 blks - Basically a one-man team in tough loss to NC State.

On to the Sweet Sixteen!

Weekly Awards: Devoe Joseph, Rakim Sanders, Ohio St & More

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:06:27 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards by Greg Mengelt.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Devoe Joseph, Oregon Senior Guard: Joseph led Oregon to wins over Colorado and Utah with 45 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals.

On Thursday, Joseph went 11-for-16 from the field, including 2-for-4 from the 3-point line, and scored 24 points in the Ducks’ 90-81 win over Colorado. He also had five boards, five assists and two steals in the win.

The senior guard came back for 21 points – on 8-of-9 from the floor – six boards, five assists and a pair of steals in a 94-48 win over Utah on Saturday.

Behind Joseph – Oregon’s leading scorer at 16.8 points per game – the Ducks have won three straight and five of their last six, and at 22-8, they may be a viable option for an NCAA Tournament bid.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Rakim Sanders, Fairfield Senior Forward: Sanders had team-bests with 15 points and eight rebounds in Saturday’s MAAC Tournament quarterfinal win over Rider.

In Sunday’s 85-75 upset of Iona, Sanders was even better. He went 11-for-17 from the field and 2-for-3 from the 3-point line and scored 26 points as Fairfield advanced to Monday’s title game against Loyola (Md.). He also had 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot against the Gaels.

For the season, Sanders is averaging 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals and is shooting 50 percent from the floor.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Ohio State: The 11^th-ranked Buckeyes earned a pair of road victories to come two games from behind and clinch a share of their third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title.

Jared Sullinger banked in the game winner with 3.1 seconds left Wednesday to give OSU a 75-73 win over Northwestern.

On Sunday, the Buckeyes overcame an early 23-9 deficit to beat league-leader Michigan State, 72-70. William Buford hit a 20-foot jumper over the outstretched fingertips of Keith Appling with a second to play.

“I was fortunate to knock down the big shot of the night to give us another Big Ten title,” said Buford, who finished with a game-high 25 points.

Ohio State, which finished the regular season 25-6 overall, is the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and will face either Purdue or Penn State in Friday’s conference quarterfinal.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State Sophomore Guard: Franklin concluded his second regular season at SDSU with his best performance as an Aztec.

In Saturday’s 98-92 overtime road win over Texas Christian, which gave the Aztecs a share of the Mountain West Conference championship, Franklin went off for 35 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot. He made nine of his 18 shots from the floor, 14-of-17 from the charity stripe and went 3-for-8 from the 3-point line.

For the season, Franklin is averaging 17.1 points, eight boards, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals.

WIN OF THE WEEK

North Carolina 88, Duke 70: The Tar Heels jumped out to a 24-8 lead midway through the first half and were never really threatened en route to the ACC regular-season crown.

The 18-point win was the third-largest victory ever at Cameron Indoor Stadium. UNC led 48-24 at the half, shot 54.5 percent from the field, out-rebounded the Blue Devils 45-28 in its seventh straight victory.

“We were kind of overwhelmed by them and the situation,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski admitted.

The No. 6 Tar Heels, who were led by sophomore Kendall Marshall’s 20 points and 10 assists, will face either Maryland or Wake Forest in Friday’s ACC quarterfinal as the tourney’s top seed.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Arkansas State 64, Middle Tennessee 61: Arkansas State entered the Sun Belt Tournament with just 11 wins. The Red Wolves had lost two straight, five of their last seven and 10 of their last 14.

But after Saturday’s first-round win over Florida Atlantic, the tournament’s No. 9 seed earned its biggest win of the season by knocking off the top-seeded Blue Raiders.

Middle Tennessee is 25-6 overall, is ranked 47^th in the latest RPI and has wins over UCLA, Akron, Belmont and Mississippi on its resume. The Raiders will have to wait a week to find out whether that’s enough to get them into the NCAA Tournament.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Fairfield 85, Iona 75: The nation’s leading scoring team was held to 75 points as its 6-game winning streak came to an end.

On the other end, Fairfield shot 59.6 percent from the field, out-rebounded the Gaels 32-20 and went on a 16-1 run midway through the second half to turn a 60-54 deficit into a 70-61 lead.

Iona’s fate will now be decided by the NCAA Tournament committee. The Gaels have 25 wins, a strong RPI at 48 and have victories over Nevada, Maryland, St. Joseph’s, Long Island, Denver, Marshall and Richmond.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Jewaun Long’s layup sinks Tennessee State’s hopes: Murray State trailed 50-43 with five minutes left, and after a 9-2 run got the Racers even with the Tigers, Long hit a layup with 4.4 seconds left to send Murray to the NCAA Tournament.

The senior scored just six points on 2-of-7 shooting.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Murray State coach Steve Prohm said. “He hadn’t made a lot of shots all night, but that’s his shot.”

Long’s shot put the No. 9 Racers within a game of their school-record 31^st win and gave them their seventh consecutive triumph.

It was heartbreak for Tennessee State, which handed Murray its only loss on Feb. 9. But it was relief for several teams on the bubble. With the Racers already presumably in the field, if the Tigers had held on, they would have bumped one of the current bubble teams out of the field.

CollegeHoops.net Awards: Crowder, Horton, Belmont, Kansas

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:08:54 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards by Greg Mengelt.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jae Crowder, Marquette Senior Forward: Crowder – the reigning Big East Player of the Week – scored 53 points, grabbed 11 boards, handed out five assists and had five blocks and five steals in a pair of Golden Eagle wins.

In Wednesday’s 82-65 win over Rutgers, Crowder made 11 of his 14 field goal attempts and finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocked shots.

He followed that performance with 26 points, four rebounds, two blocks, two steals and an assist in Marquette’s big 61-60 win at West Virginia.

“He’s a really good player,” Mountaineer star Kevin Jones said. “He came in with a chip on his shoulder. You can’t take away anything from him and his team. They’re a tough team, as you can see.”

For the season, the senior forward is averaging 17.4 points on 51.6 percent shooting. He’s also gets 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals, two assists and a block per night.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Ken Horton, Central Connecticut State Senior Forward: Horton ended his scoring slump in a big way last week, scoring 61 points in a pair of Blue Devil wins last week.

In Thursday’s 78-63 victory over Mt. St. Mary’s, Horton went for a career-high 39 points on 15-of-20 from the field, including 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line. He also had 13 rebounds, six steals, five assists and a blocked shot. On Saturday, he scored 22 points, grabbed seven boards, blocked five shots and had four steals and three assists in a 78-61 win over Wagner.

For the season, Horton is averaging 18.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 1.7 assists and 1.4 blocks while shooting 49.3 percent from the field.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Belmont: After clinching at least a share of the Atlantic Sun regular-season title with an 88-79 win over South Carolina-Upstate on Monday, the 24-7 Bruins clinched the championship outright with a 62-61 win at second-place Mercer on Saturday.

In the win over USCU, five Belmont players scored in double-figures. On Saturday, Mick Hedgepeth hit a free throw with 12 seconds left to seal the conference title. Ian Clark led four Bruins in double-figures with 16 points.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Daniel Mullings, New Mexico State Freshman Guard: Mullings continued a nice freshman campaign with a triple-double in Thursday’s 115-73 win over Hawaii.

Mullings led the Aggies’ offensive explosion with a career-high 28 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, five steals and a blocked shot. He made 11 of his 15 field goal attempts and 6-of-9 foul shots. It was the first triple-double in NMSU history

The Toronto native, who hadn’t had a double-double before Thursday’s triple-double, is averaging nine points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals for the year. He’s averaging 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and four steals over his last four games.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Kansas 87, Missouri 86 (OT): The Jayhawks clinched their eighth consecutive Big 12 championship by coming from 19 points down in the second half to defeat their rivals in overtime.

Tyshawn Taylor hit a pair of free throws with 8.3 seconds left in overtime as Kansas improved to 24-5 overall and 14-2 in the Big 12. The Jayhawks now have a 2-game lead over Missouri with two games to play. They only need to win at Oklahoma State on Monday or at home against Texas on Saturday to clinch the title outright.

“That couldn’t have been scripted a lot better for us,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I’m not the most emotional guy, but that’s about as good as it gets.”

The 19-point comeback tied the largest ever for Kansas at home (it did the same against UCLA on Dec. 2, 1995 in an 85-70 win) and was three points shy of its largest comeback in program history.

“We had the game in our hands, and we gave them a gift,” Missouri senior Kim English told the Associated Press.

With the 105-year rivalry coming to a close – at least for the time being – Kansas will have eternal bragging rights.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Penn 55, Harvard 54: Zack Rosen scored 20 points, including Penn’s last nine, and nailed a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left as the Quakers kept Harvard from essentially wrapping up the Ivy League title and the first NCAA Tournament bid.

With the win, Penn pulled within a half-game of the Crimson and only has to beat Brown (Friday) and Yale (Saturday) at home and at Princeton (March 3) to force a 1-game playoff between the Quakers and Crimson for the Ivy League’s tourney bid.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Northeastern 85, George Mason 82 (OT): Any hope George Mason had of collecting an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament probably went away when 13-15 Northeastern outscored the Patriots 10-7 in overtime.

On Saturday, GMU fell to VCU, 89-77 to fall to third in the Colonial standings, making a CAA tournament championship run vital for the Patriots.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

No shot?: After Taylor hit his free throws to give Kansas an 87-86 lead, Missouri’s Michael Dixon dribbled out the final 8.3 seconds of the clock and the Tigers never got a chance to upset the Jayhawks.

With a second left, Dixon finally got the ball to Marcus Denmon, who hit a 3-pointer but not until after the buzzer had sounded as Missouri dropped consecutive games for the first time this season.

College Basketball: Gordon, Wolters, McDermott Win Weekly Awards

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:08:31 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards by Greg Mengelt.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Drew Gordon, New Mexico Senior Forward: Gordon scored 17 points and snatched 17 boards in Wednesday’s 77-67 upset win at No. 13 San Diego State on Wednesday – and that wasn’t even his best performance of the week.

On Saturday, Gordon led the Lobos to a 65-45 win over No. 11 UNLV – and a 2-game lead in the Mountain West Conference – with 27 points and 20 rebounds. Gordon, who went 13-for-20 from the field, scored 10 straight points during as 16-1 run as New Mexico outscored the Rebels 29-9 in the final 12 minutes.

“He put on a performance that hasn’t been seen in this place in a long time, if ever,” New Mexico coach Steve Alford said. “He was 27-20 against not just a team, but a team in the top-15 in the country. That’s pretty special.”

In the victory, Gordon became the fifth player in the last 20 years to have at least 20 points and 20 rebounds against a ranked team. For the season, the senior forward is averaging 12.7 points (on 51.7 percent shooting), 11.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Nate Wolters, South Dakota State Junior Guard: Wolters continued his impressive season with two more incredible all-around performances in a pair of Jackrabbit wins last week.

On Wednesday, Wolters hit 14 of his 18 field goal attempts and went for 30 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals in South Dakota State’s 80-57 Summit League win over rival North Dakota State.

“Nate’s a great player,” SDSU coach Scott Nagy said. “If he’s making jump shots, he’s nearly impossible to guard.”

Wolters then had a 22-point, 8-assist, 6-rebound performance as the Jackrabbits ripped Buffalo, 86-65 as part of the BracketBuster. Wolters is averaging 21.8 points, 6.1 assists, five rebounds and 1.6 steals this season.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Wichita State: The Shockers ended last week with a 21-point romp over rival Creighton to take over first place in the Missouri Valley.

WSU then clinched at least a share of the MVC regular-season championship with a 73-58 win over Missouri State on Wednesday, then shot 64 percent from the field in a road victory over Southern Conference leader Davidson on Saturday for its sixth straight win.

“This gives us a quality win and will enable us to move up, if not (into) the top-15, then the top-20,” Shockers junior Demetric Williams told the Associated Press.

Joe Ragland scored 30 points – on 11-of-14 shooting – and grabbed seven boards in Saturday’s win.

“How about 30 points on 14 shots?” Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall asked. “You talk about efficiency.”

The Shockers, who have also won 14 of their last 15, can clinch the outright league title with a win at Illinois State on Wednesday.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Doug McDermott, Creighton Sophomore Forward: McDermott led a BracketBuster comeback 81-79 win over Long Beach State on Saturday.

The Blue Jays trailed 76-69 with five minutes left. McDermott didn’t miss a shot from the field or the foul line in the second half, leading Creighton back during his 36-point, 11 rebound performance. Antoine Young capped the rally with a game-winning shot with one second left as Creighton improved to 23-5 on the season.

“Doug was on a mission tonight,” Creighton coach and Doug’s father, Greg McDermott said. “I felt his effort on the backboards fueled the rest of his game. Doug went and got some offensive rebounds and was able to finish plays.”

McDermott, who is second in the nation at 23.2 points per game, hit 14 of his 20 field goal attempts in the win. For the season, he’s shooting 61.7 percent from the field, 48.9 from the 3-point line and 83.3 from the foul line. He’s also averaging 8.3 rebounds.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Murray State 65, Saint Mary’s 51: Three days after clinching the Ohio Valley regular-season championship with a 75-66 win at Southeast Missouri, the 14^th-ranked Racers left little doubt that it would be a factor in March with a 14-point win over the No. 16 Gaels on Saturday.

“This is definitely a confidence-builder,” MSU senior Jewuan Long told the AP. “It’s a ranked team, so it lets you know that you are as good as the rankings say you are. It gives us confidence to know we can play with other teams in bigger conferences, so we definitely have more confidence.”

Isaiah Canaan scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half and the Racers shot 58 percent from the floor, including 9-of-17 from the 3-point line in Saturday’s win.

The OVC champions have a chance to avenge their only loss of the season on Thursday when they travel to Tennessee State, which defeated the Racers 72-68 on Feb. 9.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Kansas State 57, Baylor 56: Kansas State was in need of a big win – and it got it Saturday. Jordan Henriquez hit a layup with 1:55 to go and the Wildcats held Baylor scoreless the rest of the way, surviving a Quincy Miller 5-footer in the final seconds.

Kansas State, which had lost to Baylor in the final seconds in a 75-73 game on Jan. 10, evened its record at 7-7 in the Big 12 with the win, putting the Wildcats in a fifth-place tie with Texas.

Freshman Angel Rodriguez led the Wildcats with 15 points, six assists, four steals and a rebound in the win. The loss was Baylor’s first against an unranked team this season.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Duke 78, North Carolina State 73: The Wolfpack had a chance to get a signature road win, but they couldn’t hold onto a 20 points lead in the final 12 minutes.

Duke had late 13-0 and 20-3 runs to erase the NC State lead and remain on top of the ACC. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack, who were later blown out at home by Florida State on Saturday, are fighting for their NCAA lives at 7-5 in league play.

“Well, I would say a tough night for us … a tough finish,” NC State coach Mark Gottfried said. “We have to be better late in games.”

PLAY OF THE WEEK

McCollum’s shot gets Lehigh back in Patriot League race: With his team tied with Bucknell tied at 53, there was no doubt who was going to take the shot for Lehigh.

McCollum, who led the Mountain Hawks in scoring (15), rebounding (7), assists (3), steals (3) and blocked shots (1), controlled the ball for the final 15 seconds. The junior guard, who is averaging 21.5 points and 6.7 rebounds, let the 3-point shot fly over Bucknell’s Cameron Ayers and found nothing but net with a half-second remaining to draw the Hawks within a game of the Bison in the Patriot League.

“I knew I was going to take the last shot,” McCollum said. “I just tried to make a play and luckily it went in.”

CollegeHoops.net Weekly Awards: Withey, Sanders, Moser, UNCA

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:01:53 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards by Greg Mengelt.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jeff Withey, Kansas: Withey had a career-high 25 points – hitting 8-of-10 from the field and nine of his 11 free throw attempts – in the Jayhawks’ 68-54 win over No. 6 Baylor on Wednesday. On Saturday, he grabbed a career-best 20 rebounds in an 81-66 triumph over Oklahoma State.

“Jeff was terrific,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.

Withey had a double-double in Saturday’s win, adding 18 points to his 20 boards. He also finished with seven blocks, a steal and an assist. Against Baylor, he had five rebounds, three blocks, two steals and an assist.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jesse Sanders, Liberty Senior Guard: Sanders’ incredible performances are starting to produce wins for the Flames.

Sanders, one of the most complete players in college basketball, led Liberty to road upsets over Charleston Southern and Presbyterian last week as the Flames improved to 11-16 overall and 6-9 in the Big South.

Sanders filled the stat sheet with 19 points (on 8-of-11 shooting), 10 assists, six rebounds and a steal in Saturday’s 77-64 win over Presbyterian. Earlier in the week, he had 19 points, connecting on eight of his 12 shots, nine assists, five boards, a block and a steal in a 75-74 win over Charleston Southern.

For the season, Sanders is averaging 12.6 points, 8.1 assists (to just 2.6 turnovers), 7.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He’s shooting 49 percent from the floor and 38 percent from the 3-point line.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

UNC-Asheville: With an easy 88-62 win over Radford and Campbell and Coastal Carolina losses, Asheville earned the Big South regular-season championship and home-court advantage through the conference tournament.

“That’s the first step of some other goals we hope to achieve this season,” Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach said.

The Bulldogs (19-7, 14-1 Big South) went 38-for-42 (90.5 percent) from the foul line and led 28-6 en route to their sixth straight win Saturday. They go to Myrtle Beach Tuesday before Saturday’s BracketBuster contest at Ohio on Saturday.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Mike Moser, UNLV Sophomore Forward: On top of a 19-point, 9-rebound, 4-block, 2-steal performance, Mike Moser made a key steal and assist to Anthony Marshall for the go-ahead basket with 42 seconds left in UNLV’s big 65-63 win over San Diego State on Saturday.

After missing his first five shots, Moser connected on 11 of his final 13 field goal attempts as the Rebels improved to 22-4 overall and ascended to the top of the Mountain West standings. At 6-2, they are now tied with San Diego State, which beat UNLV 69-67 on Jan. 14, and New Mexico.

For the season, the UCLA transfer is averaging 14.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a pair of steals per game.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Rivers buries Tar Heels: Duke freshman Austin Rivers capped a 29-point performance and a 15-4 run in the final three minutes with a 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Blue Devils a stunning 85-84 win over No. 5 North Carolina on Wednesday.

Rivers’ 23-footer in the face of 7-footer Tyler Zeller hit nothing but net as the buzzer sounded, evening No. 9 Duke with the Tar Heels atop the ACC standings.

“Obviously, this is my favorite win I’ve ever had in my entire life,” Rivers said. “Everybody thought we were going to lose, and we just kept fighting. To get a (win), it’s amazing.”

WIN OF THE WEEK

Michigan State 58, Ohio State 48: With their fifth win in their last six games, the Spartans share the top spot in the Big Ten with Ohio State at 9-3 after Saturday’s victory.

Michigan State held the No. 3 Buckeyes to 26.4 percent from the floor Saturday, their third-worst performance at home in the last 15 years and forced National Player of the Year candidate Jared Sullinger into 5-of-15 shooting and 10 turnovers.

“Ohio State’s the best team in the league,” MSU coach Tom Izzo said. “But on this give day, we were able to get them.”

At 20-5 and winners of 20 of their last 23 games, the No. 12 Spartans are making a serious case for a top-2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Boston College 64, Florida State 60: Florida State had won seven straight and was on the top of the ACC standings. BC had lost six consecutive and was at the bottom.

Even in Boston, the Eagles win on Saturday was a major upset.

“We weren’t as focused as we should have been and that caught up to us at the end of the game,” Seminole guard Michael Snaer said. “We get national recognition, and we didn’t handle it well.”

Jordan Daniels led Boston College, which trailed 23-10 before a 23-3 first-half run, with 19 points.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Tennessee 75, Florida 70: The No. 7 Gators lost their second straight game and saw their 19-game home winning streak come to an end as Tennessee outscored Florida 36-14 in the paint.

“This is one of the most impressive wins of the season,” Volunteer junior guard Kenny Hall said. “We got on them early and made sure we had the lead for most of the game.”

After the game, Florida coach Billy Donovan called his team “soft” and “immature.” Gator freshman Bradley Beal said his team may not worthy of an NCAA Tournament bid.

“Where we’re going might be in the NIT if we don’t just turn around right now,” Beal said. “We really have to turn around, and I think we’ll do that.”

Trae Golden led Tennessee, which is above .500 for the first time since Nov. 28 after its third straight win, with 17 points and seven assists.

CHN Weekly Awards: Dixon, Murphy, Indiana, Miami

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:32:39 -0800

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

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Michael Dixon, Missouri: Dixon – arguably the nation’s best sixth man – made crucial plays in the Tigers’ wins over Texas and Kansas last week.

In Monday’s 67-66 win over Texas, Dixon scored 21 points and had four assists and made the game-winning basket with 31 seconds left.

In the final minute of Missouri’s come-from-behind 74-71 win over the Jayhawks on Saturday, Dixon took a charge from Tyshawn Taylor then knocked down a pair of free throws with 9.8 seconds left to help the Tigers tie Kansas and Baylor atop the Big 12 standings at 8-2.

Dixon finished Saturday’s game with 15 points, hitting 4-of-5 shots, 5-of-7 free throw and two of his three 3-point shots. He also led MU with five assists in both of the week’s games.

Dixon is averaging 12.2 points, 2.8 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals on the season.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech Senior Guard: Murphy scored 106 points, including a 50-point effort in Monday’s 98-80 victory over SIU-Edwardsville.

Murphy added 33 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the Golden Eagles’ 94-88 win over Austin Peay on Thursday, then scored 23 points, grabbed seven boards and handed out three assists as Tech knocked off Jacksonville State, 76-68 on Saturday.

For the week, Murphy made 35 of his 57 field goal attempts, 24 of his 28 free throws and was 12 for 22 from the 3-point line. For the season, the senior guard is averaging 21.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the 16-9 Eagles.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Miami (Fla.): The Hurricanes earned a pair of overtime wins last week, putting themselves back into the NCAA Tournament discussion.

First, Miami beat Maryland 90-86 in double-overtime behind a 24-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist performance from junior guard Durant Scott on Wednesday.

Then on Sunday, the Hurricanes knocked off No. 5 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Junior center Reggie Johnson scored five of his career-high 27 points in overtime of Miami’s biggest victory of the season.

After playing most of the non-conference season without Johnson, who is averaging 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds, and starting the season just 10-7, Miami has won four straight to improve to 5-3 in the ACC.

“To come in here and play with the kind of poise we did, play the kind of defense we did, was something that we can be very, very proud of,” said first-year Miami coach Jim Larranaga.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Kwame Vaughn, Cal State-Fullerton: Vaughn hit 11-of-15 shots from the field, including five of his seven 3-point attempts, and all 10 of his free throws of the Titans upset UC-Santa Barbara, 99-86 on Saturday.

Vaughn added six rebounds, six assists and a steal as Fullerton nailed a school-record 17 3-pointers and overcame a 47-43 halftime deficit to improve to 15-7 overall and into a second-place tie in the Big West with Santa Barbara at 7-3.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Indiana 78, Purdue 61: It was Indiana’s first road win over any other team than Penn State in Big Ten play in the last four years. The victory vaulted the Hoosiers into fifth play in the conference, and virtually gives them a lock on their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2007.

But, more importantly for Indiana fans, it was the Hoosiers’ first win over rival Purdue in four years.

“Our guys did an excellent job of understanding that if you’re going to beat a really good team on the road, you’ve got to have great resolve,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said.

“They deserved to win the game,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “They were tougher than us. They were quicker to the basketball.”

Indiana, which out-rebounded the Boilermaker 53-35, was led by sophomore Victor Oladipoo’s 23 points.

“This win is huge,” Oladipo said. “We learned tonight to make better decisions and be poised when the game is on the line.”

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Idaho 72, Nevada 68: Nevada entered Saturday’s game with 11-11 Idaho on a 16-game winning streak, but left with a shocking 72-68 loss to the Vandals.

Kyle Barone converted a 3-point play with 40 seconds left and Stephen Madison scored 18 points to help Idaho give Nevada its first Western Athletic Conference loss.

The Wolf Pack are now 19-4 overall and have a game-and-a-half lead over New Mexico State in the WAC standings.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Rhode Island 81, UMass 78: After beating Richmond and Saint Louis a week ago to ascend to the top of the Atlantic 10 standings, Massachusetts was stunned by then-4-18 Rhode Island in overtime Wednesday.

Orion Outerbridge had a career-high 29 points, including 18 in the first half, and he grabbed 11 boards as the Rams ended a 3-game losing streak in the series. After a win at George Washington on Saturday, the Minutemen are a game behind league-leading Temple in the A-10 standings.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

White gives Cyclone huge Big 12 victory: Royce White hit the game-winning jumper with 1.8 seconds left as Iowa State came from 14 points down to beat Kansas State 72-70 on Tuesday.

White finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals as the Cyclones improved to 6-3 in the Big East. Later in the week, Iowa State won at Oklahoma, 77-70, to stay within a game of league leaders Missouri, Baylor and Kansas.

College Basketball Awards: Carmichael, Primm, UMASS, Hummel

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:33:15 -0800

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

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jackie Carmichael, Illinois State: The Cardinal junior forward had a 47-point, 27-rebound week as Illinois State knocked off Missouri State and Southern Illinois last week.

Carmichael, who hit his first career 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Evansville on Jan. 7, had 26 points and 16 rebounds to help the Cardinals knock off Missouri State, 76-69 on Wednesday. He made 8-of-15 shots from the field and 10-of-12 at the foul line and added two assists, a block and a steal.

In Saturday’s 60-40 victory over Southern Illinois on Saturday, Carmichael scored nine of the Cardinals’ first 12 points en route to 19 points and 11 rebounds for his seven double-double of the season and the 12^th of his career, including three in his last four outing. He was 8-for-12 from the field and had three blocked shots in the triumph.

For the season, Carmichael is averaging 13.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per contest.

Last week's Player of the Week was Washington St's Faisal Aden.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

J.P. Primm, UNC-Asheville Senior Guard: Primm scored 53 points and had 10 assists in a pair of pair of Bulldog Big South victories this week.

Primm went 16-for-31 from the field, connected on 10-of-22 3-pointers and made all 11 of his free throws as Asheville knocked off High Point and Campbell to improve to 11-1 in the conference.

“J.P. Primm can score in a lot of different way,” Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach said.

Primm is averaging 16.3 points while making 41 percent of his 3s and 83 percent of his foul shots. He’s also averaging 4.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and two steals for the 16-7 Bulldogs, who maintain a game-and-a-half lead over Coastal Carolina in the Big South.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Massachusetts: A week after knocking off Richmond on the road, the Minutemen knocked off Saint Louis Saturday at home to move into a first-place tie with LaSalle and St. Bonaventure in a wild Atlantic 10 race.

Led by Raphiael Putney’s 22 points and 10 rebounds, UMass shot 65.5 in the first half and built a 19-point halftime lead over the 16-5 Billikens, who were also playing for spot at the top of the A-10 standings.

The Minutemen, who shot 50 percent from the field and held Saint Louis to 34, go to Rhode Island on Wednesday. The Rams are coming off of an 86-81 win at Dayton for their first league win.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Brandon Richardson, Nebraska Senior Guard: Richardson finished with a career-high 25 points in the Cornhuskers’ first Big Ten road victory in school history at Iowa.

Richardson made 9-of-10 field goals, including six of his seven 3-point attempts, grabbed six boards, handed out five assists and got two steals as Nebraska toppled the Hawkeyes, 79-73.

The Cornhuskers, who were coming off a 34 points home loss to No. 6 Ohio State, are now 11-9 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten heading into Thursday’s contest at Northwestern.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Samford 77, Davidson 74: At just 6-13 entering the contest, Samford certainly wasn’t expected to be the squad to hand the Wildcats their first Southern Conference loss in Birmingham on Saturday.

Jeffrey Merritt scored 20 points and Will Cook hit two free throws with 1.2 seconds left to left the Bulldogs to their biggest win of the season.

“This is probably No. 1 in my college career,” Cook said. “Davidson was the top team in the conference, so this was a huge victory to knock them off.”

The Bulldogs have another tough one today when they host the College of Charleston.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Valparaiso 55, Milwaukee 52: In its fourth straight road game, Valpo knocked off Milwaukee Saturday to break a second-place tie in the Horizon League.

The Crusaders pulled within a half-game of Cleveland State, which they beat 72-66 on Jan. 15 in their last home game.

Valpo held the Panthers to 17-for-48 from the field, including 6-of-22 from the 3-point line, and held Milwaukee to 17 second-half points and rally from an 11-point second-half deficit.

“Our players did all the work. It was a joy to sit there and watch them play,” said first-year Valparaiso coach Bryce Drew.

Ryan Broekhoff led the Crusaders with 11 points, 11 boards, three assists and three steals.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame 50, Connecticut 48: For the second week in a row, the defending national champions get the dishonor of being getting the “Loss of the Week” after Sunday’s 50-48 home loss to Notre Dame.

The 19-for-47 shooting night, which included 3-of-13 from beyond the 3-point arc, led to the Huskies third loss in a row and fifth in seven games. What’s worse is UConn has lost back-to-back games at home after starting 10-0 at Gampel Pavilion.

Eric Atkins (13), Jerian Grant (11) and Scott Martin (10) scored in double figures for the Irish. Martin also had seven boards. UConn’s Jeremy Lamb led all scorers with 16, but he missed a 5-footer at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime.

“If Jeremy’s shot had gone in, I wasn’t going to be jumping,” Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said. “The game was lost over the 40 minutes. It particularly was lost as we began the second half.”

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Hummel’s floater lift Boilers past Northwestern: Four nights after missing two potential winning shots in a 66-64 loss to Michigan, Hummel hit a baseline jumper with eight seconds to play to give Purdue a big 58-56 win over Northwestern in Evanston.

With the score tied at 56-apiece, Hummel took a pass from Lewis Jackson in the right corner. Hummel went by Wildcat freshman Dave Sobolewski and nailed the 15-footer to lift Purdue to 5-4 in Big Ten play. Northwestern’s John Shurna missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Wildcats dropped their third straight.

Hummel finished with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

“It was a game we had to have,” the fifth-year senior said. “It was really that important.”

- Editor: Check out Greg's recent Feature on Robbie Hummel.

College Basketball Awards: Aden, Cohen, Snaer, Kansas

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:13:53 -0800

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

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

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

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

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

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

TEAM OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

UPSET OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

WIN OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

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

LOSS OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

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

PLAY OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

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

College Basketball Awards: Dellavedova, Paul, FSU, More

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:27:35 -0800

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

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary’s: In three wins last week, the Gaels’ junior guard scored 62 points and handed out 19 assists.

He started the week with a 27-point, 6-rebound, 4-assist performance in an 87-72 win over San Francisco. In the Gaels’ big 83-62 victory over No. 23 Gonzaga, Dellavedova poured in 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep, and added six assists.

Sunday, he added nine points and a season-best nine assists in a 69-61 victory over Portland.

Dellavedova is averaging 15.4 points, 6.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 0.9 steals for the season. He’s shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 39.7 from the 3-point line and 85.1 at the foul line.

Last week's Player of the Week was Weber St's Damian Lillard.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Robert Covington, Tennessee State: Covington had big performances in two Tiger home victories this week, combining for 47 points and 16 boards.

The junior forward scored 30 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 7-of-3 from the 3-point line, in Tennessee State’s 77-72 win over Morehead State on Wednesday. On Saturday, he made 7-of-15 shots and 2-of-5 3s for 17 points as the Tigers upended Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 52-49.

Covington, who has 18 consecutive double-digit scoring games, had eight rebounds in each of the wins.

For the season, Covington is averaging 17.6 points while shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 46 percent from beyond the 3-point stripe. He’s also shooting 81.9 percent from the foul line and averaging 7.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per contest.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Florida State: After a head-scratching 20-point loss to Clemson on Jan. 7, the Seminoles rebounded for a 63-59 road win at Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

Then on Saturday, FSU stunned No. 3 North Carolina with a 90-57 pounding in Tallahassee. The Seminoles shot 48.4 percent from the floor and made 12-of-27 3s and outscored the Tar Heels 54-29 in the second half to improve to 11-6 overall and 2-1 in the ACC.

Florida State’s defense, where it has made its name in recent years, held North Carolina to 37 percent shooting and allowed the Tar Heels to connect on just four of their 21 3-point attempts.

“Our offense comes from our defense,” Deividas Dulkys said. “We get steals, we push the ball to get easier baskets. Everybody played the way we are capable of playing. We defended, we boxed out. It was a defensive effort by everybody.”

And it was a career night for Dulkys, who finished with 32 points on 12-of-14 shooting.

“I think everybody dreams about it when you are a little kid,” Dulkys said. “It was my time to shine.”

“I thought that Dulkys youngster was sensational,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “You have to congratulate him. He will cherish these moments for the rest of his life. It was a great performance today.”

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Brandon Paul, Illinois Junior Guard: Paul had a career outing as the Illini upset No. 5 Ohio State.

Paul scored a career-high 43 points – the third-highest total in school history – including the Illini’s final 15 points in the final 2:40. For the game, he went 11-of-15 from the floor, 13-of-15 from the free throw line and 8-of-10 from deep.

The 43 points tied Creighton’s Doug McDermott – the nation’s second-leading scorer – for the best performance in college basketball this season. He is the first player in 15 years to score 43 or more points on fewer than 16 field goal attempts.

He scored 28 points in the second half, more than any Illinois player had scored in a complete game this season.

“I was laughing a couple times,” Paul said. “After the first couple of 3s, I just said I was going to keep shooting. That’s the mindset I’ve got to have.”

Paul also had eight rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists and two steals in the win.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Minnesota 77, Indiana 74: Indiana had already beaten No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Ohio State at Assembly Hall. Minnesota came in shorthanded and 0-4 in the Big Ten. It didn't seem like the Gophers had much of a chance.

Instead, Minnesota led most of the night and came away with a 77-74 win, handing the Hoosiers their first home defeat of the season.

Indiana hit just 4-of-18 from beyond the 3-point line and the Gophers hit 35 percent. Austin Hollins led Minnesota with 18 points, going 7-for-10 from the field.

“Tonight, we caught Indiana on a tough shooting night, but we did what we had to do to get a win,” Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said. “Hopefully, we can build on this and use this to continue to improve.”

WIN OF THE WEEK

Northwestern 81, Michigan State 74: The Wildcats snapped Michigan State’s 15-game winning streak. In doing so, they showed a hint of toughness that has been lacking.

Northwestern outscored the sixth-ranked Spartans 42-37 in the second half to pull away for its second Big Ten victory. The Wildcats shot 54 percent in the second half and finished at 50 percent for the game. Meanwhile, they held MSU to 37 percent from the floor.

“It was a good team effort,” Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said. “They hadn’t lost in two months, so it was a good win all around. I’m happy for our guys.”

John Sherna – the Big Ten’s leading scorer – led the Wildcats with 22 points. In his first start of the season, Davide Curletti had 17 points and six boards.

“Curletti was the difference in the game, if you ask me,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Providence 80, Louisville 59: On Tuesday, Louisville shot 38 percent from the field and made just 4-of-19 3-pointers – against arguably the Big East’s worst defense – and was nearly outscored by the Friar duo of Bryce Cotton and Kadeem Batts, who scored 27 points apiece.

“There’s always one game a year you can’t explain,” Cardinal coach Rick Pitino said. “Nothing goes right, everything goes wrong and they do everything right.”

It was the Friars’ first and, to date, only conference win. The loss was the fourth in five games for Louisville, which opened the season with 12 straight wins. The Cardinals did respond with a 76-59 win over DePaul on Saturday.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Franklin returns to give San Diego State a big MWC win: Jamaal Franklin, who appeared to be out with an ankle injury Saturday against No. 12 UNLV, returned late and hit an off-balance layup with 0.3 left to give the Aztecs a 69-67 win.

“We’re a family,” Franklin said. “If my ankle’s broke, if they want me out there, I’m out there. It was a big tweak, but it didn’t really hurt.”

Franklin finished with 24 points and 10 boards as the No. 22 Aztecs improved to 15-2 with their eighth straight win.

THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL LIST

GOOD PLAYERS, BAD TEAMS

Great players who you likely will not get to see play in March:

1. Maalik Wayns, Villanova (Jr.): Although the Wildcats are only 8-10, Wayns has been spectacular. He’s averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and a steal every game and is coming off a 39-point, 13-rebound, 6-assist performance in an 82-78 loss at Cincinnati on Saturday.

2. Justin Cunningham, Oregon State (Jr.): Despite Cunningham’s All-Pac 12-type season, the Beavers are just 11-7 overall and 1-5 in the conference. The junior guard is averaging 17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.9 steals this season, and he may be on his way to a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honor.

3. Tim Frazier, Penn State (Jr.): Frazier has been the surprise of the Big Ten, but it hasn’t helped the Nittany Lions to many wins. The junior guard’s scoring average is up nearly 12 points from a year ago to 18.1. He’s also averaging 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game for the 9-10 Lions.

4. Kevin Foster, Santa Clara (Sr.): Foster is averaging 17.5 points, 3.1 assists, 3 rebounds and 1.4 steals this season. Still, the Broncos are 8-9 and have yet to secure a West Coast Conference victory.

5. Jesse Sanders, Liberty (Sr.): Sanders has been great for four seasons, but it hasn’t led to a lot of wins. The Flames are 6-14 this year despite 12.6 points, 7.9 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals from Sanders every night.

College Basketball Weekly Awards: Lillard, ORU, Fordham

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:09:39 -0800

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

COLLEGEHOOPS.NET PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Damian Lillard, Weber State Junior Guard: Lillard led the Wildcats to a pair of Big Sky Conference victories by scoring a combined 68 points last week.

On Thursday, the junior scored 30 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out five assists and blocked a shot in a 76-69 win over Eastern Washington.

He came back with a 38-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist performance in Saturday’s 88-81 triumph over Portland State.

For the season, Lillard is leading the country at 26.3 points per game. He’s shooting 48.9 percent from the field, 47.4 from the 3-point line and 90.9 at the charity stripe. Lillard is also averaging 5.9 boards and 3.6 assists for the Wildcats, who are 12-3 overall and 4-0 in the Big Sky.

Last week's Players of the Week were BYU's Brandon Davies and Lehigh's CJ McCollum.

COLLEEGHOOPS.NET TEAM OF THE WEEK

Oral Roberts: The Golden Eagles took on their top three Summit League challengers and defeated them all last week.

ORU opened the week with 89-80 wins at Oakland and at home against North Dakota State on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

The Eagles then improved to 6-0 in the league with Saturday’s 97-75 win over South Dakota State, which was also 5-0 in the Summit heading into the showdown. Dominique Morrison had a career-high 38 points in the win over the Jackrabbits.

Oral Roberts is 14-4 overall.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Tony Mitchell, North Texas Freshman Forward: In only the seventh game of his career, Mitchell scored 32 points – on 11-of-14 from the field, including sinking all three of his 3-pointers, and 9-of-11 from the foul line – in the Mean Green’s 78-73 Sun Belt victory over South Alabama. Mitchell, who scored in double-figures in his first four career outings, also had 16 boards, two assists and two steals in the win.

Mitchell’s point-rebound total was the third-best in school history and the most since Jesse Ratliff had 38 points and 16 rebounds against South Alabama in 1992.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Fordham 60, Harvard 54: The Rams outscored Harvard 36-27 in the second half to steal a victory from the 21^st-ranked Crimson.

Fordham shot 48.8 percent from the field and held Harvard, which led 29-24 early in the second half before a 20-5 Ram run, to 36.4 percent.

“Congratulations, Fordham,” Harvard coach Tommy Amaker told the AP. “They played inspired basketball. Give them credit. They did a tremendous job.”

Fordham is 7-8 overall, while the Crimson bounced back with a 63-47 win over Dartmouth in their Ivy League opener to improve to 13-2 overall.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Kansas State 75, Missouri 59: Kansas State not only knocked off one of four remaining unbeatens, it made it clear that it is a likely NCAA team itself with Saturday’s blowout victory.

The Wildcats beat up Missouri and held the Tigers to 33 percent from the field, 29 percent from the 3-point line and to 27 points below their season average.

“I felt like Missouri hadn’t seen a team like us, a team that can really get up and pressure you on defense,” Kansas State sophomore guard Will Spradling told the AP.

Missouri leading scorer Marcus Denmon concurred with Spradling.

“We weren’t able to make our cuts freely, so we couldn’t get guys open,” Denmon said.

The Wildcats are now 12-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12. Missouri suffered its first defeat after 14 straight victories to open the season.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Iowa State 74, Texas A&M 50: It isn’t just that the Aggies lost to an improving Cyclone squad Saturday, it’s how it happened.

Texas A&M – in its fourth loss in five games – was outscored 42-23 in the first half at home, falling behind 36-16 in the first 17 minutes.

They also allowed Iowa State sophomore Royce White to dominate the contest. White finished with 10 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists.

“Obviously, we struggled scoring in the first five minutes of the game,” Aggie coach Billy Kennedy said. “You have to give them credit. They’re very difficult to guard with Royce White handling and passing the ball, but we have to compete at a higher level.”

At this point – after opening the season ranked 20^th in the nation – A&M looks like a longshot to reach the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State, on the other hand, is 12-3 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12 after also beating Texas on Wednesday.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Moe Harkless’ tip-in to beat Cincinnati, 57-55: Harkless was the hero for St. John’s for the second time in two weeks when he put back a missed DeAngelo Harrison floater and put it back as the horn sounded Saturday.

The upset win snapped the Bearcats’ 7-game win streak and put St. John’s back above .500 at 8-7 and at 2-2 in the Big East after back-to-back losses to Connecticut and Louisville.

“This group doesn’t get down,” Red Storm interim coach Mike Dunlap said. “We’re going to be up-and-down all year long, but we have to ride it with them and continue to teach.”

Harkless finished with 14 points and 14 boards in the triumph. The freshman now has four career double-doubles. Harrison, who is also a freshman, added 18 points and seven boards.

THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL LIST

NATION’S BEST SHARPSHOOTERS

When these players put a shot up, you’re almost certain it’s going in:

1. Marcus Denmon, Missouri (Sr.): After lighting it up early, Denmon has struggled a bit of late. There’s still no player in America you’d rather have shooting a big 3 late in the game. Denmon leads the 14-1 Tigers at 18.7 points per game and is shooting 44.7 percent from deep.

2. Jordan Hulls, Indiana (Jr.): Hulls has the purest stroke in America and is shooting 58.2 percent from the 3-point line, 54.5 percent from the field and 86.7 from the foul line. He’s averaging 12.3 points and, oh yeah, he’s a point guard. Hulls has helped revitalize the 15-1 and 12th-ranked Hoosiers.

3. Doug McDermott, Creighton (So.): After his incredible freshman year, McDermott’s scoring surge hasn’t been a surprise, but his 58.2 percent clip from the 3-point line is astounding. He’s also shooting 63.2 percent from the field and is second in the nation at 25.2 point per contest, leading the Blue Jays to a 13-2 start.

4. Scott Wood, North Carolina State (Sr.): Wood is the 12-4 Wolfpack’s 3-point specialist, who has connected on 46.1 percent of his 3-pointers and 49.2 percent of all of his shots. He’s also 37-for-37 from the foul line after making 92.3 percent a year ago.

5. Ryne Smith, Purdue (Sr.): Over 80 percent of Smith’s shots and points come from the 3-point line. He’s making 45.3 percent from the 3-point line and averaging a career-best 10.2 points per game for the 13-4 Boilermakers.