SB Nation - Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

In a Perfect World (Conference Realignment)

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

by Tony Gutierrez - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MIZZOU MOVES TO THE BIG 10.

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

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

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

Under this scenario all regional rivalries remain in tact

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

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

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

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON JOINS THE BIG XII

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BYU AND UTAH GO TO THE PAC-10

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

The division would be as follows

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

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

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

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

ADD MORE TEAMS TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ADMIT THE MOUNTAIN WEST INTO THE BCS

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

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

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

MERGE THE C-USA AND WAC

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

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

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

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

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

The Can Ball Report NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week - Dec 6

rbala — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:59:50 -0000

We apologize for the tardiness. We had to go through some stats and after careful consideration of several very deserving candidates we have come to a decision. The Can Ball Report finally has another installment of the NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.

Players of the Week – Dec 6

Marc Trasolini (Vancouver) – Soph., Santa Clara

Trasolini had shown promise last season as a freshman forward for the Broncos and this season he is filling the void in the middle left by conference player of the year John Bryant to the pros. This week he had an excellent set of games against some pretty good competition. Last week, Traz averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, a steal and 2.5 blocks while shooting 55% from the floor (10 of 18) and 84% from the FT (16 of 19).

In the Broncos game against UC-Santa Barbara on Dec. 1 Trasolini had 15 points, 6 rebounds, an assist, a steal and 2 blocks. He also went 5 of 8 from the floor and a perfect 5 of 5 from the line. In the next game Dec. 5, Trasolini had his best game last week against (18) UNLV posting a game high 22 points to go with 5 rebounds, a steal and 3 blocks. He went 5 of 10 from the floor including 1 of 2 from the three and 11 of 14 from the free throw line.

For the season 13.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 51.4 FG% and 76.7 FT%. He currently leads the team in blocked shots and is second in rebounding and FG%.

Honorable Mention: Papa Oppong, Eastern Kentucky – 18 pts, 3 rbs, 1.5 asts, 1.5 stls, 1 blk, 14-19 FG, 6-8 3-PT FG in 30.5 mins in two games.

Stat Line of the Week

Bol Kong (Vancouver) – Soph., Gonzaga

Part of the largest Canadian contingent on any NCAA men’s basketball team, Kong was most anticipated of the three incoming Canuck freshmen thanks to the well publicized visa issues over the last few years. Playing on a well stocked perimeter team, Kong had his best game as a Zag this past Saturday in the narrow loss to the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest. He had some keys treys in the game late to help keep the Bulldogs close. Here’s how it went: 12 minutes, 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting, 4 of 4 from the three.

Honorable Mention: Olu Ashoalu, Louisiana Tech – 22 pts, 12 rbs, 2 stls, 10-15 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 32 mins vs. Northwestern State.

Canadian Content

rbala — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:00:37 -0000

We have the second episode of The Score's On the Brink, huge news regarding the best junior college player, a great look in SLAMonline on Harouna Mutumbo, a Mississuaga native earns Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors, an interview with Cory Joseph and other assorted basketball news in this edition of Canadian Content.

The second installment of The Score's series on Canadian basketball. On The Brink Episode 2 | Video | The Score

The Canada Basketball newsletter where yours truly has a little piece in it. And don't forget to check out the the line of vintage tees as well. The holidays are coming up. Canada Basketball | JOY TO THE WORLDS CB OUR GAME NEWSLETTER

A great story on one of our wheelchair players. CANOE -- CNEWS - Good News: There's no holding him back

A great little story on Pickering's own Harouna Mutumbo in the only basketball magazine that matters. SLAM ONLINE | " Hardest Working ‘Cat in the Game

Mississuaga native Andrew Nicholson earns conference Player of the Week honors for the first time this season. St. Bonaventure Official Athletic Site:Nicholson named A-10 Co-Player of the Week

Big recruiting news as Sault Ste Marie, ON native DJ Wright, the top Junior College player in the US, has committed to the Bulldogs. Louisiana Tech Official Athletic Site

Some news on the our favorite east coast minor league basketball team. novanewsnow.com > County of Yarmouth > The Rainmen cometh

Coach K is honored for his feat. StFX

Our collegue Mark Wacyk at cishoops.ca gives us the low down on all things CISCIS from the weekend.

One the Can Ball's collegues Tariq Sbeit gives us a great look at a great Toronto high school basketball tourney. Humber College Classic Standout Players | Flagrant Fouls

Nolan Shulman at Flagrant Fouls has a good interview with Findlay Prep's star shooting guard. Q&A with Findlay Prep Point Guard, Cory Joseph | Flagrant Fouls

And more high school news from around Canada ...

Colby Maier: West Uprising | Crown Magazine

Hoops phenom has no trouble getting noticed

Fighting Irish hoping Mullins leads them to basketball gold - thestar.com

The Can Ball Report's NC-Double Eh Player of the Week

rbala — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:15:10 -0000

In an effort to expose more of the Canadian talent that has been exported to the NCAA ranks, The Can Ball Report will be giving out a weekly award highlighting who we feel is the the player that gave the best overall performance over their games. We've also included today's scheduled games also so without further adieu, our first POTW honoree ...

NCAA Player of the Week

Olu Ashoalu (Toronto) – RS-Soph., Louisiana Tech

Ashoalu will be expected to contribute to a newly resurgent Louisiana State Bulldog squad this season. In his team’s lone game this week to start the season which resulted in a win, Olu put up career highs in what should be his first of many starts. In 33 minutes of action, he posted career highs in both points and rebounds for his second career double-double dropping 18 and 12 in the win against Texas-Pan American on Nov. 14. He also added 3 assists and 3 steals to round out his stat line. Olu shot 6-8 from the floor and mirrored that at the free throw line earning him the first Can Ball Report’s NCAA Player of the Week honor.

Honorable Mention: Jared Mintz, Lafayette – 20 pts, 10 rbs, 2 asts, 2 stls, a block, 23 mins

Stat Line of Week

Andy Rautins (Jamesville, NY) – RS-SR, Syracuse

On Nov. 11, Rautins had a great game against Robert Morris in the 2K Sports Classic. Following a game that saw him make no field goals in 21 minutes, Andy shot the lights out to post 22 points in 21 minutes of action on 7 of 10 shooting. Did I mention that all ten shots came from behind the three! He also added a rebound, three assists and four steals to the mix as well to earn him the stat line of the week nod.

Honorable Mention: Kai Williams, South Dakota State – 17 pts, 6-7 FG, 4-5 3PT FG, 3 rbs, 1 ast, 2 stls, 18 mins on Nov. 14

NCAA Schedule for Today

Nov. 16

Stephan F. Austin @ Minnesota

Virginia Military @ Richmond

Wilmington, DE @ Delaware State

Eastern Washington @ Washington State

Menlo College @ Santa Clara

Ferris State @ Central Michigan

Mayville State @ South Dakota State

Milwaukee @ Western Kentucky

Central Connecticut State @ Savannah State

Tennessee Tech @ Central Arkansas

Elon @ Charlotte

Cal-Northridge @ TCU

The Can Ball Report's NCAA Canadian Player Preview

rbala — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:00:34 -0000

The Can Ball Report gives what can only be described as the only NCAA Canadian player preview that matters. Join us for a look at the Canuck ballers that we expect to be making big waves this season.

So it’s is finally here people! All the waiting is over because the NCAA basketball season will officially start in a few days. There are roughly about 75 Canadians on Division 1 men’s basketball rosters this season and it looks like it will be a good one for our boys. We have two bona fide stars headlining what can be said is the most talented set of Canadian players playing at this level, ever. There are upperclassmen that have earned preseason honors; there are two reigning conference rookies of the year; there are a whole host of preseason all conference selections as well as players who will play major roles to their respective teams’ success. Since we are all basketball enthusiasts (I’ll let you gauge the degree of your enthusiasm in silence now for a moment) the Can Ball Report has compiled a list of players that we feel are worthy of early notice. Now some of you may know a few of the names already, if you do then good for you. For those of you who are not so familiar with them we suggest you, to quote Clinton Sparks, get familiar quickly. The players listed below are guys we feel you'll be hearing a lot about on this site, and any other Canadian media outlet for that matter, from the opening tip to the One Shining Moment in March and we want you to get it here first. So here we go people, the first annual Can Ball Report’s NCAA Canadian Player preview.

Most Outstanding Player – Harouna Mutombo, G - Western Carolina

A consensus pre season Southern Conference First Team selection this season after an incredible Rookie of the Year campaign, Mutombo is poised for a big (ger) year. He led the Catamounts in scoring, rebounding and steals on his way to a Second Team All SoCon nod so I wonder what the encore will be this season.

Top Newcomer – Manny Arop, G - Gonzaga

Arop may not have the best shot nor be the best rebounder as a freshman, but he does everything well enough that he will be an impact player for the Zags from day one. The team will be short on frontcourt help this year so he will be given every opportunity to contribute on a small ball lineup. Of all the newbie Canadians playing this year at the D1 level, Arop should be the best of them come March.

Best Shooter – Andy Rautins, G - Syracuse

Do you really need any explanation here? He is the best deep threat on a perennial national power team. Check his stats. He took 279 threes last year with gunner Eric Devendorf on the team and Rautins made an average of 2.8 makes per game. And that’s high quality defense in his face night in, night out. We don’t need to say anymore.

Best Defender – Andrew Nicholson, F/C – St. Bonaventure

After hitting the weight room this summer, the rookie record setting block machine is back to hold down the lane for the Bonnies. A legit Mutombo-like game changer, teams better rethink the attack when he’s they see his shadow looming.

Best Situation – Chretien Lukusa, G - Binghamton

The scandal that rocked Binghamton earlier this school year sent three starters and three supporting players packing, including two conference first teamers. An accomplished defender, Lukusa is the only returning starter so he pretty much should be good to go on both ends from day one.

Worst Situation – Ryan Wright, F - Oklahoma

The much ballyhooed Wright left UCLA for Oklahoma last year. Now with Blake Griffin in the NBA, the pressure is on him to contribute immediately to a team that has no real experienced frontcourt players returning. This may be a sink or swim situation that could turn against Wright in a hurry.

Most Important to Team – Andrew Nicholson, F/C – St. Bonaventure

Not enough can be said about Nicholson’s importance to his team this year so we’ll only use one word: very. He was the difference between a dead last finish and going .500 last season in the perennially tough A-10 Conference. This year, the team’s success will hinge largely on him and his improvements on both ends of the floor.

Super Sleeper – Willie Galick, F – Cal State-Northridge

Galick has been steadily flying under the radar for most of his college career finally breaking out last season as a junior transfer at Cal State-Northridge. Last year he started 25 of 33 games averaging 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, both fourth and second respectively on the team. This year, he will get the starting nod at the power forward spot from the beginning of the season for the Matadors and should really shine in the California sun.

Best Down the Road – Manny Arop, G - Gonzaga

Call me crazy but a having great games against the best in the world at your age group should be an indicator of how good you are. Arop showed how good he was in New Zealand at the U19 Worlds this summer. He will have every chance this season to show why he may be the best recruit in the Zags class this year and will only get better with experience.

Due for a Breakout - Rob Sacre, C - Gonzaga

Last season, Rob Sacre was hindered by a foot injury that kept him out of all but five games. After spending the summer working out with the Canadian Senior Men's National Team, the recovered Sacre will be the man in the middle with the departures of Josh Heytvelt and Austin Daye. With Sacre getting the first look at the starting center spot and a lack of real interior players, expect the breakout to come sooner than later.

Redemption Time – Maurice Joseph, G - Vermont

MoJo was another heralded Canadian export from the 2004 high school class along with Wright. He started out at Michigan State and was a big contributor to the team’s Tournament run in ’06 but he decided to transfer to Vermont after his sophmore campaign. Last season amid very high expectations, he began as a starter but finished coming off the bench. This season is the Montreal native’s final year to prove that he was worthy of big expectations when he became a Catamount.

Don’t Call It a Comeback – Olu Ashoalu, G/F – Louisiana Tech

Ashoalu has been on the top end of many school recruiting lists since he was a high school sophomore in Atlanta. He chose to follow the coach that recruited him to Louisiana Tech and got lost in the mix somehow. He was expected to play a big role in the team’s turnaround but red shirted his first year. Last year he showed flashes of what he could do averaging 5.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg playing in all 33 games. This year he will be asked to shoulder more of the load on both ends and should finally begin to play the way many predicted he would at this level.

Remember Me – William Archambault, F - Davidson

If you’re not aware of whom Archambault is you’ll know by the end of this season. With Stephen Curry starting in the NBA and taking with him much of the experienced outside shooting from last year’s team, the sweet shot forward will be the Wildcats’ primary outside gunner. He was the third leading scorer for the team despite starting only nine games and can light it up in a hurry. He is selected as a pre season SoCon All Conference selection, by the coaches no less, so we should all expect a big senior season from Archambault.

Diamond in the Rough - Max Boudreau, F - Buffalo

There seems to be something in the Quebec water that has the province producing seemingly unathletic yet highly efficient basketball players. Max Boudreau can arguably be the most underrated player on any team. He only averaged 13.8 minutes per but quietly put up 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds playing in all 33 contests. He managed to lead the team in scoring four times and rebounding six times last years, with two of those feats coming in the post season. This year may be the year for him to finally play more and potentially be a starter, finally.

Fab Five All Canadian First Team:

Andrew Nicholson, F/C - St Bonaventure

Harouna Mutumbo, G – Western Carolina

Andy Rautins, G - Syracuse

William Archambault, G/F - Davidson

Rob Sacre, C - Gonzaga

Ten Players to Watch:

Alex Johnson, G – Cal State-Bakersfield

Kai Williams, F – South Dakota State

Jon House, G – Belmont

Bol Kong, F – Gonzaga

Devoe Joseph, G – Minnesota

Hernst Laroche, G – New Mexico State

Tyrone Watson, G – New Mexico State

Marc Trasolini, F – Santa Clara

Francis Cedric-Martel, G/F – Richmond

Alwayne Bigby, G/F – Northeastern

Poll

Who will have the best season this year in the NCAA?

Andy Rautins - Syracuse

34 votes

Andrew Nicholson - St. Bonaventure

11 votes

Manny Arop - Gonzaga

144 votes

Harouna Mutombo - Western Carolina

16 votes

Other

12 votes

217 votes | Poll has closed

Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 via CollegeInsider.com

aGent37 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:19:23 -0000

Less than one week after being ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Poll, Butler earns the top spot in the preseason Mid-Major Top 25.

The Bulldogs, who finished last season with a 26-6 record and a No. 4 ranking in the final Mid-Major poll of the season, received 28 of the 31 first place votes. No. 2 ranked Gonzaga received two first place votes and No. 3 ranked Siena received the other. Rounding out the top five are Northern Iowa and Western Kentucky.

Old Dominion, which won the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, headlines the next five, followed by Creighton, Akron, Wright State and Niagara.

The Horizon League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Missouri Valley Conference each boast two teams among the top 10, while the Colonial Athletic Association leads all conferences with four teams ranked in the first Top 25 of the season.

The MAAC, Missouri Valley and West Coast Conference have three teams in the rankings.

"I'm excited to be a part of the top 25 panel and want to ensure that all the deserving teams are recognized as the season unfolds," says Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating. "With a number of teams already considered among the country's best heading in, this promises to be a great year for teams across the country."

Keating has been named as the chairman of the voting panel, which includes eight new voters. Rick Byrd (Belmont), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), Wayne Tinkle (Montana) and Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan) will each cast a weekly vote during the 2009-10 season.

Teams considered for the Mid-Major Top 25 come from 23 conferences or leagues including the Great West Conference and the Independents.

		Record	Points	Previous
1.	Butler (28)	0-0	770	-
2.	Gonzaga (2)	0-0	699	-
3.	Siena (1)	0-0	699	-
4.	Northern Iowa	0-0	612	-
5.	Western Kentucky	0-0	585	-
6.	Old Dominion	0-0	580	-
7.	Creighton	0-0	568	-
8.	Akron	0-0	444	-
9.	Wright State	0-0	377	-
10.	Niagara	0-0	366	-
11.	VCU	0-0	313	-
12.	George Mason	0-0	304	-
13.	Northeastern	0-0	298	-
14.	Oakland	0-0	288	-
15.	Portland	0-0	285	-
16.	Illinois State	0-0	236	-
17.	College of Charleston	0-0	230	-
18.	Cornell	0-0	215	-
19.	Rider	0-0	190	-
20.	Long Beach State	0-0	171	-
21.	South Alabama	0-0	166	-
22.	Boston University	0-0	114	-
23.	St. Mary's	0-0	105	-
24.	Davidson	0-0	102	-
25.	Radford	0-0	99	-

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: North Texas 84, Cleveland State 82, Troy 77, Kent State 76, Jacksonville 72, UC Santa Barbara 69, Southern Illinois 64, Morehead State 61, Wichita State 58, Sam Houston State 57, Holy Cross 50, Weber State 50, Buffalo 44, Vermont 44, Morgan State 38, Mount St Mary's 38, Wisconsin Milwaukee 36, Bradley 24, Stephen F Austin 15, American 14, East Tennessee State 14, Denver 13, Murray State 13, North Dakota State 14, Middle Tennessee State 11, UW-Milwaukee 10, Miami 9, Montana State 9, Portland State 9, San Diego 9, UNC Asheville 9, Western Carolina 9, Wisconsin Green-Bay 8, Appalachian State 7, Norfolk State 7, Cal State Northridge 6, Indiana State 6, South Dakota 6, South Carolina State 5, Montana 4, St Peters 4, Belmont 3, Lehigh 3, Arkansas Little Rock 2, Chicago State 2, Princeton 2, Santa Clara 2, SE Louisiana 2, Central Michigan 1, Detroit 1, Jackson State 1, Longwood 1, Quinnipiac 1, Texas A&M CC 1, Texas San Antonio 1, Wofford 1.

VOTING PANEL: Randy Bennett (St. Mary's), Will Brown (Albany), Rick Byrd (Belmont), Dave Calloway (Monmouth), Kermit Davis (Middle Tennessee), Steve Donahue (Cornell), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), James Fox (Davidson), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Kerry Keating (Santa Clara) *, Billy Kennedy (Murray State), Tod Kowalczyk (UW-Green Bay), Jim Larranaga (George Mason), Jim Les (Bradley), Mike Lonergan (Vermont), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Jimmy Patsos (Loyola MD), Tom Pecora (Hofstra), Vann Pettaway (Alabama A&M), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), John Shulman (Chattanooga), Brad Stevens (Butler), Gary Stewart (UC Davis), Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts), Wayne Tinkle (Montana), Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan)

* Santa Clara head coach Kerry Keating is the chairman of the Top 25 voting panel for the 2008-09 season.

BtB 2009-10 Western Athletic Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:18:43 -0000

The membership of the Western Athletic Conference has to hope that the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century resembles the beginning of the first decade, and not its end. You see, the WAC skidded at the end of the "aughts," only qualifying the league champion to the 2008 and 2009 tournaments, with both teams falling at the first hurdle. (Though Utah State, conveniently placed in a Boise pod, gave Marquette a battle last season, falling by one.)

Really, the last four years of the decade saw the WAC on a bit of a downswing. Between 2006 and 2009, the conference only won one tournament game, Nevada's win over Creighton in a 7/10 matchup in 2007. Compare that to the first six years of the decade, when a league member won at least one tournament game each tournament. And in that 2000-2005 span, the only year the WAC received a single bid was 2003, when now former member Tulsa won their first round game..as a 13 seed!

The conference's two main standard bearers in the early part of this century, Utah State and Nevada, are poised to bring the WAC back to prominence this time around, but they'll be challenged by the other seven schools, particularly New Mexico State and an Idaho team that made big strides last year. More on all nine teams after the jump.

Let's start with a look at the final WAC standings for 2008-09.

Western Athletic Conference Standings

(updated 3.24.2009 at 12:09 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Utah State Aggies	14	2	30	5
Nevada Wolf Pack	11	5	21	13
Boise St. Broncos	9	7	19	13
New Mexico St. Aggies	9	7	17	15
Idaho Vandals	9	7	17	16
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs	6	10	15	18
San Jose St. Spartans	6	10	13	17
Hawaii Warriors	5	11	13	17
Fresno St. Bulldogs	3	13	13	21

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

Fresno State (last NCAA: 2001) Steve Cleveland continues to rebuild the Fresno State program, and this team should improve on the three conference wins they earned last season, even if their place in the standings doesn't change. The overall talent, led by swingman Paul George (14.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 44.7% 3-pointers) and the team's only senior, forward Sylvester Seay (15.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), is good, but Cleveland needs a new point guard to replace Dwight O'Neil. JC transfer Steven Shepp, a 6-2 junior from Virginia, could be the answer. There is a lot of excitement in Fresno about 6-9 freshman Greg Smith, who will join Seay and 6-8 Nedeljko Golubovic (7.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg) in the frontcourt. The Bulldogs will participate in the West Coast Classic, a unique round-robin event in which they'll host Pacific and San Diego State and visit Northern Arizona and Santa Clara.

Hawai'i (last NCAA: 2002) The Warriors return just about everyone from last year's 8th place team, including 6-7 F Roderick Flemings (16.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg), who will be a serious contender for WAC Player of the Year. The only significant loss is that of G Kareem Nitoto, one of coach Bob Nash's primary stoppers, who transferred to UC Riverside. His departure could hurt the conference's third-ranked defense. Flemings will get some help on the offensive end, as JC transfer Jeremy Lay arrives to help carry the load at point guard, as returning starter Hiram Thompson battled injuries in '08-09. Providence transfer Dwain Williams will also be eligible. He averaged 11 points and 2 assists a game as a Friar and was the team's best foul and three-point shooter. 7-0 Brazilian JC transfer Douglas Kurtz woll help bolster a frontline that returns 6-9 senior Bill Amis, who averaged nearly 11 points and 7 boards a game last year, and 6-8 Lithuanian senior Petras Balocka (8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg). The Warriors will anchor the Christmastime Diamond Head Classic, where they will face Southern Conference favorite College of Charleston before facing either SMU or UNLV, both former conference-mates in their second game. The Rainbow Classic has been converted to a four-team round-robin. UH will face McNeese State, Northern Colorado, and Southern Utah in that event.

Louisiana Tech (last NCAA: 1991) Kerry Rupp's team actually finished the year ranked only behind Utah State in the WAC's total defense table, giving up abour 63 points a game. Unfortunately, they only managed to score about 63 points per game, despite featuring three players who averaged in double-figures. That meant the Bulldogs finished rock bottom in the league in scoring and with a 6-10 league mark. As all three of their leading scorers--senior sharpshooter Kyle Gibson (16.1 ppg), 603 senior Jamel Guyton (11.8 ppg), and former LSU standout Magnum Rolle (12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) are all back, Tech has an excellent shot at improving their scoring totals. Rupp just needs some of his other players, such as sophomore guard Olu Ashaolu (5.3 ppg) and senior forward David Jackson (5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), to step up their production. 5-11 JC transfer DeAndre Brown, who was named the top junior college player in Texas last season, is another possible answer. If La Tech can find some more points from somewhere, they could really surprise.

San Jose State (last NCAA: 1996) Like La Tech, the Spartans won 6 WAC games last year. They should win a few more this year if their star, Washington transfer Adrian Oliver, can stay healthy. The 6-4 guard averaged over 17 points a game in the 18 games he was able to appear in when healthy. Coach George Nessman will have to find a replacement for his team's third leading scorer of a year ago, senior forward Tim Pierce (11.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg). The frontline returnees, 6-9 C.J. Webster (12 ppg, 6.5 rpg), who earned an extra year of eligibility, and 6-10 Chris Oakes (8.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg), are a formidable unit. They'll be joined by 6-8 JC transfer Moses Omolade. Junior Justin Graham, who averaged more than 8 points and nearly 5 assists a game, will partner with Oliver in the backcourt. 6-3 senior Robert Owens (7 ppg), a 38 percent three-point shooter will also see plenty of time this year. In an interesting scheduling quirk, Oliver will get to play on his former homecourt on November 20. The game in Seattle is the Spartans only one scheduled against a Pac-10 opponent this season.

Boise State (last NCAA: 2008) The Broncos followed up on their 2008 WAC title and NCAA appearance with 19 wins and an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational. To make the postseason for a third straight season, coach Greg Graham will have to replace three key performers. most notably Mark Sanchez, the Broncos' leading scorer (13 ppg) and rebounder (7.2 rpg) last time out. The frontcourt will still be strong without Sanchez, as 6-9 C Kurt Cunningham (10.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg), 6-9 F Ike Okoye (8.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg), and 6-7 Paul Noonan (10 ppg, 3.6 rpg) return. They'll be joined by 6-7 JC transfer Daequon Montreal, who averaged nearly 16 points and 9 boards a game at the College of Southern Idaho. The offense is in good hands with PG Anthony Thomas at the helm. He averaged 9 points a contest last year while setting the Broncos' single-season record for assists. BSU could use another backcourt scorer, however, with returnees Justin Salzwedel and La'Shard Anderson being the best hopes. The Broncos travel to Illinois this season and play in a round-robin event at Montana, which also features North Dakota and Loyola Marymount.

Idaho (last NCAA: 1990) First-year coach Don Verlin led the Vandals to 17 wins last year (they won only 38 total games in the previous five years), a sweep of archrivals Boise State, and a win over Pacific in the College Insider Tournament. Thanks to the eligibility of a player who left that very Tiger program, Idaho could very well improve on their 9-7 league finish this season. Steffan Johnson, who was last seen earning a spot on the all-Big West first team during his junior year in Stockton, will team with 6-2 senior Mac Hopson (16.4 ppg, 5.9 apg) and 6-4 Kashif Watson (10.3 ppg) to form perhaps the best backcourt in the league. The frontcourt, led by 6-9 Marvin Jefferson (9.1 ppg), 6-6 Brandon Wiley (8.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and 6-7 Luciano de Souza (8.5 ppg) is solid, but could stand to increase its scoring. 6-8 Luiz Toledo, who averaged 13.6 ppg at St. Francis Xavier University in Canada, could end up being another inside scoring option for Idaho.

Nevada (last NCAA: 2007) Assistant David Carter takes over for Mark Fox, who left for a BCS conference gig (Georgia). The Wolf Pack underwent some roster changes in the offseason. Most notably, 6-6 F Malik Cooke (9.6 ppg. 6.2 rpg) transferred and 6-8 F Ahyaro Phillips got kicked off the team, but the two leaders of the team, 6-9 Luke Babbitt (16.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and 6-3 Armon Johnson (15.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg) are back. The two Reno products can't do it all by themselves, though. Carter expects to get more out of returnees Brandon Fields, who averaged 9.4 points per contest coming off the bench last year, Jerry Shaw (7.4 ppg, 4 rpg), and Dario Hunt (3.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg). The fact that two recruits, highly-regarded Devonte Elliott and Jerry Evans, Jr., couldn't get eligible hurts. 6-9 Serbian F Marko Cukic is eligible, though, and he'll see plenty of action. Nevada has another tough schedule lined up, with games atUNLV, VCU, Pacific, and North Carolina lined up, to go along with home tilts against Houston, Portland, and games at the Christmas week Las Vegas Classic against BYU and either Nebraska or Tulsa.

New Mexico State (last NCAA: 2007) Coach Marvin Menzies brings everyone back from a team that led the WAC in scoring last season. Unfortunately, the Aggies were the bizarro Louisiana Tech, finishing dead last in defense. Still, NMSU won 9 games last time out, and if they can get more stops they'll be a serious postseason threat. Four Aggies averaged in double-figures last year, starters Jahmar Young (17.9 ppg, 4 rpg), 3-point specialist Jonathan Gibson (14.1 ppg), and inside force Wendell McKines (12.1 ppg, 10 rpg), and reserve Troy Gillenwater (12.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg). Pass-first PG Hernst Laroche (5.8 ppg, 4.3 apg) will lead the offense.

Utah State (last NCAA: 2009) Despite losing WAC Player of the Year Gary Wilkinson (17.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and marksman Stavon Williams (6 ppg), the Aggies are again the favorite thanks to who returns. Stew Morrill's backcourt is led by two players who can do a little of everything, Jared Quayle (13.1 ppg, 6 rpg, 3.7 apg) and Tyler Newbold (9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 apg). Jaxon Myaer may see more time this year with the departure of Williams, especially as he's also an effective three-point shooter. In the frontcourt, 6-7 Tai Wesley (12 ppg, 6 rpg) is back while JC transfer Nate Bendall, a 6-8 forward who averaged over 14 points and 6 boards a game for last year's NJCAA champions, Salt Lake CC, is expected to replace Wilkinson. 6-6 freshman Tyrone White may see some time on the wing to help stretch defenses. As usual, the Aggies will be challenged by their in-state rivals, as they visit Utah and host BYU. They also travel to Northeastern and host a four-team round-robin that features Cal State-Fullerton, Morehead State, and Weber State, three teams who will challenge for their respective league crowns.

Utah State is my pick, and they'll hold the WAC's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. Of course, the big question is whether the conference can manage multiple bids this season. The talent is certainly there at the top.

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

Preseason All-WAC Team

Player of the Year: Luke Babbitt, 6-9 F, So. (Nevada)

Remainder of the Team
Roderick Flemings, 6-7 F, Sr. (Hawai'i)
Mac Hopson, 6-2 G, Sr. (Idaho)
Adrian Oliver, 6-4 G, Jr. (San Jose State)
Jahmar Young, 6-5 G, Jr. (New Mexico State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the WAC this season?

Boise State

2 votes

Fresno State

0 votes

Hawai'i

1 votes

Idaho

6 votes

Louisiana Tech

2 votes

Nevada

4 votes

New Mexico State

2 votes

San Jose State

0 votes

Utah State

1 votes

18 votes | Poll has closed

Thrill a Minute Thursday Review/Friday Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:26:56 -0000

From start to finish, yesterday was one of the craziest conference tournament days I've ever experienced. If today is one-tenth as exciting and surprising, it will still be well worth it. Let's get to the recap/preview.

One tourney bid is on the line, and it will be decided in my vicinity. (I will indeed be there.) The top two seeds in the Patriot League American University and College of the Holy Cross meet up at Bender Arena (ESPN2, 4:45 EDT). The Eagles are looking for their second straight conference crown, while the Crusaders look to get back to the Dance for the first time since 2007.

There is an almost excessive amount of non-championship conference tournament action going on today.

ACC Quarterfinals (all games on ESPN2 outside of ACC country and Raycom inside it)

Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina (12 EDT) - The Hokies probably knocked Miami out of the conversation yesterday. They can make their case a lot stronger by knocking off the Tar Heels today. UNC, meanwhile, has to like the carnage that took place among the potential #1 seeds yesterday.
Georgia Tech vs. Florida State (2:30 EDT*) - The Yellow Jackets next step in replicating Georgia's run through the SEC tournament last year, knocking out a Seminole team that's now fighting for a top four seed.
Maryland vs. Wake Forest (7 EDT) - The Terps did what they had to do last night. Now they look to get another big win for their resume against a Demon Deacon team who is now very much back in the two seed conversation.
Boston College vs. Duke (9:30 EDT*) - The Eagles are looking good for a bid. They now look to improve their seeding with a second win over the Blue Devils this season.

A-10 Semifinals (FS Ohio/MASN/Cox RI/Comcast Network)

Xavier vs. Temple (6:30 EDT) - After making it five in a row over St. Joe's, the Owls could make the A10 a three-bid league if they can beat the Musketeers.
Dayton vs. Duquesne (9 EDT*) - The Dukes pretty much ended URI's at-large hopes last night, but they probably need to win the auto bid to get in. The Flyers should be safe after defeating Richmond.

Big East Semifinals (all games on ESPN)

Louisville vs. Villanova (7 EDT) - Dwayne Anderson gave the Wildcats a win over a plucky Marquette side yesterday afternoon. Now they have to face a Cardinal team who all but ended Providence's hopes and probably has a better shot at holding on to a #1 seed than previously thought, thanks to the upsets in the night session.
West Virginia vs. Syracuse (9:30 EDT*) - How much do the Orange have left after winning that historic battle against UConn last night? While SU defeated the Mountaineers by 13 back on February 4, they had a full week off before that game. WVU, confident off a thumping of Pitt, should be fresher. But the Orange's momentum can't be discounted.

Big Ten Quarterfinals

Minnesota vs. Michigan State (ESPN, 12 EDT) - The Gophers should be safe after bursting Northwestern's bubble yesterday, but a win over Sparty would almost surely lock up a bid.
Wisconsin vs. Ohio State (ESPN, 2:30 EDT*) - The 4/5 quarterfinal features two teams who have to feel much better about their chances right now.
Michigan vs. Illinois (Big Ten, 6:30 EDT) - The Wolverines had little trouble with Iowa yesterday. Next, they look to win the rubber match against an Illini team who has dropped two straight..
Penn State vs. Purdue (Big Ten, 9 EDT*) - The Nittany Lions made sure they took care of Indiana. Like Michigan, they look to win the rubber match against their opposition, a Boilermaker team that's dropped two in a row.

Big 12 Semifinals (Games on Big 12/Altitude/Full Court)

Baylor vs. Texas (7 EDT) - While the Bears defeated Kansas yesterday, they're still on the fringe of consideration. The Longhorns ended Kansas State's hopes and now look to do the same to their in-state rivals, all while pushing to a conference title that may boost their seed.
Oklahoma State vs. Missouri (9:30 EDT*) - It was a sweet victory for the Cowboys last night. Not only did they probably lock up a bid, they closed the door on archrival Oklahoma's chances for a #1 seed. The Tigers stopped Texas Tech's attempt at a Cinderella run, pulling away in the second half. If MU can consistently do that at a neutral site, that should boost their seeding.

Big West Semifinals (all games on ESPNU)

Cal State-Northridge vs. UC Santa Barbara (8:30 EDT) and Long Beach State vs. Pacific (11 EDT*) - The top 4 seeds are still alive for the auto bid. Northridge swept UCSB and Long Beach swept the UOP during the regular season.

Conference USA Semifinals (all games on CBS CS)

Memphis vs. Houston (4 EDT) - The Cougars had a late night, defeating UTEP in OT. Now they have to face a Tiger team with aspirations for the top line on their home court.
UAB vs. Tulsa (6:30 EDT*) - The Blazers look to keep their at-large hopes alive by avenging a one-point loss at the Reynolds Center on January 28.

MWC Semifinals (all games on the mtn./CBS CS)

BYU vs. San Diego State (9 EDT) - That's three wins in three tries for the Aztecs over UNLV, with two of those coming at the Thomas & Mack Center. That fact should be enough to get SDSU in. A win over the Cougars today would really give them some breathing room.
Utah vs. Wyoming (11:30 EDT*) - The Utes escaped TCU thanks to a Lawrence Borha 3 in the dying seconds. They next take on the sixth-seeded Cowboys, who seriously dented New Mexico's at-large hopes last night, 75-67.

Pac-10 Semifinals (all games on (FSN/selected CSN outlets)

Arizona State vs. Washington (9 EDT) - The Sun Devils may have snapped their archrival Arizona's tourney streak. They could give their seed a boost by continuing their run in this tournament. The Huskies started their run at the title by defeating Stanford, 85-73.
UCLA vs. USC (11:30 EDT) - The Trojans upended California thanks in part to an errant inbound pass in the last throes. Now they find themselves back in the discussion and facing a cross-town semifinal. The rival Bruins beat Washington State by 11 in their quarterfinal.

SEC Quarterfinals (all games on Raycom/Full Court/FS South/Sun Sports)

Kentucky vs. LSU (1 EDT) - The Wildcats got by Ole Miss pretty easily. Next up is a Tiger team looking to snap a two-game skid and who beat UK by 3 at Rupp two weeks ago.
Mississippi State vs. South Carolina (3:30 EDT*) - MSU won the battle of the Bulldogs yesterday. Now they have a chance to knock the Gamecocks out.
Alabama vs. Tennessee (7:30 EDT) - So much for Vanderbilt's viability as an at-large candidate, as the Tide took care of them last night. Now they take on a Vol team they just stunned on Sunday afternoon at Thompson-Boling.
Florida vs. Auburn (10 EDT*) - The Gators pulled away from Arkansas in the second half. This one is a straight-up elimination game now.

Southland Semifinals (all games on Full Court)

Second-seeded Nicholls State takes on 6 seed Texas-San Antonio (7 EDT*), while top seed Stephen F. Austin faces fourth-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (9:30 EDT*). The Colonels lost their only meeting with the Roadrunners (at home), while the Lumberjacks won their only meeting with the Islanders (on the road).

WAC Semifinals

Utah State vs. New Mexico State (no TV, 9;30 EDT) and Nevada vs. Louisiana Tech (ESPN2, 11;59 EDT) - The favorites remain on course to meet for the title tomorrow night.

The MAC semifinals (Ball State vs. Buffalo (7:30 EDT) and Akron vs. Bowling Green (10 EDT) will also be on FS Ohio and FS Detroit.

Soaking In A Perfect Homecoming

Nestor — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:02:16 -0000

Let me start my Monday here on BN sharing with you all the highlight of my Southern California vacation so far. As I mentioned yesterday Mrs. N and I were able to make it to Pauley Pavillion yesterday and meet up with some good friends and also be able to witness this:

Photo Credit: E. Corpuz

Coach’s first game in his House this season:

The image of Wooden, who was attending his first game at Pauley Pavilion this season, drew a minute-long standing ovation from the nearly 10,000 fans in attendance, many of whom began chanting his name as play resumed.

"To me, the most special part of the (game) was seeing coach Wooden," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "It was nice to have coach Wooden here joining us for his first game of the season at Pauley Pavilion. It's always a big effort for him to come, so we're always delighted and happy whenever he can make it out."

Well can’t really describe how blessed we all felt to sit few rows behind the legend and be able to soak in the moment.

We got to Westwood a little early yesterday am so that we could get in our share of annual shopping at the Ackerman Bear Wear. The game day atmosphere within the store was pretty fun as everyone seem to be ravaging through the t-shirt/sweatshirt racks, and the cheer squad was leading full throated 8 claps through the store.

After the game we went straight down to the court and we got a chance to meet the Caretaker of Westwood for the first time since he took over our program. It was pretty surreal. I told CBH not to ever even think about leaving us and he had a quick retort in saying, "I am not planning to leave unless you get rid of me." I have been pretty much on cloud nine since that moment.

Oh about the game … I think watching these guys up close … I got the sense this is a different team than the one we saw few weeks ago in New York. Their defense looks so much together and so much more disciplined and patient on offense. As for the lead storyline, no question who was the MVP of yesterday’s afternoon’s game:

If there was any concern about how Shipp would perform after suffering an ulnar collateral ligament sprain Dec. 19 in practice, he put all doubts to rest during a 48-second span late in the first half, delivering a pair of monster left-handed dunks, the latter set up by one of Darren Collison's season-high 10 assists.

"I usually don't dunk with my left (hand), but I was on that side, so I just threw it down with my left," Shipp said. "I was open and I just went for it. I live in the moment and just let it flow and play as hard as I can. It was a little sore, but it's part of the game. You play through it."

JS was simply fun to watch. He was on defensively. Also, I am not sure if there is anyone else in the team that runs the court so hard as him. He was attacking the rim and finishing strong:

Photo Credit: E. Corpuz

No doubt it was a nice lift for his team-mates as noted by JH in the LA Times:

"I think we feel more comfortable when he's on the floor," said guard Jrue Holiday, who scored 12 points. "He's a leader, so just having his presence really helps."

In addition to JS’s strong return, as mentioned above the defense was fun to watch. I have to say you don’t really get to appreciate the intensity and toughness of Ben Ball warriors unless you see these guys in person. The double teaming yesterday afternoon was suffocating:

Photo Credit: E. Corpuz

We could sense the haplessness of the Bulldogs when they were getting stuck on the offensive end. And there was AA2 leading the way in sacrificing his body by taking charges. CBH was all fired up from the efforts of AA2 and rest of Bruin forwards:

The interior defensive presence of Alfred Aboya, Drew Gordon and James Keefe helped UCLA force 21 turnovers and limit the Bulldogs to zero fast-break points enroute to its 36th straight home win against an unranked nonconference opponent.

"I thought our defense was very good in the first half," Bruins coach Ben Howland said. "I think we're doing a good job of getting back (in transition). But the way Alfred is crashing the boards, his intensity cannot be overstated."

DG’s athletic ability is amazing. It’s clear when he comes into the game he brings up the energy and intensity to another level. He is also not shy about attacking the rim:

Photo Credit: E. Corpuz

IIRC he missed than one. :-) It was pretty hilarious. The kid was embarrassed but he was a good sport and we all had a great laugh. But he is not going to have those misses down the line. If he stays with his current progression pace, he is going to be some kind of player in the coming years.

I think JK needs to settle down a bit. He is doing all right on the defensive end but seems like he is starting to think a little too much on the offensive. He can probably learn a thing or two from AA2 who seems to have develop a natural ability to drive towards the basket on the offensive side. AA2 is no longer thinking too much out there as he is attacking the rim almost instinctively and looking even comfortable from the FT line. We always knew what we were going to get from AA2 on the defensive side, but it’s becoming a treat to see him go through a RH like evolution.

Speaking of picking things up how about JA? While ML has been becoming on in last few games (he looked all right yesterday even though he wasn’t dressed for the game. He seemed to moving around ok. Hopefully we will get some encouraging newsy today), yesterday it was JA’s turn to flash his potential. He was smooth, driving the lane, knocking down couple of long bombs, being patient on offense, and also playing solid defense.

Of course it helps JA that he is playing being an AA point guard who has quietly been putting together a fairly awesome pre-season. DC didn’t score a FG yesterday but it didn’t matter much as he racked up a season high 10 assists, looking in total command of team ready for the conference season. Here is Coach Howland on his pre-season AA pg:

"Darren is really not interested in who is scoring," Howland said. "He's a guy who could've gone to the NBA, but he wanted to come back and lead this team to winning. Ten assists and only one turnover shows his maturity. He knows he's our best player. He's our most important guy night in and night out."

Even JH seem to shake of the rust from last couple of games and early funk in the first half with a strong finish in the second half. JH stayed with it on the defensive end and around the boards, finishing with a double-double.

LAT described CBH as "guardedly pleased" heading into conference season:

Coach Ben Howland sounded guardedly pleased on a number of fronts. He liked his defense and the contributions from the bench.

"I actually thought it was a good game for us from the standpoint of playing [against] a lot of zone," he said. "Because Oregon State . . . is a team that plays 40 minutes of zone."

Hopefully we will able to sustain the momentum and improvements from last few games and get off to a good start in Corvallis. I am sure the Beavers are going to be fired up for our game making to look a blockbuster statement to usher in the Pac-10 season under the new coach. Given what we have seen from our last few games, I am encouraged about the focus in our young team.

Again, over all a great afternoon in Pauley which so far has been the exclamation point for a perfect homecoming trip to Southern California. After the game was over we were able to meet up with Achilles, Menelaus and Meriones for a nice Sunday evening happy hour in Westwood, which was a lot of fun. As I mentioned in our Holiday post, I think we are in the middle of what should be one of the more prosperous eras in Bruin athletics given who we have in charge of our major sports programs. We could sense that Bruin vibe of optimism all around Westwood yesterday. Good times.

GO BRUINS.