Hoopweekend 11/16-18/2007

Hoopweekend is the expanded version of Hoopnight. Because more games are played on more channels that are visible to more viewers over the weekend. It's true. Look it up.

Friday Night

Don't Miss

#3 Memphis "at" UConn - 8:30pm, ESPN2 (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Looking at the original bracket for this championship game in the Garden, this matchup would not have been too far-fetched, but I think most fans thought we'd see Kentucky instead. Gardner-Webb killed that scenario, but didn't have the horses to make it all the way. Obviously UConn has the most to gain and Memphis the most to lose in this scenario.


Watch if You're not Dana Altman

#18 Arkansas "at" Providence - 5:30pm, ESPNU (Puerto Rico Tipoff)
The winner of this contest gets upstart Miami, which beat VCU in a game once again played at a ridiculous hour - 1:30pm, while most of us were still at work. Providence shot only 43% in a win over Temple.


Tivo it and watch Friday Night Lights

Oklahoma "at" Gardner-Webb - 6:30pm, ESPN2 (Coaches vs. Cancer)
Sure, it's just a consolation game, but a win would still be huge for the Runnin' Bulldogs' nascent tournament profile.


Saturday

Virginia at #17 Arizona - 10:30pm, FSN
With college football in full swing, ESPN is taking a break from hoops on Saturday. Fox Sports will bring us a fairly intriguing matchup, however. Arizona was an eight seed in the last tournament, and Virginia a four, but neither made the sweet 16. Wooden Award candidates Sean Singletary and Chase Budinger square off, though, so that's enough reason to watch.


Sunday

Iona at #1 North Carolina - 6pm, ESPNU
This should be a royal beatdown, following the close UNC win over Davidson that lowered their esteem if not their ranking. Still, it's the only game on TV.

UPDATE:

Providence "at" Miami - 7:30pm, ESPN2 (Puerto Rico Tipoff)
Here's a Puerto Rico championship game nobody expected to see. Preseason darlings VCU and Arkansas gonged themselves out of the final round of the island classic. Providence actually defeated the Hogs handily, taking advantage of turnovers to pull out a 67-51 win, and Miami edged the Rams despite a 27-point effort by Eric Maynor. Winner will be one of the undefeated surprises of the early going.

#18 Arkansas "at" Virginia Commonwealth - 5pm, ESPNU (Puerto Rico Tipoff)
It's like wacky world... this is the consolation game. Should still be a barn-burner, and show us which team can overcome woes and bounce back in the next game.

Enjoy. We'll see you again on Monday to look at the short holiday week, and the first-ever STF Hoops Summit, scheduled to take place at the Palestra .

Word On The Court - November 16, 2007

What to know what is buzzing in college hoops? Word on the Court will provide links to the biggest and most interesting stories in the world of college basketball.


A blog from one of the nation's most underrated players, Kyle Hines of UNC-Greensboro (Double-A Zone)


And you thought that it couldn't get any worse for Kentucky? Their most talented player in my opinion, Jodie Meeks, is going to miss 4-6 with a groin injury (Kentucky Sports Radio)


More Kentucky, Billy Gillispie better stop losing to A-Sun teams, because he has technically not even signed his contract yet (AP)


I'm not a big recruiting guy, but apparently UCLA has the #1 class, and Ben Howland is pretty damn happy about it (LA Times)


Speaking of recruiting, Seth Davis asks why the hell in the world a recruit would sign a letter of intent (Seth Davis, SI)


I know that this may sound shocking, but Jim Calhoun and John Calipari hate each other. Really? Both seem like pretty likable guys (Memphis Commercial Appeal)


In case you were dying to know, here is what lats year's College Basketball Invitational would have looked like (Rush The Court)


Are we seriously overlooking the Florida Gators? (MSNBC: Beyond The Arc)


Comparing presidential candidates to the 1991 UNLV Running Rebels (Deadspin)


The NCAA Hall of Champion nearly burns down. How did I not hear about this? (The Meaningful Collateral)


Excellent article on Wake Forest, as they try to cope with the loss of Skip Prosser (Andy Katz, ESPN)


Roy Hibbert is learning from some Georgetown greats (Steve Greenberg, Sporting News)


Got a college hoops story you think we should know about? Sent it to stormingthefloor@gmail.com and we'll be sure to include it in the next Word on the court.

Where the Heck Have You Guys Been?

We've been so caught up in what is happening around here that we never spared a thought for what isn't happening. Namely, seven DI programs have yet to kick off their 2007-2008 seasons with actual floor time. Not newsworthy, except for the interesting names that fall into the group.

Big East

Louisville is probably sick and tired of practicing and scrimmaging and ready to go after it. But they don't debut until Saturday, when they throw down on poor, defenseless Hartford. Notable because we, and many others, feel the Cards have the talent to get to the Final Four this year.

West Virginia won the NIT last year, and then changed coaches, bringing in the, erm.... ethically flexible Bob Huggins. The Mountaineers begin their NIT title defense tonight with an epic battle vs. Arkansas-Monticello. A nice warmup for Saturday's huge football game that could move the 'Eers into the national title hunt again.

Pac-10

Arizona State has probably been dreading this opener, as they were horrible last year and must travel to Illinois to kick things off next Monday. Let them revel in their sudden football relevance and then remind them they have Wooden candidate Jeff Pendergraph.

MVC

The Salukis have not tipped off! I'm flabbergasted. They've had to chew on the Sweet 16 near-miss vs. Kansas for far too long. They'll start the season on Saturday vs. Ricardo Patton's Northern Illinois gang.

Horizon

Wright State under coach Brad Brownell was the surprise of the Horizon last season, taking the regular season and tournament crowns from media darling Butler. But they lost in the first round to Pitt, a flavor they'll try to wash out of their mouths come Monday, with a game against Coastal Carolina's Chanticleers.

MAC

Akron waged a gallant campaign against Miami (OH) in the MAC championship last season, only to lose on a last-second shot. That kept them out of the NCAAs, and out of the NIT, despite a sterling 26-7 record. They begin the revenge tour tonight against something called a USC-Upstate.

MAAC

Niagara's Purple Eagles lost to Kansas in the first round of the tourney. They begin their quixotic quest for a similar end to this season tonight at 7pm, when they take on Central Michigan. It's MAC on MAAC crime - be there!

Note: Marco has an Insider password and pointed out that ESPN's Andy Glockner noticed the same trend today. Pure coincidence, Andy, I would never steal from you, big guy.

The Other Mayo Is Leading The Country In Scoring

It delights me to no end to look at the national scoring leaders and seeing the last last name "Mayo" at the top....only to realize that it isn't "OJ Mayo" at the top. It's actually Josh Mayo of Illinois-Chicago who is leading the nation in scoring with 34 ppg. Granted, all 34 points came in one game, but at least it was in an upset of Bradley. But Josh gets bonus points for more than topping OJ early in the season, whom I'm made it known I'm not a fan of, but he gets super STF bonus points for being 5'10". I'm a fan of anyone who plays Division I basketball and is as tall or shorter than I am......even if they play at Duke. He also shot a nifty 64% against Bradley.

Now I know that this probably won't last past this weekend, but I think that this overshadowed Mayo could use his moment in the sun while it lasts.

(Stats courtesy of Basketball State, which is awesome)

Morning Recap 11/16: Clemson Wins One On The Road

Clemson Wins One On The Road



Game of the Night

Clemson 84 Mississippi State 82

This fantastic match-up of slightly under-the-radar teams that could easily make the Sweet 16 was a dandy. Clemson's freshman Terrence Oglesby came out of nowhere to score 17 points, including the game winning free throws in the final minute. Huge win for the Tigers in Starkville, as this was exactly the kind of game they couldn't win at the end of last season. Gordon had a double-double and 23 points in the loss for Miss State.


Also Intriguing

Memphis 63 Oklahoma 53

This game.....was not pretty to watch. Both Memphis and Oklahoma shot 38% for the game and the Tigers went 11-23 from the foul line. Despite the poor shooting, the Tigers were able to prevail behind the return of Joey Dorsey, who scored nine points, had 12 blocks and five blocks in his first game of the season.


UConn 78 Gardner-Webb 66

The magical ride ends for GWU, as they were just worn down by UConn's athletes in this game, which that was never really as close as the score indicates. Huskies fans sure have to be excited about the early season coming out party for the previously disappointing AJ Price, who scored 18 points to lead the Huskies to the 2K Sports final.



Mid-Major Game of the Evening

VCU 73 Houston 72

Nice victory by the Rams, who were able to pull off this game with huge March ramifications in Puerto Rico. With under a minute to play and Houston up 70-68, VCU's Jamal Shuler would convert on a three-point play to give the Rams a 71-70 edge that they would never give back. VCU moves on to play Miami in Puerto Rico this afternoon.


Beatdown of the Night

Wisconsin 79 Savannah State 32

Something tells me that this won't be last time we will be seeing Savannah State in the "Beatdown" category.


Other Scores of Note

Maryland 74 Northeastern 72 OT

Kansas 92 Washburn 60

Georgetown 74 Michigan 52

Providence 66 Temple 64

Miami 85 Marist 61

Arkansas 75 College of Charleston 49

Hoopnight 11/15/2007

Hoopnight is your daily preview of televised college basketball. We wish we could include more Puerto Rico games, but most of them are being played in the A.M.


Don't Miss

#3 Memphis "at" Oklahoma - 9pm, ESPN2 (Coaches vs. Cancer)
Now that you've been introduced to Vance Walberg and his AASAA system, watch it in action tonight. We know who the players are for Memphis, so I'm just waiting for a chance to say "Longar Longar" when Oklahoma takes the floor. It's always fun to watch a game in the Garden, too.


Watch it if You're on the A-Sun Bandwagon

UConn "at" Gardner-Webb - 7pm, ESPN2 (Coaches vs. Cancer)
This is the payoff for all of the time we collectively spent watching the early rounds of the CvC. A Final Four just like the ones we've been seeing in March, where storied program goes up against surprising mid-major. Anything can happen. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.


Tivo it and Try to Beat the Traffic Home

Charleston "at" #18 Arkansas - 5pm, ESPNU (Puerto Rico Tipoff)
This is not so much about the match-up as it is the player. It's a chance to see Patrick Beverley play, and see if Arkansas is more of a threat than they were last year. Just for fun, I left some tickets at will-call in the name of Senor Dana Altman.

Big Disappointments in the Big Ten

Something is wrong with the Big Ten conference. Terribly, terribly wrong.

Back on Nov. 2, a black cat reared its ugly head out or a mirror was shattered to pieces - because it was then that a preseason top-10 Michigan State squad fell in double overtime to Grand Valley State, by a final score of 85-82. Then, just four days later, the Ohio State Buckeyes - runners-up in last year's NCAA Championship - lost 70-68 to Findlay.

Yes, Findlay. Home of the Oilers.

But for all of you Big Ten fans out there, especially those of the Spartans and Buckeyes, don't freak out just yet. Recruiting is what makes the college basketball world go 'round, and recruiting is what will bring this conference back up to what should be its usual standards. It was just one year ago that the Big Ten boasted several NBA-caliber athletes - i.e. Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Alando Tucker, Adam Haluska and Carl Landry - and was a conference to be reckoned with.

This year, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Several of the top teams from a year ago, such as the aforementioned Spartans and Buckeyes - as well as the Wisconsin Badgers and Iowa Hawkeyes - will undoubtedly struggle this season. Some of them already have, and some of them soon will. But there is an absolutely incredible turnaround in college basketball nowadays. Recruiting classes can change the entire landscape of a program in a single year (Google "2005 North Carolina Tar Heels" as a reference), and while recruiting may not be as blue chip in the Big Ten as it is in the ACC or even Pac-10, conference teams are still able to find their 5-star studs from time to time; there are still the Greg Odens, Eric Gordons and even Kosta Koufos' of the world that will gladly join a Big Ten squad.

Even more important than recruiting though is coaching. The Big Ten boasts some of the top coaches in the land, including Tom Izzo and Bo Ryan, as well as - gulp - Kelvin Sampson and Tubby Smith. No matter what caliber recruiting class most of the Big Ten coaches are dealt, they can make the most of it and turn around their squads in a year...or maybe two.

So Big Ten fans, have no fear - the 2007-08 may look ugly so far. But when did it ever look pretty?

The Most Underrated Preseason Tournament

While all of the attention for preseason tournaments shifts towards Maui and the NIT, the one that may play the most important role come March tips off today. That tournament is the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, slightly off the radar from the major tournaments, but the results from this tournament could have a huge ramifications come Selection Sunday.

Out of the eight teams in the tournament, only one looks like a semi-lock for March (Arkansas). Five other teams (VCU, Providence, Houston, Temple, Miami (FL) ) are all teams that have been predicted to finish on the inside or outside of the bubble, depending on what preseason guide you are reading. And the other two teams (Marist, College of Charleston) wouldn't shock anyone is they won their conference tournaments.

So that means that out of these possible bubble teams, someone will to be leaving the island on a roll and in great position going into conference play, while the rest will be playing catch up all season long. Not to mention that these match-ups in the Caribbean may serve as a device for the Selection Committee to compare of these teams. So while Maui may get all the attention, Puerto Rico may be much more important come March.

The Man Behind Calipari's Madness

While watching this video about the attacking offense that John Calipari calls "Princeton on Steroids", I was struck by the major credit that the Memphis coach was giving to the system's creator. For a Final Four contender to basically admit that he junked his previous notions about basketball after meeting a (highly successful) junior college coach was incredible to me.

So I resolved to find out who this innovative and persuasive Vance Walberg is. And here's what I learned.

Vance Walberg is a Cali guy, plain and simple. He began his coaching career in the Sunshine State in the early 80s, and he's never left there. He broke into the profession in the usual way, as a head badminton coach. That soon gave way to basketball, where his true talents lie. But who knows how he might have revolutionized the shuttlecock if given half a chance?

He spent thirteen years as a High School coach in Fresno, before making the small leap up to junior college, where he became head man at Fresno City College. That's where he really began to shine, racking up an astounding 133-11 record for a .924 winning percentage. He was JC coach of the year in 2003 and 2005, and managed a perfect 34-0 season in '05 as well.

Somewhere during that time, he made a fateful trip to Memphis, Tennessee. While he ostensibly was there to learn from the great John Calipari, coach Walberg actually ended up setting the basketball world on its ear. A casual dinner conversation about Walberg's notions of attacking offense led to Calipari junking his more conservative style, instead adapting the Fresno CC system to his own blue chip personnel.

Walberg calls the basis of the Memphis Attack more of a style than a system. The initials he prefers are AASAA, standing for Attack, Attack, Skip Pass, Attack, Attack. Guards absolutely love it, and big men have to be more Dirk Nowitzki than Shaq to make it work. Walberg compares it to the ethos of a football team that blitzes more often than not. That style extends to the defensive end as well, where the press is the weapon of choice. It's institutionalized chaos.

The Wizard of Fresno made his mark on the college hoops world, and has been rewarded with his chance at DI. Following that perfect '05 season in Fresno, Walberg was called up to the big leagues. Even better, he gets to stay in California, as the head coach of the Pepperdine Waves. Now in his second season by the sea, Walberg is still building the cast he needs to execute AASAA, starting this season 0-3 with losses at both #13 Oregon and Pacific and a head-scratching home loss to Western Michigan.

Regardless of how this turns out, just remember Walberg's smarts and Calipari's humility (I can't believe I just wrote that) combined to create a monster in Memphis. Maybe the Waves' coach can take a small bit of solace from this season if a Final Four banner hangs from the rafters at the Pyramid.

Morning Recap 11/14: Heels Hold On

Heels Survive



Game of the Night

North Carolina 72 Davidson 68

Seriously, you could not have asked for a better start to the season. For the second consecutive night, we had a tight game that felt like a tournament game. Not to mention all of the shocking upsets last week. And we haven't even gotten to Maui yet. God I love college basketball.

On to the game, which completely lived up to it's billing.This game was as tight as could be, with the biggest lead of the game being seven for both teams. The clincher for the Tar Heels was huge jumper for Wayne Ellington with under a minute to play that extended the lead to three and sealed the deal. The Tar Heels won this game despite the outstanding play of Stephon Curry (24 points) and disappearances of Tyler Hansbrough (2 points 2nd half) and Ty Lawson (0 assists).

Despite the Tar Heel win, I'm going to say this. I'm feeling much better this morning if a Davidson fan instead of a A North Carolina fan. Davidson lived up to the hype. The Wildcats played the big boys in front of the entire (yes, entire) student body and showed that they can match up with the Tar Heels. There was nothing fluky about this game. They are nine deep and play harder than anyone I've seen in a long time. If I'm a Tar Heels fan, I'm happy about the emergence of Wayne Ellington, but concerned about Hansbrough disappearing in the second half once again (just like against Georgetown) and the lack of any semblance of a set offense. Those are usually need to win championships


Also Intriguing

Washington 83 Utah 77

Played late at night and witnessed by only insomniacs like myself, alot of people missed a fantastic game from the Northwest. The Huskies would finish the game on an 11-2 run to win this over the Utes, who might have the coolest old school uniforms in basketball.


Mid-Major Game of the Evening

North Texas 82 Oklahoma State 73

Remember the Mean Green? Well it's looks like they may be making a return trip to the tournament this season. Great BCS win over a rebuilding Okie State.


Beatdown of the Night

Tennessee 101 Arkansas-Monticello 44


Other Scores of Note

Bradley 65 Iowa State 56

Sam Houston State 56 Texas Tech 54

Texas A&M 81 UTEP 76

LSU 78 McNeese State 74

Cal 67 Southern Miss 59

Hoopnight 11/14/2007

Hoopnight is your evening preview of televised college basketball action. Now with more aspartame.


Don't Miss

Davidson (1-0) at #1 North Carolina (0-0) - 7pm, ESPN
Much has been made of the fact that Stephen Curry's slender physique cost him scholarship opportunities in the ACC. He's been playing with a chip on his shoulder ever since, and he'll be ready and willing to do some damage in the Dean Dome Charlotte. Of course, UNC is a very deserving #1, as well, so we'll be looking for quite a showdown. And don't just watch it, comment on Marco's live-blog at Awful Announcing. (UPDATE: Live-blog is off for tonight due to some complications with AA. We'll be back to live-blogging sometime next week)


Watch if you Don't Feel Like Looking for the Remote

Utah (2-0) at Washington (1-0) - 10:30pm, ESPN (Preseason NIT)
The Huskies beat moribund independent New Jersey Institute of Technology to get to the second round of the Preseason NIT. Utah, under former Michigan State assistant Jim Boylen, beat a decent mid-major in High Point. I just can't really enjoy Utah without Majerus, though. See you in St. Louis, big guy!


Tivo it and Watch Grey's Anatomy (and then feel bad about yourself)

UTEP (2-0) at #15 Texas A&M (2-0) - 9pm, ESPNU (Preseason NIT)
This game was so much more interesting when it was Billy Gillespie coaching one of his miracle turnarounds vs. the previous one. As-is, it's still a pretty decent game. New coach Mark Turgeon got 12 and 8 from seven-foot freshman DeAndre Jordan yesterday, and rotates players from the bench often. UTEP made short work of another member of the A&M system in the first round, taking down the Corpus Christi Islanders 77-62.

Checking In: The Butler Bulldogs

Checking in is a regular feature that allows us to catch up with the bracket-busters of yester-March.


The Butler Bulldogs started last season with a bang, rattling off ten straight wins and garnering national accolades. The fact that they won at Notre Dame and Tennessee, and also beat Indiana and Gonzaga made them top-25 denizens all year long, and drew some much-needed attention to the commuter school out of Indianapolis.

Somewhere along the way, however, the Bulldogs failed to win the Horizon League. The unheralded Wright State Raiders made an in-conference push to win the regular season crown. That achievement assured them of home-court advantage in the Horizon tournament, where they took care of business to advance to the NCAA tournament. Voters could not conceive of leaving out the Bulldogs, so the big H became a two-bid conference.

Once in, Butler made short work of Old Dominion, and then took out a ranked Maryland squad to move on to the sweet sixteen. The Bulldogs were unable to get past eventual champions Florida, but their amazing year did not go unnoticed. Bigger schools came courting coach Todd Lickliter, and he took the opening at Big Ten stalwart Iowa, where he will face another limb off the Butler tree, Ohio State coach Thad Matta.

Butler didn't flail, however. They promoted assistant Brad Stevens from within, and he promptly promised to stay the course. An easy promise to make, with senior standouts A.J. Graves, Julian Betko, and Mike Green returning to a top-heavy team. Currently ranked as the #3 Mid-Major in the country, Butler won't be sneaking up on anyone this season. With the offseason addition of Valpo to the Horizon, they may have a more well-rounded conference to play in, as well.

The Bulldogs begin this season with a mini tour-de-Indiana, having already beat Ball State 61-45 in their debut. Tonight they face the team that handed them their first loss last season in Indiana State of the MVC. They have once again scheduled tough, visiting Michigan and Southern Illinois before Christmas, and bringing Ohio State into their own house. Nemesis Wright State will also get an early crack at them in a December 8th matchup.

If Butler can beat one or two of those teams, it should be no time before they're moving up the top 25 again.

Just What We Need, Another Version of The NIT

Remember about a week or so ago when I mentioned how college basketball needed some kind of preseason opening event? Well, no one listened to me. Instead, the powers that be decided to create a new postseason tournament, for teams who don't make the NCAA or NIT tournaments. It's called the College Basketball Invitational.

"This past season, UConn, LSU, Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, California, Washington, Akron and St. Louis, among others, were all left out of postseason play," the firm said today in a news release. "The CBI creates the opportunity for such deserving teams to continue playing and be part of the postseason environment."

That's right UConn fans, you may have been shut out of the NCAA's and NIT, but I'm sure that CBI tournament championship will make the season a success.


(HT: Jeff Barker of the Baltimore Sun)

Another Georgia Starter Is Down

Ah, those Georgia Bulldogs, they can't seem to keep anyone on the court this season. First, starters Mike Mercer and Takais Brown were suspended for various violations.
Now it looks as if guard Billy Humphery, another start, is going to be missing some time as well.

"The Athens Banner-Herald and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution report that Humphrey was charged with being in possession of a pocket knife that was more than two inches long, a violation of university policy".

A pocket knife?? Did he just get back from the fair?

The Legend of Jonny Flynn

I believe that construction of the Jonny Flynn statue started around dawn on Marshall Street. Talk about a way to start a career. Open with 28 point performance, the most for a freshmen at Syracuse, including Melo. Then top that with a game winning three against St. Joe's, which happened to be his first field goal of the game and also happened to be launched from Albany. That, my friends, is how you become a campus folk hero.

Alot of people are comparing Flynn to Carmelo Anthony, which is fine, but I'm taking it a step further. Jonny Flynn is the next.......Tim Tebow.


After the past two games, Flynn is fast on his way to becoming a Tim Tebow-like campus legend at Syracuse. All of the evidence so far appears to show that Flynn posses some of the superhuman mojo that you need. Which means that the Tim Tebow/Chuck Norris facts that have been all over the blogs must apply to Flynn. Some predictions for Flynn in the future.....

• Flynn's core temperature of awesomeness limits Syracuse's snowfall to only 10 inches this winter

• Flynn tries out for the football, where he is immediately named starting quarterback, captain and head coach. He then leads the Orange to wins over Uconn and Cincinnati by a combined 78 points, throwing for seven touchdowns in the process. In blatant disregard of NCAA rules, the Cuse are invited to the Sugar Bowl despite a 4-8 record.

• Flynn is able to travel back in time, bitchslap the hell out of Gary Walters, and retroactively place the Cuse into the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

What else can Jonny do? Let's hear it in the comments....

Morning Recap 11/13: Flynn Does It Again

Flynn To The Rescue




Game of the Night

Syracuse 72 Saint Joseph's 69

For those of you wondering what Jonny Flynn could do for an encore?.....how does a game winning three from NBA range with 5.3 seconds left sound? Flynn was held to 2 points (both a free throw a minute earlier in the game), letting other super freshmen Donte Green (18 points) steal the show. But when it mattered, Flynn delivered in a game his only field goal of the contest in a game that had the excitement level of one played in March. Nice effort from Saint Joesph's (I'm feeling better about my Sweet 16 pick today). Pat Calthes scored 22 points and clearly looks like the leader of this squad, while sophomore Darrin Govens hit six threes to also finish with 22. Want to know why the Hawks lost? Where was Ahmad Nivins at? The A10 Preseason Player of the Year was non-factor on both sides of the ball, scoring just three points and allowing Syracue to dominate the paint all night. Great, great early season game.


Also Intriguing

Texas A&M 67 Oral Roberts 53

So far, Mark Turgeon is having better luck than his predecessor in Lexington. The Aggies used Josh Carter's 15 points to propel them to a victory over one of the best mid-major named for an evangelist in Oral Roberts.


Arizona 76 Northern Arizona 69

Yeah, I think Lute Olsen needs to get back to the bench ASAP. Chase Budinger had 25 points and freshmen Jerryd Bayless scored 18 in his debut, but the Lumberjacks used a 13-0 second half run to make this a game and the game wasn't sealed unit Budinger hit a pair of free throws with under a minute to play.


Mid-Major Game of the Evening

Miami (OH) 59 Xavier 57

In the most intriguing game of the night outside of Syracuse-SJU, Miami (OH) used three Michael Barmos free throws with :06 seconds left to pull off the semi-upset for the Redhawks. Its been a rough start to the season for the MAC (not helped by the fact that Central Michigan lost a DII school last night) but this win is a confidence booster, and makes me feel better about picking both Miami and Western Michigan to make the dance. And damn, rough night for the A10.


Beatdown of the Night

UAB 86 Stetson 49

For those of you who thought the Hatters could keep the A-Sun's magic against big schools alive......you were very,very wrong.


Other Scores of Note

Washington State 86 Boise State 74

Ohio State 68 Columbia 54

Alabama 90 Mercer 83

Missouri 79 Fordham 55

Buffalo 76 South Florida 69

Hoopnight 11/13/2007

Hoopnight is the evening roundup of televised games.


Don't Miss

St. Joe's at #25 Syracuse - 7pm, ESPN (Preseason NIT)
Pat Calathes is a senior and finally playing solid minutes for the Hawks. He's good for 20 and 8 per game so far this year. Jonny Flynn is a freshman phenom playing 36 minutes per game for the Orange, and he debuted with a 28-point night against Siena yesterday. Let 'er rip!


Watch if you Giggle when Someone Says "Oral"

Oral Roberts at Texas A&M - 9pm, ESPNU (Preseason NIT)
I'm not just blowing smoke here - if ORU can upset Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, like they did last year, they can do the same to newbie coach Mark Turgeon and his Aggies.


Tivo it and Watch the Syracuse Game

Chicago State at Michigan State - 7pm, ESPNU (O'Reilly Auto Care CBE Classic)
This item probably wouldn't be here if MSU had taken care of business vs. Utah Valley State in exhibition. And my own affection for the woebegotten CSU Cougars probably plays a part as well.

Injury Report

Some random notes from the injury front....

• Big blow for Gonzaga as Josh Heytvelt will be missing some time for a non-drug related injury. He will be having surgery on a stress fracture on his right foot and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. The Zags play Idaho tonight, don't expect them to have any problems as long as that Nick Heidelberger kid is involved with the Vandals.


• Reports are that Lute Olsen will be returning shortly from his leave of absence


• UCLA's Darren Collison looks as if he's going to miss a a few more games. The Bruins could use him back, as they looked sloppy in the first half against Youngstown State


• DJ White appears to by fine after getting cut while trying to block a shot late against Chattanooga.


• Don't cry Extra P! Kansas will be without Sherron Collins for close to two months with a foot injury.

It's A Wonderful Day In Syracuse and Bloomington

Indiana and Syracuse fans, you have your saviors....at least for one day. Two of the nation's most storied programs have be stymied in mediocrity at bit over the past three or four seasons after some tremendous success at the beginning of the decade. But after watching the performances of Eric Gordon and Jonny Flynn last night, you've got to feeling that both teams could be in for special seasons. So I figured it would be interesting to see what IU and Cuse fans are talking about the day after

On the IU side....

From Inside The Hall, one of the best team specific blogs in college hoops

"What was surprising was just how quickly Gordon seemed to integrate himself
into the flow of the game. Rarely was a shot forced, and when shots were
forced, natural talent took over. Everything he does is tinged with talent:
No one has talked about his passing ability, but the downcourt pass he
flicked, ever so easily, into Jordan Crawford’s hands in the first half was
the most sublime measure yet of how much better he is than everyone else on
the floor. And there was that dunk; that wasn’t so bad either, was it"?

From Hoosier Insider at the Indy Star

"I've got to tell you, Indiana fans need to enjoy every minute they see of EJ
this year because I can't see anyway he will be at IU more than one season. The
guy is a beast. He can do it all. He can hoist the long 3, he can hit pull up
jumpers, he can drive to the basket, he can dish to open teammates, and he may
be IU's best defender. And he's as modest and humble as any player I've ever
covered. The guy is the real deal and he's just a pleasure to watch play. He's
one of those guys where he will do something and you'll just look at the guy
next to you with a facial expression that says, "Did he just do what I think he
did"?

From the Syracuse side....

From The Syracuse Post Standard......

"Jon-ny Flynn! Jon-ny Flynn!'' The 17,746 fans at the Carrier Dome on Monday
night chanted Jonny Flynn's name the same way the Bleacher Creatures at Yankee
Stadium serenade their pin-striped heroes.
Flynn, the baby-faced freshman
point guard from Niagara Falls, had just hit the third of three straight
3-pointers to give Syracuse a 78-69 lead against Siena midway through the second
half of the first round game in the Preseason NIT."

From Cuse Country......

"Jonny Flynn is my ace. This became obvious by the end of the game, but since I
decided to proclaim this about 5 minutes into the first half, I feel justified
in stating the obvious. Did you know he was a member of the national honor
society in high school? Real points from the nerd contingent over here".

Remember My Name - 11/13/2007

Remember My Name examines heroic acts of basketball prowess on the small stage, so that you won't be surprised to hear these names at the Big Dance.

Junior Hairston, Towson - The 6'8" Junior forward was co-CAA player of the week, putting in 28 points and 21 boards in his Colonial debut. The College of Charleston transfer also blocked three shots vs. Loyola.

Vladimir Kuljianin, UNC-Wilmington - The other half of the co-honor had 25 and 18 in an overtime thriller vs... Oh, look, it's College of Charleston again! Looks like they're missing ol' Junior.

Josh Mayo, Illinois-Chicago - This is not the Mayo you were expecting, but you should at least be aware of him. Lite Mayo scored 34 points in just 35 minutes in beating the senior-laden Bradley Braves. The 5'10" junior hit 75% of his treys.

Daniel Ruffin, Bradley - The senior dropped fourteen dimes in the same game in which Mayo notched his huge scoring night. That's a dollar and forty cents he can never get back. Keep an eye on MVC power Bradley despite this early setback.

Mickell Gladness, Alabama A&M - The 6'10" Senior center already set the record for blocks in a single game, with 16 vs. Texas Southern last season. This year he's off to a good start again, averaging 8.3 per game for a total of 26 in the first week of this season.

There are many more worth mentioning, but let's leave a little in the tank for next week.

[statistics courtesy of Basketball State]

Morning Recap 11/13: Night of The Freshemen

Night of the Freshmen



Scores of the Night

Syracuse 97 Siena 89

With a terrible football team and an underachieving basketball team that missed the tourney last season, it has not been easy to be a Syracuse fan over the past few seasons. But this morning, Cuse fans are smiling. All thanks to freshmen Jonny Flynn, whose 28 point debut has Cuse fans having Melo-like fantasies. Flynn set the a Syracuse record for points in a debut, hitting 6 of 7 treys. What about the 23 turnovers and complete lack of defense from the Cuse you may say? We'll let those pass for now, Orange fans need this one.


Indiana 99 Chattanooga 79

As impressive as Flynn was, Eric Gordon for IU was simply the balls. 33 points in his IU debut. He went 9-of-15 from the field, 7-of-11 on 3-pointers, six rebounds, four assists. And from watching the highlights, what struck me was how much Gordon reminded me of MJ, right down to the mannerism and the number. Which fanbase should be more excited this morning; Syracuse or Indiana? (Ironically, Cuse and Indiana probably have the two biggest presences in the blogworld)

Oregon 97 Western Michigan 88

Going into the night, this was the game I had my eye on. A slightly under-the-radar Ducks against the sexy mid-major pick in WMU. Malik Hairston finally had a memorable game for Oregon, only four seasons after he was supposed to Meloize the Ducks. He had a career high 29 points to led the Ducks and hold off a late WMU rally. David Kool and Joe Reitz added 24 and 21 respectively for the Broncos, who are off to a shaky 1-2 start.

UCLA 83 Youngstown State 52

For me, this was the first game that I was actually able to watch on my own television this season. The game wasn't much, but I came away really impressed by Kevin Love. Love is significantly bigger and more athletic than I anticipated. He even knocked down a three for good measure. He's also sporting some fantastic white trash facial hair.

Other Scores

Maryland 60 Hampton 54

Ohio State 91 Wisconsin-Green Bay 68

Duke New 86 New Mexico State 61

Marquette 66 Utah Valley State 55

Missouri 87 Central Michigan 76

Hoopnight 11/12/07

Hoopnight is your daily preview of televised games to watch out for.

Don't Miss
New Mexico State at #11 Duke - 7pm, ESPN2
Yes, Duke is back and dropping c-notes on lesser schools. But Kyle Whelliston has named NMSU's Herb Pope as one of his mid-major players to watch. So watch him! You won't get too many chances during the season.

Watch If You Have Cable
Youngstown State at #2 UCLA - 11pm, ESPN2
Yeah, Youngstown State won't likely provide much of a challenge for the Bruins, but we've heard so much about Kevin Love - don't you want to see him with your own eyes? UCLA is playing without Darren Collison as he rehabs a sprained knee, but his teammates will keep his spot warm for him in fine style.

Tivo it and Watch Chuck
Siena at Syracuse - 7pm, ESPNU
We here at STF believe that Syracuse is worthy of the top 25, and we'd like to find out if we're right. But the December 5th road trip to Virginia will tell us more than a walk-through against the Saints of the MAAC.

The STF Q&A;: Columnist Chuck Woodling of the Lawrence Journal-World

STF likes to run a Q & A with some people who know much, much more about college basketball than we do. Look for insight and analysis from some of the top professionals in the world of college basketball.Today we have Chuck Woodling, who has been writing about basketball at Kansas University since the short-shorts era. In addition to being a long-standing sports columnist at the Lawrence Journal-World, he's the author or co-author of two books about the Jayhawks. Chuck was kind enough to answer STF's questions about this season, and here's what he had to say:


Q&A With Chuck Woodling


STF: The national media have focused on the return of Brandon Rush and the growth of Darrell Arthur - what aren't people noticing about players like Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun, and Darnell Jackson?

CW: Soothsayers like to focus on pro prospects. In so doing, they overlook the good college players like Robinson, Kaun, Jackson and you could also include Mario Chalmers in the mix because Chalmers is a marginal pro prospect.

STF: We keep hearing that Kansas doesn't have a "go to guy" in the crunch. Should they? And if so, who is it?

CW: You're right. KU doesn't have a go-to player. Do they need one? Not really. However, with Rush out, Chalmers is probably the closest thing they have to a go-to player. If it were me, I would want Chalmers to take the last shot and, if it misses, hope that either Arthur or Jackson can horse it back in.

STF: Danny Manning is now an official Assistant at his alma mater - do you see a bright coaching future ahead for the big man?

CW: I don't envision Manning throwing himself into the cauldron of college coaching. Never a big ego person, Manning seems content operating in the background.

STF: This season is already starting out with some huge upsets of traditional powers. Who does Kansas need to beware of in the early going?

CW: With so many early home games, it's probable the Jayhawks will come out flat for one or two of them. For instance, they may be looking ahead to Arizona when they meet Northern Arizona. DePaul could throw a monkey wrench into the works on Dec. 8. Often, too, the Jayhawks have performed at a lower level prior to Christmas break, meaning Miami of Ohio could upset the apple cart on Dec. 22.

STF: And who will challenge for the Big 12 crown?

CW: Texas will be tough, as usual, and Kansas State has some terrific young talent, but I don't think it's any secret that the Big 12 Conference, as a whole, isn't brimming with Top 25 potential.

STF: Kansas won't have a lot of minutes for Freshmen this year - which of the new guys could surprise us?

CW: Bill Self will find minutes for freshmen Cole Aldrich and Tyrell Reed. How many is hard to say. The other two frosh are walk-ons who are likely to earn court time only during blowouts. In other words, I'll be surprised if there are any surprises.

STF: The Jayhawks have been favored to win the title nearly every year since their last one in 1988 - why do you think it hasn't happened?

CW: Winning a 64-team tournament is 50 percent skill and 50 percent luck. In the NCAA Tournament, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, as anyone who knows the story line of the 1988 team will tell you.

STF: Some pundits think Bill Self is not a championship-caliber coach. Are they right?

CW: For 15 years at Kansas, Roy Williams was not a
championship-caliber coach. Then Williams went to North Carolina and won the big one for the first time with talent recruited by his predecessor. Now Williams is officially a championship-caliber coach. Norm Stewart is a legend at the University of Missouri and he never even took a team to the Final Four. Who's to say who's a championship-caliber coach and who isn't.

STF: You've seen a lot of Kansas basketball games. Which ones stick out in your memory?

CW: Boy, there have been so many. I do remember vividly, though, the 1971 team playing in the Final Four in the Astrodome. And Bud Stallworth's 50-point game a year later. And, of course, the 1988 NCAA championship game against Oklahoma. And the NCAA Final Four loss to Syracuse in which the Jayhawks couldn't buy a free throw. And on and on.

All Hail The Atlantic Sun

All hail the new king of the mid-major conferences: The Atlantic Sun. The CAA? Old news. Missouri Valley ? Go back to 2004 with William Hung and Lancebands. The new hotness is the A-Sun, perennially one of the bottom five RPI conferences in the country. The A-Sun had a week that any mid-major conference would envy. With three stunning victories in the opening week of the season, the A-Sun went from virtual unknown to national news and water cooler topic. The wins are.....

Gardner-Webb 84 Kentucky 68
Well documented what happened here, tiny GWU, picked to finished 7th in the conference, walks into Rupp Arena and runs way with the game from the start. You can stare at that score for hours and still think that it's a misprint.

Mercer 96 USC 81
The OJ Mayo show might have to be put on hiatus. Sure, Mayo got his points (32), but the Mercer Bears dominated this game from start to finish, leading by as many as 19 in this rout in LA.

Belmont 86 Cincinnati 75
Cincy isn't what it used to be, but it's really saying something about your conference when your least impressive upset win was at a Big East school.

That is quite an opening week. As surprising as the victories are by themselves, the fact that each was a double-digit win is downright stunning. What schools shouldn't be fearing the A-Sun monster this week?

Stetson at UAB

Florida Gulf Coast at Iowa

Kennesaw State at Auburn

Gardner-Webb vs UConn (twice)


I say they get at least one.

Blogger Final Four Picks And Quick Predictions

Alright people, we couldn't have asked for a better opening week, considering the selection of games and the fact that zero were televised nationally. Pretty damn impressive when you think about it. But now it's time to get serious. The preseason tournaments kick off in full gear this week, the #1 team in the country takes on the #1 mid-major (UNC vs Davidson) and you can actually watch a game on television for a change.

With that said, I've asked a few bloggers who seem to know a thing or two about college basketball to give me their preseason Final Four picks. 28 bloggers responded to the call, and will have their picks written down on record, all so that they can be laughed at in three months (Submissions were in by Friday, aka after Kentucky lost, but before USC). The breakdown is below...

Team Breakdown

UCLA (19)
Memphis (17)
Tennessee (14)
North Carolina (14)
Georgetown (12)
Louisville (9)
Kansas (8)
Indiana (6)
Gonzaga (2)
Kansas State (2)
Teams with (1) selection: Washington State, Michigan State, NC State, USC, Arizona, Oregon, Marquette, Texas

Initial reaction: The bloggers love Tennessee (14 selections, same as #1 North Carolina) and they have no faith in Bill Self and Kansas (8 selections)

So without further adieu, the Final Four picks

Marco
Memphis
North Carolina
Louisville
Indiana

Extra P
Kansas
UCLA
Georgetown
Texas

Michael Litos (STF CAA)
Kansas
North Carolina
UCLA
Tennessee

BD (STF Pac 10)
USC
Louisville
Memphis
UCLA

Ted Bauer (STF Big East)
UCLA
Tennessee
North Carolina
Memphis

Tooch (STF Big 10 Correspondent)
Indiana
North Carolina
Louisville
Memphis

Dan Shanoff
UCLA
Tennessee
Georgetown
North Carolina

Unsilent Majority
UCLA
Memphis
Georgetown
Arizona

The Big Picture
Indiana
UCLA
Memphis
Georgetown

AwfulAnnouncing
Louisville
Memphis
UNC
Georgetown

Andrea of Ladies….
Louisville
Oregon
North Carolina
Georgetown

GMoney (STF MAC)
Louisville
Tennessee
Memphis
UCLA

Sports Logo Pundit (STF Big West)
Tennessee
Georgetown
UCLA
Memphis

Complete Sports
UCLA
Kansas
Memphis
Tennessee

Putting Up Bricks
Memphis
North Carolina
Tennessee
Georgetown

The Sports Lounge
Memphis
Kansas State
Louisville
UCLA

ACC Nation
NC State
North Carolina
Kansas

Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
UCLA
Louisville
Memphis
Tennessee

March To Madness
Gonzaga
Washington State
Georgetown
Kansas

Inside The Hall
Tennessee
Georgetown
UCLA
Kansas
Vegas Watch
Indiana
Memphis
Tennessee
UCLA

Plissken at the Buzzer
Memphis
Georgetown
UCLA
Tennessee

Flyers Fieldhouse
Marquette
Kansas
LouisvilleNorth Carolina

Rush The Court
Gonazaga
Indiana
UCLA
North Carolina

APIAS
UCLA
Kansas
Kansas State
Tennessee

Pitt Blather
North Carolina
Georgetown
Michigan State
UCLA

Stupid Sideline Reporters
Georgetown
UCLA
Tennessee
North Carolina

SEC Sports Fan
Memphis
Indiana
Tennessee
North Carolina


Some quick predictions from Marco and Extra P.....

Marco

National Champ
Memphis
Player of the Year
DJ White
Frosh of the Year
Derrick Rose
Sleepers
Washington
Arkansas
Saint Joseph's
Seton Hall
Overrated
Oregon
Georgetown
Mid-Major of the Year
George Mason


Extra P

National Champ
Kansas
Player of the Year
Roy Hibbert
Frosh of the Year
Derrick Rose
Sleepers
Marquette
Gonzaga
Texas
Miss State
Overrated
Washington State
Kansas State
Mid-Major of the Year
SIU