SB Nation - Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners

RPI WATCH: 12/06/09

BracketCat — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:20 -0000

by Orlin Wagner - AP

Dominique Sutton, as predicted, pretty much did this to the Cougars all night long — and now the Cats are knocking on the door to the Top 25. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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Quite a bit of basketball action yesterday, mostly among our non-con opponents — most of whom won, thankfully.

And the Big 12 virtually is assured of winning the Hardwood Series outright for the first time, holding a 6-2 record after Saturday's games and with Kansas scheduled to bash UCLA's brains in this afternoon.

Game results after the jump. Also, be sure to vote in my quick poll. I'm interested in seeing where Wildcat Nation's sentiments lie on this one.

Current Kansas State Record = 7-1

Current Kansas State RPI = 10

Current Kansas State SOS = 17

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Loyola, Dayton

Solid Wins (RPI 51-100) = IUPUI

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (5-2, 1-1) | RPI = 30: Win at UW Milwaukee (69-64)
Western Illinois (3-5, 0-2) | RPI = 301: Loss to South Dakota State (80-74)
Boston (2-6) | RPI = 162
Ole Miss (7-1) | RPI = 18: Win over Southern Miss (81-79)
Dayton (5-2) | RPI = 45: Win over Lehigh (89-71)
IUPUI (7-2, 2-0) | RPI = 79: Win over NDSU (86-74)
FHSU (5-1): Win at Nebraska-Omaha (79-68)
Washington State (6-2) | RPI = 153: Loss at Kansas State (86-69)
Xavier (5-2) | RPI = 77
No. 24 UNLV (7-0) | RPI = 12: Win at Santa Clara (66-63)
Alabama (6-2) | RPI = 82: Win over UL Monroe (74-46)
UAPB (0-6) | RPI = 273: Loss at Michigan (67-53)
Cleveland State (3-6, 0-2) | RPI = 222: Loss at Detroit (69-62)
South Dakota (5-3) | RPI = 143
Missouri (5-2) | RPI = 92: Win over Oregon (106-69)
No. 19 Texas A&M (7-1) | RPI = 19
Colorado (5-3) | RPI = 226
No. 2 Texas (6-0) | RPI = 2
Oklahoma State (7-1) | RPI = 26: Win over UTSA (61-55)
Baylor (7-1) | RPI = 105
No. 1 Kansas (6-0) | RPI = 38
Nebraska (5-1) | RPI = 81
Iowa State (6-3) | RPI = 187: Loss at Cal (82-63)
Oklahoma (4-3) | RPI = 206
Texas Tech (8-0) | RPI = 42

Poll

Have the Cats done enough to deserve being ranked in this week's Top 25?

November 14 Recap, November 15 TV Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:06:56 -0000

by AJ Mast - AP

about 1 month ago: Butler's Willie Veasley, left, shoots a three-point shot in front of Davidson defender Bryant Barr in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. Butler won 73-62. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

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There was quite a bit of action on the first Saturday of the season, a day that will always have an uphill fight against football for media attention.

The two biggest matchups featured four of the best mid-major programs in the country. In Indianapolis, No. 11 Butler pulled away late to beat Davidson 73-62. It was basically the same story for No. 21 Dayton, as they beat Creighton 90-80. And after a night when Rider won at Mississippi State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beat Oregon State in a tourament in Lubbock, and San Diego beat Stanford, the mid-majors pulled two more upsets. Ivy League favorite Cornell ruined Anthony Grant's Alabama debut.and Kent State defeated UAB. A&M-CC couldn't repeat their feat from Friday, as they lost to Texas Tech by 7.

Most major programs were a bit more lucky yesterday. Gonzaga, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State won their openers, while 14th-ranked Washington won their second straight in the round-robin event they're hosting.

A few more teams get started today, as yet another hybrid multi-team event gets started. More on today's action after the jump.

The CBE Classic opens up today, and it has the same format as its corporate sibling, the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Instead of traveling to New York for the semifinals, the four host schools will visit the very underrated Kansas City, which hosts the CBE--or College Basketball Experience, the home of the sport's Hall of Fame. The building is conveniently a part of the Sprint Center, which hosts the final rounds. Three games from this event will be on ESPNU today, starting at 2. (All times are Eastern.)

Texas hosts UC Irvine in the tournament opener.
At 4, Wichita State opens up at home agains Fairleigh Dickinson.
At 6, Iowa faces Texas-San Antonio from the Southland Conference.

In other televised action today,

Wake Forest opens up their season in the Greensboro Coliseum against East Carolina. (MASN, 2)
Stetson, who's never made the tournaments, visits Florida, who looks to return after a two-year absence. (Select FSN and CSN Networks/Full Court, 4)
No. 6 North Carolina gets another tuneup in before they travel to New York for the Coaches vs. Cancer semifinals. They host Valparaiso today at 4 (FS South/FS Florida/NESN).
Kansas State hosts Western Illinois. (FS Kansas City/Full Court, 4)
IPFW takes on Wisconsin in Madison. (Big Ten, 5)
Sean Miller makes his official debut at Arizona when the Wildcats host Northern Arizona. (FS Arizona/FCS Pacific, 5)
Oregon looks to go 3 for 3 in the round-robin they're hosting. They face Colorado State at 6:30. (OSN/CSN Northwest)
Washington looks to do the same in their tournament, against defending Big Sky champ Portland State. (10 FSN Northwest/FCS Pacific)

TV info, as always, is from Matt Sarz's College Sports on TV site.

BtB 2009-10 Southland Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:34 -0000

Northwestern State claimed the Southland's two NCAA victories in the ‘00s, knocking off Winthrop in the inaugural Opening Round game in 2001, then upsetting third-seeded Iowa in 2006 before falling to West Virginia in the second round. Fittingly, the Demons were also the only Southland team to make it to the Big Dance more than once in the decade. The only members who didn't claim a bid were Texas State, Nicholls State, and Central Arkansas, who is tournament-eligible for the first time this season.

The last three conference tourney winners, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas-Arlington, and Stephen F. Austin, all claimed their first NCAA bid with the crown, and Southeastern Louisiana did the same in 2005. As the defending champion Lumberjacks lost the bulk of their championship team, it's likely the Southland will start the decade of the 10s by again sending a different representative to the tournament. The top eight finishers during the regular season-regardless of division-will make the fight for this privilege, and the 14 to 16 seed in the NCAA tournament that is the inevitable result. Given that sixth seeded Texas-San Antonio made the final last season and 5th seeded Northwestern State and 7th seeded Texas-Arlington made the 2008 final, that's a place where the unexpected becomes the norm. And that's why each team in this topsy-turvy conference bears watching.

More on the 12 teams who will try to defy convention after the jump.

Here's a look at last season's Southland Conference standings.

Southland Conference Standings

(updated 3.14.2009 at 4:24 AM EDT)

West	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Sam Houston St. Bearkats	12	4	18	12
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders	11	5	18	15
Texas-Arlington Mavericks	9	7	16	14
Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners	8	8	19	12
Texas State Bobcats	7	9	14	16
Lamar Cardinals	6	10	15	15

West	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Sam Houston St. Bearkats	12	4	18	12
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders	11	5	18	15
Texas-Arlington Mavericks	9	7	16	14
Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners	8	8	19	12
Texas State Bobcats	7	9	14	16
Lamar Cardinals	6	10	15	15

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order, starting with the East Division.

East Division

Central Arkansas (last NCAA: None) The Bears are finally full, tournament-eligible Division I members, but they shouldn't threaten for a bid after losing three starters from a year ago. Two seniors, 6-1 guard Mike Pouncy (10.1 ppg) and 6-6 forward Mitch Reuter (11.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg), lead the way, but none of the other returnees managed to average even 4 points per contest last season. UCA visits Memphis and Kansas in the Hall of Fame Showcase event. They also take part in a unique showcase at Stephen F. Austin, where they and the Lumberjacks will both face Cal State-Fullerton and Southern on consecutive evenings.

McNeese State (last NCAA: 2002) Dave Simmons’ team was defensively stout last season, but will be a smaller team now that 6-6 John Pinchon (11.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6-11 Kleon Penn (8.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) are now gone. That means 6-9 Elbryan Neal, a senior who averaged 5 points and 4 boards a game off the bench in ’08-09, and 6-7 junior forward Will Morning, who missed last season with a knee injury, will have to step up, as will another key returnee, 6-5 P.J. Alawoya (7.4 ppg. 7.3 rpg). The backcourt should be solid with the return of McNeese’s leading scorer, 6-2 senior Diego Kapelan (11.7 ppg) and 6-4 PG C.J. Collins (4.9 ppg, 3.2 apg), though Simmons brought in two freshman PGs, Dontae Cannon and Jeremie Mitchell to push the holdovers. The Cowboys open up at the Rainbow Classic, against Hawai’i, Northern Colorado, and Southern Utah.

Nicholls State (last NCAA: 1998) Nicholls was another solid defensive team in 2008-09, but their offense could dip a bit in '09-10 after the departure of leading scorer Ryan Bathie, the Colonels all-time best 3-point shooter who averaged nearly 16 points a contest, and PG Justin Payne (6.8 ppg, 3.1 apg). The good news is, J.P. Piper has two players back who should be able to pick up the slack, 6-6 Australian swingman Anatoly Bose (15 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and 6-5 off guard Fred Hunter (10.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg), along with defensive stalwart Kellan Carter (5.2 ppg, 2.4 spg). Not only does Piper need to find a new point guard, he needs to get more production out of a thin frontcourt. If he doesn't the Colonels will take their lumps during a tough non-conference slate that includes a round-robin tournament at New Mexico and the Great Alaska Shootout.

Stephen F. Austin (last NCAA: 2009) Danny Kaspar's team finally broke through and made the NCAAs last season, but they'll have to attempt a repeat without the last two Southland Players of the Year, Josh Alexander (14.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Matt Kingsley (15.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg). In fact, Kaspar only has one starter back, 5-3 (yes, you read that right) PG Eric Bell (3.5 ppg, 3.6 apg), and his leading returning scorer is reserve guard Eddie Williams (7.4 ppg). A flock of JC transfers, led by 5-7 Denzel Barnes, 6-7 F Jordan Glynn, and 6-5 Mark Gomilla, will have to produce immediately, as will 6-10 freshman C Will Reinke. Texas Tech will visit Nacogdoches, as will Southern and Cal State-Fullerton-for a showcase event with Central Arkansas. The Lumberjacks will also fly out to California to take on Binghamton and Howard at an event hosted by St. Mary's, who they won't actually play.

Northwestern State (last NCAA: 2006) The Demons lost two starters from a season ago, but it shouldn't be too hard to adjust to life without them. That's because Mike McConathy had already suspended both Devin White and C.J. Clark for the last month of the season for rules violations. McConathy's son, Michael (8 ppg, 4 apg), and Damon Jones (12.2 ppg) anchor the backcourt, while defensive fixture Michael Mosley (6.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg), a 6-7 C, is the only returning frontcourt starter. 6-10 freshman O.J. Evans and 6-7 Cory Dixon, another first year player, will be called on to provide frontline support. Besides a trip to Hawai'i, the Demons will also travel to Indiana, LSU, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech this season.

Southeastern Louisiana (last NCAA: 2005) Jim Yarbrough returns three starters from a team that just missed recording a .500 Southland mark last season. 6-9 C Patrick Sullivan (12.1 ppg, 7rpg) is the key man in the frontcourt, while the offense is in good hands thanks to the return of 6-2 point guard Brandon Fortenberry (8.3 ppg, 4 apg). The unexpected offseason departure of 6-3 guard Chris Cyprian means 6-3 Damon Forrest (9.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg) will see more time this season. 6-6 F Robert Tibbs (5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg) will help Sullivan out in the frontcourt, while Mississippi transfer Rodney Jones, a 6-3 guard, is eligible this season. The Lions visit LSU, Mississippi State, and Nebraska in their non-conference travels.

West Division

Texas State (last NCAA: 1997) The fact Doug Davalos' team managed a 14-16 record with such a defensively challenged team is commendable; however, thanks to the loss of his key backcourt performers, who averaged a combined 38 points per contest, the Bobcats have an uphill climb this season. Texas State's strength this season will switch to the frontcourt, thanks to the return of 6-5 John Ryback (10 ppg, 4.3 rpg), 6-7 Cameron Johnson (9.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and 6-7 Emmanuel Bidids a Moute (6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Davalos will need two of last year's bench performers, John Bowman (4.7 ppg) and Ryan White (3.7 ppg, 2 apg), and two of his incoming freshmen, 6-1 Dylan Hale and 6-3 JC transfer Uriel Segura, to replace his departed backcourt stars. The Bobcats travel to Tempe to face host Arizona State in the NIT Season Tip-Off's West Regional. Texas State also visits Texas and DePaul, with a home-and-home against SMU also on the schedule.

Lamar (last NCAA: 2000) The Cardinals somehow managed to finish 15-15 in a year that would have probably gone better if Steve Roccaforte's players hadn't missed so many games due to injury. They'll struggle to even match that win total this season, and improve on their 6 league wins of '08-09, as three starters are gone. But the news isn't all bad in Beaumont, as two players are back after missing all of last year because of injuries--6-6 Justin Nabors (who averaged over 11 points and 6 boards a game in 2007-08) and 6-8 Lawrence Nwevo (4.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg in '07-08). Rice and Tulane visit the Montagne Center this season, while the Cardinals are one of several Southland schools to visit Hawai'i.

Texas-Arlington (last NCAA: 2008) The Mavericks lost two double figure scorers from a year ago, as junior Roge'r Guignard (12.5 ppg, 3.5 apg) left after coach Scott Cross suspended him last season and Anthony Vereen (17.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) graduated. However, there's still talent in Arlington, especially in the backcourt. 6-3 G Marquez Haynes (16.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg), a Boston College transfer, and 6-1 Brandon Long (12.1 ppg) return. Their support will be young, as Cross brought in a guard-heavy class of freshmen. In the frontcourt, 6-5 Tommy Moffitt (7.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg) will need some help from returnees 6-5 LaMarcus Reed (3.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg) and 6-11 Trey Parker (2.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and the lone freshman big man, 6-11 Jordan Reves. The highlights of the Mavericks schedule include trips to Michigan State and Baylor, along with a spot in a traditional tournament at Drake, where UTA will open with with North Dakota.

Texas-San Antonio (last NCAA: 2004) After a .500 league regular season, UTSA made it all the way to the Southland final, where they fell to SFA. Brooks Thompson lost two key players off that team, 6-7 F Travis Gabbidon (12.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and 3-point specialist Joey Shank (9 ppg), but there are pieces in place for the Roadrunners to contend again. UTSA's backcourt remains strong, thanks to the presence of 5-7 PG Omar Johnson (12.6 ppg, 4.2 apg) and 6-0 Devin Gibson, a player who excelled at both ends of the court, scoring 12+ a game while nabbing 3 steals a contest. To make up for the loss of Gabbidon, Thompson will expect more out of 6-4 senior Morris Smith IV (9 ppg, 3 rpg), 6-6 Josh Bonney (5.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg), 6-7 C DeMarco Stepter (6.5 ppg, 6 rpg), along with 6-5 JC transfer Stephen Franklin. The Roadrunners will participate in this season's CBE Classic, where they'll visit Iowa before traveling to Richmond, Kentucky to face host Eastern Kentucky, UC Irvine, and Fairleigh Dickinson. C-USA contender Houston also visits UTSA.

Sam Houston State (last NCAA: 2003) Bob Martin's team, the West Division winners, fell short of the NCAAs last season after opening falling to UTSA in their first Southland tournament game. While the Bearkats have the backcourt to contend, thanks to the return of starters 5-11 PG Ashton Mitchell (12.5 ppg, 6.8 apg) and 6-1 SG Corey Allmond (15.3 ppg), both serious Southland Player of the Year threats, and reserve Lance Pevehouse, a 3-point specialist like Allmond, who averaged more than 9 points a game off the bench. The frontcourt is a concern for Martin, however, as there isn't much after 6-6 senior Preston Brown (9.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg). If the Bearkats can get production from 6-7 reserve C Antuan Bootle (1.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg), 6-9 Zambian C Arthur Zulu, or 6-7 Delaware transfer DeMarco Cooper, they'll be serious contenders. Sam Houston State's schedule features trips to Kentucky and Cleveland State as part of the Cancun Challenge, where they'll face Oral Roberts, then either Florida A&M or Rider in the undercard portion of the tournament.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (last NCAA: 2007) Perry Clark's Islanders will be a serious threat for the crown thanks to the return of all five of last year's starters, plus that of point guard LaMarr Drake (6.2 ppg, 3 apg) from suspension. Swingman Kevin Palmer, a 6-6 senior who averaged over 18 points and 5+ boards a game, is the Islanders' go-to guy. Shamar Coombs, who averaged 8 points and 2.4 dimes last season, played the point during Drake's absence, and is an excellent option. The frontcourt--featuring 6-7 Desmond Watt (8.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg), 6-8 Justin Reynolds (8.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg), 6-8 Horace Bond (4.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), and 7-foot C Filip Toncinic (6.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg)--isn't the flashiest group, but they're productive. Clark was aggressive with his non-conference scheduling, as the Islanders will visit Mississippi, Houston, Texas, and Florida State, as well as Lubbock, where they'll face host Texas Tech, Oregon State, and South Dakota in a round-robin event.

The Islanders are my pick to claim the overall Southland crown, so they'll appear in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9.

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

Preseason All-Southland Team

Player of the Year: Kevin Palmer, 6-6 G/F, Sr. (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi)

Remainder of the Team
Corey Allmond, 6-1 G, Sr. (Sam Houston State)
Anatoly Bose, 6-6 G/F, Jr. (Nicholls State)
Devin Gibson, 6-0 G, Jr. (Texas-San Antonio)
Marquez Haynes, 6-3 G, Sr. (Texas-Arlington)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Southland Conference this season?

Central Arkansas

0 votes

Lamar

2 votes

McNeese State

0 votes

Nicholls State

2 votes

Northwestern State

1 votes

Sam Houston State

4 votes

Southeastern Louisiana

0 votes

Stephen F. Austin

1 votes

Texas-Arlington

2 votes

Texas-San Antonio

1 votes

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

0 votes

Texas State

0 votes

13 votes | Poll has closed

We're Dancing: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks

SFBE.MP — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:19:49 -0000

The Southland has been settled. Nacogdoches is going nuts for their Lumberjacks from Stephen F. Austin University. SFA sealed their first NCAA bid in the history of their program with a 68-57 victory over Texas-San Antonio. SFA got 20 points from Matt Kingsley and as a team the Lumberjacks knocked down 54 percent of their shots.

We'll see where the #1 team from the Southland is headed after the jump.

Location: Nacogdoches, TX

Enrollment: 10,647

Record: 24-7 (13-3)

Leading Scorers: Matt Kingsley (16.1 ppg), Josh Alexander (14.5 ppg)

What to know:

SFA does it with defense. They hold opponents to an average of 56.0 ppg. Granted, they have the 242nd best strength of schedule so...ah, yeah.
The Lumberjacks don't like leaving home. SFA is 13-0 when playing in their own gym and 10-7 when on the road or neutral territory. No friendly confines for these Texas woodsmen.

Projection: SFA has won 8 straight but will most likely hit a wall when they face a 3 seed as a 14 seed.

Selection Eve Review/Selection Sunday Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 15:31:13 -0000

Today is the day we've all been waiting for. At 6 Eastern tonight, we'll find out who's in and who's bubble has been burst. We'll also find out who's staying close to home and who has to travel across a time zone or three.

After yesterday's action, 12 teams know for sure that they're in.

America East - Binghamton is in for the very first time. Tony Kornheiser's (obligatory TK reference) alma mater defeated Maryland-Baltimore County by 10. Reggie Fuller had 19 for the Bearcats, going 7 for 7 from the field.

Conference USA - Memphis staked their claim to a number one seed by crushing Tulsa, 64-39. Gus Johnson's talent went to considerable waste, as he was stuck calling a game where the Golden Hurricane managed the lowest-point total in Memphis and the 11 Dwarves conference tournament history. Robert Dozier had 18 points and 14 boards, while Tyreke Evans scored 18.

Pacific 10 - USC ended someone's hopes by defeating Arizona State 66-63, in the first of two thrilling games played in Southern California last night. Both teams were hot from the field (USC at 52%, ASU at 53%), but the Trojans foul shooting is, oddly enough, what gave them the win. Sure Daniel Hackett hitting two in the dying moments clinched the win, but the Trojans got 21 FTAs on the night, making 13. The Sun Devils only went 2-4 from the charity stripe.

Big 12 - Missouri ended Baylor's run through the tournament and the Bears' Dance hopes, 73-60. Baylor kept it close for the first half and some of the second, but the Tigers went up 11 with 15:39 left and never looked back.

Atlantic 10 - Temple defeated Duquesne, 69-64, to win the Atlantic 10 for the second year in a row.

Mountain West - San Diego State isn't quite as safe as I thought yesterday, not after a dismal Mountain West final, where they lost to Utah, 52-50. Neither team looked particularly good, with the Aztecs shooting 36 percent from the floor and the Utes only making 33 percent of their attempts. SDSU now needs to cheer for a Tennessee win in the SEC championship today to have any hope.

MEAC - Morgan State is going dancing for the first time. The Bears' 83-69 win over Norfolk State completes the long road to redemption for coach Todd Bozeman who left Cal in disgrace after a recruiting scandal and had an eight-year show cause penalty imposed on him. It seems he's doing things the right way in Baltimore and his squad, led by all-MEAC guard Reggie Holmes, already owns a win over Maryland.

MAC - Remember back in December when Buffalo nearly knocked off UConn? Well, Championship Week does a great job of making great memories like that completely irrelevant. The Bulls fwere handled by Akron, 65-53. That means the Zips are in the tournament for the first time since 1986, when Bob Huggins was their coach. Keith Dambrot's team was left out in 2007 despite a 26-7 record, not even making the NIT!

Big East - Syracuse completely ran out of gas in the second half and fell to Louisville, 76-66. In my mind, the Cardinals, as double Big East champions, should be the overall number one seed at 6 EDT tonight.

SWAC - Top seed Alabama State knocked off second seed Jackson State, 65-58. The Hornets are probably destined to play in Dayton on Tuesday night. That might be your only chance to see the player with the greatest name in basketball today, Chief Kickingstallionsims.

WAC - Utah State banished any worries about their status by defeating host Nevada 72-62 to claim the auto bid. The Aggies jumped out to a 21-4 lead, but the Wolf Pack chipped away and cut it to four early in the second. USU let them get no closer.

Big West - Cal State-Northridge, a team that's encountered turmoil and tragedy so far this year. has overcome all of that to make it in. They also finally got past a Pacific team who swept them in the regular season, even though they needed overtime to do it. Rodrigue Mels had 23 points to lead the Matadors to the win.

Four teams punch their tickets today.

Southland Final (ESPN, 1 EDT) - Top seed Stephen F. Austin meets six seed Texas-San Antonio for the crown. The Roadrunners would likely replace Chattanooga as Alabama State's opponents in Dayton Tuesday night. The Lumberjacks, who have a shot at a better seed, defeated UTSA on the road in the teams' only meeting last weekend.

ACC Final (ESPN2 outside of ACC country and Raycom inside it, 1 EDT) - Florida State ended North Carolina's hopes of a third-straight ACC crown, 73-70. Now Toney Douglas and the Seminoles will try to end Duke's slender hopes of a #1 seed. The Blue Devils put Maryland's status right back into doubt with a 67-61 win in their semifinal.

SEC Final (CBS, 1 EDT) - As I've mentioned, Tennessee is the best friend of the resume challenged today. The Vols already knocked off Auburn to basically end their hopes. Now, they face Mississippi State, who is looking to steal a bid after they eliminated LSU.

Big Ten Final (CBS, 3:30 EDT) - Ohio State slammed the door on Michigan State's one seed chances yesterday and put further space between themselves and the bubble in the process. The Buckeyes next get Purdue who knocked off Illinois, 66-56. The Boilermakers need to win this one to claim a top-four seed.

I'll be working on my final bracket after the 1 p.m. games, as the Big Ten game won't affect selection. Expect my final update sometime after 5 Eastern. However, I will announce my pick for the Opening Round game at the conclusion of the Southland final.

Thrill a Minute Thursday Review/Friday Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Big East Semifinals (all games on ESPN)

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

Big Ten Quarterfinals

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

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

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

Big West Semifinals (all games on ESPNU)

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

Conference USA Semifinals (all games on CBS CS)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Southland Semifinals (all games on Full Court)

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

WAC Semifinals

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

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

The Mascot Awards (Pt. 2)

Brian Burke — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:45:14 -0000

Now that the Oscars are over we can get back to the real awards. It's the second installment of the Mascot Awards, so why not give away awards in pairs. The categories today are "Biggest Copycat" and "Most Obscure Mascot at Two Different Schools." Let's see the lovely couples...

If you missed the first installment, check it out here.

Biggest Copycat

In today's world of Photoshop and digital image manipulation, it's all too easy for one school to "borrow" someone else's logo and change it to make it their own. Unfortunately, the following schools have no clue how to use Photoshop...

5. Chaminade Eagles & Philadelphia Eagles - "Do you think anyone will notice if we just take the Eagles logo, flip it, and throw in some different colors?" said the worst marketing team ever. I mean, really Chaminade, did you think no one would notice? I kindof cheated because this is a high school team, but all they did is soften the edges, outline it, and make the colors goofier. This is like the Kidz Bop edition of the Eagles logo. They should be forced to call themselves the Eaglez.

4. Southern Methodist Mustangs & Calgary Stampeders (CFL) - Hmm... it looks like the Calgary Stempeders symbol is a puzzle and the Southern Methodist logo is the last piece. Well not exactly, the tails are a little different. Also, to be fair, both of these logos came out in 1968, so I don't know who copied off of who, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that these weren't a coincidence.

3. Georgia Bulldogs & Grambling State Tigers & Green Bay Packers - Maybe Georgia and Grambling St. just thought no one would notice. I mean, they did change the colors. Look, who's ever heard of the Green Bay Packers, anyway? At least they didn't pick to copy the logo of a team with one of the most recognizable symbols in all of sports that had won 3 of the past 5 Super Bowls at the time of their logos' release (1965). Oh, wait. Oh I see where they went wrong.

2. Michigan State Spartans & Stetson Hatters - Ok, this is just getting absurd. Stetson actually tried to disguise their "S" theft by putting a hat on it. They might as well have done this. As if Stetson's logo will take its hat off and the other logos will say "Oh my gosh, is that you Michigan State? I didn't even recognize you with that hat on!" This is like the worst double agent ever.

1. Howard Bison & Buffalo Bills - Wow. Why even bother at this point. You're not fooling anyone. In fact, most people will look at Howard's logo and say "What's that word on the Bills logo?" Just be honest Howard, go with this.

Most Obscure Mascot at Two Different Schools

Sure there are a lot of eagles and tigers and bulldogs out there, but who would have thought there are two Broncs? Well there are, Texas - Pan American and Rider. And although they didn't make the list, it's only because the following schools have even less imagination and even more pride.

5. Elon and Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix - Phoenix is a pretty sweet name, so I can't blame either school for choosing it, but it's still pretty obscure. Known for being reborn out of its own ashes, the mythological phoenix is actually a bird on fire. Maybe someone's director of marketing should be fired for not being able to think of a mascot which isn't already taken.

4. Duke and Central Connecticut State Blue Devils - You sure about that, Central Connecticut State? You're gonna stick with that? This is quite possibly the most overshadowed mascot of all time, and maybe it's for the best. Duke's mascot looks about 10 times cooler and has about 100 times more recognition. At least pick a different color, CCSU, none of the other devil colors are taken in college basketball.

3. Cal State Bakersfield and Texas San Antonio Roadrunners - Well at least a roadrunner is a real thing, unlike our last two winners. What really pushes this one up to the three spot is that not only did these schools decide on the same mascot, but they named it the same thing. That's right, both the Cal State Bakersfield and Texas San Antonio Mascots are specifically named Rowdy. How much does it suck to only have the second best roadrunner mascot named Rowdy in the nation?

2. South Carolina and Jacksonville State Gamecocks - As if there weren't already enough things wrong with naming yourself the gamecocks, one of these schools did it knowing it was already in use. Plus, they're both almost the same tone of red which is not helping to distinguish them. South Carolina is the much more well known school here, but I'm not sure if that's a victory or a defeat. Their mascot's name is Cocky, which you have to be to keep this name for so long.

1. Northern Arizona and Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks - Who knew there was even one school with the lumberjacks as their mascot? I want to know who was so sold on the name lumberjacks that he didn't care that it was already someone elses mascot. Like some guy had been planning this name for years and was too proud to admit that it was no longer a good idea since it was taken. "Are you sure, sir? It's not too late to change names, you know." "We're going to be the lumberjacks, Damnit! And that's final!"

Check back in soon for the third installment of the Mascot Awards

IOWA OBLITERATES UT-SA, 73-67

Oops Pow Surprise — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:35:04 -0000

A near-capacity crowd of several hundred wild Hawkeye fans witnessed one of the all-time great beatdowns in college basketball history as Iowa ran away and hid from the hapless University of Texas Longhorns -San Antonio Roadrunners, 73-67.

Cyrus Tate led all scorers with 18 points, which might be the most anyone's ever scored ever.

Iowa maintains their pace for a perfect season at 2-0 and they must be considered the overwhelming favorites for BXI Champions and a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. If I were everyone else I wouldn't even try beating Iowa.

Here's a picture of one of Cyrus Tate's monster jams.

BOOM-SHALAKA!