SB Nation - Cal. St.-Northridge Matadors

Non-Conference Opponents Update #2

BoilerTMill — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:36:23 -0000

We should still be undefeated when West Virginia comes to Mackey Arena.(AP Photo/David Smith)

With most of the country plugging away through finals there isn't a huge update this week. Only a handful of schools are even playing games. Games like last night's 60+ point drubbing that Texas handed out to Texas-Pan American hardly qualify as games anyway. There is not a top 25 matchup until this weekend, but there are some big ones that could allow Purdue to move up. In the meantime, here is what all of our non-conference opponents have been up to since our last update.

Overall out schedule looks much tougher on paper than it did last year. That will only help with seeding. Yes wins over Tennessee and Wake Forest (as opposed to losses to Oklahoma and Duke) look better, but we're getting small boosts from out other opponents as well. Remember, Eastern Michigan, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Detroit were among the worst teams in Division 1 last year. South Dakota State and SIU-Edwardsville may be our worst opponents, but they are better than them. Every little bit helps.

Cal State Northridge (4-5, 0-0 Big West) - The Matadors have only played once since last Monday's update, and that was an 89-82 loss at Denver. They do have their first home game in two weeks tonight when they host Drexel. Tuesday they have a chance for a major conference win when they travel to Colorado.

South Dakota State (4-7, 1-1 Summit) - SDSU has been busy since last Monday. They grabbed a non-division 1 win over Southwest State (Minnesota) before dropping games at Nevada and at home against Cal Poly. This is a program that is still going through some growing pains with the move up to Division 1. Keep your eyes peeled next Wednesday night when they have a very interesting game in the Barn against Minnesota.

St. Joseph's (3-6, 0-0 Atlantic 10) - The Hawks continue to be in freefall after the 3-0 start. Losses to Villanova and at Minnesota were brutal. St. Joseph's played no defense at all in giving up 97 points to both teams. The 97-89 loss to Villanova was in a tough Big 5 game and would have been a nice comparison to see how well we matched up with the Wildcats. The Hawks are off until Sunday when they face Lehigh.

Tennessee (8-1, 0-0 SEC) - We continue to be the only blemish on the Volunteers' record. Tennessee notched a neutral court win over Middle Tennessee State in Nashville over the weekend then outlasted a pesky Wyoming team last night. The Cowboys trailed by one at the half before Tennessee pulled away for a 19 point win. The Volunteers will continue an impressive non-conference schedule Saturday when they visit USC in Los Angeles.

Central Michigan (4-5, 0-0 MAC) - Somehow, this didn't make it into Defend That, Digger, but the Chips grabbed a win over a Big East team this weekend. They completed the trip by winning 59-56 at South Florida on Sunday. Digger would argue that the Bulls aren't really in the Big East since they are at the bottom, but screw him. This is a step forward for the Chippewas as they look to improve greatly in MAC play. Their next game is Saturday at fellow opponent South Dakota State.

Wake Forest (6-2, 0-0 ACC) - Wake has had just one game since the last update, but it was an easy 90-50 win over Elon College. They head out on the road tonight by going to a dangerous UNC-Wilmington team that has already upset Penn State this year. The Seahawks will certainly be motivated to face an ACC foe in their gym. Credit to the Demon Deacons for not being afraid to play there, either.

Buffalo (5-3, 0-0 MAC) - The Bulls have won their last two games in a pair of regional rivalry contests. They knocked off Niagara 86-80 on the road before beating non-D1 Buffalo State 93-65. They don't play again until Tuesday, when they face an enigmatic Wisconsin-Green Bay team that has upset Wisconsin, but got drilled by Oakland. That game is at Green Bay.

Valparaiso (4-5, 0-1 Horizon) - The Crusaders snapped a two game losing streak by thrashing Toledo at home 81-49 on Saturday. They have a non-Division 1 game against Concordia (Wisconsin) this Saturday night before trips to IPFW and Akron.

Alabama (6-3, 0-0 SEC) - The Crimson Tide should be able to recover tonight with a relatively easy home game against Samford. I still think this is an NCAA caliber team. None of the three losses are horrible (Cornell is a very good team) and they can rack up a lot of wins in SEC play. The Michigan and Baylor wins have the potential for plenty of mileage as well. They also get another shot at a ranked team Saturday when they host a very hot Kansas State team.

Ball State (3-4, 0-0 MAC) - The Cardinals have split a pair of games since we saw them last. They got some in-state bragging rights with a 68-63 win at Indiana State, but they dropped a game at Tennessee Tech 86-81 in overtime. Remember, this team is still coming out from under a pretty hefty scandal a few years ago. I'll have more on them later this week as we get ready to face them at Conseco. As an added note, I have been approved for a press pass for the Wooden Tradition, so I will likely be running a CoverItLive from inside Conseco on Saturday.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (2-8) - The Cougars continue to struggle with their provisional division status. They recently lost a pair of games in the Nashville area to Middle Tennessee State and Lipscomb. They are playing a lot of road game for paychecks this season as a division one independent. They have 15 road games scheduled. Most of their home games are against fellow independent teams.

West Virginia (7-0, 0-0 Big East) - West Virginia grabbed a pair of relatively easy wins over Duquesne and Coppin State to stay undefeated. Each win was by at least 26 points. They face a potentially tricky road game at Cleveland State this weekend, but they have only really been tested by Texas A&M in the 76 Classic so far. Before coming to Purdue they do have a tricky slate of Mississippi, Seton Hall, and Marquette.

Defend That, Digger! Week 1 (and a non-conference update)

BoilerTMill — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:55:49 -0000

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

Big East basketball fever: Where offensive ineptitude happens. The 22 combined points were the fewest in a first half of a Division I game since the shot clock era began in 1985, when there was a 45-second clock, rather than the 35-second clock adopted in 1993. The teams broke the previous record held by Mississippi (15 points) and South Carolina (13 points), which combined for 28 points on Jan. 8, 2003. South Carolina ended up winning that game 55-49, but Pittsburgh won this one, 47-32. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Browse more photos »

As promised, it is the premier of what will hopefully be a pretty regular weekly feature. Defend That, Digger is meant to make fun of our Big East and ACC brethren, showing them that defense is not a bad thing and that they aren't exactly the greatest teams in the country because the Worldwide Leader in Hyperbole says they are. Here is this week's exhibit A:

Pittsburgh 47, New Hampshire 32 - I thought the Big East was all about offense? Don't they have so much talent they can score 100 on anyone in the country? Pittsburgh was a #1 seed in last season's tournament (one of three from the all-powerful Big East). Now they are struggling against the Wildcats of New Hampshire. New Hampshire is one of the oldest teams in college basketball, yet they have never made an NCAA or NIT Tournament. In this game they scored just seven points in the first half, yet trailed by eight.

That's right, the halftime score was 15-7.

No, this was not football.

I know Pittsburgh is racked with injuries, but 15-7? From a former number one seed? Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit B:

Connecticut - The Huskies get called not for one game, but four. They have struggled with the NCAA powers Harvard (79-73) Hofstra (76-67), and William & Mary (75-66) this year. That is sure going to prepare them for the grueling Big East schedule. They are also currently ranked 13^th, though something tells me when they play real teams that won't last long. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit C:

William & Mary 78, Wake Forest 68 - This is the second appearance by the Tribe on here, so they might be a legitimately good team. Still, there is absolutely no excuse for Wake Forest, who was #1 at one point last season, to trail by double digits for most of a game at home against William & Mary. Wake is a legitimately good team. I have seen them in person now. But there is no defense for this. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit D:

Illinois 76, Clemson 74 - A prime example here. Illinois used, imagine this, solid second half defense to overcome a 23 point deficit and give the Big Ten the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Oh, and they did it on the road in an imposing ACC gym. There is no excuse for ever blowing a 23 point second half lead at home. Ever. Clemson, you are a pretend ACC program. You always will be. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit E:

UNC-Charlotte 87, Louisville 65 - The Big East's third number one seed from last season lost by 22 at home. This isn't UNC. This is UNC-Charlotte, a State-City school that while decent, should never beat a #16 team on its home floor by 22 points. Maybe Rick Pitino should watch some game film of the 49ers instead of boinking Louisville-area waitresses. At least he gets a slight discount at Applebee's. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit F:

Notre Dame - Because playing a "National Schedule" of North Florida, St. Francis (PA), Long Beach State, Liberty, Kennesaw State, Idaho State, and Central Florida is much better than developing "tradition" and "natural rivalries." I though the Irish valued tradition. Defend That, Digger!

The comments are now open for Big East and ACC bashing

Enough laughing at the greatest conferences in the world. Let's see what our own non-conference opponents are doing to help our resumes.

Cal State Northridge (4-4) - The Matadors have played quite a vagabond schedule as a low-major. They have played just twice in their home gym so far, but are a respectable 4-4. Among their wins is a 95-93 win over Idaho. The Vandals responded by crushing Portland by 20 (the same Portland that made a big run in the '76 classic over UCLA and Minnesota). Northridge's most recent game was a respectable 8-point loss at Washington.

South Dakota State (3-5, 1-1 Summit) - The Jackrabbits have already begun conference play with a 1-1 record. The beat Western Illinois, but lost by 22 at conference leader IUPUI. The Western Illinois win was their first since before heading to the Virgin Islands.

St. Joseph's (3-4) - Since starting the year 3-0 and upsetting Boston College in the Paradise Jam the Hawks haven't done much. They followed up their loss to us with a loss to DePaul. They then dropped consecutive road contests to Rider and Cornell by a combined 20 points. They could do us a big favor in their next game by upsetting #3 Villanova Wednesday night.

Tennessee (6-1) - The Volunteers are maintaining their ranking, but they haven't played anyone. College of Charleston and East Tennessee State are their latest victims, but us and maybe DePaul remain their only true competition.

Central Michigan (3-5) - The Chips had a dominant 78-40 win at home against Chicago State, but lost 75-62 at Illinois State this weekend. Expect the losses to pile up. They don't play at home against until January 13^th against Ball State.

Wake Forest (5-2) - I thought the losses would pile up a bit after the underwhelming performance against William & Mary, but Wake followed up their loss to us with a very nice 77-75 win at Gonzaga. Going cross-country like that is not an easy trip. Beating the Bulldogs in their house is even tougher. They have interesting non-conference games coming up against Xavier and a tough Richmond squad.

Buffalo (3-3) - We all know what happened in their last game. They get a regional rivalry this week against a tough low-major in Niagara. Sadly, that may be the best team they have left on the schedule.

Valparaiso (3-5, 0-1 Horizon) - Valparaiso may have played the toughest schedule in the country lately. We're the fourth preseason top 10 team they will play. Their only Division 1 win was over Georgia Southern, but they played North Carolina to an 11 point game. They also lost to Michigan State by 30 and Butler by 17. Watch out for Kokomo Wildkat Brandon Wood, who averages 22 per game and had 30 against North Carolina.

Alabama (6-2) - This is shaping up to be an interesting game. The Crimson Tide dropped its opener to Cornell (who also beat St. Joseph's). They also lost a neutral site game to a decent Florida State team. Their best win? 68-66 over Michigan. Stay tuned for more this week on them and Valpo with appropriate previews this week.

Ball State (2-3) - The Cardinals haven't played in a week, but have lost three straight to Butler, UC Davis, and Temple. They do have wins over common opponents Valparaiso and SIU-Edwardsville.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (2-6) - The Cougars have played the vagabond schedule of an independent, but they won two in a row over Drake and Texas-Arlington after an 0-6 start. This is easily the weakest team on our schedule. They opened the year with a 96-69 loss at Illinois.

West Virginia (5-0) - The Mountaineers are ranked just behind us in the AP poll. They won the '76 Classic against an impressive field (though Texas A&M was their toughest game). Like us, they open conference play with a home game (Marquette) before our New Year's Day game. A very interesting trip to a dangerous Cleveland State on December 19^th could stand between them and an unbeaten record when they face us.

Paradise Jam Preview part 1: South Dakota State, Boston College, St. Joseph's

BoilerTMill — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:45:41 -0000

Since I can't seem to narrow down TV coverage for this one I'll be tuning towards the radio and gametracker for Friday night's Paradise Jam opener. Since this tournament is striving to become a Maui East I am surprised they haven't worked out better TV coverage. Ah well. In all honestly I don't think we need to be glued to our TV sets for the opener. Even with LewJack and Sandi Marcius both being hurt we have little trouble with the Jackrabbits. Meeting Boston College in round 2 could be a different story.

To be accompanied by Michael Jackson's JAM video this week.

South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Conference: Summit League

2009-10 Record: 2-0

2008-09 Record: 13-20 (upset Oral Roberts in Summit League Tournament)

Blog Representation: SDSUFans.com (warning: this is a very user unfriendly site, but it is an SDSU blog. I searched that hard for you!)

SDSU may be a little better this season, as they have started 2-0. One victory is over non-D1 Mayville State, whom they crushed 89-56. The opening season victory is a decent one though over Mountain West Conference member Wyoming 77-61. The Cowboys were a 19-14 team a season ago that made one of the postseason tournaments, so an easy Jackrabbit victory does turn some heads. This is just the second season of full Division 1 eligibility for SDSU.

SDSU features a balanced scoring attack led by senior guard Garrett Callahan. Callahan averages 12.5 points per game and is a 3-point shooting threat having hit 3 of 9 from long range so far. He is actually down a bit from last season's 15.8 ppg average, but obviously the season is very young. His most telling statistic from last season was a 42.7% clip from long range. He is also an accurate free throw shooter when he gets to the line.

6'6" senior forward Kai Williams is next in scoring at 12.5 per game. His average is weighted by a 17 point performance in the opener at Wyoming. Williams has been a double-digit scorer in all four seasons at SDSU except last season when he dipped to 9.8ppg. He is a tough rebounder that can also step out and shoot the three. This makes him a versatile weapon, like a poor man's Robbie Hummel. It is interesting that he is only playing about half as many minutes this season as he has averaged in his career, yet his numbers are similar.

Anthony Cordova (11ppg) and Clint Sargent (18ppg) give the Jackrabbits four double figures scorers, showing their offensive versatility. Both are juniors, making SDSU a team that is dominated by upperclassmen. Sargent did not play against Mayville State after hitting five 3-pointers as Wyoming. Cordova has nice size at 6'7" 245lbs.

South Dakota State will live and die by the 3-pointer against us. They hit 11 of 21 against Wyoming to build a big lead early. Michael Palarca paces the offense by distributing the ball well at 6 assists per game. We can also expect to see Giffan Callahan (Garrett's younger brother), Nate Wolters, Dale Moss, and Josh Cassaday in a nine man rotation. The younger Callahan has shown a talent for rebounding at 5.5 per contest.

This is not a team that should dominate us on the glass. Their tallest player, 6'10" Mark Engen, is a senior that barely plays. Most of the team is between 6'4" and 6'7", but they lack the sheer physicality that we have as a Big Ten team. We should absolutely be able to dominate the interior and focus on defending from the perimeter. I can see this game being close only if SDSU gets insanely hot from outside and starts raining threes. On paper they are about equal with Cal State Northridge, and we had little trouble with the Matadors. Purdue 85, South Dakota State 57

Boston College Eagles

Conference: ACC

2009-10 Record: 1-0 (They play St. Francis tonight and St. Joseph's in round 1)

2008-09 Record: 22-12 (lost to USC 72-55 in round one of NCAA Tournament)

Blog Representation: Eagle in Atlanta, BC Interruption

Our round two opponent will likely be our first true test of the season. The same was true last year, as we squeezed out a 71-64 win over the Eagles at Madison Square Garden in the preseason NIT semi-finals. Joe Trapani had 14 points and eight rebounds against and he is back. 6'10 center Josh Southern (9 points, 11 rebounds) is also back. We are basically facing most of a team walked into North Carolina last season and won. They also beat Duke, but lost WTF games against Harvard and St. Louis.

It is hard to guess how well the Eagles will respond this season. Cory Raji and Rakim Sanders are returning starters that were suspended for the opener against Dartmouth and tonight's game against St. Francis. They must also replace leading scorer Tyrese Rice who graduated. Rice had a great game against us in New York, so missing him will not help their chances. This is still a young team that features just one senior in Tyler Roche. Roche only went for 30 against Dartmouth, but we are not Dartmouth.

We should have a better idea of what to expect from BC once they get everyone back from suspension. This is still not a team we can take lightly, however. I seem to remember North Carolina having a pretty good season last year and BC beat them seven in their own house. Still, they followed up that monster win with a loss to Harvard three days later. That tells me that consistency will be a major issue with them.

To win again we have to make sure they don't dominate the paint. Southern, Trapani, and Roche could give us some matchup problems in the paint if all three are playing. We have to keep them off the offensive glass and limit second chance points. We did a pretty good job of that last year, but we have to keep it up. Sanders and Raji are capable scorers that can create their own shot as well. This will be the first true test of our team defense.

Saint Joseph's Hawks

Conference: Atlantic 10

2009-10 Record: 1-0 (Holy Cross tonight and Boston college in round 1)

2008-09 Record: 17-15 (no postseason)

Blog Representation: None

I expect to play Boston College in round 2, but here is a brief preview of St. Joseph's anyway. St. Joseph's was one of the many teams that had a dominating win over Indiana last year, beating the Hoosiers 80-54 in the Maui Invitational. This means they are not strangers to big preseason tournaments, so this should be interesting. So far this season they have a 77-67 overtime win over Drexel.

Forward Idris Hilliard had a breakout game in the opener with 16 points and seven rebounds. He was also 10 of 11 from the line, so we don't want to foul him. Guard Darrin Govins was the leading scorer with 23 points on 6 of 17 shooting. He is a smaller shooting guard at 6'1", but he can score from anywhere on the floor. Garrett Williamson and Carl Jones were double figures scorers with 11 and 13 points, respectively. Overall St. Joe's hit 33 of 42 free throws against the Dragons, so we have to keept hem off the line.

Honestly, I am preparing to face Boston College in round two. St. Joseph's is well coached and they play in a surprisingly tough Atlantic 10 conference, but the Eagles are the better team. It would take an upset for St. Joe's to get past them, and if they do I don't think they have two int hem to get past us. They don't have much size outside of 6'11" center Todd O'Brien, so if we can neutralize him we should own the interior. I certainly trust our perimeter defense to stop anyone in the country from there.

Know thy Opponent: Cal State Northridge Matadors

BoilerTMill — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:00:34 -0000

It begins Friday night. I know we just had the truncated exhibition season, but what can you really learn from those games? The veterans played just enough know they are ready and the new freshmen were getting their feet wet. D.J. Byrd looks ready. Patrick Bade may not be ready, but we need him to be. Ryne Smith is a shooter and an asset. We'll have to wait on Sandi Marcius, but we need him too. No matter though. The games count in about 48 hours.

Some housekeeping issues first before looking at the Matadors. First, a friend of mine can't make Friday's game, so if anyone is looking for tickets feel free to e-mail me at the new blog e-mail address: tmill99@gmail.com (I still check the Excite, but it is causing issues with my computer so I am changing.) Second, an official welcome goes out to Anthony Johnson, Terone Johnson, Travis Carroll, and Donnie Hale. They signed their letters of intent to become Boilermakers today. I haven't spoken much about them except to say this: I think they are the perfect compliments to this team next year if everyone stays, and should that happen I expect to win the 2011 National championship. Welcome aboard, gentlemen. Third, now is the perfect time to buy a Defense Lives Here shirt for the season.

Cal State Northridge Matadors

Conference: Big West

2008-09 Record: 17-14 (Big West regular season and tournament champions)

2008-09 Postseason: #15 seed in NCAA Tournament, lost to #2 seed Memphis 81-70

Blog Representation: None

Preseason Expectations: 3^rd Place Big West

Funny, we're champions too.

Northridge made just its second NCAA Tournament appearance last season and first since 2001. If it wasn't for a 35 point explosion from Memphis' Roburt Sallie they might have had the upset of the tournament. The Matadors held a 6-point lead with 10 minutes to go before fading late. It was a banner season for Northridge despite losing two key players midway through the season.

Nine lettermen return from last year's team, but they lost five of their top six scorers. So this could be a potentially dangerous opener if we're not paying attention. These guys didn't show any fear in taking on a two seed last year. With our current ranking we would theoretically be a two seed as well. Three of the returning players were starters, led by 6'8" Center Willie Galick. Galick averaged a modest 9.3 points per game and 5.5 rebounds. He has the potential to be a double-double machine for the Matadors.

6'4" Forward Kenny Daniels (8.9ppg, 3.7 rpg) and 5'11" guard Mark Hill (8.2 ppg, 2.9 apg) are the other two returning starters. Galick, Daniels, and Hill are all seniors with NCAA Tournament experience, so we will be facing a team that knows what it is doing. Daniels had 16 points in Northridge's exhibition win over the Master's College, while Galick had 19 in the other exhibition win over Cal Lutheran.

A new starter to watch is 6'7" junior forward Lenny Daniel. He is a first year JuCo transfer from Coffeyville Community College and he led the Matadors in scoring by averaging 18.5 points over the two exhibition games. His addition gives the Matadors a formidable starting frontcourt with loads of experience. He is a decent rebounder, so it will be important to keep them off the offensive glass to avoid cheap second chance points.

Kevin Menner and Rashaun Mclemore are also promising JuCo transfers that will be seeing their first Division 1 action against Purdue. Menner and McLemore had 12 and 10 points respectively against Cal Lutheran, while Menner had 10 against the Master's College. Senior forward Tony Osunsanmi is also expected to be a solid bench contributor in the rebounding department.

In looking at the statistics through a pair of exhibition games I can see that Northridge wants to work the ball inside. They were just 4 of 19 from beyond the 3-point line as a team. The paint Crew needs to warm up the Defense Lives Here sign (any buy corresponding shirts from me), as Cal State Northridge averaged 21.5 turnovers against the two exhibition foes. I somehow doubt that The Master's College and Cal Lutheran play with the same defensive intensity as us. Northridge is also not a strong free throw shooting team. They hit 26 of 42 against The Master's College and 16 of 27 against Cal Lutheran.

Game Outlook:

We're the #7 team in the nation. This is our home opener against a team that, while it was in the NCAA Tournament last year, they are rebuilding with talent that hasn't played much at the Division 1 level. Their best win last season was probably over pacific int eh Big West championship game after the Tigers took both regular season meetings. In short, we should have no trouble against them. We should only be worried if their frontcourt is outrebounding us and creating second chance opportunities on the offensive glass. They are a strong rebounding team, and that has been a concern for us for some time. Otherwise, we need to just turn up the defensive pressure, force turnovers, and hit our shots.

Keys to the Game for Purdue:

Force turnovers defensively
Rebound effectively
Prevent second chance points
Deny the ball inside and make them shoot from the perimeter
Play to your ability

Prediction: Purdue 77, Cal State Northridge 57

The Can Ball Report's NCAA Canadian Player Preview

rbala — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:00:34 -0000

The Can Ball Report gives what can only be described as the only NCAA Canadian player preview that matters. Join us for a look at the Canuck ballers that we expect to be making big waves this season.

So it’s is finally here people! All the waiting is over because the NCAA basketball season will officially start in a few days. There are roughly about 75 Canadians on Division 1 men’s basketball rosters this season and it looks like it will be a good one for our boys. We have two bona fide stars headlining what can be said is the most talented set of Canadian players playing at this level, ever. There are upperclassmen that have earned preseason honors; there are two reigning conference rookies of the year; there are a whole host of preseason all conference selections as well as players who will play major roles to their respective teams’ success. Since we are all basketball enthusiasts (I’ll let you gauge the degree of your enthusiasm in silence now for a moment) the Can Ball Report has compiled a list of players that we feel are worthy of early notice. Now some of you may know a few of the names already, if you do then good for you. For those of you who are not so familiar with them we suggest you, to quote Clinton Sparks, get familiar quickly. The players listed below are guys we feel you'll be hearing a lot about on this site, and any other Canadian media outlet for that matter, from the opening tip to the One Shining Moment in March and we want you to get it here first. So here we go people, the first annual Can Ball Report’s NCAA Canadian Player preview.

Most Outstanding Player – Harouna Mutombo, G - Western Carolina

A consensus pre season Southern Conference First Team selection this season after an incredible Rookie of the Year campaign, Mutombo is poised for a big (ger) year. He led the Catamounts in scoring, rebounding and steals on his way to a Second Team All SoCon nod so I wonder what the encore will be this season.

Top Newcomer – Manny Arop, G - Gonzaga

Arop may not have the best shot nor be the best rebounder as a freshman, but he does everything well enough that he will be an impact player for the Zags from day one. The team will be short on frontcourt help this year so he will be given every opportunity to contribute on a small ball lineup. Of all the newbie Canadians playing this year at the D1 level, Arop should be the best of them come March.

Best Shooter – Andy Rautins, G - Syracuse

Do you really need any explanation here? He is the best deep threat on a perennial national power team. Check his stats. He took 279 threes last year with gunner Eric Devendorf on the team and Rautins made an average of 2.8 makes per game. And that’s high quality defense in his face night in, night out. We don’t need to say anymore.

Best Defender – Andrew Nicholson, F/C – St. Bonaventure

After hitting the weight room this summer, the rookie record setting block machine is back to hold down the lane for the Bonnies. A legit Mutombo-like game changer, teams better rethink the attack when he’s they see his shadow looming.

Best Situation – Chretien Lukusa, G - Binghamton

The scandal that rocked Binghamton earlier this school year sent three starters and three supporting players packing, including two conference first teamers. An accomplished defender, Lukusa is the only returning starter so he pretty much should be good to go on both ends from day one.

Worst Situation – Ryan Wright, F - Oklahoma

The much ballyhooed Wright left UCLA for Oklahoma last year. Now with Blake Griffin in the NBA, the pressure is on him to contribute immediately to a team that has no real experienced frontcourt players returning. This may be a sink or swim situation that could turn against Wright in a hurry.

Most Important to Team – Andrew Nicholson, F/C – St. Bonaventure

Not enough can be said about Nicholson’s importance to his team this year so we’ll only use one word: very. He was the difference between a dead last finish and going .500 last season in the perennially tough A-10 Conference. This year, the team’s success will hinge largely on him and his improvements on both ends of the floor.

Super Sleeper – Willie Galick, F – Cal State-Northridge

Galick has been steadily flying under the radar for most of his college career finally breaking out last season as a junior transfer at Cal State-Northridge. Last year he started 25 of 33 games averaging 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, both fourth and second respectively on the team. This year, he will get the starting nod at the power forward spot from the beginning of the season for the Matadors and should really shine in the California sun.

Best Down the Road – Manny Arop, G - Gonzaga

Call me crazy but a having great games against the best in the world at your age group should be an indicator of how good you are. Arop showed how good he was in New Zealand at the U19 Worlds this summer. He will have every chance this season to show why he may be the best recruit in the Zags class this year and will only get better with experience.

Due for a Breakout - Rob Sacre, C - Gonzaga

Last season, Rob Sacre was hindered by a foot injury that kept him out of all but five games. After spending the summer working out with the Canadian Senior Men's National Team, the recovered Sacre will be the man in the middle with the departures of Josh Heytvelt and Austin Daye. With Sacre getting the first look at the starting center spot and a lack of real interior players, expect the breakout to come sooner than later.

Redemption Time – Maurice Joseph, G - Vermont

MoJo was another heralded Canadian export from the 2004 high school class along with Wright. He started out at Michigan State and was a big contributor to the team’s Tournament run in ’06 but he decided to transfer to Vermont after his sophmore campaign. Last season amid very high expectations, he began as a starter but finished coming off the bench. This season is the Montreal native’s final year to prove that he was worthy of big expectations when he became a Catamount.

Don’t Call It a Comeback – Olu Ashoalu, G/F – Louisiana Tech

Ashoalu has been on the top end of many school recruiting lists since he was a high school sophomore in Atlanta. He chose to follow the coach that recruited him to Louisiana Tech and got lost in the mix somehow. He was expected to play a big role in the team’s turnaround but red shirted his first year. Last year he showed flashes of what he could do averaging 5.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg playing in all 33 games. This year he will be asked to shoulder more of the load on both ends and should finally begin to play the way many predicted he would at this level.

Remember Me – William Archambault, F - Davidson

If you’re not aware of whom Archambault is you’ll know by the end of this season. With Stephen Curry starting in the NBA and taking with him much of the experienced outside shooting from last year’s team, the sweet shot forward will be the Wildcats’ primary outside gunner. He was the third leading scorer for the team despite starting only nine games and can light it up in a hurry. He is selected as a pre season SoCon All Conference selection, by the coaches no less, so we should all expect a big senior season from Archambault.

Diamond in the Rough - Max Boudreau, F - Buffalo

There seems to be something in the Quebec water that has the province producing seemingly unathletic yet highly efficient basketball players. Max Boudreau can arguably be the most underrated player on any team. He only averaged 13.8 minutes per but quietly put up 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds playing in all 33 contests. He managed to lead the team in scoring four times and rebounding six times last years, with two of those feats coming in the post season. This year may be the year for him to finally play more and potentially be a starter, finally.

Fab Five All Canadian First Team:

Andrew Nicholson, F/C - St Bonaventure

Harouna Mutumbo, G – Western Carolina

Andy Rautins, G - Syracuse

William Archambault, G/F - Davidson

Rob Sacre, C - Gonzaga

Ten Players to Watch:

Alex Johnson, G – Cal State-Bakersfield

Kai Williams, F – South Dakota State

Jon House, G – Belmont

Bol Kong, F – Gonzaga

Devoe Joseph, G – Minnesota

Hernst Laroche, G – New Mexico State

Tyrone Watson, G – New Mexico State

Marc Trasolini, F – Santa Clara

Francis Cedric-Martel, G/F – Richmond

Alwayne Bigby, G/F – Northeastern

Poll

Who will have the best season this year in the NCAA?

Andy Rautins - Syracuse

34 votes

Andrew Nicholson - St. Bonaventure

11 votes

Manny Arop - Gonzaga

144 votes

Harouna Mutombo - Western Carolina

16 votes

Other

12 votes

217 votes | Poll has closed

Basketball 2009-10: The Schedule

BoilerTMill — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:39:31 -0000

This is why I love blogging.

When I was watching the World Series the other night, Fox interviewed Cliff Lee after his masterful game one performance. They asked him about what the Phillies thought because, though they were the defending champs, many people were already giving this series to the Yankees. Lee went on to say the usual bland answer of, "Well, we believe in ourselves as a team and blah, blah, blah..." This quote would have impressed me more:

"The last time I checked, we're the defending champs and we're not letting go until you pry it from our cold, dead hands."

The reason I love blogging is that I can say things like that. I know last year at one time I ripped Purdue's women's team for losing to Valparaiso. There was none of this," well Valapariso is a good team and yada, yada, yada..." No. We had no business losing to a team like that and it needed to be said.

That is why I am going to have some fun with this entry. When it comes to the individual team previews close to game time I will return to my fair and balanced statistical analysis. This time, however, it is time for the third and final installment of the overall basketball season preview: a look at the schedule with wins and losses predicted. Remember, these are off the cuff, first impression predictions.

Our Time is Now

11/13 vs. Call State Northridge - W - This is the first of the, "there is no excuse to lose this one" games. The Matadors were an NCAA tournament team a year ago. They lost virtually all of their scoring from a 15 seed. We're playing at home, tipping off the most anticipated basketball season in decades. If we're truly the #7 team in the country that equates to being a 2 seed. Therefore, we need to do what 2 seeds do to 15's.

11/20 vs. South Dakota State (U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam) - W - Another game that should be a win no matter what. The Jackrabbits are a lower tier Summit League team. Those teams do not win games against the top 10. It has the potential to be the biggest blowout of the year.

11/22 vs. Boston College or St. Joseph's (U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam) - W,W - Assuming we play the Eagles in game two of the tournament it will be our first true test of the season. They were our best non-conference victory last year in a 7-point victory that came at Madison Square Garden. They are now a year older and more experienced too. They have enough talent that this is not a mortal lock for a victory on a neutral floor. St. Joseph's was 17-15 last year, but did not get invited to any postseason tournament. That is saying something when Oregon State was 13-17, yet was invited to (and won) the College Basketball Invitational. Expect a tight game here against a pretty good Boston College team.

11/23 vs. DePaul, Northern Iowa, East Carolina, or Tennessee (U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam) - W, W, W, W - Of these four teams I think first Tennessee, then Northern Iowa is likely to meet us in the final. I think both will win their first round games, meaning we would have to lose to SDSU to play DePaul or East Carolina. That won't happen. Northern Iowa fought us hard in the first round of last year's NCAA's, but their two best players in Adam Koch and Jordan Eglseder are gone. Tennessee is probably the favorite to make it to the final, and playing them will be easier than Boston College. Sorry SEC, but you suck at basketball unless you are Kentucky (historically) or Florida (more recently). Both of those programs were down last year. I think I would fear the Tennessee women's program more. And yes, I know they are ranked 11^th. I don't care.

We're supposed to take this seriously? Would Matt Painter ever do this?

11/28 vs. Central Michigan - W - A 12-19 MAC has no chance of beating us in Mackey Arena unless we are bored or disinterested. Maybe Dan LeFevour will play and make it a game.

12/1 vs. Wake Forest - W - This is another test against a solid ACC team. Wake is always dangerous in the first half of the season, so we had best be careful. They usually don't fall apart until midway through the ACC season. I give you last year as an example. They started 16-0 and were ranked number one. They lost to Virginia Tech at home, dropped four of their following eight games, then got drilled in round one by... Cleveland State. I know the Vikings are a good team, but that was embarrassing for all major conference basketball teams.

12/5 vs. Buffalo - W - Though this kind of is our Wooden opponent since we moved Ball State to the game at Conseco, the Bulls are a better team. They were 21-12 last year and won the MAC regular season title. We still should win, but it will be closer than people think.

12/9 vs. Valparaiso - W - Mmmmmm, cupcakes. See the same explanation for Central Michigan. I will be excited to see how former Kokomo Wildkat Brandon Wood performs in his closest game to home.

12/12 at Alabama - W - If Alabama is worth anything they will be undefeated prior to this game. They play absolutely no one. We, however, will be battle tested already. This is either a trap game or one in which we exert our will.

12/19 vs. Ball State (Conseco Fieldhouse) - W - I admit, this is not the best game for the Wooden Tradition. We handled Ball State last year at Ball State and two years ago at Mackey. They are getting better, but they are not on the level where they can compete with top 10 teams yet.

12/22 vs. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville - W - Here is how major college basketball teams rank opponents on their level of worry based on name alone:

Toughest: State U.

City U. (or College)

Directional State U.

State (Hyphen) City U.

Easiest: Directional State (Hyphen) City U.

Need I say more?

12/29 at Iowa - W - There shouldn't be an 0-2 conference start this year. Not when we play the consensus worst team in the league to start. Road wins will be difficult in conference play this year. We have to get this easy one.

1/1 vs. West Virginia - W - They are #9 in the preseason poll, so all eyes will be on this one. Another key factor to remember here is that this is a Christmas break game. That means no Paint Crew. You hear me alumni? You had better step up and make Mackey loud on your own. If you don't want to cheer, don't come. Since this is a Big East team Digger will automatically pick the Mountaineers by 25. Since it is New Year's Day we might steal some headlines from the college football world too. This game got a little more interesting as incoming forward Deniz Kilicli was recently suspended for 20 games, including this one.

And you thought Bruce Pearl was poorly dressed.

1/5 vs. Minnesota - W - Just a tough first home game in conference play. I expect every game in the conference this year short of Iowa to be a war. The team that defends its home courts best will win the conference.

1/9 at Wisconsin - W - Can we do the unthinkable and win three straight at the Kohl Center? No Joe Krabbenhoft says yes.

1/12 vs. Ohio State - W - Playing them at Mackey gives me tons of confidence. We took two of three from them last year, dominating the second half in both wins. I like it even better if Robbie is healthy.

1/16 at Northwestern - L - I know what you're thinking. I haven't lost my mind. We could potentially be the #1 team in the country and lose to Northwestern. Think about it though. Basketball is about matchups. Northwestern is a HORRIBLE matchup for us. We didn't handle their trap in either game last year and would have been swept had they not choked the game away in Evanston. Their style of play negates all of our advantages because they want to extend every possession and they play all the passing lanes to disrupt offensive flow. That kills us at both ends of the floor.

1/19 at Illinois - W - This is a dangerous team, but I think we grit one out in Champaign after getting humbled a bit in Evanston.

1/23 vs. Michigan - W - It is all about defending the home court for this game and the next one. That is what the entire Big Ten season will come down to. Did you defend your home court?

1/28 vs. Wisconsin - W - Maybe one of the easier home wins, but that does not mean it is an easy one. Just easier.

1/31 vs. Penn State - W - This isn't the NIT, Nittany Lions.

2/4 at Indiana - W - If we don't win at Indiana this year it will be awhile before we do it again. They will be better, but they are still too young to be taken seriously.

2/9 at Michigan State - L - I am just fine with a split, Mr. Sparty. Let's just do that and decide everything in Indianapolis first at Conseco, then at Lucas Oil. Deal?

2/13 vs. Iowa - W - If we don't win this one we don't deserve to go to the NCAA Tournament, let alone win the Big Ten.

2/17 at Ohio State - W - What is the only Big Ten basketball venue that Purdue has never won in? Value City Arena on the campus of Ohio State. We're due.

2/20-21 vs. Illinois - W - Defend the home court.

2/24 at Minnesota - L - I don't like this game and we're due for a late season stumble. The questions will arise, just before we get home and get ready for a tournament roll.

2/27-28 vs. Michigan State - W - I expect this game to decide the Big Ten regular season title. Anything less would be a shock. I have us with three losses at this point. I think someone will get MSU a couple of times before this game, so they won't be unbeaten in conference.

3/2-3-4 vs. Indiana - W - If we control our own destiny in the Big Ten there is no <expletive deleted> we lose to Indiana on Senior day.

3/6-7 at Penn State - W - If we control our own destiny in the Big Ten there is no <expletive deleted> we lose to Penn State. Not when we lost a close game playing with a six man team there last year (no Kramer or Hummel).

So yeah, I have us going 27-3 and winning at least a share of the Big Ten with a 15-3 conference record. It is a good thing we do not have to go to Michigan. Playing a horrible matchup for us like Northwestern once is also very good. Michigan State has the bad luck of getting Indiana (generally only better than Iowa) just once and they must go to Bloomington for that game. Their other one play team is Ohio State.

What do you readers think? Other predictions?

BtB 2009-10 Big West Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:00:22 -0000

With only four games separating first from eighth last season, the Big West was one of the most competitive conferences out there. Cal State-Northridge somehow captured both the regular season and tournament crowns despite losing the services of arguably their two best players for divergent reasons. The Matadors then went on to give 2 seed Memphis a battle in the first round of the NCAAs.

The level of competition in the Big West should remain the same this season, as--once again--Cal Poly looks to be the only team that will struggle. And the Mustangs should quickly become competitive under former Seattle University head coach Joe Callero, who won 117 games there. In the meantime, Long Beach State, with their three Big West All-Freshmen selections all now sophomores, and UC Santa Barbara, bolstered by the return of point guard Justin Joyner, look to be the class of the league. But you'd be foolish to overlook any of the other teams in the "California Bus League." More after the jump.

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

Big West Conference Standings

(updated 3.25.2009 at 11:59 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Cal. St.-Northridge Matadors	11	5	17	14
Pacific Tigers	10	6	21	13
Long Beach St. 49ers	10	6	15	15
UC Riverside Highlanders	8	8	17	13
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos	8	8	16	15
UC Irvine Anteaters	8	8	12	19
Cal. St.-Fullerton Titans	7	9	15	17
UC Davis Aggies	7	9	13	19
Cal Poly Mustangs	3	13	7	21

Now here are my picks for the 2009-10 season, presented in reverse order.

Cal Poly (last NCAA: None) Callero will be hard pressed to repeat the seven wins the Mustangs had under Kevin Bromley last season, as three starters off that team are gone. The losses include 12-plus ppg, 5-plus board performer F Titus Shelton and G Chaz Thomas, who contributed 11 ppg. The two returning starters, 6-2 G Lorenzo Keeler (12.7 ppg) and 6-4 Shawn Lewis (11.7 ppg, 5 rpg), are excellent building blocks. 6-10 freshman Ben Eisenhardt decided not to enroll at Seattle when Callero left, and he followed the coach to San Luis Obispo. JC transfers Will Donahue, a 6-8 center, and 6-6 forward Will Taylor will have to make an immediate impact in the frontcourt. However, Taylor's teammate at Hagerstown CC, point guard Amaurys Fermin, wasn't admitted to school and won't suit up for the Mustangs this season, meaning a freshman will probably have to fill that role.

UC Davis (last NCAA: None) While the Aggies return three starters including junior Joe Harden, a 6-8 forward who will challenge for conference honors (14.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg), 6-7 junior G Mark Payne (10.4, 5.8, 5.1 apg), and 6-10 senior F Domenic Calegari (11 ppg, 4.4), they are going to miss 6-2 shooting guard Vance Oliver. He was UCD's main offensive threat out of the backcourt, averaging 15.4 ppg. Hawai'i transfer Todd Lowenthal and redshirt freshman Julian Welch will compete for Oliver's minutes. Head coach Gary Stewart really needs his bench to step up for his team to contend, however. Backup point guard Ryan Silva'is the leading returning scorer off the bench, and he only averaged 4.7 points a contest.

UC Irvine (last NCAA: None) The Anteaters lost 6-8 F Kevin Bland (10.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) to graduation, which is potentially a big loss for Pat Douglass' squad. However, 6-5 Eric Wise is an excellent building block for UCI's revamped frontcourt, as he averaged 14 points and 6 boards in his freshman year. But the arrival JC teammates, Slovaks Pavol Losonsky, a 6-8 forward, and Peter Simek, a 6-9 center, could really provide a boost to the frontline. The Anteaters feature a solid backcourt with 5-10 senior Michael Hunter (11.9, 2.5 apg) and 6-0 junior Patrick Rembert (6.9, 2.7 apg) leading the way and 6-0 freshman Derick Flowers expected to contribute immediately.

Cal State-Fullerton (last NCAA: 2008) While Bob Burton's Titans only lost one starter, it's a departure that will leave a major hole. Big West Player of the Year Josh Akognon has graduated, taking nearly 24 points a game with him. The four returning starters are led by sophomore PG Jacques Streeter (10.4 ppg, 4.4 apg), but with Akognon taking up so much of the scoring load, no other starter averaged more than swingman Gerard Anderson's 9 ppg. That will obviously have to change if the Titans hope to return to the NCAAs after a year absence. Burton's team will be more frontcourt-focused this season. The returnees are led by Papa Guisse, a 6-8 F/C who averaged only 3.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg last year. Expect heavy contributions from three transfers: 6-7 Orane Chin (South Florida) and 6-6 Jer'Vaughn Johnson (San Diego State), and 6-10 Bryce Webster (Minnesota).

Pacific (last NCAA: 2006) Bob Thomason's Tigers always seem to be in the hunt for the Big West title, and this year should be no exception, despite the loss of three starters from last year. While two-thirds of the Tigers' starting backcourt, guards Michael Kirby (9.7 ppg, 2.3 apg) and Chad Troyer (10.7, 1.5 apg), is gone, 6-6 G Joe Ford (4.3 ppg) returns to the team that fell to Bradley in the CollegeInsider semifinals. Junior Terrell Smith (6.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and senior PG-designee Lavar Neufville (3.7 ppg) will need to pick up their production to replace Kirby and Troyer, otherwise freshmen Sterling Carter and Allen Huddleston will get more of a chance. 6-9 forward Sam Willard (7.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg) is back to anchor the frontcourt, and if his scoring output increases, he'll be a serious threat for all-Big West honors this year. He'll get a big boost with the return of 6-8 senior Michael Nunnally, who was suspended all of last season (7.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg in '07-'08). International JC transfers, 6-9 Nyika Williams (St. Vincent) and 6-11 Everson Lacerda (Brazil) should also see serious playing time. In uniform news, the Tigers will wear special "STOCKTON" jerseys when they play California in their first ever game at the Stockton Arena, four years after it opened. (HT Uniwatch)

Cal State-Northridge (last NCAA: 2009) Bobby Braswell's team looks to repeat, and while the odds may be against them, they're impossible to write-off. You only need to look at last season, when the Matadors made the NCAAs and had a ton of us "experts" scratching our heads when they gave Memphis a battle in Kansas City. This was despite the loss of leading scorer Deon Trevsant, who allegedly got caught up with Braswell's son in a plot to steal electronics, and PG Josh Jenkins to a serious auto accid ent during the season. The three returning starters, 6-4 G Kenny Daniels (8.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg), 6-8 F Willie Galick (9.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg), and 5-10 G Mark Hill (7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg), were all transfers last year. And Braswell hopes his latest crop of transfers, led by 2007-08 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Vinnie McGee (Sacramento State), can fill the substantial holes on the Matadors' roster. CSUN will face early tests in the West region of the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they open up with TCU. If they can get past the Horned Frogs, Texas State or a rebuilding Arizona State would await, with a trip to New York on the line.

UC Riverside (last NCAA: None) USC transfer Kyle Austin, a 6-7 forward made a huge impact last year, averaging 16.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg. He'll be a serious contender for Big West Player of the Year this time around. If Jim Woolridge's latest addition, Gonzaga transfer Larry Gurganious, a 6-5 forward, is anywhere near as successful, the Highlanders will be a serious threat to win their first ever Big West crown. Gurganious should replace 9.4 ppg/6.6 rpg performer Aaron Scott who graduated. Christian Soto (4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) is also gone, meaning sophomore Konner Veteto (3.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg) should see a lot more time at center. In the backcourt, Javon Borum is a strong defensive point guard who averaged nearly 10 points a game, along with 2.4 assists. Junior college transfer Dwight Gordon, who averaged almost 22 points and 9 boards a game (and 3 assists) last season, should fill the shooting guard role.

UC Santa Barbara (last NCAA: 2002) The Gauchos lost leading scorer and rebounder Chris Devine (15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg), but looked to be in solid shape thanks to the return of their other four starters. However, 6-8 C Jesse Byrd, who averaged 6.5 points and 5.4 boards a game last year, will miss his senior season thanks to a recurring knee problem. So, UCSB is now down to three returning starters, but point guard Justin Joyner returns after missing last season with a wrist injury. He'll be joined in the backcourt by Will Brew (4.8 ppg) and James Powell (9 ppg). 6-7 Jaime Serna (6.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and 7-2 Hungarian Greg Somogyi (3.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg) will anchor the frontcourt, but expect to see a lot of 6-5 James Nunnally, brother of Pacific's Michael, who averaged almost 8 points and over 3 boards a game last year. Bob Williams will also receive the services of former Loyola Marymount forward Orlando Johnson this season.

Long Beach State (last NCAA: 2007) While Dan Monson lost his leading scorer from last year, Donovan Morris (14.8 ppg), he has a very talented group coming back led by three sophomores. The 49ers are a balanced team, as the returning starters all average between 9 and 11 poitns per game. The three sophomores, 6-6 G/F Larry Anderson (10.8 ppg, 2.7 apg), 6-7 F T.J. Robinson (11.4, 6.2), and 5-9 G Casper Ware (9.1, 4.1 apg) were Big West All-Freshman selections last season. Anderson, the conference's Freshman of the Year, was the first frosh since fellow LBSU player Clifton Pondexter to be named to the All-Big West team as a freshman. Pondexter's selection came 35 seasons earlier. The 49ers bring back one returning senior starter, 6-2 guard Stephan Gilling, who averaged 11 ppg last year. Monson should give more playing time to junior G Greg Plater, who shot 39% from the perimeter, but only averaged 3.2 points a contest last year. While Long Beach has two seven footers on roster, senior Andrew Fleming (1 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and C Mike Vantrimpont, 6-9 JC transfer Lin Chang 6-9, should see the bulk of the post time, as he averaged a double-double last year. 6-10 freshman Jules Montgomery should also see time inside. This crop of 49ers will be tested by a difficult, March-focused schedule. They hold the Big West's host spot in the 76 Classic, where they open with West Virginia, and travel to Duke, Kentucky, Notre Dame, and Texas.

LBSU is my pick in what should be a very competitive league. They'll hold the Big West's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9.

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

Preseason All-Big West Team

Player of the Year: Larry Anderson, 6-6 G/F, So. (Long Beach State)

Remainder of the Team
Kyle Austin, 6-7 F, Jr. (UC Riverside)
Mark Payne, 6-7 G, Jr. (UC Davis)
T.J. Robinson, 6-7 F, So. (Long Beach State)
Eric Wise, 6-5 F, So. (UC Irvine)

Poll

Which team do you pick to win the Big West this season?

Cal Poly

0 votes

UC Davis

2 votes

UC Irvine

0 votes

UC Riverside

3 votes

UC Santa Barbara

1 votes

Cal State-Fullerton

1 votes

Cal State-Northridge

2 votes

Long Beach State

4 votes

Pacific

1 votes

14 votes | Poll has closed

Get That IV of Caffeine Ready - ESPN Is Going 'Round the Clock Again

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:13:59 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Pierre Niles sitting amongst streamers that exist only in your mind. He gets another (or is it a first?) shot at Kansas during ESPN's ultramarathon of hoops on Nov. 17. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

Browse more photos »

If you've visited the fantabulous new SBN front page earlier today, you probably saw Andrew Sharp's take on this Chris Littmann Sporting Blog post about ESPN's 2nd Annual Early-Season Hoops, um, Ultramarathon.

Yes, two months from tomorrow, on Tuesday, November 17, you will be able to watch at least 25 consecutive hours of hoops. (I, however, will not, thanks to my day job. It's really too bad they can't do this on a Saturday or Sunday, but it is football season after all.) ESPN did this last year, but took a break in the morning for a season preview show. This year, they realized we don't need one, or any other type of break for that matter. More on what awaits on this mammoth day after the jump.

ESPN has the bulk of the action overnight and during the day. Right after the clock strikes midnight on the East Coast (a perfectly reasonable 9 p.m. Pacific time tip), UCLA hosts Cal-State Fullerton. It will be the first chance for most of America to see how the Bruins cope after losing Jrue Holiday, Alfred Aboya, Darren Collison, and Josh Shipp. The Titans meanwhile lost Big West POY Josh Akognon and his 24 points per game and have six new faces (including 3 D1 transfers) on the roster.

In the 2 a.m. Eastern slot, St. Mary's, without Paddy Mills but with fellow Aussie Andrew Dellavedova attempting to fill the void, faces San Diego State, a team that will again challenge in the Mountain West, even though they only return one starter, F Billy White. The Aztecs knocked the Gaels out of the NIT at the end of last year.

Hawai'i again gets a 4 a.m. Eastern game. Last year, the Warriors defeated Idaho State in a game that was in overtime when I woke up at 6 Eastern. This year, it's another Big Sky opponent for UH, Northern Colorado.

According to Andy Katz's Daily Word, this will be the first time ESPN has ever carried games at 6 and 8 a.m. Eastern. The 6 a.m. offering, features a rising St. Peter's squad hosting a Monmouth side that's been down of late. My quibble with this matchup is the location, as the Hawks are opening up a new arena this year, yet they're on the road for this one. Go figure.

The 8 a.m. game could be a real donnybrook, however, and it takes place just a couple of miles from where I spent my first few years. Niagara, who finished behind Siena in the MAAC last year and is ready to challenge them again hosts Drexel, the team I foolishly picked to take the CAA's auto bid late last year. The Dragons problem then was scoring (61.7 ppg), an issue that won't get better as they lost their only double-digit scorer, Scott Rodgers, to graduation.

At 10, Clemson visits Liberty, a game that would've been more attractive had Seth Curry not transferred to Duke. The Tigers lost Terrence Oglesby to Europe, but gained Trevor Booker's younger brother Devin. He and 6-9 frosh Milton Jennings (a McDonald's All-American) give Clemson a significant post presence.

There is a nice little matchup in the East Coast lunch hour, as CAA contender Northeastern visits MAAC power Siena. Even though the Saints lost Kenny Hasbrouck to graduation, they return their other four starters (watch Edwin Ubiles closely). Bill Coen's Huskies also return four starters, including G/F Matt Janning.

At 2 p.m., Arkansas-Little Rock visits Tulsa, the team many think will usurp Memphis as the standard bearer for Conference USA.

I may have to leave the office a bit early to make the Temple-Georgetown game, which has a 4 p.m. tip, as it's on my list of early season games.

ESPN2 gives viewers a second option at 5:30 Eastern. Pitt hosts Binghamton in a preliminary game in the CBE Classic, where the Panthers are already guaranteed a trip to the finals in Kansas City.

The 6 p.m. offering is the East regional final of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Barring a huge upset, Duke will take on Charlotte or Elon.

At 7:30 on ESPN2, it will be the first of two from the Hall of Fame Classic in St. Louis. (Save yourself $200 and watch this doubleheader at home.) Arkansas, a program that's been in a bit of turmoil over the past few days (and one that only won 2 SEC games last year after some big non-conference wins), takes on Louisville, another team that's been the focus of a lot of offseason news.

At 8 on ESPN, Gonzaga visits Michigan State. The Spartans should be a near unanimous top three pick, while the Bulldogs will be good, even with the loss of four starters and a boatload of new recruits. This may not be the time to watch them, however.

If the TV action isn't enough, you can also see Northern Illinois-Illinois online at 8.

ESPNU picks up another CBE Classic preliminary that's not really a preliminary at 9. Duquesne, who--don't laugh--will build on last year and be a serious challenger in the A-10 this year--even without the services of leading scorer (and only loss) Aaron Jackson, visits Iowa. The Hawkeyes, just like they every year under Todd Lickliter, have personnel issues. Leading scorer Jake Kelly transferred to Indiana State and PG Jeff Peterson, the #3 scorer on the roster, transferred to Arkansas.

ESPN has the second Hall of Fame Showcase game at 10 p.m. It's a rematch of that 2008 National Championship game that the NCAA wants to wipe from our collective memories. Likely preseason #1 Kansas takes on Memphis in one we can only hope is as memorable as the game that didn't happen (but really did).

If you're still conscious at 11:30 Eastern, you can watch the final of the West regional of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Arizona State--presuming they knock off Texas State--will take on Cal State-Northridge or TCU in the final game of the day.

If you survive, be sure to take Wednesday off too. You'll need the sleep.

Bring it on! Men's basketball releases non-conference schedule

BoilerTMill — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:40:11 -0000

While I enjoyed my experience as a season ticket holder for the first time since 2002, the sheer cost in addition to football tickets had me debating this year. Football is easy get tickets for. It is always on Saturday and you always know, sometimes years in advance, which Saturdays. There are only seven games as well. Basketball is different. Counting the two exhibitions, there were 20 home games last season. Many of those were on weeknights, which meant a mad dash after work to West Lafayette where I still often missed tipoff. It is hard to get excited for the likes of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Eastern Michigan, but those go by the wayside this year.

Simply put, this is an ambitious schedule worthy of a team that many feel can contend for the national title. It has its cupcakes, but for the most part we will be more than tested before getting into Big Ten play. Let's look at it game-by-game:

Exhibitions:

11/3 California of Pennsylvania and 11/9 Kentucky Wesleyan - I think we should have scheduled Indiana of Pennsylvania two years ago when we had no home game against IU. Playing the same school last year would have probably given us a better strength of schedule than the Hoosiers too. Both of these games are tune-ups and should be easy wins, but we still need to take them seriously. Kentucky Wesleyan is a Division II power that went to that level's title game for six consecutive years from 1998-2003. They have eight Division II national titles and were 24-8 last season. We should take these games seriously. Michigan State lost to a Division II team last season at the Breslin Center. California of Pennsylvania is cool because they are nicknamed the Vulcans. Can Robbie Hummel survive the Vulcan Neck Pinch with his ailing back?

11/13 Cal State Northridge - The first official game of the season isn't going to be the cakewalk people expect. The Matadors made their second ever NCAA Tournament appearance last season after winning the Big West regular season and tournament titles. They then scared the crap out of #2 seed Memphis, leading by three with less than 10 minutes left, before the Tigers pulled away for an 81-70 win. The Matadors lose their top three scorers from last year's 17-14 team though. Only one of their 17 wins last season came against a team from outside the state of California.

11/20-11/23 Paradise Jam Tournament U.S. Virgin Islands - Only the first game should be an easy one. We open this tournament with a game against South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits were 13-20 last season, and 7-11 in the Summit League. A first round upset of #2 seed Oral Roberts in the Summit League Tournament was the highlight of their first full season in Division I. They should be better, as their top three scorers, each averaging better than 12 per game, return.

The second round will be against either Boston College or St. Joseph's. BC was a very young team last season that we beat in New York for our best non-conference victory. They should be even better this year after a surprising run in the ACC sent them to the NCAA Tournament. St. Joseph's was 17-15.

The most likely team we will face in the final is Tennessee. They were 21-13, 10-6 in a pretty awful SEC last year. They did play in one of the more exciting NCAA Tournament games, losing 77-75 to Oklahoma State on a basket with 7.2 seconds left. Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism give them a very good one-two senior scoring punch. The Vols are also known for their hot starts to the season. I would say we are the favored team in the tournament, but we have the toughest road by getting Boston College in the semi-finals. DePaul, Northern Iowa, and East Carolina are in Tennessee's half of the bracket.

11/28 Central Michigan - We just can't get away from the Chips. Even the football team could have another rematch with them if we get 6 wins and head back to Detroit for the Motor City Bowl. The basketball Chips have done very little since they sent Chris Kaman to the NBA. They were 12-19 last year and lost to Ball State in the MAC Tournament. This should be an easy home win. It's position is welcome, as the back-to-back of Oklahoma and Duke was brutal last year. I believe former Boiler Nate Minnoy is also still with Central Michigan. This would mark his first game at Mackey Arena since leaving after a promising freshman year.

12/1 Wake Forest - The Demon Deacons might be able to sit down by this point after the spanking Cleveland State gave them in the NCAA Tournament. They were 24-7 last year, but this was after a 16-0 start had them as the #1 team in the nation. They were only 8-7 down the stretch and got blown out by Miami in ACC play. They lost Jeff Teague to the NBA, but as a top ACC team they will reload. They also lost James Johnson, knocking them out of ESPN's pre-season top 25. We need this game, and this is the year the Big Ten finally wins the challenge.

12/5 Ball State - The Cardinals should continue to get better, but this is a game against a MAC team at home. There is no excuse for losing this game.

12/9 Valparaiso - The same is true for the Crusaders. Their women's team beat our last season and the ladies still went to the Elite 8, but this is an in-state team that was under .500 last year. They might battle Butler in the Horizon League, but they are the third best team in that league at best.

12/12 at Alabama - This is a very interesting game. The last time we played the Tide was my junior year in a double-overtime loss at Mackey Arena. That was in the third round of the NIT. Alabama was a middle of the pack team in the SEC last season, finishing 18-14. They went out and got Anthony Grant from Virginia Commonwealth as their new coach. Getting a win at a BCS level school outside of the conference would be a nice bonus.

12/19 at Wooden Tradition, Conseco Fieldhouse - The opponent hasn't been announced, but it should be a good one since the Wooden Tradition is always a good matchup. We have played Arizona, Butler, Louisville, Xavier, Cincinnati, Stanford, and Davidson in this event. Expect a similar level of opponent, possibly Butler again. If someone had some real stones they would have us face Notre Dame in this event, as the Irish played in it in 2000 and 2005.

Come on, Wooden Tradition organizers. Make it happen. E-mail the organizers here and tell them you want Purdue-Notre Dame at the 2009 Wooden Tradition.

12/22 SIU-Edwardsville - We played this team a few years ago when they were still Division II, but they are in the process of moving up to Division I. This was a 10-20 team last year as an independent transitional D-I member. That equals an easy win in my book.

1/1 West Virginia - This is easily the best game of the non-conference schedule and maybe the best home game of the season. The Mountaineers are a consensus top 10 team with Devin Ebanks, who spurned IU for West Virginia. We got knocked out by one of the best Big East teams in the NCAA's, so it is a great litmus test to face one of their best in 2009-10. If we win this game, we will compete for a #1 seed in March.

Final Analysis:

I love this schedule. If you want to be the best you have to play the best. The in-state teams we are playing are a couple of the improving teams in-state, while that Wooden Tradition game opens itself for a game against Notre Dame or Butler. Ball State, Central Michigan, Valparaiso, SIU-Edwardsville, South Dakota State, and Cal State Northridge all should be wins, but they are teams that can challenge us too. Boston College, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wake Forest, and Alabama are all teams that could play in the NCAA's as well. If we are somehow 12-0 after this slate we will be a no doubt top 5 team nationally, and maybe even #1 overall. The best thing is that 12-0 is a realistic goal.

This should toughen us up for what will be a brutal Big Ten slate. Once we get into the conference every game, short of Indiana and Iowa, will be a challenge. Almost everyone will be better than last season. We will be well prepared to face everyone after this slate.

Terps Beat Cal, Move On to Memphis

Ben Broman — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:47:09 -0000

I was one of the many who predicted a win over Cal, but I didn't expect it to be nearly this easy. Maryland had the five minute scoreless streak that one comes to expect after rooting for the Terps, but other than that, it was a wonderfully played game. If not for that five minute stretch, this could've been a 20 point win, instead of 13.

The biggest, most obvious plus was how they defended the 3pt line. Cal normally shoots in the 40% area, but today they shot a lowly 29%, some of which was made up near the end of the game. The supposedly unstoppable Jerome Randle had only 14 points; he made a few amazing plays, but was shut down for the most part by some great defense from Adrian Bowie. Then there's Patrick Christopher, the SG for Cal, who, normally 49% from 3, went 0-7 from distance. Cal truly died with the jumper today. More impressive, Maryland wasn't torched on the boards. They lost by four rebounds, but they consistently got out on shooters. Cal should've dominated the battle on the boards, but they didn't. The great defense opened up some easy offensive opportunities, which gave the Terps confidence in their offensive game. The confidence made it easier to work in the half court, and Maryland just executed perfectly in both the halfcourt and in transition.

The first and second halves really were two different games. In the first half, Cal was finding options outside of 3pt shooting, and Maryland couldn't distance themselves. It really was a close game that made you worried. The first eight minutes in the second half were similarly close. Cal battled back to take a lead, and everyone rooting for Maryland started to feel a bit antsy.

But much like the NCSt game, they responded perfectly to losing the lead at about the 12 minute mark. After that point, everything went right for Maryland. Hayes, Vasquez, and Milbourne hit open jumpers. Dino Gregory was extremely active once again (loved the put back dunk). Adrian Bowie made his return to the offense. Dave Neal was grabbing rebounds and making shots. Charges were called on Cal instead of blocks on Maryland. Everything was working. I can't remember the last time that happened. Generally, we're on the other side of that.

This was the type of performance Maryland needs against Memphis to compete. Vasquez put up 27, but he had help. Neal had 15, Bowie had 12, Hayes had 14, and Milbourne had 9. You can't complain about those totals. The way all the pieces are starting to come together and find their place is pretty special.

In case you missed it, Memphis nearly lost to Cal St. Northridge earlier in the day. CS-Northridge had as much as a 6 point lead in the second half, and a 3 point lead with just 9 minutes left. In fact, if it weren't for Roburt Sallie's incredible, unexpected performance (he put up 35, and he averaged 4.5 this year), Memphis probably loses that game. The zone really hurt them, which is great news for Maryland. Memphis' offense is pretty much passing the ball around looking for a mismatch or good look. The zone can have a lot of success against that kind of play. If they shoot as poorly as they did today (minus Sallie), the 3-2 zone that worked so well in the ACCT could very well kill their offense.

I think Maryland proved today that they were the team that finished out the season with two ACCT wins. Memphis, however, proved they weren't the team that looked so dominant in the C-USA. Memphis is very beatable, and I don't think I'd want any coach other than Gary Williams to coach this game. I wouldn't go so far as to predict a victory, but Memphis isn't unbeatable.