SB Nation - Texas Southern Tigers

RPI WATCH: 11/23/09

BracketCat — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:00:13 -0000

Well, it's officially basketball season here at BOTC, so I'm going to try and get some basketball-related stuff on here on a more consistent basis. Big 12 Outlook will return after New Year's, but in the meantime, I need to resume the Big 12 previews and shift them into overdrive a little in order to make up for lost time.

The other thing I want to do is update you on all of our opponents on a daily basis. I'll look at how they performed in yesterday's games and maybe track the RPIs a little, too. The idea is to get a general picture, on a day-to-day basis, of how strong our non-conference schedule is, because I've seen some concern from various corners of late.

For a more detailed discussion, hit the jump. But here's a short preview: We did ourselves a lot of good in Puerto Rico.

Here's how our opponents have performed to date, in order to provide a baseline comparison and bring everyone up to speed. (After all, not everyone has been paying attention to hoops like I have, given our North-contending football team and what have you.)

Kansas State RPI = 28

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Good Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (2-1) | RPI = 64: Loss at Kansas State (92-54), Win over Canisius (89-69), Win at Holy Cross (76-73)
Western Illinois (2-2) | RPI = 112: Loss at Arizona State (87-35), Loss at Kansas State (82-50), Win over Truman State (71-59), Win at Central Arkansas (56-46)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141: Loss at Iona (82-73), Loss to George Washington (69-59), Loss to Kansas State (80-70), Win over Indiana (71-67), Loss to No. 21 Georgia Tech (85-67)
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76: Win over UALR (92-64), Win over Alabama State (90-53), Win over Indiana (89-71), Win over Kansas State (86-74), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (79-67)
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32: Win over Creighton (90-80), Win over No. 21 Georgia Tech (63-59), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (71-65), Loss to Kansas State (83-75)
IUPUI (4-1) | RPI = 75: Win at Drake (88-82), Win at Eastern Illinois (69-66), Win over Austin Peay (77-63), Loss at Auburn (80-65), Win over Georgia State (67-56)
Fort Hays State (2-0) | RPI = N/A (D-II): Win over Friends (82-46), Win over Central Christian College (85-66)
Washington State (3-0) | RPI = 140: Win over MVSU (94-66), Win over Eastern Washington (67-61), Win over IPFW (89-70)
Xavier (3-0) | RPI = 79: Win over Youngstown State (83-57), Win over Bowling Green (101-57), Win over Sacred Heart (105-65)
UNLV (3-0) | RPI = 1: Win over Pittsburg State (91-52), Win over Nevada (88-75), Win over Southern Illinois (78-69)
Alabama (2-1) | RPI = 186: Loss to Cornell (71-67), Win over Jackson State (86-69), Win over Providence (84-75)
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166: Loss at Colorado (88-72), Loss at Denver (75-56), Loss at UTEP (70-52)
Cleveland State (3-1) | RPI = 260: Loss at St. Bonaventure (72-62), Win over Wilmington (99-74), Win over Florida A&M (78-64), Win over Sam Houston State (80-65)
South Dakota (2-2) | RPI = N/A (D-I transition): Loss at Texas Tech (88-49), Loss to Oregon State (62-47), Win over TAMUCC (76-73), Win over Mayville State (99-67)
Missouri (2-0) | RPI = 280: Win over UT Martin (83-68), Win over UTPA (100-64)
Texas A&M (3-0) | RPI = 135: Win over Angelo State (88-69), Win at SMU (80-68), Win over Samford (68-49)
Colorado (3-0) | RPI = 128: Win over UAPB (88-72), Win over Coppin State (82-58), Win over Texas Southern (88-77)
No. 3 Texas (2-0) | RPI = 17: Win over UC Irvine (89-42), Win over Western Carolina (73-41)
Oklahoma State (3-0) | RPI = 21: Win over Seattle (86-64), Win over Southern (93-61), Win over North Texas (82-68)
Baylor (4-0) | RPI = 60: Win over Norfolk State (86-58), Win over Hartford (71-69), Win over Southern (61-45), Win over Hardin-Simmons (106-45)
No. 1 Kansas (3-0) | RPI = 46: Win over Hofstra (101-65), Win over Memphis (57-55), Win over Central Arkansas (94-44)
Nebraska (2-1) | RPI = 134: Win over SCUU (76-49), Loss at Saint Louis (69-55), Win over TCU (90-77)
Iowa State (4-0) | RPI = 188: Win over Idaho State (88-68), Win over Chicago State (72-50), Win at Drake (90-70), Win over MVSU (96-55)
No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1) | RPI = 65: Win over Mount St. Mary's (95-71), Win over UL Monroe (72-61), Loss at VCU (82-69)
Texas Tech (5-0) | RPI = 86: Win over South Dakota (88-49), Win over TAMUCC (66-59), Win over Oregon State (64-60), Win over Northwestern State (94-75), Win over Lamar (77-54)

My plan is to update this daily with the games are played the previous day, and I'll probably start looking at RPIs some time after Thanksgiving (they're pretty meaningless before that point due to the disparity in scheduling).

Update: Got bored and added the RPIs around midnight. I'll save the analysis for tomorrow's edition.

Preview: Colorado Buffaloes Take On the Gonzaga Bulldogs In the Maui Invitational

irish1611 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:17:49 -0000

3-0, 0-0
NR (AP)
NR (Coaches Poll)

November 23rd, 2009
Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Where: Lahaina Civic Center
1:00 pm MT
TV: ESPN2
Live Stats: ESPN.com
Line: Gonzaga -10.5
Gonzaga Blog: Slipper Still Fits

2-1, 0-0
NR (AP)
NR (Coaches Poll)

The always prestigious preseason tournament, the Maui Invitational, kicks off tomorrow with the Colorado Buffaloes taking on the Gonzaga Bulldogs, a top five program in terms of wins over the past decade. Gonzaga has won 9 consecutive regular-season conference titles and has reached the NCAA tournament in nine consecutive years as well, something only nine schools have done over that time period. Now recruiting with the best of them in college basketball, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are a true perennial power, not just a nice story.

preview after the jump...

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are 2 - 1 in the early season with home wins against Mississippi Valley State and IPFW. The one loss was on the road to the #2 ranked Michigan State Spartans 75 - 71 in a game which they led until three minutes remaining. If you watched the game, you will have noticed three things. The Bulldogs are very talented, are playing a different style of basketball more conducive to the physical style of play they will see at tourney time and you may have needed a roster to see who all of the new players were. Amazingly, Gonzaga stuck with Michigan State after losing five seniors off of last year's team - F Ira Brown, F Austin Daye, G Micah Downs, F Josh Heytvelt, G Jeremy Pargo. Austin Daye was a first round draft pick in the 2009 draft while Downs, Heytvelt and Pargo were starters along with Daye for much of the year and all four were in the top five of the team in scoring. This off a team that went to the sweet sixteen a year ago. Because the Bulldogs were such an experienced team in 2009, Gonzaga has four upperclassmen and twelve underclassmen including nine freshmen. Five freshmen play and make solid contributions for this team. But don't expect much of a drop off from the Bulldogs as you can already tell, they have enough of a talented nucleus to be a contender, just ask Michigan State.

The two top returning players from a year ago is Colorado high school product, G Matt Bouldin and G Steven Gray. Matt Bouldin, a front runner for the West Coast Conference player of the year, leads the team in scoring this year with 17.3 points per game. The biggest difference between last year's team and this year's team is the early front court play from sophomore Robert Sacre (7'0"), freshman Elias Harris (6'7"), freshman Kelly Olynyk (7'0") and senior Will Foster (7'4"). Robert Sacre, hurt last year, has averaged 16.3 ppg and 7.0 rpg. His presence is a big improvement inside from a year ago when even Bulldog fans would admit that players like Heytvelt and Daye became too perimeter oriented. Sacre and Harris have truly solidified the post position on this team. If you are fortunate enough to watch the game tomorrow, you have to check out Elias Harris, a freshman from Germany who sort of flew under the radar in the recruiting circles but has Gonzaga fans salivating. A silky smooth player in the mold of Amare Stoudemire, he has come in and averaged 14.3 points per with seven rebounds.

This team might also have more depth compared to a year ago, especially with Sacre and Harris now available, which is making the Bulldogs more competitive on the defensive end, something Gonzaga fans have always wanted to see more of. If their past performances are indicative of the future, expect the Bulldogs to really get after the young Buffs on the defensive end.

As for the Colorado Buffaloes, this game will be a pretty big challenge for them. Gonzaga, although they have one loss, will probably be ranked when the polls come out tomorrow because of their impressive performance against MSU. Where the Buffs might have the most trouble is in the post where Sacre, Harris, Olynyk and Foster are all bigger and more talented than the Buffs down low. The tallest person on the Buffs top five is Austin Dufault who stands 6'9". True freshman Shane Harris-Tunks goes 6'11" but has only averaged 8.0 minutes a game. It will be interesting to see how the Buffs try and defend the Bulldogs. You will probably see a lot of zone as my guess is the biggest threat from the Zags is their penetration game and less on the perimeter as Steven Gray is their only bona fide perimeter shooter but he has struggled shooting only 40% from the field and 35% from the three point line. The biggest question for the Buffs the past three years has been its rebounding and that has come into question again this year as they were out-rebounded 31 - 23 by Texas Southern, who the next day went up and lost to University of Northern Colorado. The Buffs shot over 60% in that game to win but unless the Buffs hit the boards hard on Monday against the Zags, it could be a long day. Colorado averages 29 rebounds a game with junior college transfer Marcus Relphorde leading the Buffs with just 4.0 rebounds per game.

Tomorrow's game does have the potential for some great matchups, though. The best in my eyes is Gonzaga star Matt Bouldin against the Buffs' star Cory Higgins. Higgins is once again proving he is one of the best players in the Big 12, averaging 23.3 ppg and shooting an amazing 70%. Bouldin is a very physical guard who uses his strength to create shots. It will be a good battle of strength vs. speed. Another matchup that will be exciting is Buffs' freshman G Alec Burks against G Steven Gray. Gray is the Zags best perimeter threat. Alec Burks is averaging a strong 18.0 points per, a great number for a guy playing for the first time at the collegiate level. If the Buffs can out play the two perimeter players in Bouldin and Gray, they might be able to make things interesting tomorrow. I am very excited to see how Burks plays tomorrow in his first look at strong competition.

I am very worried about the matchups elsewhere on the court. Colorado G Nate Tomlinson will face a very tough and quick guard in sophomore Meech Goodson, who likes to push the pace and play tough defense on the perimeter. Look for more Dwight Thorne, Cory Higgins and Alec Burks to play the point tomorrow as well. One of the reasons the signing of Marcus Relphorde got Buffs' fans excited was his athleticism at 6'8" and his self acclaimed ability to guard four positions on defense. He might have to do that tomorrow and do it very well for the Buffs to have a chance when freshman Elias Harris is in the game. This will be a good barometer for Relphorde and I hope the coaching staff puts Relphorde on him as soon as he steps on the floor and tells him it is his job to make the freshman's life miserable.

As for the post position, your guess is as good as mine as to what the Buffs will plan to do but you can bet Gonzaga goes to the post often tomorrow. If Colorado can get Harris and Sacre in foul trouble, which is what Michigan State did to beat the Zags, CU will have a much better chance tomorrow, that and if they make it a goal to crash the boards.

It should be a fun watch and a great gauge for the young Buffs' team.

Coach Jeff Bzdelik to Miss the Maui Invitational

irish1611 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:50:53 -0000

The Colorado Buffaloes basketball team will be without their head coach for a second game this season. Jeff Bzdelik has left Hawaii where the Buffs are scheduled to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Monday 1:30 pm MT in the Maui Invitational. Bzdelik missed the Arkansas-Pine Bluff game, the season opener, to attend to a medical emergency with his daughter, a freshman at Wake Forest. Here is the press release from cubuffs.com as Bzdelik has flown to Chicago to be with his mother who has fallen ill:

University of Colorado head men's basketball coach Jeff Bzdelik will miss the EA Sports Maui Invitational after receiving news Sunday that his mother has fallen ill. Bzdelik left Maui Sunday afternoon for a flight to Chicago.

Associate Head Coach Steve McClain will coach the Buffaloes in Bzdelik's absence for the next three days that begins with CU's first round game against Gonzaga, Monday, 1 p.m. (MST) at the Lahaina Civic Center. The game will be televised by ESPN2.

McClain, the former University of Wyoming head coach from 1998-2007, brings over 27 years of coaching experience to the CU bench.

McClain is the second winningest coach in Cowboys' history with 157 career victories and posted one of the best home court records with a 102-26 (.790) mark. McClain averaged 18 victories in nine years at Wyoming with three NIT berths and one NCAA Tournament appearance.

CU is 3 - 0 this year after defeating Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Coppin State and Texas Southern. The Gonzaga Bulldogs will give the Buffs their best barometer test in the early part of the season.

Rematch: Memphis Gives No. 1 Kansas First Big Test of the Season

editor@big12hoops.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:49:33 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Kansas' Sherron Collins, left, and Cole Aldrich face their biggest test of the season against Josh Pastner's new-look Memphis team. The match-up will be televised on ESPN and Big12Hoops.com will be liveblogging the game beginning at 8:30pm CST.

Browse more photos »

Note: Big12Hoops will be liveblogging the Memphis/Kansas game. You can log-in by visiting our KU section right now or here at Big12Hoops.com beginning at 8:30pm CST.

CJ Golightly
Big12Hoops Contributor
sports@big12hoops.com

Two of the nation's top teams face their first big test of the season in a re-match of the 2008 NCAA Tournament Championship game.

Rookie head coach Josh Pastner leads a new-look Memphis team, headlined by youth and inexperience, into the post-John Calipari era following his exit to head the Kentucky program.

Bill Self's Kansas team features one of the deepest rosters in school history, along with a No. 1 pre-season ranking in every major poll.

Relentless and driven, yet young and unproven, Pastner gets his first chance to make a splash as a head coach as the Tigers and Jayhawks face off once again, this time with considerably less on the line.

Exacting sweet revenge on Bill Self and Kansas would immediately endear him to the hearts of Tiger-loving hoops fans everywhere. Upsetting a national championship contender in the second week of the season is a fantastic way of erasing any lingering skepticism from the fanbase.

The Tigers have enjoyed remarkable success at the national level the last few years. This season, expectations have been tempered; the ear-ringing buzz has evolved into more of a low hum. If the New Tigers are still worthy of some national attention, this is their chance to shout it to the world.

Analyzing the Jayhawks and Tigers

Backcourt: Duke transfer Elliot Williams should make an immediate impact at Memphis. He is a talented offensive player and should blossom into a star for Pastner. Robert Sallie is an outstanding three point shooter. He will have an expanded role this season and will be relied on to do much more than just shoot. Senior Willie Kemp brings experience and must provide some consistency.

Doneal Mack is the Tigers best individual defender, and his services as a stopper will be needed. Explosive and versatile wingman Wesley Weatherspoon will also be counted on to slow down the bevy of dangerous athletes at Self's disposal.

The Kansas backcourt is led by senior Sherron Collins, a preseason candidate for National Player of the Year. He's a terrific shooter and an outstanding penetrator. He has quickness, and strength, and can score in a variety of ways. He's also an experienced leader that provides everything a coach could hope for from a point guard.

Jayhawk blue chip freshman Xavier Henry is an elite talent. He's an incredible scorer, a ridiculous athlete, and a matchup nightmare. He'll combine with productive and versatile sophomore Tyshawn Taylor along with Collins, forming one of the most dangerous and explosive backcourts in America.

Advantage Kansas. The Memphis guards are the strength of the team, but this Kansas group is special.

Frontcourt: Kansas big man Cole Aldrich is a defensive game changer. He blocks shots and rebounds as well as anyone in the country. Like teammate Sherron Collins, Aldrich is a preseason favorite for National Player of the Year. Twin brothers Marcus and Markieff Morris provide additional size up front for the Jayhawks. Both are athletic workhorses who contribute at both ends. The Jayhawk front court is rock solid as well.

For the Tigers, Will Coleman is the man in the middle. Coleman is uniquely explosive and powerful. Though raw, his combination of power and leaping ability make him a low post force. Coleman will team up with a slimmed down (to approximately 275 pounds) Pierre Henderson-Niles to battle the formidable Kansas frontline.

Advantage Kansas: The Aldrich/Coleman matchup is intriguing, as they play similar roles but in very different ways. Coleman relies on his timing and explosive hops to block shots and snatch rebounds, where Aldrich utilizes his size and length to bother and send back shot attempts. Aldrich is, however, a proven entity and a much more complete player. Toss in the Morris twins, and the Jayhawks clearly get the nod up front.

Overall

Pastner and his young squad face an onerous task. The Jayhawks are a legitimate national title contender. They have size, strength, athleticism, skill, and depth. They have one of the best coaches in the country., one of the best point guards in the country and one of the best big men in the country. They are truly a powerhouse.

Ultimately, the Tigers should struggle to cope with the overwhelming depth and talent of the Jayhawks. While there isn't a remarkable discrepancy between the two groups of starters, the dropoff from the first to the second unit of Memphis will be difficult to overcome. This season, they must make a habit of simply wearing their opponent down.

The Kansas Jayhawks are the Ivan Drago of the NCAA. It will take a Rocky Balboan effort for the Tigers to escape with a victory.

Regardless of outcome, it promises to be an entertaining affair.

BtB 2009-10 Southwestern Athletic Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:36 -0000

The first decade of the 21st century was not an easy one for the two Division I conferences populated by Historically Black Colleges and Universities. However, things were just a little bit easier for the MEAC than their SWAC counterparts.

Twenty MEAC and SWAC teams appeared in the ten tournaments held in the '00s. These twenty appearances resulted in only two tourney wins, and only one of those occurred in the First Round proper (Hampton of the MEAC over Iowa State in 2001). The other was a 72-57 win for the MEAC's Florida A&M over Lehigh in the 2004 Opening Round. As the Pirates and Rattlers both fell at the next hurdle, HBCUs combined to go 2-20 in the NCAAs during the '00s.

Unlike the '90s, when the two conferences combined to go 2-18 in the NCAAs, the SWAC didn't manage a single win in NCAA play in the first decade of the new millennium. (Southern drubbed Georgia Tech by 15 in a 1993 first rounder in Tucson.) The two leagues didn't even get bids in 1991, as they both lost play-in games that the NCAA doesn't consider to be part of Tournament play. Which brings us to the biggest obstacle these two leagues face at the moment, the Opening Round that the NCAA does happen to consider official.

While Alabama State and Hampton (a 15 seed) were lucky enough to avoid the inaugural edition in 2001, every subsequent tournament opener has featured one, but not both, HBCU entrants. Even if the result is the 70-29 drubbing Mississippi Valley State took at the hands of UCLA in 2008, the selection committee is careful to not put both the MEAC and SWAC champs in Dayton. Both leagues have made four appearances. And while the MEAC has managed to win one of their four games, the SWAC has never moved a team past Dayton. So that's the biggest challenge for whomever wins the SWAC, avoiding that Tuesday night date.

It won't be easy, as SWAC teams typically play the toughest non-conference schedules in the country and take their lumps doing so. That results in low RPIs that only get lower during the conference season. In other words, it's not a problem that's easily fixed. More on the ten teams who will try to buck the trend after the jump.

First, here's a look at the final SWAC standings from last season.

Southwestern Athletic Conference Standings

(updated 3.17.2009 at 10:47 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Alabama St. Hornets	16	2	22	9
Jackson St. Tigers	15	3	18	15
Prairie View Panthers	12	6	17	16
Ark.-Pine Bluff Golden Lions	11	7	13	18
Southern U. Jaguars	8	10	8	23
Texas Southern Tigers	7	11	7	25
Miss Valley St Delta Devils	7	11	7	25
Alabama A&M Bulldogs	6	12	8	19
Grambling St. Tigers	4	14	6	23
Alcorn St. Braves	4	14	6	25

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

Alcorn State (last NCAA: 2002) The Braves only won two D-I games last season, all in the league. They'll have trouble improving on that number, as they also lost four starters from a season ago, starting with experienced forwards Anthony Ford (10.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Jarvis Williams (9.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Second year coach Larry Smith should have had leading scorer Troy Jackson back for his senior year, but he and his 20 points per game left for Europe. That means 6-3 guard Jonathan Boyd (9.8 ppg) is the only major contributor back from a year ago. Considering that Alcorn already had defensive woes, the offense is now a major worry, as the newcomers will all have to contribute immediately. The schedule, as you'd expect is going to be rough. For starters, Central Michiganwill be the only non-SWAC team to make the trip to Alcorn this year. The Braves also play at Ohio State in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament, before they head to Albany to face the hosts, Robert Morris, and Detroit in one of the "subregionals" for that event.

Texas Southern (last NCAA: 2003) The Tigers had a rough season in '08-09, going 0-14 out of the SWAC, then only managing seven wins in the league. Things may not get any better for coach Tony Harvey in his second season in charge, as he lost his second and third leading scorers, Matthew Miller and Jacques Jones (also the team's leading rebounder). Leading scorer DeAndre Hall, a 6-6 guard who isn't afraid to go inside, and 6-7 forward Ricky Boyles (7.5 ppg, 5 rpg) are the only two returnees who saw significant action last year. The schedule is typically brutal, as Idaho is the only Non-SWAC Division I school who will visit the H&PE Arena this year. As an aside, it's really sad that the first Google result for the Tigers isn't the TSU page varsity team, but the club team.

Grambling State (last NCAA: None) The Tigers will play with a heavy heart, as JC transfer Henry White died 12 days after a becoming ill after a conditioning drill. He was only 21. Head coach Rick Duckett, who was heading into his second year with the program, was forced out. One of his former assistants, Bobby Washington, Jr., has a very difficult job in replacing him this season. Like TSU, this group of Tigers also lost a lot last season, though they did manage to beat OVC champ Morehead State out of the league, and they'll be without three starters from last time around. The starting backcourt, 6-0 Ariece Perkins (11.3 ppg, 3.9 apg) and 5-8 Donald Qualls (10 ppg, 2.1 apg), is back, however. The frontcourt is going to be thin and inexperienced, however, as only three players are listed as forwards, and only 6-9 senior George Akpele (1.8 ppg) featured last season. Short-timers Centenary are the only non-SWAC D-I school who will play at Grambling this season.

Mississippi Valley State (last NCAA: 2008) Much like Southern, all seven of MVSU's wins came in the league last year. Three of the Delta Devils starters from a year ago are back, though leading scorer and rebounder Eric Petty (12.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and second-leading scorer Dwayne Harmason (11 ppg) are gone. 6-7 swingman Shannon Behling (10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) will attract the most attention on the team this season, but 6-8 F/C Amos Studivant (2.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg) will have to be more productive for head coach Sean Woods, yet another SWAC bench boss who's entering his second season. The Delta Devils will play in the low/mid-major half of the Chicago Invitational, where they'll open with Liberty before facing either Kennesaw State or Tennessee State.

Alabama A&M (last NCAA: 2005) The Bulldogs will struggle to improve on their eight wins of a season ago, as Van Pettaway was already going to be down two-thirds of his starting frontcourt because of graduation. Then, the team's leading scorer and point guard, Trant Simpson (16.1 ppg), left because of personal issues. However, there is hope, as 6-3 guard Evan Hilton, who averaged 12 points and 5 boards a game in '07-08, returns to the squad after missing last year with a knee injury. Another 6-3 guard, Cornelius Hester, is also back. He's the team's leading returning scorer, as he managed 12 points a contest last year. 6-5 sophomore swingman Casey Cantey should also see a lot more time this season after putting up over 8 points and grabbing nearly 4 boards a game. The big question for Pettaway is who will run the offense. The answer may very well be redshirt freshman Marcus Lee. Auburn will actually play A&M in Huntsville, but off campus at the Von Braun Center.

Alabama State (last NCAA: 2009) The Hornets won both the SWAC regular season and tournament crowns last season, but they'll struggle to repeat, as they lost all five starters from a year ago, including defensive force and all-time All-Name selection Chief Kickingstallionsims. Three key reserves from last season, guards Tremaine Butler, Menji Mundadi, and Ivory White, will see a lot more action this time around. Newcomers Chris Duncan and Adrian Spellman and redshirt freshman Jordan Jefferson will have to take over in the frontcourt, while junior A.J. Spencer should take over the point. The Acadome won't see a non-SWAC D-I school this season.

Southern (last NCAA: 2006) Rob Spivery's Jaguars lost four starters from a year ago, including his three top scorers, so they'll struggle to match the 8 wins they earned (all in the conference) in '08-09. The one returning starter is 6-6 forward Douglas Scott, who is one of the best rebounders in the conference (7.2 a game, alongside 6.8 ppg). Spivery also has three reserves who could be ready to contribute more this time around--6-6 forwards Earnest Jones (5.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and Julius Ingram (5.4 ppg. 3.1 rpg) and 6-5 swingman Jazz Williams (5.1 ppg). Wofford transfer Norm Nixon could fill the Jags' gap at the point. Southern will face the Terriers in the low-/mid-major flight of the Las Vegas Invitational over Thanksgiving weekend. They'll then face a transitional D1 team, Presbyterian or Seattle, in their second game there.

Prairie View A&M (last NCAA: 1998) Byron Rimm's squad is actually in really good shape for this campaign. The Panthers lost only one starter from a season ago, guard Derek Johnson (9.9 ppg). 6-7 forward Darrell Hugee (12 ppg, 7.3 rpg) is the only returning frontcourt player with significant experience, but as last year's league Newcomer of the Year, he's a great building block. The backcourt, featuring 5-8 Michael Griffin (9.6 ppg), Chris Jones (9.1 ppg), Tim Meadows (9 ppg), and Dorian McDaniel (7.7 ppg), will make a difference in this league. Schedule-wise, transitional D-I member Florida Gulf Coast is the only non-SWAC D-I school who will visit the Panthers this season.

Jackson State (last NCAA: 2007) The Tigers bring back three starters, led by 6-7 F Grant Maxey (16.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg); however, Darrion Griffin (14.8 ppg) is going to be missed in the backcourt and center Jeremy Caldwell (11.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg) won't be easily replaced. 7-2 Jemarious Sykes could've been an interesting addition to Tevester Anderson's squad, but he didn't enroll. 6-10 JC transfer Gertavian Blake and 6-1 freshman Raymond Gregory are aboard though, and they'll join Maxey and swingman Garrison Johnson (10.7 ppg) to form one of the better frontcourts in the league. Sophomore Rod Melvin bears watching in his second year running the point. Two Southland teams, defending champions Stephen F. Austin and Southeastern Louisiana, visit Jackson State this season. The Tigers will play in the low-/mid-major flight of the Christmas week Las Vegas Classic, where they'll face Wagner, then either Chicago State or Eastern Washington.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (last NCAA: None) The Lions biggest losses off a team that won 11 league games and beat SMU in Dallas were reserves Rickey Parks and Eric Brooks. That means all five starters, led by point guard Terrance Calvin (12 ppg), are back. Calvin's main point of improvement this season has to be ball control, as his assists-to-turnover ratio of 1-to-1 will attest to. The biggest obstacle for the Lions is their schedule. George Ivory's squad opens with a 14 game road trip, as their entire non-conference schedule and their first three league games will be played away from Pine Bluff.

Despite their long journey to start the season, UAPB is my pick to win the SWAC. They'll hold the league's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. Unfortunately, I think they'll end up in the Opening Round Game, mostly as a result of not winning enough early in the year. Now, to wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-SWAC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-SWAC Team

Player of the Year: Grant Maxey, 6-7 F, Sr. (Jackson State)

Remainder of the Team
Terrance Calvin, 6-2 G, Sr. (Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
Darnell Hugee, 6-7 F, Sr. (Prairie View A&M)
Garrison Johnson, 6-6 F, Sr. (Jackson State)
Shannon Behling, 6-7 F, Sr. (Mississippi Valley State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the SWAC this season?

Alabama A&M

0 votes

Alabama State

0 votes

Alcorn State

0 votes

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

0 votes

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4 votes | Poll has closed

Sunday Morning News

markallanpeterson — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:00:17 -0000

Greg Oliver: NCAA should not erase records, achievements as punishment for violations

Breaking down the Deacon basketball schedule

Todd, Barnhart to give depositions in Gillispie suit

Bzdelik's work cut out for him at Colorado

Starting Five: Pitino's outburst could backfire

4 steps to enjoy A&M sports

Gillispie's newest DUI just part of his downward spiral

Duke Walk On Could Play Major Role

OSU works in learning mode

Calipari introduces new book to Fayette County UK Alumni Club

Missouri Basketball hits the hardwood

Tigers will once again have 18 games at Mizzou Arena

It was another quiet sports week in Miami -- not!

Saturday Around the Web

markallanpeterson — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:16:27 -0000

Dewitt ruled ineligible to play at MU

Iowa men to meet Texas in CBE semifinals

UT welcomes new student-athletes to campus

Self sporting a beard

KU’s Henry brothers, Aldrich talk about the season

Wall a Youtube sensation now, will be best guard in country later

Wildcats' Clemente ready for senior season

Iowa, Iowa State try to prevent academic fraud

Missouri basketball recruit Dewitt doesn't clear NCAA

Sports buzz: Mizzou adds new basketball signee

Kreklow commits to Tigers

Live Game Audio Returns To CUBuffs.com

Selective enforcement? NCAA failed to admonish Duke

Kansas State basketball star Denis Clemente swishes unbelievable bank-bounce-bingo shot

KU sells courtside basketball seats for $15,000 each

Two vacated seasons stain Calipari's career

Bring on UConn; Zags Dominate Texas Southern

Zach B — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:17:50 -0000

Tonight was fun for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Yes, there was a bit of worry because Texas Southern played Texas so close but all the worry was quickly extinguished by a Gonzaga barrage on the Tigers of TSU.

What made this game tonight all the more exciting was the fact that it was in the face of the biggest snowstorm that the city of Spokane has ever seen. As Mark Few said before gametime:

"I shoveled for six hours today, until an hour before game time," Few said.

That was the way it was for most Gonzaga students and even players who had to dig out before heading to the arena. The snow did not affect Gonzaga however, who performed at a very high level tonight, defeating Texas Southern in a laugher, 84-42.

It was everything that we could have wanted from the Zags tonight and a litte bit more. As we mentioned on The Slipper Still Fits, we were hoping to see some enthusiasm from the players tonight and we saw plenty of it.

Keep reading more about the Texas Southern/Gonzaga game after the jump...

Gonzaga was welcome home tonight by plenty of students that braved the cold weather to see their team play at a high level. Here are some of the performances that we were happy to see:

Mr. Jeremy Pargo was there as usual: Jeremy ran the offense as only he knows he to. Even though he only had four points tonight, he played some beautiful basketball and found the open man time after time and tallied 8 assits throughout the game in 27 minutes. His buckets came from down low which is a great thing to see as there is not a lot of guards that can stop Jeremy from making baskets down low.
Josh Heytvelt's Confidence should be sky high: We can all agree that Josh was outplayed by Jordan Hill. This does not mean that Josh is the inferior player. Tonight, Josh had a big time confidence game and only missed five shots and finished with 21 points and seven rebounds. Josh's toughest test of the season will come in two days when he matches up with Hasheem Thabeet who has been nothing short of dominant for the Connecticut Huskies. Jordan Hill dominated Josh but Hasheem is a different player. The game against Arizona showed just how much Josh means to this team so he better perform on Saturday or the Zags will be in serious trouble.
The Supporting Cast was Outstanding: Look, for this team to go Jeremy Pargo and Josh Heytvelt must do there part. It doesn't hurt when the other guys do a great job as well and that is what happened tonight. Matt Bouldin was near perfect tonight and shot great from the outside. Micah Downs played great defense and shot well from the perimeter as well. Austin Daye, Demetri Goodson, and Steven Gray all played great games as well.
Here is a look at how each member of the Gonzaga Bulldogs contributed tonight:

Stats by StatSheet.com

The Calm Before the Storm: GU vs. Texas Southern

everydayezag — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:00:07 -0000

	Date: December 18 , 2008 Time: 6:00 PM PST TV: KHQ Radio: 1510 KGA
7-1 No. 8 (AP) No. 7 (USA Today)		0-9 NR (AP) NR (USA Today)

With the college basketball world eagerly awaiting the terrific match up between UConn and Gonzaga on Saturday, The Slipper Still Fits wanted to remind GU fans that the team does play on Thursday against Texas Southern. While this should be a fairly routine victory for the Zags, this game can provide GU with the opportunity to refine the offense and rebuild some confidence.

continue reading after the jump to read more about the Zags/Tigers match up...

Texas Southern This Season: I can honestly say that I have never seen a more difficult schedule to begin a season. Texas Southern has started the season 0-9, and much of that can be attributed to the talented teams they have faced. Already this season, the Tigers have gone on the road to play UTEP, Cincinnati, Marquette, Arkansas, Washington, and most recently Texas. There are very few teams in the country that would come out of a stretch like that with a winning record. The leading scorer for the Tigers is DeAndre Hall. Hall, a junior from Pontiac (MI), is an explosive SF who scored 29 points against Cincinnati. He leads the team in scoring with 13.4 points per game. Matthew Miller is the only other Tiger to average in double-digits, and he is scoring 12.7 points per game. Miller recently scored 21 points against Texas, so the Zags better be prepared for another high scoring game.

What We are Watching for: It will be interesting to see how the Zags react to their first loss of the season. Will the team come out and play in a funk, or will we see a resounding and dominant effort? Instead of viewing this as an easy victory before they head to Seattle, I hope the team uses this game an a chance to work on their offensive sets and create better cohesion. This game should also provide GU with a chance to work on their perimeter defense. Texas Southern attempts over 12 three's a game, and anything can happen if a team gets hot from outside the arc. Gonzaga needs to make sure that they contest every shot, and continue to play excellent perimeter defense.

Top match up: After being dominated by Nic Wise over the weekend, Jeremy Pargo will face another solid PG in Matthew Miller. Miller is a great scorer from the PG position, and Jeremy will need to step up on the defensive end. I look for Pargo to control both ends of the court, and prove that the last game was just an aberration in an All-American season.

The Final Prediction: While Texas Southern has been able to stay close against some of these tremendous opponents, this team is not capable of challenging the Zags. I expect to see Gonzaga put together a dominant performance, and then it's time to focus on the Huskies. Final Score: 94-67 win

'The Day After' Zags Around the Web

Zach B — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:25:55 -0000

It's never fun to have to read all the press clippings the day after a tough loss but there were a couple interesting ones which caught my attention. As we all know the Zags fell to the Wildcats 69-64 yesterday in Phoenix.

--Basketball Prospectus seems to attribute the loss to fatigue as well as some odd stat lines from Gonzaga's key players.

Meanwhile the Zags’ Josh Heytvelt, Jeremy Pargo, and Micah Downs were a combined 5-of-22. Austin Daye had a weird looking line: 22 points and five blocks but only three boards in 36 minutes unblighted by foul trouble. The weirdness was rooted in Daye’s defensive assignment. Few had the foul-prone sophomore guarding the utterly benign Jamelle Horne–and Horne stayed busy setting screens out top, far from the glass

--We're cursed! This article by AOL's Fanhouse notes an interesting trend in team's this season ranked #4...

This is the third time the No. 4 ranked team has been upset by a former powerhouse turned unranked team this season. Michigan beat then-No. 4 UCLA in the 2k Sports tournament. A few weeks later, Michigan would upset then-No. 4 Duke.

--A good excuse that may hold some water is the fact that this is a very fatigued team. They haven't played a home game in a month and have been to Orlando for a very emotional tournament, to Indiana, over to Pullman and then down to Phoenix since playing the University of Idaho on November 18th in Spokane. In this Seattle PI article, the author breaks down just how tired this team is.

In fact, Heytvelt's only basket was a 5-foot jumper with 8:26 remaining in the opening half. Aside from that, Few said, there was no spark, no energy and the kind of disappearance that can be deadly for a team with national-title aspirations.

"Yeah, we have Connecticut coming up, and they will test our toughness," Few said. "That's why I schedule these games, and play them in big arenas. We have done that with games in Seattle, and it's part of preparation."

I'm sure people will continue to speculate and criticize the Zags for their performance yesterday but the fact remains that Gonzaga is 7-1 and that is a very good record to have at this point. For now, we are in a wait and see mode with the polls to see how much this loss will affect the Bulldogs. We'll keep you updated when the polls get released!

Next up is the Texas Southern Tigers who happen to be 0-8 on the season. It appears that scheduling this game is going to turn out to be a stroke of genius. Not only is Gonzaga a very tired team but the game against Texas Southern should be a way for them to work on the small things and get their confidence up before taking the floor against Connecticut this coming weekend.