SB Nation - UC Irvine Anteaters

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.

Longhorns Roll Past Anteaters in Season Opener

awiggo — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:26:21 -0000

More photos » by Harry Cabluck - AP

Rick may have his most complete Texas team yet. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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Game Recap: The #3 Longhorns notched their first victory of the season, 89-42 over UC Irvine at the Drum behind strong performances from seniors Damion James and Dexter Pittman.

Along with James and Pittman, Varez Ward, Justin Mason, and freshman J'Covan Brown completed the starting lineup. Brown started slowly and sloppily at the point guard spot, and Coach Barnes was forced to sit him down after two early turnovers and again after a couple of more. After the game, Rick said this about his freshman point guard, "J'Covan wore us all out before the games. I've never seen a guy as amped up. Ever."

As will be a theme this season, the depth of this team allowed the ‘Horns to quickly find their stride. Dogus Balbay was inserted for Brown and helped the Longhorns turn a 19-18 deficit after the first ten minutes of action into a 42-21 halftime lead.

Balbay played solid on-the-ball defense and helped protect the ball in the halfcourt where James and Pittman could dominate. Both big men finished with 21 points a piece. Most of Dexter's 10-of-11 from the floor came off dunks or lay ins. James had a few buckets of length but most of his scoring came around the basket as well. The smaller Anteaters were simply overmatched in height, strength, and athleticism.

During the back and forth start, I thought Texas struggled to communicate on defense. There was some confusion on how to defend ball screens. Some players were also over running their pursuit on the pass and over committing on shot fakes. The substitution patters of three, four, or even five players at a time help explain the early defensive lapses. However, after that back and forth start, the Longhorn defense played more consistently and more together. Texas contested shots better, didn't allow second chance points or almost anything in the paint, and, for the most part, controlled dribble penetration.

The outcome was: Exciting. Exciting because this was the first game; exciting because I finally got to see the four freshman live and in a college game; and exciting because the potential of this team is clear.

Unlike last year, this year's Longhorns will not have trouble scoring from the perimeter. Jordan Hamilton and Brown can both shoot the ball from deep. They both have good form, which should help produce consistent buckets, and good size, which will allow them to easily shoot over zones.

Unlike last year, foul trouble, even if it's Dex, won't be an issue. The ‘Horns are deeper than any team in the country and can run as many as 14 different players on the court for double digits in minutes every game.

Unlike last year, Barnes does not have to play smaller, three guard lineups. While Texas did start three guards, that was by choice not out of necessity. Hamilton (6-7) and Williams (6-6) will give Texas excellent size from the wing, and I won't be surprised to see James (6-7) play some at the three too when Rick wants to play with an even bigger lineup. Texas has real size at the two guard spots also. Avery Bradley, listed at 6-2, and Brown, listed at 6-1, both played bigger and stronger than their listed heights. The days of playing two sub six foot guards plus Mason at the wing are thankfully over.

The biggest thing I took away from the ‘Horns first game was potential. Right now, they are so much less than the sum of their parts. And right now, they're pretty good. The parts are all there-talent, size, depth, and experience. There is no reason why Barnes shouldn't be able to mold this team into more than the sum of their individually talented parts and national championship favorites by tourney time.

Stats of the Game: 49-30 Texas on the glass. 54-18 Texas points in the paint. If you didn't get a chance to see the game, that is about all you need to know. As expected, Texas was able to dominate the smaller Anteaters in the paint on both ends.

The Offensive MVP was: Damion James. DaMo started his senior campaign in style-21 points (7-of-9 from the floor, 2-of-2 from three, 5-of-6 from the line), 15 boards, two assists, and a steal in just 22 minutes of action. James came back to Texas for a lot of reasons, but the big one was to play himself into a NBA first round selection. So far, so good. He looked confident, in control, and hungry. If he can produce the same smart and solid performances against the Michigan States and North Carolinas of the world, the NBA will be forced to take a second look at DaMo.

The Defensive MVP was: Texas in the second half. I don't have the exact stats but UC Irvine was something like 9-of-18 to start the game. They finished 17-of-62 for just 27% from the floor. Needless to say, the defense was the key to the 47 point victory.

I want to note a few more things, player by player:

Damion James: After the games, DaMo noted that the younger players looked up to him and that he has tried to take them under his wing. He also said that while the freshmen are very talented, that they still have a lot to learn. I can imagine the exact same thing coming out of Rick Barnes' mouth.

During the off season, we've noted that team chemistry is something of a concern and definitely something to watch. While James has not been a loud and vocal leader in his first three seasons, it sounds like he recognizes that now it's his turn. This veteran to freshman leadership, along with the development of a point guard, whoever it ends up being, are the two biggest keys to a Final Four run, in my opinion.

Dexter Pittman: More important than throwing down one-handed slams over guys standing just 6-6, Dex only picked up one foul. The more Pittman can stay on the floor, the better this team can be offensively. I was also impressed with the one post move when he turned over his right shoulder for an easy lay in. In previous seasons, he has almost always turned over his left shoulder to produce the easier right handed jump hook. If he has added the ability to go the other way with his back to the basket, look out.

Avery Bradley: Bradley is going to be so much better than his stats. Texas will be a Dexter and Damion focused team first. Second, it looks like J'Covan and Hamilton won't be afraid to let it fly. Therefore, Bradley would easily be the fifth scoring option among these five and probably still no better than third or fourth with some others on the floor. He will definitely get his-in transition, off dribble drives, and in second chance opportunities-but given the offensive skills of some other ‘Horns, Bradley won't be a 20 point scorer. It doesn't matter though. He is too good. His two late-game mid-range jumpers were things of beauty-in balance, form, and arc. The defense is also already there. Last, from Barnes' comments during the off season, this is a kid who knows he can get better and his ready to work on his weaknesses.

Varez Ward: If Barnes wants his point guard to pass the ball and play lock down defense, then Ward may be the man. Varez has the size, athleticism, and vision to be a true pass-first, shoot second floor general.

J'Covan Brown: J'Covan is raw, talented, and emotional. Unfortunately for him, he was too hyped for this game and it showed during the first half. Fortunately for us, it was his first game in over a year, after sitting out all of last season, and his upside is huge. If Barnes wants his point guard to score and stretch the defense with his perimeter jumper, then Brown is his man. From everything I saw though, J'Covan is more of a shoot-first, pass-second point.

Dogus Balbay: Dogus is third head of the ‘Horns point guard machine (with a fourth, Jai Lucas coming in December). Balbay played really well this afternoon. Six assists to no turnovers in 19 minutes from your point guard is every coach's dream. That said, I am not as big a fan of Dogus as are many of you. His offensive limitations make me hope that Barnes uses Balbay as more of spark off the bench than 25+ minute contributor.

Justin Mason: Mase has started for the better part of his three seasons at Texas and removing him from the starting lineup won't be easy. He still can do the little things-rebound, play solid d, and push the basketball in transition. However, I can't see how he ends up averaging more than 15 minutes per game once the freshmen become more comfortable.

Jordan Hamilton: Does Jordan have a nickname? He needs one. Hamilton looked smooth, long, and ready to score. Jordan may not have the defensive mindset that Barnes would like yet, but you can already see how important he'll be to the ‘Horns success.

Shawn Williams: I guess Shawn won't be redshirting this year. Williams played a productive (6 boards), yet sloppy 13 minutes against UC Irvine. His size will give Texas a much needed third rebounder and his ability shoot the three ball should open up driving lanes on the other end.

Alexis Wangmene: Wingman, I've missed you. With scorers at nearly every position, Lexi is the perfect bruising big man to bring off the bench. He showed strong hands and a willingness to fight for boards in his eight minutes of action. I expect his playing time to directly correlate to Dexter's foul trouble and stamina.

Gary Johnson: Like Dogus, I am not as in love with Gary as most Longhorn hoops' fans but recognize that he can be important role player on this team. GJ is always going to bring the energy. I just wish he was two inches taller and had a higher basketball IQ. Hopefully, Gary realizes that he is going to be the third, fourth, or even fifth scoring option during most of his minutes this season. Rebound, pass the ball from the post, and make your free throws and I'll love ya. I promise.

Matt Hill: Hill is a big body with limited athleticism. Gary and Wingman will likely be the first two off the bench as bigs, so I can't see Matt getting much playing time.

Clint Chapman: Clint wasn't in uniform. I couldn't see him from my seat either. I have no idea. Anyone?

Box Score

NEXT GAME: Home vs. Western Carolina - Wednesday 11/18 8 pm ESPNU

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)

View full size photo »

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 Big West Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:00:22 -0000

With only four games separating first from eighth last season, the Big West was one of the most competitive conferences out there. Cal State-Northridge somehow captured both the regular season and tournament crowns despite losing the services of arguably their two best players for divergent reasons. The Matadors then went on to give 2 seed Memphis a battle in the first round of the NCAAs.

The level of competition in the Big West should remain the same this season, as--once again--Cal Poly looks to be the only team that will struggle. And the Mustangs should quickly become competitive under former Seattle University head coach Joe Callero, who won 117 games there. In the meantime, Long Beach State, with their three Big West All-Freshmen selections all now sophomores, and UC Santa Barbara, bolstered by the return of point guard Justin Joyner, look to be the class of the league. But you'd be foolish to overlook any of the other teams in the "California Bus League." More after the jump.

Let's start with a look at last season's final Big West standings.

Big West Conference Standings

(updated 3.25.2009 at 11:59 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Cal. St.-Northridge Matadors	11	5	17	14
Pacific Tigers	10	6	21	13
Long Beach St. 49ers	10	6	15	15
UC Riverside Highlanders	8	8	17	13
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos	8	8	16	15
UC Irvine Anteaters	8	8	12	19
Cal. St.-Fullerton Titans	7	9	15	17
UC Davis Aggies	7	9	13	19
Cal Poly Mustangs	3	13	7	21

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

Cal Poly (last NCAA: None) Callero will be hard pressed to repeat the seven wins the Mustangs had under Kevin Bromley last season, as three starters off that team are gone. The losses include 12-plus ppg, 5-plus board performer F Titus Shelton and G Chaz Thomas, who contributed 11 ppg. The two returning starters, 6-2 G Lorenzo Keeler (12.7 ppg) and 6-4 Shawn Lewis (11.7 ppg, 5 rpg), are excellent building blocks. 6-10 freshman Ben Eisenhardt decided not to enroll at Seattle when Callero left, and he followed the coach to San Luis Obispo. JC transfers Will Donahue, a 6-8 center, and 6-6 forward Will Taylor will have to make an immediate impact in the frontcourt. However, Taylor's teammate at Hagerstown CC, point guard Amaurys Fermin, wasn't admitted to school and won't suit up for the Mustangs this season, meaning a freshman will probably have to fill that role.

UC Davis (last NCAA: None) While the Aggies return three starters including junior Joe Harden, a 6-8 forward who will challenge for conference honors (14.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg), 6-7 junior G Mark Payne (10.4, 5.8, 5.1 apg), and 6-10 senior F Domenic Calegari (11 ppg, 4.4), they are going to miss 6-2 shooting guard Vance Oliver. He was UCD's main offensive threat out of the backcourt, averaging 15.4 ppg. Hawai'i transfer Todd Lowenthal and redshirt freshman Julian Welch will compete for Oliver's minutes. Head coach Gary Stewart really needs his bench to step up for his team to contend, however. Backup point guard Ryan Silva'is the leading returning scorer off the bench, and he only averaged 4.7 points a contest.

UC Irvine (last NCAA: None) The Anteaters lost 6-8 F Kevin Bland (10.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) to graduation, which is potentially a big loss for Pat Douglass' squad. However, 6-5 Eric Wise is an excellent building block for UCI's revamped frontcourt, as he averaged 14 points and 6 boards in his freshman year. But the arrival JC teammates, Slovaks Pavol Losonsky, a 6-8 forward, and Peter Simek, a 6-9 center, could really provide a boost to the frontline. The Anteaters feature a solid backcourt with 5-10 senior Michael Hunter (11.9, 2.5 apg) and 6-0 junior Patrick Rembert (6.9, 2.7 apg) leading the way and 6-0 freshman Derick Flowers expected to contribute immediately.

Cal State-Fullerton (last NCAA: 2008) While Bob Burton's Titans only lost one starter, it's a departure that will leave a major hole. Big West Player of the Year Josh Akognon has graduated, taking nearly 24 points a game with him. The four returning starters are led by sophomore PG Jacques Streeter (10.4 ppg, 4.4 apg), but with Akognon taking up so much of the scoring load, no other starter averaged more than swingman Gerard Anderson's 9 ppg. That will obviously have to change if the Titans hope to return to the NCAAs after a year absence. Burton's team will be more frontcourt-focused this season. The returnees are led by Papa Guisse, a 6-8 F/C who averaged only 3.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg last year. Expect heavy contributions from three transfers: 6-7 Orane Chin (South Florida) and 6-6 Jer'Vaughn Johnson (San Diego State), and 6-10 Bryce Webster (Minnesota).

Pacific (last NCAA: 2006) Bob Thomason's Tigers always seem to be in the hunt for the Big West title, and this year should be no exception, despite the loss of three starters from last year. While two-thirds of the Tigers' starting backcourt, guards Michael Kirby (9.7 ppg, 2.3 apg) and Chad Troyer (10.7, 1.5 apg), is gone, 6-6 G Joe Ford (4.3 ppg) returns to the team that fell to Bradley in the CollegeInsider semifinals. Junior Terrell Smith (6.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and senior PG-designee Lavar Neufville (3.7 ppg) will need to pick up their production to replace Kirby and Troyer, otherwise freshmen Sterling Carter and Allen Huddleston will get more of a chance. 6-9 forward Sam Willard (7.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg) is back to anchor the frontcourt, and if his scoring output increases, he'll be a serious threat for all-Big West honors this year. He'll get a big boost with the return of 6-8 senior Michael Nunnally, who was suspended all of last season (7.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg in '07-'08). International JC transfers, 6-9 Nyika Williams (St. Vincent) and 6-11 Everson Lacerda (Brazil) should also see serious playing time. In uniform news, the Tigers will wear special "STOCKTON" jerseys when they play California in their first ever game at the Stockton Arena, four years after it opened. (HT Uniwatch)

Cal State-Northridge (last NCAA: 2009) Bobby Braswell's team looks to repeat, and while the odds may be against them, they're impossible to write-off. You only need to look at last season, when the Matadors made the NCAAs and had a ton of us "experts" scratching our heads when they gave Memphis a battle in Kansas City. This was despite the loss of leading scorer Deon Trevsant, who allegedly got caught up with Braswell's son in a plot to steal electronics, and PG Josh Jenkins to a serious auto accid ent during the season. The three returning starters, 6-4 G Kenny Daniels (8.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg), 6-8 F Willie Galick (9.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg), and 5-10 G Mark Hill (7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg), were all transfers last year. And Braswell hopes his latest crop of transfers, led by 2007-08 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Vinnie McGee (Sacramento State), can fill the substantial holes on the Matadors' roster. CSUN will face early tests in the West region of the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they open up with TCU. If they can get past the Horned Frogs, Texas State or a rebuilding Arizona State would await, with a trip to New York on the line.

UC Riverside (last NCAA: None) USC transfer Kyle Austin, a 6-7 forward made a huge impact last year, averaging 16.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg. He'll be a serious contender for Big West Player of the Year this time around. If Jim Woolridge's latest addition, Gonzaga transfer Larry Gurganious, a 6-5 forward, is anywhere near as successful, the Highlanders will be a serious threat to win their first ever Big West crown. Gurganious should replace 9.4 ppg/6.6 rpg performer Aaron Scott who graduated. Christian Soto (4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) is also gone, meaning sophomore Konner Veteto (3.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg) should see a lot more time at center. In the backcourt, Javon Borum is a strong defensive point guard who averaged nearly 10 points a game, along with 2.4 assists. Junior college transfer Dwight Gordon, who averaged almost 22 points and 9 boards a game (and 3 assists) last season, should fill the shooting guard role.

UC Santa Barbara (last NCAA: 2002) The Gauchos lost leading scorer and rebounder Chris Devine (15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg), but looked to be in solid shape thanks to the return of their other four starters. However, 6-8 C Jesse Byrd, who averaged 6.5 points and 5.4 boards a game last year, will miss his senior season thanks to a recurring knee problem. So, UCSB is now down to three returning starters, but point guard Justin Joyner returns after missing last season with a wrist injury. He'll be joined in the backcourt by Will Brew (4.8 ppg) and James Powell (9 ppg). 6-7 Jaime Serna (6.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and 7-2 Hungarian Greg Somogyi (3.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg) will anchor the frontcourt, but expect to see a lot of 6-5 James Nunnally, brother of Pacific's Michael, who averaged almost 8 points and over 3 boards a game last year. Bob Williams will also receive the services of former Loyola Marymount forward Orlando Johnson this season.

Long Beach State (last NCAA: 2007) While Dan Monson lost his leading scorer from last year, Donovan Morris (14.8 ppg), he has a very talented group coming back led by three sophomores. The 49ers are a balanced team, as the returning starters all average between 9 and 11 poitns per game. The three sophomores, 6-6 G/F Larry Anderson (10.8 ppg, 2.7 apg), 6-7 F T.J. Robinson (11.4, 6.2), and 5-9 G Casper Ware (9.1, 4.1 apg) were Big West All-Freshman selections last season. Anderson, the conference's Freshman of the Year, was the first frosh since fellow LBSU player Clifton Pondexter to be named to the All-Big West team as a freshman. Pondexter's selection came 35 seasons earlier. The 49ers bring back one returning senior starter, 6-2 guard Stephan Gilling, who averaged 11 ppg last year. Monson should give more playing time to junior G Greg Plater, who shot 39% from the perimeter, but only averaged 3.2 points a contest last year. While Long Beach has two seven footers on roster, senior Andrew Fleming (1 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and C Mike Vantrimpont, 6-9 JC transfer Lin Chang 6-9, should see the bulk of the post time, as he averaged a double-double last year. 6-10 freshman Jules Montgomery should also see time inside. This crop of 49ers will be tested by a difficult, March-focused schedule. They hold the Big West's host spot in the 76 Classic, where they open with West Virginia, and travel to Duke, Kentucky, Notre Dame, and Texas.

LBSU is my pick in what should be a very competitive league. They'll hold the Big West's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9.

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

Preseason All-Big West Team

Player of the Year: Larry Anderson, 6-6 G/F, So. (Long Beach State)

Remainder of the Team
Kyle Austin, 6-7 F, Jr. (UC Riverside)
Mark Payne, 6-7 G, Jr. (UC Davis)
T.J. Robinson, 6-7 F, So. (Long Beach State)
Eric Wise, 6-5 F, So. (UC Irvine)

Poll

Which team do you pick to win the Big West this season?

Cal Poly

0 votes

UC Davis

2 votes

UC Irvine

0 votes

UC Riverside

3 votes

UC Santa Barbara

1 votes

Cal State-Fullerton

1 votes

Cal State-Northridge

2 votes

Long Beach State

4 votes

Pacific

1 votes

14 votes | Poll has closed

USC gets a victory in season opener at the Galen Center

Paragon SC — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:00:06 -0000

Image Credit: AP Photo/Danny Moloshok via ESPN

Taj Gibson had 17 points, DeMar DeRozan had 14 points and Dwight Lewis led USC scoring with 18 points as USC rolled over UC Irvine today at the Galen Center

A year ago, USC lost its opener to Mercer, with Mayo scoring 32 points on 27 shots in his college debut. DeRozan scored 14 on 6-of-11 shooting from the field.

"I was comfortable out there," the 6-foot-6 freshman guard out of Compton High said. "I just wanted to execute the plays."

That meant spreading the ball, which USC did. Four Trojans scored in double figures and not one took more than 12 shots to do so.

"I think unselfishness helped us get this win," guard Dwight Lewis said. "At times we leaned on him (Mayo) a little bit too much last year."

Lewis, who had a game-high 18 points and seven rebounds, appeared to be one a few players with more opportunities in Mayo's absence.

"We think he's our most improved player," Floyd said. "Seven rebounds is something he wouldn't have done a year ago."

It would appear that by reading numerous stories on this game that SC has turned a corner in how they will approach their season. Yes, DeRozan will be a star but with a more balanced and experienced team you can see that tey won't have to rely rely on just one guy like they did with Mayo last season.

SC was a little shaky in the first half but they really got it together in the 2nd half as they put together a 23-7 run.

Of course the DeRozan comparisons to Mayo are already taking place.

DeRozan arrives as a newcomer with the ability to immediately make an impact on the program.

The McDonald's All-American forward averaged 29.2 points as a senior at nearby Compton High. He cracked the starting lineup Saturday, going 6-of-11 from the floor, making both his free throws and grabbing three rebounds.
"It was exciting," DeRozan said. "I didn't want to rush nothing. I wanted to let the game come to me. My time will come."
Floyd couldn't pick one player over the other in comparing Mayo and DeRozan.

"O.J. is a great jumpshooter," he said. "DeMar is a guy who's filling the wings on the break. He's a great finisher. They both have been givers defensively."

With four players in double figures and well-balanced rebounding, DeRozan realizes the load isn't all on him anymore.

"Through high school I always had pressure on me to do a lot," he said. "I don't have to exert myself. The biggest thing I learned is it's fun when we play as a team. Everything will come easy to you if you play as one."

I think DeRozan will fit in just fine.

Hopefully we will here about the availability of Alex Stepheson next week as SC takes on a good New Mexico State team. His addition on the floor could go a long way to getting things going.

A double-bonus for USC fans today!

Paragon SC — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:07:32 -0000

Before USC plays Stanford this afternoon The basketball team opens up its season to day at the Galen Center against UC Irvine.

Dan Weber nails it with his piece today in the P-E...

[...] for the first time in his four seasons at USC, Coach Tim Floyd has something else -- something this school and its fans haven't really had:

A certifiable college basketball program that can somewhat sustain itself.

"I'm thinking about things differently this year," Floyd said while preparing for today's season opener at Galen (12:30 p.m.) against a veteran UC Irvine team that won 18 games a year ago and returns four starters from a team that went to the Big West Conference title game.

The difference this year, Floyd has said, is the way his program can handle the loss of its star players, like Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt and O. J. Mayo. Instead of taking a step back, USC has been able to build on its success.

Agreed...we are seeing sustained growth.

To me there is a sense of normalcy this season when compared to last season. Yes, the Mayo thing is still out there but that is out of our hands and as fans we need to focus on the here and now. Last season had some moments that were fun to watch but this season seems to give off the impression of having a little more balance. We have a lot more experience on this team than we had last season.

It's only a little bit different this season for the Trojans.

"We talk about having more experience back than we ever had - that's true," Floyd said. "We still have so many new guys. We have four players back who have been with us for three years. ... But again, we're so reliant on guys who haven't played here."

The one-year era of O.J. Mayo came and went, with mainstays Taj Gibson, Daniel Hackett, Dwight Lewis and Keith Wilkinson now the anchors of a team that is out to atone for a first-round loss to Kansas State in last season's NCAA Tournament.

With Mayo and Jefferson gone USC could be a more cohesive unit than last season. That means we could see a little more sophistication this season in regards to the type of play we saw last season that was more chuck it and dunk it. Of course USC has DeMar DeRozan and their new freshman phenom but I would expect him to move on after this season. It will be interesting to see if DeRozan is a more complete player than Mayo and the experience on this team may take some of the pressure off of DeRozan to perform.

After SC almost took out UNC in the 2007 NCAA tournanment there was a lot of hope as the short Mayo era began. SC made some great strides last season but the up and down nature of the play early on would come back to haunt them in their first round NCAA tournament loss to K-State. I think that punch in the mouth was exactly what this team needed. With Mayo and Jefferson departing the circus atmosphere was removed and players got down to work.

The big problem for SC was rebounding. Not just in the loss to K-State but all season long. Taj Gibson refocused to improve that part of his game.

Taj Gibson cannot forget.

The margin was just too overwhelming.

Kansas State outrebounded USC, 44-27, in the NCAA tournament last March, converting numerous put-back shots in an 80-67 first-round victory that eliminated the Trojans from a return to the round of 16.

Gibson, a 6-foot-9 forward, took a respectable nine rebounds in the defeat, one above his season average. But Kansas State's differential inspired him to increase the intensity of his preparation for this season.

"I knew I needed to improve my rebounding and I worked on it," Gibson said this week. "We've got some new players and I think we're going to be a better rebounding team. That's going to help us go deeper into the tournament."

That had been a problem all season...not enough size in the middle to grab important rebounds and it cost us in the tournament.

Depth will be the theme this season. Everyone is a year older but also there is some solid talent coming wth, other than DeRozan, freshmen Leonard Washington who will also provide some help on the boards. UConn transfer Marcus Johnson brings some solid experience as well. The availability of UNC transfer Alex Stepheson and freshman forward Nikola Vucevic are still in question due to NCAA issues. You can read about them here and here. I don't have a good feeling about either player getting cleared because of the Mayo mess. But if they were to get cleared Stepheson would would be a huge asset to have on the court.

Not being a huge hoops fan I am actually looking forward to the upcoming season.I don't have any delusions about SC winning it all but what I do like chances of being more competitive than we were last year

It gets underway today! The game is not on TV but I will have a thread up as I hope to listen to it on the internet feed from 710 ESPN...if the game is on which it doesn't look like it is so I may have to use Game Cast...