SB Nation - LSU Tigers

Washington State 72, LSU 70 (OT)

Nuss — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:10:56 -0000

Final - 12.22.2009	1	2	Total
LSU Tigers	30	32	70
Washington St. Cougars	36	26	72

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As the game wound down to its final moments in regulation with the Cougs trailing by two, I just kept thinking about how small the margin is in college basketball. With only ~30 games, there are so precious few opportunities to make statements, and the result of each game is magnified beyond what it probably should be.

If the Cougs lose last night -- which they were on the verge of doing without yet another in a string of spectacular plays by Reggie Moore -- we're talking about a team that can't seem to figure out a way to beat anyone good. It's a team that still has a considerable amount of growing up to do with more than a third of the season gone, and trepidation sets in until conference play starts a week from tomorrow.

But this is what it is, and instead of moping we get to entertain thoughts of grandeur after the Cougs came back for a rousing, 72-70 overtime win over LSU. Instead, we get to talk about how tough they were, how much they've matured, how their potential in Pac-10 play is so great ... all because Bo Spencer's final 3-point heave fell short of the rim.

Is it ideal? No way. But for as much as we like to take a big picture approach to where the team is heading and try to avoid results-based analysis, the reality is that with only 30 games, results matter. A lot. And last night was a huge one. When March rolls around, if this team is in any kind of postseason conversation, this will be a game people point to in favor of WSU.

LSU is only ranked No. 139 by kenpom.com. That's going to change -- dramatically -- when all is said and done. That's a good team that, like the Cougs, is quickly getting better. They've got an absolute beast in Tasmin Mitchell (more on him in a second) and Bo Spencer is really good. They crash the offensive glass with relentless abandon and are disciplined. After the game, Trent Johnson and Ken Bone spent a lot of time shining sunshine you know where, but this time it felt legitimate -- that's a well-coached squad the Cougars just beat.

The Tigers certainly aren't a great offensive team, but the defensive job the Cougars did on them last night was simply phenomenal, especially considering where this team was just a few weeks ago. Early on, it appeared as if Mitchell was going to dominate this game. He was flat-out abusing Abe Lodwick in the post, getting to the rim, drawing fouls, picking up offensive rebounds. Bone reached for Nikola Koprivica early -- before the 16 minute mark -- and from there, everything changed.

The Cougs threw the book at LSU in order to neutralize Mitchell. They played standard man-to-man. They played 2-3 zone. Bone said they even played some triangle-and-two. And it worked: The result was a 95.7 efficiency for the Tigers on 40.0 effective field goal percentage as Mitchell struggled to find a groove. The former was the fourth-lowest of the year allowed by WSU; the latter, the lowest. Without a doubt, this was the best all-around defensive effort of the year for these young Cougs, as the Tigers rarely got an open look. Even the 3s LSU did hit were contested, as breakdowns were minimal.

Johnson lamented after the game that Mitchell didn't get any free throws in such a physical game. While I agree that it was a little odd, I also think it reflected both Mitchell's lack of aggression to the rim and the amazing job both Koprivica and the rest of the Cougar defense did in throwing different looks at him. At times, he looked like he was thinking rather than playing, and at other times he looked like he just didn't want to work hard anymore for a quality shot -- as exemplified by that weak fade-away jumper in overtime.

If you wanted defense, people ... you got it. And that's as exciting as anything else that happened last night as we evaluate this team going forward.

The offense? Well, let's just say it wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, as Bone said after the game that LSU did a great job of making the Cougs look ugly at times. The Tigers played tough, physical defense on them, and they deserve a lot of credit for it. But what's most important is that it was good enough.

Good enough for a huge win to savor for the next week.

Player(s) of the game

Can't go with just one guy here ...

Klay Thompson. With 15:15 left in the game, the Cougs led 44-36. Just over three minutes later, that lead was whittled to two. Klay had eight points, and had been a virtual non-factor -- something I wasn't all that concerned about up until that point, because he had, for the most part, made good decisions that allowed his teammates to score. Jo-Jo texted me and said this was the point at which Klay had to take over. I had a similar sentiment as the Gonzaga game was slipping away; we all know how that one turned out.

Not last night. As if on cue, Thompson hit a 3, had a steal, hit a runner in the lane, got to the rim for a layup, hit a pair of free throws and then found DeAngelo Casto on a pick and roll for an easy bucket. In a span of 4:09 -- at a critical juncture in the game -- Klay had nine points, a steal and an assist. He also would hit another jumper to break a tie at the 6:05 mark and another 3 to regain the lead with 3:50 to go. Quite simply, without Klay's offensive outburst in the second half, we don't win this game.

Reggie Moore. Jo-Jo -- who has been away serving Uncle Sam for the past few months and has only seen the last two games -- also asked me if Moore has the best freshman in the Pac-10. I think that question has been unquestionably answered. Moore played all 45 minutes last night and committed just two turnovers. He did only have four assists (after piling up 22 the last two games), but it was the last one that made all the difference.

With the Cougs down by two with under 20 seconds to go in regulation -- and coming off a forced-and-missed 3-point attempt by Klay on the previous possession -- Moore did exactly what I absolutely was hoping he would do. Knowing that the Tigers would be looking straight to Klay, Moore drove the lane, drawing approximately three defenders right to him. Moore left his feet, but he somehow found DeAngelo Casto under the hoop for the game-tying basket with six seconds to go. Spectacular.

As someone said on the postgame thread, this team now has two clear weapons for teams to contend with down the stretch of games. I can't even begin to describe to you how enormous that is.

Unsung hero

Nik Koprivica. This one was so easy. I asked Bone after the game if it was possible to overstate the impact Koprivica had on this game with his defense on Mitchell. The answer was a flat, "No." For as important as Klay's scoring outburst was, Nik's job on Mitchell was equally important. He was an absolute warrior in the post against a guy who is taller, stronger and more athletic than him, yet somehow he was able to more or less keep the ball out of Mitchell's hands. When Mitchell did get the ball, Nik played sound defense, cutting off the baseline and forcing Mitchell back to the WSU help. He also did as good a job as could be expected boxing out a guy who will be first-team all-SEC come March.

That Nik chipped in 11 points, six rebounds and two assists -- against just one turnover, his first in the past four games -- was just icing on the cake. The redemption story continues.

It was over when ...

Spencer's desperation 3 with a few seconds left fell short of the rim and the Cougs were able to keep the ball out of the hands of LSU in the ensuing scrum -- not a moment before that.

Stat of the game

Prior to last night, the Cougs' two lowest offensive efficiencies came against Kansas State (91.5) and Gonzaga (95.7). Against the Tigers, WSU posted an offensive efficiency of 98.1. And won.

RPI WATCH: 12/23/09

BracketCat — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:00:38 -0000

More photos » by Harry Cabluck - AP

Get a clue, voters: Damion James, and not Sherron Collins, leads the best and deepest team in the country. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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The hit our numbers took from Pine Bluff finally showed up. I think we're still on track for an RPI Top 20 finish, though.

That literally and figuratively was a bad break for Texas A&M last night, and it really was no surprise that they lost to a decent team on the road after something like that. But the Big 12 now is 13-4 against the Pac-10, including 9-3 in the Hardwood Series, so our dominance hardly is in question.

Meanwhile, Kansas and Texas continued to stamp themselves as the best two teams in the country, although I still maintain their order should be flipped in the next AP poll.

Nebraska and Texas Tech also picked up nice, resume-building wins. Other than Colorado and Oklahoma, and maybe Missouri, this conference is looking very strong.

Hit the jump to see how our other opponents fared. All in all, another successful night for the Cats' SOS.

Current Kansas State AP Ranking = 12

Current Kansas State Record = 11-1

Current Kansas State RPI = 3

Current Kansas State SOS = 5

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

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

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

Loyola (9-2, 1-1) | RPI = 46: Win over Albany (68-56)
Western Illinois (5-6, 0-2) | RPI = 314: Win over Central Arkansas (55-44)
Boston (5-6) | RPI = 150: Win over Mount St. Mary's (86-77)
No. 20 Ole Miss (10-1) | RPI = 24
Dayton (9-2) | RPI = 32
IUPUI (9-3, 2-0) | RPI = 50
No. 14* FHSU (8-1)
Washington State (10-2) | RPI = 85: Win over LSU (72-70 in overtime)
Xavier (6-4) | RPI = 47
UNLV (11-1) | RPI = 27: Win over SMU (67-53)
Alabama (7-4) | RPI = 92
UAPB (0-10) | RPI = 265
Cleveland State (4-9, 0-2) | RPI = 239: Loss at No. 17 Ohio State (72-59)
South Dakota (6-5) | RPI = 208
Missouri (7-3) | RPI = 179
No. 19 Texas A&M (9-3) | RPI = 18: Loss at No. 22 Washington (73-64)
Colorado (7-4) | RPI = 237: Win over CSUN (92-58)
No. 2 Texas (11-0) | RPI = 4: Win over No. 9 Michigan State (79-68)
Oklahoma State (10-1) | RPI = 47
Baylor (9-1) | RPI = 101
No. 1 Kansas (11-0) | RPI = 25: Win over Cal (84-69)
Nebraska (9-2) | RPI = 156: Win over Tulsa (74-70)
Iowa State (9-3) | RPI = 120: Win over North Dakota (83-52)
Oklahoma (8-4) | RPI = 114
No. 23 Texas Tech (10-1) | RPI = 35: Win over Stanford (100-87)

*Division II Top 25

POSTGAME THREAD: Time to get excited, folks

Nuss — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:17:39 -0000

More photos » by Kevin P. Casey - AP

Last time the Cougs got punched in the mouth, they ran and hid. Tonight, they hit back -- and won a game because of it.

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As I sit here on press row in an empty KeyArena where not 45 minutes ago there was a raucous, screaming sea of 15,000-plus Crimson voices belting out the fight song as the players celebrated a dramatic 72-70 overtime victory over LSU, I have so many thoughts swimming through my head.

But one keeps sticking out: It's officially time to get excited about this team.

I know I run the risk of letting the emotions of one night influence my objective analysis, but there were just so many reasons to like tonight. And I don't have time to get into them all, because I gotta catch the train down to the south end, but I'll just leave you with this.

We won a game, against a good team, without our best offensive effort. I don't have the efficiency numbers in front of me, but running the quick math in my head, this game had about 75 possessions. We scored 72 points.

And won -- with defense, toughness, some timely points from Klay Thompson at a crucial point in the game, and good free throw shooting.

I'll have the full recap up on the site sometime tomorrow morning, but consider this your permission slip.

Get excited, folks. This team is good.

UK Basketball: A Statistical Look at the SEC

Ken Howlett — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:41:16 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Kentucky coach John Calipari asks, where do my 'Cats stand statistically within the SEC?

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Ten games into the season, and the Kentucky Wildcats are sporting a pristine 10-0 record, with two wins against top-15 competition. OK, so you already knew that, but do you know how UK stands within the conference in the many statistical categories? If not, prepare yourself for an onslaught of SEC stats, standings, as well as enough conference information to make one forget about Bob Knight and his "unamusing" musings.

After the jump comes ... the rest of the story.

Conference Standings

East West

1. Kentucky - 10-0 1. Mississippi - 9-1

t2. Tennessee - 8-1 2. Mississippi State - 8-2

t2. Florida - 8-1 3. LSU - 7-2

4. South Carolina - 7-2 4. Alabama - 7-3

5. Vanderbilt - 6-3 t5. Arkansas - 5-5

6. Georgia - 4-4 t5. Auburn - 5-5

Scoring Offense -- 1. Tennessee (84.1) 2. Mississippi (83.1) 3. Kentucky (80.3) 4. Arkansas (80.2) 5. South Carolina (78.1) 6. Mississippi State (76.2) 7. Florida (75.4) 8. Vanderbilt (74.4) 9. Auburn (72.2) 10. Alabama (70.7) 11. LSU (66.1) 12. Georgia (63.5).

Arkansas is averaging over 80 points per game, but is still only 5-5?

Scoring Defense -- 1. Mississippi State (59.5) 2. Tennessee (60.2) 3. Florida (60.9) 4. LSU (62.1) 5. Alabama (63.2) 6. Georgia (63.6) 7. Kentucky (65.5) 8. Auburn (67.7) 9. South Carolina (68.2) t10. Mississippi (68.3) t10. Vanderbilt (68.3) 12. Arkansas (72.6).

Tennessee and Florida, both weak defensively last season, have so far shown a tremendous defensive turnaround. John Pelphrey, on the other hand, needs to instill some of the defensive tenacity at Arkansas he employed while playing for the 'Cats.

Scoring Margin -- 1. Tennessee (+23.9) 2. Mississippi State (+16.7) t3. Mississippi (+14.8) t3. Kentucky (+14.8) 5. Florida (+14.6) 6. South Carolina (+9.9) 7. Arkansas (+7.6) 8. Alabama (+7.5) 9. Vanderbilt (+6.1) 10. Auburn (+4.5) 11. LSU (+4.0) 12. Georgia (-.1).

It looks as if Bruce Pearl has finally reigned in his talented UT squad ... as of now, that is.

Field Goal % -- 1. Tennessee (50.4) 2. Kentucky (49.7) 3. Arkansas (49.0) 4. Mississippi State (47.5) t5. Florida (46.3) t5. Mississippi (46.3) 7. Vanderbilt (46.1) 8. Alabama (45.4) 9. South Carolina (43.9) 10. LSU (43.4) 11. Georgia (42.9) 12. Auburn (42.7).

South Carolina must shoot the ball better if they wish to atone for last year's NCAA Tournament slight. Arkansas, shooting 49% and standing at 5-5? I sense a trend developing.

Field Goal % Defense -- 1. Mississippi State (36.8) 2. Tennessee (37.8) 3. Kentucky (38.6) 4. Arkansas (40.1) 5. Florida (40.3) 6. LSU (41.5) 7. Mississippi (41.6) 8. Auburn (41.8) 9. Georgia (42.0) 10. Vanderbilt (42.1) 11. Alabama (42.2) 12. South Carolina (42.3).

Tennessee once again surprises. What once was holding UT back from fulfilling their promise, may now become the strength of their team ... if they can keep up D-heat.

Three-Point % -- 1. Mississippi State (41.9) 2. Tennessee (40.6) 3. Arkansas (39.3) 4. Kentucky (38.0) 5. Mississippi (36.2) 6. Alabama (34.8) 7. Florida (33.0) 8. Georgia (32.3) 9. South Carolina (32.1) 10. Vanderbilt (31.9) 11. LSU (30.5) 12. Auburn (30.4).

Shooters, shooters, needed in middle Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama.

Three-Point % Defense -- 1. Florida (21.5) 2. Tennessee (27.5) 3. Mississippi (31.3) 4. Auburn (34.0) 5. Alabama (34.1) 6. South Carolina (34.8) 7. Mississippi State (35.1) 8. Vanderbilt (35.2) 9. LSU (35.4) 10. Kentucky (36.1) 11. Georgia (36.4) 12. Arkansas (38.4).

Allowing 38.4% shooting from beyond the three-point line isn't defense, it's indifferent defense, and also the reason Arkansas may have a new head coach next year. UT and Florida continue to impress.

Free Throw % -- 1. Mississippi State (70.7) 2. Georgia (70.6) 3. Florida (70.1) 4. Tennessee (69.6) 5. Alabama (69.2) 6. Vanderbilt (67.4) 7. LSU (67.4) 8. South Carolina (67.0) 9. Mississippi (66.9) 10. Kentucky (66.0) 11. Arkansas (64.6) 12. Auburn (62.1).

The relative weak conference free throw shooting may render UK's poor average inconsequential.

Rebound Average -- 1. Kentucky (42.1) 2. Mississippi State (40.6) 3. Mississippi (39.6) 4. LSU (39.4) 5. South Carolina (38.0) 6. Florida (37.8) 7. Tennessee (37.1) 8. Vanderbilt (36.7) 9. Auburn (36.6) 10. Georgia (34.5) 11. Alabama (34.3) 12. Arkansas (34.1).

Kentucky should win a number of SEC games based strictly on their ability to hit the boards with a vengeance.

Rebounding Defense -- 1. LSU (30.9) 2. Kentucky (31.5) 3. Georgia (32.2) t4. Tennessee (32.6) t4. Mississippi State (32.6) 6. Alabama (34.1) t7. Florida (36.0) t7. Arkansas (36.0) 9. Auburn (36.2) 10. Vanderbilt (37.8) 11. Mississippi (39.1) South Carolina (39.6).

Rebounding Margin -- 1. Kentucky (+10.6) 2. LSU (+8.6) 3. Mississippi State (+8.0) 4. Tennessee (+4.6) 5. Georgia (+2.2) 6. Florida (+1.8) 7. Mississippi (+.5) 8. Auburn (+.4) 9. Alabama (+.2) 10. Vanderbilt (-1.1) 11. South Carolina (-1.6) 12. Arkansas (-1.9).

Offensive Rebounds -- 1. Kentucky (15.4) 2. South Carolina (14.7) 3. LSU (14.6) 4. Mississippi (13.8) 5. Auburn (13.6) 6. Florida (13.3) 7. Alabama (12.6) 8. Vanderbilt (11.8) 9. Tennessee (11.7) 10. Georgia (11.6) 11. Mississippi State (10.4) 12. Arkansas (10.0).

Offensive rebounds equals a gained possession, something UK has been lacking in to a great degree the last four years.

Offensive Rebound % -- 1. Kentucky (44.8) 2. LSU (40.8) 3. Florida (37.5) 4. Alabama (37.0) 5. South Carolina (36.6) 6. Mississippi (35.8) 7. Auburn (35.4) 8. Georgia (34.7) 9. Tennessee (34.5) 10. Vanderbilt (33.2) 11. Mississippi State (32.2) 12. Arkansas (29.9).

Surprisingly low number for Mississippi State. UK at nearly 45.0% is remarkable.

Defensive Rebounds -- 1. Mississippi State (30.2) 2. Kentucky (26.7) 3. Mississippi (25.8) 4. Tennessee (25.4) t5. Vanderbilt (24.9) t5. LSU (24.9) 7. Florida (24.4) 8. Arkansas (24.1) 9. South Carolina (23.3) 10. Auburn (23.0) 11. Georgia (22.9) 12. Alabama (21.7)

Defensive Rebound % -- 1. Mississippi State (73.8) 2. LSU (71.8) 3. Tennessee (70.9) 4. Georgia (68.8) 5. Kentucky (68.1) 6. Auburn (66.9) 7. Arkansas (65.8) 8. Mississippi (64.2) 9. Florida (64.0) 10. Vanderbilt (63.8) 11. Alabama (63.3) 12. South Carolina (62.3).

How can MSU be so strong on the defensive boards, and so bad on the offensive glass?

Blocked Shots -- 1. Mississippi State (8.6) 2. Kentucky (8.1) 3. South Carolina (7.8) 4. Mississippi (6.0) 5. Georgia (5.6) 6. Vanderbilt (5.0) 7. Alabama (4.6) 8. Arkansas (4.1) t9. Tennessee (3.2) t9. LSU (3.2) t11. Florida (3.0) t11. Auburn (3.0).

Raise your hand if you think John Calipari will have his players drive directly into the path of MSU's Jarvis Varnado, continuing an unpleasant Billy Gillespie tradition, which resulted in nearly 30 blocked shots in two games.

Assists -- 1. Tennessee (18.2) 2. Arkansas (16.3) 3. Kentucky (15.6) 4. Florida (15.4) 5. Mississippi (14.3) 6. Alabama (14.1) 7. Mississippi State (13.6) 8. Auburn (13.1) 9. LSU (12.4) 10. Georgia (12.3) 11. Vanderbilt (11.2) 12. South Carolina (10.7).

I expect UK's assist numbers to rise, as the team continues to gel. Does UT's 18 dimes per game signal an end to the alleged chemistry issues which plagued the team last season?

Steals -- 1. Auburn (9.5) 2. South Carolina (9.1) 3. Tennessee (8.9) 4. Alabama (8.4) 5. Mississippi (8.3) 6. Florida (7.8) 7. Georgia (7.7) 8. Kentucky (7.6) 9. Vanderbilt (6.7) 10. Arkansas (6.5) 11. LSU (5.8) 12. Mississippi State (5.3).

Strong numbers at the top the conference.

Turnover Margin -- 1. Tennessee (+6.9) 2. South Carolina (+5.1) 3. Mississippi (+4.7) 4. Alabama (+3.6) 5. Florida (+2.3) 6. Auburn (+2.0) 7. Arkansas (+1.6) 8. Vanderbilt (-.33) 9. LSU (-.56) 10. Georgia (-1.4) 11. Kentucky (-1.9) 12. Mississippi State (-2.6).

If UK hopes to race to Indianapolis as a Final Four participant, this number has to improve.

Assist/Turnover Ratio -- 1. Tennessee (1.4) 2. Arkansas (1.2) 3. Alabama (1.2) 4. Mississippi (1.1) t5. Florida (1.0) t5. Mississippi State (1.0) 7. LSU (.96) 8. Kentucky (.93) 9. Auburn (.86) 10. Georgia (.84) 11. Vanderbilt (.75) 12. South Carolina (.74).

Top Individual SEC Performers

Scoring -- 1. Rotnei Clarke (ARK) - 21.1 2. Chris Warren (UM) - 19.2 3. John Wall (UK) - 18.1 4. Tasmin Mitchell (LSU) - 18.0 5. Devan Downey (SC) - 17.7 6. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 16.8.

Now we see why Clarke was a hard target recruit for Billy Gillespie.

Rebounding -- 1. Storm Warren (LSU) - 11.4 2. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 10.1 3. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 9.6 4. Tasmin Mitchell (LSU) - 8.4 5. DeMarcus Cousins (UK) - 8.3.

Field Goal % -- 1. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 67.5 2. Storm Warren (LSU) - 64.3 3. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 62.5 4. Murphy Holloway (UM) - 59.5 5. Ravern Johnson (MSU) - 56.0.

Coming in at No. 7 is UK's John Wall at 54.0%, and at No. 8 UK's DeMarcus Cousins (52.9%).

Three-Point FG % (min. 2.5 made per game) -- 1. Rotnei Clarke (ARK) - 53.9 2. Ravern Johnson (MSU) - 50.0 3. Frankie Sullivan (AU) - 41.3 4. Chris Warren (UM) - 39.8.

Somebody get a hand in Clarke's face.

Assists Per Game -- 1. John Wall (UK) - 7.1 2. Mikhail Torrance (UA) - 5.5 t3. Dee Bost (MSU) - 5.4 t3. Julysses Nobles (ARK) - 5.4 5. Erving Walker (UF) - 5.1.

Steals Per Game -- 1. John Wall (UK) - 2.8 2. Devan Downey (SC) - 2.4 3. Ricky McPhee (UGA) - 2.1 4. DeWayne Reed (AU) - 2.0 5. Eniel Polynice (UM) - 1.9.

Free Throw % (min. 2.5 made per game) -- 1. Frankie Sullivan (AU) - 93.3 2. Mikhail Torrance (UA) - 90.9 3. Kodi Augustus (MSU) - 87.1 t4. Dustin Ware (UGA) - 82.8 t4. Trey Thompkins (UGA) - 82.8.

UK's John Wall checks in at No. 8, making 78.7% of his free throws.

Blocked Shots -- 1. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 5.3 2. Sam Muldrow (SC) - 3.3 3. Reginald Buckner (UM) - 2.4 4. JaMychal Green (UA) - 2.3 5. DeMarcus Cousins (UK) - 2.2.

Cousins is averaging less than 20 minutes per game!

Offensive Rebounds -- 1. Storm Warren (LSU) - 5.1 2. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 4.2 3. DeMarcus Cousins (UK) - 3.6 4. Murphy Holloway (UM) - 3.3 t5. JaMychal Green (UA) - 3.0 t5. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 3.0.

Patterson and Cousins average nearly as many offensive boards per game as the entire South Carolina team. Paying attention, Darren Horn?

Defensive Rebounds -- 1. Jarvis Varnado (MSU) - 7.1 2. Tasmin Mitchell (LSU) - 6.4 3. Storm Warren (LSU) - 6.3 4. Lucas Hargrove (AU) - 5.6 5. Patrick Patterson (UK) - 5.4.

UK's DeMarcus Cousins comes in at No. 8 with 4.7 defensive rebounds per game.

Assist/TO Ratio -- 1. Tyler Smith (UT) - 4.1 2. Chris Bass (LSU) - 2.9 3. Kenny Boynton (UF) - 2.3 4. Bobby Maze (UT) - 2.3 5. Erving Walker (UF) - 2.2.

John Wall is ranked No. 10 at 1.6. Very impressive number for Tyler Smith, and it may be indicative of the focus he has this season.

Bad Conference Losses -- Alabama (Cornell), Arkansas (Morgan State, East Tennessee State, and South Alabama), Auburn (Missouri State, Central Florida, and Troy), Georgia (Wofford and UAB), Mississippi State (Rider and Richmond), Vanderbilt (Western Kentucky).

Good Conference Wins -- Alabama (Michigan), Auburn (Virginia), Florida (Michigan State), Kentucky (Stanford, North Carolina, and UConn), Mississippi State (UCLA ... kind of), Mississippi (Kansas State), Vanderbilt (Arizona and Missouri).

Individual and Team Points of Interest

Rotnei Clarke scored 51 points versus Alcorn State ... In that game he made 13 three-point shots ... Clarke made 10 threes in a game versus East Tennessee State ... Devan Downey dropped 34 points on Jacksonville ... DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson and Tasmin Mitchell have all corralled 18 rebounds in a game this year ... John Wall dished out 14 dimes against UNC Asheville, and 11 versus Rider ... Dee Bost and Julysses Nobles each handed out 11 assists in games this year ... Jarvis Varnado has twice blocked eight shots this season ... Arkansas scored 130 points against Alcorn State ... Tennessee scored 124 points against UNC Asheville ... Arkansas shot 65.9% from the field against Delaware State ... Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi State have all made 16 three-pointers in games this year ... Arkansas made 35-45 free throws against Morgan State and still lost ... Auburn pulled down 52 rebounds versus Alabama A&M ... Florida and Vanderbilt both have games where they recorded 51 rebounds ... Tennessee dished out an astounding 34 assists in their contest with UNC Asheville ... UK handed out 28 dimes versus the same club ... Mississippi and Tennessee have both recorded 17 steals in games this year.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

AUDIO: CougCenter Podcast, Episode 19

Nuss — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:50:17 -0000

More photos » by Dean Hare - AP

One topic on the podcast? Moore of this, please. (Get it? MOORE of this?)

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Back at it again, a little later in the week than usual. Just Craig and I, as Grady is traveling for the holidays. I apologize in advance for some of our audio difficulties; for some reason, Craig's audio quality just drops dramatically early in the podcast, then pops back in later. We still have no idea what that was about.

Topics covered include breaking down the victories over Idaho and Air Force, some striking individual statistics, whether the defense is really improving and what to expect in upcoming games against Portland State and LSU.

As usual you can listen to the audio via the player below, or visit our podcast page for myriad subscription options. You can also find us in the iTunes directory under keyword "CougCenter." The advantage of subscribing? Besides having the audio directly delivered to your player of choice, I often upload the audio to the podcast site before posting it here.

Will Kevin Newsome Play?

BSD — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:08:10 -0000

More photos » by Phelan M. Ebenhack - AP

14 days ago: Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, left, and LSU head coach Les Miles share a laugh during a news conference for the NCAA Capital One Bowl football game in Orlando, Fla., Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009. Penn State takes on LSU on Jan. 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

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In the 2007 Alamo Bowl, Penn State unveiled the wildcat formation where they brought in Daryll Clark and spread Anthony Morelli out wide. Texas A&M was completely confused and had no answer for it as Clark rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown on six carries. It served as a springboard into the 2008 season where Clark would take the torch from Morelli and become the team leader. So this year there has been some speculation that maybe backup quarterback Kevin Newsome could see some action against the LSU Tigers in the Capital One Bowl.

But according to Paterno, don't get your hopes up.

Q. Last year you said you had wished (Daryll) Clark could have gotten more time in 2007. Do you want to try and get some work for Kevin Newsome in this game?

That's a difference situation. Clark had been here three years. It was his third year here. This is Newsome's first year. He's a true freshman even though he came in January.

And again, I'm repeating myself, because when you guys ask questions, you ask it a thousand times. I've always said, I'd rather play a guy, all right, two weeks later than one week early, all right? Put him in, he's not ready, he doesn't play with some confidence or have some success, particularly at quarterback, you've got a confidence problem.

When I was talking about Clark playing a couple of years ago, Clark had been around and I had seen him grow and I thought he was ready to play some. I didn't think he was ready to play; Jay thought he was ready to play, and for this very reason: I just didn't want to stick him in there too soon.

And I think that was my mistake with Clark; whether it's my mistake with Newsome, I don't think so. They are two different tales. There's a tale of a kid that's really, you know, been around us long enough to know what's going to happen, and another kid that's really just learning.

In a sense, I can see Paterno's point. This is the last game for the seniors, and Paterno owes it to them to try to win the game. To do that you put your best players on the field. But at the same time, I can't help but think that next year quarterback play is going to cost us a few wins because Kevin Newsome only saw 11 passing attempts all season. Getting in a series or two against LSU could be tremendous for his development. I know Paterno is concerned about shaking his confidence, but as some point these boys have to become men and face a failure or two. To coddle them from making mistakes does them a disservice in my humble opinion.

What do you think?

Poll

How much playing time should Kevin Newsome see in the Capital One Bowl?

Kentucky @ UConn: Pre-Game Analysis

Truzenzuzex — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:47:57 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Which DeMarcus Cousins will show up tonight?

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Tonight, the Kentucky Wildcats will face the Connecticut Huskies in Madison Square Garden in the SEC-Big East Invitational.

Kentucky has only played UConn twice in its history, the first time being back in 2006 where the #2 ranked Huskies defeated Kentucky 87-83 in a closer than expected game.

This time, the Wildcats are ranked #4 in the land by the AP and the coaches, and UConn is ranked #14 and #12, respectively. Because of the proximity of Madison Square Garden to UConn, they will be the home team for this contest.

The Huskies are fairly young, but not nearly as young as the Wildcats. As far as experience goes, this UConn team is similar to the North Carolina Tar Heels. Also similar to the Tar Heels, this UConn team has plenty of size, and is also one of the few teams that can match up with the Wildcats on the front line. The interesting thing is, UConn can also match up with UK in the back court, size-wise.

The Huskies are 6-1 coming into this game, and Kentucky 8-0, but there is no doubt who has played the more difficult schedule of the two. Even with the addition of the UNC game, Kentucky has played far weaker opponents than UConn, who has played a good Hofstra team, LSU, and Duke. In fact, the Huskies lost to Duke by 9 in a game that saw them turn the ball over almost twice as many times as the Blue Devils, and get handled on the offensive glass to boot.

But UConn also thrashed LSU in a game in which their two starting guards looked like John Wall on the loose, making shots, dunks and layups from everywhere.

More after the jump.

Four Factors Analysis

As before, we will analyze what the results of this display means in detail. Please note that we won't be doing this for every single game this year, because creating all this is quite a bit of work. But particularly for the big games, you'll be getting this display and a detailed analysis of what it means.

First off, we notice that offensively, UConn is simply not as efficient as Kentucky. Much of that efficiency, though, can be attributed to the Wildcats' weak schedule, but even against the Tar Heels, you can see that UK's offensive efficiency is significantly higher than UConn's has been in their last three games.

Defensively, the teams are much closer, essentially mirror images of each other if you discount the first game or two of the season. If all is taken into consideration, UConn is somewhat better in DE, but I think that is mostly a result of their better defensive start and a tribute to the fact that they have a couple of seniors in the starting lineup.

Moving on to the Four Factors themselves, you will note that UK is more efficient offensively, a better offensive rebounding team and about the same when it comes to free-throw rate -- both teams get to the line a lot. UConn is noticeably better when it comes to taking care of the ball, and you can see by the green bar that UK has a long way to go to be top-ten caliber in that department.

Checking out the defense, both teams are decent at holding teams to low percentages with UConn being a bit better than the Cats. Kentucky forces more opponent turnovers and as previously noted, is a better rebounding team. UK does let teams get to the line more often than UConn.

Amazingly, Kentucky is a better three-point shooting team than UConn. The Wildcats figured to be average at best in that stat this year, but Darius Miller and Darnell Dodson, along with Patrick Patterson, have done a good job filling that void. UK also takes more 3-pointers than UConn does, and both teams play at track-meet tempo. No surprise there.

Next, we'll look at the players for the Huskies, and their stats:

Connecticut Huskies Basketball Roster

	#	Pos.	Comments	W	H	College
Kyle Bailey	55	G	-	170	6-3	junior
Donnell Beverly	2	G	-	190	6-4	sophomore
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel	4	F	-	210	6-7	freshman
Jerome Dyson	11	G	Starter	190	6-4	senior
Gavin Edwards	33	F	May start	230	6-10	senior
Alex Hornat	22	F	-	205	6-5	senior
Ater Majok	5	F	-	233	6-11	freshman
Jonathan Mandeldove	32	C	-	240	7-0	senior
Charles Okwandu	35	C	May Start	255	7-0	junior
Alex Oriakhi	34	F	Starter	240	6-9	freshman
Stanley Robinson	21	F	Starter	220	6-9	senior
Darius Smith	24	G	-	168	6-1	freshman
Jamaal Trice	13	G	-	220	6-5	freshman
Kemba Walker	15	G	Starter	172	6-1	sophomore

Connecticut Statistics

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Jerome Dyson	7	34.4	6.3	16.4	38.3	1.0	3.9	25.9	6.6	9.0	73.0	1.4	4.1	5.6	5.3	3.0	1.6	1.1	3.1	20.1
Stanley Robinson	7	34.3	6.4	12.0	53.6	0.6	0.9	66.7	2.0	3.6	56.0	2.7	4.4	7.1	1.7	1.4	0.7	1.9	1.1	15.4
Kemba Walker	7	34.0	5.0	11.1	44.9	1.4	2.6	55.6	4.0	5.1	77.8	0.6	2.6	3.1	5.7	3.1	2.7	0.9	1.1	15.4
Gavin Edwards	7	30.3	4.3	6.0	71.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.0	3.1	95.5	2.3	3.4	5.7	0.6	1.7	1.0	3.3	2.7	11.6
Alex Oriakhi	7	31.4	2.6	5.6	46.2	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.9	2.1	40.0	3.1	6.6	9.7	0.4	1.4	0.6	1.7	3.1	6.0
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel	7	11.7	0.9	3.3	26.1	0.6	2.3	25.0	1.7	2.4	70.6	0.7	1.4	2.1	0.7	0.3	0.1	0.0	1.1	4.0
Darius Smith	7	5.7	0.4	1.1	37.5	0.1	0.3	50.0	0.7	1.3	55.6	0.3	0.6	0.9	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.1	0.4	1.7
Donnell Beverly	7	8.3	0.7	1.7	41.7	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.1	0.3	50.0	0.0	1.1	1.1	1.3	0.4	0.3	0.0	0.4	1.6
Charles Okwandu	7	6.4	0.4	0.6	75.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.9	0.7	1.6	0.0	0.7	0.0	0.9	1.9	0.9
Jamaal Trice	6	3.3	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.3	0.5	66.7	0.0	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.3
Alex Hornat	1	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Kyle Bailey	1	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Position Analysis: Point guard

The starting point guard for the Huskies is Kemba Walker. Walker was the #5 ranked point guard nationally in 2008 out of New York City, and was heavily recruited by almost everyone. Walker is excellent at getting to the rim as you saw if you watched any of the LSU v. UConn game. Walker simply blew by LSU defenders on the way to 20 points in a blowout win.

Like Larry Drew II of North Carolina, Kemba Walker is knock-down three-point shooter, making 55% of his attempts so far this season. Even though UConn does not shoot a ton of threes, when it is Walker doing the shooting, they normally go in.

The knock on Walker so far has been his inability to avoid turnovers. Even though he is averaging over five assists/game, he is also averaging three turnovers, which is short of the magic 2/1 number. Walker is also a good-but-not-great on-ball defender, and if John Wall is his assignment, that can't be good.

As far as wall is concerned, he is far superior to Walker (and anyone else, for that matter) in speed with the ball in his hands. Walker, like Drew, will struggle to stay in front of John Wall, although Walker is more athletic than Drew. You can be assured that Jim Calhoun will do whatever he can to minimize the chances of Wall's one-man fast breaks.

Advantage: Kentucky

Position Analysis: Shooting guard

Jerome Dyson is the starting shooting guard for the Huskies, and he is a good one. Dyson has good size at 6'4", and has all the experience that being a senior at UConn brings, which includes trips to the Final Four.

Dyson is a nice compliment to Walker in that Dyson is not a true off-guard, but more of a combo guard, and that shows up in his 5 assists/game statistics. Dyson is a very aggressive defender and like Walker, works hard to get to the rim. He has not shot the ball particularly well from the perimeter this year, but he is capable of doing so.

This will be a tough matchup for Eric Bledsoe, as Dyson is explosive off the bounce and has a slight size advantage. Bledsoe plays bigger than he is, which will help, but Dyson will be by far the biggest challenged he has faced, offensively and defensively, this year

Advantage: UConn

Position Analysis: Small Forward

Stanley Robinson is UConn's starter at the small forward spot and the team's leading scorer along with Kemba Walker. Robinson is a senior who, like Dyson, has been there and done that when it comes to big games.

Robinson can do it all -- slash, shoot the three, hit the mid-range shot. Robinson pefers to operate inside and use his almost-power-forward body to post up his foes or muscle them for the put-back. Robinson is a tough, savvy defender and is capable of scoring a lot of points in short order.

Unlike versus Will Graves, Darius Miller will not have a quickness or size advantage on Stanley Robinson. Robinson is an older, wiser, and frankly better version of Miller right now. This matchup will be a huge challenge for Darius Miller on both sides of the ball.

Advantage: UConn

Position analysis: Power Forward

Alex Oriakhi is UConn's starter at the power forward spot. Oriakhi is a freshman from New Hampshire and was ranked as the 21st best power forward in the land by Rivals.com.

Oriakhi is not a big scorer. He is mostly in the game for defense and rebounding, although he is a strong finisher around the rim when he gets the ball in the post. Oriakhi leads UConn in rebounding with 9 per game, and he is also an outstanding post defender.

If Oriakhi winds up going against Patrick Patterson, as I would expect, this is the biggest mismatch problem for UConn. Patterson is much too quick, to strong and too agile for Oriakhi, as well as being far more experienced. Oriakhi does not have either the footspeed nor quickness to stay with Patterson on the break, or if Patrick decides to do his scoring from outside. Inside or out, Oriakhi will have his hands full.

Advantage: Kentucky

Position Analysis: Center

I expect Charles Okwandu to start at center tonight to counter the strength and size of the Wildcats. Okwandu is a junior and has had plenty of experience in Jim Calhoun's system. Okwandu is from Lagos, Nigeria, and although he is very tall and big at 7' and 255#, he is not a particularly good rebounder.

Okwandu is a junior college transfer from Harcum College in Pennsylvania, and is the least highly regarded of all the UConn starters. He is a big body who can take up space, but he isn't much of an offensive threat.

The other possibility is that Gavin Edwards will start. Edwards is a senior from Arizona, and has good size and who would probably play the power forward spot, moving Oriakhi to the center position. Edwards is a skilled post defender and a genuine offensive threat inside. He does not shoot the ball from the perimeter, but is a good leaper and good finisher at the rim. Edwards leads the team in blocked shots at over 3 per game.

No matter who starts, neither of the guys who are likely to wind up in the post are good enough to contain DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is much to quick and athletic for Okwandu, and is just a better player than Orikahi. But a lot depends on whether or not Bad Cuz shows up.

Advantage: Kentucky

Bench Analysis

Connecticut has a deep, talented bench much like Kentucky, but unlike the Tar Heels, they are much smaller. UConn has plenty of good guards like Donell Beverly and Darius Smith who can come in and spell Walker and Dyson, as well as swing players in Alex Hornat and Jamaal Trice, but nothing special.

Advantage: Draw

Overall analysis

Once again, this is going to be a very fast game, and turnovers loom large again. UConn is not as talented as Kentucky, and their depth is probably no better. The big punch from UConn comes from their guards, who are talented scorers and adept ballhandlers. They have more than enough athleticism to get to the rim on UK, and they shoot very good free throws.

Although UConn plays at a very high tempo, thier big people do not run the floor as well as Kentucky's. This will force Calhoun to be very careful with defensive balance and may force the guards to say away from the glass. Kentucky is the better rebounding team, but sending his guards in to help could be catastrophic with Wall on the floor. Calhoun will also have to very carefully manage the minutes of his big men, as they are not quite as deep across the front line as the Wildcats are.

For Kentucky, guarding the three will be critical in this game. UConn is not a big 3-point shooting team, but that is mostly because they are too big and athletic for most of their opponents. Faced with a team like the Wildcats who are as big and even deeper across the front line, they may well shoot more from the perimeter, and that has been a big weakness of the Wildcats.

Once again, this game is likely to turn on offensive rebounds and turnovers. If UConn can get ten more shots than Kentucky, I expect that they will win this game. Otherwise, I expect Kentucky will.

Projected score: Kentucky 80, UConn 75.

Arizona State Basketball: Top 25 Material?

Cory Williams — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:36:52 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

Glasser doesn't respect your mouthpiece.

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Before the season began, most experts and fans were in complete agreement about ASU basketball: it was going to be a very mediocre campaign.

But here we are, 6 games into the schedule, and the Sun Devils are 5-1 after a resounding win over LSU in the 3rd place game of the NIT Preseason Tournament.

ASU is playing textbook basketball, led on the court by the experienced Derek Glasser, who is doing a great job finding open men near the basket. Glasser is responsible for the meteoric rise of Eric Boateng, who has contributed heavily to the successes of this squad.

The Sun Devils have blown out several mediocre teams at home this season. They rallied as a team to come back and beat TCU, which looked improbable at the time.

When tasked with the very talented Duke Blue Devils, ASU gave it their best shot and nearly came out of Madison Square Garden with the win. Instead of mailing in the consolation game, they came out after haltime and blasted LSU to the tune of 44-18 in second half scoring.

This is a team that knows what it takes to win, and has good leadership in Herb Sendek. They may run into some serious resistance once conference play begins, but for right now, this team deserves a little national recognition.

With 25 games left in the season before the Pac-10 tournament tips off, a little optimism about this team's capabilities is deserved. Realistically, this team can win 14-16 more games if they continue to play as hard as they have been.

With a 19-21 win season, ASU may be destined for another NCAA Tournament. At the very least, one thing is certain: Arizona State basketball is back in business, and it doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Sam Houston State Edition

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:15:05 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Charlie Coles is da man! What a great performance the Miami RedHawks gave in the post-game interview the other day.

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Tonight, the Wildcats take on the Bearkats of Sam Houston State, a team I know absolutely nothing about, as their opening round game in the Cancun Challenge. Rumors have been swirling about the availability of Darnell Dodson and John Wall, but I have heard nothing definite. The closest I can come is:

Calipari is very unhappy with Darnell Dodson at the moment (that could explain why it took him so long to get into the game on Monday).
Calipari is getting happier with DeAndre Liggins. Happy enough to play him?
John Wall's uncle passed away earlier this week. Our sympathy goes out to his family. I have no idea if he will play or not, but I suspect he will.

In other news worth highlighting, UK just secured another football recruit, Avery Williamson, a Rivals 3* linebacker out of Milan, Tennessee. Willimson impressed at Lane Kiffin's Tennessee Camp and is one of the very best in the Volunteer state. Even though UT was not heavily recruiting Williamson, UK has had great success with the overlooked players from Tennessee and Georgia.

And finally there is this item about one of my favorite players, Chuck Hayes. I somehow missed this when it come out (I'm sure somebody linked it, though) but I think it deserves special attention. I love Chuck Hayes, and when he gets accolades, I like to put it on the front page.

The news follows the jump.

Rich Brooks & the SEC Teleconference « Over The Pylon
Blogpoll Week 11 - CBSSports.com
Cats aren't fooled by Georgia's sub-par stats | KentuckySports.com
"Georgia's still Georgia," sophomore offensive tackle Brad Durham said. "They're still big and athletic and, defensively, they're huge up front."

I think the "Georgia is Georgia" part was all that needed to be said.
Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Rich Brooks is making the bowls despite the absence of "star recruits"
Calipari's Cats Get Taste Of Kinder, Gentler Coach
Calipari had been hoping for a moment like this early in the season, a chance for him to see how his talented but largely inexperienced squad reacted to adversity for the first time.

"I was ecstatic," Calipari said.

I'm thinking Gillispie would have done this ... ah ... a little different. And his team was shocked.

"I’ve not really seen anybody be positive when you’re down 18, but he was," Miller said.

Calipari evenly — but not harshly — challenged his players to prove themselves.
Basketball recruiting: The strength of Memphis' class was a major statement by first-year coach Josh Pastner - ESPN
With a few players graduating and a few anticipated early departures, the Wildcats are going to have a few need areas to fill. Look for UK to make a push to get a point guard, a shooter and some size. The Wildcats could get a head start on filling these needs if they get a commitment from Tobias Harris (Brookville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills), who plans to announce his decision on Thursday. They also are in the running for unsigned prospects Brandon Knight (Coral Springs, Fla./Pine Crest), Josh Selby (Baltimore/Lake Clifton), Doron Lamb (Laurelton, N.Y./Oak Hill Academy) and Terrence Jones (Portland, Ore./Jefferson), among others.

With Calipari at the helm, I'll worry about recruiting when he gives me a reason to. Until then, I expect a top five class every year.
Tobias Harris! Tobias Harris! Tobias Harris! - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Kentucky will not get Harris, IMO, but here is some info in how his recruitment is going.
Don't Bet On It!: Around the SEC - Dawg Sports
Texas Overwhelms Western Carolina 73-41 - Burnt Orange Nation
* And yes, I hope Kansas fans see this, and react to this. Not because I want a chest-thumping war, but because I think this is our rival in basketball. Rick Barnes and Bill Self see it the same way, and I'm all for it. The Texas-Kansas back-and-forth over the last 6 years has been the best kept secret in college hoops, and I absolutely love that we have a powerhouse like Kansas to constantly measure ourselves against. They're smart fans: I think they see it, too. This should be the most fun season to date.

I think Peter's right. The Kansas-Texas rivalry has really been heating up over the years. Who knows, one day it may be as recognized as it deserves.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Memphis Learns Its Fate, Can’t/Won’t Tell Anyone the Results…
Does the NCAA not understand that operating in this manner in no way engenders public trust and faith in the fairness and equitable nature of the system? Do they not see that, regardless of the strength of their argument on the merits, John Q. Fan reads this and can only conclude that the NCAA is hiding the ball so as to get its way in the end? Are they too dense to realize that a simple and consistent application of rules and policies are the first step toward removing much of the thinly-veiled cynicism that those still following big-time college sports have for it?

I'm afraid I can't improve on this at all. Must read.
StraitPinkie.com Previews Sam Houston State at Kentucky | straitpinkie.com
Cats say Miller fits dribble-drive | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Two weeks ago, Calipari said, he noticed that Miller's shoulders were leaning back on his jump shot. Instead of going straight up with a shot, he was fading away from it. The result was a flat shot.

But the observation slipped Calipari's mind.

Let's hope Miller has it working now. We need a bit more out of him.
A healthy dose of Patterson, sound defense keys to Kentucky's 2009-2010 seasons
" SEC links: Can Georgia stand a little praise? John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's SEC links
Jeff Sheppard Podcast: Titans of Kentucky – LostLettermen.com
What Everyone Needs to Know About The DDMO
A really nice set of principles for the DDM offense. Very interesting.
" Video: John Calipari before today’s practice John Clay’s Sidelines
Cobb may not play at Georgia | Vaught's Views
Uh-oh. I hope that shoulder can heal in three days.
ZAGSBLOG " Doron Lamb Weighing Options; Pitt Signs 3
Tom Leach - Kentucky Football, Kentucky Basketball, UK Football, UK Basketball
Tom has a several new podcats up you will want to listen to.
Miami Coach Not Impressed By Lexington Reporter's Question - Media Meltdowns - Deadspin
A reporter asked Miami of Ohio coach Charlie Coles (a 17.5-point underdog last night) how he let the Kentucky game "get away from him." He was not amused.
Memphis Tigers Fall (Barely) to Top-Ranked Kansas | Tiger Blue | Memphis Flyer
If you’re a college hoops fan, you gotta love Dick Vitale’s enthusiasm. But objectivity? His unbridled defense of the Memphis program in respect to the allegations that Derrick Rose had a proxy take his SAT for him was hardly a broad assessment of the matter. Long tied to the mast of college basketball, Vitale should show greater concern for the shortcuts players are bound to take to skirt the NBA’s draft restrictions. Whether or not Rose is guilty, the allegations are serious. And whether or not they impact programs competing for a national championship, such transgressions have to be fought by the NCAA.

I didn't hear Vitale's comments, but I do agree that the allegations are a serious matter, even if I don't agree with the disposition of the case. We cannot allow rampant academic fraud in college sports, and the NCAA is the last bulwark against that. So while I disagree with how the NCAA handled the Memphis case, I do agree that allegations of fraud are of grave concern.
About What You Expected: Louisville 96, Arkansas 66 - Arkansas Expats
As the second half dragged on, I found myself begging for the game to end, but overall, it's hard to get too upset up about the outcome. The Hogs played hard, but they are severely short-handed right now, and Louisville is a Top 20 team. Anybody who didn't think the game had a strong likelihood of playing out this way is living with a healthy dose of denial.

Big win by Louisville. But Pitino's Sypher woes continue.
LSU Tigers defeat Western Kentucky in men's basketball | LSU Tigers Central - - NOLA.com
A bit of a surprise. Western has a good team, this was a solid win for LSU.
Kentucky sophomore one of SEC's most dangerous players || OnlineAthens.com
"He [Randall Cobb] might be the most talented player in the Southeastern Conference today," said Georgia coach Mark Richt, gearing up for Saturday's game against Kentucky. "We know what he did last year. He just about single-handedly beat us himself."

High praise from the Georgia coach.

Early Round Ball Season Round Up

Year2 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:25:53 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Tennessee's Scotty Hopson.

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LAST NIGHT

As we mentioned in Sprints this morning, points were raining down in Knoxville as No. 11 Tennessee set a school scoring record in its 124-49 pummeling of UNC-Asheville. Scotty Hopson led the Vols with 25 points. Rocky Top Talk has a wrap up of the romp.

Meanwhile in Baton Rouge, a Tiger set a career high as Bo Spencer's 28 points led LSU to a 71-60 win over Western Kentucky. Storm Warren also had a great night with 20 points and 11 rebounds, his third straight double-double. And the Valley Shook has game coverage and a look ahead at LSU's upcoming games in Madison Square Garden.

Staying in the SEC West, Alabama picked up the first win of the Anthony Grant era with an 86-69 laugher over Jackson State. Four Tide ballers went into double figures, with freshman Tony Mitchell setting the standard with 23 and Mikhail Torrance distributing eight assists with his 13 points.

It was not as nice a night in Athens for new coach Mark Fox as Georgia fell to 1-1 on the season with a 60-57 loss to Wofford. Trey Thompkins registered a double-double for the Bulldogs with 14 points and a manly 16 rebounds, while Travis Leslie led the team with 17 points.

It was an even rougher night in Papa John City for John Pelphrey's Arkansas squad as they were overmatched and overpowered by No. 22 Louisville, 96-66. Marshawn Powell got a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards, and Rotnei Clarke paced the Hogs with 16 points. Arkansas Expats says it was about what they expected, but the goal of finding a way into the NIT is still on the table.

MONDAY

The No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats needed a last-second jumper from freshman John Wall to pull out a 72-70 squeaker over Miami University. Wall had 19 points on the game, and both Patrick Patterson (17 and 10) and DeMarcus Cousins (10 and 10) put up double-doubles for the Cats. A Sea of Blue of course has an excellent wrap up of the night's action.

Ole Miss had no such trouble in putting away Alabama State to the tune of 90-53. Four Rebels broke into double digits in scoring. Terrico White had the most points with 19, but Eniel Polynice had the best line of the night with 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Polynice was one of three Ole Miss players with eight or more boards. Red Cup Rebellion had some quick thoughts about the game.

Also hitting the 90 point mark was South Carolina, as the Gamecocks blew out Georgia Southern 90-66. Dominque Archie was the man of the night for Carolina, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while stud Devan Downey chipped in 14 points and a team-high six assists. The Gamecocks put the game away by scoring the final five points of the first half and opening the second half with a 16-0 run, a combined 21 unanswered points.

Not to be outdone, the Vanderbilt Commodores went for 95 while holding Lipscomb to just 73 in their season opener. Star center A.J. Ogilvy came off the bench for the 'Dores thanks to a concussion sustained in practice last month, but that didn't stop him from scoring 13 points and leading the team with nine boards and three blocks. Jeffery Taylor led the way with 20 points.

On the other end of the spectrum, LSU eeked out a 55-45 win over Indiana State in the first round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Tipoff. Despite the low scoring output, three Tigers went into double digits. And the Valley Shook was impressed by the defense, but was decidedly underwhelmed by LSU's shooting.

Still in the West, Auburn ended up with a disappointing 73-62 loss to the MVC's Missouri State. You can't blame the Tigers' Lucas Hargrove, who put up 24 points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds. Unfortunately the effort was in vain as his only teammate to break into double digits was DeWayne Reed with 12. Auburn got a paltry five points off the bench in the game.

SUNDAY

The Florida Gators got off to a rousing start with a 74-46 start over in-state foe Stetson. The 46 that the Hatters scored is the lowest point total any opponent has scored in the Billy Donovan era. The Gators nearly snapped a streak though, waiting until the final minute of the game to make a three point shot to extend the school's record of 579 games with at least one trey made. Chandler Parsons, author of the one made three, led the team with 14 points, Alex Tyus put in 12 while snaring 13 rebounds, and hyped freshman Kenny Boynton scored 12 though only on 5-11 shooting. Alligator Army hopes for a return to toughness out of the team.