Senior Class

Seniors are a Class Act

by Michael Ermitage

There really is nothing like your senior year in college. Your class load is light, you know the places to go and it seems as though you know everyone when you go there. You have college down and your confidence is like Muhammad Ali on fight night, nothing can bring you down. I would be willing to bet that just about everyone short of Hugh Hefner would chose their senior year in college if they had a year to re-live. This year in college hoops is the year of the senior. After many years of early NBA entrees, high school phenoms and one-year wonders – the college hoops game has returned to its roots – the seasoned college basketball player.

Long before Dejuan Wagner, long before Jerry Stackhouse, and even before Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, younger players in college hoops had to prove their worth. A coach would almost never insert a freshman or sophomore in a lineup before a senior, particularly to start the season. Never mind that it was unheard of to guarantee a starting position to a promising recruit. No, rookies had to earn their respect just like everyone else. In addition to logging time on the scout team, they had to carry towels, run errands, even say “sir” to his elder teammates.

Even the Fab Five supposedly challenged the older players on the team to a game in order to gain their respect. But that is long gone. Nowadays, new star players rule the roost, owning the new, kinder “player’s coach” and immediately changing the chemistry of the locker room. And that’s why, you rarely see a group of young players, or a team led by a young star, make much noise.

A quick look around the nation reveals that many of this year’s top players are seniors. These are players that have earned their status as team leaders. These are players that did not run for the green of the NBA. These are players that know what it is like to be carefree in college, to walk down University Ave. and have everyone know their name, to be the representative of a community and a leader of a team.

My All-American team is made up of all seniors:

Chris Marcus, senior, center, Western Kentucky – No one is more counted upon to carry his team than Marcus. There are few pure centers in college basketball anymore, but Marcus has all the qualities of a solid post player. He has a variety of post moves, can overpower weaker defenders and is an adept passer out the post. The Hilltoppers season rests on Marcus’ health and performance.

Jason Gardner, senior, guard, Arizona – Gardner is as smooth as his jersey number – 22. Capable of taking over a game with the dribble or with a long-range jumper, Gardner tested the NBA waters only to return to the Wildcats. His best quality is you never see him get emotional… until it counts and then he raises his game and the emotions of his teammates.

Kirk Hinrich, senior, guard, Kansas – Everything about Hinrich’s game is deceptive. His lanky, non-athletic looking body looks to be more fit for shuffleboard than basketball. But Hinrich is a fluid open-court player as well as a dead-eye shooter. Whether on the wing waiting for a pass or in transition with the ball, Hinrich is extremely dangerous.

Luke Walton, senior, forward, Arizona – There is no doubt that the Wildcats are the top team in the nation with two super seniors on the roster. Walton does a little bit of everything, from scoring to transition passing. While his old man remains a scar on the sports broadcasting landscape, the younger Walton is a highlight of college hoops.

Erwin Dudley, senior, forward, Alabama – Dudley is a mound of muscle that is very difficult for opponents to match up with inside. News out of Tuscaloosa is that the SEC’s returning Player of the Year has added some range to his game. Look for a polished Dudley to dominate the SEC.

These five, however, are just the beginning of an incredible list of senior players. Also in their last year of play is the following:

• Troy Bell, Boston College
• Nick Collison, Kansas
• Reece Gaines, Louisville
• Brandin Knight, Pittsburght
• Matt Bonner, Florida
• Jason Kapono, UCLA
• Hollis Price, Oklahoma
• Mike Sweetney, Georgetown
• Brett Blizzard, UNC Wilmington
• Ronald Dupree, LSU
• Marcus Hatten, St. John’s
• Josh Howard, Wake Forest
• Brett Nelson, Florida
• Theron Smith, Ball State
• David West, Xavier
• Brian Cook, Illinois
• Willie Deane, Purdue
• Tom Coverdale, Indiana

With all these seniors, March should be as competitive as we’ve seen it in recent years. Nothing is more competitive than a college basketball senior taking his final stab at a National Championship.

Certainly, this will be a year every one of these guys will look back on with fond memories, whether they end up on a basketball court or behind a desk in the coming years.

It Happens Every Autumn

It Happens Every Autumn

by Michael Ermitage

Mine team is undefeated. So is yours. Hope springs eternal in gyms from little Valparaiso to basketball giant Kansas. Why? Because October 15th is approaching. Like a seven-year old on Christmas Eve, I cannot wait. The official beginning to yet another college basketball season.

I fell in love with college hoops somewhere around 1991 right on the cusp of the “Fab Five” and Tark’s Runnin Rebels. I gave a speech on free throws that year, and included a piece on the abnormal style of Larry Johnson. You bet that’s “A” material. My love for the game, however, was dismissed in Chicago like a Jesse Jackson speech. Chicago is a professional sports town. A Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox and Blackhawks town. The University of Illinois is like a cousin that you hope does well but you never really see. Northwestern University is the nerdy niece who once in a while stuns you at the family picnic when she smacks a double in the softball game. DePaul is the uncle who bores you with stories of yesteryear.

Luckily, for me, I spent my college years in Indiana. And nothing satisfies a hoops addiction like the state of Indiana. Despite the fact that a team from Indiana has not won a national championship since Bobby Knight’s Hoosiers captured the 1987 title. Despite the fact that no other team in the entire state has EVER won the title besides the Hoosiers. Well, Purdue, led by a spry John Wooden, won the 1932 championship, and Notre Dame won the 1926 and 1937 crowns, according to something called the Helms Foundation (NCAA Championships were first awarded in 1939). Despite all of that, nothing means more to Hoosiers than another hoops season born anew. And it is this spirit that all of us should embrace.

The beginning of the season clashes with its ugly cousin – college football. The national championship hunt in college football is about as formulaic as a Home Improvement episode. What are the chances that two powerhouse teams from separate Big Six conferences will end up in the championship game? Hmmmmmm. At least college basketball offers the mirage that small conference teams are included.

College football is a social activity. It is an excuse to drink at 7 a.m. Ever really look at a camera pan of a college football audience? There is always one guy sitting down, he’s had enough. Then there’s 10 sorority girls talking and you know they are much more interested in the next organized cheer than the next play. Or then there are the four guys who decided to paint their bodies because it afforded them the opportunity to take their shirts off. We all know these guys.

Next to Major League Baseball, no sport is more influenced by big dollars than college football. So, come October 15, I turn my attention to the hardwood, save a select few bowl games. And this season in college hoops will offer both the die-hard fan and the casual observer some interesting story lines. In every hoops season, there are always those story lines, and of course, that is the essence behind any sport. For so many of us, it is the journey, not the end result. Leave the national championship chase to the Dukes, the Arizonas, the Kansas’s.

Instead, turn your attention to Malibu, Calif. Yep, sun, surf and hoops. Former NBA coach Paul Westphal will have a scintillating squad this season, led by senior forward Jimmy Miggins. The Waves will certainly be worth staying up for in the East and the Midwest when Pepperdine is televised. Unfortunately, as with many good mid-major schools, the Waves lack the size and the depth to be a real national title contender.

Turn your attention to Carbondale, Ill. and head coach Bruce Weber. Weber worked under Gene Keady at Purdue for 18 years and emerged last year as one of the nation’s top mid-major coaches. He directed a senior-laden Salukis team to the Sweet 16. On his way there, he dropped Bob Knight and Texas Tech, which must have been sweet for the former Boilermaker. This season, however, will test Weber’s mettle as a coach, because he is without three seniors from last year’s squad. It is what coaches do without talent, or with young talent, or in years when everyone dismisses them – that eventually defines them.

Turn your attention to Milwaukee, Wisc. and the Marquette Golden Eagles. Some may forget that the Golden Eagles were terrific last season, topping Indiana, Cincinnati, and Gonzaga en route to a top 10 ranking. Of course, the first-round flameout to Tulsa is all that anyone remembers of 2002. Marquette’s coach Tom Crean is slowly emerging as one of the best coaches in the nation, and has one of the best players in the nation in Dwayne Wade. Wade is simply a joy to watch and is akin to the Yankees’ Alfonso Soriano in the “Oh My God that guy is athletic” category. Will Crean and Wade give Marquette back-to-back terrific seasons or will the Golden Eagles fall back into its previous position as Cincinnati’s whipping boy?

As the season progresses, many stories will emerge. Mid-majors will crack the Top 25 for the first time in school history. Number one teams will fall where no one thought they would. Star players will emerge from overseas, from tiny programs, from beyond the Top 100 recruiting lists of Bob Gibbons. It’ll be emotions up and down, disappointment and exultation, hope and despair.

It is almost that time. From Midnight Madness to One Shining Moment – its college basketball season. Embrace it.

NCAA West Region Preview 1

NCAA West Region 1

by Michael Ermitage

The tournament committee did Cincinnati no favors by giving the Bearcats a number one seed in the West region. Bob Huggins’ squad will be hard-pressed to reach the Final Four in this loaded bracket.

No. 1 Cincy vs. No. 16 Boston University
Few teams are ready for the kind of defensive intensity that Cincy brings to the court each night. There is no doubt that BU has seen nothing like it this year. The Terriers haven’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 1959, and this year will be no different. UC gunner Steve Logan will not play more than 25 minutes in this one.

Cincinnati 82, Boston University 53

No. 8 UCLA vs. No. 9 Ole Miss
This could not have been the matchup UCLA coach Steve Lavin was looking for. The defensive Rebels toiled through what was probably the toughest conference in the nation, earning a 9-7 conference record. Ole Miss will slow the Bruins down and force UCLA to rely on execution instead of athleticism. This will cause huge problems for Lavin’s club. Look for an awful shooting day from UCLA guard Jason Kapono, something around 4-14. Emerging star Justin Reed, however, will pick and choose his spots to take down the Bruins.

Ole Miss 67, UCLA 57

No. 5 Miami vs. No. 12 Missouri
This is another classic matchup of offense versus defense. The Hurricanes will suffocate you, contesting every shot. Meanwhile, Missouri’s Kareem Rush and Clarence Gilbert will be tossing up every shot they get. Miami, however, had some trouble playing away from home in a sub-par conference. Missouri was as enigmatic as they come. Will coach Quin Snyder get Mizzou ready just as his mentor Coach K always has Duke ready? This one is a true tossup.

Mizzou 72, Miami 70

No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 13 Davidson
The Ohio State Buckeyes, who won the Big Ten tourney title, are not particularly talented and definitely lack star power. But they are deep, well-coached and very disciplined. They switch defenses on the fly and execute their offensive sets as well as any team in the nation. Davidson is much like Ohio State, featuring balanced scoring and a team-first philosophy. The Wildcats (21-9) are a solid club, capable of an upset, but not against these Buckeyes.

Ohio State 83, Davidson 69

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

Congratulations
As the Big Sky season winds down, it looks like Montana State is going to walk away with the regular season championship. The Bobcats have just three games remaining with a one game lead. None of their remaining three games, however, are against any of the league contenders. Also, the Bobcats only have to play away from home once – at Montana.

Defense, defense, defense
Montana State’s defense has been the key behind the Bobcats first run at the title championship since 1996-97. With no players averaging more than 11 pointes per game, the Bobcats needed their defense to take over. The Bobcats have allowed just 65 points per game in 11 conference games and hold teams to 45 percent shooting.

Conference Player of the Year
As the season winds to an end, it is time to take a look at the conference’s top performers. The Conference Player of the Year race is a tough one to call. The conference’s leading team, the Montana State Bobcats are without a prolific scorer. Aaron Rich, who leads the team in scoring and is third in rebounding, is probably their best candidate. Other top conference performers are Jermain Boyette of Weber State, D’Marr Suggs and Jeremy Brown of Idaho State, and Joe Dawson of Sacramento State. If I had to make a pick, I’d go with Boyette. The junior guard is dangerous as both a scorer and a passer. He is the sole reason the Wildcats are within striking distance.

Big Sky games of the Week
Northern Arizona at Montana State (Friday Feb. 22) – Northern Arizona is still mathematically alive, but desperately need to win this game to have a shot.

Weber State at Eastern Washington (Saturday, Feb. 23) – This is a battle for second place in the conference. The Wildcats are looking for the season sweep.

Basketball Factories

Basketball Factories

by Michael Ermitage

It was Wednesday night and I was crying in my beer. My alma mater had suffered yet another embarrassing defeat. And I asked myself why? How? What makes a once-proud program turn into the whipping boys of the conference, the punch line to every message board joke? After some long, hard thought, I came to a pleasing explanation. A smile crept across my face and I was glad for the reason my team currently couldn’t beat the Washington Generals. It is because my team is a true college program and not a modern-day college powerhouse.

An elite group has certainly emerged in college hoops today. A basketball royal class. Duke, Kansas, UCLA, Arizona, Florida, and Kentucky are your main culprits. Nationwide recruiting, huge coaching salaries, and low academic standards mark these programs. Let’s take defending national champion Duke as an example. The Blue Devils have two scholarship players from their home state of North Carolina. They are junior guard Andy Borman and sophomore forward Reggie Love, hardly household names. Perhaps this is the best strategy for Duke, who boasts of a diverse, nationwide student body. As much as ESPN would like to paint UNC and Duke as a fierce rivalry, this doesn’t actually exist. North Carolina rules the state since it is the large state school with a huge alumni base. Many of Duke’s graduates are from other states to begin with and often leave the state after their four years at Durham. Few kids shoot hoops in the state of North Carolina with Duke hoop dreams.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has a lifetime contract. Duke did not disclose the economic details of the deal, but they indicated that Krzyzewski would be “well-compensated.” Top-notch coaches make anywhere from $150,000 to $450,000 per year before other intangibles. Those intangibles are television shows, radio shows, shoe contracts, commercials etc. Often the total package is in excess of a million dollars per year. There is absolutely no doubt that Coach K makes at least a $1 million per year.

Now, I know that many fans will cry bloody murder when I say that Duke has low academic standards. But folks, the NCAA has set up a level playing field and no matter the academic reputation of an institution, the minimum requirements for a scholarship basketball player are the same across the board. The absolute minimum grade point average for prospective Division-I basketball players is 2.0 while the minimum SAT score is 820. Even at Duke. And every program takes questionable athletes if the player can help the team.

All this adds up to a basketball factory. The rest of Division I – the basketball bourgeoisie – has definitely followed Duke’s lead. They just aren’t as good at it. But I like to contend that there is still a semblance of old-fashioned college student-athletes out there fueling old-fashioned college programs. And you don’t have to read John Feinstein’s “The Last Amateurs” to find it. It exists in every major conference – just look at the middle-to-bottom of the pack teams. There you will see teams full of homegrown products, coached by moderately-paid former assistant coaches with a few players that are actually there to get an education. Although, sadly, not many. This is where we get our greatest college basketball stories.

Michigan State is a perfect example. The Spartans have a program that has ebbed and flowed. They recently won a National Championship fueled by the play of several home-state products – the Flintstones – Mateen Cleaves, Morris Petersen, Charlie Bell and Antonio Smith. Finally, after 21 years and some awful seasons, the Spartans reaped the rewards of kids who always wanted to wear the green and white. Tom Izzo, a class act who was awarded the job after spending 12 years as former coach Jud Heathcote’s assistant, led them. He wasn’t handpicked, wooed by big dollars or recruited by a committee. This season, Izzo’s newest home-grown kids haven’t developed as he liked and State is experiencing a bit of a down turn. Inevitable for a true college program, unacceptable at a college powerhouse.

Everyone wants to be Duke. Everyone is trying to be them, trying to be in the national picture year in and year out. They graduate most of their players and they are the standard by which the rest of the college basketball world measures itself. But it’s come at a price – the price of community.

So, as the season turns and the NIT comes calling, I will not hang my head. Instead, I’ll appreciate the home-state kids making a dream come true. I’ll appreciate the hard-working coach who has spent his career at the school. I’ll appreciate the gunner who is looking forward to his career as a pharmacist or an engineer. And I’ll hope the new no-name kids coming in next year make a name for themselves. I’ll appreciate college basketball as it was intended to be.

Big West Notebook

Big West Notebook

Championship Showdown
Cal-State Northridge probably thinks otherwise, but the regular season conference championship should be decided February 9th at UC-Irvine. On that day, the Utah State Aggies visit the Anteaters. The two dominant teams in the conference will battle it out for the second time of the year. Irvine is in the driver’s seat, having defeated the Aggies at Utah State on December 20th. The Anteaters will need another superb game from senior guard Jerry Green, who dropped 31 on the Aggies last time out, in order to cement the victory.

The Northridge surprise
Few expected the Cal-State Northridge Matadors to contend for the conference title. The Matadors have only beaten one team out of the conference, mighty Dominican Cal, and lost by 34 to Howard University, hardly a basketball powerhouse. But the newbies from the Big Sky have impressed, winning seven of 10 conference games. How? Well, for starters, playmaking point guard Markus Carr has been outstanding. The diminutive senior is averaging better than 17 points and 4.5 assists per game. Carr has sparked Northridge’s offense, which ranks fifth in the league. The Matadors, who went to the NCAA tournament last year, will be a formidable opponent in the Big West tourney.

The Santa Barbara disappointment
Many preseason magazines and web sites touted the Santa Barbara Gauchos as the team to beat in the Big West. It never matriculated. Back-to-back losses to Utah State and Idaho have all but eliminated the Gauchos from the regular season race. Santa Barbara’s loss to Idaho was particularly disappointing, as the Gauchos managed just 37 points and never were able to dictate tempo. This was after an impressive preseason that included wins against Pepperdine, Brigham Young and Detroit.

Big West games of the week
Cal-State Northridge at UC Santa Barbara (Saturday, February 9th) – Must win for both clubs to even be considered for the regular season crowd. Upstart Northridge will find visit to Santa Barbara just too much.

Utah State at UC Irvine (Saturdat February 9th) – This is a battle of the top two teams in the conference. It is imperative for the Aggies, who already lost a home contest to the Anteaters. Green will be just too much in this key matchup.

Missouri Valley Notebook

Missouri Valley Notebook

Going into the conference season, three Missouri Valley teams had made their mark. Southern Illinois had ambushed Indiana and gave Illinois everything it could handle. Northern Iowa stunned visiting in-state rival Iowa. And Creighton topped a ranked Western Kentucky squad. With perennial contenders Illinois State and Bradley suffering down years, the league entered the conference season as a three-horse race. It has been exactly that.

Top of the Valley

Southern Illinois: As the season progresses, the Salukis’ win over Indiana looms as a bigger and bigger accomplishment. With the league’s top offense and second-rated defense, the Salukis are clearly the class of the league. The secret is in their balance. Bruce Weber’s club has four legitimate scorers, the most potent of which is Kent Williams. In addition to the Salukis ability to score from several positions, they are an excellent rebounding team, particularly Rolan Roberts, a monster inside. This allows the shooters to have no fear when launching from the perimeter. Throw in a rotation that goes nine players deep, and the Salukis always have fresh legs to play intense defense.

Creighton: Few teams are as little respected from year-to-year as the Creighton Blue Jays. 2001-2002 will be no different. The high-scoring Jays look to score from the perimeter with Kyle Korver and Terrell Taylor. Both are excellent three-point shooters. The deepest team in the league, with more than 10 players getting extensive minutes, the Blue Jays are unselfish. The element that separates the Blue Jays from the Salukis is the toughness inside. Despite the presence of Brody Deren, Creighton sometimes struggles in the paint.

Northern Iowa: The Northern Iowa Panthers are just as talented as any one else in the Missouri Valley Conference, but may lack the defensive intensity to finish atop the league. The Panthers can score, often in bunches. First, they score outside with Robbie Sieverding, and then inside with David Guber. It is the best inside-outside combination in the conference, and proved to be better than Iowa’s Luke Recker-Reggie Evans connection. But turnovers and poor defense will be the downfall of an otherwise capable team.

Middle of the Valley

Southwest Missouri State: The Bears boast of perhaps the best player in the conference in Mike Wallace, who could average a double-double for the season. With little help inside, however, the Bears are destined for the middle of the Missouri Valley. Shooters Terrance McGee, Robert Yanders and Daniel Novak make the Bears a threat to defeat anyone.

Illinois State: Some prognosticators think that Illinois State should win the Missouri Valley behind the excellent play of Baboucarr Bojang. But the versatile Bojang gets little scoring and rebounding help from the defensive-minded Redbirds. Anything more than a middle-of-the-pack finish will be impressive.

Wichita State: It is bombs away for Wichita State as they feature at least four excellent perimeter shooters. The best of which is Randy Burns. The Shockers, however, are woeful inside and sometimes struggle with point guard play.

Valley Basin

Drake: Luke McDonald should contend for league Player-of-the-Year honors but his team will not. McDonald is one of few options on a punchless Drake squad. Depth is also a problem.

Bradley: Usually, the Braves can be found at the top of the Missouri Valley standings, but this year will be much different. Few options are available to coach Jim Molinari. So, the Braves will hunker down in a defensive stance and hope for the best. It is their only option.

Indiana State: The only team in the league with less offensive weapons than the Braves are the Sycamores. Indiana State is hoping that Djibril Kante can carry them to a conference crown.

Evansville: The Purple Aces have two capable scorers in Dan Lytle and Clint Cuffle. But Evansville is only average on the boards and much too easy to score on to be a serious threat in the conference.

Notes on the Greatest Show

Notes on the Greatest Show on Earth

by Michael Ermitage

You always want your first column to be like a firm handshake. Not too strong, not too sweaty but certainly strong enough to leave a lasting impression. So, it is with this column that I introduce myself as the newest resident of Hoopville. Born and raised in Chicago, I am a Cubs, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks fan (in that order). But pro sports are for homers and bettors. College basketball is a personal passion. With all respect to Barnum and Bailey – it is “The Greatest Show on Earth.” On the other hand, college football, in its current state, is ridiculous. And until a true playoff system emerges, I refuse to attend a Bowl game.

Duke and Disney are in bed
All hail Duke. C’mon, bust out your prayer pad, face towards Durham, North Carolina and pay homage to the kings of college basketball. Or at least this is what Disney-owned ESPN would like you to do. The media blitz of the defending champions is deafening. It makes O.J. coverage look like Page 3 news. In the span of one week this season, ESPN showed Duke versus such powerhouses as San Diego State and Davidson. The latter of which was shown on ESPN2 on the same day that the Big Ten kicked off its conference season. What’s next – Mickey Mouse wearing a Carlos Boozer jersey?

Indiana basketball
Having spent four years in the state of Indiana, I can say without a doubt that the basketball mecca of the world is in the Hoosier heartland. Some smaller newspapers have been quietly debating the issue of North Carolina versus Indiana in a great hoops debate. Sure, North Carolina has brought us some great home-grown players and consistently produces excellent collegiate teams. But not with the same breadth as Indiana.

Proof: Indiana, Ball State, Butler, Purdue, Notre Dame and Valparaiso all reside in the state and are dominant within their conferences nearly every season. And I have not even begun to talk about high school basketball where Indiana arenas regularly hold as many as 5,000 people.

Come one, come all
If you have never been to an NCAA Tournament game, I highly suggest you attend one, particularly in the first two rounds. Go to a site other than in your home town and stay the weekend. Visit the local bars and make some friends. Surely, raucous bar arguments will follow, as passions run deep. But it’ll add a little spice to games you never thought you’d care about. I have been a College of Charleston fan since Memphis ’97 when the Cougars should have beaten eventual-champ Arizona and played a fantastic brand of basketball. Also, they came complete with the rowdiest school contingent I have ever latched onto.

And then . . .
I had a college professor that once told me that bits columns were for amateurs. I agree. This will be the last one (unless, of course, I am completely clueless for an idea again).

Next week’s upsets
Indiana over Iowa, Pepperdine over Gonzaga, Notre Dame over Kentucky