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Monday Merges Into Tuesday, Thanks To A Marathon

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:00:14 -0000

by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Drew Gordon and UCLA start the ESPN Tip-Off Marathon at midnight Eastern Tuesday..(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Starting at midnight Eastern with Cal State Fullerton at UCLA, ESPN will run more than 24 straight hours of college hoops. Since I'm nuts for this stuff, I'm going to try to follow the bulk of the marathon over at SBNation.com. However, since I'll be sleeping from the time I get home from work until some point in the Titans-Bruins tilt, I won't be able to catch any of Monday's action. Expect to see a Monday night recap at some point on Tuesday morning.

After the jump, I'll provide a comprehensive look at the marathon, culled from my earlier piece about it (with some updated information). I'll also have a brief rundown of the other games on the Tuesday slate.

ESPN has the bulk of the action overnight and during the day. Right after the clock strikes midnight on the East Coast (a perfectly reasonable 9 p.m. Pacific time tip), UCLA hosts Cal-State Fullerton. It will be the first chance for most of America to see how the Bruins cope after losing Jrue Holiday, Alfred Aboya, Darren Collison, and Josh Shipp. The Titans meanwhile lost Big West POY Josh Akognon and his 24 points per game and have six new faces (including 3 D1 transfers) on the roster.

In the 2 a.m. Eastern slot, St. Mary's, without Paddy Mills but with fellow Aussie Andrew Dellavedova attempting to fill the void, faces San Diego State, a team that will again challenge in the Mountain West, even though they only return one starter, F Billy White. The Aztecs knocked the Gaels out of the NIT at the end of last year.

Hawai'i again gets a 4 a.m. Eastern game. Last year, the Warriors defeated Idaho State in a game that was in overtime when I woke up at 6 Eastern. This year, it's another Big Sky opponent for UH, Northern Colorado.

According to Andy Katz's Daily Word, this will be the first time ESPN has ever carried games at 6 and 8 a.m. Eastern. The 6 a.m. offering, features a rising St. Peter's squad hosting a Monmouth side that's been down of late. My quibble with this matchup is the location, as the Hawks are opening up a new arena this year, yet they're on the road for this one. Go figure.

The 8 a.m. game could be a real donnybrook, however, and it takes place just a couple of miles from where I spent my first few years. Niagara, who finished behind Siena in the MAAC last year and is ready to challenge them again hosts Drexel, the team I foolishly picked to take the CAA's auto bid late last year. The Dragons problem then was scoring (61.7 ppg), an issue that won't get better as they lost their only double-digit scorer, Scott Rodgers, to graduation.

At 10, Clemson visits Liberty, a game that would've been more attractive had Seth Curry not transferred to Duke. The Tigers lost Terrence Oglesby to Europe, but gained Trevor Booker's younger brother Devin. He and 6-9 frosh Milton Jennings (a McDonald's All-American) give Clemson a significant post presence.

There is a nice little matchup in the East Coast lunch hour, as CAA contender Northeastern visits MAAC power Siena. Even though the Saints lost Kenny Hasbrouck to graduation, they return their other four starters (watch Edwin Ubiles closely). Bill Coen's Huskies also return four starters, including G/F Matt Janning.

At 2 p.m., Arkansas-Little Rock visits Tulsa, the team many think will usurp Memphis as the standard bearer for Conference USA.

Temple-Georgetown game, follows at 4 p.m. The Owls will be challenged this season without Deonte Christmas, while the Hoyas look to improve on last season's disappointment.

ESPN2 gives viewers a second option at 5:30 Eastern. Pitt hosts Binghamton in a preliminary game in the CBE Classic, where the Panthers are already guaranteed a trip to the finals in Kansas City. This game won't be quite as competitive as originally thought, thanks to the scandal that decimated the Bearcats' roster.

The 6 p.m. offering is the East regional final of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Barring a huge upset, Duke will take on Charlotte or Elon.

At 7:30 on ESPN2, it will be the first of two from the Hall of Fame Classic in St. Louis. (Save yourself $200 and watch this doubleheader at home.) Arkansas, a program that's been in a bit of turmoil during the offseason, takes on Louisville, another team that's been the focus of a lot of offseason news.

At 8 on ESPN, Gonzaga visits Michigan State. The Spartans are among the favorites to make it to Indy, while the Bulldogs will be good, even with the loss of four starters and a boatload of new recruits. This may not be the time to watch them, however.

If the TV action isn't enough, you can also see Northern Illinois-Illinois online at 8.

ESPNU picks up another CBE Classic preliminary that's not really a preliminary at 9. Duquesne, who--don't laugh--will build on last year and be a serious challenger in the A-10 this year--even without the services of leading scorer (and only loss) Aaron Jackson, visits Iowa. The Hawkeyes, just like they every year under Todd Lickliter, have personnel issues. Leading scorer Jake Kelly transferred to Indiana State and PG Jeff Peterson, the no. 3 scorer on the roster, transferred to Arkansas.

ESPN has the second Hall of Fame Showcase game at 10 p.m. It's a rematch of that 2008 National Championship game that the NCAA wants to wipe from our collective memories. Preseason No. 1 Kansas takes on Memphis in one we can only hope is as memorable as the game that didn't happen (but really did).

If you're still conscious at 11:30 Eastern, you can watch the final of the West regional of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Arizona State--presuming they knock off Texas State--will take on Cal State-Northridge or TCU in the final game of the day.

Here's a quick look at the non-marathon games slated for TV.

UConn should feature in the NIT North Region final which will air at 7 on the Big East Network and Full Court.
UNC Asheville at Tennessee (select FSN outlets/Full Court, 7)
Bowling Green at Xavier (FS Ohio [outside of Cavaliers' territory, 7:30)
Fairfield at Maryland (CSN Washington, 8)
UT-Martin at Missouri (FS Midwest/Full Court, 8)
Louisiana-Monroe at Oklahoma (Full Court, 8)
Fresno State at Northern Arizona in the West Coast Classic (UniversityHouse/FS Arizona/FCS Pacific, 8:30)
Columbia at DePaul (Lakeshore/SNY/Full Court, 9)
New Mexico at New Mexico State (Full Court, 9)

Visit Matt Sarz's College Sports on TV site for games telecast only locally or online.

BtB 2009-10 Metro Atlantic Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:30 -0000

With four starters back from a team that won an NCAA game for the second straight season, the Siena Saints are again the prohibitive favorites in the Metro Atlantic. But the conference's two other postseason qualifiers, NIT entrant Niagara and CollegeInsider qualifier Rider, are primed to challenge the Saints again in 2009-10.

The race should stay interesting as most of the league's stars are back. Eleven of the 15 players who made the 2008-09 all-MAAC teams are back, with the Purple Eagles and Saints each losing players on the list. While Siena will miss Kenny Hasbrouck and Niagara has a big hole in the middle now that Benson Egemonye is gone, both still have plenty of pieces in place to be competitive nationally. Rider brings back its lone selection, Ryan Thompson, a player who could very well join his brother Jason in the NBA next season.

So while Siena has a great chance to build its national reputation, their conference rivals are ready, and well-positioned, to make some noise of their own. More on the Saints and the nine teams trying to chase them down after the jump.

Here's a recap of last season's MAAC standings.

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Standings

(updated 3.22.2009 at 7:49 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Siena Saints	16	2	27	8
Niagara Purple Eagles	14	4	26	9
Rider Broncs	12	6	19	13
Fairfield Stags	9	9	17	15
Manhattan Jaspers	9	9	16	14
St. Peter's Peacocks	8	10	11	19
Iona Gaels	7	11	12	19
Loyola, Md. Greyhounds	7	11	12	20
Canisius Golden Griffins	4	14	11	20
Marist Red Foxes	4	14	10	23

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

Marist (last NCAA: 1987) Former John Calipari assistant Chuck Martin will have an even more difficult time leading the Red Foxes this season, as three starters are gone off a 10-win team, including the team's top two scorers, F Ryan Schneider (15.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and G David Devezin (10.3 ppg). If the returnees, led by 6-2 G Dejuan Goodwin (6.7 ppg), 5-10 R.J. Hall (6.9 ppg, 1.7 apg), and 6-9 Korey Bauer (4.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg) are more comfortable with the dribble-drive offense, the Foxes should improve, but that may not show up in the standings. The Red Foxes play their first six away from Poughkeepsie, starting with a game at Rutgers on November 14.

Iona (last NCAA: 2006) The Gaels will fill the MAAC's host slot at the Old Spice Classic at Disney World, where they open with 2009 NCAA participant Florida State, facing either Alabama or Baylor on day 2. It could be a rough four days for them, as they may not have the firepower to compete. Leading scorer Gary Springer graduated, and he was the only Gael to average in double figures last year (11.8 ppg, 7 rpg). Kevin Willard will need his returnees, led by Scott Machado (9.3 ppg), last year's conference Newcomer of the Year, and his backcourt-mate Milan Prodanovic (6.9 ppg), to get their offense to the level of Iona's often impressive defense.

Manhattan (last NCAA: 2004) Barry Rohrssen has three starters back from a team that did well to finish at .500 in the league last season. The two losses are significant; however, as Chris Smith (13.4 ppg) transferred and forward Devon Austin (10.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg) graduated. That means the Jaspers will be even more guard-oriented this season. 6-4 Darryl Crawford, the team's leading scorer (14.4 ppg), leads the returnees, while 6-4 JC transfer Rico Pickett will see immediate minutes in an effort to recover the production of Smith and Austin. The highlight of the Jaspers' non-conference schedule this season is a trip to Nashville to face Vanderbilt.

Canisius (last NCAA: 1996) The Golden Griffins could be ready to fly up the standings, as all five starters are back from last year's 11 win outfit. Senior PG Frank Turner (15.6 ppg, 4 apg) has several options when running the offense, including 6-4 junior SG Julius Coles (12.1 ppg), 6-7 junior Greg Logins (11.3, 7 ppg, 7 rpg) and 6-9, 320 lb. C Chris Gadley (7.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg off the bench). The highlight of a relatively local schedule is a trip to a holiday tournament at Southern Miss, which also features New Orleans and North Florida.

Loyola (MD) (last NCAA: 1994) Jimmy Patsos has all five starters back, so the Greyhounds should improve on the 12 wins they claimed a season ago. Loyola's strength will be a backcourt featuring the conference's leading scorer and nation's top free throw shooter, Jamal Barney (18.1 ppg), Brett Harvey (12.4 ppg), and Brian Rudolph (8 ppg), but the frontcourt should be much better this time around thanks to the addition of 6-10 Maryland transfer Shane Walker. Patsos' schedule is heavily local, with a game at West Virginia a main highlight.

St. Peter's (last NCAA: 1995) The Peacocks should improve on their 8 league wins this season, but this year could just be a stepping stone to next year, when John Dunne's three returning junior starters are ready for their swan song. St. Peter's backcourt is formidable, as PG Nick Leon (2.3 apg) and off guard Wesley Jenkins (4.3 rpg) both averaged more than 15 points per contest last year. 6-7 F Ryan Bacon is a force inside, as he averaged almost 12 points and nearly 8 boards a game in '08-09. For the Peacocks to make real strides in this league, Dunne will need more out of his bench, particularly 6-6 swingman Jordan Costner (3.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and 6-8 F Jack Hill (1.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg). St. Peter's opens at Seton Hall and will face Monmouth in a 6 a.m. game during ESPN's November 17 hoops marathon.

Fairfield (last NCAA: 1997) Ed Cooley welcomes four starters back, led by 6-7 senior F Greg Nero (12.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg), but point guard is a major issue for the Stags. Herbie Allen (9.6 ppg, 2.8 apg) graduated and last season's original starter, Jonathan Han (12.5 ppg, 5.3 apg), left the program after Cooley suspended him. Expect the Stags to be more frontcourt-oriented thanks to the presence of Nero, 6-5 junior Warren Edney (9.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg), 6-6 junior Yorel Hawkins (8.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg), and 6-9 senior Mike Evanovich (7.5 ppg, 3 rpg). The Stags will spend most of the Thanskgiving season in the DC area, where they'll face Maryland, American, and Howard.

Rider (last NCAA: 1994) Besides Thompson (18 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.2 apg), Tommy Dempsey has three other players back who averaged in double figures last year: 6-7 F Mike Ringgold (11.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg), 6-7 swingman Novar Gadson (10.8 ppg, 6 rpg), and 6-2 G Justin Robinson (10.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg). Rider's major loss is 6-3 G Harris Mansell, who averaged almost 12 points a contest last year, but his brother Patrick (2.7 ppg) could potentially replace him. The Broncs should continue to score in bunches, but they'll need to tighten things up on the defensive end to reach the next level. Rider will participate in the low/mid-major bracket of the Cancun Challenge, where they'll face Florida A&M, followed by either Oral Roberts or Sam Houston State. They'll visit Kentucky and Virginia earlier in the event. They'll also visit Mississippi State, hoping to pull an upset in Starkville, like San Diego did last season.

Niagara (last NCAA: 2007) Joe Michalich has a hole to fill down low with Egemonye's graduation (12.7 ppg, 7.1 ppg), but the return of four high-performing starters--including three seniors--means the Purple Eagles will be right in the thick of things again this season. The backcourt, featuring 5-11 Tyrone Lewis (16.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg), 6-2 Rob Garrison (10.9 ppg), and 6-1 junior Anthony Nelson (8.1 ppg), will continue to be a strength, while 6-5 swingman Bilal Benn (13.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg) does considerable amounts of everything. Look for 6-6 senior Demetrius Williamson, who averaged 7.7 points and 3 boards a game, and 6-8 freshman Scooter Gillette to attempt to fill Egemonye's shoes and production. The Purple Eagles face a challenging schedule including a trip to Auburn as part of the Glenn Wilkes Classic. They'll face Akron, UCF, and Howard in that same event in Daytona Beach. They also travel to Illinois State for a BracketBuster rematch and host Drexel in a game that starts at 8 a.m. on November 17.

Siena (last NCAA: 2009) Hasbrouck (14.6 ppg, 3.6 ppg) is the only significant loss for Fran McCaffrey, so the Saints will again be a threat to make it to the Tournament and win a game (or even two). The frontcourt is still athletic and full of talented offensive players with 6-6 Edwin Ubiles (15 ppg, 7.9 rpg), 6-9 Ryan Rossiter (10 ppg, 7.9 rpg), and 6-5 Alex Franklin (13.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg) leading the way. Ronald Moore, a pass-first PG (8.7 ppg, 6.4 apg), runs an efficient offensive unit, while 6-3 senior Clarence Jackson (8.3 ppg) and 6-2 sophomore Kyle Downey (3.5 ppg) will get the opportunity to produce in Hasbrouck's place. The Saints also welcome veteran and JC transfer Just-in' Love Smith to their roster this season. The schedule won't quite be the gauntlet of last season's, but there are plenty of intriguing contests. Siena will feature in the November 17 marathon, facing Northeastern. They also travel to Northern Iowa for a BracketBuster rematch and to Atlanta to face former coach Paul Hewitt's Georgia Tech squad. The Saints will also participate in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, where they'll visit Temple, host Delaware, and face St. John's and Brown at the Palestra.

The Saints are my pick to be kings of the MAAC again, so they'll appear in my Final Preseason Bracket on November 9. If the Saints can put together a great regular season, but slip up in the MAAC Tournament, there may be a chance for the Metro Atlantic to be a multi-bid league.

Now, to close this preview, here is my preseason All-MAAC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-MAAC Team

Player of the Year: Ryan Thompson, 6-6 G, Sr. (Rider)

Remainder of the Team
Jamal Barney, 6-3 G, Jr. (Loyola)
Bilal Benn, 6-5 G/F, Sr. (Niagara)
Alex Franklin, 6-5 F, Sr. (Siena)
Edwin Ubiles, 6-6 G/F, Sr. (Siena)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the MAAC this season?

Canisius

1 votes

Fairfield

2 votes

Iona

0 votes

Loyola (MD)

1 votes

Manhattan

0 votes

Marist

1 votes

Niagara

0 votes

Rider

1 votes

St. Peter's

0 votes

Siena

3 votes

9 votes | Poll has closed

Get That IV of Caffeine Ready - ESPN Is Going 'Round the Clock Again

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:13:59 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Pierre Niles sitting amongst streamers that exist only in your mind. He gets another (or is it a first?) shot at Kansas during ESPN's ultramarathon of hoops on Nov. 17. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

Browse more photos »

If you've visited the fantabulous new SBN front page earlier today, you probably saw Andrew Sharp's take on this Chris Littmann Sporting Blog post about ESPN's 2nd Annual Early-Season Hoops, um, Ultramarathon.

Yes, two months from tomorrow, on Tuesday, November 17, you will be able to watch at least 25 consecutive hours of hoops. (I, however, will not, thanks to my day job. It's really too bad they can't do this on a Saturday or Sunday, but it is football season after all.) ESPN did this last year, but took a break in the morning for a season preview show. This year, they realized we don't need one, or any other type of break for that matter. More on what awaits on this mammoth day after the jump.

At 10, Clemson visits Liberty, a game that would've been more attractive had Seth Curry not transferred to Duke. The Tigers lost Terrence Oglesby to Europe, but gained Trevor Booker's younger brother Devin. He and 6-9 frosh Milton Jennings (a McDonald's All-American) give Clemson a significant post presence.

At 2 p.m., Arkansas-Little Rock visits Tulsa, the team many think will usurp Memphis as the standard bearer for Conference USA.

I may have to leave the office a bit early to make the Temple-Georgetown game, which has a 4 p.m. tip, as it's on my list of early season games.

The 6 p.m. offering is the East regional final of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Barring a huge upset, Duke will take on Charlotte or Elon.

At 7:30 on ESPN2, it will be the first of two from the Hall of Fame Classic in St. Louis. (Save yourself $200 and watch this doubleheader at home.) Arkansas, a program that's been in a bit of turmoil over the past few days (and one that only won 2 SEC games last year after some big non-conference wins), takes on Louisville, another team that's been the focus of a lot of offseason news.

At 8 on ESPN, Gonzaga visits Michigan State. The Spartans should be a near unanimous top three pick, while the Bulldogs will be good, even with the loss of four starters and a boatload of new recruits. This may not be the time to watch them, however.

If the TV action isn't enough, you can also see Northern Illinois-Illinois online at 8.

ESPNU picks up another CBE Classic preliminary that's not really a preliminary at 9. Duquesne, who--don't laugh--will build on last year and be a serious challenger in the A-10 this year--even without the services of leading scorer (and only loss) Aaron Jackson, visits Iowa. The Hawkeyes, just like they every year under Todd Lickliter, have personnel issues. Leading scorer Jake Kelly transferred to Indiana State and PG Jeff Peterson, the #3 scorer on the roster, transferred to Arkansas.

ESPN has the second Hall of Fame Showcase game at 10 p.m. It's a rematch of that 2008 National Championship game that the NCAA wants to wipe from our collective memories. Likely preseason #1 Kansas takes on Memphis in one we can only hope is as memorable as the game that didn't happen (but really did).

If you survive, be sure to take Wednesday off too. You'll need the sleep.

Four Bids Monday, Three Today

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:14:35 -0000

Monday was one of those rare nights, not an overwhelming number of games going on, but they were all of massive importance. Tonight will be similar, even with the Big East first round games only being available on the conference's website.

Four teams are in after last night's action.

VCU returns to the dance after a year's absence, handily defeating defending CAA champion George Mason, 71-50. Rams' guard Eric Maynor had everyone oohing and aahing in the first half. He ended up with 25. The star of the night, however, was VCU forward Larry Sanders, thanks to a 18 point, 20 rebound, 7 block line.

Chattanooga won the Southern Conference crown on their home floor, knocking off the College of Charleston, 80-69. Even though the Mocs were the North Division's top seed, they would've finished below fourth place Wofford in the South Division. That doesn't bode well for their seeding come Sunday.

Siena outlasted Niagara, 77-70, to win the Metro Atlantic crown on their home floor. Kenny Hasbrouck had 19 for the Saints, while Ryan Rossiter had 16 points and (unbelivably) 16 boards.

And St. Mary's at-large chances took a major hit in the West Coast final. The Gaels fell to Gonzaga, 83-58. Patty Mills looked rusty again, managing only 5 points on a woeful 2-16 (that's 12.5%) shooting night. It wasn't a great night for the SMC guards period. The Bulldogs ended up with six players in double figures.

Three bids are on the line tonight.

If you remember correctly, the two opponents for tonight's Horizon League final (ESPN, 9 EDT), Butler and Cleveland State were determined in Saturday's semifinals.

Summit League (ESPN2, 8 EDT) - Top-seeded North Dakota State defeated Southern Utah, 79-67 to advance to the final. The Bison, who feature four redshirt seniors, making their one run at the Dance, take on the three seed Oakland, who ended seventh-seeded South Dakota State's run, depriving us of a true Badlands final.

Sun Belt (ESPN2, 10 EDT) - Western Kentucky got a battle from North Texas, but the top-seeded Hilltoppers built a lead at the end and won 77-70. WKU faces sixth-seeded South Alabama for the title tonight. The Jaguars defeated regular-season co-champion Arkansas-Little Rock 54-44. The Trojans only shot 26 percent from the field and 53 percent from the line.

I'll be working on a bracket off-and-on tonight to have it up after the Sun Belt game.

Championship Monday Review/Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:17:51 -0000

The last Sunday of the regular season for the BCS leagues was a busy one, and thrilling conference tournament action as well. Let's get right to the recap. As always, box scores are from Basketball State.

Only one team punched their ticket on Sunday. Northern Iowa is the second straight surprise Missouri Valley champion. The Panthers defeated Illinois State, 60-57 in overtime. Ali Farokhmanesh got the better of Valley POY Osiris Eldridge in the extra stanza, as Eldridge missed time with cramping. I feel bad for the people of Richmond, who couldn't see this game. Their CBS affiliate carried Raycom's telecast of Virginia Tech at Florida State instead.

Four teams will make the field this evening.

Colonial (ESPN2, 7 EDT)- VCU and George Mason survived ODU and Towson, respectively, after another thrilling afternoon of action in Richmond. The Tigers really gave the Patriots a battle. The predominantly VCU crowd definitely tried to give them a boost, especially since I didn't need both hands to count the number of Towson fans present at the Coliseum.

Southern (ESPN, 7 EDT) - College of Charleston upset CBS darling Davidson, 59-52, meaning the chances of seeing Stephen Curry in this year's tournament are slim. Curry managed 20 points, but only on 5-18 shooting, including 2-11 from outside. The homestanding Chattanooga Mocs will be the Cougars' next opponent, as they knocked out conference newcomer Samford, 80-71.

Metro Atlantic (ESPN2, 9 EDT) - Homestanding Siena defeated Fairfield handily, 80-65. The Saints had a lot of balanced last night, with five players hitting double figures. Kenny Hasbrouck was surprisingly not one of them, as he only scored 9. Next up for Siena is a rubber match with 2 seed Niagara. The Purple Eagles needed a Tyrone Lewis three to tie it at the end of regulation, but they ended up getting past Rider, 93-89 in double OT.

West Coast (ESPN, 9 EDT) - Gonzaga had no problem with Santa Clara, winning by 25. In the other semi, Saint Mary's got Patty Mills back. The Aussie was a bit rusty (12 points on 25% shooting with 4 assists), though he did look far better in the second half. The Gaels defeated Portland for the second time this year, 71-61.

Two other conferences had their semifinals Sunday, but their championship games won't be until later in the week because of TV considerations.

America East - Binghamton will host Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday morning. The sixth-seeded Retrievers knocked off the homestanding and seventh-seeded Albany Great Danes, 64-58. The top-seeded Bearcats are on track for their first ever NCAA appearance. They defeated fourth-seeded New Hampshire, 72-67.

Patriot - American hosts Holy Cross Friday afternoon. The Eagles had a hard time shaking Army, winning 61-60, while the Crusaders prevented a second straight AU-Colgate final, 61-44.

If that's not enough for you, the Summit League (7 EDT, Full Court) and Sun Belt (7:30 EDT, Full Court) semifinals are also on available. In the Summit, there was a big upset in the quarterfinals Saturday, as 7 seed South Dakota State knocked three-time defending champion Oral Roberts out. The Jackrabbits face 3 seed Oakland. Top seed North Dakota State looks to keep their hopes of a first-ever tournament bid (in their first year of eligibility) alive. The Bison face the 5 seed, Southern Utah. In the Sun Belt, the higher seeds were having their way in the quarterfinals, until sixth-seeded South Alabama upset the 3 seed, Troy. The Jaguars next face 2 seed Arkansas-Little Rock. Top seeded Western Kentucky takes on the 4 seed, 2007 tournament champion North Texas.

Outside of Auto-Bid Land

Virginia Tech lost to Florida State, 63-53. That means the Hokies are in the 8/9 game in the ACC tournament. Their opponent is Miami, which makes that first round tie a virtual bubble elimination game.

If Auburn has life in the SEC, Vanderbilt must as well. The Commodores made it to 8-8 in the stronger East division by (oddly enough) beating a Western opponent - Arkansas, 75-58.

UNC is in good shape for a #1 seed after beating Duke, 79-71. Michigan State continued to build their case for a 2, as they knocked off Purdue, 62-51. Wake has a case too after beating Clemson (who looks likely to be on the outside looking in when it comes to a protected seed), 96-88.

Ohio State got a big win over Northwestern, 52-47. Evan Turner had 17 for the Buckeyes, and it seemed like his sole purpose for the evening was to keep the Wildcats' dance drought going. I'm not ready to write Northwestern off yet, as they play Minnesota in the 8-9 game on Thursday in Indianapolis. If they win that, they get another shot at Michigan State Friday.

I'll be around this evening to talk about the four big championship games and whatever else you're thinking about here in the stretch run.

Mid Major Roundup 2/23

SHammonds — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:14:42 -0000

So I'm going to make a little change in the format and style of this column this week. This weekend was a huge weekend for mid major programs trying to force their way into the At-Large bid conversation. Also, I've listed nine teams already that are making tournament waves, and frankly, there aren't very many more that have a reasonable shot to get into the tournament outside of an automatic bid at this point. Therefore, instead of giving you two new teams, I've decided to recap the teams I've listed up until this point, and give my opinion on their postseason hopes.

Here's a reminder on the 9 teams I've discussed so far. There's a possibility that next week I might go after three more, but who knows.

Feb 3rd: Cleveland State, Virginia Commonwealth, North Dakota State.

Feb 9th: Siena, George Mason, Creighton

Feb 16th: Miami (OH), Niagara, Illinois State

Recaps after the jump...

Cleveland State: The Vikings are a team that I had pulled off of here after failing to gain much ground despite winning every game since I wrote about them. However, after knocking off Wisconsin-Green Bay I decided to add them again to the watch. I mentioned that they would have to win out and advance to the Horizon League finals to be considered a possible at-large team. They didn't, losing their BracketBuster game this weekend at #140 Wichita State. That was a must win game at this point for them, and now even if they win their last game of the year at Butler, they still will most likely miss the tournament without a conference win. They come in at #72 in the Pomeroy Ratings and #73 in the RPI, which just isn't going to do it.

VCU: This is another team that has really played themselves out of At-Large contention recently. Since I discussed the Rams they have dropped games at #306 UNCW, at #100 ODU, and at #108 Nevada in their BracketBuster game. Their best win was beating #136 James Madison at home in OT. For these teams, winning the BracketBuster is integral, and a 19-9 record for a CAA team just isn't enough for an At-Large bid. These Rams really underperformed this season in my opinion. They have a first round draft pick PG in Eric Maynor and a great PF in Larry Sanders. They played a weak out of conference schedule and 4 losses in a down CAA isn't going to cut it. The last two CAA teams to get at large bids were 15-3 GMU in 2006, and 15-3 ODU in 2007. VCU is 73 in the Pomeroy Ratings and 71 in the RPI. Not good enough.

North Dakota State: I love this team. They lost a terrible home game to #222 Southern Utah which really hurts their At-Large chances, but they did win their BracketBuster game at#148 UW-Milwaukee. The problem with this team is that their best win is still at home against #75 Oral Roberts. This team is 41st in Offensive Efficiency and boasts five players with top 110 Efficiency Ratings. However, they have not beaten one real good team, which will hurt them. They are #58 in the Pomeroy Ratings, but are way down at #104 in RPI, which will keep them out unless they take the Summit.

Siena: They are in, and there isn't much more to say about it. However, I will say more about it. They are only #64 in the Pomeroy Ratings...but unfortunately for some of these teams, the Pomeroy Ratings aren't relied on as much by the selection committee. This will benefit Siena, as they are way up at #26 in the RPI. A win in their next game at Niagara will further cement their status, but will hurt the MAAC's chances for two bids. They won their BracketBuster game, beating #90 UNI at home. They have a 22-6 record with the 73rd ranked schedule in the country. It will be a shame if they aren't playing in the Big Dance.

George Mason: Sorry Patriots, you're out. Mason is an 11-5 CAA team, 18-9 overall. They will most likely finish 20-9, with two pretty easy games left. That said, they lost their BracketBuster game against Creighton, which was a must-win for this CAA team. With only two top-100 wins against Vermont and Northeastern, the Creighton game would have bolstered their resume, but they just couldn't get it done. They now drop to #79 in the Pomeroy Ratings and #54 in the RPI. This team will be in the NIT, but nowhere near the NCAAs as I would take Northeastern or VCU over this team in the CAA tournament.

Creighton: The Jays really solidified their place in the NCAA tournament with their win over George Mason. That win gives them nine RPI top-100 wins with just two questionable losses. They jumped to #52 in the Pomeroy Ratings and #48 in the RPI. A loss at home to Illinois State could hurt their chances, but that's a game I think the Jays will take. They haven't lost since January 24th, and are peaking at the right time. I don't see how the committee can overlook a team playing so well. My prediction: 10 seed in the tournament, could be higher if they win the MVC tourney.

Miami (OH): I wasn't sure about the RedHawks when I wrote about them last week, and they lost both of their games since then. They had a great out of conference schedule, and play a solid, fundamental, defense based brand of basketball, but 10 losses does not equal an At-Large bid. They lost at #91 Akron and at #114 Evansville in their BracketBuster game. That puts them at #89 in the Pomeroy Ratings and #74 in the RPI. If they don't turn things around, they might miss the NIT as well, but don't look for them in the NCAAs. Instead, look for Akron or Buffalo out of the MAC.

Niagara: The Purple Eagles are a team that I really liked and thought had a great shot at making the NCAAs. Then, like other MAAC powerhouse Siena, they lost to #166 Rider. They did beat a good Illinois St. team in their BracketBuster game, but the loss to Rider will keep them out as an At-Large. Winning out would put them at 24-7 (14-4), which won't cut the cake in the MAAC. They'd need some big slip-ups from other teams (Creighton, Davidson, St. Mary's) and early exits by some bubble BCS teams in their conference tournaments to have a shot even if they made the MAAC finals. That said, this could happen, but isn't likely. They sit at #69 in the Pomeroy Ratings and #63 in the RPI.

Illinois State: The Redbirds might be hurt by Niagara's loss to Rider just as much as the loss hurt Niagara. Illinois St. dropped their BracketBuster game to Niagara, and now sit at #71 in the Pomeroy Ratings and at #58 in the RPI. Of a team to lose their BracketBuster game, they may be in the best shape, but I feel like the only scenario that gets the Redbirds into the tournament is winning out (#90 UNI at home, at #52 Creighton), and then losing to Creighton in the MVC finals. That would give them six RPI top-100 wins. That said, I don't see this team in the tournament. they are a solid team, but they needed to top Niagara, especially knowing that Niagara just lost a questionable game.

Mid Major Roundup 2/16

SHammonds — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:17:55 -0000

So another week has gone by and we're getting closer and closer to Tournament time. First, lets look at what last week's teams did:

Siena: The Saints did a good job of rebounding from their tough loss at Rider to win two easy home games against #218 Loyola MD (unlike another hot mid-major, they managed to top a Loyola this week) and #190 Manhattan (a nice win over the Jaspers). That puts them at 20-6 overall and 14-1 in the MAAC. They come in at #73 in the Pomeroy Ratings, up four spots from last week, and #31 in the RPI, down four spots from last week. Take that as you will, I still see them in the tourney, as does Lunardi. The difference is that he sees them as an autobid, which might not be the case.

George Mason: The Patriots really are an enigma this year. This week they lost to perennial CAA doormats Delaware, but then stepped up to beat then #1 (in the CAA) Northeastern. They dropped to #74 in the Pomeroy Ratings, from #70. They stayed steady at #57 in the RPI. Unfortunately, the CAA's two-bid status from 05-06 and 06-07 is slipping, and only one team will make the tourney this year. My pick is VCU, but keep an eye on Northeastern; they play the slow-tempo, stingy defensive type of ball that made UNCW a staple in the NCAAs. That leaves Mason the odd team out.

Creighton: The Jays had the best week of any of the three teams mentioned last week, knocking off #130 Bradley and winning at #146 SIU. That puts Creighton at #57 in the Pomeroy Ratings, up from #66 last week, and #56 in the RPI, up from #60 last week. However, Lunardi gives the conference to UNI. Creighton finishes out the year at home against #143 Evansville, #74 George Mason in a very important Bracketbuster game, at #185 Missouri State, and then another important game at home against #79 Illinois St., who right now stands at 21-5 and 10-5 in the MVC. If Creighton wins those games and makes it to the MVC final in St. Louis, but loses, there's a good chance that the two-bid MVC is back this year.

Also, last week I took Cleveland State off of the watch. I'm going to add them back on after winning home games against the Wisconsin schools (#150 Milwaukee and #83 Green Bay). IF, and only if, they can win out (including a win at Butler), which would put them at 23-8 (13-5), and make it to the conference championship, they are in the tourney. Believe it or not, the Horizon is the 11th best conference in the country this year, so two teams in seems right.

Now onto this week's teams...

Miami (OH): Now, I know what you're saying...and I agree. The MAC is just a bad

basketball conference. However, Miami (OH) is a good basketball team in a bad basketball conference. They come in at #67 in the Pomeroy Ratings and at #69 in the RPI. Those numbers aren't great. However, their non-conference SOS was 17th in the nation, and their losses have come at #7 UCLA, #4 Pitt, #24 Xavier, #6 West Virginia, #77 Dayton, at #251 W. Michigan, and at home against #95 Buffalo and #134 Ohio.

A record of 3-6 against the top 100 isn't terrible, and there will be some Big East teams that get in with similar resumes. They also still have two away games against #87 Akron and #95 Buffalo that could help them out. Those wins, coupled with their wins at #83 Wright State, at #44 Temple, and at home against #87 Akron could boost their stock. This team plays great defense, and has a tournament worthy talent in Michael Bramos at 17 points and four rebounds a game. Right now it would take a MAC tourney win to get them in, but that could change.

Niagara: According to Ken Pomeroy, Niagara is the MAAC team to beat. They come in at #72 in the Pomeroy Ratings, one spot ahead of Siena. They also arrive at # 62 in the RPI. However, they are somewhat the opposite of Miami (OH) in that they have only played 4 top 100 games, and are 1-3 in those games, with losses at #16 Villanova, at home to #87 Akron, and at #73 Siena. They beat #95 Buffalo in Buffalo.

However, in terms of RPI (as you know, I usually quote Pomeroy Ratings when looking at their wins and losses) they are 0-2 against the top 50, but 3-0 against #s 51-100 (two wins against Fairfield, a win against La Salle, and the Buffalo win). At 21-6 (12-3) they are a weird team to look at as it is obvious that they have talent, but they haven't beaten anyone of note. Wins at home against #79 Illinois St. and #73 Siena would do wonders for this team. Again, if they run the table and make it to the MAAC championship they could be a tourney team, but I think it will take a MAAC tourney win to get in for them.

Illinois State: So for a second week in a row we have a repeat performer on the roundup. Like Creighton last week, Illinois State has put together a pretty good profile out of the MVC. They are 79th in the Pomeroy Ratings and 58th in the RPI. They didn't lose any non-conference games, but their non-conference SOS was only 272...so not much to speak of. They've lost one game at home, to # 232 Indiana State, which is a tough loss, and their other losses have come at #130 Bradley, at #232 Indiana State, at #154 Wichita State, and at #91 Northern Iowa. Their 5 losses are by a combined 21 points...not that it means anything, but it is interesting to note.

On the plus-side, they have topped #57 Creighton at home and beat #83 Wright State in Dayton. They have a huge opportunity to assert themselves in their last three games. First, they have to beat #157 Wichita State at home, but they also have games at #72 Niagara, at home to conference leader and #91 Northern Iowa, and at #57 Creighton. Win those, finish at 25-5 (13-5), and have a good run in St. Louis, and they have a decent shot to return the MVC to two-bid prominence.