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allen3xis- Good read, great stuff about AJ , so happy he turned out to be the PG that we recruited over Kyle Lowry
The College Basketball Post
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by allen3xis,
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Woah...Lets not #$!% on my man Kyle Lowry now...
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Even if Thabeet leaves (almost certain) they're still gona be reallll good next year
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[h2]Wild, Wild East[/h2]
When the Big East (3) supersized itself three years ago, it promoted itself as the best basketball league in the land. That's hard to backup with one Final Four team and no national titles in two full seasons. But here in Year 3, the conference can stake indisputable claim to the leastpredictable league in the land.
There were eight games involving Big East teams over the weekend. Underdogs won half of them and covered the spread in three of the others. Syracuse'sseven-point victory over Providence -- secured by a 15-8 closing burst -- was the only time a favorite lived up to Las Vegas' pregame expectations.
Weekends like that are why the Big East in basketball is starting to resemble the SEC in football: There are no soft spots on the 18-game schedule. Anythingcan happen on a given night, and it already has.
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Tom Crean's Marquette team has stumbled on the road this season because there "are no weak links" in the Big East.
"It's the toughest league in the history of college basketball," said Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin (4), whose Bearcats arecompetitive a year ahead of schedule. "You may say the Pac-10 is a better league. Well, our league is definitely deeper. It's a death struggle everygame."
Said Marquette's Tom Crean (5): "When there are no weak links in the league, you can't have any weak links on your team. Whencertain conferences have two, three, four teams getting a lot of attention, they're probably good and deserving of it. But it also means the teams at thebottom of the league probably aren't very good. We don't have that."
Rutgers looked like a potential patsy after an 0-6 league start. So what have the Scarlet Knights done since then? Beaten two ranked teams (Villanova andPittsburgh) by double digits. Rutgers outscored Nova 16-2 to start the game and outscored Pitt 39-17 to finish the game -- the latter on the road.
Even the team that has established itself alone in first place is hardly bulletproof. Georgetown is 6-1 in Big East play, but half of those wins are by atotal of six points and required an extraordinary escape. Against Connecticut, the Hoyas needed a 3-pointer by 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert with six seconds left to win by three. Against Syracuse, a Jonny Flynn 3 just lipped out at the buzzer of overtime. And Saturday against West Virginia,the Hoyas needed a Patrick Ewing Jr. shot block at the rim at the buzzer to win by one.
"They're winning, and that experience of winning close games has got to help them," Crean said. "But the games have been so close,it's going to give everyone else confidence they can beat them."
Between the top and bottom, there are 11 teams with either three or four league losses.
"It's going to be a jumbled mess at the end in the middle," Cronin said. "But there are a lot of teams good enough to go in [the NCAATournament] -- maybe 12. The question is whether we'll ever get nine or 10 in."
That day may be March 16, 2008 ... Selection Sunday. In Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology,eight Big East teams are in and two are among the first four out.
So how will the Selection Committee decide who is the best of those huddled masses yearning to dance? Good question -- especially without a fullhome-and-home schedule. The Minutes eyeballs what the top 13 teams in league play have accomplished thus far:
Georgetown (6)
Record: 16-2, 6-1 Big East
RPI: 9
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 41
Loved 'em when: The Hoyas drilled Notre Dame by 19 points on Jan. 19.
Doubted 'em when: They had to pull out two home games by a total of five points.
Bottom line: Size, shot selection and ability to control pace makes the Hoyas the team to beat.
Notre Dame (7)
Record: 14-4, 4-2 Big East
RPI: 41
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 43
Loved 'em when: The Irish finally won a road game, at Villanova on Saturday.
Doubted 'em when: They were housed at Marquette by 26 on Jan. 12.
Bottom line: The Fighting Irish have played a tough schedule to get this far, and it eases up a bit from here on out. If they can sharpen up defensively andget tougher on the road, they'll be in the hunt the whole way.
Louisville (
Record: 15-6, 5-3 Big East
RPI: 36
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 84
Loved 'em when: The Cardinals got healthy in January and blew out West Virginia and Marquette.
Doubted 'em when: They opened Big East play with a loss at home to Cincinnati.
Bottom line: The Cardinals were expected to contend for the league title, and with three league losses by a total of 13 points, they've had chances to winevery league game. The question is whether they have the basketball IQ to execute in close-game situations.
Connecticut (9)
Record: 15-5, 5-3 Big East
RPI: 23
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 59
Loved 'em when: Right now, riding a four-game winning streak that includes three victories over RPI top 40 opposition.
Doubted 'em when: The Huskies lost at home to Providence.
Bottom line: UConn is starting to flex its muscles now, winning two big games in three days without leading scorer Jerome Dyson. The Huskies are emerging as Georgetown's biggest threat.
Pittsburgh (10)
Record: 16-4, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 18
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 95
Loved 'em when: The Panthers handed Georgetown its only league loss.
Doubted 'em when: They were smoked at home by Rutgers.
Bottom line: The Panthers circled the wagons and responded immediately after a rash of injuries hit -- but now it seems to be catching up with them. With eighttop 50 RPI opponents left, it will be difficult for an undermanned team to stay in the race.
Marquette (11)
Record: 14-4, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 20
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 50
Loved 'em when: The Golden Eagles have played at home (4-0 in league play).
Doubted 'em when: They've played on the road (0-3 in league play, with all the losses by double digits).
Bottom line: The Golden Eagles need to summon some inside strength and production to contend in a league that's never weak in the paint.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Bob Huggins has added some grit to the Mountaineer defense.
West Virginia (12)
Record: 15-5, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 32
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 60
Loved 'em when: The Mountaineers have scored in the 60s (4-0 in league games).
Doubted 'em when: They've scored in the 50s (0-3).
Bottom line: This is a mature team that values the ball and has improved its defense under Bob Huggins. With only three RPI top 50 opponents left, the hardestpart of the league schedule is behind the Mountaineers now. They could be the Big East's biggest surprise when all is said and done.
Seton Hall (13)
Record: 14-6, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 51
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 54
Loved 'em when: Right now, riding a current four-game winning streak.
Doubted 'em when: The Pirates opened league play 0-3.
Bottom line: The Hall is hot right now and has a chance to keep rolling at Rutgers on Wednesday. If the Pirates defend their new home court and snare a coupleof road wins, they'll finish in the upper division. And nobody saw that coming.
DePaul (14)
Record: 9-10, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 118
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 73
Loved 'em when: The Blue Demons rebounded from a 2-7 overall start by winning three of their first four Big East games.
Doubted 'em when: They head into a remaining schedule that includes only one game in which the Blue Demons should definitely be favored (home against SouthFlorida on Feb. 9).
Bottom line: If freshmen Mac Koshwal and Dar Tucker (combining to average 24.8 points and 13.4 rebounds) avoid hitting the rookiewall, DePaul will continue to be tough to beat. But the Demons won't win many easily, either.
Syracuse (15)
Record: 14-7, 4-4 Big East
RPI: 40
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 84
Loved 'em when: The Orange took Georgetown to the wire on the road.
Doubted 'em when: They lost by 20 to West Virginia.
Bottom line: The young Orange don't own enough quality victories to impress the committee. They'll get plenty of chances to change that in a ruggedfinal month.
Cincinnati (16)
Record: 9-11, 4-4 Big East
RPI: 112
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 53
Loved 'em when: The Bearcats played close games (4-2 in Big East games decided by single digits).
Doubted 'em when: They were 5-7 heading into conference play.
Bottom line: Athletic and tenacious, the Bearcats should be in almost every game the rest of the way, but they might not have the offensive firepower to winhalf of them.
Providence (17)
Record: 12-7, 3-4 Big East
RPI: 50
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 77
Loved 'em when: The Friars shocked Connecticut on the road by a dozen.
Doubted 'em when: They lost at home to Seton Hall by a baker's dozen.
Bottom line: The Friars are scrappy but don't look solid enough defensively to be around for the long haul.
Villanova (1
Record: 13-5, 3-4 Big East
RPI: 61
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 87
Loved 'em when: The Wildcats won by 10 at Syracuse.
Doubted 'em when: They followed that Syracuse win with consecutive blowout losses to Notre Dame and Rutgers.
Bottom line: A penchant for slow starts has caught up with Nova. This looks like an NIT team.
When the Big East (3) supersized itself three years ago, it promoted itself as the best basketball league in the land. That's hard to backup with one Final Four team and no national titles in two full seasons. But here in Year 3, the conference can stake indisputable claim to the leastpredictable league in the land.
There were eight games involving Big East teams over the weekend. Underdogs won half of them and covered the spread in three of the others. Syracuse'sseven-point victory over Providence -- secured by a 15-8 closing burst -- was the only time a favorite lived up to Las Vegas' pregame expectations.
Weekends like that are why the Big East in basketball is starting to resemble the SEC in football: There are no soft spots on the 18-game schedule. Anythingcan happen on a given night, and it already has.
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Tom Crean's Marquette team has stumbled on the road this season because there "are no weak links" in the Big East.
"It's the toughest league in the history of college basketball," said Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin (4), whose Bearcats arecompetitive a year ahead of schedule. "You may say the Pac-10 is a better league. Well, our league is definitely deeper. It's a death struggle everygame."
Said Marquette's Tom Crean (5): "When there are no weak links in the league, you can't have any weak links on your team. Whencertain conferences have two, three, four teams getting a lot of attention, they're probably good and deserving of it. But it also means the teams at thebottom of the league probably aren't very good. We don't have that."
Rutgers looked like a potential patsy after an 0-6 league start. So what have the Scarlet Knights done since then? Beaten two ranked teams (Villanova andPittsburgh) by double digits. Rutgers outscored Nova 16-2 to start the game and outscored Pitt 39-17 to finish the game -- the latter on the road.
Even the team that has established itself alone in first place is hardly bulletproof. Georgetown is 6-1 in Big East play, but half of those wins are by atotal of six points and required an extraordinary escape. Against Connecticut, the Hoyas needed a 3-pointer by 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert with six seconds left to win by three. Against Syracuse, a Jonny Flynn 3 just lipped out at the buzzer of overtime. And Saturday against West Virginia,the Hoyas needed a Patrick Ewing Jr. shot block at the rim at the buzzer to win by one.
"They're winning, and that experience of winning close games has got to help them," Crean said. "But the games have been so close,it's going to give everyone else confidence they can beat them."
Between the top and bottom, there are 11 teams with either three or four league losses.
"It's going to be a jumbled mess at the end in the middle," Cronin said. "But there are a lot of teams good enough to go in [the NCAATournament] -- maybe 12. The question is whether we'll ever get nine or 10 in."
That day may be March 16, 2008 ... Selection Sunday. In Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology,eight Big East teams are in and two are among the first four out.
So how will the Selection Committee decide who is the best of those huddled masses yearning to dance? Good question -- especially without a fullhome-and-home schedule. The Minutes eyeballs what the top 13 teams in league play have accomplished thus far:
Georgetown (6)
Record: 16-2, 6-1 Big East
RPI: 9
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 41
Loved 'em when: The Hoyas drilled Notre Dame by 19 points on Jan. 19.
Doubted 'em when: They had to pull out two home games by a total of five points.
Bottom line: Size, shot selection and ability to control pace makes the Hoyas the team to beat.
Notre Dame (7)
Record: 14-4, 4-2 Big East
RPI: 41
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 43
Loved 'em when: The Irish finally won a road game, at Villanova on Saturday.
Doubted 'em when: They were housed at Marquette by 26 on Jan. 12.
Bottom line: The Fighting Irish have played a tough schedule to get this far, and it eases up a bit from here on out. If they can sharpen up defensively andget tougher on the road, they'll be in the hunt the whole way.
Louisville (
Record: 15-6, 5-3 Big East
RPI: 36
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 84
Loved 'em when: The Cardinals got healthy in January and blew out West Virginia and Marquette.
Doubted 'em when: They opened Big East play with a loss at home to Cincinnati.
Bottom line: The Cardinals were expected to contend for the league title, and with three league losses by a total of 13 points, they've had chances to winevery league game. The question is whether they have the basketball IQ to execute in close-game situations.
Connecticut (9)
Record: 15-5, 5-3 Big East
RPI: 23
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 59
Loved 'em when: Right now, riding a four-game winning streak that includes three victories over RPI top 40 opposition.
Doubted 'em when: The Huskies lost at home to Providence.
Bottom line: UConn is starting to flex its muscles now, winning two big games in three days without leading scorer Jerome Dyson. The Huskies are emerging as Georgetown's biggest threat.
Pittsburgh (10)
Record: 16-4, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 18
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 95
Loved 'em when: The Panthers handed Georgetown its only league loss.
Doubted 'em when: They were smoked at home by Rutgers.
Bottom line: The Panthers circled the wagons and responded immediately after a rash of injuries hit -- but now it seems to be catching up with them. With eighttop 50 RPI opponents left, it will be difficult for an undermanned team to stay in the race.
Marquette (11)
Record: 14-4, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 20
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 50
Loved 'em when: The Golden Eagles have played at home (4-0 in league play).
Doubted 'em when: They've played on the road (0-3 in league play, with all the losses by double digits).
Bottom line: The Golden Eagles need to summon some inside strength and production to contend in a league that's never weak in the paint.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Bob Huggins has added some grit to the Mountaineer defense.
West Virginia (12)
Record: 15-5, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 32
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 60
Loved 'em when: The Mountaineers have scored in the 60s (4-0 in league games).
Doubted 'em when: They've scored in the 50s (0-3).
Bottom line: This is a mature team that values the ball and has improved its defense under Bob Huggins. With only three RPI top 50 opponents left, the hardestpart of the league schedule is behind the Mountaineers now. They could be the Big East's biggest surprise when all is said and done.
Seton Hall (13)
Record: 14-6, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 51
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 54
Loved 'em when: Right now, riding a current four-game winning streak.
Doubted 'em when: The Pirates opened league play 0-3.
Bottom line: The Hall is hot right now and has a chance to keep rolling at Rutgers on Wednesday. If the Pirates defend their new home court and snare a coupleof road wins, they'll finish in the upper division. And nobody saw that coming.
DePaul (14)
Record: 9-10, 4-3 Big East
RPI: 118
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 73
Loved 'em when: The Blue Demons rebounded from a 2-7 overall start by winning three of their first four Big East games.
Doubted 'em when: They head into a remaining schedule that includes only one game in which the Blue Demons should definitely be favored (home against SouthFlorida on Feb. 9).
Bottom line: If freshmen Mac Koshwal and Dar Tucker (combining to average 24.8 points and 13.4 rebounds) avoid hitting the rookiewall, DePaul will continue to be tough to beat. But the Demons won't win many easily, either.
Syracuse (15)
Record: 14-7, 4-4 Big East
RPI: 40
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 84
Loved 'em when: The Orange took Georgetown to the wire on the road.
Doubted 'em when: They lost by 20 to West Virginia.
Bottom line: The young Orange don't own enough quality victories to impress the committee. They'll get plenty of chances to change that in a ruggedfinal month.
Cincinnati (16)
Record: 9-11, 4-4 Big East
RPI: 112
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 53
Loved 'em when: The Bearcats played close games (4-2 in Big East games decided by single digits).
Doubted 'em when: They were 5-7 heading into conference play.
Bottom line: Athletic and tenacious, the Bearcats should be in almost every game the rest of the way, but they might not have the offensive firepower to winhalf of them.
Providence (17)
Record: 12-7, 3-4 Big East
RPI: 50
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 77
Loved 'em when: The Friars shocked Connecticut on the road by a dozen.
Doubted 'em when: They lost at home to Seton Hall by a baker's dozen.
Bottom line: The Friars are scrappy but don't look solid enough defensively to be around for the long haul.
Villanova (1
Record: 13-5, 3-4 Big East
RPI: 61
Average RPI of league opponents to date: 87
Loved 'em when: The Wildcats won by 10 at Syracuse.
Doubted 'em when: They followed that Syracuse win with consecutive blowout losses to Notre Dame and Rutgers.
Bottom line: A penchant for slow starts has caught up with Nova. This looks like an NIT team.
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I aint sayin anything bad about lowry, just sayin he would be in the L now anyway and not the PG that is helping this young team get its swagger back, and nextyear....NC or bust
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It honestly reminds me of JT2 handing the program over to Craig Esherick.
And the reason why I do not think people like Johnny Dawkins and Mike Hopkins should be named predecessor's...
I'd rather have someone with head coaching experience, somewhere.
I know i feel the same about this. I really hope we did not make the wrong decision in naming Hopkins.
I won't lie, i think Hopkins> Sutton. Dude looks so nervous. But i think we should be ok with this guy. He can recruit.
Allen- Good reads asalways
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Yeah those guys could turn out fine, it's just a tough situation with guys like Coach K or Boehim, they are gona decide on the next head coach and theschool has to deal with it.
NT's favorite NCAA Tournament player Eric Maynor on ESPN2 tonight vs George Mason
NT's favorite NCAA Tournament player Eric Maynor on ESPN2 tonight vs George Mason
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AJ might not even be handlin' the rock that much next year with my dude EZ-Pass comin' in. We're so guard heavy as is, we didn't need another point guard, we needed another serviceable big man, but Kemba is too good to not see significant time.
Kemba and my lil' bro are really good friends. He goes to Rice also.
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AJ. Long Island!
Honestly, Thabeet should stay all 4.
If he stays next year, major problem.
Honestly, Thabeet should stay all 4.
If he stays next year, major problem.
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Oklahoma State has players, but they've lost quite a bit the last few years, too... They've had a guys leave because of Sean (Rod Flemings andKenny Cooper) and had a couple of other guys get into trouble with the law (Keith Brumbaugh, Gary Flowers). And like you've said, he's not getting themost out of the guys he's got left. From what I've seen in Sean's time at the helms, he's not a coach that belongs at a big-time program. Herubs a lot of players the wrong way, and he's not a guy that will make you want to run through a wall for him.
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The backcourt next year will be so talented it'll be insane, Im pretty sure calhoun will stick with AJ at the point but Kemba will def eat away at Dysonand Austrie's minutes if they dont prove to be primetime like Kemba, and your right Uconn needs another big but you cant pass on Walker, Haralson on theother hand.....
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Agreed - it's gonna be sad to see him run the program into the ground and force the university to get rid of him after all that his dad did there. Idon't think he's a bad guy from what i can tell (maybe he's no saint, but he's not a complete tool either) but you're right, he doesn'tseem fit to continue coaching at the big time level - he may have to settle for a lower tier job somewhere. Hopefully he steps down on his own or things wouldget really awkward around those parts, especially if eddie is still alive to see it all go down. He won't continue getting the caliber players he'sgetting now over the next few years, so he better get improvement quickly or it's going to get even worse in a hurry.
Another good Gasaway article here looking inside some conference numbers..
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[font=times new roman, times, serif]Conference Check[/font]
The Time Has Come
by John Gasaway
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Looking solely at a team's conference games holds several evaluative benefits. First, unlike games in November or December, there are an equal number of home and road games to consider. Even more important, the opponents in conference games are blessed, by definition, with similar resources. In fact, in the case of the Pac-10, where every team plays every other team twice, I have to see something very dramatic in terms of injury or suspension to dissent from what the 18-game results are telling me about each team.
Lastly, if you're interested in how a team is going to perform in March (and that pretty much takes in all of us), conference play constitutes the most recent and therefore relevant information. For me, conference play constitutes the regular season in college basketball.
So what do we find so far in 2008?
Key:
Through games of January 28, conference games only
Pace: possessions per 40 minutes
PPP: points per possession
Opp. PPP: opponent points per possession
EM: efficiency margin (PPP - Opp. PPP)
ACC: Can a team named "Duke" ever be overlooked?
To date, Duke's performance in ACC games has been head and shoulders above that of North Carolina. (In short: the Blue Devils have, easily, the bestdefense in the conference. The Heels, conversely, have a defense that has performed a hair below the ACC average.) That doesn't mean this will absolutely,positively continue to be the case. It does mean that, contrary to preseason expectations and what you'll hear this week, I would rate the Blue Devils asthe favorite at Chapel Hill on Sunday.Code:Opp. Pace PPP PPP EM 1. Duke 75.1 1.13 0.93 +0.20 2. North Carolina 75.3 1.15 1.03 +0.123. BC 71.3 1.12 1.05 +0.074. Clemson 69.2 1.08 1.05 +0.035. Georgia Tech 72.2 1.05 1.02 +0.036. Maryland 74.6 1.02 1.03 -0.017. Miami 71.0 1.04 1.08 -0.048. Virginia Tech 74.9 0.93 0.97 -0.049. Virginia 70.2 1.00 1.04 -0.0410. Wake Forest 72.8 0.97 1.06 -0.0911. Florida St. 66.2 0.96 1.07 -0.1112. NC State 68.2 0.96 1.13 -0.17
While we're at the top of the list, I'm a big fan of Boston College head coach Al Skinner and his flex offense, but my Basketball Prospectus code of ethics compels me to relate the following: subtract the blowout against Wake Forest and BC is scoring just 1.02 points per trip in-conference.
Big 12: Pointing toward a showdown tomorrow night
Kansas State has had a wonderful four-game run to open Big 12 play. Tomorrow night they'll collide, albeit at home, with a Kansas team that matches up with them beautifully. The Wildcats have been scoring points by grabbing offensive boards and by taking excellent care of the ball. The former simply won't happen against the Jayhawks--and if the latter doesn't either, KSU has little hope of pulling off the upset. Then again, losing to Kansas is nothing to be ashamed of, and K-State is much better than I thought they'd be just three weeks ago.Code:Opp. Pace PPP PPP EM1. Kansas 70.8 1.15 0.82 +0.332. Kansas St. 67.3 1.16 0.93 +0.233. Texas 64.1 1.13 1.06 +0.074. Baylor 73.3 1.00 0.96 +0.045. Oklahoma St. 64.8 1.00 1.01 -0.016. Missouri 73.2 1.05 1.06 -0.017. Oklahoma 67.5 1.01 1.07 -0.068. Texas A&M 63.4 1.01 1.08 -0.079. Texas Tech 69.3 0.93 1.00 -0.0710. Colorado 60.8 1.02 1.13 -0.1111. Iowa St. 71.7 0.91 1.04 -0.1312. Nebraska 67.6 0.84 1.07 -0.23
Big East: Beware Seton Hall...or at least their schedule
Despite what you see here, Notre Dame has somehow insinuated themselves near the top of the Big East standings. That means either their performance or their place in the conference pecking order is about to change. As it stands now, a team that's making just 43 percent of its twos in-conference doesn't have the trajectory to scare anyone come March.Code:Opp. Pace PPP PPP EM1. Louisville 66.0 1.04 0.92 +0.122. Georgetown 61.9 1.07 0.97 +0.103. Pitt 64.5 1.10 1.01 +0.094. West Virginia 63.6 1.05 0.97 +0.085. Connecticut 70.6 1.10 1.05 +0.056. Marquette 70.0 1.05 1.02 +0.037. Syracuse 70.4 1.01 1.00 +0.018. Seton Hall 70.5 1.07 1.06 +0.019. Notre Dame 74.2 1.02 1.02 0.0010. Providence 68.6 1.06 1.06 0.0011. DePaul 68.2 1.02 1.05 -0.0312. Villanova 71.2 1.03 1.06 -0.0313. Cincinnati 66.3 1.02 1.05 -0.0314. St. John's 68.0 0.92 1.04 -0.1215. Rutgers 66.4 0.90 1.04 -0.1416. S. Florida 64.6 1.01 1.15 -0.14
Elsewhere in the conference, note that resurgent Seton Hall is not only scoring points in abundance, they also have a sweet schedule laid out for them. They've already gone to Pitt and lost. They don't go to Louisville this year. Their toughest remaining games are at Georgetown and at West Virginia. As incredible as it sounds, a 13-5 conference record after an 0-3 start is within the realm of possibility for the Pirates.
Big Ten: Remember the team in last year's national championship game?
In this week's AP poll, Ohio State didn't receive a single vote. Not one. I'm not saying the Buckeyes are a lock for the Final Four or anything, but they'll be 8-2 in the Big Ten when they host Indiana in a potentially paradigm-shifting game a week from Sunday. All OSU does is make opposing teams miss shots. The perimeter D has been consistently solid since Thad Matta's arrival. Now, with Kosta Koufos and Othello Hunter, the Buckeyes have two respectable shot-blockers.Code:Opp. Pace PPP PPP EM1. Wisconsin 61.0 1.09 0.92 +0.172. Indiana 67.4 1.06 0.90 +0.163. Ohio St. 67.2 1.03 0.88 +0.154. Purdue 65.4 1.05 0.94 +0.115. Michigan St. 64.8 1.05 0.96 +0.096. Illinois 62.3 1.02 1.02 0.007. Minnesota 69.7 0.98 1.00 -0.028. Iowa 62.6 0.91 1.00 -0.099. Michigan 64.2 0.96 1.10 -0.1410. Penn St. 62.8 0.98 1.13 -0.1511. Northwestern 63.5 0.90 1.15 -0.25
Pac-10: Who said UCLA and Washington State play D?
Stanford has to be the least talked about top-15 team in the country. Never mind what you hear about alleged defensive stalwarts UCLA and Washington State. To this point the Cardinal has had far and away the best defense in the Pac-10. No, they can't score. I'm just saying, given the right opponent(s), they can make some noise in March.Code:Opp. Pace PPP PPP EM1. UCLA 65.2 1.15 1.01 +0.142. Stanford 63.6 1.03 0.94 +0.093. Washington St. 58.7 1.12 1.04 +0.084. USC 65.7 1.04 0.98 +0.065. Arizona 62.9 1.11 1.06 +0.056. Arizona St. 61.9 1.02 0.99 +0.037. Oregon 65.2 1.09 1.12 -0.038. Cal 67.8 1.08 1.12 -0.049. Washington 66.9 0.98 1.02 -0.0410. Oregon St. 64.7 0.86 1.14 -0.28
SEC: Remember the team in last year's national championship game?
Code:Opp. Pace PPP PPP EM1. Mississippi St. 66.1 1.04 0.83 +0.212. Tennessee 70.9 1.12 0.96 +0.163. Florida 68.5 1.16 1.03 +0.134. Arkansas 66.9 1.02 1.00 +0.025. Kentucky 63.4 1.07 1.05 +0.026. Alabama 67.1 1.04 1.06 -0.027. Georgia 71.1 0.92 0.94 -0.028. Ole Miss 70.4 1.11 1.17 -0.069. Vanderbilt 71.1 0.99 1.05 -0.0610. Auburn 67.4 1.06 1.15 -0.0911. South Carolina 65.9 1.03 1.14 -0.11Yesterday my colleague Ken Pomeroy waggled an admonitory finger toward Gainesville, Florida, and told Billy Donovan's Gators to stop getting so manyoffensive rebounds. Ken's point was that sending bodies to the offensive glass opens up opportunities for easy transition baskets for your opponent. Well,I have good news for Florida fans: looking at just conference play suggests that Donovan has indeed downshifted when it comes to offensive boards. TheGators' defense is actually a smidge better than the SEC average. The real story with this team, though, is on offense. With an entirely new starting five,Florida is actually scoring more efficiently against conference opponents than they did last year as a defending national champion. This could be a mereone-year pause in Gator appearances at the Final Four.Code:12. LSU 66.4 0.92 1.11 -0.19
John Gasaway is an author of Basketball Prospectus. You can contact John by clicking here or click here to see John's other articles.
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Okie St board talkin about Self comin back....
he'd be an idiot to do that
he'd be an idiot to do that
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Eh... To some guys, being at home is just what matters most. Kansas is a HUGE job, and it'd be extremely tough to walk away from, but it's notlike Oklahoma State is a bad job... It's certainly a downgrade, but if he wants to coach his alma mater, how can you really blame him?
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I see where your coming from, but the way he has recruited his class at Kansas is remarkable. They have so much talent and so many things to look forwardto, he would be so dumb to leave.
I can see though why he might. Guys always relish the idea of coaching their alma mater.
All i know is Sutton needs to be gone, and i mean soon. Before this gets worse.
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Sean Sutton isn't going anywhere for at least another year. He's going to be on a fairly long leash with OSU admin and boosters. I'd assumethis year will be looked over because they're relatively young, but if they struggle again next year, the seat might get a little warm. I think 2009-2010could be the year we start hearing about Sean Sutton being in real trouble...
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I just think he has the perfect job right now
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Close to it. Still - there's no reason to think he couldn't have close to the same kind of success at a place like OK State, dude wins wherever hegoes - and depending on how loyal he is to his alma-mater, that could be his "dream job". I just don't see it happening though, Sutton is goingto get a few more years unless he really does something stupid off the court, and by then Self is going to be too much ingrained in Kansas to ever leave.. hemay even have a title or two by then.
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Well Cake....Your boy Stef Hannah, and 4 others, are suspended indefinitely for that fight...
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K State/Kansas is on YES tmrw night, I know there was a post about it not bein on TV
Gtown/St Johns aint on FSNY till 12:30am so I kinda think of a way to watch and not see scores...maybe tape a piece of paper on the bottom of the tvscreen
Gtown/St Johns aint on FSNY till 12:30am so I kinda think of a way to watch and not see scores...maybe tape a piece of paper on the bottom of the tvscreen
Your boy Stef Hannah, and 4 others, are suspended indefinitely for that fight...
Seems like they got their @%@+@ kicked, that should be enough
And no doubt Self would turn Okie State into an elite program, but he's got it made out there, we'll see if he can get a title though
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WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. -- As the Rider Broncs took the court at Monmouth's antiquatedBoylan Gym on Dec. 15, many players were rubbing their hands. Not in excitement, but to keep them insulated from the frigid, nor'easter air leaking intothe rickety facility.
Over the next two hours, the arctic chill wasn't the only thing numbing the generously listed crowd of 1,580. The Broncs were sucking the competitivelife out of a nonconference tilt against the homestanding Hawks, methodically building up a 30-point lead on their way to an easy 76-55 win. The atmospherewasn't exactly reminiscent of Cameron Indoor. Neither were the postgame press conferences, held in a corner of the school's strength and conditioningroom in front of two reporters, an empty cookie tray and rows of idle exercise bikes.
[+] Enlarge
Jim O'Connor/US Presswire
Rider's Jason Thompson is more comfortable on the perimeter, but he's learning to operate in the low post.
This small-time setting was about the last place you would expect to find an NBA prospect, but there he was in Rider's handsome cranberry red uniform, avisitor from the decidedly mid-major MAAC, long and lean like the 1 that adorns his jersey's back. Meet Jason Thompson, the best 6-foot-11, 250-pound forward you've never heard of.
Last season, Thompson averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds a game, placing him with Kevin Durant and Nick Fazekas as the only 20-and-10 players inDivision I. This season, after a summer spent working out at camps run by LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire, he's averaging 19.8 points and 11.3 rebounds agame.
That's not just against smaller schools, either. In three games in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando in November, Thompson averaged 23.0 points, 10.7rebounds and 3.0 blocks a game against NC State, Penn State and Kansas State and outplayed Wildcats freshman phenom Michael Beasley in the head-to-head matchup. There's a reason NBA scouts are frequentvisitors at the school's modest Lawrenceville, N.J., campus.
"I watch college games most every night and I know what I see every day, and I don't see guys his size doing what he's doing," Rider coachTommy Dempsey said. "You'd probably have to think long and hard about a 6-11 guy who's picking-and-popping and shooting jumpers and taking it offthe dribble and handling it against the press. Where are those guys?"
They're usually not at Rider, that's for sure.
Sitting in his bare-bones office inside Rider's own quaint Alumni Gym, Dempsey recalled Thompson's rather uneventful recruiting process. Dempsey,then an assistant under former head coach Don Harnum, was the lead recruiter who wooed Thompson. He said he thought Thompson, who had sprouted from a 6-3shooting guard into a thin 6-7 forward in high school, would be a nice recruit for the program, but it wasn't as if the Broncs had to ward off biggerschools for his services.
Before his senior season in high school, Thompson chose Rider over schools like Monmouth and Central Connecticut for its proximity to his Mount Laurel,N.J., home and the chance to contribute right away. He then led Lenape High School to a state championship.
"I was kind of a slim, slender guy, so I guess a lot of colleges were unsure of what position I could play," Thompson said. "After I playedwell in workouts against some guys who were rated above me, [bigger schools] were looking at me, but I told them I was already committed."
[h3]I'm not the type of player to yell at my teammates or anything like that. I let the game come to me. ... I don't want my teammates to get mad or jealous. I want my teammates to have fun out there, too.
[/h3]
--Jason Thompson
Rider is lucky he did, because Thompson has since blossomed into a force. His low-post game is where he most still resembles a mid-major player; he'sstill developing a back-to-the-basket game. Where he separates himself from other prospects at this level, and most at the high-major level, is with the skillshe cultivated during his days as a guard.
At practice the day before the Monmouth game, Thompson sank jumper after jumper in a three-man drill with the same high, crisp release and the same soft,pleasing arc. Then he was a central ballhandler in Rider's press-break drill.
Against the overmatched Hawks, Thompson teased the audience with glimpses of his varied skills. For long stretches, he was content to blend in, but suddenlyhe uncorked a scissor-legged dunk in transition. There was a deft catch in the lane and a tough finish. A perfect skip pass from the left block to the rightwing for an open 3. A sweet baseline fadeaway J.
After the game, Monmouth head coach Dave Calloway -- an 11-year veteran whose team already has faced Seton Hall, Notre Dame, Wichita State and Charlottethis season -- stated definitively that Thompson was the best player the Hawks had seen. A few minutes later, Dempsey, perhaps too used to big nights from hisstar, commented that Thompson's easy 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks were somewhat pedestrian.
"I think coach has been getting a little spoiled, wanting him to have huge games because he knows what he can do," said junior wing Harris Mansell, the team's third-leading scorer at 13.9 points a game. "I mean, whatdid he have, 20-something and 15 rebounds against NC State from the ACC? [Coach] sees that and then [Jason] comes to Monmouth and has like 19 and 10, and hethinks that's a bad game."
Thompson's biggest contribution to the Broncs might be an unassuming style that Dempsey notes doesn't create a "me and them atmosphere,"even though it's sometimes that way on the court, at the school and in the media. Balancing team egos is hard for any coach, but Thompson's teamorientation really helps. Of course, he's the only Bronc with a promotional Web site, JasonThompson1.com. Butwhile he's flattered by all of the attention, he tries to downplay it. He's a sensitive star who worries about what his teammates and coachesthink.
"I'm not the type of player to yell at my teammates or anything like that," he said. "I let the game come to me. … I don't want myteammates to get mad or jealous. I want my teammates to have fun out there, too."
Don't confuse him for passive, though. Both Dempsey and Thompson's teammates describe him as an intense competitor on the court who definitelydemands the ball when it counts. He took 25 shots in 39 minutes in a nine-point loss to NC State and dominated the paint against the Wolfpack.
"Most of the time, in big crucial situations, they're always looking inside," Thompson said. "If I'm outside, they'll look for methere, too, which is definitely good. … [They know] if it's game time, then try to look for your big man."
The Broncs have been looking for Thompson for much of the past three seasons, although his sophomore campaign -- his first as the team's star -- wasdifficult. Gutted by the graduation of seven seniors from a team that shared the MAAC regular-season crown, the Broncs finished 8-20.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Ryan Thompson is hardly living in older brother Jason's shadow. The sophomore is Rider's second-leading scorer.
After the season, Dempsey, who had served as interim head coach while Harnum took over as interim AD, had to sweat out both getting the job full time and(unfounded) third-party rumors that Thompson and his 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds were looking to transfer. Complicating matters, the program also wasrecruiting Jason's younger brother, Ryan, a solid mid-major wing prospect, at the time. Ultimately, Jason stayed, Dempsey got the job and Ryan delightedhis brother, with whom he's close, by picking Rider over CAA programs Drexel and George Mason.
"Jay played his freshman year, so he could tell me what it was like," RyanThompson said of joining his brother. "I came and watched the games. I saw what system they ran. I saw myself in the system. Distance played a part init, but mostly, I wanted to play my first year. I didn't want to waste two or three years sitting behind somebody."
Last season, the two Thompsons combined to average over 32 minutes per game apiece, and with the other young Broncs maturing, Rider improved to 16-15overall, 9-9 in the MAAC. That raised expectations for this year, one in which the Broncs were picked a very close fourth in what should be a hotly contestedMAAC race. Ryan, a budding star himself, is now averaging 14.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He combines with Mansell to form a fine complementary duobehind the Broncs' leading man.
"He had his freshman ups and downs, but now you can tell he got stronger," Jason Thompson said of his brother. "He has a lot moreconfidence."
The eldest Thompson was quick to point out that he and his brother won the state title his senior season in high school, so maybe the same magic will workthis season for the Broncs. Thompson's focus is squarely on lifting Rider into the NCAA Tournament, a place the Broncs haven't been since 1994. He saidhe rarely has regrets about playing at a mid-major school, though he does wish he could have an easier path to the NCAA tourney. In the one-bid MAAC, aseason's worth of work is boiled down to three days of conference tournament play in March. Rider fell a game short in his freshman season, and the Broncshaven't been close since.
That, more than anything else, is where being at a mid-major impacts Thompson the most. His physical gifts no longer matter. Neither do his future proprospects.
............
6'11 250...plays inside but has a little game outside. Athletic, rebounds. Blocks shots
Yeah he's from the MAAC...but Old Spice classic against NC State- 24 an 15......vs Penn State- 21 and 10.....against K State and Beasley - 24 and 7. Not aplayer his size with his ability, regardless of competition.
....I honestly think he can sneak into the back end of the lottery.
Over the next two hours, the arctic chill wasn't the only thing numbing the generously listed crowd of 1,580. The Broncs were sucking the competitivelife out of a nonconference tilt against the homestanding Hawks, methodically building up a 30-point lead on their way to an easy 76-55 win. The atmospherewasn't exactly reminiscent of Cameron Indoor. Neither were the postgame press conferences, held in a corner of the school's strength and conditioningroom in front of two reporters, an empty cookie tray and rows of idle exercise bikes.
[+] Enlarge
Jim O'Connor/US Presswire
Rider's Jason Thompson is more comfortable on the perimeter, but he's learning to operate in the low post.
This small-time setting was about the last place you would expect to find an NBA prospect, but there he was in Rider's handsome cranberry red uniform, avisitor from the decidedly mid-major MAAC, long and lean like the 1 that adorns his jersey's back. Meet Jason Thompson, the best 6-foot-11, 250-pound forward you've never heard of.
Last season, Thompson averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds a game, placing him with Kevin Durant and Nick Fazekas as the only 20-and-10 players inDivision I. This season, after a summer spent working out at camps run by LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire, he's averaging 19.8 points and 11.3 rebounds agame.
That's not just against smaller schools, either. In three games in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando in November, Thompson averaged 23.0 points, 10.7rebounds and 3.0 blocks a game against NC State, Penn State and Kansas State and outplayed Wildcats freshman phenom Michael Beasley in the head-to-head matchup. There's a reason NBA scouts are frequentvisitors at the school's modest Lawrenceville, N.J., campus.
"I watch college games most every night and I know what I see every day, and I don't see guys his size doing what he's doing," Rider coachTommy Dempsey said. "You'd probably have to think long and hard about a 6-11 guy who's picking-and-popping and shooting jumpers and taking it offthe dribble and handling it against the press. Where are those guys?"
They're usually not at Rider, that's for sure.
Sitting in his bare-bones office inside Rider's own quaint Alumni Gym, Dempsey recalled Thompson's rather uneventful recruiting process. Dempsey,then an assistant under former head coach Don Harnum, was the lead recruiter who wooed Thompson. He said he thought Thompson, who had sprouted from a 6-3shooting guard into a thin 6-7 forward in high school, would be a nice recruit for the program, but it wasn't as if the Broncs had to ward off biggerschools for his services.
Before his senior season in high school, Thompson chose Rider over schools like Monmouth and Central Connecticut for its proximity to his Mount Laurel,N.J., home and the chance to contribute right away. He then led Lenape High School to a state championship.
"I was kind of a slim, slender guy, so I guess a lot of colleges were unsure of what position I could play," Thompson said. "After I playedwell in workouts against some guys who were rated above me, [bigger schools] were looking at me, but I told them I was already committed."
--Jason Thompson
Rider is lucky he did, because Thompson has since blossomed into a force. His low-post game is where he most still resembles a mid-major player; he'sstill developing a back-to-the-basket game. Where he separates himself from other prospects at this level, and most at the high-major level, is with the skillshe cultivated during his days as a guard.
At practice the day before the Monmouth game, Thompson sank jumper after jumper in a three-man drill with the same high, crisp release and the same soft,pleasing arc. Then he was a central ballhandler in Rider's press-break drill.
Against the overmatched Hawks, Thompson teased the audience with glimpses of his varied skills. For long stretches, he was content to blend in, but suddenlyhe uncorked a scissor-legged dunk in transition. There was a deft catch in the lane and a tough finish. A perfect skip pass from the left block to the rightwing for an open 3. A sweet baseline fadeaway J.
After the game, Monmouth head coach Dave Calloway -- an 11-year veteran whose team already has faced Seton Hall, Notre Dame, Wichita State and Charlottethis season -- stated definitively that Thompson was the best player the Hawks had seen. A few minutes later, Dempsey, perhaps too used to big nights from hisstar, commented that Thompson's easy 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks were somewhat pedestrian.
"I think coach has been getting a little spoiled, wanting him to have huge games because he knows what he can do," said junior wing Harris Mansell, the team's third-leading scorer at 13.9 points a game. "I mean, whatdid he have, 20-something and 15 rebounds against NC State from the ACC? [Coach] sees that and then [Jason] comes to Monmouth and has like 19 and 10, and hethinks that's a bad game."
Thompson's biggest contribution to the Broncs might be an unassuming style that Dempsey notes doesn't create a "me and them atmosphere,"even though it's sometimes that way on the court, at the school and in the media. Balancing team egos is hard for any coach, but Thompson's teamorientation really helps. Of course, he's the only Bronc with a promotional Web site, JasonThompson1.com. Butwhile he's flattered by all of the attention, he tries to downplay it. He's a sensitive star who worries about what his teammates and coachesthink.
"I'm not the type of player to yell at my teammates or anything like that," he said. "I let the game come to me. … I don't want myteammates to get mad or jealous. I want my teammates to have fun out there, too."
Don't confuse him for passive, though. Both Dempsey and Thompson's teammates describe him as an intense competitor on the court who definitelydemands the ball when it counts. He took 25 shots in 39 minutes in a nine-point loss to NC State and dominated the paint against the Wolfpack.
"Most of the time, in big crucial situations, they're always looking inside," Thompson said. "If I'm outside, they'll look for methere, too, which is definitely good. … [They know] if it's game time, then try to look for your big man."
The Broncs have been looking for Thompson for much of the past three seasons, although his sophomore campaign -- his first as the team's star -- wasdifficult. Gutted by the graduation of seven seniors from a team that shared the MAAC regular-season crown, the Broncs finished 8-20.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Ryan Thompson is hardly living in older brother Jason's shadow. The sophomore is Rider's second-leading scorer.
After the season, Dempsey, who had served as interim head coach while Harnum took over as interim AD, had to sweat out both getting the job full time and(unfounded) third-party rumors that Thompson and his 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds were looking to transfer. Complicating matters, the program also wasrecruiting Jason's younger brother, Ryan, a solid mid-major wing prospect, at the time. Ultimately, Jason stayed, Dempsey got the job and Ryan delightedhis brother, with whom he's close, by picking Rider over CAA programs Drexel and George Mason.
"Jay played his freshman year, so he could tell me what it was like," RyanThompson said of joining his brother. "I came and watched the games. I saw what system they ran. I saw myself in the system. Distance played a part init, but mostly, I wanted to play my first year. I didn't want to waste two or three years sitting behind somebody."
Last season, the two Thompsons combined to average over 32 minutes per game apiece, and with the other young Broncs maturing, Rider improved to 16-15overall, 9-9 in the MAAC. That raised expectations for this year, one in which the Broncs were picked a very close fourth in what should be a hotly contestedMAAC race. Ryan, a budding star himself, is now averaging 14.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He combines with Mansell to form a fine complementary duobehind the Broncs' leading man.
"He had his freshman ups and downs, but now you can tell he got stronger," Jason Thompson said of his brother. "He has a lot moreconfidence."
The eldest Thompson was quick to point out that he and his brother won the state title his senior season in high school, so maybe the same magic will workthis season for the Broncs. Thompson's focus is squarely on lifting Rider into the NCAA Tournament, a place the Broncs haven't been since 1994. He saidhe rarely has regrets about playing at a mid-major school, though he does wish he could have an easier path to the NCAA tourney. In the one-bid MAAC, aseason's worth of work is boiled down to three days of conference tournament play in March. Rider fell a game short in his freshman season, and the Broncshaven't been close since.
That, more than anything else, is where being at a mid-major impacts Thompson the most. His physical gifts no longer matter. Neither do his future proprospects.
............
6'11 250...plays inside but has a little game outside. Athletic, rebounds. Blocks shots
Yeah he's from the MAAC...but Old Spice classic against NC State- 24 an 15......vs Penn State- 21 and 10.....against K State and Beasley - 24 and 7. Not aplayer his size with his ability, regardless of competition.
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I honestly think he can sneak into the back end of the lottery.
Stop it. He won't even go in the first round, let alone the lottery. He hasthe body for the NBA but he's not a first rounder.
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I admit, Lottery is a stretch, but He'll go first round.
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Jason is my boy. He was a sophomore my senior year at Lenape, and my coach had me take him under my wing because he had trouble with people making fun of himbecause he was kind of still maturing and he had a high pitched voice and was really awkward. I'm really proud of how he's progressed as a player andcan't wait to see him in the league.
What's crazy is that he was only about 6'1" as a freshman, and spent his first two years as basically a three-point specialist. He's got greatskills.
What's crazy is that he was only about 6'1" as a freshman, and spent his first two years as basically a three-point specialist. He's got greatskills.
