Marcus Smart Powers Cowboys to 97-87 Win over Purdue

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, November 28, 2013

Multiple holiday tournaments and showcases are in full swing, and #5 Oklahoma State - the nation's 2nd-highest scoring team at 99.7 points per game - made its presence felt with a 97-87 win over Purdue in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando.

As he usually does, sophomore Marcus Smart paced the Cowboys with 30 points, helping build a 52-29 lead at intermission. Smart was 9-for-18 from the field, banging home four of six from beyond the arc.

The game-high 30 wasn't even close to Smart's season high, which is 39, in a 101-89 win over Memphis on November 19. Smart is averaging 22.5 points per game, and probably would have scored more if not forced to sit in the latter stages of the second half with four fouls.

He finished with four rebounds and four assists, also knocking down eight of 12 from the foul line. The Cowboys shot 52.7% overall; Markel Brown had 25. Oklahoma State had five players in double figures.

The 6-0 Cowboys will play 5-0 Butler on Friday, a 76-69 winner over Washington State in the other half of the draw.

Kevin Pangos Scores Career-High 34 Points for Gonzaga; Syracuse Captures Maui Title

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Gonzaga's trip to the Hawaiian Islands for the Maui Invitational didn't exactly live up to expectations when the Bulldogs lost their opening-round game to Dayton, Monday night, 84-79.

However, Dayton being a pretty good team and it being early in the season, the 11th-ranked Bulldogs took the defeat in stride, went on to hammer Chaminade, 113-81, on Tuesday and rolled to a 91-81 win over Arkansas Wednesday, largely on the sharp-shooting of junior guard, Kevin Pangos.

The 6'2" Canadian drilled seven of eight from beyond the three-point arc and hit 10 of 15 shots overall to lead the Bulldogs with a career high 34 points.

Regarded as one of the best pure shooters around, Pangos hit seven of eight from the foul line, grabbed three rebounds and dished out four assists.

Gonzaga took a 38-31 lead into the break and maintained their lead in the second half as Pangos threw down 19 points in the final 20 minutes.

The nation's top team in shooting percentage at a cool 57%, the Bulldogs improved to 6-1 on the season, while their star shooter increased his scoring average to an even 20 points per game.

Wrapping up the Maui tournament, Minnesota dumped Chaminade, 83-68, Dayton topped Cal, 82-64, and #8 Syracuse took the championship, 74-67, over #18 Baylor, led by C.J. Fair's 24 points.

Jordan Dykstra Leads Jackrabbits to 74-61 Win over Lehigh

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Senior Jordan Dykstra scored a season-high 32 points and South Dakota State won their second straight game, as the Jackrabbits smothered Lehigh, 74-61, in the progressive Legends Classic in Brookings, SD.

For the 6'8" Dykstra, it was business as usual, adding 13 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. He was 8-for-14 overall, including four of six from three-point range and a stellar 12 of 13 from the foul line.

Thanks to Dykstra and fellow forward Cody Larson, who hauled in nine boards, the Jackrabbits held a huge rebounding edge, 39-28. Point guard Barden Carlson (9 assists) distributed the rock well enough that South Dakota State had double the assists as the Mountain Hawks, an 18-9 edge.

Intent on getting his squad out to an early lead, Dykstra scored 10 of the first 12 points for South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits soon opened a double-digit lead at 21-11 and took a 12-point bulge into the break. They were never headed in the second half, improving to 3-1 at home, but only 3-4 overall.

Maui Zowie: Christophe Varidel Scores 42, But Baylor Drops Chaminade

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 25, 2013

The Maui Invitational is 30 years old, and, for all those years, little Division-II Chaminade University, a Catholic institution from Honolulu, has been a part of the annual festivities.

As usual, they were matched against a powerful foe - the Baylor Bears - in Monday's opening championship round, and, equally as usual, they were defeated, though not until Christophe Varidel tied a tournament record with 10 three-pointers and came within a point of the all-time tournament scoring record with 42 points.

Varidel, a senior guard hailing from Switzerland, who averaged just 6.2 points per game last season with Florida Gulf Coast, seemed to have just one thing on his mind Monday: to shoot as often as possible and keep the game within reach for the Silverswords.

Making 14 of 29 shots, Varidel hit on 10 of his 14 three-point tries, but could not counteract Baylor's full complement of scorers, five of which finished in double figures.

The game was closely-contested through the first half, Baylor taking a 50-47 lead into the locker rooms, but the Bears owned the second half, outscoring Chaminade, 43-30, en route to a 93-77 victory.

In other Maui action, Cal defeated Arkansas, 85-77; Syracuse outlasted Minnesota, 75-67, and, in the surprise of the tournament, the Dayton Flyers upended the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 84-79, despite 27 points from Gonzaga's kevin Pangos.

Chaminade gets Gonzaga Tuesday in the loser's bracket, while Cal meets Syracuse and Baylor plays Dayton in the semi-finals.

Jameel Warney's Career Marks Lead Stony Brook to Triple-OT Win over Detroit, 104-102

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, November 24, 2013

Sunday was full of top 25 action and upsets, with #24 North Carolina dropping #3 Louisville, 93-84; unranked Georgetown defeating #10 VCU, 84-80; and, #14 Michigan losing to unranked Charlotte, 63-61.

But, the game of the day was in Detroit, where the Stony Brook Seawolves took host Detroit to three overtimes, eventually coming away with a 104-102 victory.

A contentious contest throughout, the game featured high-scorers from each team with 32 points. Detroit's Evan Bruinsma made 20 of 22 free throws en route to his 32, and collected 15 rebounds, but Stony Brook's Jameel Warney outdid him with 32 points on 13-for-14 shooting from the field, six of nine from the foul line and 21 rebounds, 11 of them off the offensive glass. Both his scoring output and rebounding were career highs.

Warney, a 6'8", 260-pound man-child sophomore, had his second huge game of the weekend, scoring 21 points with 19 rebounds in a 67-61 win over Florida Atlantic, Saturday.

After averaging 12.4 points as a freshman, achieving five double-doubles last season, Warney is now a full-fledged force, averaging a double-double with 19.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.

Hailing from the America East conference, the Seawolves appear to be the conference powerhouse, their 5-2 record the only winning mark of the nine teams plodding through non-conference schedules.

Creighton Goes to 4-0 Behind Doug McDermott's 33 Points, 15 Boards

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 23, 2013

When basketball scouts and pundits start making up lists of the top pro prospects, there's going to be one name at or near the top of all of them: Creighton's Doug McDermott.

The 6'8" senior forward is not only a scoring machine, but a tireless rebounder, great passer and team leader. McDermott's been a mainstay at College Hoops Daily, named as player of the day seven times, including Saturday's 33-point, 15-rebound effort in an 82-72 win over Tulsa, sending the Golden Hurricane to their fourth loss without a win, while the Blue Jays improved to 4-0 on the season.

McDermott missed his first four shots, but still finished 9-for-17 from the field. Scoring just 12 in the first half, Creighton was clinging to a one-point lead at the break (42-41), but McDermott took control in the second half, pumping in 21, including three treys, as the Blue Jays pulled away for the victory. McDermott made 12 of 15 from the line, adding a couple of steals and two assists.

The Blue Jays return to action this coming Thursday night against Arizona State as part of the Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, California, a game that will air nationally on ESPN2.

Kyle Anderson's Triple-Double Propels UCLA to 4-0

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 22, 2013

At 6'9", UCLA sophomore Kyle Anderson is a match-up nightmare. When he is dishing the ball to teammates - in addition to his own scoring and rebounding - the Bruins become a dynamic offensive force, as was evidenced in their 81-70 win over Morehead State, their fourth win without a loss.

Anderson scored 13 points, to go with 12 boards and 11 assists, many of his passes finding fellow sophomore, Jordan Adams, who lit up the Eagles for a career-high 30 points.

As a freshman, Anderson had eight double-double performances, always with scoring and rebounding; this was the first triple-double of his career. He's always been on the lookout for open shooters, as he had 3.5 assists per game last season as a freshman. This season he's leading the Bruins wirh eight assists per game. Other career highlights include a 21-point, 17-rebound and 7-assist night in a win over Fresno State last December.

UCLA's next game is Sunday, against the Chattanooga Mocs. More definitive tests come later: November 29, against Northwestern, December 7, at Missouri, and December 19, when they meet the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden in the Carquest Auto Parts Classic.

Kendall Williams Leads #19 New Mexico in 2OT Thriller at Charleston Classic

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, November 21, 2013

The Charleston Classic turned out to be just that Thursday afternoon, as 19th-ranked New Mexico outlasted a stubborn UAB squad to win a thriller in double overtime, 97-94.

Kendall Williams led the Lobos with 29 points and nailed a three-pointer with the clock running down to zeroes to force the first overtime period.

Alex Kirk scored the final five points for New Mexico in the first OT, including a three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left that extended the game into another five-minute extra period.

UAB's Todd Frazier led all scorers with 34 points, but it was Williams who provided the key plays for the win, hitting Cleveland Thomas for an open three-pointer with 39 seconds left in the second overtime. Thomas' bucket put the Lobos up by three and UAB could not overcome the lead as time ran down.

A senior guard, Williams flirted with a triple double, dishing 10 assists with six rebounds. He's the leading scorer for 3-0 New Mexico this season, averaging 22 points per game, increasing his average scoring output each season he's been with the Lobos.

Williams was 8-for-18 from the field, including 4-for-8 from downtown, adding nine points from the foul line where he made nine of 10.

UAB dropped their first game of the season after three wins; the Lobos remain unbeaten and face the unbeaten (4-0) Massachusetts Minutemen Friday afternoon at 2:30 pm ET in one of the tournament's semi-final match-ups. On the other side of the bracket, Davidson and Clemson meet in the other semi-final game, 9:30 pm ET.

The final is Sunday afternoon at TD Arena in Charleston, SC, following the consolation game.

Dylon Cormier Pours in 34 Points as the Loyola Greyhounds Improve to 4-0

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Developing a knack for the dramatic, senior guard Dylon Cormier and Maryland's Loyola Greyhounds improved to 4-0 on the season with their second overtime win, an 89-83 victory over UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore City), Wednesday night in Baltimore.

Cormier matched his season-high with 34 points, a number he also reached ten days ago when the Greyhounds won at Cornell, 93-89, also in overtime.

In the win over UMBC, Cormier was 12-for-22 from the field, 9-for-13 from the foul line, had 10 boards, two assists and two steals in 44 minutes of floor time. He leads the Greyhounds in scoring, averaging 28.3 ppg, after averaging 13.4 as a sophomore and 16.4 last season.

The win was the third on the road for the Greyhounds and the start of a four-game road stretch. They won't be at home again until December 19th.

The Greyhounds run in the relative obscurity of the Patriot League. Their next game is November 26 at the University of Connecticut.

Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky Shatters School Record with 43 Points in Badger Victory

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Ranked #12 in the latest AP poll, the Wisconsin Badgers appear to be building a force in the Big Ten, ready to challenge a loaded field of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Indiana when the conference schedule begins in January.

For now, Wisconsin is cruising through a solid non-conference schedule and are 4-0. Having already bettered St. John's, Florida and Wisconsin-Green Bay, the Badgers welcomed North Dakota into the Kohl Center for some hoops, coming away with a 103-85 victory.

Led by Frank Kaminsky's school-record 43 points, the Badgers rained down threes on the visitors, six of them from Kaminsky, who made all of his long-range shots and was 16-for-19 overall.

While he was kept busy scoring in his 28 minutes of court time, Kaminsky managed to haul in three boards and a steal. Totaling 21 in the first half and 22 in the second, Kaminsky, a junior forward whose previous high this season was a mere 16 points, shattered his own personal high and put up more points than any Division-I player this season.

His effort overshadowed the 39-point barrage put up by Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart, in the #7 Cowboys' 101-80 win over #11 Memphis.

Kaminsky, a seven-footer, displayed a deft touch from long range, adding five of six from the foul line.

Next up for the Badgers is another home game against Bowling Green, this Thursday night.

Seten Hall Cruises past Monmouth, 82-66, on Patrik Auda's Double-Double

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 18, 2013

Despite mass defections of perennially-high-ranked teams, the Big East is far from being a dead conference.

Additions like Butler, Creighton and Xavier added depth and teams that remained, like Seton Hall (3-1) give the conference substantial balance.

After an unlikely loss Saturday to Mercer, the Pirates bounced back against another New Jersey team, Monmouth, with an 82-66 trouncing. racing off to a 38-25 lead at the half, Seton Hall was never headed.

Junior forward, Patrik Auda, filled up the stat sheet with aplomb, scoring a career-high 27 points, to go with 10 boards, two steals and two blocked shots.

An import from the Czeck Republic, Auda played sparingly last season, but now, fully healthy, adds muscle and versatility to the Pirates' front court. Auda was 8-for-9 on the night, canning both of his three-point attempts, in addition to being a perfect 9-for-9 from the stripe.

Seton Hall shot a sharp 53% from the field, holding the Hawks to just 40%. Auda's double-double was his first of the season, accomplished in a mere 22 minutes of playing time.

Olivier Hanlon Goes Off for 38 Points in Boston College Win

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, November 17, 2013

Opening the season with three straight losses, the Boston College Eagles got their first win with an 82-79 win over Florida Atlantic

Needing every bit of Olivier Hanlon's season-high 38 points, BC scored the win in the second round of the 2K Sports Classic at Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Hanlon, a 6'4" sophomore guard, was 11-for-19 from the floor, knocking down four of 10 three-pointers. He also canned 12 of 14 from the line, scoring 15 of his 38 points in the final 8:53 of the game.

Hanlon's scoring deluge ties Pendarvis Williams of Norfolk State and Drake's Richard Carter for the most points in a single game this season.

A career high of 41 points was put up by Hanlon in the opening round of last season's ACC tournament, an 84-64 win over Georgia Tech.

Boston College's leading scorer, Hanlon is averaging 24.5 points per outing, after going for 15.4, on average, last season.

The Eagles will be looking for their second consecutive win when they meet #19 UConn, Thursday night.

NOTABLE: #12 North Carolina was stunned by Belmont, 83-80, Sunday, in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off, when J.J. Mann dropped in a three-pointer with 13.1 seconds left. It was the first defeat of the season for the 2-1 Tar Heels. Belmont, out of the Ohio Valley conference, improved to 3-1.

DePaul's Cleveland Melvin Powers Blue Demons past Wright State

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 16, 2013

With so many teams fleeing the Big East (Syracuse, Louisville, Uconn, others), the remaining squads feel they have a legitimate chance at either winning the conference or getting an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in March.

Such is the case of DePaul, often an NIT afterthought when struggling through the Big East schedule, but now 2-1, after knocking off Wright State, 81-72.

Placing four players in double figures, the Blue Demons were led by senior forward Cleveland Melvin's 23 points and 13 rebounds, the kind of numbers Melvin's been putting up in his four years at DePaul, scoring in double figures each season.

A force in the paint, the 6'8" Melvin was 8-for-10 from the field, stepped back to make one of two from three-point range and was six-for-six from the foul line. Four of his game-high 13 boards were on the offensive end.

DePaul shot 54.5% from the field and out-rebounded the Raiders, 34-19.

If DePaul means to make noise in the reshuffled Big East conference, they'll have to do well against holdovers Georgetown, Marquette and Villanova, as well as newcomers, Xavier, Creighton and Butler.

For now, the Blue Demons will be content with their non-conference schedule, which includes games against Wichita State, Oregon State and Airzona State, before opening Big East play on December 31, at Georgetown.

Adreian Payne Leads Michiagn State to 62-53 Win over Columbia

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 15, 2013

After Michigan State topped #1 Kentucky on Tuesday night, 78-74, there was little doubt that the Spartans would be ranked number one in the next poll, due out on Monday, November 18.

One little problem: the Spartans had a Friday night home game against the Columbia Lions, and, while they were expected to easily defeat the pushovers from the Ivy League, they still had to go out onto the court and play the game... you know, pass the ball, put ball into hoop, rebound, al that stuff.

After twenty minutes of an uninspired first half, the Spartans found themselves on the short end of a 26-22 score, and that, after taking an immediate, 9-0, lead in the first four minutes. For the next 16 minutes of the first half, Michagan State was outscored 26-13.

Coach Tom Izzo was obviously unpleased with the effort, but things went better for the Spartans in the second twenty minutes. Led by senior forward Adreian Payne, who scored 17 of his game-high 26 points in the second half, the Spartans - still a little sluggish - finally tied the score at 44-all midway through the second half and outscored the Lions 18-9 down the stretch for a not-so-magnificent, 62-53, victory.

In addition to his 26 points, Payne snatched 11 rebounds, made two steals and blocked three shots in 33 minutes of floor time. Only three Spartans were in double figures, and, they were surprisingly out-rebounded by Columbia, 31-27. The Spartans made no three-pointers (0-for-7), but caused 17 Lion turnovers while only coughing up the ball 11 times themselves. The game was really won on the foul line, where Michigan State was 22-for-30, as opposed to Columbia's paltry 8-for-11.

Next up for the 3-0, soon-to-be=#1 Spartans is another home game, Monday night against the Portland Pilots. That one is not supposed to be much of a problem either.

Pendarvis Williams Leads Norfolk State over Newberry with 38 Points

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The Spartans of Norfolk State won their first game of the season Wednesday night, breaking open a tight contest in the second half for a 115-95 win over the Newberry Indians.

Leading by just three points at the half, 51-48, the Spartans pulled away with 64 second half points, led by Pendarvis Williams, who led all scorers with a career-high 38 points, tying Richard Carter of Drake for the most scored in a single game this season. Carter's effort was just four days ago, on November 9.

Williams, a 6'6" senior from Philadelphia who averaged 14.3 points per game, was 14-for-19 from the floor, canning five of eight threes and knocking down five of six from the stripe. He added four assists and seven rebounds to his impressive totals. Williams is tied with Eddie Morales in team assists, averaging six per game.

UNC Greensboro Falls to East Carolina, Despite 34 from Freshman Tevon Sadler

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, November 12, 2013

While hoops fans were focused on the Champions Classic Michigan State topped Kentucky, 78-74; Kansas beat Duke, 94-85 - Tevon Sadler was lighting up the East Carolina Pirates for 34 points, five assists and eight boards.

Unfortunately, Sadler's effort was not enough to forestall an 85-84 Pirate victory over UNC Greensboro. The Spartans had a 10-point lead at the half, but could not hold off East Carolina, which outscored them 55-44 in the second half.

Sadler, a 6'4" freshman guard, was 10-for-15 from the field and 14-for-19 from the stripe.

Doug McDermott Goes for 37 Points in Creighton Win over UMKC

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 11, 2013

As the top returning scorer from last season, Doug McDermott doesnt have much to prove to the college basketball world; he's done most of that over his three years as a Creighton Bluejay.

After scoring a pedestrian 20 points in Creighton's 107-61 win over Alcorn State Friday night, McDermott was back in superstar mode with 37 against the UMKC Kangaroos in a routine, 96-70 victory.

Hitting 15 of 25 shots from the field - including 5-for-10 on three-pointers - McDermott felt he shoudl have made more shots, not exactly what future Creighton opponents want to hear.

As Crieghton dominated the score and the boards, the 6;8" senior forward grabbed seven rebounds. The Bluejays out-rebounded the Kangaroos, 51-35 amd hit 51.5% of their shots, to 37.7% for UMKC (University of Missouri - Kansas City).

McDermott's 37 were the second-most scored in a single game this season, just a point behind Drake's Richard Carter's effort from Saturday.

Tuning up for their first season in the reconstructed Big East, the Bluejays next take to the hardwood on Saturday, November 16 at St. Joseph's.

Kendrick Perry Leads Youngstown State Penguins to Kennesaw State Tourney Title

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, November 10, 2013

Senior guard, Kendrick Perry, brought down the house on Eastern Kentucky in the final round of the Kennesaw State Tournament in Kennesaw, Georgia, with a stunning performance, canning 11 of 19 shots from the field, including four of nine from three-point range as Youngstown State sent Eastern Kentucky to their first loss of the season, 75-67.

Flirting with a triple-double, Perry added nine boards and seven assists, helping the Penguins establish a 36-26 lead at the half, and later scoring five straight points to put Youngstown ahead by seven points in the waning minutes of the game.

Youngstown State, expected to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack in the Horizon League, won all three of their games in the tournament, topping host Kennesaw State in the opening round, 73-57, Friday; taking out FIU, 74-72, in overtime on Saturday; and defeating Eastern Kentucky in the final, Sunday afternoon. The Colonels, expected to be a powerhouse in the Ohio Valley this season, proved to be no match for Perry and the Penguins.

Perry had 66 points, 18 rebounds and 17 assists over the three tourney games. An all-purpose, six-foot guard, Perry averaged 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals last season.

Drake Survives with 61-59 Win as Richard Carter Pours in 38 Points

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 9, 2013

The Missouri Valley Conference has been dominated in recent years by Wichita State, Creighton and Northern Iowa, but the Drake Bulldogs got off to a positive start with a 61-59 victory at Illinois-Chicago for new head coach Ray Giacoletti.

Richard Carter scored a career-best 38 points as Drake hung on to escape on Saturday. Drake established a nine-point lead over the Flames with eight minutes left, but had to hold on to survive a furious comeback which ended when a last-second shot rimmed out.

Carter, a 5'11" senior from Detroit who averaged less than 10 points per game last season, hit 12 of 17 from the field and was 12-for-12 from the foul line. Hitting two of four from three-point range, Carter helped out with three rebounds and four steals. His 38 points is the most scored in Division-I so far this season.

The Bulldogs last won the Missouri Valley title and tournament in the 2007-08 season, when they went to the NCAA tournament, finishing with a school record of 28-5. Drake was 15-17 last season and 7-11 in conference competition.

The Bulldogs play their first home game Tuesday night, when they host Iowa Wesleyan.

Kentucky Cruises, 89-57, on Julius Randle's 23 Points, 15 Boards

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 8, 2013

Touted as possibly the best freshman class ever assembled, John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats took to the hardwood for the first time in the 2013-14 season Friday night, proving to any skeptics that the fabulous freshman class was going to deliver, possibly beyond expectations.

Led by Juluis Randle's 23 points and 15 rebounds, the Wildcats, after a somewhat disorganized first half, took a 41-31 lead at the break and ran away in the second half for an 89-57 victory, outscoring the visiting bulldogs, 48-26, over the final 20 minutes.

Randle, a 6'9", 250 lb. freshman beast out of Prestonwood Christian High School in Dallas, Texas, dominated the interior, grabbing five offensive rebounds and 10 off the defensive glass. Though he shot just 6-for-12 from the field, he was frequently fouled in his 26 minutes of floor time, canning 11 of 13 free throws, showing a deft touch for a big man.

Four other Kentucky players scored in double figures, led by Randle's 23.

The Wildcats were ranked #1 in all preseason polls, apparently for good reason. The team, one of the youngest ever assembled, carries nine freshmen, two sophomores and just five upperclassmen.

Kentucky will have another tune-up on Saturday, when they host Northern Kentucky at Rupp Arena prior to their showdown with #2 Michigan State on Tuesday night, in the opening game of the Champions Classic at Chicago's United Center. As part of an early season double-header, the second game features #4 Duke, meeting #5 Kansas.

The Spartans hammered McNeese State, 98-56, Friday night in their season opener. Duke routed Davidson, 111-77; the Jayhawks opened their season with an 80-63 win over Louisiana-Monroe.