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The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Weekend Happiness Hangover Edition

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:54:51 -0000

Was that thump some people heard on Saturday the sound of Uga VII rolling over in his grave?

And what a weekend it was. The Gridiron Felines show that they are not going to look gift horses in the mouth this year, as they took advantage of a 4-0 turnover margin to upend the Dawgs in Athens.

Then the basketball team showed why almost everyone has them in their top five by effortlessly handling Rider, 92-63, in a game that was arguably not as close as the score. This Kentucky team is only limited by their own willingness to learn and work hard, and as the competition gets tougher (beginning tomorrow night), we will see if Calipari's coaching and system will take hold early, or late.

Returning to football, it is simply beyond belief that UK managed to pull out a victory in Georgia on Saturday if you look at the box score. But one thing that deserves further highlighting is just how well UK's special teams played. Kentucky got outstanding field position on every kickoff. A missed PAT and a poor Ryan Tydlacka punt were really the only blemishes on an otherwise sterling special-teams performance.

Another point that needs a little extra emphasis is the ridiculously outstanding play of Sam Maxwell. Who would have believed that Maxwell would come into the starting line up this year and outshine Micah Johnson? True, Micah has suffered from a turf toe injury that has limited his mobility the last few games, but Maxwell has stepped it up to a very high level.

The news follows the jump.

Tobias Harris signs with Tennessee - Rocky Top Talk
Rivals' #1 power forward and #5 overall player has signed with Bruce Pearl and the Vols, arguably the biggest recruiting get in the history of Tennessee Basketball.
Kings Of New York: Syracuse 87, North Carolina 71 - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Syracuse crushes North Carolina. The way to 2000 wins just got a little easier.
This Isn't Exactly The Start The SEC Had In Mind - SB Nation
The SEC is off to a slow start in the non-conference season.
Caribbean Kings: Puerto Rico, Paradise Jam Tournaments Highlight Sunday In NCAA Basketball - SB Nation
Louisville has a much closer than expected game against Morgan State.
Paradise Jam: Tennessee 57 DePaul 53, Vols play for title Monday - Rocky Top Talk
Remember that 129-49 throttling of UNC Asheville by the Vols? Depaul was having none of that.
UK showed its better half in upset | KentuckySports.com
"We're not getting style points," Brooks said after the game. "It's not always pretty and this one wasn't pretty, but it looked like Bo Derek running down the beach to me late in the fourth quarter."

Brooks is hilarious. Great win, no matter what it looked like.
UK Recruit Brandon Knight Scores 28 in First Game
I'd like to see Knight take Wall's place next year.
Orlando Sentinel - Gators juniors already thinking about NFL draft by
Florida will be a much different team next year. Can Urban resist the siren call of the Big Golden Dome?
Charleston Classic Finals, South Carolina vs. Miami: A Quick Recap - Garnet And Black Attack
More bad news for the SEC. Dominique Archie may have torn his ACL.
Villanova stops Mississippi to win Tip-Off | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/23/2009
Ole Miss tries, but fails, to handle #5 Villanova.
Wildcats finally conquer Athens | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
It was UK's first win in Athens since 1977 — the year the Cats' current coach, Rich Brooks, took Oregon to Sanford Stadium in his first game as a collegiate head coach.

In that game 32 years ago, Brooks' team held a late lead and lost.

What is the old Klingon proverb about revenge being a dish "best served cold?" "I said (to the team) I've been waiting a long time — long before they were born, and most of them before their parents even met and married — and we finally got one back for the old man today," Brooks said. "It's a great win."
No. 10 Wildcats fall in volleyball | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Hoops hall another link for Bird, Magic - KansasCity.com
But they [Larry Bird and Magic Johnson] liked even less — and this was saying something — how little playing time they received on that all-star team. Joe B. Hall was the coach, and he played his guys, a Kentucky squad that had won the national championship the year before, over the two Midwestern kids.

Via Rush the Court.
IRON BOWL: Alabama focused on task at hand | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser
"It's the type of game where you can't give a pep talk before the game," said Tide senior cornerback Javier Arenas, a native of Florida. "It takes care of itself. If you can't get yourself fired up to play in this one, there's something wrong with you."

The Iron Bow. In my opinion, the most intense rivalry in all of sports, college or professional. I watch this game every year, and it rarely disappoints. But on Friday? I wish it were on Saturday.
Kicking Off Week 13 with Rivalries and Trouble in Athens // 11.23.09 - Team Speed Kills
This might be humorous if it were gallows humor, But I'm pretty sure the Senator was being serious when he said this:

I’m being a little unfair to Kentucky with this. There’s a clear talent gap between the ‘Cats and the Dawgs – Georgia’s coaches aren’t as good as Kentucky’s at getting their charges prepared to play hard for sixty minutes.

To recap: A Georgia fan thinks his coaches were outdone by a centenarian, a man named Joker and a defensive coordinator whose name know one knows. This movie doesn't end well.

The Georgia faithful are not happy.
Kentucky Wildcats 34, Georgia Bulldogs 27: Chicken Little Was an Optimist - Dawg Sports
Statistically, Kentucky never should have been in this game. The Bulldogs outperformed the Wildcats in passing yards (291-137), rushing yards (196-123), first downs (22-15), and time of possession (33:13-26:47). That ought to be a recipe for success, particularly for a team that has home field advantage on its side. The usual suspects reared their ugly heads, however, as two interceptions, two lost fumbles, and five fifteen-yard penalties, almost all of them at the most inopportune times imaginable, doomed the ‘Dawgs.

If you didn't see this game, there is no way you would believe that UK had won. Georgia dominated every statistic except two -- turnover margin and final score.
Les Miles Denies Calling for a Spike; Video Evidence Proves Otherwise - And The Valley Shook
Heh. Ouch.
Charlie Weis says indeed, 6-5 not good enough for Notre Dame Fighting Irish - ESPN
"If they decide to make a change, I'd have to say I'd have a tough time arguing with that. If they decide to make a change, I'd have a tough time arguing that because 6-5 is not good enough," the Fighting Irish coach said Sunday. "Especially when you've lost five games by a touchdown or less and several three-point games that went right down to the wire.

Is this coach arguing that he should be fired?
Bobcats end 7-game slide - CharlotteObserver.com
To paraphrase the Dean Smith/Michael Jordan line, only Larry Brown could hold Nazr Mohammed to 18 points.

Good for Nazr. Via Walter's Wildcat World.
European influence has lasting effect on U.S. basketball -- chicagotribune.com
My, how the world has changed since Wildcats last beat Vols on gridiron - Kingsport Times-News Online
Week 12 in Review - AthlonSports.com
How about the job Rich Brooks is doing with Kentucky this year? The Wildcats lost starting quarterback Mike Hartline to a knee injury, but freshman Morgan Newton has played well and was a big reason why the Wildcats scored a huge 34-27 upset over Georgia. Don’t be surprised if the Wildcats give Tennessee all they can handle this Saturday.
Is this Kentucky's year? | When You're Strange | GoVolsXtra.com
No streak lives forever and this may be the week Tennessee's domination of Kentucky finally comes to an end. The Vols have found a way to beat the Wildcats 24 consecutive years, the longest streak in any major college football rivalry. Usually, UT had better players up and down the line.

It's time for the streak to die.
Kentucky Wildcats Arrive in Cancun, Mexico
UKCoachCalipari All checked in. Will practice in an hour or so. The place seats about 1300 fans and I hear Kentucky fans will be close to half of them.

I know how it was in Vegas last year. Tons of Kentucky fans, and a few of every other team.
Kentucky Sports Radio "Stacey Poole Discusses HS Basketball, Why He Chose the Cats and Improving
Q&A with Kentucky’s John Wall | Vaught's Views
Adams: UT, Kentucky treading on similar path " GoVolsXtra
The same Rich Brooks, who was on the brink of being fired a year later, is now an established SEC coach with two dazzling rebuilding jobs on his resume, first at Oregon, and now at Kentucky. And UT’s Lane Kiffin is the first-time head college coach who is just getting started.

Interesting.
" BBL: What they said from Athens on the UK football win John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links.
Brooks’ priority is finishing 2nd in SEC East | Vaught's Views
Column: UK’s best perimeter ‘D’ found underneath | The Kentucky Kernel
"I know they have taken a bad rap for some of the 3-pointers that have gone in against them, but I watched every game and a couple of kids went nuts against them," Rider coach Tommy Dempsey said. "They gave up open shots, but you can’t expect them to not give up open shots in the course of the game, especially when they are pressing, jumping in passing lanes and trying to create offense with their defense."
Rick Bozich | UK's front line looks top of the line | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
It was delivered by DeMarcus Cousins, a UK freshman forward. It was accepted by Daniel Orton, another UK freshman forward. It was the result of Cousins, a guy who had started the first half as well as the Wildcats' first three games, suggesting to coach John Calipari that Orton should take his starting spot for the second half of Kentucky's 92-63 victory.

This group is showing signs of becoming a real basketball team.

UK 92, Rider 63 -- Post-Mortem

Ken Howlett — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:43:27 -0000

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

UK point guard John wall scores over Rider's Justin Robinson.

Browse more photos »

Kentucky came to play this afternoon in the Wildcats' 92-63 victory over the Rider Broncs, that much is not up for debate. Impressive not only on the offensive end, the 'Cats brought their hard hats to the defensive end of the court, as John Calipari's club dropped the hammer on the Broncs' outside game, which should be a welcome sight to UK's coaching staff as well as Big Blue fans everywhere.

For more of the good stuff, follow me after the jump:

Patrick Patterson continues to grow his legend. UK's junior power forward grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds, with nine of those boards coming on the offensive end. His outstanding shooting also continued, as Patterson made eight of 13 shots. Freshman, shreshman, Patterson will be the big man on campus as long as he's wearing the blue and white.

Speaking of freshmen -- Point guard John Wall and his 360-degree acrobatics continues to impress. Wall, in 35 minutes of play, contributed a team-high 21 points to go with 11 assists; the first of what will be many double-doubles in the young star's future. In reaching his 21 points, Wall made eight of 12 shots (0-2 three-pointers) and more impressively, five of six free throws. He committed only two turnovers, had six rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots ... I think this kid is gonna be pretty good.
Wall's freshman guard counterpart, Eric Bledsoe, scored 11 points, but made only three of 10 shots. Not great, until one considers all three of his makes were of the three-point variety (out of six shots taken). He did commit a team-high five turnovers, but he helped offset that number by handing out one assist, blocking one shot, and committing two steals. Once again, encouraging to this fan, Bledsoe made 2-2 free throws.
Daniel Orton, the big man from Oklahoma, had his best game as a Wildcat this afternoon, making five of seven shots, and four of five free throws for 14 points. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished out one assist and had one steal. All of this in only 23 minutes of play. Orton is beginning to show that it's not all about DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson in the paint. After the tremendous play of Cousins so far this year, it's certainly good to see Orton assert himself, and fight for playing time.
Cousins, who made the mistake of fouling a three-point shooter, played only 15 minutes, but wow, he packs a lot into a quarter-of-an-hour -- 18 points (7-10 shooting), six rebounds (four offensive), five blocks, and one steal -- At half-time coach Calipari wasn't sure who to start in the second half, because Orton had been playing so well. Cal sent assistant John Robic to ask Cousins his thoughts on the matter, and Cousins told Robic to start Orton, not because he didn't want to play, but because, "Orton is playing so good." Sacrificing for the good of the team is a huge step in playing championship basketball, and Cousins seems to have already taken that step.
Darius Miller, in 23 minutes, scored five points and grabbed three rebounds. Impressively, he had three assists to zero turnovers. Miller, with his unselfish attitude, is apt to have games where his scoring suffers, but he is finding ways to help the team without lighting up the scoreboard.
As a team, UK once again shot the ball well, making 51.5% of their shots (34-66). Also, for the first time this season, the 'Cats handed out more assists (17), than turnovers (15).
UK's 10 blocks continues a trend I expect to see for the entire season.
The 'Cats made only four of 16 three-pointers (25.0%) on the day, but the guards (Wall, Bledsoe, and Miller) made four of 11 trey tries, good for a very acceptable 36.4%.
UK also improved their season free throw average by making 71.4% of their charity tries (20-28). The primary ball-handlers, Wall and Bledsoe, made seven of eight free throws.
Defensively, the 'Cats held the formerly hot shooting Broncs to only 31.0% on their field goal attempts, and finally, thankfully, the boys in blue guarded the perimeter like they meant it, allowing only four of 17 three-point shooting (23.5%). Coming into the game the Broncs were hitting the trey at a 48% rate. Today, they didn't make their first three-point shot until the first minute of the second half, and down 28 points. Intensity and focus led to the 'Cats improved defense ... let's hope that continues as the boys head to sunny Cancun.
Kentucky forced 20 turnovers (10 turnovers the result of UK steals), scoring 30 points off those turnovers. Simply an excellent conversion rate, and proof of the finishers UK has this year. Conversely, Rider scored only 15 points off UK's 15 turnovers.
Second-chance points, which should be a UK strong-suit, was dominated by the 'Cats, with UK scoring 24 points and Rider only 11.
UK of course dominated the points in the paint category, 56-20.

My thanks to the Broncs for coming into Rupp Arena and playing a hard, clean game. Good luck for the rest of the year.

Don't forget -- In their quest for their seventh win the gridiron 'Cats will be taking on the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium tonight at 7:45 EST.

Thanks for reading and Go 'Cats!

Rider (2-1) @ Kentucky (3-0) -- Pregame Analysis

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:18:50 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Expect Coach Cal to do a bit of verbal gymnastics in this one.

Browse more photos »

Today at 1:00 PM, the Broncs of Rider University invade Rupp Arena for the second round game of the Cancun Classic.

Here is some basic information about Rider, courtesy of the Rider Athletics site:

Location	Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Nickname/Colors	Broncs/Cranberry, White, Gray
Founded	1865
Enrollment	6,084 (4,857 undergraduate)
Affiliations	NCAA Division I, ECAC
Conference	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
Head Coach	Tommy Dempsey 609-896-5329 / 4th Season
	(Susquehanna '97) (Bloomsburg '05)
Overall Record/Yrs. Completed (Head Coach)	58-39 / (3)
Overall Record/Yrs. Completed	146-51 / (8)
2008-09 Overall Record	19-13
2008-09 Conference Record/Finish	12-6/3rd
Postseason	MAAC Tournament Semifinals
	College Insider.com Tournament Participant
Letterwinners Returning/Lost	8/4
Starters Returning/Lost	4/1

More after the jump

Team analysis and Four Factors (Data by Kenpom.com)

Statistic	Kentucky		Rider
Category	Offense	Defense	Offense	Defense	D-I Avg
Adj. Efficiency:	103.0 [124]	102.0 [190]	105.9 [106]	121.3 [292]	99.2
Adj. Tempo:	69.4 [171]	69.8	73.2 [110]	69.8
Four Factors
Effective FG%:	59.7 [19]	50.3 [192]	54.4 [67]	51.4 [214]	48.5
Turnover %:	28.8 [317]	18.3 [255]	18.7 [94]	18.2 [258]	21.4
Off. Reb. %:	48.7 [8]	28.8 [85]	27.3 [272]	33.6 [178]	33.4
FTA/FGA:	49.1 [65]	22.6 [31]	32.6 [220]	30.4 [99]	38.2
Miscellaneous Components
3P%:	40.4 [73]	42.0 [281]	48.5 [17]	38.5 [242]	33.6
2P%:	59.3 [20]	39.2 [43]	42.3 [256]	47.9 [166]	47.7
FT%:	64.2 [227]	69.8 [189]	58.9 [296]	62.5 [83]	68.1
Block%:	5.3 [71]	26.5 [4]	11.5 [243]	9.2 [143]	9.3
Steal%:	13.7 [300]	8.2 [214]	7.6 [85]	8.6 [202]	9.8
Style Components
3PA/FGA:	31.5 [174]	46.3 [331]	39.5 [65]	35.3 [225]	32.4
A/FGM:	50.0 [184]	61.0 [270]	59.7 [82]	61.0 [269]	52.9
Defensive Fingerprint:	Some Zone		Inconclusive
Point Distribution (% of total points)
3-Pointers:	25.3 [173]	50.2 [4]	45.0 [10]	33.5 [64]	26.5
2-Pointers:	53.8 [153]	36.2 [332]	40.0 [306]	50.9 [186]	52.4
Free Throws:	20.9 [170]	13.6 [296]	15.0 [289]	15.6 [275]	21.2
Strength of Schedule
Components:	95.8 [187]	106.6 [233]	86.0 [275]	94.8 [122]	99.2
Overall:	0.2260 [227]	.5000	0.2463 [222]	.5000
Non-conference:	0.2260 [227]	.5000	0.2463 [222]	.5000
Personnel
Bench Minutes:	0.0% [0]	0.0%	0.0% [0]	0.0%
Experience:	0.00 yrs [0]	0.00	0.00 yrs [0]	0.00
Effective Height:	+0.0 [0]	0.0	+0.0 [0]	0.0
Average Height:	0.0" [0]	0.0"	0.0" [0]	0.0"

Rider Broncs Basketball Roster

	#	Pos.	Comment	W	H	College
Novar Gadson	23	G	Starter	230	6-7	sophomore
Jermaine Jackson	25	F	Starter	220	6-8	sophomore
Carl Johnson	10	G	-	160	6-0	freshman
Patrick Mansell	14	G	Major reserve	195	6-1	junior
DeShawn Mitchell	-	G	-	205	6-5	sophomore
Robbie Myers	33	F	-	255	6-9	senior
Dera Nd-Ezuma	21	C	-	215	6-10	freshman
Brandon Penn	31	F	Major reserve	205	6-7	sophomore
Mike Ringgold	2	F	Starter	215	6-7	junior
Justin Robinson	15	G	Starter	190	6-2	junior
Ryan Thompson	5	G	Starter	220	6-6	senior
Jonathan Thompson	12	G	-	190	6-4	freshman
Jhamar Youngblood	3	G	Major reserve	210	6-1	junior

Team Stats
					FG			*3PT*			FT			*Reb*			*Misc*
Player	Pos	GP	GS	Min	M	A	FG%	M	A	3PT%	M	A	FT%	OFF	DEF	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	PF	PPG
Ryan Thompson	G	3	3	33.3	5.3	10.7	50	3.3	6.3	52.6	0.7	2.7	25	1.7	1.7	3.3	2.7	2.3	0.7	0.3	2.3	14.7
Novar Gadson	G	3	3	28	5	7.3	68.2	2	2.3	85.7	2.7	3.7	72.7	1.7	5.7	7.3	2	2.3	2	1	2	14.7
Mike Ringgold	F	3	3	34.7	5.3	13	41	0	0		1	4	25	2.3	3	5.3	2	1	0.3	1.7	2	11.7
Justin Robinson	G	3	3	25	3	7	42.9	2.3	3.7	63.6	3	3.7	81.8	0.3	2.7	3	3.3	1.3	1	0	2.7	11.3
Jhamar Youngblood	G	3	0	22.3	1.7	7	23.8	0.7	3	22.2	2	2	100	0.3	2.7	3	2.3	1.7	1	0	2.3	6
Patrick Mansell	G	3	0	11.7	2	3.7	54.5	2	3.7	54.5	0	0		0	0.7	0.7	0.3	0	0.3	0	0.3	6
Brandon Penn	F	3	0	13	1.3	3.3	40	0.7	2.3	28.6	0.7	0.7	100	0.7	2.3	3	0.3	1	0	0.3	1	4
Jermaine Jackson	F	3	3	10.3	0.7	2	33.3	0	0.3	0	0.3	0.7	50	0.7	2	2.7	0.3	1.3	0	0	3.3	1.7
Jonathon Thompson	G	3	0	16.7	0.7	2	33.3	0	1	0	0.3	0.7	50	0.3	2.3	2.7	1.7	0.7	0	0.3	0.7	1.7
Carl Johnson	G	2	0	4	0.5	0.5	100	0	0		0.5	1	50	0	0	0	0.5	0.5	0.5	0	0	1.5
Dera Nd-Ezuma	C	3	0	1.7	0.3	1	33.3	0	0		0	0		0.7	0.7	1.3	0	1	0.3	0	1.7	0.7
Robbie Myers	F-C	1	0	2	0	0		0	0		0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Analysis:

For the third time in a row, UK faces an almost identical opponent, only this opponent has proven their chops by defeating Mississippi State, a school widely expected to win the SEC West and one of the best teams in the country.

Once again, Rider is a David to Kentucky's Goliath. They are an undersized team from a small school, but they are not without talent and return four of their five starters. Tell me if you have heard this story before.

Unlike the Wildcats' previous two opponents, Rider has a proven track record of shooting the ball well this year. Just take a look at their three-point percentage. Neither Sam Houston St., Miami (Ohio) nor Morehead came in shooting this kind of percentage from three. I call your attention to the 3PA/FGA statistic and their distribution of points in the analysis at the top of the page. Currently, Rider is fourth in all the land in points coming off of 3-point shots. Given Kentucky's performance in the last three games, that aught to concern all of us.

From the standpoint of working on 3-point defense, UK could hardly get a better opponent, but the obvious risk here is that if the defense does not improve, this is a perfect opportunity for Kentucky to fall. Rider has been very good at taking care of the ball, as you would expect in an experienced team. Turnovers will likely be a big part of the story of today's game.

Expect Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins to thrive again in this game, if they bring the energy they brought against Sam Houston St. Rider will give up the open three in order to keep UK from getting to the rim, so if Eric Bledsoe or perhaps Darnell Dodson (assuming he finds his way back into Coach Cal's good graces) can get warm from outside, UK should have an opportunity from there.

What to watch for:

UK needs to improve their perimeter defense. Look for Rider open looks to see if they are making progress.
Turnovers are an obvious area for improvement.
Control on the fast break. If we start seeing more shots in the secondary break versus the primary, I think it will be a big improvement.
More team play. So far, this team has been very poor at communicating and helping each other. Will one day make any difference?
A better rotation. I think Cal's rotation has been too short for the pace he is trying to play. I expect that will change today.

Game prediction: 85-65 Kentucky.

Go, 'Cats!

Around the ACC: 11.20.09

MRickman84 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:54:13 -0000

Good morning. Yesterday was sure a shaky day for the ACC. UNC pulled it out after collapsing again in the second half--which they are quickly making a habit of. GT lost a tough one to Dayton (and the CAA is looking rather good so far, with UNC-W knocking off Penn State and William & Mary beating Richmond, not to mention Hofstra putting up a good fight against UCONN the other day.) The conference as a whole is looking pretty strong, especially compared to the struggles of the Pac-10 and the SEC (which is just abismal this year).

UNC 77, Ohio State 73:
UNC dominated early on, with help from Ohio State's horrendous shooting, but a hot streak from the Buckeyes brought them back in the game. UNC obviously has a lot inside, with Deon Thompson leading the way (15 points, 12 rebounds). The rest of the bigs--John Henson, Tyler Zeller, Ed Davis and the Ware twins--combined for 19 points.

This Tar Heel team is tough to figure out. They definitely do not have the poise that previous UNC teams have had, and it is not completely clear who the leader is going to be--Marcus Ginyard (13 points, 3 steals) stepped up after being chewed out by Roy Williams last night and Will Graves and Thompson have the potential to, but there is not guaranteed go-to guy. Evan Turner led the Buckeyes in the loss with 23 points and 10 rebounds, but had a glaring 10 turnovers.

Dayton 63, Georgia Tech 59
This one was never a guaranteed win for Georgia Tech, and actually, I considered them the underdog coming in. GT may have more individual talent, but Dayton is a better basketball team. I don't doubt that the Yellow Jackets will improve this year, but they are going to go through a 2009 Wake Forestesque stretch of games (not to mention they have Paul Hewitt as their coach). Chris Johnson lall scorers with 19 points (7-13 shooting, 4-8 from 3PT). Freshman sensation Derrick Favors had a good game, with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Gani Lawal had 9 and 8, but EIGHT turnovers. The Ramblin' Wreck were doomed by committing 26 turnovers and shooting 55% from the FT line.

Miami 74, Tulane 54
The Hurricanes moved to 3-0 on the year with a 20 point victory over the Green Wave. Dwayne Collins has a monster game, with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists on 8-8 shooting. Durand Scott also looked impressive, finishing with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The 'Canes had a 19-4 run in the second half and will take on UNC-W today at 3 P.M.

Virginia 79, Rider 46
Virginia smoked Rider. Rider had beaten Mississippi State and Lehigh already, so I figured Virginia might have a little trouble pulling away, but good defense (Rider shot 33%) and balanced scoring really helped the Cavaliers. Mike Scott paced the Cavs with 17 and 9 on 8-9 shooting. Sylven Landesberg added 10, Sammy Zeglinski and Jeff Jones had 10, and Calvin Baker and Mustapha Farrakhan had 8. Virginia shot 52% and 44% from beyond the arc.

College Hoops Go-Round: November 17

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:55:30 -0000

by Ed Reinke - AP

about 1 month ago: Kentucky's John Wall goes between Miami of Ohio's Julian Mavunga (4) and Nick Winbush (20) for a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Monday, Nov. 16, 2009. Wall had 19 points in Kentucky's 72-70 win. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

View full size photo »

Since I already previewed today's action here, this post will only recap Monday night's games, with the first few contests from the early morning hours on this enjoyable gimmick of a day thrown in for good measure.

The big story of the day was John Wall's debut at Kentucky, and he bailed the Wildcats out against Miami (Ohio), which ended up 72-70 UK. You can see his game winning shot here.

The other big attraction of the night was regional play in the NIT Season Tip-Off.

In the North region, Stanley Robinson and Kemba Walker led UConn to a win over Colgate. The Huskies will next face Hofstra, 68-63 winners over Yale.
The South region final will feature Western Kentucky and LSU in Baton Rouge. The Hilltoppers got 30 from A.J. Slaughter to beat Milwaukee, 69-65, while the Bayou Bengals had little problem with Indiana State, winning 56 to 45.
Duke will meet Charlotte in the East final in Durham. Kyle Singler had a double double (23 points, 11 boards) to lead the Blue Devils to a 25-point win over Coastal Carolina. The 49ers beat Elon in game two, 75 to 61.
Out West, TCU, 83-65 winners over Cal State-Northridge, will face homestanding Arizona State, who beat Texas State 84 to 62.

After the jump, I'll have some of the other action from today, including the scores of the first few games of the round the clock marathon.

The 24-hour marathon got started with a double OT thriller, as Cal State Fullerton defeated UCLA for the first time, 68-65. The Titan win snapped the Bruins' string of 37 straight wins over unranked non-conference foes.
St. Mary's had a suprisingly easy time with San Diego State in the 2 a.m. Eastern game, winning 60-58.
At 4 a.m., Northern Colorado used a 19-0 run to get ahead of host Hawai'i, whose comeback attempt fell short in the end.
St. Peter's blew out Monmouth in the first ever Division I basketball game to start at 6 a.m. local time.
Auburn fell to Missouri State, 73 to 62, becoming the second SEC school to fall to the Bears at the JQH Center in as many years, as Arkansas lost there last season.
Florida State knocked off Atlantic Sun favorite Jacksonville by 26.
Washington State struggled with Eastern Washington, finally prevailing 67 to 61.
Indiana also had a closer game than expected, as they beat South Carolina Upstate by 8.
Cincinnati also had a rough go of it last night, beating Prairie View 69-62. Lance Stephenson only had 7 on the night.
Rider didn't slip up after their upset of Mississippi State. They defeated Lehigh 86-71.
In a battle of two teams picked to finish near the bottom of their respective leagues, South Florida ran all over Tony Bennett's Virginia, 66-49. Dominique Jones had 22 to pace the Bulls.

If I didn't list your team's score, check the rundown on the right of any of the recap pages I've linked to find the result.

Rider provides season's first upset

SFBE.NF — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:04:52 -0000

Doh! Mississippi State is eating crow today, after losing to a top-tier MAAC school in Rider, 88-74. The Broncos were 10-16 from behind the arc, had four players finish in double figures (proving it's not just the Ryan Thompson show), and probably accelerated this whole Renardo Sidney mess for the Bulldogs.

Between the first-half's 11 and 4 minute mark neither team could muster even one point, as the Bulldogs were unable to extend their four point lead. Rider then took control, and never looked back.

For what it's worth, Jarvais Varnado had a Lottery-pick-like night, with 22/14/7, going a perfect 8-8 from the field. But limited backcourt contributions from Dee Bost and Barry Steward is probably what peeved coach Rick Stansbury on his way to the showers.

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

A Game (or Two) a Night: November 2009

Chris Dobbertean — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:50:00 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Corey Stokes and the Villanova Wildcats will be in Puerto Rico this November, while Ed Davis' Tar Heels will be in New York. Both events feature in the November games to watch. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Browse more photos »

November, the time of year when the air is crisp (well, at least in places in the Northern Hemisphere where there are actual seasons) and everyone is unbeaten. Unfortunately, that second fact can't last forever, as a proper college basketball game requires a winner and loser.

And, indeed, that's what all college basketball fans wait for, the action and the subsequent result, be it a blowout win for your favorite team or a potential BracketBuster pulling an upset that captures the country's imagination. November is the time for us to start on our collective road to March and April. Casual fans often dismiss the early season, saying that the Tournament is the only thing that matters, and that there are too many meaningless regular season games. (I wonder how many of these critics are NBA fans.)

But without the bumps in the road and potholes teams face in the early season, the finish line of March wouldn't just be unsatisfying, it would be an impossibility. Not only do college basketball fans learn more about the hoops landscape in the early season, teams really learn about themselves and their capabilities, especially when faced with the rigors of playing three games in three or four nights on a neutral floor.

Those early-season tournaments are a big part of this first month of the season, so on a few nights this month, you'll see more than one game listed, usually a semifinal doubleheader of some sort. Join me after the jump for my thoughts on the creme de la creme of games for the opening month of the 2009-10 season. TV information, as always, can be found at MattSarzSports.com.

Monday, November 9
Florida International at North Carolina (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic) (ESPNU, 7 ET)
Remember when Isiah Thomas said he didn't want his Golden Panthers to play UNC in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic? Do you think the Tar Heels are going to remember that?

Tuesday, November 10
There are no TV games listed for this night. Maybe colleges anticipated bad weather and hired the MLB scheduling department to plan out the first week of the season. Oh wait...

Wednesday, November 11
Robert Morris at Syracuse (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic) (ESPNU, 7 ET)
These two teams met at the Carrier Dome in the first round of the NIT in 2007, and both made the NCAAs in 2008. In fact, this is the only meeting of two 2008 NCAA teams in the opening rounds of the Coaches vs. Cancer event. The rosters will just be a tad different, however.

Thursday, November 12
James Madison at Ohio State (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic) (Big Ten, 7 ET)
This is the only TV game listed for this night, so it wins by default.

Friday, November 13
Bradley at BYU (Missouri Valley/Mountain West Challenge) (the mtn, 9:30 ET)
Last March, the Cougars found themselves a first round victim in the NCAAs, while the Braves finished as runners-up in the first ever College Insider Tournament.

Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15
Portland State at Washington (Athletes in Action Basketball Classic) (FSN NW, 10 ET Sunday)
Thanks to football, there's a small group of games to choose this weekend. The best matchup appears to be the last one of the group to tip. While Ken Bone has moved on (coincidentally, to UW's archrival), his top assistant, Tyler Geving, will attempt to keep the program's momentum going. The homestanding Huskies, one of the favorites in the Pac-10, will serve as a stern test for the Vikings.

Monday, November 16
Miami (OH) at Kentucky (FSN South, 7 ET)
If Billy Gillispie was coaching the Wildcats, you could watch this one half expecting Charlie Coles' Redhawks to pull the upset. However, John Calipari was hired to make these sorts of games a formality.

Tuesday, November 17
Memphis at Kansas (Hall of Fame Classic, St. Louis) (ESPN, 10 ET)
With ESPN running hoops for 24-plus hours, you have a lot of options on this particular day. Watching the near consensus preseason number one open up their season with a rematch that's not really a rematch of a game the NCAA says now didn't happen back in 2008 would be a nice way to end the marathon.

Wednesday, November 18
Butler at Northwestern (Big Ten, 8 ET)
The Wildcats have a legitimate shot at finally making the NCAAs this year. Beating a very strong Bulldog team in Evanston would provide a nice win for the resume.
Honorable mention goes to an Interesting doubleheader of intrastate battles on the mtn, Utah State at Utah and Nevada at UNLV.

Thursday, November 19
Coaches vs. Cancer Semifinals--California vs Syracuse and North Carolina vs. Ohio State (ESPN2, 7 ET)
Even if one of these teams were to lose during the on-campus opening rounds, they'd still make it to New York to battle with the other BCS schools in the field.

Friday, November 20
Coaches vs. Cancer 3rd Place Game and Final (ESPN2, 5 ET)
No matter who wins and loses on Thursday, both these game will deserve your attention.

Saturday, November 21
Rider at Kentucky (FSN South, 1 ET)
Again, not a great slate of games because of football. This game deserves special mention because it's one of the few chances you'l have to see Rider G Ryan Thompson, younger brother of the Sacramento Kings' Jason, (18 ppg. 6.5 rpg in 2008-09) on TV before the MAAC season.

Sunday, November 22
Puerto Rico Tip-Off Final (ESPN2, 8 ET)
This bracket appears a bit unbalanced, with A-10 favorite Dayton, rising ACC club Georgia Tech, and Big East favorite Villanova all featuring in the top half of the bracket (and don't sleep on George Mason either. Indiana, Kansas State, and Mississippi are the three power teams in the bottom half, with America East favorite Boston U capable of pulling a shock.

Monday, November 23
Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt (Maui Invitational First Round) (ESPN2, 5:30 ET)
The Bearcats and Commodores are two teams who look like they're ready to make up for disappointing 2008-2009 seasons.

Tuesday, November 24
Florida State at Florida (FS Florida, 7 ET)
The Seminoles are looking to build on last year's return to the NCAAs, while the Gators are looking to get back themselves after an unexpected two year absence following two consecutive titles.

Wednesday, November 25
Maui Invitational Championship (ESPN, 10 ET)
While Gonzaga and Maryland would have to be considered the favorites here. Arizona and Wisconsin hope to stand in the way of the Bulldogs, while the aforementioned Bearcats and Commodores will hope to stop the Terps.

Thursday, November 26
Minnesota vs. Butler (76 Classic First Round) (ESPN2, 8:30 ET)
I'm traveling clear across country for this tournament because when I saw the field for the first time last November, I knew it was going to be a classic. While all four quarterfinals are intriguing, this one stands out to me because it matches up a Gopher team that should really be clicking in the third year of Tubby Smith's tenure with a Bulldog squad that could really shock the public (but not those of us in the know) with a good run through this event. Winner faces either Portland or UCLA in Friday's semifinals.

Friday, November 27
76 Classic Semifinals (ESPN2, 2:30 and 5 ET)
While I've already mentioned the potential second semifinal matchups, the first semifinal should be just as entertaining, as it will feature the winner of Long Beach State (the Big West favorite)-West Virginia and either Clemson or Texas A&M.

Saturday, November 28
Louisville at UNLV (Versus, 4 ET)
This is a rematch of the Rebels upset win at Freedom Hall last New Year's Day. At that point, it looked like the Rebels were well on their way to the Tournament and the Cards were reeling.

See, this is why every game is important.

Sunday, November 29
76 Classic Final (ESPN2, 10 ET)
I think the organizers are hoping UCLA will be involved in this one, but as I've shown you, the Bruins won't have an easy time getting here.

Monday, November 30
Penn State at Virginia (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) (ESPN2, 7 ET)
The month closes with a quiet Monday night slate. After playing Stanford and either Kentucky or Cleveland State in a ballroom in Cancun, Tony Bennett's squad must host the defending NIT champions.

That should get you started for the season. My games for December will follow tomorrow evening.

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.

Game Preview: Lafayette Leopards @ Colorado Buffaloes

irish1611 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:15:31 -0000

	VS.
Colorado Buffaloes		Lafayette Leopards

Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Lafayette Leopards
Where: Coors Event Center (Boulder, CO)
When: 7:00 pm MT
Line: None Available

As we are fresh in the middle of Nebraska week and with the Buffs welcoming another "who" school in town tonight (would be funny if the Buffs hadn't lost to a "who" school and survived against another), forgive me if this preview is a liittle light. Straight to the point with this one.

The Buffs come off a come from behind victory against the Harvard Crimson last Saturday as CU picked up the tempo and were able to claw out a 70 - 57 victory. The score doesn't reflect how close the game was. The Buffs found success by picking up the pace and playing pressure defense, something I expect Colorado to do frequently the rest of the season. A young team plays better when they are not thinking but playing aggressive. Right now the Buffs best player has been 6'5" Sophomore G Cory Higgins who is leading the Buffs in points, rebounds and assists. Higgins has shot a solid 48% from the field on his way to averaging 16 points per game. Higgins is considered a veteran on this team of youth and should continue to be the Buffs meal tickets as Bzdelik's pups continue to develop.

The Lafayette Leopards from the Patriot League come into tonight's game at the Coors Event Center (7:00 pm MT) 2 - 2, beating Wagner and Stony Brook to start the year but losing their last two against Temple and Rider. Lafayette was up by as much as 15 in the second half against Rider before giving up the lead late in the second half. The Leopards don't boast a powerful inside presence, something that should be music to the ears of Colorado fans. But the Buffs will need to defend the perimeter as close to half of Lafayette's 215 field goal attempts are from the three point line (103). That is unbelievable. I guess when you don't have much of an inside game, that is where you go. Last year, Lafayette was able to get hot early in the season and really surprised some teams with their outside shooting ability. Colorado doesn't have the the offensive fire power to match these guys if the Leopards start going off so playing tough on the perimeter will be important for this team. The two leading scores for Lafayette, 6'2" G Jeff Kari and 5'11' G Andre Brown, both have attempted more three point field goals than two point field goals in the first four games. Kari averages 17 points per game and has shot 42.9% from behind the arc this season. The 6'2" guard led the Leopards in all four major statistical categories against Rider so he will be the guy the Buffs must keep an eye on. Brown, who most predicted would be the best player on the team before the season, averages 15.3 points per game and 28% from three point range. Last year, Brown made 40% of his 3-pointers last year and made 99 treys (third most in the league). Brown is from the state of Colorado.

With the heavy reliance on outside shooting and smaller players, the Buffs will need to dominant the boards. Temple outrebounded the Leopards by 9 and they went on to cruise. The problem is the Buffs are just as bad on the boards as the Leopards. On the offensive end, keep feeding Higgins. Cory has had the hot hand this year so look for the Buffs to try and establish him early and often. Also, Colorado needs to make the effort against a smaller team to win the offensive rebound game. If the Buffs do that and shut down the perimeter play of the Leopards, CU should roll.

Gameday Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	STK
LAF	2-2	71.3	73.3	1-2	1-0	L2
COLO	2-1	76	66	2-1	0-0	W1
Team Stat Leaders
	LAFAYETTE			COLORADO
Points	J. Kari 17.0			C. Higgins 15.7
Rebounds	R. Willen 6.3			C. Higgins 7.3
Assists	J. Kari 3.5			C. Higgins 4.7
Steals	J. Kari 2.3			C. Higgins 2.0
Blocks	M. Koltun 1.5			J. Jackson-Wilson 1.0
Projected Starting Lineups
	LAFAYETTE			COLORADO
1	Darion Benbow, F			Jermyl Jackson-Wilson, F
2	Marek Koltun, C			Austin Dufault, F
3	Andrew Brown, G			Nate Tomlinson, G
4	Ben Wheeler, G			Cory Higgins, G
5	Jeff Kari, G			Dwight Thorne II, G

SB Nation - Rider Broncs

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Weekend Happiness Hangover Edition

UK 92, Rider 63 -- Post-Mortem

Rider (2-1) @ Kentucky (3-0) -- Pregame Analysis

Rider Broncs Basketball Roster

Analysis:

What to watch for:

Around the ACC: 11.20.09

College Hoops Go-Round: November 17

Rider provides season's first upset

BtB 2009-10 Metro Atlantic Preview

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Standings

Preseason All-MAAC Team

Who is your pick to win the MAAC this season?

Canisius

Fairfield

Iona

Loyola (MD)

Manhattan

Marist

Niagara

Rider

St. Peter's

Siena

A Game (or Two) a Night: November 2009

Championship Monday Review/Preview

Game Preview: Lafayette Leopards @ Colorado Buffaloes

VS.

Colorado Buffaloes

Lafayette Leopards