SB Nation - Gardner-Webb Bulldogs

Around the ACC: 11.24.09

MRickman84 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:49:13 -0000

by Brennan Linsley - AP

How about that Purdue-Tennessee game? Those two teams looked like top ten teams, and it was definitely a physical game to say the least. I'm excited to go more into Purdue's team as we look forward to next week's showdown in West Lafayette. As to the ACC, teams went 4-1 with the only loss being BC at the hands of Northern Iowa.

Boston College 69, Northern Iowa 81
UNI got a spectacular game from Kwadzo Ahelegbe, who was 14-17 from the floor, scoring 32 and adding 4 assists and 2 rebounds. Any time a guy goes 14-17 it's usually a combination of poor defense and the player just straight balling. UNI shot 65% as a team and 5-9 from deep. They also had just 5 turnovers on the day. That's usually a recipe for success. Corey Raji led BC with 18 points and 5 rebounds. Josh Southern and Joe Trapani added a combined 23 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Virginia Tech 71, Campbell 60
The Fighting Camels sure lived up to their name yesterday. Virginia Tech usually has a couple games like this (3 point win over Gardner-Webb last year, loss to Seton Hall), so it was good to see them get back under control and finish the game. J.T. Thompson set a career high with 17 points, while Malcolm Delaney added 15 on just 3-13 shooting.

UNC 93, Gardner-Webb 72
This game was a lot closer than the final score indicated. Gardner-Webb really hung in there. And once again, it was a combination of poor defense and turnovers that were stinging the Heels. Gardner-Webb hit 15 of 36 threes on the day, but a lot of those misses came near the end of the game when they were in desperation mode.

Deon Thompson is quickly becoming an All-ACC candidate and had another big night--22 and 10 on 9-10 shooting. Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis combined for 31 points and 18 rebounds, while highly-touted freshman John Henson continued to struggle with his production (Just 2 points on 1-3 shooting in 13 minutes).

Clemson 102, Winthrop 66
Now Clemson is doing it right so far. They are winning by an average of 35 points in their 4 wins. They're playing cupcakes like a lot of other teams, but they are just straight dusting people. Clemson had 6 players in double figures--Jerai Grant, David Potter, Tanner Smith, Andre Young, Noel Johnson and Trevor Booker--and 10 players played double-digit minutes. This is the way to see what you have on your bench and keep your starters fresh.

Maryland 79, Chaminade 51
Maryland looked shaky early on and it could be a combination of the trip to Hawaii or the fact that Chaminade really tries to get up for these games, but the Terrapins were able to take the lead with 7 minutes left in the first half and run with it. Sean Mosley led all scorers with 19 points and had 8 rebounds. Greivis Vasquez continues to struggle with his shot (2-7), as he is just 28.6% in the early goings.

UNC and the Struggles of Youth

T.H. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:57:49 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

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Somewhere around the sixth or seventh three-pointer it just got old.

True, by this point the game wasn't in doubt. I'm not sure it ever was in doubt, in fact, although with this team you can't really be sure, with their propensity towards turnovers. They're getting better at that, as well, but still had eleven in the second half and have yet to pare their mishandles down to below 15 this season. With that sort of ball handling, the game is never truly out of reach for an opponent.

But back to the three pointers. Grayson Flittner sunk nine of them on sixteen attempts, tying a Smith Center record. And that's pretty much all he did, managing only three other shots the entire game. He's a six-foot lefty from Indiana, and that was pretty much his one and only move. Shoot a three, sink a three. Shoot a three, sink a three.

I understand the logic. The three is a low-percentage shot, and Carolina loves nothing more than to snatch the rebound and start their own break. They played their game, which was entirely fast breaks and points in the paint. (UNC attempted four threes. Thomas Thornton made the only one with 24 seconds remaining.) But last week Ohio State stormed back from 14 down. Last week Syracuse went on a 22-1 run. I wanted a little victory, and that victory was putting a hand in the face of the short kid shooting threes from all over the place. It never happened.

To be fair, perimeter defense is not what did the Heels in at Madison Square Garden. In fact, when the Orange went to the three is when they started missing, and Carolina began their own run to cut it to eight. No this is just a young team, who haven't gotten a rhythm yet, whose turnovers aren't falling fast enough, and who would prefer to spend December experimenting with lineups and matchups instead of facing three brutal opponents in four games. That will be an interesting month.

Twelfth is a good ranking for this team right now. They were overrated at fifth, and the order you list teams in November is only slightly less useless in the grand scheme of things than picking names out of a hat. It does rankle a bit that adjustment was a headline, with terms like "dropped sharply" and "falls." When you're the only team moving you get stuck with all the attention. There's one more tune-up game before the Heels return to the national stage in a week and a day. Who knows where the team will be by then?

But it would have been nice to shut down a couple of those threes.

Kentucky vs. Morehead State -- Pre-game Analysis

Truzenzuzex — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:57:33 -0000

by Ed Reinke - AP

Expect to see a lot of Eric Bledsoe taking the ball to the hole tonight.

View full size photo »

Tonight, Kentucky takes on the Eagles of Morehead State, a Kentucky college. Like most Kentucky colleges, the Eagles have had some success in the basketball arena over the years, and last year made it to the NCAA tournament where they nearly knocked off the #1 seeded Louisville Cardinals. This is the season opener for the Wildcats, and as such is a very significant game.

Kentucky has had shocking failures early in the season in recent history. Last year, UK lost to Virginia Military Institute 111-103 in its season opener. The year before that, UK won the season opener only to lose its second game to Gardner-Webb (then affectionately known as "Gardener-Who?") 88-64 in a contest that wasn't even that close.

But Tubby Smith had a few tough years with early games, too. In 2001-02, Kentucky narrowly defeated exhibition opponent Athletes in Action, 88-83, in overtime, then went on to lose its season opener to Western Kentucky, 64-52. In 2000-01, Kentucky lost it's first two games of the season versus St. Johns and UCLA in the Coaches Vs. Cancer tournament.

As you can see, slow starts are not unknown to the Wildcats in the new millennium.

But tonight marks a new era in Kentucky basketball, and despite some trepidation about facing a team that made the NCAA tournament last year and who boasts one of the best rebounders in college basketball in Kenneth Faried, Kentucky comes into this game loaded with size, speed, talent, and an aggressive new offense and defense. This is Kentucky as it has not been since the late Pitino years.

A look at the Morehead State Eagles

Here is the roster for Morehead State:

No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Year	Hometown	High School	Notes
1	Maze Stallworth	F	6-4	215	Sr.	Elizabethtown, Ky.	John Hardin HS	Role player last year, good ballhandler and 3pt. shooter (.380). 3rd leading scorer (12ppg)
2	Jamel Marshall	F	6-5	225	Fr.	Orlando, Fla.	Olympia HS
3	Aaron Williams	G	5-10	175	R-Fr.	Lousiville, Ky.	Dupont Manual HS
5	Rashad Hosea	G	6-3	185	So.	Detroit, Mich.	Cody HS	Not on roster last year.
10	Corey Clemens	G	6-2	175	Fr.	New Castle, Ind.	New Castle Chrysler HS
11	Terrance Hill	G	6-1	170	So.	Columbus, Ga.	Jordan HS	Role player last year, not a 3pt. threat.
13	Ty Proffitt	G	6-4	200	So.	London, Ky.	South Laurel HS	Transf. from Notre Dame. Saw limited action with Irish, may be a good 3 pt. shooter.
15	Brandon Shingles	G	6-3	175	Sr.	Albany, Ga.	Westover HS	Transf. from Abraham Baldwin (Ga.) CC
22	Demonte Harper	G	6-4	185	Jr.	Nashville, Tenn.	Whites Creek HS	Significant contributor last year, average 3pt shooter, good rebounder.
23	David Terrell	F	6-5	225	Jr.	Houston, Tex.	Worthing HS	Transf. from Midland CC
24	Steve Peterson	F	6-5	190	So.	Columbus, Ga.	Jordan HS	Limited role player last year, not a scoring threat.
25	John Lamb	G	6-1	180	Jr.	Indianola, Iowa	Indianola HS	Limited role player last year.
33	Jason Beharie	F	6-9	230	Fr.	London, England	Canarias Basketball Academy
34	Sam Goodman	G	6-2	185	Jr.	Lawrenceville, Ga.	Central Gwinnett HS	Transf. from Northwest Florida State CC
35	Kenneth Faried	F/C	6-8	225	Jr.	Newark, N.J.	Technology HS	Second best defensive rebounder in the country and 8th best offensive rebounder. 2nd leading scorer (13.8), good defender and shot blocker.
45	Les Simmons	F/C	6-7	220	Sr.	Mountainville, N.Y.	Cornwall Central HS	Transf. from Cecil CC

Coaching Staff

Name	Title
Donnie Tyndall	Head Coach
Chris Moore	Assistant Coach
Joel Zimmerman	Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Matt Grady	Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Adam Howard	Director of Men's Basketball Operations

2009-10 Overall Record: 20-16
2009-10 Conference Record/Finish: 12-6 (4th)
Last Postseason Appearance/Record: 2009- NCAA Tournament/1-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1
Newcomers: 6

Analysis:

The Golden Eagles have a large number of transfers this year, so there is very little known about them at this point. Ty Proffitt may tickle the memories of some, because the class of 2007 recruit out of London, KY was thought to be headed to Kentucky before he was injured, and wound up signing with Notre Dame. He was little used by Mike Brey, and now finds himself playing for Donnie Tyndall.

The Eagles get bigger this year with the addition of 6'9" Jason Beharie from The Canary Islands via England. Obviously, very little is known about this guy.

The Eagles last year were a scrappy, relatively efficient team that was solid defensively and very good on the boards due to the presence of Kenneth Faried. They are a smallish team, and had a tendency to turn the ball over a lot last year. The Eagles started very slowly last year, losing their first six straight games, including a 70-21 decision versus Grambling.

The Eagles are shorter, slower, less athletic and less skilled than Kentucky at every position. The only advantage they seem to have is experience and a solid Division I player in Faried.

Other than that, they have very little with which to challenge Kentucky except verve, grit, and the fact that UK is fielding a 100%, brand-new team under a new coach. That combination of negatives for UK should not be minimized, but it is very difficult to see how the Eagles overcome the overwhelming physical and skill advantages of the Wildcats.

The Eagles will try to control the pace of the game, and if they are able to do that, they may keep the Wildcats from running away and hiding. But my feeling is that they will not be able to slow down Kentucky enough to keep them from mounting a big advantage by late in the first half and cruising to victory.

Projected score: UK 86, Morehead State, 58.

Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 via CollegeInsider.com

aGent37 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:19:23 -0000

Less than one week after being ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Poll, Butler earns the top spot in the preseason Mid-Major Top 25.

The Bulldogs, who finished last season with a 26-6 record and a No. 4 ranking in the final Mid-Major poll of the season, received 28 of the 31 first place votes. No. 2 ranked Gonzaga received two first place votes and No. 3 ranked Siena received the other. Rounding out the top five are Northern Iowa and Western Kentucky.

Old Dominion, which won the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, headlines the next five, followed by Creighton, Akron, Wright State and Niagara.

The Horizon League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Missouri Valley Conference each boast two teams among the top 10, while the Colonial Athletic Association leads all conferences with four teams ranked in the first Top 25 of the season.

The MAAC, Missouri Valley and West Coast Conference have three teams in the rankings.

"I'm excited to be a part of the top 25 panel and want to ensure that all the deserving teams are recognized as the season unfolds," says Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating. "With a number of teams already considered among the country's best heading in, this promises to be a great year for teams across the country."

Keating has been named as the chairman of the voting panel, which includes eight new voters. Rick Byrd (Belmont), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), Wayne Tinkle (Montana) and Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan) will each cast a weekly vote during the 2009-10 season.

Teams considered for the Mid-Major Top 25 come from 23 conferences or leagues including the Great West Conference and the Independents.

		Record	Points	Previous
1.	Butler (28)	0-0	770	-
2.	Gonzaga (2)	0-0	699	-
3.	Siena (1)	0-0	699	-
4.	Northern Iowa	0-0	612	-
5.	Western Kentucky	0-0	585	-
6.	Old Dominion	0-0	580	-
7.	Creighton	0-0	568	-
8.	Akron	0-0	444	-
9.	Wright State	0-0	377	-
10.	Niagara	0-0	366	-
11.	VCU	0-0	313	-
12.	George Mason	0-0	304	-
13.	Northeastern	0-0	298	-
14.	Oakland	0-0	288	-
15.	Portland	0-0	285	-
16.	Illinois State	0-0	236	-
17.	College of Charleston	0-0	230	-
18.	Cornell	0-0	215	-
19.	Rider	0-0	190	-
20.	Long Beach State	0-0	171	-
21.	South Alabama	0-0	166	-
22.	Boston University	0-0	114	-
23.	St. Mary's	0-0	105	-
24.	Davidson	0-0	102	-
25.	Radford	0-0	99	-

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: North Texas 84, Cleveland State 82, Troy 77, Kent State 76, Jacksonville 72, UC Santa Barbara 69, Southern Illinois 64, Morehead State 61, Wichita State 58, Sam Houston State 57, Holy Cross 50, Weber State 50, Buffalo 44, Vermont 44, Morgan State 38, Mount St Mary's 38, Wisconsin Milwaukee 36, Bradley 24, Stephen F Austin 15, American 14, East Tennessee State 14, Denver 13, Murray State 13, North Dakota State 14, Middle Tennessee State 11, UW-Milwaukee 10, Miami 9, Montana State 9, Portland State 9, San Diego 9, UNC Asheville 9, Western Carolina 9, Wisconsin Green-Bay 8, Appalachian State 7, Norfolk State 7, Cal State Northridge 6, Indiana State 6, South Dakota 6, South Carolina State 5, Montana 4, St Peters 4, Belmont 3, Lehigh 3, Arkansas Little Rock 2, Chicago State 2, Princeton 2, Santa Clara 2, SE Louisiana 2, Central Michigan 1, Detroit 1, Jackson State 1, Longwood 1, Quinnipiac 1, Texas A&M CC 1, Texas San Antonio 1, Wofford 1.

VOTING PANEL: Randy Bennett (St. Mary's), Will Brown (Albany), Rick Byrd (Belmont), Dave Calloway (Monmouth), Kermit Davis (Middle Tennessee), Steve Donahue (Cornell), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), James Fox (Davidson), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Kerry Keating (Santa Clara) *, Billy Kennedy (Murray State), Tod Kowalczyk (UW-Green Bay), Jim Larranaga (George Mason), Jim Les (Bradley), Mike Lonergan (Vermont), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Jimmy Patsos (Loyola MD), Tom Pecora (Hofstra), Vann Pettaway (Alabama A&M), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), John Shulman (Chattanooga), Brad Stevens (Butler), Gary Stewart (UC Davis), Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts), Wayne Tinkle (Montana), Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan)

* Santa Clara head coach Kerry Keating is the chairman of the Top 25 voting panel for the 2008-09 season.

BtB 2009-10 Big South Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:39:42 -0000

It was a relatively quiet offseason in the Big South. High Point and Liberty were the only two schools to change coaches. Scott Cherry replaced the fired Bart Lundy as the head coach of the Panthers, while former Colorado State head coach Dale Layer (who was actually working as a Marquette assistant) replaced another former Ram head coach, Ritchie McKay, as the leader of the Flames.

The other big news of the offseason is the decision of several promising youngsters to try their luck out of the league. The most famous case is that of Seth Curry, who left Liberty for the big time, Duke. Brolin Floyd also left, though he has yet to decide on a destination. Steadman Short left High Point for Marshall. Omar Carter, formerly of Charleston Southern, will suit up for Appalachian State next year. Tovi Bailey also left the Bucs and will play at Division II Lander. And that's just a start, as several other key performers went looking for greener pastures this offseason.

The Big South teams has several incoming transfers eligible this season. More on them and their impacts on their new teams after the jump.

Let's first take a look at what last season's Big South standings looked like.

Big South Conference Standings

(updated 3.24.2009 at 12:08 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Radford Highlanders	15	3	21	12
Virginia Military Keydets	13	5	24	8
Liberty Flames	12	6	23	12
UNC-Asheville Bulldogs	10	8	15	16
Gardner-Webb Bulldogs	9	9	13	17
Winthrop Eagles	9	9	11	19
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	5	13	11	20
Charleston Southern Buccaneers	4	14	9	20
High Point Panthers	4	14	9	21

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

Presbyterian (last NCAA: None) The Blue Hose didn't fare too badly in 2009-08, their first season playing a Big South schedule. However, they'll be hard-pressed to repeat their 9-9 league record this time around. With an eye on gaining the automatic bid in their first season of eligibility in 2011-12, head coach Gregg Nibert is going to redshirt his core players this season. Center Al'Lonzo Coleman and guards Josh Johnson and Pierre Miller will sit and come back next season with two years of eligibility left. In the meantime, the Blue Hose will be the youngest team in the league, so expect them to take their fair share of lumps.

Liberty (last NCAA: 2004) The Flames did a nice job last year, winning 23 games overall and acting as a factor in the conference race. However, the coach of that team and three starters are gone, as Curry and Floyd transferred and F Anthony Smith (17.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg) graduated. Dale Layer's team is now woefully short on experience. 6-4 guard Kyle Ohman is the leading returning scorer (13.9 ppg), but no other returnee averaged more than 6.9 ppg. The Flames' two 6-9 forwards, Tyler Baker and Austin Smith will be expected to boost their output, and Layer will also lean heavily on his crop newcomers, led by 6-2 guard Evan Gordon, brother of LA Clipper Eric.

Charleston Southern (last NCAA: 1997) The Buccaneers looked like they were going to be a serious contender for their second-ever NCAA bid. That was until Bailey and Carter decided to leave. The good news for CSU is that Jamarco Warren (17.8 ppg, 2.8 apg) is back to run the show and that forward Kelvin Martin is due to improve on his averages of 9 points and 7 boards per game as he returns from a knee injury. 6-10 C Billy Blackmon also returns after breaking his forearm early last season. However, the transfers will really affect the depth of Barclay Radebaugh's squad.

VMI (last NCAA: 1977) The big question in Lexington, VA this year is can Duggar Baucom's system be just as effective when three key pieces move on. The Keydets will be without the Holmes twins, Chavis and Travis, who averaged more than 41 points combined, and Willie Bell who accounted for nearly 9 points and 6 boards a game. Guards Austin Kenon (16.3 ppg) and Keith Gabriel (13 ppg) are back, so they'll continue to do their part. How well last year's bench players and newcomers Joe Carr, a 6-2 guard, and Stan Okoye, a 6-5 swingman, fit into their new roles in Baucom's offense will dictate whether the Keydets can rise above this prediction.

High Point (last NCAA: None) The Panthers actually return four starters, but losing Steadman leaves a substantial hole in the frontcourt. 6-7 junior forward Jourdan Morris could be an adequate replacement as he averaged nearly 7 points and 3 rebounds per contest. 6-11 C Cruz Daniels will have to improve his offense this season. Last year, he averaged nearly 8 points a game, to go along with 8 boards. The backcourt is in good shape, however, as double digit scorers Nick Barbour and Eugene Harris return and sophomore PG David Singleton (4.8 apg) is back to run the offense.

Winthrop (last NCAA: 2008) The Eagles, dynasty of the Big South, thanks to 7 NCAA appearances in this decade, fell hard last season. The 9-9 Big South record wasn't too bad, but recording only 2 wins in 12 non-conference games hurt. It's miraculous that the Eagles managed to win as many games as they did, as no one averaged in double figures in scoring. 6-7 F/C Charles Corbin was the team's leading scorer, averaging 9.5 points a game to go along with almost 6 rebounds. Randy Peele's team will have to find some scoring punch, otherwise they will sink further down the standings. 6-9 F Matt Morgan, a transfer from St. Bonaventure, should be a helpful addition.

Gardner-Webb (last NCAA: None) Rick Scruggs' backcourt could be among the best in this league, if they improve their scoring output. If they do, the Bulldogs should improve on the 9-9 mark earned in their inaugural Big South campaign. Point guard Grayson Flittner (14.5 ppg, 3.8 apg) is a contender for Big South Player of the Year, and his numbers should improve as he suffered from knee issues throughout last season. However, with the graduation of 14 point per game performer Aaron Linn, no returnee other than Flittner cracked double digits last season, though C Auryn MacMillan should increase his production this year. Last year, he averaged only 9.4 ppg while shooting over 61 percent from the floor last year, Flittner's backcourt-mate, Jonathan Moore should also improve on his average of 9.1 ppg in Linn's absence.

UNC Asheville (last NCAA: 2003) The Bulldogs were young last year, but very competitive, winning 10 games in the league. With that year of experience, Eddie Biedenbach's squad should be ready to challenge for a conference title. Senior G Sean Smith (10.8 ppg) will provide leadership, and he'll team with sophomore G Matt Dickey (10.9 ppg) to provide a consistent perimeter threat. Junior F John Williams will provide inside scoring and rebounding (12.9 ppg, 6.6 ppg). while sophomore PG J.P. Primm (9 ppg, 4.5 apg) will run the offense.

Coastal Carolina (last NCAA: 1993) Cliff Ellis has all five starters back, as 6-5 F Joe Harris (15.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg) decided to stick around for his senior year. That means the Chanticleers are the team best equipped to challenge Radford for the league crown. Ellis also gains the services of South Carolina transfer Chad Gray, a 6-7 forward, who will join Harris and 10 point/6 rebound man Anthony Breeze in what could be one of the more formidable frontcourts in the league. The Chants' growth as a team may depend on how well the backcourt of Dexter Moore (7.2 ppg), Mario Edwards (9 ppg), and swingman Logan Johnson (6.9 ppg) builds on some solid performances at the end of last season.

Radford (last NCAA: 2009) The Highlanders already had a frontcourt that is the envy of most teams at this level of Division I, and they likely will be even better down low this year. You already know about 6-11 Art Parakhouski, who averaged better than 16 points and 11 boards last season. You may also have heard of PF Joey Lynch-Flohr, who scored 14 while grabbing almost 6 a contest. Now, you can add Binghamton transfer Lazar Trifunovic (and don't you think he's glad to have left that mess), a 6-8 forward who will likely step right in and contribute for Radford. The Highlanders will likely miss G Kenny Thomas (14.7 ppg, 5.8 ppg) and 6-5 Chris McEachin, who averaged almost 9 points a game in a reserve role left school over the summer (HT to e-mailer Tom Raschke for alerting me to this). He would have slid in beside Amir Johnson (9.6 ppg, 5.2 apg) to form a pretty good backcourt tandem. Now RU has a bit of a hole. In this league, when you can put together as impressive a frontcourt as Brad Greenberg has, you might only need a passable backcourt to cut down the nets in March. (And in selecting Johnson for my preseason All-Big South team, I think they could be really good back there.)

So, thanks to their prospects inside, the Highlanders are my preseason pick to repeat in the Big South. You'll see them in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket on November 9. To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big South team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big South Team

Player of the Year: Artsiom Parakhouski, 6-11 C, Sr. (Radford)

Remainder of the Team
Grayson Flittner, 6-0 G, Sr. (Gardner-Webb)
Joseph Harris, 6-5 F, Sr. (Coastal Carolina)
Amir Johnson, 5-9 G, Sr. (Radford)
Joey Lynch-Flohr, 6-8 F, Sr. (Radford)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big South this season? (Note that Presbyterian is not an option as they are ineligible for the postseason.)

Charleston Southern

1 votes

Coastal Carolina

0 votes

Gardner-Webb

1 votes

High Point

0 votes

Liberty

1 votes

Radford

6 votes

UNC Asheville

1 votes

VMI

3 votes

Winthrop

0 votes

13 votes | Poll has closed

On the Brink of Madness

Ken Howlett — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:03:01 -0000

At long last. Since the April hiring of John Calipari as Kentucky's new basketball coach, the Commonwealth and all its zealous UK contingent have patiently awaited mid-October; the beginning of a new hoops season. Finally, four years of mediocrity are now behind us, and so, in the spirit of celebration, here are my 10 reasons for UK fans to party like it's 1998:

1.Gardner-Webb, VMI, Houston, San Diego, and UAB are off the schedule-- Not only are those teams not on UK's basketball schedule this season, but UK fans, players, and the athletic administration alike should feel comfortable in breathing a big sigh of relief at the thought that the current coaching regime will not sacrifice wins, in order to make a point.

UK losing to teams they are accustomed to punishing (for taking the money and running back home), should be a thing of the past. Not that Big Blue will win every game they play, they won't, but the unhappy circumstance of having to watch over, and over, and over as UK's latest distressing loss to the peasants is endlessly replayed on the World Wide Leader, is now a thing of the past. In five years we'll all look back and laugh, at least that's what I'm telling myself.

2. Rupp will be rockin'-- For the first time in at least four years, Rupp Arena will once again be a destination for the enthusiastic.

Recently, Rupp has been an unpleasant place, filled to the rafters with negativity and condemnation, but that will all change in 2009. Harken back to the halcyon days of Rick Pitino and his Bambinos, remembering the way they shook the foundation of college basketball's most storied arena (at least to us UK fans it is), and now, knowing we are on the precipice of that singular type of exuberance once again, should give the ticket holding fan at least one more reason to be excited about the upcoming season.

No more wishing Bruce Pearl was UK's coach (yes, I've heard that uttered more than once as I ran to the bathroom to regurgitate my Rupp dog), no more, "He (Gillispie) won't last 'til the end of the year," no more, "What in the ___ are they doing out there?" Instead of utterances filled with sarcasm and loathing, shouts of victory, and On On UK will once again fill Rupp's crib.

3. Rick Pitino vs. John Calipari -- Kentucky versus Louisville always has been, and always will be the recipient of much focus and intensity from both sides of the aisle, but adding to the combustible concoction is the apparent disharmony of the state's two major basketball figures. When and why the two coaches decided not to like each other is inconsequential. The only important aspect of their relationship (or non-relationship) is the fact that they don't care for one another. And that's how it should be.

I think the problem stems from the fact that the two coaches are so much alike. Brothers from a different mother, one might say -- Both very charismatic, both very articulate, both very comfortable in front of the camera, both very driven to succeed, both very comfortable with a microphone stuck to their mouth, both recruiters of the highest order, both Italian, and neither lacking in self esteem. The competition, not only on the court, but in the living rooms of the nation's top recruits, should be robust, adding fuel to an already flaming rivalry.

4. March Madness -- The month of March around Kentucky for the last four years has been a time for spring cleaning, instead of springing-up off the couch in jubilation. Dread and the uneasy anticipation of defeat is all that has kept UK fans warm as the March winds have propelled North Carolina, Texas, Michigan State, and a myriad of other programs past UK in the pecking order of college basketball's elite.

Finally, once again, Kentucky will be a "player" in March, and with a little luck, April.

5. Belated punishment-- Florida, Vanderbilt, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Mississippi State -- As is true with most UK fans, I am thoroughly sick and tired of UK consistently losing to the inferior programs of the SEC. If one desires to froth at the mouth with anticipation of payback, one only needs to think back to the whipping South Carolina game UK last season in Columbia, or the Senior Day loss to last place Georgia, or the Ole Miss loss that began the historic "Slide of '09," or the 41-point vaporizing at the hands of Vandy two years ago. Vandy for chrissakes!

Mel Gibson need not raise a hand to help, this payback will be handled, and handled with aplomb.

6. Patrick Patterson-- UK's All-SEC and All-America candidate will finally be able to show us what he's got. Before this year, poor Patterson was a lone warrior in the paint, left to his own devices to enforce his presence on the floor. This season, though, Patterson will at last have some help in the form of DeMarcus Cousins, and Daniel Orton on the inside, and a host of guards talented enough to consistently get the ball to the big fella.

The most appealing thought Patterson must be experiencing at the moment has to be that he won't be alone anymore; no longer will he be harassed by double- and triple-teams. The opponent will have no choice but to guard him honestly, with no cheating by an off-defender. It's a small reward for the man who chose to stay at UK (instead of taking the $$), but a reward he will reap with gusto.

7. The SEC Tournament -- Over the last two years UK has been in the unenviable position of playing on the first day of the SEC Tournament ... that garbage ends now.

For a program that is responsible for putting the SEC on the college basketball map, having to suffer the indignity of playing on the first day of the tournament has been an exercise in rationalization. It goes like this -- "Well, if they play on Thursday, they have a good chance to get another victory because they'll be playing a weak team ..." Note to self: If UK is playing on Thursday, they're the weak team.

Kentucky shouldn't be worried about getting another victory to pretty-up their resume'. The one and only goal of playing in the SEC Tournament should be to cut down the nets, and solidify UK's ...

8. Seed in the NCAA Tournament-- For far too long Kentucky, and Kentucky fans, have suffered through Selection Sunday with palpable dread at the thought of UK receiving a seed reserved for those lucky to be dancin'. Even worse, we've been left to wonder if an NCAA Tournament seed is forthcoming, and if so, wondering which No.1 or No. 2 seed UK will be saddled with in their second round game. This felonious assault on our nature has resulted in UK fans being sardonic about (what is historically), the most fruitful month of the season

But, now that UK has a coach that means business (and from what I can tell, business is good), March should become much more tasty, even to the most refined palate.

9. Leaving North Carolina in the dust-- Hey, Roy Williams can't coach forever, and with John Calipari at the helm of the biggest, baddest boat in the sea, the 'Cats should continue to hold the distinction of being the winningest college basketball program in the land. Plus, it's only just and right that Kentucky, the original gangster, hold its place at the apex of college basketball's ultimate tote board.

That tote board looks thusly -- UK 1,988 wins, North Carolina 1,984 wins. Beating UNC to the magical 2,000th win is an absolute must. Period. Thankfully the cavalry arrived in the nick of time.

December 5 ... circle it, cancel all plans, and hide the women and children. It will be Big Blue versus "Girly" Blue. Epic.

10. And we're gonna have fun, fun, fun now that daddy took the T-Bird away -- The point of A Sea of Blue, the point of being a fan, is to have fun. And since we UK fans have been predisposed by virtue of our DNA to be hot-blooded Wildcat worshipers, and in order to fully enjoy the fan experience, the fun meter needs to be in the red.

Of course, lately, fun and UK basketball have been battling foes; one wanting to have nothing to do with the other. At long last, though, after what seems like decades, fun and UK basketball will once again be willing partners. At last we can relax, and enjoy the ride, for UK is now back among those who enforce the rules, and not on the business end of the night stick.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, do yer thang!

UK Basketball: The 'Cat's Finally out of the Bag

Ken Howlett — Fri, 22 May 2009 08:43:58 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Come to daddy!

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With the historic (some say "unprecedented") recruiting haul perpetrated by UK basketball ~~savior~~ coach John Calipari, capped off by the signing of the ridiculously-talented point guard John Wall, an excited Big Blue Nation is once again on the brink of enjoying a season of round-ball victories. Or more pointedly, a season full of meaningful, March, round-ball victories. For many, November can't get here soon enough.

Who can blame them?

For it seems like eons ago that Kentucky occupied the penthouse of college basketball. Four consecutive seasons of disappointment, unfulfilled promise, and early exits from the biggest of dances, the NCAA Tournament, left UK fans feeling numb and uncharacteristically downtrodden.

Who can blame them?

After-all ...

... Kentucky fans, over the last four seasons, have witnessed a buffet of poor play, which has led to ...

Perplexing Losses

The "Sheray Thomas illegally leaving the lane during a free throw" induced SEC Tournament loss to Mississippi State in 2007.
The 2008 home loss to Gardner-Webb (I blame that game on my wife, she was there).
The 2007 and 2008 "we're going to pound the paint even though Varnado is blocking everything we shoot" losses to Mississippi State (I blame that game on my wife, she was there).
The 2008 home loss to San Diego.
The 2008 "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" Freedom Hall loss to UAB (I blame that game on Tru, he was there).
The 2008 road loss to Houston.
The 2009 home loss to VMI.
The 2009 home finale loss to Georgia (the worst team in the SEC).

Kentucky fans have also endured an extraordinary number of ...

Blowout Losses

Indiana in December of '05 -- 79-53
Kansas in January of '06 -- 73-46
Florida in February of '06 -- 95-80
Memphis in November of '06 -- 80-63
Indiana in December of '07 -- 70-51
Louisville in January of '08 -- 89-75
Vanderbilt in February of '08 -- 93-52
North Carolina in December of '08 -- 77-58
South Carolina in February of '09 -- 77-59

Yet another reason the Bluegrass has been so overwhelmingly absent Wildcat joy for lo these many (four) years is the conspicuous ...

Absence of Kentucky From the National Rankings

The following is a list of how many games UK played as a ranked team over the last four years:

2005-'06 Season -- Total games played as a ranked team; 14 of 35. Zero games played versus an SEC opponent as a ranked team.
2006-'07 Season -- Total games played as a ranked team; 11 of 34. Six games played versus an SEC opponent as a ranked team.
2007-'08 Season -- Total games played as a ranked team; two of 31. Zero games played versus an SEC opponent as a ranked team.
2008-'09 Season -- Total games played as a ranked team; One of 36. One game played versus an SEC opponent as a ranked team.

This, coming on the heels of UK being ranked in 153 straight games played. A streak that started on December 2, 2000, and ended January 7, 2006.

Nothing gets a UK fans blood boiling more than not being ranked, except of course a poor ...

Rupp Record

Since Rupp Arena opened for 1976-'77 season, UK has won roughly 90.0% of all games played there, but over the last four seasons UK's winning percentage has dropped dramatically to an unacceptable 76.8%. UK's recent home record:

2005-'06 Season -- 11-4
2006-'07 Season -- 14-2
2007-'08 Season -- 14-4
2008-'09 Season -- 14-6

That's a very un-Cat-like 53-16. Comparatively speaking, from the 1990-'91 season to the 2004-'05 season (15 seasons), UK was nearly unbeatable at home, coming out victorious 186 times against only 17 losses (91.6 winning percentage).

Just as disturbing to most fans was UK's ...

SEC Record

2005-'06 Season -- 9-7
2006-'07 Season -- 9-7
2007-'08 Season -- 12-4
2008-'09 Season -- 8-8

That's a cumulative 38-26 (59.4%) SEC record. Pitiful, especially when one considers this -- Between the '90-'91 season and the '04-'05 season, UK sported a Brad Pitt-handsome 186-46 SEC record. That's winnin' 'em at an 80.2% clip, for an average record of 13-3.

SEC Sidebar -- As many know, UK has won more SEC Tournament Championships than all the other SEC member schools combined. Never before has UK's dominance been more apparent than from the '91-'92 season until the '04-'05 season. During those 14 years, Kentucky's SEC Tournament record was 34-4. Read that again; 34-4. And they won 10 tourney championships. Amazing. But, in the last four years, UK has gone 4-4 with zero tourney titles. "Cat-lanta" was reduced to "Cat-loss-lanta."

Just as painful and fan endurance-testing was UK's ...

Overall Record

During the same time-span ('90-'91 to '04-'05) UK's cumulative season record was 424-94. An overall winning percentage of 81.9. Conversely, UK's record the previous four seasons looks like this:

2005-'06 Season -- 22-13
2006-'07 Season -- 22-12
2007-'08 Season -- 18-13
2008-'09 Season -- 22-14

That comes out to an unremarkable 84-52 record, good for a 61.8% rate of victory. Pretty good for Georgia or Ole Miss, but pretty pathetic for UK.

And what most (some would say all) UK fans live for, the ...

NCAA Tournament

Over the last four years, instead of March bringing a healthy dose of Kentucky sizzle, the ensuing Wildcat fizzle has been the source of the Commonwealth's March MADness.

In the 14 years prior to the meltdown, UK's record for the NCAA Tournament was 43-12. An astonishing 78.2 winning percentage, to go along with: Two National Championships, four Final Fours, and nine Elite Eights. At minimum, nine out of 14 years UK made the Elite Eight. Truly an incredible run, which is made to look even more incredible when one considers UK's most recent NCAA outcomes:

2005-'06 Season -- 1-1
2006-'07 Season --1-1
2007-'08 Season -- 0-1
2008-'09 Season -- NIT

That says it all.

But, why bring up the statistical freak show now?

To illustrate, in crystal clear form, that UK and UK fans deserve what is about to happen. No, I didn't say we are entitled, or some-such thing. I wrote that we "deserve" the renaissance that awaits, come November of '09.

DESERVE -- to be worthy (of); merit.

As a fan base, accustomed to winning at about a 75-80% clip, we have weathered the imperfect storm which clouded our winters, and reduced our spring to following our favorite pro baseball teams grapefruit league results. But, we never gave up.

Through all the frustration and anger, UK fans never walked away. For confirmation, one only has to peruse the Rupp Arena average attendance marks:

2005-'06 Season -- 22,519
2006-'07 Season -- 22,763
2007-'08 Season -- 23,421
2008-'09 Season -- 22,554

Fair-weather fans? I don't think so.

We have continued to support the 'Cats through unparalleled trying times -- Never in UK's history has the basketball team performed so inadequately over a stretch of four consecutive seasons. But, our passion never waned, the rock-steady belief that UK would be back, never waned. We didn't question IF Kentucky would be back, only WHEN.

When Florida, U of L or some other less fortunate fan base told us that UK's time had passed, we nodded knowingly, saying, "Man, don't you know anything about the history of college basketball. UK always bounces back, and always will, you fool."

We listened and read as Dick Vitale, Scott Van Pelt, Jeff Goodman and others incorrectly stated that we "ran off" Tubby. It seemed that bad-mouthing UK became an art form. It didn't matter if what they said was true or not, as long as they were belittling UK and Kentucky fans. So typical; kick the big man on campus when he's down.

We listened and read as pundits such as Hubert Davis, Rece Davis, Doug Gottlieb, and Dick Weiss correctly stated that UK didn't have the thoroughbreds to compete with the elite. But, we always clung to the notion that Big Blue would soon be bringing the big lumber.

UK fans remained steadfast, and assured in our system of belief. A tenet embedded in our gray matter since we were old enough to determine the difference between a Card and a 'Cat (five national championships). A creed that has remained faithful to all Kentucky fans since Adolph Rupp introduced modern basketball to the world -- Kentucky will always be the king. The occasional ailment may prevent the 'Cats from ruling with an iron fist, but recovery is guaranteed.

And because of our faith, we deserve.

Patterson and Meeks, with a little Pearl

As fully as I believe that UK fans are deserving of a rewarding season, I also feel that Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks (when he comes back) deserve a fun-filled, championship season. They've both played hurt, and in Meeks' case, injured. Both players play hard, they both play for the name across their chest, and neither is at fault for UK's recent disappointing play.

One final note: Kentucky, as I've noted, has just survived a program-worst four year stretch, and our neighbors to the south, the Tennessee Vols, have just enjoyed their best hardwood run in at least 40 years. Yet, Bruce Pearls record versus UK over the last four years is an underwhelming 3-5 ...

Paint that on your chest as a reminder, Bruce, because that's as good as it's gonna get.

Thanks for reading, and Go-Go 'Cats!

Championship Week, Day One

Bill C. — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:00:10 -0000

That's right, the 13 days that constitute "Championship Week" start today! Three conference tournaments kickoff today, with another two tomorrow. Because it entertains me (and that's all that really matters), I'm going to try to keep up with each day's slate...

Big South Quarterfinals

8 High Point at 1 Radford (6:00 pm)
5 Winthrop at 4 UNC-Asheville (6:00 pm)
6 Gardner-Webb at 3 Liberty (6:00 pm)
7 Coastal Carolina at 2 VMI (6:00 pm)

Horizon League Round One

9 Valparaiso at 4 Wright State (6:00 pm)
7 UI-Chicago at 6 Youngstown State (6:00 pm)
10 Detroit at 3 Cleveland State (6:00 pm)
8 Loyola-IL at 5 Milwaukee (7:00 pm)

Ohio Valley Quarterfinals

5 Eastern Kentucky at 4 Morehead State (6:30 pm)
8 Tennessee Tech at 1 UT-Martin (7:00 pm)
7 Eastern Illinois at 2 Austin Peay (7:00 pm)
6 Tennessee State at 3 Murray State (7:30 pm)

Games of the Day:

Gardner-Webb at Liberty
Anytime there's a Curry brother involved, there's reason to pay attention (not that you actually can, because none of these games are televised, not even on atdhe.net).

Detroit at Cleveland State
Projecting forward, Cleveland State is good enough to give Butler a run if the two should meet up later in the tourney. Butler's in whether they win the Horizon tourney or not, therefore Cleveland State is a potential bid spoiler for the teams teetering on the very edge of the bubble (Maryland, Virginia Tech, I'm looking in your direction).

Taking a Look at Our Chances During the Hoops OOC Schedule

Gamecock Man — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:00:43 -0000

Below is the OOC basketball schedule, per the USC athletics website.

F-Nov. 7 Kentucky Wesleyan (EX) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 7 p.m.
F-Nov. 14 Jacksonville State (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 7 p.m.
Su-Nov 16 Winthrop (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 4 p.m.
Sa-Nov. 22 USC Upstate (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 1 p.m.
Tu-Nov. 25 Gardner Webb (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 7 p.m.
F-Nov. 28 College of Charleston Charleston, S.C. (Carolina First Arena) 7 p.m.
Tu-Dec. 2 Princeton Princeton, N.J. (Jadwin Gym) 7 p.m.
F-Dec. 5 Furman Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 6 p.m.
Tu-Dec. 16 NC Central (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 8 p.m.
Sa-Dec. 20 The Citadel (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 5 p.m.
Tu-Dec. 23 Presbyterian College (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 7 p.m.
Tu-Dec. 30 Clemson (FSN) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 7 p.m.
F-Jan. 2 Baylor (FSNSW) Waco, Texas (Ferell Center) 5:30 p.m.
M-Jan. 5 Wofford College (SS) Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) 7 p.m.

Four games stand out here as important tests for our team: Winthrop, College of Charleston, Clemson, and Baylor. The other games should be easy wins. Of course, Gardner-Webb did beat Kentucky last year, but hopefully we'll escape that fate. Princeton's career as a giant killer is well known, but the Tigers have fallen on hard times. As far as Jacksonville State is concerned, we'll just have to hope that record keepers don't get confused when we play them and credit the wrong team with the win.

We're flattered, really.

Let's take a closer look at the better OOC opponents we face.

Winthrop

Winthrop has had a lot of success in the Big South conference in recent years. Last year, they went 22-12 and, as usual, represented their conference in the NCAA tournament. Despite their Big South success, though, wins over major conference foes have not come often for the Eagles, so they'll be looking for blood when they come to Columbia.

Luckily for us, however, the Eagles should be in a rebuilding phase this year. They lose four of their top five scorers from a year ago, and while Randy Peele has proven that he's a good enough coach to get his young team ready for the Big South, he'll likely have trouble with a more experienced, athletic Gamecocks team.

Verdict for Winthrop: Likely Win

College of Charleston

The COC had a tough year last year, going 16-17 and 9-11 in the Southern Conference, otherwise lately known as Davidson's Whipping Boys. However, Bobby Cremins's team returns every significant player this year. Cremins is a good, proven coach, and if things come together for his group of players, his team should challenge Davidson in the SoCon.

COC may be a tough out for the Gamecocks. The Cougars present minor matchup problems for Carolina. Carolina's Achilles Heel last year was talented big men, and COC sports two in Jermaine Johnson and Dustin Scott. Johnson and Scott don't sport quite the size of the SEC big men that plagued the Gamecocks last year, but they should be able to score some points in the paint against us. Also playing in COC's favor is that this game will take place in Charleston and lots of COC fans will undoubtedly be on hand to see the Cougars try to take out one of the big boys.

Verdict for COC: Somewhat Probable Win

See previews for Clemson and Baylor after the jump.

Clemson

Our friends from Pickens County have developed a nice little basketball program over the last few years under Coach Oliver Purnell, who is undoubtedly one of college hoops bright young coaching stars. The Tigers made the NCAA tournament last year and anything less than that this time around will be a disappointment, as they return senior guard and team leader K. C. Rivers along with other talented players. Many media outlets rate Clemson in their pre-season top 25s.

This will definitely be a difficult game for the Gamecocks. The Tigers have a number of talented shooters and are capable of scoring lots of points, and Darrin Horn's up-tempo offense plays into Clemson's hand to a certain degree because the Tigers have strong full-court and perimeter defenders. Clemson also brings in 7-2 center Catalin Baciu from Romania. Baciu is raw player and will need development before he really blossoms into a top player, but he's capable of scoring under the basket and Clemson will undoubtedly try to get him the ball so he can take advantage of the fact that he's a good several inches taller than our big men.

To make a long story short, we'll need to play a great game to beat the Tigers. We can do it, but it's not very likely. The game takes place in Columbia, so hopefully we'll get a little help from a pumped up crowd.

Verdict for Clemson: Likely Loss

Baylor

After enduring well-publicized scandal and tragedy in 2003, the Bears surged to a 21-11 record last year and ended up being one of the season's feel-good stories. A repeat performance may be likely this year, as Baylor returns its best players. The Bears sport one of the nation's best backcourts in Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat, and their frontline is also good. They won't sneak up on anybody again this year, but they're good enough to play with most teams.

Baylor doesn't have a player like Clemson's Baciu that will give Carolina fits. They also aren't as good defensively as the Tigers, so we should be able to score points against them. However, they'll get their points as well, and since they have a little more momentum coming into the season than we do, they'll likely be favored in this game.

Verdict for Baylor: Somewhat Probable Loss

Final Thoughts

Our OOC schedule this year is a good bit easier than what we faced last year. Gone are the Southern Cals, NC States, and George Masons, most of them replaced by teams that we should handle easily. That being the case, we should have no more than three losses headed into conference play. That's a good thing for this team, as the wins will build confidence and gives us a better chance of finishing with a respectable record even if we don't play great in SEC play. Playing tough OOC opponents is great for good teams that need the quality wins to help their NCAA seeding, but we're probably not at that point this year. And if we are, we need to beat Clemson and Baylor.