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BtB 2009-10 Ohio Valley Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:53:25 -0000

Murray State was the last team to claim the Ohio Valley's automatic bid in consecutive seasons, and that was back in 1998 (under Mark Gottfried) and 1999 (under Tevester Anderson). Since then, the Racers, Austin Peay, and Eastern Kentucky have basically played musical chairs with the conference's auto bid, with Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois making cameos at the turn of the century. Last year, when it already looked like that Tennessee-Martin was going to break this particular triad, the Skyhawks tumbled in the OVC semis. The team that kept Lester Hudson off the national stage was another interloper, Morehead State. The Eagles knocked off Peay in the final to clinch their tournament bid in a quarter century.

Now, the target is on their back. Morehead will have to defend their title without the graduated Leon Buchanan, though rebounding machine Kenneth Faried, who's only a junior, leads the Eagles' four returning starters. Austin Peay brings back three starters themselves, but that group doesn't include Drake Reed, who averaged just under 22 points a game last year. The Skyhawks are in rebuilding mode, as they lost two starters other than Hudson. The Murray State Racers, who finished in second last year (and a game ahead of Morehead in the standings) looks like the best option to challenge their in-state rivals, as they return three starters, three double figure scorers, and some key bench components.

The real proof will come when the conference season starts in December. OVC teams play a grinding 18-game double-round robin schedule, which can lead to some surprising results during the regular season. However, given how the league has been dominated by three schools over the past decade, expect some sort of order to be restored in the tournament. The key question is whether last year's champs are now part of that order or simply an anomaly. Given how tight this league can get, f you have the chance to see an OVC game live or on TV (even if it is televised against some major conference showdown) this year, do it.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville will become the conference's 11th member next season, so the double-round robin may very well end. This year, the Cougars will play a varied schedule, including several future league opponents. More on the ten teams in this year's edition of the OVC after the jump.

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

Ohio Valley Conference Standings

(updated 3.20.2009 at 11:51 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks	14	4	22	10
Murray St. Racers	13	5	19	12
Austin Peay Governors	13	5	19	14
Morehead St. Eagles	12	6	20	16
Eastern Kentucky Colonels	10	8	18	13
Tennessee St. Tigers	9	9	12	18
Eastern Illinois Panthers	8	10	12	18
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles	6	12	12	18
Jacksonville St. Gamecocks	5	13	11	17
SE Missouri St. Indians	0	18	3	27

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

Southeast Missouri (last NCAA: 2000) Former Arkansas State coach Dickie Nutt, brother of Ole Miss football coach Houston, takes over in Cape Girardeau, and he has quite a mess to clean up. Former head coach Scott Edgar was fired right before the New Year for a variety of infractions just appealed the three-year "show cause" penalty the NCAA tagged him with. On the court, things don't look promising, as the Redhawks three leading scorers of a year ago are all gone, taking an average of 52 points and 14 boards with them. Considering SEMO hasn't won an OVC game since January 29, 2008, the new regime will have to be patient. The out-of-conference schedule is manageable, however, as road trips to St. Louis and Memphis, and a round-robin tournament at Illinois State are the most challenging outings.

Tennessee State (last NCAA: 1994) Much like SE Missouri, the Tigers will have a new bench boss this season. Former Auburn assistant John Cooper takes over for Cy Alexander, who was relieved of his duties back on February 9, when the Tigers stood at 4-9 in the league. They rallied to six in a row, five OVC games and a BracketBuster with Detroit, to finish with a .500 league mark. They closed the season with a loss to Murray State in the OVC tournament. Tennessee State's won't have much momentum heading into this year though, as four of the starters off last year's team are now gone, with only guard Jeremiah Crutcher returning. Cooper will need big contributions from his four JC transfers and five freshmen to avoid the basement. The Tigers welcome Siena to Nashville and participate in the low-major bracket in the Chicago Invitational, after taking probable road beatings at the hands of Iowa State and Northwestern.

Tennessee-Martin (last NCAA: None) The Skyhawks will attempt to replicate the greatest season in their history without superstar Lester "Done Ruthless" Hudson, a newly minted Boston Celtic, and head coach Bret Campbell. His replacement, former assistant Jason Jones, is young (my age in fact...oy), and it may be a rough first year for him. The Skyhawks return only two starters, guards Marquis Waddle (13.8 ppg) and Delrico Lane (5.1 ppg, 4.9 apg), and feature an inexperienced frontcourt.

Jacksonville State (last NCAA: None) The Gamecocks won 9 Division I games in their first year under James Green, an improvement over the five they won the year before. However, JSU lost their final six contests of last season. Three starters were due to return, until 6-5 F Geddes Robinson (8.2 ppg. 4.9 rpg) transferred to Western Nebraska CC in August. Leading scorer Jeremy Bynum (12.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg) is back for his junior year; however, Green has to replace DeAndre Bray, who averaged nearly 5 assists per game at the point. JC transfer B.J. Miller and freshman Samir Rolley are possibilities. Meanwhile, much is expected of 6-5 swingman Trenton Marshall, another JC transfer.

Tennessee Tech (last NCAA: 1963) The Golden Eagles bring back four starters off a team that won only 6 league games last year. Unfortunately, leading scorer and rebounder Daniel Northern (12.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg) isn't among them. 6-8 freshman Terrell Barnes is expected to fill the void left by Northern's departure. The returnees are led by sharpshooter Frank Davis (10 ppg, while shooting 42.9% from 3), point guard Will Barnes--no relation to Terrell (9.8 ppg, 2.8 apg, and 6-6 forward Kevin Murphy (9.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg). The Golden Eagles travel to Memphis, Kansas, and Minnesota this season, while Summit League favorite Oakland visits.

Eastern Illinois (last NCAA: 2001) With a little bit of consistency, the Panthers should be able to improve on their 8-10 league record of a season ago. Mike Miller's squad returns four of five starters from a year ago, senior guard Romain Martin (15.4 ppg), junior All-Name team selection Tyler Laser (11.4 ppg, 3.1 apg), point guard T.J. Marion (9 ppg, 3.5 apg), and 6-8 senior center Ousmane Cisse (8 ppg, 7.5 rpg). The fifth starter could very well be freshman Shaun Pratl, a football and basketball standout in Chicago.

Eastern Kentucky (last NCAA: 2007) The Colonels have a leg up on most of the league, as they return four starters. They'll have a hard time improving on last year's 5th place finish, however, when you consider that 20 point a game/does everything well-man MIke Rose is the missing starter. Senior forward Josh Taylor (10.9 ppg, 3 rpg) and junior swingman Justin Stommes (10.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg) are the only two returnees who averaged in double figures last season. Making matters worse for head coach Jeff Neubauer, sophomore Jorge Camacho, a 6-7 forward who averaged 6.3 points and 3 boards a contest, left the program during the offseason, giving EKU one less option. The Colonels will host one of the low-/mid-major "subregionals" in the CBE Classic, after they visit Pitt for their first game in the event.

Austin Peay (last NCAA: 2008) The Governors nearly made it two NCAA trips in a row last season, but they had to settle for the CollegeInsider tournament after dropping a double OT thriller to Morehead State. Dave Loos' squad should compete for the crown again, though like EKU, they'll have to do so without their Mr. Everything. Drake Reed, who averaged almost 22 points a game, while grabbing 7.5 boards a contest is gone. However, his key backcourt-mate, Wes Channels (16.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg) is back. If Loos can get some of the other returnees and even freshmen Eric Mosley and Chris Reaves to contribute some more points, APSU should challenge their Kentucky rivals for the crown. The Govs will travel to Daytona Beach to take on IUPUI, NC State, and Niagara in the Glenn Wilkes Classic, after traveling to Akron for the same event.

Murray State (last NCAA: 2006) While the Racers lost two starters from the team that finished a game behind Tennessee-Martin in last year's OVC race, Billy Kennedy still has a roster that can challenge for the top spot. In the backcourt, two double figure scorers are back, Danero Thomas (12.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Isacc Miles (10.6 ppg, 3 rpg), and Jewaun Long (4.3 ppg in '07-08) returns from a knee injury to provide some bench support. The frontcourt is in good shape as well, thanks to the presence of 6-6 Jeffery McClain (6.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 6-7 Ivan Aska (10.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), and 6-9 center Tony Easley (6.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg). The Racers participate in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament, where they'll visit California, then travel to Miami to take part in the Florida International-hosted "subregional."

Morehead State (last NCAA: 2009) Leading scorer Leon Buchanan (15.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg) may be gone, but just about everyone else is back from the team that returned Morehead to the tournament for the first time in 25 years. First among these is 6-8 F/C Kenneth Faried, who averaged almost 14 points and an amazing 13 boards a game. Maze Stallworth, who averaged a little more than 12 points and 4 rebounds a contest, also returns, as does guard Demonte Harper (10.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.4 apg). Besides Buchanan, the other major loss for head coach Donnie Tyndall is 8 point a game performer Robert Murry, who transferred. Outside of a visit to Rupp Arena, the Eagles biggest challenge of the non-conference season is a trip to Logan, Utah, where they'll face three other teams who could win their leagues--Cal State-Fullerton, Weber State, and hosts Utah State.

I'm picking the Eagles to repeat in the OVC, so they'll have the league's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. However, given how hard it is to repeat in this conference, Morehead's name won't be carved in stone. Now, to wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-OVC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-OVC Team

Player of the Year: Kenneth Faried, 6-8 F/C, Jr. (Morehead State)

Remainder of the Team
Wes Channels, 6-3 G, Sr. (Austin Peay)
Romain Martin, 6-3 G, Sr. (Eastern Illinois)
Maze Stallworth, 6-4 F, Sr. (Morehead State)
Danero Thomas, 6-4 G, Sr. (Murray State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the OVC this season?

Austin Peay

4 votes

Eastern Illinois

0 votes

Eastern Kentucky

1 votes

Jacksonville State

0 votes

Morehead State

4 votes

Murray State

3 votes

Souheast Missouri

0 votes

Tennessee-Martin

0 votes

Tennessee State

0 votes

Tennessee Tech

0 votes

12 votes | Poll has closed

KNOW THY ENEMY: Iowa State Cyclones

BracketCat — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:00:25 -0000

I'm starting to see pumpkins everywhere, and you know what pumpkins always remind me of? Basketballs.

That's right, hoops season is just around the corner. Practice begins Oct. 16 in most places, which means it's time to start previewing the Big 12. Now, I haven't packed it in on the football season yet, by any means. But let's be honest: We all knew coming into 2009-2010 that football was just gonna be the appetizer. We're going to have a nationally ranked squad this year, and it's getting close enough to tipoff that I think the time has come to begin getting officially psyched up.

But to keep this on a semi-football-related plane, at least for the duration of the season, I will endeavor to keep these loosely linked to our football opponent of the week past. Which means it's time to venture up to Ames and see what Farmageddon on the hardwood might look like this year...

Normally these will publish at noon on Mondays, but as usual, the first one always is the most time-consuming because all the formatting has to be done from scratch. Anyhow, click the jump for the most comprehensive preview of the Cyclone hoopsters you'll find this side of Clone Chronicles.

The Coach

Greg McDermott
Fourth Season

44-51 (14-34) at Iowa State
265-178 (85-89) overall

McDermott's Cyclone teams consistently have ranked in the upper half of the Big 12 in scoring defense and in three-point shooting in his three seasons in Ames. In just three seasons, McDermott has coached four players who have earned all-conference recognition, including Craig Brackins, who was the first Cyclone since 2001 to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors, in 2009.

The Departures

Starters

Bryan Petersen (30.1 minutes per game, 6.6 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game)

Reserves

Wes Eikmeier (11.3 minutes per game, 0.8 point per game, 2.9 rebounds per game)
Sean Haluska (15.7 minutes per game, 1.0 point per game, 2.5 rebounds per game)
Cameron Lee (3.2 minutes per game, 0.7 point per game, 0.4 rebound per game)
Clinton Mann (2.4 minutes per game, 0.4 point per game, 0.7 rebound per game)
Alex Thompson (14.1 minutes per game, 2.6 points per game, 2.4 rebounds per game)

The Veterans

		#1 Dominique Buckley Sophomore Guard 6-2 \| 205 Detroit, Mich. Buckley played in 25 games as a reserve point guard, averaging 1.3 points and 0.8 assists. He logged a career-high 19 minutes vs. Texas A&M, and tallied five points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and Colorado. Buckley also handed out three assists vs. Iowa, Jacksonville State and SIU-Edwardsville.

		#4 Charles Boozer Junior Guard 6-3 \| 195 Raleigh, N.C. Boozer competed in 23 games, giving Iowa State a lift from the bench. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds; shot 37.2 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free-throw line; tallied a career-high 11 points vs. Missouri; and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds while logging a career-high 19 minutes vs. Kansas State. (And no, your eyes do not deceive you. Charles is Carlos Boozer's younger brother.)

		#5 Lucca Staiger Junior Guard 6-5 \| 225 Blaustein, Germany Big 12 Rookie of the Week (12/15/08 and 01/12/09) Staiger started 27 games last season, averaging 8.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. He was Iowa State's top long-range shooter, making a team-high 74 treys in 192 attempts. His 74 3-pointers rank seventh on ISU's single-season 3-pointers made list. Staiger averaged 2.3 3-pointers made per game to rank sixth in the Big 12 and seventh on ISU's single-season list. He made a 3-pointer in 26 of 32 games and had 14 games with three or more treys. Staiger had a streak of 16 consecutive games with a 3-pointer, tying for the third-longest stretch in school history. He scored 14 points behind a 4-of-8 effort from downtown vs. Oregon State and poured in a career-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from 3-point range vs. Drake. His eight treys in that game tie for second on ISU's single-game record chart. Staiger tied a Big 12 mark by making seven treys in the first half vs. Drake, tallied 15 points in his Big 12 debut at Texas, drilled six 3-pointers en route to 18 points vs. Nebraska, posted 14 points behind a 4-of-10 effort from long range at Oklahoma State, and was 5-of-9 from downtown and scored 17 points at Nebraska. His 74 treys already rank 18th in school history.

		#10 Diante Garrett Junior Guard 6-4 \| 185 Milwaukee, Wis. World Vision Classic All-Tournament (2008) NSCA All-American (2008) Garrett was one of the Big 12's top playmakers, ranking third in the league and 36th nationally in assists. He totaled 161 assists to rank 14th on Iowa State's single-season assist chart. One of two players to start all 32 games, Garrett was second on the team in scoring and averaged 3.3 rebounds. He led the team in steals with 30, shot 70.7 percent from the free-throw line, ranked 10th in the Big 12 in assist/turnover ratio, handed out five or more assists in 17 of 32 games, led or tied ISU in assists in 22 of 32 games, recorded two double-doubles and four double-digit assist games, and posted a career-high 26 points at Hawai'i, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and marking the 16th time in school history where a Cyclone was perfect from the charity stripe with at least 10 attempts. Garrett dished out a career-high 11 assists vs. Loyola Marymount and Missouri, posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists against Oklahoma, notched 17 points vs. Texas Tech and made a career-high three treys vs. UW-Milwaukee, en route to 17 points. He currently ranks 18th on ISU's career assist chart.

		#21 Craig Brackins Junior Forward 6-10 \| 230 Palmdale, Calif. First Team All-Big 12 (2009) First Team USBWA All-District VI (2009) First Team NABC All-District 8 (2009) Basketball Times First Team All-Midlands (2009) AP Honorable Mention All-American (2009) Collegehoopsnet.com HM All-American (2009) Kansas City Star All-Big 12 Improved (2009) Big 12 Player of the Week (2009 - three times) MVP of World Vision Classic (2008) Brackins recorded one of the greatest seasons in Iowa State history, earning first-team all-Big 12 and first-team all-District honors from the NABC, USBWA and Basketball Times. He was named honorable mention All-American by the AP, was the first Cyclone to earn first-team all-Big 12 honors since Curtis Stinson in 2006 and was named Big 12 Player of the Week three times. Brackins averaged 20.2 points, ranking second in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally, and 9.5 rebounds to rank third in the Big 12 and 26th nationally. Along with Blake Griffin and Luke Harangody, he was one of three players in the country to rank in the top 30 nationally in both scoring and rebounding. In Big 12 games, Brackins averaged a double-double, scoring 20 or more points in 11 of 16 conference games. He scored a league-high 348 points in Big 12 games, the 10th-best single-season scoring total in league history; posted 19 20-point games and three 30-point outings; tallied 12 20-point/10-rebound games; led ISU in scoring in 21 of the last 23 games and paced the Cyclones in rebounding in the final 18 games; tallied 15 double-doubles to rank fourth in the Big 12; and ended the season ranking in ISU's single season top 11 in four categories: field goals, points, rebounds and double-doubles. Brackins is only the third player in school history to record 600 points and 300 rebounds in a season. His 645 points as a sophomore ranks second on ISU's class list behind Jeff Grayer, who tallied 684 points in his sophomore campaign. He became the 27th member of the 1,000-point club and just the fifth Cyclone in school history to record 1,000 points in their first two seasons. Brackins scored 18 or more points in a half eight times and tallied a double-double by halftime three times. He scored a career-high 42 points vs. Kansas, making 11 of 19 shots from the floor, 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and 17 of 21 from the charity stripe. The 42 points tie for the sixth-best effort by a Big 12 player in league history and are the fourth-best scoring effort in ISU history. His 17 free throws made tie for third best in ISU history. Brackins registered 38 points, including 23 in the second half, on 15-of-23 shooting from the floor at Houston. His 15 field goals made are tied for third-best all-time by a Big 12 player. He scored 32 points in an overtime victory at Northern Iowa and grabbed a career-high 17 boards vs. Jacksonville State.

		#23 Jamie Vanderbeken Senior Forward 6-11 \| 245 Belleville, Ontario Kansas City Star's Big 12 All-Newcomer Team (2009) Iowa State's top reserve in the post, averaging 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 31 games, Vanderbeken led ISU in 3-point percentage, making 35 of 86 shots from beyond the arc. He averaged 6.3 points in Big 12 play, was second on the team in blocks with 21, made 23 of his 35 treys in the last 14 games, had four games with three or more treys, tallied a double-double in his debut with 14 points and 10 boards vs. UC Davis, was 5 of 7 from the field and scored 12 points vs. Oklahoma, tallied 14 points at Kansas State, posted career highs in points and 3-pointers at Kansas, and was 4 of 5 from 3-point range en route to 12 points vs. Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.

		#41 Justin Hamilton Sophomore Center 6-11 \| 255 Alpine, Utah Hamilton had a solid freshman campaign, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds. He started 18 games, played in 32 contests and led the Cyclones in field-goal percentage, hitting 57 of 100 shots from the floor. His 57-percent clip from the floor ranks 15th on Iowa State's single-season record chart and second on ISU's freshman list. Hamilton tallied 17 blocks last season. In his first career start, he scored eight points and grabbed a career-high 12 boards in a win at Houston. Hamilton posted a career-high 16 points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field at Missouri. He recorded eight points and 10 rebounds at Texas, and posted a career-high three blocks vs. Colorado.

The Redshirts

#11 Scott Christopherson
Sophomore Guard
6-3 | 205
LaCrosse, Wis.

Christopherson sat out the 2008-09 season as a redshirt after transferring from Marquette, where he appeared in 18 games as a freshman, all as a reserve. He missed the first five games of the regular season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, but netted a career-high six points on 2-of-3 shooting from the floor vs. Savannah State.

Christopherson averaged 1.3 points and 0.7 rebounds per game at Marquette, and shot 42.1 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.

#34 L.A. Pomlee
Freshman Forward
6-8 | 235
Davenport, Iowa

Pomlee sat out the 2008-2009 season as a redshirt. He was ranked as the 38th-best power forward in the class of 2008 by Scout.com, was a first-team Class 4A all-state selection by both the Iowa Newspaper Association and The Des Moines Register as a senior, and also was a Quad City Times all-Metro pick.

Pomlee averaged 15.4 points and led the Mississippi Athletic Conference in both rebounding and field-goal percentage as a senior. His Central team went undefeated in the conference and 23-3 overall, and advanced to the state championship game, falling to Iowa City High 64-54 in the Class 4A state title game, in which he scored 14 points and grabbed 12 boards.

Pomlee missed his entire junior season after developing a blood clot in his leg, but was a third-team all-state selection in his sophomore campaign after averaging 14.2 points and 10.1 rebounds. He chose Iowa State over West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The Newcomers

		#2 Chris Colvin Freshman Guard 6-2 \| 195 Chicago, Ill. One of the best guards in the Class of 2009, Colvin was ranked as the 99th-best player in the nation and the 15th-best point guard nationally in the Rivals.com rankings. Scout.com ranked him as the 10th-best point guard in 2009 and he was ranked at No. 77 in the ESPNU final ratings. Colvin was named second-team Class 4A all-state a senior by the AP, and averaged 12.3 ppg and 6.2 assists on one of the best and most balanced prep teams in the nation. His Whitney Young team defeated Waukegan 69-66 in the state championship game to finish the season at 26-9 and win the 2009 Illinois Class 4A state title. He had seven points and a team-high six assists in the state championship game, and scored 14, 20, 12 and 17 points in the four previous postseason tournament games. Colvin averaged 14.1 ppg as a junior, earning all-state honors, and started three years at Whitney Young. He was named as one of the best players at the 2008 Reebok All-American Camp and chose Iowa State over Baylor, Florida State, Illinois, Kentucky, Marquette, Providence, USC and Washington State.

		#3 Marquis Gilstrap Senior Forward 6-6 \| 210 Covington, Ga. Gilstrap emerged as one of the best junior college players in the nation in his one season at Gulf Coast, averaging 22.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for one of the biggest surprise teams in junior college. He earned honorable mention All- America honors by the NJCAA, was rated as the 26th-best player in the class of 2009 by ESPN.com, and ranked 10th nationally in scoring and 20th in the nation in rebounding in the final NJCAA statistical rankings. Gilstrap shot 48.3 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from 3-point range and 74.8 percent from the free-throw line at Gulf Coast, was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year and first-team team all-Panhandle Conference, and was a first-team All-FCCAA honoree. He led his team to a 24-9 overall record and a spot in the state final, where GCCC lost to No. 1-ranked Chipola JC 68-65 to miss out at a chance for the national tournament. Gilstrap also scored 27 points to help his squad defeat No. 3 Miami Dade in the first round of the state playoffs, and averaged 24.6 points and 10.3 rebounds to earn FCCAA All-Tournament team honors. He had seven 30+ scoring games and participated in the 2009 NJCAA All-Star Basketball Classic.

		#12 Alex Dorr Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 215 Norwalk, Iowa Dorr joins the Cyclones as a recruited walk-on. He averaged 20.2 points and 9.3 rebounds while earning Class 3A first-team all-state honors from both the Iowa Newspaper Association and The Des Moines Register as a senior. Dorr led Norwalk to its first-ever state championship game in 2009. The team finished the season with a 24-3 record. He scored 23 points and grabbed nine boards vs. Dubuque Wahlert in the first round of the state tournament, and averaged 18.9 points and 11.2 rebounds as a junior, earning second-team all-state honors.

		#15 Antwon Oliver Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 175 Racine, Wis. Oliver earned honorable mention all-state and third-team all-area honors as a senior, and developed into one of the best players in Wisconsin in his last year, leading his Horlick team to the Division 1 state championship game. He was ranked as the 13th-best player in the state of Wisconsin and averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and hit 45 treys as a senior. Horlick went 24-2 and lost in the state final to Madison Memorial, 56-41. Oliver led his team with 13 points in the state championship game and was invited to play in the 2009 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Boy's All-Star game. He averaged 12.5 points as a junior and 5.1 points as a sophomore.

		#22 LaRon Dendy Junior Forward 6-9 \| 225 Greenville, S.C. Dendy played two years at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, and was rated as the 57th-best player in the preseason 2008-09 Juco Junction rankings. He averaged 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds as a freshman, earning honorable mention All-Region XI honors, but suffered a stress fracture in his sophomore season and saw limited action, averaging 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds and shooting 63.3 percent from the field in nine games. Ranked as one of the top post players in the Class of 2007, Dendy was rated as the 63rd-best player in the nation and the 17th-best power forward in the Rivals.com Class of 2007, and was the seventh-best player in the Southeast Region in 2007. He originally committed to Clemson, but opted to go to junior college.

		#25 Bubu Palo Freshman Guard 6-1 \| 175 Ames, Iowa Palo is a recruited walk-on. He was the starting point guard on Ames' 2009 Class 4A state championship team, which finished the season with a perfect 26-0 mark. Palo started his last two seasons at point guard, averaged 9.1 points as a senior to earn second-team All-CIML honors, had a 3.34 assist/turnover ratio and shot 52.0 percent from the field. He scored 11 points in Ames' state championship game win over Linn-Mar and was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a junior.

My thanks to the Iowa State sports information department for the photos and most of the information for the bios.

The Analysis

It's possible that my judgment has been colored by staring at these stats and bios for too long, but at least on paper, the Cyclones appear to have a much improved team. Thanks largely to the return of future NBA player Craig Brackins, Iowa State returns 77.9 percent of its scoring and 72.5 percent of its rebounding from a team that set school marks for 3-pointers made (236) and fewest turnovers (12.1 per game) in a season.

There were few notable departures, as most of the graduated seniors were little-used reserves. The biggest loss is starting wing Bryan Petersen, although there is reason to believe there will be little drop-off at that position. Also gone from last year's team is Sean Haluska, who chipped in quite a few minutes off the bench.

But the Cyclones return their other four starters, and add some significant pieces to challenge them for playing time. In the frontcourt, I expect Diante Garrett to retain his starting spot and continue growing as one of the premier point guards in the league, but Chris Colvin will push him to the max. Colvin is one of the most highly touted recruits Iowa State has signed (other than Brackins, of course) and turned down programs such as Marquette and USC to go to Ames. He could be the latest in a long line of talented Chicago point guards who have made in impact in the Big 12.

All Lucca Staiger did was come in and set a bunch of Iowa State records shooting the three-ball. Pretty impressive, considering he battled a lingering injury for at least part of the season. He will be complemented by Scott Christopherson, a transfer from Marquette who sat out last year per NCAA rules. The guard spots are bolstered by sophomore Dominique Buckley and veteran journeyman Charles Boozer.

Antwon Oliver is a promising prospect fresh out of high school, but will have a tough time finding minutes in such a deep, experienced backfield. Look for him to redshirt, along with preferred walk-ons Bubu Palo and Alex Dorr.

The frontcourt begins and ends with Brackins. One of the best players in the Big 12, he needs no introduction to the rest of the conference, but what he does need is help, especially with Petersen leaving. Well, help is on the way in the form of Marquis Gilstrap, a Top-50 juco player who has just one season to make an impact. At 6-6 and 210, Gilstrap has good size to hold down the 3 spot. Another exciting player for Cyclone fans to watch is juco transfer LaRon Dendy, a former Clemson commit who was in the Rivals Top 75 for 2007.

Justin Hamilton and Jamie Vanderbeken will man the post. Hamilton is considered the returning starter, but Vanderbeken pulled a few starts as well. It's really irrelevant, as both will rotate a lot in the paint in order to spell each other. Vanderbeken has an added dimension in that he is an excellent 3-point shooter, a talent that makes it hard for teams to pack it in against him and Brackins.

A wild-card player is L.A. Pomlee, who redshirted last season. He has a pretty good pedigree, given that he was a Scout Top 50 player and passed up a chance to play for Bob Huggins at West Virginia. Pomlee might make his biggest impact as a 4 whenever the Cyclones go with a small lineup, a formation that usually sees Brackins rotate into the post.

So, what we have here is a team with one of the best players in the conference, four returning starters and several more experienced veterans, and it loses very few impact players, but adds one of the best prep players in the country, as well as two talented juco players and a Big East transfer. That sounds like a recipe for dramatic improvement, which Greg McDermott better deliver, or the pressure might start to turn up on him. It's Year 4, and Iowa State needs to show some serious signs of breaking out of the basement now that the administration has built him a new practice facility.

But this year will be the most stacked the Big 12 ever has been, and the Cyclones still have a major weakness in their frontcourt: Other than Brackins, they don't have any truly athletic posts. When you look at a team like Kansas or Texas, you see multiple big, athletic matchup nightmares. Iowa State doesn't really have more than one or two of those guys. Hamilton and Vanderbeken are traditional centers who aren't nearly as talented as Cole Aldrich. The season could swing on whether Gilstrap can overcome past injuries and step up to be the third scoring threat the Clones need to keep defenses honest and free up Brackins to do some serious damage.

Projected Starting Lineup


Diante Garrett	Lucca Staiger	Marquis Gilstrap	Craig Brackins	Justin Hamilton
1	2	3	4	5

Projected Top Reserves


Chris Colvin	Scott Christopherson	LaRon Dendy	L.A. Pomlee	Jamie Vanderbeken
1	2	3	4	5

The Final Verdict

Although ISU has a pretty good backcourt, I think they're going to resemble the 2008-2009 Wildcats in a lot of ways when they hit the meat of league play. They'll be improved, but with Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri to contend with in the North, breaking into the top half of the conference might be too much to ask. An NIT berth would be a solid season for this squad, although it seems like a lame ending for a great player such as Brackins.

Predicted finish: 9th

Best-case scenario: 7th

Maryland Minute 6.17.09 - Fans Don't Like Vasquez, Greenberg to USC?

Ben Broman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:41:07 -0000

Some Terp Fans Still Don't Like GV
Steve Yanda apparently received some emails about Greivis Vasquez that were less than flattering.

But others prefer to point out that Vasquez did not always make the best decision with the ball in his hands. Or that he sometimes seemed too interested in personal accomplishments (his triple-double, for instance). Or that his defense was not always sharp and his shot did not fall as often as some would have liked. And there's some legitimacy to those claims.

While some of those things are true (yes, he has made a bad decision before), I can't believe there are still Greivis haters out there. His decision-making has vastly improved since his freshman/sophomore years. His shot isn't great, but no one's on this team is. I can't remember the last time I saw lax defense out of him, if ever. And he's never put "personal accomplishments" above winning - the triple-double was the only way we could've won that game, and I've never heard him brag about it. I'm confused.

Jeff Goodman Says Greenberg Could Go to USC
Goodman has previously linked Greenberg to USC in speculation, but it appears that he could be actually considered.

The names I am hearing the strongest are Oregon State's Craig Robinson, Virginia Tech's Seth Greenberg and Utah head coach Jim Boylen. Robinson, the President-in-law, would certainly clean up the image of the program while Greenberg has coached on the west coast (he was at Long Beach State before Virginia Tech and South Florida).

I would love for this to happen. VT hoops has overperformed with Greenberg at the helm, he really improved that program. If he leaves, there's a good chance that team goes back to being bottom-feeders.

UA Fans Debate If Lance Would Fit in Tuscon
Pro side argument in a nutshell: He could grow up on campus and is skilled. And the only reason he hasn't signed with Arizona yet is because Sean Miller isn't sure he wants him yet (yeah, sure). Con side argument in a nutshell: Crack jokes about Stephenson not having an "i" in it and mention the "supermodel with herpes" joke again. Classy.

I said before, I'll say it again - I'll be upset if he ends up at a major school.

Brandon Jennings Says Lance Should Go to Europe
Brandon Jennings, if you recall, was the guy who turned down Arizona to go play in Europe (and be Under Armor's first basketball sponsoree). His advice to Lance Stephenson? Go to Europe:

"Yes, I really do," said Jennings, who spent last season in Italy and on Monday worked out for the Knicks in preparation for the upcoming NBA Draft. "I think it will humble him a lot. I think he’ll need that, just make him mature on and off the court, start doing things for himself, taking care of his responsibilities."

Mychal Parker Attends UVa's Elite Camp
Maryland's elite camp wasn't the only elite camp Mychal Parker recently attended. He also found his way down to Charlottesville for new UVa coach Tony Bennett's first elite camp. Nothing to report outside of that.

Recruiting Report: Cheeseboro headlines Milford Mill's 2010 class
Missed this yesterday. Tyrek Cheeseboro is one of Maryland's tops football target that's still a legitimate option (ie, no JR/Ego Ferguson). Matt Bracken has a little piece on him. Sounds pretty good:

"It was tremendous," Cheeseboro said of receiving the UM offer. "I was smiling from ear to ear. I was just excited about me potentially playing college football. I just couldn’t stop smiling when I went home to my parents. Just to know I could play college football [was unbelievable]. [Maryland offensive coordinator James] Franklin sat down and talked to me and said that I had a full scholarship to the University of Maryland. It was a tremendous day."

Where are they now: Teddy Dargan
Friend of TT Matt Bracken has a great piece up on former Terp DT commit Teddy Dargan. He never got his grades together and ended up never suiting up for the Terps. It's a good, quick read.

When Teddy Dargan came up short in the classroom senior year, the plan for the talented Milford Mill defensive tackle was to get as far away from the area as possible.

Mission accomplished. The one-time Maryland commitment has resurfaced 2,550 miles away from Baltimore in Yuma, Ariz., as a member of the Arizona Western College football team.

Former Lady Terp Strickland to South Carolina
We've known for some time now that Marah Strickland was transferring from Maryland. We finally know where she's headed - South Carolina.

Staley added her second transfer in less than four weeks Tuesday when the school announced former Maryland guard Marah Strickland is joining the Gamecocks.

...

Playing time apparently was an issue for Strickland at Maryland, which won the ACC last season and reached the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year. The 6-foot Strickland started 59 of 70 games in two seasons for the Terps, but she played 100 fewer minutes last season than she did as a freshman.

South Carolina Gamecocks 7, Georgia Diamond Dogs 2

T Kyle King — Fri, 15 May 2009 02:18:29 -0000

Because the S.E.C. baseball tournament begins next Wednesday, the Diamond Dogs’ weekend series with South Carolina began in Columbia on Thursday night. Unfortunately, all Georgia did was get a head start on coming up short in another league series, as the Gamecocks pulled away to post a 7-2 victory over the Red and Black.

Matt Cerione answered some of my criticisms of his performance as a leadoff hitter by stepping up to the plate for the initial at-bat in the top of the first inning and driving a home run to left center field to give the visitors an immediate 1-0 lead. The Red and Black tried for more, as Rich Poythress sent a one-out first-pitch single into center field and Bryce Massanari followed that up with a walk in the ensuing plate appearance.

After Sam Dyson sneaked a called third strike by Lyle Allen, Joey Lewis loaded the bases for Zach Cone with a first-pitch single, but the Georgia right fielder also stared at strike three to strand a trio of his teammates. Whit Merrifield singled off of Trevor Holder in the opening at-bat of the home half of the frame and took second on a wild pitch before a flyout, a strikeout, and a pop-up left him in scoring position.

After no Athenian reached base in the upper half of the second stanza, Justin Dalles kicked off the bottom of the canto with a game-tying home run. Although a throwing error by Levi Hyams and a walk put two men aboard with one out away, the next two Gamecock batters registered outs to leave them where they were.

In addition to going one for three with a home run on Thursday night, South Carolina catcher Justin Dalles also inspired the second "Dallas" reference in as many game reports this week. Weird.

A second straight hitless inning for the Classic City Canines in the top of the third frame brought the Palmetto State Poultry back up to the plate for the lower half of the stanza. Jackie Bradley, Jr., drew a one-out walk on four pitches and Nick Ebert made Georgia pay with a two-run shot to left field. The next two South Carolina batters notched outs to end a one-hit, two-run canto.

The Red and Black answered with Allen’s leadoff home run in the visitors’ half of the fourth frame, but no other Georgian advanced as far as first base and the home team went three up and three down in the bottom of the inning. Neither team produced a baserunner in the fifth canto and all three Bulldog batters were retired in sequence in the top of the sixth stanza.

Ebert was plunked to start the bottom of the inning and a sacrifice bunt by Dalles moved him over to second, but the South Carolina first baseman stayed put when the next two Gamecock batters struck out and grounded out, respectively. A Bobby Haney fielding error in the top of the seventh frame allowed Hyams to reach first with two outs and thereby become the first Bulldog baserunner of any longevity since the opening canto, but the Georgia shortstop was caught stealing.

Haney led off the home half of the stanza with a base hit and Scott Wingo’s sacrifice bunt attempt put two men aboard when Colby May committed a fielding error. Once Merrifield popped up, a DeAngelo Mack single loaded the bases for Bradley. The Gamecock right fielder lined out and Will Harvil, whose last appearance was somewhat lacking, was brought in to extract the final out with three men aboard.

"We’re superheroes. What could happen?"

Instead, Harvil gave up the grand slam to Ebert that turned a 3-2 pitchers’ duel into a 7-2 rout. Although South Carolina held only a 6-4 edge in hits, the home team’s five-run lead meant the game essentially was at an end. The Diamond Dogs generated only a pop-up, a flyout, and a strikeout in the top of the eighth canto, Steve Esmonde retired the side in the bottom of the inning, and the Red and Black went quietly in the ninth frame.

What went wrong for the Classic City Canines? What has gone wrong for the Classic City Canines throughout their recent slide and over the course of much of the season? The Bulldog bats go silent against respectable competition and the combination of error-prone fielding with a shaky bullpen gives opposing squads too many chances. You can pull that sort of stuff against Jacksonville State---O.K., maybe not---but you can’t get away with it against a good conference club.

Trevor Holder lasted six and two-thirds innings---if there was a good reason why he should not have been left on the hill to extract the final out of the seventh stanza from a guy who’d already hit one home run, I am not aware of it and I would ask to be enlightened---and he struck out six, walked two, and conceded five hits and three earned runs. That ought to win you a game.

It doesn’t when you are held hitless in six innings, including the last five frames, though. When solo home runs account for half your hits and you notch one hit in the final eight cantos, you’re not going to win many games. When you’re in a close conference contest on the road, you give a good team an extra out with an error, and your head coach makes a questionable call to switch from your most trustworthy starter to unreliable relief pitching, it’s not going to go your way a good deal of the time, particularly when you’ve already squandered a bases-loaded situation of your own earlier in the outing.

Over the long haul, the law of averages is no man’s friend. When you catch all the breaks in the early season, you need to steel yourself for the inevitable regression to the mean in the late season. This is so, whether we are talking about Johnathan Taylor’s batting average or the Diamond Dogs’ winning percentage. We are reaping what we sowed and this season almost certainly has more losses than wins left in it.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Vanderbilt Commodores 9, Georgia Diamond Dogs 2

T Kyle King — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:28:49 -0000

After losing their seventh straight game on Friday night, the Diamond Dogs returned to Foley Field on Saturday hoping to halt their slide. What occurred instead was a virtual replay of the previous evening’s outing, right down to the overabundance of references to the television career of Michael J. Fox.

Saturday’s starting assignment went to Alex McRee and he fared no better in the top of the first frame than his predecessor had the evening before. McRee walked Brian Harris and gave up a bunt single to Riley Reynolds before Steven Liddle gave up an out for the purpose of advancing both baserunners. Curt Casali’s ensuing single plated one run and the Aaron Westlake base hit that followed scored another.

After Andrew Giobbi flied out, a wild pitch permitted both baserunners to advance, setting the stage for Jason Esposito to notch a pair of R.B.I. with a single to left field. Joe Loftus popped up to wrap up a four-hit, four-run inning for the visitors. The Red and Black offered a one-out walk by Colby May as their only retort in the bottom of the canto.

Three of the four Commodores who stepped into the batter’s box in the top of the second stanza fouled out, struck out, and grounded out, respectively, but the one who did not drove a solo shot to left field to stake the Music City Sailors to a 5-0 lead. That score remained unchanged after the home team’s turn at bat, in which no Bulldog reached base.

All right, we’re going to go ahead and get the Jason Esposito/Jennifer Esposito joke out of the way early, because there’s certainly nothing about this game that would make you want to watch the Diamond Dogs instead of her.

Vanderbilt generated an additional run in the upper half of the third canto when Casali drew a leadoff walk, Westlake singled up the middle, and Giobbi sent a sacrifice fly to center field. When the Commodore designated hitter advanced as far as third base on a wild pitch and a stolen base, Esposito’s sacrifice fly plated Westlake. Loftus flied out to conclude the one-hit, two-run frame. The Classic City Canines again went three up and three down in the bottom of the inning.

The Commodores managed only a one-out single by Harris in the top of the fourth canto and the Red and Black, trailing by seven runs, at last undertook to generate some offense in the home half of the stanza. May led off with a single. Although Rich Poythress struck out swinging, Bryce Massanari notched a base hit and Joey Lewis drove in a run with a double to left center field. Unfortunately, all hope that a big inning was brewing was squelched when Lyle Allen flied into a double play.

Casali’s leadoff double in the top of the ensuing canto produced the only baserunner for either team in the fifth frame and McRee retired the side in sequence on a flyout, a lineout, and a groundout in the top of the sixth stanza. No Bulldog batters made it as far as first base in the bottom of the inning, either.

At the outset of the seventh stanza, Will Harvil came on in relief of McRee, who had struck out five, walked two, and allowed eight hits and seven earned runs in six frames’ worth of work. The Georgia reliever promptly surrendered a single and a stolen base to Reynolds before extracting a lineout from Liddle. Casali’s subsequent single put runners at the corners and drove Harvil from the game.

After going hitless in three at-bats, Vanderbilt right fielder Alex McClure was replaced in the batting order by center fielder Alex Hilliard. Had the game gone to extra innings, the Commodores might have penciled in Alex P. Keaton in the number nine spot.

Justin Earls came in from the bullpen and struck out Westlake before eliciting a groundout from Giobbi. A Massanari walk in the bottom of the frame was negated when Adam Fuller grounded into a double play. Jeff Walters was on the mound in the visitors’ half of the eighth canto and he began by plunking Esposito. Loftus reached on a fielder’s choice, took second on a wild pitch, and stole third after Alex McClure walked. The threat was silenced when Harris struck out and McClure was caught stealing.

A one-out base hit by Levi Hyams in the bottom of the stanza led to a Georgia run when Zach Cone belted a triple down the left field line, but a pair of strikeouts prevented the Diamond Dogs from drawing any nearer than 7-2 on the scoreboard. The Music City Sailors did not allow this outburst (such as it was) to stand unremarked, as Liddle drew a walk with one out away in the top of the ninth frame. After Casali stared at a called third strike, the combination of back-to-back Westlake and Giobbi singles with a David Thoms fielding error brought home a pair of runs before Esposito flied out to bring the Red and Black back up to bat. All the Diamond Dogs had to show for the bottom of the final inning was a foulout, a strikeout, and a groundout.

Is there anything I wrote last night that doesn’t apply equally as well today? Georgia was out-hit 12-5, was outscored 9-2, and committed the game’s only error. The previously leaky bullpen held up well (one earned run allowed in three stanzas) after a four-run first frame rendered quality relief pitching immaterial. I questioned Matt Cerione’s suitability for the leadoff spot on Friday night; on Saturday afternoon, the Georgia center fielder was held without a hit in four at-bats, drew no walks, and struck out three times. At least David Perno had the sense to pull Michael Demperio from the starting lineup.

This is ridiculous. There is no excuse for this team losing eight straight games. It was one thing when the Diamond Dogs were coming up short against the best teams on their schedule, but now they are falling to teams as mediocre as Vanderbilt and as bad as Jacksonville State, oftentimes in games that are not competitive. This trend has to end if any part of a once-promising season is to be salvaged and we are to prevent 2009 from becoming yet another odd-numbered year featuring a disappointing Georgia baseball team.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Gators Sweep Diamond Dogs; Sports Cease to be Entertaining Diversion, Instead Sap All Joy From Human Existence

T Kyle King — Sun, 03 May 2009 23:56:45 -0000

I thought I was about as discouraged as a baseball fan could get after the Diamond Dogs dropped a pair of heartbreakers on Saturday. I was wrong.

After Justin Grimm retired the side in the upper half of the first canto on Sunday, Matt Cerione led off the bottom of the frame with a double. A Colby May single sent the Georgia center fielder to third and a Rich Poythress sacrifice fly brought him home to give the Red and Black a 1-0 lead.

The Gators answered with a solo shot to right field in the top of the second frame, but back-to-back one-out singles by Peter Verdin and Levi Hyams allowed Michael Demperio to put the home team back out in front with a triple down the left field line in the bottom of the inning.

No batter for either team reached base in the third stanza and singles by Preston Tucker in the top of the inning and Verdin in the bottom of the inning were all either squad had to show for the fourth frame. Florida tied the game anew with a pair of singles by Jonathan Pigott and Buddy Munroe, followed by a sacrifice fly from Mike Mooney, in the top of the fifth canto, but the Diamond Dogs retook the lead off of a Cerione home run, a May single, and a two-run shot by Poythress in the home half of the stanza.

When Matt den Dekker reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch in the visitors’ half of the sixth frame, Pigott sent a single into left field to make it a 5-3 ballgame. After each team had a scoreless turn at bat, the Classic City Canines padded their advantage in the home half of the seventh inning, in which Cerione led off with a home run and Poythress turned a single into a run when a passed ball and an Avery Barnes error brought him the rest of the way around to score.

The game appeared well in hand even after the Gators added another run in the top of the eighth canto thanks to singles by Tucker and den Dekker, as the Diamond Dogs carried a 7-4 lead into the top of the ninth inning. The Red and Black had blanked the Saurians in four frames and allowed only one run in each of the others, so Georgia had only to notch three outs before allowing three runs into order to secure the victory that would put the Athenians in a two-way tie atop the Eastern Division.

It was not to be for the team that could not hold a lead over Jacksonville State on Wednesday and could not hold a lead over Florida on Friday. After Munroe led off by striking out, Mooney sent a single into right field. Cecil Tanner was dispatched to the hill to obtain the final two outs, but, instead, he surrendered, in succession, a base hit to Barnes and a walk to Teddy Foster. After a passed ball allowed one run to score, a home run by Tucker gave the Gators their first lead of the day.

The visitors added to their advantage when Josh Adams walked, den Dekker doubled off of Steve Esmonde, and Jerico Weitzel singled to plate a pair of runs. Pigott grounded out and Munroe lined out to close out a five-hit, six-run stanza that put the Red and Black in a 10-7 hole. In the home half of the frame, Joey Lewis flied out, Lyle Allen drove a solo home run to right center field, Johnathan Taylor grounded out, and Hyams stared at strike three to give the Saurians the sweep.

The errors were even at one per side and the hits were deadlocked at 14 apiece. Justin Grimm pitched well enough to win, going six innings in which he struck out five, walked one, and gave up three earned runs on seven hits. The final two-thirds of an inning---during which the last two Georgia hurlers between them faced eight batters, carded no strikeouts, issued two walks, conceded four hits, and allowed five earned runs---were adequately disastrous to undo all the good the Diamond Dogs had done up to that point.

It shouldn’t have been this way. Although Bryce Massanari and Joey Lewis combined to strike out five times and go hitless in nine at-bats, the Red and Black got good production from the top of the order (Matt Cerione, Colby May, and Rich Poythress together went seven for 13 and batted in five runs) and decent enough production from the bottom of the order (Lyle Allen, Peter Verdin, Levi Hyams, and Michael Demperio between them went seven for 17 and batted in two runs).

Mercifully, the Diamond Dogs do not have any midweek games scheduled between now and their final homestand of the season against Vanderbilt next weekend. (The Gators, it should be noted, did not play any midweek games last week, which raises the question why the open date universally acknowledged to be critical to the gridiron series between these two combatants was eschewed by the Classic City Canines prior to their baseball series with the Saurians.) The Red and Black will need the time to regroup if there is to be even the slightest hope of salvaging a season that began with 14 consecutive victories but has disintegrated into six straight setbacks.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Florida Gators Take Two From Georgia Diamond Dogs in Consecutive One-Run Games

T Kyle King — Sun, 03 May 2009 02:23:59 -0000

Doubleheaders have not been kind to the Diamond Dogs in 2009. Georgia suffered consecutive losses to Alabama on March 14, dropped the opening outing of a two-game set with Winthrop on April 8, and came up short in back-to-back one-run games against the Gators on Saturday to fall behind Florida in the S.E.C. standings.

After a scoreless first frame in which the Saurians’ Jonathan Pigott was the lone baserunner, Teddy Foster broke the deadlock with a two-out solo shot to right field in the top of the second stanza. In the home half of the canto, the Red and Black went three up and three down for the second time in as many innings.

An uneventful third frame was followed by a two-out two-run shot off the bat of Buddy Munroe in the upper half of the fourth inning to give the Gators a 3-0 lead. The Classic City Canines at long last offered a retort in the bottom of the stanza, thanks to a one-out Colby May single, a two-out Bryce Massanari home run, a Joey Lewis walk, and a run-scoring Lyle Allen double.

Florida did not take this response lightly, as Avery Barnes led off the visitors’ half of the fifth frame with a bunt single, swiped second, and took third on a wild pitch. After Josh Adams drew a base on balls, a Massanari error scored the Gator left fielder and a passed ball allowed the Orange and Blue second baseman to advance, as well. Matt den Dekker’s bunt single plated Adams and drove Alex McRee from the mound. Michael Palazzone managed to secure the final out, but not before another error. The visitors led 5-3.

I hate losing to these Gator people.

No Athenian reached base in the bottom of the inning, but a Mike Mooney walk, a Barnes triple, and a Preston Tucker single tacked on two more Gator runs in the top of the sixth canto. The Bulldogs bounced back on a Rich Poythress single and a Lewis home run to make it 7-5. Once Florida had been held scoreless in the seventh stanza, Georgia had a chance to take the lead in the home half of the frame.

Peter Verdin led off with a base hit and Levi Hyams was plunked to put two men aboard. A Michael Demperio bunt single loaded the bases with no one out and forced Greg Larson from the game. Nick Maronde came on and extracted a strikeout from Matt Cerione, a sacrifice fly from May that traded a run for an out, and a Poythress pop-up to end the threat.

Although the gap had been narrowed to 7-6, the Diamond Dogs’ inability to bring more than one run home with three men on and no one out essentially signaled the end of the contest. A two-out walk by Pigott and a leadoff walk by Massanari marked the only two plate appearances of the eighth frame not to end in outs and a leadoff single by Adams in the top of the ninth stanza came to naught.

When the Red and Black were retired on a foulout, a flyout, and a strikeout in the home half of the final canto, the Gators notched a 7-6 victory in a game in which they out-hit their hosts (10-7) and committed no errors to the Athenians’ two. Although McRee walked two and struck out eight in a little under five frames’ worth of work, he allowed seven hits and gave up four earned runs.

I hate losing to these Gator people.

The Florida bullpen allowed only two hits, one walk, and one run, earned or otherwise. Cerione struck out twice and notched neither a hit nor a walk in five at-bats in the leadoff spot. No Bulldog batter tallied more than one hit and the hard-hitting Poythress did not bat in a run.

As if dropping that one-run decision to the Gators had not been deflating enough for one afternoon, Georgia proceeded to resume Friday’s postponed game, in which the Diamond Dogs had squandered an 8-0 lead to find themselves in a tie game with one man out and one man on in the bottom of the ninth canto.

That ratio of outs to baserunners changed when Allen was caught stealing, so the contest went to extra innings once Robbie O’Bryan flied out to left field. In the top of the tenth frame, den Dekker sent a one-out single down the left field line and stole second following a Jerico Weitzel flyout. Pigott grounded out to strand the Gator center fielder.

Amid a flurry of Florida pitching switches in the bottom of the inning, a one-out double by Demperio went to waste when Cerione flied out and Poythress went down swinging. The Orange and Blue began the eleventh stanza with consecutive flyouts before a Barnes double followed by a Tyler Thompson single broke the deadlock.

I hate . . . all right, some of these Gator people have their moments, but, still, I hate losing to them.

Now down by a run in a game in which they had led by eight, the Diamond Dogs went quietly in the home half of the canto. Massanari struck out swinging, Lewis struck out looking, and Allen flied out to give the Gators the series victory, the division lead all to themselves, and their second one-run win of the afternoon.

As bad as Saturday’s initial defeat was, the weekend’s second setback in the postponed first game was worse. In the afternoon’s scheduled outing, the Diamond Dogs played even with their guests for the final seven stanzas, matching the Gators’ six runs on seven hits with six runs on seven hits of the Red and Black’s own after the second inning.

The contest continued from Friday, though, was an unmitigated disaster and a meltdown on a par with Wednesday’s embarrassment against Jacksonville State. Georgia built up an eight-run lead at home, played errorless baseball, notched nine runs on 15 hits, and forced Florida to strand a whopping 14 baserunners, but it still wasn’t enough to secure the victory in a game in which Bulldog batters struck out 14 times and Saurian sluggers drew four times as many walks as the home team.

This team is in a tailspin. The Diamond Dogs have lost five straight contests, the Gators have won seven in a row, and the best that the Red and Black can hope for from Sunday’s skirmish is the win that will put the Athenians in a tie with Florida in the conference standings. While David Perno’s clubs have pulled out of late-season slumps before---2008 springs to mind in that regard---the present reality is that the Bulldogs are fading while the Saurians are peaking, so a second consecutive S.E.C. series sweep by the Orange and Blue appears all but certain.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Jacksonville State Gamecocks 16, Georgia Diamond Dogs 8

T Kyle King — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:20:51 -0000

I asked earlier whether the Diamond Dogs were running on empty. That question received an emphatic, and embarrassing, answer at Foley Field on Wednesday night, when a Georgia squad that lost to Jacksonville State on the road last week again fell to the Gamecocks at home.

I will spare you all but the goriest details. After Cecil Tanner hurled a scoreless first frame, the Red and Black got things going with a leadoff hit by Matt Cerione in the bottom of the stanza. A bases-loaded single by Rich Poythress and subsequent instances of putting the ball into play by Joey Lewis and Chase Davidson forced J.S.U. starter Mitch Miller from the game before the end of a five-hit, four-run canto.

Any hope that the Classic City Canines were on cruise control was dashed in the top of the third stanza, when a Steven Leach single, a Kyle Bluestein double, and a Daniel Adamson home run made it a 4-3 ballgame after Alex McRee notched the final out with the bases loaded. Georgia answered in the fourth frame with back-to-back inning-opening singles off the bats of Cerione and Johnathan Taylor. An Adam Fuller walk and a Peter Verdin single added a trio of runs to the Diamond Dogs’ tally, and the home team tacked on another in the fifth canto when Colby May sent a single into right field to score Cerione from second.

As the Classic City Canines entered the top of the seventh stanza, they sent Justin Earls to the mound to protect an 8-3 lead as the fourth pitcher of the night for Georgia. He gave up the two-out home run to Andrew Edge that made it 8-4, and, in the top of the eighth frame, Michael Palazzone began his turn on the hill by surrendering, in succession, a single to Spencer Brandes, a double to Todd Cunningham, a sacrifice fly to Blake Seguin, and a single to Leach. When Dean Weaver was sent in to put out the fire, he gave up a double to Adamson. The damage came to three runs on four hits, but the Red and Black still clung to an 8-7 advantage.

While all of this was going on, Georgia was in the process of leaving the bases loaded in the first stanza and going hitless in the second, third, sixth, seventh, and eighth cantos. Then came the top of the ninth frame, which was as disastrous a half-inning as I have seen from the Diamond Dogs since their epic meltdown against South Carolina in May 2007.

Weaver issued a leadoff walk to Edge, who advanced to third when Heath Wall doubled down the left field line. Brandes reached on a fielder’s choice, but Poythress threw the Gamecock designated hitter out at home. A Cunningham triple plated two to give the visitors the lead and a Seguin single padded the advantage by adding another run. Weaver gave way to Jason Leaver, who plunked Leach before both baserunners moved over on a passed ball.

Once Bluestein had been awarded an intentional walk to put three men aboard, Adamson drew the base on balls that forced home a run and Sam Eberle was hit by a pitch to bring in another. An Edge single scored a pair, at which point Leaver was succeeded by Earl Daniels and the latest Georgia hurler walked Wall so that a Jay Davis single could bat in another couple of runs. Cunningham hit into a fielder’s choice and Leach popped up to short to put the five-hit, nine-run inning in the books, but not before a wild pitch and a walk left the bases loaded.

Trailing 16-8, the Diamond Dogs did nothing but roll over and play dead. In the bottom of the ninth frame, Verdin fouled out, Michael Demperio popped up, and Miles Starr flied out to wrap up a truly awful showing by the Classic City Canines. Despite playing errorless baseball, Georgia was out-hit 19-10 and outscored by a decidedly unlucky 13-0 margin in the final three stanzas.

Jacksonville State’s numbers were ridiculous. Five Gamecocks had multiple R.B.I., including Daniel Adamson (3 of 5 with 4 R.B.I.) and Andrew Edge (2 of 3 with 3 R.B.I. as a pinch hitter) but not including Steven Leach (5 for 6 with 1 R.I.W.W.B.). Four of Georgia’s eight pitchers gave up three or more earned runs. There was an avalanche of wild pitches, passed balls, and hit batsmen, and the last three Bulldog hurlers walked five and struck out one.

There’s no way to spin this one. There’s no way to take this in stride with a sense of humor, which is why no pictures with funny captions appear in this posting. The Diamond Dogs had in hand a midweek home game against an inferior opponent, and they let it get away from them in spectacular fashion. I’m no longer willing to accept or advance the "lookahead" excuse. At this point in the season, every weekend series is worthy of the team’s attention; the team has to focus past that and concentrate on the task at hand. 45 games into a 55-game campaign, youth no longer is synonymous with inexperience.

The bottom line is that championship teams do not go 0-2 against Jacksonville State. The essence of baseball, more so than any other sport, is performance at a high level against all manner of competition on a daily basis. Georgia is not getting the job done consistently either against the best teams on its schedule or the worst.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Are the Diamond Dogs Running On Empty?

T Kyle King — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:00:14 -0000

It’s not that I’m looking past this afternoon’s game against Jacksonville State, particularly after what happened last week, but I’m thinking about this weekend’s series with Florida, in light of this assessment by Quinton McDawg:

Given the performances turned in when the Dawgs have played top teams, one would have to agree that Georgia is a good team. But, you can also conclude that we make too many mistakes to win a championship, conference or otherwise. The lower part of our order is unreliable. We walk too many batters. We strike out too much. Our defense is average to below average. Despite these flaws, we've been leading the SEC most of the year. You just wonder how much longer that can last.

Quinton’s view, however, appears positively sanguine when compared to the position taken by College Buddy:

Is the glass half empty?

Okay, maybe I’m being too negative, but I am very frustrated with UGA’s apparent inability to win the "big" series. I need not mention last years College World Series finals, right? And this year, Georgia has gone 1-2 each against ‘Bama, LSU, and Ole Miss, the recognized higher echelon conference teams on their schedule thus far. While these teams have all beat up on each other pretty good, none of the others has a losing record against all three, and LSU actually has a winning record against UGA, ’Bama, and Ole Miss (2-1 each). And after going 24-3, the ’Dawgs have gone 9-8 in their last seventeen games (7-5 in the conference) and managed to post losses to Winthrop, Georgia Tech, and Jacksonville State. Anybody else feel like that’s just a little sub-par?

Is it fair to say the Diamond Dogs are faltering, or are the Classic City Canines just running up against tougher competition? Are they starting to show signs of fatigue due to the uniform start date? If so, will they get their second wind before arriving in the house of horrors that Hoover has been for the Red and Black?

I don’t have much room to quarrel with Quinton and College Buddy; the data they quote are undeniable, and it is disconcerting to note that the Classic City Canines are 5-5 in their last ten outings, which gives them the same record over that span as Tennessee. The Volunteers are in sole possession of last place in the East, are tied for last place in the league, and are eight games behind Georgia.

Here, for whatever they might be worth, are a few encouraging facts to be borne in mind:

At 14-7 in S.E.C. play, the Diamond Dogs are in first place in the division and are tied for the league lead.

At 33-11 overall, the Red and Black have the best record in the conference.

Georgia has played 15 games against top 25 opponents. Florida has played the same number of games against ranked teams and South Carolina has played one more. The Gamecocks are 6-10 against the top 25, the Gators are 6-9, and the Bulldogs are 9-6.

Finally, the Classic City Canines’ 13-5 road record is the best mark posted by an S.E.C. team in away games, a la Mark Richt.

Undoubtedly, recent weeks have been disappointing in many respects and the No. 1 ranking Georgia has carried for part of the baseball season presently appears as undeserved as that same poll position was for the Bulldog football team last fall. The Diamond Dogs’ 6-0 record against division foes will receive by far its toughest test starting Friday night.

Baseball is a humbling game, much more so than the other major sports. It is the sport in which a major league player who fails to get a hit in 60 per cent of his at-bats over the course of a 162-game season is guaranteed of a place in Cooperstown by virtue of his being a great hitter. On the diamond, as on the gridiron, there ain’t nothing wrong with being a Georgia Bulldog that beating the Florida Gators can’t fix.

Let’s see where we are on Sunday evening. If we lose two out of three to the Orange and Blue, then, yeah, I’m going to be ticked. I’m willing to be patient through this weekend, though, as fan interest is peaking and, if recent history is any indication, the Red and Black will get it turned around when the chips are down.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Jacksonville State Gamecocks 9, Georgia Diamond Dogs 7

T Kyle King — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:54:29 -0000

On Wednesday night, the Diamond Dogs faced the Gamecocks in Jacksonville. No, not those Gamecocks, and not that Jacksonville. En route to Oxford for their weekend set with Ole Miss, the Red and Black stopped off in Jacksonville, Alabama, to face the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Despite being outscored in only one inning, the Classic City Canines fell to J.S.U. by a 9-7 margin.

Matt Cerione drew a leadoff walk on a payoff pitch in the top of the first frame and Colby May drove a two-run shot to left center field on another 3-2 count, and, just like that, it was 2-0. A one-out Bryce Massanari single came to nothing when the remaining Bulldog batters recorded outs.

Jason Leaver’s first four pitches all were balls, the cumulative effect of which was to issue a leadoff walk to Todd Cunningham in the bottom of the inning. Although Blake Seguin flied out, the Gamecock left fielder took second base on a passed ball and Kyle Bluestein blasted a game-tying home run to left field. No other J.S.U. batter reached base.

The Diamond Dogs were retired on a strikeout, a flyout, and a groundout in the visitors’ half of the second stanza, and the bottom of the canto appeared to be headed for a similar conclusion when the first two Gamecock batters grounded out, but Jake Sharrock doubled to left center field and Andrew Edge walked to generate a bit of drama. Fortunately, Cunningham struck out after fouling off a pair of pitches.

After Jacksonville State left fielder Todd Cunningham struck out in a critical situation in the early innings, his character was written out of future episodes and his role as Richie’s older brother was effectively taken over by Fonzie, who underwent a swift transformation from a disaffected loner with a history of commitment issues and juvenile delinquency to a loveable free spirit with a "tough guy" exterior and a way with the ladies.

May sent a one-out single through the left side in the top of the third frame to give Georgia a 3-2 advantage in hits and Rich Poythress followed that up with the double that gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 edge in runs. After Massanari was hit by a pitch, Joey Lewis smacked a single down the left field line to plate another run. Chase Davidson fouled off four pitches before being victimized by a called third strike and Adam Fuller flied out to conclude the canto.

The Gamecocks alternated outs and hits in the home half of the stanza, following up a Seguin groundout with a Bluestein single and a Steven Leach flyout with a run-scoring Daniel Adamson double before Sam Eberle popped up to leave the Diamond Dogs leading by one in both hits (5-4) and runs (4-3).

The Red and Black did not take this lying down, though. Miles Starr sent a one-out single to short and stole second base in the top of the fourth frame. Cerione’s ensuing base hit, when coupled with a throwing error by Seguin, permitted the Georgia infielder to score an unearned run before the next two Bulldog batters registered outs.

The hurling duties devolved upon Tyler Maloof in the bottom of the inning and, after striking out Jay Harrington on a 3-2 count, the Red and Black reliever issued a free pass to Sharrock on four straight pitches and awarded a base on balls to Edge on a payoff pitch to put the tying run aboard.

"How can these guys lay off pitches that close?"

Maloof plunked Cunningham to load the bases for Seguin, whose R.B.I. groundout scored Sharrock. Bluestein then singled to center field to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run lead by bringing both Edge and Cunningham across home plate. Chase Hawkins came in from the bullpen to put out the fire but instead gave up back-to-back-to-back singles to Leach, Adamson, and Eberle to score Bluestein, Leach, and Adamson, respectively. Mercifully, Harrington went down swinging to end the disastrous four-hit, six-run stanza that gave the Gamecocks an 8-7 edge in hits and a 9-5 lead in runs.

J.S.U. hurler Jordan Beistline retired the Red and Black in order in the top of the fifth frame. Sharrock turned Hawkins’s first pitch of the home half of the canto into a groundout and the Bulldog reliever’s next three throws to home plate all were strikes, the last of which Edge swung at and missed. Hawkins’s fifth pitch of the inning was sent into left field by Cunningham for a base hit, but, after taking the first pitch of the canto to be called a ball, Seguin put the horsehide into play and was thrown out at first base.

Johnathan Taylor opened the upper half of the sixth stanza with a single through the left side and advanced to second on a Levi Hyams groundout. Robbie O’Bryan punched a double into center field to even the hits at nine per side and bring the Georgia left fielder around to score. After Cerione struck out swinging, May put the first pitch he saw into left field for a base hit, but the baserunner was put out at home to keep the Diamond Dogs operating at a three-run deficit.

Jeff Walters was sent to the hill to pitch the bottom of the frame and he proceeded to strike out Bluestein and Leach before walking Adamson on four pitches. Walters’s next throw to home plate was put into play by Eberle, who was put out at first base to close out Jacksonville State’s first consecutive scoreless innings of the game.

And it’s whose team? Bluestein!

Lewis reached on a Sharrock throwing error in the upper half of the seventh canto after a pair of Bulldog flyouts, but Lyle Allen stranded him there with a three-pitch strikeout in the ensuing at-bat. Walters struck out the first two batters he faced in the home half of the stanza before walking Edge on a payoff pitch. Fortunately, Cunningham fouled out in the next at-bat to keep the score unchanged and prevent me from having to rework the caption of the first photograph appearing above.

A Sharrock fielding error allowed Hyams to reach base with one out away in the top of the eighth frame but Peter Verdin grounded into a double play in the next at-bat. In the lower half of the canto, Will Harvil set down the first two Gamecock batters but surrendered the double to Leach that evened the hits at ten per team. Adamson grounded out to take the contest to the top of the ninth inning with the Classic City Canines needing to score three runs before carding three outs.

Cerione began the stanza in the right way, with a solo shot from the leadoff spot to cut the deficit to 9-7. May followed that up with a base on balls to bring the tying run to the plate, but Poythress gazed at a called third strike on a payoff pitch. This gave Massanari the opportunity to be the hero, but the Georgia designated hitter merely advanced the baserunner into scoring position on a groundout. Lewis struck out to leave him there.

It all came down to a bad half-inning. But for a six-run stanza in the fourth frame, the Diamond Dogs would have won a game in which they out-hit the opposition (11-10), committed no errors (as compared to the Gamecocks’ trio of miscues), and held Jacksonville State scoreless for the final four cantos. They gave up one big inning, and that was the end of that.

(By the way, this is neither here nor there, but the umpires for Wednesday night’s outing were Ricky Armstrong behind the plate, Jeff Head at first base, and Owen Butts at third base. Does that make this the first Georgia baseball game of the season in which all three umps were named after body parts?)

Go ‘Dawgs!

		#1 Dominique Buckley Sophomore Guard 6-2 \| 205 Detroit, Mich. Buckley played in 25 games as a reserve point guard, averaging 1.3 points and 0.8 assists. He logged a career-high 19 minutes vs. Texas A&M, and tallied five points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and Colorado. Buckley also handed out three assists vs. Iowa, Jacksonville State and SIU-Edwardsville.

		#4 Charles Boozer Junior Guard 6-3 \| 195 Raleigh, N.C. Boozer competed in 23 games, giving Iowa State a lift from the bench. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds; shot 37.2 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free-throw line; tallied a career-high 11 points vs. Missouri; and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds while logging a career-high 19 minutes vs. Kansas State. (And no, your eyes do not deceive you. Charles is Carlos Boozer's younger brother.)

		#5 Lucca Staiger Junior Guard 6-5 \| 225 Blaustein, Germany Big 12 Rookie of the Week (12/15/08 and 01/12/09) Staiger started 27 games last season, averaging 8.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. He was Iowa State's top long-range shooter, making a team-high 74 treys in 192 attempts. His 74 3-pointers rank seventh on ISU's single-season 3-pointers made list. Staiger averaged 2.3 3-pointers made per game to rank sixth in the Big 12 and seventh on ISU's single-season list. He made a 3-pointer in 26 of 32 games and had 14 games with three or more treys. Staiger had a streak of 16 consecutive games with a 3-pointer, tying for the third-longest stretch in school history. He scored 14 points behind a 4-of-8 effort from downtown vs. Oregon State and poured in a career-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from 3-point range vs. Drake. His eight treys in that game tie for second on ISU's single-game record chart. Staiger tied a Big 12 mark by making seven treys in the first half vs. Drake, tallied 15 points in his Big 12 debut at Texas, drilled six 3-pointers en route to 18 points vs. Nebraska, posted 14 points behind a 4-of-10 effort from long range at Oklahoma State, and was 5-of-9 from downtown and scored 17 points at Nebraska. His 74 treys already rank 18th in school history.

		#10 Diante Garrett Junior Guard 6-4 \| 185 Milwaukee, Wis. World Vision Classic All-Tournament (2008) NSCA All-American (2008) Garrett was one of the Big 12's top playmakers, ranking third in the league and 36th nationally in assists. He totaled 161 assists to rank 14th on Iowa State's single-season assist chart. One of two players to start all 32 games, Garrett was second on the team in scoring and averaged 3.3 rebounds. He led the team in steals with 30, shot 70.7 percent from the free-throw line, ranked 10th in the Big 12 in assist/turnover ratio, handed out five or more assists in 17 of 32 games, led or tied ISU in assists in 22 of 32 games, recorded two double-doubles and four double-digit assist games, and posted a career-high 26 points at Hawai'i, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and marking the 16th time in school history where a Cyclone was perfect from the charity stripe with at least 10 attempts. Garrett dished out a career-high 11 assists vs. Loyola Marymount and Missouri, posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists against Oklahoma, notched 17 points vs. Texas Tech and made a career-high three treys vs. UW-Milwaukee, en route to 17 points. He currently ranks 18th on ISU's career assist chart.

		#21 Craig Brackins Junior Forward 6-10 \| 230 Palmdale, Calif. First Team All-Big 12 (2009) First Team USBWA All-District VI (2009) First Team NABC All-District 8 (2009) Basketball Times First Team All-Midlands (2009) AP Honorable Mention All-American (2009) Collegehoopsnet.com HM All-American (2009) Kansas City Star All-Big 12 Improved (2009) Big 12 Player of the Week (2009 - three times) MVP of World Vision Classic (2008) Brackins recorded one of the greatest seasons in Iowa State history, earning first-team all-Big 12 and first-team all-District honors from the NABC, USBWA and Basketball Times. He was named honorable mention All-American by the AP, was the first Cyclone to earn first-team all-Big 12 honors since Curtis Stinson in 2006 and was named Big 12 Player of the Week three times. Brackins averaged 20.2 points, ranking second in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally, and 9.5 rebounds to rank third in the Big 12 and 26th nationally. Along with Blake Griffin and Luke Harangody, he was one of three players in the country to rank in the top 30 nationally in both scoring and rebounding. In Big 12 games, Brackins averaged a double-double, scoring 20 or more points in 11 of 16 conference games. He scored a league-high 348 points in Big 12 games, the 10th-best single-season scoring total in league history; posted 19 20-point games and three 30-point outings; tallied 12 20-point/10-rebound games; led ISU in scoring in 21 of the last 23 games and paced the Cyclones in rebounding in the final 18 games; tallied 15 double-doubles to rank fourth in the Big 12; and ended the season ranking in ISU's single season top 11 in four categories: field goals, points, rebounds and double-doubles. Brackins is only the third player in school history to record 600 points and 300 rebounds in a season. His 645 points as a sophomore ranks second on ISU's class list behind Jeff Grayer, who tallied 684 points in his sophomore campaign. He became the 27th member of the 1,000-point club and just the fifth Cyclone in school history to record 1,000 points in their first two seasons. Brackins scored 18 or more points in a half eight times and tallied a double-double by halftime three times. He scored a career-high 42 points vs. Kansas, making 11 of 19 shots from the floor, 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and 17 of 21 from the charity stripe. The 42 points tie for the sixth-best effort by a Big 12 player in league history and are the fourth-best scoring effort in ISU history. His 17 free throws made tie for third best in ISU history. Brackins registered 38 points, including 23 in the second half, on 15-of-23 shooting from the floor at Houston. His 15 field goals made are tied for third-best all-time by a Big 12 player. He scored 32 points in an overtime victory at Northern Iowa and grabbed a career-high 17 boards vs. Jacksonville State.

		#23 Jamie Vanderbeken Senior Forward 6-11 \| 245 Belleville, Ontario Kansas City Star's Big 12 All-Newcomer Team (2009) Iowa State's top reserve in the post, averaging 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 31 games, Vanderbeken led ISU in 3-point percentage, making 35 of 86 shots from beyond the arc. He averaged 6.3 points in Big 12 play, was second on the team in blocks with 21, made 23 of his 35 treys in the last 14 games, had four games with three or more treys, tallied a double-double in his debut with 14 points and 10 boards vs. UC Davis, was 5 of 7 from the field and scored 12 points vs. Oklahoma, tallied 14 points at Kansas State, posted career highs in points and 3-pointers at Kansas, and was 4 of 5 from 3-point range en route to 12 points vs. Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.

		#41 Justin Hamilton Sophomore Center 6-11 \| 255 Alpine, Utah Hamilton had a solid freshman campaign, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds. He started 18 games, played in 32 contests and led the Cyclones in field-goal percentage, hitting 57 of 100 shots from the floor. His 57-percent clip from the floor ranks 15th on Iowa State's single-season record chart and second on ISU's freshman list. Hamilton tallied 17 blocks last season. In his first career start, he scored eight points and grabbed a career-high 12 boards in a win at Houston. Hamilton posted a career-high 16 points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field at Missouri. He recorded eight points and 10 rebounds at Texas, and posted a career-high three blocks vs. Colorado.

		#2 Chris Colvin Freshman Guard 6-2 \| 195 Chicago, Ill. One of the best guards in the Class of 2009, Colvin was ranked as the 99th-best player in the nation and the 15th-best point guard nationally in the Rivals.com rankings. Scout.com ranked him as the 10th-best point guard in 2009 and he was ranked at No. 77 in the ESPNU final ratings. Colvin was named second-team Class 4A all-state a senior by the AP, and averaged 12.3 ppg and 6.2 assists on one of the best and most balanced prep teams in the nation. His Whitney Young team defeated Waukegan 69-66 in the state championship game to finish the season at 26-9 and win the 2009 Illinois Class 4A state title. He had seven points and a team-high six assists in the state championship game, and scored 14, 20, 12 and 17 points in the four previous postseason tournament games. Colvin averaged 14.1 ppg as a junior, earning all-state honors, and started three years at Whitney Young. He was named as one of the best players at the 2008 Reebok All-American Camp and chose Iowa State over Baylor, Florida State, Illinois, Kentucky, Marquette, Providence, USC and Washington State.

		#3 Marquis Gilstrap Senior Forward 6-6 \| 210 Covington, Ga. Gilstrap emerged as one of the best junior college players in the nation in his one season at Gulf Coast, averaging 22.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for one of the biggest surprise teams in junior college. He earned honorable mention All- America honors by the NJCAA, was rated as the 26th-best player in the class of 2009 by ESPN.com, and ranked 10th nationally in scoring and 20th in the nation in rebounding in the final NJCAA statistical rankings. Gilstrap shot 48.3 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from 3-point range and 74.8 percent from the free-throw line at Gulf Coast, was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year and first-team team all-Panhandle Conference, and was a first-team All-FCCAA honoree. He led his team to a 24-9 overall record and a spot in the state final, where GCCC lost to No. 1-ranked Chipola JC 68-65 to miss out at a chance for the national tournament. Gilstrap also scored 27 points to help his squad defeat No. 3 Miami Dade in the first round of the state playoffs, and averaged 24.6 points and 10.3 rebounds to earn FCCAA All-Tournament team honors. He had seven 30+ scoring games and participated in the 2009 NJCAA All-Star Basketball Classic.

		#12 Alex Dorr Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 215 Norwalk, Iowa Dorr joins the Cyclones as a recruited walk-on. He averaged 20.2 points and 9.3 rebounds while earning Class 3A first-team all-state honors from both the Iowa Newspaper Association and The Des Moines Register as a senior. Dorr led Norwalk to its first-ever state championship game in 2009. The team finished the season with a 24-3 record. He scored 23 points and grabbed nine boards vs. Dubuque Wahlert in the first round of the state tournament, and averaged 18.9 points and 11.2 rebounds as a junior, earning second-team all-state honors.

		#15 Antwon Oliver Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 175 Racine, Wis. Oliver earned honorable mention all-state and third-team all-area honors as a senior, and developed into one of the best players in Wisconsin in his last year, leading his Horlick team to the Division 1 state championship game. He was ranked as the 13th-best player in the state of Wisconsin and averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and hit 45 treys as a senior. Horlick went 24-2 and lost in the state final to Madison Memorial, 56-41. Oliver led his team with 13 points in the state championship game and was invited to play in the 2009 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Boy's All-Star game. He averaged 12.5 points as a junior and 5.1 points as a sophomore.

		#22 LaRon Dendy Junior Forward 6-9 \| 225 Greenville, S.C. Dendy played two years at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, and was rated as the 57th-best player in the preseason 2008-09 Juco Junction rankings. He averaged 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds as a freshman, earning honorable mention All-Region XI honors, but suffered a stress fracture in his sophomore season and saw limited action, averaging 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds and shooting 63.3 percent from the field in nine games. Ranked as one of the top post players in the Class of 2007, Dendy was rated as the 63rd-best player in the nation and the 17th-best power forward in the Rivals.com Class of 2007, and was the seventh-best player in the Southeast Region in 2007. He originally committed to Clemson, but opted to go to junior college.

		#25 Bubu Palo Freshman Guard 6-1 \| 175 Ames, Iowa Palo is a recruited walk-on. He was the starting point guard on Ames' 2009 Class 4A state championship team, which finished the season with a perfect 26-0 mark. Palo started his last two seasons at point guard, averaged 9.1 points as a senior to earn second-team All-CIML honors, had a 3.34 assist/turnover ratio and shot 52.0 percent from the field. He scored 11 points in Ames' state championship game win over Linn-Mar and was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a junior.