Hoopweekend is like Hoopnight on Steroids. Here's ten pounds of televised NCAA action shoved into a five-pound bag:
Friday
Don't Miss
#6 Washington State at Baylor - 9pm, ESPNU
I talked about this game in my Big 12 report, Marco talked about it in his Prove Yourself post. You really should watch it, as it's last year's surprise team against this year's surprise team. You'll want to be able to tell people "I knew Baylor back in the day" when they're playing in March.
Watch if you're one of those sick, perverted Masochists
Iowa State at Oregon State - 11pm, FSN
Iowa State is battling Oklahoma State for the title of worst team in the Big 12. Oregon State has lost to Alaska-Fairbanks. It's going to be about as pretty as a Beaver in a Cyclone.
Saturday
Don't Miss
Davidson "at" #7 Duke - 12pm, ESPNU
Another neutral-court showdown for the Wildcats. They had a close loss to UNC on this same floor just a couple of weeks ago, and now they face another red-hot ACC team. Hopefully the entire Davidson campus will show up again this time, but leave that woman who shrieks into ESPN's mics all game long at home.
Watch if Your Name is David... or Goliath
#15 Indiana at #22 Southern Illinois - 9:30pm, ESPNU
ESPN cameras in Carbondale? Indeed. Indiana is averaging nearly 88 points per game, and the Salukis are allowing just 71. Still, an abysmal 32% shooting night at USC, including just 5-20 from behind the arc, could presage doom for So Ill in this one. Still, the defensive scheme can disrupt even the strongest teams on a good day.
Tivo it and Watch "Double Jeopardy"
#2 North Carolina at Kentucky - 2pm, ESPN2
Historically, these are the top two teams in the NCAA. This year, not so much (I'm looking at you, dark blue). Still, it's at Rupp, so this is bound to be a great atmosphere. Injuries have felled Ty Lawson for UNC and Jodie Meeks for Kentucky, but the talent on the floor will still be great, and both teams will be out for blood.
Also On:
Ohio State at #16 Butler - 7:30pm, ESPNU
#19 Gonzaga at UConn - 3:30pm, ESPN
Michigan at Harvard - 5:30pm, ESPNU
Boston College at Providence - 6pm, ESPN Classic
Mizzou at Cal - 11pm, FSN
Washington at Oklahoma - 5:30pm, ESPN
Sunday
Don't Miss
#8 Texas at #1 UCLA - 8pm, FSN
Sometimes the games are so obviously good on their own merits that I feel like an idiot telling you why you should watch them. This burnt-orange vs. blue-and-gold matchup should resonate in your bones. What we do know is that Darren Collison has come back from his owie and scored 14 against GW. So everyone's here, and D.J. Augustin has a serious look in his eye, so let's giddyup.
Watch if you Have Eyeballs
#4 Kansas at #24 USC - 2pm FSN
I'm not really good at math, but how does Kansas end up playing twice in the Pac 10/Big 12 Hardwood Series? Didn't the Big 12 already have more teams than the Pac 10? Anyway, it's good for us, because we get consecutive weekends of hoops excellence. Last week it was KU meets Chase Budinger, this weekend, it's KU meets O.J. Mayo. Let's just say I'm looking forward to it.
Tivo it and Watch it Fifteen Minutes Later Without Commercials
#9 Texas A&M at Arizona
The Wildcats almost took one from Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse, falling in OT. A&M's freshman big man DeAndre Jordan is wonderfully efficient when shooting (85%) and horrifying at the stripe (18%). Hack-a-DeAndre doesn't have much of a ring to it, though.
Also On:
Arizona State at Nebraska - 2pm, ESPNU
Stanford at Colorado - 4pm, ESPNU
St. Johns at Miami (FL) - 4p, FSN
Whew! Sunday is a huge part of the Big 12/Pac 10 Hardwood Series, so dig in and enjoy.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Hoopweekend 11/30/2007
STF Buzzteam: Baylor Bears
STF BuzzTeam: Baylor Bears
Reasons We're Rooting:
Level of Past Sucking: Extraordinarily high at Baylor. Think about it, there is no school in the BCS that has been quite as terrible in both football and basketball. No tournament bids or bowl games for the Bears since joining the Big 12. How many other major conference schools have not reached the tournament or received a bowl bid in the past ten seasons? Zero. It's just Baylor. Ouch.
Players To Get Behind: They have a player who's first name is LaceDarius. Aaron Bruce is Australian and looks like a hobbit. They also have players named Penny and Tweety on the bench. Need anything else?
Hope For The Rest of the Season: I have a feeling that this Baylor team is legit. Scot Drew has been recruiting like crazy for years and it's finally starting to pay off. Pull of an upset or two of Kansas and Texas, and you'll see these Bears dancing.
STF Conference Report: The Big 12
Now that all of the college hoops world has a few games under their belts, and some leagues are even starting in-conference play, STF is ready to gear up the Conference reports. I'm Extra P., and I'll be reporting on the Big 12 and the MVC this season. Starting next week, you'll have the distinct pleasure of reading reports on other conferences from our distinguished panel of NCAA hoops experts. Let's get things started.
The Big 12 is what we figured it would be. Four championship-caliber teams have risen to the top, a handful of teams look at-large worthy, and the rest have significant holes that could doom them to sit home during the post-season.
Among the top teams, I'm even going to make a further distinction. Kansas and Texas are battling for the league crown and the auto-bid. Kansas State is one rung down, as they showed last night, losing to Oregon due to mental mistakes. An incredible collection of talent wears the purple, but they'll need to climb a steep learning curve before they can play top-quality team basketball. They remind me of Texas a year ago - best freshman in the game, but no team concept.
Am I being unfair putting Texas A&M in the almost-there category? Probably. The Aggies are 7-0, and have the P-NIT title in the books already. If Ohio State had lived up to their billing in subsequent games, I'd probably be more excited. Honestly, A&M is a reflection of new coach Mark Turgeon - they're steady, not particularly flashy, and they'll probably stun us all (OK, I mean me) with how good they can be. For now, they're flying slightly below the radar, simply because of the amazing talent and experience of the top two schools.
The Lone Star state also provides us with the surprising season of the Baylor Bears. They've won on the road and at home, and are 5-0 coming into tonight's game against the #6 Washington State Cougars. The kids from Waco should take heart from the fact that WSU recently made the same leap they are working on, and are now a top-ten regular.
OK, I've been a bit wordy because this is the first of the season. Let's get down to business:
Team of the Week - Texas. For proving that they can win, and win big, without Kevin Durant. They're averaging 99 points per game this week, blasting the mighty (#7 Tennessee) and the lowly (Texas Southern) alike.
Player of the Week - Michael Beasley. 13 and 10 in a win over Rider, 24 and 12 in a loss to #17 Oregon. We may have to give this award to him every week. He can score from all over the floor and even though he's 6'9", his rebounds are more about smarts and finesse than they are about brute strength.
Team With The Worst Week - Iowa State. The Cyclones didn't even crack 50 against a middle-of-the-pack Northern Iowa team out of the MVC, losing 61-48. It's going to be a long winter in Ames.
Games To Watch - #9 Texas A&M at Arizona 12/2, #4 Kansas at #24 USC 12/2, #8 Texas at #1 UCLA 12/2, #6 Washington State at Baylor 11/30. This Pac-10/Big 12 Hardwood Series is pretty sweet.
Huge out-of-conference week for the Big 12. I'll let you know which games are on TV when I post Hoopweekend around 5pm today.
Breakfast of Champions 11/30: Battle of the Jesuits
Oregon 80 Kansas State 77 OT
Upset that I missed this one, because it looks like it was a dandy. The Ducks held Michael Beasley to "only" 24 points, and pulled off the huge road win at K-State. The Ducks got double-digit scoring efforts from four players for the huge road win in OT.
Also Intriguing
Gonzaga 70 Saint Joseph's 65 OT
In the battle for Jesuit supremacy, the Zags used Matt Bouldin's 16 points, including a late three to send it into OT, to pull off the hard fought win. This was after SJU rallied from 17 down in the second half before a rocking Alumni Fieldhouse. But the Hawks would come up just short in this one, falling apart down the stretch.
George Mason 85 Drexel 38
What???? I knew Mason was good, but man, that's a beatdown in every way imaginable. We just finished sawing a few days ago that the Dragons will go as far as Frank Elegar takes them. Well, not surprisingly, Elegar scored zero points in this game.
Other Scores
USC 66 Oklahoma 55
Temple 90 Ohio 88
Colorado 60 Air Force 50
Wichita State 62 App State 53
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Prove Yourself Weekend in College Basketball
Seriously, check out the college hoops slate this weekend........
The Panthers get a shot to stick it to snobby Marquette fans in Milwaukee. Panthers are slightly under-the-radar with three losses, but all three were quality losses (N. Iowa, Drake, Sam Houston State).
The second of Davidson's three games against major powers (next is UCLA). Just like the Carolina game, this one is in Charlotte. Should be a jump shooting frenzy when Stephen Curry meets the Dukies.
Man, this one looked much better yesterday, before Drexel laid a 38-point egg at George Mason. Still one of the most intriguing mid-major match-ups on the slate. And I'll be visiting the DAC to check this one, so that should do something to the value (or not).
The two biggest unbeaten mysteries left in college basketball. Ole Miss certainly can score ( 2nd in the nation) and the Lobos have picked up some easy season victories, but neither is getting much respect. A win here will certainly go a long way in that direction. And a quick look at the Ole Miss schedule....they win this, they won't have more than one loss heading into SEC play.
Belmont, the best team in the ever-popular Atlantic Sun, is looking for a third consecutive trip to the Dance. They will head to Cincy looking to knock off a legitimate Sweet 16 team in the Musketeers. XU's Stanley Burrell guarding Belmont's Justin Hare should be an outstanding match-up.
Miami may have looking ahead to this game when they got clipped by Dayton this week, but here's guessing the Redhawks are prepared for Pitino's gang. Win would go a long way towards an at-large bid.
The Hall continue to defy the odds by sneaking by some less talented squads, now they pack up and head to Cali to face the giant slaying Gaels. The scoreboard may actually overheat during this one. Patty Mills is worth the price alone.
Butler is the current king of the mid-major and will probably (and rightfully) be favored in this rare home contest against a Big Ten school.
Another Big Ten school hitting the road, as the Hoosiers are taking the trip to Carbondale. The Salukies actually need this game after getting thumped by USC. Lose badly here and it could have severe seeding/at-large big ramifications.
So yeah, think twice before sitting down to watch that ultra-exciting ACC Championship, because this may be the most important college hoops weekend of the year.
Hoopnight: 11/29/2007
Hoopnight is your daily look at televised hoops. We're currently holding our breath waiting for the announcement of the A-10/C-USA Challenge.
Don't Miss
#17 Oregon at Kansas State - 9pm, ESPN2
Wow, what a great matchup. Both teams are 5-1 with losses to mid-majors on their early season resumes. The difference comes in the category of experience. Most of the Ducks' minutes go to a group comprised of three seniors and two sophs, led by Malik Hairston, Tajuan Porter, and Maarty Leunen. For K-State, the future is now, with Beasley, Pullen, and Walker doing their freshman thang. Watch Beasley and you'll see a guy who could have easily played in the NBA this year.
Watch if you Love Phil Martelli's Hair
#19 Gonzaga at Saint Joe's - 8pm, ESPNU
J-dog Pargo is dropping 5.5 dimes per contest. In Heytvelt's continued absence, the points are going to Daye and Bouldin. St. Joe's looked good against Syracuse earlier this month, with Calathes stepping into a central role with the Hawks. Guard Tasheed Carr has done it all so far, scoring in double figures and dishing out nearly 9 assists per game. If your kids are driving you crazy, make them flap along with the Hawk.
Tivo it and Sing "Boomer Sooner" with your Family
Oklahoma at #24 USC - 11pm, FSN
OU beat A-Sun darling Gardner-Webb, but lost to Memphis. USC lost to A-Sun darling Mercer but beat MVC tough guys Illinois State. USC's fate likely rests in the hands of unheralded freshman Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo.
Also On:
Morgan State at Maryland-Baltimore County - 7:30pm MASN
The STF Q&A;: Big Sky Exec Jon Kasper
STF: The Big Sky has been around since the early 60's, but most of America knows little about it. Care to state the case in favor of the conference for our readers?
JK: Well, the Big Sky has a long history of success. We’ve been one of the top football conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision, winning five national championships. We are also very strong in cross country - Northern Arizona’s men’s team finished fourth in the nation.
STF: Does the league staff look at growing the conference, or primarily maintaining the quality you already have?
STF: What are some of the best rivalries in the Big Sky?
STF: With a wide geographic base and little in the way of television markets, how does the commissioner hope to extend the reach of the Big Sky?
All games held in Big Sky arenas are video streamed at http://www.bigskytv.org/. This is a great way for fans, parents and alumni around the world to follow Big Sky Conference teams.
STF: The conference currently has nine members. Utah Valley State had a 22-win season last year as an independent. Is that a match made in heaven?
STF: Your member schools are in some of the snowiest states in the union. How does that affect travel?
STF: Big Sky representatives have won a handful of NCAA tournament games over the years - who is poised to pull off an upset this year?
Checking In with the Creighton Bluejays
Every week I have a choice - check in with a lesser-known team from last year's tournament pool, or check out someone who's surprising us this season. This week I've chosen to look back and catch up with the pride of Omaha, Nebraska - the Creighton Bluejays.
You should be rooting for Creighton, and I'll tell you why. Because if the Bluejays get back to the tournament, you'll have the joy of listening to the likes of Dick Stockton and Billy Packer as they try to forge a path through this roster of names: P'Allen Stinnett, Cavel Witter, Pierce Hibma, and the piece de resistance - Booker Woodfox. It will be heaven.
They also have another one of those darn Korvers. Big brother Kyle starred at Creighton before taking his shot to the NBA, and other brother Klayton toils for the Drake Bulldogs. Now it's freshman Kaleb donning blue in Omaha. They're like the first family of the MVC. This conference has been brought to you by the letter K and the number 3.
Last March was an up-and-down affair for Dana Altman's squad. Arch Madness went well, as they knocked off a much better Southern Illinois squad to nail down the auto-bid in St. Louis. March Madness was a letdown, as the Omaha boys held Nevada's Nick Fazekas to 38% shooting, but let Marcellus Kemp run wild, losing 77-71 to the Wolf Pack in the first round.
Then came coach Dana Altman's flirtation with the suddenly open Arkansas job, which honestly always seemed like a bad fit for a nice, mild-mannered guy who really looks like a Dana. Fortunately, he came home, got paid (not as much, of course), and should now be smart enough to finish his career at a school that loves him dearly.
What of this year? The beat goes on for Creighton. They're 3-0 and they've scheduled well, beating DePaul, Mississippi Valley State, and Nebraska while sleeping in their own beds every night. They'll play one more home game with Savannah State tonight, and then travel to Philadelphia for a fantastic mid-major tussle with Drexel of the CAA. They have Xavier on the road and St Joe's at home before diving into the MVC conference scrum.
With all of the coaching turnover in the Valley, I'd be very surprised if we didn't see Dana's boys take pride of place on the NCAA selection show come March. And if they have a couple of epic battles with the Salukis along the way, so much the better for college basketball, right?
A Plea To O'Reilly Auto Parts
Between the 35 tournaments they sponsor (BracketBusters, CBE, Puerto Rico Tipoff), the
scoreboard advertisements at nearly every game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and even a
sponsorship of Bob Knight's freakin' sweater, O'Reilly Auto Part apparently won't rest until they have sponsored the shit out of anything that ends in "Classic", "Challenge" or "Invitational". Not sure why they have targeted the college hoops market, but you can't seem to go 45 seconds without seeing an ad.
Despite O'Reilly's attempts to take over the college basketball world, I have still yet to ever set foot in an O'Reilly Auto Parts Store. Hell, I've yet to even see an O'Reilly Auto Parts. They must have some sort of successful business to have all these ads, right?
So the clever marketing got me to the website. O'Reilly's has over 1700 stores in 25 states, zero of which must be on the East Coast. And the mission statement has no mention of a hostile takeover of the college basketball world, but I'm assuming that's in the fine print.
So I've got a proposal for O'Reilly. Since you apparently want to sponsor everything possibly related to college basketball, how about sponsoring this college basketball website?? Your complete takeover will not be finished until you plaster your ads on every last independent college basketball source, so start here!
We at STF may have an audience 40,000,000 times smaller than ESPN, but we also cost 50,000,000 times less. And quite frankly, we need the cash. Extra P has fallen off the wagon once again and my money continues to disappear, despite the fact that I was told that I won the British Lottery via email last month.
So if you are from O'Reilly and reading this, you know what to do. The takeover isn't complete until you do.
Breakfast of Champions 11/29: Big Ten Beatdown is Complete
For the 9th consecutive year, the Big Ten is the ACC's bitch. The "challenge" basically just proved what we already knew about the Big Ten: Two teams are pretty good (MSU, Indiana) and everyone else is pretty terrible. Maybe next year, the Big Ten may want to avoid the ACC challenge.....maybe give CUSA a call?
North Carolina 66 Ohio State 55
In my opinion, UNC's win in Columbus has to rank among the most impressive by any team this season. Carolina won this game in front of a hostile crowd, without their most valuable player (Ty Lawson) on a night when everything was going OSU's way in the first half (capped off by Diebler's bank three at the buzzer).
Carolina won the game with some fantastic defense in the second half (OSU started off 3 of 28 from the field in the second) and behind the shooting of Wayne Ellington, who's got my vote for most improved player in the early season.
As for OSU, someone in the know told me that Kosta Koufos was "as soft as tissue paper", and damn were they right. He went 1 - 10 and tried every possible way to avoid contact from the Carolina D.
Also Intriguing
Michigan State 81 NC State 58
MSU continues it's domination of non-conference opponents, as the Wolf Pack became their 30th straight non-conference home win. Goran Suton's double-double paced the Spartans, and his scary Soviet sounding name scared the Wolfpack enough for them not to mount a comeback.
Penn State 66 Virginia Tech 61
Raise your hand if you saw Penn State's win as one of the shining moments of the Challenge?
Upset of the Evening
UMass 107 Syracuse 100
Worried about this against St. Joe's , but UMass completely exposed Syracuse's weak perimeter defense. The Minutemen hit 14 threes to pull off the upset in the Carrier Dome. Guess the freshmen need some more zone practice.
Other Scores
Georgetown 66 Old Dominion 48
UCLA 83 George Washington 60
Texas A&M 76 Alabama 63
Boston College 77 Michigan 64
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Hoopnight 11/28/2007
Hoopnight is your daily look at college hoops on TV. Tonight is the second evening of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, so perhaps the northern schools can make the total look a little more respectable... Nah!
Don't Miss
#2 North Carolina at Ohio State - 9pm, ESPN
The big names are Tyler Hansbrough and Kosta Koufos, but the absence of Ty Lawson could make a difference. This is essentially the best matchup of the ACC/Big Ten challenge, and is worth every minute of your time. Still, something tells me to chalk this one up for the ACC... again.
Watch if you Prefer Neitzel to Nyquil
NC State at #13 Michigan State - 7pm, ESPN
The Wolfpack might be out of the rankings following a tournament loss to UNO, but they're still a quality team. Both teams are 4-1, so something's gotta give. Point guard play has been predictably iffy for NC State, but Farnold Degand is at least dishing well, averaging 2.8apg. Perhaps Izzo will break out a huge green blazer to combat Sidney Lowe? A man can dream.
Tivo it if you Live in the Mid-Atlantic
#5 Georgetown at Old Dominion - 7pm, MASN
ODU won this game in D.C. last year, and now they get another shot on the back end of the series. The Monarchs are 3-3, but the losses came at the hands of ranked teams (UNC, Clemson, Louisville), and this one is at home. Still, talented Roy Hibbert going toe-to-toe with 7'3" project Sam Harris is the stuff that nightmares are made of. Put the kids to bed or be prepared to explain yourself, you heartless bastard.
Also On
Alabama at #9 Texas A&M - 9pm, ESPNU
Illinois at Maryland - 7:30pm, ESPN2
Virginia Tech at Penn State - 9:30pm, ESPN2
Boston College at Michigan - 7:15pm, ESPNU
UMass at Syracuse - 7pm, ESPN Classic
Top 25 + 10 Week 2
(Poll is submitted on Tuesday).
1. Memphis
2. UCLA
3. North Carolina
4. Kansas
5. Georgetown
6. Washington State
7. Duke
8. Texas A&M
9. Texas
10. Butler
11. Clemson
12. Miami (FL)
13. Louisville
14. Marquette
15. Indiana
16. Michigan State
17. Oregon
18. NC State
19. Tennesee
20. Pittsburg
21. Gonzaga
22. Villanova
23. Ohio State
24. Baylor
25. Miami (OH)
1. Ole Miss 5-0 Unproven
2. Baylor 5-0 Under-The-Radar
3. Saint Mary's 5-0 Under-The-Radar
4. Boston College 4-0 Unproven
5. Sam Houston State 5-0 Under-The-Radar
6. New Mexico 6-0 Unproven
7. Seton Hall 5-0 Under-The-Radar
8. TCU 4-0 Unproven
9. Texas-Arlington 5-0 Under-The-Radar
10. Duquesne 5-0 Unproven
Stay Away from Bob Knight When He's Hunting
(Photo:AP)
Was it possible that Bob Knight took the job at Texas Tech thinking that the hunting laws had to be much more lenient in West Texas? I mean, if you were ever going to legally be allowed to shoot a human being in the United States, West Texas seems as likely as any place. Well, Bob Knight is being accused of possibly shooting at a person while hunting for the second time (repeat: second time). This from Bob's neighbors....
"Mary Ann Chumley said Tuesday she was struck on the foot by a stray pellet on Oct. 20 in an incident she characterized as an accident. She said Knight apologized for hunting too close to her barn, and she forgave him".
"Another resident near the dove field said the coach and another hunter returned the next day, and one of them intentionally fired a shotgun in his direction".
"James Simpson told Lubbock police he was struck on the neck and back by pellets after yelling at Knight and another man he believed were hunting too close to his house. Simpson's backyard is about 100 yards from where Chumley was struck the previous day."
This is, of course, the second time that Knight's scope must have been slanted while hunting. Back in 1999, Knight accidentally shot a friend in the back while on a hunting trip in Wisconsin. Say what you will about Dick Cheney, but at least the man seems to have learned his lesson about hunting.
UCSB beats UNLV, Floor is Stormed
This wonderful video comes to us by way of STF Big West correspondent The Sports Logo Pundit. He wrote about it on his own blog here, but was kind enough to share the video with us as well.
It's nice to see a little warranted Floor Storming so early in the season.
UNO's Road Warriors Can't Lose
The squatty Battlestar Galactica (Original Recipe) castoff you see to the left is the Kiefer Lakefront Arena, home of the University of New Orleans Privateers. Or at least it used to be. Right now it's being re-built, due to hurricane and flood damage. The arena sits right on the Ponchartrain lakefront, hence the name.
In the meantime, the Privateers have called the UNO Human Performance Center their home. I suppose that beats playing home games in the administration building, but not by much. Students call the HPC the "House of Horrors".
So, in attempting to make sense of UNO's early triumphs - they've won three straight on the road to open the season - I've had to consider the possibility that maybe they just don't want to go home. There's really no other clearly visible reason why UNO can't lose.
Senior gunner Bo McCalebb is still the Privateers' leading scorer, but his average of 18ppg (on 36% shooting) is nothing compared to the 30 point nights he put up a year ago, when his team went 14-17 and 9-9 in the Sun Belt. Only one of his teammates is scoring in double figures, so it's not the doing of the supporting cast, either.
And yet UNO has taken down Northwestern State, Tulane, and highly favored NC State to go unbeaten so far in 2007. Can a team play better on the road than at home out of spite? We'll soon find out. The Privateers return home for a three-game homestand in which they will host three regional rivals. There may not be wins, but there is bound to be plenty of Human Performance.
Breakfast of Champions 11/28: Big Ten Sucks Again
Duke 82 Wisconsin 58
iI you couldn't tell at Maui, I think it's pretty much agreed upon now that we won't be seeing Duke go down in the first round again this year. The Blue Devils did what the ACC does best; beat up on an overmatched Big Ten squad. The Badgers were never really in this one, as the Blue Devils used a balanced offensive attack to beat the Badgers 82-58. By far, I've been most impressed with Duke's offensive balance, athleticism and overall effort this season, things that were clearly lacking last season
Also Intriguing
Indiana 83 Georgia Tech 79
Of course, when the Big Ten finally does win a game, it still manages to look unimpressive in doing so. Gerogia Tech took advantage of IU's poor interior and transition defense to almost pull off the upset in Bloomington. Eric Gordon got his (29 points) and was better and driving the lane than I expected, but the Hoosiers will need to work on the D if they want to be a serious contender.
So much for Tubby's magical turnaround in Minnesota. Still, the way the Big Ten has played, the Gophers could finish 3rd at this point.
KC Rivers steps up big in place of an injured Mays, as the Tigers continue to be one of the most impressive teams at the start of the season.
Mid-Major Game of the Evening
Sam Houston State 81 Wisconsin-Green Bay 77
At 5-0, the Bearkats (yes, that's the correct spelling) are the best mid-major you've never heard off.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Hoopnight 11/27/2007
Don't Miss
#20 Wisconsin at #7 Duke - 9pm, ESPN
Outside of UNC-OSU, this is the best match-up of the ACC/Big Ten Battle To The Death. STF doesn't have Badger hoops in our top 25 yet, so this will be a good chance to find out if we should change our wicked ways. Wiscy is counting on Trevon Hughes to lead them in scoring, and Brian Butch has recovered from last year's elbow injury to average 15 and 10 every night. Duke is irritating the haters by jumping back into the top ten with ease after a down season last year, and they've added super-frosh Kyle Singler to familiar names like Scheyer and Paulus.
Watch if You Make Boilers
Purdue at #18 Clemson - 9:30pm, ESPN2
Purdue is 3-0 against lesser teams, so this should be a true test for the team out of West Lafayette. A different player has led them in scoring every night. Clemson was in our STF preseason top 30, so we believe in their skeelz. As a team, they're scoring 80ppg and allowing just over 60. Looks like Mays won't be playing for the Tigers, so that should be a big boost for the Boilers.
Tivo it and Watch BBC World News
Georgia Tech at #15 Indiana - 7pm, ESPN
You know Indiana's story. One loss doesn't change the fact that they are favorites in the Big Ten. The Yellow Jackets, on the other hand, are a 3-2 enigma. Hoosier talent will likely eclipse Tech experience.
Also On:
Northwestern at Virginia - 7pm, ESPNU
Minnesota at Florida State - 7:30pm, ESPN2
Boston U at Pitt - 7:30pm, MASN
When It Rains, It Pours At McNeese State
Coastal Carolina's game at McNeese State was canceled Saturday because of a
leak in the Burton Coliseum roof.
"There's a leak in the coliseum," McNeese sports information director
Louis Bonnette said.
"They can't play when it's raining like this."
About 1.1 inches fell between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and heavy rains were
expected to continue most of the afternoon, said Mike Marcotte, a National
Weather Service meteorologist in Lake Charles.
Olsen Is Back (Sort Of)
We have Lute Olsen siting! After walking away from the Wildcats just days before the start of the season for reasons still not disclosed, Olsen finally reemerged at UA practice last evening. Olsen attended his first practice in three weeks and even took in a film session
But Wildcats fans shouldn't get their hopes up yet about a full-fledged return. According to the Arizona SID, this doesn't mean that Olsen is coming back full time yet. Apparently, Olsen still isn't sure if he's going to return, only saying that he will "give it a try".
Still seems like such a strange story to me. That weird thing is that i still haven't heard a thing about why he walked away. Not even any crazy, off-the-wall, Lute has taken refuge in South Africa kind of rumors. Maybe the man is just torn about his passion to continue coaching the game (Marcus Williams will do that to you). Guess we'll just have to wait and see how this one plays out.
(HT: AZ Republic)
STF Road Trip: The Palestra Part II
By now, you have probably already checked out Extra P's numerous pics from the trip (once again, big thanks for making the long trip). So instead of rehashing the story you already heard, I figured I would break down the teams that I got to see from press row, sitting next to ESPN's Kyle Whelliston, thanks to the typo that had my credential marked down as "Marco Anskis - ESPN.com". Don't worry, that press pass has already been laminated.
Drexel: I thought that the Dragons were due for a letdown this season following the loss of three starters from last year's squad, but I came away very impressed with the Dragons after two games. C Frank Elegar is an absolute beast in the post. He was able to score at will in both games and is a shot blocking machine on the defensive end. Granted, it was Robert Morris and Loyola, but neither squad could find a way to contain him on either end. Elegar’s main concern this season will be foul trouble, as he was in a lot of it this weekend. As expected, the Dragons are a different team without Elegar in the game. He struggled with foul trouble in both contests, getting the dreaded fourth foul early in the second half in both games, allowing both Loyola and Robert Morris to make second half runs at the Dragons.
I was also impressed with the shooting of freshman guard Gerald Colds. Kid can shoot the freakin' lights out. A product of New York City, Colds' clutch second half threes helped the Dragons in the win over Loyola. His ballhandling skills? That’s another story. Drexel’s main concerns this season will be ballhandling and keeping Elegar in the game. Outside of that, I can’t see why the Dragons can’t finish in the Top 3 of the CAA.
Need another reason to root for Drexel? Coach Bruiser Flint gives the best interview that I’ve heard in awhile. No cliches or coach speak from this guy. He just walks in, looks at the stat sheet and starts firing away. Very old school and comforting in today’s coaching world. Flint often goes off on stories from his playing days, even saying that when he played, it wasn’t a foul unless you ended up in the fourth row of the bleachers. I found myself wanting to listen to more of Bruiser's war stories, almost like a non-annoying relative.
Seton Hall: I took one look at the Pirates in their game against Navy and noticed something; they were basically the same height as the Midshipmen. When your team is the same size as a service academy, something is wrong. Still, despite the lack of size, lack of any organized offensive sets and a defense that is constantly getting burned because it’s just trying to get steals, the Pirates left the Palestra as the weekend’s big winner, knocking off ranked Virginia to win their bracket. The big reason for the wins was the play of Brian Lainge, who scored 25 and 27 points in the two wins. The Pirates may not have the size or defense to seriously compete in the Big East, but I wouldn’t be shocked at all if the Pirates shoot the lights out and pull off a few Top 20 upsets this season.
Virginia: The Sean Singletary Homecoming show was stalled against Seton Hall, where it almost seemed as if the Philly native was trying to do too much for the Cavs. I was impressed with the play of 6’8 freshman Mike Scott (That’s what she said) against Penn. He was always around the basket and did a little bit of everything for the Cavs. Impressive for a freshman.
Penn: The Quakers are brutally young and struggled all weekend, getting demolished by UVA and sneaking by Navy. While the kids are certainly talented (Remy Cofield in particular), it’s going to take a full season before this group meshes. That said, they may still be talented enough to take the Ivy once again.
Loyola (MD) : They played a very well against a tough Drexel team in Philly. They missed a ton of lay-ups and allowed the Dragons to go on an 18-0 run early in the second half, or the Greyhounds would have been champions of the Liberty Bracket. Gaurd Gerald Brown, a Providence transfer, is a fantastic player who can get to the basket and hit the three. Easy to see why everyone is picking the Greyhounds to win the MAAC this season. Also, Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos sits at the end of the bench. Granted, he spends most of the game pacing the sidelines and screaming, I can’t remember ever seeing a coach whose actual seat is next to the team manager.
And quick fact about this photo. As you are probably unaware, the greatest athletic achievement of my life was making the finals of Pennsylvania State Free Throw Competition, 11-12 year-old bracket. I finished second, crushing my dreams of pre-adolescent stardom. But here, I got to display my skills to Whelliston at the Palestra. He was so impressed, he told me he would give me a buzz if the WWL pickup team needed a late game free throw specialist. I mean, I’ve already got the credential.
Remember My Name 11/27/2007
Remember My Name is a weekly feature in which STF takes a look at the hoops talent shining outside the national spotlight. Don't be surprised if you hear these names again come March.
Lester Hudson - 6'3" G, Tennessee-Martin: The Skyhawks have played a tough early-season schedule of buy games, and Lester has reserved his greatest efforts for the biggest games. He left it all on the floor in the opening game at Memphis, fouling out with 35 points and 10 rebounds. He managed 27 and 11 at Mississippi State, and his lines against smaller schools are even sicker - like the quadruple-double he threw down on Central Baptist (25pts, 12rb, 10ast, 10stl). Not bad for a guy named Lester.
Devin Gibson - 6' G, Texas-San Antonio: The freshman averages nearly nineteen ppg, but it's his quick hands that amaze. The young Roadrunner had seven steals on a neutral court vs. Navy, and is averaging over four per game. If not for a predictable 1-steal performance at Texas, this number would be even higher.
John Bryant - 6'10" C, Santa Clara: This one's tricky to explain. This is an award for general efficiency on the basketball court, using the NBA's stat based on this formula: ((Pts + TReb + A + Stl + Blk) - ((FGA - FGM) + (FTA - FTM) + TO)). Bryant is actually fourth in this category, behind Michael Beasley (KState), Richard Hendrix (Bama), and Lester Hudson (see above). What makes him stand out are these facts: he is a big man (over 300lbs), and he has basically taken care of the ball on the road, against tough teams like Nevada and Utah. All while putting up averages of 23.6ppg and 9.4rpg. Basically, if you're a Bronco fan, you want the ball in this guy's hands as often as possible.
That's enough for this week. The stats become more meaningful as more games are played, so we'll keep an eye on the leader board over at Basketball State and do this again next week.
Breakfast of Champions - Wake Rolls
Game of the Night
Wake Forest 56 Iowa 47
Not a pretty game (neither team shot over 35%), but Wake comes away with the win. Granted, Iowa is terrible (manhandled by Bradley and Utah State ) but maybe this Wake team is better than we thought. It certainly would be a great story following the tragic death of Skip Prosser, but Wake has some good young players in JD Williams and Harvey Hale and could finish outside of the ACC basement.
Also Intriguing
Davidson 71 Appalachian State 60
Conference play in November? Makes no sense to me, but the SoCon game of the year may have taken place last night. Stephen Curry went off for 38 points as Davidson rebounded from it's loss to Western Michigan last night. But not much time for Davidson to enjoy this victory, as they get Duke on Saturday.
Akron 67 Temple 65
The tough luck season continues for the Owls. Temple almost made an improbable comeback, rallying from 11 down with under 4:00 to play, but Akron was able to ice the game with a pair of free throws with :14 seconds remaining.
Mid-Major Game of the Evening
Holy Cross 62 Ohio 60
The Crusaders won this game in the final moments, as G Kyle Cruze's layup beat the buzzer for the victory. As the Patriot League favorites, this is the kind of win that could improve the Crusaders seeding come March.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Hoopnight 11/26/2007
Hoopnight is your daily guide to televised hoops.
Don't Miss
Wake Forest at Iowa - 7:05pm, ESPN2
I know what you're saying... "Have ye taken leave of yer senses, man?" Assuming you're a 17th century Scotsman, that is. But this is a must-see game because... it's the only game on television tonight. The deuce blew its wad over Turkey Day Weekend, and this is all they've got left. So let's look at what we've got.
The Deacs are 3-0, with wins over Fairfield, NC Central, and Winston-Salem. The obvious storyline here is that they're still mourning the loss of Skip Prosser, and this will be one of their first true tests under new head man Dino Gaudio.
Iowa, on the other hand, started out with four wins against unheralded opponents, but are currently on a two-game skid, losing to one of my mid-majors to watch, Bradley, and then to the Aggies of Utah State and superstar Jaycee Carroll. Hawkeye fans are generally glad to be shot of Steve Alford, but probably don't know what to make of former Butler coach Todd Lickliter yet, either.
So, you know. Make a Tofurkey sandwich at 7:00 and settle in for some basketball around 7:05. What else is a hoops aficionado to do? We're seriously considering changing the name of the blog to Stuffing the Floor after this weekend.
Watch if you Love Great Mid-Majors as Much as We Do
Davidson at Appalachian State - 7pm, MASN
Ok. It's regional TV, but commenter Raff is correct - this should be a barn-burner of a game, and should be mentioned for the sake of those who can watch it. App State was poised to make the NCAAs last season with 25 wins before a tournament flame-out vs. Charleston. Both teams have taken their lumps in the early going, but this is an early SoCon matchup that should tell us a lot about who will be dancing come March.
STF Road Trip - The Palestra
Extra P. here. As you may know, I made the five-hour drive from Charlottesville to Philadelphia on Friday to attend the inaugural Philly Classic, which was hosted at the Palestra on Penn's campus.
The love showered on the Palestra by college basketball nuts is well-earned. It's hot, cramped, lacks nearly every modern amenity, but it's absolutely gorgeous and charming. This was my first time in the greatest gym in America, so I'll let my photos do most of the talking.
Due to holiday-related traffic issues, Marco and I arrived midway through the Drexel/Robert Morris game. The early afternoon games were sparsely attended, but the natural light coming through the long windows was excellent - it was a marked change from the cave-like atmosphere some modern facilities have. Note - Marco and I were sitting with the Drexel students, and those are the DU cheerleader hair bows on the right side of the photo.
I ask you... how can you not like a place that offers a Cheese Cup? I mean, that's everything a guy could ask for right there in one sign. Except beer.
After the early game, Marco took a few shots under the watchful eye of Kyle Whelliston. Shortly after this photo was taken, they got yelled at for wearing dress shoes on the court. My choice of tennis shoes - very out of place in the press room - at least kept me off of the staff sh*t list on this one occasion.
This is one of my favorite shots. Virginia's deadeye shooter Adrian Joseph was waiting to take the floor, and found some space behind the bleachers for a little quiet time - just a man and his Spalding.
Our esteemed hosts, the Penn Quakers. The Palestra homeboys actually played pretty well against Virginia, but were out-manned and couldn't match the Cavaliers' athletic ability. Story of a mid-major's life, eh?
And, just in case you're inclined to dismiss Penn's pride and tradition, I present one of the most terrifying sights in college hoops - the ghoulish, lantern-jawed leer of the Penn Quaker. He must protect this house!
UVA's Sean Singletary admires his own shot vs. Penn. A Philly native, Singletary excited as much crowd response as did the home team. He was only 4-12 shooting in this game, but dished out four assists. The Cavs beat Penn 100-85, but fell to Seton Hall the next day.
That should be enough to whet your appetite. If you have the means, and the opportunity, I highly recommend a pilgrimage to this holy site. You might not feel the love within the first five minutes of being there, but by the time you leave, it will feel like a second home.
I'd like to thank Marco for hosting me in grand style, including treating me to a Tony Luke's cheesesteak at 1am after the final game was over. Kyle was gracious enough to walk with us around the Penn campus and shared his chips with us at Mad Mex - thanks for sharing your road-earned wisdom with a couple of fans, K-dub. And a shout-out to Clare, TC, and Katie for rounding out our hoops posse. Can't wait to do it again!
Monday Madness- Recovering From The Preseason Tourney Hangover
Those precious few days of waking up hungover, eating plates of leftovers for breakfast/brunch and watching college basketball from noon to 1:30am are over. Today, it's back to reality, as most Americans head back to their mind-numbingly monotonous office jobs. Hey, at least it was fun while it lasted. Thus concludes the Thanksgiving holiday, and busiest college basketball week outside of March. But between family obligations, travel, football and shopping, it was easy to get lost on all of the college basketball action.
Hell, I spent the weekend at the Palestra with Extra P and Whelliston (story coming in the afternoon) and I’m still trying to get caught up. So with that in mind, this week's edition of Monday Madness will try to recap the numerous holiday tournaments for you, getting you caught up on what you missed while waiting in line 14 hours for that 10% off the plasma. Broken down, of course, by leftovers.
The best tourneys make the Stuffing Bracket (I’d eat it everyday if it was accepted by society), the worst making the Assorted Vegetables No One Ate At Thanksgiving Play-In Game.
Stuffing Bracket
Old Spice Classic
Teams - George Mason, Kansas State, Villanova, UCF, Rider, Penn State, NC State,
Championship Game
NC State 69 Villanova 68 OT
Best Game
NC State 69 Villanova 68 OT
Player of the Tourney
Michael Beasley, K-State
Team That Gained The Most
NC State/George Mason - NC State’s wins may have been close, but they showed everyone what the hype was all about bout. Mason’s win over K-State and close call to Nova proves that “this year’s George Mason” may be George Mason.
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Penn State - 0-3 with a loss to Rider. Not like many people in State College care anyway.
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Maui Invitational
Teams - Duke, Marquette, LSU, Arizona State, Princeton, Oklahoma State, Illinois
Championship Game
Duke 77 Marquette 73
Best Game
Duke 77 Marquette 73
Player of the Tourney
Kyle Singler, Duke
Team That Gained The Most
Duke - Welcome back to national spotlight Dukies! This team is much more athletic than last season and is a legit Final Four team.
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Princeton - We knew things were bad for the long time Ivy power, but who knew that they were lose-to-Chaminade bad?
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Anaheim Shootout
Teams - USC, Southern Illinois, Miami (OH), Mississippi State, San Diego, Cal-Irvine, Chattanooga, South Alabama
Championship Game
USC 70 Southern Illinois 45
Best Game
USC 57 Miami (OH) 53
Player of the Tourney
Michael Bramos, Miami (OH)
Team That Gained The Most
Miami (OH) - The Redhawks are the MAC’s best shot at an at-large bid since 1999.
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Mississippi State - Everyone’s sleeper is digging itself a pretty deep hole in November.
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Turkey Bracket
Preseason NIT
Teams - Texas A&M, Syracuse, Washington, Ohio State
Championship Game
Texas A&M 70 Ohio State 47
Best Game
Syracuse 91 Washington 85
Player of the Tourney
DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M
Team That Gained The Most
Texas A&M - Aggies surprise many (including myself) and prove that are much more than just Acie Law.
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Washington - Possible bubble team failed to pick up marquee preseason win.
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Great Alaskan Shootout
Teams - Butler, Gonzaga, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Western Kentucky, Michigan, Eastern Michigan
Championship Game
Butler 81 Texas Tech 71
Best Game
Gonzaga 74 Western Kentucky 71
Player of the Tourney
Peter Campbell, Butler
Team That Gained The Most
Butler - Certainly stated their case the nation’s best mid-major with wins over Michigan, Virginia Tech and Texas Tech
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Gonzaga - Loss to Texas Tech and close call to Western Kentuckty showed how much this team misses Heytvelt in the paint.
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Las Vegas Shootout
Teams - North Carolina, Old Dominion, BYU, Louisville
Championship Game
North Carolina 73 BYU 63
Best Game
BYU 78 Louisville 76
Player of the Tourney
Jonathan Tavernari, BYU
Team That Gained The Most
BYU - Shocked Louisville and took UNC to the wire. Showed they can be a Top25 mainstay all season
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Louisville - I’m sure Louisville fans were happy to drop vacation money to see the team play Old Dominion 2,000 away from Kentucky. Thank god the tourney was in Vegas.
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Sweet Potatoes Bracket
Philly Classic
Teams - Drexel, Seton Hall, Virginia, Penn, Robert Morris, Howard, Loyola, Navy
Best Game
Drexel 54 Loyola 52
Player of the Tourney
Brian Lainge, Seton Hall
Team That Gained The Most
Seton Hall - Not quite sure how they did it, but the Pirates remain unbeaten.
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Virginia - Expected to roll through the Palestra, instead the Cavs leave with first loss
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CBE Invitational
Teams - Michigan State, UCLA, Missouri, Maryland
Championship Game
UCLA 68 Michigan State 63
Best Game
UCLA 68 Michigan State 63
Player of the Tourney
Russell Westbrook, UCLA
Team That Gained The Most
UCLA - Nothing went right for the Bruins against MSU, but they fought they way back from a double -digit deficit to steal a win. Remember that come March.
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Maryland - Failed to pick up marquee win.
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Assorted Vegetable Bracket
Chicago Invitational
Teams - Xavier, Indiana, Illinois State, Kent State
Championship Game
Xavier 80 Indiana 65
Best Game
Xavier 80 Indiana 65
Player of the Tourney
Stanley Burrell, Xavier
Team That Gained The Most
Xavier - Held opponents to fewer than 40% shooting in both wins.
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Indiana - Someone outside of Gordon is going to need to step up on occasion.
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Legends Classic
Teams - Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, New Mexico State
Championship Game
Texas 97 Tennessee 78
Best Game
Tennessee 74 West Virginia 72
Player of the Tourney
DJ Augustin, Texas
Team That Gained The Most
Texas - Smoked UT and NMST, might have most explosive offense in the country
Let's Just Forget That Happened
Tennessee - Travel to Newark and get your ass handed to you? That’s a bad holiday weekend.
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Quickie Monday Madness Superlatives
Team of the Week - Texas A&M
Upset of the Week - NC A&T over DePaul
Mid-Major to Watch - Maryland Baltimore County
Bad, Bad Week - Miss State
Player I’d Like To Party With - Russell Westbrook, UCLA
Freshmen of the Week - Patty Mills, Saint Mary’s
Ivory Update - 15 points in 22 minutes, he’s a star!
