SB Nation - La Salle Explorers

RPI WATCH: 12/13/09

BracketCat — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:00:31 -0000

The circle is complete: By beating the brains out of Lon Kruger's team, perhaps we finally have erased the demons that have plagued K-State basketball for 20 years — roughly ever since he ditched us for Florida. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)

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Sorry, guys. I accidentally set this to publish at 11:45 p.m. tonight when I meant for it to go last night. My bad.

Wow, what a Saturday.

I guess I'll start with us. I've adding a ranking indicator, because now that Xavier beat Cincinnati today (likely knocking them out of the Top 25), it's a 99-percent certainty that we will be ranked at this time tomorrow.

Meanwhile, our RPI is an eye-popping TWO. I don't think we're likely to top Duke anytime soon, so this basically is the pinnacle for our resume this year, at least from a numbers standpoint. Kudos to Frank Martin for drawing up a PERFECT non-conference schedule, one that now is ranked fourth, after briefly spiking at second last night.

UNLV was added to the ledger of Top 50 wins, and Wazzu's win over Air Force, coupled with playing us, moved the Cougars into the Top 100. That gives us six quality wins so far, and to that you can add Fort Hays State's movement into the Division II Top 25 last week. We've beaten some damn good teams.

What does all this mean? Barring an absolute collapse in Big 12 play, we're going to be in the NCAA Tournament. And if things keep up like this, we'll have a pretty high seed, too. We almost don't need this feature anymore — the resume speaks for itself. But I'll keep tracking everything, nonetheless.

Here's a little trivia for you: Four teams in the country have three RPI Top 50 wins. Who are they? Answers after the jump. Oh, and be sure to vote in my poll.

Answer: Georgetown, Kansas State, Texas, Villanova

Bonus Answer: Kansas has ZERO Top 50 wins. LOL!

Current Kansas State Ranking = TBD

Current Kansas State Record = 9-1

Current Kansas State RPI = 2

Current Kansas State SOS = 4

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

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

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

Loyola (6-2, 1-1) | RPI = 40: Win over San Francisco (66-63)
Western Illinois (4-6, 0-2) | RPI = 320: Loss to Eastern Illinois (44-41)
Boston (4-6) | RPI = 146: Win at Marist (88-72)
No. 25 Ole Miss (8-1) | RPI = 34: Win over McNeese State (83-67)
Dayton (7-2) | RPI = 24
IUPUI (8-3, 2-0) | RPI = 60: Win over Indiana-South Bend (92-56)
No. 22* FHSU (7-1): Win over Missouri Western (67-54)
Washington State (8-2) | RPI = 88: Win over Air Force (75-68)
Xavier (5-3) | RPI = 68
No. 18 UNLV (7-1) | RPI = 29: Loss to Kansas State (95-80)
Alabama (6-3) | RPI = 91: Loss to No. 5 Purdue (73-65)
UAPB (0-6) | RPI = 273
Cleveland State (4-6, 0-2) | RPI = 232: Win over Wilberforce (113-61)
South Dakota (5-4) | RPI = 119
Missouri (6-3) | RPI = 161: Win over Fairleigh Dickinson (87-36)
No. 16 Texas A&M (8-2) | RPI = 18: Loss to New Mexico (84-81)
Colorado (6-4) | RPI = 229
No. 2 Texas (8-0) | RPI = 5: Win over Texas State (87-54)
Oklahoma State (7-1) | RPI = 26
Baylor (7-1) | RPI = 105
No. 1 Kansas (9-0) | RPI = 21: Win over La Salle (90-65)
Nebraska (7-2) | RPI = 151: Win over Oregon State (50-44)
Iowa State (7-3) | RPI = 155
Oklahoma (7-3) | RPI = 142: Win at Utah (78-73 in overtime)
No. 23 Texas Tech (9-0) | RPI = 18

*Division II Top 25

Statistical Rearview: Kansas v La Salle

Denverjhawk — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:58:29 -0000

Is it just me, or are things pretty damn easy when it comes to Jayhawk basketball. Sure it's La Salle but I continue to believe the competition in practice is better than the majority of the games we've played this year. Once again yesterday was a situation where when the lead became 10 it just went downhill from there for an overmatched opponent. Thanks to Warden and his fanshot I'm going to avoid bashing the schedule, but I am looking forward to Michigan this week and a possible formal introduction of our new football coach to the fans. On a side note Kansas fans, regardless of how you feel about the Gill hire...PLEASE give the man a standing O!! We're likely going to have some football recruits in town for that game.

NCAA Basketball Stats

Kansas continues to win in almost every area as it pertains to the four factors of winning. Most impressive...the field goal shooting percentage and the ability to take care of the basketball.

NCAA Basketball Stats

Statistically the Jayhawks defense clearly got the job done. 11 blocks point to a big reason why the Explorers were held to just 36% shooting from the field as La Salle was likely disrupted in their shooting efforts all night long. Throw in a +10 rebounding margin and the Jayhawks were able to match a pretty good night from the three point line for the Explorers with one of their own.

Stat	Game
Stat
Points	65	90
FG Att	61	61
FG Made	22	32
FG Pct	36.1	52.5
FT Att	24	25
FT Made	14	18
FT Pct	58.3	72.0
3pt FG Att	19	17
3pt FG Made	7	8
3pt FG Pct	36.8	47.1
Rebounds	34	44
Off Rebs	16	13
Def Rebs	18	31
Team Rebs	3	1
Assists	14	20
Steals	6	5
Blocks	2	11
Turnovers	14	12
Fouls	22	21

HUGE game from Xavier Henry as he goes for 31 and continues to look more and more like a one and done type player with his ability to score anywhere on the floor. Cole with a solid game and the Morri put together another performance displaying their improvement year over year. Lastly, I'd challenge anyone to find a player impact chart from last year where this little Sherron Collins resulted in a win. Not gonna happen.

NCAA Basketball Stats

Not a starter logging over 30 minutes in this one which is good to see. Keep the legs fresh for later in the season when we might need to rely on some of them a little more. Morri with 21 pts, 18 boards and 4 blocks. Good production from the four spot. Throw in a great game from Xavier, Cole getting into the offense and Tyshawn Taylor finding a bit of a groove and you've got a team that seems to be finding it's way to some consistency from the guys that need to show it.

	S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
Y. Mekongo Mbal	*	40	10	2	7	28	5	8	62	1	2	50	6	3	9	6	1	0	2	1
R. Green	*	40	19	8	21	38	0	1	0	3	7	42	0	1	1	4	1	0	3	3
K. Barrett	*	36	8	3	7	42	1	2	50	1	4	25	2	3	5	2	2	0	0	3
J. Williams	*	33	21	7	13	53	5	8	62	2	3	66	3	2	5	2	1	1	4	4
A. Murray	*	20	4	1	6	16	2	3	66	0	3	0	2	4	6	0	1	1	2	5
T. Williams		12	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	3
D. White		10	3	1	4	25	1	2	50	0	0	0	2	1	3	0	0	0	2	3
S. Weingarten		8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
P. Grant		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
S. Collins	*	29	5	1	12	8	2	2	100	1	4	25	0	2	2	6	0	0	2	4
X. Henry	*	29	31	10	15	66	7	9	77	4	5	80	1	3	4	2	2	1	3	4
C. Aldrich	*	27	19	8	10	80	3	4	75	0	0	0	1	5	6	1	0	5	3	1
M. Morris	*	21	9	4	6	66	1	1	100	0	1	0	3	3	6	0	0	0	1	3
E. Johnson	*	6	1	0	0	0	1	2	50	0	0	0	1	1	2	2	0	0	0	0
M. Morris		28	12	5	6	83	1	4	25	1	1	100	3	9	12	2	1	4	1	0
T. Taylor		28	10	3	6	50	3	3	100	1	2	50	1	2	3	6	0	1	0	1
C. Henry		11	3	1	3	33	0	0	0	1	3	33	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	2
T. Reed		10	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2
T. Robinson		9	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	4	0	1	0	1	3
C. Teahan		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	1	0	1	1
C. Buford		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Kansas Takes on La Salle at Sprint Center

Denverjhawk — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:00:23 -0000

Kansas vs. La Salle

Kansas returns to the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., when it plays host to La Salle in the M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. on ESPN. The Jayhawks are 8-0 on the season, while the Explorers have won three straight and are 6-2 in 2009-10.

	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
LAS	72.8	47.2	63.4	43.5	46.0	14.4	26.9	13.4	16.8	6.2	4.8	16.8
KU	90.4	51.1	66.5	43.9	46.5	14.8	28.9	19.6	11.9	10.1	7.0	17.8
LAS Opponents	69.6	41.0	71.7	34.4	35.1	12.2	18.6	13.5	11.5	8.4	4.2	20.4
KU Opponents	56.8	34.1	67.1	27.4	37.1	13.4	20.2	10.8	17.0	5.8	3.4	19.8

Rank and Records	LAS	KU
RPI	#82	#34
Strength of Schedule	#214	#234
Overall	6-2	8-0
Conference	0-0	0-0
Home	3-0	6-0
Away	1-1	1-0
Top 25	0-1	0-0
RPI Top 50	0-1	0-0

About Kansas

Kansas extended the nation's longest home court winning streak to 47 games with its 99-64 win against Radford on Dec. 9. The Jayhawks are looking to snap a two-game losing streak at the Sprint Center, a venue which they are 5-2 in, including a 4-0 mark during their 2008 NCAA National Championship season. Kansas averages 90.4 points per game, is giving up 56.8 points and ranks in the top five nationally with a +33.6 scoring margin. KU is shooting 51.1 percent from the field, while its opponents are shooting 34.1 percent. Only one KU opponent, Radford, has shot above 40 percent against the Jayhawks this season.

About La Salle

Located in Philadelphia, Pa., La Salle is 6-2 on the season and has won five of its last six games after its 69-60 win at Rider on Dec. 9. La Salle averages 72.8 points per game and gives up 69.6. La Salle dominates the rebounds with a +10.4 margin through eight games, yet no Explorer averages more than 7.1 boards per game.

Senior guard Rodney Green leads La Salle with an 18 point scoring average. He has made a team-high 14 three pointers, just ahead of senior forward Kammini Barrett who has 12 threes. Barrett is second in scoring at 13.3 points per game.

Freshman center Aaric Murray leads La Salle with 7.1 rebounds per game to complement his 11.5 scoring average. Murray has a team-high 20 blocked shots on the season. Senior forward Yves Mekongo is next in scoring at 10.1 ppg, while junior forward Terrell Williams (6.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) rounds out the starters. He is second on the team in rebounds.

Senior guard Ruben Guillandeaux comes off the bench to score 9.5 points per game.

Meet an Opposing Coach

Dr. John Giannini is in his sixth season as head coach at La Salle with a 77-81 record. Overall, Giannini is 374-230 in his 21st season. In 2008-09, Giannini led the Explorers to 18 wins, including a 3-1 record in the Philadelphia Big 5, which was second to only Final Four participant Villanova. Giannini is one of three NCAA Division I head men's basketball coaches with doctorates, joining Lehigh's Brett Reed and Valparasio's Homer Drew. He earned his Ph.D. in kinesiology from Illinois in 1992.

KU-La Salle Notables and Connections

--Both teams feature identical twins with Kansas sophomores Markieff and Marcus Morris and La Salle's
juniors Terrell and Jerrell Williams.
--The Morris twins played high school basketball with La Salle's Parrish Grant and Rodney Green. With Green as a teammate, they led Prep Charter to the 2006 Pennsylvania Class AA State Championship. Additionally, the KU twins played AAU basketball with La Salle's Devon White and Earl Pettis.

KU in Kansas City

Kansas City has been a second home of sorts for Kansas over the years. KU's first ever game -- a 16-5 loss to Kansas City YMCA on Feb. 3, 1899 -- was played in Kansas City. The Kansas-La Salle game will mark KU's 268th game all-time in Kansas City, and its eighth in the Sprint Center. KU is 5-2 in the Sprint Center. Last season, KU went 1-2 in the Sprint Center defeating Washington and losing to Syracuse in the CBE Classic, and then falling to UMass in the M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout. In 2007-08, Kansas went 4-0 in the venue, including winning the Big 12 Championship en route to its NCAA National Championship. KU played 104 games in Kemper Arena with an 80-24 record. KU is 190-76 in games played in Kansas City.

More Notes on the Jayhawks in Kansas City

--Kansas went 26-4 in Kemper Arena from 1997 until 2006, when it played its last game in the venue.
Included in that run were Big 12 Tournament titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999.(I was at all three!!)
--Kemper Arena was the host of the 1988 NCAA Final Four when the Jayhawks won the national championship.
--When KU faces La Salle on Dec. 12, 2009, at the Sprint Center for the M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout, Kansas will have played at least one regular-season game in Kansas City in 19 of the last 21 seasons.

		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#10	R. Green	8	8	35.5	18.0	46.5	75.0	45.2	5.75	1.0	4.75	3.875	3.5	2.0	0.25	2.375
#12	Y. Mekongo Mbal	8	8	35.125	10.125	38.6	66.0	22.2	5.5	1.5	4.0	1.125	2.875	0.375	0.75	2.0
#5	K. Barrett	8	8	34.625	13.25	45.6	68.8	36.4	4.375	1.875	2.5	1.25	2.5	1.125	0.5	1.875
#24	A. Murray	8	7	27.625	11.5	50.6	46.2	50.0	7.125	3.125	4.0	1.375	2.875	0.75	2.5	2.25
#20	J. Williams	7	7	21.143	6.857	48.5	50.0	0.0	6.143	3.143	3.0	2.143	2.143	0.714	0.143	2.143
#41	S. Weingarten	8	1	16.875	4.625	60.0	55.6	80.0	3.25	1.375	1.875	1.125	0.75	0.625	0.25	2.125
#34	R. Guillandeaux	4	0	28.0	9.5	41.9	57.1	61.5	0.75	0.0	0.75	3.25	1.5	1.0	0.0	2.5
#3	T. Williams	7	1	11.571	2.429	70.0	75.0	0.0	2.286	0.429	1.857	1.0	1.143	0.0	0.429	1.286
		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#4	S. Collins	8	8	29.75	14.375	48.8	75.0	45.0	2.0	0.25	1.75	4.25	1.5	1.5	0.0	1.0
#1	X. Henry	8	8	26.75	16.375	53.6	84.0	50.0	4.125	0.875	3.25	1.75	1.875	1.75	0.75	1.75
#45	C. Aldrich	8	8	25.75	11.125	52.5	69.4	0.0	10.0	3.625	6.375	1.25	1.25	0.75	3.375	2.25
	T. Taylor	8	7	23.0	7.0	38.9	62.5	28.6	2.75	0.625	2.125	3.625	2.25	1.75	0.125	1.875
#22	M. Morris	8	6	22.625	9.875	54.0	66.7	37.5	5.25	2.375	2.875	1.625	1.375	1.25	0.5	2.5
#14	T. Reed	8	0	16.875	5.375	44.1	75.0	37.0	1.5	0.125	1.375	1.75	0.375	1.0	0.125	0.875
#21	M. Morris	8	2	15.375	8.5	67.6	75.0	60.0	5.5	2.0	3.5	1.125	0.875	0.75	0.625	2.125
#15	E. Johnson	8	1	13.0	4.75	51.7	57.1	36.4	2.125	0.875	1.25	2.75	1.25	0.75	0.0	2.125

College Hoops Go Round: November 19

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:31:06 -0000

More photos » by Skip Peterson - AP

Chris Wright's Dayton Flyers will be challenged by star freshman Derrick Favors and Georgia Tech this afternoon in Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Skip Peterson)

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With everyone, including myself, worn out from marathon Tuesday, it was a relatively quiet Wednesday night. Here's a quick rundown of what did go down in the headline games of the night.

Florida pulled away from a feisty Georgia Southern squad, winning 69-49.

VCU got smacked by Western Michigan, 83-67.

Florida State dominated Stetson, 80-38.

Toledo was no match for Cincinnati, falling 92-68.

Cornell won another road game against a name opponent, beating UMass by 13.

No. 11 Butler won easily at Northwestern, 67-54.

Nebraska fell by 15 at St. Louis, 69-55.

Utah won at thriller at home against in-state rival Utah State, 68-67.

Western Carolina was no match for Damion James-led No. 3 Texas.

Oral Roberts won at Stanford, 83-81, in an early-round Cancun Challenge game.

UNLV completed a Mountain West sweep over WAC contenders, beating Nevada 88-75.

For another excellent wrap-up of last night's action, visit Searching for Billy Edelin. A preview of today's tournament-heavy schedule is after the jump.

There's a lot of action on tap both today and tonight, with tournaments taking center stage. Preview text is from my Early Season Tournament Preview. All times are p.m. ET unless noted.

CBE Classic Semifinals

In the first game of tonight's doubleheader, Pac-10 co-favorite California faces a Syracuse squad who may have a bit of a homecourt advantage in New York. In game two, defending national champion North Carolina faces the first big challenge of its defense against Evan Turner and Ohio State. The winners and losers will play on Friday evening.

Syracuse vs. No. 13 California (ESPN2, 7)
No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Ohio State (ESPN2, 9:30)

Puerto Rico Tip-Off Quarterfinals

The top half of this field is loaded. Chris Wright and A-10 favorite Dayton will be tested by the Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors-led frontcourt of Georgia Tech. Unfortunately, this matchup of top 25 squads will only be on regional television. Meanwhile, CAA contender George Mason faces Final Four team Villanova in a rematch of a 2007 Old Spice Classic semifinal. In the bottom half, Tom Crean's rebuilding Indiana takes on Andy Kennedy's Mississippi, a team who is a threat in the SEC West, while America East favorite Boston University takes on Denis Clemente and Kansas State.

No. 21 Georgia Tech vs. No. 18 Dayton (CSS/CW Dayton, 11:30 a.m.)
George Mason vs. No. 5 Villanova (ESPNU, 2)
Indiana vs. Ole Miss (ESPN2, 5)
Kansas State vs. Boston University (No TV, 7:30)

Charleston Classic Quarterfinals

In the top half of the bracket, Miami (FL)--with Villanova transfer Malcolm Grant running the point in place of graduated Jack McClinton faces Tulane. while UNC Wilmington, who could rise in the CAA this year, faces NIT Champion Penn State. In the bottom half, Big East cellar dwellar USF faces Stephen Curry-less, but still dangerous Davidson, while John Giannini's La Salle, who hopes to make a statement here before the A-10 season, plays Dominique Archie and Devan Downey-led South Carolina, who should have the crowd behind them.

Tulane vs. Miami (FL) (CSS/CST, 1:30)
UNC Wilmington vs. Penn State (ESPNU, 4)
Davidson vs. USF (No TV, 7)
La Salle vs. South Carolina (ESPNU, 9:30)

There are a few other non-tournament games on TV as well.

Sam Houston State at No. 4 Kentucky (SEC on FSN/Full Court, 7)
Utah Valley at Minnesota (Big Ten, 8)
Northwestern State at Texas Tech (Full Court, 8)
Central Arkansas at No. 1 Kansas (Full Court, 8)
Montana at Denver (FSN Rocky Mountain/FCS Central, 9)
Fresno State at Seattle (FSN Northwest/FCS Pacific, 10)
Rice at Arizona (FS Arizona/FCS Atlantic, 10:30)

For other games that will only be televised locally, visit Matt Sarz' College Sports on TV site.

BtB 2009-10 Atlantic 10 Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:58:39 -0000

Xavier was the team of the 00s in the A-10, reaching the NCAAs under the late Skip Prosser, current Ohio State boss Thad Matta, and new Arizona head coach Sean Miller. Matta guided the Musketeers to the Elite Eight in 2004, and Miller did the same in 2008, then guided them to the Sweet Sixteen last season. Now, it's Chris Mack's turn to keep things going, albeit with a retooled roster.

But if you're looking for an A-10 favorite this season, you need to travel 49 miles up I-75. Brian Gregory's Dayton Flyers, led by Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson, is loaded and ready to take the A-10 crown away from their Southwestern Ohio rival, and maybe even plant the seeds to being the conference's team of the 10s.

However, there are a few other teams in the Atlantic 10 who are ready to make some noise this season. Chris Mooney's Princeton-style offense will be humming more efficiently at Richmond now that center Dan Geriot is back from a knee injury. Ron Everhart's Duquesne and John Giannini's La Salle both have squads that could end long tournament droughts. And you can't sleep on traditional tournament fixtures Temple, St. Joe's, and Charlotte, even if each has challenges to figure out this season.

It should be another interesting season in the league of 14, but the big question is whether the A-10 will match the three bids earned each of the last two seasons. More on each team after the jump.

Let's first take a look at the 2008-09 Atlantic 10 standings.

Atlantic 10 Conference Standings

(updated 3.26.2009 at 10:49 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Xavier Musketeers	12	4	27	8
Dayton Flyers	11	5	27	8
Rhode Island Rams	11	5	23	11
Temple Owls	11	5	22	12
Duquesne Dukes	9	7	21	13
Richmond Spiders	9	7	20	16
La Salle Explorers	9	7	18	13
St. Joseph's Hawks	9	7	17	15
Saint Louis Billikens	8	8	18	14
UMass Minutemen	7	9	12	18
St. Bonaventure Bonnies	6	10	15	15
Charlotte 49ers	5	11	11	20
George Washington Colonials	4	12	10	18
Fordham Rams	1	15	3	25

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

Fordham (last NCAA: 1992) Derek Whittenburg hasn't exactly gotten the Rams back to national prominence, as Fordham has only claimed 68 wins in his 6 seasons at Rose Hill. However, they completely bottomed out with last year's 3 win campaign. Adding insult to injury, Whittenburg lost two key players over the offseason, both of whom transferred. 6-5 swingman Mike Moore went over to Hofstra, and G Trey Blue left for Illinois State. The good news for the Rams is sophomore PG Jio Fontan (15.3 ppg, 4.7 apg), the team's leading scorer didn't leave, and 6-2 soph Brenton Butler (9.6 ppg) will join him in the backcourt after missing much of last season with an ankle injury, They'll be joined by 6-3 Alberto Estwick (7.1 ppg) and 5-11 Ryan Hage, who returns from a shoulder injury of his own. In the frontcourt, 6-9 junior Jacob Green (6.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg) is the anchor, and he'll be joined by athletic 6-7 freshman Chris Gaston, a high school teammate of Fontan and Estwick, and 6-10 Bosnian Fahro Alihodzic, another of Whittenburg's five newcomers. The Rams should struggle with all of their youth, despite a manageable schedule that includes a game at St. John's and a matchup with Villanova at the Meadowlands.

George Washington (last NCAA: 2007) Karl Hobbs' already warm seat could be completely on fire with another miserable season at the Foggy Bottom. Unfortunately, with leading scorer Rob Diggs gone and six freshmen on the roster, it looks to be another long season for the Colonials. 6-8 senior Damian Hollis (13.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg) is back, as are two capable, if inconsistent point guards--6-2 junior Travis King (6.2 ppg, 2.4 apg) and 6-1 sophomore Tony Taylor (6.6 ppg, 2.8 apg). Otherwise, there are a whole lot of new faces and returnees, like the frontcourt trio of 6-11 Joseph Katuka, 6-10 Jabari Edwards, and 609 Hermann Opoku, who have a lot to prove. GW welcomes Oregon State, Providence, and George Mason to the Smith Center, while they'll play Navy in the BB&T Classic.

St. Louis (last NCAA: 2000) Rick Majerus is facing the very definition of a rebuilding year, as his roster features eight freshmen, one junior, and no seniors. While 5-10 sophomore G Kwamain Mitchell--the Billikens' leading scorer (11 ppg)--is back, and soph F Brian Conklin (6.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and C Willie Reed (7.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg) give SLU some punch inside, expect the newcomers to see a lot of action. Two Aussies, 6-4 shooter Christian Salecich and 6-8 F Cody Ellis, lead the freshmen. The highlight of the Billikens' schedule is the Chicago Invitational Challenge, where they open with Iowa State before facing either Notre Dame or Northwestern.

St. Bonaventure (last NCAA: 2000) Mark Schmidt's Bonnies actually finished with a .500 mark last season, but will have a hard time matching or surpassing that feat with the departure of starting F Maurice Thomas and G Ray Blackburn. However, there's enough returning talent in place, led by team's three leading scorers, to complete another stage in a long rebuilding process. 6-4 senior three-point specialist Chris Matthews averaged more than 12 points per contest in his first season after transferring from Washington State. 6-foot junior Ogo Adegbonye arrives will take over at the point, freeing up junior Malcolm Eleby (7 ppg) to spend more time at off guard. 6-5 senior Jonathan Hall (12.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg) is a swingman who can really drive to the hoop, while 6-9 Andrew Nicholson (12.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.7 bpg) is a force inside. If 6-8 freshman Marquise Simmons or 6-9 reserve Da'Quan Cook can come close to replacing Thomas' production, the Bonnies could continue their rise up the standings. The schedule will include some challenges as SBU visits Syracuse, Mississippi State, Niagara, and Illinois State for a tournament.

St. Joseph's (last NCAA: 2008) The Hawks return to the newly-christened Hagan Arena after spending the bulk of last season at the Palestra. The problem is, two of the best recent Hawks--Ahmad Nivins and Tasheed Carr--have moved on. 6-1 senior G Darren Govens (12.5 ppg, 2.6 apg) is back to provide more scoring, while defensive stalwart Garrett Williamson, a tall 6-5 PG who averaged 6.1 points and 4.5 assists a contest, will create a lot of problems for opponents, especially if he decides to be more offensively-minded. In the frontcourt, 6-7 Idris Hilliard could have a breakout junior season after averaging more than 9 points and 5.5 boards a game as a soph. 6-8 freshman Carl Baptiste could see a lot of minutes right off the bat, as could guards Justin Crosgile and Carl Jones. The Hawks travel to the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam, where they'll open with Boston College before facing Purdue or South Dakota State on day 2. SJU reopens their arena with visits from Drexel and Holy Cross, and naturally has a full Big Five slate to contend with.

Massachusetts (last NCAA: 1998) Derek Kellogg's Minutemen lost three key players off a team that only managed to win 12 games, guard Chris Lowe and centers Tony Gaffney and Luke Bonner. UMass' strength will be its backcourt, led by 6-2 senior Ricky Harris (18.2 ppg) and 6-3 junior Anthony Gurley (11.2 ppg). 6-5 freshman sharpshooter Freddie Riley comes aboard to provide them with needed support. There will be a lot of new blood in the frontcourt, as 6-9 Oregon State transfer Sean Carter and 6-10 Memphis transfer Hashim Bailey will push 6-9 soph Tyrell Lynch (3.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg) for minutes. The Minutemen face former conference-mate Rutgers at the Legends Classic in Atlantic City, with a game against either Florida or Michigan State to follow. They'll also visit Seton Hall, Davidson, and Boston College, and host Memphis.

Rhode Island (last NCAA: 1999) One of the biggest issues confronting Jim Baron this season is finding someone who can shoot the 3 as well as his son, Jimmy. He also has to find someone to replace Kahiem Seawright, who also graduated after last season. Point guard is also an issue, as both 6-1 junior (6.1 ppg, 4 apg) and 5-9 sophomore Stevie Mejia (2.5 ppg, 2.1 apg) battled inconsistency last season. Those are big issues to resolve, and they may keep the Rams from being too competitive this year. However, some things are certain, such as the performance of 6-4 senior SG Keith Cothran (13.2 ppg) and the fact that URI has a solid frontcourt, featuring 7-0 C Will Martell (5.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg), the athletic 6-6 F Lamonte Ulmer (7.7 ppg, 5 rpg), and 6-8 senior Delroy James (9.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg). The Rams visit Davidson, VCU, Boston College, and Akron; host Northeastern and Providence; and face Oklahoma State at the Mohegan Sun Casino.

Temple (last NCAA: 2009) Christmas has come and gone for the Owls, now Fran Dunphy has to figure out how to replace Dionte's 19.5 points a game. He also has a big hole in the middle after 7-footer Sergio Olmos' departure. Temple does have two good building blocks back--6-9 junior F LaVoy Allen (10.9 ppg, 9 rpg) and 6-4 G Ryan Brooks (10.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg), a shooter who must have ice water in his veins--and a whole bunch of guys who could be good if they get a little more time, including 6-9 junior Craig Williams (5.3 ppg, 3 rpg), 6-11 senior Micheal Eric (2.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg), and 6-4 soph Juan Fernandez, who could see some time at the point because of his passing skills and court vision. Dunphy's squad faces a typically tough schedule that includes the Big Five; a home game with Siena in the Philly Hoop Group Classic; games with St. John's and Virginia Tech in the same event; a trip to Seton Hall; and home tilts with Penn State and Kansas.

Charlotte (last NCAA: 2005) The 49ers lost two key frontcourt players, Charley Coley III and leading scorer Lamont Mack, but get 6-3 freshman guard Shamarr Bowden back from a broken kneecap. His return and the presence of solid 5-9 senior PG DaJuan Harris (9 ppg, 7.2 apg) , 6-5 senior RaShad Coleman (8 ppg), and 6-4 senior 3-point ace Ian Anderson (9.7 ppg) means the strength of Charlotte's squad shifts to the backcourt. But there's still talent upfront, as 6-10 senior Phil Jones (7.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and 6-6 junior An'Juan Williams (7.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg) are capable of stepping up in Coley and Mack' absence, and 6-6 BC transfer Shamani Spears and 6-7 frosh K.J. Sherrill will provide an immediate interior boost. Bobby Lutz's team will face Elon in the NIT Season Tip-Off, with a matchup with Duke likely to follow. They'll also host Georgia Tech, and visit Louisville, Old Dominion, and Tennessee.

La Salle (last NCAA: 1992) John Giannini has a team that could make some noise after an 18-win campaign. If 6-9 F Vernon Goodridge, a solid defensive performer, wouldn't have left last in the offseason, all five senior Explorer starters from a season ago would have been back. Giannini could slide in 6-8 junior Jarrell Williams (6.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg as a part-time starter) into Goodridge's slot in the lineup. The backcourt will be led 6-5 Rodney Green (17.8 ppg, 3.4 apg), who needs to work on taking care of the ball after turning it over an average of 3.2 times per contest, and 6-6 3-point ace Ruben Guillandeaux (10.1 ppg, 3 apg). In the frontcourt, 6-6 Kimmani Barrett (11.8 ppg, 5 rpg) and 6-7 Yves Mekongo (10.4 ppg, 6 rpg) will be joined by highly-touted 6-10 center prospect Aaric Murray and 6-8 redshirt frosh Devon White. Naturally, La Salle will be tested by Big Five games, but they'll also take part in the Charleston Classic where they'll face South Carolina in their opener. They will also face two Big 12 schools in semi-away games, Kansas in Kansas City and Oklahoma State in the All-College Classic in Oklahoma City.

Richmond (last NCAA: 2004) While the Spiders, who made the CBI last season, lost 6-9 Jarhon Giddings graduation, they get back junior C Dan Geriot, who missed last season with an ACL tear. Giddings averaged more than 14 points and 5.5 boards a game in 2007-08 and his return adds another dimension to Chris Mooney's Princeton offense. Add in the fact that UR already features two guards who can score from anywhere on the floor, 6-4 senior David Gonzalvez (16 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and 6-0 junior Kevin Anderson (16.6 ppg, 2.8 apg), and another solid interior presence in 6-10 F Justin Harper (9.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg), and it's no wonder people are expecting big things out of the Spiders this year. Richmond will play Mississippi State at the Padre Island Invitational, then either Missouri or Old Dominion. They'll face the Monarchs at home right after the Texas trip, then VCU. Richmond also travels to South Carolina, face Florida in the Orange Bowl Classic, and visit Wake Forest on New Year's Eve.

Duquesne (last NCAA: 1977) The Dukes were oh, so close last season--first falling to Temple by 6 in the A-10 final, missing out on their first NCAA trip in 32 seasons. Then, they fell to Virginia Tech in a thrilling double OT first round NIT matchup. And while leading scorer Aaron Jackson, a point guard who averaged over 19 points and nearly 6 assists a game is gone, the Dukes have their next eight top scorers back for another crack at ending the drought. 6-7 junior F Damian Saunders (13.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and 6-5 soph swingman Bill Clark (12.9 ppg, 5 rpg) will lead the way, but watch out for one of the stars of the Dukes' postseason run, 6-4 sophomore G/F Melquan Bolding (9.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg), to build on those performances. 6-1 senior Jason Duty joins Clark as a three-point threat (7.4 ppg, 41.4% from 3), while 5-11 Eric Evans (9.8 ppg, 2.2 apg) will take over for Jackson at the point. Ron Everhart also gets a ton of help on the frontline to help Saunders, as 7-0 Kentucky transfer Morakinyo Williams is now eligible and 6-8 Rodrigo Peggau returns from a knee injury. The Dukes will travel to Iowa, a team that should fancy their chances against, for a game in the CBE Classic. Unfortunately a win in Iowa City won't advance them to Kansas City, so they will play in a weak "subregional" at West Carolina instead--featuring decimated Binghamton and D2 Arkansas-Monticello. The Dukes will also look to shock Pitt in their final meeting at Mellon Arena. Trips to Old Dominion and West Virginia will also be challenging.

Xavier (last NCAA: 2009) The Musketeers have a new coach, Chris Mack, and a whole bunch of new faces. But don't expect the X-Men to fall off the face of the earth after the departure of Derrick Brown, B.J. Raymond, and C.J. Anderson. Xavier's backcourt features 6-5 junior guard Dante Jackson, who averaged 6.5 ppg and 2.7 apg, but is capable of doing a lot more. So is his backcourt-mate, 6-0 soph Terrell Holloway (5.5 ppg), but he needs to really improve his 2.2/1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio. But the star among the guards is sure to be Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford, a 6-4 sophomore who averaged almost 10 points and 2.3 assists per contest during his freshman season and, oh, dunked on LeBron James in a now infamous video. 6-foot guard Brad Redford should also sese time thanks to his shooting ability (5.1 ppg, but 45.1% from 3). In the frontcourt, Mack will need to get a lot out of 6-9 senior Jason Love (6.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg), and two guys who need to work on their foul shooting--6-8 Jamel McLean (4.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 46.5% from the stripe) and 7-0 soph Kenny Frease (5.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 48.4% FTs). The Musketeers face a typically tough schedule. They travel to Disney World for the Old Spice Classic where they open with Marquette, then face Creighton or Michigan. Xavier travels to Kansas State, Butler, and Wake Forest (for the inaugural Skip Prosser Classic), while they host Cincinnati and LSU
.

Dayton (last NCAA: 2009) Unlike their archrivals, the Flyers have virtually everyone back from their NCAA team, led by electric 6-8 junior F Chris Wright (13.6 ppg), who will challenge for national honors this season. Brian Gregory will have two guards capable of running his offense as 6-0 senior London Warren (4.1 ppg, 4.4 apg), while earning all-A10 defensive honors) is back and 6-3 senior Rob Lowery (7.5 ppg, 3.4 apg) returns from a knee injury. 6-3 senior SG Marcus Johnson (11.8 ppg) is one of the biggest offensive threats on the team, and that's good as he'll get a lot of looks with team's keying on Wright. In the frontcourt, 6-10 senior Kurt Huelsman (3.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg) will man the post, but he'll get support from 6-10 junior Devin Searcy and 6-9 frosh Matt Kavanaugh. 6-6 Chris Johnson (6.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and 6-9 soph Luke Fabrizius (4.3 ppg)--a threat both inside outside--are capable of providing support to Wright as well. The Flyers face a tough schedule, opening with Creighton at home; taking on Georgia Tech at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, visiting potential Puerto Rico opponent George Mason and New Mexico; and hosting another potential opponent in PR, Boston University, and Old Dominion.

I expect the Flyers to make it back to the Tournament this year, this time as A-10 champions. They'll appear in my final preseason bracket, which I'll release on Monday, November 9. Several Atlantic 10 teams should be at-large threats this season, so look for more than one team to appear in my projection.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-A-10 team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-A-10 Team

Player of the Year: Chris Wright, 6-8 F, Jr. (Dayton)

Remainder of the Team
Kevin Anderson, 6-0 G, Jr. (Richmond)
Rodney Green, 6-5 G, Sr. (La Salle)
Ricky Harris, 6-2 G, Sr. (Massachusetts)
Andrew Nicholson, 6-9 F, So. (St. Bonaventure)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the A10 this season?

Charlotte

0 votes

Dayton

6 votes

Duquesne

0 votes

Fordham

0 votes

George Washington

1 votes

La Salle

2 votes

Massachusetts

0 votes

Rhode Island

2 votes

Richmond

1 votes

St. Bonaventure

0 votes

St. Joseph's

0 votes

Saint Louis

0 votes

Temple

3 votes

Xavier

1 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed

A Game a Night: January 2010

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

JaJuan Johnson and the Purdue Boilermakers have a few crucial January matchups on their schedule. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Browse more photos »

January once meant a clean transition from college football to college basketball. However, as the BCS refusing to go away and more non-BCS bowls have moved to post-New Year's day slots, there's increasing competition between hoops and football for TV exposure in the first week of the month.

And that's a shame, as the first week in January ends the bulk of non-conference play that we'll see until March Madness. The rest of the month is the time when conference play really starts to ramp up. In selecting games for January and February, I tried to balance my picks between conferences, as there are simply too many interesting league matchups at midweek and during the weekend. I'll feature all of these in my nightly preview posts.

You can see my picks for the opening month of the year after the jump. If you want to see what else is on TV to start 2010, visit MattSarzSports.com.

Friday, January 1
West Virginia at Purdue (ESPN, 2:30 ET)
If you need a break from football, tune into this matchup between two teams that should be right at the top of their league and in the discussion for a high NCAA seed.

Saturday, January 2
Louisville at Kentucky (CBS, 3:30 ET)
Even though there are some other titanic matchups on the slate (Gonzaga vs. Illinois in Chicago, Arizona at UCLA, Villanova at Marquette), John Calipari's first taste of this huge rivalry is my pick. It will also be interesting to see how the fans at Rupp Arena treat Rick Pitino after a tumultuous offseason for the Cards' coach.

Sunday, January 3
Xavier at Wake Forest (FSN, 5:30 ET)
It will be a solemn, special moment in Winston-Salem as these two schools meet in the inaugural Skip Prosser Classic.

Monday, January 4
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (ESPN, 7 ET)
It's not technically Big Monday yet, as there won't be a Big 12 game until the next Monday. The Panthers, who lost a lot after last season, will be battling with teams like the Bearcats to stay in the NCAA picture this season.

Tuesday, January 5
Minnesota at Purdue (ESPN or ESPN2, 7 ET)
These two are picked to be near the top of the Big Ten. The Boilermakers won the only meeting of last season by 8, in Minneapolis.

Wednesday, January 6
UCLA at California (FSN, 10:30 ET)
While the Golden Bears are a trendy pick to win the Pac-10 this year, the Bruins want to reclaim a crown lost to Washington last season.

Thursday, January 7
Xavier at La Salle (CBS CS, 7 ET)
If you really don't want to watch the BCS National Championship Game, check out this battle between a perennial A-10 power and a team trying to reach the top of that conference.

Friday, January 8
Valparaiso at Detroit (ESPNU, 7 ET)
Fridays in January and February are generally pretty quiet, so they're good nights to spend doing other things. If you're snow or icebound, you can check out this Horizon League matchup. North Florida at Florida Gulf Coast from the A-Sun is your other potential TV option.

Saturday, January 9
Florida at Vanderbilt (ESPN2, 12 ET)
Both of these teams are looking to get back to the NCAAs, the Gators after a two-year absence and the Commodores after a one-year gap. UF won by 25 in Nashville last year, but shouldn't expect a similar result against a much improved Vandy.

Sunday, January 10
Kansas at Tennessee (CBS, 1:30 ET)
The Jayhawks beat the Vols by 7 on January 3rd last year. This should be an excellent final test for both teams as they get ready for conference play.

Monday, January 11
Villanova vs.Louisville (ESPN, 7 ET)
The favorite in the Big East (as much as you can call one team a favorite) faces a difficult road test against a Cards team that should be kicking into gear.

Tuesday, January 12
Ohio State at Purdue (ESPN, 7 ET)
This is another battle at the top of the Big Ten that earns a slim nod over Kentucky at Florida and Maryland at Wake Forest, as the Gators and Deacons have a little bit to prove at this point.

Wednesday, January 13
San Diego State at UNLV (CBS CS, 10 ET)
Last year, the Aztecs took three from the Rebels, including two in six days in March that buried UNLV's hopes, yet didn't provide enough of a boost for the Aztecs' chances.

Thursday, January 14
Gonzaga at St. Mary's (ESPN2, 11 ET)
The Gaels had a good chance of winning this matchup last season, until Patty Mills broke his right hand. Now, they'll have to try this without Mills, who is in Portland, where he's broken his foot.

Friday, January 15
Loyola Chicago at Illinois-Chicago (ESPNU, 9 ET)
It's the Horizon League's version of the Crosstown rivalry.

Saturday, January 16
California at Washington (FSN, 2:30 ET)
Like the Bruins 10 days earlier, the defending champion Huskies seek to keep the rising Golden Bears from the top of the Pac-10.

Sunday, January 17
Connecticut at Michigan (CBS, 4:30 ET)
The Huskies won by 8 in Hartford last season, but it was a game that the Wolverines led for a time and weren't out of until the end.

Monday, January 18
Syracuse at Notre Dame (ESPN, 7 ET)
The Orange won easily at the Dome last year, but fell victim to a lot of Kyle McAlarney threes when they met in South Bend in 2008. The good news for SU is that McAlarney graduated.

Tuesday, January 19
Clemson at Georgia Tech (ESPN2, 7 ET)
The Tigers visit Atlanta to take on a Yellow Jacket team that could challenge in the ACC thanks to the presence of Derrick Favors, Gani Lawal, and Iman Shumpert.

Wednesday, January 20
Michigan at Wisconsin (Big Ten, 8:30 ET)
The Wolverines surprisingly swept the Badgers last season, which is a big reason why UW slipped onto the bubble.

Thursday, January 21
Washington at UCLA (FSN, 10:30 ET)
This matchup completes the early season round-robin between the projected top three in the Pac-10.

Friday, January 22
UW-Milwaukee at Youngstown State (ESPNU, 7 ET)
As the other option is Mercer at Stetson, I'm going with my graduate alma mater, UWM.

Saturday, January 23
South Carolina at Florida (ESPN, 6 ET)
I went to this game in Gainesville last year. What looked like an easy Gator win turned into a close one at the end. Both of these teams should be fighting for a bid at this point.

Sunday, January 24
Georgia Tech at Florida State (Raycom, 12 ET)
I know I posted the Atlanta matchup in December, but this one should be more entertaining than the other games on the limited Sunday slate.

Monday, January 25
Georgetown at Syracuse (ESPN, 7 ET)
I'm a bit biased, so I had to put this one slightly ahead of Missouri at Kansas, though I'll be watching both myself.

Tuesday, January 26
Clemson at Boston College (ESPN2, 7 ET)
These two should be in the second tier of the ACC, so this matchup is a good chance for one to jump over the other in terms of the postseason pecking order.

Wednesday, January 27
Vanderbilt at Tennessee (ESPNU, 7 ET)
If these two play to potential, ESPN may wish they didn't stick this one on the U.

Thursday, January 28
Duquesne at Xavier (CBS CS, 7 ET)
If the Dukes are really going to show they're A-10 contenders, they need to at least play well in Cincy.

Friday, January 29
Butler at UW-Green Bay (ESPNU, 9 ET)
The Bulldogs have to spend their Friday night at a tough place to play, the Resch Center. The A-Sun's Jacksonville derby, Jacksonville at North Florida is the other TV option.

Saturday, January 30
Utah at BYU (the mtn., 9 ET)
These two earned the MWC's only two bids last year. Plus, the (non-Philly) Holy War is such a great rivalry, you really should expand your horizons and check it out.

Sunday, January 31
Maryland at Clemson (FSN, 5:30 ET)
The Terps lost 93-64 in Littlejohn last year, which really damaged their tournament hopes. Another good option during the Sunday before the Super Bowl is Florida at Tennessee.

My games for February and early March will follow tomorrow evening.

Where are College Basketball's top metropolitan areas?

SFBE.NF — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:12:51 -0000

When in doubt...make a list. When you're in the end of August, and many are completey rearing their head towards pennant races and the start of football season, just make a damn list - and you might get some attention.

There's a ton of great college towns in America. We all know them, and we all have spent 4+ years there or maybe a wild weekend in a blur of inebriation. Please, we aren't asking for your stories.

But there's also some major markets in this country that can claim the name as a "College City," where fans ignore their crappy professional teams and fuel the talk radio waves with (basketball) recruiting buzz, conference titles, and a deep run in March.

After the jump are our Five Top College Basketball Metropolitan Areas.

1- Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The area of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill receives its number one ranking almost strictly because of two teams: Duke and UNC. No surprise there. The bad blood between these two schools has solidified itself as one of the best rivalries in all of sports, and for good reason. Ask Dick Vitale about this 8 mile war path that separates the two schools and you will receive a bevy of adjectives (mostly made up words) more fit for a NC-17 movie. Both schools are perennial national championship contenders and have produced 17 National Player of the Year honors, appeared in 21 Final Fours and hold eight National Championship Trophies.

While being in the top 10 all season is expected for both these programs, their rankings are completely irrelevant when they hit the hardwood (well at least Blue Devil fans have been holding on to that statement lately). It’s Duke and UNC and that’s really all that matters.

Success from both sides has generated a lot of verbal shots between their students and fans. While Blue Devil undergrads will tell you that the only trace of intelligent life in Chapel Hill is a sign directing you to Duke’s campus, Tar Heel students have made a hobby of explicitly voicing their opinions on Duke’s top players and their unfavorable sexual preference...and lack of African-American talent.

Completing "The Triangle" is North Carolina State. Located just east of Duke and UNC in Raleigh, NC State is a nationally recognized program and always competitive in the ACC.

2- Philadelphia

In addition to boasting four major professional sports teams, The City of Brotherly Love is also home to a one of a kind tradition in college basketball. The Big 5, comprised of La Salle, Saint Joseph's, Temple, Pennsylvania and Villanova are all located within a 17 mile radius of each other, and many of the games are played at the historic Palestra located on Penn’s campus.

The Big 5 was formed in 1955 and games were played as double or tripleheaders. As schools began to join conferences, conflicts with scheduling arose and it became more difficult to allow all the schools to play each other. By 1991 the format was non-existent, but eight years later the series was back, much to the delight of the fans.

The most notable rivalry within the Big 5 is between St. Joes and Villanova. Dubbed the Holy War for the schools religious affiliations, the game is sort of an inferior vs. superior match-up. St. Joseph's is a smaller school who would love to shake the mid-major label, while 'Nova is in the Big East...and frankly a notch higher on the academic hierarchy.

3- Cincinnati

At first you may question the credibility of this mid-sized Midwestern city, the setting to the now infamous Karen Sypher abortion, as a college hoops hot bed, but consider this: In addition to being the location for the University of Cincinnati and Xavier, two schools separated by just a few unsafe neighborhoods, the city is within 100 miles of Dayton, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami of Ohio and Ohio State. UK plays at least one game a season in Cincy, Andy Kennedy causes trouble in Cincy, and many grads from the nearby universities land jobs here creating a brew pot of bad blood.

The rivalry between XU and UC may not get enough national attention as it deserves. While UC, a public school, has had more success in the past 20 years with 14 straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1992-2005, the Musketeers have won nine of the last 13 meetings. Some say that the rivalry has lost some of its luster with the departure of Bobby Huggins coupled with Xavier's inability to retain a head coach, but true fans in Cincinnati know that the local media hype and hostility between the two sides will continue to exist regardless.

4- Louisville, Kentucky

You can't exclude the Bluegrass state in a ranking like this, so by default Louisville gets the nod. Undoubtedly this will be on of the most anticipated seasons on record for Cardinal and Wildcat fans. From a summer filled with John Calipari and John Wall, Rick Pitino and Karen Sypher, the tides have quickly turned and it may be the school in Lexington with the upper hand as it's grads continue to flock roughly 100 miles to work and start fights with their rival during the weekends.

5- Washington, D.C.-Baltimore

While the top four metropolitan rankings have been predicated on rivalries, the DC-Baltimore area simply boasts a good amount of quality college basketball. Maryland is a perennial powerhouse in the ACC, has won a National Championship in 2002, and have rabid fans that are still probably chanting derogatory comments about JJ Redick's sister. It is also rumored that much of the Chesapeake River water flow begins at Gary Williams post game laundry basket.

Georgetown, one of the more successful teams in the 1980s and 1990s under John Thompson, has re-established themselves in the Big East under his son John Thompson III.

The area is also home to mildly successful George Washington, one-hit wonder George Mason, American University, Coppin St, Howard, Loyola College, Morgan St, Towson St and UMBC.

It is also worth mentioning that Prince George's County is an absloute hot bed for producing major Division I, and in turn NBA, talent

Thursday News and Notes

Gamecock Man — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:17:20 -0000

Football

Phil Steele on Strength of Schedule. Get ready: Steele has us playing the fourth toughest schedule in the nation--good for toughest in the SEC--based on his previous year W/L percentage statistical analysis. It never gets easier, does it? Now, I'm not one to get too riled up over these rankings, as you never really know how tough your schedule is until about mid-way through the season, after it becomes apparent who's for real and who's not. UGA, for instance, was supposed to have one of the toughest schedules in the nation last year, but many of their opponents--Arizone State, Tennessee, Auburn, us to a certain degree--ended up tanking, thereby devaluing their schedule. Plus, as Get the Picture tells us, there's reason to doubt Steele's particular rankings. However, it certainly seems fair to say that we have a tough schedule, considering that we're playing the usual SEC East slate, inter-divisional games against good Ole Miss and Alabama teams and an Arkansas team that should be improved, and the game with Clemson along with a game at what could be an improved NC State.

Basketball

Charleston Tourney Update. We appear to be set for this event. The lineup isn't particularly impressive. It includes Penn State, Miami, South Florida, College of Charleston, Tulane, La Salle and UNC Wilmington. PSU, Miami, and C of C are good programs, but most of the others are fairly forgetable. Still, I think this is a good opportunity for us to play some at least relatively decent competition during the non-con slate as well as hopefully to get some valuable national exposure.

Baseball

Gamecocks Drop to Clemson. The Tigers really handled us in this one, beating us 12-2. Sigh. Next up: Gators in Gainesville.

Other NCAA News

Malcolm White Transfers from Ole Miss to LSU. Many commentators were recently pegging the Rebels as a dark horse team in the SEC next year. Now, though, they have suffered abrupt departures from two of last year's major contributors, White and David Huertas. It may be another uphill climb for Andy Kennedy's team.

Diamond Dawgs Lose to Jacksonville State. JSU calls themselves the Gamecocks, as you may have known. Too bad it wasn't us, huh? At any rate, this was yet another weird mid-week loss for the Dawgs, who have dominated the better half of the SEC but seem incapable of beating the lowly.

Smart Football Talks Hal Mumme. Here's a good story about one of the game's major innovators over the past twenty years. By the way, if you don't read Smart Football regularly, you're missing out. This is definitely one of the most intelligent, informed football blogs on the web, featuring everything from history lessons to descriptions of tactical strategy.

Penn State Basketball Schedule Details Released

BSD — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:12:50 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

Talor Battle intends to march the war of northern aggression south of the Mason-Dixon line. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Yeah yeah we're a few days away from the Blue White game but there are some interesting details today in regard to the 2009-2010 men's basketball schedule that have come to light. First, the field has been set for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

First Challenge Matchup: In addition to Minnesota at Miami, Penn State at Virginia, Wake Forest at Purdue and Florida State at Ohio State will all meet for their first-ever Challenge showdown.

Unfamiliar Opponent: Ohio State has won all four of its games against Florida State with a victory in 2000's Great Alaska Shootout the most recent. Penn State and Virginia last played in 1985 (Virginia holds a 5-2 series lead) while Purdue and Wake Forest last played in 1989 (Purdue holds a 3-2 series lead).

Ok, so playing Virginia isn't such a sexy matchup. Some people predict them to finish in the basement of the ACC. But it's a chance to beat an ACC team on the road, and just by the fact they play in the ACC should give them a respectable RPI. In 2009 they finished with an RPI of 114. Georgia Tech, our 2008 opponent in the Challenge, finished at 138.

The other bit of news is that Penn State will be participating in the Charleston Classic in Charleston, SC.

ESPN Regional Television, Inc. (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, announced today seven of the eight teams in the field for the 2009 Charleston Classic, to be held Nov. 19-22 at Carolina First Arena in Charleston, S.C.

The field for the second annual Charleston Classic will include La Salle, Miami (Fla.), UNC Wilmington, Penn State, South Carolina, USF and Tulane. The eighth team will be announced at a later date. Three of the teams in the field played in the 2008-09 NIT, including NIT champion Penn State, Miami and South Carolina.

Hmmmm...I don't exactly see any headline names in that group. In fact, I think we are actually considered the headline team. But it's not a terrible group when compared to the Philly Classic we played in last year.

2009 Charleston Classic		2008 Philly Classic
Teams	Final 2009 RPI	Teams	Final 2009 RPI
South Carolina	57	Villanova	13
Miami (FL)	65	Niagra	49
La Salle	112	Rhode Island	68
Tulane	188	Towson	219
South Florida	190	Hartford	299
UNC Wilmington	277	Monmouth	321
TBD		NJIT	343
Average	148.2	Average	187.4

So there are no headliners like Villanova, but then there also isn't a huge drop off once you get halfway through the field either. Hopefully the eighth team will bring some pizzazz to this tournament. We'll probably have to play one or two stinkers, but third round matchups with South Carolina, Miami, or La Salle look to be very winnable games against respectable competition. But like the Philly Classic showed us, you have to win those winnable games. Otherwise a loss to Rhode Island earns you a final game against Towson instead of Villanova. And that can be the difference between the NCAA and the NIT come March.

I'm glad to see Ed and Tim Curley entering Penn State in these tournaments, but they can't stop there. One slip in the early games and you're stuck with RPI busters the rest of the way. I'm hoping they are working behind the scenes to schedule some one-and-ones with some decent opponents outside of the Patriot League. Penn State is on that level where it's time to take that step.

SB Nation - La Salle Explorers

RPI WATCH: 12/13/09

What will K-State be ranked in today's AP poll?

Statistical Rearview: Kansas v La Salle

Kansas Takes on La Salle at Sprint Center

College Hoops Go Round: November 19

CBE Classic Semifinals

No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Ohio State (ESPN2, 9:30)

Puerto Rico Tip-Off Quarterfinals

Kansas State vs. Boston University (No TV, 7:30)

Charleston Classic Quarterfinals

BtB 2009-10 Atlantic 10 Preview

Atlantic 10 Conference Standings

Preseason All-A-10 Team

Who is your pick to win the A10 this season?

Charlotte

Dayton

Duquesne

Fordham

George Washington

La Salle

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Richmond

St. Bonaventure

St. Joseph's

Saint Louis

Temple

Xavier

A Game a Night: January 2010

Where are College Basketball's top metropolitan areas?

Thursday News and Notes

Penn State Basketball Schedule Details Released