Billy Gillispie is out as the head coach at Kentucky after two years. While it’s thought to be a major story, and big names are being mentioned for the job, a dose of reality is needed.
Month: March 2009
East Regional Final a Neat Matchup For Basketball Fans
There’s something really neat about Saturday’s East Regional final between Pittsburgh and Villanova. The two teams share a striking similarity and especially for teams in their position.
Michigan State: Spartans Take Out Defending Champs
No. 2 Michigan State exposed No. 3 Kansas’ youth in a 67-62 win that was fueled by the Jayhawks’ mistakes and inability to close out the game. Kansas led by as much as 13 in the first half, but the Spartans rallied with a 20-8 run that cut the lead to one shortly after halftime. Sophomore point guard Kalin Lucas engineered the comeback with crisp passing and timely shooting.
North Carolina: Tar Heels Look Dominant Against Gonzaga
Unhealthy toe or not, junior guard Ty Lawson is playing phenomenal basketball for No. 1 North Carolina, and he helped guide the Tar Heels to an easy 98-77 win against No. 4 Gonzaga. Lawson had 17 points in the first half and finished with 19 points, nine assists and only one turnover.
Oklahoma: Griffin Keeps Sooners On Pace Against Syracuse
No. 2 Oklahoma had the perfect inside-outside combination in sophomore forward Blake Griffin and junior guard Tony Crocker, which propelled the Sooners to an 84-71 win against No. 3 Syracuse. Griffin finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. Crocker helped torched Syracuse’s zone from behind the arc, making 6-of-11 three-pointers en route to 28 points.
Louisville: Cardinals Demolish Overmatched Arizona
No. 1 Louisville did nearly everything right in dismantling No. 12 Arizona 103-64 to reach the Elite Eight. The Cardinals held Arizona to 38 percent shooting from the field while lighting up the scoreboard on 58 percent shooting. Louisville used runs of 24-2 and 15-1 to open up a huge lead.
High Point: Panthers Hire Member of UNC’s ’93 Championship Team
High Point has hired Scott Cherry to be the Panthers’ next coach, which will be his first Division I head coaching job. Cherry arrives in High Point after working at South Carolina for one season as an assistant coach.
Kentucky: Gillispie Out as Coach
Kentucky fired coach Billy Gillispie after only two seasons with the Wildcats. Since his first season as a head coach at UTEP, Gillispie is 134-51, a 72.4 percent winning percentage. However, university administrators indicated that Gillispie had a “philosophical discrepancy” about the job requirements of Kentucky’s coaching position.
Villanova Gets Better At a Good Time
Villanova’s convincing win over Duke shows that the Wildcats are getting better, thanks to their defense. It has their coach a happy man as they stand one game from the Final Four.
Missouri: Tigers Pressure Their Way Past Memphis
No. 3 Missouri appeared destined to rout No. 2 Memphis after leading by 24 points early in the second half. But Memphis pulled as close as six points and seemed on the cusp of pulling off a stunning comeback. However, the Tigers ran out of time, and Missouri advanced with a 102-91 win.
