SB Nation - Siena Saints

11/17 Game Links: Oh Elliot, you were so close!

SFBE.NF — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:54:51 -0000

Kansas survives, Elliot Williams misses for the win

Another great early season Spartans - Bulldogs game

It's a low scoring affair in D.C., Georgetown escapes with victory

Siena tops Northeastern in a nice early-season BracketBuster match-up

Louisville embarrasses Arkansas by 30

Tennessee embarrasses UNC-Asheville...by 75!

Get used to this headline: Warren leads Sooners to win

LSU survives against seasoned Western Kentucky team

Dana O'Neil: KU not invincible; UM not going away

Monday Merges Into Tuesday, Thanks To A Marathon

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

by Mark J. Terrill - AP

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

View full size photo »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Know your March Madness Spoilers

SFBE.NF — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:34:26 -0000

Joe Lunardi resurfaced today on ESPN.com, and he wasn't kind to the little guy. This year, according to the original Bracketologist, only Xavier will qualify as a non-BCS, at-large tournament team. It's sad to think, but maybe true. I say we blame the economy!

Despite this sobering news, below are 10 players we reccommend you at least take heed of, so you're not Googling them when Greg Gumbel is singing their praises after an incredible first round upset in March.

Luke Babbitt; Sophomore, Nevada - So you're a McDonalds All-American and receive offers from nearly every Pac 10 school, Ohio State and Gonzaga...what do you do? Well, if you're Luke Babbitt, you stay close to home and go to Nevada. After initially committing to play for Thad Matta, Babbitt got cold feet and decided he wanted to remain near his parents. He's a pro prospect, but playing in a lesser conference seems to put more pressure on the sophomore, who will be expected to be great for the entire season, turn his "Freshman of the Year" award into "Player of the Year" and build upon his 17/7.3/1.3 stat line.

Marqus Blakely; Senior, Vermont - OK let's get this out of the way...America East is one of the least basketball-centric conferences in the country, so when a player catches our eye, he must be impressive. Blakely is a two-time American East player of the year and is going to have quite a burden on his shoulders, as the Catamounts graduated 35 percent of their scoring and it's all time assists leader Miki Trimboli. But at 6'5" 235, Blakely is an explosive scoring threat, and a feared shot blocker who probably will lead his team in all major categories.

Osiris Eldridge; Senior, Illinois State - Finishing a close third to Siena's Just-in'love Smith and Cal's Bak Bak, Eldridge holds claim to one of the baddest names in the college game. Last season ended on a sour note for Eldridge, as he missed a three pointer that would have forced a second overtime against Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Tourney Final. Expect the Redbirds to be matched-up against the Panthers once again when the precious NCAA Tournament berth is on the line. Also please take note of his nicely maintained Euro-hawk.

Kenneth Faried; Junior, Morehead State - Quick, who was second in the NCAA last season in double-doubles? No idiot, it wasn't Eric Devendorf, this title belongs to Faried, a New Jersey native who migrated to eastern Kentucky to serve as one of the most imposing players in Ohio Valley Conference. This guy probably plays harder, meaner and faster than any of his opponents, and just may be the country's most prolific rebounder by the end of this season.

Paul George; Sophomore, Fresno State - Come March, George's time as 'just a nice mid-major player' will likely be long gone. After a surprise freshman season (averaging 14 and 6) George often executes foolish dunks, strokes at a 45 percent clip from behind the arc, and is a legit NBA prospect drawing comparisons to Rudy Gay. Yeah, many BCS-schools are kicking themselves for missing this one.

Anthony Johnson; Senior, Montana - In his first season playing DI basketball as a JuCo transfer, Johnson lit up the Big Sky last year putting up scoring numbers not seen by the conference since Rodney Stuckey was killin it at Eastern Washington. Johnson is the reigning conference POY and as a 6'3" wing player, is very efficient . He shoots at 50 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from long range.

Johnathan Jones; Senior, Oakland - Last season's NCAA leader in assists, Jones dropped double-digit dimes (now there's some alliteration) in nine of the Grizzlies last 12 games. Starting every game since he's been on campus, and the only player to ever chalk up 1000 points and 500 assists in a career, Jones has already earned the title as the program's most decorated player. And with that darling Ben Woodside of North Dakota State moving on, Oakland is the favorite to win the Summit league as Jones will enjoy dishing out to three other returning starters all season long.

Larry Sanders; Junior, Virginia Commonwealth - No Eric Maynor, no Anthony Grant, no problem! The 6'10" junior who shares the same name as Gary Shandling's hit HBO show is still here! Sanders has a freakish 91 inch wingspan, and was 11^th in the country last season in blocks. While it's quite rare in college basketball, Sanders will be a triple-double threat this season if CAA players repeatedly try and shoot over this guy. NBA scouts like him, but will love him if he develops are more consistent offensive game this season. Nonetheless, first year coach Shaka Smith has a real asset in his frontcourt.

A.J. Slaughter; Senior, Western Kentucky - He's still eligible? That's right, after two years of playing along side Courtney Lee, Tyrone Brazelton and Orlando Mendez-Valdez, Slaughter is still kicking around and arguably the top player in the Sun Belt. Along with Steffphon Pettigrew, Slaughter will lead a team that returns four starters and itching to get back to the dance after being on the wrong side of one of last season's plays of the year.

Edwin Ubiles; Senior, Siena - For what it's worth, Edwin Ubiles has won more NCAA Tournament games than recent college basketball notables Nick Calathes, Eric Gordon, and Greg Monroe combined. After a dramatic victory over Ohio State last season, Siena comes in this season as the trendy mid-major looking to be a Top 25 mainstay this season- and Ubiles will be the man to lead them. Georgia Tech aside, the Saints schedule is pretty benign, so the selection committee will leave little wiggle room for this program to be an at-large bid candidate. Ubiles' athleticism is on par with the top players in the country, and if he develops any sort of outside game he could be an NBA draft pick.

BtB 2009-10 Metro Atlantic Preview

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

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

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

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

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

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Standings

(updated 3.22.2009 at 7:49 PM EDT)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Preseason All-MAAC Team

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

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

Poll

Who is your pick to win the MAAC this season?

Canisius

1 votes

Fairfield

2 votes

Iona

0 votes

Loyola (MD)

1 votes

Manhattan

0 votes

Marist

1 votes

Niagara

0 votes

Rider

1 votes

St. Peter's

0 votes

Siena

3 votes

9 votes | Poll has closed

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

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

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Siena's Schedule Dilemma

umass09 — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:00:23 -0000

Siena’s head coach, Fran McCaffery, has yet to finalize his schedule for the upcoming 2009-10 season. At first, you might assume that McCaffery has just been procrastinating for the last several months. However, this is far from the reason. McCaffery has in fact been working non-stop, placing calls to all 341 of the nations other Division I programs to try and fill in the schools remaining two games.

Finding the last two non-conference games to wrap up the 2009-10 schedule is an extremely difficult task for the Saints to complete. Not many Division I teams are willing to play the very underrated Saints team that has advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament two years in a row. It is not just the potential upset possibility that scares off major conference opponents, but is also due to the Saints being a member of the MAAC, which does not exactly draw the media glamour like conferences such as the Big East and Pac-10 do.

With the season approaching sooner than most think, you might ask yourself why the Saints don’t just fill their two last games with a non-Division I team. Well, McCaffery has created a policy at Siena that says the school will only compete against those teams in Division I. He wants to challenge his team, which in return enables them to play at their highest level. Without this option the Saints are only left with one option and that is to play the waiting game and hope that other schools finally agree to compete.

2008-09 Year in Review: Old Spice Classic

Zach B — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:46:38 -0000

Continuing our look back at the season that was, we now leave the hype behind and enter one of the better moments for the Gonzaga faithful. Mark Few and Jerry Krause have been recognized for their willingness to throw the Bulldogs to the wolves and let them battle the best in the country. This year was no different and by the end of November, Gonzaga was faced with the challenge of playing three teams ranked within the top 25. The Old Spice Classic took place in Orlando and was without question the most impressive preseason tournament field of the year. Tennessee, Georgetown, Michigan State, Maryland, Oklahoma State, and others all traveled down south to take part in the classic. In early season tournaments like the Old Spice, teams are still typically trying to find their groove before they hit conference play. For a small conference team like Gonzaga, however, it was their opportunity to show the entire nation that they were for real.

continue reading this post after the jump...

When Gonzaga took the court on November 27th against Oklahoma State, the game was supposed to be a pretty simple challenge for the Bulldogs. The Cowboys were coming into the season with a new coach, Travis Ford, and an entirely new identity. If you followed Oklahoma State through the season however, you know that Travis Ford has this team pointing in the right direction. Along with an NCAA Tournament appearance, the Cowboys gave Gonzaga all they could handle but thanks to the emergence of some key bench players, the Zags advanced, This was the game in which Ira Brown played some key minutes and really brought some enthusiasm to a previously dead team. In fact, the bench combination of Ira Brown, Demetri Goodson, and then healthy Robert Sacre looked to be a trio that would provide great things for Gonzaga all season. Sadly, Sacre got bit by the injury bug and Brown's minutes were very up and down but the three of them were special all tournament long. Looking back on the game, I have to say that I am impressed. Oklahoma State proved to be a very good basketball game, and looking at our recap, Gonzaga did not play one of their better games and still came out strong with a 12 point victory.

The match up that everyone had been talking about since the Classic brackets came out was Gonzaga-Michigan State. The mention of the game brings back memories of 2005 and the Maui Invitational in which Adam Morrison and Maurice Ager delivered some of the best individual performances in recent memory. The idea of Mark Few and Tom Izzo butting heads was also appealing but it wasn't meant to be. Gary Williams and the Maryland Terrapins proved that they should never be doubted. It was supposed to be an awful year for Maryland as they really only had one serious threat, Greivis Vasquez. Vasquez was recruited heavily by Gonzaga and Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd even helped bring the youngster to America. It didn't work out between the two parties and Vasquez found a home with Maryland. The Terps demolished Michigan State in their first round match up behind some Vasquez heroics and set the stage for a Gonzaga/Maryland match up. Vasquez would have no heroics against the Zags as they completely shut down Maryland. Instead of settling for the three like they did against Oklahoma State, Gonzaga came out on the offensive and Josh Heytvelt and Austin Daye were sensational against an over matched Terrapin team. Austin had a double-double and Heytvelt finished with 22 points and nine rebounds to give Gonzaga a 81-59 victory.

Gonzaga was hitting on all cylinders at this point but their were two sides to this bracket and the other side was putting on one hell of a show for the onlookers. Tennessee had the most difficult road for a high seed in the entire tournament. They had to start out with a very game Siena team that would wind up going to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Then they had to take on Georgetown, who by all means peaked too early but was playing great basketball at this time. The two programs matched up in the second round and put on an absolute show. Georgetown came out hot and actually built up quite the impressive lead but thanks to the play of Tyler Smith and the rest of the Volunteers, Bruce Pearl's team was able to outlast the Hoyas and set up Gonzaga-Tennessee part one as the two teams were already set to play later in the year.

Gonzaga and Tennessee was the game that no one was surprised to see as the championship game in the Old Spice Classic. Michigan State was supposed to make some noise but the intrigue of these two teams facing off so early in the season made for a great game. Both teams are just fun to watch because they play the game with an emphasis on offense and getting the ball up and down the court. Tennessee is especially fun to watch because they have the ever emotional Bruce Pearl as their head coach and he does an outstanding job filling those kids with emotional toughness. Toughness had been the question for Gonzaga all summer and into the start of the year. The Zags have always had great talent but everyone wanted to know if they could get punched in the mouth and get up and fight back. The November 30th match up against Tennessee proved they could. The game was tight throughout the entire first half as it was becoming quite clear that these two teams don't like each other. Gonzaga shot lights out the entire game as five Bulldogs would enter double figures, led by Steven Gray and Matt Bouldin. By the ten minute mark of the second half, Gonzaga was running in full force and built an 18 point victory. Tennessee wouldn't go quietly into the Orlando night and they battled back quite valiantly and they were helped by some very stupid choices by Gonzaga. I can still remember Matt Bouldin and Jeremy Pargo pulling up for a three-point shot early in the shot clock when Gonzaga already had an 18 point lead. The 18 points cushion proved to be too much for Tennessee and they wound up falling to the Zags 83-74.

With the Old Spice Classic victory, everything was just about perfect in Zag Nation. It was not only the fact that Gonzaga defeated three "BCS" teams but it was the fashion in which they did so. Gonzaga basically answered every major question coming into the season. The depth was as god as advertised with Ira Brown, Steven Gray, Rob Sacre, and Demetri Goodson all coming in and playing important minutes. They played with toughness and really attacked against Maryland and Tennessee. They played so tough in fact that Meech even got in a little tussle with Tennessee guard Bobby Maze at the end of the first half. They had swagger against some of the best programs and coaches in the nation and came away from the Old Spice Classic as one of the best teams in the nation and the top five ranking that came a few days after proved it.

Poll

What were your expectations after the Old Spice Classic?

Probably the same as the outcome; Sweet Sixteen

27 votes

We played great and I was dreaming of a final four

79 votes

This team actually made me believe Gonzaga could win it all

24 votes

I never bought into it, they just peaked early.

5 votes

135 votes | Poll has closed

Louisville 79, Siena 72

Mike Rutherford — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:29:38 -0000

The first glimpse of the end of something very good is always heartbreaking.

With Siena having just charged from lifeless to a four-point lead, Louisville not appearing capable of responding in any form and Rick Pitino talking to his players in the midst of an apparent 35-minute timeout, the thought that this was the last time this group would take the floor as a team crept into my mind for the first time. No more Pit Bull No. 1 hounding opposing guards, no more T-Willisms, no more Earl in March, no more daydreaming about Detroit.

And then the Cards did what Final Four teams tested on the tournament's opening weekend have been doing for years: they found a way to win.

The formula for these types of victories is basic. You have a star player, you let your star player make star player plays, and then the rest of the team rallies.

I am no less confident in this team's ability to win a national championship than I was before Sunday. One seeds have been pushed in the round of 32 year-after-year. It happened last season to both Memphis (against Mississippi State) and UCLA (against Texas A&M).

Siena was legitimately one of the 32 best teams in the country. They boasted the MAAC Player of the Year as well as the same five starters who rolled Vanderbilt in the first round of last year's Big Dance. Thee guys weren't going to crumble because of a double-digit deficit in the second half.

A win over a good team in the tournament needs to be celebrated, regardless of how it came about.

There's more Louisville basketball to be played, and as long as you can say that with a straight face, life is good.

There's nothing I can say about Terrence William that hasn't already been said by now, so I'm not even going to try. The man cemented his status as a leader and All-American by carrying his team to victory with the season on the line.

I know we said it last year when David Padgett's Cardinal career was winding to a close, but what in the world are we going to do without this guy?

Ms. Card Chronicle and I made the day trip to Dayton, the former managing to sneak a "T-WIll T-WILL Rock You" sign into UD Arena. After successfully evading the wrath of the sign Nazis for two hours, she managed to get T-Will's attention as he headed toward the locker room following a postgame interview with CBS. He smiled, pointed, and said, "I like that sign."

And just like that, her crush on the best player on the nation's No. 1 team ballooned to half the size of mine.

If that weren't enough, she managed to get some ink in The New York Times.

A woman in the stands held up a sign. It read: "T-Will, T-Will, Rock You!" Williams finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds, rocking all night long.

I'd like to note that the sign did not actually include an exclamation point.

"Some guy named Mike" in the Dayton Daily News and "a woman" in The New York Times...power couple.

How excited about cheering on the bench do you think Jery Smith secretly got after picking up his second foul?

If he would have banged that second three from the corner early in the second half, it would have easily been my biggest overreaction of the game.

We've been talking about this since the Ole Miss game, but this team's lack of a killer instinct is still really troubling.

I understand that this is a loose bunch, and I'm OK with that, but the looseness seems to be taken to a dangerous level whenever a second half lead blossoms to nine or ten. We've seen over the last couple of weeks that Louisville is a team capable of making key, debilitating runs, but they still haven't figured out where the throat is. In both the Syracuse and Villanova games, U of L opened up the second half with monster runs that helped them build a lead of around eight points, and then the margin hovered right around that area for the rest of the game.

We still haven't seem these guys go on a big run to build a respectable lead and then smell blood and put the game completely out of reach. That worries me.

I believe in Almost Dunking Marques Maybin.

This was a game where we really needed Samardo Samuels to provide a monster advantage inside, and for the most part he did. He took a couple of poor shots near the end of the game, but he was tremendous on defense (sans the whole forgetting there was someone behind him on the go-ahead bucket for the Saints) and very assertive when he caught the ball in a position to score.

It's time for Jordan Hill now, big fella.

Token

Jared Swopsher, Ronald Delk, Juan Palashus...thank god Verne has that Happy Gilmore money to fall back on.

The bird that made its way into the arena landing on the midcourt logo during a TV timeout produced one of the loudest cheers of the game. It was pretty awesome.

A very strong seven minutes from Terrence Jennings. So strong that you can't help but wonder what happened to him in the second half.

I really don't think Jared Swopshire missed a shot during either pregame or halftime warm-ups. It actually made me really hope he got an open look when he was in during the first half.

It seems to me like CBS has had even more problems switching games during this tournament than in past years, and they've never been good.

If I had been home for this, though, something within arm's each would have been thrown.

An almost three-minute stretch in the final five minutes, in which the Cardinals rallied from a 63-61 deficit to a 68-63 lead, was not shown. The game, which was broadcast on CBS affiliate WLKY, was interrupted by cutaways to Marquette-Missouri and USC-Michigan State.

CBS was supposed to provide a "constant feed" of live U of L game action and not cut away from the hometown team, WLKY president and general manager Glenn Haygood said.

...

WLKY was "flooded" with calls, Haygood said.

"If I were a viewer, I would have complained to anybody that would have listened to me," he said.

Haygood said he will be having some "serious conversations" with CBS.

"This cannot happen again," he said. "It should have never happened in the first place."

It's OK. I mean, it's not like they've been doing this for a long time or anything. The fine folks at CBS are still learning the ropes when it comes to the tournament and college basketball fans need to be respectful of that.

Jackasses.

I don't have a good way to lead into this, but here's Jerb's video of pregame warm-ups.

Even when Preston Knowles is at his worst he manages to work in something ridiculously cool.

I said before the game that Hasbrouck, Franklin and Ubiles could play for any team in America, well, go ahead and add Ronald Moore to that list.

He had an awful afternoon from the field, but played 40 minutes and ate our press alive, finishing with ten assists and just two turnovers. He also had four steals.

He'll never be a household name, but if Louisville's defense leads it to another title, he'll probably be able to say that he handled it as well as any floor general in the country.

I get the feeling Ryan Rossiter would have become one of the most unliked college basketball players in the eyes of Louisville fans had Siena been able to pull the upset off. Something about seeing a guy that looks like he's worse than you at sports succeeding at a high level just rubs people the wrong way.

Good Edgar was just about as good as he's ever been in the first half, but I still wish he'd get over thinking that stringing together a few nice plays is justification for multiple heat check shots. That said, he stepped up when we needed a boost.

Even with Sosa playing well, though, you knew McGee was going to be the guy with the game on the line. He's earned that.

Loved seeing Reggie get minutes at the two. It's nice to know that he can handle that if a similar situation comes up again at some point over the next two weeks.

Can anyone tell me Rick Pitino's record in the Sweet 16? I know that I knew at one point, but I just can't seem to remember for whatever reason.

The Monday after the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament is always so depressing.

Explain to me again why there isn't basketball on. We don't play again until when?

It's all so hard to accept.

Two down.

Reflections on the first two rounds of the 2009 NCAA Tournament

SFBE.NF — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:11:16 -0000

Our thoughts on the first weekend, after the jump.

UCONN and Syracuse were clearly the two most impressive teams from the first weekend. I guess it's safe to say that the six overtime classic hasn't had any long-term effects. The Huskies wins over Chattanooga and Texas A&Mgive them a +82 scoring margin...probably some sort of record. AJ Price is our pick for best point guard in college basketball. He's more versatile than Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo, and a tad more of a scoring threat than UNC's Ty Lawson. In his last three games, Price is averaging 27 and 7. Syracuse is running on all cylinders, with Jonny Flynn (yes, he's the fourth best point guard in college basketball) finding anyone and everyone for open shots. The Orange are crushing on the boards -- they've already pulled down 77 of them -- and forced Stephen F. Austin and Arizona St. to shoot a combined 33 percent from the floor. The three headed monster of Onuaku, Jackson and Ongenaet are fairly formidable, and if Jimmy B plays his cards right, they could limit an already banged up Blake Griffin.
Siena - Ohio State will be remembered as the drama king of the first-round, but any television market subjected to the full 50 minutes of play knows it was one of the most poorly played games in the tournament so far. The game featured 40 turnovers, a 26.5 combined three point shooting percentage, missed dunks, soft fouls, and air mailed cross court passes that ended up in row three. Initially I was going to touch on the fact that many people have criticized lack of quality play in Division I college basketball this season. But when Siena follows this game up with a near upset of top-dog Louisville, you just have to love the unpredictability of this sporting event and sometimes refrain from passing judgment by just enjoying the drama as it unfolds.
In hindsight, we all should have seen the Wake Forest meltdown coming. The Demon Deacons had lost five of their last seven away from Winston-Salem, were small compared to Cleveland State, and Jeff Teague's scoring average and field-goal percentage had been dropping for the last month. I found this blurb from the live bloggers over at the New York Times during Friday night's game:

Mike Ogle: Where has Jeff Teague gone? This guy was being touted, with good reason, as the most talented player in the A.C.C. in the winter. He's averaging 13.4 points in his last five games and has just 6. He scored 25 or more points eight times this season, including three games in the 30s. He just hasn't been the same since January. No wonder Wake Forest has gone 8-6 in its last four games after starting 16-0 and earning the No. 1 ranking in the country for a week. Teague is still on the missing persons list tonight (4 points so far on 4 shots), and the Deacons are sweating big time.

Teague finished with 10 points, and it may have been the last we've seen from him. With a crappy 2009 draft, he'll probably bolt for the pros and hope for lottery dollars.

Villanova responded tremendously against UCLA, after a fairly lackluster performance against American. The Wildcats had 20 assists on 31 field goals, and turned the ball over a modest 11 times. Why don't more people talk about Corey Fisher? He has one of the best handles in the college game, and would probably attempt to jump over a tree if it meant drawing a foul. With Scottie Reynolds graduating, Jay Wright's backcourt is in good hands with Fisher, Corey Stokes and their incoming freshman class.
I underestimated Michigan. Clemson never really impressed me this season, Duke blowout win aside, but I didn't think the Wolverines would necessarily win the game, instead I thought the Tigers would lose it. John Belein prepared his team well, and they even stuck with Oklahoma for a good chunk of the contest.
While I wrote them off after the Dominic James injury, Marquette is clearly the best team eliminated this weekend. Overcoming a 16 point deficit to take the lead against Missouri was fun to watch, even though it would have severely damaged my bracket. We'll never know what would of happened had Lazar Hayward not pulled that brain fart, and it's too bad he's going to have to live with that over the summer. At full strength this team was a Final Four contender.
It's funny how Arizona can squeak into the tournament as a 12 seed, but be the final Pac 10 team standing. The Wildcats weren't very good on the road this season (5-10) but got a favorable draw with mid-majors Utah and Cleveland State. You wonder if Brandon Jennings is watching from overseas
Cole Aldrich's NBA stock is rising...like really fast. Many will expect him to leave after this season, but he is living his childhood dream playing for Kansas. He's from Minneapolis but attended the Jayhawks summer camps growing up. Don't be surprised if he sticks around.
Why does Boise, Idaho continue to be a tournament site? The Taco Bell Arena appeared empty for all four games -- I am guessing mainly due to fans unwilling to travel to the frieken state of Idaho, coupled with the fact only 587,000 people call the metro area home. The NCAA might want to re-consider, or someone should tell me why it's a good fit.

The Madness Goes On And On: Sunday Round of 32 Open Thready

Avinash — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:00:10 -0000

via farm4.static.flickr.com

Following my bracket became a lot less fun yesterday. As did gambling on it. But hey, at least it became more fun to watch.

My horrible picks might be 3-9, but my Gonzaga Final 4 prediction is still alive! At least until Thursday, when North Carolina and T-Hambone horribly wreck it.

Current standings (for the x/y, x represents points earned, y represents points possible)

1. dballisloose (42/182)

T-2: Montezuma's Revenge (41/183), Ohio Bear (41/179), UCONN BEAR FAN!!! (41/165)

T-5: HolmoePhobe (40/182), Send It In Jerome (40/180), HOUSE66 (40/180), picks (40/180), Go A's! (40/180), Clean Cut Media - Oh so Easy (40/178), Sup (40/170)

T-12 at 39 includes notable CGB personalities (sorry in advance if I missed anyone, please correct me if I have in the comments) like OhManGoAs, sharkbit12, sactownxsi, CALumbus Bear, markdash, Mister Pie & Fire Starkey.

Among CGB's leaders, CBKWit is T-23rd, Twist is T-50th, ragnarok is T-68th, Hydro & yellow fever (who deserves points for blind homerism by picking Cal, national champion) are T-79th. Maybe the winner can tell me where my J.J. Arrington jersey is.

I wouldn't really say anyone is out of it yet (even defending champ zoonews, in next to last, still has a possible 169 points which puts him well in range), and if you're anywhere above 155, you should be in good shape going to the Sweet 16.

Onto the schedule!

All times PST:

9:10 AM, #6 ASU vs #3 Syracuse in Miami, South Region, winner faces Oklahoma

11:20 AM, #12 Wisconsin vs #4 Xavier in Boise, East Region

11:30 AM, #11 Dayton vs #3 Kansas in Minneapolis, Midwest Region

11:40 AM, #13 Cleveland St. vs #12 Arizona in Miami, Midwest Region

11:50 AM, #8 Oklahoma St vs #1 Pitt in Dayton, East Region, winner faces Xavier-Wisconsin winner

1:50 PM, #6 Marquette vs #3 Missouri in Boise, West Region, winner faces Memphis

2:00 PM, #10 USC vs #2 Michigan St. in Minneapolis, Midwest Region, winner faces Kansas-Dayton winner

2:20 PM, #9 Siena vs #1 Louisville in Dayton, Midwest Region, winner faces Cleveland St.-Arizona winner

Picks: 3-9. Why exactly you'd want my advice on picks from here on out is beyond me. In order of highest confidence to lowest, ASU +2.5, Marquette +4, Siena +11.5, Wisconsin +3.5, USC +3.5.