SB Nation - Indiana Hoosiers

In a Perfect World (Conference Realignment)

Evan Pfaff — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:30:13 -0000

by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Could a University of Houston QB be soon hoisting the Big 12 Championship trophy? (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Today the Big Ten conference issued a statement that they are exploring the possibility of expanding.

Every few years we hear the same rumblings and every few years there are articles published about what realignment would look like. But not since Penn State was admitted into the Big Ten has anything official been released. With that, below is the definitive article on the topic.

And even though this is a basketball blog, I will focus on the BCS aspect of realignment to argue my points. I will discuss basketball, though, and all points held for football can loosely translate over to hoops as well.

Currently there are six BCS conferences and those 6 all get automatic BCS-bowl bids. Those conferences are Big East, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC. Of those six, three of the conferences have enough football teams to have a conference championship game (the Big East would have enough if more of their charter schools had D1 football programs).

Part of the BCS issue is that you have some conferences without 12 schools, who don't currently have conference championship games. Adding conference championship games will ultimately help the BCS by crowing, on a field, a true conference champ. This will help with BCS bowl bids, and especially the BCS championship game. (Think of a rule where you have to at least win your division to get a BCS bid.

The other BCS issue is of the non-BCS schools and where they should lie. My realignment program take that into account.

Without further ado, after The Jump is the Big12Hoops.com Realignment plan.

MIZZOU MOVES TO THE BIG 10.

Why is this good for the Big 10? By admitting Mizzou into the Big 10, the Big 10 would secure a coveted TV market, namely St Louis. They would also get a share of the Kansas City TV market. By expanding westward, revenues from the Big 10 Network and apparel sales would grow. The Big 10 would also secure a 12^th team and legitimize a conference championship game. The divisions would be as follow:

Big 10 East: Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State

Big 10 West: Mizzou, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa

Under this scenario all regional rivalries remain in tact

Why is this good for Mizzou? The Big 12 seems to forget about schools not named Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas (basketball). There is no television network, so Mizzou's games are generally only regionally shown. There is Big Monday for basketball, but that is mainly reserved for Texas and KU. Under this, Mizzou's football games could be carried on the Big 10 Network and basketball games will be tied into the Big 10 ESPN deal. All this leads to a major recruiting advantage in both revenue generating sports.

Mizzou also has a rival in Illinois that would heat up instantly and the heated rivalry with Kansas will replace the Illinois basketball and football games on the schedules. Instead of St Louis, though, the KU games will be played at the Sprint Center and Arrowhead in KC.

But what about... Iowa State? The Cyclones seem to also be a natural fit and could easily add fuel to the rivalry with in-state foe Iowa Hawkeyes. The problem is that the Big 10 gains little from that arrangement. They are already pretty entrenched in the Hawkeye State and the addition of ISU wouldn't help their regional or national reputation.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON JOINS THE BIG XII

Why is this good for the Big 12? The University of Houston is a large campus, in a region of Texas that is currently underdeveloped with college sports. Houston is the 4^th largest city in the country, and by planting a team there, the Big 12 will get even more Texas viewership.

The big question would be on alignment, since there will now be 5 Texas schools. My proposal is for

Big 12 "North": Nebraska, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

Big 12 "South": Texas, Houston, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Baylor, Colorado

The division names will have to be rebranded, but adding Colorado to the South is acceptable because Coloradoans joke that there are more Texans in the state than natives.

Why is this good for Houston? Historically, the Cougars have had a good football team, and have won a basketball national championship. Having a Big XII logo on their court will increase their recruiting presence in the city and state and potentially turn them into powerhouse.

But what about... TCU? TCU would be a good choice, if they were bigger. Their 8000 student just wouldn't cut it if the conference wishes to remain the BIG 12. Houston's enrollment is approximately 30,000 students. Commuter school or not, Houston would help retain the "Big" in Big 12.

BYU AND UTAH GO TO THE PAC-10

Why is this good for the Pac-10? By including Utah and BYU into the Pac-10, the conference will have the 12 schools needed for an automatic conference championship games. Both programs have historically legitimate football and basketball programs, and they will bring their rivalry with them. Geographically, they are far enough West to warrant admission into the conference.

The division would be as follows

Pac-10 North: Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, BYU, Utah

Pac-10 South: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford, UCLA, USC

Why is this good for BYU and Utah? Both recruit well from the West, and inclusion into the conference will aid that. And by coming over as a pair (and as rivals) they bring legitimacy to the expansion eastward.

But what about... geography? The state of Utah doesn't border any states of current Pac-10 members, and that may cause some issues, but distance isn't really something the conference has ever regarded. Consider that Tucson, AZ to Seattle, WA is 1100 miles, or 400 miles farther than Tucson to Provo, UT.

ADD MORE TEAMS TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST

Why is this good for the Mountain West? As it stands under this scenario, the Mountain West is down to 7 members (the current 9, minus BYU and Utah). To get up with the big boys, the MWC needs to add 5 schools. The 5 that should move to the MWC should be: Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Rice, SMU.

There is already talk of Boise coming over to the MWC, so that is a no brainer. The others are coming over as "rivals" to existing MWC schools. Nevada will face UNLV, New Mexico State will pair with New Mexico, Rice and SMU will pit against TCU is a three-way battle for Texas.

Having 12 schools will allow the conference to host a championship game, matching the winners of each division, which would be as follows:

MWC North: UNLV, Nevada, Air Force, Wyoming, Colorado State, Boise State

MWC South: San Diego State, New Mexico, New Mexico State, TCU, Rice, SMU

Why is this good for the 5 programs? The shift from either the C-USA or WAC will legitimize the programs (see the next point). All will also enter the new MWC with a foe. Everyone wins.

But what about... the MWC still remaining relatively minute as compared to their BCS brethren? Why would these schools shift from one conference to another, just for shits and giggles? See next point.

ADMIT THE MOUNTAIN WEST INTO THE BCS

Why is this good for the BCS? Controversy will mainly be avoided. By admitting the redesigned MWC into the BCS you are accepting the current BCS gate crashers. You are bringing in the current at-large schools causing heartache and giving yourself another conference champion that the country can latch onto.

Why is this good for the MWC? Why isn't it good for the MWC?

But what about... the C-USA and WAC? These two conferences are now in shambles. What to do? See next item.

MERGE THE C-USA AND WAC

Why is this good for the two conferences? Because of the success of some of their schools, and regional ability to move, the Conference USA and WAC are currently left in shambles (under this proposal). Essentially afterthoughts as they are, now they are left with 15 schools between them. They could either split them up 8 and 7 or combine forces and form a 15 league mega conference. In terms of basketball, as we have seen with the Big East, and their 16 school hoops conference, too many schools doesn't water down the pool.

But what about... regionality? The C-USA is currently a conglomerate of throw-ins from around the country. Under this plan, that would just increase to a truly national conference. The members of it would be: Fresno St, Hawaii, Idaho, La Tech, San Jose St, Utah St, UTEP, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, Cent Florida, ECU, Marshall, Memphis, Southern Miss

Using the scenario outlined above, 18 schools will change conferences. This sounds like a lot, but as you can see many will be moving as groups and either with or to a rival.

But what about the Big East? Well, the Big East is the one conference I am leaving alone. In their football world, they are lacking the 12 members to create a championship game. But when you include their basketball members, they are a 16-team powerhouse.

One final thought. I reserve the right to claim this entire scenario null and void if Notre Dame ever decides to join the Big 10. If that were to happen, I would still endorse some shifting, but nothing to the extent of this proposal. More on that if a Notre Dame to the Big 10 rumor starts getting some legitimate traction.

Hoosier Headlines for December 15, 2009.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:59:39 -0000

Crean sees growth for Hoosiers in recent play (The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.)
"We had a week where we had some payoff for a lot of hard work," Crean said during the Big Ten men’s basketball teleconference Monday. "A young team was able to gain some confidence in a win in Madison Square Garden against Pittsburgh. That really helped us. We turned around and learned how far we really have to go when you play a team like Kentucky. We showed flashes of what we are capable of in the future. We showed flashes of what we’re learning. But we also showed flashes in the second half of what we’re not capable of yet, which is battling and bearing down in a very physical game and holding our own. We’ve got a long way to go in that area, but the good news is I think we can get there."
Big Ten Conference looking into expanding to 12 teams? (chicagotribune.com)
Redefining expectations (Inside the Hall)
"Because heading into Big Ten play, IU will likely be 7-5. Which means the Hoosiers are going to have to go 8-10 during Big Ten play — I’m not counting the Big Ten tourney here — to finish the season at 15-15. Is this out of the realm of possibility? No. Is it likely? Probably not. It’s a safer bet to project IU in the 10-14 win range right now."

Expect Hoosiers to regroup after lopsided UK loss (The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN)
"Life is never an absolute, but we're going to give you one: Indiana will win its final three non-conference basketball games and begin Big Ten play with a 7-5 record and a chance - a small chance, but a chance - to finish with an overall .500 record."

Hoosiers add Ernest, Smith to baseball roster (Hoosier Hype | Indiana Daily Student)

Crean: We don’t want sumo wrestlers (The Hoosier Scoop)
"Bottom line is we want to have an ability to go inside-outside," Crean said. "We want to have guys that can hold their spot in the post, that can defend pick n’ roll, and that can develop their offensive potential as we go down the line. But we’re also not looking to find sumo wrestlers that clog the lane where you can’t get into the lane and make plays. That’s not the game. I don’t think that’s the winning edge you need right now in this game."

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Moving On Up Edition

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:03:47 -0000

Well, it seems that the Villanova Wildcats' loss is the Kentucky Wildcats' gain, as UK moves up a spot to #3 ~~between~~ behind the Kansas Jayhawks and the Texas Longhorns.

As John Wall continues to garner Freshman of the Week awards from the SEC, Kentucky has a week to ponder it's recent success versus the North Carolina Tar Heels, Indiana Hoosiers and Connecticut Huskies, as well as working to improve their game, particularly on the defensive side.

If Kentucky's game versus IU proved nothing else, it showed that the 'Cats can handle a hostile arena with aplomb, even one that's said to have done some pretty ugly things lately. John Gasaway of Basketball Prospectus ponders the remarkable sequence that Daniel Orton had in the North Carolina game where he blocked a shot and dished an assist in the same short time frame, and in a later post, notes that DeMarcus Cousins is getting 22% of UK's misses back.

The news follows the jump.

idsnews.com | Indiana Daily Student |
This wasn’t the first time this season that Assembly Hall has been a hotbed of insults. Student fans were as loud on Dec. 1 against Maryland, but their chants included racist and derogatory slurs toward Maryland senior guard Greivis Vasquez of Venezuela and sophomore forward Jin Soo Choi of South Korea. This time, the yells were mostly targeted at Calipari.

Wow. Glad we didn't see any "racist and derogatory slurs" on Saturday.
The Big Blue Nation Report: Five Quick Questions for Mr. Leach...
An interview with Tom Leach
Hot UK plays it cool in potential 10-0 start | KentuckySports.com
Awesome job by Matthew Mitchell. Could UK hoops finally become a contendah?
Grading SEC Coaches | SEC Corner - al.com
Brooks gets surprisingly high grades.
Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Rich Brooks Wildcats garner post season honors
Monday's news & notes: UK's Wall making headlines, MSG a home away from home
Kansas freshman Xavier Henry is just as impressive as John Wall - Seth Davis - SI.com
Henry is the first to recognize that Wall has earned every bit of his publicity, but he will not concede that Wall is the better player. Henry also confesses that Wall's hot start has provided him with extra incentive. "It does kind of motivate me that he plays like that and gets all this attention, so if I play just as well then I should get the same," Henry told me in a telephone interview. "Just don't sleep on me. That's all I've got to say."

Play somebody, Xavier. Then talk smack.
Basketball Prospectus | Unfiltered
The always-worthy John Gasaway.
Izzo speaks out after Roy Williams throws another shot at Delvon Roe | College Hoops Journal
Another bit of bad behavior from Roy Williams.
Is Roy Williams the biggest phony in college basketball? | College Hoops Journal
CHJ takes Roy Willams down -- hard.
Ex-Cat Shagari Alleyne Signed by Halifax Rainmen
Is Wall or Cobb the better athlete? | Vaught's Views
Who cares? Both are great.
" BBL: Could Kentucky play in New York every year? John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links.
Kentucky and Louisville have flipped fortunes | College Hoops Journal
The Kentucky Wildcats aren’t in the clear and aren’t guaranteed a Final Four berth this season. The Louisville Cardinals aren’t mired in mediocrity and aren’t one of the eight worst teams in the Big East, all of the sudden.

But that doesn’t mean these two intrastate rivals haven’t switched positions in the past eight months. Think about where each of these programs were on Selection Sunday. It’s remarkable, when you think about it.

Indeed.
courier-journal.com | Chris Diggs - UK Fan | The Courier-Journal
When IU fans have to go back twenty years and talk about NCAA violations to put down a rival, I can't help but laugh. Seriously. Out of the last 20 meetings, the Cats have won 15 of those years. Why don't we talk about that? Why don't we talk about what is the most important thing, what happens on the floor?

Or, we can talk about something else that happened this decade -- Cell Phone Kelvin Sampson.
Thoughts on Kentucky and Kansas
Very thoughtful and interesting comments from a Kansas fan. I think Kansas is significantly better than UK right now, but at the end of the year, it could be a horse race. I would read this if I were you. He gets a few little things wrong, but mostly he does a very good job.
Wildcats Break for Exams - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Which basketball team will stay unbeaten longest? - Mike DeCourcy - College Basketball - Sporting News
Always worth a read.

Big Ten exapansion talk...again?

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:54:24 -0000

As I mentioned in yesterday's headlines post, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez reopened expansion discussion with these comments:

Speaking to Wisconsin's athletic board on Friday, Alvarez, the former longtime Badgers football coach, said the conference already has investigated possibilities for expansion "from all over the country." And though he places no timetable on the search, Alvarez thinks conference commissioner Jim Delany will respond to a group of athletic directors and coaches who want expansion. "I have a sense he is going to take this year to really be more aggressive about it," Alvarez told the board. "I just think everybody feels [expansion] is the direction to go, coaches and administrators."

Expansion is not something that the Big Ten undertakes lightly. Penn State joined in 1990. Michigan State joined in 1950. Before that, the last new members to join were Indiana and Iowa in 1899. The University of Chicago is the only school to leave the Big Ten permanently (per Wikipedia, Michigan left the conference from 1907-1916, but was a charter member when the conference was formed in 1896). All current and former members of the Big Ten are major research institutions ranked in the top 100 by US News & World Report and are members of the Association of American Universities. The Big Ten cares about its brand, academically and athletically.

Certainly, expansion isn't a new topic around here. In this post, nearly two and a half years ago, after comments by Jim Delany about expanding the geographic borders of the conference, I discussed the various possible members in states that border the current Big Ten footprint (but not schools within the footprint. Last May, I mentioned Joe Paterno's East Coast expansion dreams. So, here's a rundown of the candidates.

One issue that I don't think matters to the discussion is the Notre Dame issue. While it's an interesting issue, it doesn't add much to the expansion discussion because 1) Notre Dame is extremely unlikely to join the Big Ten; and 2) if #1 ceases to be true, then Notre Dame is an obvious fit as the 12th school and no further discussion is required. This post will focus on the other schools both inside and outside the footprint that might be plausible candidates. My inclusion of any school in this list should not be considered any sort of an endorsement. I will list every school in or adjacent to Big Ten territory that has anything approaching a big time athletic program.

INSIDE THE FOOTPRINT (from east to west)

University of Pittsburgh

Football: The Panthers have a strong history and have won multiple national championships, but most recently in 1976. The Panthers' fan support pales in comparison to that of Penn State, but in recent years have been reasonably respectable. It has been a generation since Pitt could legitimately be considered a football power, but the Panthers certainly wouldn't be a stretch for Big Ten membership in this regard.
Basketball: Historically, Pitt has been an afterthought, but thanks to the accomplishments of former coach Ben Howland and current coach Jamie Dixon, the Panthers have transformed into one of the best programs in the country. In the late 1990s, Pitt tore down its football stadium, became a tenant of the Steelers at then-new Heinz Field, and built a state-of-the-art basketball arena where the football stadium once stood. Pitt seems to have staying power as a basketball power.
US News Ranking: 56 (five current Big Ten members are ranked lower).
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit/Big Ten interest: Pitt, as a large research university within the Big Ten footprint, has much in common with Big Ten schools, and would have been a good fit at any point over the last few decades. Still, the Panthers plow no new ground. The Big Ten, thanks to Penn State, already has a strong presence in Pittsburgh. The Panthers, even during an excellent 2009 season, averaged only 53,000 in attendance at a stadium with a capacity of over 65,000. Would Pitt, plus the addition of a championship game, result in a net revenue gain for the conference? I have my doubts.
Likelihood of interest:I suspect that from a financial perspective, membership would be tough to decline for Pitt. The Big East, however competitive, provides a fraction of the football revenue. In 2007-08, Pitt ranked #61 in Division I-A with $39 million in revenue. Northwestern was last in the Big Ten with $41 million in revenue that year, and Indiana was next-to-last with $56 million, nearly 20 million more than one of the most prominent programs in the Big East. Also, it would be an academic boon for Pitt. The interesting question would be to what degree Jamie Dixon and his East Coast recruiting would play a role. My guess is that Dixon would be opposed, but my further guess is that his opposition wouldn't be enough.

University of Cincinnati

Football: Barely more than a decade ago, Cincinnati was on IU's schedule as a MAC-style warmup game. In 2009, the Bearcats were a missed Texas field goal away from playing for the national championship. Still, Cincy plays in a 35,000 seat stadium, and Brian Kelly's decision to head to Notre Dame seems to confirm that the Bearcats have nowhere to go but down.
Basketball: Cincinnati is a legitimate historical power. The Bearcats won two NCAA titles in the 1960s and were excellent under Bob Huggins in the 1990s and 2000s.
US News Ranking: Tier 3 (all Big Ten schools are Tier 1)
AAU member?: No.
Fit: It's really pointless to debate Cincinnati's athletic merits, whether Ohio State would oppose it, or anything else. A tier 3 commuter school like Cincinnati never will garner the support the Big Ten's presidents.
Likelihood of interest: Cincinnati is a Big East school with no long history in the conference and located in the heart of Big Ten territory. I presume Cincinnati would jump at the chance in the unlikely event it were offered.

Iowa State University

Football: Other than some recent wins over dramatically more talented Iowa teams, not much to write home about. Iowa State ranks #103 in all-time winning percentage among current Division I-A members. Only Northwestern and IU rank lower. Unlike even Northwestern and IU, Iowa State has never played in one of the current BCS bowls.
Basketball: A bit better than football, but not much. Iowa State hasn't been to the Final Four since 1944 and has only 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.
US News Ranking: 88, below all Big Ten schools, but Tier 1.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit/Big Ten interest: This is a school that is often mentioned in discussions on Big Ten expansion, and the appeal is completely lost on me. The Cyclones have a lackluster history in both sports, the Big Ten already has representation in Iowa, which is a fairly small state with no major media markets. Unless the creation of a championship game is some sort of cure-all, I can't imagine how anyone could argue that adding Iowa State would make the Big Ten a better conference.
Likelihood of interest: I sincerely have no idea. I have no read on Iowa State fans. I don't know if they prefer to be in a different conference from their rival Hawkeyes or if they would rather go toe-to-toe with Iowa in the Big Ten. I presume, perhaps unfairly, that most Big East teams would make the leap. It's a tougher read when the prospective team has a generations-long connection to a prominent conference. Iowa State ranked #63 in football revenue in 2007-08, and the Big 12 has inbalanced revenue distribution.

OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT

Rutgers University

Football: The Scarlet Knights played in the first-ever college football game but haven't done much to distinguish themselves since then. Rutgers has parlayed some success under Greg Schiano into strong attendance, stadium expansion, and the like, but would it be appealing for Rutgers to leave an eastern conference that it theoretically can dominate to join a conference where it must compete with Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State? Rutgers has won 50 percent of its games (#78 in I-A) and has never played in a New Year's Day bowl or in one of the current BCS bowls.
Basketball: The Scarlet Knights have been to the NCAA Tournament six times in school history, most recently in 1991. Rutgers plays its home games in the RAC, and 8,000 bandbox.
US News Ranking: 66, within the range of Big Ten schools.
AAU member?: Yes.

Fit: Academically, fine. Athletically, the Scarlet Knights are well below average in the two sports that matter. Rutgers is a popular hobby horse for Joe Paterno and others, usually based on Rutgers's presence in the greater New York metro area/media market. This strikes me as overblown. If being in such an area matters, then why does Rutgers play in a 8,000 seat basketball arena? Why was the football stadium only recently expanded from 41,000? This would be a nice addition for Big Ten alumni who live in New York, but letting Rutgers in wouldn't turn NYC into a Big Ten town.
Likelihood of interest: Rutgers is one of the more profitable Big East football programs with 2007-08 revenue of $50 million. I presume the academic pull would be strong, but I can imagine some reticence about the idea of New Jersey's state university joining such a distinctly midwestern institution.

Syracuse University

Football: The Orange have been down for several years, but they are a traditional football power. Historically, if not recently, the football program would be a reasonable addition to the Big Ten.
Basketball: Under the leadership of Jim Boeheim, Syracuse has been one of the most successful programs of the last 25 years, winning the 2003 NCAA title and finishing second twice (wouldn't the "Keith Smart, Keith Smart!" chant be fun?). Of course, Syracuse was a charter member of the Big East and is highly identified with that conference.
US News Ranking: 58, pretty average for the Big Ten.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Syracuse would constitute an expansion far northeast of ithe current footprint. While one can argue whether western New york and western Pennsylvania have more in common with the midwest or the east coast, my less-than-knowledgeable impression is that as a university, Syracuse is very tied in to New York City and draws much of its student body from metro New York despite the geographic distance. Syracuse is as far east as Baltimore. Still, Penn State was an eastern power before joining the Big Ten, so Syracuse doesn't seem like much of a departure. Academically, although a private school and a bit smaller than most Big Ten schools, SU would fit just fine.
Likelihood of interest: I really don't know. In terms of revenue, it would seem to be a solid move for Syracuse. On the other hand, Syracuse is one of the more tradition-rich football programs in the Big East. It's possible to picture Syracuse dominating the Big East in football. The Big Ten? Not so much. Basketball, it seems to me, would be the major stumbling block. My guess is that Jim Boeheim wields a lot of influence at Syracuse, and my further guess is that he wouldn't be interested in such a major idenity shift for his program.

University of Maryland

Football: A solid but not overwhelming history in the ACC. Maryland has had a BCS appearance in the last ten years.
Basketball: Maryland is a basketball school in a basketball conference, and has won the NCAA Tournament in the last ten years.
US News Ranking: 53, solidly in the middle of the Big Ten.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Certainly, Maryland's academics and athletics are up to snuff. Of course, like Syracuse, adding Maryland would be a major move eastward. On the other hand, Maryland is located in the suburbs of the major media market of Washington DC, and as far as I can tell as an outsider, seems to be more a part of the region's consciousness than Rutgers is in New York City. If Maryland were interested, I would think they would be a reasonably strong candidate.
Likelihood of interest: It strikes me as unlikely that Maryland would be interested. Despite recent strides in football, Maryland is a basketball school, and currently is one of the better programs in college basketball's most prestigious conference. My guess is that fan and alumni resistance would be strong.

West Virginia University

Football: The Mountaineers are an above average football program with a nearly .600 winning percentage and five top ten finishes in the last 22 seasons. WVU would be a worthy addition in football.
Basketball: The alma mater of Jerry West has a long and decent NCAA Tournament history and has qualified for the Sweet 16 three times in the last five years. WVU is no powerhouse, but has a solid basketball program.
US News Ranking: Tier 3. That's pretty bad for a state's flagship public university (all Big Ten schools are in Tier 1, roughly the top 100).
AAU member?: No.
Fit: I suspect that for Big Ten presidents, academics might be the dealbreaker. In academic prestige, WVU has more in common with Cincinnati and Louisville than with Big Ten schools. Also, WVU adds no major media markets. It's a shame, because I don't think WVU would be a bad fit athletically.
Likelihood of interest: I presume, with no real knowledge of the institution, that there would be interest. Obviously, part of that interest would be based on revenue and prestige, but as a state, West Virginia strikes me as something of a region of its own. It's not really southern, eastern, or midwestern, and certainly isn't tied to the east coast the way Rutgers and Syracuse are. I presume WVU would be game if the Big Ten were.

University of Kentucky

Football: UK has a solid program, but the Wildcats are an afterthought in the extremely competitive SEC East. As IU fans will recall from the longtime football series between IU and UK, the Wildcats have impressive fan support for a team with a below average record.
Basketball: Obviously, the Wildcats are one of the most accomplished programs in the history of college basketball. This addition would dramatically increase the prestige of the Big Ten. Imagine: IU-UK, MSU-UK, Purdue-UK, Ohio State-UK, Illinois-UK, every year, usually twice a year.
US News Ranking: 128. Lower than all current Big Ten schools, but not dramatically so.
AAU member?: No.
Fit: Obviously, basketball would be awesome. Football? Well, Kentucky has good fan support, but generally is considered a have-not. I'm not sure how the revenue picture would look. Kentucky would add the Lexington market and would enhance the Big Ten's presence in the Louisville and Cincinnati markets.
Likelihood of interest: I really don't know. Kentucky strikes me as a state that despite its central geography really treasures its southern identity. Leaving a southern conference to join a midwestern conference might clash with that. Academically, it seems to me it would be a great move for a school that is not currently Big Ten caliber but is within striking distance. In football, UK would be leaving a long history in the SEC, but might be convinced that it has a better chance of competing in the Big Ten. In basketball, UK has owned the SEC, but of its three biggest rivals (Louisville, Indiana, and Tennessee) two are non-conference. It's an intriguing question.

University of Louisville

Football: The Cardinals had a brief moment in the spotlight earlier this decade, but aren't a traditional football power by any stretch.
Basketball: The Cardinals have won two NCAA titles and are a top 10 basketball program historically, or top 15 at least.
US News Ranking: Tier 3 (all current Big Ten schools are Tier 1).
AAU member?: No.
Fit: Louisville would be a decent fit athletically and geographically, but my guess is that academics would be a dealbreaker.
Likelihood of interest: I presume that the opportunity to move into a more lucrative conference, particularly for football, would be attractive. Louisville's history in the Big East is relatively short, and the Metro/Great Midwest/Conference USA were constantly adding and losing members. This wouldn't be like Kentucky leaving the SEC after generations of membership, for instance. My guess is that UL would move, but it's academic.

University of Missouri

Football: An average program historically but currently on the upswing.
Basketball: Thanks to Maryland's recent tournament success, Missouri probably now owns the dubious distinction of "best basketball program without a Final Four appearance." Still, Mizzou has a solid basketball program.
US News Ranking: 102. Below all Big Ten schools but not dramatically so.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Missouri would be an expansion of the conference's borders but into a midwestern portion of the country. bordered by Illinois and Iowa Missouri has good programs in both major sports, is the flagship university in its state, and would add the Kansas City media market and would solidify the Big Ten's presence in the St. Louis market. Again, I don't have a good enough handle on the numbers to know how they would work.
Likelihood of interest: Well, check out this thread on Rock M Nation. Some Mizzou fans are in favor, others are adamantly against the move. Mizzou has a long history in the Big 12 and its predecessors, but also some discontent with the current (in their view) Texas-dominated Big 12. The Big 12 has a less even revenue distribution formula than the Big Ten. I suspect that academics might carry the day if Mizzou were invited.

University of Nebraska

Football: While the last few years haven't been kind to the Huskers, they are an elite program.
Basketball: Nothing special, but neither was Penn State basketball.
US News Ranking: 96, slightly below the tail end of the Big Ten.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Nebraska borders the Big Ten by virtue of a short border with Iowa, and would be quite a western expansion. Nebraska adds no major media markets, but particularly in football, the Huskers are the only show in town. Academically, NU is good enough.
Likelihood of interest: I really have no idea. Given the significance of Nebraska football, the long history in the Big 8/Big 12, and the fact that a Nebraska program playing to its potentional should own the Big Ten North, my guess is that there would be little interest.

Well, those are the candidates, both within and adjacent to the footprint. What do you think? Who do you prefer? Did I miss anyone? I welcome all comments.

Interview With Joseph Lacy, Author of "Mountain Reign"

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:58:16 -0000

Mountain Reign front cover

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As a nice tie-in to Roy Williams' comments in my previous post, I present here an interview with Joseph Lacy.

Joseph Lacy is a first-time author of a new book about basketball called Mountain Reign,which he describes as "...a hardscrabble coming-of-age tale about coal country teens struggling to make it to the state basketball finals in Rupp-era Lexington. It has sort of a 'Hoosiers meets October Sky' feel."

The interview with Joe about Mountain Reign follows the jump.

Mandatory full disclosure: I have been sent a free copy of Joe's novel, and no other financial or in-kind consideration whatsoever. This interview was my promise to him before he offered to provide a copy, and I have no financial interest in the novel, either directly or indirectly except as disclosed herein. The purpose of this interview is to make our readers familiar with a new novel about a subject that may interest them.

Tru: How many books have you written?

Mountain Reign is my first novel, and you always hope that people don’t say the new baby’s ears are too big. Previously, I wrote a biography of Ohio native Jim Foulkes, MD. I joined Jim on his mission hospital rounds in the bush country of Mukinge, Zambia (south central Africa) and the seeds of To Africa with Love: A Bush Doc’s Story were planted then.   I also compiled a series of inspirational gift books in a "Prescription" series, including Prescription for Life. I did a satisfying cover story for Iron Master on the life story of my uncle, Ronald Coleman Lacy. Ron was the greatest all-around athlete I’ve ever seen. I’ve also written quite a bit in the medical field, and am currently working on two medical thrillers, Shadow’s Call and Pearl Dive.

Tru: What was the inspiration behind Mountain Reign?

For my money, Hoosiers is the best sports movie ever. So why fictionalize Kentucky basketball when we have dozens of Hoosiers-like tales? Instead of telling one story, I took slivers of many and coupled it with the spirit of Kentucky basketball and came up with Mountain Reign.

I grew up with basketballs bouncing around my ears (Lexington-born, UK alumnus), and gained great inspiration from watching a lot of fabulous players, notably college basketball players. Patrick Patterson and Jeff Sheppard come to mind, but also classic ones, such as Dan Issel, Jamal Mashburn, Pete Maravich, Roger Harden, Tony Delk, Jack Givens, and Rex Chapman. Basketball is a birthright in Kentucky.

As well, I was raised by wonderful Appalachian grandparents and my Hazard-born Uncle Ron. Their profound love and example influence me to this day, and a lot of the hardiness is found in the characters of Mountain Reign.

Appalachia’s story is one of a hardscrabble life and the quality of that life depended upon a man or woman’s independence and self-sufficiency. I set the book in 1950. At that time, the severe terrain and isolation of this population left many of these mountain communities unlike any found elsewhere in the world.

Much of Appalachian writing diverges into stereotype or romantic legend. I wanted neither. I wrote about a sturdy people who happened to be Appalachian. The creative center of Mountain Reign is people. As well, the rich landscape of the Appalachian Mountains presents as a character in itself. Add a little basketball to the mix, then put the reader behind the eyes of teenagers (who can get away with speaking their minds more so than what the domesticated tongues of adults might speak), and you some interesting stuff.

Tru: Were any of your characters inspired by UK players, past or present? If so which characters and which players?

High school players, of course, will not have the polish college players have. In fact, I did not choose one particular player to model my characters after, but took facets from many. And quite a few of those facets came from lesser-sung players.

When Hazelwood’s pint-sized point guard (Stub) barrels down court dribbling the ball like he’s squashing bugs, readers will see a little guy with a big desire to win. UK fans will hopefully see a composite—Dicky Beal, Anthony Epps, or even Ron Lacy, a UK football player (running back under Bear Bryant, an Army All-Star basketball player, and former Mr. America). These guys had motors that didn’t quit. If John Wall had played at Kentucky before I’d finished Mountain Reign, there would probably be a sliver of him in there, too. With Wall, you're tempted to use Ali’s famous line: "Keep the camera moving, ‘cause I'm kinda fast."

Hazelwood plays scrappy, in-your-face defense. I hope readers see slivers of Anthony Epps, Jay Shidler, Cliff Hawkins, Saul Smith, Travis Ford, and Sean Woods.

In Mountain Reign, even some of the opponents have a UK essence. For example, a city player who "looks like he has cantaloupe halves strapped where his calves should have been" muscles his way in the paint with his NFL-style frame (think James Lee) to torment foes with his silky shots (insert Jack Givens or Louie Dampier).

When other characters stroke polished textbook shots, I hope the readers see in their mind’s eye images of Kevin Grevey, Jodie Meeks, and Troy McKinley. When the hometown player sets a rock-solid box out, here’s hoping visions of Charles Hurt, Dan Issel, or Patrick Patterson leap to their minds.   A dribbler blurs through the defense like gale through a corn field, and I hope they ask—was that Roger Harden or Rajon Rondo? Derek Anderson or Wayne Turner? Larry Conley or Ralph Beard?

But most importantly, I hope the reader sees in Mountain Reign the concept of team. Slade (the coach) knows he has a team, and thinks: His boys were playmakers…all elbows and scabbed knees on defense. But not one was authentic hotshot material. Slade prayed that when his opponent looked down his bench, they would see a ratty string of boys they would underestimate.

Role players often are the crucial cement that molds really good teams. Mountain Reign is full of players who exude hustle, who are comfortable in their own skin and use solid fundamentals—who better to embody the team concept than Jeff Brassow, Chuck Hayes, Ronnie Lyons, John Pelphrey, or Richie Farmer. Those guys were as comfortable scraping their chins against the floor chasing loose balls as shooting baskets in warm-ups. The same can be said for other mountain floor burns—Wah Wah Jones, Reggie Hanson, Joe Stepp, Johnny Cox, and Don Mills.

While every UK era has its many stars to draw from, one thing doesn’t change from year to year—Kentucky strives for team. I love what former UNC coach Frank McGuire said: "Kentucky has found the secret of basketball—five guys playing together." That’s what Mountain Reign is all about.

In my book, one of the guys shares his money with his destitute teammates. Not to stretch this analogy too far, but when Jamal Mashburn donated $500,000 from his salary before playing one NBA game, that kind of generosity gets your attention.

Also, you have to remember, up to only a few years ago, the closest modern touchstone to boys’ basketball in the 50s was girls’ basketball. I made sure to attend a high school girls’ game at a small school (Class A) to get a little feel for finesse and teamwork.

Tru: Is this the first book you have written with a basketball theme?

Mountain Reign is my first book with a basketball theme.

Tru: Why did you pick the mountains of Eastern Kentucky during the Adolph Rupp era as the setting?

The Appalachian players were the rootstock of Kentucky basketball during this era. And this, at a time when UK was amassing a perennial basketball dynasty, with All-Americans coming off the bench. Rupp would often quote the Bible: "I look unto the hills, whence comes my help."

Also, in 1950 television had yet to homogenize the culture. The time period and geography made for an amazing abundance of rich-textured themes. Living off the land. The blessing/curse of coal veining through the mountains. Segregation. Elizabethan dialect that is a somewhat close to what Shakespeare or Chaucer spoke.

Tru: Which character, if any, will Kentucky fans find most familiar?

Hopefully, they will see glimpses of many players, not just one. What basketball lovers will find familiar is that the boys between these pages love basketball as much as they do. This beautiful game was made to be played well, and to be played well it must be played fast, and be played as a team.

Really, none of the hometown team in Mountain Reign is good enough to play at UK. But what they're really good at is being a team. As an aside, there’s a scene where the coach drives the winding roads to meet an old retired coach from Clay County, Bippy Skyland, for advice. He’s not exactly a Bobby Keith, but they would have liked each other.

Tru: What, if anything, was the most difficult thing about writing Mountain Reign?

On a writerly level, you always worry about the balance of the elements (description, narrative summary, dialogue) used in storytelling. You want your history and facts to be right, but you don’t want to use a ton of research, because it comes off as a data dump and/or authorial boasting, which pulls a reader out of the story. That’s one reason why I couldn't mention all forty-nine of Kentucky’s Appalachian counties (nor many of their great players) between the pages of the book by name—but their spirit is there.

Today, of course, kids of all stripes play ball together. But at that time, you had two Kentucky high school leagues, one white, one black (KHSAA and KHSAL). Then, blacks and whites did not officially play together. Fiction allows you to have a little fun—so I had a black team scrimmage the hometown white team in preparation for a tournament. I didn’t want to rabbit-trail too much from the dominant theme of the book, but I thought this was an important scene (pre-civil rights America). To get a feel for this, I spoke with Henry Lee Logan, the first African-American to play basketball at a predominantly white institution (Western Carolina University) in the southeastern US. As well, I had a friend (an African-American MD who played college ball in the south) read the excerpt for suggestions.

Additionally, one of my main characters is a Melungeon, someone not quite black, someone not quite white. (Try googling "Melungeon" for an interesting read). I interviewed a nurse I work with who is part-Melungeon. Suffice it to say, the self-reliant Melungeon’s skin is not only dark, it’s pretty thick, too. Toughness comes in all shades of skin color.

What do I want people to get out of the book? The enjoyment of a satisfying read and an appreciation for that which is the creative center of Mountain Reign—the Appalachian people.

You can read Mountain Reign reviews or pick up a copy at Amazon.com or Abebooks.com. Lacy is having a book signing at December 19th, (Saturday) from 2-4 pm at Borders Books, Crestview Hills Town Center, Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

Hoosier Headlines for December 14, 2009.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:34:33 -0000

Kentucky Basketball: Hoosiers in the Rear-View Mirror (A Sea Of Blue)
IU, UK: different directions (Evansville Courier & Press)
"I’m not for one year; if it was changed, it should have gone up a little more than that," Crean said. "I wouldn’t say I’m opposed to it; you deal with it inside the rule book. That’s a personal philosophy, but (one-and-done players) are an element of recruiting."
Wildcats too much for IU (Indiana Daily Student )
"Heading into halftime, the Hoosiers had shot 63 percent from the floor, dished out 11 assists, committed just four turnovers and were within a single point of the nation’s No. 4 team. But Kentucky extended the lead to 12 within the first five minutes of the second half, and IU never caught up."
Recapping the week that was in men's hoops (Brent Yarina - Big Ten Network)
"Team of the week: Indiana - The Hoosiers only went 1-1 this past week, sure, but if you watched the games, you saw a team that will surprise plenty of folks in the Big Ten. "

Kentucky Basketball: Hoosiers in the Rear-View Mirror

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:54:23 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Patrick Patterson was a glass-eater versus the Hoosiers.

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I think it is almost universally agreed that the Kentucky Wildcats played its best overall game of the season yesterday afternoon against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

Working on that assumption, what we want to do now is take a look, statistically, at what went right and why it was better than what the 'Cats have been doing lately. John Calipari was obviously excited about how well the Wildcats played yesterday, for good reason.

So what are some of the things we should be looking for in a good game, statistically speaking? Here are a few of them:

High effective field-goal percentage;
Low opponent effective field-goal percentage;
Low turnovers;
Good rebounding;
High number of points from the free throw line.

Those are the things measured in statistics, but what causes these things to happen? Obviously, it's different for each factor, but here are some of the things that have the greatest impact on good basketball:

Getting into offense early in the shot clock;
Getting back quickly on defense and preventing easy baskets;
Good ball distribution in the half-court offense;
Good ball pressure in the half-court defense;
Good low-post play on offense;
Good defensive rotation on defense.

There are more, obviously, but we want to stick with the simple things. All these characteristics are fundamental to winning basketball, and the better you do them, the more likely you are to win. They may seem obvious, but how they interact with each other is less so.

Follow me after the jump for more.

First, the early offense. The reason early offense is important is because it takes advantage of the fact that the defense is usually not properly set up when early offense is initiated -- people are out of position, on the wrong man, or in the process of figuring out where their man is while trying to watch the ball. There are far less distractions on the offensive players, who's sole objective is to score. Early offense is easy offense.

Getting back quickly on defense is an obvious one in preventing your opponent from using his early offense against you. This is particularly important against teams like Indiana who like to play fast. A 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 is an advantage for the offense, particularly if the guards are the ones initiating it. That's why it's important to outnumber the offense when getting back.

Good ball distribution is all about putting players in the best possible position to execute a successful shot on goal. When the ball is moved quickly, forcing defensive reaction, the offense almost always winds up with a quality shot.

Good low-post offense forces the defense to collapse inside, which provides open shots from the perimeter and can force a rapid defensive rotation that leaves a player open in the post. Whenever you force the defense to move out of where they want to be, the offense has a big advantage.

Finally, good defensive rotation is critical. If the defense rotates properly in response to a drive or a pass, it can always be in a position to challenge the shot, especially when you keep in mind which players are most effective from which spots on the floor.

So with all that in mind, let's examine the Four Factors to Winning for the IU/UK game:

NCAA Basketball Stats

As you can see, UK won three of the four factors, and overmatched Indiana completely in the area of offensive rebounding. In fact, that is some of the most dramatic domination on the offensive glass I have seen all year, and is one of the reasons that the Wildcats have been able to overcome turnovers in most games.

Notice that Indiana doubled us up on ballhandling. But that isn't a problem, because anything less than 20% is fine, and anything less than 15% is probably too low for this offense, because as coach Cal has said, it could indicate a lack of aggression.

What this chart does not show you is shots on goal, which is where TO's affect you most. But UK's offensive rebounding was so dominant, it exceeded the turnover difference, and UK still got six more shots on goal than the Hoosiers. Combine that with a higher eFG%, and it's easy to see the UK advantage.

Surprisingly, the 'Cats did not shoot that much better than IU. The Hoosiers had an eFG% of 54.2% versus UK's 58.3%. But notice the free throw discrepancy. That's where Indiana could have made up some ground, but UK also dominated that statistic by a significant margin.

The bottom line is that this graph indicates the following:

UK shot well, and was very efficient (132.7 OE, 2nd highest of the year).
UK played relatively poor defense, allowing Indiana 107.7 efficiency and 54.2 eFG%.
UK took good care of the basketball.
UK scored from the line comparatively well, but by no means their best performance of the year.

So what made Kentucky so efficient offensively? That's easy -- John Wall. John Wall put in what was easily his best performance, competition considered, so far. He penetrated the lane, forcing rotation, and made great decisions about what to do with the basketball. That put UK in a position to move the ball quickly, or just take the open shot from the first post-penetration pass. It was beautiful offensive basketball.

But what isn't good is that UK allowed a higher OE by Indiana than Kansas, for example, has allowed all year. Now, there is no doubt that the 'Cats have played a tougher schedule than the Kansas Jayhawks so far this year by a wide margin, but it does highlight that Kentucky has a ways to go yet to reach the kind of performance that will truly justify a top five ranking.

What else can we learn? Take a look at this graph:

What this shows is a fairly strong positive correlation between between Wall's assists and and team eFG%, and a moderate negative correlation between Wall's points and eFG%. In everyday terms, it means the more assists Wall has, the more efficient we are offensively. The more points he scores, the less efficient.

As a general proposition, the better Wall passes the ball, the better UK scores, and the more Wall scores, the worse. That's why a great point guard can change the game, and exactly illustrates why the UConn game upset me, and coach Cal as well. Wall was trying to make plays, but by making most of them himself by scoring, he helped make the team less efficient.

Because Wall touches the ball so much, he has to do one thing or the other, not both. You can see that he rarely has high scoring games and high assist games, and vice versa. Look at the Indiana game. High assists, relatively low points, and our second-highest eFG% of the year.

Coach Cal totally gets this, trust me. And I think, now, so does Wall.

Kentucky 90, Indiana 73: a closer look.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:31:38 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

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The official stats are here. The Pomeroy gameplan is here.

It's no secret to anyone who watched the game that IU was dominated on the boards at both ends of the court. IU's 22.2 percent offensive rebound percentage is IU's second worst of the season, second only to the performance against Boston University. Further, at the offensive end, Kentucky rebounded an incredible 56.8 percent of its own misses. In other words, nearly 6 in 10 Kentucky misses led to another opportunity for the Wildcats to score. Unlike some other numbers, UK's rebounding advantage was constant throughout the game. In the first half, UK rebounded 7 of 14 of its missed shots. Obviously, this is an extremely difficult disadvantage to overcome. Still, for over half of the game the Hoosiers did overcome the board deficit, but only with unsustainable 63 percent shooting, including 5-8 from three point range, in the first half. IU's offense cratered in the second half (IU shot only 33 percent from the field), and UK rolled.

Really, for all of the justifiable John Wall hype, the entire stat sheet demonstrates UK's interior dominance. UK scored 44 points in the paint, IU 26. Kentucky blocked 7 shots, IU 3. One third of IU's field goal attempts were three point shots. In short, UK, while taking multiple opportunities of its own, essentially limited IU to a single jump shot on a typical possession. IU's offensive output of nearly 1.1 points per possession was the Hoosiers' best of the season. Unfortunately, IU's 1.32 points per possession yielded to UK was by far the worst defensive performance of the season and third-worst of the Crean era.

Still, the news was not all bad for IU. The Hoosiers turned the ball over only 9 times in a 68 possession game (despite each team's purported desire to push the ball, this was IU's slowes pace of the season). The turnover percentage of 13.3 represents, by far, IU's best ball-handling of the Crean era. Turnovers were the bane of IU's existence last season, but IU now is ranked #151 in Division I in turnover percentage, and has taken good care of the ball in the games against Pitt and Kentucky. Considering that UK pressed for part of the game, this is significant progress. I simply cannot accept a 17 point home loss to Kentucky as any sort of moral victory, but the Hoosiers, for the entire game against Pitt and in the first half against Kentucky, have looked like a transformed team. I have no idea how that will translate to Big Ten play, but things do not look as hopeless as they looked after 0-3 in Puerto Rico. All along, I and many others have said that unlike last year's overmatched team, the 2009-10 Hoosiers have enough talent to improve. That seems to be happening, however modestly. Enough to break .500 and sneak into the NIT? Keep watching, I guess.

Individual performances:

As I mentioned yesterday, Maurice Creek's performance was the finest of his short career. Creek shot 5-8 from three point range, 4-6 from inside the arc, and 8-8 from the line. Thanks to his success behind the arc and at the line, Creek averaged 2.2 points per shot for a total of 31. He also had 2 steals and an assist and only one turnover.
Christian Watford, talented but scrawny, continues to struggle against more powerful opponents. Watford scored 7 points on 3-8 from the field, did not get to the line, and had only 3 rebounds in 18 minutes.
Jeremiah Rivers should consider a Daniel Moore-style shooting rule (layups only), but other than his 3-9 from the field, he was very good, with 8 assists, 1 turnover, and a block.
Jordan Hulls scored 6 points on 2-4 shooting (all behind the arc) but didn't have an assist in 17 minutes.
Devan Dumes continues to play reasonably well in a limited role. He scored 5 points on 2-3 from the field and had two assists, a block, and a steal.
Tom Pritchard was the invisible man. He played 20 minutes and was 2-2 from the field with one rebound, one foul, one assist, and one turnover.

The biggest problem facing these Hoosiers seems to be on the interior, and I don't see a great solution. We have to get bigger, better, and older, something that can't be done, at least not much, in a few weeks. Still, this team played very well at certain points against one of the best and most talented teams in the country.

As I said this morning, IU has another week-long layoff. This week, we will talk Big Ten expansion, take a long view of the basketball season so far, and perhaps some football post-mortem as most other Big Ten programs ready for bowl games.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Indiana Afterglow Edition

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:24:22 -0000

It's always fun the day after a big victory over a rival school. This morning I have been sleek and lazy, and satisfied with the trajectory of how this young Kentucky team is maturing. They may not be to the level of Kansas or Texas yet, but yesterday's game was a significant step forward in many meaningful ways.

Later today, I'll be taking a statistical look at how UK did in the IU game, along with some analysis for readers to chew on. Right now, though, we need to take a look at what others are saying about the Wildcat's performance yesterday.

The news follows the jump.

Wildcats' growl grows | TIM ETHRIDGE COLUMN" Evansville Courier & Press
"I want to tell the people of Indiana, we’re not any better than that," said Calipari. "That’s all we have that’s a February effort we put together. They got our best.

"This was a statement game for our guys. We came into a hostile environment, got punched in the mouth early, but we stayed on our feet and came back at them. So this was a great learning step for us."

Indeed. This was by far the best Kentucky has played offensively. But you knew that.
" SEC links: More hostess allegations at Tennessee John Clay’s Sidelines
Boob-brushing? Hmm.
Young Cats turn in veteran performance | KentuckySports.com
Talk about your Hoosier hostility. The Indiana crowd was into this Kentucky-Indiana thing from the jump, displaying rude signs, howling obscenities and reverting to the "Cal's a Cheater! Cal's a Cheater" chant.

Isn't that cute? Indiana thinks we've never heard anyone accuse Calipari of cheating. I'm glad they've move past Kelvin Sampson to the point they fail to see any irony in that.

Another interesting quote from Clay's article:

(By the way, have you noticed that, so far, we haven't once mentioned John Wall?)

Heh. Yeah. He gets it. Nice.
LeBron James building ties with Kentucky's John Wall: NBA Insider | Cleveland Cavaliers - cleveland.com -
At the mere mention of John Wall's name, LeBron James' eyes soften as he tries to swallow a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I have a relationship with him," James said. "A really good relationship. With not only John, but his family. We talk all the time."

This concerns me a little. Not LeBron himself, but the other guys mentioned. Cal needs to watch his young star closely, we don't want NCAA concerns to intrude on this fine season.
Fifth-ranked Purdue rallies to take a 'great opportunity' from Alabama | The Bama Beat - al.com
Nice to see the Tide is playing better under Anthony Grant.
Vaught's Views: Bledsoe, Cats make statement on the hardwood: AMNews.com
Calipari playfully challenged Bledsoe before the game when other UK players said he was going to guard Maurice Cheek, who had a game-high 31 points.

"He can’t guard him. The kid offensive rebounds," Calipari said he told his team.

Bledsoe asked the coach if he was trying to be funny or not.

Bledsoe was able to guard him for half the game, anyway.
UK Notebook: Cousins keeps his cool: AMNews.com
"I put him in and he played. He grew up today. Can he stay grown up? I have no idea. He was a beast."

Yes. He was truly Good Cuz yesterday. I hope we see a lot more of that.
Kentucky beats Indiana in men's basketball - washingtonpost.com
Highly touted recruit considering Illinois, Duke, Kentucky - Chicago Breaking Sports
A lot of eyes in the final contest were on Quality Education's Quincy Miller, who had 12 points. Miller, a Chicago native, is wanted by a number of top Division I schools, including Duke, Kentucky, Louisville and Illinois. He had 12 points Saturday despite playing with an injured wrist.

It would be cool if we brought another top recruit out of North Carolina. K and Williams don't let many get away.
Video - Mark Ingram is Alabama's First Heisman Trophy Winner - FanDome
IU's Crean teaches until the bitter end against UK | The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN
For 25 minutes IU was No. 4 Kentucky’s equal at sold-out Assembly Hall. In the final 15, natural selection ruled. It was survival of the fittest, the strongest, the swiftest and a one-point Hoosier lead became a 17-point deficit and defeat.
The C-J's Sunday College Basketball Notebook | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Strong's hiring sets up recruiting battle - Kentucky Football - Ledger-Enquirer.com
Phillips struck back the next day, securing a commitment from Eastern's do-it-all junior prospect Jon Davis. Smith is already listed as a four-star recruit by Scout.com, and Davis is expected to be a four-star recruit when the rankings are updated next summer.

If we can hold our own against Louisville here in the River City, I'll be happy. But I think Phillips will not back down from Strong.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Indiana - Kentucky Sports Network
UK Football: Nashville glad to have UK: AMNews.com
Great stuff. I am happy to be going to the Music City Bowl. I do regret we couldn't get a more prestigious bowl, but we just didn't earn one, in my opinion.
Celtics trample Bulls for 10th straight win | Reuters
Rajon Rondo provided 16 points and 14 assists and Kevin Garnett also had a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Via Walter's Wildcat World.
Quigley Nets Second Singles Victory, Leads US into Finals at Master'U BNP Paribas - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Hey Boo Boo! It’s Sunday’s News and Views!
FGM has the news and views for today!
WCU shocks Louisville; UNCC takes easy win
Louisville has now lost three of their last four, and two in a row at home. Ouch.
Opinion: Gerhart, Suh make Heisman vote interesting - Race for the Heisman- nbcsports.msnbc.com
Congrats to Mark Ingram. I was hoping Suh would win, but I doubted that he would, and I was right about that. Pity.
Hilltoppers play sweet tune in Music City | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Go, Toppers! I want the 'Cats to drub Vandy this year, I still remember 2007.
DeCourcy Says What Many Thought About Billy Gillispie
UK hoop's early schedule lacked strength | KentuckySports.com
Going into the Indiana game on Saturday, UK had a strength of schedule of 135, according to CollegeRPI.com. The Cats had beaten two opponents in the top 150 of the Ratings Percentage Index: North Carolina (No. 63) and Connecticut (No. 14). Five of UK's victories came against opponents with an RPI of 204 or worse: UNC-Asheville (204), Stanford (208), Sam Houston State (220), Cleveland State (235) and Morehead State (245).

I have a feeling the non-conference schedule will get a lot tougher very quickly under Calipari. Don't look for this cupcake stuff next year.
UK-Indiana notes: Patterson thrives outside | KentuckySports.com
"I love it," Patterson said of playing near the three-point line. "I feel great on the perimeter. I think I'm starting to get to the point I'd rather be out there than on the post. Keep DeMarcus (Cousins) on the post and I'll sit out on the perimeter. It's a lot more fun out there."

This is a part of his game that Patterson always wanted to develop. Now he can. Now he has. And he's loving it.
"Hoosier" daddy? I’m thinking Kentucky =P " A Journey to Find Myself
I'm thinking she likes this UK team -- a lot!
Putting The Pac 10's Struggles In Perspective - SB Nation

Hoosier Headlines for December 13, 2009: postgame coverage of Indiana's loss to Kentucky, plus football and Big Ten expansion.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

3 days ago: Kentucky forward DeMarcus Cousins reacts after hitting a shot and getting fouled during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009. Kentucky won 90-73. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Browse more photos »

Hoosiers run out of gas (Post-Tribune)
"Energized by a raucous Assembly Hall crowd, which IU coach Tom Crean called "one of the most incredible atmospheres" he has ever been a part of, the Hoosiers (4-5) jumped out to a 12-4 lead in the first half and trailed Kentucky by just one at the break."
Wildcats need run to stop Creek, IU (The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.)
"A year ago, we play at Kentucky (a 72-54 loss), it was a stunned locker room," Indiana coach Tom Crean said. "This year, we play Kentucky, it’s a hurt locker room. That’s progress to me."
Wildcats' growl grows | TIM ETHRIDGE COLUMN (Evansville Courier & Press)
"I want to tell the people of Indiana, we’re not any better than that," said Calipari. "That’s all we have that’s a February effort we put together. They got our best. "This was a statement game for our guys. We came into a hostile environment, got punched in the mouth early, but we stayed on our feet and came back at them. So this was a great learning step for us."
Different philosophies on display (The Indianapolis Star)
Warning: Bob Kravitz column.
Terre Haute News, Terre Haute, Indiana- TribStar.com - Effort vs. Wildcats shows how far Hoosiers have come
"Tom Crean has two measures for judging his team’s progress: as compared to last year and as compared to last week. By either measure, Indiana is getting better, even if it doesn’t always show up in the win column."

IU's Crean teaches until the bitter end against UK (The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN)
"One last timeout. Why not? The game was lost, the teaching wasn’t. Indiana coach Tom Crean had a point to make with 80 seconds left against Kentucky and he gathered the Hoosiers around him, diagramming a play, pushing his message from mouthwash range, driving details great teams understand."

Column: Cats pass nerves test in first road game (The Kentucky Kernel)
"For the first time this year, UK played an opponent on its home floor. And UK’s schedulers didn’t ease into that first road game, either. Assembly Hall is one of basketball’s most hostile environments, stemming largely from a fiercely loyal fan base and a creative (if not a bit ruthlessly over the top) student section, even while coach Tom Crean and the Hoosiers are up to their eyebrows in rebuilding."

Kentucky 90, Indiana 73: Postmortem (A Sea Of Blue)
"Congrats to the Indiana Hoosiers for playing a great first half of college basketball. Maurice Creek is definitely the real deal, and Tom Crean has this team playing at a high level considering how few true big people they have on the roster. Indiana is a team on the rise, and Tom Crean is quite likely a future Hall of Famer. This series will get much tougher for UK in very short order, I predict."

Rick Bozich: Even Calipari impressed with Wildcats (The Courier-Journal)

Cats 10-0 after beating Hoosiers 90-73 (Lexington Herald Leader)
"Prior to this convincing crunching of the Hoosiers, Calipari had consistently poured water on UK's best start to a season since 1992-93. UK's play merited a .500 record, he kept grumbling."

Young Cats turn in veteran performance (Lexington Herald Leader)
"It had played in a quirky chandelier-filled ballroom in Cancun. It had played against a defending national championship team in Rupp. It had played before Pat Riley, Michael Douglas, Oscar Robertson and the like against some Big East bangers at Madison Square Garden. But it had not played before a group of rabid Midwesterners, chafed by the cold, crammed into their own gym, out for blue blood. "This place," said Patrick Patterson, the veteran Cat, "is as loud, if not louder than Rupp."

Cal pooh-poohs perfection (Lexington Herald Leader)

Alvarez: Big Ten will push for expansion (ESPN)
IU doesn't play again until Saturday, so I'll have more to say about the expansion issue this week.

Kentucky 90, Indiana 73 (The Hoosier Scoop)

Second half run, rebounding too much for Hoosiers (Inside the Hall)