SB Nation - Georgetown Hoyas

The Casual Awards: Old Dominion Kicks Georgetown in the Crotch, Again

Hire Esherick — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:19:42 -0000

Getting Jiggy With It Award: Always a showman, Georgetown's Hollis Thompson does his best impression of the Rockette's Kick Line while simultaneously doing the YMCA.

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Not even Georgetown's first loss of the season would prevent us from handing out the hardware to the most deserving. Ladies, gentlemen and trolls from ODU - the Casual Awards.

Guacamole Award:
This award goes out to something that is vastly overrated. Sure guacamole is a decent chip dip, but it is certainly not worthy of taking the place of ketchup as a burger dressing or an extra $2.00 at Chipotle. Guacamole represents how hype and the affection of high school girls can overshadow the obvious flaws of such a bland and terribly textured condiment. How can something be described as both smooth and chunky? It doesn't make sense. Congrats to the Georgetown Hoyas, this year's first winner of the infamous award. After an 8-0 start and #11 ranking, Georgetown took 35 minutes to realize they were playing a game and not practicing in their home gymnasium.

"I Was In Elementary School When Esherick Was Coach" Award:
The 2,000+ students that braved the 2-3 minute walk from their dorm room in knee-high snow to watch their beloved Hoyas disappoint. We here at Casual Hoya often whine, complain and curse the students for their apathy towards the program, and belittle them for failing to support a program that six seasons failed to make the NIT. We say that they have been spoiled by Georgetown's recent success and don't remember what it was like to watch the team fail over and over again. You proved us wrong students, and NO ONE has ever proved us wrong, NO ONE.

IronMan Triathlon Award:
Goes out to very own OldHoya for walking from his home, to his office, to Martin's, to the game and
then back home during Washington's worst blizzard in eighty years. Solid showing by the crafty veteran fan.

One-Step-Forward-Two-Steps-Back Award:
Greg Monroe. Seriously, dominating against Butler and UW and then dropping 15 against ODU in a loss? I'm thrilled he can shoot threes but wouldn't we rather have our star big man getting three layups over the course of the game rather than hoping he hits a three to close the gap in the last minute?

Steve Phillips Award for Excellence in Broadcasting Award:
MASN. Come on - losing the signal three times in the second half?

Most Demoralizing Fans of the Game Award:
The two GUYS who dressed up as Cookie Monster and Big Bird. We're all for getting on TV but let's be sure to salvage some dignity.

Nikita Award for Horrific Play of the Game Award:
Chris Wright. In a play completely emblematic of this pathetic game, Wright seals the deal by throwing a pass out of bounds at the end of the game. Completely clueless as a point guard.

Billy Ray Valentine-Louis Winthorpe III Award:
Julian Vaughn and Henry Sims. Vaughn embracing the fact that he is a big man has been an unexpected and refreshing breath of fresh air - we expected little if anything from him this season and he has made incredible strides. Henry on the other hand, has gone from potential riches to rags and his body language as he steps to the court is nothing short of sad. Not sure what it will take for him to regain some confidence but this is quickly shaping up to be a season in purgatory

'It's a Small World' Award:
LordNick's multiple trips on Disneyland's most famous ride never let him know that there were black guys in Finland. Instead, it took Old Dominion's starting center, Gerald Lee to expand his horizons.

The Austin Powers "I Also Like to Live Dangerously" Award:
Georgetown University for declaring the game will go on after Mayor Fenty pleads with citizens not to leave their homes during the blizzard.

The Chicago Bears Award for Reading Weather Reports:
ODU for coming in early and being ready to play at the appointed time, unlike the Bears who got to Baltimore late only to get CREAMED in a weather-delayed beat down.

Always Look on the Bright Side Award:
Jeremiah Rivers continued his hot streak with a 5 turnover outing against NC Central and on the same night, Vernon Macklin laid an egg with 4 points in a home loss to Richmond. Petty and vindictive, yes but come on, we just lost to Old Dominion

Black Saturday Award:
To our very own blogger, casualhoya, whose Hoyas and Saints both suffered losses on Saturday at the same time. Not even a casual Superdome bloody mary and the celeb sighting of Miami Social's Katrina Campins could wash the taste of bitter defeat from his mouth, though the Campins sighting helped out a lot. Like, really a lot.

The Jerome Harrison What The F*ck Was That Award:
Given in honor of the fantasy player whose breakout performance came out of nowhere, this week's award goes to the various Old Dominion Monarch fans who decided to check out Casualhoya.com and brag about their program after the win. Congrats, guys. Really a great win. Best of luck against Northeastern.

Harvard is NeXt.

Defend That, Digger! Week 3

BoilerTMill — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:19:40 -0000

I admit that the Big Ten has not done much to helps its case against the glorious Big East. Aside from winning the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, the conference as a whole has been a tad disappointing. Illinois and Michigan look to be struggling with at large status. Wisconsin got upset at Wisconsin-Green bay. Michigan State has not looked as strong as thought. Iowa is bad and Indiana isn't much better. You could argue that only Purdue has held serve and Northwestern has performed above expectations. That still won't stop me from ripping on the Big East and Digger Phelps' other annointed for another week with Defend That, Digger!

Defense? Defense is awful! Why do we need Defense?

Exhibit A:

Old Dominion 61, #11 Georgetown 57

Another Big East offensive juggernaut goes down. The Hoyas lost at home in this one. It wasn't even at the much larger Verizon Center in DC. No, this loss happened at their much smaller (and rowdier) on campus gym. I know Old Dominion is a good Colonial teams (one of the most competitive mid-major conferences) but still. Georgetown was undefeated, playing at home, and they are supposed to be a juggernaut from the greatest conference ever. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit B:

Temple 71, Seton Hall 65

Another undefeated Big East team goes down at home. Seton Hall wasn't a threat to go undefeated for the whole season, but they have to be better at defending their home court. Temple, meanwhile, gets its second undefeated Big East scalp after taking out Villanova last week. The Owls are a pretty good ballclub, but they are a dreadful mid-major from a mid-major conference. Nevermind that the Atlantic 10 has some damn good teams. They get one bid so we can have 12 Big East teams! Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit C:

#6 West Virginia 80, Cleveland State 78

I will give credit to the Mountaineers for going to Cleveland State. That takes balls, but they struggled with a 4-8 Horizon league team. They needed a last second shot to win the game when Cleveland State's press broke down, resulting in an easy layup for the winner. If West Virginia is truly the #6 team in the country they should have taken care of business with ease. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit D:

#2 Texas 103, #10 North Carolina 90

Switching to the ACC for a moment, I thought defense wasn't important. This is pathetic. There is no excuse for a defending national champion and top 10 team to ever give up 100 points to anyone. Ever. I don't care that it was Texas playing in front of the entire state of Texas at Jerryworld. Maybe you should <gasp> think about playing a little defense there, Roy. It might have helped. But who wants to play some of that ugly Big Ten basketball, even if it results in, you know, wins. Who wants wins when you can look cool giving up 103. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit E:

USC 77, #8 Tennessee 55

Gee, we were sure lucky to get by that great Tennessee team down in the Virgin Islands. Looks like their flash and lack of substance really paid off at USC. This is the same USC team that lost to DTD veteran Loyola Marymount at home. Now I know the 5-7 Lions are an unstoppable force, but come on Tennessee! High flying dunks and fast paced offense is supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Who cares about wins. Defend That, Digger! (and thanks, Tennessee, for ruining our profile a little)

Exhibit F:

#4 Purdue 69, Ball State 49

Hmmmm, interesting. Purdue is a top 5 team, yet easily took care of business against an overmatched opponent. They were the only top 15 team (other than Duke) to hold its opponent under 50 this weekend. That includes Kentucky over Austin Peay (90-69), Villanova over daunting Fordham, and Florida losing to the fearsome Richmond Spiders (56-53). Here is a tip, Digger. It is easier to beat teams when you hold them to fewer points. But again, defense is boring. I mean, who wants wins when you can look good?

RPI WATCH: 12/20/09

BracketCat — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:00:18 -0000

Well, the Cats did what they needed to do, and survived to fight another day as Upset Saturday claimed numerous other victims.

In a fair world, the AP Top 15 that comes out tomorrow would look something like this:

Texas (10-0)
Kansas (10-0)
Kentucky (11-0)
Purdue (10-0)
Syracuse (11-0)
West Virginia (8-0)
Duke (9-1)
Villanova (10-1)
Michigan State (9-2)
Connecticut (7-2)
Kansas State (10-1)
Georgetown (8-1)
Ohio State (9-2)
New Mexico (12-0)
Ole Miss (10-1)

It will be interesting to see what the pollsters, in all their wisdom, come up with.

P.S. Did I call that Wichita State upset or what? Booyah!

Current Kansas State AP Ranking = 17

Current Kansas State Record = 10-1

Current Kansas State RPI = 1

Current Kansas State SOS = 3

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Loyola, Dayton, IUPUI, Xavier, UNLV

Solid Wins (RPI 51-100) = Washington State, Alabama

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

Loyola (7-2, 1-1) | RPI = 45
Western Illinois (4-6, 0-2) | RPI = 320
Boston (4-6) | RPI = 146
No. 20 Ole Miss (10-1) | RPI = 24: Win over Centenary (108-64)
Dayton (8-2) | RPI = 31: Win over Presbyterian (71-52)
IUPUI (9-3, 2-0) | RPI = 50: Win over Duquesne (73-64)
No. 14* FHSU (8-1)
Washington State (9-2) | RPI = 83: Win over Portland State (93-69)
Xavier (6-4) | RPI = 47: Loss at No. 21 Butler (69-68)
UNLV (10-1) | RPI = 34: Win over SCUU (88-58)
Alabama (7-4) | RPI = 92: Loss to No. 17 Kansas State (87-74)
UAPB (0-9) | RPI = 260: Loss at Missouri (88-70)
Cleveland State (4-8, 0-2) | RPI = 247: Loss to No. 6 West Virginia (80-78)
South Dakota (6-4) | RPI = 139
Missouri (7-3) | RPI = 179: Win over UAPB (88-70)
No. 23 Texas A&M (9-2) | RPI = 15: Win over The Citadel (71-50)
Colorado (6-4) | RPI = 229
No. 2 Texas (10-0) | RPI = 6: Win over No. 10 North Carolina (103-90)
Oklahoma State (9-1) | RPI = 42
Baylor (8-1) | RPI = 72
No. 1 Kansas (10-0) | RPI = 20: Win over Michigan (75-64)
Nebraska (8-2) | RPI = 163: Win over Jackson State (57-41)
Iowa State (7-3) | RPI = 155
Oklahoma (8-3) | RPI = 117: Win over Northern Colorado (80-79)
No. 16 Texas Tech (9-1) | RPI = 33: Loss at Wichita State (85-83)

*Division II Top 25

KNOW THY ENEMY: Missouri Tigers

BracketCat — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:00:17 -0000

More photos » by L.G. Patterson - AP

Like Justin Safford, Missouri's tournament hopes have taken a few shots. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

Browse more photos »

OK, it's time to get these started again. Admittedly, I faltered a bit due to work, but things are back under control for now. These will proceed largely as before, but with a few exceptions:

Instead of reformatting the player bios like I did before, which was majorly time-consuming and part of the reason these fell by the wayside for so long, I'm merely going to link to the appropriate page. I will add player stats to the tables, however.
Originally, these were season previews. Obviously, much of the non-conference season already has been played, so now they're more like conference season previews. Also, what I've seen of these teams has changed my predictions for the conference's outcome, so I reserve the right to alter my predicted orders of finish from what they previously were.
Instead of twice a week, these are running every day from now until New Year's Eve. Call it the Big 12 Days of Christmas Basketball, if you like.

So, hit the jump for the rundown on the defending conference tournament champion, Missouri. And for more, head over to the Unholy Alliance Auxiliary Headquarters (pending Big Ten absorption): Rock M Nation.

The Story So Far

The Tigers are 7-3, with dominating home victories over Tennessee-Martin, Texas-Pan American, Chattanooga, Oregon, Fairleigh Dickinson and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

They also collected a nice neutral-court win against Old Dominion, who just knocked off Georgetown.

But close losses to Richmond, at Vanderbilt and at Oral Roberts probably will come back to haunt the Tigers in much the same way as K-State's three-game, non-conference losing streak last December hindered the Wildcats.

Current Missouri RPI: 179

The Coach

Mike Anderson
Fourth Season
72-38 (25-23) at Missouri (as of today)
161-79 (67-43) overall

Bio

The Departures

Starters

DeMarre Carroll (28 minutes per game | 16.6 points per game | 7.2 rebounds per game)
Matt Lawrence (20.8 minutes per game | 9.2 points per game | 2.2 rebounds per game)
Leo Lyons (23.3 minutes per game | 14.6 points per game | 6.1 rebounds per game)

The Veterans

		#3 Miguel Paul Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 172 Winter Haven, Fla. Bio 14 minutes per game \| 4.2 points per game \| 0.9 rebound per game

		#4 J.T. Tiller Senior Guard 6-3 \| 200 Marietta, Ga. Bio 23.3 minutes per game \| 9.6 points per game \| 2.3 rebounds per game

		#11 Zaire Taylor Senior Guard 6-4 \| 189 Staten Island, N.Y. Bio 27.8 minutes per game \| 9 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#12 Marcus Denmon Sophomore Guard 6-3 \| 185 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 20.1 minutes per game \| 10.5 points per game \| 3.9 rebounds per game

		#15 Keith Ramsey Senior Forward 6-9 \| 217 Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bio 25.4 minutes per game \| 5.9 points per game \| 5.9 rebounds per game

		#21 Laurence Bowers Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 205 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 19.8 minutes per game \| 10.2 points per game \| 5.6 rebounds per game

		#23 Justin Safford Junior Forward 6-8 \| 230 Bloomington, Ill. Bio 18.4 minutes per game \| 7.6 points per game \| 3.8 rebounds per game

		#24 Kim English Sophomore Guard 6-6 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Bio 22.1 minutes per game \| 16.1 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#25 Jarrett Sutton Junior Guard 6-3 \| 190 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 4 minutes per game \| 1.8 points per game \| 0.2 rebound per game

		#32 Steve Moore Sophomore Center 6-9 \| 264 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 11 minutes per game \| 1.6 points per game \| 1.4 rebounds per game

The Newcomers

		#10 Michael Dixon Jr. Freshman Guard 6-1 \| 175 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 18.1 minutes per game \| 8.2 points per game \| 1.6 rebounds per game

		#33 Tyler Stone Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 225 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 4.3 minutes per game \| 1.7 points per game \| 1.2 rebounds per game

		#35 John Underwood Freshman Forward 6-9 \| 208 Phoenix, Ariz. Bio 5.3 minutes per game \| 1.3 points per game \| 2.8 rebounds per game

My thanks to the Missouri sports information department for the photos.

The Analysis

Missouri is, of course, a tricky team to nail down because of the style they play. Mike Anderson likes to throw waves of guards at you off the bench in a constant, full-pressure style they call "The Fastest 40 Minutes," which is what they had to change the name to when it became apparent UAB owned the rights to "40 Minutes of Hell."

Thus, no Missouri player averages more than 30 minutes per game and so far, eight different players have started for the Tigers. So, rather than talk in terms of 1-5, I'll break down the guards and the forwards as two large groups.

The three most prominent and experienced players in the Missouri backcourt are returning starters J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor and Kim English. Not coincidentally, they're logging the most minutes.

Tiller has been bothered by injuries and missed three games, which I imagine has contributed to the Tigers' struggles this season. Taylor, who made the game-winning shot against KU last year, has seen his scoring average dip now that more guards are contributing. But English has continued his steady play from last season and even picked his game up a bit.

Miguel Paul and Marcus Denmon both played quite a bit last year as freshmen, so they're quick off the bench in the rotation and each has started several games. But the biggest surprise of the guard group is Michael Dixon Jr., who is having more of an impact than I anticipated.

Jarrett Sutton is a career backup and doesn't play very much.

If this group has a weakness, it's that there doesn't appear to be a true replacement from sharpshooter Matt Lawrence, meaning that I'm not sure they have a guy who can knock down a contested 3-pointer. when they most need it.

That said, Missouri's problems start and end in the frontcourt. The loss of DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons cannot be overstated. Together with Lawrence, the departed trio accounted for more than 50 percent of the Tigers' points and rebounds during Missouri's Elite Eight season. And to date, no one has stepped up to replace them.

Hopes were high for sophomore Laurence Bowers, but he only has started three games. He is averaging more than 10 points per game, but seems to disappear when they need him most. More disconcerting is that he only averages five rebounds per. In fact, Missouri as a whole has been out-rebounded by all but one opponent. The Tigers don't really try to dominate the boards, and I think it's really going to cost them in Big 12 play.

Keith Ramsey and Justin Safford draw the most starts in the paint, but each is collecting even fewer statistics than Bowers. Sophomore center Steve Moore, and freshmen forwards Tyler Stone and John Underwood, are giving the Tigers even less. This is a serious weakness area that will be exposed against teams such as Kansas and Texas.

Projected Big 12 Starting Lineup


J.T. Tiller	Zaire Taylor	Kim English	Keith Ramsey	Justin Safford
1	2	3	4	5

Projected Top Big 12 Reserves


Miguel Paul	Michael Dixon Jr.	Marcus Denmon	Laurence Bowers	Steve Moore
1	2	3	4	5

The Final Verdict

I've already stated Missouri's problems above, so I won't rehash them here.

Suffice it to say that the Tigers already have several ugly losses on their resume. At home, they've been nearly unbeatable for the past year and a half, but I think their deficiencies will catch up to them.

Sure, they're probably the third- or fourth-best team in the North, but when every South team looks to have a chance to make the tournament, that equates to a basement finish. Missouri reminds me of K-State last season: One more recruiting class and a few post players away from being an NCAA team. In the meantime, I smell NIT.

Big 12 preseason prediction: 7th

My predicted finish: T-9th (with Iowa State)

Best-case scenario: 7th

Against K-State?: Loss in Manhattan, toss-up in Columbia

Previously on KNOW THY ENEMY...

The Morning After: Post-Game Articles, Quotes & Pictures

Hire Esherick — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:45:53 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

2 days ago: Georgetown's Chris Wright (4) leaves the court after Georgetown lost 61-57 to Old Dominion in an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Still miserable? Take solace in the fact that the beautiful white snow you see out your window will turn brown and remain on the side of the street for three more months. Thanks DC! Thanks Georgetown!

No. 11 Georgetown upset at McDonough Arena by Old Dominion, 61-57 - washingtonpost.com
"We just couldn't finish pushing through at key moments," said Monroe, who led the Hoyas with 15 points but shot just 5 for 9 from the foul line. "I missed too many free throws. It's just little things we can control."

Old Dominion Strikes Again at McDonough | The Hoya
"Did the slow start hurt us? Absolutely," Head Coach John Thompson III said. "That was all because of them. Coming out of exams, you fear that, but ... they were at the top of their game. They executed, for the most part, at both ends of the floor throughout the game."

In blizzard, Hoyas snowed under by ODU - Washington Times
"I think you witnessed a pretty good basketball game," said Old Dominion coach Blaine Taylor. "Some might call this an upset, and I guess it was given their ranking and record. But I think we've gotten to the point as a program where games like this are in the cards for us if we do the right things."

Top 25 men's basketball roundup
The Monarchs spoiled the Hoyas' annual game at McDonough Arena again, capitalizing on 18 turnovers to hand 11th-ranked Georgetown its first loss.

It was an ugly-looking Saturday. Let’s peel off a few layers here | College Hoops Journal
Hoyas played this one on campus in their packed, AAU-like gym and could not defeat the Monarchs, who will probably struggle to earn an NIT berth. So, in a word, huh? Maybe the preparation time wasn’t as hardcore for JT3 with finals and a week off between games.

Top 25 Capsules - ncaa - SI.com
Old Dominion spoiled Georgetown's annual game at McDonough Arena again, capitalizing on 18 turnovers to hand the Hoyas their first loss of the season.

ODU stuns Hoyas again | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
For the Monarchs, it felt like vindication, after they failed to make key plays down the stretch in frustrating losses to Missouri, Mississippi State, Richmond and Dayton. Taylor said he understands that most people will regard the win as an upset. He said he doesn't see it that way. "I think we've showed over the years that this sort of thing is in the cards, if we do the right things," he said.

Hoya Prospectus: Recap: Old Dominion 61, Georgetown 57
The simple explanation for the loss is turnovers. One in three possessions in the 1st half ended with a turnover, and the Hoyas gave the ball away 18 of 62 possessions overall. But the loss is really attributable to a complete failure of the offense in the 1st half, and not just from turnovers. The Hoyas managed to gather only 2/15 (13%) of the own missed shots, and missed 8 of 11 layups in the half. These were equal opportunity misses: Wright (3), Monroe (2), Freeman (1), Vaughn (1) and Sims (1) all kicked in

12/19 Game Links

SFBE.NF — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:02:56 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

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The Pac 10 is alive! USC routs Tennessee

Kansas handles Michigan; Xavier Henry also a pretty good freshman

Texas scores easy and often, tops UNC in Jerry Jones Dome

West Virginia tests road waters, escapes with win over Cleveland St.

Hoyas stay on campus, lose to Old Dominion

Duke routs Gonzaga at Cameron Indoor North

Richmond gets first true road win, upsets Florida

UMASS shocks Memphis in some sort of John Calipari Invitational

History Repeats: Georgetown Falls to Old Dominion at McDonough 57 - 61

Hire Esherick — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:59:31 -0000

Well, that sucked. To all the Old Dominion trolls who wish to flood this site, please sign in below.

Georgetown continued its streak of sucking against Old Dominion in McDonough. They are now 0-3 all time against the Monarchs in their on-campus gym.

We all knew this was a trap game, and I never expected Georgetown to enter Big East play with an untarnished record, but to lose in our actual home arena and play like poppycock for 35 minutes is embarrassing and disappointing. We had no answer to the Monarchs on defense, looked like Old Dominion was playing in their own practice gym.

And oh yeah, we had 18 turnovers. We made it exciting in the end. We made MASN glad they trucked over to McDonough in the worst snow storm in two decades to broadcast this game but we had 18 turnovers. No excuse for that.

Harvard is next, hopefully JT3 makes the team shovel some snow in the meanwhile.

Monarchs vs Hoyas coverage

Monarchs vs Hoyas Box Score

Good talk.

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Friday (12/18/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:08:13 -0000

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and a bit of entertainment. Today we're being brought to you by Layla Dirty Blonde Lager in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

The men and women both get back into action tomorrow as basketball gets back into the swing of things all around the country. There's a full slate of BE ranked teams in action. Football starts practice again for the bowl tomorrow as well, which means news there should pick up a bit next week. If you're anywhere where snow is being called for, stay warm and be careful if you have to go out. There's plenty to keep you warm in this edition. Suggestions and requests are always encouraged. Have a safe and great weekend!!! Let's GOOOOOOOO...........

What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Report for Friday - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Bill Stewart Statement - MSNsportsNET.Com

Men's Basketball: No Tickets Remain for Seton Hall - MSNsportsNET.Com
Looks like I missed this one. Sorry.

Syracuse Orange enters top 3 of College Basketball Power Rankings - SI.com
We've slid back to #6 from #4 last week.

West Virginia 25th in Director's Cup Standings - MSNsportsNET.Com

Forde Yard Dash - ESPN
"From the starting block in Albuquerque to the finish line in Pasadena, The Dash sprints through all 34 bowls -- and picks the winners."

BCS National Championship, Rose Bowl headline bowl Pickoff - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

News of Note:

West Virginia - Team Notes - USATODAY.com

Let rivalry begin again - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

Will Doc's loss impact WVU all that much? - 'Eers to the Ground/PPG

Unfinished Business - MSNsportsNET.Com

WVU's Brown takes aim at home-state team - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Sporting News All-Big East first team - Sporting News

Florida State's head-coach-to-be Jimbo Fisher still fond of West Virginia - St. Petersburg Times

Not just another week for FSU football - Tallahassee Democrat

Chris Henry:

Chris Henry's WVU teammates remember the life of Slim - WVIllustrated.com

Chris Henry's death interrupted his redemption with Bengals - Paul Daugherty - SI.com

NFL Videos: Brown, Lewis on Henry - NFL.com

Chris Henry rocked the Carrier Dome in 2003 as a West Virginia freshman receiver - syracuse.com
Orange beat writer remembers Henry's performances against Syracuse.

What's On Tap:

The WVU women take on Fresno State tomorrow at 7 pm from the Coliseum (couldn't find a link).

West Virginia vs. Cleveland State - SI.com
Saturday from Cleveland at 2 pm on ESPN 360 and MASN.

Lipscomb vs. Cincinnati - SI.com
Saturday at 2 pm from Cinci on ESPN 360.

Villanova vs. Fordham - SI.com
Saturday at 2 pm from East Rutherford, NJ.

Old Dominion vs. Georgetown - SI.com
Saturday at 7 pm from the Phone Booth in DC on ESPN 360 and MASN.

St. Bonaventure vs. Syracuse - SI.com
Saturday at 7 pm from the Dome.

UCF vs. Connecticut - SI.com
Sunday at 1 pm from Hartford on ESPN 360 and MASN.

St. Petersburg Bowl - UCF Knights vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights - ESPN
Sunday night at 8 on ESPN. Rutgers is favored by 3.

Around the League (and Beyond):

See No Big Ten, Hear No Big Ten, Speak No Big Ten - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

Cincinnati's Lance Stephenson talks about transition to college game - Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati holds first Sugar Bowl practice without Brian Kelly - ESPN

Samuels is battling huge expectations - Courier-Journal

Pitt coach Dixon demands big improvement - PPG

What now? - TheUConnBlog.com
Ater Majok makes his debut this weekend

Bulls ease back into practice - Tampa Tribune

If The Big East Expanded... - Pitt Blather

Rutgers tailback Joe Martinek ready to go in St. Petersburg Bowl whether Tim Brown plays or not - Star Ledger

Schiano More than Wins and Losses - Protect R Turf

Doc not a perfect hire, just a terrific one - Charleston Gazette

How about Big 14? -- chicagotribune.com

Videos of (Dis)Interest:

We've seen the music synced light displays before, but music and video game synced? Impressive.

She may be past her prime and carry hepatitis...but this video still does it (and her friend is nice too).

Holiday Picture of the Week:

I think the guy on the right wins, for creativity alone. Thanks to Jimmy T. of Hot Clicks for the find.

via thesurlybirds.com

Brazilian Gallery of the Week:

via coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is easily one of Israel's finest. Please wish Happy Hanukkah to Miss Bar Rephaeli.

via i.cdn.turner.com

Layla image via www.abarbanel.com

Sleeping With The Enemy: Welcome to Old Dominion

CasualHoya — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:37:30 -0000

There's nothing like communicating with an Old Dominion student paper and having the editor-in-chief tell you that they're not only happy to answer your questions, but also willing to hook you up with interviews with players and coaches. It's especially rewarding when the same editor-in-chief then decides to ignore your emails even though they know you have a deadline. One would think an editor-in-chief, of all people, would understand and respect deadlines. Then again, it is Old Dominion. So rather than leave this space blank, once again we're bringing you all you need to know about our next opponent. But this time, we're providing the answers to our own penetrating questions. Frankly, it's probably more entertaining this way. Old Dominion, this bud's for you.

Here in time for the holidays! ODU welcome mat can also be used to wipe butt with. via 1stdownshop.com

CH: At Georgetown we have grown accustomed to the term ‘trap game.' Is this a trap game for the Hoyas?
Of course it's a trap game, what are you guys, idiots? Whenever a ranked team plays an awful team at home in their own gym, that is practically the definition of trap game. It was in 2006, it is in 2009. You did go to Georgetown didn't you? Isn't that supposed to be a good school?

CH: Who are ODU's best scorers? Rebounders?
Dude, we don't have any good players. You ask me a question like this while I'm watching 'Jersey Shore' and you expect me to give you a decent answer? Some of our guys are better at scoring than others. Some others are also better at grabbing rebounds, generally when the ball falls into their hands. 'Jersey Shore' is the greatest by the way. Did you see that girl get punched in the face? Crazy stuff. If Georgetown wants to win they should probably guard our big man Gerald Lee. He's the only guy we have who can play. And by 'play', I mean he'll probably ride the pine on your boy Nikita's professional team in Uzbekistan.

CH: To get fired up for big games, does Coach Taylor invite members of Old Dominion's national championship hoops teams, you know, the 1978-80 AIAW squad and 1985 NCAA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS, to give you pep talks? In a related question, does Coach Taylor invite Tennessee's Bruce Pearl out for beers to discuss being relegated to second class in their own gyms.
Who wouldn't get fired up listening to the back-to-back Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national champions give pep talks? And picking up another national championship only 5 years after joining the NCAA for women's sports? That's sustained greatness, my friend. Unless, of course, you also include past 24 years. But take a look at our most famous women's alum: Ticha Penichiero - an 11 year WNBA career! Once a Monarch, always a Monarch.

Although I'm sure Coach Taylor and Coach Pearl enjoy getting together for some nice Long Island Iced Teas to commiserate, recent history has been kind to Coach Taylor - just look at the women's team sitting at 1-6 while the men's team won last year's Collegeinsider.com Tournament. Big win.

More Sleeping With The Enemy After 'The Jump':

CH: Who is ODU's biggest rival for CAA, um, King's Dominion?
Let's be honest - there ain't much interest in ODU athletics. I mean, you couldn't even get real ODU bloggers to answer these questions. To give you a concrete example - the geniuses in athletic marketing are currently offering a Suite for the Duquesne game - that's TWENTY tickets for only $150 and as of this morning, there are precisely ZERO bids.

Both of our games against VCU are televised and that's the final game of the season so I'll go with that as the top game and biggest rival. Interestingly, however, the school was founded as the Norfolk Division of The College of William & Mary so there might be some sibling rivalry there.

CH: Esteemed Casualhoya blogger LordNick loathed the Indiana Jones ride but raved about Splash Mountain on his recent trip to Disneyland. What can he expect when he ventures across DC lines to King's Dominion?
Well, first of all, if he went now he would see nothing. King's Dominion is closed until the spring. But when he does make it out there in March or April, he'll find a far larger assortment of thrill rides than at Disneyland. Certainly at the top of any list should be the Anaconda and the Drop Tower. Don't forget the Dominator and the Rebel Yell. You could probably pass on the Beserker and the Ricochet. And I'm not a big fan of rides like the White Water Canyon. And Xtreme Flyer is just dumb. Finally, hit the Intimidator 305: "Biggest, Baddest and Meanest Coaster to hit the Mid-Atlantic!"

via picdit.files.wordpress.com

CH: Gtown's infamous Craig Esherick sported a fine mustache and we're glad to see that Blaine Taylor maintains that tradition. Surprisingly, Esherick's comical facial hair didn't stop him from recruiting well - other than his mustache, what does Coach Taylor tell players that ODU has to offer?
Clearly, the chance to win championships and 119 games over the past 5 years. Over the past 4 years, the team won the collegeinsider.com tournament, made the NCAA tournament as a 12 seed in 2007 (and beat Gtown at McDonough along the way) and danced in the NIT in 2006. Taylor is a good punchline for jokes but he's proved to be a mustachioed coach in the vein of Fran Dunphy rather than Craig Esherick.

CH: By Monarch, you mean the butterfly, right? Monarch butterflies are beautiful.
Actually, the Monarch is some kind of Lion, playing on the regal element of the King of the Jungle. ODU's mascot is Big Blue. Some kind of giant blue lion. Or a very sad one.

CH: It's Saturday night in Norfolk, Virginia and you're ready to party. Where are you going and what are you doing? Tell us something we'd be surprised to know about the social scene at Old Dominion.
Well of course I'd consult my handy dandy online Norfolk Nightlife Guide, I mean there is just so much to do, I can't keep track of it all. First, I would check if there is a women's basketball game on campus, I mean it is really just an amazing experience watching a program that used to be good, probably similar to what you big city Georgetown folks experienced when that mustached fellow, Esherick, was at the helm. If nothing is going on, I'll hit the Old Dominion Speedway for some old fashion race car driving.

CH: On November 18, 2006, the Monarchs infamously waltzed into McDonough and destroyed the then #8 ranked Hoyas 75-62, defeating a ranked team for the first time since beating the Kerry Kittles led Villanova squad in the 1995 NCAA tournament. After the loss to ODU, the Hoyas went on to win 28 of their next 33 games, resulting in a Big East Regular Season Title, Big East Tournament Title and Final Four appearance. There's no question here. I just wanted to say thank you.

CH: Final Score prediction:
Georgetown 74, Old Dominion 52

This one's for Chris Henry.

via theblackquarterback.files.wordpress.com

Casually.

Casual Communication: Where We Grade The Hoyas

Jeff Green's Dad — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:17:18 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Am I the only one who is oddly fascinated by this picture?

Browse more photos »

It's that time of the week again, as I attempt to provide dumb answers to your intelligent questions. If you want to have your questions answered, email jeffgreensdad@gmail.com and I promise it will, we've got no other options.

We have Monroe, but Georgetown will need an X factor to maintain any sort of staying power in the national spotlight. Do any of our current players have sisters/mothers/girlfriends that will draw some blog attention? For example, Brady Quinn's sister used to get quite a bit of airtime causing a fervent "Hot or not?" debate online and Shelden Williams and Duke warranted extra attention once he started dating the hotness that is Candace Parker. Any potential media stories like that for the Hoyas? Matt, Baltimore, MD

I had to use some of my on campus sources for this question, and let's just say that we could have a Jake Locker situation on our hands. Locker, the standout Washington quarterback, was rumored to forego the NFL Draft in part because of a girlfriend on campus. That, combined with the tutelage he is receiving for Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian, has made Locker pass up a guaranteed top 5 draft position and millions of dollars. Hypothetically, if Georgetown had a big man who was expected to go in the top 5, but he turned it down to come back to Big Man U, partly for development and partly for his girlfriend on the Lady Hoyas, is that something the blogs would be interested in?

What's the most disrespectful thing you've ever said or heard said to an opposing team's player? Cole, Philadelphia, PA

This is a tough question to answer because I don't want to defile the Georgetown University's students' reputations as class acts, and also because there are too many to count. In terms of pure bad taste, one of my friends screamed at Stephen Curry, "Hey Steph, I f*&^%d your mom last night." I'm not sure the precocious Curry heard this, but it was in the first half of the Davidson game. Ultimately, Curry f*&^%d the entire Georgetown fan base.

Last year I saw a fan get in a fight with Jonny Flynn. He yelled at the midget "Hey Jonny, how does it feel to get embarrassed on national television," after the Hoyas destroyed the Orange by 14 points at home. Flynn came back out from under the tunnel and said "What'd you say to me? Come at me." The fan responded "I don't know what that means." Awkward silence pursued as a tumbleweed rolled between them. And then Jonny Flynn was drafted #6 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.

How much better or worse would we be with Vernon Macklin and Jeremiah Rivers this year? Marc, New York, NY

Interestingly enough, I'm not sure they would have any impact this year. With the improvement of Julian Vaughn and Jason Clark, I think both guys would have been overshadowed. I still believe that both would have been very helpful last year because neither Vaughn nor Clark were ready. Macklin could have played center and let Monroe slide to his natural 4 and DaJuan Summers to his natural 3. Rivers, while atrocious on offense, really plays solid defense and would have been a good third guard off the bench, as he was in his two years at Georgetown. More than anything, they would have both been juniors, and may have been able to shoulder some of the leadership load that Jessie Sapp and Summers had no business claiming. Would Wright and Sapp have had such issues if Rivers and his "jumper" were around to make fun of together? Would Sapp have needed to make friends with regular Georgetown students, who subsequently made him long for the life of a normal student and forget about basketball if Rivers and Macklin were around? These are all pretty stupid hypothetical questions that I ask myself.

Jeff Green's Dad, there are two things that I love: college basketball and movies. When these two loves merge, they create a perfect storm of adoration in the deepest recesses of my heart. Whether watching Quincy from "Love and Basketball" play for USC or Kyle Lee Watson from "Above the Rim" play for your beloved Georgetown Hoyas--don't even get me started on the star-studded cast from "Blue Chips"--I am in it for the full hour and a half to two hours, depending on the movie. I want your starting five by position from any college basketball movie. (Unfortunately, I am going to have to disallow using players from movies that do not feature any COLLEGE basketball; alas, Jimmy Chitwood, Jamal Wallace, and Jesus Shuttlesworth are out because they never officially declare for a college prior to the movie's end.) ICEBERG, PA

Damnit ICEBERG, PA. I thought I told you no more questions where I have to use the Google machine. Good question though, I'll give you that. Here's the starting five, feel free to argue.

PG - Butch McRae (Anfernee Hardaway), "Blue Chips". Dude was unstoppable, just like Young Penny Hardaway before his knees went to hell. I see him averaging about 24 points, 8 assists and 6 boards per game.

SG - Quincy McCall (Omar Epps), "Love and Basketball". I see him playing an Iverson-type role in this offense as the undersized, explosive shooting guard.

SF - Kenny Tyler (Marlon Wayans), "The Sixth Man". Slashing forward who would be the spiritual leader of the team because he went through so much losing his brother Antoine. And John Thompson made a cameo in the movie.

via ecx.images-amazon.com

PF - St. Johns Player (Undisclosed), "Coming to America". IN DA FACE!

C - Neon (Shaquille O'Neal), "Blue Chips". What a dominating force. He and Butch would be like they were in real life, awesome and contentious. But Kenny Tyler would be such a uniting force on this team that Neon and Butch would be forced to get along. Kenny is the Nelson Mandela of fantasy college basketball teams.

Are they who we thought they were? Dennis, Phoenix, AZ

I'm not sure who you are referring to, but I'm going to take this time to evaluate our players through the first quarter of the season versus what was expected of them in the preseason.

Chris Wright

Expectations - Lead the team, don't fight another guard, cut down on Wrecking Ball drives

Grade so far vs. expectations: B. I know some people would say he's been worse, but I actually think he's done a pretty good job running the offense, and has worked his tail off on defense. He's improved his FT shooting tremendously, and seems to recognize when he's made a dumb play, which is an improvement over last year. He also hasn't fought anyone, which is always a plus.

Jason Clark

Expectations - First guard off the bench, bring some energy and instant offense, don't be Jessie Sapp

Grade so far vs. expectations: A+. Yeah, that's an A+, I said it. He's been tremendous. His ball handling has vastly improved, he is our de facto point guard, his long arms are menacing, he sets the tone for the aggressive defense we've been playing this year, and he has skyrocketed to Man Crush status for me. Let's put it this way, if I started writing for this blog two years from now, I think my name would be Jason Clark's Dad.

Austin Freeman

Expectations - Regain freshman shooting touch, ease up on the burger madness, act as if he has a pulse

Grade so far vs. expectations: A. Austin has been great this year. He lost a ton of weight, seems to have regained his explosive first step, and is attacking the basket. He's also really stepped up as a leader, which has been very surprising. All in all, I'm expecting big things from him for the rest of the year. I think he was depressed with the team's performance last year, and like many people who are depressed, ate his feelings. Added points for giving me the phrases SMH and Swag from his Twitter account.

Greg Monroe

Expectations - Grow some balls, get stronger, develop a right hand, dominate

Grade so far vs. expectations: B+. Greg has delivered solidly on all four of these goals. Against our "good competition" (Temple, Butler, Washington) he has hit a game winning shot, put up 24 and 15 in Madison Square Garden, and had the best all around game I've seen him play against Washington. His grade is deflated right now only because I expect so much from him. By the end of the year, I think it will be an A.

Julian Vaughn

Expectations - Spell the other big guys when they get in foul trouble, don't shoot threes

Grade so far vs. expectations: A+. Another A+, and well deserved. I think he's our most improved player over Jason just because there were literally no expectations or signs of this coming. He was awful last year and I assumed would just be a big body to absorb some fouls. Instead, he has developed a killer defensive instinct, some legitimate post moves, and his presence as a center allows Greg Monroe to be Greg Monroe. Weirdly, I think this could be the tip of the iceberg for him. During the Washington game it felt like he was starting to realize "Oh s&^t, I'm good as hell" as the game went on.

Hollis Thompson

Expectations - Knock down some threes, blend in with the team, bother opponents with his long arm on defense, eat something

Grade so far vs. expectations: A-. Hollis has shown flashes of being an absolute assassin, especially in the Lafayette game. He still doesn't have confidence in his abilities and takes too many dumb fouls, but he seems to be a great teammate, really eager, and has great basketball instincts. Still not sure he's eaten something yet though.

Henry Sims

Expectations - Make the sophomore leap, be the intimidating presence inside so Greg Monroe can be Greg Monroe

Grade so far vs. expectations: D. This grade would have been worse but I'm so giddy about Julian Vaughn doing what Henry was supposed to do that I don't care as much. Henry will be very important as the Big East season begins, so hopefully he starts to realize when he's in a basketball game, but for now, he's been the one disappointment in an otherwise extremely enjoyable Georgetown season.

Vee Sanford and Jerrelle Benimon

Expectations - Nothing

Grade so far vs. expectations: A. We signed both of these freshmen in the spring of last year, completely unheralded. Turns out Vee is a pretty good ball handler and shooter, does a mean robot, and used to have a flat top - all good things. Benimon played great against Butler when Sims, Vaughn and Hollis all had 4 fouls. He had the biggest points of the game on a tip-in and also rocks sweet black on black socks and shoes. Both have been great considering what was expected.

Nikita Mescheriakov

Expectations - Not to play, please don't let him play

Grade so far vs. expectations: A+. Nikita hasn't touched the court in the last two games. That's a major plus.

John Thompson III

Expectations - Restore confidence in Princeton offense, don't have players that fight, teach players how to rebound, show fans he can coach

Grade so far vs. expectations: A. We're 8-0, we're playing great defense, and the guys actually seem to like one another. The offense has gotten progressively better, and we're pounding the ball inside. Also, the rebounding has been so much better it's almost laughable. So far so good for JT III, just have to make sure we don't have a mid season swoon again.

Watch the below clip. JT III gets pretty stern with this assistant coach. Can you elaborate? Kevin Hetherington, Location Unknown

Great question. I had our IT department (i.e. Hire Esherick) spruce up the clip you sent and post it on YouTube.

I think the conversation went one of a few ways.

Option 1:

JT III: "Sit the f&^% down."

Matt Henry: "Oh okay."

Option 2:

JT III: "My anatomy is bigger than your anatomy."

Matt Henry: "Oh okay."

Option 3:

JT III: "You saw what happened to Burke, our last uppity coach, that will happen to you if you don't sit the f&^% down."

Matt Henry: "Oh, okay."

Option 4:

JT III: "You look like Carrot Top."

Matt Henry: "Oh okay."

I saw this on ESPN.com last weekend, and it made me laugh. Why all of the sudden is Jeremiah Rivers "good" at IU? He "MUST be healthy for IU to have a shot"? From what I have heard, he is still a turnover machine. I guess IU sucks that bad? Lauren, Washington, DC

Yes, one of the most bizarre things about this season is that Jeremiah Rivers has been awful, but the media continues to slobber over him. Of our two esteemed transfers, Vernon Macklin is playing well for one of the top 15 teams in the country, Jeremiah Rivers is rocking a jheri curl and turning the ball over at an alarming rate, yet he's getting much more publicity. I will say this though, the commentary on Rivers has quickly evolved from "Great leader and instrumental part of the team" to "His younger brother Austin is the actual talent in the family." I watched the Kentucky game and can confirm that IU really sucks and Jeremiah was getting his minutes stolen from Jordan Hulls, who looks like my 15-year-old cousin.

What would say Georgetown's chances are against Marshon Brooks and the Providence Friars on Feb 9th? Jenn, Providence, RI

Georgetown hasn't lost to the Friars since 2004 - 2005, when you were still in diapers, so I'd say Providence has as good a chance beating Georgetown as the Bayport-Bluepoint Phantoms do. Hope that clears it up for you. The best thing about your city is the movie "Outside Providence" and the Johnny Rockets near Brown.

What does third base feel like? Ankit, Washington, DC

No clue dude. I wear a chastity belt.

		#3 Miguel Paul Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 172 Winter Haven, Fla. Bio 14 minutes per game \| 4.2 points per game \| 0.9 rebound per game

		#4 J.T. Tiller Senior Guard 6-3 \| 200 Marietta, Ga. Bio 23.3 minutes per game \| 9.6 points per game \| 2.3 rebounds per game

		#11 Zaire Taylor Senior Guard 6-4 \| 189 Staten Island, N.Y. Bio 27.8 minutes per game \| 9 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#12 Marcus Denmon Sophomore Guard 6-3 \| 185 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 20.1 minutes per game \| 10.5 points per game \| 3.9 rebounds per game

		#15 Keith Ramsey Senior Forward 6-9 \| 217 Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bio 25.4 minutes per game \| 5.9 points per game \| 5.9 rebounds per game

		#21 Laurence Bowers Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 205 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 19.8 minutes per game \| 10.2 points per game \| 5.6 rebounds per game

		#23 Justin Safford Junior Forward 6-8 \| 230 Bloomington, Ill. Bio 18.4 minutes per game \| 7.6 points per game \| 3.8 rebounds per game

		#24 Kim English Sophomore Guard 6-6 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Bio 22.1 minutes per game \| 16.1 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#25 Jarrett Sutton Junior Guard 6-3 \| 190 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 4 minutes per game \| 1.8 points per game \| 0.2 rebound per game

		#32 Steve Moore Sophomore Center 6-9 \| 264 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 11 minutes per game \| 1.6 points per game \| 1.4 rebounds per game