SB Nation - Charleston Cougars

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)

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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.

Tennessee 86 Charleston 69 - Vols pull away late

Will — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:47:19 -0000

More photos » by Michael Patrick - AP

19 days ago: Tennessee guard Scotty Hopson (top) shoots over College of Charleston forward Matt Sundberg, front, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Patrick)

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The return of Scotty Hopson and an 8-8 night at the free throw line from Tyler Smith were tempered by hot three point shooting from Charleston...for about 33 minutes. Tennessee repeatedly built leads of 8-12 points only to see Charleston work them back down within 3-5. But sparked by a Skylar McBee three, the Vols went on a 15-2 run that finally put the Cougars to bed, as UT picked up their fifth win of the season 86-69.

A decent post-Thanksgiving crowd saw Scotty Hopson finish with 21 points, 7 of 10 from the field and 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, a return to the form he enjoyed in the first three games of the season and his fourth 20+ point outburst of the year. Tyler Smith got it done at the line, and he and Brian Williams helped spell Wayne Chism, who again was on the receiving end of two quick fouls and later picked up a third, getting only five minutes in the first half and only thirteen for the game. Williams and Chism both had 11 points, and BWill also had 7 rebounds in 22 minutes.

Charleston went 11 of 25 (44%) from beyond the arc and got great play from their starters, but only eight points off the bench. By comparison, the Vols got 43 points off the bench in a continually impressive display of depth, and dominated the Cougars inside: +14 in rebounds, + 28 in points in the paint.

The Vols are 5-1 on the year and return to action Wednesday night, hosting an ETSU team that beat Charleston earlier this year, and is currently leading at Arkansas. The Vols will then get a nine day break during final exams before playing MTSU in Nashville on December 11.

BtB 2009-10 Southern Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:25:09 -0000

The Southern Conference, and the nation, got a little taste of what life without Stephen Curry would be like when the College of Charleston knocked off Davidson in last year's conference semifinals. The Cougars then lost to Chattanooga on the Mocs' home floor, extending the Cougars tournament drought to 10 seasons, while simultaneously making UTC the third league team to claim multiple tournament bids during the 00s. The Mocs represented the conference in 2005, former member East Tennessee State won back-to-back crowns in 2003 and 2004, and Davidson first won in 2002 before claiming three straight between 2006 and 2008. The 2008 Elite Eight squad managed the conference's only three NCAA wins in the decade. Seeing as this squad was the only conference champion to escape the bottom four seed lines during the 00s, that's understandable.

Appalachian State and UNC Greensboro were the other two SoCon qualifiers during the decade. They represented the league in the 2000 and 2001 tournaments, respectively.

Even with Curry gone, the Wildcats will challenge for the title, especially with the conference tournament shifting to their backyard (Charlotte) this season. However, look to two of their South Division competitors, Bobby Cremins' Cougars and their crosstown rivals, The Citadel, fresh off their first ever postseason berth. to lead the way. In the North Division, Buzz Peterson is back at Appalachian State, and he has some talent at his disposal, while Western Carolina brings back all five starters from a team that tied for the division crown last time around.

As you can see, there's still plenty to watch in this conference, even after the player who may arguably be its greatest ever has moved on to the NBA. More on all 12 teams after the jump.

Here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order, starting with the North Division. (Click here to see my College of Charleston preview and my preseason All-SoCon team, as it wouldn't attach to this post.)

North Division

UNC Greensboro (last NCAA: 2001) The Spartans lost one starter from last year's 5 win team, F Damian Eargle (9.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg), a gifted sophomore who departed for personal reasons. The remaining four starters, led by 6-4 Finnish G Mikko Koivisto (12.4 ppg, 2.4 apg) and 6-5 F Ben Stywall (11.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg), will have to improve on both ends of the court to improve their win total. Meanwhile, head coach Mike Dement hopes that two freshmen, 6-8 Brian Cole and 6-7 Taylor Hoffer, can turn into the frontcourt force Eargle threatened to become. UNCG's non-conference schedule is ACC heavy, as they visit Duke and Virginia Tech, and face Maryland, NC State, and Wake Forest at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Elon (last NCAA: None) Former Davidson assistant Matt Matheny is the new head coach of the Phoenix, and his team could struggle in his first season, as last year's two leading scorers F Ola Atoyebi (13.9 ppg) and G Brett James (13.2 ppg) are both gone. The good news is that none of the team's other main performers from last season, led by the guards Josh Bonney (5.4 ppg, 3.1 apg), Devan Carter (7.1 ppg), and reserve Chris Long (7.2 ppg) left after the coaching change. Lots of players, especially an underperforming frontcourt, will have to step up to keep the Phoenix out of the basement, however. The Phoenix will participate in the South region of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Duke, where they'll open with Charlotte.

Chattanooga (last NCAA: 2009) The Mocs, last year's North Division champs, hosted last year's SoCon tourney and claimed the crown. Don't expect a repeat trip, as all five starters from that team are gone. The team's leading returning scorer is 6-6 senior G Ty Patterson, who averaged a little more than 8 points a contest this season. In fact, John Shulman's roster is loaded with reserves from last year's team, but one key newcomer is 6-5 F Troy Cage, a JC transfer who played at UNLV, and should immediately make his presence known. The Mocs schedule includes trips to Missouri and Richmond for the South Padre Island Invitational. They'll face Texas-Pan American, then either Bethune-Cookman or Longwood in the main tournament. In a scheduling coup, Georgia Tech visits McKenzie Arena this season.

Samford (last NCAA: 2000) Jimmy Tillette has four starters back from a team that finished at .500 overall, and just below that mark in the league. He also returns his five leading scorers from a season ago. The Bulldogs' strength is their backcourt, featuring 6-4 junior Josh Davis (10.1 ppg) and 6-4 senior Trey Montgomery (11.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg),the team's leading rebounder from a season ago. That should serve as a warning to a frontcourt that features 6-6 FBryan Friday (12.5 ppg. 3.5 rpg) and 6-8 C Andy King (8.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg), who certainly could put the ball in the basket, but need to increase their sometimes timid rebounding efforts. Two freshmen, 6-10 Levi Barnes and 6-9 Andrew Windler, will push them for minutes. During the non-conference season, Samford will visit Alabama, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. They'll also take part in a round-robin event at Ohio, which, oddly enough, will feature a game against crosstown rival UAB.

Western Carolina (last NCAA: 1996) The Catamounts finished last season with a mark that was just above .500 both overall and in the SoCon. They should be better this season, as all five starters are back--led by last year's SoCon Freshman of the Year, 6-4 Canadian G Harouna Mutombo (14.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.8 spg), and senior backcourt mates Brandon Giles (13.2 ppg) and Brigham Waginger (8.4 ppg, 3.3 apg, 2.6 spg). Head coach Larry Hunter could stand to get a little more production from a frontcourt featuring starters Adrian Gailliard (4.9 ppg. 3.1 rpg), Richie Gordon (6.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg), and reserve Jake Robinson (9.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg), however. If they step up, WCU becomes a serious contender for the overall league crown. This season, the Catamounts visit Clemson, Louisville, and Texas, as part of the CBE Classic. They'll also host one of that event's subregionals, featuring A-10 contender Duquesne, decimated America East champ Binghamton, and D-2 Arkansas-Monticello.

Appalachian State (last NCAA: 2000) Buzz Peterson is back to coach the Mountaineers after nine years away from Boone. He has a chance at immediate success, thanks to the return of five starters from a team that only managed 13 wins in 2008-09. The backcourt is one of the best in the league, as 6-1 junior Donald Sims 13.7 ppg, 2.3 apg) and 6-1 senior Kellen Brand (14.8 ppg) are offensive threats from anywhere on the floor, and senior PG Ryann Abraham (9.8 ppg) returns after a season that featured a suspension. The frontcourt features two strong rebounders--6-6 senior F Josh Hunter (8.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and 6-10 junior C Issac Butts (8.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg)--who could stand to score a little more. Appalachian's schedule features road trips to Arkansas, Dayton, Louisville, and Robert Morris. The games against the Razorbacks and Cardinals are part of the odd Hall of Fame Showcase event.

South Division

Georgia Southern (last NCAA: 1992) (Thanks to Rose Carter in GSU's sports information department for helping me clear this entry up.) GSU alum Charlton Young replaced Jeff Price at the helm after a 8-22 season that featured only 5 league wins. Young lost two starters, though guard Julian Allen, who was one of five Eagles to average more than 9 points a contest last season was suspended for the final third of last season. That means Georgia Southern still has a few guys who can score, especially guards Willie Powers (14.6 ppg before he suffered a knee injury), Antonio Hanson (12 ppg, 2.4 apg), and Ben Drayton III (11.8 ppg, 2.6 apg). Plus, 6-7 senior F Tyler Troupe, really stepped up after Allen's suspension, averaging 13.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg during the last 10 games of the season. So he'll be an effective weapon on the wing an in the 3 spot. However, Young will have to get his players to give a better effort on the defensive end of the court for the win total to increase. The Eagles visit South Carolina and Florida, as part of the Legends Classic. GSU will welcome D-2 Arkansas-Fort Smith, Troy, and Valparaiso to Statesboro for one of that event's "subregionals."

Furman (last NCAA: 1980) The Paladins are the classic "good news/bad news" case this season. For the good, Jeff Jackson has all five starters back. Now, the bad. That team only managed six wins, four in the league. 6-2 guard Jordan Miller was the only Paladin who averaged in double figures last season (13.8 ppg), so it's no wonder this team ranked near the bottom of every offensive statistical category in the SoCon. If the players can build on its experience, and Jackson can get more out of a frontcourt that didn't do nearly enough on the glass, they should improve significantly. Trips to in-state rivals Clemson and South Carolina are on the slate, as is a trip to California for the Golden Bear Classic.

Wofford (last NCAA: None) Mike Young's squad is loaded with experience this season, as all of his starters and key reserves are back from a squad that finished 16-14. However, as there's still a lot of other talent in the South Division, it could be tough for them to leave the middle of the pack, especially as the Terriers struggled on defense last season. 6-6 junior Noah Dahlman (17.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) anchors the frontcourt, while 6-2 senior Junior Salters(15 ppg) is the leader in the backcourt. 6-5 junior swingman Tim Johnson averaged 10 points a game, while grabbing nearly 9 boards a contest. If Wofford can focus on both ends of the floor this season, they'll surprise. The schedule should prepare them for the rigors of the SoCon slate. They open with a trip to Pitt, while they also visit Georgia, Michigan State, Bradley, and Illinois. The last two games are part of the Las Vegas Invitational, and the Terriers will face Southern and Seattle or Presbyterian in Vegas. Wofford also welcomes South Carolina to Spartanburg.

Davidson (last NCAA: 2008) Not only is Curry gone, but so are F Andrew Lovedale and G Max Paulhus Gosselin. That means the returnees, led by 6-7 F Steve Rossiter and sharpshooters Bryant Barr--a 6-4 G, and William Archambault--a 6-6 swingman, will have to really up their offense production. Curry's nearly 29 points a contest will be hard to replace, and losing Lovedale's 12.5 points and nearly 9 boards a game makes the problem even bigger for Bob McKillop's squad. Expect 6-10 soph Frank Ben-Eze and 6-10 frosh Jake Cohen to battle to replace Lovedale inside. The schedule is typically tough, starting with a BracketBuster rematch with Butler right away. The Wildcats will fill the SoCon's host slot in the Charleston Classic, where they'll face USF in their opener, then La Salle or South Carolina on day two. They also face Gonzaga in Seattle and Cornell, then Hofstra or St. John's in the Holiday Classic.

The Citadel (last NCAA: None) Ed Conroy's team managed 20 wins and the school's first ever postseason bid, a trip to the CollegeInsider tournament, where they lost to Old Dominion by 8 in round one. The Bulldogs should be competitive again, but Conroy needs to replace graduated C Demetrius Nelson (16.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg), the team's leading scorer. Look for 7-0 former Washington backup C Joe Wolfinger--who has a year of eligibility left while he's in grad school--to get the first chance to replace him. The backcourt won't be an issue, thanks to the presence of 6-1 Cameron Wells (15.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and 6-2 Zach Urbanus (10 ppg, 3.3 apg), while swingmen John Brown (5 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and Austin Dahn (6.8 ppg) could stand to help them out more offensively. The Bulldogs visit Houston, Texas A&M, and West Virginia, and host Michigan State.

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Southern Conference this season?

Appalachian State

2 votes

Chattanooga

1 votes

The Citadel

1 votes

College of Charleston

2 votes

Davidson

4 votes

Elon

0 votes

Furman

0 votes

Georgia Southern

2 votes

UNC Greensboro

0 votes

Samford

0 votes

Western Carolina

0 votes

Wofford

1 votes

13 votes | Poll has closed

A Game (or Two) a Night: December 2009

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:05:39 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Michigan State Junior G Kalin Lucas (1) is the only player in this picture who will be present at the rematch of the 2009 National Championship Game on December 1 in Chapel Hill. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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December as a month features the last few multi-team events of the season and the bulk of conference challenge action. It's also a time when most teams have to wedge games between exams and holidays and fans have to dodge stale holiday specials and on filter through bowl games to find hoops on their TV sets. Believe me, there will be plenty of televised college basketball over the last week of the year--including a return of action, island-style to Christmas Day itself. So, if you find yourself needing a break from football, there will be roundball!

You'll find my December picks after the jump. For information about the other games on the air during the final month of 2009, visit MattSarzSports.com.

Tuesday, December 1
Michigan State at North Carolina (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) (ESPN, 9 ET)
The rematch of last year's National Championship game is exactly why I feel that these conference challenges should be moved to the second half of the season. While this game should be pretty good as is (especially since it's at the Dean Dome), it would be even better if played six or so weeks later, so both teams, particularly the younger Tar Heels, can have more of a chance to gel.

Wednesday, December 2
Pittsburgh at Duquesne (CBS CS, 7 ET)
Now, if the Dukes had been allowed to advance in the CBE Classic, they could've shared the Sprint Center with the Panthers. They'll have to be satisfied with sharing the floor at the Igloo one more time, as this game moves to the Penguins new rink in 2010.

Thursday, December 3
Cleveland State at Wright State (ESPNU, 9 ET)
The Horizon League season starts early, and this matchup features two teams who are serious threats to Butler in the race. The Vikings won the conference's auto bid last season, and then upset Wake Forest. The Raiders were a bid thief in 2007.

Friday, December 4
Akron at Texas A&M (FS Southwest, 8 ET)
Fridays are typically light nights during the season. (Trust me, you'll see what I mean in my next couple of posts.) The Zips have a good chance at repeating in the MAC. (Well, as good of a chance as anyone else who's tried of late.) Meanwhile, the Aggies should be on their way to figuring out how to play without Chinemelu Elonu in the middle.

Saturday, December 5
Wake Forest at Gonzaga (ESPN2, 5:30 ET)
A matchup of two teams who will be very competitive despite significant losses, James Johnson and Jeff Teague in the Deacons' case and Austin Daye, Micah Downs, Josh Heytvelt, and Jeremy Pargo for the Bulldogs.

Sunday, December 6
Arizona at Oklahoma (Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series) (ESPNU, 7 ET)
Sean Miller brings his Wildcats, bolstered by some last-minute recruits, to Norman to take on a Griffin-less, but still potent Sooner squad. Kansas at UCLA earns honorable mention honors. And I'll be at the BB&T Classic to see Villanova take on Maryland.

Monday, December 7
Long Beach State at Texas (ESPNU, 9 ET)
The only nationally televised game of the night (though I will pick regional telecasts later). The 49ers continue their aggressive scheduling (as they're the "host" school at the 76 Classic this year), taking on a Damion James-led Longhorn team who should challenge the Jayhawks at the top of the Big 12.

Tuesday, December 8
Vanderbilt at Illinois (Big Ten, 8:30 ET)
The Illini won by 6 in Nashville last year, but the Commodores could give them an even better game in the return. Honorable mention goes to the Jimmy V Classic, Butler vs. Georgetown and Indiana vs.Pittsburgh. Who would've ever forseen a day where the Bulldogs might be the most highly rated team of that group of four?

Wednesday, December 9
Kentucky vs Connecticut (Big East/SEC Invitational) (ESPN, 9:30 ET) If the undercard of Georgia vs. St. John's puts the crowd at MSG to sleep, I think Calipari vs. Calhoun should wake them up.

Thursday, December 10
Syracuse vs. Florida (Big East/SEC Invitational) (ESPN, 9 ET)
Since these are my two favorite teams, this was the obvious choice for me.

Friday, December 11
Iowa vs. Iowa State (Cyclones TV, 8 ET)
This matchup of two teams with coaches who really need to start winning is the only game on the TV schedule for tonight.

Saturday, December 12
Georgetown vs Washington (John Wooden Classic) (FSN, 2 ET)
The Hoyas do something under JohnThompson III that his father would've never done, travel cross-country for a non-league game. The Huskies sure aren't St. Leo's.
I would have selected the second half of the doubleheader, Mississippi State vs. UCLA, but Renardo Sidney's eligibility issues make this game slightly less attractive.

Sunday, December 13
Cincinnati at Xavier (ESPNU, 7 ET)
The Crosstown Shootout should be a great one this year. The Musketeers have been the best team in the city over the past few seasons. They have wins in the last two in the series. The Bearcats, meanwhile, should be far more competitive in Mick Cronin's fourth year at the helm, especially with Lance Stevenson joining the team.

Monday, December 14
Georgia Tech at Chattanooga (FS South, 7 ET)
The Yellow Jackets visit to the SoCon tourney champions is the only game on the TV schedule on this Monday.

Tuesday, December 15
Georgia State at Florida State (FS Florida, 7 ET)
The transfer-filled Panthers will look to repeat their 62-57 win over the Seminoles in Atlanta last year.

Wednesday, December 16
Wright State at Mississippi State (ESPN2, 7 ET)
Last year, the Bulldogs dropped December home games to Charlotte and San Diego. This year, it's the Raiders turn to try to pull an upset at the Hump.

Thursday, December 17
Auburn at Florida State (FS Florida/NESN, 7 ET)
The NIT quarterfinalist's visit to Tallahassee is the best option on a very light night.

Friday, December 18
As there are no televised games listed for this night, it would be a good time to wrap up your holiday shopping.

Saturday, December 19
UCLA at Notre Dame (CBS, 2 ET)
Saturday makes up for the lackluster slate during exam week, as we also have Michigan at Kansas, North Carolina at Texas, and Duke vs. Gonzaga on the schedule. The Bruins trip to South Bend gets a very slight nod, as these two on-again/off-again hoops rivals last met in 2005.

Sunday, December 20
Florida State at Georgia Tech (FSN, 5:30 ET)
The Seminoles and Yellow Jackets open their ACC seasons in Atlanta.

Monday, December 21
UTEP vs. Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) (ESPN2, 6:30 ET)
The Miners hope to be among the teams to unseat a weakened Memphis in C-USA. A win over the Sooners in their backyard would be a great confidence-builder for them.

Tuesday, December 22
California at Kansas (ESPN2, 9 ET)
While this game isn't technically a part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, it is a matchup of two teams who each have an excellent chance of winning their respective conference's crown.

Wednesday, December 23
Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis) (ESPN2, 8:30 ET)
The Illini actually won this one by 16 last year. The Tigers could have a hard time gaining revenge without the services of DeMarre Caroll, Matt Lawrence, and Leo Lyons.

Thursday, December 24
It's Christmas Eve, so there are no games scheduled.

Friday, December 25
Diamond Head Classic Final (ESPN2, 9:30 ET)
This tournament features some rebuilding squads (St. Mary's, USC, UNLV), a few teams who haven't been relevant for awhile (host Hawai'i, SMU, and Western Michigan) and two mid-majors who could do really well against this particular group of teams (College of Charleston and Northeastern)

Saturday, December 26
West Virginia at Seton Hall (CBS, 3:30 ET)
Oddly enough, this Big East battle is the only game on the Boxing Day schedule.

Sunday, December 27
Austin Peay at Missouri (FS Midwest, 2 ET)
This is one of three games on the schedule. The Governors are perennial contenders in the Ohio Valley, and they'll be looking to pull a seed-boosting upset at Mizzou Arena.

Monday, December 28
American at Florida (FS Florida, 8:30 ET)
The two-time defending Patriot League champs who appear to be destined for a fall take on a two-time National Champion who already has taken one.

Tuesday, December 29
Penn State at Minnesota (ESPN2, 9 ET)
It's the Big Ten opener for the NIT Champion and a Gopher squad that may have just pipped them to an NCAA bid last time around. I would have selected Northern Iowa at Creighton, which should match up the two best teams in the Missouri Valley, but that game is currently only scheduled for local TV

Wednesday, December 30
Northwestern at Illinois (Big Ten, 7 ET)
The Wildcats open up their Big Ten slate with a trip to their in-state rival.

Thursday, December 31
Oklahoma at Gonzaga (ESPN2, 10 ET)
While it won't quite be November 17, it will be a marathon day on ESPN2, starting at noon. Michigan at Indiana, Ohio State at Wisconsin, and Tennessee at Memphis are all featured matchups during the day. However, I'll take the inter-sectional matchup to close the day, month, and year out as my choice. (Watching a million drunk people go crazy over a lighted ball dropping is so 2000.) There's also a good Pac-10 option, Arizona State at UCLA on FSN as part of their New Year's Eve festivities.

That will close out 2009, my games for January will follow tomorrow evening.

Thursday News and Notes

Gamecock Man — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:17:20 -0000

Football

Phil Steele on Strength of Schedule. Get ready: Steele has us playing the fourth toughest schedule in the nation--good for toughest in the SEC--based on his previous year W/L percentage statistical analysis. It never gets easier, does it? Now, I'm not one to get too riled up over these rankings, as you never really know how tough your schedule is until about mid-way through the season, after it becomes apparent who's for real and who's not. UGA, for instance, was supposed to have one of the toughest schedules in the nation last year, but many of their opponents--Arizone State, Tennessee, Auburn, us to a certain degree--ended up tanking, thereby devaluing their schedule. Plus, as Get the Picture tells us, there's reason to doubt Steele's particular rankings. However, it certainly seems fair to say that we have a tough schedule, considering that we're playing the usual SEC East slate, inter-divisional games against good Ole Miss and Alabama teams and an Arkansas team that should be improved, and the game with Clemson along with a game at what could be an improved NC State.

Basketball

Charleston Tourney Update. We appear to be set for this event. The lineup isn't particularly impressive. It includes Penn State, Miami, South Florida, College of Charleston, Tulane, La Salle and UNC Wilmington. PSU, Miami, and C of C are good programs, but most of the others are fairly forgetable. Still, I think this is a good opportunity for us to play some at least relatively decent competition during the non-con slate as well as hopefully to get some valuable national exposure.

Baseball

Gamecocks Drop to Clemson. The Tigers really handled us in this one, beating us 12-2. Sigh. Next up: Gators in Gainesville.

Other NCAA News

Malcolm White Transfers from Ole Miss to LSU. Many commentators were recently pegging the Rebels as a dark horse team in the SEC next year. Now, though, they have suffered abrupt departures from two of last year's major contributors, White and David Huertas. It may be another uphill climb for Andy Kennedy's team.

Diamond Dawgs Lose to Jacksonville State. JSU calls themselves the Gamecocks, as you may have known. Too bad it wasn't us, huh? At any rate, this was yet another weird mid-week loss for the Dawgs, who have dominated the better half of the SEC but seem incapable of beating the lowly.

Smart Football Talks Hal Mumme. Here's a good story about one of the game's major innovators over the past twenty years. By the way, if you don't read Smart Football regularly, you're missing out. This is definitely one of the most intelligent, informed football blogs on the web, featuring everything from history lessons to descriptions of tactical strategy.

Four Bids Monday, Three Today

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:14:35 -0000

Monday was one of those rare nights, not an overwhelming number of games going on, but they were all of massive importance. Tonight will be similar, even with the Big East first round games only being available on the conference's website.

Four teams are in after last night's action.

VCU returns to the dance after a year's absence, handily defeating defending CAA champion George Mason, 71-50. Rams' guard Eric Maynor had everyone oohing and aahing in the first half. He ended up with 25. The star of the night, however, was VCU forward Larry Sanders, thanks to a 18 point, 20 rebound, 7 block line.

Chattanooga won the Southern Conference crown on their home floor, knocking off the College of Charleston, 80-69. Even though the Mocs were the North Division's top seed, they would've finished below fourth place Wofford in the South Division. That doesn't bode well for their seeding come Sunday.

Siena outlasted Niagara, 77-70, to win the Metro Atlantic crown on their home floor. Kenny Hasbrouck had 19 for the Saints, while Ryan Rossiter had 16 points and (unbelivably) 16 boards.

And St. Mary's at-large chances took a major hit in the West Coast final. The Gaels fell to Gonzaga, 83-58. Patty Mills looked rusty again, managing only 5 points on a woeful 2-16 (that's 12.5%) shooting night. It wasn't a great night for the SMC guards period. The Bulldogs ended up with six players in double figures.

Three bids are on the line tonight.

If you remember correctly, the two opponents for tonight's Horizon League final (ESPN, 9 EDT), Butler and Cleveland State were determined in Saturday's semifinals.

Summit League (ESPN2, 8 EDT) - Top-seeded North Dakota State defeated Southern Utah, 79-67 to advance to the final. The Bison, who feature four redshirt seniors, making their one run at the Dance, take on the three seed Oakland, who ended seventh-seeded South Dakota State's run, depriving us of a true Badlands final.

Sun Belt (ESPN2, 10 EDT) - Western Kentucky got a battle from North Texas, but the top-seeded Hilltoppers built a lead at the end and won 77-70. WKU faces sixth-seeded South Alabama for the title tonight. The Jaguars defeated regular-season co-champion Arkansas-Little Rock 54-44. The Trojans only shot 26 percent from the field and 53 percent from the line.

I'll be working on a bracket off-and-on tonight to have it up after the Sun Belt game.

Championship Monday Review/Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:17:51 -0000

The last Sunday of the regular season for the BCS leagues was a busy one, and thrilling conference tournament action as well. Let's get right to the recap. As always, box scores are from Basketball State.

Only one team punched their ticket on Sunday. Northern Iowa is the second straight surprise Missouri Valley champion. The Panthers defeated Illinois State, 60-57 in overtime. Ali Farokhmanesh got the better of Valley POY Osiris Eldridge in the extra stanza, as Eldridge missed time with cramping. I feel bad for the people of Richmond, who couldn't see this game. Their CBS affiliate carried Raycom's telecast of Virginia Tech at Florida State instead.

Four teams will make the field this evening.

Colonial (ESPN2, 7 EDT)- VCU and George Mason survived ODU and Towson, respectively, after another thrilling afternoon of action in Richmond. The Tigers really gave the Patriots a battle. The predominantly VCU crowd definitely tried to give them a boost, especially since I didn't need both hands to count the number of Towson fans present at the Coliseum.

Southern (ESPN, 7 EDT) - College of Charleston upset CBS darling Davidson, 59-52, meaning the chances of seeing Stephen Curry in this year's tournament are slim. Curry managed 20 points, but only on 5-18 shooting, including 2-11 from outside. The homestanding Chattanooga Mocs will be the Cougars' next opponent, as they knocked out conference newcomer Samford, 80-71.

Metro Atlantic (ESPN2, 9 EDT) - Homestanding Siena defeated Fairfield handily, 80-65. The Saints had a lot of balanced last night, with five players hitting double figures. Kenny Hasbrouck was surprisingly not one of them, as he only scored 9. Next up for Siena is a rubber match with 2 seed Niagara. The Purple Eagles needed a Tyrone Lewis three to tie it at the end of regulation, but they ended up getting past Rider, 93-89 in double OT.

West Coast (ESPN, 9 EDT) - Gonzaga had no problem with Santa Clara, winning by 25. In the other semi, Saint Mary's got Patty Mills back. The Aussie was a bit rusty (12 points on 25% shooting with 4 assists), though he did look far better in the second half. The Gaels defeated Portland for the second time this year, 71-61.

Two other conferences had their semifinals Sunday, but their championship games won't be until later in the week because of TV considerations.

America East - Binghamton will host Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday morning. The sixth-seeded Retrievers knocked off the homestanding and seventh-seeded Albany Great Danes, 64-58. The top-seeded Bearcats are on track for their first ever NCAA appearance. They defeated fourth-seeded New Hampshire, 72-67.

Patriot - American hosts Holy Cross Friday afternoon. The Eagles had a hard time shaking Army, winning 61-60, while the Crusaders prevented a second straight AU-Colgate final, 61-44.

If that's not enough for you, the Summit League (7 EDT, Full Court) and Sun Belt (7:30 EDT, Full Court) semifinals are also on available. In the Summit, there was a big upset in the quarterfinals Saturday, as 7 seed South Dakota State knocked three-time defending champion Oral Roberts out. The Jackrabbits face 3 seed Oakland. Top seed North Dakota State looks to keep their hopes of a first-ever tournament bid (in their first year of eligibility) alive. The Bison face the 5 seed, Southern Utah. In the Sun Belt, the higher seeds were having their way in the quarterfinals, until sixth-seeded South Alabama upset the 3 seed, Troy. The Jaguars next face 2 seed Arkansas-Little Rock. Top seeded Western Kentucky takes on the 4 seed, 2007 tournament champion North Texas.

Outside of Auto-Bid Land

Virginia Tech lost to Florida State, 63-53. That means the Hokies are in the 8/9 game in the ACC tournament. Their opponent is Miami, which makes that first round tie a virtual bubble elimination game.

If Auburn has life in the SEC, Vanderbilt must as well. The Commodores made it to 8-8 in the stronger East division by (oddly enough) beating a Western opponent - Arkansas, 75-58.

UNC is in good shape for a #1 seed after beating Duke, 79-71. Michigan State continued to build their case for a 2, as they knocked off Purdue, 62-51. Wake has a case too after beating Clemson (who looks likely to be on the outside looking in when it comes to a protected seed), 96-88.

Ohio State got a big win over Northwestern, 52-47. Evan Turner had 17 for the Buckeyes, and it seemed like his sole purpose for the evening was to keep the Wildcats' dance drought going. I'm not ready to write Northwestern off yet, as they play Minnesota in the 8-9 game on Thursday in Indianapolis. If they win that, they get another shot at Michigan State Friday.

I'll be around this evening to talk about the four big championship games and whatever else you're thinking about here in the stretch run.

Championship Week, Day Four

Bill C. — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:00:09 -0000

The action's picking up now!! A solid 23 games on the schedule this beautiful Friday...and they start right now (Georgia State/Delaware and Georgia Southern/Hot Hot Hot Appalachian State)!

America East Round One (in Albany)

8 Maine v. 9 Hartford (6:00 pm)

America East Quarterfinals

4 New Hampshire v. 5 Stony Brook (7:30 pm)

Colonial Round One (in Richmond)

8 Georgia State v. 9 Delaware (11:00 am)
5 Hofstra v. 12 UNC-Wilmington (1:30 pm)
7 James Madison v. 10 William & Mary (5:00 pm)
6 Drexel v. 11 Towson (7:30 pm)

MAAC Round One (also in Albany!)

8 Loyola-MD v. 9 Canisius (6:30 pm)
7 Iona v. 10 Marist (8:30 pm)

Southern Conference Round One (in Chattanooga)

N4 Appalachian State v. S5 Georgia Southern (11:00 am)
S3 College of Charleston v. N6 UNC-Greensboro (1:30 pm)
S4 Wofford v. N5 Elon (6:00 pm)
N3 Samford v. S6 Furman (8:30 pm)

West Coast Round One (in Vegas)

5 San Diego v. 8 Loyola Marymount (8:00 pm)
6 Pepperdine v. 7 San Francisco (10:30 pm on ATDHE.net)

Horizon League Quarterfinals (at Butler)

4 Wright State v. 5 Milwaukee (5:00 pm on ATDHE.net)
3 Cleveland State v. 7 UI-Chicago (7:00 pm on ATDHE.net)

Missouri Valley Quarterfinals (in Tha Loo)

1 Northern Iowa v. 9 Indiana State (12:00 pm on FSN/Metro)
4 Bradley v. 5 Southern Illinois (2:35 pm on FSN/Metro)
2 Creighton v. 7 Wichita State (6:00 pm on FSN/Metro)
3 Illinois State v. 6 Evansville (8:35 pm on FSN/Metro)

Atlantic Sun Semifinals (in Nashville)

2 East Tennessee State v. 3 Belmont (6:00 pm on ESPN 360)
1 Jacksonville v. 4 Lipscomb (8:30 pm on ESPN 360)

Ohio Valley Semifinals (also in Nashville)

1 UT-Martin v. 4 Morehead State (6:00 pm on ESPNU)
2 Austin Peay v. 3 Murray State (8:00 pm on ESPNU)

Games of the Day

Creighton v. Wichita State
If Creighton makes the MVC finals, they're probably in the tourney whether they win or not. But the MVC seems all about parity these days, and no upset there would surprise me.

College of Charleston v. UNC-Greensboro
Charleston beat Davidson a few weeks ago, and if Davidson doesn't win the SoCon tourney, that's another team occupying a bubble slot (though conventional wisdom seems to have turned against them). All the major conference teams should be rooting for the 5-24 UNCG Spartans to knock out a team that could knock out the Fightin' Steph Currys. Won't happen, but go ahead and root for it.

UNC 108, College of Charleston 70

T.H. — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:50:38 -0000

So it turns out College of Charleston is still called "College of Charleston" and not "Charleston." And they're 38 points worse than UNC, who it turns, out is not entering a death spiral spelling the doom of the program, but is instead providing its loyal fans free biscuits. Who'd a thunk it?

UNC played their typical game, dominating the boards and getting plenty of steals, and actually had a decent percentage from the perimeter, shooting seven of fifteen to break 40% for the first time since UNC-Asheville.

Sure, it's a largely meaningless the Heels were supposed to win, but those were hard to come by in the ACC tonight, as Maryland lost to Morgan State and Boston College followed up their UNC upset by falling to... Harvard. Don't expect to see either of those opponents come March - the Crimson are 8-6, and Morgan State is 6-8 (And based out of Baltimore, if you're curious, a fact that none of my party knew, despite them all being residents of the state of Maryland.)

The loss to Harvard I find fascinating. There was an uncanny trend in 2007 for the teams that played UNC to lose their following game, no matter how they played against the Heels. This trend held up right through the postseason, where Duke went out in the opening round of the ACCs after last playing UNC, and Georgetown stumbled against Ohio State after ending Carolina's season. If the trend holds for this year, look to call a lot of bizarre upsets by going against Carolina's victims.