SB Nation - South Carolina Gamecocks

Darrin Horn Receives Extension

Gamecock Man — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:55:29 -0000

More photos » by Richard Shiro - AP

8 days ago: South Carolina head coach Darrin Horn watches his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Clemson, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. Clemson defeated South carolina 72-61. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)

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Coach Horn is receiving an extension. Per The State:

A revision to Horn's contract is on the agenda for Monday's meeting of the USC board of trustees. Several sources said Horn is expected to get a raise of $300,000, and the length of his deal will also be increased by an unknown amount.

Horn's current contract annually pays him $800,000 plus incentives. He is in the second year of a five-year deal he signed upon being hired before the 2008-09 season.

While I wouldn't want to see us go Notre Dame-Charlie Weis over Horn just yet, I do think this reasonable raise and extension are deserved. I'm uncertain how much success we're going to see this year due to unexpected injuries, but the fact that Horn is recruiting at a pace that's rarely been seen around here in only his second year is going to mean a lot in a couple of years. This is a coach that stars want to play and that other schools are going to want soon. I'm glad we're making a move to keep him in Columbia.

Round Ball Round Up Feels Like a Winner // 12.08.09

Year2 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:00:25 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

Auburn's Lucas Hargrove, top, celebrates with teammates after Auburn defeated Virginia 68-67. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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While we've been obsessing over the end of football season, there has been basketball going on. That may come as a shock to those of you who aren't Kentucky or Vanderbilt fans, but don't worry. Here's a compilation of some of the best wins in the conference over the last two weeks. Rankings reflect the current AP poll.

LAST NIGHT

The SEC picked up a win over the ACC as Auburn edged out Virginia 68-67. DeWayne Reed led the AU attack with 18 points and seven assists, while Lucas Hargrove came within a Tiger's whisker of a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Brandon Knox was the surprise contributor with 11 points and six boards off the bench for Auburn, and his tip in of a missed Reed layup with 1.4 seconds to go was the winning bucket. The Tigers are 5-4 on the season.

DECEMBER 5

No. 4 Kentucky picked up a big one with a long overdue win against No. 11 North Carolina 68-66. John Wall, a Tar Heel fan while growing up in Raleigh who UNC never offered a scholarship to, scored 16 points including the decisive free throws despite battling cramps. Patrick Patterson had the best overall night as he had 19 points and seven rebounds. Wall also led the team with seven assists. UK is now a perfect 8-0 on the season.

DECEMBER 2

A.J. Ogilvy had a great night with 25 points and six rebounds as Vanderbilt knocked off Missouri 89-83. Jeffery Taylor had a double-double for the Commodores with 18 points and 11 boards, while Andre Walker led everyone with 12 rebounds. The Tigers made a furious comeback in the second half, but Vandy was able to hold them off thanks in part to a 45-24 rebounding edge. VU is 6-1 on the season and is ranked No. 24 in the Coaches' Poll.

Mark Fox and Georgia picked up a win over an occasional tournament team when the Bulldogs took care of Saint Louis 64-56. Only five UGA men scored in the game, but all reached double digits. Dustin Ware led all scorers with 17 on the night, while Travis Leslie led all rebounders with nine. Fox's crew led comfortably for most of the game, but SLU made a strong comeback late in the second half. Faced with adversity, the Bulldogs held off the Billikens to make the final score look good again. Georgia is 4-3 on the season.

South Carolina also picked up a win over a program with regular tournament appearances by shutting down Western Kentucky 74-56. Five Gamecocks made it into double figures, led by Devan Downey with 15. Two of them, Ramon Galloway and Evaldas Baniulis, had 11 each off the bench to make up all 22 points of reserve scoring. South Carolina had a 21-4 run in the first half while WKU answered with an 11-5 run in the second half, but the Hilltoppers couldn't get closer than eight the rest of the way. South Carolina is 6-2 on the season.

NOVEMBER 29

It was a shocker in Orlando as Anthony Grant's Alabama squad knocked off then-No. 15 Michigan 68-66. JaMychal Green was the star of the night for the Tide as he scored 20 points, put in the go-ahead basket with five seconds to go, and swatted away UM's layup attempt as time ran out. Mikhail Torrance had 11 points and eight assists, while Chavez Davis chipped in 12 points off the bench. Bama is 6-2 on the season.

NOVEMBER 28

Mississippi State stuck it to tournament regular Old Dominion by cruising to a 69-55 win. Dee Bost had a boffo shooting night, hitting six threes on the way to scoring 25 points. Jarvis Varnado had 15 points, six rebounds, and five blocks, but he only played nine first half minutes thanks to dislocating his pinkie. He would play 10 minutes in the second half and 21 in MSU's next game. It was not a very giving night as the two teams combined for just 26 total assists. Mississippi State is now 5-2 on the season.

NOVEMBER 27

In a win that would propel them from being unranked to the mid teens, No. 10 Florida beat No. 12 Michigan State 77-74. Chandler Parsons led UF in scoring with 14 from off the bench, Erving Walker poured in 12 second half points, and Dan Werner more or less iced the game with two late free throws. Florida's defense was big despite the high scoring from the Spartans as the Gators forced 22 turnovers. Florida is now 8-0 on the season.

Mike Holmes Out Indefinitely with Facial Injury

Gamecock Man — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:04:53 -0000

Per The State, Carolina big man Mike Holmes is now out indefinitely with a facial injury:

There is no timetable for his return, but "it won't be anytime soon," Horn said.

This is a tough blow to a team already hurt by the injury to Dominique Archie. The going could get rough for the next few weeks, as the Gamecocks have a number of tough OOC opponents coming up soon. Hopefully we can get through that slate without too many losses and be ready to compete with the SEC when Holmes and Archie return.

Dominique Archie "Out Indefinitely"; MRIs Reveal No Major Tear

Gamecock Man — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:18:12 -0000

Good news, Gamecocks fans: Dominique Archie's injury has been tentatively ruled a minor strain rather than a major tear. Archie is "out indefinitely," but if this MRI is accurate, I'd say he'll be out for a few weeks, in time for the beginning of conference play. This is essentially the injury that Brandis Raley-Ross had last year, and Raley-Ross was able to come back and contribute.

I'm really happy for Archie, as I would have hated to see him go out like this. I also think this leaves our chances at the NCAAs intact. We won't have Archie for the next few non-conference games, at the very least, and that means we'll have to take on good teams like Western Kentucky, Clemson, Baylor, and Boston College without him. With Archie in the lineup, I would have given us a decided edge over WKU, Baylor, and at Boston College (as well as Miami last night) and a slight chance at Clemson. Now, I doubt we can hang with Clemson without our team really shooting lights out, and our chances against the 'Toppers, Bears, and Golden Eagles are lower, too. However, if we can split the winnable non-con games and not drop any to the lesser opponents, we'll be in position to make a tourney run when Archie gets back.

Around the ACC: 11.23.09

MRickman84 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:43:15 -0000

First off, in non-ACC news, congrats to Tom Izzo for tying the Michigan State record for wins. The guy is a heck of a coach and his team is a buzz saw this year. The ACC had a pretty good day yesterday after a rough Saturday. This is still a really deep conference and is definitely far and above the SEC, Pac 10 and Big 12 outside of Kansas.

Georgia Tech 85, Boston Unversity 67
This game was tied at halftime, but Zach Peacock absolutely dominated, going 10-11 for 22 points. Blogger So Dear has been a fan of Peacock for awhile and we really like his athleticism. If Georgia Tech is going to have success this year, he is going to be a vital part for when Lawal gets doubled and Favors has his freshman bumps. The Yellow Jackets also got a strong performance from Mfon Udofia, who added 15. BU's leading scorer was John Holland with 23 and 5 rebounds. Favors had 14 and 10 and Gani Lawal tossed in 17 himself. Between the, Peacock, Udofia, Favors and Lawal had 68 of Tech's 85 points.

Miami 85, South Carolina 70

Miami hasn't played the cream of the crop so far, so their 5-0 start might be a bit misleading, but with wins against Tulane, UNC-W and South Carolina, the wins are at least a little significant and a good indicator of what Miami's team will be made up of. And it is safe to say that the Hurricanes will be very dangerous this year. Dwayne Collins is averaging just under 10 rebounds per game, and he looks to be a real catalyst. Collins had 17 and 15 in the win, and James Dews tossed in 22 on 8-11 shooting that included 3-3 from deep. The Gamecocks were down just 3 at the half, but Miami pulled away in the second half.

NC State 60, Auburn 58
State is going to have ups and downs this year, but close wins like this really help a team grow quickly. And this was a spectacular way to do it, as Tracy Smith hit a shot with 1.3 seconds to play to win the game. Smith was just 4 for 18, but one of those 4 was the biggest shot of the game. State was 4-0 in the Glen Wilkes Classic, with wins over Georgia State, Akron, Austin Peay as well as Auburn. Senior Dennis Horner chipped in 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in the victory.

Round Ball Round Up 11.21.09

Year2 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:33:33 -0000

More photos » by Brennan Linsley - AP

Bruce Pearl's Vols rolled in the Paradise Jam.

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LAST NIGHT

The No. 11 Tennessee Vols continued to act like a superpower as they blasted ECU 105-66. Scotty Hopson once again led the way for the orange, putting in 25 points. Bobby Maze and Tyler Smith contributed 15 and 13 points apiece. Both teams actually shot the ball well; Tennessee hit on 58% of shots while ECU connected on 52.6% of field goals. The difference in the game came from the shots attempted differential: UT attempted 69, while ECU had just 38. How does that work? The Vols forced a stunning 34 turnovers (including 17 steals) while giving it back just 13 times. Rocky Top Talk has some quick thoughts.

Staying in the East, Florida had no trouble shutting down Troy 80-58. Kenny Boynton led the Gators with 23 points, and all five starters had at least five rebounds. Erving Walker had the most complete line of the night with 13 points, six boards, and seven assists. The Gators' defense stole the show again, holding the Trojans to just 35.5% shooting, but they also woke up from three finally, hitting 12 of 32 treys on the night.

Shifting divisions, Ole Miss pulled away in the second half to defeat Kansas State 86-74. The Rebel starters put on quite a show, as Chris Warren had 27 points, Terrico White had 25 points, Eniel Polynice had 13 points, and Murphy Holloway had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Hot shooting carried the day, as the Mississippi boys shot 56% from the field.

Alabama got a win over the Big East with their 84-75 come from behind victory against Providence. The Tide trailed by four at the half, but they pulled away in foul-to-stop-the-clock territory, going from a 76-75 lead with a little over a minute to go to the nine point final margin. Mikhail Torrance hit three critical free throws during that stretch, and he led the team with 26 points overall. Alabama's starting forwards also put up double-doubles, as JaMychal Green had 15 and 12 while Justin Knox put up 13 and 10.

Speaking of nine point wins, Arkansas needed overtime to do it but pulled out an 81-72 win over Appalachian State. Marshawn Powell had a career night, pouring in 29 points on the night. Michael Washington had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. The Hogs only got two bench points the whole game. Arkansas Expats took a deep breath after the game.

Back East, South Carolina pulled out a 69-66 win over South Florida to reach the finals of the Charleston Classic. The Gamecocks will play Miami tomorrow for the title. The Bulls had an early 10 point lead, but South Carolina took the lead five minutes into the second half and never gave it up (though it was close throughout). Devan Downey led the team with 17 points.

Out on the West Coast, Vanderbilt pulled out a 72-70 win over perennial tournament contender St. Mary's. Three Commodore starters made it into double digits, led by Jeffery Taylor's 19. A.J. Ogilvy didn't have a great night, contributing just two points, but he did lead the team with two blocks and tied for team high with seven rebounds. Vandy's bench also contributed 19 points.

It was another tough night for Auburn as they fell to UCF 84-74. Frankie Sullivan put up 22 points, including a perfect 10 of 10 from the free throw line, and DeWayne Reed had 15 points and a team-high five assists. The difference in the game can be seen at the line, as Auburn's 11 to 3 advantage from three was nullified by UCF's 31-11 edge in free throws made.

Round Ball Round Up 11.20.09

Year2 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:31:50 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

25 days ago: Kentucky's DeMarcus Cousins, right, pulls a rebound away from Sam Houston State's Antuan Bootle during the first half of their NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

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LAST NIGHT

The No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats went north of the century mark to hold off a feisty Sam Houston State team 102-92. DeMarcus Cousins starred for the Cats, leading the team both with 27 points and 18 rebounds. John Wall (21) and Patrick Patterson (20) also got to 20 points for UK, who saw all five starters go in double digits but didn't register a single bench point in the game. A Sea of Blue has the postmortem on the win.

Meanwhile on the Island of Enchantment, Ole Miss picked up a win over a Big Ten squad with its 89-71 victory over Indiana. Murphy Holloway's 26 points was tops among the four Rebels that made it into double figures, while Reginald Buckner hauled in 12 rebounds off the bench. Eniel Polynice once again led the team in assists with seven. Red Cup Rebellion didn't have much to say about the win, but it did notice the bizarre way that ESPN apparently paid tribute to Houston Nutt's favorite offensive series.

UPDATE

Red Cup Rebellion has a full post-game write up now.

Back in Starkville, Mississippi State bounced back from its disappointing season-opening loss to run past Southeastern Louisiana 82-67 for their first win of the year. Jarvis Varnado nearly had a double-double with his 20 points and eight blocks. Nope SEC, he still hasn't graduated yet. Phil Turner did have a double-double, scoring 10 and grabbing 14 boards. Like with Kentucky, all five Bulldog starters reached double digits, but unlike the 'Cats, MSU got 12 points from its reserves.

South Carolina had little trouble going to 3-0 with its 78-68 win over La Salle. It was close around halftime, but a 13-4 Gamecock run that ended midway through the second half put the game away. Dominique Archie led Carolina with 17 points, while reserve guard Brandis Raley-Ross poured in 16. Seven Gamecocks scored at least six points and four made it to double figures.

WEDNESDAY

The Florida Gators held their second straight opponent under 50 points as Georgia Southern took its second loss to SEC teams of the season with UF's 69-49 win. Kenny Boynton paced the reptilian effort with 22 points, Chandler Parsons had 15 and 12 off the bench, and Georgetown transfer Vernon Macklin contributed 15 points. Neither team shot particularly well, as both teams were under 40% from the field.

College Hoops Go-Round: November 20

Chris Dobbertean — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:48:46 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

25 days ago: Syracuse's Arinze Onuaku dunks the ball against California during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Syracuse won 95-73. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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It's less than a week until Thanksgiving. That means it's time for my second favorite time of the year, something Chris Mottram over at SBNation.com christened "November Nuttiness" yesterday. This is the part of the season where the big holiday tournaments get ramped up, and there was action in three of them yesterday.

CBE Classic

Syracuse had no problem with a No. 13 California team who played shorthanded, 95-73.
No. 6 North Carolina held on against No. 15 Ohio State in a game the Tar Heels looked to have in the bag.
Tonight, the consolation game will feature the Golden Bears and Buckeyes (ESPN2, 5 p.m.). The Orange will face the Tar Heels in the championship (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.).

Puerto Rico Tip-Off

In the first game No. 18 Dayton got 7 from Paul Williams in the final minutes to beat No. 21 Georgia Tech, 63-59.
The second contest was even more thrilling. George Mason led for most of their contest with No. 5 Villanova, but Isaiah Armwood's first career field goal, a 3, and a huge defensive stop at the end gave the Wildcats a 69-68 win.
Indiana was no match for Ole Miss, falling 89-71. Murphy Holloway scored 26 on 66% shooting for the Rebels.
Kansas State defeated Boston University, 80-70, in a game only a few people saw (and I wasn't one of them).
In the loser's bracket today, the Yellow Jackets will face the Patriots at 1 p.m. (ESPNU), while the Hoosiers take on the Terriers (6 p.m., no TV).
In today's semifinals, the Flyers will take on the Nova Wildcats (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.), and the Rebels face the K-State Cats (ESPNU, 8:30 p.m.).

Charleston Classic

Miami (FL) beat Tulane handily in the first quarterfinal, 74-54.
UNC Wilmington did what GMU couldn't do and earned a win for the CAA over a power conference, having a relatively easy time with Penn State, 80-69.
Davidson could have used Golden State's Stephen Curry, as they fell to USF, 65-58.
South Carolina had a surprisingly easy time with La Salle, winning by 10.
In the today's consolation bracket game, the Green Wave will face the Nittany Lions (CSS, 12:30 p.m.) and the Wildcats will take on the Explorers (CSS, 7 p.m.).
In the semifinals, the Hurricanes will face the Seahawks (CSS, 3 p.m) and the Bulls play the Gamecocks (CSS, 9:30 p.m.).

The other action last night featured home preliminary games for Kentucky and Virginia for next week's Cancun Challenge.

No. 4 Kentucky defeated Sam Houston State by 10, but the BearKats exposed the Wildcats perimeter defense again.
Rider was surprisingly hammered by Virginia, 79-46, in Charlottesville in another Cancun preliminary.

No. 1 Kansas wore red tonight, and Central Arkansas is seeing red after the Jayhawks beat them by 50. Sherron Collins missed some time in this one after rolling an ankle, but he did return.

For more on Thursday's games, visit SBNation.com and Searching For Billy Edelin. One more tournament tips off today, and I'll talk about that after the jump.

The Paradise Jam starts today in the Virgin Islands, but none of today's opening round games are on TV. Here's what I wrote about that event in my Early Season Tournament Preview.

I would be absolutely stunned if one semifinal of this tournament doesn't feature Valley favorite Northern Iowa taking on Tyler Smith, Wayne Chism and the rest of Tennessee. As much as Fox College Sports wants us to think, DePaul, UNI's opponent, hasn't been a power in awhile, and East Carolina, who the Vols face, has never been a hoops powerhouse. The bottom half also looks pretty cut and dried. Even without Tyrese Rice, Boston College should handle a Saint Joseph's squad that doesn't have Ahmad Nivins and Tasheed Carr. Purdue, a Big Ten co-favorite, faces South Dakota State, who should challenge in the Summit, but may be overmatched here.

Paradise Jam Quarterfinals

DePaul vs. Northern Iowa (No TV, 1)
No. 10 Tennessee vs. East Carolina (No TV, 3:30)
St. Joseph's Boston College (No TV, 6)
South Dakota State No. 7 Purdue (No TV, 8:30)

There is some televised action today, including some non-traditional tournament matchups.

Toledo visits No. 2 Michigan State (Big Ten, 6:30) in a Legends Classic early-round game.
Clemson takes on UNC Greensboro (FS South/Full Court, 7) at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Troy travels to Florida (FS Florida, 7) for another Legends Classic matchup.
IUPUI heads to Spokane to take on an impressive Gonzaga squad (FSN Northwest, 9).
UCLA looks to rebound at Pauley against Cal State Bakersfield (FSN Regional/FCS Pacific, 10:30).
San Jose State will look to stop No. 14 Washington's fast start in Seattle (FSN Northwest/FCS Central, 11).

Be sure to visit Matt Sarz' College Sports on TV site for games that may only be telecast locally.

I actually won't see much of today's action, as I will be flying out West for a few days of R&R in San Francisco, then the 76 Classic in Anaheim. I will continue to post while I'm in California, hopefully even during the tournament next week.

College Hoops Go Round: November 19

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:31:06 -0000

More photos » by Skip Peterson - AP

Chris Wright's Dayton Flyers will be challenged by star freshman Derrick Favors and Georgia Tech this afternoon in Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Skip Peterson)

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With everyone, including myself, worn out from marathon Tuesday, it was a relatively quiet Wednesday night. Here's a quick rundown of what did go down in the headline games of the night.

Florida pulled away from a feisty Georgia Southern squad, winning 69-49.

VCU got smacked by Western Michigan, 83-67.

Florida State dominated Stetson, 80-38.

Toledo was no match for Cincinnati, falling 92-68.

Cornell won another road game against a name opponent, beating UMass by 13.

No. 11 Butler won easily at Northwestern, 67-54.

Nebraska fell by 15 at St. Louis, 69-55.

Utah won at thriller at home against in-state rival Utah State, 68-67.

Western Carolina was no match for Damion James-led No. 3 Texas.

Oral Roberts won at Stanford, 83-81, in an early-round Cancun Challenge game.

UNLV completed a Mountain West sweep over WAC contenders, beating Nevada 88-75.

For another excellent wrap-up of last night's action, visit Searching for Billy Edelin. A preview of today's tournament-heavy schedule is after the jump.

There's a lot of action on tap both today and tonight, with tournaments taking center stage. Preview text is from my Early Season Tournament Preview. All times are p.m. ET unless noted.

CBE Classic Semifinals

In the first game of tonight's doubleheader, Pac-10 co-favorite California faces a Syracuse squad who may have a bit of a homecourt advantage in New York. In game two, defending national champion North Carolina faces the first big challenge of its defense against Evan Turner and Ohio State. The winners and losers will play on Friday evening.

Syracuse vs. No. 13 California (ESPN2, 7)
No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Ohio State (ESPN2, 9:30)

Puerto Rico Tip-Off Quarterfinals

The top half of this field is loaded. Chris Wright and A-10 favorite Dayton will be tested by the Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors-led frontcourt of Georgia Tech. Unfortunately, this matchup of top 25 squads will only be on regional television. Meanwhile, CAA contender George Mason faces Final Four team Villanova in a rematch of a 2007 Old Spice Classic semifinal. In the bottom half, Tom Crean's rebuilding Indiana takes on Andy Kennedy's Mississippi, a team who is a threat in the SEC West, while America East favorite Boston University takes on Denis Clemente and Kansas State.

No. 21 Georgia Tech vs. No. 18 Dayton (CSS/CW Dayton, 11:30 a.m.)
George Mason vs. No. 5 Villanova (ESPNU, 2)
Indiana vs. Ole Miss (ESPN2, 5)
Kansas State vs. Boston University (No TV, 7:30)

Charleston Classic Quarterfinals

In the top half of the bracket, Miami (FL)--with Villanova transfer Malcolm Grant running the point in place of graduated Jack McClinton faces Tulane. while UNC Wilmington, who could rise in the CAA this year, faces NIT Champion Penn State. In the bottom half, Big East cellar dwellar USF faces Stephen Curry-less, but still dangerous Davidson, while John Giannini's La Salle, who hopes to make a statement here before the A-10 season, plays Dominique Archie and Devan Downey-led South Carolina, who should have the crowd behind them.

Tulane vs. Miami (FL) (CSS/CST, 1:30)
UNC Wilmington vs. Penn State (ESPNU, 4)
Davidson vs. USF (No TV, 7)
La Salle vs. South Carolina (ESPNU, 9:30)

There are a few other non-tournament games on TV as well.

Sam Houston State at No. 4 Kentucky (SEC on FSN/Full Court, 7)
Utah Valley at Minnesota (Big Ten, 8)
Northwestern State at Texas Tech (Full Court, 8)
Central Arkansas at No. 1 Kansas (Full Court, 8)
Montana at Denver (FSN Rocky Mountain/FCS Central, 9)
Fresno State at Seattle (FSN Northwest/FCS Pacific, 10)
Rice at Arizona (FS Arizona/FCS Atlantic, 10:30)

For other games that will only be televised locally, visit Matt Sarz' College Sports on TV site.

Early Round Ball Season Round Up

Year2 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:25:53 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Tennessee's Scotty Hopson.

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LAST NIGHT

As we mentioned in Sprints this morning, points were raining down in Knoxville as No. 11 Tennessee set a school scoring record in its 124-49 pummeling of UNC-Asheville. Scotty Hopson led the Vols with 25 points. Rocky Top Talk has a wrap up of the romp.

Meanwhile in Baton Rouge, a Tiger set a career high as Bo Spencer's 28 points led LSU to a 71-60 win over Western Kentucky. Storm Warren also had a great night with 20 points and 11 rebounds, his third straight double-double. And the Valley Shook has game coverage and a look ahead at LSU's upcoming games in Madison Square Garden.

Staying in the SEC West, Alabama picked up the first win of the Anthony Grant era with an 86-69 laugher over Jackson State. Four Tide ballers went into double figures, with freshman Tony Mitchell setting the standard with 23 and Mikhail Torrance distributing eight assists with his 13 points.

It was not as nice a night in Athens for new coach Mark Fox as Georgia fell to 1-1 on the season with a 60-57 loss to Wofford. Trey Thompkins registered a double-double for the Bulldogs with 14 points and a manly 16 rebounds, while Travis Leslie led the team with 17 points.

It was an even rougher night in Papa John City for John Pelphrey's Arkansas squad as they were overmatched and overpowered by No. 22 Louisville, 96-66. Marshawn Powell got a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards, and Rotnei Clarke paced the Hogs with 16 points. Arkansas Expats says it was about what they expected, but the goal of finding a way into the NIT is still on the table.

MONDAY

The No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats needed a last-second jumper from freshman John Wall to pull out a 72-70 squeaker over Miami University. Wall had 19 points on the game, and both Patrick Patterson (17 and 10) and DeMarcus Cousins (10 and 10) put up double-doubles for the Cats. A Sea of Blue of course has an excellent wrap up of the night's action.

Ole Miss had no such trouble in putting away Alabama State to the tune of 90-53. Four Rebels broke into double digits in scoring. Terrico White had the most points with 19, but Eniel Polynice had the best line of the night with 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Polynice was one of three Ole Miss players with eight or more boards. Red Cup Rebellion had some quick thoughts about the game.

Also hitting the 90 point mark was South Carolina, as the Gamecocks blew out Georgia Southern 90-66. Dominque Archie was the man of the night for Carolina, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while stud Devan Downey chipped in 14 points and a team-high six assists. The Gamecocks put the game away by scoring the final five points of the first half and opening the second half with a 16-0 run, a combined 21 unanswered points.

Not to be outdone, the Vanderbilt Commodores went for 95 while holding Lipscomb to just 73 in their season opener. Star center A.J. Ogilvy came off the bench for the 'Dores thanks to a concussion sustained in practice last month, but that didn't stop him from scoring 13 points and leading the team with nine boards and three blocks. Jeffery Taylor led the way with 20 points.

On the other end of the spectrum, LSU eeked out a 55-45 win over Indiana State in the first round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Tipoff. Despite the low scoring output, three Tigers went into double digits. And the Valley Shook was impressed by the defense, but was decidedly underwhelmed by LSU's shooting.

Still in the West, Auburn ended up with a disappointing 73-62 loss to the MVC's Missouri State. You can't blame the Tigers' Lucas Hargrove, who put up 24 points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds. Unfortunately the effort was in vain as his only teammate to break into double digits was DeWayne Reed with 12. Auburn got a paltry five points off the bench in the game.

SUNDAY

The Florida Gators got off to a rousing start with a 74-46 start over in-state foe Stetson. The 46 that the Hatters scored is the lowest point total any opponent has scored in the Billy Donovan era. The Gators nearly snapped a streak though, waiting until the final minute of the game to make a three point shot to extend the school's record of 579 games with at least one trey made. Chandler Parsons, author of the one made three, led the team with 14 points, Alex Tyus put in 12 while snaring 13 rebounds, and hyped freshman Kenny Boynton scored 12 though only on 5-11 shooting. Alligator Army hopes for a return to toughness out of the team.

SB Nation - South Carolina Gamecocks

Darrin Horn Receives Extension

Round Ball Round Up Feels Like a Winner // 12.08.09

Mike Holmes Out Indefinitely with Facial Injury

Dominique Archie "Out Indefinitely"; MRIs Reveal No Major Tear

Around the ACC: 11.23.09

Round Ball Round Up 11.21.09

Round Ball Round Up 11.20.09

College Hoops Go-Round: November 20

CBE Classic

Puerto Rico Tip-Off

Charleston Classic

Paradise Jam Quarterfinals

College Hoops Go Round: November 19

CBE Classic Semifinals

No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Ohio State (ESPN2, 9:30)

Puerto Rico Tip-Off Quarterfinals

Kansas State vs. Boston University (No TV, 7:30)

Charleston Classic Quarterfinals

Early Round Ball Season Round Up