SB Nation - Towson Tigers

RPI WATCH: 11/29/09

BracketCat — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:00:14 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Kansas State's Jacob Pullen (0) puts up a shot under pressure from IUPUI's Jon Avery, behind, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Pullen scored 25 points, leading Kansas State to a 70-57 win. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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A quick note about yesterday's game:

We've been a notoriously slow-starting team so far this season, but I was surprised to learn that our 40 first-half points Saturday were the most we have scored in the initial period all year. Considering how poor our offense looked at times against IUPUI's matchup zone, we must have done a few things right.

Also, these numbers were striking:

	Points	Minutes
Jacob Pullen	25	34
Dominique Sutton	14	34
Denis Clemente	12	35
Curtis Kelly	11	33
everyone else	8	11*

*average per player

We clearly missed Jamar Samuels yesterday. I have to think he would have contributed at least 10 points and probably would have helped us top IUPUI on the boards. Furthermore, we really missed his energy and ability to create on offense, as well as the matchup difficulties he presents on defense.

But the bottom line is some other players on this team need to step it up. Our five best players can't do it all, and there's simply no excuse for no other player on the team scoring more than two points. That won't cut it against teams such Xavier and UNLV.

Anyhow, you can see how our other opponents fared yesterday after the jump. I'll even give you a hint: One of them suffered a pretty nasty spider bite... (chortle) ... And another one picked up a huge quality win.

If for some reason you absolutely need to know up-to-date numbers, I get them here.

Current Kansas State RPI = 15

Current Kansas State SOS = 24

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

Solid Wins (RPI 51-100) = IUPUI

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Quick discussion: Our numbers have not been this high in November in a long, long time. As long as we win three of the next five, and at least nine in conference play, there is very little doubt in my mind we will be in the Big Dance. The difference between last year's schedule and this year's needs to be measured in units of astronomical distance.

Loyola (4-1) | RPI = 27: Win over St. Ambrose (81-42)
Western Illinois (3-3) | RPI = 207: Win over Greenville (84-46)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76
Dayton (3-2) | RPI = 42: Win over Towson (74-69)
IUPUI (5-2) | RPI = 84: Loss to Kansas State (70-57)
Fort Hays State (3-0)
Washington State (6-0) | RPI = 146: Win over San Diego (93-56)
Xavier (4-1) | RPI = 106
UNLV (5-0) | RPI = 8: Win over No. 16 Louisville (76-71)
Alabama (3-2) | RPI = 91
UAPB (0-4) | RPI = 249
Cleveland State (3-4) | RPI = 191: Loss to Wichita State (69-54)
South Dakota (3-3) | RPI = 95: Win over Dana (100-65)
Missouri (4-1) | RPI = 96: Loss to Richmond (59-52)
Texas A&M (4-1) | RPI = 25
Colorado (4-2) | RPI = 127
No. 3 Texas (4-0) | RPI = 71
Oklahoma State (5-0) | RPI = 16
Baylor (5-1) | RPI = 113
No. 1 Kansas (5-0) | RPI = 52
Nebraska (3-1) | RPI = 126
Iowa State (6-1) | RPI = 161: Loss to Northwestern (67-65)
No. 25 Oklahoma (3-3) | RPI = 214: Win over Nicholls State (81-60)
Texas Tech (7-0) | RPI = 48: Win over Samford (74-53)

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.

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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 Colonial Athletic Association Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:00:24 -0000

Virginia Commonwealth made a nice name for themselves over the past few seasons. Sure, George Mason put the CAA on the map by reaching the Final Four in 2006, but the Rams have brought a new level of consistency to the league over the past few seasons. Over the past three seasons, VCU has been the undisputed regular season league champ, the first team ever to accomplish that feat. They also won the CAA tournament in two of those three seasons--the Patriots won in '08--and proved to be a tough out in the NCAAs, beating Duke before falling to Pitt in OT in 2007 and losing to UCLA on a buzzer beater last season.

But two of the main reasons for VCU's success have moved on. Head coach Anthony Grant took over at Alabama, while starting point guard Eric Maynor, who won two CAA Player of the Year awards during his time in Richmond, is now plying his trade with the Utah Jazz. However, the Rams have four starters back,led by guard Joey Rodriguez and center Larry Sanders, they'll still be a major factor in the race this season for new coach Shaka Smart (a former Florida assistant, like Grant).

But it may be time for Old Dominion, who returns all five starters, led by Finnish forward Gerald Lee, to dethrone the Rams. Mason, Northeastern, and Hofstra will also surely have something to say in the title chase, and it wouldn't be the CAA without someone rising up the standings unexpectedly. More on these favorites and their pursuers after the jump.

Let's first take a look at the 2008-09 Colonial standings.

Colonial Athletic Association Standings

(updated 3.31.2009 at 10:55 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Va. Commonwealth Rams	14	4	24	10
George Mason Patriots	13	5	22	11
Old Dominion Monarchs	12	6	25	10
Northeastern Huskies	12	6	19	13
Hofstra Pride	11	7	21	11
Drexel Dragons	10	8	15	14
James Madison Dukes	9	9	21	15
Georgia St. Panthers	8	10	12	20
Delaware Blue Hens	6	12	13	19
Towson Tigers	5	13	12	22
William & Mary Tribe	5	13	10	20
UNC-Wilmington Seahawks	3	15	7	25

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

William and Mary (last NCAA: None) The Tribe could be improved this season, if they can find a way to spread the scoring around a bit. Seniors David Schneider (14.1 ppg) and Danny Sumner (13.4 ppg) are going to attract more defensive attention this year, so Bill and Mary could use further offensive options. Sophomore swingman Quinn McDowell averaged over 9 points a game last season, so he is a possibility. 6-9 freshman Andrew Pavloff could be another. Head coach Tony Shaver is expecting him to bolster a thin frontcourt.

Towson (last NCAA: 1991) The Tigers shocked third-seeded Northeastern to reach the CAA semifinals last year, where they attempted to give GMU a game. Pat Kennedy's squad features four returning starters from a year ago, though more will be expected from Robert Nwankwo (4.4 ppg. 4.5 rpg) and Jarrel Smith (9.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) after the departure of leading scorer and rebounder Junior Hairston (13 ppg. 7.4 rpg). Freshman Isaiah Philmore will also be expected to contribute immediately, though he is a true swingman. Brian Morris (5.1 ppg, 3.8 apg) is back to run the point for the Tigers. who only venture out of the Baltimore-DC area once during their non-conference slate. They visit Dayton.

Drexel (last NCAA: 1996) The Dragons looked to be a serious contender in the CAA race, until they dropped three consecutive one point games to wrap up the CAA season. As the scorelines (49-48, 47-46, and 48-47) indicate, Drexel was an impressive defensive team that couldn't shoot a lick last year. Scoring could again be an issue, as their only double-digit scorer of a year ago, Scott Rodgers (13.1 ppg) is gone. Bruiser Flint will need more production from his three leading returning scorers, G Gerald Colds (9 ppg), PG Jamie Harris (8.1 ppg, 2.9 apg), and F Evan Neisler (7.8 ppg. 6.9 rpg). The Dragons will host one of the "subregionals" of the Legends Classic, featuring Cornell, Toledo, and Vermont. They also face three of the Big Five, St. Joe's, Penn, and Villanova, while working in a trip to Lexington to face Kentucky.

Georgia State (last NCAA: 2001) Rod Barnes' squad features six seniors, including the Panthers' three returning starters, Mississippi transfer 6-7 F Trey Hampton (4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg), and the team's two leading scorers from last season, PG Joe Dukes (12.8 ppg, 4.2 apg) and G Trae Goldston (10.8 ppg). Hampton and fellow Ole Miss transfer Xavier Hansbro (4.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg) really need to be more effective inside for the Panthers to move up the standings. Freshman James Vincent, a 6-10 F/C, may help push them. If the interior play doesn't improve, it will be another long season in Atlanta. GSU will play in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in November, visiting NC State and taking on Drake, Howard, and IUPUI in Daytona Beach.

Delaware (last NCAA: 1999) The Blue Hens were basically the complete opposite of Drexel last season, plenty of scoring, but not enough stops. Scoring should continue to be a strong suit for Monte Ross' team, as juniors Jawan Carter (15.2 ppg, 2.6 apg) and Alphonso Dawson (14.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and senior Brian Johnson (10 ppg, 5 apg) all return. Someone will have to step up to replace the contributions of the graduated Marc Egerson (15.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg), particularly on the glass. UD's non-conference schedule is remarkably local. They get a home game against Temple in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, but travel to Siena and face Virginia Tech in the Palestra in that same event. They do travel to Burlington to face Vermont, however.

UNC Wilmington (last NCAA: 2006) The bright spot of a dismal season for the Seahawks was a 81-72 home win over league champs VCU. They won only six other times in '08-09, but could have had a few more. As four starters, including three double-digit scorers, return for Benny Moss, there should be a lot more happy moments in Wilmington this season. Junior Chad Tomko (15.6 ppg, 4.4 apg) could replace the departed Maynor as the conference's best point guard. He'll team with senior Johnny Wolf (13.9 ppg) to form a formidable backcourt. The biggest issue for the Seahawks is the frontcourt, where 6-7 Dominique Lacy (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg) could use some help, particularly on the boards. UNCW will participate in the Charleston Classic, where they'll open with NIT winners Penn State.

James Madison (last NCAA: 1994) Matt Brady did a nice job in his first season at the helm in Harrisonburg. The Dukes won 21 games, including three postseason contests. They qualified for the inaugural CollegeInsider tournament, where they lost to eventual winners and CAA rival Old Dominion in the semifinals. JMU will have to try to improve on last year without two of that team's three leading scorers, forwards Kyle Swanston (11.6 ppg) and Juwann James (14.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg). But Brady has a lot of excellent players still at his disposal. Devon Moore (10.7 ppg) and Pierre Curtis (9.3 ppg) will be an effective backcourt, and reserve forwards Andrey Semenov (8.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Dazzmond Thornton (6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) will join starter Julius Wells (11.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) to form an intimidating frontcourt unit. The Dukes will visit Ohio State as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. They also travel to Miami to face Florida International, Murray State, and North Carolina Central in one of that event's subregionals. In December, JMU flies cross country to face Stanford.

Hofstra (last NCAA: 2001) Tom Pecora's side returns four starters, including leading scorers Charles Jenkins (19.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.3 apg) and Cornelius Vines (10.5 ppg). Like Tomko at UNCW, Jenkins could really attract a lot of attention thanks to Maynor's graduation. But the big question in Hempstead is how well the Pride's five newcomers fit in, as Pecora likes to distribute the minutes. The Pride will take part in the North region of the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they'll likely face UConn if they get by Yale in their opener. Hofstra will also make the short trip into the City to take part in the Holiday Classic. They open with St. John's and will face either Ivy favorite Cornell or Stephen Curry-less Davidson in their second game.

Northeastern (last NCAA: 1991) The Huskies started well, winning at Providence and a rebuilding Indiana, then opening the CAA schedule with 10 wins in their first 11 games. Then, the wheels came off, as the Huskies only won twice more in the league, eventually falling to Towson in the quarterfinals. Still, they earned a CBI invite, where they defeated Wyoming on the road, before their season ended at UTEP. Bill Coen has four starters back off that team, and he can only hope the gas tank stays full this year. Matt Janning (14.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg) will again challenge for all-CAA honors, while Chaisson Allen (10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Manny Adako (11.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg), and Nkem Ojougboh (7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) are all valuable pieces of the puzzle. The biggest thing for Coen is to find some bench scoring. Northeastern's schedule gets serious right out of the gate, as they travel to Siena for a noon tip that's part of ESPN's November 17 marathon. They also welcome Providence, Utah State, and Wright State to Boston. December sees them play in two tournaments back-to-back, first the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, where they open with Patty Mills-less St. Mary's, then the Cable Car Classic at Santa Clara.

George Mason (last NCAA: 2008) The Patriots attempted to make it back-to-back trips to the Dance, but last year's CAA final was really over before it started. The season ended in further disappointment when GMU dropped a four point overtime decision to champions Penn State in the NIT. Now Jim Larranaga will have to try to stay competitive despite losing three key starters from a season ago, guards Dre Smith and John Vaughan and forward Darryl Monroe. So, with those significant losses, why are the Patriots still contenders? Well, Larranaga still has Cam Long (11.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Louis Birdsong (6.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) on the roster. Plus, he receives the services of two highly-touted freshmen this year, Capital Classic and Jordan Brand Classic selectee Paris Bennett, a 6-6 F, and 6-4 G Sherrod Wright, who also played in the Jordan game. GMU plays in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, where they have the unenviable task of opening with Villanova, a team they lost to in the Old Spice Classic semifinals in 2007. They could face Dayton in their second game there, but if they don't, the two meet in Fairfax in December, four days before the Patriots welcome Creighton to town in a BracketBusters rematch.

VCU (last NCAA: 2009) It's up to Shaka Smart to keep what Jeff Capel and Anthony Grant have gotten going in Richmond. Of course, he has to do it without Maynor, the program's heart and soul. However, the cupboard is far from bare. Sanders, a bruising 6-10 forward who averaged more than 11 points, almost 9 boards a game, and nearly 3 blocks a game, is back for his junior year. 6-8 senior Kiril Pishchalnikov (5.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) will also be a force in the frontcourt. In the backcourt, Joey Rodriguez and Brandon Burgess will have to fill the void left by Maynor, and considering they averaged a combined 16.8 points per contest last year, they're more than capable. Brandon Rozzell, who averaged almost 7 points a game last year, will also see more minutes. If one of these players can step up in the leadership department, fans in Richmond may be able to forget about Maynor. (Nah, that'll never happen.) The Rams schedule features a visit from Oklahoma, coached by Capel, and a home game against Nevada, a return of the 71-70 Wolf Pack triumph in last year's BracketBusters.

Old Dominion (last NCAA: 2007) Blaine Taylor's squad took the inaugural CollegeInsider tournament crown with a 66-62 win over Bradley in Peoria. The Monarchs return all five starters, led by Lee, a 6-10 Finnish-American who averaged almost 16 points and 6 rebounds a contest last season. Taylor preaches defense, and opponents only managed an average of 60 points a game last year. However, the Monarchs could score a bit more, as Lee was the only player to average in double figures last season. 6-5 swingman Ben Finney could improve on his average of 9.9 a game this time around. Point guard Darius James is a pass-first guy who dished out 4.5 assists per contest, so the offense is certainly in good hands. ODU will participate in the South Padre Island Invitational, where they'll open with Missouri. They'll face either Mississippi State or Richmond in their second game. If it's the Spiders, they'll play UR back to back, as ODU is already scheduled to visit the Robins Center on December 2.

So the Monarchs will hold the Colonial's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. I don't anticipate multiple bids for the CAA at the moment, but that could very well change as the season goes on.

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

Preseason All-CAA Team

Player of the Year: Larry Sanders, 6-10 F, Jr. (Virginia Commonwealth)

Remainder of the Team
Matt Janning, 6-4 G/F, Sr. (Northeastern)
Charles Jenkins, 6-3 G, Jr. (Hofstra)
Gerald Lee, 6-10 F, Sr. (Old Dominion)
Chad Tomko, 5-11 G, Jr. (UNC Wilmington)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the CAA this season?

Delaware

0 votes

Drexel

4 votes

George Mason

4 votes

Georgia State

0 votes

Hofstra

1 votes

James Madison

0 votes

Northeastern

1 votes

Old Dominion

1 votes

Towson

1 votes

UNC Wilmington

0 votes

Virginia Commonwealth

6 votes

William and Mary

0 votes

18 votes | Poll has closed

Where are College Basketball's top metropolitan areas?

SFBE.NF — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:12:51 -0000

When in doubt...make a list. When you're in the end of August, and many are completey rearing their head towards pennant races and the start of football season, just make a damn list - and you might get some attention.

There's a ton of great college towns in America. We all know them, and we all have spent 4+ years there or maybe a wild weekend in a blur of inebriation. Please, we aren't asking for your stories.

But there's also some major markets in this country that can claim the name as a "College City," where fans ignore their crappy professional teams and fuel the talk radio waves with (basketball) recruiting buzz, conference titles, and a deep run in March.

After the jump are our Five Top College Basketball Metropolitan Areas.

1- Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The area of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill receives its number one ranking almost strictly because of two teams: Duke and UNC. No surprise there. The bad blood between these two schools has solidified itself as one of the best rivalries in all of sports, and for good reason. Ask Dick Vitale about this 8 mile war path that separates the two schools and you will receive a bevy of adjectives (mostly made up words) more fit for a NC-17 movie. Both schools are perennial national championship contenders and have produced 17 National Player of the Year honors, appeared in 21 Final Fours and hold eight National Championship Trophies.

While being in the top 10 all season is expected for both these programs, their rankings are completely irrelevant when they hit the hardwood (well at least Blue Devil fans have been holding on to that statement lately). It’s Duke and UNC and that’s really all that matters.

Success from both sides has generated a lot of verbal shots between their students and fans. While Blue Devil undergrads will tell you that the only trace of intelligent life in Chapel Hill is a sign directing you to Duke’s campus, Tar Heel students have made a hobby of explicitly voicing their opinions on Duke’s top players and their unfavorable sexual preference...and lack of African-American talent.

Completing "The Triangle" is North Carolina State. Located just east of Duke and UNC in Raleigh, NC State is a nationally recognized program and always competitive in the ACC.

2- Philadelphia

In addition to boasting four major professional sports teams, The City of Brotherly Love is also home to a one of a kind tradition in college basketball. The Big 5, comprised of La Salle, Saint Joseph's, Temple, Pennsylvania and Villanova are all located within a 17 mile radius of each other, and many of the games are played at the historic Palestra located on Penn’s campus.

The Big 5 was formed in 1955 and games were played as double or tripleheaders. As schools began to join conferences, conflicts with scheduling arose and it became more difficult to allow all the schools to play each other. By 1991 the format was non-existent, but eight years later the series was back, much to the delight of the fans.

The most notable rivalry within the Big 5 is between St. Joes and Villanova. Dubbed the Holy War for the schools religious affiliations, the game is sort of an inferior vs. superior match-up. St. Joseph's is a smaller school who would love to shake the mid-major label, while 'Nova is in the Big East...and frankly a notch higher on the academic hierarchy.

3- Cincinnati

At first you may question the credibility of this mid-sized Midwestern city, the setting to the now infamous Karen Sypher abortion, as a college hoops hot bed, but consider this: In addition to being the location for the University of Cincinnati and Xavier, two schools separated by just a few unsafe neighborhoods, the city is within 100 miles of Dayton, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami of Ohio and Ohio State. UK plays at least one game a season in Cincy, Andy Kennedy causes trouble in Cincy, and many grads from the nearby universities land jobs here creating a brew pot of bad blood.

The rivalry between XU and UC may not get enough national attention as it deserves. While UC, a public school, has had more success in the past 20 years with 14 straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1992-2005, the Musketeers have won nine of the last 13 meetings. Some say that the rivalry has lost some of its luster with the departure of Bobby Huggins coupled with Xavier's inability to retain a head coach, but true fans in Cincinnati know that the local media hype and hostility between the two sides will continue to exist regardless.

4- Louisville, Kentucky

You can't exclude the Bluegrass state in a ranking like this, so by default Louisville gets the nod. Undoubtedly this will be on of the most anticipated seasons on record for Cardinal and Wildcat fans. From a summer filled with John Calipari and John Wall, Rick Pitino and Karen Sypher, the tides have quickly turned and it may be the school in Lexington with the upper hand as it's grads continue to flock roughly 100 miles to work and start fights with their rival during the weekends.

5- Washington, D.C.-Baltimore

While the top four metropolitan rankings have been predicated on rivalries, the DC-Baltimore area simply boasts a good amount of quality college basketball. Maryland is a perennial powerhouse in the ACC, has won a National Championship in 2002, and have rabid fans that are still probably chanting derogatory comments about JJ Redick's sister. It is also rumored that much of the Chesapeake River water flow begins at Gary Williams post game laundry basket.

Georgetown, one of the more successful teams in the 1980s and 1990s under John Thompson, has re-established themselves in the Big East under his son John Thompson III.

The area is also home to mildly successful George Washington, one-hit wonder George Mason, American University, Coppin St, Howard, Loyola College, Morgan St, Towson St and UMBC.

It is also worth mentioning that Prince George's County is an absloute hot bed for producing major Division I, and in turn NBA, talent

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

2009 MMM Towson Tigers Preview

umass09 — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:00:13 -0000

New head coach Rob Ambrose will need to accomplish a lot of work in order to have any hopes of turning the slumping Tigers around in the 2009-10 season. The team lost their last five games of the 2008-09 season to finish with a disappointing 3-9 record that consisted of only one win in conference play.

To add insult to injury, the Tigers suffered some key loses over the offseason. The most notable of all these is quarterback Sean Schaefer who threw for 3,286 yards with an impressive completion rate of 66%. Schaefer started at quarterback all four years of his career and will be an incredibly difficult asset to replace. As of now it looks like the University of New Mexico transfer, Blair Peterson, will take on the starting quarterback role, however Ambrose has yet to announce anything definite. The Tigers will also lose standout wide receiver Marcus Lee, who like Schaefer was a four-year starter for the Tigers. He was a regular member of the All-CAA team and caught 58 passes for 461 yards and 6 touchdowns during his senior year. The upside to the loss of Lee is that the Tigers have an abundance of receivers to take his place. The best candidate to step up to the task is Hakeem Moore who led the team in 2008 with 527 receiving yards.

The Tigers are also going to take a major blow on the defensive side of the ball as they lose two All-CAA players in linebacker Jordan Manning and defensive back Drew Mack. Manning recorded a team high of 105 tackles along with 2 sacks. Despite missing 3 games Mack racked up a total of 82 tackles, which is an astonishing 9.1 tackles per game.

Ambrose will need strong play from his young defensive back, Danny Collins, in the upcoming season. Last year Collins was a big playmaker in the Tigers secondary and recorded 52 tackles. The rest of the secondary is very young and inexperienced, however there is no question that they possess great talent. The first couple games will be very difficult for the Tigers defense; however once they gain more experience they should be one of the top units in the CAA.

The new coaching staff has a lot of obstacles to overcome before the Tigers stand atop the Colonial Athletic Association. Ambrose brought along a wonderful supporting cast of coaches to help tap into his young teams potential. Expect the Tigers to show signs of brilliance throughout the year but also to make many frustrating mistakes that are commonly found in a young team.

Championship Monday Review/Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:17:51 -0000

The last Sunday of the regular season for the BCS leagues was a busy one, and thrilling conference tournament action as well. Let's get right to the recap. As always, box scores are from Basketball State.

Only one team punched their ticket on Sunday. Northern Iowa is the second straight surprise Missouri Valley champion. The Panthers defeated Illinois State, 60-57 in overtime. Ali Farokhmanesh got the better of Valley POY Osiris Eldridge in the extra stanza, as Eldridge missed time with cramping. I feel bad for the people of Richmond, who couldn't see this game. Their CBS affiliate carried Raycom's telecast of Virginia Tech at Florida State instead.

Four teams will make the field this evening.

Colonial (ESPN2, 7 EDT)- VCU and George Mason survived ODU and Towson, respectively, after another thrilling afternoon of action in Richmond. The Tigers really gave the Patriots a battle. The predominantly VCU crowd definitely tried to give them a boost, especially since I didn't need both hands to count the number of Towson fans present at the Coliseum.

Southern (ESPN, 7 EDT) - College of Charleston upset CBS darling Davidson, 59-52, meaning the chances of seeing Stephen Curry in this year's tournament are slim. Curry managed 20 points, but only on 5-18 shooting, including 2-11 from outside. The homestanding Chattanooga Mocs will be the Cougars' next opponent, as they knocked out conference newcomer Samford, 80-71.

Metro Atlantic (ESPN2, 9 EDT) - Homestanding Siena defeated Fairfield handily, 80-65. The Saints had a lot of balanced last night, with five players hitting double figures. Kenny Hasbrouck was surprisingly not one of them, as he only scored 9. Next up for Siena is a rubber match with 2 seed Niagara. The Purple Eagles needed a Tyrone Lewis three to tie it at the end of regulation, but they ended up getting past Rider, 93-89 in double OT.

West Coast (ESPN, 9 EDT) - Gonzaga had no problem with Santa Clara, winning by 25. In the other semi, Saint Mary's got Patty Mills back. The Aussie was a bit rusty (12 points on 25% shooting with 4 assists), though he did look far better in the second half. The Gaels defeated Portland for the second time this year, 71-61.

Two other conferences had their semifinals Sunday, but their championship games won't be until later in the week because of TV considerations.

America East - Binghamton will host Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday morning. The sixth-seeded Retrievers knocked off the homestanding and seventh-seeded Albany Great Danes, 64-58. The top-seeded Bearcats are on track for their first ever NCAA appearance. They defeated fourth-seeded New Hampshire, 72-67.

Patriot - American hosts Holy Cross Friday afternoon. The Eagles had a hard time shaking Army, winning 61-60, while the Crusaders prevented a second straight AU-Colgate final, 61-44.

If that's not enough for you, the Summit League (7 EDT, Full Court) and Sun Belt (7:30 EDT, Full Court) semifinals are also on available. In the Summit, there was a big upset in the quarterfinals Saturday, as 7 seed South Dakota State knocked three-time defending champion Oral Roberts out. The Jackrabbits face 3 seed Oakland. Top seed North Dakota State looks to keep their hopes of a first-ever tournament bid (in their first year of eligibility) alive. The Bison face the 5 seed, Southern Utah. In the Sun Belt, the higher seeds were having their way in the quarterfinals, until sixth-seeded South Alabama upset the 3 seed, Troy. The Jaguars next face 2 seed Arkansas-Little Rock. Top seeded Western Kentucky takes on the 4 seed, 2007 tournament champion North Texas.

Outside of Auto-Bid Land

Virginia Tech lost to Florida State, 63-53. That means the Hokies are in the 8/9 game in the ACC tournament. Their opponent is Miami, which makes that first round tie a virtual bubble elimination game.

If Auburn has life in the SEC, Vanderbilt must as well. The Commodores made it to 8-8 in the stronger East division by (oddly enough) beating a Western opponent - Arkansas, 75-58.

UNC is in good shape for a #1 seed after beating Duke, 79-71. Michigan State continued to build their case for a 2, as they knocked off Purdue, 62-51. Wake has a case too after beating Clemson (who looks likely to be on the outside looking in when it comes to a protected seed), 96-88.

Ohio State got a big win over Northwestern, 52-47. Evan Turner had 17 for the Buckeyes, and it seemed like his sole purpose for the evening was to keep the Wildcats' dance drought going. I'm not ready to write Northwestern off yet, as they play Minnesota in the 8-9 game on Thursday in Indianapolis. If they win that, they get another shot at Michigan State Friday.

I'll be around this evening to talk about the four big championship games and whatever else you're thinking about here in the stretch run.

Now the Nerves Start - Recapping Saturday's Action

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:07:46 -0000

Even though my evening/life was ruined by this news, (Seriously, first the Cubs sign Milton Bradley, now this? It's a good thing the Leafs didn't beat the Rangers to Sean Avery on waivers.) it's March, so all is right with the world.

Well, all is right for certain fanbases. For others, the next week is going to be extremely nerve-racking.

For starters, let's congratulate the three teams who will appear in bold in Tuesday's bracket, thanks to their conference championship wins last night. (As always, score recaps are from Basketball State.)

Radford became the second team in after they defeated VMI, 108-94, in the Big South final. The Highlanders beat the Keydets at their own game. The Highlanders have a balanced attack and the Belarussian Behemoth, C Artsiom Parakhouski.
East Tennessee State took their first Atlantic Sun championship and first NCAA bid since 2004 (when they were in the SoCon) by easily beating regular-season champ, Jacksonville, 85-68. Watch out for the Bucs, who have three guys who can really put up points, guards Kevin Tiggs (21.5 ppg) and Courtney Pigram (17.6 ppg) and forward Mike Smith (15.5 ppg).
In the game of the night, Morehead State defeated Austin Peay State, 67-65 in double OT, to win the Ohio Valley crown. I finally got to see the highlights on ESPNews when I got back from Richmond. Unbelievable! All-OVC first-teamers Leon Buchanan and Kenneth Faried (also the first-ever OVC Def. POY) are players to watch on the Eagles.

In Richmond, things went according to plan in the first three games, though all three higher seeds (VCU, Old Dominion. and George Mason) got real games. The Monarchs game with Hofstra going right to the buzzer. The fourth game, however, saw 11 seed Towson win their second straight game, 58-54 over third-seeded Northeastern. VCU faces ODU and GMU takes on Towson in the semifinals this afternoon.

While all that excitement was going on, there were a ton of resume-related games I was tracking on the BracketBerry.

Creighton's at-large candidacy is very much on life support, as Illinois State demolished them by 24 in the Bizarro Valley semifinals. Osiris Eldridge had 21, including 4 treys and at least one SportsCenter-worthy dunk. The Redbirds face Northern Iowa today at 2 EDT (CBS) for the Valley crown.
Maryland's case took a major hit, after the Terps fell at Virginia, 68-63. Are wins over North Carolina and Michigan State going to be enough? It depends on how many games the Terps can win in the ACC tournament and who the opponents are.
Think Penn State is safe? Maybe not, now that they lost to Iowa, 75-67 in double OT.
Rhode Island may have put themselves out with a 72-71 headscratcher at the hands of UMass.
Florida helped their case and pretty much doomed Kentucky to the NIT with their 60-53 win.
Michigan got by Minnesota,. 67-64 win, meaning all three teams in the Big Ten bubble round-robin finished 1-1.
Texas A&M got a nice bookend win by beating Missouri, 96-86.
Miami won at NC State, 72-64, to finish at 7-9 in the ACC. If Maryland's on the bubble still, the Canes have to go back on it too.
Speaking of bubble newcomers, Auburn beat LSU, 69-53. The Bayou Bengals had a chance to finish 15-1 in the SEC, but are 13-3 after two straight losses. The Tigers, meanwhile, are 10-6 in the league. However, they went 8-2 against the weaker SEC West and 2-4 against the somewhat stronger East.
Dayton recovered nicely from their loss to Xavier Thursday, defeating Duquesne, 74-61.

Good news for bubble teams everywhere, Davidson, Siena, and Butler all won in their conference tournaments yesterday. The Bulldogs face Cleveland State at Hinkle Tuesday night for the Horizon championship.

The Mountain West has tri-champions this morning. BYU will be the one seed, Utah the two, and New Mexico the three. San Diego State defeated UNLV, 57-46, at the Thomas & Mack Center, and the two meet again in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The Runnin' Rebels are now 9-7 in the league. Earlier wins over Arizona and Louisville will give the Committee a lot to discuss next week.

Speaking of the Cardinals, Louisville laid claim to a one seed by beating West Virginia, 62-59. That win gave the Cardinals the outright Big East title. Pitt did the same with a 70-60 win over UConn that gives them the two seed in the Big East tournament. The Huskies will be seeded third. Memphis is also in the running. The Tigers closed out another regular season of C-USA perfection with a 74-47 win over Tulane. And don't count out Oklahoma, 82-78 winners over Oklahoma State.

It's just about time to head down to Richmond for the CAA semis. I apologize for not being all that responsive to e-mail yesterday evening, as my phone was dying at the end of the quadrupleheader. Today should be better in that respect. Updates to my site links and blogroll are forthcoming, probably tomorrow, as it's likely I won't be making the trip down to Richmond for the final.

But that just means I'll get to have a game or open thread here for the first time.

Happy hoops viewing!

Penn State Basketball Update

BSD — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:00:06 -0000

When we last left our heroes they were about to begin a four game road stretch that was going to go a long way toward determining how successful their season would be. We're three games through that stretch, and so far the results are mixed.

The Nittany Lions started off well with an 85-73 win over Penn at the Palestra. They dominated the first half doubling up the Quakers 49-24 by the intermission. But they coasted in the second half and allowed Penn to cut the lead to ten, but they held on thanks to some solid free throw shooting to get the win. Talor Battle and Stanley Pringle were sensational scoring 24 and 25 points respectively. Cornley chipped in 16 points to go with his 9 rebounds.

Penn State stayed in Philly to take on Rhode Island as part of the Philly Hoop Group Classic. After trailing for most of the game, Penn State rallied and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but Pringle's three point attempt was off the mark and the Nittany Lions suffered their first loss of the season. For the first time this season our guards were outplayed. Jimmy Baron scored 20 points and gave Battle fits on defense all night. Battle finished with 15 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

So Penn State was forced to settle for the consolation game against Towson on Saturday. It was a dangerous game for State. They could have come out hung over and tired from the night before and played down to the level of their inferior opponent. But instead they came out firing on all cylinders and responded with a resounding 78-54 victory. Battle nearly scored a triple-double with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.

What we've learned so far...

Talor Battle is a star and easily the best kept secret in the conference. If he played in the Big East or the Big XII everyone would be talking about him being a future lottery pick. When he and Stanley Pringle are on we can play with anyone in the country.
We are not very deep. Ed is playing just six or seven guys for most of the game. Battle in particular is playing a ton of minutes. If Woodyard and Babb can't get up to speed and allow him to rest for a few minutes here and there I'm afraid we're going to wear down late in the season.
This team has learned how to win away from the Jordan Center. Does everyone remember the big fat egg we layed in the Old Spice Classic last year? Though it would have been nice to beat Rhode Island and get a shot at Villanova, they responded well following the loss and played solid basketball against Towson. Last year they would have never got their mojo back until they went back home.
Somebody has to step up and help Cornley in the paint. Jones took a big step toward that with eight points and 13 rebounds against Towson.

Next up the Nittany Lions travel to Georgia Tech on Wednesday (7:30 PM) to compete in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on ESPN2. Then they return home on Saturday for a huge game against Temple. That game will be televised on the Big Ten Network at 6 PM. We'll have your open threads here.