Anthony Crater has had a trying collegiate career. He transferred from Ohio State after failing a drug test, and then during his redshirt year with the Bulls failed another one. This second failed drug test earned him a suspension by USF head coach Stan Heath, that when combined with his redshirt over lap led to Crater playing in only 19 of the Bulls 33 games this season.
Crater was also arrested with former Bull Mike Mercer on drug charges earlier in 2009.This arrest earned him a temporary dismissal from the team. These type of incidents have many wondering if he will be ready to step up as a leader on this team.
He was a force on defense during those 19 games on defense, but will need to step up his offensive prowess next season. Chris Howard has graduated leaving Crater as the teams best option at point guard. With this title comes responsibility, and that is something Crater has lacked thus far in his career.
Howard was a menace to Big East teams on both sides of the court. His 10 points and four assists a game had a huge impact on the Bulls success this season. His 23 steals also held up offenses at the perimeter.
Anthony Crater is going to have to mimic Howard in almost every way. Howard was a leader on and off the court. Howard has just finished a degree in communications and is starting towards a criminology degree.
Crater shows promise; in his limited action he has been able to become an effective sixth man for the Bulls. His up close and personal defense can be felt quickly by opposing point guards. He has great quickness and make up speed if beaten on the perimeter.
Crater has the skills on the court to be a successful player for USF. What is in question is his off the court actions. Has his attitude changed in this last half of the season, or is head coach Stan Heath sweating out this offseason in hopes his future point guard stays clean? Time will tell, but for Crater and USF’s sake I hope this is a quiet offseason for the Bulls.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
2010 Ohio State Offseason: Buckeyes becoming Victim of their own success
The Ohio State Buckeyes lost 76-73 to Tennessee in a classic Sweet 16 game. The loss in the game is far less important than what the Buckeyes will lose in the offseason. NBA rumors swirl about several Buckeyes this post season.
Evan Turner has been selected as the first pick in the draft in several of the experts mock drafts this season. He is as good as gone; even with his political correctness of staying he has not made a decision yet. He has made the decision Buckeyes fans, and it is the dream of playing in the NBA.
Another Buckeye who is likely gone is William Buford. The sophomore has had a tremendous season, and will more than likely leave if he gets a mid to late first round grade. Right now he is predicted to go in the late first or early second round.
Buford has averaged 14.4 points and 5.6 rebound a game this season for the Buckeyes. Before Buford makes the jump he needs to look at a former Buckeye in Daequan Cook.
Cook was the twenty-first pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA draft. After being drafted he spent long stints in the NBA developmental league, something Buford wishes to avoid. Evan now, several seasons into his career, his minutes are still limited.
The easiest way to avoid this and increase his draft stock is to come back for his junior year. Evan Turner did this and he has propelled his draft stock into at least a top five pick in this up coming draft. Buford could easily do that on this Buckeye team that desperately needs his services next season.
Ohio State has become very successful under Matta’s close watch. NBA talent has come, and quickly gone. Names like Conley, Oden, Mullins, Koufos, and Cook have passed though the Schottenstein Center as Buckeyes. This talent has brought a Nit championship, and multiple NCAA tournament appearances. The sad thing for Buckeye fans is that all those names would still be on the roster if they had not gone early to the pros.
Jared Sullinger, DeShaun Thomas, J.D. Weatherspoon, Jordan Siebert, Lenzelle Smith and Aaron Craft all look to make their mark next season as Buckeyes. This class is ranked in the top three on most recruiting services, and the Buckeyes will need the help after another offseason involving NBA defections.
Evan Turner has been selected as the first pick in the draft in several of the experts mock drafts this season. He is as good as gone; even with his political correctness of staying he has not made a decision yet. He has made the decision Buckeyes fans, and it is the dream of playing in the NBA.
Another Buckeye who is likely gone is William Buford. The sophomore has had a tremendous season, and will more than likely leave if he gets a mid to late first round grade. Right now he is predicted to go in the late first or early second round.
Buford has averaged 14.4 points and 5.6 rebound a game this season for the Buckeyes. Before Buford makes the jump he needs to look at a former Buckeye in Daequan Cook.
Cook was the twenty-first pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA draft. After being drafted he spent long stints in the NBA developmental league, something Buford wishes to avoid. Evan now, several seasons into his career, his minutes are still limited.
The easiest way to avoid this and increase his draft stock is to come back for his junior year. Evan Turner did this and he has propelled his draft stock into at least a top five pick in this up coming draft. Buford could easily do that on this Buckeye team that desperately needs his services next season.
Ohio State has become very successful under Matta’s close watch. NBA talent has come, and quickly gone. Names like Conley, Oden, Mullins, Koufos, and Cook have passed though the Schottenstein Center as Buckeyes. This talent has brought a Nit championship, and multiple NCAA tournament appearances. The sad thing for Buckeye fans is that all those names would still be on the roster if they had not gone early to the pros.
Jared Sullinger, DeShaun Thomas, J.D. Weatherspoon, Jordan Siebert, Lenzelle Smith and Aaron Craft all look to make their mark next season as Buckeyes. This class is ranked in the top three on most recruiting services, and the Buckeyes will need the help after another offseason involving NBA defections.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
USF Bulls 2010 Senior Sendoff: A Look Back at Some Unforgeta-Bulls
The USF Bulls had a remarkable season this year. The Bulls won 20 games this season for the first time since the 1989-90 season. A large part of that success was the senior leadership that USF had leading the stampede.
This team says goodbye to four of its seniors. Chris Howard, Alex Rivas, Ryan Kardok, and Mike Mercer all have played their last game in a USF uniform. Howard and Mercer played significant time this season. Rivas and Kardok were reserves for the majority of their careers with USF.
The Bulls likely will also say goodbye to Big East Player of the Year, Dominique Jones, who declared for the NBA draft but has yet to sign an agent. Jones could do himself some good by retuning for his senior year, but the lure of the NBA appears too much for the Bulls star. Jones finished the season averaging 21 points, six rebounds and three assists a game.
Mike Mercer finishes his senior year averaging 9.2 points and 4.5 rebounds a game. He had a season high 19 points against providence this season and was a key factor in that 109-105 win over the Friars in overtime. He spent a short stint with Georgia before transferring to USF. He blew out his knee last season and missed all but four games. This season Mercer played in all 33 games and started 30 of them.
Alex Rivas played in 17 games this season, and saw most of his action during Augustus Gilchrist’s absence throughout the middle of the season. He saw most of his playing time as a Bull in the 2008-2009 season where he played in 30 of the 31 games that season.
Ryan Kardok played in 20 games this season. His defense off the bench gave the Bulls a spark when he was in the game. He’s come a long way since walking onto the team in the 2008-2009 season.
Chris Howard started in all 33 games this season. He was a nightmare on defense for opposing teams and finished his career with 101 steals. He handed out 487 assists which ranks fourth all time at USF. Howard’s leadership will be sorely missed next season.
The Bulls have plenty of holes to fill, but still have enough talent on the roster to stay competitive in the Big East. Dominique Jones’s decision to enter the draft or come back for a senior season will be huge for this team next season. Augustus Gilchrist will be a force to be reckoned with, but having his dynamic scoring guard by his side will make this team that much more dangerous.
This team says goodbye to four of its seniors. Chris Howard, Alex Rivas, Ryan Kardok, and Mike Mercer all have played their last game in a USF uniform. Howard and Mercer played significant time this season. Rivas and Kardok were reserves for the majority of their careers with USF.
The Bulls likely will also say goodbye to Big East Player of the Year, Dominique Jones, who declared for the NBA draft but has yet to sign an agent. Jones could do himself some good by retuning for his senior year, but the lure of the NBA appears too much for the Bulls star. Jones finished the season averaging 21 points, six rebounds and three assists a game.
Mike Mercer finishes his senior year averaging 9.2 points and 4.5 rebounds a game. He had a season high 19 points against providence this season and was a key factor in that 109-105 win over the Friars in overtime. He spent a short stint with Georgia before transferring to USF. He blew out his knee last season and missed all but four games. This season Mercer played in all 33 games and started 30 of them.
Alex Rivas played in 17 games this season, and saw most of his action during Augustus Gilchrist’s absence throughout the middle of the season. He saw most of his playing time as a Bull in the 2008-2009 season where he played in 30 of the 31 games that season.
Ryan Kardok played in 20 games this season. His defense off the bench gave the Bulls a spark when he was in the game. He’s come a long way since walking onto the team in the 2008-2009 season.
Chris Howard started in all 33 games this season. He was a nightmare on defense for opposing teams and finished his career with 101 steals. He handed out 487 assists which ranks fourth all time at USF. Howard’s leadership will be sorely missed next season.
The Bulls have plenty of holes to fill, but still have enough talent on the roster to stay competitive in the Big East. Dominique Jones’s decision to enter the draft or come back for a senior season will be huge for this team next season. Augustus Gilchrist will be a force to be reckoned with, but having his dynamic scoring guard by his side will make this team that much more dangerous.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Evan Turner is the Nation's Best Player—But He Isn't the Greatest Buckeye Ever
Evan Turner does not get enough credit in today’s media. He gets plenty of exposure, but when compared to John Wall or even Wesley Johnson he is dwarfed. His importance to this Ohio State squad is immeasurable, however.
The Buckeyes went 4-3 without Turner in the lineup earlier this season, which included going 0-2 in conference play. If lowly Indiana had not come up on the schedule they would have gone 0-3. Neither of the two conference losses were even close, especially the 65-43 loss to Wisconsin.
That Ohio State team was lifeless without its leader. They had no heart and no drive, and if Turner’s injury were more serious they would be lucky to see the Sweet 16 in the NIT let alone the NCAA.
Evan Turner came back better than ever. He is averaging 20 points and 9.2 rebounds on the season leading the Big Ten in both categories. His six assists per game and 1.8 steals a game had him finishing second in the conference. It also shows he has completed his transformation from small forward to point guard.
The fact Turner changed positions and still won Player of the Year is astonishing in itself. He is the only player in Ohio State history to have more than one triple double; the only other player to even record a triple double for Ohio State was Dennis Hopson.
Turner is good; he has earned every honor and award this year. His old school, hard-nosed play has many Ohio State fans anointing him the greatest Buckeye basketball player ever with or without the media’s approval. Jerry Lucas might have something to say about that argument.
Evan Turner has amazing ball handling skills, much like Lucas did during his time with the Buckeyes and in the NBA. Both players can slash to the lane, create separation for jump shots, and play aggressive defense. Jerry Lucas was more of a pure shooter than Turner is, but both have exceptional shooting.
Evan Turner has 16 double-doubles on the season, which is an impressive stat considering the time he missed. That stat pales in comparison with Jerry Lucas’s season average of 26 double-doubles. Lucas, during his career at Ohio State once had 38 consecutive double-doubles.
Jerry Lucas averaged 500-plus points a season during his three years with the Buckeyes. Turner has had two 500-point seasons, and should match that stat if he comes back for his senior year.
Evan Turner has averaged 15.2 points in his career at Ohio State. He has only been a full time starter for the last two seasons; using those two seasons only his average jumps to 18.8 points a game. Jerry Lucas averaged 24.3 points a game for his career at Ohio State.
Lucas once scored 48 points against the Michigan State Spartans back in 1964; Turner has scored 32 points twice this season to set his career mark. Turner has a .499 shooting percentage for the Buckeyes, Lucas finished with .624. Both are impressive scorers, but Lucas dominated the game.
Evan Turner does it all for the Buckeyes this season, much like Lucas did back in the 1960’s. Both have tenacious rebounding ability, but even Turner’s 9.2 per game cannot compare to Lucas’s 17.2 a game. Jerry Lucas pulled down 30 rebounds in a game for three consecutive games as a Buckeye.
Comparing Evan Turner’s NBA potential or even Wall’s and Wesley’s to Jerry Lucas ‘s NBA career is a bit premature. None of the three are even close when comparing the college stats. Some argue that the game has changed, and yes it has but Lucas was on another level. Lucas was the NBA rookie of the year, and that is something any of the three can achieve to get their careers started in the right direction.
Evan Turner is more valuable to Ohio State than Wall is to Kentucky or Johnson is to Syracuse. Kentucky and Syracuse would still be in the NCAA tournament without those respective players, Ohio State would not. The Buckeyes are an NIT at best without Turner, something that was brutally apparent during Turner’s absence from the line up.
Turner’s accolades and honors this season are well deserved. He has been a great player for Ohio State in his three years with the team. Has he earned the Naismith Player of the Year trophy this year? Yes. Is he the greatest player to ever come out of Ohio State? No he is not even close.
The Buckeyes went 4-3 without Turner in the lineup earlier this season, which included going 0-2 in conference play. If lowly Indiana had not come up on the schedule they would have gone 0-3. Neither of the two conference losses were even close, especially the 65-43 loss to Wisconsin.
That Ohio State team was lifeless without its leader. They had no heart and no drive, and if Turner’s injury were more serious they would be lucky to see the Sweet 16 in the NIT let alone the NCAA.
Evan Turner came back better than ever. He is averaging 20 points and 9.2 rebounds on the season leading the Big Ten in both categories. His six assists per game and 1.8 steals a game had him finishing second in the conference. It also shows he has completed his transformation from small forward to point guard.
The fact Turner changed positions and still won Player of the Year is astonishing in itself. He is the only player in Ohio State history to have more than one triple double; the only other player to even record a triple double for Ohio State was Dennis Hopson.
Turner is good; he has earned every honor and award this year. His old school, hard-nosed play has many Ohio State fans anointing him the greatest Buckeye basketball player ever with or without the media’s approval. Jerry Lucas might have something to say about that argument.
Evan Turner has amazing ball handling skills, much like Lucas did during his time with the Buckeyes and in the NBA. Both players can slash to the lane, create separation for jump shots, and play aggressive defense. Jerry Lucas was more of a pure shooter than Turner is, but both have exceptional shooting.
Evan Turner has 16 double-doubles on the season, which is an impressive stat considering the time he missed. That stat pales in comparison with Jerry Lucas’s season average of 26 double-doubles. Lucas, during his career at Ohio State once had 38 consecutive double-doubles.
Jerry Lucas averaged 500-plus points a season during his three years with the Buckeyes. Turner has had two 500-point seasons, and should match that stat if he comes back for his senior year.
Evan Turner has averaged 15.2 points in his career at Ohio State. He has only been a full time starter for the last two seasons; using those two seasons only his average jumps to 18.8 points a game. Jerry Lucas averaged 24.3 points a game for his career at Ohio State.
Lucas once scored 48 points against the Michigan State Spartans back in 1964; Turner has scored 32 points twice this season to set his career mark. Turner has a .499 shooting percentage for the Buckeyes, Lucas finished with .624. Both are impressive scorers, but Lucas dominated the game.
Evan Turner does it all for the Buckeyes this season, much like Lucas did back in the 1960’s. Both have tenacious rebounding ability, but even Turner’s 9.2 per game cannot compare to Lucas’s 17.2 a game. Jerry Lucas pulled down 30 rebounds in a game for three consecutive games as a Buckeye.
Comparing Evan Turner’s NBA potential or even Wall’s and Wesley’s to Jerry Lucas ‘s NBA career is a bit premature. None of the three are even close when comparing the college stats. Some argue that the game has changed, and yes it has but Lucas was on another level. Lucas was the NBA rookie of the year, and that is something any of the three can achieve to get their careers started in the right direction.
Evan Turner is more valuable to Ohio State than Wall is to Kentucky or Johnson is to Syracuse. Kentucky and Syracuse would still be in the NCAA tournament without those respective players, Ohio State would not. The Buckeyes are an NIT at best without Turner, something that was brutally apparent during Turner’s absence from the line up.
Turner’s accolades and honors this season are well deserved. He has been a great player for Ohio State in his three years with the team. Has he earned the Naismith Player of the Year trophy this year? Yes. Is he the greatest player to ever come out of Ohio State? No he is not even close.
2010 Sweet 16: The Big Ten Shows It Deserves More Respect This Season
The Big Ten takes heat whenever its teams take the field or the court. Both football and basketball get criticized for not being flashy enough, especially by the media. Well The Big says keep your flash, they will keep the win.
Ohio State, Purdue, and Michigan State are the three remaining Big Ten teams left in the NCAA tournament. These teams were also the Big Ten regular season champions, showing this is no fluke they all have survived. The Big Ten’s three remaining tournament teams are currently more than the Big 12, SEC, and ACC who all have two teams remaining.
Purdue is without its best player in Robbie Hummel, likewise is Michigan State who just found out this week that guard Kalin Lucas will be out for at least four months. Even without being at full force these teams cannot be underestimated.
The stigma put on the Big Ten this year is how low scoring its games are. No one mentions if a Big East or SEC game stays in the 50’s, but when Michigan State beat Wisconsin 54-47 this season it was because of the bad offenses. Never mind that Wisconsin gives up a meager 56.9 points a game and the Spartans only surrender 64 a game.
It is not all about the highflying offenses like what can be found in the Big 12 or SEC in the Big Ten. It is about smart play, good defense, and even better coaching. Do not think for a minute that the remaining tournament teams for the Big Ten cannot score. Ohio State averages 74.1 ppg, Purdue 71.0 ppg, and Michigan State 72.9 ppg, and when comparing that to the Big East’s best those numbers are not too bad.
West Virginia averages 72.9 ppg, same as Michigan State, and the Mountaineers only give up one point less than the Spartan’s 64 a game. Purdue’s 70.9 ppg outscores Pittsburgh’s 68.7 ppg, and the Boilermakers hold a defensive advantage, though only slightly 61.0 ppg to 61.8 ppg. Throw the Buckeyes into the mix and it gets even more interesting. They outscore Georgetown 74.1 ppg to 73.5 ppg, and the stifling Buckeye defense gives up 61.1 ppg to the Hoyas 66.1 ppg.
The Big Ten can hold it’s own with the Big East this season. Ohio State lost to West Virginia 71-65 this year, but led most of the way. Purdue throttled the Mountaineers 77-62 in their only game versus a Big East opponent this season. Michigan State has not played a Big East team so far this season.
The Big 12 gave the Big Ten some trouble this season. Michigan State took it on the chin from Texas 79-68 this season. Purdue struggled with Texas A&M but prevailed 63-61 last weekend. Ohio State has yet to play a Big 12 opponent.
The ACC/Big Ten Challenge usually turns into the ACC domination of the Big Ten. Ohio State and Michigan State both lost to a bad UNC team this year, but the Buckeyes rallied and took down a decent Florida State and good Georgia Tech team this season. Wisconsin beat both Maryland and Duke, and Purdue beat Wake Forest.
The SEC and Big Ten have only matched up twice this season. Michigan State lost to Florida 77-74, and Purdue took down Tennessee 73-72. The game between Tennessee and Ohio State on Friday will break the tie between these two conferences.
When it all boils down the Big Ten has earned more respect from the rest of the nation. The top teams in the conference have shown they are perfectly capable of competing with any of the other conferences’ elites, not only in the regular season but also in the NCAA tournament.
Ohio State, Purdue, and Michigan State are the three remaining Big Ten teams left in the NCAA tournament. These teams were also the Big Ten regular season champions, showing this is no fluke they all have survived. The Big Ten’s three remaining tournament teams are currently more than the Big 12, SEC, and ACC who all have two teams remaining.
Purdue is without its best player in Robbie Hummel, likewise is Michigan State who just found out this week that guard Kalin Lucas will be out for at least four months. Even without being at full force these teams cannot be underestimated.
The stigma put on the Big Ten this year is how low scoring its games are. No one mentions if a Big East or SEC game stays in the 50’s, but when Michigan State beat Wisconsin 54-47 this season it was because of the bad offenses. Never mind that Wisconsin gives up a meager 56.9 points a game and the Spartans only surrender 64 a game.
It is not all about the highflying offenses like what can be found in the Big 12 or SEC in the Big Ten. It is about smart play, good defense, and even better coaching. Do not think for a minute that the remaining tournament teams for the Big Ten cannot score. Ohio State averages 74.1 ppg, Purdue 71.0 ppg, and Michigan State 72.9 ppg, and when comparing that to the Big East’s best those numbers are not too bad.
West Virginia averages 72.9 ppg, same as Michigan State, and the Mountaineers only give up one point less than the Spartan’s 64 a game. Purdue’s 70.9 ppg outscores Pittsburgh’s 68.7 ppg, and the Boilermakers hold a defensive advantage, though only slightly 61.0 ppg to 61.8 ppg. Throw the Buckeyes into the mix and it gets even more interesting. They outscore Georgetown 74.1 ppg to 73.5 ppg, and the stifling Buckeye defense gives up 61.1 ppg to the Hoyas 66.1 ppg.
The Big Ten can hold it’s own with the Big East this season. Ohio State lost to West Virginia 71-65 this year, but led most of the way. Purdue throttled the Mountaineers 77-62 in their only game versus a Big East opponent this season. Michigan State has not played a Big East team so far this season.
The Big 12 gave the Big Ten some trouble this season. Michigan State took it on the chin from Texas 79-68 this season. Purdue struggled with Texas A&M but prevailed 63-61 last weekend. Ohio State has yet to play a Big 12 opponent.
The ACC/Big Ten Challenge usually turns into the ACC domination of the Big Ten. Ohio State and Michigan State both lost to a bad UNC team this year, but the Buckeyes rallied and took down a decent Florida State and good Georgia Tech team this season. Wisconsin beat both Maryland and Duke, and Purdue beat Wake Forest.
The SEC and Big Ten have only matched up twice this season. Michigan State lost to Florida 77-74, and Purdue took down Tennessee 73-72. The game between Tennessee and Ohio State on Friday will break the tie between these two conferences.
When it all boils down the Big Ten has earned more respect from the rest of the nation. The top teams in the conference have shown they are perfectly capable of competing with any of the other conferences’ elites, not only in the regular season but also in the NCAA tournament.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
March Madness 2010: Ohio State Quiets Doubters, Marches Into Sweet 16
Evan Turner rebounded from a poor opening round performance to lead Ohio State into the Sweet 16. The Buckeyes bounced Georgia Tech 75-66 in a game where many thought the Yellow Jacket post players would dominate them.
Turner continues to show why he is a Player of the Year candidate with his impressive play. He finished with a game high 24 points and did a little of everything chipping in nine rebounds and eight assists.
Turner did not have to do it all today however, his supporting cast showed up with impressive efforts of their own. Jon Diebler continues to sizzle in the NCAA tournament going 6 of 12 for 20 points. David Lighty played stifling defense against Gani Lawal, but also added 18 points to the Buckeyes total.
William Buford had a quiet first half, but turned it on when he hit several huge shots down the stretch in the second half. Buford finished with nine points and eight rebounds on the day.
The big question going into the game would be how would Ohio State contain the Yellow Jackets big men, Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors. The Buckeyes did not have to look very hard for an answer as both of Georgia Techs stars got into foul trouble early, limiting their minutes.
Lawal ended the first half with three fouls, and pick up a fourth midway into the second half. Favors picked up two fouls early in the first half and did not play again until after halftime, he fouled out with 35.1 seconds left in the game. The Buckeyes used their quickness advantage to run and gun their way to a 28-26 halftime lead.
As the second half started the Buckeyes smelled blood and went for the jugular as Diebler pored it on from beyond the arc. Ohio State outscored Georgia Tech 47-40 in the second half, despite an 11-0 run by the Yellow Jackets late in the second half.
The game was not all rosy for Ohio State today, Evan Turner finished with nine turnovers. The Buckeyes finished with 18 team turnovers total, something that will have to drop when they matchup against Tennessee next week.
Ohio State proved the doubters wrong once again this season. They beat a team with a definite size advantage, by playing an up-tempo game keeping Techs’ players off balance and in foul trouble.
Tennessee and Wayne Chism will prove to be another tough test for the Buckeyes, but the confidence gained from this game will certainly help them in planning the defense against the Volunteer attack.
Turner continues to show why he is a Player of the Year candidate with his impressive play. He finished with a game high 24 points and did a little of everything chipping in nine rebounds and eight assists.
Turner did not have to do it all today however, his supporting cast showed up with impressive efforts of their own. Jon Diebler continues to sizzle in the NCAA tournament going 6 of 12 for 20 points. David Lighty played stifling defense against Gani Lawal, but also added 18 points to the Buckeyes total.
William Buford had a quiet first half, but turned it on when he hit several huge shots down the stretch in the second half. Buford finished with nine points and eight rebounds on the day.
The big question going into the game would be how would Ohio State contain the Yellow Jackets big men, Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors. The Buckeyes did not have to look very hard for an answer as both of Georgia Techs stars got into foul trouble early, limiting their minutes.
Lawal ended the first half with three fouls, and pick up a fourth midway into the second half. Favors picked up two fouls early in the first half and did not play again until after halftime, he fouled out with 35.1 seconds left in the game. The Buckeyes used their quickness advantage to run and gun their way to a 28-26 halftime lead.
As the second half started the Buckeyes smelled blood and went for the jugular as Diebler pored it on from beyond the arc. Ohio State outscored Georgia Tech 47-40 in the second half, despite an 11-0 run by the Yellow Jackets late in the second half.
The game was not all rosy for Ohio State today, Evan Turner finished with nine turnovers. The Buckeyes finished with 18 team turnovers total, something that will have to drop when they matchup against Tennessee next week.
Ohio State proved the doubters wrong once again this season. They beat a team with a definite size advantage, by playing an up-tempo game keeping Techs’ players off balance and in foul trouble.
Tennessee and Wayne Chism will prove to be another tough test for the Buckeyes, but the confidence gained from this game will certainly help them in planning the defense against the Volunteer attack.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Decision Time for Dominique Jones Comes Early with NIT Loss
Dominique Jones has a decision to make this post season. He’s arguably one of the top five players ever to wear a Bulls uniform, but the NBA is calling. For the first time in his successful career at USF, Jones actually has some decent talent surrounding him adding the difficulty of this decision.
The Bulls fell just short of making the NCAA tournament this season, but did make an NIT bid. Jones was a huge part of the success that led to the best record USF has seen since the 1989-1990 season.
Dominique Jones is the Big East’s leading scorer this season, he’s also the only player in college basketball to average at least 21 points six rebounds and three assists this year. He was named first team All Big East, and also was on the Naismith list.
Accolades wont get you into the NBA, but they help garner some attention. Currently Jones is seen as a second round draft pick and is the rated the No. 8 scoring guard and No. 54 overall prospect. To put that in perspective there are currently 29 teams in the NBA and two rounds of the draft, equaling 58 total picks.
Jones has some serious upside when compared to other potential scoring guards entering the draft, he’s already got an NBA body and plays tough physical defense.
His quick first step acceleration gives him an uncanny ability to get to the basket. Jones’s long arms give him the ability to be both a productive rebounder, and a pickpocket on defense.
It’s not all rosy with the Bulls star player. He’s had to carry this team his entire career at USF, because of that he’s prone to have an itchy trigger finger. This is a huge problem considering Jones is a very streaky shooter, often going cold for long periods of time in games.
His lack of perimeter jump shot will hurt him in the draft as well. He’s shooting 31 percent on the season, but went 0-10 in the Big East tournament. This season he’s made some huge shots for the Bulls, but lacks consistency hitting from beyond the arc.
Jones tendency to try and take over games, leads to some erratic play and turnovers. He’s a slasher, and because of that spends the majority of the time he has the ball driving the lane getting double-teamed. These double teams lead to potential three point plays for Jones, but also have led to 96 turnovers on the season.
Jones could do himself some good by coming back for his senior year. Continuing to improve on midrange and perimeter shooting could skyrocket his draft stock. Reducing his turnovers and maintaining his scoring numbers would also propel him into a mid-first round pick.
The Bulls fell just short of making the NCAA tournament this season, but did make an NIT bid. Jones was a huge part of the success that led to the best record USF has seen since the 1989-1990 season.
Dominique Jones is the Big East’s leading scorer this season, he’s also the only player in college basketball to average at least 21 points six rebounds and three assists this year. He was named first team All Big East, and also was on the Naismith list.
Accolades wont get you into the NBA, but they help garner some attention. Currently Jones is seen as a second round draft pick and is the rated the No. 8 scoring guard and No. 54 overall prospect. To put that in perspective there are currently 29 teams in the NBA and two rounds of the draft, equaling 58 total picks.
Jones has some serious upside when compared to other potential scoring guards entering the draft, he’s already got an NBA body and plays tough physical defense.
His quick first step acceleration gives him an uncanny ability to get to the basket. Jones’s long arms give him the ability to be both a productive rebounder, and a pickpocket on defense.
It’s not all rosy with the Bulls star player. He’s had to carry this team his entire career at USF, because of that he’s prone to have an itchy trigger finger. This is a huge problem considering Jones is a very streaky shooter, often going cold for long periods of time in games.
His lack of perimeter jump shot will hurt him in the draft as well. He’s shooting 31 percent on the season, but went 0-10 in the Big East tournament. This season he’s made some huge shots for the Bulls, but lacks consistency hitting from beyond the arc.
Jones tendency to try and take over games, leads to some erratic play and turnovers. He’s a slasher, and because of that spends the majority of the time he has the ball driving the lane getting double-teamed. These double teams lead to potential three point plays for Jones, but also have led to 96 turnovers on the season.
Jones could do himself some good by coming back for his senior year. Continuing to improve on midrange and perimeter shooting could skyrocket his draft stock. Reducing his turnovers and maintaining his scoring numbers would also propel him into a mid-first round pick.
Jim Tressel Shows His True Side, and Its All Buckeye
The Ohio State University inked Jim Tressel to a two-year extension today in Columbus. He’s going to make 3.5 million per year through the end of the 2014 season. It seems well deserved for a man who’s taken OSU to a 94-21 overall record during his tenure. His 8-1 record against arch rival Michigan factors into that as well.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for this extension until you realize he didn’t ask for a raise during the extension talks. “Jim never once came to me about compensation,” Ohio State AD Gene Smith stated. Wait, did he really say that?
“Jim has indicated to me he’s satisfied with his current salary, and is aware of the financial situation we all face at this time.” Smith continued. This loyalty to a program is extremely rare in college football today.
Ohio State fans rant and rave at Tressel’s conservative play calling, but ask them whom they want instead and you’ll hear crickets. The reality is that because of Tressel’s constant success Ohio State fans have become spoiled.
No one coach in the SEC would tell their current school he’s happy with his current salary and will agree to an extension for multiple years without a raise. To many times are other coaches such as Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops brought up as replacements, when they should be content with the results at hand.
For those delusional Buckeye fans that can’t wait for the day Tressel rides into the sun set I have bad news. He’s not going anywhere for a long time. Part of this extension is a clause guaranteeing him an associate athletic director position for $150,000 a year indefinitely.
Tressel will be the next athletic director at Ohio State, and I couldn’t think of a better candidate to replace Gene Smith. Tressel was quoted during the extension release saying that it was an honor to work at Ohio State. His integrity is hard to match, but his love and respect for Ohio State cannot be matched.
Ohio State needs Jim Tressel much more than Jim Tressel needs Ohio State, and that’s something some of Buckeye faithful need to remember next time they scream at their TV’s. You may not agree with his methods, but you have to respect his results.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for this extension until you realize he didn’t ask for a raise during the extension talks. “Jim never once came to me about compensation,” Ohio State AD Gene Smith stated. Wait, did he really say that?
“Jim has indicated to me he’s satisfied with his current salary, and is aware of the financial situation we all face at this time.” Smith continued. This loyalty to a program is extremely rare in college football today.
Ohio State fans rant and rave at Tressel’s conservative play calling, but ask them whom they want instead and you’ll hear crickets. The reality is that because of Tressel’s constant success Ohio State fans have become spoiled.
No one coach in the SEC would tell their current school he’s happy with his current salary and will agree to an extension for multiple years without a raise. To many times are other coaches such as Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops brought up as replacements, when they should be content with the results at hand.
For those delusional Buckeye fans that can’t wait for the day Tressel rides into the sun set I have bad news. He’s not going anywhere for a long time. Part of this extension is a clause guaranteeing him an associate athletic director position for $150,000 a year indefinitely.
Tressel will be the next athletic director at Ohio State, and I couldn’t think of a better candidate to replace Gene Smith. Tressel was quoted during the extension release saying that it was an honor to work at Ohio State. His integrity is hard to match, but his love and respect for Ohio State cannot be matched.
Ohio State needs Jim Tressel much more than Jim Tressel needs Ohio State, and that’s something some of Buckeye faithful need to remember next time they scream at their TV’s. You may not agree with his methods, but you have to respect his results.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Lighty-Ing It Up: Ohio State Shines In Big Ten Championship Game
Ohio State (27-7) opened it up in the second half, finally putting away a pesky Minnesota Gopher team 90-61. This is Ohio State’s third Big Ten tournament championship and it was hard earned.
Ohio State hit a 37-foot buzzer beater to beat rival Michigan, then went through a grueling double overtime to finally put away Illinois. It finally met with red-hot Minnesota in the finals, teams desperately needing a win to secure its NCAA berth.
The Buckeyes took a 33-30 lead into the half, as both team trudged through the first half with turnovers and sloppy play. The second half yielded runs by both team, but it was Ohio State that finally broke it open midway through the second half.
David Lighty was the main reason for the Buckeye victory today. He went coast to coast on back-to-back plays scoring and getting the rebound on defense. This burst of energy just shows you this Buckeye team is built to run, even if that mean all weekend long.
Lighty finished with 20 points, but got plenty of help from his Buckeye teammates. William Buford put in 13 points in another solid performance on his part.
Jon Diebler broke the record for most three pointers in yesterday’s game against Illinois; he also joined the 1000-point club. For his encore today he went 5-11 from behind the arc for 19 points as he caught fire in the second half.
Evan Turner finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds as the games leader in both categories. Turner won the Big Ten tournament MVP as he continues to collect hardware this season.
Ohio State shot 58 percent and 57 percent from three-point range on its way to claiming the Big Ten crown. Ohio State will await the selection committees to see where it lands, but a No. 2 seed in the Mid-West region seems likely right now.
Ohio State hit a 37-foot buzzer beater to beat rival Michigan, then went through a grueling double overtime to finally put away Illinois. It finally met with red-hot Minnesota in the finals, teams desperately needing a win to secure its NCAA berth.
The Buckeyes took a 33-30 lead into the half, as both team trudged through the first half with turnovers and sloppy play. The second half yielded runs by both team, but it was Ohio State that finally broke it open midway through the second half.
David Lighty was the main reason for the Buckeye victory today. He went coast to coast on back-to-back plays scoring and getting the rebound on defense. This burst of energy just shows you this Buckeye team is built to run, even if that mean all weekend long.
Lighty finished with 20 points, but got plenty of help from his Buckeye teammates. William Buford put in 13 points in another solid performance on his part.
Jon Diebler broke the record for most three pointers in yesterday’s game against Illinois; he also joined the 1000-point club. For his encore today he went 5-11 from behind the arc for 19 points as he caught fire in the second half.
Evan Turner finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds as the games leader in both categories. Turner won the Big Ten tournament MVP as he continues to collect hardware this season.
Ohio State shot 58 percent and 57 percent from three-point range on its way to claiming the Big Ten crown. Ohio State will await the selection committees to see where it lands, but a No. 2 seed in the Mid-West region seems likely right now.
The Way I See It: The Big Ten Power Rankings (Final)
1. Ohio State—27-7 (14-4 conference)
The Buckeyes are going into this tournament running on empty. The Big Ten tournament leaves them emotionally drained, and well worn with a double overtime game. This team is a solid No.2 seed, and should make it to the Sweet 16 at least.
2. Michigan State—24-8 (14-4)
The Spartans are usually looking like world-beaters once March rolls around. This season there’s inconsistent play and suspensions. The overtime loss to Minnesota was a perfect example of the disarray this team is in. The finger pointing and arguing between the players and Izzo will need to stop if Michigan State is going to make a run in the tournament this year.
3. Purdue—27-5 (14-4)
The Boilermakers miss Robbie Hummel. It’s been said time and time again, but there is no way they lose like they did to Minnesota with Humel in the line up. This team is going into the NCAA tournament as a huge question mark. They have 27 wins on the season, but without Hummel I don’t think they deserve anything higher than a four seed.
4. Wisconsin—23-8 (13-5)
The Badgers were the team I figured would be playing the Spartans in the Big Ten tournament game. Apparently Wisconsin didn’t get the memo that they needed to show up for the tournament, because they didn’t. Hopefully this isn’t a sign of things to come. The positive is the extra rest will get the Badges refocused and fresh from here on out.
5. Minnesota—21-13 (8-9)
The Gophers played their way into the big dance with this impressive Big Ten tournament run. The thrashing they handed Purdue is the game they will set them get them off the bubble and into the NCAA tournament, but picking up a win against Michigan State in overtime won’t hurt either.
6. Northwestern—20-13 (7-11)
The Wildcats proved their win against Purdue back in January wasn’t a fluke when they gave the Boilermakers all they could handle this week. The loss knocked them out of the Big Ten tournament, and any shot of the NCAA tournament. This team will get an NIT invite just like Illinois.
7. Illinois—19-14 (10-8)
The Illini took full advantage of a emotionally drained Ohio State team, but still fell short in double overtime. The bubble most likely burst with that loss to Ohio State. I’d be surprised if they get in considering Minnesota probably just took their spot.
8. Michigan—15-17 (7-11)
The Wolverines lost a heartbreaker to arch rival Ohio State on Evan Turner’s 37-foot buzzer beater. This up and down season ends on a down note as the loss puts them at only 15 wins on the season and likely out of the NIT tournament.
9. Iowa—10-22 (4-13)
The Hawkeyes are wondering if head coach Todd Lickliter will return next season. It’s been an up and down year, mostly down for Iowa. Suspensions, transfers and just bad play plagued them all season. They are in a very similar situation to Indiana, a young team that’s going through growing pains. This team will be much better next season.
10. Indiana—10-21 (4-14)
The Hoosiers won their last game of the regular season against Northwestern, just to have the Wildcats come back and punish them 73-58 in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament. This young team should be much improved next season, eventually contending for a Big Ten crown.
11. Penn State—11-20 (3-15)
The Nittany Lions were one complimentary play away from being a contender in the Big Ten this year. Time and time again they lost close games where Battle did all he could to get the win but fell short. If Battle comes back next season incoming freshman Taran Buie might be the player Penn State desperately needs.
The Buckeyes are going into this tournament running on empty. The Big Ten tournament leaves them emotionally drained, and well worn with a double overtime game. This team is a solid No.2 seed, and should make it to the Sweet 16 at least.
2. Michigan State—24-8 (14-4)
The Spartans are usually looking like world-beaters once March rolls around. This season there’s inconsistent play and suspensions. The overtime loss to Minnesota was a perfect example of the disarray this team is in. The finger pointing and arguing between the players and Izzo will need to stop if Michigan State is going to make a run in the tournament this year.
3. Purdue—27-5 (14-4)
The Boilermakers miss Robbie Hummel. It’s been said time and time again, but there is no way they lose like they did to Minnesota with Humel in the line up. This team is going into the NCAA tournament as a huge question mark. They have 27 wins on the season, but without Hummel I don’t think they deserve anything higher than a four seed.
4. Wisconsin—23-8 (13-5)
The Badgers were the team I figured would be playing the Spartans in the Big Ten tournament game. Apparently Wisconsin didn’t get the memo that they needed to show up for the tournament, because they didn’t. Hopefully this isn’t a sign of things to come. The positive is the extra rest will get the Badges refocused and fresh from here on out.
5. Minnesota—21-13 (8-9)
The Gophers played their way into the big dance with this impressive Big Ten tournament run. The thrashing they handed Purdue is the game they will set them get them off the bubble and into the NCAA tournament, but picking up a win against Michigan State in overtime won’t hurt either.
6. Northwestern—20-13 (7-11)
The Wildcats proved their win against Purdue back in January wasn’t a fluke when they gave the Boilermakers all they could handle this week. The loss knocked them out of the Big Ten tournament, and any shot of the NCAA tournament. This team will get an NIT invite just like Illinois.
7. Illinois—19-14 (10-8)
The Illini took full advantage of a emotionally drained Ohio State team, but still fell short in double overtime. The bubble most likely burst with that loss to Ohio State. I’d be surprised if they get in considering Minnesota probably just took their spot.
8. Michigan—15-17 (7-11)
The Wolverines lost a heartbreaker to arch rival Ohio State on Evan Turner’s 37-foot buzzer beater. This up and down season ends on a down note as the loss puts them at only 15 wins on the season and likely out of the NIT tournament.
9. Iowa—10-22 (4-13)
The Hawkeyes are wondering if head coach Todd Lickliter will return next season. It’s been an up and down year, mostly down for Iowa. Suspensions, transfers and just bad play plagued them all season. They are in a very similar situation to Indiana, a young team that’s going through growing pains. This team will be much better next season.
10. Indiana—10-21 (4-14)
The Hoosiers won their last game of the regular season against Northwestern, just to have the Wildcats come back and punish them 73-58 in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament. This young team should be much improved next season, eventually contending for a Big Ten crown.
11. Penn State—11-20 (3-15)
The Nittany Lions were one complimentary play away from being a contender in the Big Ten this year. Time and time again they lost close games where Battle did all he could to get the win but fell short. If Battle comes back next season incoming freshman Taran Buie might be the player Penn State desperately needs.
The Way I See It: The Big East Power Rankings (Final)
1. West Virginia (27-6)
The Mountaineers get the top spot, not just for winning the Big East tournament, but by taking a six game win streak into the NCAA tournament. That streak includes two wins over the Hoyas, one of Villanova, two over Cincinnati and another over Notre Dame. All of those teams were on the bubble or considered in the NCAA tournament. Da’Sean Butler’s leadership will be hard to overcome for opposing teams, it was no different this past week.
2. Syracuse (28-4)
The Orange lost their first game in the Big East tournament to the Hoyas. I’m still trying to figure out if they really cared about that game or not. They didn’t have much to prove or play for considering they’ve beaten the Hoyas twice this season and won the regular season Big East crown. Potentially losing Arinze Onuaku could really hurt this team.
3. Georgetown (23-10)
Third times the charm for the Hoyas, they finally bested the Syracuse Orange 91-84 in the Big East tournament. I think hurdling that mental roadblock will provide dividends for this team from here on out. Georgetown is build to go far in NCAA tournament this season, and I wouldn’t expect anything less.
4. Notre Dame (23-11)
The Irish needed some wins in the Big East tournament to punch their ticket to the dance. They did just that, before falling to eventual Big East tournament Champion West Virginia 53-51. If they keep this high level of play going into the tournament this team could make it to the Sweet 16 perhaps more.
5. Villanova (24-7)
The Wildcats are in trouble right now. Going into NCAA Tournament they are 2-5 in the last seven games. In the tournament Villanova is going to see Big East quality team from the second round on, and it’s showing it cant compete right now. If they don’t improve quickly look for a quick exit from this team.
6. Pittsburgh (24-8)
The Panthers disappointed me during the Big East tournament. I know Notre Dame caught fire, but I expect Pittsburgh to contend for the tournament crown. I really wanted to see a rematch of the Backyard Brawl after that 98-95 overtime game the Panthers won earlier this season.
7. Marquette (22-11)
The Golden Eagles knocked off Villanova before losing to Georgetown in the Big East tournament. The Villanova win I think moves them up a seed now considering they now have 22 on the season. They could have made a little better showing against the Hoyas though, losing 80-57 didn’t look to good.
8. Louisville (20-12)
The Cardinals got upset in their first game of the Big East tournament by the Bearcats. Coach Pitino says this team is in, and I have to agree with him. They have some good wins and come out of a brutal conference. Those two wins of Syracuse are huge right now.
9. South Florida (20-12)
The Bulls have their best record since the 1989-1990 season. The wont be dancing this year, but the NIT is more than was expected for the team back in November. Dominique Jones and Augustus need a full season together for the Bulls to reach their full potential. Hopefully Bulls fans get a chance to see that, but I bet Jones opts for the NBA draft this summer.
10. Seton Hall (19-12)
The Pirates took part in a virtual “play in” game against Notre Dame; unfortunately they lost to the Irish 68-56. The bubble has officially burst for Seton Hall, but look for this team to make some noise in the NIT with Hazell and Pope leading the charge.
11. Cincinnati (18-15)
The Bearcats had me believing they might run the table in the Big East tournament. The dream ended with a heart breaker to West Virginia 54-51, and at 18-15 they look NIT bound. This team is going to get better next season. The incoming recruiting class looks very good, but they need to replace Deonta Vaughn before we get ahead of ourselves.
12. St. Johns (17-15)
The Red Storm had a decent Big East tournament. They destroyed the Huskies 73-51, and lost a nail biter to a good Marquette team 57-55. This team gets buried with all the great teams in the Big East, but finishing above .500 is admirable.
13. Connecticut (17-15)
The Huskies will have Jim Calhoun back next season, but will have to rebuild after losing six seniors and possibly Kemba Walker. Calhoun needs a relaxing offseason after this up and down year he had. The recruiting class doesn’t look bad; expect to see the Huskies rebound after this dismal year.
14. Rutgers (15-17)
The Scarlet Knights had a respectable season when considering the injuries and transfers that happened this season. They finished just below .500, but in the Big East that’s not bad for a team that wasn’t expected to do much. Next years team should be able to get them over .500, but I wouldn’t expect much more than that.
15. Providence (12-19)
The Friars gave a tremendous effort in the second half to come from 18 down against Seton Hall. In the end it wasn’t enough as they fell 109-105 in overtime. Providence is better than its record, but unfortunately its defense is not.
16. DePaul (8-23)
The Blue Demons extended their losing streak to 13 games as it finished the season with a 58-49 loss to USF in round one of the Big East tournament. DePaul has some talent coming back, and should have a better season next year; well just about anything is better than this season.
The Mountaineers get the top spot, not just for winning the Big East tournament, but by taking a six game win streak into the NCAA tournament. That streak includes two wins over the Hoyas, one of Villanova, two over Cincinnati and another over Notre Dame. All of those teams were on the bubble or considered in the NCAA tournament. Da’Sean Butler’s leadership will be hard to overcome for opposing teams, it was no different this past week.
2. Syracuse (28-4)
The Orange lost their first game in the Big East tournament to the Hoyas. I’m still trying to figure out if they really cared about that game or not. They didn’t have much to prove or play for considering they’ve beaten the Hoyas twice this season and won the regular season Big East crown. Potentially losing Arinze Onuaku could really hurt this team.
3. Georgetown (23-10)
Third times the charm for the Hoyas, they finally bested the Syracuse Orange 91-84 in the Big East tournament. I think hurdling that mental roadblock will provide dividends for this team from here on out. Georgetown is build to go far in NCAA tournament this season, and I wouldn’t expect anything less.
4. Notre Dame (23-11)
The Irish needed some wins in the Big East tournament to punch their ticket to the dance. They did just that, before falling to eventual Big East tournament Champion West Virginia 53-51. If they keep this high level of play going into the tournament this team could make it to the Sweet 16 perhaps more.
5. Villanova (24-7)
The Wildcats are in trouble right now. Going into NCAA Tournament they are 2-5 in the last seven games. In the tournament Villanova is going to see Big East quality team from the second round on, and it’s showing it cant compete right now. If they don’t improve quickly look for a quick exit from this team.
6. Pittsburgh (24-8)
The Panthers disappointed me during the Big East tournament. I know Notre Dame caught fire, but I expect Pittsburgh to contend for the tournament crown. I really wanted to see a rematch of the Backyard Brawl after that 98-95 overtime game the Panthers won earlier this season.
7. Marquette (22-11)
The Golden Eagles knocked off Villanova before losing to Georgetown in the Big East tournament. The Villanova win I think moves them up a seed now considering they now have 22 on the season. They could have made a little better showing against the Hoyas though, losing 80-57 didn’t look to good.
8. Louisville (20-12)
The Cardinals got upset in their first game of the Big East tournament by the Bearcats. Coach Pitino says this team is in, and I have to agree with him. They have some good wins and come out of a brutal conference. Those two wins of Syracuse are huge right now.
9. South Florida (20-12)
The Bulls have their best record since the 1989-1990 season. The wont be dancing this year, but the NIT is more than was expected for the team back in November. Dominique Jones and Augustus need a full season together for the Bulls to reach their full potential. Hopefully Bulls fans get a chance to see that, but I bet Jones opts for the NBA draft this summer.
10. Seton Hall (19-12)
The Pirates took part in a virtual “play in” game against Notre Dame; unfortunately they lost to the Irish 68-56. The bubble has officially burst for Seton Hall, but look for this team to make some noise in the NIT with Hazell and Pope leading the charge.
11. Cincinnati (18-15)
The Bearcats had me believing they might run the table in the Big East tournament. The dream ended with a heart breaker to West Virginia 54-51, and at 18-15 they look NIT bound. This team is going to get better next season. The incoming recruiting class looks very good, but they need to replace Deonta Vaughn before we get ahead of ourselves.
12. St. Johns (17-15)
The Red Storm had a decent Big East tournament. They destroyed the Huskies 73-51, and lost a nail biter to a good Marquette team 57-55. This team gets buried with all the great teams in the Big East, but finishing above .500 is admirable.
13. Connecticut (17-15)
The Huskies will have Jim Calhoun back next season, but will have to rebuild after losing six seniors and possibly Kemba Walker. Calhoun needs a relaxing offseason after this up and down year he had. The recruiting class doesn’t look bad; expect to see the Huskies rebound after this dismal year.
14. Rutgers (15-17)
The Scarlet Knights had a respectable season when considering the injuries and transfers that happened this season. They finished just below .500, but in the Big East that’s not bad for a team that wasn’t expected to do much. Next years team should be able to get them over .500, but I wouldn’t expect much more than that.
15. Providence (12-19)
The Friars gave a tremendous effort in the second half to come from 18 down against Seton Hall. In the end it wasn’t enough as they fell 109-105 in overtime. Providence is better than its record, but unfortunately its defense is not.
16. DePaul (8-23)
The Blue Demons extended their losing streak to 13 games as it finished the season with a 58-49 loss to USF in round one of the Big East tournament. DePaul has some talent coming back, and should have a better season next year; well just about anything is better than this season.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Ohio State Buckeyes: Living Dangerously in March on Borrowed Time
Ohio State continues its dramatic postseason play. For an encore to the Evan Turner buzzer beater over Michigan comes a double overtime thriller against Illinois. The Buckeyes keep coming up smelling like roses, but will it last?
Thad Matta continues to give his starters heavy minutes, minutes that are draining his team in the second half. Ohio State came out sluggish today, and it was expected after the emotional victory over arch-rival Michigan.
The Buckeyes had nothing to gain by beating Illinois; they’ve done it twice this season already. Illinois on the other hand needs to secure its spot in the NCAA Tournament, and a win over No. 7 Ohio State would have looked very good on the resume.
Is it a surprise that this game went into overtime? No, Ohio State didn’t score for almost seven and a half minutes in the first half and another four-minute drought in the second half. Evan Turner had 10 turnovers alone today, combining for a team total of 18.
The Buckeyes had better be careful when they take on Minnesota tomorrow. The Gophers are in the same boat as the Illini when it comes to bubble teams. They have a lot to play for, and an automatic NCAA seed will be something surely on their minds.
Evan Tuner, David Lighty, and William Buford all logged 50 minutes today in the win. Jon Diebler added 40 of his own, giving four of the five starters a complete game and then some as far as game time today. This is going to catch up to Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament fairly soon.
The Buckeyes haven’t looked that impressive as a No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament this season. If they win it they’ll be in the running for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, something I’m not so sure they want.
Ohio State would be best suited as a No. 2 seed this season. The pressure of a No. 1 seed will be too much for a team that’s already showing signs of cracking this March. The post position continues to be a large concern, and today was a perfect example.
Dallas Lauderdale logged two points and two rebounds in 18 minutes of play today. His limited play is a mystery at this time, but its obvious Matta is not happy with his production.
In his place was Kyle Madsen who’s 32 minutes yielded a whopping four points today. Madsen did have seven rebounds to his credit, but the lack of offensive production in the post for the Buckeyes is alarming.
Right now this team doesn’t have the horses to get it done this season. The lack of depth is catching up with them, and will probably catch them in the Sweet 16 this year. Evan Turner can only take OSU so far, and when he fouled out today the team looked lost even though they still had the lead.
Turner finished with a “triple double” consisting of 31 points 10 rebounds and 10 turnovers. It wasn’t his best performance as a Buckeye, but still a solid performance that lifted OSU to the win. If he doesn’t win the Player of the Year this season it’s a shame. Ohio State will go only as far as Evan Turner will carry them.
Thad Matta continues to give his starters heavy minutes, minutes that are draining his team in the second half. Ohio State came out sluggish today, and it was expected after the emotional victory over arch-rival Michigan.
The Buckeyes had nothing to gain by beating Illinois; they’ve done it twice this season already. Illinois on the other hand needs to secure its spot in the NCAA Tournament, and a win over No. 7 Ohio State would have looked very good on the resume.
Is it a surprise that this game went into overtime? No, Ohio State didn’t score for almost seven and a half minutes in the first half and another four-minute drought in the second half. Evan Turner had 10 turnovers alone today, combining for a team total of 18.
The Buckeyes had better be careful when they take on Minnesota tomorrow. The Gophers are in the same boat as the Illini when it comes to bubble teams. They have a lot to play for, and an automatic NCAA seed will be something surely on their minds.
Evan Tuner, David Lighty, and William Buford all logged 50 minutes today in the win. Jon Diebler added 40 of his own, giving four of the five starters a complete game and then some as far as game time today. This is going to catch up to Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament fairly soon.
The Buckeyes haven’t looked that impressive as a No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament this season. If they win it they’ll be in the running for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, something I’m not so sure they want.
Ohio State would be best suited as a No. 2 seed this season. The pressure of a No. 1 seed will be too much for a team that’s already showing signs of cracking this March. The post position continues to be a large concern, and today was a perfect example.
Dallas Lauderdale logged two points and two rebounds in 18 minutes of play today. His limited play is a mystery at this time, but its obvious Matta is not happy with his production.
In his place was Kyle Madsen who’s 32 minutes yielded a whopping four points today. Madsen did have seven rebounds to his credit, but the lack of offensive production in the post for the Buckeyes is alarming.
Right now this team doesn’t have the horses to get it done this season. The lack of depth is catching up with them, and will probably catch them in the Sweet 16 this year. Evan Turner can only take OSU so far, and when he fouled out today the team looked lost even though they still had the lead.
Turner finished with a “triple double” consisting of 31 points 10 rebounds and 10 turnovers. It wasn’t his best performance as a Buckeye, but still a solid performance that lifted OSU to the win. If he doesn’t win the Player of the Year this season it’s a shame. Ohio State will go only as far as Evan Turner will carry them.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thad Matta's Post Game Antics Draw Attention, Help Fuel OSU-UM Rivalry
Thad Matta has added his own spice to the Ohio State program since he arrived for the 2004-2005 season. His constant gum chewing and pacing are a welcomed part of the Buckeyes bench these days.
Today was no different. When Evan Turner hit the biggest shot of the Buckeye season, Matta charged into mid-court as a red ball of fiery energy. Was he yelling his displeasure at Ed Hightower potentially calling of Turner’s buzzer beater? Or was he putting his own mark on the Ohio State Michigan rivalry?
From watching the replay it’s hard to tell, it looks as if he’s focused on the timekeepers and Hightower. On the other hand Michigan Head Coach John Beilein didn’t vote for Turner during the Big Ten Player of the Year voting.
Was this Matta’s attempt at a “310 days” speech? I don’t think it was. He’d forever be a legend in Columbus if it was, but Matta has a lot of class and embarrassing the University is something he’s not prone to doing.
I can’t fault the man if it’s a little of both, emotions run high in tournament games, and this one was no different. Add the history of these two schools, and it amps the emotions up even more. He watched his team sleep walk through the second half and blow a 10-point halftime lead, something he wasn’t happy about that either.
“Hopefully this game can wake us up, get some of the cobwebs out, get us back on track,” Matta said after the game. He wasn’t done expressing his frustration with his team’s lack of intensity. “It's funny, I was so mad at how we had played throughout the course of the game,” Matta expressed.
This wasn’t the best performance he’s seen, but it’s got to be one of the most exciting during his six seasons for the Buckeyes. Was this excitement and frustration directed at the Michigan bench and Coach Beilein, or the majesty of Ed Hightower himself?
It depends on whom you ask. Michigan message boards are a glow with venom spewing toward Ohio State and this classless act. Ohio State fans assume it was the officials Matta was focused on. Either way it’s going to be a hot topic between the two fan basses during the offseason before football starts.
I’m going to side with the Hightower argument, but Coach Matta if you’re going to go off on Michigan there’s a scarlet and gray clad army ready to go right there with you so don’t be shy next time.
Today was no different. When Evan Turner hit the biggest shot of the Buckeye season, Matta charged into mid-court as a red ball of fiery energy. Was he yelling his displeasure at Ed Hightower potentially calling of Turner’s buzzer beater? Or was he putting his own mark on the Ohio State Michigan rivalry?
From watching the replay it’s hard to tell, it looks as if he’s focused on the timekeepers and Hightower. On the other hand Michigan Head Coach John Beilein didn’t vote for Turner during the Big Ten Player of the Year voting.
Was this Matta’s attempt at a “310 days” speech? I don’t think it was. He’d forever be a legend in Columbus if it was, but Matta has a lot of class and embarrassing the University is something he’s not prone to doing.
I can’t fault the man if it’s a little of both, emotions run high in tournament games, and this one was no different. Add the history of these two schools, and it amps the emotions up even more. He watched his team sleep walk through the second half and blow a 10-point halftime lead, something he wasn’t happy about that either.
“Hopefully this game can wake us up, get some of the cobwebs out, get us back on track,” Matta said after the game. He wasn’t done expressing his frustration with his team’s lack of intensity. “It's funny, I was so mad at how we had played throughout the course of the game,” Matta expressed.
This wasn’t the best performance he’s seen, but it’s got to be one of the most exciting during his six seasons for the Buckeyes. Was this excitement and frustration directed at the Michigan bench and Coach Beilein, or the majesty of Ed Hightower himself?
It depends on whom you ask. Michigan message boards are a glow with venom spewing toward Ohio State and this classless act. Ohio State fans assume it was the officials Matta was focused on. Either way it’s going to be a hot topic between the two fan basses during the offseason before football starts.
I’m going to side with the Hightower argument, but Coach Matta if you’re going to go off on Michigan there’s a scarlet and gray clad army ready to go right there with you so don’t be shy next time.
Ohio State Survives Scare from Michigan with Heroics from Evan Turner
Evan Turner’s first 15 points and 39 minutes and 57 seconds were part of another ho-hum performance from the Buckeyes star player.
His last three points and three seconds are something that Buckeye fans will remember for a long time.
Turner threw up a 37-foot Hail Mary with several tenths left on the clock after taking the in bounds with 2.2 seconds remaining. That prayer was answered as Ohio State once again beat Michigan, this time 69-68 in dramatic fashion.
Turner was named Big Ten Player of the Year and earned his award today. It wasn’t only in scoring today that Turner showed why he’s so important; his eight assists helped keep the Buckeyes in it in the second half as Michigan caught fire.
The Buckeyes took a 35-25 lead into half, but watched it fade away as Manny Harris put on a clinic. Michigan (15-17) outscored Ohio State 43-34 in the second half, mostly to Harris’ 26 points.
DeShawn Sims and Stu Douglas gave Harris some support by chipping in 16 points a piece. Michigan shot 49 percent on the game, including a 38 percent mark from beyond the arc. They had no trouble at the free throw line either, going 12-14.
Ohio State looked as if it would cruise to another victory with the way they closed the first half. The lack of intensity in the second half killed this Buckeye team once again. Whether it's tiredness from too many minutes or lack of focus, this team needs to solve its second half woes quickly.
David Lighty’s 15 points helped pace the Buckeyes throughout the game, and Jon Diebler's 11 points came mostly from perimeter shooting that Ohio State desperately needed.
William Buford continues to step up and has become the Buckeyes go-to guy when Turner draws the double team. He finished with 15 points on the day.
Dallas Lauderdale finished with 2 points and four fouls, giving teams a blueprint on how to beat the Buckeyes: Get the big man in foul trouble and the paint will open like Moses and the Red Sea. Ohio State has to keep Lauderdale’s fouls under control if they have any shot at going deep into the NCAA tournament this season.
Ohio State (25-7) will wait to see who they play out of the Wisconsin vs. Illinois matchup going on this afternoon. After the way the Buckeyes played in the second half either team will pose a serious challenge, especially the Badgers.
His last three points and three seconds are something that Buckeye fans will remember for a long time.
Turner threw up a 37-foot Hail Mary with several tenths left on the clock after taking the in bounds with 2.2 seconds remaining. That prayer was answered as Ohio State once again beat Michigan, this time 69-68 in dramatic fashion.
Turner was named Big Ten Player of the Year and earned his award today. It wasn’t only in scoring today that Turner showed why he’s so important; his eight assists helped keep the Buckeyes in it in the second half as Michigan caught fire.
The Buckeyes took a 35-25 lead into half, but watched it fade away as Manny Harris put on a clinic. Michigan (15-17) outscored Ohio State 43-34 in the second half, mostly to Harris’ 26 points.
DeShawn Sims and Stu Douglas gave Harris some support by chipping in 16 points a piece. Michigan shot 49 percent on the game, including a 38 percent mark from beyond the arc. They had no trouble at the free throw line either, going 12-14.
Ohio State looked as if it would cruise to another victory with the way they closed the first half. The lack of intensity in the second half killed this Buckeye team once again. Whether it's tiredness from too many minutes or lack of focus, this team needs to solve its second half woes quickly.
David Lighty’s 15 points helped pace the Buckeyes throughout the game, and Jon Diebler's 11 points came mostly from perimeter shooting that Ohio State desperately needed.
William Buford continues to step up and has become the Buckeyes go-to guy when Turner draws the double team. He finished with 15 points on the day.
Dallas Lauderdale finished with 2 points and four fouls, giving teams a blueprint on how to beat the Buckeyes: Get the big man in foul trouble and the paint will open like Moses and the Red Sea. Ohio State has to keep Lauderdale’s fouls under control if they have any shot at going deep into the NCAA tournament this season.
Ohio State (25-7) will wait to see who they play out of the Wisconsin vs. Illinois matchup going on this afternoon. After the way the Buckeyes played in the second half either team will pose a serious challenge, especially the Badgers.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Big East tournament 2010: Georgetown Hoyas show USF Bulls who's top dog
Georgetown got the last laugh on the USF as they cruised to a 69-49 victory in Madison Square Garden. The Bulls shooting woes carried over from the DePaul game, hindering the already over matched USF team.
The Bulls never got on track shooting against a stingy Hoya defense. “We really struggled shooting today,” quoted Stan Heath in the post game press conference. He was right; the Bulls shot 29 percent from the field and 10 percent from three-point range.
The 1-10 performance today made USF 1-18 in the Big East tournament. The Bulls shot 36 percent from the field in their two games in the tournament. “ It’s hard to beat teams like Georgetown when you’re missing shots from outside,” Dominique Jones said.
Dominique Jones finished once again with the game high in a Big East game. His 21 points unfortunately were the only total in double figures for the Bulls. Jones finished the season as the second leading scorer in the Big East.
Augustus Gilchrist finished with nine points and eight rebounds, but has been very inconsistent since returning from an ankle injury that forced him to miss most of the season.
Jarrid Famous, who’s been asked to step up to match Gilchrist’s former production, had seven pints and seven rebounds. Neither player could do much against Greg Monroe on the defensive end of the court.
Monroe finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, imposing his will on the Bills big men for most of the game. Monroe unlike Jones had plenty of help from his supporting cast. Both Chris Wright and Jason Clark finished with 15 points and 16 points respectively.
The Big East tournament was hardly impressive for USF when it needed to shine for the NCAA selection committee. If they hadn’t opened with DePaul this team would have been bounced in round one. With the slim NCAA hopes dashed the Bulls turn their attention to the NIT.
USF (20-12, 9-9 Big East) has some quality wins and a decent post-season resume. It wont be enough for the NCAA this season, but they will get a favorable seed in the NIT. This is the most wins since the 1989-90 season when the Bulls finished 20-11.
The Bulls never got on track shooting against a stingy Hoya defense. “We really struggled shooting today,” quoted Stan Heath in the post game press conference. He was right; the Bulls shot 29 percent from the field and 10 percent from three-point range.
The 1-10 performance today made USF 1-18 in the Big East tournament. The Bulls shot 36 percent from the field in their two games in the tournament. “ It’s hard to beat teams like Georgetown when you’re missing shots from outside,” Dominique Jones said.
Dominique Jones finished once again with the game high in a Big East game. His 21 points unfortunately were the only total in double figures for the Bulls. Jones finished the season as the second leading scorer in the Big East.
Augustus Gilchrist finished with nine points and eight rebounds, but has been very inconsistent since returning from an ankle injury that forced him to miss most of the season.
Jarrid Famous, who’s been asked to step up to match Gilchrist’s former production, had seven pints and seven rebounds. Neither player could do much against Greg Monroe on the defensive end of the court.
Monroe finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, imposing his will on the Bills big men for most of the game. Monroe unlike Jones had plenty of help from his supporting cast. Both Chris Wright and Jason Clark finished with 15 points and 16 points respectively.
The Big East tournament was hardly impressive for USF when it needed to shine for the NCAA selection committee. If they hadn’t opened with DePaul this team would have been bounced in round one. With the slim NCAA hopes dashed the Bulls turn their attention to the NIT.
USF (20-12, 9-9 Big East) has some quality wins and a decent post-season resume. It wont be enough for the NCAA this season, but they will get a favorable seed in the NIT. This is the most wins since the 1989-90 season when the Bulls finished 20-11.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
SH-Prov: Pirates Survive Late Rally By Friars, Turn Focus On Notre Dame
Seton Hall (19-11) came into the Big East tournament with an RPI at 54. The Pirates knew they needed to make a serious run in the next few days in order to impress the NCAA selection committee. Tonight’s win over Providence (12-18), 109-106 will get them that much closer to their dream.
It wasn’t Jeremy Hazell who made the Providence nervous this game it was Herb Pope. Pope went into the half with 18 points and eight rebounds; he finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds. He was the main reason Seton Hall took a 55-39 lead into the half. This was his 13 double-double on the season.
Providence knew it was only a matter of time before Hazell, Seton Hall’s star player, made his impact on the game. It came in the second half as Hazell scored 18 points in the game, mostly in the second half before fouling out with 31 seconds left.
Seton Hall had all five starters in double figures against the porous Friar defense. Eugene Harvey finished with 12 points, while Jeff Robinson chipped in 15 points and six rebounds.
Jordan Theodore finished with 21 points and six assists; He was Seton Hall’s sharpshooter tonight going 3-3 from behind the arc. The Pirates finished shooting 53 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
Providence doesn’t know how to play defense, but they do know how to score. It was the fourth time this season Providence has scored 100 or more points in a game.
Jamie Peterson finished with a career high 38 points, he also had 16 rebounds 10 of which were offensive. He was a large part of the offensive success for the Friars not only in this game, but also throughout the season.
Marshon Brooks had 15 points, Sharaud Curry added 14, and Bilal Dixon tallied 16 as the other Friars in double figures in scoring.
This was the second time this season the Friars have allowed 100 or more points; both were losses. USF scored 109 in an overtime victory against Providence in January. This was the highest total they’ve allowed in a Big East tournament game.
The largest lead was 26 points, but Providence cut it down to three with 21 seconds left in the game. Once Herb Pope fouled out, the Friars got some late momentum even though it was too little too late.
Seton Hall will turn its focus onto Notre Dame. These two teams are in the thick of the bubble talk and both could use the win. Notre Dame currently has an RPI of 57, and an impressive Big East resume going into tournament play. The Pirates won the previously meeting this season 90-87 a month ago.
It wasn’t Jeremy Hazell who made the Providence nervous this game it was Herb Pope. Pope went into the half with 18 points and eight rebounds; he finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds. He was the main reason Seton Hall took a 55-39 lead into the half. This was his 13 double-double on the season.
Providence knew it was only a matter of time before Hazell, Seton Hall’s star player, made his impact on the game. It came in the second half as Hazell scored 18 points in the game, mostly in the second half before fouling out with 31 seconds left.
Seton Hall had all five starters in double figures against the porous Friar defense. Eugene Harvey finished with 12 points, while Jeff Robinson chipped in 15 points and six rebounds.
Jordan Theodore finished with 21 points and six assists; He was Seton Hall’s sharpshooter tonight going 3-3 from behind the arc. The Pirates finished shooting 53 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
Providence doesn’t know how to play defense, but they do know how to score. It was the fourth time this season Providence has scored 100 or more points in a game.
Jamie Peterson finished with a career high 38 points, he also had 16 rebounds 10 of which were offensive. He was a large part of the offensive success for the Friars not only in this game, but also throughout the season.
Marshon Brooks had 15 points, Sharaud Curry added 14, and Bilal Dixon tallied 16 as the other Friars in double figures in scoring.
This was the second time this season the Friars have allowed 100 or more points; both were losses. USF scored 109 in an overtime victory against Providence in January. This was the highest total they’ve allowed in a Big East tournament game.
The largest lead was 26 points, but Providence cut it down to three with 21 seconds left in the game. Once Herb Pope fouled out, the Friars got some late momentum even though it was too little too late.
Seton Hall will turn its focus onto Notre Dame. These two teams are in the thick of the bubble talk and both could use the win. Notre Dame currently has an RPI of 57, and an impressive Big East resume going into tournament play. The Pirates won the previously meeting this season 90-87 a month ago.
Bowling Green Falcons End Season On Sour Note, Look Forward To 2011
Bowling Green had a slim chance of finishing above .500 this season, ending its season on a three game slide. The only hope was a serious run in the MAC Tournament, and unfortunately the Falcons just didn’t have it in them this season.
Bowling Green held a 39-38 advantage going into the held but Fell to Western Michigan 75-73 in the opening round of the tournament. This loss brought the Bowling Green to 14-16 on the season and 6-10 in conference play, it also ended its season.
Starting the season was renewed optimism with senior leadership coming from Otis Polk, Marc Larson, Erik Marschall and Matt Karaffa. It also saw the addition of Dennis Hopson to the coaching staff.
Polk, Larson, and Marschall shared minutes between the three of them for a large part of the season. Scott Thomas, the teams leading scorer, was the only player to play more than 26 minutes in every game this season.
Marschall and Larson underachieved for most of the season. Larson finished averaging 5.6 points and 4.2 rebound this season. Marschall never could reach the totals of his sophomore year, and averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds this season.
Joe Jakubowski was a bright spot for Bowling Green in his third season averaging 8.3 points and 3.7 assists a game. He’ll be a key member of the team next season as the teams point guard.
Scott Thomas averaged a team high 13.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season. Thomas, along with Jakubowski and scoring guard Dee Brown will be the key members of the Falcons next season. Brown averaged 10.6 points per game, and was the only other returning Falcon besides Thomas to do so this season.
Luke Kraus, Danny McElroy, and DaVon Haynes are all underclassmen that should see considerable action next season with the loss of the seniors. The Falcons should be more competitive next season as this young team matures.
Bowling Green held a 39-38 advantage going into the held but Fell to Western Michigan 75-73 in the opening round of the tournament. This loss brought the Bowling Green to 14-16 on the season and 6-10 in conference play, it also ended its season.
Starting the season was renewed optimism with senior leadership coming from Otis Polk, Marc Larson, Erik Marschall and Matt Karaffa. It also saw the addition of Dennis Hopson to the coaching staff.
Polk, Larson, and Marschall shared minutes between the three of them for a large part of the season. Scott Thomas, the teams leading scorer, was the only player to play more than 26 minutes in every game this season.
Marschall and Larson underachieved for most of the season. Larson finished averaging 5.6 points and 4.2 rebound this season. Marschall never could reach the totals of his sophomore year, and averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds this season.
Joe Jakubowski was a bright spot for Bowling Green in his third season averaging 8.3 points and 3.7 assists a game. He’ll be a key member of the team next season as the teams point guard.
Scott Thomas averaged a team high 13.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season. Thomas, along with Jakubowski and scoring guard Dee Brown will be the key members of the Falcons next season. Brown averaged 10.6 points per game, and was the only other returning Falcon besides Thomas to do so this season.
Luke Kraus, Danny McElroy, and DaVon Haynes are all underclassmen that should see considerable action next season with the loss of the seniors. The Falcons should be more competitive next season as this young team matures.
Conn-STJ: Huskies Lackluster Play Leads To Blowout Loss By Red Storm
The Connecticut Huskies (17-15) are officially NIT bound, well if they get the invite. Looser of three straight before the opening round of the Big East tournament, the Huskies needed to make a run to help boost their resume.
Instead they flopped for a forth-straight time, this time getting blown out by a St. Johns (17-14) team 73-51. The Huskies came into the game with confidence considering they had already beaten the Red Storm 75-59 back in January.
That confidence soon became frustration when St. Johns took a 35-22 lead into the half. The 13-point deficit was something Head Coach Jim Calhoun wasn’t happy with, but something they could overcome.
The second half unfortunately for Connecticut was uglier than the first. Connecticut was outscored 38-29; losing by 22 points in Madison Square Garden.
This was only the second time this season that a team has shot 50 percent or higher from the field. South Florida shot 51 percent in the season finale; a game the Huskies lost 75-68.
Connecticut went 8-12 since the start of the New Year, and has play inconsistently most of the season. This team shut it down today, especially in the second half. “ They have no heart and no urgency. I was shocked to see the lack of tempo in the second half by this team,” said Doug Gottlieb of ESPN
St. Johns knew they had the Huskies where it wanted them. “We outplayed them for 20 minutes, we knew we could outplay them for another 20,” Head Coach Norm Roberts stated after the game.
St. Johns shot 53 percent from beyond the arc, and hit some daggers in the second half to seal the win. Paris Horne was a large part of that success going 2-2 on the perimeter and finishing with 13 points. Justin Browniee also had some key buckets and chipped in 13 of his own.
Sean Evans finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. The Huskies didn’t have an answer for the St. Johns forward, who went 7-9 from the field and a perfect 5-5 from the charity stripe.
The Huskies will now head into the offseason with questions on Head Coach Jim Calhoun’s future, along with the problems of replacing senior leadership. At least one thing is going well for the University of Connecticut this season, Its Women’s team who’s won 71 straight games, maybe some of that luck can rub off on the Men’s team next season.
Instead they flopped for a forth-straight time, this time getting blown out by a St. Johns (17-14) team 73-51. The Huskies came into the game with confidence considering they had already beaten the Red Storm 75-59 back in January.
That confidence soon became frustration when St. Johns took a 35-22 lead into the half. The 13-point deficit was something Head Coach Jim Calhoun wasn’t happy with, but something they could overcome.
The second half unfortunately for Connecticut was uglier than the first. Connecticut was outscored 38-29; losing by 22 points in Madison Square Garden.
This was only the second time this season that a team has shot 50 percent or higher from the field. South Florida shot 51 percent in the season finale; a game the Huskies lost 75-68.
Connecticut went 8-12 since the start of the New Year, and has play inconsistently most of the season. This team shut it down today, especially in the second half. “ They have no heart and no urgency. I was shocked to see the lack of tempo in the second half by this team,” said Doug Gottlieb of ESPN
St. Johns knew they had the Huskies where it wanted them. “We outplayed them for 20 minutes, we knew we could outplay them for another 20,” Head Coach Norm Roberts stated after the game.
St. Johns shot 53 percent from beyond the arc, and hit some daggers in the second half to seal the win. Paris Horne was a large part of that success going 2-2 on the perimeter and finishing with 13 points. Justin Browniee also had some key buckets and chipped in 13 of his own.
Sean Evans finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. The Huskies didn’t have an answer for the St. Johns forward, who went 7-9 from the field and a perfect 5-5 from the charity stripe.
The Huskies will now head into the offseason with questions on Head Coach Jim Calhoun’s future, along with the problems of replacing senior leadership. At least one thing is going well for the University of Connecticut this season, Its Women’s team who’s won 71 straight games, maybe some of that luck can rub off on the Men’s team next season.
USF Wins Sloppy Game Against DePaul, Keeps NCAA Tournament Hopes Alive
Defense was the name of the game during the rematch between the DePaul Blue Demons (8-23) and the South Florida Bulls (20-11). Both teams struggled in the first half, with USF holding a 30-15 advantage going into the half. DePaul shot a measly 30 percent from the field and 26 percent from three-point range. USF wasn’t much better, going 43 percent fro the field and going 0-8 from behind the arc.
This is the Bulls second win over DePaul this season, previously winning 63-59. It’s the Bulls first win in the Big East tournament since joining the conference.
This win wasn’t pretty for USF, it’s the first time since March 3, 2004 that the Bulls haven’t made a three point shot in a game. It wasn’t just perimeter shooting that was off today either, USF went 6-14 from the line for a whopping 42 percent.
Jarrid Famous and Dominique Jones each had three turnovers as the Bulls totaled 10 for the game. Augustus Gilchrist wasn’t much better going 1-8 from the field finishing with two points and two missed dunks.
Mike Mercer’s 14 points and five rebounds helped ease the pressure of Dominique Jones to perform today. Jones finished with a game high 20 points and added nine rebounds. Mercer and Jones were they only Bulls players in double figures.
Mac Koshwal gave USF all it could handle in their last meeting, but today was a different story. Koshwal was held in check with eight points and 10 rebounds while going 3-8 from the field. He had 24 points and 11 rebounds in the previous meeting.
Will walker was the only bright spot for DePaul today. He finished with 20 points and tied Dominique Jones for the game high. Walker was the only Blue Demon in double figures.
USF continues to chase the slim hope of a NCAA Tournament berth. Since 1983 123 Big East teams have won at least 20 games, with 120 going to the NCAA Tournament. USF is now 20-11 on the season going into it’s next game with Georgetown (20-9). The Bulls pulled the upset in the last meeting 72-64 in Washington D.C. back in January.
This is the Bulls second win over DePaul this season, previously winning 63-59. It’s the Bulls first win in the Big East tournament since joining the conference.
This win wasn’t pretty for USF, it’s the first time since March 3, 2004 that the Bulls haven’t made a three point shot in a game. It wasn’t just perimeter shooting that was off today either, USF went 6-14 from the line for a whopping 42 percent.
Jarrid Famous and Dominique Jones each had three turnovers as the Bulls totaled 10 for the game. Augustus Gilchrist wasn’t much better going 1-8 from the field finishing with two points and two missed dunks.
Mike Mercer’s 14 points and five rebounds helped ease the pressure of Dominique Jones to perform today. Jones finished with a game high 20 points and added nine rebounds. Mercer and Jones were they only Bulls players in double figures.
Mac Koshwal gave USF all it could handle in their last meeting, but today was a different story. Koshwal was held in check with eight points and 10 rebounds while going 3-8 from the field. He had 24 points and 11 rebounds in the previous meeting.
Will walker was the only bright spot for DePaul today. He finished with 20 points and tied Dominique Jones for the game high. Walker was the only Blue Demon in double figures.
USF continues to chase the slim hope of a NCAA Tournament berth. Since 1983 123 Big East teams have won at least 20 games, with 120 going to the NCAA Tournament. USF is now 20-11 on the season going into it’s next game with Georgetown (20-9). The Bulls pulled the upset in the last meeting 72-64 in Washington D.C. back in January.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
March Madness 2010: 11 Things to Know About the Big Ten Tournament
Illinois
Rebounding and Desperation
The Fighting Illini have back themselves into a corner as far as their NCAA Tournament hopes are concerned. They finished the regular season on a three game slide. This team sits at 18-13 and needs to do some damage in the Big Ten tournament to repair the damage it did to it’s tournament resume. That desperation is something that’s hard for other teams to plan for, especially when they’ve already locked up their NCAA bid.
Illinois is a great rebounding team, averaging 36.7 per game, which is second in the Big Ten. Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis are the team’s leaders on both offense and defense when it comes to post play. Demetri McCamey keeps them in the game by feeding them down low as he records seven assists a game. All three players amount for over 70 percent of the team’s offense and when D.J. Richardson’s 10.5 points per game are added in that number jumps to 90 percent.
The Fighting Illini have the most wins in Big Ten tournament play with 22 all time. That bad news is that a No. 5 seed has never made it to the finals before. With the success that Illinois has had in the tournament, this may be the year that changes.
Indiana
Offensive Rebounding
The Hoosiers are still trying to rebuild since the programs collapse a few season ago. They struggled against the conference this and have managed only four wins, putting them in second to last place.
There are however, some positives to the Hoosiers this season. The 12.7 offensive rebounds per game put them second in the Big Ten standings. These second chance opportunities let them hang around in game giving them confidence that they can compete. Christian Watford’s six rebounds per game is a large factor in their success.
Two of the four conference victories have come in overtime this season, showing this team wont give up if they think there is a chance to win. Maurice Creek and Verdell Jones III provide good perimeter shooting that frees up the post for Watford to do his damage. The Hoosiers are dying for another chance at Purdue, who escaped with a 78-75 in their first meeting this season.
Iowa
Tournament History
The Hawkeyes have had a trying season this year. With only four conference victories, this team finds itself a nine seed in the tournament. The good thing for Iowa is that they are 6-3 in Indianapolis during Big Ten tournament play. They also have a .565 winning percentage all time during the conference tournament, which has led to titles in 2001 and 2006. Hopefully for Iowa’s sake this tradition rubs off, otherwise they’ll be bounced pretty quickly.
Head Coach Todd Lickliter has got to be feeling his seat getting warm after the poor performance this season, and with the dismissal of Anthony Tucker earlier in February. A strong showing in the Big Ten tournament might be enough to help quell any concerns that Iowa’s athletic department might have about its head coach.
Michigan
DeShawn Sims and Manny Harris
Michigan has one of the best one-two punches in the conference. Both Simms and Harris are in the top 5 in conference scorers. Manny Harris is averaging 18.2 points and game, just a shade higher than DeShawn Simms’s 17.1 points per game. Harris’s 4.1 assists a game lead the team, as he looks for Sims in the post. Both players average over six rebounds a game, giving Michigan solid play on both sides of the court.
This team’s lack of consistency will plague them in the tournament. The Wolverines have yet to win more than three games in a row this season and the conference tournament doesn’t look like the place where they’ll find much success, even with Sims and Harris carrying the team.
Michigan State
Physicality
Head Coach Tom Izzo has always stressed physical play on his Spartan teams. This year is nothing different, with the Spartans being tied for first in rebounds allowed per game with 29. They hold a plus nine average rebounding margin when playing a Big Ten team on average this season. It’s not just on defense that the Spartans make their presence felt. They also lead the conference in offensive rebounds with 13.4 per game.
When teams match-up with Michigan State not only do they know it will be a physical game, but they will also face a fundamentally sound team that plays smart basketball. Michigan State plays unselfish basketball leading the conference with 17.1 assists a game making this the most well rounded team in the tournament.
Minnesota
Tubby Smith’s Experience
The Gophers need to navigate their way through the tournament if they have a shot at the NCAA Tournament. This team sits at 18-12 and is on the bad side of the bubble. They’ll need to get wins over some of the Big Ten elite and probably get into the championship game or more to get in. Tubby Smith has been in this situation before and knows what his team needs to go dancing.
The Gophers lead the Big Ten in three-point percentage, hitting 40 percent of their attempts behind the arc. They are third in scoring in the conference with 72.9 points per game, giving Smith plenty to work with. Minnesota isn’t just offensively minded however; they lead the conference in blocks with 5.7 per game. Ralph Sampson III is a big part of the defense leading the team with 1.8 blocks per game 6.3 rebounds per game also a team high.
Northwestern
Perimeter Shooting
The Wildcats lead the Big Ten in three point shots made per game with 9.5. They’ve shot 36 percent on the season from beyond the arc. John Shurna’s 18.5 points lead the team, but he’s not the only one dialing them up from long distance. Michael Thompson, Drew Crawford and Jeremy Nash are all part of the Wildcats arsenal.
The losses to Penn State and Indiana have burst the Wildcats bubble. It’s going to take a tournament championship for this team to make the NCAA’s this season. This team has the ability, but the late season slide has put them behind the eight ball.
Ohio State
Zone Defense and Thad Matta
Head Coach Thad Matta swears by the 2-3 zone, and it’s hard to argue with its success at Ohio State. Matta has won at least 20 games in every season at Ohio State. The Buckeyes suffocating zone has lead to a defense yielding a stingy 60.4 points a game. This ranks second only to Wisconsin in the conference standings for team defense.
Leading the charge on the defensive end for the Bucks is Dallas Lauderdale. Lauderdale leads the Big Ten in blocks with 2.2 per game. Helping out on the boards is all everything Evan Turner who leads the Big Ten with 9.4 rebounds per game.
Penn State
Talor Battle
Battle is the heart and sole of Penn State’s basketball team. He’s averaging 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists this season, showing he can do it all. Penn State has played up to its competition when facing the Big Ten’s elite, and wont be an easy out during this tournament. Battle has score in double figures in all but two Big Ten games this season. Now that he’s seen every one of these teams’ defenses at least once, expect big things from this sharpshooter.
Purdue
E’Twaun Moore and JuJuan Johnson
The loss of Robbie Hummel has many experts are questioning Purdue’s seed in the NCAA Tournament. In Hummel’s absence, Purdue has a loss to Michigan State and two wins over Big Ten bottom feeders Indiana and Penn State.
It will take an impressive run in the Big Ten tournament to reassure the selection committee, and E’twaun Moore and JuJuan Johnson will be expected to carry the load. Moore’s 16 points and game come from a devastating jump shot. He’s also averaging three assists a game, most down in the post where JuJuan Johnson can be found. Johnson’s dominating presence in the post have him averaging 15 points and seven rebounds a game.
Wisconsin
Defense and Post Play
The Badgers lead the conference in points allowed 56.1 per game, and rebounds allowed 29 per game. This stifling defense means that’s if shooting teams like Northwestern are having an off night the Badgers will close the door early.
Not to many teams outrebound the Badgers, especially when Wisconsin is on defense. Jon Leuer is one of the main reasons for Wisconsin’s success on defense. His 1.5 blocks per game and 5.8 rebounds per game lead the team. He’s also the Badgers main post threat and is averaging 14.6 points per game. Since coming back from his injury, he’s complimented Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon during Wisconsin’s four game win streak to end the season.
2010 Big Ten Tournament
Ohio State comes in as the No. 1 seed, but can easily be unseated by the other conference powers. Purdue has to show the selection committee they are worthy of a top seed, even without Robbie Hummel. Michigan State traditional begins to shine from here on out, and the Spartan Faithful expect nothing less this year. Wisconsin has quietly made its way through the Big Ten schedule this season amassing an impressive record and beating all of the current regular season champions. The bubbles teams need to upset the powers to make it into the NCAA tournament. What it all boils down to is another exciting Big Ten tournament is about to tip off.
The Way I See It: Big Ten Power Rankings (Mar. 7)
1. Ohio State — 24-7 (14-4)
The Buckeyes took care of business, defeating Illinois 73-57 to claim share of the Big Ten Championship. They earned the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament and have a first round bye. The rest is much needed for a team that doesn’t go very deep into its bench. Evan Turner continues to look like the Player of the Year.
2. Michigan State — 24-7 (14-4)
The Spartans took it to instate rival Michigan, just to make sure the Wolverines knew the game between them earlier was a fluke. Their first meeting was 57-56 nail biter at Michigan. Michigan State joined Ohio state and Purdue as Big Ten Champion for the regular season with the win.
3. Purdue — 26-4 (14-4)
The Boilermakers won a share of the regular season Big Ten title with the 64-60 win over Penn State this week. It’s the first regular season title in 14 years. It doesn’t make up for the loss of Robbie Hummel, but it helps. A good showing in the Big Ten tournament gets them back in the No. 1 seed talks for the NCAA Tournament.
4. Wisconsin — 23-7 (13-5)
The Badgers are peaking right now going into tournament play. This is one team that has Sweet 16 written all over it, maybe more. I expect big things from them going into the Big Ten tournament; they have wins over all three of the Big Ten Champions this season.
5. Minnesota — 17-12 (8-9)
The Gophers lost to a bad Michigan team this week 83-55. It’s hard to say this team is on the bubble and keep a straight face. I don’t think they have many more wins left in the tank. It will take nothing short of the Big Ten tournament championship game to get them serious NCAA Tournament consideration.
6. Northwestern — 19-12 (7-11)
The Wildcats are a fraud when looking at their record. All but two of their wins are against lesser opponents. Those two wins are against Notre Dame and Purdue, and I’m still trying to figure out how they won those games. This week they lost to a bad Indiana team and went across town beating Chicago State, whoever that is.
7. Illinois — 18-13 (10-8)
The Illini need help to become the fifth Big Ten team in the NCAA Tournament. It’s going to take a serious run In the Big Ten tournament before they get off the bubble they sit on right now. They finished the season with a three game losing streak, including a 72-57 drubbing at the hand of the Badgers in the regular season finale.
8. Michigan — 14-16 (7-11)
The Wolverines still don’t stack up with the big boys in the conference, but stand above lower tier teams. This inability to break through has left them under .500 in both conference play and overall. I don’t see them doing much in the tournament, but don’t underestimate Manny Harris or DeShawn Simms.
9. Iowa — 10-20 (4-13)
The Hawkeyes ended the regular season with a 67-40 loss to Wisconsin. They are the ninth seed in the Big Ten tournament and will play Minnesota in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament. Iowa looks to avenge the 86-64 loss they took back in January by the Gophers.
10. Indiana — 9-18 (4-14)
What’s the best way to break an 11 game losing streak? Win an overtime game at home against a team that already beat you by 18 points earlier in the season. This 88-80 overtime win against struggling Northwestern lifted the Hoosiers out of the basement, leaving Penn State behind in the conference standings.
11. Penn State — 11-19 (3-15)
The Nittany Lions are one team I would not want to see in the Big Ten tournament. They play tough, and have given the Big Ten elite fits throughout the season. This week was a perfect example as they faced Michigan State and Purdue back to back. They lost both games by a combined six points.
The Way I See It: Big East Power Rankings (Mar. 7)
1. Syracuse (28-3)
The Orange got caught up in the last game at Freedom Hall. While watching the pageantry they forgot they still had to play against a fired up Louisville team, and took a 78-68 loss. I’m not worried about this loss at all. This team has Final Four written all over it, and wont see to many team in the NCAA tournament that stack up talent wise to what they go against in the Big East every day.
2. West Virginia (24-6)
The Mountaineers finished the regular season with three impressive wins over Villanova, Georgetown, and Cincinnati. Right now they’re my pick for to match up with Syracuse in the Big East tournament championship game. They have gone toe to toe with every team in this conference, and either have a close loss or a win.
3. Pittsburgh (24-7)
The Panthers have a first round bye in the Big East tournament, and finished the regular season with three Big East cupcakes. This team hasn’t been challenged much since the 70-65 win over Villanova and the 68-53 loss to Notre Dame. This may lead to some rusty performances when the Panthers finally get back into action.
4. Villanova (24-6)
The Wildcats haven’t looked too impressive this last month. They’re 4-5 since the Georgetown loss in February, losing to all the Big East’s top teams. If this is any indication how they’ll play in the NCAA tournament, they’ll be bounced quickly.
5. Notre Dame (21-10)
The Irish peaking right now, and it’s the prefect time. They wrapped up the regular season with a four game winning streak against: Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Connecticut, and Marquette. If they have any kind of success comparable to how they finished the season expect to see this team in the NCAA Tournament.
6. Marquette (20-10)
The Golden Eagles had their four game win streak snapped in the 63-60-overtime loss to Notre Dame. They had one three straight overtime games going into that contest. The only exception was the drubbing they gave Louisville, 69-48, in what can be argued as their best performance this season.
7. Louisville (20-11)
The Cardinals have been a tough team to figure out in their last four games. They’ve either lost by double figures against good team, or beaten them in close games. They win over Syracuse is impressive no matter which way you look at it, but the losses to Georgetown and Marquette could have been more competitive.
8. Georgetown (20-9)
The Hoyas ripped the Bearcats 74-47 to finish the regular season. This performance, along with the announcement that Austin Freeman has diabetes has this team playing tough right now. They’ve come together in the last week, and have a real shot of winning the Big East tournament this season.
9. South Florida (19-11)
The Bulls have had a very impressive season for their standards. They’ve beaten Pittsburgh, Georgetown, and Connecticut this season. Dominique Jones and Augustus Gilchrist are a formidable combination on both sides on the court, making USF a tough team to beat right now.
10. Connecticut (17-14)
The Huskies have their backs against the wall right now. Their bubble has burst and the only chance to go dancing this season is by winning the Big East tournament, something much easier said than done. They finished the regular season on a three game slide that included two road losses and a home loss to Louisville 78-76.
11. Seton Hall (18-11)
The Pirates are taking a two game winning streak into the Big East tournament this week. This momentum, along with Hazell’s 21 points a game should get them past Providence, but it’s always hard playing a team in back to back games.
12. Cincinnati (16-14)
The Bearcats look like they gave up in the Georgetown loss after two close games to Villanova and West Virginia. They need to end this three game slide when they play Rutgers in the opening round of the tournament. If they have any shot at going to the NIT, they’ll need a few more wins against some quality teams.
13. St. Johns (16-14)
The Red Storm got the short straw in the Big East match-ups. They will face a desperate and hungry Connecticut Huskies team in the opening round. Connecticut 75-59 has already blown them out before back in January. I wouldn’t expect anything different when these two teams tip off on Tuesday.
14. Rutgers (15-16)
The Scarlet Knights haven’t enjoyed March so far, they’ve been steamrolled in both games this month. They’ll meet up with Cincinnati in the opening round of the Big East tournament, and are looking to avenge the 65-58 loss they had early on in conference play. They have the talent to beat the bearcats, but with they way they’ve been playing don’t count on it.
15. Providence (12-18)
The Friars extended their losing streak to ten games finishing the regular season with 92-80 loss to Seton Hall. This can be looked at two ways going into the Big East tournament. Providence meets up in the first round with the Pirates once again. They’ve should know what’s coming and how to prepare, for more than likely will be their final loss of the season.
16. DePaul (8-22)
The Blue Demons end the regular season on a 12 game slide, finishing last in the Big East standings. They will once again match-up with USF, this time Big East tournament. Mac Koshwal gave the Bulls all they wanted in the last meeting, finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
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