SB Nation - Rhode Island Rams

Headlines: Is Skinner's Job Safe?

Brian @ BCI — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:12:10 -0000

Skinner has the Eagles off to their worst start since the 2003-2004 season. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)

Brian: After the Harvard loss, I was frustrated but still willing to give Al Skinner the benefit of the doubt. Now with back-to-back home losses to mid-majors, I’m starting to question my previous position. For the second straight game, the Eagles came out flat … this time falling to Rhode Island 80-69.

Make no mistake about it. Rhode Island is a good team and can certainly make some noise in the Atlantic 10 and the postseason. But the Eagles came out flat, uninspired and lacked hustle. URI shot 50% from the floor including 9 of 15 from 3-point range. Rams guard Keith Cothran led the way with 19 points, while Rakim Sanders paced the Eagles with 14 points in his first game back.

In the last four years, BC has now lost to:

2006-2007: Vermont, Duquesne
2007-2008: Robert Morris
2008-2009: Harvard
2009-2010: Saint Joseph’s, Harvard, Rhode Island

At 6-4, the Eagles are off to their worst start since 2003-2004 (a season they finished 18-11 and bowed out in the second round of the N.I.T.). Going back to the better Skinner teams over the past 9 years - 20-0 to start 2004-2005 season and the 2005-2006 team - it didn't seem like there were these type of letdown games coming from the Eagles. In recent seasons, however, BC has been dropping games to mid-major non-conference teams at an alarming clip.

Dropping games like these starts with how the players execute, but coaching preparation has to be part of the problem. So my question is this. Given the uptick in curious non-conference losses the past couple of seasons, Is Skinner’s job still safe in your book?

Jeff: I don't think Skinner would ever lose his job over a road or neutral site loss. So let's eliminate the 2006 Duquesne loss and this year's Saint Joseph's loss for a second. If you do that the Harvard and Rhode Island losses might not turn out to be too terrible considering Rhode Island is 8-1 and Harvard is currently 7-2 and both have top 60 RPIs. Both teams may very well be on their way to the NCAA tournament and no matter how highly you regard the BC athletics program and the men's basketball program, BC has never been and will never be a program where losing to NCAA tournament bound teams at home is grounds for losing your job as head coach.

I understand many BC fans are upset with the basketball team's performance early on this season, but we can't forget that one of our best players has been injured and our team is not all that deep. As hard as it is to imagine the Eagles rattling off a string of wins in ACC play right now, the Eagles should be able to get healthy, comfortable with each other, and still finish with a winning conference record. 9-7 or better in the ACC gets you serious consideration for the tournament, no matter what you did out of conference.

Brian: Attendance was abysmal last night. While it probably looked worse on TV than it actually was, there were still tons of empty seats in Conte Forum. All reports are that Rhode Island brought a strong fan contingent and were louder than the BC faithful that showed up for the game. This year, BC didn’t have any study days and start finals tomorrow. The official attendance was 4,263 but my guess is maybe half of that actually showed up. At one point, I counted all of 7 Superfans sitting underneath the baskets on one side.

Who’s to blame for the poor attendance?

Jeff: Attendance is usual a GDF problem. He is the only one to blame for selling season ticket packages that go unused. As for student attendance, this is no new issue. However, let me give the students a pass for the Rhode Island game considering it was a Sunday night game with finals starting the next morning. That's terrible scheduling for the student-athletes and the student fans. I'm actually glad to see, as a BC grad, that students were concerned with preparing for exams and not at the game Sunday night.

Around the ACC: 12.14

MRickman84 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:30:19 -0000

Photo by Bob Hebert

Not much to report here as only three teams were in action yesterday. BC continued their slide and Clemson won their 27th straight meeting over Furman. And of course we all know the Wake results.

So let's run down yesterday's games...

Wake Forest 90, Elon 50

I don't throw this phrase out often, but Wake dominated. Everyone contributed, including Gary Clark (6-6), Ty Walker (4 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block and a couple good outlet passes). LD had a good game with 10 points and 5 rebounds and the freshmen dazzled again. Ari Stewart dropped 16 on 6-10 shooting and C.J. Harris had nine, four and four. I'll be discussing this later in the week, but Mount Ari is making his case to be inserted in the starting lineup. And I'll give my reasons then. Wake takes on UNC-W on Wednesday.

Clemson 82, Furman 53

Trevor Booker went 12-15 with 25 points and 14 rebounds (Babe!) and Demontez Stitt tossed in 9 points and 6 assists as Clemson ran away with this thing. The Tigers shot 53.8% and held Furman to 29%, forcing 26 points with 15 steals. When Clemson gets their swarming defense going, it is really hard to beat. Colin Reddick led Furman with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Rhode Island 80, BC 69

BC's slide continues. After losing to Harvard, Boston College shot just 17.6% from beyond the arc, while URI shot 50% from distance. Corey Raji had a double-double and Biko Paris had 10 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists in the loss. BC now has 4 losses on the year and lost Tyler Roche in the game. URI was led by Keith Coleman's 19 points.

Turning Attention to Rhode Island and the Big Finish

Brian @ BCI — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:03:52 -0000

Brian: BC doesn’t have long to dwell on their second straight upset loss to Harvard as they host 7-1 Rhode Island on Sunday. The Rams certainly won’t be pushovers. URI has already defeated their in-state rivals Providence 86-82 this season, and their lone loss on the year was a 82-80 setback to a very good Virginia Commonwealth team. Last night, the Rams defeated Northeastern 79-76. Rhode Island has averaged 81.0 points per game and are giving up 71.1.

Do you expect the Eagles to rebound and get back in the win column on Sunday?

Jeff: Yikes. I don't know. The Eagles should have held on to beat Harvard on Wednesday so hopefully they can at least take 1 of 2 on the week. URI is probably as good as Harvard and might be a little better. Rhode Island is probably the second toughest team the Eagles have played this season with Northern Iowa being the best (if you believe RPI rankings this early into the season). I certainly want to see the Eagles bounce back but looking at the two teams' shared opponent - Providence - and the rest of URI's schedule so far this year, I see BC struggling to get the victory on Sunday. I'll say I barely expect the Eagles to win Saturday.

Brian: Just like Harvard, Rhode Island is led by star senior guard Keith Cothran. Cothran has averaged 17 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game in the Rams first 8 games. Against Quinnipiac, Cothran went a ridiculous 10-of-11 shooting, and finished with a season-high 21 points. If the Eagles hope to win, they better play better defense against Cothran and limit the damage he can inflict on offense. BC did a good job of limiting Harvard's Jeremy Lin in the first half, but Lin went off on the second half en route to another big day against the Eagles.

A few days ago, FOX Sports' Jeff Goodman reported that Rakim Sanders will be back in the lineup Sunday. What impact do you expect him to have on the game?

Jeff: Rakim Sanders should be back in the lineup but I don't know if he'll be 100% his first game back and if the team benefits greatly from his return in just his first game back. I wouldn't have minded a game against a weaker opponent in his first game back but am looking forward to another nationally televised BC basketball game.

Big Finish

Brian: Next year, the ACC Championship Game runner-up can now no longer fall further than the No. 4 bowl (the Sun Bowl) and no bowl can circumvent the "one-loss" rule. Your thoughts?

Jeff: I told you a new rule would come from the Gator Bowl's antics this season.

Jeff: BC hockey defeated Harvard 3-2 on Wednesday to push their unbeaten streak to 6 games. Do the Eagles keep things rolling Saturday at Providence?

Brian: Yes. This is a case of two teams going in opposite directions. Providence has lost three straight and will likely lose their fourth straight tonight against New Hampshire.

Brian: Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly was named Charlie Weis’ successor at Notre Dame. Your thoughts on the hire?

Jeff: I like our chances against Notre Dame next year, but he was the right man for the job.

Jeff: As someone who will be attending the Emerald Bowl, how pissed are you that the BC band will not be there?

Brian: I'm not pissed, just really sad for the BC band members. They deserve a reward for the season as much as the players do. Hoping GDF will see the negative press this decision is generating and change his mind.

Brian: The ACC Championship Game drew a mere 1.9 rating on Saturday night, down 35% from last year’s 2.9 rating. Your thoughts?

Jeff: Last year it was a worst case scenario for ticket sales and this year it was a worst case scenario for TV ratings. Both teams losing their final regular season games and the Big 12 Championship game being so close certainly didn't help.

Jeff: HD answers the question, will the ACC break .500 in bowl games? Your thoughts?

Brian: She points to BC-USC as being the most difficult win for the conference. I say even without a BC W, if the conference can't go 4-2 in its remaining games, I'll be very disappointed.

Brian: Last one, the Heisman Trophy presentation is Saturday. Who you got winning the award?

Jeff: Colt McCoy.

Saturday Buff Bites - Why Can't Colorado Teams Win on the Road?

irish1611 — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:33:53 -0000

Buffs falter down stretch at Oregon State - Boulder Daily Camera

The Buffs have lost 19 consecutive road games against Division I opponents. The program`s last such victory was on Dec. 22, 2007, at Colorado State (73-70). CU returns to Moby Arena next Thursday to face the rival Rams.

Cory Higgins -- who entered the game second in the Big 12 in scoring (20.7 ppg) behind Oklahoma State`s James Anderson (21.0 ppg) -- finished with 15 points. Super freshman Alec Burks led the way for the Buffs with a team-high 19 points. It wasn`t enough as Nate Tomlinson missed a pair of free throws that could have given CU the lead in the final minute trailing 70-69. Oregon State went 4-for-4 at the stripe in the final 17.2 seconds to pull out the victory in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series matchup.

"It`s extremely disappointing. We did a horrific job of containing the ball and on defensive rebounding and fouling people," CU head coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "Toughness is containing the ball. Toughness is defensive rebounding. Toughness is finishing at the rim, we had opportunities at the rim and we just flipped it up there. Toughness is defending without fouling." CU out-rebounded the Beavers 32-30, but Oregon State was 26-for-34 from the line and shot 51.1 percent from the field for the game.

Buffs Fall to Oregon State - CUBuffs.com

"It was very disappointing; we certainly had our opportunity to win this game," said CU Head Coach Jeff Bzdelik. "We had a wide-open look at a three and we had a couple free throws; we missed some timely opportunities to score and put some pressure on them."

CU-Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano: Let's support Dan Hawkins - Colorado Daily

Five years ago, when the athletic department at the University of Colorado at Boulder was in its darkest days, we made a decision that we were going to reintegrate athletics into the academic mission of the university.

Shmuck of the Week: CU Athletic Director Mike Bohn - Denver News - The Latest Word

Sure, three million is a lot of coin to pay a guy to go away, especially when you're going to have to come up with even more cash to pay someone new to take over. But why did they give him the extension in the first place? At the time athletic director Mike Bohn extended Hawkins' contract last fall, the coach had produced nothing more than a big, heaping pile of mediocrity, leading the Buffs to 11 wins in his first 30 games. What was it about a .330 winning percentage that made Bohn say, "We better guarantee this guy more money before he gets swooped up by Sacramento State"? So, yeah: That was not very smart. Nor was the university's inability to drum up the $3 million to make Hawkins go away. So for that, Mr. Bohn, you are our Shmuck of the Week.

Hawkins, CU staff hit road to recruit - Boulder Daily Camera

Hawkins understands he will probably have to answer questions about his future beyond next season when visiting with recruits and their parents. He said he is accustomed to discussing the topic. It comes up every year because coaches come and go through every program even when things are going well. Hawkins said he advises recruits to choose a school because of the academics and the environment as much as the football. "I counsel them about that all the time," Hawkins said this week. "I think you`re very honest with those guys. ... Is a part of it the head coach? Is a part of it the position coach? Isa part of it the coordinator? Yeah. That is all part of it, but that other stuff should be part of it, too. No head coach is going to change that town or that weather or where it is, distance from home, the academic ranking of the majors. No coach is going to change that."

Another area of uncertainty is whether coaches will sign another running back to go with Littleton High School star Mister Jones. Jones has told recruiting services he is firmly committed to CU, but he is slated to visit Texas A&M next weekend and is contemplating a visit to Nebraska.

KU receiver Briscoe declares for NFL draft - KansasCity.com

KU junior receiver Dezmon Briscoe announced Friday afternoon that he will skip his senior season and declare for the 2010 NFL draft.

Cowboy Altitude: Danny Spond to visit UW on December 11th

Thanks to the huge mess that Dan Hawkins has created at Colorado the Pokes might have a chance to pick up a big time recruit. QB/LB Danny Spond has opened up his recruiting after deciding that Boulder is in a downward spiral. On December 11th Spond will head up to Laramie to meet with the Coaches and checkout the facilities on campus.

Stevens Placed On Scholarship - CUBuffs.com

University of Colorado football head coach Dan Hawkins announced Friday afternoon that junior center Keenan Stevens has been placed on scholarship.

Scout.com: 3* LB Nigel Terrell will visit Buffs

Nigel Terrell gave his oral commitment to Florida State coaches back in August and has second-guessed the decision on several occasions since. Now the 40th-ranked outside linebacker in the 2010 class is scheduling other visits, including one to Boulder.

BtB 2009-10 Atlantic 10 Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atlantic 10 Conference Standings

(updated 3.26.2009 at 10:49 PM EDT)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Preseason All-A-10 Team

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

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

Poll

Who is your pick to win the A10 this season?

Charlotte

0 votes

Dayton

6 votes

Duquesne

0 votes

Fordham

0 votes

George Washington

1 votes

La Salle

2 votes

Massachusetts

0 votes

Rhode Island

2 votes

Richmond

1 votes

St. Bonaventure

0 votes

St. Joseph's

0 votes

Saint Louis

0 votes

Temple

3 votes

Xavier

1 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed

Penn State Advances to NIT Third Round

BSD — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:00:26 -0000

Final - 3.19.2009	1	2	Total
Rhode Island Rams	29	43	72
Penn St. Nittany Lions	42	41	83

Complete Coverage >

On a night when Penn State was playing without their gutsy senior forward Jamelle Cornley, the Nittany Lions rallied with a total team effort to avenge the earlier season loss to the Rhode Island Rams. I didn't get to see the game, so all observations are just coming from the boxscore and game reviews I've read.

The Good

Andrew Jones stepped up big time with a double-double scoring 14 points and 10 rebounds. I've noticed the trend all season long that when he gets the ball in the post good things tend to happen. He's developed a nice baby hook shot and he's good at kicking the ball out when a shooter pops open. I'm particularly encouraged by the ten rebounds. He's bulked up nicely the past two seasons and if he can learn to throw that weight around he can do some serious damage for us next year. But he has to learn to pick his spots better. Last night he fouled out of the game.

Stanley Pringle had the hot hand scoring 19 points in the game.

Chris Babb has really come on in the past month. Last night he scored 13 points in 20 minutes. I've really been impressed with his tenacity on defense all season long and last night he had another steal. He's going to be a nice compliment to Talor Battle next season.

The Jackson/Brooks platoon netted 13 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. That is just awesome production from these two guys.

As a team the Nittany Lions shot 87.1% from the free throw line hitting 27-of-31 shots. Where was that all season? The precision shooting was what won the game as Penn State didn't score a field goal in the final 8:53.

Penn State out rebounded Rhode Island 37-26.

The Bad

Talor Battle sat out the final three minutes after reaggravating a hip pointer that has been bothering him all season. Ed seems to think he'll be good to go by Wednesday, but he's not going to practice between now and then.

Though the production from the younger players is encouraging, Penn State still needed 19 points from Stanley Pringle to win the game. That's production they won't have next year. But I'm feeling much better about this with Babb coming on late in the season.

The Ugly

Penn State failed to score a field goal after Stanley Pringle hit a jumper with 8:53 left in the game. Fortunately they got it done from the free throw line scoring their final 17 points from the charity stripe.

Final Thoughts

It's amazing to see this team really can score when they get away from the suffocating defenses and possession offenses of the Big Ten. The contributions of the younger players were particularly encouraging in this game. A few months ago I was really sweating over how we were going to survive next year without Cornley and Pringle. But now I feel Battle, Jackson, Jones, Brooks, and Babb in the starting lineup along with Woodyard, Frazier, Marshall, Ott, Oliver, and Borovnjak coming off the bench will give us a nice nucleus to be competitive.

Penn State will have to await tonight's game against Florida and Miami to determine their next opponent. If Florida wins, the Nittany Lions will travel to Gainesville next Wednesday. If Miami wins, they will host the Hurricanes in the Jordan Center.

The Late Late Thread

Run Up The Score — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:10:42 -0000

Clearly, our Associated Press friend who covers practically all things Penn State, Genaro C. Armas, has been hitting the sauce. That's the only explanation for this jibberish:

"...The Nittany Lions, who shot 64 percent on the season from the line, went 27-of-31 (87 percent) to help them win consecutive postseason games for the first time since advancing to the NCAA regional semifinals in 2001."

As for upsets, a pair of 10 seeds (Michigan and Maryland) were victorious. Others fought valiantly, but fell short. Cal State Northridge was downright owning Memphis at times and American had a healthy double digit lead on Villanova in Philly -- but no universe shattering upsets yet.

More late night thread, on the house.

Thrill a Minute Thursday Review/Friday Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Big East Semifinals (all games on ESPN)

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

Big Ten Quarterfinals

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

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

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

Big West Semifinals (all games on ESPNU)

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

Conference USA Semifinals (all games on CBS CS)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Southland Semifinals (all games on Full Court)

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

WAC Semifinals

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

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

Busy Thursday Preview/Championship Wednesday Recap

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:01:53 -0000

Today is an extremely busy day so I'm going to dive straight into my hybrid review/preview for today.

First up, two new teams know they're going dancing.

Northeast - Robert Morris knocked off Mount St. Mary's, 48-46, after a titanic defensive struggle. Dallas Green gave the Colonials the lead with 2.5 seconds left and the Mountaineers threw an interception on the inbound to send RMU dancing.

Big Sky - Portland State, the two seed, is in. The Vikings, led by pint-sized powerhouse Jeremiah Dominguez's 22 and Julius Thomas' 17, knocked off sixth-seeded Montana State, 79-77.

Meanwhile, just about everyone on the bubble will be in action today. Here's a brief rundown of these games.

ACC First Round (day session and 9:30 game on Raycom/FS Florida/Full Court, 7 pm game on ESPN2)

Virginia Tech vs. Miami (12 EDT) - This is a virtual elimination game for two teams who are right at the cut line.
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech (2:30 EDT*) - In my opinion, the Tigers seed is dropping because of their late season mediocrity.
Maryland vs. NC State (7 EDT) - The Terps beat the Wolfpack to open the month up. They need to do it again to keep their hopes alive.
Boston College vs. Virginia (9:30 EDT*) - The Eagles should be in good shape if they get this one.

A-10 Quarterfinals (FS Ohio/MASN/Cox RI/CSN Philly for the day session, FS Ohio/MASN/Comcast Network, Cox RI for the night session)

Xavier vs. St. Louis (12 EDT) - The Musketeers need to win the A-10 to have a real shot at a protected seed.
Temple vs. St. Joseph's (2:30 EDT*) - This is a rematch of last year's championship game. This year, only the Owls find themselves on the bubble.
Rhode Island vs. Duquesne (6:30 EDT) - The Dukes beat the Rams by 2 at the Palumbo Center to start off the month. A loss here would end URI's at-large hopes.
Dayton vs. Richmond (9 EDT*) - The Flyers should be safe with a loss, but really shouldn't try to test that out.

Big East Quarterfinals (all games on ESPN)

Providence vs. Louisville (12 EDT) - Since the Friars' case wasn't helped by beating DePaul yesterday, this is an elimination game for them. The Cards are looking to keep building their case for a one seed.
Villanova vs. Marquette (2:30 EDT) - The Golden Eagles finally won a game without Dominic James, in style, holding St. John's to 10 points in the first. However, the Wildcats aren't the Red Storm.
Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia (7 EDT) - The Mountaineers all but ended Notre Dame's chances last night. Tonight, they'll look to stop the Panthers' run to a one seed.
Connecticut vs. Syracuse (9:30 EDT*) - The Orange pulled away from Seton Hall last night. They also look to be a roadblock to a team building a case for a spot on the top line, while working toward a potential top four seeding of their own.

Big Ten Opening Round

Minnesota vs. Northwestern (Big Ten, 12 EDT) - This is another virtual elimination game. The Wildcats will probably need one more win if they get this one.
Michigan vs. Iowa (ESPN2, 2:30 EDT*) - A second loss to the Hawkeyes would doom the Wolverines to the NIT.
Penn State vs. Indiana (ESPN2, 5 EDT*) - The Nittany Lions swept the Hoosiers this year, but the second meeting, in State College less than two weeks ago, was a close one. Like Michigan, PSU can't afford to drop this one.

Big 12 Quarterfinals

Baylor vs. Kansas (ESPN2, 12:30 EDT) - A win here, and the Bears are back in the discussion. Jayhawks need to keep winning to earn a two seed and, who knows, maybe even a slot in KC next weekend.
Kansas State vs. Texas (Big 12/Altitude/Full Court, 3 EDT*) - The Wildcats would be back in the frame with a season sweep of the Longhorns, with both wins away from Manhattan.
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State (Big 12/Altitude/Full Court, 7 EDT*) - The Sooners and Cowboys meet up for the second time in six days. OU still has a shot at a one seed, while the Cowboys have a little breathing room after defeating Iowa State last night.
Missouri vs. Texas Tech (ESPN2, 9:30 EDT*) - The Red Raiders put a major dent in Texas A&M's hopes, thanks to a record-breaking night by Mike Singletary (43 points (tournament record), 29 consecutive TT points (2nd best in NCAA history)). That's good news for the Tigers, as they beat the Red Raiders by 11 in Lubbock and lost to the Aggies by 10 on Saturday.

Conference USA Quarterfinals (all games on CSS)

UAB vs. Southern Miss (3:30 EDT*) - The Blazers still have slim at-large hopes, but they'll need to make the final.
Memphis vs. Tulane/East Carolina (7 EDT) - The Tigers are among the many teams playing for a one seed.

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

BYU vs. Air Force (3 EDT) - The good news for the Falcons, they repeated Colorado State's feat of going winless through the conference and winning the opening round game yesterday afternoon. The bad news is they have to face a Cougar team looking to win the MWC tournament and improve their seeding.
San Diego State vs. UNLV (5:30 EDT*) - The Aztecs swept the Rebels in the regular season, making this a must win for UNLV. It's also a must win for SDSU, whose non-conference strength of schedule is a bit of an issue.
Utah vs. TCU (9 EDT) - Utes are looking to improve their seeding.
New Mexico vs. Wyoming (11:30 EDT*) - The Lobos need to continue their hot play of late to make their way into the field.

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

Arizona State vs. Arizona (3 EDT) - This is an absolute must-win for the Wildcats. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, need to win to stop their seed's freefall.
Washington vs. Stanford (5:30 EDT) - The Cardinal knocked Oregon State out last night. Next, they'll try to stop the Huskies run at the title and up the S-curve.
California vs. USC (9 EDT) - The Trojans need to make a big run in this tournament to get themselves back in the conversation.
UCLA vs. Washington State (11:30 EDT) - The Cougars were unmerciful in putting an end to Oregon's season last night. Next, they'll try for a repeat of their upset win over the Bruins back on February 21.

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

Kentucky vs. Ole Miss (1 EDT) - The Wildcats have absolutely no chance if they lose this one.
Mississippi State vs. Georgia (3:30 EDT*) - I'll refrain from making any bad Bulldog jokes here. The question for the day is, can Georgia repeat their magical run of last year? You know, the one that temporarily saved Dennis Felton?
Alabama vs. Vanderbilt (7:30 EDT) - Like I've said before, if you're talking about Auburn being in the discussion, you need to talk about the Commodores too.
Florida vs. Arkansas (10 EDT*) - Like Kentucky, the Gators cannot lose this one. UF cannot repeat their performance against Alabama in this stage last year.

WAC Quarterfinals

Utah State vs. Fresno State (ESPNU, 5:30 EDT*) - Aggies look to start their run to a WAC championship.

The MAC tournament (which I will get to one of these years!) will also be on FS Ohio and FS Detroit.

Now the Nerves Start - Recapping Saturday's Action

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:07:46 -0000

Even though my evening/life was ruined by this news, (Seriously, first the Cubs sign Milton Bradley, now this? It's a good thing the Leafs didn't beat the Rangers to Sean Avery on waivers.) it's March, so all is right with the world.

Well, all is right for certain fanbases. For others, the next week is going to be extremely nerve-racking.

For starters, let's congratulate the three teams who will appear in bold in Tuesday's bracket, thanks to their conference championship wins last night. (As always, score recaps are from Basketball State.)

Radford became the second team in after they defeated VMI, 108-94, in the Big South final. The Highlanders beat the Keydets at their own game. The Highlanders have a balanced attack and the Belarussian Behemoth, C Artsiom Parakhouski.
East Tennessee State took their first Atlantic Sun championship and first NCAA bid since 2004 (when they were in the SoCon) by easily beating regular-season champ, Jacksonville, 85-68. Watch out for the Bucs, who have three guys who can really put up points, guards Kevin Tiggs (21.5 ppg) and Courtney Pigram (17.6 ppg) and forward Mike Smith (15.5 ppg).
In the game of the night, Morehead State defeated Austin Peay State, 67-65 in double OT, to win the Ohio Valley crown. I finally got to see the highlights on ESPNews when I got back from Richmond. Unbelievable! All-OVC first-teamers Leon Buchanan and Kenneth Faried (also the first-ever OVC Def. POY) are players to watch on the Eagles.

In Richmond, things went according to plan in the first three games, though all three higher seeds (VCU, Old Dominion. and George Mason) got real games. The Monarchs game with Hofstra going right to the buzzer. The fourth game, however, saw 11 seed Towson win their second straight game, 58-54 over third-seeded Northeastern. VCU faces ODU and GMU takes on Towson in the semifinals this afternoon.

While all that excitement was going on, there were a ton of resume-related games I was tracking on the BracketBerry.

Creighton's at-large candidacy is very much on life support, as Illinois State demolished them by 24 in the Bizarro Valley semifinals. Osiris Eldridge had 21, including 4 treys and at least one SportsCenter-worthy dunk. The Redbirds face Northern Iowa today at 2 EDT (CBS) for the Valley crown.
Maryland's case took a major hit, after the Terps fell at Virginia, 68-63. Are wins over North Carolina and Michigan State going to be enough? It depends on how many games the Terps can win in the ACC tournament and who the opponents are.
Think Penn State is safe? Maybe not, now that they lost to Iowa, 75-67 in double OT.
Rhode Island may have put themselves out with a 72-71 headscratcher at the hands of UMass.
Florida helped their case and pretty much doomed Kentucky to the NIT with their 60-53 win.
Michigan got by Minnesota,. 67-64 win, meaning all three teams in the Big Ten bubble round-robin finished 1-1.
Texas A&M got a nice bookend win by beating Missouri, 96-86.
Miami won at NC State, 72-64, to finish at 7-9 in the ACC. If Maryland's on the bubble still, the Canes have to go back on it too.
Speaking of bubble newcomers, Auburn beat LSU, 69-53. The Bayou Bengals had a chance to finish 15-1 in the SEC, but are 13-3 after two straight losses. The Tigers, meanwhile, are 10-6 in the league. However, they went 8-2 against the weaker SEC West and 2-4 against the somewhat stronger East.
Dayton recovered nicely from their loss to Xavier Thursday, defeating Duquesne, 74-61.

Good news for bubble teams everywhere, Davidson, Siena, and Butler all won in their conference tournaments yesterday. The Bulldogs face Cleveland State at Hinkle Tuesday night for the Horizon championship.

The Mountain West has tri-champions this morning. BYU will be the one seed, Utah the two, and New Mexico the three. San Diego State defeated UNLV, 57-46, at the Thomas & Mack Center, and the two meet again in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The Runnin' Rebels are now 9-7 in the league. Earlier wins over Arizona and Louisville will give the Committee a lot to discuss next week.

Speaking of the Cardinals, Louisville laid claim to a one seed by beating West Virginia, 62-59. That win gave the Cardinals the outright Big East title. Pitt did the same with a 70-60 win over UConn that gives them the two seed in the Big East tournament. The Huskies will be seeded third. Memphis is also in the running. The Tigers closed out another regular season of C-USA perfection with a 74-47 win over Tulane. And don't count out Oklahoma, 82-78 winners over Oklahoma State.

It's just about time to head down to Richmond for the CAA semis. I apologize for not being all that responsive to e-mail yesterday evening, as my phone was dying at the end of the quadrupleheader. Today should be better in that respect. Updates to my site links and blogroll are forthcoming, probably tomorrow, as it's likely I won't be making the trip down to Richmond for the final.

But that just means I'll get to have a game or open thread here for the first time.

Happy hoops viewing!