#6 Louisville 62, #8 Marquette 58
Concerned about having to replace fallen Dominic James (out for the season with a foot injury) with junior guard Maurice Acker, the #6 Marquette Golden Eagles entered their game at #6 Louisville feeling short-handed.
Despite poor first half shooting by Jerel McNeal (2-13), Marquette found themselves only down by 3 at Louisville, 28-25, as the teams headed to their locker rooms at the break.
The closeness of the game was no doubt due to poor shot selection by the Cardinals, who, despite a big size advantage inside,took most of their shots from the perimeter. Terrence Williams hit 3 of 6 3-point attempts for Louisville, totaling 12 for the half.
That all began to change at the start of the second half. After clanking two outside jumpers, the Cardinals started to press full court, which resulted in turnovers and layups for Louisville, scoring eight straight points on four shots from dunking distance to take a 36-26 lead just three minutes in.
Having established a lead and inside dominance, however, the Cardinals continued to settle for long-range jumpers, allowing the Golden Eagles to close the gap, finally getting to 61-58 with 23.4 remaining on a Lazard Hayward trey.
But that was as close as Marquette would get, despite a no-call on a Marquette 3-point lean-in attempt down just 4 with 16 seconds left and then inexplicably not fouling. Louisville escaped, though their play was not at a level one would expect this time of year.
Both Louisville and short-handed Marquette could become early victims in either or both the Big East tourney or the NCAAs if they don't step up their decision-making and overall percentages.
While Marquette's 35% shooting was due mostly to McNeal's uncharacteristic 3-19 performance, Louisville's 44% effort from the floor and 42% (5-12) from the line, has to be a cause for concern for coach Rick Pitino.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
PAC-10: UCLA Only Team Capable of Tying Washington
After #22 UCLA beat Cal, 72-68, and #14 Arizona St. eliminated themselves from contention for the regular season PAC-10 title by losing at Washington State in overtime, 51-49, Saturday night, the Washington Huskies have already earned at least a share of the crown.
Only 11-5 UCLA can catch the 13-4 Huskies, and that's only if the Bruins win both of their remaining games - Oregon and Oregon St. - and the Huskies lose to Washington St. on Saturday, March 7. Might as well start etching the base and looking for a #2 or 3 seed in the upcoming NCAA tourney for the Huskies.
Elsewhere Saturday evening, #1 Pitt cruised past Seton Hall, 89-78, improving to 26-3 and 13-3 in the Big East, setting up the showdown for the conference title in a March 7 contest with the UConn Huskies at Pitt. The Panthers have a little work before then, however, hosting #8 Marquette on March 4.
#25 Texas will no doubt be removed from the rankings after losing at Oklahoma St., 68-59. The Longhorns dropped to 8-6 in the conference, tied with Kansas St. and Oklahoma St. Those three teams each have 9 losses, so their performance in the Big 12 tournament will likely determine which one (or maybe two) get NCAA invitations.
One team certain to make the field of 65 is #17 Gonzaga. The Bulldogs completed an undefeated conference schedule with a 58-46 win over San Diego Saturday night. With a 14-0 record in the West Caost Conference, the Zags are sure to recived a low number in the NCAA seeding process, probably a #3 or 4 position.
Only 11-5 UCLA can catch the 13-4 Huskies, and that's only if the Bruins win both of their remaining games - Oregon and Oregon St. - and the Huskies lose to Washington St. on Saturday, March 7. Might as well start etching the base and looking for a #2 or 3 seed in the upcoming NCAA tourney for the Huskies.
Elsewhere Saturday evening, #1 Pitt cruised past Seton Hall, 89-78, improving to 26-3 and 13-3 in the Big East, setting up the showdown for the conference title in a March 7 contest with the UConn Huskies at Pitt. The Panthers have a little work before then, however, hosting #8 Marquette on March 4.
#25 Texas will no doubt be removed from the rankings after losing at Oklahoma St., 68-59. The Longhorns dropped to 8-6 in the conference, tied with Kansas St. and Oklahoma St. Those three teams each have 9 losses, so their performance in the Big 12 tournament will likely determine which one (or maybe two) get NCAA invitations.
One team certain to make the field of 65 is #17 Gonzaga. The Bulldogs completed an undefeated conference schedule with a 58-46 win over San Diego Saturday night. With a 14-0 record in the West Caost Conference, the Zags are sure to recived a low number in the NCAA seeding process, probably a #3 or 4 position.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
LSU Upends Kentucky; Purdue Hammers Ohio State
#18 LSU 73, Kentucky 70
Tasmin Mitchell's 3-pointer with 9.3 seconds left provided the winning margin for LSU's 10th consecutive victory, as they won at Kentucky for the first time in 20 years, leaving no doubt that they are a team to be reckoned with in the post-season.
The Tigers led by as many as 12 points in the first half, only to see Kentucky to come back to lead by 10 in the second half.
As the two SEC foes battled through a memorable contest, Bo Spencer's 3-pointer at 1:18 gave the Tigers a 69-66 lead. After the teams traded free throws, Darius Miller hit a clutch three for Kentucky to tie the game at 70, but then Mitchell hit the biggest shot of the game, his only 3-point make of the game, with 9.7 left.
Marcus Thornton led the Tigers with 23 points to go with 6 rebounds; Michell had 21 and 8 boards. Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks had 28 and 24 points, respectively, for Kentucky.
LSU has already wrapped up the SEC West and is assured an NCAA bid, but Kentucky lost for the third time in four games and is on the tournament fringe, at 8-6 and 19-10 overall.
#16 Purdue 75, Ohio State 50
In a team effeort, Purdue shot 55%, put five players in double figures, and seriously damaged Ohio State's chances of getting a NCAA invite.
The Boilermakers sent the Buckeyes to an 8-8 record in the conference and 18-9 overall. The Buckeyes need to win their remaining Big 10 games - March 3, at Iowa and March 8, against Northwestern - in order to keep their hopes alive as they have lost 4 of their last 5.
Tasmin Mitchell's 3-pointer with 9.3 seconds left provided the winning margin for LSU's 10th consecutive victory, as they won at Kentucky for the first time in 20 years, leaving no doubt that they are a team to be reckoned with in the post-season.
The Tigers led by as many as 12 points in the first half, only to see Kentucky to come back to lead by 10 in the second half.
As the two SEC foes battled through a memorable contest, Bo Spencer's 3-pointer at 1:18 gave the Tigers a 69-66 lead. After the teams traded free throws, Darius Miller hit a clutch three for Kentucky to tie the game at 70, but then Mitchell hit the biggest shot of the game, his only 3-point make of the game, with 9.7 left.
Marcus Thornton led the Tigers with 23 points to go with 6 rebounds; Michell had 21 and 8 boards. Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks had 28 and 24 points, respectively, for Kentucky.
LSU has already wrapped up the SEC West and is assured an NCAA bid, but Kentucky lost for the third time in four games and is on the tournament fringe, at 8-6 and 19-10 overall.
#16 Purdue 75, Ohio State 50
In a team effeort, Purdue shot 55%, put five players in double figures, and seriously damaged Ohio State's chances of getting a NCAA invite.
The Boilermakers sent the Buckeyes to an 8-8 record in the conference and 18-9 overall. The Buckeyes need to win their remaining Big 10 games - March 3, at Iowa and March 8, against Northwestern - in order to keep their hopes alive as they have lost 4 of their last 5.
Washington Clinches PAC-10 Tie: Duke, Sooners Win
#21 Washington 83, Arizona 78
Jon Brockman scored 19 points and pulled in 9 rebounds and Isaiah Thomas tallied 19 as well, putting the Washington Huskies in an excellent position to win their first PAC-10 title in 24 years. Their win over Arizona clinched at least a tie with one game left, against Washington St. on March 7. The Huskies knocked off the Cougars back in January, 68-48.
Trailing most of the game, the Huskies ran off 10 straight points, turning a 6-point deficit into a 66-62 lead with less than 6 minutes left in the second half. The two teams traded baskets and free throws down the stretch, but the best the Wildcats could do was tie the game at 68-all. From there, the Huskies hunkered down on defense and canned key buckets and free throws as time wore down.
Jordan Hill led Arizona with 27 points on 12-18 shooting. The Huskies improved to 13-4, 22-7, while Arizona kept slim post-season hopes alive despite the loss. They are 8-8 in the PAC-10 and 18-11 overall.
#7 Duke 72, Virginia Tech 65
The Blue Devils (24-5, 10-4) continued their relentless pursuit of North Carolina in the ACC, winning on the road in Blacksburg to remain within striking distance of the Tar Heels.
Gerald Henderson was Duke's leader again. He and Kyle Singler led all scorers with 21 points each. Henerdson grabbed 6 rebounds and dished 6 assists. He has led the team in scoring in three straight wins, with 19 against St. John's and 35 in the Blue Devils' win over Wake Forest.
After a home game against Florida State on March 3, Duke closes out the regular season at North Carolina, March 7.
#3 Oklahoma 78, Texas Tech 63
Blake Griffin returned to the lineup and the Oklahoma Sooners promptly ended their 2-game skid.
The aftereffects of a concussion suffered against this same Red Raider team apparently long gone, Griffin had 14 points and 9 rebounds in the opening half and finished with 20 and 17. Griffin's older brother, Taylor, a 6'7" senior, pitched in his own double-double leading all scorers with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
The Sooners (26-3, 12-2) still have a shot at the Big 12 regular season title, though they trail Kansas by 1/2 game. The #15 Jayhawks have an important date with #11 Missouri tomorrow.
Jon Brockman scored 19 points and pulled in 9 rebounds and Isaiah Thomas tallied 19 as well, putting the Washington Huskies in an excellent position to win their first PAC-10 title in 24 years. Their win over Arizona clinched at least a tie with one game left, against Washington St. on March 7. The Huskies knocked off the Cougars back in January, 68-48.
Trailing most of the game, the Huskies ran off 10 straight points, turning a 6-point deficit into a 66-62 lead with less than 6 minutes left in the second half. The two teams traded baskets and free throws down the stretch, but the best the Wildcats could do was tie the game at 68-all. From there, the Huskies hunkered down on defense and canned key buckets and free throws as time wore down.
Jordan Hill led Arizona with 27 points on 12-18 shooting. The Huskies improved to 13-4, 22-7, while Arizona kept slim post-season hopes alive despite the loss. They are 8-8 in the PAC-10 and 18-11 overall.
#7 Duke 72, Virginia Tech 65
The Blue Devils (24-5, 10-4) continued their relentless pursuit of North Carolina in the ACC, winning on the road in Blacksburg to remain within striking distance of the Tar Heels.
Gerald Henderson was Duke's leader again. He and Kyle Singler led all scorers with 21 points each. Henerdson grabbed 6 rebounds and dished 6 assists. He has led the team in scoring in three straight wins, with 19 against St. John's and 35 in the Blue Devils' win over Wake Forest.
After a home game against Florida State on March 3, Duke closes out the regular season at North Carolina, March 7.
#3 Oklahoma 78, Texas Tech 63
Blake Griffin returned to the lineup and the Oklahoma Sooners promptly ended their 2-game skid.
The aftereffects of a concussion suffered against this same Red Raider team apparently long gone, Griffin had 14 points and 9 rebounds in the opening half and finished with 20 and 17. Griffin's older brother, Taylor, a 6'7" senior, pitched in his own double-double leading all scorers with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
The Sooners (26-3, 12-2) still have a shot at the Big 12 regular season title, though they trail Kansas by 1/2 game. The #15 Jayhawks have an important date with #11 Missouri tomorrow.
UConn Ousts Irish; ACC: Wake, Seminoles with Key Wins
#2 Connecticut 72, Notre Dame 65
Senior Jeff Adrian, playing his final home game, led the Huskies with 25 points on 11-15 shooting, past hopeful Notre Dame, whose NCAA hopes continue to fade. Adrian also packed in 9 rebounds.
Close throughout, Connecticut finally took control in the final minute, scoring the last six points after taking a 66-65 lead.
Notre Dame was clinging to faint hopes of getting an NCAA bid, having won 4 of their last five coming in. That streak was preceded, however, by a 7-game losing streak which put the Irish in serious post-season trouble.
Connecticut's win likely sealed the fate of the Irish, dropping them to 16-12 and 7-9 in the Big East. The Huskies, meanwhile, continue to march toward the regular season Big East title. They improved to 15-2 (27-2 overall), stretching their lead over 13-2 Louisville and 12-3 Marquette, who face each other on Sunday.
Pitt, also 12-3, plays at Seton Hall Saturday night.
In the ACC, #13 Wake Forest and #23 Florida State each won key games, topping Virginia and #12 Clemson respectively.
The Demon Deacons won, 70-60, on the road, while Florida State held court at home, 73-66. Both teams improved to 9-5 in the ACC, while Clemson dropped to 8-6.
Toney Douglas led the Seminoles with 23 points as Florida State likely secured an NCAA bid with the win, beating Clemson for the second time this season. Otherwise, the Seminoles are just 1-4 against ranked opponents, the sole win coming against Florida back in December.
Senior Jeff Adrian, playing his final home game, led the Huskies with 25 points on 11-15 shooting, past hopeful Notre Dame, whose NCAA hopes continue to fade. Adrian also packed in 9 rebounds.
Close throughout, Connecticut finally took control in the final minute, scoring the last six points after taking a 66-65 lead.
Notre Dame was clinging to faint hopes of getting an NCAA bid, having won 4 of their last five coming in. That streak was preceded, however, by a 7-game losing streak which put the Irish in serious post-season trouble.
Connecticut's win likely sealed the fate of the Irish, dropping them to 16-12 and 7-9 in the Big East. The Huskies, meanwhile, continue to march toward the regular season Big East title. They improved to 15-2 (27-2 overall), stretching their lead over 13-2 Louisville and 12-3 Marquette, who face each other on Sunday.
Pitt, also 12-3, plays at Seton Hall Saturday night.
In the ACC, #13 Wake Forest and #23 Florida State each won key games, topping Virginia and #12 Clemson respectively.
The Demon Deacons won, 70-60, on the road, while Florida State held court at home, 73-66. Both teams improved to 9-5 in the ACC, while Clemson dropped to 8-6.
Toney Douglas led the Seminoles with 23 points as Florida State likely secured an NCAA bid with the win, beating Clemson for the second time this season. Otherwise, the Seminoles are just 1-4 against ranked opponents, the sole win coming against Florida back in December.
Butler Captures Horizon; Memphis Wins 56th Straight in C-USA
The #24 Butler Bulldogs (25-4, 15-3) rallied from a 10-point deficit with under 10 minutes to go, dropping pre-season Horizon League favorite, Cleveland State, 58-56.
Willie Veasley led the Bulldogs with 16 points, earning their third straight Horizon League title. The Bulldogs will be the #1 seed when they host the league tournament, which begins on Saturday, March 7.
#5 Memphis 58, Southern Miss. 42
The Memphis Tigers (26-3, 14-0) already have the Conference-USA title, which they earned on Thursday night with a win over UAB. On Saturday, they extended the nation's longest winning streak to 20 games while winning their 56th straight conference game, easily getting by Southern Miss.
Robert Dozier led all scorers with 18 points. The Tigers have two regular season games remaining before the league tourney. After that, it's on to the big dance, probably as a #2 seed, though some believe Memphis should be a #1.
Willie Veasley led the Bulldogs with 16 points, earning their third straight Horizon League title. The Bulldogs will be the #1 seed when they host the league tournament, which begins on Saturday, March 7.
#5 Memphis 58, Southern Miss. 42
The Memphis Tigers (26-3, 14-0) already have the Conference-USA title, which they earned on Thursday night with a win over UAB. On Saturday, they extended the nation's longest winning streak to 20 games while winning their 56th straight conference game, easily getting by Southern Miss.
Robert Dozier led all scorers with 18 points. The Tigers have two regular season games remaining before the league tourney. After that, it's on to the big dance, probably as a #2 seed, though some believe Memphis should be a #1.
Hansbrough Sets NCAA Mark in GaTech Rout; Villanova Upset
Georgia Tech was determined not to let Ty Lawson tear them up. While the Yellow jackets successfully kept Lawson's scoring down in the early going, they couldn't stop him from passing - and finding - teammate Tyler Hansbrough, who scored 18 first half points, many off of Lawson's 7 assists.
Consequently, the #4 Tar Heels raced to a 46-33 halftime lead, going on to a thorough thrashing of Georgia Tech, 104-74.
The first half may have been the best of the season for North Carolina. While Hansbrough put up monster numbers, nine different Tar Heels scored and they committed just one foul through the first 20 minutes while shooting 46% and going 10-10 from the foul line.
Hansbrough finished with a game-high 28 points, setting an NCAA record in the process, by becoming the player with the most free throws made in a career, breaking Wake Forest's Dickie Hemric's mark of 905. Hemric's total stood for more than 50 years, but Hansbrough surpassed that mark when he made a foul shot with 14:54 to play.
Georgetown 56 Villanova 54
Georgetown (15-12, 6-10) probably isn't going to get an NCAA invitation, though they surely think they can make life in the Big East. Limiting Villanova to 29% first half shooting, the Hoyas took a 32-27 lead at the break.
Despite the poor shooting, the Wildcats never lost their poise and kept chipping away at the Hoyas' lead, getting to within 2 points at 52-50 with under five minutes to play. Both teams missed numerous shots, keeping the score the same until Cory Stokes made one of two free throws to cut the lead to one with 1:15 remaining.
Georgtown's Chris Wright made it 54-51 with 47 seconds left and the Wildcats were forced into desperation fouling. Stokes hit a three-pointer with 3 seconds left, but it was too late. Villanova lost for just the second time in their last 11 games and it was only their third loss at home this season.
Villanova fell to 21-6 and 11-5 in the Big East, eliminating them from contention for the conference title.
Consequently, the #4 Tar Heels raced to a 46-33 halftime lead, going on to a thorough thrashing of Georgia Tech, 104-74.
The first half may have been the best of the season for North Carolina. While Hansbrough put up monster numbers, nine different Tar Heels scored and they committed just one foul through the first 20 minutes while shooting 46% and going 10-10 from the foul line.
Hansbrough finished with a game-high 28 points, setting an NCAA record in the process, by becoming the player with the most free throws made in a career, breaking Wake Forest's Dickie Hemric's mark of 905. Hemric's total stood for more than 50 years, but Hansbrough surpassed that mark when he made a foul shot with 14:54 to play.
Georgetown 56 Villanova 54
Georgetown (15-12, 6-10) probably isn't going to get an NCAA invitation, though they surely think they can make life in the Big East. Limiting Villanova to 29% first half shooting, the Hoyas took a 32-27 lead at the break.
Despite the poor shooting, the Wildcats never lost their poise and kept chipping away at the Hoyas' lead, getting to within 2 points at 52-50 with under five minutes to play. Both teams missed numerous shots, keeping the score the same until Cory Stokes made one of two free throws to cut the lead to one with 1:15 remaining.
Georgtown's Chris Wright made it 54-51 with 47 seconds left and the Wildcats were forced into desperation fouling. Stokes hit a three-pointer with 3 seconds left, but it was too late. Villanova lost for just the second time in their last 11 games and it was only their third loss at home this season.
Villanova fell to 21-6 and 11-5 in the Big East, eliminating them from contention for the conference title.
Friday, February 27, 2009
PAC-10: Huskies Looking Top Notch
Jon Brockman scored 21 to lead the #21 Washington Huskies to an overtime win past the #14 Arizona State Sun Devils Thursday night, 73-70
#22 UCLA struggled with Stanford, but emerged victorious, 76-71.
Cal beat USC in overtime, 81-78.
Those results left 12-4 Washington with a 1 1/2 game lead over Cal, UCLA and Arizona St., all at 10-5. Those four seem certain to receive NCAA bids. A fifth and possibly a sixth team from the conference is likely. Performance in the conference tournament will likely be the determining factor in that argument.
#22 UCLA struggled with Stanford, but emerged victorious, 76-71.
Cal beat USC in overtime, 81-78.
Those results left 12-4 Washington with a 1 1/2 game lead over Cal, UCLA and Arizona St., all at 10-5. Those four seem certain to receive NCAA bids. A fifth and possibly a sixth team from the conference is likely. Performance in the conference tournament will likely be the determining factor in that argument.
Big 10: Purdue Upset, Illinois Cruises
DeShawn Sims poured in 29 points and Manny Harris contributed 27, as the Mihigan Spartans upset #16 Purdue, 87-78.
#20 Illinois won at Minnesota, 52-41, holding the Gophers to 32% shooting.
#5 Memphis won their 324,678th straight Conference-USA game, extending the nation's longest win streak to in a 71-60 win over UAB. The Tigers look like the most solid #2 NCAA seed ever.
#20 Illinois won at Minnesota, 52-41, holding the Gophers to 32% shooting.
#5 Memphis won their 324,678th straight Conference-USA game, extending the nation's longest win streak to in a 71-60 win over UAB. The Tigers look like the most solid #2 NCAA seed ever.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Top 25, Feb. 26: Butler, Xavier Seek Conference Titles
#19 Xavier 68, St. Joseph's 54
The Xavier Musketeers continued their march toward the NCAA tournament with a convincing road win over Atlantic-10 pursuer, St. Joseph's. Xavier needs just one more win - over either Dayton (March 5) or at Richmond (March 7) to capture the A-10 regular season crown.
Derrick Brown and B.J. Raymond each scored 18 points in the win which put Xavier at 23-5 overall and 11-3 in conference play.
#24 Butler 78, Youngstown St. 57
Sophomore forward Matt Howard scored 25 points and hauled down 10 boards as Butler punished Youngstown State in Horizon League action. The Bulldogs clinched at least a tie for the league championship, and can take the title outright with a win over Cleveland State on Saturday, Feb. 28.
The Bulldogs are 14-3 in the Horizon, with Wisconsin-Green Bay a game back at 14-3. The teams split their two games this season, with each winning at home by an identical 9 points. There exists a distinct possibility that both could receive NCAA bids, as the winner of the tournament gets an automatic nod. Both teams have solid records.
The Xavier Musketeers continued their march toward the NCAA tournament with a convincing road win over Atlantic-10 pursuer, St. Joseph's. Xavier needs just one more win - over either Dayton (March 5) or at Richmond (March 7) to capture the A-10 regular season crown.
Derrick Brown and B.J. Raymond each scored 18 points in the win which put Xavier at 23-5 overall and 11-3 in conference play.
#24 Butler 78, Youngstown St. 57
Sophomore forward Matt Howard scored 25 points and hauled down 10 boards as Butler punished Youngstown State in Horizon League action. The Bulldogs clinched at least a tie for the league championship, and can take the title outright with a win over Cleveland State on Saturday, Feb. 28.
The Bulldogs are 14-3 in the Horizon, with Wisconsin-Green Bay a game back at 14-3. The teams split their two games this season, with each winning at home by an identical 9 points. There exists a distinct possibility that both could receive NCAA bids, as the winner of the tournament gets an automatic nod. Both teams have solid records.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Top 25 Roundup (late games): Clemson Dumped; Duke Tops Terps
Virginia Tech 80, #12 Clemson 77
Malcolm Delaney scored 26 points for the Hokies as Virginia Tech (17-10, 7-6) made its case for inclusion in the NCAA field. It was just the second win for the Hokies over a ranked opponent, though both wins came on the road. Back on Jan. 21, the Hokies stunned then-#1 Wake Forest, 78-71.
Virginia Tech's road to the tournament gets tougher, however, as their remaining ACC games are against Duke, North Carolina and Florida State.
Villanova 74 DePaul 72
The Wildcats won for the 9th time in 10 games, holding on for a Big East win over the DePaul Blue Demons. Villanova improved to 11-4 in the conference and 23-5 overall.
Michigan St. 62, Iowa 54
Tom Izzo used his entire bench, getting scoring from 9 different players, as the Spartans maintained their lead in the Big 10 at 12-3. a hame and a half better than 10-4 Purdue.
Delvin Roe scored 16 points on 6-7 shooting for Michigan State.
#7 Duke 78, Maryland 67
Duke's defenders held Greivis Vasquez to just 10 points, as the Blue Devils dampened Maryland's NCAA invitation hopes, beating the Terps,
Maryland dropped to 6-7 in the ACC (17-10 overall), while Duke moved to within a game of league leading North Carolina (10-3), at 9-4. Gerald Henderson had another solid game, leading the Blue Cevils with 19 points.
In Big 12 action, #11 Missouri cruised past Kansas State, 94-74, getting 22 points from DeMarre Carroll, who led 5 players in double figures for the Tigers. Carroll also corralled 13 boards.
#25 Texas topped Texas Tech, 87-81. A.J. Abrams scored 24 and Damion James had 20 and 12 boards.
Malcolm Delaney scored 26 points for the Hokies as Virginia Tech (17-10, 7-6) made its case for inclusion in the NCAA field. It was just the second win for the Hokies over a ranked opponent, though both wins came on the road. Back on Jan. 21, the Hokies stunned then-#1 Wake Forest, 78-71.
Virginia Tech's road to the tournament gets tougher, however, as their remaining ACC games are against Duke, North Carolina and Florida State.
Villanova 74 DePaul 72
The Wildcats won for the 9th time in 10 games, holding on for a Big East win over the DePaul Blue Demons. Villanova improved to 11-4 in the conference and 23-5 overall.
Michigan St. 62, Iowa 54
Tom Izzo used his entire bench, getting scoring from 9 different players, as the Spartans maintained their lead in the Big 10 at 12-3. a hame and a half better than 10-4 Purdue.
Delvin Roe scored 16 points on 6-7 shooting for Michigan State.
#7 Duke 78, Maryland 67
Duke's defenders held Greivis Vasquez to just 10 points, as the Blue Devils dampened Maryland's NCAA invitation hopes, beating the Terps,
Maryland dropped to 6-7 in the ACC (17-10 overall), while Duke moved to within a game of league leading North Carolina (10-3), at 9-4. Gerald Henderson had another solid game, leading the Blue Cevils with 19 points.
In Big 12 action, #11 Missouri cruised past Kansas State, 94-74, getting 22 points from DeMarre Carroll, who led 5 players in double figures for the Tigers. Carroll also corralled 13 boards.
#25 Texas topped Texas Tech, 87-81. A.J. Abrams scored 24 and Damion James had 20 and 12 boards.
Top 25 Roundup (early games): UConn Tops Marquette
#2 Connecticut 93, #8 Marquette 82
A.J. Price scored 38 points to lead the Huskies to a Big East win that left them alone atop the conference.
The premiere game of the evening matched the #2 Connecticut Huskies at the #8 Marquette Golden Eagles with nothing short of the Big East lead on the line. With Pitt having faltered Tuesday night at Providence, the Huskies came into the game tied with Louisville at 13-2, with Marquette a half game back at 12-2.
The Huskies established a lead in the closing minutes of the first half, taking a 43-37 lead into the break, but Marquette, comfortable on their home court, kept closing. When Wesley Matthews hit a pair of free throws at 7:53 in the second half, the Golden Eagles retook the lead, 60-59.
From there, the two teams exchanged leads back and forth, with UConn eventually grabbing a 8-point edge on a pair of Stanley Robinson three-point plays with 4:32 left in the game. Marquette cut the lead to five, but could get no closer.
Robinson scored 19 points, half of Price's total. Price was sensational, hitting 13-20 from the field, including 8-12 on 3's and a perfect 4-4 from the line.
Jerel McNeal scored 26 to lead Marquette.
At 26-2 and 14-2 in the conference, the Huskies host Notre Dame on Saturday and then get a week off before closing out the regular season in a rematch at Pitt. Winning both would give UConn the title, as they have a win over Louisville already in hand.
South Carolina 77, Kentucky 59
South Carolina punched their NCAA dance ticket on Wednesday night with a serious thumping of SEC East rival Kentucky, establishing an instant lead and hitting from everywhere on the floor in a 77-59 win.
Dominique Archie and Devan Downey led the onslaught. Archie had a perfect first half, going 5-for-5 with 2 3-pointers for 12 points. Downey tallied 10 in the opening period. Eight different Gamecocks scored, as they established a 46-28 lead at the half.
Archie scored just one more point in the second half, but Downey totaled 21 for the game, offsetting Patrick Patterson's 28 for the Wildcats.
South Carolina emerged with a one-game lead in the division, at 9-4, with Kentucky and Florida a game back at 8-5. The Gamecocks are 20-6 overall.
A.J. Price scored 38 points to lead the Huskies to a Big East win that left them alone atop the conference.
The premiere game of the evening matched the #2 Connecticut Huskies at the #8 Marquette Golden Eagles with nothing short of the Big East lead on the line. With Pitt having faltered Tuesday night at Providence, the Huskies came into the game tied with Louisville at 13-2, with Marquette a half game back at 12-2.
The Huskies established a lead in the closing minutes of the first half, taking a 43-37 lead into the break, but Marquette, comfortable on their home court, kept closing. When Wesley Matthews hit a pair of free throws at 7:53 in the second half, the Golden Eagles retook the lead, 60-59.
From there, the two teams exchanged leads back and forth, with UConn eventually grabbing a 8-point edge on a pair of Stanley Robinson three-point plays with 4:32 left in the game. Marquette cut the lead to five, but could get no closer.
Robinson scored 19 points, half of Price's total. Price was sensational, hitting 13-20 from the field, including 8-12 on 3's and a perfect 4-4 from the line.
Jerel McNeal scored 26 to lead Marquette.
At 26-2 and 14-2 in the conference, the Huskies host Notre Dame on Saturday and then get a week off before closing out the regular season in a rematch at Pitt. Winning both would give UConn the title, as they have a win over Louisville already in hand.
South Carolina 77, Kentucky 59
South Carolina punched their NCAA dance ticket on Wednesday night with a serious thumping of SEC East rival Kentucky, establishing an instant lead and hitting from everywhere on the floor in a 77-59 win.
Dominique Archie and Devan Downey led the onslaught. Archie had a perfect first half, going 5-for-5 with 2 3-pointers for 12 points. Downey tallied 10 in the opening period. Eight different Gamecocks scored, as they established a 46-28 lead at the half.
Archie scored just one more point in the second half, but Downey totaled 21 for the game, offsetting Patrick Patterson's 28 for the Wildcats.
South Carolina emerged with a one-game lead in the division, at 9-4, with Kentucky and Florida a game back at 8-5. The Gamecocks are 20-6 overall.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Missouri Valley Madness
The race for the title in the Missouri Valley Conference reached a fever pitch on Tuesday night as Creighton won their 9th straight, stopping Missouri St., 65-59.
At the same time, Northern Iowa had to go to two overtime sessions to finally dispatch Illinois State, 69-67, and remain tied with Creighton atop the standings at 13-4.
Northern Iowa eliminated the Redbirds from title contention, pushing then down to 11-6. with just one game remaining in the regular season, it sets up what should be an exciting conference tourney to determine which team gets the automatic NCAA bid.
While Creighton is almost assured of getting an invite due to their stellar 24-6 overall record. Northern Iowa may be sweating at 18-10. Illinois St. still has hopes at 22-7.
At the same time, Northern Iowa had to go to two overtime sessions to finally dispatch Illinois State, 69-67, and remain tied with Creighton atop the standings at 13-4.
Northern Iowa eliminated the Redbirds from title contention, pushing then down to 11-6. with just one game remaining in the regular season, it sets up what should be an exciting conference tourney to determine which team gets the automatic NCAA bid.
While Creighton is almost assured of getting an invite due to their stellar 24-6 overall record. Northern Iowa may be sweating at 18-10. Illinois St. still has hopes at 22-7.
BC Drops Seminoles; LSU Takes Out Gators for 9th Straight
Boston College 72, #23 Florida State 67
The schizophrenic BC Eagles were at their multi-faceted best Tuesday night, scoring 24 points in the first half before exploding for 48 in the second, downing Florida State in the process and keeping alive hope for a ticket to the NCAA tournament.
The Eagles were led by Vermont transfer, Joe Trapani, who tallied 19 points and had 6 rebounds. Florida State's Toney Douglass equaled that output, hitting five 3-pointers and going 4-4 from the foul line.
BC improved to 8-6 in the ACC and 20-9 overall, while the Seminoles fell to 8-5 and 21-7
#18 LSU 81, Florida 75
LSU's Marcus Thornton scored 32 points to lead the Tigers to their 9th straight win, clinching the SEC West title with a signature win over Florida, one of the leaders in the SEC East. It was the sixth time this season that Thornton had scored 30 or more points in a game.
LSU is virtually assured of a solid seeding in the NCAA tourney, though the rest of the conference isn't performing at a very high level.
The 8-5 Gators dropped a half game behind South Carolina and Kentucky - both at 8-4 - in their division. LSU is 12-1 and 24-4.
The schizophrenic BC Eagles were at their multi-faceted best Tuesday night, scoring 24 points in the first half before exploding for 48 in the second, downing Florida State in the process and keeping alive hope for a ticket to the NCAA tournament.
The Eagles were led by Vermont transfer, Joe Trapani, who tallied 19 points and had 6 rebounds. Florida State's Toney Douglass equaled that output, hitting five 3-pointers and going 4-4 from the foul line.
BC improved to 8-6 in the ACC and 20-9 overall, while the Seminoles fell to 8-5 and 21-7
#18 LSU 81, Florida 75
LSU's Marcus Thornton scored 32 points to lead the Tigers to their 9th straight win, clinching the SEC West title with a signature win over Florida, one of the leaders in the SEC East. It was the sixth time this season that Thornton had scored 30 or more points in a game.
LSU is virtually assured of a solid seeding in the NCAA tourney, though the rest of the conference isn't performing at a very high level.
The 8-5 Gators dropped a half game behind South Carolina and Kentucky - both at 8-4 - in their division. LSU is 12-1 and 24-4.
Providence Problematic for #1 Pitt
Sure enough, just a day after being named the #1 team in the nation by the AP Poll, the Pitt Panthers stumbled against a Providence team fighting for an NCAA bid, losing for the first time in 8 games, 81-73.
Providence came out flying, getting 12 first-half points from Jonathan Kale as they shot 53% in the period. Pitt shot a sub-par 37% on 10-27 shooting. At the break, the Friars held a healthy 44-26 edge.
Nearing the midpoint of the second half, Pitt had cut the Friars' lead to 10 points, but consecutive fouls by DeJuan Blair over a 14-second span sent the Pitt star to the bench with four personals.
Providence quickly built its lead back to 17 points, as Sam Young valiantly fired away, but the usually-reliable swimgman could not carry the load alone. Young finished with 16 points on 7 for 18 shooting (1-for-4 from 3-point range).
The Panthers weren't helping themselves much, putting Providence in the double bonus with 5:21 to play. That's when Blair returned, but by then the Friars were still up by 14.
The Panthers could cut the gap to no closer than 5 points down the stretch as Providence snapped their own 2-game losing streak.
Five Providence players hit double figures, led by Weyinmi Efejuku's 16 points.
The Friars are now 9-7 in the conference and 17-11 overall, and suddenly have a much better shot at getting that NCAA invitation.
Eslewhere in the Big East, Syracuse got a much-needed win at St. John's, mauling the Red Storm, 87-58. Jonny Flynn led the Orangemen with 21 points to go with 8 assists.
Providence came out flying, getting 12 first-half points from Jonathan Kale as they shot 53% in the period. Pitt shot a sub-par 37% on 10-27 shooting. At the break, the Friars held a healthy 44-26 edge.
Nearing the midpoint of the second half, Pitt had cut the Friars' lead to 10 points, but consecutive fouls by DeJuan Blair over a 14-second span sent the Pitt star to the bench with four personals.
Providence quickly built its lead back to 17 points, as Sam Young valiantly fired away, but the usually-reliable swimgman could not carry the load alone. Young finished with 16 points on 7 for 18 shooting (1-for-4 from 3-point range).
The Panthers weren't helping themselves much, putting Providence in the double bonus with 5:21 to play. That's when Blair returned, but by then the Friars were still up by 14.
The Panthers could cut the gap to no closer than 5 points down the stretch as Providence snapped their own 2-game losing streak.
Five Providence players hit double figures, led by Weyinmi Efejuku's 16 points.
The Friars are now 9-7 in the conference and 17-11 overall, and suddenly have a much better shot at getting that NCAA invitation.
Eslewhere in the Big East, Syracuse got a much-needed win at St. John's, mauling the Red Storm, 87-58. Jonny Flynn led the Orangemen with 21 points to go with 8 assists.
Jayhawks Jump Sooners, Take Big 12 Lead
Defending NCAA champion Kansas Jayhawks are right back in the thick of things after knocking off #2 Oklahoma, 87-78, Monday night in Norman.
By knocking off the Sooners, Kansas took over sole possession of first place in the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma was playing without its star and potential player of the year, Blake Griffith, who was sidelined due to a concussion suffered against Texas on Sunday.
Freshman Tyshawn Taylor scored a career-high 26 points and Sherron Collins equaled him with 26 of his own to lead the Jayhawks. Cole Aldrich had no match in the low post, scoring 15 points and hauling in 20 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season.
#15 Kansas improved to 12-1 in the conference and 23-5 overall. The Sooners have lost two straight for the first time this season and trial Kansas by one game at 11-2, followed by #11 Missouri at 10-2.
Kansas hosts Missouri on Sunday, March 1, while the Sooners expect Griffith to return for their game at Texas Tech on Saturday, Feb. 28.
By knocking off the Sooners, Kansas took over sole possession of first place in the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma was playing without its star and potential player of the year, Blake Griffith, who was sidelined due to a concussion suffered against Texas on Sunday.
Freshman Tyshawn Taylor scored a career-high 26 points and Sherron Collins equaled him with 26 of his own to lead the Jayhawks. Cole Aldrich had no match in the low post, scoring 15 points and hauling in 20 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season.
#15 Kansas improved to 12-1 in the conference and 23-5 overall. The Sooners have lost two straight for the first time this season and trial Kansas by one game at 11-2, followed by #11 Missouri at 10-2.
Kansas hosts Missouri on Sunday, March 1, while the Sooners expect Griffith to return for their game at Texas Tech on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Louisville Grabs Big East Share
Louisville blew past Georgetown, 76-58, likely ending the Hoyas' NCAA hopes. Georgetown is 14-12 overall and 5-10 in the Big East.
Louisville shot 70% in the first half - hitting all 6 of their 3-point attempts - and raced off to a 41-31 lead at Georgetown. Samardo Samuels and Earl Clark each had 9 points.
Clark scored a game-high 22. Terrence Willimans had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Louisville moved into a tie for first place in the Big East with Connecticut at 13-2. Winners of five straight, the Cardinals next host #8 Marquette on Sunday, March 1.
Louisville shot 70% in the first half - hitting all 6 of their 3-point attempts - and raced off to a 41-31 lead at Georgetown. Samardo Samuels and Earl Clark each had 9 points.
Clark scored a game-high 22. Terrence Willimans had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Louisville moved into a tie for first place in the Big East with Connecticut at 13-2. Winners of five straight, the Cardinals next host #8 Marquette on Sunday, March 1.
Pittsburgh Regains #1 Status in Latest AP Poll
On the strength of their road win over the UConn Huskies last week, the Pitt Panthers (25-2, 12-2) received 69 first place votes and reclaimed the #1 ranking in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
The Panthers look like good to maintain that position into the next poll, as they play Big East underlings, Providence and Seton Hall on the 24th and 28th, though both games are on the road.
After that, the Panthers will really be put to the test as they close out the Big East regular season with home games against #8 Marquette and #2 Connecticut. If Pitt can manage four wins, they are a near-lock to be a #1 seed and possibly the #1 overall seed for the NCAA tournament, despite having to navigate through the rugged Big East tourney first.
As they say, there's still a lot of ball to be played. Pitt benefited from other top 5 teams losses. Besides UConn, Oklahoma and North Carolina also lost during the week. The Sooners checked in at #3, and the Tar Heels, #4. Memphis filled out the top 5, followed by #6 Louisville, #7 Duke, #8 Marquette, #9 Michigan State and #10 Villanova, placing four Big East teams in the top 10 for the first time since November 24.
Pittsburgh has been ranked in the top 5 all season, and held the #1 position in the January 5 and January 12 polls. Since then, Wake Forest, then Duke, held the top spot, until Connecticut took it over on February 2.
North Carolina and Oklahoma have also been highly-regarded all season, though the Sooners have not been ranked #1 yet. North Carolina was top-ranked through the first 8 weeks of the season, through December 29.
The Panthers look like good to maintain that position into the next poll, as they play Big East underlings, Providence and Seton Hall on the 24th and 28th, though both games are on the road.
After that, the Panthers will really be put to the test as they close out the Big East regular season with home games against #8 Marquette and #2 Connecticut. If Pitt can manage four wins, they are a near-lock to be a #1 seed and possibly the #1 overall seed for the NCAA tournament, despite having to navigate through the rugged Big East tourney first.
As they say, there's still a lot of ball to be played. Pitt benefited from other top 5 teams losses. Besides UConn, Oklahoma and North Carolina also lost during the week. The Sooners checked in at #3, and the Tar Heels, #4. Memphis filled out the top 5, followed by #6 Louisville, #7 Duke, #8 Marquette, #9 Michigan State and #10 Villanova, placing four Big East teams in the top 10 for the first time since November 24.
Pittsburgh has been ranked in the top 5 all season, and held the #1 position in the January 5 and January 12 polls. Since then, Wake Forest, then Duke, held the top spot, until Connecticut took it over on February 2.
North Carolina and Oklahoma have also been highly-regarded all season, though the Sooners have not been ranked #1 yet. North Carolina was top-ranked through the first 8 weeks of the season, through December 29.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Duke Tops Wake Forest, 101-91
Gerald Henderson scored a season-high 35 points, and Jon Scheyer tossed in 30, as the Duke Blue Devils avenged an earlier 70-68 loss, and breaking out of a funk that had seen them lose four of their last seven conference games, whipping Wake Forest, 101-91.
Despite shooting 61% (36-59) for the game, the Demon Deacons found themselves trailing the Blue Devils by 11 at the break, 51-40, but stage a second half comeback.
Jeff Teague and James Johnson, who finished with 28 and 26, respectively, led the rally, cutting the advantage to 3 points on a couple of occasions and down to two with 9 1/2 minutes left, but by 5:21 left, despite their gaudy shooting percentage, they found themselves down 8 points, 88-80.
Duke was being led throughout by Henderson and Scheyer, plus 20 points from their productive bench. Duke also held a massive free throw advantage, hitting on 27 of 36 attempts, to Wake's 14 of 16.
The Deacons only began to wilt in the late stages. Gerald Henderson put a deep nail in the coffin with a three-pointer with 3:07 to go, which made the score 93-82.
Duke joined Florida State and Clemson at 8-4, in pursuit of 10-3 North Carolina, with Wake dropping to 7-5 in the conference.
Despite shooting 61% (36-59) for the game, the Demon Deacons found themselves trailing the Blue Devils by 11 at the break, 51-40, but stage a second half comeback.
Jeff Teague and James Johnson, who finished with 28 and 26, respectively, led the rally, cutting the advantage to 3 points on a couple of occasions and down to two with 9 1/2 minutes left, but by 5:21 left, despite their gaudy shooting percentage, they found themselves down 8 points, 88-80.
Duke was being led throughout by Henderson and Scheyer, plus 20 points from their productive bench. Duke also held a massive free throw advantage, hitting on 27 of 36 attempts, to Wake's 14 of 16.
The Deacons only began to wilt in the late stages. Gerald Henderson put a deep nail in the coffin with a three-pointer with 3:07 to go, which made the score 93-82.
Duke joined Florida State and Clemson at 8-4, in pursuit of 10-3 North Carolina, with Wake dropping to 7-5 in the conference.
Winning Ugly: #6 Michigan State Downs Wisconsin, 61-50
The brand of basketball coming out of the Big 10 these days is no thing of beauty, but the Michigan State Spartans have taken the defense-first approach to new levels ths season.
The Spartans broke open a close game in the final minutes, dispatching Wisconsin, 61-50 on Sunday afternoon in East Lansing.
Wisconsin shot a pathetic 31% for the game, but hit 7 of 21 3-pointers while Michigan St. missed on 7 of 9 attempts from beyond the arc. The Spartans' first long-range hit was timely, a Chris Allen 24-footer which gave the them a 52-47 lead with 2:40 left to play, followed by a Kalin Lucas trey at 1:57 which kept Michigan State safely ahead down the stretch.
Lucas led the way with 17 points, followed by Goran Suton with 16.
Michigan State's win ended a five-game Badger winning streak, which commenced after they had lost six in a row. Wisconsin (8-7, 17-10) hasn't beaten a ranked foe outside their conference, which puts their invitation to the field of 65 on very shaky ground.
The Spartans improved their Big 10 lead to a full game over 10-4 Purdue, as they improved to 11-3 and 21-5 overall.
While Michigan St., Purdue and Illinois all seems sure to go to the NCAA tourney, Ohio St., Penn St., Wisconsin and Minnesota are all vying for he 4th and maybe 5th invite for the Big 10.
The Spartans broke open a close game in the final minutes, dispatching Wisconsin, 61-50 on Sunday afternoon in East Lansing.
Wisconsin shot a pathetic 31% for the game, but hit 7 of 21 3-pointers while Michigan St. missed on 7 of 9 attempts from beyond the arc. The Spartans' first long-range hit was timely, a Chris Allen 24-footer which gave the them a 52-47 lead with 2:40 left to play, followed by a Kalin Lucas trey at 1:57 which kept Michigan State safely ahead down the stretch.
Lucas led the way with 17 points, followed by Goran Suton with 16.
Michigan State's win ended a five-game Badger winning streak, which commenced after they had lost six in a row. Wisconsin (8-7, 17-10) hasn't beaten a ranked foe outside their conference, which puts their invitation to the field of 65 on very shaky ground.
The Spartans improved their Big 10 lead to a full game over 10-4 Purdue, as they improved to 11-3 and 21-5 overall.
While Michigan St., Purdue and Illinois all seems sure to go to the NCAA tourney, Ohio St., Penn St., Wisconsin and Minnesota are all vying for he 4th and maybe 5th invite for the Big 10.
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