SB Nation - Derrick Jasper

UNLV 77 - Hawaii 53: Rebels cruise to Diamond Head Classic final

Fooch — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:14:20 -0000

FinAL - 12.23.2009	1	2	Total
UNLV Runnin Rebels	44	33	77
Hawaii Warriors	21	32	53

Complete coverage >

A day after stumbling briefly late, the UNLV Runnin Rebels kept their foot on the gas pedal in pounding the Hawaii Warriors 67-53. UNLV once again forced a huge number of turnovers and turned those into plenty of easy baskets throughout the game. The key to this win was UNLV out-hustling Hawaii and never letting the Warriors get into a game in which they stumbled early. Throw in a solid performance on the glass and the Rebels cruised with another wire-to-wire performance.

UNLV has had a different player step up into a key role in just about every game. Last night, freshman Anthony Marshall was key to the big first half lead. Tonight, Kentucky transfer guard Derrick Jasper was easily the star of the game. Jasper finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block for good measure. Jasper was all over the court leading an impressive defensive effort by the Rebels. Lon Kruger prides himself on quality defense from his teams and this team is on its way to becoming one of his best UNLV teams yet.

Hawaii certainly didn't do themselves any favors as it took them just over 6 minutes to score their first points of the game. Both teams struggled to hit baskets early on, but as soon as Hawaii got their first points, UNLV was suddenly able to turn it on. The Rebels used a 19-5 run to give them breathing room and Hawaii would never narrow the gap from that.

One of the most important developments in the game was the fact that UNLV did not let up in the second half. While they didn't widen their lead all that much, they never let it fall under 17 points. The Rebels have had a bad habit of slumping at a different point in a given game. At the beginning of the season it was the start of games against inferior opponents. Lately it's been letting a team back into a game rather than going for the kill. While UNLV didn't run up the score any further tonight, they still handled their business in the second half with excellent focus.

Up Next: UNLV faces the University of Southern California on Christmas Day in the championship game of this inaugural tournament. USC upset the Gaels of St. Mary's to continue a resurgence that included a 22-point blowout of the #8 Tennessee Volunteers last week. St. Mary's had the better record, but if UNLV can beat the Trojans, it could prove to be a better win come the end of the year. USC's RPI is not spectacular (#115), but given the Pac-10 schedule versus the WCC schedule, if USC can continue their strong performance of late, their RPI would be more likely to go up. It's obviously too early to be talking NCAA tournament, but every non-conference win is important.

UNLV is like to be favored by 3 or 4 points against the Trojans, and likely won't be blowing them out the building as they've done to SMU and Hawaii. USC was able to add senior transfer guard Mike Gerrity (eligible after transfer) and sophomore forward Leonard, making them a much different team from the one that struggled early in the season.

College Hoops Go-Round: December 22

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:45:51 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

2 days ago: Kentucky fans hold up the number 2,000 at the beginning of Kentucky's NCAA college basketball game against Drexel in Lexington, Ky., Monday, Dec. 21, 2009. A win by Kentucky would make it the first team in NCAA history to reach 2,000 wins. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

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The story of the Monday night before Christmas was third-ranked Kentucky's 88-44 victory over Drexel. The win was the Wildcats' 2000th in program history, making UK the first Division I program to reach that number.

Two doubleheaders provided holiday cheers to fans in New York and Oklahoma City.

Madison Square Garden hosted the Holiday Festival finals.

Davidson took third place thanks to a 61-52 win over coach Bob McKillop's alma mater, Hofstra.
Cornell took the crown with a 71-66 victory over St. John's.

In Oklahoma City, it was a mixed night for the local teams at the All-College Classic.

UTEP blasted Oklahoma, 89-74, thanks to 27 from Randy Culpepper and a double-double from Derrick Caracter.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State had little trouble with La Salle, prevailing, 77-62.

In other Monday action

No. 12 Kansas State defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 90-76.
South Carolina rebounded from their loss Saturday to Wofford by smashing Furman, 81-57.
Iowa beat South Carolina State in their first game without Anthony Tucker, 82-69.
LIpscomb looked to have won at Arizona, but another clock review meant that Nic Wise's three attempt at the OT buzzer counted. The Wildcats escaped 83-82.
Dayton took out Appalachian State, 65-49.
Houston had no trouble with the Citadel, winning 81-58.
East Tennessee State looks to be a serious contender in the A-Sun, as they blew out preseason favorite Jacksonville, 93-70.
Weber State defeated Cal State Fullerton, 82-71, in the round-robin tournament at Utah State.
The Aggies won their opener over Ohio Valley champ Morehead State, 79-72.
Northern Colorado pounded San Jose State, 93-69.
Montana knocked off Fresno State in Missoula, 59-56, to cap a big night for the Big Sky.
Portland State wasn't a part of it, however. They fell at Boise State, 69-62.
Pacific dropped a close one at Santa Clara, 54-53.
To compound the Big West's misery, Long Beach State lost at Loyola Marymount, who could very well be competitive in the WCC this season, 85-80.

If you don't see your team's result, click any of the score links. You'll find a rundown of all of Monday's scores on the right side of the screen.

For more on Monday's action, visit Searching for Billy Edelin and SB Nation.

After the jump, I'll take a look at a very busy Tuesday.

The two final big exempt tournaments tip off Tuesday.

The inaugural Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu may be light on ranked teams, but there are plenty of interesting storylines. From my Early Season Tournament preview post,

This first year tournament may lack the star power of the other four ESPN-run events, but it should be one of the most wide open and unpredictable events of the season. In the top half of the draw Matt Janning and Northeastern battle St. Mary's (sans Patty Mills of course), while David Kool and Western Michigan hope to spring a surprise on Kevin O'Neill's rebuilding USC. In the bottom half, two teams who spent about an hour and a half together in the WAC, C-USA's SMU and the Mountain West's UNLV meet, with the Chace Stanback and Derrick Jasper-led Rebels thinking of this event as a coming out party. Another school with big plans for this event finds itself in this half of the bracket, as Andrew Goudelock and the College of Charleston, who hope to win the SoCon this year, open with host Hawai'i.

Considering the Rebels have already been ranked once this season, the Trojans seem to have a point guard in newly-eligible Mike Gerrity and the Gaels are doing pretty well without Mills, this should be a thrilling tourney. Here's the schedule for today's quarterfinals. All times are p.m. ET, unless noted.

Northeastern vs. St. Mary's (ESPNU, 3)
Western Michigan vs. USC (ESPNU, 5:30)
SMU vs. UNLV (ESPNU, 10:30)
Charleston at Hawaii (ESPNU, 1 a.m. ET)

The Las Vegas Classic semifinals take over the Orleans Arena Tuesday afternoon. The marquee games were moved up because BYU will be playing in the Las Vegas Bowl this evening, so now Cougar fans can attend both events. Here's what I wrote about this tourney back in November.

Jimmer Fredette, Jonathan Tavernari and Mountain West favorite BYU face a tough test in the semifinals of this event, as they take on Luke Babbitt and Nevada. (I have the feeling the UNLV fans who don't travel to Hawai'i for their tournament will avoid that game.) While Doc Sadler's Nebraska squad will have a hard time with C-USA favorite Tulsa in the other semifinal. In the undercard bracket, Chicago State faces Eastern Washington, while SWAC contender Jackson State takes on NEC strugglers Wagner.

Only one of the two semifinals is on television.

Nevada vs. BYU (Full Court, 3)
Tulsa vs. Nebraska (no TV, 5:30)

There is plenty of other action on tap for Tuesday, with three ranked Big 12 teams -- including the top two teams in the AP poll -- facing big tests.

No.9 Michigan State visits second-ranked Texas, a team who just knocked off 10th-ranked North Carolina Saturday (ESPN2, 7).
California visits No. 1 Kansas in search of a marquee win (ESPN2, 9). Even though this is a Big 12 vs. Pac 10 matchup, it's not part of the Hardwood Series.
However, 19th-ranked Texas A&M's visit to 22nd-ranked Washington is the final game of that event (FSN, 11). The Huskies lost their first game in the Series, a 99-92 overtime loss to then-unranked Texas Tech back on December 3.

In other televised action Tuesday

Maine visits No. 11 Connecticut (Big East/Full Court, 7) and the Huskies hope the Black Bears won't be as hard to beat as UCF was Sunday.
South Alabama heads to Gainesville to take on no. 18 Florida (SEC on CSS/Full Court, 7), who's looking to rebound after two straight semi-home losses.
Transitional D-I member SIU Edwardsville visits no. 4 Purdue (ESPNU, 8) in what should be an easy W for the Boilermakers.
Cleveland State visits no. 17 Ohio State (Big Ten, 8:30), hoping to pull the upset that escaped them on Saturday in Morgantown.
Loyola (MD) travels to Indiana (Big Ten, 6:30).
Ohio plays at Pitt (Big East/Full Court, 7) in a game that should be a lot more interesting than it appears at first glance.
Winthrop is at Cincinnati (FS Ohio/Full Court, 7:30).
CS-Northridge visits Colorado (FS Rocky Mountain/Full Court, 7:30).
North Dakota heads to Iowa State (Full Court, 8).
Murray State heads to Western Kentucky (FCS Atlantic, 9) in what should be a great contest between Ohio Valley and Sun Belt challengers and in-state rivals.
Seattle at Denver (FS Rocky Mountain/FCS Central, 9) is not an NBA game.

For information on tonight's games that will only be televised regionally, like Marshall at No. 10 North Carolina and Oakland at fifth-ranked Syracuse, visit Matt Sarz' College Sports on TV site.

#21 UNLV Rebels survive Double OT thriller against Arizona Wildcats

noam16 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:13:05 -0000

More photos » by John Miller - AP

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In a thrilling double overtime game, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels defeated the Arizona Wildcats 74-72 in Tuscon. The Rebels, now 6-0, played their first game away from the comfort of home court advantage and managed to pull through in order to prove their worth after being ranked in the top 25 by both ESPN (21) and AP (24) polls.

The game was close the entire game as both teams led by as many as 5 at one point in the first half and the game remained close throughout the entire game. With 1:15 left in regulation Kendall Wallace made a jumper off a Derrick Jasper assist to take a 54-52 lead. A pair of Nic Wise free throws tied up the game and then both Osar Bellfield and Wise missed three's for the win, sending the game into overtime.

The first overtime was exciting as the teams traded leads but a Tre'von Willis layup with 52 seconds left gave the Rebels a 63-61 lead, but a Jamelle Horne jumper on the other end tied it up. The Rebels got the ball with 22 seconds left and Willis missed a layup forcing the game into a second overtime.

Neither team was able to take contorl by more than a few points until UNLV took a four point lead with 28 seconds left off a pair of Willis free throws. After that only free throws scored points in the game as the Rebels held off the Wildcats to secure the victory.

Final - 12.2.2009	1	2	Total
UNLV Runnin Rebels	29	25	74
Arizona Wildcats	34	20	72

Complete Coverage >

The Rebels were led in scoring by Willis, who had 25, and Derrick Jasper pitched in 12 points along with a team high 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He also had three steals.

The Wildcats Derrick Williams went off for 28 points on 10-15 shooting, and Wise added 19.

Both teams had 39 rebounds and were just about even in both assists and turnovers in this close matchup.

The Rebels next game is against the Santa Clara Broncos. The Broncos are 4-3, but are in the midst of a two game winning streak. UNLV will hope to continue their six game winning streak on December 5th and improve to 2-0 on the road.

Next Game

UNLV Runnin Rebels
@ Santa Clara Broncos

Saturday, Dec 5, 2009, 7:00 PM PST
Toso Pavilion/Leavey Center

Complete Coverage >

UNLV Runnin' Rebels move to 5-0 as they upset #16 Louisville

noam16 — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:22:51 -0000

More photos » by Isaac Brekken - AP

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It felt like March Madness had arrived in November as the UNLV Runnin' Rebels (5-0) upset the 16^th ranked Louisville Cardinals (4-1) 76-71, handing them their first loss of the season in front of an extremely energized crowd at the Thomas and Mack center.

The Rebels led the entire game, starting the game strong and building a double digit lead by half time at 40-30.

UNLV then came out strong to start the second half going on a 8-0 run to take an 18 point lead before Louisville was down 53-34 with 14:05 left in the game and went on a 30-11 to tie the game up at 62 with 5 minutes left to play.

The Rebels did not fold then and rebuilt their lead to eight with under a minute to play and managed to hold off the Cardinal's last minute push.

"They threw a big run at us. We took the hit, but we got up and fought back," Tre'von Willis said. "We ground it out at the end of the game. It shows our character, it shows how much fight we have in us."

UNLV was led in scoring by Oscar Bellfield who had 17, while Willis added 16 along with 9 assists and 6 rebounds. Also scoring in double figures for the Rebels was Derrick Jasper with 12 and Darris Santee who had 13.

Final - 11.28.2009	1	2	Total
Louisville Cardinals	30	41	71
UNLV Runnin Rebels	40	36	76

Complete Coverage >

The Rebels had 21 assists on 27 made baskets, more than doubling Louisville's passing as they only had ten.

"This group's been very unselfish, really comfortable moving the ball, comfortable with different guys, different nights, stepping in, getting more minutes, and getting better results" head coach Lon Kruger said. "The ability to keep people fresher because of the depth we have is huge."

That depth was shown today as 11 players got more than 7 minutes and 9 of those 11 scored.

The Rebels defense was also on point, holding Louisville's star sophomore Samardo Samuels well below his averages of 17.5 points and 8 rebounds, by only allowing him 13 points and 3 rebounds. They also forced the Cardinals to commit 16 turnovers while only giving up the ball 13 times.

The fans were extremely loud and played a crucial role in keeping the Rebels focused on the victory. The crowd of 14,390 made their presence known especially late in the game as they were loud and vocal.

"The atmosphere was crazy tonight, fans were crazy; it was loud," Santee said. "They had our adrenaline pumping and we just fed off of them."

The thrill of such a big win cannot be relished on for long as the Rebels travel to Tucson, Arizona to face Arizona on Wednesday 12/2 at six.

"It's kind of a big boost but we still have some other big games coming up," Bellfield said. We gotta enjoy this for today, and tomorrow be ready for Arizona and get ready."

The Rebels started off 5-0 last year and will hope to extend their hot start to 6 straight wins as they take on an Arizona team that has struggled a bit in the beginning of the season, going 3-2, but coming off a loss to 24 Vanderbilt. They are undefeated at home, however, and will look to stay that way against the Runnin' Rebels.

Next Game

UNLV Runnin Rebels
@ Arizona Wildcats

Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009, 6:00 PM PST
McKale Center

Complete Coverage >

BtB 2009-10 Mountain West Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:00:29 -0000

Last season, the Mountain West's eternal Utah rivals represented the conference in the NCAAs, with both Utah and BYU falling in the first round. The Utes fell victim to in a now-traditional 12 over 5 upset, while the Cougars lost to Texas A&M for the second straight tourney. San Diego State could've been the third pick MWC team to make the field of 65, but the Committee passed on the Aztecs, despite their run to the conference title game. SDSU recovered to make it to the NIT semis. UNLV looked to be a solid bet for the tourney midseason, but a 4-6 finish to the MWC season, featuring three losses to the Aztecs, doomed them to the NIT as well.

Teams like the Utes, Aztecs, Rebels, and New Mexico all lost significant contributors during the offseason, but they also brought in plenty of new blood. How quickly they can integrate their talented newcomers will determine if they can pose a serious threat to BYU, the team who lost the least after 2008-09, at the top of the league.

When you add in Wyoming, who managed to finish 7-9 in the league last season, six of the league's nine members have gotten to the point where they're competitive night in and night out. That means TCU and Colorado State really need to raise their games and the league can only hope that Air Force can get back to the level they reached back in the early and mid-00s.

On the schedule front, there will be one big change this season. In a bid to improve non-conference scheduling and attract more national attention, the Mountain West and Missouri Valley conferences will face off in their first-ever challenge series this season.

More on the nine teams of the Mountain West after the jump.

Let's start with a look at last season's final MWC standings.

Mountain West Conference Standings

(updated 3.31.2009 at 10:02 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
BYU Cougars	12	4	25	8
Utah Utes	12	4	24	10
New Mexico Lobos	12	4	22	12
San Diego St. Aztecs	11	5	26	10
UNLV Runnin Rebels	9	7	21	11
Wyoming Cowboys	7	9	19	14
TCU Horned Frogs	5	11	14	17
Colorado St. Rams	4	12	9	22
Air Force Falcons	0	16	10	21

Now here are my picks for the 2009-10 season, presented in reverse order. If a team name appears as a red link, click it to visit that school's SBNation site throughout the season for more in-depth analysis. You can also visit our Mountain West site, the Mountain West Connection.

Air Force (last NCAA: 2006) If Jeff Reynolds' Falcons played offense as well as they play defense, they'd return to contention. Thanks to the graduation of the team's three leading scorers from last season, that doesn't look likely this season. The Academy's top two returnees, 6-4 junior guard Evan Washington and 6-8 junior F/C Grant Parker, averaged a combined 12.8 ppg last season, so it could be another long season in Colorado Springs. The Falcons will participate in the Reggie Minton Invitational against Dickinson State, then either Northern Colorado or Texas Southern. They'll also face Niagara in UTEP's Sun Bowl invitational.

Colorado State (last NCAA: 2003) This season, there isn't a ton of hope up I-25 in Fort Collins either. Leading scorer Marcus Walker (17.1 ppg) is gone, and while sophomore PG Jesse Carr (8.8 ppg, 2.5 apg) is back from the injury that cut his freshman season short, he lacks targets in the backcourt. 6-9 junior Andy Ogide, who averaged 10+ points and nearly 6 boards a game in his first season after transferring from Ole Miss, anchors the frontcourt, while 6-7 junior Travis Franklin (6.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg) will have to boost his production. The Rams travel to Eugene for a round-robin that features host Oregon, UC Davis, and Winston-Salem State. CSU also welcomes Denver and Colorado to Moby Arena, while they visit UCLA.

TCU (last NCAA: 1998) Jim Christian lost leading scorer Kevin Langford (13.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg), but has two good building blocks remaining--6-9 Croatian Zvonko Buljan, who earned conference Newcomer of the Year honors in his first season out of junior college, averaging 12.3 points and almost 8 boards a game, and 6-6 Lithuanian senior Edvinas Ruzgas (10 ppg), the team's main perimeter threat. 6-2 sophomore Ronnie Moss (10.2 ppg) is also back, and the addition of JC transfer Greg Hill--another 3-point specialist--and freshman PG Xavier Roberson, is enough to ensure the Horned Frogs' backcourt should be strong. There isn't much experience in the frontcourt beyond Buljan though. Christian hopes 6-7 freshman Garlon Green, the brother of Dallas Maverick Gerald, 6-10 JC transfer Cheick Kone (from Mali), and 6-9 Nikola Cerina (from Serbia) can provide some help. TCU will participate in the West region of the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they have to face hosts Arizona State in their first game.

Wyoming (last NCAA: 2002) The Cowboys lost three key performers off a team that couldn't even manage a .500 mark in the Mountain West last season (and lost a CBI home game to Northeastern), including PG Brandon Ewing (18.5 ppg, 5 apg), SG Sean Ogirri (14.4 ppg), and 6-7 F Tyson Johnson (13.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg). 5-9 New Mexico State transfer JayDee Luster comes on just in time to replace Ewing at the point, while 6-4 JC transfer Thomas Manzano should see immediate minutes. Meanwhile, the frontcourt will be the Cowboys' strength, as 6-8 Afam Muojeke looks to build on a solid freshman season where he averaged almost 14 points and over 5 boards a game. 6-10 Adam Waddell (5.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg) is also back, while 6-9 Ryan Dermody is back from an injury that cost him last season. Plus, 7-2 Auburn transfer Boubacar Sylla comes aboard to play center this season. The Pokes' schedule is manageable, as they travel to Tennessee and Northern Iowa (for the Challenge) and host Akron this season.

New Mexico (last NCAA: 2005) Steve Alford's Lobos are going after their third straight 20-plus win season, but they'll have to do it without three of their four leading scorers from last season. 6-6 senior swingman Ramon Martinez will be expected to improve on the 10.6 points he managed in 2008-09, as will 6-1 junior PG Dairese Gary (8.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and 6-5 soph Phillip McDonald (7.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg). The frontcourt is a bit thin, as 6-8 sophomore A.J. Hardeman (2.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg) is the key returnee. Expect 6-7 JC transfer Darington Hobson to make an immediate impact on the frontline. The Lobos face a difficult schedule with California, Dayton, and Creighton (as part of the Challenge) visiting the Pit. Louisiana Tech, Miami (OH), and Nicholls State will also visit for a round-robin tournament. New Mexico will also visit Oral Roberts and face Texas A&M in Houston.

Utah (last NCAA: 2009) Jim Boylen has a lot of holes to fill, as the Utes will have to do without their four leading scorers from last year. The biggest loss is, of course, that of 7-2 Australian C Luke Nevill (16.8 ppg, 9 rpg). In the backcourt, you'll see more from 6-5 senior Luka Drca (7.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and 6-5 junior Carlon Brown (9.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg). Among the bigs, 6-11 Kim Tillie (3.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and 7-foot redshirt freshman Jason Washburn have the unenviable task of trying to replace Nevill. Two other JC transfers 6-7 G/F Jay Watkins and 6-9 F Matt Read will see a lot of action right off the bat. Utah has a difficult non-conference slate. They'll face Bradley, then either Illinois or Oklahoma State in the Las Vegas Invitational. The Utes also welcome Michigan, Oklahoma, and Utah State to the Huntsman Center, while they visit LSU and Weber State.

UNLV (last NCAA: 2008) The Rebels are among many Mountain West contenders who lost a lot of star power after last season, as G Wink Adams, swingman Rene Rougeau, and F Joe Darger are all gone. However, Lon Kruger welcomes back 6-4 G Tre'Von Willis (11.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and brings 6-8 UCLA transfer Chase Stanback to bolster the frontline and 6-6 Kentucky transfer Derrick Jasper to run the point. 6-11 Carlos Lopez, another highly regarded newcomer, will push 6-8 Darris Santee and 6-10 Brice Massamba, two underperforming returnees, for playing time. UNLV hosts Louisville, Nevada, Kansas State, and Southern Illinois (in the Challenge), while they visitArizona and Hawai'i for the Diamond Head Classic, where they open with SMU.

San Diego State (last NCAA: 2006) It's a Winter Olympic year, so expect Steve Fisher's Aztecs to go dancing. SDSU's previous tourney appearances under the former Michigan coach were in 2002 and 2006. If the Aztecs do make it, their newcomers will have had a lot to do with it. Four key players from last year's NIT semifinalists are gone, including Lorrenzo Wade (14.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and Kyle Spain (14 ppg, 5.3 rpg). 6-8 junior forward Billy White (8.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg) is ready for a breakout year, as is 6-7 soph Tim Shelton (7.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg). Plus, Fisher's newcomers include a bunch of guys who can score. Three transfers with D-I experience should have an immediate impact--6-10 C Brian Cantwell (Illinois), 6-5 G Tyrone Shelley, and 6-9 F Malcolm Thomas (both Pepperdine). Plus, freshmen F Kawli Leonard, G Chase Tapley, and F Alec Williams add even more firepower. The Aztecs' schedule features a November 17 meeting with St. Mary's, a home game with Arizona, a visit to Arizona State, and four games in the inagural West Coast Classic. SDSU will host Santa Clara and Northern Arizona and visit Fresno State and Pacific in that event.

BYU (last NCAA: 2009) Dave Rose will be back to coach the Cougars this season after fighting a rare form of pancreatic cancer this summer. That means the Cougars, whose only significant loss was leading scorer Lee Cummard (16.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.4 ppg), should play some inspired basketball this season. Two of last year's key men 6-2 junior guard Jimmer Fredette (16.2 ppg, 4.1 apg) and dangerous senior swingman Jonathan Tavernari (15.7 ppg, 7.2 ppg, 38% from 3) should be even better this season, and there are plenty of other backcourt weapons at Rose's disposal--6-3 junior defensive specialist Jackson Emery (7,8 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 6-5 Ivorian sophomore Charles Abouo, and highly-regarded freshman Tyler Haws. In the frontcourt, 6-11 senior C Chris Miles is the anchor (7.1 ppg, 4 rpg), while 6-8 Noah Hartsock (2.4 ppg) is ready to build off the 10 points he scored in the Cougars NCAA loss and 6-10 soph James Anderson (2.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg) could also be ready for a breakout season. BYU's schedule includes home dates with Bradley in the MVC/MWC Challenge and Arizona State, along with games against Nevada and either C-USA favorite Tulsa or Nebraska in the Las Vegas Classic.

The Cougars are my pick to claim the MWC's auto bid for this season. They'll appear in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. The big question is, how many at-larges can the Mountain West earn this season.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-MWC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-MWC Team

Player of the Year: Jimmer Fredette, 6-2 G, Jr. (BYU)

Remainder of the Team
Roman Martinez, 6-6 G/F, Sr. (New Mexico)
Afam Muojeke, 6-7 G/F, So. (Wyoming)
Jonathan Tavernari, 6-6 G/F, Sr. (BYU)
Billy White, 6-8 F, Jr. (San Diego State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Mountain West this season?

Air Force

1 votes

BYU

4 votes

Colorado State

0 votes

UNLV

2 votes

New Mexico

4 votes

San Diego State

6 votes

TCU

0 votes

Utah

3 votes

Wyoming

0 votes

20 votes | Poll has closed

2009-10 BYU Basketball Preview

sroufe — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:53 -0000

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The season may not officially begin until November 13th versus Bradley, but now that Cougar Tipoff is past, preseason rankings and media predictions are submitted, and the football team's conference title hopes have gone the way of the dodo, it seems appropriate to preview the upcoming season. So read the official '09/'10 official prospectus if you haven't done so already and let's begin.

2008-09 Review:
   Record - 25-8 (12-4 MWC)
   MWC Champions - (Regular Season) Title shared with New Mexico and Utah
   NCAA Tournament - Lost in Round 1 to Texas A&M, 79-66

Key Loss:

Lee Cummard, G/F - The Cougars' best overall player for at least the past two seasons. Cummard put up 16.8 PPG and 6.2 RPG last season, twice finished on the MWC First-Team, and was the MWC Co-MVP and an Honorable Mention AP All-American in 2007/08.

Key Additions:

Tyler Haws, G - Prepped at Lone Peak HS (as did incumbent guard Jackson Emery) in Utah County. Arguably, had the greatest high school career in state history. Finished as the Knights' all-time leading scorer (1,772) and won two state titles (nearly three). Haws isn't the best creator but he is an unbelievable finisher. That should work to his benefit during his freshman season as he'll be surrounded with some players (like Emery) with the ability and experience to find him on the break. Haws has the most upside of any BYU guard since Travis Hansen. Of course his dad, Marty Haws was a terrific guard for the Cougars during the late '80's. He has a nice perimeter game that could improve but he is an excellent rebounder for his size. He should see a lot of minutes during his freshman season prior to leaving on an LDS mission next year.

Brandon Davies, F - Just as Haws has tremendous upside, that can be said here as well. Davies is another local product (Provo HS) with major upside. He is very strong and possesses good fundamentals for a big man his age. What he lacks in quickness/agility, he makes up for in strength and efficiency in his footwork/ball control. Davies is a decent shot blocker as well. Again, like Haws, Davies should see some significant action this season and be a huge part of the Cougars' success over the next several years.

Brock Zylstra, G/F - Zylstra is back after serving an LDS Mission. He red-shirted in 2006-07. Zylstra is a smart, athletic wing from Southern California. He should provide some nice depth behind Emery and Haws but likely won't be a key member of the rotation. Zylstra should merit some minutes though, especially early in the season, and figures to play a larger role next season after Haws leaves on his mission and Tavernari graduates.

Logan Magnusson - G/F - Magnusson was one of the key contributors to Salt Lake Community College's team that won the NJCAA Division I National Title last season. (Magnusson played at Dixie State before that.) Magnusson won't provide the Cougars with much offense but is a nice guy to have on Rose's bench - a scrappy wing player with good size that defends well and rebounds aggressively.

Projected Depth Chart and Commentary:

PG - Jimmer Fredette; Lamont Morgan Jr.; Michael Loyd Jr.
SG - Jackson Emery; Brock Zylstra
SF - Charles Abouo; Tyler Haws; Logan Magnusson
PF - Jonathan Tavernari; Noah Hartsock, Brandon Davies
C - Chris Miles; James Anderson

Practice Squad - Tanner Lamb (Snow College, Orem HS); Andrew Johnston (Snow Canyon HS, St. George, UT) and Kyle Rose (Southridge HS, Beaverton, OR and nephew of coach Rose)

It is likely to depend on the opponent whether or not Rose starts Tavernari at the 4 rather than Hartsock (or perhaps Davies). Obviously that isn't his natural position and he understandably has a difficult time trying to defend true PF's in the post. However, he provides some major problems for teams that try to defend him on the perimeter with less mobile big-men. The problem with starting Tavernari at the 3 is that both Abouo and Haws have the talent to merit serious floor time there. It's a nice conundrum and one that should easily work itself out during the early part of the season.

Despite Tavernari's lack of size at the 4, the Cougars post players are as good a group collectively as the Marriott Center has seen in many moons. Miles figures to be improved with experience and is a substantial upgrade over Gavin MacGregor. (Though I hear G-Mac plays a mean trombone.) Hartsock is a year removed from his mission and should be dramatically improved in terms of both conditioning and skill-set. Of course there is Davies as well. And finally Anderson is a solid shot-blocker that isn't a horrific option of the bench when the others get into foul trouble.

The starting guard spots are final: Fredette and Emery. Of course, you know all about Jimmmmer and his crossssover. Some fans are so enamored with the aforementioned move you would have thought Tim Hardaway had transferred from UTEP. Still, Fredette is a fiery competitor, has a knack for getting into traffic and drawing contact and has greatly improved his perimeter game. His status awarded by the media as preseason MWC MVP appears a bit outrageous on its face but he is likely to be the best all-around player on the team this season. Morgan and Loyd each have their strengths (speed) and weaknesses (shooting, size) but are serviceable backups.

Emery, like Hartsock, should benefit exceedingly from having been home from Mexico for over a year now. When he's healthy he is the Cougars' best defender and possibly the best on-the-ball defender in the conference. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play this season. Emery is the ideal player to put beside Fredette as he doesn't demand the ball and Jimmer is so ostensibly pass-second.

Predictions:

BYU has a much weaker non-conference schedule than the past couple seasons that saw them pitted against North Carolina, Louisville and Wake Forest (to name a few). This year they do travel to Utah State, Fresno State, Nevada, Arizona and UTEP however. They also host Arizona State. Utah State lost forward Gary Wilkerson though and Arizona is in rebuilding mode after losing Chase Budinger (who is playing well so far for the Rockets I might add) and Jordan Hill. Nevada has a nice player however in Luke Babbitt and Fresno and Steve Cleveland has a good prospect as well in Paul George. Finally, the ASU game is interesting considering the Cougars actually won in Tempe last December (Andy Katz is a jerk) and the Sun Devils have since lost James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph. Add in the fact that the game is in Provo and the Cougars should win that game.

The Cougars should have a very good record going into conference play. That's 15 games into the season and I see no reason why BYU can't be 13-2 at that point.

In terms of conference play it will be interesting as always. Utah, of course, lost Luke Nevill, Shaun Green, Lawrence Borha and Tyler Kepkay all to graduation. It ought to be a rebuilding year in Salt Lake. UNLV lost Wink Adams, Joe Darger (goodbye faux-hawk!) and Rene Rougeau. Still Lon Kruger added some very nice transfers in Derrick Jasper (Kentucky) and Chace Stanback (UCLA). The Rebels may not be as deep as they've been in recent years but they'll still be dangerous with Tre'Von Willis and Matt Shaw as well. San Diego State also lost some experienced players but the Aztecs have added Kawhi Leonard, a freshman G/F from Riverside, CA. Leonard could have played anywhere and most expect him to impact the MWC immediately.

New Mexico has to be excited for basketball even if they weren't going to be that good right? Well, the Lobos should compete again for the conference championship. Despite losing Tony Danridge and Daniel Faris there remain some nice players in Albuquerque. That includes Phillip McDonald who, like Leonard, had his pick of schools to choose from coming out of high school.

So those are the traditional "powers" in MWC basketball. Wyoming, Air Force, Colorado State round up the rest of BYU's conference schedule but none of those programs are likely to compete for the conference championship this season. Of course the Rams should be improved - Andy Ogide could be either a dud or all-conference.

In summary, BYU biggest competition should come from UNLV. SDSU and New Mexico should also be solid. BYU however appears to have the most experience and the most depth of any team in the conference. Combine that with the Cougars' track record at home and they should actually improve on their 12-4 record from last season. I think they can win 14 conference games and go into the MWC tournament with a 27-4 record.

It's not like I'm going out on a limb here. The MWC Media, Athlon, Doug Gottlieb (ESPN), USA Today and Yahoo! Sports have all projected the Cougars to win the conference with a similar record. Athlon projected BYU to be a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and Joe Lunardi has them as a 7 seed. I think those seedings are realistic and attainable for this club. And as we've seen multiple times over the past decade, if the Cougars are finally going to get that infamously elusive tourney win in March, they'll need to be seeded at least as high as 7.

There's a lot to look forward to, especially after the roller-coaster of a football season we've had in Provo. Hopefully, Cougar fans can find some stability in an unlikely (at least in terms of the erratic Tavernari being called "stable") source.

GO COUGARS!!!

Fredette photo via bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com

UNLV Rebel Basketball Preview 09-10

Jeremy Mauss — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:39:13 -0000

UNLV has had some very good success the past few years in hoops with a sweet sixteen appearance in 2006-07, second round appearance in 2007-08, and last year was a step back with only an NIT bid but still had 20 wins. Last year the Mountain West was one of the best leagues last year, but due to teams losing early in the conference tournament --like UNLV-- coupled with some other upsets limited to the league two to spots in the Big Dance.

This year the Rebels are hoping for a bounce back year especially since this is the 20th anniversary of the 1990 National Championship team. This team does have a chance to be good with three transfers and four incoming freshman:

	Pos	Stars	Ht	Wt	RR	Video	Hometown
Oscar Bellfield	PG		6-2	175	5.7		Los Angeles, CA
Brice Massamba	C		6-9	255	-		Henderson, NV
Deshawn Mitchell	SF		6-5	205	-		Howell, NJ
Darris Santee	PF		6-8	198	-		Houston, TX

Derrick Jasper from Kentucky (via Rivals)

Steve Jones from Arizona State

Chance Stanback from UCLA (via Rivals)

UNLV did lose three starters from last year most notably Wink Adams who was their best player. The two returning starters are guard Oscar Bellfield and Tre'Von Willis. Willis averaged 11 points, 4 boards, and just over 3 assists a game. Plus they return four other letterman to round out the returning squad. The team has talent with the recruits and specifically the transfers and if the team can be cohesive then this team --as usual-- will contend for the conference title. One thing is to practice during their transfer year, but actually playing games against non-Rebels will be the key for UNLV.

The early season games will be tough for the Rebels just in Novemver they take on Nevada, Southern Illinois, Louisville, and at Arizona; plus include a game against Kansas State the first week of December. The schedule will be there for a good RPI, but those games will be a test of how quickly the team will get together. The main concern is getting the transfers to be able to play together as a team, and if that can happen then this team is a real threat for the Mountain West crown.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Return

Truzenzuzex — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:10:29 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

This is not how you want to see your quarterback handling the football.

Browse more photos »

Yes, I know the BBDM has been absent for a couple of days. Sorry. Sometimes, other priorities exert themselves, and although I have the best of intentions to make this a daily thing, occasionally I have to bite the bullet and choose between sleep and blogging. Sleep is winning more and more often.

But enough about that. Today's BBDM contains tons of basketball stuff, lots of football stuff, and some good, well-earned schadenfreude that we (well, at least, I) dearly love. What can I say? Hating back is a time-honored tradition among sports fans, and who am I to shun tradition? I mean, "Kentucky fan" and "Tradition" go together like peanut butter and jelly (mmmm...).

Okay, on to the news:

UK Basketball News

John Clay: Sustained success makes UK No. 1 - SPORTS UPDATE - Kentucky.com
For my money, Kentucky is the top program of all time. Yes, UCLA has more titles. Yes, North Carolina has great tradition and nearly as many wins. Yes, it could be argued that Kansas was the birthplace of modern college basketball.

But no program has sustained its success decade after decade — titles in 1948 and 1949, titles in 1951 and 1958, a runner-up finish in 1966, title in 1978, a Final Four in 1984, two more titles in 1996 and 1998 — like Kentucky.

John Clay and I are thinking exactly alike on this one.
UK Basketball: Orton misses his mother: AMNews.com
Daniel Orton is still not sure what he’ll do to honor his mother this season, but he knows the Kentucky freshman wants to find a way to keep her memory close to him at all times.

I know how it is to lose your mother, but not at such an early age. I'm sure Daniel will think of a way to honor her every game.
UK Basketball: Calipari has own expectations for Cats: AMNews.com
What expectations do you have for this team?

Calipari: "All I want is that every day we leave that we feel good about what we just did. My challenge is to keep these guys in the moment, not worrying about November and December. I must keep them in today. Then there is no anxiety, nothing crazy. It’s all feeling good about today and continue building that mental toughness and swagger. We do that by bunting about 100 straight bunts. It’s not hitting home runs, it’s bunts.

That sounds familiar, the "...keep[ing] thse guys in the moment..." thing.
UK Basketball: Orton will accept any role: AMNews.com
Harrellson comfortable looking ahead | KentuckySports.com
"A lot of people say they see something in me. A lot of times, I don't see it."New UK Coach John Calipari describes Harrellson as a "diamond in the rough." Last week, Calipari noted how his dribble-drive offense requires ball-handling skills and quick-fire decision making. The coach suggested Harrellson could contribute those qualities.

I think this might be the most fascinating storyline of the upcoming season. How many of us would have bet that Harrellson would have been a transfer this year?
Calipari just keeps getting it right | Vaught's Views

UK Football News

Tom Leach Productions
As of Tuesday night, our poll results show 40% of fans want to see Rich Brooks give freshman Morgan Newton a chance at quarterback with 31% wanting to stick with Mike Hartline. Veteran coach Terry Donahue knows all about these kinds of quarterback debates and he says some interesting comments on why it's risky to throw a true freshman into the kind of schedule Kentucky is facing right now.

Great stuff from Tom Leach as always.
UK blowing its margin for errors | KentuckySports.com
The 2009 Wildcats have had extremely slippery fingers, which has Brooks concerned heading into Saturday's game at No. 25 South Carolina.

That's what troubles me also.

Other UK Sports News

Wildcat's Tournament Run Cut Short - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

NCAA Sports News

Duke-UNC rivalry must apply to everything - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
Harrison Barnes, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2010, had a home visit Monday night from Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, which was supposed to be the final in-home visit of the contact period allowed by the NCAA.

Except UNC coach Roy Williams showed up a couple hours later.

Heh.
SEC Leads the Way In Unbeatens - Team Speed Kills
The SEC has the most undefeated teams of any conference. Despite perceptions, it's not because of easy schedules.

Heh. Hear that, Pac 10, Big Televen?
Nutt shuts down Ole Miss' practice - SEC - ESPN
I’ve always been part of the crowd that thinks whether a team’s practice is open or closed is vastly overrated.

Me too.
Intentional Foul " Sam Bradford Ready To Return?
That could make a difference in the Red River Shootout, if so.

Other News of Interest

February Trial Set in Gillispie DUI Case
A judge has set a February trial date in the drunken-driving case against former Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Knight Needles NCAA
Bobby Knight takes a shot at the NCAA, and scores!
Opinion: Suspension will benefit Kansas in long run - College basketball- nbcsports.msnbc.com
1. Another Kansas player makes headlines for the wrong reasons—Brady Morningstar's DWI arrest. How much will this tumultuous offseason affect the Jayhawks?

DeCourcy: Morningstar's arrest became the defining moment in a sloppy period for KU basketball, but it did allow Self the opportunity to put his foot down without it landing on a star.

Well, we might as well enjoy the schadenfreude while it lasts. Kansas fans have been particularly disrespectful of UK lately, so reveling in their difficulties seems like the least we can do.
All-Time Sagarin Ratings: Duke Isn’t Going to Be Happy About This
Hehe. Fit for some schadenfreude.

Mountain West Mens Preseason Basketball Polls Released

Michael Rueckert — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:35:11 -0000

The 2009-2010 Mens Basketball Preseason Poll

BYU (23)
San Diego State (1)
UNLV
Utah
New Mexico
Wyoming
TCU
Colorado State
Air Force

The All-Preseason Team

G - Jimmer Fredette (Jr.) - BYU
G - Jonathan Tavernari (Sr.) - BYU
F - Billy White (Jr.) - San Diego State
F - Zvonko Buljan (Sr.) - TCU
C - Tre'Von Willis (Jr.) - UNLV

Preseason Player of the Year

G - Jimmer Fredette (Jr.) - BYU

Preseason Newcomer of the Year

G - Derrick Jasper (Jr.) - UNLV

Preseason Freshman of the Year

F - Kawhi Leonard (Fr.) - San Diego State

Poll

Who will win the Mountain West Mens Basketball Championship this season?

BYU

9 votes

San Diego State

9 votes

UNLV

3 votes

Utah

8 votes

New Mexico

6 votes

Wyoming

0 votes

TCU

1 votes

Colorado State

1 votes

Air Force

0 votes

37 votes | Poll has closed

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Deep Breath Before The Plunge

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:22:16 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

No, I'm not quite up to challenging this guy yet.

Browse more photos »

This week is the deep breath before the plunge into football season. It is time. It is here.

The greatest thing about football season for Kentucky fans is that it means basketball season is only about six weeks away. To football fans in the SEC, that may seem like blasphemy, but to most of us here in the Commonwealth, it is bliss.

But Kentucky football will get its share of attention, and this football team looks like one of Brooks' best, at least judging by what we are hearing in practice. There has been very little controversy, and even less rulebreaking that is hitting the public airwaves, like this Michigan story. I feel for the Wolverine fans, because this is the kind of one-sided, more-opinion-than-fact reporting UK has seen all summer regarding Calipari. I agree with Dave that this must cease, but it will not -- sadly.

Today was a half-day of golf today (which is why I am so late getting a post up), and I had my best game this year -- 43 (with a snowman on one hole) on the front, 37 on the back (with an untimely double-bogey) for an 80. The only disappointment is that it could have just as easily been a 75. Oh, well, maybe next time.

Now, for the news.

UK Basketball News

UK notebook: Calipari restoring players' swagger | KentuckySports.com
After two seasons of boot camps, bleeding feet, broken noses, concussions and a bullheaded emphasis on toughness, Kentucky basketball enjoys a renaissance.
The Immortals: UK's 25 'Legends' #8
"It's all about John Wall. If he's the guy then Kentucky is for real. They've got everything else."
Nice work by Paul Jordan at Wildcat Blue in a Sea of Orange.
Kansas, Connecticut looking like UK’s prime competitors for 2010 targets
Rivals.com College Basketball - Monday tip: An early Final Four prognostication
I love this:

Kentucky: After watching the Wildcats practice last week, I'm convinced they're the most talented team in America. I'm not sure it's even close. Everyone talks about John Wall and rightfully so but, folks, DeMarcus Cousins is a beast. If John Calipari's squad puts it all together, there won't be a better team.

UK Football News

Prediction time for the college football season
Crawford goes with the safe bet -- 7-5.
Bowl awaits 6-6 Cats | KentuckySports.com
But not everyone agrees.
Trevard Lindley profile | KentuckySports.com
Trevard Lindley is about to put the finishing touches on what could be the best-ever career by a University of Kentucky defensive back.
Kentucky maintains connection to LaGragne High football - Sports - Ledger-Enquirer.com
LAGRANGE, Ga. — The resurgence of Kentucky football has been in part due to a growing number of LaGrange High products. Former Grangers have been a fixture on the Wildcats’ roster in recent years and played a key role in three straight bowl wins for the once struggling program.
Kentucky team preview - USC Football 2009 Season Preview
Why USC Won't Win: Rich Brooks. The legendary coach has turned Kentucky from the league's laughing stock to one other teams fear to play against. That won't change in 2009, as Brooks looks to lead the Wildcats to a fourth consecutive bowl victory. Kentucky's players know that they haven't played up to their abilities against the Gamecocks lately and seem determined to get the proverbial monkey off of their back in Columbia this season. All streaks must come to an end, and the Wildcats and their veteran coach feel certain that they'll notch their first victory over Carolina this decade come October.

Brooks is "legendary?" I love me some Rich Brooks, but I have never heard him referred to as "legendary." But I guess I'm okay with it, especially if he manages a fourth winning season in a row.

Other UK Sports News

Around Kentuckiana: Cats beat Cards 1-0 in women's soccer
Nice to beat the Cardinals in anything

NCAA Sports News

UNLV Looking for Big Things from Derrick Jasper
Always nice to check in on a former Wildcat.
Meyer tops SEC coaches' rankings
I suppose we can thank all the new guys that Rich Brooks isn't last.

Other News of Interest

Stage Money: They're not Scalpers: They're Ticket Brokers
Personally, I never had any problem with people scalping tickets -- it's just free trade and commerce. Nobody is being forced to buy anything, if you want tickets to a sold-out event, you should be able to sell it for whatever someone is willing to pay.
Legal experts: Convicting former PRP football coach will be tough | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Prosecutors face huge obstacles in trying to convict former Pleasure Ridge Park High School football coach Jason Stinson when he goes on trial Monday in Jefferson Circuit Court, say former prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys and law professors.

Huge. This case, in my humble opinion, should never have been brought.

The Daily Schadenfreude

It's third and long for Coach K | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
He has an 11-13 record at U of L and has yet to take the team to a bowl, the first time since 1996-97 that the Cardinals have let consecutive seasons pass without a postseason appearance.

It will take some coaching job to get the Cards bowl-worthy this year.

SB Nation - Derrick Jasper

UNLV 77 - Hawaii 53: Rebels cruise to Diamond Head Classic final

College Hoops Go-Round: December 22

#21 UNLV Rebels survive Double OT thriller against Arizona Wildcats

Next Game

UNLV Runnin' Rebels move to 5-0 as they upset #16 Louisville

Next Game

BtB 2009-10 Mountain West Preview

Mountain West Conference Standings

Preseason All-MWC Team

Who is your pick to win the Mountain West this season?

Air Force

BYU

Colorado State

UNLV

New Mexico

San Diego State

TCU

Utah

Wyoming

2009-10 BYU Basketball Preview

UNLV Rebel Basketball Preview 09-10

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Return

Top Stories

UK Basketball News

UK Football News

Other UK Sports News

NCAA Sports News

Other News of Interest

The Daily Schadenfreude

Mountain West Mens Preseason Basketball Polls Released

Who will win the Mountain West Mens Basketball Championship this season?

BYU

San Diego State

UNLV

Utah

New Mexico

Wyoming

TCU

Colorado State

Air Force

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Deep Breath Before The Plunge

Top Stories

UK Basketball News

UK Football News

Other UK Sports News

NCAA Sports News

Other News of Interest

The Daily Schadenfreude