SB Nation - Morgan St. Bears

Baylor vs. Alabama Liveblog

big12hoops — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:21:47 -0000

Senior guard Tweety Carter will make his season debut tonight in Baylor's biggest test of the year against Alabama. Carter was suspended for the first four games of the season for an undisclosed team violation.

View full size photo »

Baylor vs. Alabama liveblog online.
Begins at 5:30pm CST tonight.

Next Game

Alabama Crimson Tide
@ Baylor Bears

Thursday, Nov 26, 2009, 5:30 PM CST
Old Spice Classic - Disney`s Sports Complex, Orlando, FL

Continue For liveblog and full game preview>

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Baylor Bears Basketball News

Alabama (2-1) vs. Baylor (4-0)
(Sports Network) about 8 hours ago.

Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball News

Alabama (2-1) vs. Baylor (4-0)
(Sports Network) about 8 hours ago.
Recap: Alabama vs. Providence
(Sports Network) 5 days ago.
Providence (3-0) at Alabama (1-1)
(Sports Network) 6 days ago.
Recap: Alabama vs. Cornell
(Sports Network) 12 days ago.
Cornell (0-0) at Alabama (0-0)
(Sports Network) 12 days ago.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
BAYLOR	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
LaceDarius Dunn	4	29.3	8.5	17.8	47.9	4.8	10.3	46.3	3.5	3.8	93.3	0.8	2.0	2.8	2.0	1.0	1.3	0.0	1.5	25.3
Ekpe Udoh	4	29.3	6.8	9.3	73.0	0.3	0.5	50.0	2.0	4.5	44.4	3.0	5.8	8.8	1.5	1.5	0.5	3.0	1.0	15.8
Quincy Acy	4	21.0	3.0	4.5	66.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	2.3	55.6	2.5	3.3	5.8	0.3	0.8	0.3	0.8	1.8	7.3
A.J. Walton	4	32.8	2.8	4.8	57.9	0.8	1.0	75.0	0.5	1.8	28.6	1.0	4.0	5.0	5.0	3.0	3.0	0.0	2.5	6.8
Josh Lomers	4	15.5	2.3	3.5	64.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	1.8	71.4	1.5	1.8	3.3	0.5	0.5	0.5	1.3	2.5	5.8
Anthony Jones	4	25.0	2.3	6.8	33.3	0.0	1.3	0.0	0.5	1.8	28.6	2.0	3.8	5.8	3.3	1.0	0.3	0.8	0.3	5.0
Cory Jefferson	3	11.0	1.7	3.7	45.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	2.0	66.7	1.7	1.7	3.3	0.0	0.7	0.7	0.3	0.7	4.7
Nolan Dennis	4	14.5	1.3	3.8	33.3	0.3	1.5	16.7	1.5	3.3	46.2	0.3	0.8	1.0	1.3	2.0	0.8	0.3	1.8	4.3
Dragan Sekelja	3	7.3	1.3	2.0	66.7	0.3	0.3	100.0	0.7	1.3	50.0	0.3	1.7	2.0	0.3	1.0	0.0	1.0	1.3	3.7
Fred Ellis	4	10.0	0.8	1.3	60.0	0.5	0.8	66.7	0.8	1.0	75.0	1.3	1.5	2.8	0.8	1.3	0.5	0.0	1.8	2.8
Givon Crump	3	7.3	0.3	2.7	12.5	0.3	2.3	14.3	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.3	3.0	3.3	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3
Oscar Griffin	3	4.7	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.7	0.7	100.0	0.0	0.3	0.3	1.0	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.3	1.3

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
ALABAMA	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Mikhail Torrance	3	30.7	6.0	11.7	51.4	1.0	2.7	37.5	5.3	6.0	88.9	1.3	3.3	4.7	5.0	1.7	1.0	1.0	1.0	18.3
JaMychal Green	3	26.7	5.0	11.0	45.5	0.0	0.3	0.0	5.0	7.0	71.4	2.7	6.0	8.7	0.7	1.3	1.0	3.3	3.3	15.0
Anthony Brock	1	34.0	5.0	8.0	62.5	3.0	4.0	75.0	2.0	2.0	100.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	3.0	0.0	2.0	15.0
Tony Mitchell	3	19.3	5.3	8.3	64.0	0.0	1.3	0.0	2.3	4.3	53.8	2.0	1.7	3.7	0.7	0.0	1.0	0.3	2.3	13.0
Charvez Davis	3	18.3	2.7	6.3	42.1	2.0	5.0	40.0	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.3	1.3	1.7	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	7.7
Senario Hillman	3	31.7	2.7	8.7	30.8	0.3	2.3	14.3	0.3	1.0	33.3	0.7	1.0	1.7	4.3	3.0	1.3	0.0	3.0	6.0
Justin Knox	3	16.3	0.7	3.7	18.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.3	5.3	81.3	3.0	2.0	5.0	0.7	1.7	0.3	0.0	2.3	5.7
Andrew Steele	3	18.0	1.7	3.0	55.6	0.3	0.7	50.0	1.0	2.7	37.5	2.0	2.0	4.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	4.7
Chris Hines	3	16.3	1.0	1.7	60.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.3	2.3	0.3	1.0	0.7	1.3	3.3	2.0
Ben Eblen	3	11.3	0.3	1.3	25.0	0.0	0.7	0.0	1.0	2.0	50.0	0.0	0.7	0.7	1.3	0.7	0.3	0.0	0.7	1.7

Bears Basketball Schedule

Next 5 Games

Alabama	Thu 11/26	5:30 PM CST
@ Arizona St.	Thu 12/03	9:30 PM CST
Jackson St.	Tue 12/15	7:00 PM CST
Texas-Arlington	Sun 12/20	2:00 PM CST
@ Arkansas	Wed 12/30	8:00 PM CST

Last 5 Games

Hardin-Simmons	Sun 11/22	W 106 - 45
Southern U.	Mon 11/16	W 61 - 45
Hartford	Sun 11/15	W 71 - 69
Norfolk St.	Fri 11/13	W 86 - 58

Crimson Tide Basketball Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ Baylor	Thu 11/26	5:30 PM CST
North Florida	Wed 12/02	7:00 PM CST
Louisiana-Monroe	Sat 12/05	12:00 PM CST
Purdue	Sat 12/12	8:00 PM CST
Samford	Wed 12/16	7:00 PM CST

Last 5 Games

Providence	Fri 11/20	W 84 - 75
Jackson St.	Tue 11/17	W 86 - 69
Cornell	Sat 11/14	L 67 - 71

Baylor Guard Carter Suspended

editor@big12hoops.com — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:07:25 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

Penn State's Talor Battle (12) reacts next to Baylor's Tweety Carter (45) during the second half of the NIT championship college basketball game Thursday, April 2, 2009, in New York. Penn State won the game 69-63.

Browse more photos »

Mark Allan Peterson
Managing Editor
editor@big12hoops.com

Baylor Senior point guard Tweety Carter received a four-game suspension to begin to 2009-2010 season, according to head coach Scott Drew.

Drew said Carter was suspended for rules violations, but did not go into details on the nature of the suspension.

The 5-foot-10 Carter will miss Friday's season opener against Norfolk State, as well as games against Hartford, Southern and Hardin-Simmons. Carter is expected to return for Baylor's biggest test to start the season, a Thankgiving Day game against Alabama in the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Florida.

Carter, the only McDonald's American in school history, averaged a career high 10.6 points and 3.2 assists as a junior for the Bears. He is expected to take over for the departed Curtis Jerrells at the starting point guard position.

In his place tonight, Baylor is expected to start freshman A.J. Walton.

BtB 2009-10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:04:19 -0000

The 2009 offseason was one of comings and goings in the MEAC. For a period of a day, the conference's membership stood at 13. On September 10, the conference invited North Carolina Central to become member number 13. NCCU was actually a founding member of the MEAC back in 1969, but the Eagles withdrew a decade later, as they dropped down to Division II and joined the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. They left that conference after the 2006-07 season to start the classification process for Division I. NCCU will become an official member for the 2010-11 academic year.

The conference's membership dropped back down to 12 the very next day; however, as Winston-Salem State decided to drop back down to Division II. Their former conference, the CIAA, invited them back on October 2.

Meanwhile, Savannah State, a Division I independent, waits. The Tigers originally applied to the MEAC in 2005, but their application was placed on hold while they were on NCAA probation. However, their admission wasn't announced at the same time as NCCU's. SSU officials are hopeful about their prospects, especially as the MEAC plans to expand to "up to 14 schools." Yet, they still have no firm word about their fate.

On the court, it appears everyone will again be chasing defending champion Morgan State. More after the jump.

Let's first take a look at last season's MEAC standings.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Standings

(updated 3.20.2009 at 2:52 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Morgan St. Bears	13	3	23	12
S. Carolina St. Bulldogs	10	6	17	14
Bethune-Cookman Wildcats	9	7	17	16
N.C. A&T Aggies	9	7	16	16
Norfolk St. Spartans	9	7	13	18
Coppin St. Eagles	9	7	13	19
Hampton Pirates	8	8	16	16
Florida A&M Rattlers	6	10	10	21
Howard Bisons	6	10	8	23
Delaware St. Hornets	6	10	8	24
Md.-Eastern Shore Hawks	3	13	7	23
Winston-Salem Rams	0	0	8	22

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order, starting with Winston Salem State, who is ineligible for the conference title..

Winston-Salem State (last NCAA: None) Had the Rams remained in Division I, this would have been their final transitional year. Since they aren't, Bobby Collins' squad will try to improve on the 8 wins they earned last year. Guards Brian Fisher (13.9 ppg) and Diontae Gibson (6.9 ppg) and forward Paul Davis (6.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg) will lead the way.

Maryland-Eastern Shore (last NCAA: None) The Hawks finished last among the teams that were eligible for the MEAC title last year, and that probably won't change this year. The biggest reason UMES will probably struggle is lack of backcourt experience, as starters Jaime Boyer (6.1 ppg) and Marc Davis (5.6 ppg) have moved on (and they didn't exactly light up the scoreboard themselves). Frankie Allen's squad will be frontcourt-oriented thanks to the return of 6-6 F Neal Pitts, who averaged 16 points and 8 boards a contest last year. The Hawks will also feature St. Bonaventure transfer Hillary Haley, another 6-6 forward, who averaged almost 6 points a game in his time with the Bonnies.

Howard (last NCAA: 1992) The Bison would have won more than 6 MEAC games last year if they had been better defensively, where they ranked as one of the worst outfits in the nation. Offensively, the team will miss the only starter they lost, 6-5 guard Eugene Myatt, who averaged almost 16 points a game. Junior guard Kyle Riley and 3-point specialist Curtis White (5.9 ppg, 34.5% from 3-point land) are capable of boosting their production to make up for Myatt's departure. In the frontcourt, center Paul Kirkpatrick (7.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and forwards Kandi Mukole (4.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Adam Walker (4.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) will have to step their games up. Howard will be challenged by four games at the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Florida, including contests at UCF and in Daytona Beach against Akron and Niagara.

Florida A&M (last NCAA: 2007) Like the Bison, the Rattlers struggled mightily on defense last season. They also struggled on the boards, where 6-8 F Yannick Crowder (5.2 rpg) and 6-6 Larry Jackson (4.4 rpg) are the only serious returning threats. So, Eugene Harris signed some bigger guys this year, led by 6-8 JC transfer Jeremy Lightfoot, 6-7 Diamon Alexander, and 6-6 Travis Wallace. Leading scorer Lamar Twitty (11 ppg) is also gone, and so are two-thirds of the starting backcourt, Joe Ballard (6.9 ppg) and Byron Taylor (2.6 ppg). Brandon Bryant is the leading returning scorer (10.1 ppg). and he'll be joined in a revamped guard unit by returnee Dale Hughes (9.5 ppg) and JC transfer Rasheem Jenkins.

Delaware State (last NCAA: 2005) The Hornets usually feature at the top of the league, so last season's 6-10 conference mark, their first losing MEAC campaign since '99-'00, was a major disappointment. Del State's big issue last season was offensive production, which may not improve thanks to the graduation of two of the team's three leading scorers from a year ago--G Donald Johnson (12.3 ppg) and F Arturo Dubois (9 ppg). 6-6 F Frisco Sandidge is back (10.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg) though, but he'll need help from guards Marcus Neal (8.4 ppg) and Trevor Welcher (5.4 ppg), along with frontcourt-mate Kris Douse, who only averaged around 4 points a contest last year. Among the newcomers, watch for 6-3 Shannon Newman, son of NBA veteran Johnny Newman, and 5-11 G Jay Threatt, a transfer from George Mason.

Hampton (last NCAA: 2006) The Pirates have a new coach, as Ed Joyner, Jr. replaced Kevin Nickleberry after a .500 campaign, both overall and in the league, in 2008-'09. Like the Hornets, the Pirates couldn't score last year, and were the worst three-point shooting team in the country. However, Hampton returns more starters than DSU, as only 6 point/5 board performer Donte Harrison is gone. Vinny Simpson, the team's leading scorer (11.7 ppg), is a legitimate threat for all-MEAC honors this time around. Joyner's team will feature five other performers who averaged at least 5 points per contest. If he can get them to shoot better, the Pirates should shoot up the standings.

Coppin State (last NCAA: 2008) The Eagles must now begin life without the school's all-time leading scorer Tywain McKee (18.4 ppg), While Coppin lost two other starters, McKee was the impact player for the program. However, head coach Fang Mitchell has plenty of players who can contribute. Four players, led by 6-4 guard Michael Harper, averaged more than 7 points a contest this year. Their averages could very well go up now that McKee has graduated. Center Sam Coleman, a 6-10 senior, should be a player to watch, as he averaged more than 8 points and nearly 5 boards a game last season in a reserve role. Mitchell dialed down the team's always rough non-league schedule a bit this year. The Eagles will play Loyola (MD) at home and travel to local schools Navy and UMBC. Their longer road trips include visits to rebuilding Colorado and USC and NCAA tourney squads Michigan, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia.

Bethune-Cookman (last NCAA: None) A 17-16 record wouldn't be considered impressive at most D-I schools, but for the Wildcats, the mark represented their first ever winning season at this level. The key player for head coach Cliff Reed is his son, C.J., who was the MEAC Newcomer of the Year last time around. C.J. Reed averaged 15 points and nearly 4 assists per contest last time around. However, he'll have to take better care of the ball as a sophomore. Cliff Reed has his other four starters back too, but he'll need more points out of them, as 6-6 forward Alexander Starling was the team's second leading scorer, only averaging 7.5 ppg. Starling can rebound though, as he averaged more than 7 boards a contest. Depth could also be an issue, and the newcomers, led by 6-9, 320 pound center Albert Abrahams and 6-3 guard Aric Williams, will have to contribute immediately for B-CU to seriously challenge.

South Carolina State (last NCAA: 2003) Tim Carter's team won 17 games overall and 10 in the MEAC in his inaugural season in Orangeburg, but he'll have a hard time matching that total thanks to two key departures. Leading scorer and rebounder Jason Johnson (13.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg) graduated and freshman guard (8.6 ppg. 4.6 rpg) transferred, meaning returning starters Jason Flagler (12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Carrio Bennett (7.6 ppg) will have more work to do this season. Johnson's graduation also means that the Bulldogs' backcourt is their strength, as Carter will have to rely on a mostly new crop of forwards, led by 6-7 Stony Brook transfer Rio Pitt and 6-7 JC transfer Joe Wright.

North Carolina A&T (last NCAA: 1995) Despite the loss of two starters, including leading scorer Ed Jones (12.8 ppg), the Aggies should remain a serious threat in this league, thanks to the presence of 6-foot guard Tavarus Alston (11 ppg, 4.1 apg, 1.8 spg). He'll get the ball to A&T's two returning frontcourt starters, 6-6 Robert Johnson (9.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and 6-9 C Thomas Coleman (7.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg), who could turn into the best unit in the league. Alston will be joined in the backcourt by 6-2 Dwane Joshua (6.9 ppg) who will see more time this season, as Jerry Eaves' squad becomes less frontcourt-oriented.

Norfolk State (last NCAA: None) The Spartans got great news in the offseason when the MEAC's leading scorer, Michael DeLoach (21.4 ppg, 2.7 apg) was granted an extra year of eligibility for academic progress. Aleek Pauline (6.7 ppg, 3.8 apg) joins DeLoach in the backcourt, and while he'll continue to feed DeLoach, he'll be looking for new targets in the frontcourt. That's because NSU's second leading scorer, 6-4 forward Corey Lyons (15.3 ppg), graduated. 6-9 forward Kyle O'Quinn (5.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and 6-11 center Joseph Dorsett-Jeffreys (4.9 ppg, 2.9 apg) make up the rest of the frontcourt crew for the Spartans. NSU's ultimate success may depend on how Anthony Evans' transfers--G Rob Hampton (Drexel), F Marcos Tamares (UMBC), and C Christian Morris (Rutgers)--fit in with the team.

Morgan State (last NCAA: 2009) Todd Bozeman has built the Bears into the MEAC powerhouse at the moment, as they've won the last two regular season crowns and last year's tournament title. To repeat last year's double, Bozeman will have to replace three key starters, led by 6-5 forward Marquise Kately (11 ppg). The frontcourt should remain solid without him, however, as 6-8 sophomore Kevin Thompson averaged almost 9 points and more than 7 boards a game off the bench. 6-10 C Rodney Stokes (4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) is one of the two returning starters for Morgan, but the other is their key player, 6-4 guard Reggie Stokes, who averaged almost 17 points and 5.5 boards a game. However, Bozeman will have to replace his other two backcourt starters, Jermaine Bolden and Roger Barnes, who both averaged around 9 points a game. Cleveland State transfer Joe Davis will fit a shooting guard role alongside Stokes, while JC transfer Danny Smith will replace Bolden at the point.

The Bears are my pick to repeat, so they'll hold the MEAC's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-MEAC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-MEAC Team

Player of the Year: Michael Deloach, 6-0 G, Sr. (Norfolk State)

Remainder of the Team
Tavarus Alston, 6-0 G, Sr. (North Carolina A&T)
Jason Flagler, 6-4 F, Sr. (South Carolina State)
Reggie Holmes, 6-4 F, Sr. (Morgan State)
Frisco Sandidge, 6-6 F, Sr. (Delaware State)

Poll

Which team is your pick to win the MEAC this season? (Note that Winston-Salem State is not listed as they are ineligible.)

Bethune-Cookman

2 votes

Coppin State

0 votes

Delaware State

1 votes

Florida A&M

0 votes

Hampton

0 votes

Howard

0 votes

Maryland-Eastern Shore

1 votes

Morgan State

3 votes

Norfolk State

1 votes

North Carolina A&T

0 votes

South Carolina State

0 votes

8 votes | Poll has closed

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

My Tournament Picks

SHammonds — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:49:43 -0000

Everyone by now has filled out their brackets. It is a national pastime that usually leads to someone's girlfriend beating them because she picked teams based on their mascots or jerseys. Its embarrassing, but usually happens. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how my night at the bar goes) I don't have a girlfriend, so there is no embarrassment in posting my 2009 Tournament picks. However, to those of you with girlfriends, beware of the mascot trick. It gets you every time.

Without further ado, here are my picks!

Now I know they may be hard to see. Just click on the picture and it will blow up larger for you, if you're so inclined.

Also, these are not the official Blogger So Dear bracket picks. These are my own, which is why they differ. The official picks were broken down region by region earlier today and yesterday.

Brief explanations after the jump...

EAST REGION (picks in bold)

1 Pitt vs. 16 E. Tennessee St. - Pitt is just too good. KenPom gives E. Tennessee St. a 6% chance of winning this game, and honestly, that may still be too high. The 2nd most efficient offensive team, with the 34th most efficient defense, Pitt is too well rounded for the 112th ranked, undersized (185 in effective height) Bucs.

8 Oklahoma St. vs. 9 Tennessee - Unlike the Bucs, this section of Tennessee is not undersized at all, ranking 50th in effective height. This will be a very close game against the 32nd ranked Vols and the 33rd ranked Cowboys. KenPom splits this game down the middle, but the size and big game experience of Tennessee give them the edge in this close close game. Honestly, the only thing that pushes this the Vols way is that Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism have been there while Anderson hasn't.

5 FSU vs. 12 Wisonsin - Well, Wisconsin shouldn't be in the tournament, and they won't last long. KenPom disagrees, giving the 'Noles a 47% chance of winning, but I just feel like Toney Douglas is too hot right now for a slow, less-athletic Badgers team to stop. Also, FSU's defense is vastly underrated, they are the 12th most efficient defense in the nation, actually more efficient than Wisconsin's (59). I just think Toney Douglas is on a mission.

4 Xavier vs. 13 Portland St. - Despite this game basically being a home game for the 119th ranked Vikings, I think that 24th ranked Xavier has is locked up. They are a tall bunch, ranked 19th in effective height. Portland St. is 187th. Also, while the Vikings rarely get to the stripe (324 in the nation in FTA/FGA), Xavier is 5th in the same stat, getting 23% of their points from the stripe.

6 UCLA vs. 11 VCU - Somewhat of a gut pick. Eric Maynor is playing lights out, and they stomped George Mason in the CAA title game. VCU is very well rounded, scoring 27% of their points behind the arc and 20% from the stripe. They are 61st in the country in effective FG%. UCLA is the 3rd most efficient offensive team, and usually a Final Four lock, but Eric Maynor can easily be the best player on the court if he plays well, and Larry Sanders will clog up the middle, disrupting the two point scoring ability of UCLA, where they get 57% of their points (58th in the nation).

3 Villanova vs. 14 American - Game is in Philly, Villanova has only lost once there this year...to the #1 ranked team in the country...by one point. No upset here.

7 Texas vs. 10 Minnesota - Texas is the 28th ranked team in the nation, while Minny is 45th. Texas is very big (54th in effective height) and well rounded (47th offensively, 29th defensively). They do get a bulk of their point from inside the line (60%), which could be a problem against the #1 ranked team in Block Percentage, but A.J. shoots around 40% outside the arc, and is too good to let his team lose to an inexperienced (307th ranked) Minny squad.

2 Duke vs. 15 Binghampton - D.J. Rivera is good, but Duke is 4th in O-efficiency and 17th in D-efficiency...no upset here.

SOUTH REGION

1 UNC vs. 16 Radford - Game is in Greensboro; with or without Lawson, this game's a rout.

8 LSU vs. 9 Butler - If J'Nathan Bullock can take over against Matt Howard, imagine what Tasmin Mitchell can do. Butler is good, but too young and not as athletic as the Tigers. Go with LSU. 24th in experience against 341st, and their best player matched up against Mitchell, it just seems like a no-brainer to me, but I have been wrong before.

5 Illinois vs. 12 Western Kentucky - This game was close. We all know about Illinois scoring struggles. That said, they are still the 23rd ranked team in KenPom and have the 4th most efficient defense. Thats just too good for the Hilltoppers, who are much shorter (224th nationally vs. 13th nationally) and are only 67th in O-efficiency.

4 Gonzaga vs. 13 Akron - Akron isn't good, the game is in Portland, look elsewhere for your upset. 5th in KenPom vs. 90th.

6 Arizona St. vs. 11 Temple - Its a battle of two great shooting guards, but I think Harden takes it over Christmas. 12th ranked team vs. the 47th ranked team. ASU is the 5th most efficient offensive team and 2nd in effective FG%. Go with the Sun Devils.

3 Syracuse vs. 14 Stephen F. Austin - 'Cuse is not tired. I don't want to hear that excuse. So they played one extra game. Their tournament ended Saturday and they play Friday. Thats enough time. They dispatch of the Lumberjacks.

7 Clemson vs. 10 Michigan - I don't think Michigan should be in the tournament either, and Clemson is better than a 7 seed. They are 22nd via KenPom and have the 11th most efficient offense on top of the 52nd most efficient defense. Look for Booker to overwhelm Sims down low as the Tigers take this game.

2 Oklahoma vs. 15 Morgan State - Love Bozeman's story, but hate to tell him that he's one and done thanks to Blake Griffin.

MIDWEST REGION

1 Louisville vs. 16 Morehead State - Louisville takes their second most efficient defense in the country and shuts down the 341st ranked team in effective height...could be painful to watch.

8 Ohio State vs. 9 Siena - I know I sang the Saints praises all year, but this is a tough draw for them. The Bucks block a lot of shots and are tall. They have the 26th ranked offense, and Evan Turner is good. Siena is a good team, but they get 61% of their points inside the arc (7th in the nation). Those are shots that the taller Buckeyes (Siena is 302nd in effective height) should block or alter. I think it will be close, but Siena doesn't repeat last year's success.

5 Utah vs. 12 Arizona - This is a tough game for me, because I don't think Arizona deserves to be in. That said, Utah is a weak 5 seed. Luke Nevill helps them have a higher offensive rebound percentage than any other team in the country, but they don't force any turnovers at all. Couple that with Arizona's 8th ranked offense and better than average turnover percentage and I think the Wildcats take it.

4 Wake Forest vs. 13 Cleveland State - Basically, I couldn't post this if I had this game going any other way. We all know why Wake wins if they show up, and I think they show up. Cleveland State plays man, so as long as Wake doesn't feel the need to chuck up threes, they win.

6 West Virginia vs. 11 Dayton - WVU is 8th via KenPom, Dayton is 83rd. West Virginia has the 15th ranked offense and 7th ranked defense. Those numbers for Dayton are 142 and 39, respectively. I take WVU in this for those reasons.

3 Kansas vs. 14 North Dakota State - N.D. State is a great team, but not great enough to top the defending champs. Kansas' 20th ranked offense and 15th ranked defense proves too much for the Bison.

7 BC vs. 10 USC - ACC homer pick alert! Southern Cal is much higher via KenPom, and is first in block percentage in the nation. That said, they are only 133 in 3P% allowed, which is where BC gets a quarter of their points. I just think Rice wins this for the Eagles.

2 Michigan St. vs. 15 Robert Morris - MSU is the weakest 2 seed in my opinion, but too strong to be knocked off by RMU. No upset here.

WEST REGION

1 UConn vs. 16 Chattanooga - UConn wins, even without Dyson.

8 BYU vs. Texas A&M - BYU has the 21st ranked offense and the 23rd ranked defense. They love to run, which Texas A&M doesn't (232 in adjusted tempo). A&M gets to the line a lot, but I think BYU will control the tempo and take this game.

5 Purdue vs. 12 UNI - If this were Creighton instead of UNI, I would take Creighton. But it isn't, and I won't. Purdue is 14th via KenPom, and has the 5th ranked defense and 52nd ranked offense. They only allow the 9th lowest effective FG%, compare that to UNI's mediocre effective FG% (65th ranked) and I take Purdue and Hummel.

4 Washington vs. 13 Mississippi St. - A lot of people have this as an upset pick. I disagree. Washington has the 37th ranked offense and 11th ranked defense in the country. Also, the game is in Portland. Washington gets a ton of O-Rebounds too, 3rd in the country in O-rebound percentage. Couple that with a terrible defensive O-Rebounding percentage for Miss St. (264 in the nation) and I think Brockman could get about 500 rebounds.

6 Marquette vs. 11 Utah State - Even without James I think Marquette takes this game. Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal will run all over USU's guards, and Lazar Hayward should match up decently with Wilkinson. USU is a solid team, but keep in mind that Marquette kept every game close even without James.

3 Missouri vs. 14 Cornell - Mizzou is too good to lose this game. Go with Mizzou, no other analysis needed.

7 California vs. 10 Maryland - Here's the thing, Cal is the best shooting 3P team in the nation, but only gets a quarter of their points outside the arc. However, they don't get to the line very often. The problem is, Maryland is even worse in FTA/FGA (334th nationally). However, Cal's defense caters to Maryland's strengths. They allow opponents to score 57% of their points from 2 point range, which is exactly what Maryland likes, scoring 57% of their points within the pain. Also, Greivis is hot, and Gary Williams is a great game coach. I go with Maryland.

2 Memphis vs. 15 CS Northridge - I don't like Memphis, but they are too good to lose this game.

SECOND ROUND

EAST REGION

1 Pitt vs. 9 Tennessee - Pitt again has the second rated offense in the nation, and is first in O-Rebounding percentage. They might not be the tallest bunch, but we all know that Blair plays like a madman around the rim, as evidenced by his domination of Thabeet. Add in Levance Fields and Sam Young and I think they have the talent to make a long long run. Tennessee has a tall team, but allow a 30.3 O-Rebounding percentage against their opponents; not terrible (68th nationally), but couple that with Pitt's stellar percentage and that equals a good amount of second chance buckets that Blair almost always converts.

5 FSU vs. 4 Xavier - Again, I think the play of Toney Douglas pushes FSU over the top in this one. Xavier is efficient on both offense and defense, but I don't think they have an answer for Douglas defensively. They are 337 nationally in Block percentage, which basically means an open lane for Douglas to get into and make things happen. Also, FSU gets to the line pretty often, and are a good FT shooting team. Xavier is above average in opponents FTA/FGA, but I think FSU gets to the line more than Xavier likes, and converts. That coupled with Douglas means a FSU win.

11 VCU vs. 3 Villanova - Like 2007, VCU only wins one tourney game. Villanova gets to the line a lot (31st in FTA/FGA) and converts, (29th in FT%). Larry Sanders will foul those driving guards that 'Nova has. Eric Maynor will put up points on this team that allows 33.9% 3 point shooting, but it won't be enough as VCU doesn't get enough points at the foul line (only 20%) and allows too many O-Rebounds. 'Nova plays a faster game than VCU likes, and I think Wright will push the tempo against a team with not much of a bench.

7 Texas vs. 2 Duke - A lot of people, experts included, have Texas taking this game. I see how it could happen, I just don't see it happening. Duke has the 4th most efficient offense in the nation and the 17th ranked defense. Compare that to Texas' ranks of 47 and 29 respectively. Texas does have some quality bigs in Pittman and Atchley, but they allow 34% from behind the arc, where Duke thrives, getting 28% of their points. Couple that with the 51st ranked FTA/FGA and I believe Duke gets enough from their guards to get the win.

SOUTH REGION

1 UNC vs. 8 LSU - With or without Lawson I see the 'Heels taking this. The nations most efficient offense thrives on Lawson's (the nations most efficient player) contributions, but any of Hansbrough, Ellington, and Green can go off at any point against LSU. I see the Tigers throwing two-three defenders at Hansbrough all game, but unlike FSU, they don't have Toney Douglas. No doubt Marcus Thornton will make an impact, and we all know what Mitchell can do, but LSU plays a slower ball game than UNC (148 nationally) and Frasor can handle the run and gun, albeit not as well as Lawson. I see the 'Heels taking this one regardless of Lawson.

4 Gonzaga vs. 5 Illinois - Unlike WKU, Gonzaga can score efficiently. This game pits the 5th most efficient offense (and 9th ranked defense) against the 4th most efficient defense (but 96th ranked offense). The problem for Illinois will be getting to the line. They are 344th in FTA/FGA, which is terrible. Gonzaga is 26th in the nation in terms of keeping the other team off the stripe. They are 10th in effective FG% and will be one of the most well-oiled offensive machines Illinois has seen all year. Illinois will slow them down, but Gonzaga will return the favor. It will be a low scoring affair, but Gonzaga should take it easily in my opinion.

6 Arizona St. vs. 3 Syracuse - Again, I think 'Cuse will be ready to go, I while I think Harden might be the best player they've seen all year, they have seen a Marquette team with two great guards in Matthews and McNeal. They are 9th in the nation in 3P% allowed, which is huge for ASU as they get 35% of their points behind the arc (29th nationally). ASU is a great offensive team, but I see Syracuse having too many weapons in Flynn, Devendorf, Harris, and Rautins for ASU to take this game.

7 Clemson vs. 2 Oklahoma - Honestly, this will be a battle of the bigs between Booker and Griffin. Booker is a great player, but I don't think he, or anyone else, can slow down Griffin. Oklahoma shoots 56% in their 2 point buckets, Clemson allows 46%. It should be a close enough game, but Oklahoma should get to the line enough (9th in FTA/FGA) to lock this one up.

MIDWEST REGION

1 Louisville vs. 8 Ohio State - This game should be closer than people expect it to be. The game is in Dayton, which should have a good contingent of both teams fans, but I see Ohio State getting the slight advantage in their home state. That said, Louisville has the 2nd rated defense in the nation. They only allow a 44% effective FG%. Ohio State only has the 72nd rated defense, but does have the 9th best effective FG% in the country. The problem is that Ohio State mostly plays zone, and UL gets 33% of their points from behind the arc, so that shouldn't effect them. However, UL's defense is strong both inside and outside the arc. UL should take this.

4 Wake Forest vs. 12 Arizona - Everything I talked about up to this point should convince me to take Arizona in this game. They play zone, Wake only shoots 32% from behind the arc and only gets 15% of their points from there. However, Wake does shoot 54% from within the arc, and is 25th in the nation in terms of getting to the line. Arizona doesn't get to the line, but is 7th in limiting their opponents FTs. That said, they also allow the 214th worst 2P%. If Wake doesn't try and shoot over the zone, they should hit their shots, and get some fouls along the way to winning this game.

6 West Virginia vs. 3 Kansas - I'd like for WVU to take this game, but I don't think it will happen. WVU is a more efficient team offensively and defensively, but don't shoot well from behind the arc, and Kansas is capable running the zone. Kansas is also in the top 53 in all three shooting catergories (3P, 2P, and FT), while WVU peaks at 147 in FT shooting. It will be a close game, but I take Self and the 34th tallest team in the nation over Huggy and the 102nd tallest.

7 Boston College vs. 2 Michigan State - BC barely squeaked by USC in the first round, and I can't honestly take them over MSU in this game. BC has a solid offense, but their defense falls to 132 in the nation. They don't force many turnovers, and aren't above 91 in any allowed shot percentage. MSU doesn't shoot the lights out, but are 5th in O-Rebounding percentage. BC is 311 in O-Rebounding Percentage allowed. That adds up to BC usually allowing MSU to hit shots, and if they don't, letting Suton and Raymar Morgan gobble up boards.

WEST REGION

1 UConn vs. 8 BYU - This should be an interesting game. UConn doesn't play as fast as BYU, but has the third rated defense in the nation in terms of efficiency. They only allow 31% of 3-point shots to fall, and only 40% of shots within the arc to fall. They are also first in the nation in not allowing their opponents to get to the stripe in terms of FTA/FGA. BYU doesn't rely on any shot, evenly spread out between 3-point shots, 2-pointers, and FTs. That said, they shoot very well from behind (33rd nationally) and within (8th nationally) the arc. I'm not sure how much of an impact Thabeet will have as they don't take it to the hoop as hard as others do, but the main difference will be the fact that despite this, UConn is the 2nd tallest team in the nation, and the 34th most experienced. Calhoun will win this for them.

5 Purdue vs. 4 Washington - I like Purdue and Hummel, but they don't match up well with the 6th fastest team in terms of adjusted tempo in the nation. Washington gets a ton of O-Rebounds, blocks a lot of shots, and gets to the line as well as anyone. Compare that to a Purdue team that is 127th in allowing O-Rebounds, and really struggles getting to the line (249th in FTA/FGA) and this game matches up well for Washington. This will be a battle, but free throws and second chance points, coupled with fast break points will win this for Washington.

6 Marquette vs. 3 Missouri - This is where losing a distributing PG like James will hurt the Golden Eagles. Mizzou has the second highest steal percentage in the nation, and only allows 30% 3-point shooting. Marquette gets 27% of their points from behind the arc, and I would guess without James breaking down defenses, that number is higher since he left. Also, without their point, their tenth rated TO% will not live up to form against a ball-hawking Mizzou team. Marquette will get to the line, but not enough to top Mizzou.

10 Maryland vs. 2 Memphis - Memphis has the top rated defense in terms of efficiency, and is also #1 in effective FG% allowed. Now, remember, half of their games were against Conference USA competition, but Maryland only has the 72nd rated offense and has the 260th ranked effective FG%. This translates to a poor offensive day for the Terps, and a loss. If they got to the line more efficiently they could win, but they are 334 in FTA/FGA. Sorry Greivis, game over.

SWEET SIXTEEN

EAST REGION

1 Pitt vs. 5 FSU - The second most efficient offense against the 12 most efficient defense. The issue for the 'Noles in this game will come on the boards, as the Panthers are the highest ranked team in terms of O-Rebounding percentage. The 'Noles are 274 in O-Rebounding percentage allowed. Levance Fields will be one of the better defenders Douglas has seen all year, and Blair will tear it up inside. However, I think Sam Young will be the highlight of this game as I don't see anyone who can match up well inside and out on FSU. FSU is a lot taller than Pitt, but look how that faired for UConn. When DeJuan Blair is on your squad it doesn't matter how tall the other team is.

2 Duke vs. 3 Villanova - This game will be a battle of the guards, coupled with Cunningham duking it out down low against Singler. These teams match up very evenly, but what gives Duke the edge is Villanova's not-stellar 3-Point defense. They allow opponents to shoot 34% and score 35% of their points behind the arc. Duke shoots 35% and their 3-point shooting accounts for 28% of their scoring. If Duke can shoot over 'Nova's zone, they win, if not, they lose. I think they can, and they will.

SOUTH REGION

1 UNC vs. 4 Gonzaga - This is another game many people are predicting an upset in. I see Lawson being back by the second weekend of the tournament, and therefore the 'Heels winning this game. This will be a close game, but what will push it the 'Heels way will the FT disparity. The Zags are only 217 in terms of getting to the line, and the 'Heels are 6th best in opponent's FTA/FGA. The Zags have the best 2-point defense in the nation, but the 'Heels are more than capable of hitting the three-point shot, shooting 37%. These teams are very similar teams, and the Zags are taller and older. However, the Heels have more big game experience after last years Final 4 run, and I think they pull this out but only WITH Lawson, and I think he plays.

2 Oklahoma vs. 3 Syracuse - Blake Griffin will be a man in this game down low, as Syracuse only has the 185th best 2-point defense. That said, I think Syracuse has more weapons outside the paint than Oklahoma. Flynn will run all Austin Johnson, who is a good point, but nowhere near Flynn's level in my opinion. Syracuse has the 6th highest 2-point FG% and only allows opponents to shoot 29.5% behind the arc. OU does get 26% of their points behind the arc, so Syracuse should limit that. Harris and Onuaku are some sturdy bigs who should hang with Griffin down low and should be a formidable double team. I just see Flynn upping the tempo in this, penetrating like he did against UConn, and outrunning and outgunning an Oklahoma team totally reliant on Griffin.

MIDWEST

1 Louisville vs. 4 Wake Forest - This is a bold pick, but I think Jeff Teague wins this one. It is in Indianapolis, which will be huge for him. Louisville runs a man defense, which should be good for Wake. The problem for UL will be FTs, as they are only 283rd in FTA/FGA and 302nd in FT%. Wake on the other hand is 25th in FTA/FGA and shoots 71% from the stripe. Wake is also the tallest team in the nation. If Wake employs that length and puts Johnson on T-Williams, they should be able to shut down Williams. These teams each have a glaring weakness: Wake's is three point shooting, UL's is FT shooting and opportunities. The difference: UL isn't equipped to exploit Wake's weakness, while Wake can exploit UL's.

2 Michigan State vs. 3 Kansas - In my opinion, MSU is the weakest 2 seed by far. They aren't spectacular at anything outside of O-Rebounding percentage. The reason I pick Kansas in this game is because of how well rounded they are. They are the 37th ranked 3-point shooting team and the 33rd ranked 2-point shooting team. MSU isn't as effective a shooting team, but also allow 47.4% of opponents 2-point shots to drop, only 137 in the nation. I see Sherron Collins driving and dishing Kansas to a victory.

WEST REGION

1 UConn vs. 4 Washington - UConn doesn't allow as many offensive rebounds as the other squads Washington has faced, so the Huskies can't rely on those boards like they have in the past. The problem for Washington in this one is that they like to go inside getting 60% of their points in there (22nd nationally) and they don't get blocked very much. This is a problem because in this game they will get blocked. This will affect the O-rebounds they get, and hurt them offensively in a way they haven't experienced yet. If they can gameplan well for Thabeet they can win, but I don't they can do it, and I think UConn wins this.

2 Memphis vs. 3 Missouri - I am not impressed by Memphis. They lost all their guys, but still had a good year. Unlike Kansas, they did this in the weak C-USA (Kansas won the Big 12). Memphis is a poor 3-point shooting team, and will get nothing against the 22nd ranked 3-point defense. Mizzou doesn't turn it over, and forces quite a few (12th and 8th, respectively). The problem for Memphis is that they ran into a solid defensive team (Mizzou-8th, Memphis-1st), and they struggle scoring (only 157 in effective FG%). Memphis can slow down Mizzou, but Mizzou makes the most of east possession by not turning it over, and have the 18th most efficient offense. It will be close, but Mizzou should take this.

ELITE EIGHT

EAST

1 Pitt vs. 2 Duke - Again, the difference here will be Blair gobbling up offensive rebounds. As of now its well documented how well Pitt rebounds offensively (1st in O-Rebounding percentage), but Duke is 181 in O-Rebounding percentage allowed. Another factor that pushes this game in Pitt's favor is that Duke gets 23% of their points from the stripe (60th in the nation). Thats not a whole lot, but in games like this it matters that Pitt is 50th in the nation in opponent's FTA/FGA. Duke won't get as many points as it would like from the stripe, Blair will rebound all over an overmatched Singler or Lance Thomas, and Pitt will take this game.

SOUTH

1 UNC vs. 3 Syracuse - Two teams with similar styles and similar personell, UNC takes this because of Hansbrough. Yes, last round Griffin couldn't win it for Oklahoma, but Hansbrough wins this because he, along with Davis and Thompson, will gobble up boards on both ends against 'Cuse. Carolina is 8th in O-rebounding percentage and 117th in O-Rebounding percentage allowed. 'Cuse is only 68th in O-rebounding percentage and 289th in O-Rebounding percentage allowed. Yes, Griffin also will rebound like nuts, but the UNC bigs will have help. Lawson-Flynn will be a great battle, but Lawson can hang with Flynn defensively, and Ellington can answer Devendorf shot for shot. Green should take this one over as well as 'Cuse doesn't have an answer for him defensively (Rautins?). UNC should finally topple the mighty Orange.

MIDWEST

4 Wake Forest vs. 3 Kansas - Unfortunately our Deacs' run ends here. Kansas can throw a zone at Wake if need be, and have the 7th best 2-point defense. Wake relies on 2-point buckets and Kansas should be able to slow them down. Kansas is one of the most well rounded teams in the tournament, scoring 26% of their buckets behind the arc, 52.8% of their buckets within the arc, and 21% from the stripe. Wake gets 62% of their points from within the arc, and shoot 54% in there. The issue for the Deacs is that while they are good defensively all over the court, so is Kansas, and Kansas can score from all over the court, while Wake can not.

WEST

1 UConn vs. 3 Missouri - Mizzou will take care of the ball, but rely on buckets in the paint too much to win this game. They shoot 36% from beyond the arc, but like Washington, aren't used to being blocked inside (13th in Block percentage offensively). Thabeet can and will block anyone. DeMarre Carroll is great, but he isn't DeJaun Blair, and can be stopped by Thabeet. Leo Lyons is also a stud, but has the task of beating Jeff Adrien. UConn is much taller than Mizzou, (57th v. 2nd) and more experience (34 v. 175). Mizzou had a good run, but it ends here.

FINAL FOUR

1 Pitt vs. 1 UNC - The two most efficient offensive teams in the nation match up here. UNC's strength defensively is not allowing opponent's to shoot free throws (6th in opponents FTA/FGA). This won't hurt Pitt as only 17% of their points come from the stripe. I don't see Blair dominating Hansbrough on the boards, but he should get his fair share of second chance points. UNC is 117th in O-Rebounding percentage allowed and 8th in O-Rebounding percentage. Pitt's ranks are 1 offensively and 27 defensively. Pitt doesn't turn it over, but doesn't force turnovers and have the 21st ranked 2-point shooting percentage. UNC doesn't turn it over, but doesn't force them either, and has the 54th ranked 2-point defense. Effective FG%: Pitt's is 53.4, UNC's is 52.7. UNC allows opponents to a 47.2 Effective FG%; Pitt's is 46.9. I just think Pitt is the stronger all around team at this juncture, and they take it.

1 UConn vs. 3 Kansas - Thabeet will keep the Jayhawks out of the paint and should be able to stop Aldrich down low. A.J. Price will be able to contain Collins in a battle of great PGs. However, the rest of the lineup tips the Huskies' direction. Kansas gets 21% of their points from the stripe, and UConn only allows opponents to get 14% of their points there. That will hurt the Jayhawks. Also, UConn allows the 4th lowest 2-point FG%, and Kansas shoots 52.4% within the arc, so they will be hurt there as well. That said, Kansas' defense within the arc is also staunch, 7th nationally. I think the difference in this game is Jeff Adrien; Kansas starts three guys 6-3 or shorter, and while Marcus and Markieff Morris are strong, 6-9 players off the bench, they are only freshmen and Adrien should be able to take care of them offensively. The difference between this game and the Wake-Kansas game is taht UConn can shoot over any zone Kansas throws at it (35% from deep) whereas Wake cannot, and Kansas can use a zone to hide their lack of size.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Pitt vs. 1 UConn - This has already happened twice, and you always hear the "don't wanna play the same team three times" adage, but I don't think it matters here. Blair negates anything Thabeet throws at him, and might be the only man in the country who can score on Thabeet in the paint. Levance Fields and A.J. Price are a wash. Biggs and Adrien will battle, with Adrien getting some buckets, but Biggs containing him for the most part. The problem that UConn has with PItt is, who guards Sam Young? They don't have anyone to stop Young. Obviously A.J. Price guards Fields, and the bigs guard each other down low. That leaves 6-3 Austrie and 6-1 Kemba Walker. Neither one matches up well against the 6-6 Young. As you may have noticed, there are no stats here. This is because these teams negate each others stats, as we have seen. Pitt doesn't overpower on the offensive boards against UConn because of Adrien and Thabeet, but UConn doesn't control the lane against Pitt because of DeJuan Blair. I see Young going nuts in this game and capping an under appreciated career with 25 points in an 85-78 win against the Huskies.

Special Sooner Sports Notebook - NCAA Tournament Edition

dishingoutdimes — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:02:03 -0000

Crimson and Cream Machine: OU vs. Morgan State preview. We are the last game in Kansas City Thursday Night.

In just about 24 hours, the Oklahoma Sooners will compete for a national title. Of course, so will 64 other teams. The Sooners only need to string together six wins to claim the title. They need to perform when it's all on the line, when a loss means that you're eliminated.

"You certainly don't want to take it for granted, and you have to be able to hopefully lay everything out there on the line. This is something I have talked to our players about. You don't want to look back, you know, a year from now, five years from now, 10 years from now and think about what could have been." --Jeff Capel at Media Day today

Exactly. The good news is that the Sooners have done this already this year. They won the NIT Season Tip Off tournament, in case anyone has forgotten. In that tournament, they only needed 4 wins, but they played against some relatively stiff competition. Purdue was the only team they faced that made it to the Big Dance, but OU beat them on a neutral court far away from home.

That was towards the beginning of the year when the Sooners didn't have athletic shot-blocker Juan Pattillo, and freshman Willie Warren was just getting his feet wet. They managed to find a great chemistry that helped them along to a 25-1 start. Then Blake Griffin suffered a concussion and as Capel has suggested, that knocked them off their stride. Nevertheless, the Sooners are still an athletic, competitive team that with the right amount of rest and the right attitude could do some damage in the tournament.

And with that cheery note, it's time for some notes. First, all the predictions that I could muster:

Final Four: Samuel L. Jackson (on Sportscenter), Dwayne Wade (on Sportscenter), Tony Kornheiser (PTI), Nick Fasulo (Searching for Billy Edelin), Blogging The Bracket puts us in the National Championship game.

Samuel "Coach Carter" Jackson is picking the Sooners to go far.

Elite Eight: Julie Chen (CBS Morning Show), Michael Freeman (CBS Sports), kind of Mike DeCourcey (Sporting News), Andy Glockner (Sports Illustrated)

Sweet 16: Gary Parrish (CBS Sports), Brian De Los Santos (CBS Sports), Dennis Dodd (CBS Sports), Jerry Palm (Bracketologist), Peter Tiernan (Bracketologist), Barack Obama (President of the United States), Andy Staples (Sports Illustrated)

Second Round: Gregg Doyel (CBS Sports), Seth Davis (Sports Illustrated), Tim Layden (Sports Illustrated), Luke Winn (Sports Illustrated), MP (Searching for Billy Edelin)

More good notes after the break! (click the link below)

Jason Whitlock of FOX Sports says Oklahoma is a "tournament fraud" and that Jeff Capel can't coach. Maybe he got pulled over on his way down I-35 last weekend or something but those are some pretty harsh words. In any event, low expectations usually breeds tournament success. The teams that everyone picks seem to never make it (or everyone's brackets would be awesome).

Google "Morgan State". That sounds like what Blake and Taylor did to research their opponent immediately following the selection show.

The guys seem pretty loose based on this practice report. I guess if they're making them from 60 feet out, they must be doing something right.

A few people seem to think that OU has a shot of losing to Morgan State, spurned by ESPN Insider's "Giant Killers" piece that gave OU good odds of being upset and Morgan State decent odds of upsetting.

Jeff Capel said on the Dan Patrick radio show that if Blake Griffin is the consensus #1 pick he should enter the draft. I'd hate to say it, but I agree. We can't be too selfish.

Remember to watch the game, have fun, relax, and enjoy the madness that is about to unfold in a matter of hours. And as always, Boomer Sooner!

2009 NCAA Bracket Breakdown: South Region

RPhilpott — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:07:58 -0000

Bold = Win

First Round

(1) North Carolina - Ranked #2 Overall by KenPom, #1 offensively and #35 defensively and is coming off an ACC regular season crown.

(16) Radford - #170 Overall and is coming in winning 12 of last 13 games. Parakhouski is a load inside and this team gave Wake Forest a little trouble earlier in the year. Despite those facts, Radford's best win is VMI who is #180 in the country. The #1 seed has never lost first round, and it won't start here.

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(8) LSU - Interesting match up, the major conference teams usually come in much younger and untested, this LSU team is #22 in terms of experience according to Pomeroy. This should help LSU take down a solid Butler team.

(9) Butler - #341 in the nation in terms of experience. Butler also is #23 in percentage of points from three. LSU is #28 in the nation for three point percent defense, not a good match up for Butler there. This will be a good game where Butler will come up just short.

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(5) Illinois - A slow it down team with a very good defense and an average offense. They have a very slow tempo in addition to having lost three of four coming into the tournament. This smells of an upset.

(12) Western Kentucky - The first upset of the region, Western Kentucky isn't new to knocking off the big team. Western Kentucky made the Sweet 16 last year and along with Rule #7 of the Manifesto, I like WKU to knock off Illinois.

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(4) Gonzaga - KenPom has Gonzaga as the #5 team in the country, combine that with two nine game win streaks around a loss to Memphis coming into the tournament.

(13) Akron - Very inconsistent coming into their conference tournament, alternating wins and losses. They even lost to Northern Illinois and Valpo, two teams not in the top 200 in the country. Gonzaga should handle this game easily.

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(6) Arizona State - On the whole, the six seeds are tough this year with, Arizona State, UCLA, Marquette, and West Virginia. Arizona State is #2 in the nation in effective field goal percentage, helping them to the fifth most efficient offense in the country. Harden is a beast who can do it all for the Sun Devils.

(11) Temple - A solid 11 seed, the Christmas-Harden match up should be a fun one to watch. Temple could give Arizona State trouble but they do not defend the three well and Arizona State utilizes that facet of the game a lot, coming in at 15th in the nation in three point attempts per field goal attempt.

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(3) Syracuse - After a mid-season slump, Syracuse righted the ship to win seven of their last eight, including some games for the ages in the Big East tournament. They should have little trouble dispelling the Lumberjacks.

(14) Stephen F. Austin - Runs a slow game, #300 in tempo, doesn't shoot free throws or three pointers well. Against Syracuse's zone, Stephen F. Austin should fall early.

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(7) Clemson - Clemson is coming in losing four of their last five, Purnell has never won a NCAA tournament game, and none of this bodes well for Clemson.

(10) Michigan - Clemson thrives off of turnovers to spur their offense. Clemson is #8 in the nation in steal percentage. Good thing Michigan is top 20 in offensive turnover percentage, they rarely turn the ball over which will hurt Clemson's offense. The Wolverines come up with the upset.

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(2) Oklahoma -Lost four of six coming down the stretch, but have too much firepower for Morgan State to match up with. Blake Griffin is a monster down low and Morgan State flat out doesn't have the talent.

(15) Morgan State - Has one good win this year against Maryland, but right now are still #139 in the nation, blow out for Oklahoma.

Second Round

(1) North Carolina - With Ty Lawson playing well this team is tough to stop for anyone (which is still an unknown at this point), but right now they should handle LSU easily en route to the Sweet 16.

(8) LSU - The Tigers are #254 in the nation in forcing turnovers meaning they aren't going to stand much of a chance stopping the Tar Heels. In the three regular season losses for Carolina they turned the ball over frequently, well more than their season average.

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(12) Western Kentucky - Western Kentucky is a mediocre defensive team which could get by a similarly mediocre Illinois offense, however Gonzaga is an excellent offensive team which poses major problems for WKU.

(4) Gonzaga - This team is 5th in the nation in effective height, going against the #224 team in effective height. Gonzaga should roll again in round two.

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(6) Arizona State - After taking down Temple, Arizona State gets to match up against what should be a very tired Syracuse team. Their efficiency offensively should carry them to another win.

(3) Syracuse - The Orange played admirably in their conference tournament but probably won't have enough in the tank to beat Arizona State. Syracuse likes to run and they won't have the legs to keep it up against a very good Sun Devil team.

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(10) Michigan - After taking down a slumping Clemson team, Michigan will match up with an extremely talented Oklahoma team. The Sooners have too much talent across the board for the Wolverines.

(2) Oklahoma - Michigan is a great free throw shooting team, but never gets to the line. They are a poor three point shooting team, but shoot a lot of them. Oklahoma is good enough to capitalize on these deficiencies to move to the Sweet 16.

Sweet 16

(1) North Carolina - UNC will finally get challenged after coasting through the first two rounds. Gonzaga has tons of talent and led the nation point differential at 17.6 per game, but UNC has been tested far more frequently and will pull out the win.

(4) Gonzaga - A good run for the Zags, but their best win on the year was at #31 (KenPom) Washington State. They lost to Memphis, Connecticut, and Utah. Add another top team that Gonzaga will fall to right here.

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(6) Arizona State - Neither of these teams were playing all that well to end the season so it will take a big turnaround but both these teams have the talent to make it here. Arizona State is taking a tough road but I see it continuing to the Elite 8.

(2) Oklahoma - According to KenPom, Arizona State has a more efficient offense and defense. Blake Griffin can only carry this team so far. Warren will really have to step up if Oklahoma is to beat Arizona State. Call me crazy but I see Arizona State making a magical run to next round.

Elite 8

(1) North Carolina -UNC ends Arizona State's run before Detroit. Carolina has solid role players along with a great starting lineup with Lawson, Ellington, Green, Thompson, and Hansbrough. Just too much firepower here.

(6) Arizona State - Will fall just short to a superior team after Harden leads this team all the way to the Elite 8 in Memphis.

And there it is, your Final Four team from the South Region will be North Carolina.

Check back for a breakdown of the East region later tonight and the final two on Wednesday!

Breaking Down the Brackets: South Regional Preview

Denverjhawk — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:00:11 -0000

I've drawn the South and the East regional brackets for our RCT Breaking Down the Brackets Segment. We'll start this morning in the South and early afternoon we'll move onto the East.

South Regional General Info:

Regional Site: Memphis Tennessee - FedEx Forum, University of Memphis

Conference Tournament Champions: 7

At Large Teams: 9

Power Conference Teams: 8

Mid Majors: 8

Pods: Greensboro NC, Portland OR, Miami FL, Kansas City MO

Interesting Facts:

Region will likely feature the past 2 NCAA players of the year
Western Kentucky pulled the upset on overall #1 Louisville early in the season.

Team breakdown, matchup previews and prediction time after the jump....

Team Capsules

#1 Seed North Carolina Tar Heels

Bid: At-Large ACC

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Record: 28-4

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 1

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 35

Key Offensive Stat: Off Reb% (8)

Key Defensive Stat: FT% (6)

Player to Know: Ty Lawson

The Tar Heels have been one of the favorites for the 2009 National Title when Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green all elected to return following a semifinal loss to the Jayhawks. We all know what Hansbrough brings to the table and Danny Green can be a difference maker from behind the arc, but recent injury troubles to Ty Lawson are the biggest concern heading into the tourney. With Lawson on the bench during the ACC tourney Green struggled to get going and the Tar Heel offense sputtered. If Lawson can come back anywhere near 100% it will go a long way toward the Heels making a return trip to the final four.

#2 Seed Oklahoma Sooners

Bid: At-Large Big 12

Location:Norman, OK

Record: 27-5

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 8

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 46

Key Offensive Stat: FT% (9)

Key Defensive Stat: FG% (24)

Player to Know: Blake Griffin

The Sooners looked like an unstoppable force throughout much of the year behind liekly National Player of the Year Blake Griffin. However following two missed games due to a concussion and his subsequent return the Sooners have yet to regain their early season form. Another one to keep an eye on is freshman Willie Warren as he makes his tournament debut, but all eyes will be on Griffin and how he handles the spotlight and pressure of leading a top tourney seed.

#3 Seed Syracuse Orange

Bid: At-Large Big East

Location: Syracuse, NY

Record: 26-9

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 10

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 42

Key Offensive Stat: FG% (14)

Key Defensive Stat: FT Attempts (9)

Player to Know: Jonny Flynn

For the first time in three years the Syracuse Orange cruised into the conference tourney weekend breathing easy with a four game winning streak seemingly securing their spot. They didn't take it too easy though participating in 7 overtimes over the course of the Big East tourney and working their way through #1 seed UConn to get to the final. Jonny Flynn is one of the top point guards in the country and great guard play can be huge to success in the NCAA tourney. Combine that with the confidence this team is playing with and they could make some noise.

#4 Seed Gonzaga Bulldogs

Bid: WCC Champion

Location: Spokane, WA

Record: 26-5

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 6

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 9

Key Offensive Stat: Turnover% (7)

Key Defensive Stat: OppFG% (4)

Player to Know: Josh Heytvelt

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the mid major that shouldn't really be a mid major anymore. No longer a cinderella Gonzaga has entered the roll of top 4 seed and more often than not seen as a strong candidate in the tournament. The Bulldogs took the #1 seed UConn Huskies to overtime before falling 88-83 but their defense of late has been the story. If they step up on that end of the floor they've got the potential to pull an upset however it won't be in the early rounds, it will have to be in the Sweet 16 against the Tar Heels this time.

#5 Seed Illinois Fighting Illini

Bid: At-Large Big 10

Location: Champaign Illinois

Record: 24-9

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 97

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 4

Key Offensive Stat: FTOpp% (344)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp FG% (8)

Player to Know: Demetri McCamey

Bruce Weber's Illinois career began with a bang and a 2005 title game appearance. Since then it hasn't been such smooth sailing but he appears to have the Illini back in a position to compete. Illinois is one of the stronger defensive teams in the field holding teams to under 40% shooting over the course of the season. The question will be is this the product of the grind it out style of the Illini, or the overall grind it out style of the Big 10. Look for Illinois to be one of the teams that can either make or break the perception of the Big 10

#6 Seed Arizona State Sun Devils

Bid: At-Large Pac10

Location: Tempe, AZ

Record: 24-9

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 5

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 36

Key Offensive Stat: FG% (2)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp FG% (57)

Player to Know: James Harden

With five returning starters from a team that barely missed the tournament last year the Sun Devils will have a lot to prove. Control the tempo and keep things slow and James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph are able to carry this team to a win. If it becomes up tempo the Sun Devils will struggle and could trip up early.

#7 Seed Clemson Tigers

Bid: At-Large ACC

Location: Clemson, SC

Record: 23-8

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 12

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 52

Key Offensive Stat: Reb% (22)

Key Defensive Stat: Turnovers (16)

Player to Know: Trevor Booker

Clemson started off the season on fire with a 16-0 start to the year. Down the stretch they struggled and finished 7-8 for an overall record of 23-8. The question becomes is this the same Clemson that has collapsed down the stretch in season's past or are they strong enough this year to make a move. A seasoned frontline with Trevor Booker will be key in the success of Clemson.

#8 Seed LSU Tigers

Bid: At-Large SEC

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Record: 26-7

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 51

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 53

Key Offensive Stat: Turnovers (22)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp FG% (32)

Player to Know: Marcus Thornton

Trent Johnson's turnaround of the LSU Tiger basketball program has earned him high praise and mention amongst the nations top coaches of the year. The question is how much of that is a result of playing in a poor SEC conference. In three non conference games against higher caliber teams LSU lost to Utah, Xavier and Texas A&M. The answer will likely come early as the Tigers face another test in mid major talent Butler.

#9 Seed Butler Bulldogs

Bid: At-Large Horizon League

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Record: 26-5

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 63

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 45

Key Offensive Stat: FTA% (27)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp FG% (14)

Player to Know: Matt Howard

Butler enters it's third consecutive NCAA tourney with one of it's youngest rosters in recent memory. 3 Freshman, 1 Sophomore and a Junior start for the Bulldogs with all three guards being the freshman. One of the most important positions over the years for mid major's success has been the guard slot and one has to wonder if relying on freshman can be successful. It remains to be seen but the Bulldogs will likely struggle to produce the same results this year in the tourney.

#10 Seed Michigan Wolverines

Bid: At-Large Big 10

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Record: 20-13

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 41

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 67

Key Offensive Stat: Turnover% (16)

Key Defensive Stat: FTA% (28)

Player to Know: Manny Harris

John Belein has the Wolverines back in the tournament barely. Michigan started of the season with a bang posting upset victories over the Duke Blue Devils and the UCLA Bruins. Struggles in the Big 10 Conference led to the Wolverines teetering on the bubble but squeeking in at the #10 spot. Michigan could be another team that makes a case for the strength of the Big 10.

#11 Seed Temple Owls

Bid: Atlantic 10 Champion

Location: Philadelphia PA

Record: 22-11

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 69

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 40

Key Offensive Stat: 3pt FG% (66)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp FG% (45)

Player to Know: Dionte Christmas

Temple picked the right time of the year to get hot and that was the Atlantic 10 tournament. At 22-11 in a mid major conference the Owls would have been sitting at home this coming weekend had they not pulled of the tourney championship but now one of the best names in basketball and one very talented player Dionte Christmas will get to show his stuff. While Temple would argue they are more than a one man team, they'll struggle in this tournament where they weren't even expected if Christmas doesn't come up huge.

#12 Seed Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Bid: Sun Belt Champion

Location: Bowling Green, KY

Record: 24-8

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 68

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 168

Key Offensive Stat: Off Reb% 28

Key Defensive Stat: FTA% (71)

Player to Know: Orlando Mendez Valdez

Western Kentucky brings a small but decent lineup to the tourney this year. Not nearly as good as the sweet 16 team of a few years ago and little height could lead to big problems against first round opponent Illinois who is big and physical. A win over #1 overall Lousiville does give hope and if the guards are playing at their peak they could potentially cause problems for some.

#13 Seed Akron Zips

Bid: MAC Champion

Location: Akron, OH

Record: 23-12

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 153

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 50

Key Offensive Stat: FT% (83)

Key Defensive Stat: Turnover % (4)

Player to Know: Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens

Akron has had a fair amount of success in recent years but as always that only translates so far against the big boys. The Zips need a grind it out style of game to be successful and if they can do that they've got a chance. However they're playing the Gonzaga Bulldogs and that won't be likely.

#14 Seed Stephen F Austin Lumberjacks

Bid: Southland Champion

Location:Dateline, Texas

Record: 24-7

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 242

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 13

Key Offensive Stat: Turnover% (37)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp FG% (3)

Player to Know: Matt Kingsley

Well I'm sure slam will have more insight into the Stephen F Austin Lumberjacks but let me just say that the lumberjacks do have an uphill battle in the opening round. They play solid perimeter defense but need a good game on the interior to be successful. The problem is they aren't deep up front and the Orange have a big physical frontline. I'm pullin for ya slam but sometimes you just have to be happy to be invited to the party.

#15 Seed Morgan State Bears

Bid: MEAC Champion

Location: Baltimore, MD

Record: 23-11

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 210

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 92

Key Offensive Stat: Off Reb% (38)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp FG % (12)

Player to Know: Reggie Holmes

Todd Bozeman is back in the NCAA tourney. Some of you may remember him as the coach at Cal with Jason Kidd and their matchup against the Jayhawks. The Bears did beat ACC tourney team Maryland early in the year so they have it in them and they are physical on the inside so that could pose problems for some. However if Holmes isn't hot from the outside the team can struggle to score. Bozeman's teams play hard but we'll have to see if that's enough.

#16 Seed Radford Highlanders

Bid: Big South Champion

Location: Radford, VA

Record: 21-11

KenPom Adj. Offensive Efficiency: 187

KenPom Adj. Defensive Efficiency: 166

Key Offensive Stat: FTA% (22)

Key Defensive Stat: Opp OffReb% (24)

Player to Know: Artsiom Parakhouski

Winning 17 of their last 19 games the Highlanders come in on a hot streak and as the Big South Champion. Let's be honest a 16 has never been a 1 and it likely won't happen this time but a good sized front line might be able to give Carolina a little bit of trouble.

The Matchups

#1 North Carolina vs. Radford

What To Watch: Rebounding...North Carolina is one of the top rebounding teams in the country but Radford does have the size inside to compete at least on paper. If they can create an advantage in this department it might make it more interesting

Radford Will Win If: Not likely but perhaps if Ty Lawson isn't healthy they could maybe doubtfully pull the upset.

North Carolina Will Win If: They play play one tic better than there worst game of the year and honestly they could probably struggle more than that and still manage the win.

Player to Watch: Ty Lawson is the player to watch in this one because it will be interesting to see how healthy he looks. Lawson's injury was a big reason for the ACC tourney struggles and his full health will be critical to a championship run.

#8 LSU vs. #9 Butler

What To Watch: Guard play here will match and experience group in LSU to a very inexperienced squad in Butler. How those Butler guards manage the task of containing SEC player of the year Marcus Thornton will be critical in this games outcome.

LSU Will Win If: Thornton, Garret Temple and Terry Martin are on there game and provide the depth and scoring out of the guard spot that has made them so successful. This three man rotation of seniors in the backcourt can be a potent and physical load even for an experienced opponent.

Butler Will Win If: Matt Hayward can be a load inside for the Bulldogs. Hayward leads the team in scoring, rebounding and blocks and if he's able to be effective it might soften the limiting factors that come with three freshman guards.

Player to Watch: Marcus Thornton is the SEC Player of the year and when he's scoring LSU will be tough to stop.

#5 Illinois vs. #12 Western Kentucky

What To Watch: Tempo and pace. Illinois is your classic Big 10 team looking to slug it out and get into a physical game. Western Kentucky lacks the size and presence to play that type of game so whoever is more successful in imposing their will should pull it out.

Illinois Will Win If: Defense becomes the name of the game. If Illinois can slow it down and make every possession count their defensive field goal percentage will win out. They also have more size and strength inside which has been something that has given the Hilltoppers struggles in the past.

Western Kentucky Will Win If: Beating a dead horse here but Western Kentucky wants this in an up and down game. They have good guards that can handle the ball, defend and score from the three. If that group is effective and they keep it from being to much of a halfcourt game they've got a better chance.

Player to Watch: Jeremy Evans is the only size to speak of on the Hilltoppers. Look for how well he is able to establish himself and the Hilltoppers in terms of rebounding against the sizeable Illinois frontline.

#4 Gonzaga vs. #13 Akron

What To Watch: Gonzaga's defense has been coming on strong of late. Whether or not that continues will be something to watch for because the Zips thrive on quality of possessions and will look to keep Gonzaga from making this an up and down affair.

Gonzaga Will Win If: They can get out and go. Their offense is good enough to play with anyone so if this becomes a shootout Akron will have a tough time matching the firepower that the Bulldogs can put on the floor.

Akron Will Win If: They can make this ugly and match the inside presence of the Bulldogs. Akron needs this to become a game with fewer possessions where they can make every one count.

Player to Watch: Josh Heytvelt is the statistical leader on this team and it seems every March a senior from Gonzaga goes on a tear. He's my pick for the one to write his own personal redemption story in 2009.

#6 Arizona State vs. #11 Temple

What To Watch: Tempo and if anyone on the Temple Owls shows up besides Christmas. Depth is a problem for the Owls and Arizona State is a solid 8 deep. ASU has struggled moreso against teams that run and it will be tough for the Owls to pull of that type of game.

Arizona State Will Win If: Pendergraph and Harden control the game. These two make the whole thing work and are key to the ASU offense and winning games.

Temple Will Win If: and only if Dionte Christmas explodes. He's done it in the past and really a 6 v 11 matchup shouldn't be out of the question for an upset but I don't see it in this one.

Player to Watch: James Harden is an exciting player to watch at times and a likely NBA entry after this season. Enjoy.

#3 Syracuse vs. #14 SFA

What To Watch: The inside game. SFA is a strong defensive team on the perimeter but more importantly have a stonrg inside presense albeit with limited depth. Syracuse puts some big physical bodies down low and whether or not SFA can keep up down low without getting into foul trouble will be a big factor in any potential upset.

Syracuse Will Win If: The guards are effective at imposing their will and the big guys inside are allowed to play the physical style that has become commonplace in the Big East.

SFA Will Win If: Matt Kingsley has a great game and the rest of the frontcourt plays well against a big time opponent. They are an experienced group and their success or failure will determine whether SFA can pull the upset.

Player to Watch: Jonny Flynn is emerging as a star this year and March is the biggest stage.

#7 Clemson vs. #10 Michigan

What To Watch: Outside shooting will be a big factor in this game as Michigan is deadly when they can knock them down and the Tigers have some shooters of their own. If this thing becomes a shootout though it will likely favor the Wolverines in round one.

Clemson Will Win If: They can brush off their late season slump, defend the perimeter and Trevor Booker can provide the inside game he's shown capable this season.

Michigan Will Win If: They can get the three. If Michigan is getting and hitting open looks from outside they have beaten some of the best in the country and could very easily pull the upset in this one.

Player to Watch: Manny Harris is the name that makes Michigan go. If he's not finding it others struggle to generate a lot on their own. I'm watching Harris as this game goes and as he goes from the outside so goes the game.

#2 Okahoma vs. #15 Morgan St.

What To Watch: Who else will step up for Oklahoma. We all know Blake Griffin will produce but they've struggled down the stretch without consistency from their backcourt. Watch to see if that group looks any more in sync even against a lesser opponent and it might give some indication of future round success or lack thereof.

Oklahoma Will Win If: Blake Griffin is Blake Griffin and any of the OU guards can put in a little something on the side. Should be a fairly easy victory for OU.

Morgan State Will Win If: They can manage to bully Griffin inside and the Oklahoma guards continue to struggle in spurts. Morgan State does play physical so there is a slim chance they could disrupt OU enough to get a win.

Player to Watch: Outside of Griffin, Willie Warren is a major talent on the Sooners and could be critical in later rounds if they want to win. He has the ability to be a big time scorer and relieve a lot of the pressure and attention the Griffin will recieve.

RCT Predictions

Most LIkely to Pull an Upset: Michigan (10-seed)

Final Four Sleeper: Syracuse (3-seed)

Final Four Favorite: North Carolina (1-seed)

Best Team No One Knows About: SFA (14-seed)

Most Underseeded Team: Arizona State (6-seed)

Most Overseeded Team: ???? Illinois, Maybe (5)

Morgan State Preview & Thoughts On The Tournament

dishingoutdimes — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:20:55 -0000

What: First Round NCAA Tournament Game

Who: Oklahoma (27-5, Big 12) vs. Morgan State (23-11, MEAC)

Where: Kansas City, Missouri

When: Thursday, March 19th at 8:40PM CT

March Madness is finally here! Oklahoma fell to a two seed, as I suspected. Again, no need to be concerned as there have been four 2-seeds who have been crowned champions. Also, only four 2 seeds have ever fallen to a 15 seed. Here's the Sooners reacting to the news.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma appears to have drawn the toughest 15 seed. In ESPN's "Giant Killer" calculations they would be the most fiesty 15 seed. The odds of Morgan State winning are still quite low, but it's the NCAA tournament and anything can happen (especially the way our team has been playing lately). So, without further ado, let's offer some information on our new foe.

If you want a look at their official website, you can see their roster here. They obviously have been a team that's been tough to handle this year as they knocked off DePaul (a Big East team) and Maryland (an ACC team) on the road.

They have an RPI of 130, about on par with Radford and Richmond, and ahead of Georgia Tech by a few spots (shocking, eh?). They are 0-3 against the RPI top 50 this year. The average RPI of their opponents in losses is 81, so they've lost to some better teams. Obviously they are the class of the MEAC as they posted a 13-3 conference record and have won 12 of their last 13. Not that that's anything to brag about, as the MEAC is rated the 3rd weakest conference nationally in Division I.

As far as a KenPom breakdown goes, there is much to be learned about the Bears. Their adjusted offense ranking is 210th in the country (pretty awful), but their adjusted defensive efficiency is good for 92nd in the country. First, the offense. We may have found a team worse at shooting free throws than OU as they only make them at a 64% clip. Ironically enough they shoot the 3-pointer at a decent rate (34%) but they get very few of their points from 3-pointers (23%). Their biggest asset is offensive rebounding, so we need to hit the glass hard. They don't get to the line very often, so their shot creation is either off good defense and turnovers, good ball rotation, or second chance points.

On defense, they are much better, with the 12th best defensive effective field goal percentage in the country. They also create turnovers at a pretty high rate (50th nationally). However, as it seems they play tight man-to-man defense and create pressure, it seems they also foul a lot. They give up offensive rebounds to other teams as well. Their best win was against Maryland on the road, and it seems as though they do their best when able to press a team that doesn't have a seasoned point guard. Expect them to be in our face, which means we'll need to convert free throws when we get them, and have crisp passing with good ball management. If we can rotate the ball well enough, I think we'll have open guys. I think to try and contain Blake they may try some flavor of a zone. Expect them to collapse quickly towards the ball when he has it in the post, and take their chances with our guards shooting the ball. I'd expect their defense to work best after they score baskets and are able to dig their heels in and press, so a good defense may be the Sooners' best offense.

Morgan State Starters

G Jermaine Bolden (#3) 5'9" 175 Senior

G Rogers Barnes (#21) 6'2" 190 Senior

G Reggie Holmes (#11) 6'4" 180 Junior

G/F Marquise Kately (#32) 6'5" 220 Senior

F/C Kevin Thompson (#33) 6'8" 240 Sophomore

Their starters account for about 80% of the minutes on the team, which is about 11% above the Division I average. They have 3 seniors in their starting lineup, and one junior, so their starters will be well seasoned, but their bench players aren't used to playing big minutes, especially in big games. Getting them in foul trouble could help us build a lead quickly.

Keep an eye on Reggie Holmes. He has made more 3-pointers than the rest of the team combined this year. In fact, he has attempted 55 more 3's than 2's (234 to 179) and shoots the 3 at a 37% clip. He is the best free throw shooter on the team (73.5%) and turns the ball over the least. By far, he is the best offensive weapon that they have. Marquise Kately is probably the second best shooter, but he has almost no range. Kevin Thompson shoots an incredibly low percentage for being their post player (43.5%) and can't hit a free throw to save his life (misses about 1 out of every 2). Bolden and Barnes have 3-point shooting ability but don't take as many shots as the other three. Bolden is pretty much a true PG, and seems to be a facilitator.

More good stuff after the jump...

Here's some of my thoughts on the tournament. We'll start with my thoughts on how OU's bracket is setting up:

Talk about getting the short end of the stick on the second round matchup. At a 7-seed, Clemson was undervalued by the selection committee and this poses a potential problem for OU. Clemson is athletic and from the ACC. If Michigan manages to sneak by, they've taken down some tough opponents this year (UCLA and Duke among them). Both are very worrisome potential matchups.
If we managed to get to the Sweet 16, and that's a big IF, obviously we wouldn't want Syracuse. I think every other team in that 3-6-11-14 pod is beatable for OU, and relatively easily.
It's not great to be in UNC's region, but they drew a bunch of Cinderellas and Sleepers. How about facing either LSU or Butler in the 2nd round as an 8 and 9 respectively? Or potentially having Illinois or Gonzaga waiting in the Sweet 16. No, this Gonzaga team won't fold in the tournament as easily as some Bulldogs teams of past. I think they're for real and could cause big problems.
I think the South Region is one where you may not see a lot of first round upsets, but in later rounds you could see some 4-8 seeds make some noise. Hopefully OU can survive the upset!

And finally some overall notes on the tournament:

Wake Forest is a 4 seed? Wow, I thought being a 6-loss team from the ACC would get them a 3 at least. I was even worried they could steal our 2 seed!
Could Boise, Idaho be the place for upsets and Cinderellas to be born? Take a look at these matchups. Marquette, a 6 seed, has to go up against a 30-4 Utah State team that knocked off Utah earlier in the year. Marquette will be going without their star PG in the tournament. Meanwhile, Florida State and Xavier are two extremely vulnerable top seeds. Florida State draws a tough Wisconsin team in the typical upset 5-12 matchup. Xavier draws Portland State who won at Gonzaga and lost by 1 at Washington.
I'd be shocked to not see Villanova in the Sweet 16. They are basically playing at home and have been playing good ball lately. Still, I'm tempted to take VCU as a sleeper. They are tough, and will be drawing UCLA in a 6-11 matchup where UCLA has to travel across the country to Philly.
I like another 11 seed (the 11 seeds are dangerous this year) - Dayton. They get a tough West Virginia team, but Dayton is a dangerous team themselves. Never underestimate the A-10!
If I had to pick the craziest region right now, I'd take the East. Your top 3 seeds are pretty solid (Pitt, Duke and Nova), but they are all vulnerable. The 4-8 seeds are dangerous and perhaps undervalued teams like Xavier, Florida State, UCLA, Texas and Oklahoma State. Then there is even potential in the 9-13 seeds. Tennessee, Minnesota, VCU, Wisconsin and Portland State are all capable of winning a game or two. The real mayhem could happen here.

Poll

Will Oklahoma beat Morgan State, and advance to the second round?

Why are you even asking this? Of course.

34 votes

Yes, but as Lee Corso says, "Closer than the experts think"

18 votes

Nope, in an extremely shocking upset.

19 votes

Yes, but first answer me this: "Who is Morgan State?"

5 votes

76 votes | Poll has closed

We're Dancing: Morgan State Bears

SFBE.NF — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:04:52 -0000

A comeback story for the Morgan State Bears. Once the coach of Cal, Todd Bozeman had to resign in the fall of 1996 in light of the Jelani Gardner debacle -- when the former player's parents exposed Bozeman for paying them to attend games after his playing time dwindled.

That's in the past now and Bozeman is taking the Bears to the dance for the first time ever. The MEAC champs also were tops during the regular season, and feature a balacned team with a nine man rotation.