Texas Dumped by K-State; Kentucky Only Unbeaten Left

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, January 18, 2010

Kansas State sophomore forward Jamar Samuels delivered his best performance of the season at just the right time, scoring 20 points and bringing down a career-high 12 rebounds to help the Wildcats knock off #1 and previously-undefeated Texas, 71-62, leaving another team of Wildcats, Kentucky, as the only unbeaten team in the college ranks.

Coming within a point of his career-high scoring mark, Samuels made the most of his time in the paint, hitting 8 of 13 shots, but also contributed a key three-pointer and defended against the Texas big men - Damion James and Dexter Pittman as the Wildcats had the Fred Bramlage Coliseum rocking. James, an all-American candidate, was held to just 9 points. Pittman was limited to just 6. James had one of his worst shooting nights ever, hitting just 3 of 12 from the field. He also was credited with 4 turnovers.

In addition to their generally poor shooting (37%), Texas struggled from the foul line as well, making just 9 of 22 freebies (41%).

NOTABLE: Wesley Johnson and Andy Rautins scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, as the #5 Syracuse Orangemen closed out Notre Dame late for an 84-71 win, their 5th straight after losing to Pittsburgh back on January 2nd. The Orange are 18-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference, right behind co-leaders Pitt and Villanova, both 5-0.

Villanova Stops Hoyas Despite Monroe's Huge Game

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, January 17, 2010

Villanova remained perfect through five Big East games and improved to 16-1 overall, as Scottie Reynolds scored 27 points in the Wildcats' 82-77 home win over Georgetown. The #4 Wildcats rule the Big East along with Pittsburgh, both at 5-0. Syracuse, 4-1, is hot on their tails. The #11 Hoyas dropped to 4-2 in the conference and 13-3 overall, yet remain one of the elite teams in college hoops.

Part of their formula for success has been the play of sophomore center Greg Monroe, who continues the tradition of exceptional big men from Georgetown. Monroe was an absolute force in Sunday's loss, hitting 9 of 13 shots and 10 of 15 from the foul line for a career-high 29 points, to go with his 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Monroe is quickly becoming one of the most-feared low post players in the nation. If his progress continues at its current pace, he may not be back for a junior season, as he is already regarded as one of the best big NBA prospects around, averaging a double-double every time his sneakers hit the court - 14.9 ppg and 10.0 rpg.

NOTABLE: When the latest polls come out today, expect to see at least one of two fixtures in the Top 25 drop out. Both North Carolina and UConn seem to be in the middle of rebuilding seasons and their troops are not prepared well enough for the rigors of life in the ACC or Big East. Both teams have already suffered 6 losses, and are under .500 in conference play (Tar Heels, 1-2; Huskies, 2-3). With the easy part of the season behind them, don't be surprised if one or both of these squads miss the NCAA tournament. Despite playing in big time conferences, 12 or 13 losses isn't likely to impress the selection committee.

Dunn's 25 Leads Baylor Over Oklahoma St.

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, January 16, 2010

Oklahoma State has a pretty good basketball team. At 13-4, they've established themselves as a contender in the Big 12. The problem for the Cowboys, however, is that there are a lot of good teams in the conference, such as Baylor, the team they visited on Saturday. After a closely-contested first half, from which the Cowboys emerged ahead, 40-39, Baylor took control in the latter stages, thanks to a 25-point effort from the Bears' leading scorer, LaceDarius Dunn, propelling Baylor to a harder-than-it-looked, 83-70 win.

Dunn, who is averaging 19.1 points per game this season, hit 9 of 17 shots overall, including 4 of his 9 three-point attempts. He also grabbed 9 rebounds, as the #22 Bears improved to 14-2, and 2-1 in the conference, along with Kansas State, Oklahoma and Missouri. That foursome trails Kansas (2-0) and Texas (3-0) in one of the nation's most loaded conferences. With anywhere from 6 to 8 teams likely to head to the Big Dance, wins over other contenders - give Baylor one here - will be an important determinant weighing on the final selections. Baylor appears to be headed that way.

NOTABLE: There was no lack of Top 25 action on Saturday, including a huge 72-67 overtime victory for #1 Texas, who hosted the Aggies from Texas A&M. Forward Damion James scored 26 points, including seven in overtime to keep the Longhorns unbeaten at 17-0.

Now that Ohio State has a healthy Evan Turner back playing full time, they've managed to even their conference record at 3-3 and should be a force - barring injuries -for the rest of the Big Ten season. After dispatching Purdue on Tuesday, the Buckeyes hosted #13 Wisconsin, defeating the Badgers by a 60-51 score. The 14-5 Buckeyes are making plenty of noise in the crowded Big Ten, where Purdue, which had been undefeated heading into conference action, has now lost three straight, their latest a 72-64 beat-down at Northwestern.

#12 North Carolina is in danger of dropping out of the Top 25 after dropping two straight, including Saturday's 73-71 loss to Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels are 12-6, and 1-2 in the ACC.

Harris Goes for Career-High 31 as Zags Top St. Mary's

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, January 14, 2010

Every year, the Gonzaga Bulldogs field a team worthy of inclusion in the NCAA tournament field. Over the last decade, the Zags have become a nearly-permanent fixture of the tourney, and have gone from being a novelty to being a perennial high seed. This year's squad is no different, taking on teams from all over the country, and beating some of them, in preparation for the annual March madness.

On Thursday, the Bulldogs won their 5th straight, and 3rd straight on the road, with an important victory over one of their West Coast Conference main rivals, the St. Mary's Gaels. Leading the way to the 89-83 win was freshman forward Elias Harris, who did it all with a career-high 31 points on 13-for-20 shooting, and 13 rebounds. Operating mostly in the post, Harris displayed some very un-freshman-like skills and even drifted out beyond the arc on occasion, hitting one of his two 3-point attempts. Harris, 6'7", is a 46% shooter from downtown.

With wins in their first two conference games on the road over their main rivals for the WCC title - beating Portland on Saturday, 81-78, the Bulldogs are tied for first place with Pepperdine and appear to have a team worthy of a high seeding and potential run deep into the tourney field come March. Gonzaga is 13-3, with the losses coming against Michigan State, Duke and Wake Forest.

Upsets Predominant In Wide-Open ACC

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The big news in the Top 25 Wednesday night was #24 Clemson's smashing performance over #12 North Carolina, in which the Tigers took advantage of 27 Tar Heel turnovers, including 14 steals, mostly by Clemson guard Tanner Smith and forward David Potter, each of whom had five. Clemson took an early lead and dominated the entire game, winning, 83-64. The win improved Clemson to 2-1 in the conference and a highly respectable 14-3 overall.

Later in the evening, two more upsets verified that the ACC, one of the top two or three conferences in the nation, was loaded with quality teams. Virginia slipped by 20th-ranked Georgia Tech, 82-75, while Virginia Tech was absolutely hammering #23 Miami, putting their offense on cruise control in the second half after taking a 50-23 lead into the break. The Hokies eventually finished off the Hurricanes with an 81-66 rout, improving to 13-2, as junior gaurd Malcolm Delaney hoisted up a game-high 28 points, to go with 9 assists and 4 rebounds.

All of the ACC upsets occurred on the home floors of the winners. With strong fan bases and generally loud crowds, college basketball presents one of the most challenging environments for visiting teams, especially in the hotly contested ACC.

The scramble already on at the top and middle ranks of the conference, all of the confusion adds to 14-2 Duke's strong position at 2-1, with their only ACC loss coming just this past Saturday, as Georgia tech stepped up for a 71-67 win. The Blue Devils' only other loss was to Big Ten powerhouse, Wisconsin, another 4-point defeat, making the Blue Devils just four buckets short of perfection at 14-2. Duke held court at home over Boston College, 79-59.

NOTABLE: Senior guard Andy Rautins led five doble-figure scorers with 23 points, as the #5 Syracuse Orangemen improved to 16-1 with an 81-65 spanking of Rutgers. Rautins had one of the best all-round games by a single player this season, grabbing 8 rebounds, dishing 9 assists and snatching 5 steals.

Pittsburgh, the only team to have beaten Syracuse this season, continued to vie for first place, going to 4-0 in the Big East - along with Villanova - with a 67-57 defeat of a highly suspect UConn team. The Huskies are already 2-3 in the conference and 11-5 overall. While it's still early in the season, the huskies have the look of a definite bubble team when time comes to pick the 65 competitors for the NCAA tournament.

Turner Outduels Hummel; Ohio St. Outlasts Purdue

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, January 12, 2010

After missing 6 games due to injury, Evan Turner entered his third game back as the Ohio State Buckeyes traveled to face Purdue in a key Big Ten tilt. But even he couldn't have expected Robbie Hummel to score 29 first half points, hitting 8 of 10 3-pointers, before going on to a game-high 35. Hummel's eight 3's in a half tied a Purdue record set by Cuonzo Martin in a 1994 Sweet 16 win over Kansas, but the second half belonged to Turner and the Buckeyes, who scrapped back and eventually tied the game at 62 on a Turner trey and went on to win, 70-66, handing the Boilermakers their second loss of the season. For the Buckeyes, the game was their first road win of the season, and second conference win in five tries. Turner, who scored 23 in the second half, finished with 32, plus 9 rebounds and 3 assists.

Hummel scored 18 straight points heading into the half before E'Twaun Moore's layup with 5 seconds left put Purdue up, 41-29, at the break, but was stymied in the second, scoring four points within the first two minutes, but then being held scoreless by Ohio State's best defender, David Lighty, until he canned a pair of free throws with 22 second left in the game and Ohio State already ahead. Hummel dislocated a finger on his non-shooting hand late in the game and missed some key court time. He had ten rebounds.

The scoring outbursts by Hummel and Turner were both personal season highs, Turner's a career best.

Scottie Reynolds Goes Off as 'Nova Rips Louisville

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, January 11, 2010

Squandering a 17-point first half lead, the Louisville Cardinals could not stop Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds, as the Wildcats tore up the Cardinals in the second half - outscoring them 56-41 - en route to a 92-84 win.

Reynolds was nothing short of magnificent, hitting all five 3-point shots and 9-of-10 overall, adding 13 of 17 from the foul line for a season-high 36 points. He scored 16 points in the final 6 minutes of the game, boosting the #4 Wildcats to a 15-1 record and a 4-0 mark in the Big East. Their only loss was a 75-65 loss at Temple in December. Since then Villanova has reeled off 6 straight wins, including a pair of 2-point victories over Marquette.

Reynolds leads the Wildcats in scoring at 18.8 points per game and is tied for 5th in the Big East with South Florida's Augustus Gilchrist.

Vols Stun #1 Kansas; Texas Should Assume Top Spot

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, January 10, 2010

Tennessee's harassing defense held the #1 Jayhawks in check and the Volunteers stunned Kansas, 76-68, Sunday.

Senior guard Bobby Maze contributed greatly to the offensive success for Tennessee, scoring 16 points, but more importantly, distributing the rock with 8 assists and securing it with 7 rebounds. Maze played 33 minutes, his season-high, and was aided in the upset by teammates Rolando Woolridge and Scotty Hopson, who tallied 14 and 17 points, respectively.

The Vols held Kansas to just 38% shooting and induced 16 turnovers, while giving it up just 7 times. The outcome of the game, which wasn't decided until the closing minute, could have been worse for Kansas, as the Vols were horrible from the foul line, hitting just 15 of 29 free throws (52%).

When the new poll is released later today, Kansas should drop to #3 or further down, with Texas #1 and Kentucky #2. They are the only remaining undefeated teams in the country.

NOTABLE: After six Top 25 upsets on Saturday, half of the six Top 25 Sunday games ended with underdogs on top. In addition to Kansas, #18 Florida St. was dumped at Maryland, 77-68, and #24 Washington was routed at Arizona 87-70. Some new faces and new places are expeced in this week's poll.

Wild Saturday Produces Six Top 25 Upsets

College Hoops Player of the Day for DAY, Month, 2010

Purdue being knocked from the rank of unbeaten - in a 73-66 loss at Wisconsin - was the most prominent of the upsets in a wide-open Saturday of college hoops action.

#20 Georgia Tech ended seasons of frustration, beating #5 Duke for the first time in its last five tries, stopping the Blue Devils, 71-67.

The other upsets included Notre Dame over #8 west Virginia, Missouri downing #12 Kansas State, UNLV topping #15 New Mexico, dealing the Lobos their second straight conference loss and 3rd in their last 5, and Oklahoma St. clobbering #22 Texas Tech, 81-52.

In that Big 12 match-up, the Cowboys' big-time scorer, James Anderson, notched 28 points on 9-for-17 shooting, including hitting 5 of 8 3-pointers. Anderson, an unguardable 6'6" junior guard is among the top scorers in the nation, at 21.9 points per game. The Cowboys, largely overlooked in the polls, are a very respectable 13-2, their only losses coming at Rhode Island and Tulsa. They are tied with four other teams at 1-0 in the Big 12.

NOTABLE: Speaking of big-time scorers, Georgetown guard Austin Freeman poured in 33 points as his #12 Hoyas outlasted #13 UConn, 72-69. Freeman was 12-for-20 from the field, with 5 of 9 3-pointers finding the mark. He also had 7 rebounds to go with two assists and three steals. Georgetown improved to 12-2. The Huskies are 11-4.

Mixup in PAC-10

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, January 8, 2010

Sure, it's early, but from the looks of things, the PAC-10 probably won't be sending more than three or four teams to the NCAA tournament this season. Which three or four remains something of a mystery, now that the only ranked team from the conference - Washington, #24 - has lost two straight and probably won't be ranked come Monday afternoon.

After losing to current conference leader Oregon (2-0), 90-79, on January 2, the Huskies traveled to Arizona State on Friday and came up absolutely empty, as the Sun Devils blasted them, 68-51. Not that the Devils are any great shakes - they out-shot Washington, 38%-36% - but their 11-5 record compares well to the best of the PAC-10, including USC (12-5), Oregon (10-4), Washington St. (12-3) and the Huskies, at 10-4.

Friday's win featured Arizona State's Rihards Kuksiks, a 6'6" swingman from Riga, Latvia, who pumped in 27 points to lead the Sun Devils to their first PAC-10 win of the season (1-2). Dropping bombs from all over the court, Kuksiks equalled his season-high, hitting 8 of 14 shots from the floor, including 5-for-8 on 3-pointers. The team's leading scorer, averaging 12.4 points per outing, Kuksiks also matched his career-high in rebounds, with 9.

Hilltoppers Win in OT, Take 1st in Sun Belt

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, January 7, 2010

As long as A.J. Slaughter and Steffphon Pettigrew remain healthy, the western Kentucky Hilltoppers should continue to be a major force in the Sun Belt conference and earn another trip to the NCAA tournament in March.

Slaughter, who leads the team in scoring, assists and steals, was on his game Thursday when the Hilltoppers invaded South Alabama, keeping their conference record clean with their second win in as many games with a 67-64 win on overtime. The 6'3" senior point guard led the scoring with 18 points. Pettigrew, a junior forward, complemented the effort with 16 points and 5 boards.

It was the 4th straight win, and 7th in their last 8, for Western Kentucky, who knocked off SEC rival, Mississippi St., 55-52, on Monday. The Hilltoppers lead the Sun Belt's East division with a 2-0 record. They are 9-4 overall.

There were no Top 25 teams in action Thursday.

Cubillan Lifts Marquette Past Georgetown

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, January 6, 2010

A 6-foot senior guard hailing from Maracaibo, Venezuela, David Cubillan, who played only 9.5 minutes per game and scored an average of 1.6 points, lifted the Marquette Golden Eagles to their first Big East win, topping #12 Georgetown, 62-59. Cubillan took only 7 shots, but hit on all 6 of his 3-point attempts, leading the Eagles with 18 points, his season high.

Marquette has been on the brink of winning a big game over a highly-ranked opponent, though this was the first time they broke through. On December 29, they took West Virginia to the edge, losing 63-62, and this past Saturday they lost at home to Villanova, 74-72. Against Georgetown, they kept their poise down the stretch, made critical free throws and made big shots when they needed them.

Despite their 10-5 record, Marquette is one of those unranked teams nobody wants to play because they possess enough talent, determination and solid coaching to hang in against just about any team in the country. Team leader Lazar Hayward shot just 25% from the field (4-16), but managed to post his 4th double-double of the season, with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

NOTABLE: On Tuesday, it was Texas taken to the limit at Arkansas. On Wednesday, it was Kansas' turn, when the Jayhawks hosted the Big Red of Cornell and found themselves scrapping deep into the second half to finally put away the testy Ivy Leaguers. The Jayhawks managed to keep their record unblemished with a 71-66 win, thanks to a season-high 33 points from senior guard and likely All-American, Sherron Collins. Collins was 9-for-16 from the field and canned 13 of 14 free throws, including some clutch ones down the stretch.

In an important early Mountain West showdown, BYU slipped past UNLV, 77-73. The Cougars are tied with San Diego State, TCU and Colorado State at 1-0 in the conference.

Purdue Powers Past Minnesota; Texas Tested

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Robbie Hummel, Purdue's 6'8" junior forward, has been hailed as one of the best players in college basketball ever since he took the floor as a true freshman two years ago. Now, with the Boilermakers a perfect 14-0 after grounding Minnesota's Golden Gophers, 79-60, Hummel is being mentioned prominently in player of the year discussions.

Scoring in double figures for the 13th time in 14 games (he had 9 points in an 85-60 win at St. Joseph's back in November), Hummel and teammate E'Twaun Moore each scored a game-high 18 points as the Boilermakers shot 52% from the field while holding Minnesota to an ugly 31% shooting. Hummel also ripped down 11 boards, along with 3 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocked shots.

Purdue took a 35-28 lead into the break and then blistered the Gophers in the second stanza, shooting 65% from the floor. The 14 wins to open the season matched Purdue's 1993-94 start when Glenn Robinson led the Boilermakers to the first of three straight Big Ten championships and a finish in the Elite eight of the NCAA tournament under coach Gene Keady.

Last season, Purdue won the Big Ten tournament and reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA's, finishing the season with a 27-10 record.

NOTABLE:Plagued by foul trouble, Texas forward Damion James still managed to put up 20 points with 9 rebounds in just 17 minutes to help the #2 Longhorns pull away late from a determined Arkansas squad, 96-85. Dexter Pittman had 21 points as the Longhorns won their 14th game without a loss.

On the other side of the coin, #15 New Mexico suffered tis second loss of the season (14-2), dropping a 74-64 decision to conference foe San Diego State (12-3). It was the Lobos' second loss in their last four games and raises questions about their ability to endure over the long haul, especially against the expected challenge in the Mountain West from teams such as BYU, UNLV and Air Force, not to mention the Aztecs, who got 18 points and 15 rebounds from Malcolm Thomas in Tuesday's win.

Tar Heels Given the Boot at Charleston

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, January 4, 2010

Junior guard Andrew Goudelock poured in 24 points, and the unheralded Charleston Cougars upset #9 North Carolina, in overtime, 82-79.

The team's leading scorer, Goudelock hit on half of his 20 attempts from the field, including going 4-for-8 from 3-point range. Playing almost the entire game without a rest - 43 minutes - Goudelock scored the final 8 points of the regulation, including a 28-foot 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime. He led four other Cougars in double figures as the 8-6 Cougars pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season, holding #9 North Carolina to 38% shooting, even though being outrebounded, 56-36, by the taller Tar Heels. Interestingly, all of Charleston's losses have come on the road, while they have yet to be beaten in six games on their home court under coach Bobby Cremins, who is no stranger to North Carolina, having guided the Georgia Tech program for 19 years, from 1981-2000. After a five-year absence from coaching, this is Cremins' 4th season as head coach at the College of Charleston.

North Carolina was playing without forward Marcus Ginyard, who missed his third straight game with an ankle injury. The Tar Heels dropped to 11-4 on the season. They open a usually-grueling ACC schedule on January 10, when they host Virginia Tech. Charleston is 3-0 in the South division of the Southern conference.

NOTABLE: The Pitt Panthers keep rolling along, despite having lost most of their starting lineup from a year ago to graduation. After slamming Syracuse on Saturday, handing the Orangemen their first loss of the season, the Panthers traveled to Cincinnati and topped the Bearcats on Monday night, 74-71, as Ashton Gibbs led the scoring with 19 points. Pittsburgh is now 13-2 overall and 3-0 in the Big East. The voters rewarded them on Monday with the #23 ranking in the latest poll.

Pullen Leads Kansas State to 13-1 Record

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, January 3, 2010

How deep into the March NCAA tournament will Kansas State go this year? The Wildcats have been to the final four four times, but not since 1964, when they lost to UCLA 90-84 in the semi-finals. Last season, they didn't even receive an invitation and lost in the second round to San Diego State.

Prospects seem better this season, though the Wildcats are chasing two powerhouses within their own confernece: Texas and Kansas. But, after topping South Dakota, 91-69, on Sunday, the #12 Wildcats are 13-1 and appear ready to take on all comers in the Big 12.

Led By junior guard Jacob Pullen, the Wildcats have become an offensive machine, routinely scoring in the 80s or 90s. In Sunday's win, Pullen topped the scoring parade with 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including 6 of 10 bombs from 3-point land. Pullen has tallied in double figures in every game this season and leads the team in scoring and steals.

Kansas State begins conference play on January 9 at Missouri, which should provide a glimpse of their ability because the Mizzou are also contenders, at 11-3. Their true tests will come later in the month when they host Texas (Jan. 18) and Kansas (Jan. 30).

Pitt Stuns Syracuse; Unbeaten Teams Down to Four

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, January 2, 2010

So far, the new year has not been praticularly kind to unbeaten teams in the Big East. On Friday, Purdue sent West Virginia to its first loss of the season, and on Saturday, the Pitt Panthers stormed the Carrier Dome and swept away the Orangemen's dreams of an undefeated season, topping the Orange, 82-72.

Syracuse stormed out to an early lead, but the Panthers kept the game within range, down by just three points, 30-27, as the two teams headed into the break. While SU's big men were getting themselves into foul trouble and the rest of the team missing shots from everywhere, Pitt's solid backcourt tandem of senior Jermaine Dixon and sophomore Ashton Gibbs were wreaking havoc from the perimeter. Gibbs, quickly becoming one of the more fearsome long-range specialists in the Big East, banged home 6 of 9 3-pointers en route to a game-high 24 points.

Dixon had a career-high 21 points, hitting 3 of 8 3-pointers, while dishing 4 assists, grabbing 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Pitt, winners of 5 of their last 6 trips to Syracuse, harassed Syracuse's outside shooters into a season-low 1-for-13 on 3-poiint attempts.

Prior to the game, Syracuse was ranked #5 nationally, while the Panthers were unranked. Now 12-2, Pitt should be mentioned as at least a contender in the Big East and should crack the Top 25 poll which will be released on Monday.

NOTABLE: Kentucky is loaded with young talent, though most of the attention is directed at the sensational John Wall. The Wildcats might be developing one of the best big men in the country in 6'11" frosh DeMarcus Cousins, who put on a thoroughly dominating performance in Kentucky's 71-61 win over Louisville. Cousins scored 18 points and had 18 rebounds, his 4th straight double-double and 8th on the season. #3 Kentucky improved to 15-0.

Badgers Bury Buckeyes; Purdue Punished Mountaineers

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, December 31, 2009

Don't think twice about the Wisconsin Badgers reaching the top of the Big Ten and doing some serious damage in March - this team can play with anybody, and, usually, beat them.

The Badgers opened Big Ten play hosting Ohio State on the last day of 2009, and left the Buckeyes feeling like they'd rather leave memories of that year behind them. Wisconsin, playing tenacious defense and turning take-aways into points, built and early lead and pulled away late for the lopsided 65-43 win. By holding Ohio State to their worst shooting performance of the season, 14-of-43 (33%), Wisconsin established themselves as one of the top defensive teams in the conference, maybe the country.

Trevon Hughes led the scoring with 16 points, hitting 5 of 10 shots overall, but making 3 of 5 from 3-point range. The Badgers shot 10-for-21 from beyond the arc. Hughes, a 6-foot senior guard, also snatched 7 rebounds, a category in which the Badgers beat the Buckeyes, 34-25.

Wisconsin improved to 11-2, their losses coming on the road at Gonzaga and an 88-84 overtime loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay. However, the Badgers can look to quality wins over Arizona, Duke, Marquette, and now, Ohio State, for positive reinforcement that they are one of the best in the nation.

Ranked #23 coming into the Ohio State game, the Badgers are likely to move up in the polls, though they face a tough stretch with four tough games just ahead: at Penn St. January 3, at Michigan St. Jan. 6, Purdue Jan. 9, at Northwestern Jan 13.

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College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, January 1, 2010

...And then there were five.

The Purdue Boilermakers knocked West Virginia out of the ranks of the undefeated, opening the new year with a 77-62 thumping of the Mountaineers, leaving the 13-0 Boilermakers - along with Kansas, Texas, Kentucky and Syracuse - as the only unbeaten teams in Division 1.

Led by 6'10" center JaJuan Johnson's 25 points and 10 rebounds, the Boilermakers expanded a 5-point half time lead to as many as 26 in the second frame, turning a Top 10 showdown into a one-sided blowout. Johnson's season-high point tally came on 8-for-14 shooting, mostly on dunks and shots from inside the paint, and a 9-for-11 performance on the free throw line.

Purdue is tied with four other teams at 1-0 in the Big Ten after having beaten Iowa, 67-56, on Tuesday, to open conference play. They were ranked #4 coming in, with West Virginia #6. The Mountaineers will surely drop a few spots in the polls, but Purdue should stay put behind Kansas, Texas and Kentucky.

Illinois Drops Northwestern in OT, Open Big Ten with Win

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Ranked #25, Northwestern University was hoping for good things from its basketball program heading into Big Ten play at Illinois Wednesday night. What they got was stunned in OT by the Fighting Illini, 89-83, sent home to consider their dubious future, including their next game, hosting #10 Michigan State, on January 2nd.

The Illini joined Purdue and Minnesota atop the Big Ten standings with 1-0 records. Though Illinois has already suffered defeat four times, they are making a habit of beating lower-ranked teams. Beck on december 2nd, they upset then-#18 Clemson on the Tigers' own wood, 76-74. Leading the charge against Northwestern were juniors Mike Davis (20 points, 17 rebounds) and center Mike Tisdale, who led all scorers with a career-high 31 points and hauled down 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double performance.

The Wildcats had no answer for Tisdale whenever he was able to get his hands on the ball in the paint. He hit 11 of 14 shots from mostly point-blank range. The two teams battled to a 74-all tie at the end of regulation, but Illinois outscored the Wildcats, 15-9 in the extra session. It was the 11th straight time Illinois has beaten Northwestern.

Six-for-Six... Unbeaten Teams Remain Perfect

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, December 29, 2009

When the balls hit the various floors across the college basketball spectrum on Tuesday, six teams remained undefeated. By the time the final buzzers sounded, all six - Kansas, Texas, Syracuse, Purdue, Kentucky and West Virginia - still had perfect records.

Most of the games were one-sided affairs, though Syracuse had to sweat out a 80-73 win at Seton Hall, aided by Wesley Johnson's huge effort: 20 points and 19 boards.

West Virginia narrowly escaped at home against Marquette, getting a buzzer-beating 20-foot jumper from Da’Sean Butler for the 63-62 win. The Mountaineers are 11-0.

The most impressive performance by a single player came in the most one-sided game of the evening, Kentucky's 104-61 pounding of Hartford. Freshman sensation John Wall scored just 9 points, but set a school record by dishing out 16 assists. The accomplishment is augmented by remembering the exceptional players who passed the rock over Kentucky's 100 years or so of basketball excellence. Wall's effort was the best ever. Now that's saying something.

NOTABLE: Not only did the top six teams in the rankings win on Monday, but so did #7 Duke, #12 Kansas State, #16 Mississippi, and #21 Clemson. The only Top 25 team to lose was #20 Texas Tech. They took a 90-75 loss at #19 New Mexico.

Fredette's 49 Makes Cougars 13-1

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, December 28, 2009

For years, college football fans have railed against the BCS for ignoring the smaller conferences in their rankings and bowl selections. The same bias seems to have spilled over into college hoops, where the current crop of Top 25 teams includes just three small conference schools: Temple, New Mexico and UAB, with Butler and Gonzaga dropping out. Pollsters might be wise to respect the results of the last few NCAA tournaments, in which schools from unknown, smaller conferences have made significant impact.

One team from the Mountain West (same conference as New Mexico) that is catching some attention but still hasn't cracked the Top 25 is BYU, now at 13-1, after having pasted PAC-10 foe, Arizona, 99-69, for their 8th straight win and thrid straight against major conference opponents (previous wins include Arizona St. and Nebraska).

Part of the reason for the Cougars' success has to be the play of junior guard Jimmer Fredette, currently among the nation's leading scorers, averaging over 21 points per game. In Monday's win, Fredette poured in a career-high 49 points, on 16-for-23 shooting, including an incredible 9-for-13 from beyond the arc. Fredette, a 93% free throw shooter, missed scoring 50 by failing on just one of his 9 attempts from the freebie line. He also dished out 9 assists, grabbed 7 rebounds and recorded a pair of steals.

Huskies Improve to 9-2 on Robinson's 29

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, December 27, 2009

Senior leadership is what Stanley Robinson brings to the Connecticut Huskies, along with plenty of buckets. Robinson, who has tallied in double figures every game this season, scored a season-high 29 points as the Huskies blew past the Iona Gaels, 93-74, improving to 9-2.

In their final tune-up before Big East play begins - at Cincinnati, Wednesday - the Huskies mushed out to a big early lead and held it as they emptied the bench in the second half. Robinson played 35 minutes, hitting 13 of 18 shots from the field and converting 2 of 2 free throw attempts. He also pulled down 5 boards, blocked a shot and had a pair of steals.

Mountaineers Top Seton Hall, Remain Undefeated

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, December 26, 2009

Apparently, Bob Huggins never heard the phrase, "you can't go home again," or, if he did, hasn't bothered to take its message to heart. Born in Morgantown, West Virginia, Huggins made a long coaching journey - with great success - through places like the University of Cincinnati (1989-2005) and Kansas State (2006-2007), but finally made it back to his home, and since last season has been the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Experts figured it would take Huggins a couple of years to reshape he program into a national contender, something he did at Cincinnati, but Huggins appears to be ahead of schedule. After opening the Big East season with a 90-84 overtime win at Seton Hall Saturday, the Mountaineers are 10-0, one of just six unbeaten college basketball teams.

Led by sophomore Devin Ebanks, who matched his career high with 22 points, the forward also nabbed 17 rebounds, his high of the season. Aiding in the effort were Kevin Jones (19 points, 14 rebounds) and Da'Sean Butler (21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists).

Holding off the Pirates was no easy task as junior guard Jeremy Hazell poured in 41 points, though he hit only 4 of 19 shots from 3-point range. West Virginia rallied from a late ten-point deficit to force overtime, finally putting the Pirates down in the extra session. Seton Hall is 9-2.

NOTABLE: On Friday, USC downed UNLV, 67-56, to capture the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii, led by Marcus Johnson's 19 points and 9 boards. The Trojans, who began the 2009 campaign 2-4, have now won 6 straight, including solid victories over quality foes: Tennessee, Western Michigan, St. Mary's and UNLV.

Wright Lights up Crimson with 34 in Georgetown Win

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, December 23, 2009

After losing their first game of the season, to unheralded Old Dominion, 61-57, on Saturday, the Georgetown Hoyas weren't about to drop a home game to Harvard, even though the Crimson seemed to have other ideas, keeping the game tight through most of the first half. Georgetown got a career-high 34 points out of Junior guard Chris Wright, extending a 44-33 halftime lead to a thorough thumping of their Ivy League foe for an 86-70 win. Wright, who hit 13 of 21 shots from the field, including 2 of 5 3-pointers, took over all aspects of the game with 4 assists, 6 rebounds and 6 steals in 35 minutes of playing time. Teammate Greg Monroe, who's quickly turning into an NBA prospect with his low post domination, doubled down with 16 points and 16 boards.

The Hoyas improved to 9-1 in their final tuneup before beginning Big East play, when they host St. John's on New Year's Eve.

NOTABLE: The number of undefeated teams continues to dwindle, with New Mexico the latest to feel the first sting of defeat. The Lobos met their match at Oral Roberts; the Golden Eagles unceremoniously dumping on them, 75-66. The Lobos are 12-1 and still off to their best start since 1973. Their loss leaves six undefeated teams: Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Syracuse, Purdue and West Virginia. Kentucky is the first team with 13 wins, followed by Syracuse with 12, Kansas, Texas and Purdue at 11-0. West Virginia is 9-0.

Longhorns Deserve #1 Ranking; James Powers Texas Past Spartans

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Having pounded two of the better teams in the country - North Carolina and Michigan St. - in consecutive outings, the Texas Longhorns have the look of a #1 and merit serious consideration of making it all the way through the field in March to a national championship. Whether they should be ranked #1 right now would be a value judgement weighed against the current #1, Kansas, and a very small number of other candidates - Kentucky, Syracuse and Purdue - all of which have, like Texas and Kansas, unblemished records.

What compels one to consider Texas begins with the play of future-NBAer Damion James, who put together another highlight reel with 23 points and 13 boards in the Longhorns' 79-68 win over Michigan State. James dropped in 10 of his 18 shots and was the steadiest player on the floor in addition to being the most durable: his 38 minutes was a game high. His effort followed a 25-point, 15-rebound performance just three days earlier against the Tar Heels, so with back-to-back high quality games over ranked opponents, James could be looking at player of the year honors somewhere down the road.

Texas has won all 11 of their games by a minimum of 11 points, have exceeded the century mark three times and they are also one of the best defensive teams in the nation. Besides Carolina's 90 and Long Beach State's 78, Michigan State's 68 points was the most they've allowed all season. One of the reasons Texas defends so well is the play of Turkish-born guard, Dogus Balbay, who demonstrated his denial skills by holding Spartan point guard, Kalin Lucas, to 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting, and just 2 assists. Lucas averages 15 points on 48.5% shooting and 4.3 assists. Balbay was instrumental in forcing Lucas into 6 turnovers and 22 total for the Spartans. He had 3 steals of his own.

The Pollsters probably won't elevate Texas to #1 until somebody beats the Jayhawks, or, if Texas does when the Big 12 foes meet on February 8. Prior to that a stretch from January 16-27 will be crucial for the Longhorns, as they host Texas A&M and Texas Tech and play at Kansas State and UConn during that span. All four of those opponents are currently ranked in the Top 25.

NOTABLE: North Carolina's offense is beginning to take shape in big ways, and they look like the team to beat in the ACC. With Tuesday's 98-61 trampling of the Marshall Herd, the Heels have put up their three highest point totals of the season back-to-back-to-back. After dropping a 68-66 decision at Kentucky, Roy Williams' kids have scored 103, 90 and 98. That's big-time production, no matter who you're playing.

Providence's Peterson Provides Punch; Kentucky First to 2000 Wins

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, December 21, 2009

Last season was a forgettable one for the Providence Friars. Finishing near the bottom of the Big East standings, Providence was ousted from the NIT tourney in the first round by ACC foe, Miami. With a 19-14 record, all the team could do was look ahead to next year.

Well, next year is here, and the Friars, though not exactly a powerhouse, could be better than they were last season, thanks in part to the play of sophomore forward Jamine Peterson, who played as a true freshman, but redshirted last year. In Monday's 87-78 win over Yale, Peterson led all scorers with 25 points and pulled down a game-high 13 boards for his 7th double-double of the season. The 6'6" wingman hit 12 of 22 shots and fell just 2 points short of his career high point total. He leads the Friars in both points and rebounds. Providence, playing their final game before Big East play begins - at Notre Dame on Dec. 30 - is 8-4.

NOTABLE: The Kentucky Wildcats doubled up Drexel, 88-44, to become the first team in NCAA history to reach 2000 wins, getting to the number just ahead of North Carolina (1992) and Kansas (1980). In 107 seasons, the Wildcats have been a paragon of excellence, with a record of 2,000-635-1 (75.87). while the Tar Heels are a cinch to attain 2000 wins sometime in January or early February at the latest, the Kansas Jayhawks will likely hit the number either during their conference tournament or in the NCAAs. Kansas is currently ranked #1, at 10-0, and have 21 games remaining on their regular season schedule.

Robinson's 26 Sparks Huskies

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, December 20, 2009

Ten days off took its toll on the Connceticut Huskies, who found themselves trailing little UCF, 25-20, at the half. Since their loss to Kentucky on December 9, the Huskies hadn't had a game, and it showed.

The second half was a different story, at least for senior forward Stanley Robinson, who put the team on his back and rallied them, scoring 23 of his game-high 26 points over the final twenty minutes. As a team, Connecticut shot just 44%, while Robinson hit 9 of 13 from the field (69%) and converted 7 of 11 free throws. Jerome Dyson hit 4 of 6 3-pointers as the Huskies pulled away late for the 60-51 final, outscoring the Knights, 40-26, in the second half.

Robinson's point total was his best of the season. He's scored in double figures every game this year for the 7-2 Huskies.

Longhorns Gore Tar Heels 103-90; Duke Defense Prevails over Gonzaga

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, December 19, 2009

Of all the teams across the nation, North Carolina probably has more height than any with a slew of 6'8" and taller players occupying the floor at any given time, but their size was no match for the intensity brought by the Longhorns big men as Texas thumped the Tar Heels, 103-90, in the first game ever at Cowboy stadium. Forward Damion James scored 25 points and had 15 boards and center Dexter Pittman posted season highs with 23 points and 15 rebounds (12 offensive).

Texas outrebounded North Carolina 60-41, a stat that bears respect, because if the Longhorns can dominate the paint against a team like North Carolina - and all that up front size - there may not be any other squad out there capable of handling them in the post. The win put Texas at 10-0, even with conference rival Kansas, who punched out a 74-65 win over Michigan earlier in the day. The Jayhawks and Longhorns are ranked 1-2 in the polls. North Carolina, which was #10 coming in, will surely drop down, having lost their 3rd game in 11 starts. Their two other losses - to Syracuse and Kentucky - were also on the road.

Notable: Was it the Duke defense or Gonzaga's poor shooting that produced the 76-41 Blue Devil blowout at Madison Square Garden Saturday? On the one hand, the Zags were awful from the field, hitting just 15 of 54 shots (28%), including 1 of 10 from the 3-point area. While nine different players scored for Gonzaga, none hit double figures, but the play closest to the hoop was more than likely a function of inexperience, as freshman forward Elias Harris went 2-for-8 and sophomore center Robert Sacre - who led the Bulldogs in scoring with 9 points - was 2-for-11, mostly on contested shot in the paint. Gonzaga turned the ball over 18 times and were outrebounded 45-35, but they were also just 10-for-21 from the free throw line, and that doesn't involve any defense. Give Duke credit for solid defense, but the Zags just didn't have much zip in their game on this occasion.

Samhan Steady for 9-1 Gaels

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, December 18, 2009

Looking to get back to the NCAA tournament, the St. Mary's Gaels of the West Coast conference seem to have the players and chemistry to get there as they improved to 9-1 on Friday with a 80-65 thumping of Pacific.

The Gaels, despite finishing the 08-09 regular season with a 26-6 record, were denied an invitation to the Big Dance, eventually falling in the quarterfinals of the NIT. In 07-08, they lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Miami, after going 25-6. A mainstay in both of those seasons was 6'11" center Omar Samhan, now a senior, who's scored in double figures every game this season and has six double-double games this year.

In Friday's game, Samhan tallied 28 points, adding 8 boards and 4 blocks. He leads the Gaels in all three categories. Visting Vanderbilt, one of the top SEC teams this year, handed the Gaels their only loss of the season on November 20, 72-70. The season's biggest tests come on January 14 and again on February 11, when St. Mary's hosts, then plays at, Gonzaga.

Transfer Bowles Gets 37 and 15 for James Madison

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, December 17, 2009

Denzel Bowles finally get his chance to play and the James Madison Dukes are a better team for it. By NCAA rule, Bowles sat out spring semester of last season and the first six games of this year after transferring from Texas A&M, but finally got into action on December 12 at Eastern Michigan, though his 14 points couldn't help the Dukes from dropping a 75-64 decision and falling to 4-4 on the year.

Thursday night at Gardner-Webb, it was a different story, as Bowles exploded for 37 points and 15 rebounds, leading the Dukes to a 78-57 pasting of the Runnin' Bulldogs. A 6'10" junior, Bowles dominated in the paint, hitting an amazing 68% of his shots (17-25) in 32 minutes, much of it over, under and around the rim.

James Madison already has one loss in the Colonial Athletic Conference, losing 49-44 to Georgia St., but that was just before Bowles became eligible. When conference play begins in earnest on January 2 at Northeastern, Bowles and his Dukes should begin making some noise and offer a challenge to the traditional leaders - VCU and George Mason.

Booker Pushes Clemson Past Pirates

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Looking to make its annual appearance in the Top 25, the Clemson Tigers won for the 9th time in 11 starts, plundering the Pirates of East Carolina, 80-63, as senior forward Trevor Booker played another of his usual all-around solid games, scoring 13 points to go with 12 boards, 9 assists and 3 blocked shots. Booker has scored in double figures in all but one of Clemson's outings in 2009 and leads the Tigers in minutes, points and rebounds.

Teammate Tanner Smith, a sophomore, made his presence felt with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Clemson went 23-9 last season and looks to make noise in the contentious ACC.

Notable: Mississippi's Chris Warren poured in a career-high 32 points as the Rebels outgunned the UTEP Miners, 91-81, improving their record to 9-1. Warren nailed 5 of 10 3-pointers and 13 of 15 form the free throw line.

Golden Gophers Win 4th Straight on Hoffarber 3s

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A perennial 20-win team, the Minnestoa Golden Gophers have been streaky this season, beginning with four straight wins, then three straight losses. Since the insertion of Blake Hoffarber into the lineup, however, they've won their last four, including Tuesday's 89-48 mushing of the Northern Illinois Huskies.

A 6'4" junior guard, Hoffarber is blessed with a pure outside stroke, which was on display as he banged home 8 of 10 3-pointers (9 of 11 overall) against the Huskies en route to a career high 26 points. While looking for his shot, Hoffarber did not neglect his other duties on the floor, dishing 4 assists and bringing down 6 rebounds.

The Huskies are now, 8-3 during a busy early schedule, and while unranked, may pose a serious threat to Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State in the upcoming race for the Big Ten title. Averaging around 22 minutes per game, Hoffarber has tallied in double figures in each of his last four outings.

Lawal Pumps in 29 for Yellow Jackets

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, December 14, 2009

Last season, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets suffered through one of their worst seasons in the ACC, going 4-19 in the conference and 12-19 overall. Things are looking up this season, as the Yellow Jackets have begun the 2009-10 campaign with a 7-1 start, including Monday's stinging 95-64 win over Chattanooga. The 31-point margin of victory was the largest in a road game in more than two years, but the Jackets may become accustomed to winning by big numbers with their very capable front court of Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors doing the heavy lifting in the paint.

Lawal scored a season-high 29 points in just 17 minutes against the Mocs, hitting all 8 of his shots from the field and canning 13 of 19 free throws as the smaller Chattanooga players just couldn't handle him in the low post. Lawal, who has scored in double figures in all but one game this season and has double-doubles in four contests, finished with 7 rebounds. Favors, a 6'10" freshman, scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his 3rd double-double of the year. He's scored in double figures every game in '09.

The Yellow Jackets are currently ranked #24 in the AP poll.

Fernandez Scores 33 as Owls Top Villanova

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, December 13, 2009

The Temple Owls handed the Villanova Wildcats their first loss of the season, 75-65, getting 33 points from sophomore guard Juan Fernandez who tallied a career high on 11-of-15 shooting, including 7 of 9 3-pointers. While the Owls were shooting 52% overall, Villanova was struggling from the field and in the paint, as forward Lavoy Allen grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds and scored 10 points for a nifty double-double effort, his third of the season.

Villanova dropped to 9-1, while the Owls improved to 10-2. The Wildcats had been ranked #3 heading into the contest. Temple was unranked, but may get some consideration when the latest poll arrives on Monday.

NOTABLE: Xavier's Jason Love snatched 19 rebounds as the Musketeers dropped the Cincinnati Bearcats, 83-79 in double overtime. Teammate Terrell Holloway scored as season-high 26 points, to pace all scorers.

Henry Notches 31 as Jawhawks Roll to 9-0 Record

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, December 12, 2009

Baseball has Spring Training; pro football has exhibition games; the college basketball equivalent is the month of December, when perennial powerhouses like Kansas get to flex their muscles, test new players and generally beat up on lesser rivals like La Salle.

Now, the La Salle Explorers aren't a bad team. In fact, when they waltzed into Rupp Arena to take on the Jayhawks on Saturday, they were a respectable 6-2. They left with the unmistakable imprint of #1 Kansas dealing them their third loss of the season.

Kansas dominated just about every aspect of the game. They shot 53%, had 44 rebounds and blocked 11 shots. La Salle's numbers, for comparison: 36%, 34, 2. Yes, it was a rout, with the Jayhawks winning, 90-65, for their 9th straight win without a loss. It was the sixth time Kansas had scored 90 or more, this time with a little less balance than normal, as freshman senation Xavier Henry went off for a career-high 31 points on 10-for-15 shooting, including 4 of 5 3-pointers and 7 of 9 from the line. Low post specialist Cole Aldrich chipped in with 19 points of his own. Together, Aldrich and Henry accounted for 2/3rds of the Jawhawk points. Henry has scored in double figures every game this season.

NOTABLE: The Butler Bulldogs got back to their winning ways with a late surge to top Ohio Sate, 74-66. Gordon Hayward scored 24 for the second straight game, as the Bulldogs improved to 7-3. Ohio State dropped to 7-2. Both teams should remain ranked when the new polls come out on Monday.

Hassan's Nine 3-pointers Lead Sacred Heart to 1st Road Win

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, December 11, 2009

After losing road games at Fordham, Xavier and Penn State, the Sacred Heart Pioneers finally won one away from the home hardwood, dropping Hartford, 76-65, on the back of Corey Hassan's 29 points and 9 rebounds. Hassan, a 6'4" guard and the nation's 8th-leading scorer (24.4 ppg), drilled a season-high 9 3-pointers on 14 long-range efforts and was 9 for 16 overall.

Hassan has scored in double figures in each of the Pioneers' 8 games, including a season-high 33 in the loss to Fordham. Sacred Heart is 5-3 overall and 1-0 in the Northeast conference. Hassan leads the team in points, rebounds (8.3), 3-point percentage (48%) and steals (1.6).

Orangemen Tame Gators on Jackson's 21 and 11

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, December 10, 2009

After Kentucky's narrow win over Connecticut on Wednesday, the Syracuse Orangemen struck a blow for the Big East conference, knocking off #10 Florida, 85-73, in the second day of the SEC/Big East Invitational at Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse led almost the entire game, pulling away late in the second half as the Gators kept themselves in it by nailing 12 of 30 3-pointers. Junior forward Rick Jackson led the scoring charge with 21 points and was one of three Orangemen registering double-doubles as he hauled in 11 boards, 7 of them on the offensive end. Wes Johnson kicked in 17 points and 10 rebounds; Kris Joseph had 10 and 12.

The conferences are tied at 2 wins apiece, as Mississippi State stopped DePaul, 76-45, and Cincinnati defeated Miami, 63-59.

Wildcats' Wall Throws No Bricks

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, December 9, 2009

In one of this season's best inter-conference contests, the Kentucky Wildcats barely outlasted the UConn Huskies, 64-61, as the legend of freshman John Wall extended through Madison Square Garden.

The Wildcats broke out to an early 12-0 lead, only to have the Huskies come back and take a 29-23 lead into half time. In the second half, Kentucky took control early, outscoring the Huskies by 9 in the period, paced by Wall's career-high 25 points. A time ticked down to the final buzzer, Wall took over the game, scoring 12 of Kentucky's final 12 points, including a dazzling drive to the hoop, bucket and foul for a three-point play that put the Wildcats ahead for good.

Wall hit 10-of-16 shots overall, including 1-1 from 3-point range. He hit all four free throw attempts, and, despite turning the ball over 7 times, made 6 steals.

#4 Kentucky improved to 9-0, while the #14 Huskies dropped to 6-2.

Georgetown's Monroe Sends Hoyas Past Butler

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Following a disappointing season in which the Hoyas finished 16-15 and did not receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament, Georgetown looked forward to a better 2009-10 campaign with a number of solid returnees, including guards Jason Clark and Chris Wright and center Greg Monroe. With a promising freshman class filling some roles, Monroe has emerged as a leader on the court, and that was evident as the 6'11" sophomore achieved career highs in both scoring and rebounding in Georgetown's handy 72-65 triumph over #22 Butler.

Monroe tallied 24 points on 9-for-20 shooting and snatched 15 boards in a dominating performance as the 15th-ranked Hoyas improved their early-season record to 7-0. Playing at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V. Classic, the Hoyas were never seriously threatened, upping their lead to as many as 17 points during the second half. Monroe is averaging a double-double thus far in 2009-10 with 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

While the Hoyas were soaring past the Bulldogs, Butler was en route to its third straight loss against Top 25 opposition. Now 6-3, the Bulldogs have already dropped home games to Minnesota and Clemson.

NOTABLE: In the first game of the Jimmy V. Classic, Indiana prevailed over Pitt, 74-64, but the Panthers seemed to be intent on getting sophomore Ashton Gibbs the maximum number of looks from the perimeter. Gibbs threw up a boatload of shots - 25 in all and 15 from 3-point range - as he led all scorers with a career-high 25 points. Gibbs was only 5-of-15 from beyond the arc, but the experience should pay benefits down the road when the youthful Pitt squad faces Big East opponents.

Sloan Powers Aggies to 8-1 Record

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, December 7, 2009

Donald Sloan, a senior guard, led all scorers with 21 points in Texas A&M's 75-65 win over North Texas Monday night. Sloan was in double figures for the 7th time in 9 starts for the 8-1 Aggies, hitting 5-of-8 shots from the floor, including 1-of-2 3-pointers, and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the foul line.

Morris Lights Up Bruins as Jayhawks Go 7-0

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, December 6, 2009

Markieff Morris led all scorers with a career-high 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting as the Kansas Jayhawks improved their unbeaten record to 7-0, fending off a UCLA team in obvious rebuilding mode, 73-61 at Pauley Pavilion in LA. Cole Aldrich continued to be a rebounding machine for Kansas, pulling down 12 boards, 6 of those on the offensive end.

The Bruins have not gotten off to a very promising start in 2009, with the loss to Kansas their 5th in just 7 games. Scratch the Bruins from the PAC-10 contender list this season as their talent from the past two years has been badly diluted by graduation and players going to the pros. The Bruins shot just 36% on the night, while the Jayhawks, who led the entire game, were held to a season-low 44%, but still easily prevailed.

NOTABLE: The Connecticut Huskies barely escaped their trip to the Ivy League with a 79-73 win over the 6-2 Harvard Crimson and their outstanding senior guard, Jeremy Lin. Lin scored a season-high 30 points, nailing 11 of 18 shots from the field (2-3 on 3s) and 6 of 8 from the foul line. Nine boards, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots rounded out Lin's memorable performance.

Senior guard Jerome Dyson led the Huskies with 24 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. Dyson has carried the Huskies to a 6-1 record, averaging 20 points per game, but even UConn coach Jim Calhoun thinks Dyson - who is playing more than 34 minutes per game - needs help, saying, "we don't have a bench."

Charlotte Dump Louisville on Braswell's 21

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, December 5, 2009

The Louisville Cardinals, playing without injured guards Jerry Smith, Peyton Siva and Preston Knowles, were routed by the Charlotte 49ers of the Atlantic-10, 87-65, as Charlotte guards let fly from outside the 3-point line and freshman Chris Braswell controlled the inside with game highs in points (21) and rebounds (14). The freshman forward, who had been averaging less than 6 points per game, but recored a double-double each time he saw more than 24 minutes of floor time, hit 9-of-12 shots from the field and all three of his free throw attempts in 24 minutes of play. It was his third double-double of the season.

While doing his damage inside, Braswell's front court mates were tossing bombs into the ocean from long range. Derrio Green hit 4-of-8 from beyond the arc for 20 points, and Shamarr Bowden - 5-of-12 from long range - pitched in with 17 points.

The win was remarkably easy for the underdog 49ers, who led 47-32 at the half and upped their season record to 6-1. Their only loss was a 101-59 loss at Duke. Having played all but one game on their home hardwood, Louisville is 5-2, with a 76-71 road loss at UNLV marring their record.

NOTABLE: The Syracuse Orangemen, ranked #8 in the nation, overwhelmed the Maine Black Bears, making them look more like Cubs, in a 101-55 rout Saturday night at the Carrier Dome. Six different players scored in double figures for Syracuse, but what stood out was the score at the half, when the Orangemen led 60-12. Syracuse was 24-of-35 (68.6%) in the half while Maine hit just 4 shots from the floor.

Morgan On Track in Spartan Win

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, December 4, 2009

After a disappointing loss to North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans quickly rebounded with a solid win over Wofford, taming the Terriers, 72-60, behind Raymar Morgan's 19 points and 11 rebounds, both game highs.

Often hindered by injuries, Morgan, when healthy, is one of the top forwards in the country, and it appears that over his last three games he's begun to find an All-American stride, scoring 17, 18 and 19 points in successive contests. The 6'8" senior should help the 6-2 Spartans to a compete for a second straight conference title this season.

Roberson Leads Red Raiders to Upset Over Huskies

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, December 3, 2009

Quincy Pondexter scored a career-high 31 points for Washington, the only ranked team in the PAC-10, but it wasn't enough as Texas Tech whipped the Huskies in overtime, 99-92. Paced by a season-high 25 points from junior point guard John Roberson, the Red Raiders remained undefeated in 2009 with their 8th straight win, this one the first over a ranked opponent. Roberson, who added 7 assists and a couple of steals, hit 6-of-10 shots from the field and was a perfect 13-of-13 from the foul line. He also scored 6 points in the overtime session when the Red Raiders outscored the Huskies, 19-12.

Tech, which had battled back from a 9-point half time deficit to tie the score at 80, thought they had won the game in regulation on Mike Singletary's 3-pointer at the buzzer, but, as fans streamed onto the court in celebration, the officials reviewed the tape and determined that the ball was still touching Singletary's fingers when the clock turned to all zeroes. Despite the setback, the Red raiders were undeterred and continued playing pressure defense to force turnovers in the extra session. Singletary finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Wisconsin, Illinois Lead Big Ten over ACC

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, December 2, 2009

It took eleven years, the biggest comeback in Illinois basketball history and a nail-biting win by Wisconsin over Duke, but after ten years of frustration, the Big Ten finally beat the ACC in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, taking six of the eleven games, with three wins coming on the final night of competition.

In their 76-74 win at Clemson, the Fighting Illini lived up to their name, coming back from 22 points down in the second half for the biggest comeback in school history. Led by Mike Davis' 22 points (9-11, 4-4 free throws) and 9 rebounds and freshman Brandon Paul's 20, the Illini kept Big Ten hopes alive with an unlikely road win after dropping their last two games. Clemson, which took a 20-point lead into the half, appeared to be cruising to the win when the Illini went on a 22-2 tear, and finally caught the Tigers when Paul stole the ball and went in for a layup to tie the game at 61 with 5 minutes left.

The Tigers didn't fold, however, and actually had a lead late, but the Illini were undeterred as they improved to 5-2, haning the Tigers their second loss of the season (6-2). The win by the Illini kept the Big Ten close, but the ACC led, 5 games to 4 with just two left to be played in the challenge.

Wisconsin led from the opening bucket, sending the Duke Blue Devils to a loss for the first time in the eleven years of the Challenge, 73-69. The Badgers opened the game with a barrage of three-pointers to take an early lead, then let guard Trevon Hughes loose in the lane and on the perimeter. He scord a game-high and personal season-high 26 points in leading the Badgers to their 5th win in 6 tries this season. Hughes hit 9 of 16 shots from the floor, including 4 of 8 from three-point land. He added a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line to match Duke's Kyle Singler point for point.

Moments later, when Ohio State beat Florida State, 77-64, the Big Ten could finally exhale and celebrate the conference's first win over the ACC.

The three other wins for the Big ten were provided by Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern.

ACC winners were Miami, Boston College, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia Tech.

Tar Heels Help Even Big Ten/ACC Challenge

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, December 1, 2009

After Penn State got the Big Ten off to a winning beginning with a 69-66 win over Virginia Monday night, the ACC, which has won this early season measuring stick each of the last ten years, roared back with a trio of victories to even the score at three games per conference.

Maryland whipped Indiana, 80-68; Virginia Tech schooled Iowa, 70-64; and the North Carolina Tar Heels stepped past Michigan State, 89-82, in a rematch of last year's national championship final.

Even though North Carolina lost four starters and super sub Danny Green to the pros from last season's championship team, the Tar Hells have reloaded in a hurry, sporting more height and depth on a squad made up primarily of underclassmen.

While seniors Marcus Ginyard and Deon Thompson got the most floor time, major contributions were made by a pair of rising sophomores, 6'10" forward Ed Davis and 6'2" point guard Larry Drew II. Davis, who is averaging nearly a double-double (16.7 points, 9.4 rebounds), scored a game-high 22 points to go with his 6 boards and 2 assists, as he dominated the interior. Drew pumped in 18 points, on 6-0f-7 shooting, missing just one of his two 3-point attempts while shutting down the Spartans' Kalin Lucas, one of the nation's top ball-handling guards. He and freshman Dexter Strickland limited the Michigan State star to a poor shooting performance (6-of-17, 15 points), keeping Lucas on the perimeter and denying him driving and passing lanes.

The Heels sizzled at 58% from the floor, hitting 5-of-10 3-pointers. Michigan State, hampered by the Tar Hell height and length, shot just 43%, including a miserable 10% (1-of-10) from beyond the arc. One standout for the Spartans was Raymar Morgan, the Spartan's high-scorer, with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 6 rebounds.

The Big Ten/ACC Challenge concludes on Wednesday night with five more games, capped off by #6 Duke at Wisconsin at 9:15 pm from Madison and #21 Florida St. at #15 Ohio State at 9:30 pm from Columbus. Earlier games include Illinois at Clemson, Minnesota at Miami and Boston College at Michigan.

Earlier wins by the Big Ten included Purdue over Wake Forest, 69-58, and Northwestern's surprisingly easy 65-53 win over NC State.

Butler Does It for Mountaineers

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, November 29, 2009

Da'Sean Butler matched his season high with 26 points, as the West Virginia Mountaineers downed Portland, 84-66 in the championship game of the 76 Classic in Anaheim, Ca.

The Mountaineers are ranked #8, which is the highest they've been this early in a season since well before Bob Huggins took over as head coach three years ago. They may be as good or better than their ranking, winning their fifth straight by a large margin. The average margin of victory in those games has been an even 20 points, with the closest game being a 73-66 win over Texas A&M to reach the 76 Classic finals.

Butler, who is averaging 13.5 points per game, pulled in 6 rebounds in his 33 minutes.

NOTABLE: Previously-ranked Minnesota was beaten for the second straight time, this time losing, 66-65, to Texas A&M.

Upsets Proliferate Across College Hoops Landscape

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 27, 2009

With college basketball becoming more and more competitive in the early going, the number of upsets - and the term should be used lightly as this early juncture - has increased this season as never before. On Friday, five top 25 teams were dumped by unranked schools, giving credence to the camp which believes pre-season and early rankings are worthless.

The games must be played on the court, and some of these smaller schools have talent popping right out of the hardwood.

The biggest surprise was probably Florida's 77-74 win over #2 Michigan State. Though out-shooting the Gators, the Spartans turned the ball over 24 times, while Florida hit 22-of-25 from the charity stripe for the win.

Here's a quick run-down of the other eye-popping upsets:

Utah 60, #20 Illinois 58
Northwestern 72, #23 Notre Dame 58
Portland 61, #22 Minnesota 56
Marquette 79, #15 Michigan 65

What stands out is that four of the teams upset came out of the Big Ten, so, maybe these aren't really all that surprising after all.

In Syracuse's 85-60 thumping of Columbia (this was a real creampuff opponent), forward Wesley Johnson tallied a season-high 26 points, going 8-for-13 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point land. Johnson also hit all 6 of his free throws, grabbed 3 rebounds, dished three assists and had two steals.

The Orangemen are 6-0, and face Colgate and Maine this coming week, prior to a trip South to face the Gators on December 10. That should prove interesting.

Good Day for Gophers; Later, Sooners

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, November 26, 2009

The Minnesota Golden Gophers usually fall somewhere in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten standings, still, they are a force with which to be reckoned year in and year out. Proving that they field a solid team once again in 2009, the Gophers advanced their early record to 4-0, with an impressive, 82-73, win over #12 Butler in the opening round of the 76 Classic in Anaheim, California.

Ranked #22, but certain to improve upon that by next week, the Gophers shot an even .500 for the game while limiting the Bulldogs to 33% shooting, including 22% from behind the 3-point line. Minnesota hit 9-19 on threes, their 47% accuracy one of the keys to victory.

Leading the way was senior forward, Damian Johnson, who tickled the twine for a team-high 18 points. Johnson also added 3 boards, 4 assists, 4 steals and a blocked shot in just 25 minutes on the floor. Fouling out for the first time this season did not deter him from setting a personal season-high in scoring. Johnson hit 7-of-8 shots from the floor, including his only 3-point attempt and all three free throws.

Three other Gophers scored in double figures, and ten players scored overall. The Bulldogs were led by Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack, who tallied 23 and 20, respectively.

NOTABLE: Autumn has not been a good time for Oklahoma athletics. First, the football team lost their Heisman winning QB, Sam Bradford, for the season and are a lowly 6-5 right now. Now, it seems the same bad karma has found its way to the basketball team, which lost its third straight game Thursday, dropping a 100-93 decision to Houston. While poor defense and poor shooting had caused their demise the previous two games, Thursday's effort was clearly a case of simple mishandling of the rock. The Sooners turned the ball over 18 times, while shooting 54% from the floor, 42% from the 3-point line and 82% of their free throws. Ranked #25 on Sunday, Oklahoma's 2-3 record isn't going to garner many votes this time around.

#15 Michigan was taken into overtime by Creighton, out of the Mid-American conference, eventually getting the win, 83-76, at the Old Spice Classic at Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Wolverines were led by Manny Harris' 20 points, 11 assists and 9 boards. Harris didn't get any pine time during the game, playing all 45 minutes.

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Wall the Real Deal in Maui Win

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Everyone who's seen him play says Kentucky freshman, John Wall, is ready for the NBA. After his performance Wednesday night, propelling the Wildcats to a 73-65 OT win over Stanford to capture the title game of the Maui Invitational, it's tough to argue with that assessment.

Wall scored a career-high 23 points - it's only his 5th college game - and hit a clutch jumper and a pair of free throws in the final seconds to send the game into overtime. There, the Wildcats outscored the Cardinal, 10-2, with Wall punctuating the win with a dunk at the buzzer. He also had 4 boards, 5 assists, a steal and 2 blocked shots in the game.

Matching Wall on the scoreboard was Stanford's Landry Fields, who accounted for 23 points and 15 boards - his third straight double-double. Unranked Stanford and Landry garnered some respect in Maui. The senior forward is averaging 23 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

NOTABLE: Kemba Walker and Jerome Dyson each scored 20 points as #13 Connecticut engulfed LSU, 81-55, in the semi-finals of the Preseason NIT Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The 6-0 Huskies will play #7 Duke, who struggled to a 64-53 win over a sub-par Arizona State squad.

Sophomore Willie Warren lit it up for 30 points but couldn't help the #25 (and falling) Oklahoma Sooners from losing their second straight game, this time to unheralded San Diego, 76-64. Last Saturday, the Sooners fell to Virginia Commonwealth, 82-69. The main problem for Oklahoma seems to be accuracy. They shot 33% from the field in the loss to San Diego and 41% when losing to VCU, but only 19% from 3-point range in that contest.

Harangody Off to Hot Start for Irish

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Luke Harangody missed all three of his three shot attempts, but he did nail half of his shots from the floor (11-22) and drained 7-of-8 from the foul line to post 29 points in Notre Dame's 80-62 romp over Kennesaw State. The 6'8" senior forward also pulled in 15 boards for his second double-double of the season. The Fighting Irish are off to a 5-0 start in which Harangody has scored in double digits every game. His low point was in the season opener, when he only scored 19. In the next four games he put up 27, 29, 32 and 29, for a season average of 27.2.

A four-year starter, Harangody has improved his scoring average in each successive season. Last year he averaged 23.2 and 11.8 rebounds. Playing the majority of his games against Big East opponents, he's a force with which to reckon.

NOTABLE: Texas easily handled Pitt, 78-62, to capture the title game of the CBE Classic in Kansas City. Longhorn senior Damion James led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting. He also grabbed 9 rebounds as the Longhorns improved to 4-0.

Texas freshman Leads Longhorns Over Iowa

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 23, 2009

Longhorn freshman Jordan Hamilton topped all scorers with a career-high 16 points, propelling Texas past Iowa, 86-60, to move into the final of the CBE Classic in Kansas City. Texas faces 4-0 Pittsburgh in the final, Tuesday night at 10:00 pm ET.

While Hamilton's scoring was his best effort to date, there are certain to be better games ahead. The 6'7" swingman was playing in just his third college game. Hitting 5-of-9 from the floor, Hamilton did most of his damage from beyond the arc, nailing 4-of-8 3-pointers. He also dished 5 assists, grabbed 2 boards and ripped off two steals in his 20 minutes.

The Longhorns are currently ranked #3 in the AP Poll, though that's hardly a convincing argument at this early juncture. Their Tuesday tilt with Pitt should offer a better insight as to just how good they are. The unranked Panthers usually put a solid team on the floor and despite many losses to graduation, this year should be no exception.

NOTABLE: Wayne Chism scored 24 points to lead all scorers, but missed a shot with 2 seconds left that would have given the Tennessee Volunteers the lead, as Purdue held on to win the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, 73-72. One of the few early games between ranked teams, the final result only muddied the waters further. With no truly dominant team on the college hoops landscape, this year's Top 25 will likely be something of a roller coaster ride for those teams involved.

Villanova 5-0 After Puerto Rico Wins

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, November 22, 2009

One of the favorites to win the Big East, the Villanova Wildcats have already stamped an early-season mark by winning the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with wins over George Mason, Dayton and, in the championship game, Mississippi.

With the tourney wins, the #5 Wildcats improved to 5-0, including a relatively easy, 79-67, defeat of the SEC Rebels.

Scottie Reynolds scored a season-high 22 points, Corey Stokes chipped in with 18 and Antonio Pena dominated the interior, hitting 8-of-13 shots for 17 points in addition to hauling down 16 rebounds. Pena's totals were both season-highs for the 6'8" junior forward.

NOTABLE: Forward Gani Lawaltotaled 17 points and 13 rebounds and Zachery Peacock led his team with 22 points on 10-for-12 shooting, as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets topped Boston University, 85-67, in one of three consolation games at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Sunday.

Wildcats Run on Patterson Power

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 21, 2009

John Calipari is off to a 4-0 start as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, thanks in part to the easy early schedule, and also to some of the exceptional players who remained from last year's squad.

One such standout is junior forward Patrick Patterson, who was unstoppable in the lane against undersized Rider University. Patterson lit up the Broncs for 19 points and 18 rebounds, as the Wildcats cruised to a 92-63 victory. It was Patterson's 3rd double-double of the season. Last year, he averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 boards.

Rider has come back to earth after opening their season with a road win at Mississippi State. After beating Lehigh at home on Monday, they've lost consecutive road games, to Virginia and Kentucky this week, evening their record at 2-2. One has to give the small New Jersey school (student population roughly 6000) credit for such an ambitious early schedule. The MAAC school already has played two SEC teams and one from the ACC.

NOTABLE: Beware the Rams! VCU, a perennial powerhouse out of the Colonial Athletic Association, upset #17 Oklahoma, 82-69, Saturday. Three-point shooting proved to be the difference, as the Sooners hit just 5 of 26, while the Rams drained 9 of 26.

All 13 players scored for the #24 Fighting Illini as they took out Presbyterian, 94-48, for their third straight win without a loss.

Rautins, Johnson Lead Syracuse Past Tar Heels

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 20, 2009

Watch out for Jim Boehiem's Syracuse Orangemen this season. Ranked preseason as the 6th-best team in the Big East, the Orange took out two ranked opponents en route to capturing the championship in the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic at madison Square Garden in New York.

After throttling Cal, 95-73, on Thursday, they routed North Carolina, 87-71, Friday night to improve their record to 4-0. (Big East teams were 41-0 before Providence and South Florida lost Friday night to Alabama and South Carolina, respectively.)

Syracuse was led by 6'7" junior forward Wesley Johnson, who sat out all of last season after transferring from Iowa State University. Johnson lit it up for a game-high 25 points, to go with his 8 boards. Johnson was 10-17 from the field, hitting 4-of-8 3-pointers.

The Orangemen had five players in double figures, but senior Andy Rautins was everywhere, scoring 11 points with 3 3-pointers, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 steals.

Syracuse, trailing 39-37 at the half, exploded for a 25-2 run to open the second half and take complete control of the game. North Carolina drew to within 8 points, but never threatened as the Orangemen employed their 2-3 zone to produce 18 Tar Heel turnovers.

NOTABLE: Tennessee's Scotty Hopson tallied 25 points for the second straight game, hitting 10-of-15 shots, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, in a 105-66 win over East Carolina. The 3-0 Vols lead the nation in scoring at 104 points per game.