COLLEGE BASKETBALL LINK

Kevin Love

2008-03-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Had two fouls? I was thinking more like 17.

College Hoops Analysis by Celebrity Guest Experts

2008-03-04T09:03:00.000-08:00

Things have been a little busy, so I asked a few guest “experts” to help me out and answer this week’s questions.

1) Is Australia really in Europe? Also, is KSU earth’s team? They play everywhere. Jeb -- KS

Guest Expert: Larry the Cable Guy

Jeb,
Even though I’m a Nebraska fan, I know a lot about the redneck life. So, I’m somewhat of an expert RE: issues out of Manhattan, KS. Now, I don’t know much about Australia, or Europe or “Geology” in general, but I do know this Michael Beasley saga is getting old. Last Saturday, it looks like he finally wrote a check that his ass couldn’t cash. Even though, he went off for nearly 40, his Wildcats couldn’t “Git er Done” against the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. It’s been said before, and I agree; that Beasely is just not a college game player. He’s an extraordinary athlete, but he’s an individual player that likes to run his mouth, rather than focusing on team unity. At the college game level his talk becomes nothing more than bulletin board material, which is an extremely useful tool for opposing teams. His game, and appetite for attention through thoughtless quotes will be well suited for the NBA, which is where both he and Bill Walker will most definitely be next year.

As far as KSU being earth’s team…Could be. I heard that in order to build a little confidence and pad some wins next year (which will be increasingly difficult to come by without Walker and Beasley) they decided to schedule a game next year against the pygmies in New Guinea. “Dear Lord…I apologize for talking bad about the starving pygmies down there in New Guinea…”
---Larry.

2) Cornell’s in -- how much damage can they do in the tournament? Plus, why is the Ivy League coverage so weak on this site? M. Burns -- Springfield, USA

Guest Expert: Waylon Smithers

Mr. Burns, sir,
I’ll address your second question first. You are correct. The coverage is extremely weak, but you are a very strong, broad shouldered man. My guess is that coverage is limited because they simply don’t have East coast exposure in the Midwest. I do hope that I might be around to help you Mr. Burns sir, when your coverage is limited.

Sir, regarding Cornell…Yes, they are in. (I like to get in you Mr. Burns) Anyway, I digress. Winning their 1st Ivy League championship in 20 years, the Big Red’s numbers look good at 12-0 in conference play, and 20-5 overall, but they are projected at a 12 or 13 seed. Sir, History tells us they may win a game or two, but they are probably not capable of “going balls deep” in the tournament. Still, it’s been a great season for Cornell and even though Ithaca, NY is rocking, Cornell is taking it slow and just waiting to see what happens. Mr. Burns sir, if you’re interested, perhaps we could get rocking? I guess we can just take it slow and see what happens too, sir.
---Waylon

3) The largest Baptist University in the world, Baylor, really seems to have turned the corner this year with their basketball program. Would you attribute any of this recent success to the work of God almighty himself, or is it just good coaching by Coach Drew revitalizing the programs with the instillation of good character and ethics? D. Bliss – Waco, TX

Guest Expert: Tom Cruise

Dave,
This is an interesting question, leading us to ponder what impact, if any, that a “higher power” may have on college athletics. Let me preface my opinion by saying that I know you are from Waco, where there has been a history of cultish religion (ie David Koresh and the Branch Davidians) and these cultish religions (including the Christian faiths in general) are really just short lived fads with little basis. Now, Because Baylor is not a Scientologist university (which clearly is not a cultish religion), I would venture to say that the success can be primarily be attributed to the excellent work Coach Scott Drew has done the last couple of years. He has restored order at Baylor and weathered some difficult times, and now he is enjoying the spoils of that hard work. He appears to be recruiting athletes with character, and long gone are the days of murder and scandal. As a result, Baylor is building a program that is slowing moving away from the bottom feeders and escalating into a mid pack team in the Big XII, as well as possibly shooting for a NCAA tournament bid this year. It looks like Baylor is back, Hallelujah!

BTW, To learn more about Scientology, click here. ---Tom

3Q: Open Thread

2008-03-01T08:38:00.000-08:00

Post your questions for ROWYHO in the comments of this thread. ROWYHO generally speaks his wisdom on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Instrux:
Step 1 -- Click comments below
Step 2 -- Type question and amusing Pseudonym
Step 3 -- Click save or publish or something, I can't remember

Note: If you can't figure it out, please deposit laptop or PC in trash -- you're not qualified to operate it. Enroll in local elementary school for "Internets" training.

Bill Self on the OSU Job

2008-02-22T04:53:00.000-08:00

"It's not something that's even worth talking about. It's a dead issue. It's not going to happen."

Hey, would you want to go back to Oklahoma?

SI Story Link

What’s the Big Problem in the Little Apple?

2008-02-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

Alright K-state fans you’re not going to like this, but don’t hate me-I’m just keeping it real.

So, I’m sitting in my living room last night watching the end of NU-KSU game and I hear a strange, but faint sound so I mute the volume for a closer listen. At first, I think maybe it’s just the wind blowing through the trees, and then I realize it’s actually a collective wail coming from Manhattan, KS. I’m listening closely and trying to make out the words that are laced with obscenities and disbelief, and all I can make out is someone saying, “Are you F-in kidding me?”

OK, not really. I couldn’t hear that, but I can only imagine what K-State followers were thinking. Here the K-State basketball program finally has some hope. They finally have some real talent, with arguably one of the best front court tandems in college basketball with Beasley and Walker, the Bramlage curse is off their back with the win over KU Jan. 30th, they have a new and passionate coach, a top 25 ranking, and they are shooting for a first place tie in the Big XII race playing lowly Nebraska…so, what went wrong?

Here’s my take. It’s all about individuality, egos and chemistry. I’m not kidding. We are watching 2 incredibly talented athletes when we watch Bill Walker and Michael Beasley, but we are also watching a couple self-centered individuals that don’t blend well with their teammates. We have seen what kind of numbers they can put up individually, but basketball is a team sport, and individuality will only get you so far.

I thought maybe we really saw what Bill Walker was all about last night. His aggressive play and inability to control his emotions I think cost K-state that game last night. I’m not trying to pick on him, but I’ve seen this play from him in previous games (the elbow to Mario Chalmers against KU immediately comes to mind. He was subsequently yanked from the game at that point too).

I hate to say it, but I’m also seeing a repetitive pattern with Mike Beasley. This is the third road game in a row (including the road losses to Mizzou and Texas Tech), when the cameras have panned in on Beasley jawing at his own teammates. I could just sense his “What the F-attitude” that his teammates weren’t performing to the level that he wanted. Some would say that’s leadership. I think leadership includes constructive criticism that is productive and leads somewhere; all I see with Beasley is demeaning verbal assault that compounds an already shaky chemistry issue. Not to mention his egotistical “I might go for 50, seriously” comment. Come on. You can think it and it might even be true on most occasions, but why on earth would you say something like that? In the NBA, bragging and talking sh*t is the norm and it gets you that media attention that many want. In college, bulletin board material is bad. Period.

Here’s the deal. Beasley and Walker are professional players that are stuck in a college game situation. I think they have both already moved on to the next level in their heads, and the K-State program is suffering because of it. If Frank Martin and Co. can wrangle them back in instill the college game mentality (unselfish team play), K-State can play with anyone in the nation. There is no doubt. But until then, the Wildcats will live and unfortunately, die, by the hostile, individual and overconfident play of Beasley and Walker.

Kansas State - Nebraska Highlights

2008-02-21T04:13:00.000-08:00

KC radio hosts awarded Michael Beasley national player of the year honors during the afternoon. Can't understand why the ACC doesn't take the Big 12 seriously. Whisper, national titles.

"I could put up 50 tonight. I'm serious."
Michael Beasley

There were a lot of long hairs on the court last night. It made for a very flowy game to watch.

Bill Walker gets hit in the ding ding.

Bill Walker slams ball after a made shot? Bill Walker gets technical.

Frank Martin does crazy juggling impression.

Nebraska wins 71-64. Fans storm the court.

KSU loses three in a row on the road.

Roundball Queries about Texas, Tennessee and KCMO

2008-02-20T06:36:00.000-08:00

1. In a radio interview this morning, Bill Self said that Texas has "a lot of nice pieces." What exactly does that mean? Mario C. -- Lawrence, KS

Mario,
I also heard on the radio this morning that J Lo, who is currently pregnant with twins and expecting to deliver soon has “a really nice ‘birthing unit’ that only a very few will be allowed access”. Now, just like I find it hard to believe that only a few have or will have access to Jennifer’s “unit”, I find it hard to believe that you don’t know what Bill Self means. I’ll break it down anyway.

Coach Self means that Texas is really in the groove and is now putting it all together at just the right time. Just ask Texas A&M if Texas has “a lot of nice pieces” after the way they were manhandled Monday night by 27.

“A lot of nice pieces” means arguably the best point guard in the nation in DJ Augustin, a superior shooting guard in AJ Abrams, a swing man in Mason that outrebounds most big guys at 6’2”, a center that is deadly from 3-point range in Atchley and an incredible athlete at forward in Damion James. Not to mention, a reasonably good bench, a seasoned coach in Rick Barnes and a current #7 ranking. Nuff said, Einstein.

2. What's up with Tennessee? Are they aware that this is basketball? William G. -- Lexington, KY

William (or may I call you Bill, or Billy, or Mac or Buddy? – Sorry, a catchy Sheryl Crow song suddenly came to mind),

Anyway, Yeah…how bout the state of hoops in the state of Tennessee? Just like you when I think Tennessee, I think football, or if I do think basketball…I think Pat Summit. SEC hoops is normally reserved for your boys in blue from the Bluegrass state, but Bruce Pearl has really got his team playing well (despite the hideous orange unis) and they are all alone atop the SEC. Likewise, we all know about Calipari’s undefeated Wildcats and how they are blowing up their conference.

Everyone in the nation is looking forward to the #1 vs #2 showdown to see who is tops in rockytop, and that obviously includes those of you in Kentucky.

I’ll say this Kentucky fans- you still have bragging rights over Tennessee from your game against the Vols in January, but your better enjoy that while you can because Tennessee will be out for blood on the rematch March 2nd. Until then…I suggest you just sit back, relax, and have a little fun watching the phenomenon that is Tennessee hoops this year.

Come on, sing it with me….”All I wanna do is have some fun. I got a feeling, I’m not the only one...”

3. This may have been mentioned already, but was it really a good idea for UMKC to change coaches? Tim B -- '08

Tim,
In a single word….No.

True, Last year’s head coach, Rich Zvosec didn’t have a stellar season at 12-20, but he was a decent coach that has experienced success and I thought he had a passionate coaching style, not to mention he was a fan favorite. Plus, he did those sweet commercials with a big kangaroo that aired late at night.

Not to bag on new head man Matt Brown, but he’s currently sitting at 9-18 overall, with a 4-10 record in the league. Not exactly a step up for the UMKC basketball program so far.

Now, there is good news since the Kangaroos like coaching changes. Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson should be available any day now once the University cuts him loose. If your curious about the public opinion on the topic, check out this interesting website: http://www.firecoachsampson.com/

Once the inevitable happens, I think UMKC has a great shot at landing him if they are willing to do just a couple small things.

1) Get a good long distance phone plan (Kelvin is on a lot of calls). Also make sure you have conferencing capabilities. Look into Sprint. KC is their headquarters, you might get a deal.
2) Buy a lot of gift cards to the Gap. It’s kind of a secret, but rumor has it Kelvin really likes Denim shirts.

Go get em 'Roos!

Answer me this -Philly, Lexington, and Bloomington

2008-02-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

1) What on earth was that “phantom” call all about at the end of the game Monday between Georgetown and Villanova? (Jay W. –Philadelphia, PA)

Jay,
Wow, what a crazy way to lose a game. I really feel for the Villanova fans on this one.

For those of you that don’t know, there was a controversial call last Monday that cost Villanova the game against Georgetown. With less than a second left on the game clock Georgetown (on their own end of the floor) began dribbling up the sideline, when out of no where the referee blew his whistle and called what appeared to be a “ghost” nudge foul on Villanova’s Corey Stokes.

We all know that it’s a widely accepted expectation that the referees “swallow their whistles” at the end of a game and let the players decide the outcome. Like a really bad episode of Scooby Doo, this referee obviously saw a fake phantom commit a foul and decided to determine the outcome of the game on his own.

You have to wonder if there was some bias there, especially since it was on Georgetown’s floor a place that Villanova has won every year since 1997. I’m not typically one to criticize refereeing or imply cheating, but this sort of thing is not unprecedented. I mean geez, look at the game-fixing ref story we recently had in the NBA. Just ask any of those losing teams that Tim Donaghy bet against if the referee has the ability to intentionally determine a game.

In related news yesterday, Bob Donato, the Big East referee that made that call, had no comment other than to say “Jeepers! And,I would have got away with it too, if it hadn’t been for your meddling kids.”

2) Please explain what is going on with Kentucky this year? (Ashley J. –Lexington, Kentucky)

Ashley,
Yeah, Kentucky is really struggling this year. Diehard UK fans are probably cussing up a storm this morning after last night’s annihilation that came at the hand’s of #24 Vanderbilt. Kentucky suffered is worst ever SEC loss losing 93-52. A game the Commodores actually led at half 41-11. Kentucky followers may point the finger at first year coach Billy Gillespie who replaced Tubby Smith as the reason why Kentucky will probably miss the NCAA tournament this year, but I have a different theory.

Ashley, I don’t know if you’re familiar with Hollywood or not, but there is a little thing called a “Writer’s Strike” going on. Now, I know you’re from Kentucky and you might not know all the nuisances of show business, but it’s really pretty simple. Basically, the writer’s of many popular TV shows have ceased work and as a result TV has kind of sucked lately.

Similarly, the Kentucky basketball players, which don’t often experience this kind of collapse; are kind of shell shocked, and have sort of “ceased work”. I think they may be a little deflated because of the lack of success they’ve experienced and the realization of what Kentucky hoops has become this year. As a result of this attitude, we are seeing mediocre efforts from these blue chip kids, and we’re seeing basketball teams blowout Kentucky, instead of the other way around.

I’ve followed Billy Gillespie, and he’s a good coach. My guess is he’ll get this turned around and Kentucky will once again rise to power, so don’t worry.

BTW, if you are who I think you are... you’re extremely hot! I loved the latest clip I saw of you on Mr. Skin. Call me.

3) It looks like Indiana is expected to announce publically NCAA rules violations against coach Kelvin Sampson today. Given Sampson’s alarming trends in violations the last few years do you think this was a bad hire for Indiana? (Anonymous University President-Bloomington, IN)

Mr. President,
I understand your concern. I’m not sure anyone outside of Norman, OK probably thought that Kelvin was completely crooked, but now I think I’m convinced. As you know Kelvin left OU in quite a pickle by committing numerous recruiting violations before bolting for Indiana. Oklahoma suffered the penalties of his actions while he enjoyed his new lofty paycheck at Indiana. Now, here we are and Indiana is going to have to announce violations that Sampson was in on as many as 10 impermissible 3-way calls to recruits just months after his hire in Bloomington.

The short answer to your question…Yes, in my opinion (regardless of Indiana’s successful basketball record this year) in hindsight it appears that it was a bad hire. If I’m Indiana, I’m very concerned with coach Sampson’s ethics; and if I’m any other basketball program in the nation, I know I’d certainly think twice before hiring a crooked coach that seems to be pretty good at getting programs in trouble and then moving on.

As a side note. I thought it was pretty cool that I managed to use the words “pickle”, and “3-way” in the same paragraph in a clean manner. That’s not always easy to do.

This Memphis Hype is Killing Me

2008-02-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

OK, Raise you hand... who (besides me) is over the Memphis hype yet? You're all my pals, so I got to be honest with you. I'm not saying Memphis isn't good, they are good, I just don't think they are as Michael Buffer would say..."The undisputed heav-y weight champ-ion of the wooorrrrlllld!" just yet.

I mean seriously every night on ESPN, every Monday when the polls come out, every stinkin' time I read the internet, or watch college basketball anywhere, there is a mention of Memphis and we have to continually stomach the media hype that is being shoved down our throats. Don't believe me? Just Google Memphis and Undefeated...you'll see.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7760246/Memphis-still-unanimous-No.-1-in-AP-poll

Sure, they are a talented and still undefeated team, but this is what gets me. CONFERENCE PLAY! While the ACC, Big East, Big XII, Big-10 and PAC-10 have numerous top 25 teams that confinually beat each other up in conference play (see last week's UNC-Duke game, and the Texas-KU game last night), Memphis is receving all this high praise and glory for beating the likes of conference foes SMU and UCF. Guess what? They should beat those teams. They're not good!

Conference play is where rivalry and emotion come into play. In good conferences, great teams lose, and average teams win just because of emotion alone. Bad teams usually just lose regardless who they are playing, and it looks to me like the Conference-USA is a bad conference that has Memphis at the top and a whole bunch of other really bad teams. I would venture to say that North Carolina, Kansas, Duke and UCLA could probably go undefeated in that weak conference too.

I'm not trying to get on Memphis' case, this isn't about them. They actually scheduled a very good non-con schedule already beating teams like UCONN, Georgetown, Arizona, and Gonzaga, and they can't help the mediocre at best conference they are in. Plus, all they are doing is winning. This is about story after story after story about Memphis' undefeated season. I mean seriously, we all know they are winning, but their record is tainted by the weak conference schedule. End of story.

Media People,
Please let's consider the poor conference and squash this annoying- undefeated, unamiously awesome, greatest-team-in-the-world talk.

If someone in a major conference, with a difficult non-con schedule manages to go undefeated, then I'll be impressed. But until then... please, please, do me a favor and tone down the hype. It's making me nauseous.

Is it March yet?

2008-02-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

And so the madness begins. Your first look at today's projections.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7773102?MSNHPHMA

Rivalry Week...Wow, what a night!

2008-02-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night hoops was Awesome! In case you've been living in a cave, and haven't heard, this week was Rivalry week; and Wednesday evening did not disappoint.

In the Southland Conf. Sam Houston St. took care of Texas-San Antonio 70 to 54, and Stephen F. Austin wins against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 71-62.

Action continued in the Big South, where High Point defeated Liberty 67-53.

The Patriot League got a good one where American destroyed Holy Cross by 16 with a score of 62 to 46.

And, in one of the best games of the night, the Am. East conference witnessed Maine hold off Hartford 69-67.

In other action, I think there may have been a game or two in North Carolina out of the ACC, as well as contests in Norman, OK, Iowa City, IA, Auburn, AL and Syracuse, NY.

I don't know. I didn't really pay much attention as those matchups appeared as if they were going to be a bit dull and monotonous. I guess you can check the scores to the right if you're interested.

Tar Heels Can't Handle the Spread

2008-02-07T04:58:00.000-08:00

"They're pretty special right now," Blue Devils coach Mike Leach said. "We know who we are. We're a very unconventional team. We're not a strong physical team, but we are strong team emotionally, a real together group.

Again Duke can shoot threes, who knew? (Greg Paulus goes 6-for-8)

Tyler Hansbrough (28 pts, 18 rebounds) could use some help from others in powder blue. Are there any other talented players on the squad?

Nice free throw shooting display on both ends. Duke (16-27) UNC (19-30)

Best fan shirt: "Dook Blue"

"Paulus commits the foul, Jesus!"
Mike Patrick, ESPN

Questions from Stillwater, Lawrence, and Lubbock

2008-02-06T06:13:00.000-08:00

Will Eddie Sutton have an assistant position available with the Dons at the end of the season? Anonymous -- Stillwater, OK

Dear Sean, urrrr… Anonymous,
No, the chances that Eddie Sutton will remain at San Francisco after this season are slim to none. It is widely publicized that he was only chasing his 800 victories which he received earlier this month, and that he plans to fully retire and concentrate on drinking next year.

However, it has been rumored that San Francisco does prefer to hire controversial and washed-up, yet legendary coaches to meaningless one-year contracts. Rumorville has said that if Eddie Sutton resigns as coach, former Temple coach and “Hit-man” ring leader John Chaney is a front runner for the next one-year coaching stint. It has been said that he has expressed interest, but will only consider the job if he is able to bring in his own “goons” from the streets of Philadelphia to “rough up” the West Coast League. You might send him your resume if the seats are warming up where you’re located.

What is the Big 12 record for first half fouls and is Darrell Arthur on pace to smash that mark? Bill S - Lawrence

Bill,
I don’t know what the first half foul record is, but I do know this. Although it might seem that Arthur is developing a reputation as a hack, it’s not really as bad as you think. True, Darrell leads KU’s team in fouls this year with 67, and he is second in the league trailing only Oklahoma State’s Byron Eaton (78), but you have to remember although he’s extremely talented and a huge NBA prospect he’s still only a sophomore in training.

I think the concerning issue is not that he’s picking up fouls, but rather how he’s handling his foul situations. It appears to me that he frequently looks dejected, and at times seems to be sulking when he picks up a foul here or there. The last few games have been tough on him, but to become great he needs to learn to play through those situations with confidence.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. He’s a former McDonald’s All-American, playing on a top (5) D-1 team and maybe the refs are holding him to a higher standard and just picking on him because they expect more out of him.

Well, here’s the thing. I’m actually a little partial to KU as a team as well, and I follow them pretty closely too, and you know you just might be right. In fact sometimes, you see a call from a referee, and you just want to “punch him in the mouth!”, because it’s a G-D Damn, Bull Sh*t call. And, there is no freakin’ way that Darrell Arthur even touched that guy, let alone fouled his award-winning, flopping, punk-aZZ. For the most part, it’s obvious that it’s usually a personal vendetta the refs are holding against the poor kid. Furthermore, if I was anywhere near Allen Fieldhouse during the majority of these games where Arthur has been unjustly singled out, I’d probably tackle the stinkin’ refs and spit in their no-good, ugly, fat faces!

Whew! Sorry...Anyway, as I was saying. Fouls happen. It’ll work itself out. Let’s just wait and see how the kid responds to adversity, OK?

Is there anything on the tube Wednesday night? Bob K -- Lubbock

Bob,
Are you kidding me? Buy a TV guide, and splurge for a little HD. There is action everywhere Wednesday night. If you’re all about the ACC, you’ve got to check out the battle of Tobacco Road. It’s always entertaining and it doesn’t get any better than this year (#2 Duke vs. #3 UNC). If you like fierce rivalries, how about the Red River Shootout? You’ll see #12 Texas play freshman Phenom Blake Griffin and Oklahoma Sooners. Dig the Big 10? #8 Wisconsin is at Iowa. Big East? Guess what, #19 UCONN is at Syracuse. Heck, there’s even a decent game on in the SEC with #20 Vanderbilt at Georgia.

I don’t think Army and Indiana are on, but if you’re into other programs that on occasion define underachievement and mediocrity as of late, you can check out the Texas Tech Red Raiders playing @ Baylor.

If all else fails and none of this is of interest to you, you can always check out the old reruns of Golf Your Way on the golf channel.

Breaking News

2008-02-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

From Holly Rowe:

"I saw Brandon Rush go full hard on yesterday afternoon at practice."

The NBA scouts will be pleased.

In other news, I guess Texas Tech's coach quit.

Eddie gets 800!

2008-02-03T09:49:00.000-08:00

It looks like Eddie Sutton finally got win #800, becoming the 4th coach in college history to reach the milestone.

Given Sutton's history and the recent rash of college coach DUIs, I might suggest that all San Francisco residents stay off the roads for a few days until the celebrations have subsided.

Be careful San Francisco!

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7754054/Sutton-becomes-4th-coach-to-win-800-games-

Is Cinderella in Des Moines?

2008-02-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

In college basketball when you talk about winning streaks, talent and March Madness the usual powerhouse programs naturally come to mind. We’ve all come to understand and expect that there will always be a run of consecutive victories and exceptional talent in Chapel Hill, Los Angeles, and Lawrence, KS. Year in and year out these programs reload with strong, athletic McDonalds All-Americans, and they will always be the headliners for the big show in March. One thing however, is very clear, when you typically talk about hot spots for great college basketball Des Moines, IA rarely makes that list.

Well folks…Meet the Drake Bulldogs. Sitting atop the Missouri Valley Conference at 11-0, with an overall record of 20-1, Drake has quietly put together a fine basketball season and just may be your 2008 March Madness Cinderella Story. Led by senior sharpshooter Klayton Korver averaging nearly 19ppg, the Bulldogs are ranked 16 (yes, 16th!) in this week’s AP poll, and likely to rise next week with the win Saturday over Indiana St. If the name “Korver” sounds familiar to you MVC fans, it’s because you remember older brother Kyle who starred at Creighton and is now playing in the NBA for the Utah Jazz. They also have another brother Kaleb, currently playing at Creighton. We’re talking about serious family genes here, people.

Finishing 7th out of 10 in the league, with a sub-par record of 6-10 (17-15 overall) last year, the Bulldogs seem to have really turned the corner this year just completing a sweep over conference rival Creighton. A feat they haven’t achieved since the 1994-95 season. There clicking on all cylinders and their only loss this year was at #20 St. Mary’s (a team that is expected to battle Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference title). I know what you Major Conference fanatics are saying…”It’s a Missouri Valley Conference team. The conference is suspect at best.”, but I’m telling you this team looks good, and I think they’re for real. Do not be surprised if they make a run in the tourney. As Dickie V might say, “Are you serious? Drake? This is flat-out wacky. Let’s see if the glass slipper fits, baby!”

Get your drink on Coach!

2008-02-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

Wow. I feel like this has become a K-State blog recently, but the Little Apple seems to be where the news is of late.

Looks like Dalonte Hill really learned a lot from his mentor and former K-State head man Bob Huggins. You may recall Huggins also received a DUI at Cincinnati in 2004.

Huggins was chased out of town...Hill just received a single game suspension.

I guess that is what happens when you are best friends with the best player in college hoops.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7743426/Kansas-State-assistant-Hill-arrested

Be grateful K-Staters...

2008-01-31T07:58:00.000-08:00

If you are a K-state fan, you're probably still celebrating last night's victory in Manhattan over the #2 ranked Kansas Jayhawks, and rightly so. You might be standing around the water cooler with your office pals discussing how thankful you are that the 24 year-old home losing streak is finally over and you won't have to hear about it from your KU buddies. You might be thankful that future NBA players Michael Beasley and Bill Walker went off for 25 and 22 pts respectively. You might be thankful that your men's basketball team which has struggled and endured hard times is now gaining a little respect and sitting atop the Big 12 standings all alone.

All these things are great, but after checking out various highlights and scores around the internet this morning, there is one very blatantly obvious thing that each and every one of you should be extremely grateful for.

Thank your lucky stars that Bob "bumblebee" Huggins left Manhattan for West Virginia! Not only did his Mountaineers get waxed by Cincy last night 62-39 (at home), but he was sporting perhaps the most hideous set of kicks and matching garb that I have ever seen.

Indecent Exposure

2008-01-31T04:19:00.000-08:00

It was generally accepted that Michael Beasley would be the best player on the court when KU and K-State met last night in Manhattan. What may be a surprise to KU fans is that none of they Jayhawk McDonald's All-Americans could even contend for second best player on the floor. Bill Walker's early putbacks on the offensive glass really set the tone for this contest which ended with a 84-75 KSU victory. It was an impressive display for the two-man Beasley/Walker show. The KU crew looked totally outmatched. Of course, this should be a three game series, so it will be interesting to see how the Wildcats play in Lawrence on March 1. Game three looks like it could be on March 16 in Kansas City.

Questions
Can the Cats make a serious run in the NCAA tournament with this two-man team?
Yes, see 1988.

Why was Darrell Arthur in the game with two fouls with eight minutes left in the first half?
Next question, please.

Are there any questions about #1 now?
Nope. Memphis hammered Houston 89-77 last night.

Sunflower Showdown Photo Challenge

2008-01-30T12:09:00.000-08:00

Can you name all four Jayhawks in the background of this Tyrone Jackson photo from KSU's last win in Manhattan (1983)?

KSU Preview of the KU Match-Up

2008-01-29T18:51:00.000-08:00

Looks like a couple of guys at ESPN may be out of job soon. I really enjoyed the Stanley Kubrick ending -- perhaps a commentary that KSU could have done better with a lamp as coach during the period 1984-2007. I love lamp.

HT: Kansas Football -- It's Business Time

Missouri Hoops on the rebound?

2008-01-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

By now, I'm sure most of you have heard about the latest "Black Eye" surrounding the University of Missouri's basketball program. It looks like Mizzou's best player is out at least 4-6 weeks (possibly the entire season) with a broken jaw after an altercation at a night club.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7728986?MSNHPHMA

I have but just one question.

Is Missouri really better off now than they were when they were going through all that garbage with Quin Snyder, Elson Floyd and Ricky Clemons?

Wow, since the reinstatement of "integrity" into the Missouri Men's Basketball team (led by Mike Anderson) here is what have we seen...

Demarre Carroll-gets shot in the ankle.
Kalen Grimes-suspended from the team because he assaults someone with the end of a gun.
Mike Anderson, Jr.-suspended for drunk driving.
Daryl Butterfield-Domestic Assault of his girlfriend.
Stefhon Hannah-broken jaw in nightclub incident.

Ironically, DeMarre Carroll (Anderson's nephew), and Mike Anderson, Jr. (Anderson's son) are 2 of the accused. I just wonder...is this a case of the apple doesn't fall far from the tree?

It doesn't appear that much has changed since Anderson's "no tolerance" policy. Does it?

TWIH Questions about Tennessee, BCS Match-ups, and KSU

2008-01-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand...TWIH (This week in Hoops) Questions:

1) Tennessee was #3 in the AP poll and #5 in the Coaches Poll last week. Why don't the coaches like the Vols? (B.P. -- Tenn)

BP,
I hear you man. With only 2 losses so far this year, an early one at Texas, and a heartbreaker at Kentucky (both road games!), we have to wonder why the coaches aren't giving any props. I mean Tennessee finally has it going and Chris Lofton is finally stepping up, scoring 27 pts against Georgia. Well, Here's the deal. As you may or may not know, college coaching is a very exclusive club. Today's college coaching circle is a fraternity of highly distinguished and dignified professionals. They typically dress very well in suits and ties, and have a manner about them that exudes class and taste, carrying on tradition that was established by legendary coaches long before them. You know what?... To be honest with you, I can't really think of any reason why the coaches aren't giving Tennessee respect.

2) They have this silly championship system in college hoops called a "tournament." If college basketball wised up and implemented the bowl system, how would your BCS match-ups sort out today? (Jim T -- Ohio)

Jim,
Wow, OK. God help us if this ever happens, but here goes.

BCS Championship: KU vs Memphis
Fiesta Bowl: Georgetown vs Texas
Rose Bowl: Indiana vs UCLA
Sugar Bowl: Tennessee vs Duke
Orange Bowl: UNC vs Michigan St.

Washington St. would be College Football's "Mizzou".

Additionally, I would make (3) predictions:

A) Contrary to the Football BCS series, every single game would be a very good game, except for one. I believe the UNC-Mich St. game would be a UNC blowout in the Orange Bowl. (Ironically, the Orange Bowl was the only decent football matchup).

B) We would have a clear cut, undisputed champion as the champ would be the only team without a loss. Funny how that would work out this year in hoops, as a tournament is typically the only logical way to agree on a champion.

C) Missouri fans would still be crying about being left out of the championship series even though the have a less than stellar record of 12-8 to date. Oh well, it's probably KU's fault.

3) Does K-State really have a chance against KU on Wednesday because I don't think they do, because they don't. (Susan -- Kansas)

Susan,
Although your reasoning is very solid, I will have to disagree. KSU does have a legitimate shot because of three things: Players, Revenge, and a Favorable venue. We all know KU is stacked with talent, but K-State has perhaps the best player in America in Michael Beasley averaging somewhere around 25 ppg and 12 rpg., as well as an exceptional future NBA player in Bill Walker. On top of that, they haven't won a home game against KU in like 24 years. I'd say they are due, and they seek revenge. Finally, I believe this game is a scheduled home game for KSU in Africa. It's well documented that KSU can and will beat KU nearly anywhere, including in Africa, so I think the hawks might be in a little trouble. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/ncaa/01/27/bc.bkc.t25.sunflowersho.ap/index.html?eref=si_ncaab

Actually, Susan... since Michael Beasley and Co. have guaranteed the win, you probably shouldn't even bother turning on the TV for this one. Plus, I don't know if ESPN-A (ESPN-Africa) is carrying the feed this week. Just check your local listings if you're still interested.

Thanks for your questions.
ROWYHO

Memphis Finishes: KU Rolling 44-15

2008-01-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

Memphis finished off Gonzaga with relative ease 81-73. Chris Douglas-Roberts has 21 points for the number one ranked Tigers and Derrick Rose added 19. A statement game for Memphis.

KU is just smacking Nebraska around in Lawrence. The halftime score is 44-15 and the viewers are starting to doze. This could be quite a duel between the last two unbeaten teams.

Memphis Battles For 3-Point Halftime Lead

2008-01-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

Derrick Rose cleans it up with a big dunk to end the half to give the Tigers a 35-32 lead over the Zags at halftime. The play occured after a Micah Downs turnover on the other end. Earlier in the half, Gonzaga had to string together an 11-0 run to get back in the game. It's a good one so far in Memphis.

Baylor Bears: A New World Order

2008-01-24T04:35:00.000-08:00

How You Like Me Now?

I guess the kidding around is pretty much over. The Baylor Bears men's basketball team is here to play. Perhaps heading into the week ranked as #25 in only one poll (AP) with a 15-2 (3-0) record, fired up the Bears. Whatever it was, surviving five overtimes at College Station will put the world on notice -- along with northern powers KU and Kansas State. Speaking of KSU, here's a look at the Big 12 Standings that no one would have predicted (excluding the KU part):

Big 12 Standings
Kansas 4-0 19-0
Baylor 4-0 16-2
Kansas St. 3-0 13-4
Texas 2-1 15-3
Iowa St. 2-2 12-7
Texas Tech 2-2 11-7
Oklahoma 1-2 13-5
Texas A&M 1-3 15-4
Missouri 1-3 11-8
Oklahoma St. 1-3 10-8
Colorado 1-3 9-9
Nebraska 0-3 11-5

"That just shows the ability, the dedication and the will of this team. If we put our minds to it, no matter what happens we're going to get it done."
Curtis Jerrells, Baylor

Three Questions about aTm, St. Louis, and Maryland Hoops

2008-01-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

I like College Hoops, so that obviously makes me an expert. Recently, I was asked to use my expertise to answer a few questions about the college basketball season so far. So, please sit back, relax, and enjoy my wisdom.

Kansas State is clearly the best team in the nation, but who is your #2? (Mark T -- College Station)

Coach Turgeon,
K-State is good, but it is well documented that they did have an entire week to prepare for your Aggies, while Texas A&M had a very short turnaround coming off a difficult Texas Tech game. Unfair scheduling if you ask me! http://www.810whb.com/scripts/archives/getStory.asp?article=16237
Anyway, assuming KSU is a legit #1, I think most would say undefeated KU and Memphis, and (1) loss UNC are your next best teams. I agree with the masses. But, to get to a single clear cut #2, lets break this down logically with one question. What common denominator do all (3) coaches of those programs share? Answer...University of Kansas! Coach Calipari was an assistant from '82-'85, Coach Williams led the Jayhawks from '88-'03, and of course, coach Self is there now continuing the tradition. Come on Turg...you're a KU alum, did I really need to spell out who the 2nd best team in America is? I guess you'll find out March 8th, when KU comes to College Station.

Is St. Louis close to the Atlantic Ocean and what exactly is a Billiken? He kind of looks like the Grinch. (Will D -- R.I.)

Will,
Nope...St. Louis is in the heartland Dummy! Get a map. Wikipedia describes the Billiken as an elf-like character with pointed ears and a mischievous smile that was created by American artist Florence Pretz. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billiken
The character was actually named after the heaviest president in United States history, William Howard Taft. How Ironic.

Exactly how tall is Maryland's Bambale Omsby? (Brent M -- USA)

Brent,
I could probably most easily answer this using the "Fletch" quote that we all know and love. You know... He's 6'7", 6'9" with the fro. But that would be too easy, so I'll try to approach this question scientifically. We all know his boyfriend James Gist is 6'9", so based on this image (disturbing as it is), I'm guessing Omsby is somewhere between 6'8" and 6'10" based on his vertical.

Thanks for your questions.
-ROWYHO

Gary Williams and the Terps Land A Big One

2008-01-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

"I once caught a fish this big."

Maryland 82, North Carolina 80

Did Brent Musberger actually do a Fletch impression? I think he did. Also, fascinating stuff on the name "Williams." Truly compelling. I can't think of anything more intriguing. Except maybe ... the second half of a CLOSE GAME WITH THE NATION'S #1 TEAM ON THE ROPES AT HOME!

Rick Majerus Naked: Is This Wrong?

2008-01-19T08:20:00.001-08:00

"One year he had this lower-back injury, and he would have the trainer massage it with the ultrasound. But instead of just lowering his pants a little bit, Majerus would pull his pants down to his ankles and sit in a chair and coach us. Sometimes he’d be like, ‘Guys, bring it in, take a knee.’ We’d come in, and we’re just like, No way this is happening.”

I had to debate quite a while before posting this one. A reader e-mailed the link to me, so my first question is whether or not it is valid? Looks to be as the excerpts come from Sports Illustrated. Judge for yourself, but as you read the full story, a lyric from a Roger Water's song might come to mind:

"I'm having a nightmare, and it's not over yet."

Larry Brown Sports Article Link (Warning the photo there will ruin your day)

Bobby Knight Tribute

2008-01-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

900 Wins; Here's to you Bobby ...

http://soundboard.com/sb/Bobby_Knight.aspx

I'm not here to *&^% around this week either.

Three Angry Men

2008-01-17T05:10:00.000-08:00

It's coming down to quite a battle for this trio. The latest on the 2007-2008 power triangle:

UNC survives a tight one -- 83-82 at Georgia Tech. The Heels are 18-0 and get Maryland on Saturday. They travel to #24 Miami on 1/23.

Memphis pounds Rice 77-50 last night. They get a home match with USM (9-8) on Saturday. Smooth sailing. Go here: http://www.coachcalipari.com/calipari/

KU is rolling and everyone wants on the bandwagon after the 85-55 OU beatdown. Too bad Mizzou peed their pants at ISU last night, otherwise the whole nation would be talking about Border War II on Saturday night in Columbia.

Undefeated III

2008-01-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

Three Remain

North Carolina (17-0)
Memphis (15-0)
Kansas (16-0)

This is getting easier.

Woa There Big Fella

2008-01-15T05:42:00.000-08:00

Didn't we just mention that KU's two biggest rivals knocked off big teams this weekend? Take it easy buddy and try to filter the info that Oprah is presenting to you. It's really all about being undefeated in March, not a fast start in January.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/444917.html

KU/OU Notes -- Second Half

2008-01-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

At lot of people in the crowd seem to like Aqib Talib ... judging by all of the #3 signs they keep holding up.

Geez, Holly ... take it easy on Brett. You had him sweating like a pig on those steroid questions.

"A little ginger bread behind the back."
Ron Franklin on Brandon Rush

"The Big 12 could have an unlimited number of teams in the tournament."
Ron Franklin. Hmm. OU is going the wrong way.

KU/OU Notes -- First Half

2008-01-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Fran said, "Poke Away"

Why's that guy wearing a lime-green jacket. So somebody can see him on TV.
Maybe he's a seat filler.

Longar who?

"I like the way the whole team plays as a whole."

http://heavysmokebbq.com/default.aspx

"Blake Griffin sits on the sideline in ice."

I guess Collins didn't like Chris Piper calling him out on the Nebraska game.

40-18. Now it's starting to look kind of silly again.

Silencing the Air Ball Critics

2008-01-14T04:56:00.000-08:00

"Hey, Duke. Once I drop this one in, how about you ... "

HT: March to Madness

I Didn't Enjoy That At All

2008-01-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

Cab Please

#1 -- UNC could have gotten more work out of scrimmaging themselves. On the upside UNC-Asheville may want to schedule the Wolfpack. (UNC 93, NC State 62)

#2 -- Memphis smokes Marshall 68-45. Yawn. Next game against a ranked team -- Feb 23 against #8 Tennessee. They do host the 12-4 Zags on Jan 26. In conference challengers include UTEP, Houston and UAB.

#3 -- Kansas made a "Restore the Order" statement to the Cornhuskers. Though for KU hoops it's really more of a maintain the order statement. (KU 79, NU 58)

#4 -- Washington State headed down for a matchup with #5 UCLA. The Bruins made this one a laugher, but something interesting happened on the way to the post game celebration. Down 15 with less that two minutes in regulation, WSU hit seven straight three pointers to close the gap to three points. Kevin Love hit a couple of critical free throws to clinch it for UCLA. Final score: UCLA 81, WSU 74, but maybe the Cougars learned a little lesson.

Big 12 Exposure

Baylor, KU and A&M all took care of business, but Texas and OU were exposed, by a pair of interesting teams -- Mizzou and K-State. Eyebrows raised in Lawrence, KS yesterday as their two biggest rivals made a little statement. It looks like the Cats and Tigers aren't willing to settle for middleweight status.

K-State is interesting because they have a pair of NBA players on the roster. If this team can get focused and Bill Walker and Michael Beaseley go into the zone, the sky is the limit.

Mizzou on the other hand showed a lot of speed and a system that can pose problems for teams. Yesterday was evidence that are getting closer.

What do you say about Texas and OU? Well, it's a tough way to start playing a couple of teams with chips on their respective shoulders. Give them a mulligan each and we'll see what happens.

Big 12 Contenders or Pretenders?

2008-01-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

We all know about Kansas. Today we find out about the rest of Big 12 challengers. Three play at home, so the whole group has a good shot at keeping high hopes intact today.

Texas -- They travel to Mizzou. Can't afford to let this one slip. Durant is gone, but Gary Johnson could fill the void.
Texas A&M -- Insert new coach and the beat goes on. They host Colorado so getting off to good start shouldn't be a problem.
Baylor -- Seriously? Yes, the Bears have a great backcourt. They'll host Iowa State today and the skeptics will be watching.
Oklahoma -- How can you not like a team with Longar Longar? They get K-State today which might be the best match-up in the Big 12. KSU wants to make up some lost ground on the national scene and with Walker and Beasley anything is possible.

This Seems Fair

2008-01-10T05:29:00.000-08:00

The Great Teams Find A Way

2008-01-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

North Carolina 90, Clemson 88 OT
Two times Clemson entered the final minutes with a lead, but failed to seal the deal. UNC took full advantage and Wayne Ellington capped a sensational night by hitting the game-winning three pointer at the last second. It was one of those rare occasions when Roy Williams actually draws up a last-second play that is successful. Overall, this was a fantastic game with both teams playing with desparation on each possession. UNC proved why they are ranked #1.

Scorers
UNC/Ellington -- 36 points Clemson/K.C. Rivers -- 25 points.

HD Baby
Fox Sports Midwest HD -- superb!

Final Thought
Conference play is so much more entertaining -- it may be time to shorten the longest exhibition season in sports because November and December are a real snoozer for the Hoops season.

Clemson Up 41-38 at Half

2008-01-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

K.C. Rivers is leading the Tigers with 15 points in this back and forth battle to open up ACC play. Rivers is 2-5 from the three-point line. Fast-paced action. Stay tuned.

Jayhawk Thunder

2008-01-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

Kansas 85, Boston College 60

So the lesson here is ... when the Jayhawks start to fall asleep with a big lead, you don't poke the bear with a stick. BC cut into KU's massive lead early in the second half with an 11-point run. At this point, Rakim Sanders of BC and Mario Chalmers of KU got into little jawing match. Game over. The Jayhawks never looked back.

Darnell Jackson (25 points, 9 rebounds)

If this is the real Darnell Jackson, all bets are off.

Here's A Fresh Take

2008-01-04T16:20:00.000-08:00

"Beasley, the freshman standout at K-State, had perhaps the most unproductive game of his life wearing 'the shoes' Monday in the Wildcats’ 103-77 loss against Xavier in Cincinnati. Beasley can’t recall a game, at any level, in which he recorded only one basket. And that didn’t occur until just 35 seconds remained."

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/430032.html

Weekend Surprise

2007-12-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

Dayton clobbers Pitt 80-55. So what does that say about Duke?

Undefeated II

2007-12-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

9 Remain

North Carolina (11-0)
Memphis (10-0)
Kansas (12-0)
Washington State (11-0)
Pittsburgh (11-0)
Vanderbilt (11-0)
Miami (Fla.) (12-0)
Mississippi (11-0)
Sam Houston State (10-0)

Braggin' Rights

2007-12-25T05:27:00.000-08:00

M - I - Z ... Z - O - U

I - L - L ... I- N - I

Man, it was like a spelling bee in hell. Keon Lawrence off the leg = eight straight for Illinois.

Bruce Pearl Steps Over the Line

2007-12-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

Vols 82, Xavier 75
Seriously, how can you take a technical foul at that point in the game? Luckily, the players took control. Man, the Vols showed a lot of speed late in the game. Give player of the game to J.P Prince with 23 points.

Overall, it was a great game to watch and the highlight of the game may have been Drew Lavendar's one-handed bounce-pass assist with 2:40 to play in the first half.

#2 Memphis 85, #5 Georgetown 71

Great first half, but this one fell apart. Roy Hibbert ends with six points?

Big Time NCAA Hoops Action Today!

2007-12-22T06:53:00.000-08:00

Now it's starting to get good:

#5 Georgetown at #2 Memphis 12:00 p.m. EST
#12 Tennessee at Xavier 2:00 p.m. EST
#4 Texas at #9 Michigan St 6:30 p.m. EST

Pitt 65, Duke 64 OT

2007-12-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Are you kidding me? I gave up on this game early due to some family guests at the house. Should have DVR'd it. I can't believe it.

Wednesday Round-Up

2007-12-20T07:41:00.001-08:00

Arizona Survives UNLV
Budinger looks like an All-American against KU, but not so much in Las Vegas. The Wildcats survive though 52-49.

UNC is Okay
After an early deficit, North Carolina took control of Nichols St. Still, there was a stretch in the second half where NC just looked ... well, not good. No big deal, but you just expect them to be on all of the time.

ESPNU vs KC MetroSports
Flipping between ESPNU on our digital tier and Kansas City's MetroSports channel I was disturbed by the low-grade broadcast by ESPNU. The UMKC/UNI broadcast was much sharper than UNC/Nichols State. Why? By the way, the Roos lose in overtime at home. They had the ball for the final possession of regulation, but Dane Brumagin gets called for a charge on the baseline. Ouch.

Kansas Survives GT 71-66

2007-12-19T03:57:00.000-08:00

The Jayhawks limped to the finish line last night in Atlanta. Having your senior guard (RR) miss a pair of free throws at crunch time is not a good sign. Mario Chalmers missed the front end of a one-and-one as well. Sheron Collins was clutch at the line, which I suppose makes up for the playground style turnover that really put Georgia Tech into the game. Final analysis: Needs improvement.

Exhibition Season: Yawn.

2007-12-18T04:35:00.000-08:00

Geez, the last few days have produced a number of forgettable match-ups. Hey, finally we get KU against Georgia Tech in Atlanta on ESPN. Woohoo! Oh wait, Tech is sporting a 4-4 record. C'mon, will January ever get here?

Just A Basketball School Now

2007-12-16T06:30:00.000-08:00

Nebraska knocks off #16 Oregon 88-79 in overtime and now stands at 8-2. They've got losses at Creighton and Western Kentucky. The Big 12 better have this team on the radar.

Meanwhile, Arizona State pounds #17 Xavier 77-55.

"It was ASU's first home victory over a ranked nonconference opponent since
Dec. 20, 1980, when the Sun Devils defeated No. 7 Ohio State."
ESPN Link

Really? That's insane.

Other notes ... at 5-3 Louisville can say goodbye to the Top 25 for a while (67-59 loss to Purdue) ... Baylor scored 100 yesterday against Wayland Baptist? The Bears are 7-1 ... The Shockers might be missing Mark Turgeon. Yesterday they lost to UMKC 59-56 after holding a 13-point lead early in the second half. Wichita State is now 5-4 ... my tickets fell through for the KU game, but the Hawks are doing all right.

Games I'm Interested In This Weekend

2007-12-14T05:04:00.000-08:00

#23 Villanova hosts Hartford
Tonight, 7:00 p.m. Eastern
Two things -- I thought they moved to North Carolina and became the Hurricanes and I had know idea they could play basketball. Actually, they don't do it well. The Hawks are 5-6.

#17 Xavier at Arizona State
Saturday, 4:00 p.m. Eastern

The Sun Devils were punked at Illinois and Nebraska, but they are a PAC-10 team playing at home. Should provide a nice read on Xavier.

#3 Kansas vs Ohio (Sprint Center, Kansas City)
Saturday, 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Ohio is 6-2 and knocked off Maryland on the road. Losses at Holy Cross and Temple. I'll be at this game.

#11 Pittsburg hosts Oklahoma State
Saturday, 12:00 p.m. Eastern
If the Cowboys are going to improve, this would be a great place to start.

#12 Tennessee hosts W. Kentucky
Saturday, 10:30 p.m Eastern?
The 6-2 Hilltoppers have losses at N. Arizona and #14 Gonzaga. The Vols are at home, but this could be a dangerous game.

#18 Butler hosts Florida State
Saturday, 6:00 p.m. Eastern
The Seminoles knocked off Florida. This should be much easier, right?

Bob Huggins = Loyal?

2007-12-12T10:42:00.000-08:00

This seems like a stretch:

"But if nothing else, the man is undeniably loyal. To his players (sometimes to a fault), to his employer (he hung on at Cincinnati for 16 seasons even long after things got rough) and mostly to his friends and family."

Yahoo Sports-Dan Wetzel Article

St. Mary's -- We Hardly Knew Ye

2007-12-12T05:06:00.000-08:00

The #24 ranked Gaels go down to Southern Illinois 71-56. That saves me the trouble of doing a Google search on "Gaels," but I have to admit these guys have played a nice little schedule:

Nov 9 Sonoma State Won 82-57 (1-0)
Nov 10 Drake Won 72-66 (2-0)
Nov 13 CSU Bakersfield Won 94-66 (3-0)
Nov 20 Oregon Won 99-87 (4-0)
Nov 24 Nicholls St. Won 84-63 (5-0)
Dec 1 Seton Hall Won 85-70 (6-0)
Dec 8 @San Diego St. Won 69-64 (7-0)
Dec 11 @Southern Ill. Lost 56-71 (7-1)

Undefeated Lives Here

2007-12-10T17:30:00.000-08:00

14 Remain

Duke (9-0)
Washington State (9-0)
Vanderbilt (9-0)
Clemson (8-0)
Pittsburgh (8-0)
Kansas (8-0)
North Carolina (8-0)
Texas (8-0)
Mississippi (7-0)
Memphis (7-0)
Miami (Fla.) (7-0)
Texas-Arlington (6-0)
St. Mary's (6-0)
Sam Houston State (4-0)

A Gift For Roy

2007-12-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

From Yoni Cohen at SI.com

"What did I buy North Carolina's Roy Williams, the man who has everything? Not the gift of size, talent, experience, motivation or bench depth, all of which my pick for the national title has in abundance. Instead, I opted for a chemistry set. Neither sexy nor fun, it is sure would be useful for chemistry-less UNC. Whereas the Tar Heels' 2005 championship squad generated nearly 63 percent of their field goals from assists, this year's club checks in at the much more pedestrian 48 percent. Numbers aside, it was quite clear UNC wasn't in sync during near losses to Davidson and BYU."

It Starting To Feel Like Hoops Season

2007-12-08T16:43:00.000-08:00

Brandon Rush pays the fine and KU pounds DePaul.