Big South (Conf RPI 29)
Feb 27-March 3
Campus sites (higher seeds)
Favorite: Winthrop
The Eagles have yet to drop a Big South matchup and may be in line for an at large berth following the big BracketBuster win at Missouri State. The computer numbers still leave something to be desired and would take a hit if they were to drop one to a conference lightweight at home. They don’t want to put this in the committees hand.
Contenders: High Point
The Panthers gave Winthrop the biggest scare in conference in a one point heartbreaker in late January. They have handled business in conference with an 11-3 mark and look to be the clear #2.
Darkhorse: Liberty
The Fightin’ Fallwells are the only other team to post a winning record in the league, but are still below .500 overall. They have given Winthrop their closest game in a month forcing the Eagles to win on a 2nd half rally.
Prediction: Winthrop takes it out of the committee’s hands and holds serve Rock Hill.
Horizon (Conf RPI 12)
Feb 27-March 6
Campus sites (higher seed), Dayton
Favorite: Butler
The Bulldogs have cooled down since their early season tear, but their dance hopes are still in good shape. The unique format of the tournament which gives the top two seeds a bye to the semis.
Contenders: Wright State, Loyola-Chicago
Butler looks to be safe, but regular season co champ and top seed Wright State must win to keep hope alive. Wright State has split with Butler and swept fellow contender Loyola. Also, will be playing in their home state.
The Ramblers haven’t shown much consistency, but had enough in the tank to beat Butler in Indianapolis and come in winning 7 of the last 8.
Darkhorse: Youngstown State
The Penguins just drilled #1 seed Wright State and have a quality win at Kent State. Don’t know if they have what it takes to cut down the nets in Dayton, but this team could be dangerous one game at a time.
Prediction: The Butler does it. One bid for the Horizon.
Ohio Valley (Conf RPI 24)
Feb 27-March 3
Nashville
Favorite: Austin Peay
Despite dropping 3 of the last 4, the Governors won the regular season title by 3 games. They’ve been the team to beat all year and it doesn’t change now.
Contenders: Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, Murray State
Murray State has been the premier program in the OVC winning the conference title on a seemingly annual basis, despite turnover in the head coaching spots.
The winner of the likely 2/3 matchup between Eastern Kentuckt and Tennessee Tech could be in a prime position with Peay’s recent downturn and an off year for the Racers of Murray State.
Darkhorse: Samford
The Bulldogs may just be a .500 ballclub, but their 3 point heavy slow down attack can cause problems for a lot of teams. They have a good shot at taking down an athletic Murray State bunch.
Prediction: Tennessee Tech over Murray State in the final. A down year in the OVC. A spot in the NIT for the suddenly struggling Austin Peay.
-PS
Monday, February 26, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
"Don't Be That Guy..."
Made popular by the 90s cult hit PCU, I'll flip the object of ridicule in the header from music (that guy wearing the shirt of the band you're going to see) to college basketball.Don't be that guy who fills out multiple NCAA Tournament brackets.
Why? You look like a douche, plain and simple. I can't tell you how many times I've chuckled over the jackass at the bar during the tournament, filing through his 3 or 4 brackets to check which outcome of the indecisive 8/9 matchup between two State College U.'s helps out more of his brackets. To me, this strategy is indefensible.
In my opinion, either way you spin it off, you're an idiot. Either you don't know your shit and you are essentially handing over more money in the slim chance one of your brackets somehow goes through or you're just too damn indecisive. You can tell me it's like playing the stock market - you are diversifying your risk and have your possible sleepers spread between multiple brackets. True. With diversification comes less risk, but also less chance of a top return. I figure -- what -- the top five percent of pools return money? You might as well take your chances with your picks. If you're wrong, you're wrong. But it always draws a laugh from me when Three Bracket Timmy hits his championship game prediction, only to fall short because he didn't do it in the same bracket as the one he had with the good first weekend projection.
Most importantly, however, you're compromising your integrity as a sports fan. In the sports world, you are taught to have an argument and not back down from it, no matter how wrong or stupid (hell, take a look at Skip Bayless). Are you going to be wrong a good chunk of time? Sure, you are. I've had some horrendous brackets to go along with some of my bests and I'd be the first to tell you tales of my downfalls (In eighth grade I took South Carolina to win it all and they, of course, got bounced by Coppin State in round one... ouch!). Such is life. But there's a pride issue in correctly placed that mid-major sleeper into the Sweet-16 or predicting the high-seeded powerhouse to bow out in the first weekend on all one of your brackets.
So when Bob from accounting takes home your office pool with bracket number four of five and constantly reminds you by the water cooler every morning of his victory, remember to ask him how many loser brackets he placed in the pool alongside it.
Actually, scratch all this. Turn in however many brackets you want, jackass. You're just fluffing up my winnings.
-- RK
Independent's Day
Last week during the Duke-BC game, Dick Vitale mentioned (among many, many, many other things) that the general public was quick to mock the Dook Nation for their losing streak with the same enthusiasm they would mock the Yankees, Lakers, Cowboys, and Notre Dame football. Surprisingly, it made all of the sense in the world; Duke is the polarizing force in college basketball, and since they were losing, it was the haters' turn to have a chance to preen.
What doesn't make sense is why the Blue Devils don't make the leap entirely, and become a Division I-A independent in basketball. Here are a few reasons how it could work:
Television: there's no doubt that ESPN would shell out whatever it took to secure Duke basketball rights. They have four networks that could broadcast games (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPNU), and would bring in better ratings on a nightly basis than retreads of six year old poker tournaments. Moreover, it allows Dick Vitale and Mike Patrick to cut the charade of impartial journalism and allow them to play sack-tickle with Coach K and Greg Paulus full-time.
Money: Tying to the entry above, the Blue Devils would cash in on this move. Their television deal aside, the fact that they would not have to split any of their NCAA tournament monies with their conference would make March runs to the title all the more lucrative.
Flexibility: The Blue Devils recruit nationally, so exposure is vital to a program who have had players from Alaska to Virginia suit up for them. By not being tied to a conference schedule, Duke would be free to pursue mid-season, intersectional matchups that would coincide with their recruiting efforts. Want to show a recruit in Los Angeles what your program is all about? It's just a phone call to any one of the schools in that area (at least four, by my count), tell them you want to play them at home, put their school on TV and sellout their gym. Who would pass that up?
NCAA Tournament: Since Duke is practically guaranteed a bid into the tournament, they do not need the affiliation with a conference to make the Dance. The losers, in this situation, are the mid-majors and whatever team Steve Alford is coaching, as that will effectively reduce the number of at-larges from 34 to 33 on a yearly basis.
Prestige: Frankly, Duke could do this because they're able to make the move. Independence would indeed remove them from their built-in rivalry with North Carolina; but their defection could potentially move the ACC back to the TRU round-robin format that the fans have been clamouring for since the addition of Virginia Tech and Miami.
With all of the above said, it's highly unlikely that this kind of move happens. Then again, stranger things have happened. Stranger things indeed.
(posted by JH)
What doesn't make sense is why the Blue Devils don't make the leap entirely, and become a Division I-A independent in basketball. Here are a few reasons how it could work:
Television: there's no doubt that ESPN would shell out whatever it took to secure Duke basketball rights. They have four networks that could broadcast games (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPNU), and would bring in better ratings on a nightly basis than retreads of six year old poker tournaments. Moreover, it allows Dick Vitale and Mike Patrick to cut the charade of impartial journalism and allow them to play sack-tickle with Coach K and Greg Paulus full-time.
Money: Tying to the entry above, the Blue Devils would cash in on this move. Their television deal aside, the fact that they would not have to split any of their NCAA tournament monies with their conference would make March runs to the title all the more lucrative.
Flexibility: The Blue Devils recruit nationally, so exposure is vital to a program who have had players from Alaska to Virginia suit up for them. By not being tied to a conference schedule, Duke would be free to pursue mid-season, intersectional matchups that would coincide with their recruiting efforts. Want to show a recruit in Los Angeles what your program is all about? It's just a phone call to any one of the schools in that area (at least four, by my count), tell them you want to play them at home, put their school on TV and sellout their gym. Who would pass that up?
NCAA Tournament: Since Duke is practically guaranteed a bid into the tournament, they do not need the affiliation with a conference to make the Dance. The losers, in this situation, are the mid-majors and whatever team Steve Alford is coaching, as that will effectively reduce the number of at-larges from 34 to 33 on a yearly basis.
Prestige: Frankly, Duke could do this because they're able to make the move. Independence would indeed remove them from their built-in rivalry with North Carolina; but their defection could potentially move the ACC back to the TRU round-robin format that the fans have been clamouring for since the addition of Virginia Tech and Miami.
With all of the above said, it's highly unlikely that this kind of move happens. Then again, stranger things have happened. Stranger things indeed.
(posted by JH)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tourney File: Michigan State
Here is the third of a periodic breakdown of teams expected to be in the NCAA Tournament
Michigan State
Book it. With a huge resume win at home over top-ranked Wisconsin, the Spartans punched their dance ticket last night.
What to Like: Defense. Over the next month, you will hear me harp and harp that I believe great team defense is the biggest indicator of tournament success. This Michigan State squad can absolutely 'D' up. They lead the Big Ten in points allowed per game, which is partially due to their extremely slow pace of play. But their points per possession and effective field goal percentage against stats are stellar as well. Perhaps most impressively is how consistent their 'D' has been (see BigTenWonk link for full analysis -- great site). They've been there game in and game out.
What Will Keep Them From Winning: Turnovers. It's been ugly in East Lansing in terms of holding onto the ball. Prior to Monday's game, State was turning the ball over at a rate of 26% of their offensive possessions. It's been the Achilles heel of an otherwise efficient offense.
X-Factor: Tom Izzo. How many other teams can match up with the tournament experience and success of the Spartans' coach? Izzo has led State to four Final Fours ('99, '00, '01, '05) in the past decade and won the 2000 NCAA title. It seems like every March we are talking about Izzo having his team peaking at the right time.
Who Do They Want to Play?: UCLA, Nevada or Duke. This is your typical Izzo coached team, keyed around defense and rebounding. Michigan State has slowed it down with the best of them, averaging just 62.5 possessions per game this season (308th in D-1). They are very efficient and crash the boards proficiently and should match up well against any of these teams that will play at their pace and allow them to run their sets.
Michigan State
Book it. With a huge resume win at home over top-ranked Wisconsin, the Spartans punched their dance ticket last night.
What to Like: Defense. Over the next month, you will hear me harp and harp that I believe great team defense is the biggest indicator of tournament success. This Michigan State squad can absolutely 'D' up. They lead the Big Ten in points allowed per game, which is partially due to their extremely slow pace of play. But their points per possession and effective field goal percentage against stats are stellar as well. Perhaps most impressively is how consistent their 'D' has been (see BigTenWonk link for full analysis -- great site). They've been there game in and game out.
What to be Pleasantly Surprised By: Drew Neitzel. The junior point guard and leader of the Spartans has absolutely dominated in some big games. He dropped in 28 on 10-17 shooting (6-11 on 3's) last night against the Badgers and had 21 in the second half of a valiant comeback that fell short at Ohio State. A natural scoring point in high school, Neitzel took a passive offensive role behind the likes of Maurice Ager, Shannon Brown and Paul Davis in his first two years before breaking out on the scene this season.
What Will Keep Them From Winning: Turnovers. It's been ugly in East Lansing in terms of holding onto the ball. Prior to Monday's game, State was turning the ball over at a rate of 26% of their offensive possessions. It's been the Achilles heel of an otherwise efficient offense.
What We Don't Know: If the Spartans can get a consistent second scoring option. It's been Neitzel offensively with a slew of Spartans chipping in some baskets. Michigan State will need either freshman Raymar Morgan or some their bigs to step up to take some of the scoring load off Neitzel's back. Morgan will be the next big stud in East Lansing, but recently struggled through the Spartans 4 game losing streak, averaging just 9 points per game including a season low 2-point effort in a home loss to Ohio State.
X-Factor: Tom Izzo. How many other teams can match up with the tournament experience and success of the Spartans' coach? Izzo has led State to four Final Fours ('99, '00, '01, '05) in the past decade and won the 2000 NCAA title. It seems like every March we are talking about Izzo having his team peaking at the right time.
Who Do They Want to Play?: UCLA, Nevada or Duke. This is your typical Izzo coached team, keyed around defense and rebounding. Michigan State has slowed it down with the best of them, averaging just 62.5 possessions per game this season (308th in D-1). They are very efficient and crash the boards proficiently and should match up well against any of these teams that will play at their pace and allow them to run their sets.
Who Don't They Want to Play?: Kansas, Memphis or Texas A&M. The Spartans recently lost by 24 at Purdue, a team that forces a lot of turnovers. Hectic, athletic defensive teams with good guards who can turn up the heat (think Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson at Kansas) will give them fits offensively.
Prediction: The Spartans are going to be a scary, scary draw for some top seed, as they figure to fall in the 8-11 seed range depending on how the rest of the season plays out (IU, @Mich, @Wisconsin, Big Ten Tournament). This group may not be as talented as the Ager-Brown-Davis teams of the past few years which frustrated State fans by failing to meet expectations, but they play well together and bear down on the defensive end. It's one of the handful of high seeds I'd be closely examining the draw and can see a major run through the brackets.
-- RK
-- RK
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Got Cred?
Here's my breakdown of the NCAA tournament, using my highly scienfific method of looking at the conference standings, schedules, and RPI ratings. This projection is based upon the one bid leagues, such as C-USA, the WAC and the Horizon league being won by their listed squads. If not, then teams like Clemson, West Virginia, Tennessee, Illinois, Arizona, and Missouri State will be sweating like Italians before the day ends.
The Field of 65
America East (1): Conference champion
Atlantic 10 (1): Conference champion
ACC (7): North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Duke, Maryland, Clemson
Atlantic Sun (1): Conference champion
Big 12 (6): Kansas, Texas A&M, Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech
Big East (7): Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre dame, Marquette, West Virginia, Villanova
Big Sky (1): Conference champion
Big South (1): Winthrop
Big Ten (5): Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan State, Illinois
Big West (1): Conference champion
CAA (1): Conference champion
Conference USA (1): Memphis
Horizon (1): Butler
Ivy (1): Conference champion
MAAC (1): Conference champion
Mid-Continent (1): Conference champion
MAC (1): Conference champion
MEAC (1): Conference champion
MVC (3): Southern Illinois, Creighton, Missouri State
MWC (3): Air Force, BYU, UNLV
NEC (1): Conference champion
OVC (1): Conference champion
Pac-10 (6): UCLA, Washington State, USC, Stanford, Oregon, Arizona,
Patriot (1): Conference champion
SEC (5): Florida, Vanderbillt, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee
Southern (1): Conference champion
Southland (1): Conference champion
SWAC (1): Conference champion
Sun Belt (1): Conference champion
WCC (1): Conference champion
WAC (1): Nevada
On the Bubble:
Bradley (RPI 29): Why down on the Braves? Bradley was hammered by bubble team Michigan State by 29 in December, lost by 21 to Wichita State and have yet to beat the three best teams in the MVC-- Missouri State, Southern Illionois or Creighton. They did beat Virginia Commonwealth, but that win is looking less impressive as VCU's profile continues to sag.
Old Dominion (RPI 44): The Monarchs have no more key games remaining in the regular season, facing middle of the pack Towson and William & Mary. Neither team is to be underestimated (8-8 in the CAA), but neither win will help their profile. In order for ODU to make the tournament as an at-large, they would need to have a dominating performance in the CAA tournament, and lose by one in the finals.
Georgia Tech (RPI 45): The worst enemy for the Yellow Jackets is their incompetence within the conference. Despite picking up a key win at Memphis and at home against Duke, Georgia Tech has failed to capitalize against tourney bound teams Maryland, Virginia Tech, and Clemson. In order to boost their profile, Tech needs to sweep Virginia, UNC and Boston College to get moved into the lock category. As of right now, Clemson and Maryland sit above them by virtue of beating the Yellow Jackets two out of three times they've matched up.
Georgia (RPI 54): The skinny is that the Dawgs didn't take care of business in a four game stretch against Georgia Tech, Clemson, Wisconsin, and Florida. Look for Georgia to get overlooked, barring a run to the SEC title game. If they do make the tournament, however, keep them in your mind as a team that can spring an upset. Levi Stukes has a deadly three point stroke, shooting 43.7% from distance this season.
DePaul (RPI 56): Approaching that coveted .500/one game better than .500 mark is DePaul, who overcame a slow start this season (including losses to Northwestern, Purdue, and UAB) to knock off likely NCAA teams Notre Dame and Marquette. DePaul gets another shot at Notre Dame tonight (in progress), but needs to win this game, as well as two games in the Big East tournament to make their case stronger.
UPDATE: The Blue Demons were destroyed by Notre Dame tonight, further lowering their chances for an at-large.
VCU (RPI 57): Oddly, the best team in the Colonial has a weaker profile than Old Dominion. The Rams are plauged by a a poor early season schedule, losing two games to possible tournament teams Appalachian State and Xavier, and a Bracket Buster game againt Bradley, who will likely miss the tournament this year.
Michigan (RPI 58): The Wolverines have the same story as everybody else on this bubble watch-- lack of marquee wins. I don't think a team who got drilled by 37 by UCLA is ever going to be a tournament team. Best case is if the Wolverines can upset either Ohio State or Wisconsin, and manage to keep it close in the final. Other than that, welcome back to the NIT!
Gonzaga (RPI 71): There are teams with better computer numbers than Mark Few's team, but there are very few teams (bubble or otherwise) with the out of conference profile that they have managed to compile. Obviously, the arrest and subsequent suspension of Josh Heytvelt cripples this team, but there is a remote chance that the committee rewards this team for their work early on-- knocking down North Carolina and Texas. This, of course, is negated by their losses to Duke, Nevada and Virginia.
UPDATE: Heytvelt was charged with felony drug possession, meaning that the test completed by the state lab came back with definitive results. Say bye-bye to the 'Zags' at-large tournament hopes.
Winthrop (RPI 72): Craig Bradshaw and the Eagles almost knocked down Tennessee in the tournament last year, and gave UNC all they could handle in a neutral site game in Charlotte, played winnable games against Maryland and Wisconsin (lost by 11 and 3, respectively), with one bad loss to Texas A&M by 20. The good, is that they beat fellow bubbler Old Dominion in Norfolk by six. Why are they on the bubble with such a marginal profile? Personally, I'd throw them into the tournament over a lot of the middle of the pack power teams. And I will now jump off of my soapbox.
Updated at 10:10 pm, February 20
(posted by JH)
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Saturday Hoop Bash
Early Action
Georgetown @ Villanova Noon ESPN 2
Penn State @ Wisconsin Noon Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
St. John's @ Providence Noon Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
Florida @ Vanderbilt 1 PM CBS Reigonal
UCLA @ Arizona 1 PM CBS Reigonal
Army @ Navy 1 PM CBS Reigonal
Appalaichan State @ Wichita State 1 PM ESPN U
Florida State @ Virginia 1 PM Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
Miami @ Wake Forest 1 PM Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
12:03 PM- We've got tip off in Philly. G'Town is shaping into a team that could do some damage in March. This bunch had Florida on the ropes last year. For Villanova, Scottie Reynolds is a freshman sensation that no one is talking about. Remember, he's one of the few in the land that outshined Kevin Durant when Texas and Villanova hooked up last month. -PS
12:14- Two early fouls on Roy Hibbert. As previously pointed out, this is what could doom the Hoyas. He's got to stay out of foul trouble. When the hell is J-Mac errr Mike Nardi going to graduate? -PS
12:15- Random Scottie Reynolds sidenote: after Kelvin Sampson left OU this summer, there was a little bit of chatter that he would consider going to George Mason. He had been a fixture playing pickup games there since his freshman year of high school, and was the best player on the court then. Reynolds is extremely religous, leaving a regional championship game at halftime to attend his church service. The belief was that he could be the man at Mason, as well as continue worshipping at his church. It's funny because at his high school (Herndon), he was supposed to play second fiddle to Stony Brook guard Ricky Lucas, but he had a coming out of sorts as a freshman. If my memory serves me correctly, he was the three time region player of the year in Northern Virginia. Something that no NOVA player has done, including Grant Hill or Hubert Davis. -JH
12:19- Doris Burke brings up the Jay Wright to the Sixers rumors. Don't do it, Jay! It sounds like there is a pretty good chance of this happening. Doris even speculates that the Nova administration is quietly looking at replacements. Which school ends up with him in 2010 after he washes out of the assocation?-PS
12:50- Impressive effort by the Hoya's to get this thing down to 2 at the half. Villanova is wondering what hit them in the last few minutes. Looking forward to the 2nd half of this one. Jeff Green has put this bunch on his back, but he'll need some more help to get a road win. -PS
1:23- It's going to be slow for a little bit as I am watching my alma mater (FSU) try to keep their bubble hopes alive in a must win. UF-Vandy in HD on CBS right now, with UCLA-Zona for the left coast.
1:47- The play by play for this game just announced that he thinks Notre Dame should make the tournament with a lofty RPI of 48. Not really how I can say this gently, but Mike Brey is a terrible tournament coach, and his team does not really have a consistent offensive scheme. -JH
1:54- Memo to Roy Hibbert: you're seven freakin two. Keep the ball higher when you attack the rim. No good reason for 6'8" forwards swatting your shots. When your coach runs a play for you out of a timeout, down two points, you need to convert. Ugh. I hate to quote Bill Walton, but THROW IT DOWN, BIG FELLA. -JH
2:02- Great coaching move by Jay Wright. With his team up one point with 43.9 seconds left, the Wildcats continue to apply token pressure with their full-court 1-2-2 zone. By doing this, the Hoyaas were not able to race down court and go two-for-one to guarantee the last possession of the game. If Villanova winds up winning this game, this should get a lot more attention that any single play. After the timeout, Georgetwon scored immediately on a Jeff Green pullup jumper. My guess for a late game play would be Nardi penetrating, kicking to Sumpter on the perimeter with a shoot/drive option. -JH
2:08- Spencer Hawnes vs. Aaron Gray on ESPN. This looked like a great intersectional matchup before the Huskies buried themselves. At least we can enjoy the two best white centers in the country. -PS
2:20- I love America, and I love college basketball. But there is no reason for Army-Navy to be televised. Especially when the #1 team in America is playing. The terrorists just drained a three pointer. -JH
2:25- For a so-called All-American, I have seen Aaron Gray shoot more than his fair share of airballs. The analyst attributed that shot to being bodied up by Brockman and Hawes. My question is what the hell is he going to do next season when he not only has to bang in the post with guys like Shaq, Tim Duncan and Yao, but have to worry about 6'9" forwards flying in from the weakside? NBA comparison: Bryant Reeves. -JH
5:34- Midway through the second half in Indy, Butler's AJ Graves is scoreless still. SIU's guards have absolutely abused him defensively and have completely taken him out of the game as they lead by 10. Sure, they say he's sick, but Graves reminds me of a poor man's JJ Redick. He's struggled to create his own shot or create for teammates. Teams are going to look at this film if they are seeded across from Butler in March. - RK
Georgetown @ Villanova Noon ESPN 2
Penn State @ Wisconsin Noon Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
St. John's @ Providence Noon Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
Florida @ Vanderbilt 1 PM CBS Reigonal
UCLA @ Arizona 1 PM CBS Reigonal
Army @ Navy 1 PM CBS Reigonal
Appalaichan State @ Wichita State 1 PM ESPN U
Florida State @ Virginia 1 PM Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
Miami @ Wake Forest 1 PM Reigonal/ESPN Fullcourt
12:03 PM- We've got tip off in Philly. G'Town is shaping into a team that could do some damage in March. This bunch had Florida on the ropes last year. For Villanova, Scottie Reynolds is a freshman sensation that no one is talking about. Remember, he's one of the few in the land that outshined Kevin Durant when Texas and Villanova hooked up last month. -PS
12:14- Two early fouls on Roy Hibbert. As previously pointed out, this is what could doom the Hoyas. He's got to stay out of foul trouble. When the hell is J-Mac errr Mike Nardi going to graduate? -PS
12:15- Random Scottie Reynolds sidenote: after Kelvin Sampson left OU this summer, there was a little bit of chatter that he would consider going to George Mason. He had been a fixture playing pickup games there since his freshman year of high school, and was the best player on the court then. Reynolds is extremely religous, leaving a regional championship game at halftime to attend his church service. The belief was that he could be the man at Mason, as well as continue worshipping at his church. It's funny because at his high school (Herndon), he was supposed to play second fiddle to Stony Brook guard Ricky Lucas, but he had a coming out of sorts as a freshman. If my memory serves me correctly, he was the three time region player of the year in Northern Virginia. Something that no NOVA player has done, including Grant Hill or Hubert Davis. -JH
12:19- Doris Burke brings up the Jay Wright to the Sixers rumors. Don't do it, Jay! It sounds like there is a pretty good chance of this happening. Doris even speculates that the Nova administration is quietly looking at replacements. Which school ends up with him in 2010 after he washes out of the assocation?-PS
12:50- Impressive effort by the Hoya's to get this thing down to 2 at the half. Villanova is wondering what hit them in the last few minutes. Looking forward to the 2nd half of this one. Jeff Green has put this bunch on his back, but he'll need some more help to get a road win. -PS
1:23- It's going to be slow for a little bit as I am watching my alma mater (FSU) try to keep their bubble hopes alive in a must win. UF-Vandy in HD on CBS right now, with UCLA-Zona for the left coast.
1:47- The play by play for this game just announced that he thinks Notre Dame should make the tournament with a lofty RPI of 48. Not really how I can say this gently, but Mike Brey is a terrible tournament coach, and his team does not really have a consistent offensive scheme. -JH
1:54- Memo to Roy Hibbert: you're seven freakin two. Keep the ball higher when you attack the rim. No good reason for 6'8" forwards swatting your shots. When your coach runs a play for you out of a timeout, down two points, you need to convert. Ugh. I hate to quote Bill Walton, but THROW IT DOWN, BIG FELLA. -JH
2:02- Great coaching move by Jay Wright. With his team up one point with 43.9 seconds left, the Wildcats continue to apply token pressure with their full-court 1-2-2 zone. By doing this, the Hoyaas were not able to race down court and go two-for-one to guarantee the last possession of the game. If Villanova winds up winning this game, this should get a lot more attention that any single play. After the timeout, Georgetwon scored immediately on a Jeff Green pullup jumper. My guess for a late game play would be Nardi penetrating, kicking to Sumpter on the perimeter with a shoot/drive option. -JH
2:08- Spencer Hawnes vs. Aaron Gray on ESPN. This looked like a great intersectional matchup before the Huskies buried themselves. At least we can enjoy the two best white centers in the country. -PS
2:20- I love America, and I love college basketball. But there is no reason for Army-Navy to be televised. Especially when the #1 team in America is playing. The terrorists just drained a three pointer. -JH
2:25- For a so-called All-American, I have seen Aaron Gray shoot more than his fair share of airballs. The analyst attributed that shot to being bodied up by Brockman and Hawes. My question is what the hell is he going to do next season when he not only has to bang in the post with guys like Shaq, Tim Duncan and Yao, but have to worry about 6'9" forwards flying in from the weakside? NBA comparison: Bryant Reeves. -JH
5:34- Midway through the second half in Indy, Butler's AJ Graves is scoreless still. SIU's guards have absolutely abused him defensively and have completely taken him out of the game as they lead by 10. Sure, they say he's sick, but Graves reminds me of a poor man's JJ Redick. He's struggled to create his own shot or create for teammates. Teams are going to look at this film if they are seeded across from Butler in March. - RK
Friday, February 16, 2007
JH's College Basketball Playlist
Some would argue that music and college basketball go together like lamb and tuna fish. Unfortunately, this is America, buddy; lamb and tuna fish are disgusting together. But it doesn't take away from the importance of music and the game. Hell, this blog is even named after the sappiest, yet always dusty roomed song, in the history of music. Without further ado, here's the my playlist for the 2007 season of college basketball:
Turn Your Lights Down Low (Bob Marley): The only way you can enjoy the 1-25 Iona Gaels is the same as you would a fatty from the local watering hole-- dim lights, eyes closed, hoping for the best. After last season's trip to the NCAA tournament, the Gaels had America on the edge of their seats this season as they looked for their first win of the season. What's even more impressive (or depressing, depending on how morbid your sense of humor is), the Gaels only lost to two teams from power conferences-- Rutgers (by 14) and Maryland (by 31). Cal Tech snapped their 11 season winning streak before Iona turned one up in the win column.
Lightning Crashes (Live): Wichita State Shockers started out this season with victories at LSU and at Syracuse before their good fortune and seasons crashed in front of our eyes. Back to back to back to back losses to New Mexico, USC, Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois snapped the Shockers back to their reality of being a mid-major.
Stay Fly (Three 6 Mafia): The Florida Gators are back atop the rankings in college basketball-- and with good reason. I mean, they were the national champs last season and returned every single key member from that team. Joakim Noah may be a marginal NBA player in my eyes, but in the college game, that ugly mulatto is a baller. When you factor in the return of a nucleus as solid as the Gators' with the improvement of the other four starters (Horford, Green, Humphrey and Brewer), it should be no surprise that they're atop the polls again. It is arguably foolish to punish this team for losses, as they are probably the best team in the nation every week.
The Dance (Garth Brooks): Indiana? Nope. Notre Dame? Nope. Purdue? Nice try, but Gene Keady is gone. The team in the Hoosier State with the most certain March plans are the Butler Bulldogs, who have not only amassed an impressive 24-3 record, but beat all three of the aforementioned big boys head to head this season. Sure, their three losses have been to Indiana State, Illinois-Chicago and Wright State, but the Bulldogs stamped their dance card earlier this season by crowning themselves Preseason NIT champions.
We Fly High (Jim Jones): Josh Heytvelt and Theo Davis, welcome to the blog. The Birdman flyeth again, and this time he touched down in Spokane. Not only did the sharpshooting/rebounding force Heytvelt get himself suspended indefinitely, but he may have cost Gonzaga a berth in the NCAA tournament, as he is their primary offensive weapon. Kids, if there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, it is the following: If you're going to be caught 'riding dirty', make sure the redshirting scrub is willing to take the rap for you. Drugs in themsevles are stupid, but when you cause your teammates to suffer the consequences of your stupidity, then you're just a jackass.
Winter Warz (Raekwon): The Tennessee Volunteers have played a schedule that would make Jim Calhoun's brain turn to mush. Memo to Bruce Pearl-- sure, Butler was unexpected. But scheduling North Carolina, Memphis, Oklahoma State, Texas and Ohio State? In addition to your SEC East slate of Florida, Kentucky, and Georgia? You sir, have balls of brass. To go along with your tits of apricot.
Points of Authority (Linkin Park): Acie Law, Tywon Lawson, and Michael Conley Jr. highlight a season of point guards who will go unnoticed thanks to the spectacle that has become Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.
99 Problems (Jay-Z): UConn losing to George Mason seems to be the beginning of the end for the Huskies Nation. Personally, I think it's due to the bad karma from one of their cocky fans who I overheard saying "I've got a big fat stogie I'll enjoy up I-95 after we win this one" last March at the Ruby Tuesday outside of the Verizon Center. Hey, jackass! How's that taste right now? Honorable mention goes to LSU, who went from Final Four participant to "Wha happen?" team of the year.
Kryptonite (Three Doors Down): Virginia Tech. Do not mess with the chicago maroon and orange this March, or they will bang your sister. Well, maybe not that, but they will certainly give you a much tougher game than you'd ever want them to.
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana): How good are Kevin Durant and Greg Oden? They have made guys like Bill Simmons and Marcel Mutoni start paying attention to college basketball. According to Simmons, Durant has the potential to be Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Jesus, and Jenna Jameson rolled into one while Oden has the potential to be the youngest 34 year old to be one year removed from high school. The greatest part about their emergence is that Durant seems perfectly willing to stay another year in school, which means that some people are going to have to root for them to suck for TWO seasons instead of one.
(posted by JH)
Turn Your Lights Down Low (Bob Marley): The only way you can enjoy the 1-25 Iona Gaels is the same as you would a fatty from the local watering hole-- dim lights, eyes closed, hoping for the best. After last season's trip to the NCAA tournament, the Gaels had America on the edge of their seats this season as they looked for their first win of the season. What's even more impressive (or depressing, depending on how morbid your sense of humor is), the Gaels only lost to two teams from power conferences-- Rutgers (by 14) and Maryland (by 31). Cal Tech snapped their 11 season winning streak before Iona turned one up in the win column.
Lightning Crashes (Live): Wichita State Shockers started out this season with victories at LSU and at Syracuse before their good fortune and seasons crashed in front of our eyes. Back to back to back to back losses to New Mexico, USC, Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois snapped the Shockers back to their reality of being a mid-major.
Stay Fly (Three 6 Mafia): The Florida Gators are back atop the rankings in college basketball-- and with good reason. I mean, they were the national champs last season and returned every single key member from that team. Joakim Noah may be a marginal NBA player in my eyes, but in the college game, that ugly mulatto is a baller. When you factor in the return of a nucleus as solid as the Gators' with the improvement of the other four starters (Horford, Green, Humphrey and Brewer), it should be no surprise that they're atop the polls again. It is arguably foolish to punish this team for losses, as they are probably the best team in the nation every week.
The Dance (Garth Brooks): Indiana? Nope. Notre Dame? Nope. Purdue? Nice try, but Gene Keady is gone. The team in the Hoosier State with the most certain March plans are the Butler Bulldogs, who have not only amassed an impressive 24-3 record, but beat all three of the aforementioned big boys head to head this season. Sure, their three losses have been to Indiana State, Illinois-Chicago and Wright State, but the Bulldogs stamped their dance card earlier this season by crowning themselves Preseason NIT champions.
We Fly High (Jim Jones): Josh Heytvelt and Theo Davis, welcome to the blog. The Birdman flyeth again, and this time he touched down in Spokane. Not only did the sharpshooting/rebounding force Heytvelt get himself suspended indefinitely, but he may have cost Gonzaga a berth in the NCAA tournament, as he is their primary offensive weapon. Kids, if there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, it is the following: If you're going to be caught 'riding dirty', make sure the redshirting scrub is willing to take the rap for you. Drugs in themsevles are stupid, but when you cause your teammates to suffer the consequences of your stupidity, then you're just a jackass.
Winter Warz (Raekwon): The Tennessee Volunteers have played a schedule that would make Jim Calhoun's brain turn to mush. Memo to Bruce Pearl-- sure, Butler was unexpected. But scheduling North Carolina, Memphis, Oklahoma State, Texas and Ohio State? In addition to your SEC East slate of Florida, Kentucky, and Georgia? You sir, have balls of brass. To go along with your tits of apricot.
Points of Authority (Linkin Park): Acie Law, Tywon Lawson, and Michael Conley Jr. highlight a season of point guards who will go unnoticed thanks to the spectacle that has become Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.
99 Problems (Jay-Z): UConn losing to George Mason seems to be the beginning of the end for the Huskies Nation. Personally, I think it's due to the bad karma from one of their cocky fans who I overheard saying "I've got a big fat stogie I'll enjoy up I-95 after we win this one" last March at the Ruby Tuesday outside of the Verizon Center. Hey, jackass! How's that taste right now? Honorable mention goes to LSU, who went from Final Four participant to "Wha happen?" team of the year.
Kryptonite (Three Doors Down): Virginia Tech. Do not mess with the chicago maroon and orange this March, or they will bang your sister. Well, maybe not that, but they will certainly give you a much tougher game than you'd ever want them to.
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana): How good are Kevin Durant and Greg Oden? They have made guys like Bill Simmons and Marcel Mutoni start paying attention to college basketball. According to Simmons, Durant has the potential to be Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Jesus, and Jenna Jameson rolled into one while Oden has the potential to be the youngest 34 year old to be one year removed from high school. The greatest part about their emergence is that Durant seems perfectly willing to stay another year in school, which means that some people are going to have to root for them to suck for TWO seasons instead of one.
(posted by JH)
Saturday Live Blog
Keep refreshing 1shiningmoment all day Saturday for the inaugural 1sm live blog. We'll be breaking down the Bracket Buster and numerous power conference match ups as they happen. Fun starts at around noon with myself, ESPN Full court, A 50 inch plasma, and a case of domestic beer. The rest of the crew will chime as they see fit. As always, hit up oneshiningmoment at gmail dot com with your questions.
-PS
-PS
Busting Up The Brackets, Part II
Here is a further breakdown of the major games, as well as a rating of how this could shake up the field of 64+1 if they should need to gain an at-large berth into the tournament. The event starts Friday, and concludes on Saturday night.
Appalachian State at Wichita State (Sat. 1PM ET, ESPNU)
Conference affiliations: Southern (Appalachian State), MVC (Wichita State)
At-large implications: Moderate
Breakdown: A matchup of two teams whose profiles have slightly faded in conference play. Wichita State (16-10, 8-8) was well-documented, climbing into the Top-10 at one point, after victories at George Mason, at LSU and at Syracuse, all of which seem hollow now after struggling in conference play. It would probably take them winning out (Applachian State, Missouri State, at Creighton) to get themselves back on the bubble. Similarly, Appalachian State (17-6, 12-3) got some huge victories over Virginia, Vanderbuilt and VCU prior to play in the Southern Conference, where they have dropped 3 conference games to 200+ RPI opponents. The winner keeps their long-shot at-large hopes alive, but both most likely will have to rely on winning their conference tournaments.
Players to Watch: Mountaineers point guard DJ Thompson has found his long range shooting stroke recently, hitting 20-of-42 3-point attempts over his last five games. The Shockers will need to defend the perimeter with guards PJ Couisnard and Sean Ogari to hold Thompson in check.
Northern Iowa at Nevada (Sat. 6PM ET, ESPN2)
Conference affiliations: MVC (Northern Iowa), WAC (Nevada)
At-large implications: Low
Breakdown: This is a battle of two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum. Nevada (22-2, 11-1) is already locked in for March once again and is merely trying to keep winning for seeding. Northern Iowa (15-11, 7-9) looked poised to make their 4th consecutive NCAA Tournament back in January when they sat at 12-2 overall and 4-0 in conference, but have since struggled, winning just 3 of their last 12 games to fall out of contention in the Missouri Valley. A victory by Northern Iowa won't heal their resume nor would it really bruise the at-large profile of the Wolfpack.
Players to Watch: The matchup to watch here is on the inside, where 3-year starters Eric Coleman and Grant Stout of Northern Iowa will battle National Player of the Year candidate Nick Fazekas. The duo has been somewhat inconsistent during UNI's recent skid and will need to neutralize Fazekas and hope they don't get burned by the underrated Marcelus Kemp on the perimeter.
Old Dominion at Toledo (Sat. 6PM ET, ESPN360)
Conference affiliations: CAA (Old Dominion), MAC (Toledo)
At-large implications: Moderate
Breakdown: Old Dominion (20-7, 13-3) comes into this contest streaking, winners of seven straight and fresh off of victories over fellow Colonial contenders VCU and Hofstra. They sit a game back of VCU in conference with two middle-tier CAA opponents on their schedule and a bubblicious RPI of 52. A victory here could go a long way in a few Sundays. For Toledo (14-10, 10-2), it appears the MAC is destined to be a 1-bid league once again (this league has continued to beat each other up and out of at-large spots this entire decade) and a conference tournament victory is eminent to be dancing in March. They boast a nice conference record, but the 4-8 non-conference season eliminates them from consideration.
Players to Watch: Lithuanian product and leading scorer Valdas Vasyllus is coming off a career-game in the Monarchs recent win over Hofstra. I look for Toledo to put Florentino Valencia on him, which should give ODU a noticeable size advantage on the interior.
Southern Illinois at Butler (Sat. 4PM ET, ESPN2)
Conference affiliations: MVC (Southern Illinois), Horizon (Butler)
At-large implications: Low
Breakdown: Just how far has Bracket Busters come since its inauguration in 2005? This year's marquee game tells that story - it has absolutely no barring on either of these teams making their NCAA cases. Why? They're both locks to make the tourney. This one is simply to beef the resume, fight for some seeding and gain some bragging rights for their respective conferences. SIU (21-5, 13-3) appears to be the RPI darling this year, sitting 8th with a hoard of good victories in-conference and a neutral site W over tournament-bound Virginia Tech. Butler (22-3, 11-2) took the mid-major world by storm early with in-state bragging rights over Notre Dame, Indiana and Purdue as well as victories over Gonzaga and Tennessee. They actually sit a game behind (tied in the loss column, however) with Wright State in conference play, but a solid resume and good computer numbers (RPI currently at 30) won't have them left in the cold come tournament time.
Players to Watch: This is a battle of two teams that can absolutely suffocate you defensively. Butler star guard AJ Graves has saved some of his best performances for the brightest lights, routinely topping his 17.6 scoring average in Butler's key games. Expect the dynamic backcourt trio of the Salukis of Bryan Mullins, Jamal Tatum and Tony Young to have an eye on Graves at all times. I look for someone else from the Bulldogs to step up if they want get a win here.
Enjoy the games, both big and mid conference, this weekend...
-- RK
Appalachian State at Wichita State (Sat. 1PM ET, ESPNU)
Conference affiliations: Southern (Appalachian State), MVC (Wichita State)
At-large implications: Moderate
Breakdown: A matchup of two teams whose profiles have slightly faded in conference play. Wichita State (16-10, 8-8) was well-documented, climbing into the Top-10 at one point, after victories at George Mason, at LSU and at Syracuse, all of which seem hollow now after struggling in conference play. It would probably take them winning out (Applachian State, Missouri State, at Creighton) to get themselves back on the bubble. Similarly, Appalachian State (17-6, 12-3) got some huge victories over Virginia, Vanderbuilt and VCU prior to play in the Southern Conference, where they have dropped 3 conference games to 200+ RPI opponents. The winner keeps their long-shot at-large hopes alive, but both most likely will have to rely on winning their conference tournaments.
Players to Watch: Mountaineers point guard DJ Thompson has found his long range shooting stroke recently, hitting 20-of-42 3-point attempts over his last five games. The Shockers will need to defend the perimeter with guards PJ Couisnard and Sean Ogari to hold Thompson in check.
Northern Iowa at Nevada (Sat. 6PM ET, ESPN2)
Conference affiliations: MVC (Northern Iowa), WAC (Nevada)
At-large implications: Low
Breakdown: This is a battle of two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum. Nevada (22-2, 11-1) is already locked in for March once again and is merely trying to keep winning for seeding. Northern Iowa (15-11, 7-9) looked poised to make their 4th consecutive NCAA Tournament back in January when they sat at 12-2 overall and 4-0 in conference, but have since struggled, winning just 3 of their last 12 games to fall out of contention in the Missouri Valley. A victory by Northern Iowa won't heal their resume nor would it really bruise the at-large profile of the Wolfpack.
Players to Watch: The matchup to watch here is on the inside, where 3-year starters Eric Coleman and Grant Stout of Northern Iowa will battle National Player of the Year candidate Nick Fazekas. The duo has been somewhat inconsistent during UNI's recent skid and will need to neutralize Fazekas and hope they don't get burned by the underrated Marcelus Kemp on the perimeter.
Old Dominion at Toledo (Sat. 6PM ET, ESPN360)
Conference affiliations: CAA (Old Dominion), MAC (Toledo)
At-large implications: Moderate
Breakdown: Old Dominion (20-7, 13-3) comes into this contest streaking, winners of seven straight and fresh off of victories over fellow Colonial contenders VCU and Hofstra. They sit a game back of VCU in conference with two middle-tier CAA opponents on their schedule and a bubblicious RPI of 52. A victory here could go a long way in a few Sundays. For Toledo (14-10, 10-2), it appears the MAC is destined to be a 1-bid league once again (this league has continued to beat each other up and out of at-large spots this entire decade) and a conference tournament victory is eminent to be dancing in March. They boast a nice conference record, but the 4-8 non-conference season eliminates them from consideration.
Players to Watch: Lithuanian product and leading scorer Valdas Vasyllus is coming off a career-game in the Monarchs recent win over Hofstra. I look for Toledo to put Florentino Valencia on him, which should give ODU a noticeable size advantage on the interior.
Southern Illinois at Butler (Sat. 4PM ET, ESPN2)
Conference affiliations: MVC (Southern Illinois), Horizon (Butler)
At-large implications: Low
Breakdown: Just how far has Bracket Busters come since its inauguration in 2005? This year's marquee game tells that story - it has absolutely no barring on either of these teams making their NCAA cases. Why? They're both locks to make the tourney. This one is simply to beef the resume, fight for some seeding and gain some bragging rights for their respective conferences. SIU (21-5, 13-3) appears to be the RPI darling this year, sitting 8th with a hoard of good victories in-conference and a neutral site W over tournament-bound Virginia Tech. Butler (22-3, 11-2) took the mid-major world by storm early with in-state bragging rights over Notre Dame, Indiana and Purdue as well as victories over Gonzaga and Tennessee. They actually sit a game behind (tied in the loss column, however) with Wright State in conference play, but a solid resume and good computer numbers (RPI currently at 30) won't have them left in the cold come tournament time.
Players to Watch: This is a battle of two teams that can absolutely suffocate you defensively. Butler star guard AJ Graves has saved some of his best performances for the brightest lights, routinely topping his 17.6 scoring average in Butler's key games. Expect the dynamic backcourt trio of the Salukis of Bryan Mullins, Jamal Tatum and Tony Young to have an eye on Graves at all times. I look for someone else from the Bulldogs to step up if they want get a win here.
Enjoy the games, both big and mid conference, this weekend...
-- RK
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Busting Up The Brackets, Part I
The latest edition of Bracket Busters is upon us again, and once again, there are games with significant NCAA tournament implications. The concept, for those unfamiliar, is taking mid-major programs and pitting them against each other on national television so the committee and fans alike can get a glimpse at the "next George Mason" (formerly the "next Gonzaga"), as well as get a late season RPI boost they wouldn't otherwise get from their conference breathren. Every team signs on for two years, as to ensure a home game, as well as an away game in the series.
The toughest part about the Bracket Buster concept is that the participating teams are chosen before the season starts, which can result in some teams without NCAA at-large dreams being invited based on projections and estimations. This season, George Mason fits that bill as they are all but out of contention for one of the coveted 34 spots.
Here is a breakdown of the major games, as well as a rating of how this could shake up the field of 64+1 if they should need to gain an at-large berth into the tournament. The event starts Friday, and concludes on Saturday night.
Drexel at Creighton
Conference affiliations: CAA (Drexel), MVC (Creighton)
At-large implications: High
Breakdown: Creighton needs this game as the icing on their profile cake. With a 12-4 record in the uber-competitive Missouri Valley Conference, the Blue Jays have an RPI rating of 24, SOS of 27 and a 3-2 record against the RPI Top 50. The Dragons sit outside of the top fifty at 53, but are a tough team that blazed out of the gates last season during the Preseason NIT but faltered down the stretch. Drexel is in the thick of the CAA race, but the league is having a down year.
Players to Watch: Creighton's Nate Funk is a great scorer (17.3 ppg) and the guy you want on the line when the game is on the line (87.4 FT%). Drexel is led by center Frank Elegar and senior guard Bashir Mason.
Bradley at Virginia Commonwealth
Conference Affiliation: MVC (Bradley), CAA (Virginia Commonwealth)
At-large implications: Moderate
Breakdown: The Rams and the Braves come into this game ranked 46th and 51st respectively in the RPI ratings, which means that this game is essentially an elimination from at-large consideration. VCU has done all they could with their schedule-- they have won all fifteen games against the worst of the worst, sub-150 RPI teams. VCU plays an uptempo style of basketball which should make for a fast paced game. Both teams average better than 75 points. At 8-7, Bradley is another team that is well outside of the tournament, but could use this game as a springboard to a big March.
Players to Watch: The guards for both teams. This game should be a track meet, so there should be plenty to see in transition.
Winthrop at Missouri State
Conference Affiliation: Big South (Winthrop), MVC (Missouri State)
At-large implications: High
Breakdown: Surprisingly, the team with at-large dreams is not the team from Missouri State. Winthrop, who came a desperation three pointer away from knocking off Tennesse last year, needs this profile boosting win, as they suffering in the computers (RPI of 78) due to their conference. They have played a handful of certain tournament teams, coming up short in all four game. Missouri State sits in third place in the Valley, which should be good enough to get in. They have a resume boost, having beaten Wisconsin on a neutral court in December.
Players to Watch: Winthrop's Craig Bradshaw and Missouri State's Blake Ahearn. Classic mid-major stars who are lacking that one quality that kept them from being blue chippers.
More previews to come later...
(posted by JH)
The toughest part about the Bracket Buster concept is that the participating teams are chosen before the season starts, which can result in some teams without NCAA at-large dreams being invited based on projections and estimations. This season, George Mason fits that bill as they are all but out of contention for one of the coveted 34 spots.
Here is a breakdown of the major games, as well as a rating of how this could shake up the field of 64+1 if they should need to gain an at-large berth into the tournament. The event starts Friday, and concludes on Saturday night.
Drexel at Creighton
Conference affiliations: CAA (Drexel), MVC (Creighton)
At-large implications: High
Breakdown: Creighton needs this game as the icing on their profile cake. With a 12-4 record in the uber-competitive Missouri Valley Conference, the Blue Jays have an RPI rating of 24, SOS of 27 and a 3-2 record against the RPI Top 50. The Dragons sit outside of the top fifty at 53, but are a tough team that blazed out of the gates last season during the Preseason NIT but faltered down the stretch. Drexel is in the thick of the CAA race, but the league is having a down year.
Players to Watch: Creighton's Nate Funk is a great scorer (17.3 ppg) and the guy you want on the line when the game is on the line (87.4 FT%). Drexel is led by center Frank Elegar and senior guard Bashir Mason.
Bradley at Virginia Commonwealth
Conference Affiliation: MVC (Bradley), CAA (Virginia Commonwealth)
At-large implications: Moderate
Breakdown: The Rams and the Braves come into this game ranked 46th and 51st respectively in the RPI ratings, which means that this game is essentially an elimination from at-large consideration. VCU has done all they could with their schedule-- they have won all fifteen games against the worst of the worst, sub-150 RPI teams. VCU plays an uptempo style of basketball which should make for a fast paced game. Both teams average better than 75 points. At 8-7, Bradley is another team that is well outside of the tournament, but could use this game as a springboard to a big March.
Players to Watch: The guards for both teams. This game should be a track meet, so there should be plenty to see in transition.
Winthrop at Missouri State
Conference Affiliation: Big South (Winthrop), MVC (Missouri State)
At-large implications: High
Breakdown: Surprisingly, the team with at-large dreams is not the team from Missouri State. Winthrop, who came a desperation three pointer away from knocking off Tennesse last year, needs this profile boosting win, as they suffering in the computers (RPI of 78) due to their conference. They have played a handful of certain tournament teams, coming up short in all four game. Missouri State sits in third place in the Valley, which should be good enough to get in. They have a resume boost, having beaten Wisconsin on a neutral court in December.
Players to Watch: Winthrop's Craig Bradshaw and Missouri State's Blake Ahearn. Classic mid-major stars who are lacking that one quality that kept them from being blue chippers.
More previews to come later...
(posted by JH)
Tourney File: Virginia Tech
Here is the second of a periodic breakdown of teams expected to be in the NCAA Tournament
Virginia Tech
What to Like: Team basketball. The Hokies have good players; maybe even great players, but what separates this team from, say Virginia, is that there is never an instance while watching them on television that would make you say "Wow,
[insert player name]is taking a lot of bad shots". Last night against UNC, Zabian Dowdell may have scored 33 points, but he did so in 41 minutes, on fifteen shots from the floor and an impressive 17-19 from the foul line. Five Hokies took more than ten shots, which means that they're spreading the ball around the floor.
What to be Pleasantly Surprised By: Coach Seth Greenberg, who has come into a football school, and created a top notch basketball program in arguably the best basketball conference in the game
What Will Keep Them From Winning: Depth. This is not a deep team, and could hurt them in the tournament if they ever run into foul trouble on the perimeter. Compounding their depth issues, they are also very young on the bench, getting significant minutes from four sophomores and freshmen.
What We Don't Know: If their good fortune can last. Dowdell is the leader of this team, and their tourney hopes delicately are balanced on his health and strong play.
X-Factor: Sophomore A.D. Vasallo. In four games at UNC (2-10 from the floor last night), at GW (2-6 threes) at Western Michigan (1-6 from distance), at Marshall (0-4 from three point), the Hokies won only one game, and lost the others by a margin of three or fewer points. In their loss against Southern Illinois, Vasallo shot 2-6 from long range as they lost by five.
Who Do They Want to Play?: North Carolina and Kansas. Virginia Tech has proven twice that they can slow down the pace at will, and grind it out with the best of teams who rely on talent, more so than a system of sorts to win games.
Who Don't They Want to Play?: Texas A&M and Ohio State. The Aggies are showing up a lot as a team that teams do not want to face in the tournament, and it's because of their defense. Acie Law is the kind of player who can put some kind of clamps on Dowdell, who is the Hokies' catalyst on offense. Ohio State would cause tremendous matchup problems for VT, since the Buckeyes can limit penetration with Greg Oden anchoring the lane.
Prediction: Anywhere from a four to a six seed. The Hokies still have a lot of work to do (hosting BC and Clemson, travelling to Virginia), but the true challenges are games against NC State and Miami. I wouldn't fault them for losing to Virginia at the John Paul Jones Center, but they need to take care of business at home, against the bubbling Wolfpack and the bottom feeder Hurricanes.
Virginia Tech
What to Like: Team basketball. The Hokies have good players; maybe even great players, but what separates this team from, say Virginia, is that there is never an instance while watching them on television that would make you say "Wow,
[insert player name]is taking a lot of bad shots". Last night against UNC, Zabian Dowdell may have scored 33 points, but he did so in 41 minutes, on fifteen shots from the floor and an impressive 17-19 from the foul line. Five Hokies took more than ten shots, which means that they're spreading the ball around the floor.What to be Pleasantly Surprised By: Coach Seth Greenberg, who has come into a football school, and created a top notch basketball program in arguably the best basketball conference in the game
What Will Keep Them From Winning: Depth. This is not a deep team, and could hurt them in the tournament if they ever run into foul trouble on the perimeter. Compounding their depth issues, they are also very young on the bench, getting significant minutes from four sophomores and freshmen.
What We Don't Know: If their good fortune can last. Dowdell is the leader of this team, and their tourney hopes delicately are balanced on his health and strong play.
X-Factor: Sophomore A.D. Vasallo. In four games at UNC (2-10 from the floor last night), at GW (2-6 threes) at Western Michigan (1-6 from distance), at Marshall (0-4 from three point), the Hokies won only one game, and lost the others by a margin of three or fewer points. In their loss against Southern Illinois, Vasallo shot 2-6 from long range as they lost by five.
Who Do They Want to Play?: North Carolina and Kansas. Virginia Tech has proven twice that they can slow down the pace at will, and grind it out with the best of teams who rely on talent, more so than a system of sorts to win games.
Who Don't They Want to Play?: Texas A&M and Ohio State. The Aggies are showing up a lot as a team that teams do not want to face in the tournament, and it's because of their defense. Acie Law is the kind of player who can put some kind of clamps on Dowdell, who is the Hokies' catalyst on offense. Ohio State would cause tremendous matchup problems for VT, since the Buckeyes can limit penetration with Greg Oden anchoring the lane.Prediction: Anywhere from a four to a six seed. The Hokies still have a lot of work to do (hosting BC and Clemson, travelling to Virginia), but the true challenges are games against NC State and Miami. I wouldn't fault them for losing to Virginia at the John Paul Jones Center, but they need to take care of business at home, against the bubbling Wolfpack and the bottom feeder Hurricanes.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Life On The Bubble: Texas
The bubble. That's right, I said it. That's where you find the 'Horns, in my book. Contrary to what many major media outlets will have you believe, Texas (18-7, 8-3) is still far from a lock to dance in March. Are they going to get in? Probably. They're sitting in 3rd in the Big XII and they have the star-power. You think the money-hungry NCAAs doesn't want to showcase Kevin Durant in March? Dream on.
But... a closer look reveals a profile as shaky as many out there on the bubble. Who have they beaten? The victories over LSU, Arkansas and at Texas Tech don't carry nearly as much weight as people once thought they would. The beat Oklahoma State by 29 last night in Austin? Would that be the same Oklahoma State squad that is now 0-5 in true road games this year? Exactly. Couple that with the fact they've dropped numerous contests against other NCAA candidates - Michigan State, Gonzaga, Tennessee, Villanova, Kansas State - and you have yourself one hollow profile that's hiding behind its media hype.
While Bill Simmons may continue to sack-tickle Kevin Durant until you are convinced Texas is legit, I'll throw some numbers at you. Their RPI is at 54. Their strength of schedule sits at 87. The Longhorns are 2-6 against the RPI top-50. Bubble, bubble, bubble.
Sure, they have the phenomenal freshman 1-2 punch of Kevin Durant and DJ Augustin that, when clicking, can be one of the most difficult offenses to stop in the NCAAs. They've thrown up 100 four times this season. They've also lost two of those contests and have given up triple-digits one other time (@ Texas A&M). This team cannot defend. Period. Ken Pomeroy currently has them 101st in his defensive efficiency rankings. Want to know the three teams on either side of them? St. Joe's, East Tennessee State, Dayton, Northwestern, Indiana State and Ball State. Not quite the nation's elite. Until they learn how to guard, I'm not convinced this team can make it out of the first weekend in March.
Before then, however, they need to get in, which seems manageable enough. Contests at Baylor and hosting a struggling Texas Tech team should get them to 10 conference wins, which is impressive, before a gauntlet of a finish - at Oklahoma, vs. Texas A&M, at Kansas. I'll warn the 'Horns - don't slip up or else you may find yourselves having to get your marquee victory for your NCAA resume or you may just find yourselves handing over some awfully unimpressive numbers and breakouts to the committee.
-- RK
But... a closer look reveals a profile as shaky as many out there on the bubble. Who have they beaten? The victories over LSU, Arkansas and at Texas Tech don't carry nearly as much weight as people once thought they would. The beat Oklahoma State by 29 last night in Austin? Would that be the same Oklahoma State squad that is now 0-5 in true road games this year? Exactly. Couple that with the fact they've dropped numerous contests against other NCAA candidates - Michigan State, Gonzaga, Tennessee, Villanova, Kansas State - and you have yourself one hollow profile that's hiding behind its media hype.
While Bill Simmons may continue to sack-tickle Kevin Durant until you are convinced Texas is legit, I'll throw some numbers at you. Their RPI is at 54. Their strength of schedule sits at 87. The Longhorns are 2-6 against the RPI top-50. Bubble, bubble, bubble.Sure, they have the phenomenal freshman 1-2 punch of Kevin Durant and DJ Augustin that, when clicking, can be one of the most difficult offenses to stop in the NCAAs. They've thrown up 100 four times this season. They've also lost two of those contests and have given up triple-digits one other time (@ Texas A&M). This team cannot defend. Period. Ken Pomeroy currently has them 101st in his defensive efficiency rankings. Want to know the three teams on either side of them? St. Joe's, East Tennessee State, Dayton, Northwestern, Indiana State and Ball State. Not quite the nation's elite. Until they learn how to guard, I'm not convinced this team can make it out of the first weekend in March.
Before then, however, they need to get in, which seems manageable enough. Contests at Baylor and hosting a struggling Texas Tech team should get them to 10 conference wins, which is impressive, before a gauntlet of a finish - at Oklahoma, vs. Texas A&M, at Kansas. I'll warn the 'Horns - don't slip up or else you may find yourselves having to get your marquee victory for your NCAA resume or you may just find yourselves handing over some awfully unimpressive numbers and breakouts to the committee.
-- RK
Reyshawn Terry: American Hero
Every team has them. They're the guys who are willing to play second fiddle to the stars of the team for the greater good. I'm talking about guys like Byron Mouton of the Maryland Terrapins during their NCAA championship year in 2002. I'm talking about so-called "role players".
The term role-players is a bit of a misnomer, as every player on a team has a role; it's just that some roles are less glamorous than others. For instance, during the 2001 season when Duke won the national title, Shane Battier was the face of the program and a role player all at once. On the surface, it seems contradictory, but it's simple-- Batiter was never the first option on the Blue Devils' plays, nor did it seem that he slacked off on defense, whether he was guarding on the perimeter or in the post. Some columnists would call these guys "glue guys", but I would say they're more than glue; they are the foundation of winning teams. Forget glue-- these guys are more like granite.
Enter Reyshawn Terry.
In my opinion, Terry is the most underrated player in America. He's unselfish enough to cede the spotlight not only to Tyler Hansborough (a sophomore), but to three freshmen who are captivating the eyes of fans and NBA scouts. Last year, the Tar Heels had a David Noel, but Noel wasn't quite the player Terry has show me this season. Noel, a converted football player, had a decent outside game, and a bullish inside game...but nothing in between. Terry is a ball player who can control the defense by stretching them horizontally, as well as penetrating off of the dribble. He is physical enough to cover power forwards in college, which is a huge benefit to a team like North Carolina when they need to put an extra guard onto the floor.
When the Tar Heels take on Virginia Tech tonight, keep an eye on #3 in white. He is going to be the one doing the things like rebounding, playing the passing lanes, and filling his lane on the break that are going to make those flashy underclassmen look good. And I'm sure he wouldn't have it any other way.
(posted by JH)
The term role-players is a bit of a misnomer, as every player on a team has a role; it's just that some roles are less glamorous than others. For instance, during the 2001 season when Duke won the national title, Shane Battier was the face of the program and a role player all at once. On the surface, it seems contradictory, but it's simple-- Batiter was never the first option on the Blue Devils' plays, nor did it seem that he slacked off on defense, whether he was guarding on the perimeter or in the post. Some columnists would call these guys "glue guys", but I would say they're more than glue; they are the foundation of winning teams. Forget glue-- these guys are more like granite.
Enter Reyshawn Terry.
In my opinion, Terry is the most underrated player in America. He's unselfish enough to cede the spotlight not only to Tyler Hansborough (a sophomore), but to three freshmen who are captivating the eyes of fans and NBA scouts. Last year, the Tar Heels had a David Noel, but Noel wasn't quite the player Terry has show me this season. Noel, a converted football player, had a decent outside game, and a bullish inside game...but nothing in between. Terry is a ball player who can control the defense by stretching them horizontally, as well as penetrating off of the dribble. He is physical enough to cover power forwards in college, which is a huge benefit to a team like North Carolina when they need to put an extra guard onto the floor.
When the Tar Heels take on Virginia Tech tonight, keep an eye on #3 in white. He is going to be the one doing the things like rebounding, playing the passing lanes, and filling his lane on the break that are going to make those flashy underclassmen look good. And I'm sure he wouldn't have it any other way.
(posted by JH)
Monday, February 12, 2007
Life On The Bubble: Illinois
From one bubble team with a racially offensive mascot to the next, I hop across the bubble from FSU to my alma mater, Illinois.
The best case for Illinois (18-9, 6-6) might be that, when the dust settles, this turns out to be the fourth best team in the Big Ten. Sure, the committee will tell you it looks at individual profiles and does not consider conference affiliation, but I personally have a hard time believing that. All in all, Illinois may be helped more by the shortcomings of others (Michigan State's recent slide, Purdue's inability to get a marquee win in Columbus, Iowa's non-conference resume) than its own profile. As of today, respected bracketologist Joe Lunardi over at ESPN had moved Illinois into his field as the last team dancing with an at-large profile, which is odd because they slid from out of the field to in despite losing over the weekend in Bloomington.
This could be one of the most bland and boring profiles you will see out there, something that makes this a difficult case to discuss. There are no wins on the resume that jump out at you (best wins being Indiana and MSU at home, neutral over Bradley), yet there are no cringe-worthy losses on the slate either (worst loss at Michigan) -- something that seems unlikely to change before conference play closes out. Illinois sees home dates with Northwestern and Michigan and a trip to Penn State before a crucial showdown with the Hawkeyes in Iowa City to close the conference schedule.
The common opinion seems to be that 9-7 will have the Illini sweating bullets on Selection Sunday and 10-6 should have them firmly in. The scary thing is it's looking more and more like the Illini will see Iowa twice in a week (at Iowa on March 3 and then in the 4/5 game in the Big Ten quarters) before even getting a crack at stamping their dance card with a marquee W over the likes of a Wisconsin or Ohio State.
It's been an unusual year for fans down in the C-U and it would be quite the empty and odd feeling thumbing the sports pages for the Illini's NIT matchup instead of checking the listings for their 1st-round start time in the NCAAs. Hopefully, the committee will look favorably upon their numerous injuries (McBride, Randle, Frazier, Smith and Semreau have all missed large chunks of play this year) and their relatively strong computer numbers (41 in RPI, 17 in SOS through Sunday).
If the bubble bursts, I can't say I blame the committee. The Illini have definately had their share of chances, blowing second half leads in many of their losses and falling short time and again to get their staple win to hang their hats on. Until then, it's pins and needles for the orange and blue.
-- RK
(P.S. I forgot for a second google image searching "Bruce Weber" returns gay art. Fantastic.)
The best case for Illinois (18-9, 6-6) might be that, when the dust settles, this turns out to be the fourth best team in the Big Ten. Sure, the committee will tell you it looks at individual profiles and does not consider conference affiliation, but I personally have a hard time believing that. All in all, Illinois may be helped more by the shortcomings of others (Michigan State's recent slide, Purdue's inability to get a marquee win in Columbus, Iowa's non-conference resume) than its own profile. As of today, respected bracketologist Joe Lunardi over at ESPN had moved Illinois into his field as the last team dancing with an at-large profile, which is odd because they slid from out of the field to in despite losing over the weekend in Bloomington.This could be one of the most bland and boring profiles you will see out there, something that makes this a difficult case to discuss. There are no wins on the resume that jump out at you (best wins being Indiana and MSU at home, neutral over Bradley), yet there are no cringe-worthy losses on the slate either (worst loss at Michigan) -- something that seems unlikely to change before conference play closes out. Illinois sees home dates with Northwestern and Michigan and a trip to Penn State before a crucial showdown with the Hawkeyes in Iowa City to close the conference schedule.
The common opinion seems to be that 9-7 will have the Illini sweating bullets on Selection Sunday and 10-6 should have them firmly in. The scary thing is it's looking more and more like the Illini will see Iowa twice in a week (at Iowa on March 3 and then in the 4/5 game in the Big Ten quarters) before even getting a crack at stamping their dance card with a marquee W over the likes of a Wisconsin or Ohio State.
It's been an unusual year for fans down in the C-U and it would be quite the empty and odd feeling thumbing the sports pages for the Illini's NIT matchup instead of checking the listings for their 1st-round start time in the NCAAs. Hopefully, the committee will look favorably upon their numerous injuries (McBride, Randle, Frazier, Smith and Semreau have all missed large chunks of play this year) and their relatively strong computer numbers (41 in RPI, 17 in SOS through Sunday).
If the bubble bursts, I can't say I blame the committee. The Illini have definately had their share of chances, blowing second half leads in many of their losses and falling short time and again to get their staple win to hang their hats on. Until then, it's pins and needles for the orange and blue.
-- RK
(P.S. I forgot for a second google image searching "Bruce Weber" returns gay art. Fantastic.)
Dancing Without the Dookies?
Duke is headed for the NIT tournament.
Or so it would seem.
After last night's fourth consecutive loss in ACC play, the Duke Blue Devils are in uncharted territory for this time of year-- the bubble. Just one season removed from a run to the Sweet Sixteen, and just six years removed from a national title, the Cameron Crazies are about to join the faithful fans of "lesser" basketball institutions such as the Campbell Camels, Ohio Bobcats and the Buffalo Bulls as fans with no team in the Big Dance.
How did this happen? For starters, Coach K appears to have strayed away from recruiting the three most important players to his last title run-- athletic point guards and a true scoring post player. With Williams and Duhon, the Blue Devils were able to man up against any team in the country, and not have to worry about guards slashing to the basket at will. Carlos Boozer was the team's crutch; in games where Dunleavy's threes weren't falling, or if Williams couldn't quite turn the corner, Boozer was there to muscle his way to easy baskets. 
The current edition of Duke doesn't have any of those components. The most athletic player on the team is Demarcus Nelson, who's usually tasked with guarding off the ball, even though he'd probably be better served on the ball to plug the sieve that is Greg Paulus' defense. Inside, they just don't have the muscle. Josh McRoberts is a white Darius Miles, in that his speciality is finishing plays with dunks and little else. There are arguably three players on Duke's team who would have even seen the court during their title run: Nelson, Jon Scheyer, and Gerald Henderson.
How can Duke improve? More zone, and more Gerald Henderson. By moving to a zone, the Blue Devils can neutralize other teams' athletic superiority and force them to shoot from the outside. With the lack of marquee three point shooters this season, it is a safe gamble to make other teams beat you from 18'6".
By playing Henderson more, they get more athletic, plain and simple. Paulus may be the mold of every Duke point guard, but there is nothing that would suggest that Henderson would do a worse job covering the opposition's lead guard than Paulus has.
Last season, Duke was exposed by Louisiana State when the Tigers played tight defense, and funnelled them to their shot blockers inside. Coach K appears to have fixed this situation by recruiting more athletic players who could finish those shots that were eventually made Tyrus Thomas a millionaire despite having zero tangible offensive skills.
Will Duke miss the tournament? I don't think so. Even with their four straight losses, Duke is still sitting at 14th in the latest ESPN RPI standings. Plus, we've seen this kind of finish before in 2004 when Maryland, as the sixth seed, won the ACC tournament by gelling at the right time. If K can keep his team focused, Duke will salvage what's left of the ACC regular season, and make the tournament. If not, we may be seeing Dick Vitale's head explode on national television when the brackets are announced, and Duke is absent.
Not that it is a bad thing. It'd just be hell on the janitorial staff.
(posted by JH)
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Life On The Bubble: Florida State
The trials and tribulations of a team on the NCAA Tournament’s do not have an equal in the sporting world. It’s part pennant race, part BCS, and part backroom deal. It’s must-win games, scoreboard watching, computer rankings, and politics all mixed into one.
Despite a 9-7 record in the ACC, Florida State found themselves on the outside looking in on selection Sunday last year. In an effort to avoid that fate, they made a concentrated effort to beef up the non conference schedule and take the decision out of the committees hands.
This time last week, it appeared the Seminoles were on there way in. They were riding high off the first win at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the history of the program. Duke may not have been up to the usual number one seed standards, but this was the kind of win that enables programs to make that jump and secure a spot in the Big Dance. Couple that with the early season win over #1 Florida and strong computer numbers, they were poised to see March Madness for the first time since 1998
Now, just a week later things aren’t quite as rosy. It has become apparent that that Duke’s struggles are no fluke. While, any win on the road in the ACC is a good win, a win over this year Blue Devil squad means less than it has in a decade. It certainly wasn't the resume maker the Seminoles had hoped.
For their part, the Noles haven’t helped themselves much. They played uninspired ball at Clemson to bring them back to 500 in league play. The even bigger loss may have starting point guard and number two scorer Toney Douglas breaking his hand against the Tigers.
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, it’s de ja vu for the Seminoles. Boston College ripped out their hearts on a last second shot for the second time in less than three weeks. Leonard Hamilton and company are feeling the pressure of facing must win games. They are back in a familiar place, the bubble.
Despite a 9-7 record in the ACC, Florida State found themselves on the outside looking in on selection Sunday last year. In an effort to avoid that fate, they made a concentrated effort to beef up the non conference schedule and take the decision out of the committees hands.
This time last week, it appeared the Seminoles were on there way in. They were riding high off the first win at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the history of the program. Duke may not have been up to the usual number one seed standards, but this was the kind of win that enables programs to make that jump and secure a spot in the Big Dance. Couple that with the early season win over #1 Florida and strong computer numbers, they were poised to see March Madness for the first time since 1998
Now, just a week later things aren’t quite as rosy. It has become apparent that that Duke’s struggles are no fluke. While, any win on the road in the ACC is a good win, a win over this year Blue Devil squad means less than it has in a decade. It certainly wasn't the resume maker the Seminoles had hoped.
For their part, the Noles haven’t helped themselves much. They played uninspired ball at Clemson to bring them back to 500 in league play. The even bigger loss may have starting point guard and number two scorer Toney Douglas breaking his hand against the Tigers.
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, it’s de ja vu for the Seminoles. Boston College ripped out their hearts on a last second shot for the second time in less than three weeks. Leonard Hamilton and company are feeling the pressure of facing must win games. They are back in a familiar place, the bubble.
-PS
How does West Virgina do it?
With West
West Virginia
John Beilein’s system is what enables the Mountaineers to overachieve with average talent. Beilein gets the most out of his players. His teams always show up to play and display a tremendous amount of heart on the court. There aren’t any highly rated recruits on the
The main weakness for the Mountaineers is their lack of strength on the frontline. They are one of the worst rebounding teams in the country, 259th in the country in rebounding margin a game. They usually struggle against physical teams such as
(posted by SY)
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Tourney File: Georgetown
Here is the first of a periodic breakdown of teams expected to be in the NCAA Tournament
Georgetown
What to Like: Georgetown has one of the few true centers in college basketball in Roy Hibbert. At 7'2", he is tall and heavy enough to matchup favorably against Greg Oden and Ohio State, a team that most teams have to be worried as hell about when they get their assignments in March. His improvement over the years been steady (scoring up one point per, rebounds down nearly one per, and blocks up by eight-tenths) but his true asset has been his health-- he has not missed a game this season.
What to be Pleasantly Surprised By: Sticking with Hibbert, he has managed to avoid fouling out of any games this season. In the two non-blowout games he has played with fourfouls, Hibbert was on the court for 33 and 35 minutes against Oral Roberts and Louisville, respectively. Having a big man who can avoid the stupid, crippling fouls will take you far in March.
What Will Keep Them From Winning: Guard play. While Jeff Green is the Hoyas' second leading scorer, he has been clamped down when the competition moves from the Hartford/Navy/James Madison category to the Old Dominion/Duke/Oregon/Villanova category. Green has fouled out twice this season (ODU and Oregon) and had four fouls against the Blue Devils. It's exponentially more difficult to win when your premier perimeter threat is saddled with foul problems.
What We Don't Know: Which big-game Georgetown team is going to show up? Will it be the team that masterfully took down Duke at the Verizon Center last season? Or will it be the team who comically handed the game-- and eventually the Big East tournament-- to Syracuse last year at Madison Square Garden? The Hoyas advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, only to run into the buzzsaw that was the Florida Gators. Has JT III gained some semblence of late game coaching? Or should we start pencilling in the Hoyas for an early exit?
Who Do They Want to Play?: Memphis. Georgetown is athletic enough to run with the Tigers, and to boot, they have an NBA caliber center who can deter the slashers on Calipari's squad from getting too far into the lane.
Who Don't They Want to Play?: UCLA, Texas A&M and Florida are huge matchup problems for them. UCLA and the Aggies play extremely physical perimeter defense which will bottle up Green and make their entry passes to Hibbert less effective, and Florida's versatile big men will draw Hibbert away from his comfort zone.
Prediction: Sixth seed in an unfavorable region. Georgetown had lofty pre-season expectations, and will likely be punished for not fulfilling them when the committee meets after the conference tourneys conclude.
(posted by JH)
Friday, February 9, 2007
Breaking Down the ACC Action 2/10
Wake Forest (RPI 135) @ North Carolina (RPI 2)- Has the whole world gone crazy? Wake Forest a football school? They would be play in game bound in the old days. The world is off its axis with FSU, Virginia Tech, and Clemson looking like legit tourney teams. When is the real heat going to turn on Skip Prosser? His teams have been bottom feeders since the Chris Paul gravy train departed Winston-Salem.
The Heels have shown some youthful inconsistency on the road, but they are the most talented team in the country. When this team comes to play, they can’t be touched.
Matchup to watch: Kyle Visser vs. Tyler Hansborough and Brendan Wright. It’s two against one. Visser has been the only player to consistently bring it for Wake. Look for Visser to pick a few quick whistles as the onslaught begins.
Prediction: This one is over in warm ups. Heels big.
Virginia (RPI 31) @ Virginia Tech (RPI 35)- An exciting matchup with implications in the ACC race. Both teams are probably safely, but this one is huge for the Hokies. They have been leaking oil after a hot start with three straight conference losses. If this team continues, their two sub 150 RPI losses could come back to haunt them on selection Sunday.
On the other hand, UVA has caught fire after the debacle in Puerto Rico. They know who their horses are in JR Reynolds and Sean Singeltary. This teams confidence is through the roof right now after the Clemson comeback. That is a momentum boost that a team can ride deep into March.
Matchup to watch: Tywon Lawson and Wayne Ellington may be the future, but the two best backcourts in the ACC are going to be on display in Blacksburg. Singeltary/Reynolds vs. Dowdell/Gordon will be one too watch.
Prediction: VPI in a close one to end the Hoos winning streak.
NC State (RPI 105) @ Miami (RPI 171)- If the Wolfpack have any intention of making a move towards the bubble, this one is the first of many must wins. Sidney Lowe looks to have the Wolfpack in the right direction and with Atsur (What is this, his 9th year?) back healthy. They have the talent to beat anyone in the conference.
The Canes have to be ready to pack this season in. It started off on a bad note with Frank Haith’s personal tragedy and never got better. This season was over before Christmas as they picked up losses to Buffalo (RPI 221), Cleveland State (RPI 278), and Bighampton (RPI 279). Miami has been decimated by injuries and will only suit up two players over 6’3 tommorow.
Matchup to watch: NC State’s frontcourt of Brendan Costner, Gavin Grant, and Ben McCauley vs. Miami’s depleted bunch. NCSU’s trio goes 6’8, 6’9, 6’10 and combine to average 47.7 PPG and 19.8 RPG. This matchup could get ugly with some quick fouls. Miami just doesn’t have the size.
Prediction: Miami fights hard for a half at home, but they’re outmanned after the intermission. NC State picks up a road win and hangs onto its dance hopes by a thread.
-PS
The Heels have shown some youthful inconsistency on the road, but they are the most talented team in the country. When this team comes to play, they can’t be touched.
Matchup to watch: Kyle Visser vs. Tyler Hansborough and Brendan Wright. It’s two against one. Visser has been the only player to consistently bring it for Wake. Look for Visser to pick a few quick whistles as the onslaught begins.
Prediction: This one is over in warm ups. Heels big.
Virginia (RPI 31) @ Virginia Tech (RPI 35)- An exciting matchup with implications in the ACC race. Both teams are probably safely, but this one is huge for the Hokies. They have been leaking oil after a hot start with three straight conference losses. If this team continues, their two sub 150 RPI losses could come back to haunt them on selection Sunday.
On the other hand, UVA has caught fire after the debacle in Puerto Rico. They know who their horses are in JR Reynolds and Sean Singeltary. This teams confidence is through the roof right now after the Clemson comeback. That is a momentum boost that a team can ride deep into March.
Matchup to watch: Tywon Lawson and Wayne Ellington may be the future, but the two best backcourts in the ACC are going to be on display in Blacksburg. Singeltary/Reynolds vs. Dowdell/Gordon will be one too watch.
Prediction: VPI in a close one to end the Hoos winning streak.
NC State (RPI 105) @ Miami (RPI 171)- If the Wolfpack have any intention of making a move towards the bubble, this one is the first of many must wins. Sidney Lowe looks to have the Wolfpack in the right direction and with Atsur (What is this, his 9th year?) back healthy. They have the talent to beat anyone in the conference.
The Canes have to be ready to pack this season in. It started off on a bad note with Frank Haith’s personal tragedy and never got better. This season was over before Christmas as they picked up losses to Buffalo (RPI 221), Cleveland State (RPI 278), and Bighampton (RPI 279). Miami has been decimated by injuries and will only suit up two players over 6’3 tommorow.
Matchup to watch: NC State’s frontcourt of Brendan Costner, Gavin Grant, and Ben McCauley vs. Miami’s depleted bunch. NCSU’s trio goes 6’8, 6’9, 6’10 and combine to average 47.7 PPG and 19.8 RPG. This matchup could get ugly with some quick fouls. Miami just doesn’t have the size.
Prediction: Miami fights hard for a half at home, but they’re outmanned after the intermission. NC State picks up a road win and hangs onto its dance hopes by a thread.
-PS
Digger Phelps Doesn't Understand Your Mathematical Formulas
It's starting to get towards that time of the year again. That's right, within only a few weeks good ole Digger Phelps will whip out yet another matching tie-lighter combo and attempt to rationalize that the RPI is flawed because it is inflating the rankings of teams from mid-major conferences yet again. 
Get excited for this absolute clinic in drinking the big conference kool-aid. Every Missouri Valley team in the RPI top 150?!?!? (Something no other conference outside the SEC can brag about, by the way). For shame! Those wacky computers have done it again! Hey Digger, you are slowly morphing into basketball's Joe Morgan. Let me explain...
First, let's pause for a few things. The RPI is merely one tool used by the Tournament Selection Committee used to evaluate teams. It's not the end-all-be-all factor in determining who is in and who is out for a chance at winning a national championship (Suck on it, college football!). In 1999, New Mexico went dancing with an RPI of 74, yet Missouri State's bubble burst last year with an RPI of 21. It's more of a predictor of who will not make it, if anything. There are numerous other things considered - home/road splits, record in the last 10 games, strength of schedule, win/loss record, etc. - hell, even injuries! - that get you into the field and determine your seeding. So, first and foremost, let's calm down about the RPI. It's one factor.
Second, it's a formula (using "25% your winning percentage plus 50% opponents' winning percentage plus 25% opponents' opponents' winning percentage" as its basis, adjusted for home/away, for those of you wondering), so it's objective. It can't cheat, it doesn't know who teams are, it simply plugs the math. It's only when twisted in the hands of humans and analysts that it could become subjective.
So, back to Digger's (and numerous other talking-heads) point(s) - the RPI has favored the mid-major teams last year (as I expect the argument to be this year as well) due to the fact that these teams get "overly inflated" RPIs before conference play begins, then play each other round-robin within league play, thus keeping their RPIs stable and still relatively "inflated". Last year, some analysts argued that the Missouri Valley and Colonial Athletic Conferences were rewarded with more bids, four and two (thanks, JD) respectively, from previous years that were in line with their increasing RPI ratings from previous years. Fair point. So how do these numbers get inflated to begin with? The answer to this question is two-fold. One, they all play difficult schedules in the pre-conference season (What a brilliant concept!). Two, the RPI system rewards them for playing and winning road heavy schedules and has since 2004 when home/away games became weighted and, in order to get games with power schools, middies have to play on the road.
Are these mid-major schools working the current RPI system? Absolutely. Could power conference schools do the exact same thing? Absolutely... and then some. You know how many mid (and low) majors would kill for an opportunity to get a few power conference teams on their home floors in front of their fans? The problem is power conference teams (this includes your beloved Notre Dame, Digger) are driven by money (increased revenue of home games) and the fear of losing to teams they "shouldn't lose to." Plain and simple. So, yes, the RPI is working very much so in favor of the mid-majors who smartly schedule their games, but BCS-level schools have everything on their side to do the exact same thing and many of them decline to take advantage.
My major point is this - how is the RPI incorrect when you have a strong mid-major conference schedule helping keep your personal RPI high but working perfectly when you are a major conference player who uses their tough conference schedule to boost their RPI? It's a double-edged sword and completely contradictory. Look at programs like UConn and Syracuse. Every year they feast off inferior opponents lined up on their home court through December and generally have mediocre RPIs heading into conference play, where their RPIs climb to the top due to the strength of the Big East.
For instance, let's take a look at 2006 Syracuse, which racked up a 7-9 Big East record but won the Big East Tournament to earn a 5 seed in the NCAAs, quite possibly one of the most ridiculous seeds I've ever seen the Selection Committee hand out. This is a team that was 7-9 (!) in conference play with the 249th ranked non-conference schedule, yet they had an RPI of 18. This was merely a testament of the strength of the Big East and Syracuse's conference schedule, yet I saw nobody dropping their two cents on this. Instead, Digger said the RPI was flawed because all the Valley teams racked up good, but not great, resumes in non-conference and their conference play was just them feasting off the RPIs of their own league. Isn't this the exact same thing? Aren't both teams (Syracuse & whatever contending MVC team you choose) relying on the strength of their leagues to boost their own rank?
Perhaps the mid-major bitching will cease this year due to George Mason, but somehow I doubt it. Every year, the "expert" analysis never ceases to amaze me.
-- RK
Get excited for this absolute clinic in drinking the big conference kool-aid. Every Missouri Valley team in the RPI top 150?!?!? (Something no other conference outside the SEC can brag about, by the way). For shame! Those wacky computers have done it again! Hey Digger, you are slowly morphing into basketball's Joe Morgan. Let me explain...First, let's pause for a few things. The RPI is merely one tool used by the Tournament Selection Committee used to evaluate teams. It's not the end-all-be-all factor in determining who is in and who is out for a chance at winning a national championship (Suck on it, college football!). In 1999, New Mexico went dancing with an RPI of 74, yet Missouri State's bubble burst last year with an RPI of 21. It's more of a predictor of who will not make it, if anything. There are numerous other things considered - home/road splits, record in the last 10 games, strength of schedule, win/loss record, etc. - hell, even injuries! - that get you into the field and determine your seeding. So, first and foremost, let's calm down about the RPI. It's one factor.
Second, it's a formula (using "25% your winning percentage plus 50% opponents' winning percentage plus 25% opponents' opponents' winning percentage" as its basis, adjusted for home/away, for those of you wondering), so it's objective. It can't cheat, it doesn't know who teams are, it simply plugs the math. It's only when twisted in the hands of humans and analysts that it could become subjective.
So, back to Digger's (and numerous other talking-heads) point(s) - the RPI has favored the mid-major teams last year (as I expect the argument to be this year as well) due to the fact that these teams get "overly inflated" RPIs before conference play begins, then play each other round-robin within league play, thus keeping their RPIs stable and still relatively "inflated". Last year, some analysts argued that the Missouri Valley and Colonial Athletic Conferences were rewarded with more bids, four and two (thanks, JD) respectively, from previous years that were in line with their increasing RPI ratings from previous years. Fair point. So how do these numbers get inflated to begin with? The answer to this question is two-fold. One, they all play difficult schedules in the pre-conference season (What a brilliant concept!). Two, the RPI system rewards them for playing and winning road heavy schedules and has since 2004 when home/away games became weighted and, in order to get games with power schools, middies have to play on the road.
Are these mid-major schools working the current RPI system? Absolutely. Could power conference schools do the exact same thing? Absolutely... and then some. You know how many mid (and low) majors would kill for an opportunity to get a few power conference teams on their home floors in front of their fans? The problem is power conference teams (this includes your beloved Notre Dame, Digger) are driven by money (increased revenue of home games) and the fear of losing to teams they "shouldn't lose to." Plain and simple. So, yes, the RPI is working very much so in favor of the mid-majors who smartly schedule their games, but BCS-level schools have everything on their side to do the exact same thing and many of them decline to take advantage.
My major point is this - how is the RPI incorrect when you have a strong mid-major conference schedule helping keep your personal RPI high but working perfectly when you are a major conference player who uses their tough conference schedule to boost their RPI? It's a double-edged sword and completely contradictory. Look at programs like UConn and Syracuse. Every year they feast off inferior opponents lined up on their home court through December and generally have mediocre RPIs heading into conference play, where their RPIs climb to the top due to the strength of the Big East.
For instance, let's take a look at 2006 Syracuse, which racked up a 7-9 Big East record but won the Big East Tournament to earn a 5 seed in the NCAAs, quite possibly one of the most ridiculous seeds I've ever seen the Selection Committee hand out. This is a team that was 7-9 (!) in conference play with the 249th ranked non-conference schedule, yet they had an RPI of 18. This was merely a testament of the strength of the Big East and Syracuse's conference schedule, yet I saw nobody dropping their two cents on this. Instead, Digger said the RPI was flawed because all the Valley teams racked up good, but not great, resumes in non-conference and their conference play was just them feasting off the RPIs of their own league. Isn't this the exact same thing? Aren't both teams (Syracuse & whatever contending MVC team you choose) relying on the strength of their leagues to boost their own rank?Perhaps the mid-major bitching will cease this year due to George Mason, but somehow I doubt it. Every year, the "expert" analysis never ceases to amaze me.
-- RK
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Expand the Dance?
Jay Bilas poses the question of NCAA tournament expansion in his blog today, and it's the belief of this single blogger that there is only one solution:
Make the tournament smaller. Get rid of the godforsaken play-in game.
For starters, the very concept of the play-in game is demeaning. On one hand, it guarantees teams from the MEAC, SWAC, NEC, and other low rent conferences their lone spotlight in a nationally televised game that gives their school, alumni and players recognition usually reserved for serial killers and rapists on the loose. On the other and more dominant and funny hand, you've got two teams fighting for the right to be sacrificed on regional coverage on Friday evening by a name brand school whose cocky alumni couldn't tell you what the MEAC stood for.
(Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, for the uninformed)
Back to the point-- the play-in game was created for teams like Bobby Knight's most recent Indiana and Texas Tech teams, Steve Alford and the Iowa Hawkeyes to continue reaping the benefits of historic conference affiliation which allows them garner higher computer ratings because of their peers. Do we really want to continue recognizing a .500 season in a power league, just to bow out early?
Make the tournament smaller. Get rid of the godforsaken play-in game.
For starters, the very concept of the play-in game is demeaning. On one hand, it guarantees teams from the MEAC, SWAC, NEC, and other low rent conferences their lone spotlight in a nationally televised game that gives their school, alumni and players recognition usually reserved for serial killers and rapists on the loose. On the other and more dominant and funny hand, you've got two teams fighting for the right to be sacrificed on regional coverage on Friday evening by a name brand school whose cocky alumni couldn't tell you what the MEAC stood for.
(Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, for the uninformed)
Back to the point-- the play-in game was created for teams like Bobby Knight's most recent Indiana and Texas Tech teams, Steve Alford and the Iowa Hawkeyes to continue reaping the benefits of historic conference affiliation which allows them garner higher computer ratings because of their peers. Do we really want to continue recognizing a .500 season in a power league, just to bow out early?
Will this happen? I think so. Now that the NCAA is in control of the NIT, it is in their best interest to make sure that some of the marquee names in college hoops are left to shill tickets at MSG in March. In years previous, teams like this current version of Connecticut and Illinois could be confident that the committee would smile on them, and sneak them into the tournament. Parity argument aside, this should change. Why would the NCAA want to have UI or UConn play one weekend in the Big Dance, when they can advance well into the Little Dance? As we all know, the NCAA makes it's decisions on one factor: money. Why should we expect postseason basketball to be any different?
(posted by JH)
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Building the Mid-Major
It shouldn't come as a great surprise that George Mason is "down" this year. They lost a bunch of talent from their Final Four squad (see the below post) and play in one of the underrated conferences in the country. The real concern, as stated, is capitalizing on their year in the spotlight and emerging as the east coast mid-major.
Obviously, when you talk mid-major success, one program stands above the rest as a blueprint for others to follow - Gonzaga. So, how did they do it? How do they continue to power through the WCC each and every year, seemingly locking themselves into an NCAA seeding without the help of the automatic bid awarded to the conference tournament winner? How did they change from simply being the trivial answer to where John Stockton played his collegiate ball to a national name? It's not an easy answer, which is probably why it's been so difficult to duplicate at other middies.
When Gonzaga first took the basketball world by storm in 1999, making it all the way to the West Regional Final before falling at the hands of eventual champion Connecticut, they had come off a few good seasons (losses in the WCC title game and appearances in the NIT in '96 and '98) and had built a strong, veteran team. Since then, they have seemingly been able bring in talented players to reload their program.
Did the Gonzaga teams of '99 and '00 help that much on the recruiting front? To me, it's only marginal. Gonzaga still doesn't grab the top blue-chip recruits and settles for second or third tier players who they feel will fit their system. Take a look at their recruiting efforts since 2002. It's a small handful of recent 4-star recruits (Josh Heytvelt and David Pendergraft in 2004; Larry Gurganious in 2005; Matt Bouldin in 2006), but mostly 3-star guys (including some players that made up the nucleus of their recent teams like Derek Ravio, Adam Morrison and J.P. Batista) and some lesser-starred players. Additionally, they have combed the world and won talents overlooked by other programs (Ronny Turiaf out of France) and have since their '99 run gained some highly regarded transfers. Former All-American Dan Dickau and 2006 role player Erroll Knight both transferred from Washington to Gonzaga, and recently, former 5-star recruit Micah Downs transferred in from Kansas.
If it helps anywhere on the recruiting trail, it'd be on the marginal D-1 Pac-10 players I would guess. Gonzaga has become the mid-major "name" program out west, a place where marginal "power conference" players from the northwest as well as solid players from ranking tiers below them choose to play their basketball. Can George Mason corner that market in DC? That's a tall order simply due to the volume of schools at not only the power conference level (with the ACC and Big East home to schools right in their backyard) but also at the mid-major level.
The biggest key has to be continuity. Since Dan Monson left to take over at Minnesota after the '99 run, Mark Few has been at the helm and taken his team to the NCAAs each year, winning the league regular season and earning WCC Coach of the Year honors every year but 2000. Few has built an absolute beast of a mid-major and, because of it, is able to schedule unlike any mid-major by getting home-and-home or mirroring neutral games with the big boys. A huge reason for this is because while Gonzaga was building its reputation, Few was willing to travel his team any time, anywhere to play anybody. Most importantly, Few hasn't hardly even considered a new job, spurning many potential suitors at the instant his name has been thrown into the head coaching ring.
Can George Mason coach Jim Larranaga duplicate this success? One thing working against Larranaga is his age, as he is in his late-50s with Few in his mid-40s. If and when Larranaga does move on or move elsewhere, I would suggest building and hiring from within, as Gonzaga did with Few. First, however, Larranaga needs to guide his team back to the NCAAs by next season. The success has to happen again and soon. Fans and recruits need to be reminded that they aren't a one-hit wonder. We live in a society that is built to forget championship game losers. In order for George Mason to stay out of major college basketball obscurity, they need to remain fresh in people's minds.
-- RK
Obviously, when you talk mid-major success, one program stands above the rest as a blueprint for others to follow - Gonzaga. So, how did they do it? How do they continue to power through the WCC each and every year, seemingly locking themselves into an NCAA seeding without the help of the automatic bid awarded to the conference tournament winner? How did they change from simply being the trivial answer to where John Stockton played his collegiate ball to a national name? It's not an easy answer, which is probably why it's been so difficult to duplicate at other middies.
When Gonzaga first took the basketball world by storm in 1999, making it all the way to the West Regional Final before falling at the hands of eventual champion Connecticut, they had come off a few good seasons (losses in the WCC title game and appearances in the NIT in '96 and '98) and had built a strong, veteran team. Since then, they have seemingly been able bring in talented players to reload their program.
Did the Gonzaga teams of '99 and '00 help that much on the recruiting front? To me, it's only marginal. Gonzaga still doesn't grab the top blue-chip recruits and settles for second or third tier players who they feel will fit their system. Take a look at their recruiting efforts since 2002. It's a small handful of recent 4-star recruits (Josh Heytvelt and David Pendergraft in 2004; Larry Gurganious in 2005; Matt Bouldin in 2006), but mostly 3-star guys (including some players that made up the nucleus of their recent teams like Derek Ravio, Adam Morrison and J.P. Batista) and some lesser-starred players. Additionally, they have combed the world and won talents overlooked by other programs (Ronny Turiaf out of France) and have since their '99 run gained some highly regarded transfers. Former All-American Dan Dickau and 2006 role player Erroll Knight both transferred from Washington to Gonzaga, and recently, former 5-star recruit Micah Downs transferred in from Kansas.
If it helps anywhere on the recruiting trail, it'd be on the marginal D-1 Pac-10 players I would guess. Gonzaga has become the mid-major "name" program out west, a place where marginal "power conference" players from the northwest as well as solid players from ranking tiers below them choose to play their basketball. Can George Mason corner that market in DC? That's a tall order simply due to the volume of schools at not only the power conference level (with the ACC and Big East home to schools right in their backyard) but also at the mid-major level.
The biggest key has to be continuity. Since Dan Monson left to take over at Minnesota after the '99 run, Mark Few has been at the helm and taken his team to the NCAAs each year, winning the league regular season and earning WCC Coach of the Year honors every year but 2000. Few has built an absolute beast of a mid-major and, because of it, is able to schedule unlike any mid-major by getting home-and-home or mirroring neutral games with the big boys. A huge reason for this is because while Gonzaga was building its reputation, Few was willing to travel his team any time, anywhere to play anybody. Most importantly, Few hasn't hardly even considered a new job, spurning many potential suitors at the instant his name has been thrown into the head coaching ring.Can George Mason coach Jim Larranaga duplicate this success? One thing working against Larranaga is his age, as he is in his late-50s with Few in his mid-40s. If and when Larranaga does move on or move elsewhere, I would suggest building and hiring from within, as Gonzaga did with Few. First, however, Larranaga needs to guide his team back to the NCAAs by next season. The success has to happen again and soon. Fans and recruits need to be reminded that they aren't a one-hit wonder. We live in a society that is built to forget championship game losers. In order for George Mason to stay out of major college basketball obscurity, they need to remain fresh in people's minds.
-- RK
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
e-dimes
Here are some relevant (at least to me) links in the news today:
Tyrus Thomas: Dunkin fo' dollaz. I guess the Bulls would rather be known as the franchise that cares more about headbands than financial security.
Indianapolis is excited for Butler. Not really, but there is at least one article about their climb to the Top 10.
Keeping with the mid-majors, here is a passionate, if not misguided, take on George Mason's woes this season. Not sure what the author is trying to say, but it's not exactly breaking news that mid-majors have to rebuild from scratch after big seasons. Locally, Mason plays fourth fiddle (at a minimum) to Maryland, Georgetown and Maryland's womens basketball team. The Final Four will payoff in about 2-3 years, but for now, it was just a three week long publicity tour for Coach L and the university. And I say this with my GMU Final Four t-shirt on, as I look at my Lamar Butler SI.
(posted by JH)
Tyrus Thomas: Dunkin fo' dollaz. I guess the Bulls would rather be known as the franchise that cares more about headbands than financial security.
Indianapolis is excited for Butler. Not really, but there is at least one article about their climb to the Top 10.
Keeping with the mid-majors, here is a passionate, if not misguided, take on George Mason's woes this season. Not sure what the author is trying to say, but it's not exactly breaking news that mid-majors have to rebuild from scratch after big seasons. Locally, Mason plays fourth fiddle (at a minimum) to Maryland, Georgetown and Maryland's womens basketball team. The Final Four will payoff in about 2-3 years, but for now, it was just a three week long publicity tour for Coach L and the university. And I say this with my GMU Final Four t-shirt on, as I look at my Lamar Butler SI.
(posted by JH)
One Shining Moment
Welcome to One Shining Moment, the Web's umpteenth billion blog! Now with 100% more pretentiousness and self-importance!
My thought of the day:
Not only should Greg Oden be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but there shouldn't be a second of debate. Not to dismiss local product Kevin Durant, but Oden is an NBA-ready center who reminds me of a hybrid of Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning. I think the media is overhyping his one-handedness as dominance, where it shows a boatload of toughness to play through a season with discomfort in the wrist. I think it'll be interesting to see how Durant can respond to playing against bigger opponents in the league with his slight 199 lb. frame. 6'9" guard/forwards are nice, but last I remember, Toni Kukoc was a marginal professional...not a franchise player.
(posted by JH)
My thought of the day:
Not only should Greg Oden be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but there shouldn't be a second of debate. Not to dismiss local product Kevin Durant, but Oden is an NBA-ready center who reminds me of a hybrid of Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning. I think the media is overhyping his one-handedness as dominance, where it shows a boatload of toughness to play through a season with discomfort in the wrist. I think it'll be interesting to see how Durant can respond to playing against bigger opponents in the league with his slight 199 lb. frame. 6'9" guard/forwards are nice, but last I remember, Toni Kukoc was a marginal professional...not a franchise player.
(posted by JH)
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