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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

Grading The '09-'10 Cal Basketball Schedule

ragnarok — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:00:13 -0000

Last week, Cal released their 2009-10 men's basketball schedule. My initial reaction? I'm actually quite excited. While still flawed, especially the lackluster non-conference home schedule, the overall level of both the competition and the opportunities for exposure is a big step up from previous schedules. Last year, I gave the non-conference schedule a disappointing 'C+' grade; this year's slate is a significant upgrade.

Before we get to the grading, I'll recap my own personal scheduling preferences, which inform my grading rubric:

As a fan, I have certain scheduling preferences, which may or may not agree with the philosophy of the coach actually doing the scheduling. I of course like home games, but I like them against interesting opponents. Nationally-recognized opponents are of course great, but local mid-majors are also fun to have on the schedule. Tournaments are great, especially when they lead to some nationally-televised games on ESPN. I like to see a challenging (though not brutal) non-conference slate, something that will prepare our team for the rigors of the Pac-10. I don't like playing terrible teams just to get a guaranteed win, and I'm not interested in seeing Cal beat up on a team I've never heard of. A quick rule of thumb: if I don't know what state a team is from, I'm probably not interested in seeing Cal play them.

Now, on with the judging!

*all Ratings listed here come from Ken Pomeroy .

Nov. 9 - Murray State Racers (19-12 last year, 13-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference (2nd); PomRating last year : 137; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 160)
Nov. 11 - Detroit Titans (7-23 last year, 2-16 in the Horizon League (10th); PomRating last year : 279; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 213)

The Cal Bears open their season at home with a couple games that open the Coaches v. Cancer Classic. These games, however, are hardly likely to be classic. The Bears open against a school that you very well may never have heard of. The first red flag that went off for me? "Murray" is not a State (unlike Kentucky, where the school is actually located). Then, two days later, they take on Detroit, whose team is about as bad as the rest of the news coming out of Detroit lately. We're entering Chump City, folks.

Actually, the Murray State Racers' record last year was actually pretty decent (and they lost @ Missouri by just 11, a far better showing that the Bears put up), so it might be a mistake to overlook these guys, almost all of whom are coming back this year. If Cal is truly ready to contend for the Pac-10 title, Murray State shouldn't present an overwhelming challenge, but if the Bears aren't careful...well, it'd be a disastrous way to start the season. Other than the fact that I've never really heard of these guys, this seems like a good mid-level opponent to start off the season, and since this game comes as part of the Coaches v. Cancer package, I'm even more in support of it.

The Detroit game? Not so much. The Titans are almost certain to be anywhere from bad to awful next season, and I'm anticipating a lot of playing time for the Bears' bench in the second half. But rather than bore you with talk about this team, I'll use this space to rant about how shady it is that this tournament includes a number of teams that have absolutely no chance to win this event -- not only that, but they're not even mentioned anywhere on the event's website! From the official site:

New Format

- The 2009 tournament will include a 12-team field with games at four regional sites (Syracuse, North Carolina, Ohio State and Cal) between November 9-13. Championship Round games will be played on November 19 & 20.

- The four regional hosts will play two games at home and then automatically advance to the Championship Rounds in New York City, regardless of the regional results.

- All other participants will automatically advance to play a round-robin series at one of two other sub-regional sites. Thus, every participating team will be guaranteed four games.

- Thus, every participating team will be guaranteed four games, regardless of the regional results.

Lame!! Anyway, to get the good games with the exposure in New York City, you gotta accept a couple of chumps beforehand. Oh well, I guess I can live with it. My grade might be higher if Detroit didn't suck so much, but they do, so... Grade: B+

Nov. 19-20 - Coaches vs. Cancer Classic - North Carolina Tar Heels (34-4 last year, 13-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (1st); PomRating last year : 1; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 3) -- or -- Syracuse Orange (28-10 last year, 11-7 in the Big East Conference (6th); PomRating last year : 15; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 35) -- or -- Ohio State Buckeyes (22-11 last year, 10-8 in the Big Ten Conference (4th); PomRating last year : 37; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 22)

I absolutely love these games; there's basically no downside. Big-time exposure in New York and on TV, quality, big-name opposition...even if the Bears don't win a game, as long as they don't embarrass themselves in front of a national audience, nobody will hold it against them.

And on the upside? If the Bears can win this tournament, they could solidify a Top 10 ranking and mark the coming-out party of a national basketball power. It won't be easy -- North Carolina may not repeat as national champions, but they're hardly going to fade into obscurity, and both Syracuse and Ohio State will be tough matchups as well. Regardless of the outcome, this tournament is exactly the kind of thing that past Golden Bear schedules have lacked, and exactly the kind of non-conference preparation that a team picked to contend for the Pac-10 title will need. Grade: A+

Nov. 24 - Jacksonville Dolphins (18-14 last year, 15-5 in the Atlantic Sun Conference (1st); PomRating last year : 127; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 233)

Competition-wise, Jacksonville is a decent opponent (other than their leading rebounder, they return basically everyone from a team that won the Atlantic Sun last year), but in terms of fan interest, it could really hardly be lower. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm the most knowledgable college basketball fan out there, but if I've never heard of Jacksonville University, I'd be willing to bet most other Cal fans haven't either. Just as the Coaches vs. Cancer games in New York offer the Bears nothing to lose, a game like this offers them virtually nothing to gain. A win, and nobody is surprised (or even notices, really), whereas a loss looks poorly on their record. Assuming the Bears win without too much trouble, this game offers a chance to get a bunch of players some work, but don't expect too many fans to show up. Grade: C+

Nov. 29 - Princeton Tigers (13-14 last year, 8-6 in the Ivy League (2nd); PomRating last year : 260; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 270)

I can't help but think that Cal's frustrating inability to defeat the less-talented Oregon State Beavers and their Princeton offense last season led Coach Mike Montgomery to schedule a practice game against the original article, the Princeton Tigers. Princeton hasn't been very good these last few years, but perhaps returning nearly everyone from last year's team will allow them to master a complicated offense. This game should draw at least some mild fan interest, though I don't know if the level of competition will match it. However, if the practice helps the Bears to finally beat the Beavers, it will have been more than worth it. Grade: B-

Dec. 2 - at New Mexico Lobos (22-12 last year, 12-4 in the Mountain West Conference (1st); PomRating last year : 39; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 79)

Playing at "The Pit" is never an easy proposition, even moreso when the defending Mountain West champs are playing well. While New Mexico does lose a number of important seniors, and so will be rather young next year, this still won't be an easy road game. I like this game, as it not only should be a good test for our Bears, but it gets Cal a return home game for the 2010-11 season. Grade: A-

Dec. 5 - Iowa State Cyclones (15-17 last year, 4-12 in the Big Twelve Conference (10th); PomRating last year : 112; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 102)

I'm a big fan of the Big XII / Pac-10 Hardwood Challenge, as it gets schools from both conferences home-and-home series with tough BCS conference schools. However, whoever scheduled this series has done a disservice to both Cal and Iowa State, creating the biggest mismatch of the series. Cal, widely picked to finish either first or second in the Pac-10, gets and Iowa State squad that won just 4 conference games last year, and will struggle to crack the top half of the conference. Overall, I like the series, but am disappointed in this particular opponent. What's more disappointing? This is probably the best home game the Bears will get this year before the conference season begins. Grade: B

Dec. 9 - at Pacific Tigers (21-13 last year, 10-6 in the Big West Conference (2nd); PomRating last year : 113; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 135)

Last year, Pacific gave the Bears a bit of a test before losing by 12 to open the season. This year, the Bears return the game to Stockton, though they'll face a Tigers squad that has lost a number of important seniors, including players who scored 34 of the 56 points Pacific scored in losing at Haas last year. Not a great game, by any means, though it should be another decent road test for the Bears in front of what I can only assume will be a pretty amped-up crowd in Stockton, one that ought to contain at least a fair number of Cal fans. If the Bears are going to play mid-majors, I'd much prefer they be local ones that garner at least some interest within the Bay Area. Grade: B

Dec. 22 - at Kansas Jayhawks (27-8 last year, 14-2 in the Big Twelve Conference (1st); PomRating last year : 10; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 5)

Fresh off of final exams, the Bears will travel to Lawrence, Kansas to face a much bigger test: a road game against the consensus preseason favorite to win it all next year. I expect some good TV expsoure for this game, and win or lose, the experience should pay dividends down the road. As a added bonus, the Bears get a return visit to Haas from Kansas in 2010. Grade: A+

Dec. 28-29 - Golden Bear Classic - Furman Paladins (6-24 last year, 4-12 in the Southern Conference (11th); PomRating last year : 325; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 263) -- and -- UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (16-15 last year, 8-8 in the Big West Conference (4th); PomRating last year : 169; Avg. PomRating last 4 years : 158) -- or -- Utah Valley Wolverines (17-11 last year; PomRating last year : 159)

Finally, the Bears wrap up the non-conference season with the annual Golden Bear Classic, and just like the last however many years, I once again struggle to care. UC Santa Barbara is at least somewhat local and not completely awful (though they did lose their best player to graduation), but Utah Valley is both miscelaneous and new to Division I, and until TwistNHook told me, I didn't even know what state Furman was in! (South Carolina, in case you were interested.) Furman (whom I'm assuming will be Cal's opening round opponent) is also one of those teams that is so bad (one of the 20 worst teams in Division I last year) that just by playing them, the Bears will do harm to their RPI.

I've railed about the uselessness of this tournament before, but it obviously hasn't improved anything. At best, this tournament gives these kids a chance to play two games in two days; at worst, they'll lose a game, drawing embarassment and damage to their NCAA tournament résumé. Coming after the Kansas game, these games will be both a letdown in competition and a poor tune-up for Pac-10 competition. Meh. Grade: C-

Overall, it's a big improvement over last season's schedule, but there's still some weak spots. Specifically, the home non-conference slate is pretty much devoid of interesting games (Iowa State and Princeton are the headliners, and neither game is inducing this fence-sitter to finally pony-up for season tickets), and the Golden Bear Classic once again fails to be worth of the name "Classic". But the road/neutral schedule offers plenty of challenges, and I expect this team to be battle-tested (with a decent RPI to boot) come the beginning of Pac-10 play, hosting Stanford on January 2, 2010. Though the non-conference schedule was close to earning a B+, I'm giving it a final mark (go ahead, add up the GPA!) of a solid Grade: B

Poll

How would you grade next year's basketball schedule?

A

48 votes

B

76 votes

C

16 votes

D

5 votes

F

3 votes

148 votes | Poll has closed

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.