Legendary Beaver Dies: Ed Lewis, one of only five Oregon State players to have his number retired, died recently. Lewis, 95, played for the Beavers in the early 1930s and guided the team to the 1933 PCC title during his senior season. The Pac-10 recognized Lewis’ career last year by inducting him into the Hall of Honor. In addition to retiring his No. 25 jersey, Oregon State honored Lewis when it named him to the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. [1/31/06]
Governor Gives Funds to Expand the Pit: New Mexico’s home court will get a makeover thanks to $15 million that Gov. Bill Richardson promised to provide the school to improve athletic facilities. Of that money, $6 million will go to University Arena, fondly known as the Pit, to expand three sides of the stadium. Richardson said the arena needed to modernize to continue to attract top events like concerts, NCAA Tournament games and state high school championships. [1/31/06]
Bulldog Downs: Former Kansas freshman guard Micah Downs may be on his way to Gonzaga, according to rumors circulating in Lawrence. A radio report said the Washington native is returning to his home state to join the Bulldogs, who don’t have an available scholarship for Downs. Although the school would not be able to pay Downs’ tuition, he still could join the team as a walk-on until a scholarship becomes available. Downs played a little more than 10 minutes per game for the Jayhawks, but he sought a larger role. Downs averaged 4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Based on those statistics, Downs would have averaged about 22 points per game if he played 40 minutes.
Update: Downs has officially joined the Bulldogs and will sit out this semester and the first semester of next season. He will be eligible to play for Gonzaga by the end of December. [1/31/06]
ESPN Goes Bracket Busting: ESPN announced the lineup for its increasingly popular — and important — BracketBusters event. The cable network will air 13 games featuring 26 teams that are tearing up the mid-major conferences this season, including Bucknell, Northern Iowa, Akron, Western Kentucky and Old Dominion. The premier match up pits Bucknell at Northern Iowa. The Panthers are likely Tournament-bound regardless of the outcome, but the Bison have a lot more at stake. A win at the currently ranked Panthers could be enough to give Bucknell the necessary résumé for an at-large bid should the Bison fail to win the Patriot League championship.
Other must-see games include George Mason at Wichita State, Missouri State at Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Buffalo at Iona, Akron at Nevada, and Northwestern State and Utah State. The Missouri Valley Conference received a nice nod from the ESPN folks as four of the conference’s five televised participants will play at home. If you’re looking for an early prediction of a surprising outcome, watch for the rising Akron Zips to upset the inconsistent Nevada Wolf Pack in Reno. [1/30/06]
Aztecs No Longer Support Spain: San Diego State has suspended freshman forward Kyle Spain for conduct detrimental to the team. School officials announced the suspension shortly before the Aztecs’ win against Wyoming Saturday. They did not specify how long the suspension will last. Spain averages 10.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Mountain West-leading Aztecs. [1/30/06]
Davis Says D.J. is Probably Done: Indiana coach Mike Davis said that sophomore forward D.J. White probably won’t play again this season while recovering from a broken foot. White played only five games this season, averaging 9.2 points and six rebounds per game. His loss hurts the Hoosiers in the paint as they must heavily rely on senior forward Marco Killingsworth. White will be able to apply for a medical redshirt, which means that this season will not count against his four years of eligibility. [1/30/06]
NCAA Tournament Crystal Basketball
by Dan Hauptman and Michael Protos
With the football season all but over, the attention now rightfully turns to the world of college basketball. In seven weeks, the NCAA Committee in Indianapolis will select 65 teams to play in March’s NCAA Tournament. But here at Hoopville, we are beating the committee down the lane and slamming the crystal ball into the basket.
Two of Hoopville’s senior writers, Dan Hauptman and Michael Protos, will fill out invitations to the Big Dance each week until the field is officially set on Selection Sunday, March 12. Here is the tip-off: Hauptman’s Hoops Horoscope vs. Protos’ Prognostications.
| Hauptman’s Hoops Horoscope | Protos’ Prognostications |
|---|---|
 Connecticut Duke Memphis Texas |
Duke Connecticut Texas Memphis |
 Villanova Gonzaga Florida Illinois |
Villanova Illinois Gonzaga Pittsburgh |
 Pittsburgh Washington West Virginia Michigan State |
George Washington Michigan State Indiana West Virginia |
 North Carolina State George Washington Iowa Tennessee |
Washington LSU Florida Wisconsin |
 Ohio State Boston College Northern Iowa Indiana |
UCLA Ohio State Tennessee Georgetown |
 UCLA Wisconsin Georgetown Arizona |
Northern Iowa Iowa North Carolina State Oklahoma |
 Michigan Bucknell Cincinnati LSU |
Maryland Bucknell Michigan Boston College |
 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Wichita State North Carolina Syracuse |
Syracuse Iowa State Louisville Wichita State |
 Oklahoma Maryland Southern Illinois Kentucky |
North Carolina Old Dominion Cincinnati Arizona |
 Iowa State Louisville Air Force Vanderbilt |
Xavier Venderbilt Creighton Marquette |
 UAB Creighton Kansas State Marquette |
Arkansas UAB Wisconsin-Milwaukee Air Force |
 Xavier Colorado Utah State Ohio |
California Kentucky Akron Nevada |
 UTEP Old Dominion Iona Western Kentucky |
Western Kentucky Northwestern State Iona San Diego State |
 Tennessee Tech Montana Penn Northwestern State |
Hawaii Winthrop Tennessee Tech Montana |
 Pacific Winthrop Davidson Albany |
Penn Davidson Oral Roberts Albany |
 IUPUI Delaware State Central Connecticut State Lipscomb Southern |
UC Irvine East Tennessee State Southern Robert Morris Delaware State |
 Last four in:Marquette Xavier Colorado UTEP |
Last four in: Air Force California Kentucky Nevada |
| Last four out: San Diego State Clemson Arkansas Saint Joseph’s |
Last four out: Kansas Wake Forest Miami Oklahoma State |
| Conference Breakdown: Big East: 9 Big Ten: 7 ACC: 5 SEC: 5 Big 12: 5 Missouri Valley: 4 Pac-10: 3 Conference USA: 3 Atlantic 10: 2 22 one-bid conferences |
Conference Breakdown: Big East: 9 Big Ten: 7 SEC: 6 ACC: 5 Pac-10: 4 Big 12: 3 Missouri Valley: 3 Atlantic 10: 2 Conference USA: 2 Mountain West: 2 WAC:2 20 one-bid conferences |
As might be expected, Protos and Hauptman agree on the top dozen or so teams, minus a few variations in seeding. Protos likes Duke as the overall No. 1 seed and Texas ahead of Memphis by virtue of the Longhorns’ head-to-head win. Hauptman prefers Memphis’ No. 2 RPI rating to Texas’ No. 11, and the Connecticut Huskies draw the top seed in his field. Among the No. 2 and 3 seeds, Hauptman rewards hot starts, keeping Florida and Washington near the top. But Protos is less forgiving of recent conference losses, opting for George Washington and Indiana.
Despite their variation among the rest of the seeds, Hauptman and Protos both give props to the Bigs. The Big East and Big Ten account for 16 bids – a full 25 percent – in each field. All seven of the Big Ten’s tourney-bound teams earn at least a No. 7 seed. The Big East has even more power at the top, with four teams with No. 3 seeds or better. Although most media folks have been lauding the Big Ten and Big East all season, don’t forget that those two conferences contributed three of last season’s Final Four teams. Their success isn’t new, and Hauptman and Protos foresee the success continuing.
For the teams on the bubble, Hauptman sees the stars aligning for Marquette, Xavier, Colorado and UTEP – his last four in the NCAA Tournament. On the other hand, San Diego State, Clemson, Arkansas and Saint Joseph’s become NIT favorites. In addition to Colorado and UTEP, Hauptman likes Kansas State and Southern Illinois – a No. 9 seed in his field – while Protos hands them with a towel to clean up their burst bubbles.
Protos gives the stamp of approval to Air Force, California, Kentucky and Nevada as the last four to make the NCAA Tournament. Kansas, Wake Forest, Miami and Oklahoma State constitute the last four out and some of the most notable absences. Like Protos, Hauptman’s vision for the NCAA Tournament includes Kentucky and Air Force, but he doesn’t see Arkansas, Nevada, California or San Diego State in his field, as Protos does.
Whose field looks more accurate to you? Or are both Protos and Hauptman off target? Send us an e-mail to comment on the Crystal Ball. Then check back each week to follow the evolution of Protos’ and Hauptman’s visions for the NCAA Tournament.
Pac-10 Conference Notebook
by Scott Allen
Six-Pac: Six of the conference’s top players, teams and stories from the past week.
1. Matt Haryasz, Stanford: The Page, Ariz., native and Cardinal senior averaged 26 points and 8.5 rebounds as Stanford split a pair of games in Arizona.
2. Leon Powe, Cal: Not to be outdone, Powe had 20 points and 10 rebounds two days before going for 23 and 12.
3. Washington Huskies: Lorenzo Romar’s squad proved they can win ugly and going away in sweeping the Oregon schools at home.
4. Washington State Feeling Low: The Cougars have used five different lineups since losing starting point guard Derrick Low to a broken foot and are 1-4 in those games.
5. Rodgers Out, Onubun In: In the aftermath of Chris Rodgers’ dismissal from the team, Arizona added freshman forward Fendi Onobun to its active roster last weekend. The 6-foot-6 Houston, Texas, native, who was redshirting, had 12 points in two games for the Wildcats.
6. UCLA Picked Clean: In one of the more exciting games of the weekend, UCLA fell 60-56 to West Virginia after Mike Gansey stole the ball away from Jordan Farmar in the final seconds.
Washington Huskies (16-2, 5-2)
The Huskies increased their Pac-10 win streak to four games with a sweep of the Oregon schools at home. Oregon State gave Washington a scare on Thursday, but the Huskies overcame a 16-for-28 performance from the free throw line to win 69-65. Jamaal Williams rebounded from a four-point outing against the Beavers to post 20 points and six rebounds in a 78-59 win over Oregon on Saturday. Brandon Roy had 19 points for Washington and Bobby Jones added 15.
UCLA Bruins (15-4, 5-2)
After dominating rival USC 66-45 on Thursday, the Bruins hosted last year’s NCAA tournament darling West Virginia on Saturday. UCLA fell behind by as many as 20 points early in the second half before rallying to pull within three in the final minute. Mike Gansey, who scored a game-high 24 points for the Mountaineers, stole the ball from Jordan Farmar in the final seconds to preserve the win. Farmar poured in 22 points in the loss and drained three 3-pointers for the second consecutive game.
Arizona Wildcats (12-6, 5-3)
The Wildcats bounced back from getting swept on the road at Oregon to taking care of business at home in two tough games against Stanford and Cal. Freshman Marcus Williams scored 22 points to lead the Cats past the Cardinal, 90-81 in overtime, on Thursday, while Arizona overcame 33 percent shooting against the Bears to win 60-55 on Saturday. Arizona outrebounded the Bears 43-25. With Chris Rodgers dismissed from the team, the Cats need Williams to take a more active role on the offensive end, as will Mustafa Shakur, who had four straight solid outings before being held to four points against the Bears.
California Bears (10-6, 4-3)
The Bears earned a split on the road in Arizona last week, including a 30-point win over Arizona State on Thursday. Leon Powe had his sixth double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds and would record his seventh two days later with 23 points and 14 rebounds in a loss to Arizona. Ayinde Ubaka continued his impressive season with a game-high 24 points against the Sun Devils, as Cal scored 52 second-half points to turn a six-point game at halftime into a rout. The Bears shot 31-for-38 from the free throw line.
Oregon Ducks (10-9, 4-3)
The Ducks earned a gritty 52-50 win at Washington State before getting walloped 78-59 at Washington two days later. Malik Hairston single-handedly rescued Oregon against the Cougars by draining two 3-pointers in the final 12 seconds on Thursday. He finished with only 12 points in the game. Jordan Kent led the Ducks with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while point guard Aaron Brooks added 10 points. Hairston’s 17 points on Saturday weren’t nearly enough to carry the Ducks in Seattle, as Washington shot 52 percent from the field and rolled.
Stanford Cardinal (8-7, 4-3)
Stanford earned a split at Arizona, falling in overtime to Arizona on Thursday before rebounding to knock off Arizona State. Senior Matt Haryasz, making his final regular-season trip to his home state, led the Cardinal in both games with a combined 52 points. Perhaps the most promising sign for the Cardinal in Thursday’s loss was the play of freshman Lawrence Hill, who scored 13 points and had seven rebounds off the bench. Fellow freshman Mitch Johnson hit two late threes to help Stanford force overtime. The two combined for just eight points against Arizona State, but Haryasz’s 27 points were enough. Dan Grunfeld added 15 points in the win.
USC Trojans (12-6, 3-4)
In their only game of the week, the Trojans were rocked 66-45 at UCLA. It was one of USC’s worst performances of the season, particularly on the offensive end. No starter reached double figures and Gabe Pruitt was held to four points on 1-for-9 shooting. The Trojans shot 29.5 percent as a team and trailed by 20 at the half. It was the fewest points USC scored against its crosstown rival since 1969.
Oregon State Beavers (10-8, 3-4)
The Beavers salvaged a split in Washington, shaking off the disappointment of a near upset in Seattle to down the Cougars 59-20 in Pullman. The Beavers held the Huskies to just 33 percent shooting but couldn’t muster enough of their own offensive firepower to win. Four players scored in double figures, but Oregon State shot just 2-for-10 from long range as a team and committed a horrendous 28 turnovers. The Cougars took better care of the ball (12 turnovers) and got 23 points from Chris Stephens to defeat Washington State on Saturday. Sophomore guard Wesley Washington added a career-high 10 points.
Washington State Cougars (9-7, 2-5)
After a 2-1 start in conference play and with a victory over Washington to their credit, the Cougars are suddenly reeling. Dick Bennett’s squad has lost four straight, including two setbacks to the Oregon schools last weekend in which the Cougars mustered only 50 points per game. Washington State is 1-4 without injured point guard Derrick Low. The Cougars lost a heart-breaker to the Ducks on Thursday before losing by nine to the Beavers on a day in which Washington State shot 1-for-16 from beyond the arc.
Arizona State Sun Devils (7-10, 1-7)
The Sun Devils could have used Ike Diogu on Saturday. The former All-American who is now making a living in the NBA used to own Stanford, which knocked off Arizona State behind a career-high 27 points from Matt Haryasz on Saturday. Diogu might not have been enough to save the Sun Devils on Thursday, however, as Cal rolled to an 88-58 victory. Things don’t get any easier for Arizona State this weekend, as they host rival Arizona.
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook
by Matthew Moll
No longer alone at the top
Manhattan’s winning streak was snapped and they are no longer the only team called “a first place team.” The longest winning run under Bobby Gonzalez came to a halt after Marist took a 77-68 win at home over the then-first place Jaspers. Ryan Stilphen paced the Red Foxes with 21.
With the loss, the Jaspers dropped to second place tie with Iona. Then there was other news.
C.J. is out
The Manhattan Jaspers also lost the man who leads them in scoring and rebounding, pre-season All-MAAC selection C.J. Anderson. The sophomore forward was suspended by Manhattan indefinitely for academic reasons.
Anderson’s 18.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game made him one of the most frightening players in the MAAC. His offense accounted for 23.3 percent of the Jaspers’ scoring output and he also averages 3.9 assists per game.
More from in the Kee
Clark’s 27 points against Niagara gave him 2,663 for his career, surpassing Wayman Tisdale for 20th place on the NCAA All-Time scoring list. Clark eyes the Admiral next.
Hoopville’s MAAC Player of the Week
Antoine Jordan, Siena, Sr. – 25.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, including his 1,000th career point
Hoopville’s MAAC Newcomer of the Week
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena – 12 ppg., 6.0 rpg.
With just over a month left in the regular season here is a review of how the MAAC has fared so far.
Manhattan Jaspers (11-5 Overall, 7-1 MAAC)
Last week: loss at Marist 68-77, win versus Canisius 78-71.
Too soon to anoint: Suddenly the Jaspers are in a tailspin. After losing for the first time in the MAAC and barely sliding past the lowly Golden Griffins, the fortunes of the Jaspers turned for the worse. As mentioned earlier, leading scorer and rebounder C.J. Anderson is suspended indefinitely by the university. The team will now have to depend on Jeff Xavier and Arturo Dubois to supplement the hole in the lineup.
Dubois played large against Canisius with 18 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in the win. With Anderson out, the Jaspers will have holes on all sides of the ball and in the columns not found in local box scores.
How far will they fall? Jan. 24 Rider, Jan. 27 Fairfield, Jan. 30 Siena.
Iona Gaels (13-3, 7-1)
Last week: win over Fairfield 89-77; win over Loyola 86-68
Six one of fun: Last week, Steve Burtt torched opponents for an average of 28.5 points per game, propelling the Gaels to a five-game winning streak. Burtt also set a school record for free-throws made without a miss (17-17) when he banged out 32 points against Loyola.
Iona was forced to overcome double-digit deficits in three of the last four games (all wins), including the win over Loyola. In the last four games, the Gaels have gotten help for Burtt, scoring over 80 points as a whole. The Gaels are perfect when the offense is working: Iona has a 12-0 record when scoring 70 or more points.
Number one: Jan. 24 at Siena, Jan. 27 at Niagara.
Loyola Greyhounds (11-5, 5-3)
Last week: loss at Iona 86-68, win over Rider 78-76
The turnaround: The Greyhounds’ season continues to improve as more teams in the MAAC see tallies in the loss column via the ‘Hounds. But Loyola’s futility at the hands of Iona remains. The defeat at the hands of Iona was the 11th straight on the road against the Gaels and the 18th loss in the last 19 tries. The win over Rider however, ended a five-game losing streak to the Broncos.
So far this season, Andre Collins cannot be guarded. Collins is averaging 27.4 points per game and nearly five assists as well. Adding to the offense is sophomore Michael Tuck coming on strong of late, now averaging 10.5 points on the season and recording his third double-double of the season against Rider.
Loyola will need more offense from other sources with six of the last 10 games away from the Kennel Club.
Jimmy P: Jan. 24 at the Reitz against Fairfield, at St. Peter;s Jan. 28.
Marist Red Foxes (10-6, 4-4)
Last week: home wins over Manhattan 77-68 and Fairfield 91-72.
.500: Marist slew the mighty Jaspers and hammered the Stags while putting themselves in the MAAC race.
The five straight wins for the Red Foxes have come large in part because of balanced scoring and the three-ball. Jared Jordan, who last week was an assist machine in averaging 11 dimes for the week, is also averaging 15.1 points per game on the season. Will Whittington is averaging 14.8 (hitting eight threes in the win over Fairfield) while Ryan Stilphen (12.6) and James Smith (ditto) round out the double-digit point producers.
The Foxes have five home and five away games to finish the season, setting the stage for a four-team third place race.
Call it seven? Jan. 24 at Loyola, Jan. 27 Manhattan, Jan. 29 Canisius.
Siena Saints (9-7, 4-4)
Last week: wins over St. Peter’s and Canisius
Good week, see you out there: For the first time this season, Siena won two consecutive MAAC games. Senior Antoine Jordan is playing as well as anyone in the MAAC, averaging 18.1 points on the season, shooting over 50 percent from the field and nearly 56 percent from beyond the arc, putting him in the top five nationally in the latter category.
If the Saints intend to keep the momentum, junior David Ryan will need to recover quickly from this weekend’s concussion. Ryan returned to the lineup against Canisius but only managed 14 minutes.
I was way way off: Jan. 24 at Iona, Jan. 28 at Marist.
Saint Peter’s Peacocks (8-9, 4-4)
Last week: Jan. 19 lost 77-69 to Siena, defeated Niagara 79-59.
Streaks are broken: Four straight losses dropped the Peacocks out of first and below .500 for the first time in the conference season before the Peacocks throttled Niagara, ending the streak and pulling even in the win-loss column. The win was a sweep over the defending MAAC champs for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
The week was eventful for KeeKee Clark, who entered the all-time-three-pointers list this week for sixth place (382). But the production by Todd Sowell and Raul Orta will need to improve if the Peacocks intend to contend for second. Sowell is cleaning glass well this season, averaging 9.9 boards per game and has 32 blocks on the season. If Keydren expects to make the most of his last month in his prolific career, he will need to bring his team along.
Kee Kee: Jan. 25 hosting Marist, Jan. 28 versus Loyola.
Fairfield Stags (5-11, 3-5)
Last week: loss at Iona 89-77, loss at Marist 91-72, won at Loyola 80-72.
Coming soon: Senior mainstay Terrance Todd continues to escalate his point average, most recently with a 30 point effort in a loss to Iona that upped his average to 18 per contest. Todd is not the only one elevating his game for the team’s future gain. Freshmen Herbie Allen and Jonathan Han came off the bench to score 16 and 17 points receptively in the loss to Iona. Allen is also shooting 49 percent from beyond the arc.
Perhaps the most welcome performances have come from Geoff Middleton, who is averaging four boards a game, including a seven-rebound effort during the week.
Mobile, active, eventful, lively: Jan. 27 Manhattan and Canisius Jan. 29.
Niagara Purple Eagles (6-11, 3-6)
Last week: win at Canisius 93-84, loss at Rider 70-78, loss at St. Peter’s 79-59.
Could use Juan (Mendez): Already this season, the Eagles have surpassed last season’s total of MAAC losses in a sluggish first half. Last year at this time, the Eagles record mirrored its current try at 6-3, surging into second place. Now the Eagles are on the outside looking in. Niagara is disconnected from a three-team race which was theirs to behold a season ago, and currently are reeling.
Despite having all five starters average in double digits (led by Charron Fisher at 19.4 per game), the Eagles are being outscored by the opposition with 72.8 versus 75.4 points per game. On paper, the Eagles are scoring enough, but are giving up too many unforced possessions. In the last two games, both losses, Joe Mihalich’s club is averaging 17.5 turnovers, including 21 against St. Peter’s.
Five of the Eagles’ remaining contests will be played at the Gallagher Center, with two games against the current top two teams in the MAAC.
Then versus now: hosting Iona on Jan. 27 and Rider on Jan. 29.
Canisius Golden Griffins (4-13, 3-6)
Last week: Loss to Niagara 84-93, loss at Manhattan 71-78, loss at Siena 55-76.
Five not alive: Over the past five games, the Griffins have lost five times and one does not have to be a mathematician to know that Canisius is struggling. The culprit of the struggle: turnovers, which over the last six games the Golden Griffins are averaging 17.2 giveaways a game and 14.3 on the season.
The Griffins’ inability to hold onto the ball may not be as glaring as any individual’s ability to establish an inside presence. The team’s leading rebounder (5.2 rpg) is the generously listed 6’6″ Darnell Wilson, who averages one block per contest.
Canisius has seven games remaining on schedule, all MAAC games and four of which are in Buffalo.
Six and seven or one and two or one and one: Rider and Fairfield.
Rider Broncos (5-11, 1-7)
Last week: def. Niagara 78-70, loss at Loyola 76-78
One for the win column: So far this season, Tommy Dempsey’s team has managed one MAAC win, a game where they had to come from 20 down to scratch for the victory. Rider’s seven MAAC loses have been by an average of 11.9 points, and in those losses the Broncos shot above 50 percent from the field only once. They were also out-rebounded in six of the seven losses by at least five rebounds, and on the season the Broncos are allowing 77.4 points a game while opponents shoot 45.4 percent from the floor.
Sophomore Jason Thompson leads the team in scoring (16.3), rebounds (8.5), and minutes played (33.1). Thompson has also collected a team-high five double-doubles.
Coincidently, the highlight of the season was a loss. The Broncos gave upset-happy Bucknell a scare, taking the Bison down to the final seconds, but ultimately leaving with the worst kind of victory – a moral one with a 56-54 setback.
The Broncos’ conference struggles of late have not been late in games; it is the beginning where Rider cannot develop a rhythm. Rider was down by as many as 20 and 19 in the first halves of the last two match-ups; in both games the Broncos roared back and split the next two comebacks.
Two good halves? Jan. 24 Manhattan, at Jan. 27 Canisius, at Jan. 29 Niagara.
Bad Week for Players Named McCray: For the second time this week, a player named McCray has been kicked off his team. Nebraska sophomore guard Joe McCray will not play in the foreseeable future after coach Barry Collier suspended him indefinitely for violating team rules. Fellow McCray surname holder Chris McCray was cast off the Maryland Terrapins earlier this week after failing to make the grades during the first semester. The Terrapins announced that McCray is academically ineligible for the remainder of the season.
Nebraska’s McCray may return, but the decision is in Collier’s hands. He has already punished McCray twice this season for acting up, sitting him for the start of one game and the entire half of another. McCray led the team in scoring as a freshman last season, averaging 15.5 points per game. This season, however, his numbers are down to 9.8 points per game. [1/27/06]
Leading Ute Charged With Theft: Utah senior forward Bryant Markson, the team’s leading scorer, has been charged with theft of services because his car was found with a stolen parking permit on it. Markson said he bought the permit from a man who said he was not currently attending the university and sold the permit at a discount greater than 50 percent off its sticker price of $120. University police gave Salt Lake City officials enough evidence that they decided to charge Markson with theft of services, which could carry a penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Markson averages 14.1 points per game for the Utes, and he will continue to play for the team. Because Markson missed a practice earlier this week while dealing with the legal issues, coach Ray Giacoletti will sit him for the beginning of Saturday’s game against TCU. [1/27/06]
Hokies Suspend Washington: Before the ACC or NCAA could consider a penalty, Virginia Tech suspended sophomore forward Deron Washington for one game after he apparently tried to kick Duke senior Lee Melchionni while both were fighting for the ball on the court. Washington publicly apologized for his action, adding that he was trying to quickly get up and unintentionally put his foot in Melchionni’s face. Virginia Tech promptly suspended Washington for the team’s game at Wake Forest tomorrow because of “conduct detrimental to the game of basketball.” Washington averages 10.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. [1/27/06]
SEC Fires Another Official: As the SEC continues to monitor a federal probe involving a former conference referee, conference officials fired referee Kerry Sitton. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission discovered a plot involving dozens of people and businesses that duped investors to the tune of nearly $400 million. The investigation has linked Sitton to other malfeasants. Travis Correll, named by the federal SEC in a lawsuit produced by the investigation, resigned from the conference. Conference leaders then fired John Guthrie, the SEC’s supervisor of basketball officials, and gave referee Jason McNeil his walking papers. [1/27/06]
Monarch Survives Shooting: Old Dominion sophomore guard Brandon Johnson was shot in the shoulder Wednesday night and has been treated at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. University and city police are investigating the case to find the shooter. The bullet did not hit any major arteries, coach Blaine Taylor said, and Johnson will be OK. He averages 3.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game as the Monarchs’ backup point guard. Taylor did not say how many games Johnson may miss will recovering. The Monarchs play at fellow CAA heavyweight George Mason Saturday. [1/27/06]
Bogut on Fast Track for Utah Glory: Only a season removed from leading the Utes to the Sweet 16, former Utah forward Andrew Bogut will receive one of the greatest honors a school can bestow on a player. The Utes will retire Bogut’s No. 4 jersey Feb. 18 when Air Force comes to Salt Lake City. Bogut left the Utes for NBA fame after his sophomore season. Bogut led Utah to success and dominated Mountain West competition during his two years at the school. He was named the AP Player of the Year last season and was picked first in the NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, a combination of accolades that validate his position as the best college basketball player last season. [1/27/06]
Wolff Reaches 200 at Boston University
BOSTON – Not unlike the entire 2005-06 season thus far, Wednesday night’s win over Hartford was not a thing of beauty for Boston University. But it was a special win for their head coach, as Dennis Wolff added to his school record in winning his 200th game.
For good measure, the win was his 100th over a current member of America East, a conference in which the Terriers have been a consistent contender since Wolff took over in 1994-95. Another coincidence: he became the school’s all-time leader in wins by beating the Hawks just over four years to the day (January 22, 2001) for his 102nd win.
Now the dean of America East coaches, Wolff has done it by emphasizing defense, the one thing that has kept this year’s version in many games. The inexperienced Terriers have struggled to score, but their strong defense has given them a chance to win most games. In nearly a quarter of his games coached, they have allowed under 55 points; they have done that seven times in 19 games this season. Anyone who will play at the school has to know that defense is not optional in the least.
Although he’s not one to talk much about things like this during the season, Wolff reflected on the accomplishment after the game.
“When I think about this, I think of Larry Greer and Jason Williford, who were here for a lot,” Wolff said, alluding to two former assistant coaches who have since moved on. “It’s been a good situation and a group effort.”
Wolff came to the school after stints as an assistant coach at two ACC schools and SMU. Like many, he had been making the rounds as an assistant coach, and was happy to get the opportunity at Boston University. Nowadays, many coaches at the mid-major level don’t get the chance to win 200 games at one school, because they move on to another job before reaching that many. Wolff’s named was mentioned in connection with St. John’s job two years ago, but the New York native was never contacted about it. He’s continued to have a good home in the area, having raised his family here and seen his two sons grow up in Walpole. His older son, Matt, is a sophomore on the Terriers.
Coaches are known for wanting their players to get better as a season and their careers go on. True to that, Wolff has gotten better with time en route to his 200 wins at the school. His first 100 wins came against 88 losses; his next 100 came against just 56 losses. Many of them came during the past four seasons, where the Terriers were one of just 23 Division I programs to win 20 or more games each year. They made the postseason each of those years, falling short of the NCAA Tournament the past three years because they were right behind the stellar Vermont Catamount teams each season.
Wolff’s name will surely come up again as head coaching positions open up. His teams have been disciplined and know how to play defense, and he constantly speaks highly of the kids he has in his program. With the consistency the Terriers have had under him, they figure to be a contender in America East as long as he is on the bench. And yet, it’s hard to imagine him coaching anywhere else, a sentiment he expressed after Wednesday night’s win. At this rate, he might one day reach another 200 wins as the head coach on Commonwealth Ave.
NCAA Tells Adrien To Take a Seat: Connecticut appealed the one-game suspension of freshman forward Jeff Adrien, but the NCAA upheld the suspension for fighting. Adrien and St. John’s forward Aaron Spears went toe to toe during the Huskies’ win last night, and tempers erupted in the second half. Officials ejected both players, and by NCAA rule, they must sit out the next game. The Huskies will miss Adrien when they play at Providence on Saturday. As one of Connecticut’s primary bench players, Adrien averages seven points and 4.9 rebounds per game. [1/26/06]
Badger Holed Up: Wisconsin sophomore forward Greg Stiemsma is academically ineligible and will miss the remainder of the season for the Badgers. Stiemsma said he has dealt with depression, which caused him to take time off from basketball — and academic studies. While dealing with personal issues, Stiemsma’s grades suffered, and the consequences mean that the Badgers will play without their most proficient shot blocker for the remainder of the season. A key bench player, Stiemsma averages 2.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. [1/26/06]
Big Red Hurt: Cornell sophomore guard Khaliq Gant was airlifted to a hospital after he was seriously hurt in practice Tuesday. Gant suffered a neck injury that required immediate treatment. He is a significant role player for the Big Red, averaging 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in about 17 minutes per game. [1/26/06]
Fisher Returns to Aggies: New Mexico State junior forward David Fisher is back with the Aggies after the school reinstated him. New Mexico State had declared Fisher academically ineligible for the remainder of the season last week. Fisher appealed to the university and asked the NCAA to reinterpret his academic standing. Upon further review, they cleared Fisher, who averages 8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Aggies. [1/26/06]
Although it wasn’t quite as bad as last season, this was hardly one for the books for Wake Forest. After an 82-60 blowout loss against Maryland on Thursday, the Demon Deacons finished 13-18 overall. That doesn’t seem so bad, and a few teams had worse records, but look deeper and you see a team that, quite simply, was not good.
Ron Hunter is a terrific addition to the Colonial Athletic Association coaching ranks. That could have been said before the season given his track record and the impression he made on Media Day in October, but after the CAA Tournament it bears repeating because it was so obvious.
In theory, the next six days should be quite stressful for Drexel and head coach Bruiser Flint. As the regular season champions of the CAA, they are guaranteed a bid to the NIT, but naturally hope the NCAA Tournament comes calling. Flint doesn’t seem stressed at all about it, however, and his experience is a key factor in that.
Northeastern fought turnovers often this season, and had relatively mixed results with some streaks along the way. The Huskies should be better next season, but there is clear room for improvement and that was evident on Saturday night in the season-ending loss.
With UNCW’s season over, there’s a look toward a brighter future that was helped by this weekend in Richmond. The young Seahawks had some bright spots during the season in trying to rebuild, and capped it off with something else they can take with them.
James Madison came into the season as an interesting team to project. There was not a lack of talent, and it wasn’t a young team, but there were intangibles questions. In the end, injuries were the biggest problem, but the Dukes kept fighting right to the end no matter how demoralizing the injuries were.
Notes on the first round of the CAA Tournament, where the seeds held to form, the first 20-20 game in tournament history occurred and a team that went bowling to help get ready for the opening game of the day came out on top.
We check in with some quick hitters on a couple of America East teams, a contrast of freshmen from an earlier game, Georgia Tech’s defense against Boston College and the Missouri Valley.
The last decisive play in Harvard’s 55-54 loss to Penn on Saturday night will stay in many people’s minds. For the Crimson player who was involved in it, one hopes the college basketball gods have a better ending in store later on.
The stage is set. Saturday night at Lavietes Pavilion will be a potentially epic battle with first place on the line after Friday night’s results. Old rivals Yale and Harvard will battle for the top, with Harvard hoping for a repeat of the result the last time these two teams met.
Last Thursday, Idaho State finally made it’s choice, hiring Montana assistant Bill Evans as it’s head coach. So far, reaction has been mixed by at least one of the couple of forum posts dedicated to the decision as well as the local scribe’s feelings. Here’s the traditional “welcome to town” …
This is what the head honchos wrote on Monday: Big Sky (March 3) Top seed: Montana. The Big Sky regular-season championship came down to the final game, in which the Grizzlies avenged their only loss in Big Sky play by beating Weber State in Missoula. Tournament stakes: Although Weber State …
We take a look at the award winners, from the two-time conference Player of the Year to the Newcomer of the Year, as well as a couple of early tournament games.
Why did the Cleveland State Vikings recently have a five game losing streak? It’s simple–whenever a team loses their most valuable player, they’re going to suffer. The Cleveland State Vikings have had their fair share of above-average talent on the roster over the past few years. Cedric Jackson played briefly …
The Cleveland State Vikings and Detroit Titans squared off on Thursday evening at the Wolstein Center in a matchup with major ramifications for seeding in the Horizon League Tournament. Both the Vikings and the Titans headed into Thursday’s matchup riding drastically different five-game streaks. Picked by many preseason analysts to …
The last week of conference play has arrived in the Horizon League. Over the past few years, the battle for the top seeds in the Horizon League has not been decided until the final game of conference play. This year is no exception, with multiple teams having a legitimate chance …
The Cleveland State Vikings and Drexel Dragons squared off on Saturday morning at the Wolstein Center as part of ESPN’s BracketBusters series. Saturday’s contest marks the second straight year in which the Vikings have participated in the BracketBusters series. Last season, the Vikings dropped a hard-fought contest to Old Dominion …
Although the rivalry between the Cleveland State Vikings and Butler Bulldogs may not be as nationally known as the rivalry between Duke and North Carolina, the intensity that is in the air whenever these two Horizon League rivals square off is just as strong. In fact, the animosity between these …
The Cleveland State Vikings and Valparaiso Crusaders squared off on Thursday night at the Wolstein Center in one of the most important games of the season for both teams. While the Vikings’ season-opening victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores may have been extremely important with regards to quality wins that are …
JUST IN TIME FOR TONIGHT’S GAMES… All the news you ever wanted to know about the Big Sky, the weekly edition. YOUR WEEKLY DAMIAN LILLARD IS A STUD LINK-FEST: A Salt Lake Tribune story on his success. USA Today also jumped in sometime in the last week to talk about …
In a game with major implications for the regular season Horizon League championship and seeding for the Horizon League Tournament, the Cleveland State Vikings dominated the Milwaukee Panthers by a score of 83-57 in a game in which the Panthers never led. The Vikings and Panthers began the day in …
One team stands alone atop the standings for now, with another a little behind them and a logjam near the middle of the pack.
The Cleveland State Vikings started 2012 off on a winning note with a 69-48 victory at home on Saturday afternoon over the visiting Loyola Ramblers. In his pregame radio comments, Vikings coach Gary Waters stated that the Ramblers’ 5-10 record heading into Saturday’s matchup was deceiving and that the Ramblers were …
Opening weekend in the Big Sky Eastern Washington Record: 7-7, 1-1 Weekend: 1-1 Major superlatives: Won by 16, lost by 8; 76.5 ppg for, 72.5 against; plus-4 scoring margin; 52-112 FG; 20-53 3pt; 29-43 FT. Summary: One night, the lead stuck. The other, it didn’t. The Eagles made an early …
The Big Sky is about to dive in to conference play, and so far, the season has unfolded pretty much as expected, with Sacramento State looking like the one surprise.
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