NCAA Basketball FanHouse

Another Inevitable Conclusion for UConn?

Michelle Smith — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Duke, Stanford, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10, Women's Basketball

When Connecticut ran through the 2008-09 season with a 39-0 record and cruised through the Final Four to a national title, they turned an entire season, thousands of games involving hundreds of teams, into an exercise in inevitability.

At the cusp of a new college season, the biggest question is: Can the Huskies do that again? Or will the search for a new point guard to replace Renee Montgomery will bring UConn back to the pack?

Connecticut is the undisputed No. 1 team in the nation at its start, the unanimous choice in both national polls. But, of course. The Huskies have Maya Moore and Tina Charles, two of the top three or four players in the country, they have outstanding role players such as Kalnna Greene and Kaili McLaren. They have Geno Auriemma, who embraces the role of front-runner in a big, enthusiastic bear hug.The Huskies are an interesting combination of swagger and hunger. The championship run of last March marked the first time in four years that Connecticut had won a title, a virtual eternity in Geno-years. They wanted their trophy back. They are going to want it again.

Auriemma was asked whether he thinks this will be a better team that the last one, that one that won every game by double-digits, by an average margin of 30.5 points a game.

"I don't know. Things change, people change. Certainly circumstances change," Auriemma said. "I think each individual on our team will be better than they were last year. ... Does that translate into having a better team? I don't know. Again, you can't discount what Renee did and how she did it."

Stanford looks to be Connecticut's biggest challenger, returning six players with starting experience, bringing the nation's deepest post game, led by senior center Jayne Appel, and one of the country's top freshman -- forward Joslyn TInkle -- into the mix.

If the Cardinal get consistent, high quality guard play from the experienced trio of JJ Hones, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude and Jeanette Pohlen, they might be in a very good spot to claim the program's first title since 1992.

Most everybody else in the elite ranks looks pretty young. Baylor, North Carolina, Oklahoma -- all are in various states of rebuilding after large exoduses of experience and talent.

Tennessee, meanwhile, is in a form of recovery. Last year, a freshman-laden team drove Pat Summitt crazy and exited the NCAA Tournament in the first round for the first time in the history of the program. That's a lot to atone for. Now a sophomore group led by last year's national freshman of the year Shekinna Stricklen, along with Glory Johnson and Kelley Cain, are taking another shot at living up to the program's high standards.

The Big 12 has a new power in Kansas, led by senior Danielle McCray, but the big story will be at Baylor, where the Bears are highly ranked and those votes of confidence come largely based of the presence of freshman Brittney Griner, the dunk machine making her collegiate debut in the hot glare of the national spotlight.

Ohio State has been a regional powerhouse, the recent ruler of the upper Midwest, but OSU is still waiting to break through on a national level. This could be that year for the Buckeyes with a strong inside-out combination in point guard Samantha Prahalis and junior center Jantel Lavender. The start of the season has been marred, however, by three-game suspensions to two players, including senior defensive standout Shavelle Little.

North Carolina will lead the way in an ACC race in which all of the top teams have undergone significant turnover. Five ACC teams are in the preseason rankings, but most of them are dependent on newcomers after losing stalwarts such as Kristi Tolliver and Marisa Coleman (Maryland), Chante Black and Abby Waner (Duke), Rashanda McCants (UNC) and Tanae Davis-Cain and Mara Freshour (Florida State).

"I think it just so happens to be that a lot of the teams that are ranked high have a lot of underclassmen," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. "Hopefully it will make for some interesting games."

But it may not prevent the foregone conclusion at the end of the season.

Another Inevitable Conclusion for UConn? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Big Ten, a Race Like No Other

Ray Holloman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:37:00 EST

Filed under: Big Ten

For a man who said goodbye to his 2009 team as reluctantly as a kid giving back a puppy, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo took the fastest possible route to this year's season kick-off.

He arrived in an Indy Car.

With the Final Four in Indianapolis, you don't exactly need your college lit professor to explain the symbolism of Izzo's Midnight Madness ride, (though the prof might help in search of the metaphor to describe what a 220-pound man wedged in a car the sized of a futon looks like). Then again, you could consider it it foreshadowing of a Big Ten race that will be just as fierce and clustered as anything waged on the brickyard.

Please be sure to buckle up.

"I honestly see nine or 10 ... teams that could realistically win the league," Izzo said at the Big Ten media day. "Top to bottom, the league is the best it's been in a long time."

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And it is, without much argument, the best conference in the nation to start the season. Though the conference has been plagued with something of an image problem in recent years, the three yards and a cloud of rebounds basketball league is riding high heading into the 2010 season.

Maybe that's because the league is finally grown up. In an era where the best college players can't buy a beer without a fake ID, the Big Ten is stacked with stars who, in a college basketball world, are half a credit away from shuffleboard and early-bird buffets.

The league only put two players into the first round of the NBA draft last year and the preseason all-conference team is comprised entirely of juniors.

"We just have an unbelievable junior class in college basketball," Purdue coach Matt Pianter said. "There's a lot of juniors that are stars. And when we have some guys that had opportunities to go in the draft that stayed, that really strengthened our league"

"I think we have the opportunity now to grow and be one of the premier leagues if not the premiere league in the country."

That would be a fitting encore.

A season ago, the Big Ten placed a record-tying seven teams into the NCAA tournament, capped by the Spartans race home to Detroit for the Final Four. Of course, the Spartans blue-collar Cinderella story ended when they were run over by something more like a semi than Izzo's Indy car, the national champion Tar Heels.

But the league is already on pace to match, or exceed, last season. The Big Ten placed a nation's best six teams in the first AP top 25 poll of the year, including two in the top seven.

Including a familiar name at the very top.

Since 1999, Michigan State has played in five Final Fours and won a national championship, more final weekend appearances than any other team during that time period. But the nation's No. 2 team is far from a sure bet for a sixth Final Four in 12 seasons this year.

Just ask Tom Izzo.

When it comes to Coach speak, Izzo has always been more of a blackjack dealer than a poker player. His cards are always on the table and he's not afraid to tell you exactly what he thinks his hand. All you have to do is find a way to beat it.

So consider it cause for concern when his first comments about this year's team are what they won't have.

"My biggest fears are two-fold," Izzo said. "No. 1, we lost more than I think people give us credit for. ... And two, [Goran] Suton was a loss because of his play ... but he was a glue guy, he was a chemistry guy."

True, the Spartans return seven of the team's top nine scorers, but lose Big Ten defensive player of the year Travis Walton, a lockdown shadow who could find a way to keep you from scoring in the layup line.. Walton was also an emotional leader of last year's team - he was voted most inspirational by his teammates.

Suton, meanwhile, led the Big Ten in rebounding. When injured last year, the Spartans lost two of five games without him, a pair of cringing defeats to ACC foes North Carolina and Maryland. Compounding matters, the Spartans also lost top backup Idong Ibok, leaving a team that prides itself on rebounding and being football-without-the-pads tough, thin.

"We have 100 minutes," Izzo said of backup Tom Herzog's career playing log. "So our experience went from 15 years (between Suton, Ibok and Marquise Gray) to 100 minutes."

But the Spartans have enough talent coming back. Point guard Kalin Lucas, who could probably dribble faster than Izzo could drive the Indy car, returns after a Big Ten player of the year season a year ago, as does Raymar Morgan, arguably the Spartans' best all-around talent. Add to that Delvin Roe, a star recruit who was hampered by offseason knee surgery last year.

Only Purdue appears to be a serious threat to take the regular season title Michigan State ran away with last year. Ten teams might be able to win a game, but only two have a realistic chance at winning the most.

The Boilermakers continued their steady trend line last season, winning the league tournament and advancing to the Sweet 16. The Baby Boilers of 2008 have grown into a group of the baddest men on the block by 2010, and, returning all five starters from a team that went 27-10 and won the Big Ten tournament a season ago, have every right to expect a place alongside Michigan State.

And follow in their footsteps.

Where the Spartans staged a homecoming last year in Detroit, the Boilers have their eyes on a Final Four by bus to Indianapolis this year.

At the heart of Coach Matt Painter's is the recruiting class of 2007, now all juniors. E'Twaun Moore, an excellent scorer and playmaker, led the team in scoring last year while Robbie Hummel, a do-it-all 6-foot-8 power forward that was hampered by a bad back last year, is one of the nation's very best players. JaJuan Johnson, meanwhile, blossomed into one of the Big Ten's most productive post players last year, averaging 13.4 points per game, not to mention the toughest post matchup in the league.

Senior guards Keaton Grant and Chris Kramer round out the group on a team that has all the hallmarks of a group growing into a Final Four team.

And, with a season of luck so bad you might wonder what truck of mirrors they ran off the road, the Boilers are set for a Final Four run.

"We got better as we got healthier," Painter said of his team last year. "We kept plugging. I thought we had a strong finish and our guys embraced. And now I think we're stronger because of it."

Behind the Spartans and Boilermakers are a series of on-the-rise programs. Michigan, under the third season with head coach Jim Beilien is righting its ship much faster than its other program headed by an ex-West Virginia coach. The Wolverines return all of their top six scorers, including junior Manny Harris, a preseason all-Big Ten selection. Michigan earned its first NCAA bid since 1998 last season and upset Clemson in the opening round. The Wolverines are ranked in the preseason poll for the first time since 1996.

In Columbus, Ohio State will begin the season without a highly touted freshman big man for the first time since the "Thad Five," but the Buckeyes returned all five starters and have arguably the best all-around player in the league, Evan Turner, a 6-foot-7 wing who will be playing a versatile point role. Turner led the Buckeyes in virtually every category last year, including points per game, rebounds, assists and steals. He unfortunately also led the Buckeyes in turnovers, managing an assist-to-turnover ratio just over one. But Monday night's 10-assist, two-turnover debut against Alcorn State might be a sign he'll be more careful with the ball as the primarily ball handler.

Minnesota returns its top nine players for Tubby Smith's steadily improving team, which is good news considering two of Smith's touted newcomers are already suspended. Sophomore Devron Bostick is also suspended.

Illinois lost the league's top assist man and one of its top defenders in Chester Frazier, but with an established frontcourt and Demetri McCamey, they likely won't sweat out Selection Sunday. And Wisconsin, which looks like a bubble team at the season's star, has managed to find its way into the NCAA tournament every year under head coach Bo Ryan. Even Penn State, Iowa and rebuilding Indiana could lead to more than a few Maalox moments.

Just how deep is the Big Ten? Even Northwestern, a team that has never qualified for the NCAA tournament is thinking Big Dance. The Wildcats won eight games in the league last year and are expected to contend for their historic first bid.

"I don't think it's that much pressure," coach Bill Carmody said. "If you have some good players, which I think we do, we look forward to it. That's why you're here. ... We're just really looking forward to it.

"It's going to be a tough year in the conference. That's the only thing. I think we have probably one of our better teams coming up. But just looking around from top to bottom that the league is very strong."

And when it ends, it will be a season no one, not just Izzo, won't want to forget.

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Two students walk past Bud Walton Arena on the University of Arkansas campus on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, in Fayetteville, Ark. When Arkansas takes the court for its season opener Friday night, the short bench will tell the whole, unpleasant story. (AP Photo/Beth Hall)

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California's Theo Robertson (24) lays up a shot against Detroit during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game during the 2K Sports Classic Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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California's Patrick Christopher lays up a shot against Detroit during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game during the 2K Sports Classic Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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In Big Ten, a Race Like No Other originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knight Remains Away from Indiana

Chas Rich — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:08:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Big Ten, Coaches, Media Watch

It really shouldn't come as a surprise that Bob Knight would opt not to attend his own induction into the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame. His departure from Indiana was ugly, well-documented and Knight has never been one to easily forgive and forget.

Or maybe he is mellowing just a bit. Rather than not even respond to the invitation, Knight actually let Indiana know that he would not attend.Not just passing word along through an intermediary or via press release. He called Indiana's athletic director Fred Glass directly. A former sportswriter that is a longtime friend of Knight, will represent Knight at the ceremony.

The reason claimed is that Knight would not attend because he didn't want a media crunch that would ensue were he to attend, to overshadow the induction of many of his former players. That almost seems reasonable except for one thing. Considering Bob Knight is being inducted, regardless of his physical presence, he will overshadow the event.

Knight Remains Away from Indiana originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ohio State Women Determined to Make Final Four Breakthrough

Michelle Smith — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio State, Big Ten, Women's Basketball

Ohio State women's basketball coach Jim Foster isn't a guy prone to hyperbole, not one to oversell. The fact that his program last year reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005 last season was, in his estimation, "a step in the direction of success."

The steps that come next are much bigger and much harder. Case in point: the Buckeyes haven't been to the Elite Eight since 1987.

But this might be the team to break through that barrier.

Ohio State, with the inside-outside core of Jantel Lavender and Samantha Prahalis (pictured), are ranked as high as No. 3 in the country in the preseason magazines, behind only Connecticut and Stanford. The Buckeyes are favored to win their sixth consecutive Big Ten title with four returning starters, three of those among the top players in the conference.

There is no doubt the expectations are high, both inside the program and outside.

"Some people have ranked us really high, but I think our expectations are higher," Prahalis said. "We know what we can do."

Lavender, a 6-4 junior, is one of the country's best post players. The State Farm All-American and two-time Big Ten Player of the Year has 37 career double-doubles in two college seasons, including averaging 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds as a sophomore.

She spent the off-season improving her face-up game, her three-point shooting -- and lamenting last year's season ending.

"It showed that the teams that go deep in the tournament are mentally tough," Lavender said. "Everybody that makes it to the tournament is really good. Everybody is tired at the end of the year, everybody is hurt. But it's the team that's going to be tough overcomes all that. Those are teams that have a 40-game season."

Prahalis grabbed attention last year for her entertaining game, a mix of skill, flash and East Coast swagger. The Comack, N.Y., native scored 19 points in the Sweet 16 loss to Stanford last March, cementing her status as one of the country's most exciting young talents.

Senior guard Shavelle Little, the conference defensive player of the year, is also back on the floor, along with a quartet of talented freshmen ranked among the nation's top 10 recruiting classes.

Foster said his experienced squad has been unaffected by the early-season accolades and already seems to understand what it will require for the program to move beyond what it accomplished last season, breaking a streak of three straight early NCAA exits.

"We need to win more in the postseason," Foster said. "You can't ask more of them in the regular season; we've been very successful there."

This is still a young team. The Buckeyes' starting lineup may only end up with one senior.

"We are still a work in progress, but that's all relative, because we've won our league five years in a row and that makes us a target," Foster said. "That's not easy to sustain."

Lavender said she's spent months anticipating another opportunity to make up for last season's unsatisfying end.

"I thought about it all the time," Lavender said. "Our team is capable of being a Final Four team. We need to find our chemistry and flow, the things that those teams that go to the Final Four have."

Ohio State Women Determined to Make Final Four Breakthrough originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Hoosier's Plea to Coach Knight

Matt Snyder — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Big Ten, Coaches

A little over a week ago, Indiana University announced it would be inducting Bob Knight into its Hall of Fame. In the nine days since then, there has been no shortage of discussion around the state of Indiana, message boards, newspapers and local talk radio. Normally, the induction of someone with Knight's accolades wouldn't cause such a stir. He won three national championships, 12 Big Ten titles and went to the Final Four fives times in 29 seasons at Indiana. He's currently the winningest coach in Division-I history.

But that doesn't tell the whole story, of course.

Everyone who follows college basketball knows the general story of Knight's ugly divorce from Indiana, as he was dismissed by then-President Myles Brand in September of 2000. Since then, Knight has refused to acknowledge anything about Indiana University or his time there in any public forum. Thus, it's pretty easy to see why there is such a debate on whether or not he'll attend his own induction.

There are a few circumstances that should matter. First of all, everyone who had anything to do with his firing is long gone from the University's administration. The two coaches who followed him didn't do much to embrace the tradition and legacy of Indiana's program. Kelvin Sampson, in particular, reportedly didn't care at all for the history of the great program. Tom Crean, the current head coach, is doing everything he can to stress the program's prestigious past while also looking to the future. He recently spoke about Knight's induction to the University's Hall of Fame.

"I was all for it. It's just a matter of looking out and saying 'Let's get it done.' I think it will be fantastic to be able to walk into that building and have people walk into that building and know that their coach is honored with all of the other greats at Indiana, because certainly it's one thing to have him in the Naismith Hall of Fame, but with everything he did at Indiana, the shelf's not full yet. Let's get the shelf full and get him in there."

Still, will this be enough? Even Knight's biggest fans -- like myself -- have to admit he's among the most stubborn people to ever walk the hardwood, and that's saying something. He feels that everything he built was taken away from him unfairly and is obviously having a hard time putting that behind him. One would hope the athletic department considered his reaction before inducting him to their Hall of Fame. Is it worth inducting someone who will turn his nose up at you? With that question in mind, I personally hope they contacted him before the announcement and told him they wanted him to come. But we don't know if they did that because no one in the know is talking.

The people who are talking seem to all agree on one thing: We don't have the first damn clue whether or not coach will be coming back on November 6 (Induction day).

Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star asked Dick Vitale, who is currently a colleague of Knight's at ESPN. Vitale's answer? "I really don't know." Kravitz also asked Bob Hammel, long known as Knight's most-trusted confidant in a media for whom he mostly carried an outward disdain.

"Ultimately, I don't know what he's going to do, and whatever I eventually tell him, he's going to make up his own mind," said Hammel, who is part of the board that chooses Hall of Fame inductees. "My hope is that he comes and a lot of things can be tied together finally. I think he knows that I'd love for the cloud of tension to lift, and this is a step that might help achieve that."

Insidethehall.com, my favorite Hoosiers basketball blog, has a good compilation of excerpts from around the web.

Peegs.com, the rivals network Indiana affiliate, has posted a few thoughts from fans.

I asked a few of my friends -- fellow alums who attended every home game with me while we were enrolled -- what they thought.

"When I think about whether I want him to show up, I'm conflicted," said one of them. "On one hand, I want the fractured fan base to heal and him publicly acknowledging IU by attending would go a long way in doing that. On the other hand, I'm not sure I want him to show up because his presence would be taking away a lot of attention from the other inductees that certainly deserve considerable attention, too (example: former soccer coach Jerry Yeagley who won SIX national titles and made Indiana University one of the gold standards for college soccer in America). That said, I think the only real acceptable compromise is for him to make a public acknowledgment of thanks and then come receive his induction somewhere down the line at a basketball game or something so that everyone wins. I don't think he'll do that, though, and I also don't think he'll show up. It will be just one more chapter in the tumultuous history of Bob Knight and Indiana University."

"Do I want him to show up? Yes," said the other friend, my college roommate. "He is a hero to all IU fans and should be a part of the big day. The meaning behind the induction wouldn't be the same unless he was there. Many people will show up to see his induction ... I'd think it would be crazy.

"Will he show up? Yes. If he didn't show up I think it would hurt his legacy a bit and would be viewed as a slap in the face to Hoosier fans. He will show up and he will give a great speech and provide some entertainment."

This last quote is kind of an outlier. Through all these debates on message boards and over the radio, from what I can gather, most people either believe Knight will refuse to attend the festivities or just have the same feelings as Vitale (the "I don't know" camp).

Yes, Knight, like everyone else, has flaws. But he's not the monster many, from afar, think he is. I had the pleasure of meeting him once and was too intimidated to say anything. If you didn't grow up in Indiana in the late-80s, you don't know why I should be intimidated. You see, the Indiana Pacers and Indianapolis Colts were both irrelevant at the time. The Indianapolis 500 was a huge event but happened only once a year. In the State of Indiana, Bob Knight was king, a deity of sorts. You could identify his picture before you could read. So, yeah, I clammed up. I did get a second chance, though, the next week as I was walking to my locker room (I played baseball, and our locker room was in Assembly Hall). We arrived at the front door at nearly the same time. I made sure to be respectful, saying, "Hi, Coach Knight, how are you?" He replied and was incredibly nice. He asked what I was doing, then asked how I was adjusting to college ball. He didn't have to respond. Instead, he was genuinely caring and offered up a few nuggets of advice on adjusting to college life during our short conversation.

I tell this story to illustrate what I've heard from many who have met him. He was a nice person to legions of people, and the times he wasn't were the ones plastered across sports pages across the nation. If he was the out of control maniac many believe him to be, why is he showing such respect and being so nice to the Matt Snyders of the world? I'm a nobody, as are thousands of others he treated well.

Knight, on the other hand, is definitely somebody. A big somebody. He used to be the most famous person in Indiana. He's still toward the top of the list. Sure, he's a polarizing figure, but no one can deny what he meant to the university for nearly three decades. As they look to pay their respects to him as a Hall of Famer, his fans can only hope he's able to turn the page on what happened nine years ago. At some point, you have to move on, no matter how hard it might be.

I'm still hoping he's able to separate one thing from another. The fans who want to see him show up are not the ones who forced him out. We are the ones who stormed Brand's office that September evening (and, yes, I was there). We are the ones who gathered in Dunn Meadow September 11, 2000 to hear his farewell speech to the student body. We want to see him in Bloomington again, wearing that trademark red sweater.

My prediction in my heart of hearts: Knight shows up after having remained silent the entire time -- in a surprise entrance. If he waits until introductions at halftime of the Hoosiers' tilt against Wisconsin the following day, it will surely be the loudest that stadium gets all day -- and probably all season.

My realistic prediction: He's not going and he probably will never go back.

Which is such a shame. There are so many people who still revere him in these parts, and none of them have ever done anything wrong to him. If he wants to hate Brand and Clarence Doninger (the athletic director at the time of his firing who is not working for the university), that's fine. Neither of them have anything to do with this Hall of Fame ceremony. It's just a bunch of people who want to honor him. The words "Indiana University" shouldn't be offensive enough to Knight on their own, because they are just words. The overwhelming majority of the people in the Indiana Hoosiers' fan base want him to come back, if only for a few days.

Please attend, Coach Knight. If for no other reason than to prove that your feelings for the fan base still remain. We haven't forgotten about you, so please don't forget about us.

One Hoosier's Plea to Coach Knight originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIU Upset Over Having to Play UNC

Chas Rich — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:40:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio State, UNC, ACC, Big Ten, Mid-Majors, Campus, Coaches, Media Watch

Florida International has not played a game yet under new coach Isiah Thomas, but the program is acting like it is already a player in college basketball. They are threatening to pull out of the 2K Sports Classic Tournament, which benefits the Coaches vs. Cancer charity, because they are no longer slated to be the road patsy for Ohio State. Instead they are getting sent to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina.

The Golden Panthers had agreed to play in the preseason tournament even before Isiah Thomas was hired as the head coach. It had been presumed that they would go to Columbus to play the Buckeyes. Ohio State had indicated on its Web site that FIU would be the opponent. FIU and Thomas referenced starting the season there.

Last week, though, the Gazelle Group which operates the tournament contacted FIU about being switched. FIU's athletic director Pete Garcia refused, but he really did not have a choice. The contract FIU signed stated that FIU would play either North Carolina or Ohio state at the sole discretion of the Gazelle Group. Somehow that does not seem fair to FIU.

"Would they do what they're doing to us to Duke, or to North Carolina? No," Garcia said. "But they'll do it to FIU and any other school out there like FIU."

Hello? You are the patsy school that has to go on the road in this tournament, and expected to lose to the bigger program. You get some nice national exposure on ESPN and a check for the beating -- something nearly "any other school out there like FIU" would love to get. You are FIU. You are one of the worst programs in the country. Most people cannot keep you straight with Florida Atlantic. Of course they would treat you this way and not like a prestigious, brand-name program.

There is no principle to this. They signed a contract that is clear. Maybe they were hoping for a lighter beating from Ohio State rather than North Carolina, but that is not principle. That is whining. Clearly FIU's athletic director (and probably the coach) does not understand that a glamor hire does not elevate FIU beyond novelty act until they actually win something.

FIU Upset Over Having to Play UNC originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelvin Sampson's Appeal Rejected by NCAA

Chas Rich — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:26:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Big Ten, Media Watch

I have no proof that the people in the NCAA that evaluate appeals were laughing and giggling their way through Kelvin Sampson's appeal of his sanctions. I like to think they were. Most people had a good laugh when they found out Sampson was appealing. Not surprisingly, Sampson had his appeal officially rejected today.

Essentially the appeal by Sampson came down to two arguments. The first was that the committee misinterpreted the evidence that was the basis of the penalties. That is, all those excessive phone calls at Indiana, the three-way calls, the "mistakes" that were made. The committee just looked at them the wrong way. The 100 plus phone calls were simply individual mistakes and not reflective of a pattern.

The other claim was that the enforcement staff that investigated and brought the charges before the committee were biased against him. Of course those past violations from Oklahoma that were almost the same as what happened at Indiana should be ignored. To say nothing of how they factored into the harsher penalties on Sampson

The NCAA upheld the penalties handed down by the infractions committee that effectively banned him from coaching in the NCAA for five years. Hopefully Sampson will finally let it go.

He may be done in college basketball, but he still has a coaching future.He is an assistant in the NBA, and has always been a players' coach. His basketball acumen has never been questioned. Just his ethics.

Kelvin Sampson's Appeal Rejected by NCAA originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeff Jordan Done With Basketball, Ready To Focus on Academics

Matt Snyder — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:35:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Big Ten

Jeff Jordan, most famous for being Michael Jordan's son, has decided to hang up the high-tops -- at least as far as competitive play goes. The 6-foot-1 incoming junior has decided to stop playing basketball and stay at the University of Illinois to concentrate solely on his academics.

Jordan, a player who won over the Illini coaches with his heady play and strong work ethic, was set to be a part of the Illinois rotation this coming season. He, unlike his Dad, was not an offensive threat, concentrating more on being a defensive stopper. Illinois head coach Bruce Weber offered some kind words for their now dearly departed.

"Jeff was an invaluable member of our team the past two seasons and I thank him for his contribution to our program," Weber said. "He brought great work ethic to the gym and pushed himself as well as his teammates. We will miss him, but we fully support the decision he has made."

Even though Jordan was set to get some solid minutes, he was never going to be a star in college and certainly would not have had a shot at the NBA. He is to be commended for following his heart and choosing to step out of the immense shadow and pressure created by the fact that he is offspring of the greatest player in the history of basketball.

Jeff Jordan has decided that his current academics and professional life after college are more important than basketball. There is no doubt he's done, and will continue to do, both of his parents proud -- even without that little, orange sphere.

Jeff Jordan Done With Basketball, Ready To Focus on Academics originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It Could Be Worse, USC, Ask a Hoosier

Matt Snyder — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, USC, Big Ten, Pac-10

In case you haven't been paying attention to the goings on of college basketball in the last few weeks, USC's 2009-10 basketball season has been already been summarily decimated. Tim Floyd resigned in the face of allegations against the program. In the wake, three incoming recruits have been granted their release from letters of intent to play for the Trojans. Plus, three players from last year's Sweet 16 squad have entered the NBA Draft early and now cannot change their minds. Factor in two graduations, and the team is left with only two players who logged regular, meaningful minutes in 2009, with no recruits of consequence.

It could be worse, though. Turn back the clock to last year at this time and direct your attention to the mess left behind by Kelvin Sampson at Indiana.

USC has already lost three recruits, two seniors, and DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett to the early entrant list of the NBA draft. Fortunately, though, they haven't had anyone transfer yet.

At Indiana, there were early entries into the draft, seniors, transfers and dismissals -- there was even a plant-throwing incident. When the dust settled, only Kyle Taber's 1.3 points per game returned in 2008-09 from a solid 2007-08 team.

Now, much for the Trojans hinges on what kind of coach they hire. It's awfully late in the game to be looking for a coach who could salvage any kind of a recruiting class for this coming season, so they'd better hire someone who can convince people like Dwight Lewis and Leonard Washington to stick around. Then, the task will be to build a recruiting class for the 2010-2011 campaign. Still, it's pretty doubtful things will get as bad for USC as they did at Indiana.

Though they aren't likely to land a coach as established as Tom Crean -- just check out Gary Washburn's top five candidates for the job (they aren't getting Jamie Dixon, by the way) -- USC still isn't looking at a 6-24 record with a 1-17 mark in conference like Indiana just endured, unless Lewis and Washington transfer and former North Carolina big man Alex Stepheson amounts to nothing.

If they do and the team is just as brutal as the Hoosiers were this past season, here are five ways to get through the season for Trojan basketball fans:

1. Get used to hearing things about "how hard" your team plays from the media. Soak it up and enjoy it, because it's much nicer than just saying they suck -- which is ultimately the truth.

2. Start talking about the future all the time. Something like, "Well, this is a good sign for next season, because tonight we saw [something complimentary, no matter how much of a stretch]and [another compliment, still heedless of the stretch]." When losing every game, even to schools like Lipscomb and Northeastern, there really isn't much else to discuss. Thus, clinging to things like a lower-than-usual turnover total, a freshman having his best game of the season, or a staunch defensive effort replaces any discussion about the outcome of the actual game.

3. Cling to next season's recruiting class. Indiana has a top-10 recruiting class for 2009-10 according to many outlets. That doesn't always translate to on-court success, but discussing it ad nauseum sure does anger Purdue fans. Give UCLA fans the same treatment.

4. Shower the new head coach with so much support it seems undue to those who cheer for other teams (again, Purdue fans hate hearing it). Inheriting a situation this bad isn't easy on the coach, so he needs to feel welcome and become invested in the job quickly. Sure, the money is nice, but it makes any human being want to succeed even more in an uphill battle when he feels like he has the full support of the students and alumni. Crean has immeasurable support from nearly everyone at Indiana, and he's maintained a child-like zeal for the job. It's not a coincidence.

5. Support the Pac-10 as a whole. I became the biggest apologist for every Big Ten team this past season -- to the point I actually pulled for the conference as a whole in the NCAA tournament. It gives you something positive to watch in the present.

Still, assuming there are no transfers, USC isn't falling into the meteorite-sized crater Indiana basketball fell into before last season. When watching Lil' Romeo bring the ball up court next season, please keep us in mind and be happy things didn't become completely unhinged.

Plus, the Trojan fans can take solace in one thing that us Hoosiers couldn't.

There's always football season.

It Could Be Worse, USC, Ask a Hoosier originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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College Basketball's Top 25 Coaches

Matt Snyder — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: WCC, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Conference USA, Mid-Majors, MVC, Pac-10, SEC, WAC, Coaches

In an effort to talk about something college basketball-related other than scandals in the summer, let's talk best current coaches. We'll attempt to order the top 25 current coaches in the nation. This is about the present and the future, not the distant past. What a guy did in the mid-90s doesn't matter near as much as the direction his program is currently headed. Past pedigree also matters, to an extent. For the perfect mix of past accomplishments with present achievement and a paved road for future success, look no further than the man atop the list.

The Untouchables

1. Roy Williams, North Carolina -- There are plenty of guys who could out X-and-O him during a game. Of course, he pretty much always has incredibly superior talent on the court, rendering that part of the coaching skill-set less meaningful. Recruiting is part of the job in college basketball, and he's done it well enough to amass two NCAA championships, three Final Fours and four 30-plus win seasons in the past five years. Until someone starts outdoing him on the recruiting trail and keeping those guys in school for more than a year, he'll stay here for a while.

2. Tom Izzo, Michigan State -- He reached his fifth Final Four last season, finishing as the runner-up to Roy's Tar Heels. In 2010, Izzo's Spartans will be cutting down the nets (yes, an incredibly early prediction). He's mixing youth with experience every single year, and that's why this program won't leave the national spotlight as long as he's around.

3. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke -- If this was any year from 1990 to 2001, he'd be the obvious choice for the best coach in the entire nation. In the past eight seasons, however, he's been slightly mortal -- advancing past the Sweet 16 just once. Of course, when we're talking about a guy going to the Sweet 16 six times and the Final Four once in an eight-year span -- and talking about how it hurts his overall resume -- that shows you what kind of bar he set for himself. He's still a legend, he's just being outperformed on Tobacco Road right now.

4. John Calipari, Kentucky -- There will be plenty of naysayers for the foreseeable future when it comes to "Coach Cal" and his "recruiting practices" -- especially in light of recent events. There's a sort of stigma following him around because he's arguably the best recruiter in the nation, but he's never been personally charged with anything concrete. The bottom line is that he's getting the job done and now his national platform is even bigger at one of the NCAA's marquee basketball programs. He's still looking for that elusive first national championship, but the smart money is on that drought ending rather quickly in Lexington (assuming he keeps his nose clean).

5. Bill Self, Kansas -- He's taken three different schools (including Tulsa) to the Elite Eight. He did so in his first year at Kansas. After a decent 2004-2005 season, Self built the team as his own, steadily improving over the next four seasons. Things culminated in 2008 when he did what Williams couldn't do at Kansas, which is win the National Championship. After significant losses to graduation and the NBA, the Jayhawks were in rebuilding mode last season, but it turned out to be reloading. A three-seed and Sweet 16 berth later, and Kansas is set up for another Final Four run. Expect that to be an annual statement about Self's Kansas squad for the foreseeable future.

6. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut -- He's got plenty of longevity, but he's likely not going anywhere, if his health and a possible NCAA inquiry allow, and neither are his Huskies. Though they're only losing Hasheem Thabeet and A.J. Price from a Final Four team, they have enough to pick up the pieces and make another deep run in March (if they make it, it will be Calhoun's ninth trip to the Elite Eight). Calhoun always does.

7. Rick Pitino, Louisville -- A Final Four and two Elite Eights in the past five years for Pitino, but he doesn't seem to have the national championship magic in Louisville. Plus, the addition of Calipari to UK will greatly cramp Pitino's recruiting within the basketball rich State of Kentucky. Don't get me wrong, though, Pitino is still ranked seventh on this list and in the prestigious "untouchables" category. He belongs.

Quasi-Elite

8. Billy Donovan, Florida -- He's lost tons of ground in the past two years. In fact, had we built this list after the two consecutive championships, he probably would have been ranked as the top overall coach in the nation. That doesn't just go away after two NCAA tournament-less seasons, but he's got something to prove now. Can he actually sustain success, or is everything dependent on landing one special recruiting class?

9. Ben Howland, UCLA -- Three straight Final Four appearances for the Bruins didn't yield a championship, though, and he took a step backward in 2009. If you look at his resume, though, there's no reason to doubt the direction of college basketball's most championship-laden program. Howland made Pitt into a powerhouse by his third season and built UCLA back into one -- making the Final Four in his third season. They'll be back.

10. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse -- The 14 Sweet 16 appearances, three national championship games and the one championship are all part of his incredibly lofty standing among historical collegiate coaching greats. Presently, he did take his 2009 group to the Sweet 16 after back-to-back trips to the NIT. He's enduring massive losses to graduation and the draft, though, so he'll have yet another reloading task in front of him. His name is keeping him here and he's likely to continue falling down the list as some of the younger talent trumps him. See the next guy on the list ...

Solid As a Rock

11. Jay Wright, Villanova -- After taking Hofstra to two consecutive NCAA tournament berths, Wright took his talents to Philly at age 40. He built the program for three years and it's been coming to fruition for the past five seasons. He's taken the Wildcats to four Sweet 16s in the past five years, and made a Final Four trip last season. It was the first for 'Nova since the magical 1985 run. They won't have to wait long for another one, because they'll be there again in 2010.

12. Tubby Smith, Minnesota -- He's gone to the Sweet 16 with three different schools and it's soon to be four [edit: originally said four and five, we regret the error] when he completes his rescue of the Gophers from the abyss. Six Sweet 16 appearances and a national championship in 10 years at Kentucky wasn't good enough for the die-hards in Lexington, but I'm pretty sure they'd deal with it in the Twin Cities. It would be awfully tough to win it all from up there, but the Gophers are on track to becoming a team who can occasionally visit the Sweet 16 and perhaps more.

13. Rick Barnes, Texas -- Texas will always be a football school, but Barnes does a heck of a job keeping the Longhorn faithful interested in hoops as well. The 2003 Final Four was nice, and they've been in the Elite Eight twice in the past four years. Heading into this year, they have some serious horses. Look for them to linger around the top 10.

14. Matt Painter, Purdue -- In my view, he's the most likely to jump up a level from this group in the next few years. I also expect this pick to receive the most scrutiny. So, here goes: Purdue has Final Four talent as they head into the 2009-2010 season. Should they make it, his resume will be as impressive as almost anyone at such a young age (he's only 38). In just four years he's transformed Purdue from a Big Ten doormat (3-13 in conference play his first season) to a legitimate national power. Maybe people outside Indiana (the State) don't realize what a joke Purdue basketball had become until he came in and played the role of savior. As beloved as Gene Keady was in Purdue, he never made it past the Elite Eight. Painter will get there before the age of 40. He's the most underrated coach in college basketball. His only other head coaching experience? A single season of domination in the Missouri Valley Conference (17-1 in 2004 conference play for Southern Illinois). [Then again, maybe I'm trying some reverse-jinxing action -- being an Indiana grad.]

15. Gary Williams, Maryland -- It's tough to argue with his past accolades, but I'm seeing three NIT appearances and two second-round exits from the Big Dance in the last five years. This is a list of coaching in the present, not the past. He'll continue to slide from what was once probably a top-5 rank if he doesn't show more potential with the future of the Maryland program.

16. Thad Matta, Ohio State -- He's a much better recruiter than on-court coach, but, again, recruiting is part of coaching in college basketball. He took Ohio State to the national title game in only his third season, yet they've been a tad bit disappointing since. Next year's Buckeyes do look to be very dangerous, especially with the return of David Lighty from injury. His worst season in three different stops still netted 20 wins overall wins.

17. Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh -- The big knock on Dixon has been his lack of tournament success. He did make the Elite Eight this year, but the Panthers never really got on track against inferior competition from their number one seed and eventually lost to a three seed. He's only 43, though, and has built a maintained a solid program after the departure of Howland. There's upward mobility here should he get over the hump in the next few years.

18. Bo Ryan, Wisconsin -- His regular season resume is impressive enough to land him higher on the list, but he hasn't had any serious tournament runs and it doesn't appear that's changing anytime soon. One thing I love hearing about him is how he gets so much out of limited talent. Well, first of all, he's had some talent. Secondly, recruiting talent is part of your job in collegiate sports. This isn't the NBA where he's saddled with an awful general manager. All that being said, he's a great coach and deserves a top-20 spot. He just seems a bit overrated to me at times in the eyes of the national media.

19. Bruce Weber, Illinois -- Built Southern Illinois' program into a regular Big Dance attendee before steering the Illini to a National Championship game appearance. After a drastic step-back (losing overall record in 2007-2008, which single-handedly knocked him down several ranking slots here), Weber coached an unheralded team to an impressive 24-10 campaign last season. The 2005 National Coach of the Year looks to continue building his reputation with a solid nucleus in place -- along with talented newcomers -- moving into the 2009-2010 season.

Rounding It Out

20. Bob Huggins, West Virginia -- We have to include him, because he wins games everywhere he goes -- and he wins immediately. He's not higher on the list, though, because there seems to be a glass ceiling in place at this point. His only trip to the Final Four was the last time Bob Knight made a trip and he doesn't appear to be in position to crack the top 5 in the Big East anytime soon. Still, he's going to win 20 and visit the NCAAs. That's clockwork.

21. Mark Few, Gonzaga -- He absolutely owns the WCC -- nine straight conference titles -- and has had decent-to-good success in the NCAA Tournament. At some point, though, the four Sweet 16s in 10 seasons need to turn into something more. Otherwise Few's just a very good coach dominating a sub-par conference. He actually may need to take his show elsewhere to shed that label, but the question is: Why would he? He's set up nicely there and won't get fired.

22. Bruce Pearl, Tennessee -- After making UW-Milwaukee relevant, Pearl took the Tennessee job and immediately thrust them into national prominence. The Vols took a step backward in 2009 after a 31-win season and two straight Sweet 16 appearances. Should Tyler Smith decide to come back -- he's filed paperwork for the NBA draft but not hired an agent and will also consider playing overseas -- they'll be headed back that way in 2010. If not, they still return everyone else and will still be in the NCAA Tourney mix as usual.

23. John Beilein, Michigan -- Talking about working your way through the ranks. He's been to Erie Community College, Nazareth College, Le Moyne College, Canisius, Richmond, West Virginia and now Michigan. After just one bad season in Ann Arbor, Beilein gave Wolverines hope they could once again cheer for a respectable basketball program. Considering DeShawn Sims and Manny Harris are coming back, the Wolverines have a nice shot at a Sweet 16 this year, which would be the third in the past six seasons for the late-blooming Beilein.

24. Lon Kruger, UNLV -- While Kruger's successors have had more success than he has (Donovan at Florida, Self and Weber at Illinois), he's still pretty adept at building winning programs. He took UNLV to the Sweet 16 in his third season and has been to the NCAA Tournament two of the past three years with the Runnin' Rebels. If he wants one, he'll probably get a crack at another major job soon.

25. Al Skinner, Boston College -- It's gotta be awfully tough to keep Boston College competitive in ACC basketball when measuring up against Duke, North Carolina, Maryland and others. BC is a football school, after all. Skinner's had his Eagles in the NCAA Tourney seven of the last nine seasons. Despite the loss of Tyrese Rice to graduation, they'll look to improve next season with the rest of the young nucleus returning.

Up-and-Comers

Here are some guys who might possibly be better coaches than several currently on the list. Some of them will need to prove it for a few more years, and others have circumstances they'll need to fight through in order to stick (Crean's Indiana mess, Bennett moving to the ACC from Pac-10, Capel needing to show he can win without Griffin, etc.).

[ordered alphabetically]

Mike Anderson, Missouri -- After winning 20-plus games all four seasons at UAB, Anderson undertook the massive task of cleaning up the Quin Snyder fiasco for Mizzou. Last season, just his third at the helm for the Tigers, saw Anderson lead his team to the Elite Eight. If things continue on this path, they'll have themselves quite the program.

Latest College Basketball Images

Pall bearers prepare to unload the casket of Wayman Tisdale during his funeral, Thursday, May 21, 2009, in Tulsa, Okla. The former University of Oklahoma basketball star and popular jazz musician died last week after a long battle with cancer. He was 44. (AP Photo/Tom Gilbert)

The hearse carrying the casket of Wayman Tisdale moves through Tulsa, Thursday, May 21, 2009, in Tulsa, Okla. The former University of Oklahoma basketball star and popular jazz musician died last week after a long battle with cancer. He was 44. (AP Photo/Shane Bevel)

John Wall, flanked by his sister Tonya Pulley and Dr. Frank Summerfield, formally announced during a press conference on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, that he would attend the University of Kentucky next fall to play basketball. (Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)

MCT

John Wall formally announced during a press conference on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, that he would attend the University of Kentucky next fall to play basketball. (Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)

MCT

John Wall laughs with his sister Tonya Pulley during a press conference on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, where he announced he would attend the University of Kentucky next fall to play basketball. (Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)

MCT

Word of God Christian Academy's point guard John Wall discusses his decision to commit to playing basketball at Kentucky during a news conference in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Word of God Christian Academy's point guard John Wall, center, discusses his decision to commit to playing basketball at Kentucky during a news conference in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 20, 2009. At left is Word of God Christian Academy's Dr. Frank Summerfield and at right is Wall's sister Tonya Pulley. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Word of God Christian Academy's point guard John Wall, right, and Dr. Frank Summerfield discuss Wall's decision to commit to playing college basketball at Kentucky during a news conference in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Word of God Christian Academy's point guard John Wall discusses his decision to commit to playing college basketball at Kentucky during a news conference in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Tony Bennett, Virginia -- Moving from the Pac-10 to the ACC is no simple task. Plus, he's now going to be also competing with the Big East for regional recruits.

Jeff Capel, Oklahoma -- As mentioned above, it's entirely possible he's not a great coach and just was fortunate enough to land the beast that was Blake Griffin. It's also possible he keeps landing beasts due to great recruiting, which would qualify him for the above rankings. Time will tell, but it appears Oklahoma has a quality coach.

Tom Crean, Indiana -- Had he stayed at Marquette he'd easily qualify for the rankings above Skinner and Beilein (at least), but what he's able to carve out at Indiana from this point forward will make or break his legacy. Thus, it's not really fair to put him near the same level as Big Ten counterparts like Ryan or Weber just yet. It's possible he gets all the way up to the top of this list, but it's also possible he's never able to overcome the significant hole dug by Kelvin Sampson -- in which case he'd fall off this list completely.

Keno Davis, Providence -- One stellar year at Drake was followed by a pretty solid season at Providence in the uber-competitive Big East. At age 37, he's a true rising star in the coaching business.

Travis Ford, Oklahoma State -- From Campbellsville to Eastern Kentucky to UMass to Oklahoma State, the former Kentucky point guard has risen through the coaching ranks from the bottom up. His first season as head coach of the Cowboys yielded a 23-12 record and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tourney.

Anthony Grant, Alabama -- Two NCAA appearances in three years at Virginia Commonwealth got this rising star the exposure needed to land the head coaching job for the Crimson Tide.

Trent Johnson, LSU -- After making Nevada relevant, he built Stanford as his own team in four years -- making a Sweet 16 in Year 4 -- and won the SEC in his first year in Baton Rouge. If this is his destination job, the Tigers have a program on the rise.

Chris Lowery, Southern Illinois -- His first three seasons were a cakewalk. Three Big Dances, two times advancing past the first round and one Sweet 16. The Salukies regressed to the 18-15 next season and all the way down to 13-17 last season. Did Lowery simply enjoy success due to the foundation built by Bruce Weber and Matt Painter, or is he suffering through a simple down-cycle that will be reversed in the near-future?

Sean Miller, Arizona -- It's time for the 40-year-old coaching phenom to take the next step. In five seasons at Xavier, Miller put together a 120-47 record with two Sweet 16s and one Elite Eight trip. Now, he's moving to a "power" conference across the nation. Fans will expect he maintain a top-10 program, so we'll see if he can meet expectations.

Mike Montgomery, California -- Wait, what? He's like a thousand years old, so how is he here? Because he hadn't coached in the college ranks since 2004 until last season. He had a good re-entry into the coaching ranks, but we need to see it sustained. It's not like he had a John Wooden-like resume before getting back into the swing of things.

Brad Stevens, Butler -- The 32-year-old Stevens learned the Butler ropes under both Thad Matta and Todd Lickliter. Since grabbing the head job, he's gone 56-10 in two seasons -- qualifying for the NCAA tournament both times. The Bulldogs should be even better this season than they were in 2008-2009, too.

***

It's tough to really hammer out a list with specific criteria and stick with it. For example, you could argue Roy Williams isn't as good a coach as Self because he couldn't win in Kansas while Self could. Then you could follow that up with Weber going to the Final Four at the helm for Illinois when Self couldn't get past the Sweet 16 round for the Illini. Weber, though, went 16-19 in 2007-2008 and Huggins hasn't had a losing record since 1985. All in all, there will always be reasons to say one coach is better than another.

This was simply meant to be a summer topic for arguing about college hoops while we wait out the offseason. You should also be able to find my early early early Final Four picks for 2010, though that's a different topic for a different day.

College Basketball's Top 25 Coaches originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Useless Talk of Taxing College Sports

Chas Rich — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10, SEC, March Madness, Campus, Fans, Media Watch

A great advantage for big-time college athletics is that they are tax-exempt. From the NCAA to the athletic departments at Texas and Ohio State, they can reap the revenue and not pay taxes because they are part of educational systems.

With the country in a recession, the national deficits rising and tax revenue declining, the U.S. Government has to find other revenue streams. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in a report, suggested looking into the commercial activities of collegiate athletic departments.

Senator Chuck Grassely (R-Iowa), who initially called for the CBO to investigate, at the very least would like to get some more transparency from the athletic departments around the country.

"The fact that congressional analysts had to rely on information collected by a major newspaper for source data highlights how little information is available about how these programs work. Given all the tax benefits involved, tight state budgets, and rising tuition despite the recession, it's pretty clear that Congress needs to engage and policymakers need to know more in order to act as responsible stewards of the tax policy that drives this fundraising and commercial activity. This report shows colleges receive tax benefits that aren't available to private businesses that engage in the same commercial activities. Colleges should explain how they use their commercial revenue to get the biggest bang for the buck in fulfillment of their educational mission."

The CBO used a database compiled by the Indianapolis Star in its report.

This will ultimately come to nothing. Congress will not, in any way, change the tax exempt status of colleges and their athletic departments. There will be, at best, a public hearing where Senators and/or Representatives can sanctimoniously berate some college presidents and athletic directors.

The college presidents and athletic directors will feebly counter with claims of how the athletic departments and programs support non-revenue sports, give back to the universities, and how athletic activities further the character and development of students. Nothing will come out of it, though, after a few brief moments in the news cycle.

Why? Because there is no way fans and alumni -- specifically voters in each state -- would be willing to see anything hurt their own school's athletic programs.

Do you think a member of Congress from Alabama, Florida or Texas would support legislation that would remove the tax-exempt status of corporate sponsorships, royalties and other revenue streams for the football programs? What are the odds of support to tax that revenue from an Ohio or Michigan Congressman? Do you think an Indiana or Kentucky Congressman would do anything that could be perceived as hurting the basketball programs in their states?

Royalties from licensing, corporate sponsorship programs and the like are huge income producers for programs like the Crimson Tide, Gators, Seminoles, Longhorns, Buckeyes, Wolverines and many other programs.

Fans of major programs are savvy enough to know that the money advantages translates into being able to have higher budgets for paying coaches, facilities and recruiting. They are not going to support losing that advantage. The BCS conference schools are in 35 states. There is simply no way that there would be political support in Congress for minimal tax revenue gains.

Useless Talk of Taxing College Sports originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 21 May 2009 10:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nation's Best Coaching in Big Ten

Matt Snyder — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten, Coaches

In 2008, the Big Ten sent only four teams to the NCAA tournament. None reached the Elite Eight The Big Ten toiled down with mid-majors in conference RPI and were nationally maligned as the "Average 11." This past season, however, the league enjoyed a resurgence. It ranked only behind the ACC in conference RPI. Seven schools earned a berth into the NCAA tournament, and Penn State won the NIT. Michigan State toppled the defending national champions and two number one seeds en route to a national runner-up finish.

Don't dismiss it as a one-year outlier. The conference is on a major upswing, and you needn't look further than the coaches in the Big Ten to see why.

With the additions of Tubby Smith, Thad Matta and John Beilein in the past few years -- not to mention Indiana snagging Tom Crean after the catastrophic mess left behind by Kelvin Sampson -- the collective pedigree of the Big Ten coaches is off the charts. You have the recruiting acumen of Matta, the zeal of Crean, the grind-it-out defense of Bo Ryan, the back-door-cutting of Bill Carmody, the national championship credibility of Smith, the nearly unparalleled resume of Tom Izzo, and Gene Keady's protoge (Matt Painter). Top to bottom, this is the strongest coaching conference in the nation.

The other big-time leagues are all too top-heavy to compete with the Big Ten in terms of collective coaching strength. The ACC has Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski, a handful just a small step down, and then some dubious talents. The Big East has five or six really strong coaches, but a bunch of nobodies in the teens of their standings. John Calipari gives the SEC a boost, but they still aren't in the same discussion. The Big 12 has Bill Self -- had Illinois kept him I'd have an even better case -- and I love Jeff Capel, but the bottom of the conference leaves a lot to be desired. Seriously, as an Indiana alum, I'm very thankful we didn't get saddled with Pat Knight.

Additionally, the Big Ten coaches all had strong underclass rosters this season, most losing few players to graduation. They are also convincing players to stay in school longer, because only B.J. Mullens of Ohio State entered the draft early. That's right, there is only one Big Ten player who left school early in 2009.

As the 2009 Spring semesters across the midwest come to conclusion, let's take a look at each of the Big Ten schools and their respective coaches.

Bruce Weber, Illinois -- I've been critical of Weber in the past, saying that his early run was only due to the recruits left behind by Self. I'll stand behind a part of the argument, that Self is a better coach. That being said, the job done this past season by Weber was beautiful. Most of their high-minute guys were sophomores, so many thought they were a year away. Instead, they hung around the top of the conference all season. Weber developed young big men and had his team playing the most unselfish basketball in the conference. The offensive balance will be a big key moving forward as well.

Tom Crean, Indiana -- Going into the season, everyone knew the Hoosiers were going to be historically bad, and they were. The last month and a half, though, showed great promise. The Hoosiers nearly eliminated the blowout loss by the end, and even stayed competitive with the likes of Michigan State and Minnesota. The only loss to graduation is the incredibly hard-working albeit untalented Kyle Taber. Coming back are the more than a handful of freshmen who were thrown in the fire and a top-5 recruiting class, along with last year's top scorer Devan Dumes. The eyes are on 2010-2011, but don't be surprised if they arrive in the NCAA Tournament a year early.

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In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and dancers rehearse in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo rehearses in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo reacts as he rehearses a dance routine with his players in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, left, rehearses with director Greg Ganakas, as Izzo's son, Steven, 8, twirls a cane in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, center, plays the accordion as he rehearses with dancers Brittane Rowe, left, Kellyn Uhl, and Stephanie Koenig, right, in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, right, and his and wife Lupe rehearse in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo is surrounded by Michigan State dance team members as they rehearse in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, center, rehearses with wife Lupe, right, and choreographer Kellyn Uhl, left, along with Michigan State basketball players and dance team members in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony hugs New Orleans Hornets' Rasual Butler after Anthony and his team won Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference basketball playoffs in Denver April 29, 2009. Anthony led all scorers with 34 points in the win. REUTERS/Marc Piscotty (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

Reuters

Denver Nuggets' Kenyon Martin dunks over the New Orleans Hornets' Peja Stojakovic (back) during Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference basketball playoffs in Denver April 29, 2009. REUTERS/Marc Piscotty (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

Reuters

Todd Lickliter, Iowa -- Actually, he's getting his teeth kicked in pretty well by the conference thus far, but it's a testament to the strength of his competing coaches. Remember, he took tiny Butler to the Sweet 16 twice and helped lay the foundation for the Bulldogs as a legitimate NCAA threat.

John Beilein, Michigan -- After a couple Sweet 16 runs (including one Elite Eight) at West Virginia, Beilein has quickly erased the Tommy Amaker era. The Wolverines made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998 this past season, and it wasn't just a token entry. They took down seventh-seeded Clemson (from the vaunted ACC!) in the first round. With Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims returning, look for them to take a few more steps forward next season.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State -- I think I have sufficiently covered them: Here and here.

Tubby Smith, Minnesota -- Winning 22 games and getting an NCAA tournament berth in just his second season was merely a sign of things to come for Smith. The Golden Gophers haven't lost a single rotation player from the 2009 roster, and they have a very solid recruiting class coming in yet again. As long as he doesn't take another job -- and he's being mentioned for many in the rumor mill -- the Gophers have a legitimate shot eventually to head to the Final Four for the first time in school history, excluding the scandal-tainted 1997 appearance that has been officially expunged from the record books.

Bill Carmody, Northwestern -- Before coming to Evanston, Ill., Carmody compiled a 92-25 record at Princeton -- including a ridiculous 50-6 record in conference play. He's had a tough go-round at Northwestern, but that's nothing new. The Wildcats have never been to the NCAA Tournament. The fact that Carmody had them on the bubble for much of the season is saying something.

Thad Matta, Ohio State -- The Buckeyes had zero seniors last season. Sure, they lose Mullens, but Matta is getting used to losing seven-footers after one season. It's the third straight time it's happened. He just brings another off the assembly line. This time it's Zisis Sarikopoulos, who will be eligible following his transfer season. The rest of the roster looks very solid, especially with David Lighty coming off injury. Throw in an extra year of growth for Evan Turner, Jon Diebler and Dallas Lauderdale, and the Buckeyes look especially strong for 2009-2010. The program isn't going anywhere, either, because Matta recruits as well as anyone in the nation.

Ed DeChellis, Penn State -- They did lose Stanley Pringle and Jamelle Cornley from the NIT championship squad, but at least Talor Battle -- an all-Big Ten first-teamer as a sophomore -- will be coming back to University Park. The valuable experience of playing deep into the postseason will help with the rest of the youth on the roster moving forward much more than a one-and-done in the NCAA would have. With that in mind, you could call their falling short of the NCAA Tourney a blessing in disguise for the good of the program.

Matt Painter, Purdue -- After learning under Keady, it's apparent Painter has tailored himself into a legitimate star coach. People who don't follow the Big Ten may be under the belief that 2008-2009 was a disappointment in West Lafayette. All along, though, most locals knew the real big year for the Boilermakers is destined to come next season. Only Nemanja Calasan is lost from lose who logged regular minutes this past season. With Keaton Grant getting a full offseason of rest and Robbie Hummel coming back healthy, the Boilers will be legitimate Final Four contenders.

Bo Ryan, Wisconsin -- If it wasn't for the presence of Izzo, Ryan would easily have the best background, on paper, in Big Ten play. He's been to the NCAA tournament all eight years he's coached the Badgers. They never lose at home. He has a 94-39 record in conference play, and has been to the Sweet 16 three times. Plus, he can crank that Soulja Boy. As long as he's at the helm, Wisconsin will always be relevant.

So, for almost the entire conference, the foundation is in place. Now it's time to enjoy the summer before getting down to business in the fall. That business is going to be having a prominent place in the national spotlight next March. I'm expecting eight Big Ten teams in the dance.

Nation's Best Coaching in Big Ten originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 04 May 2009 18:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Transition to Football Gaining Popularity

Matt Snyder — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Duke, Penn State, Washington, ACC, Big Ten, Pac-10, NBA Prospects, Rumors

The few weeks after the NCAA Basketball season concludes are traditionally chock full of player movement announcements -- new recruits, transfers, entry entrants into the NBA draft, etc. This year has been no exception, but there is a trend gaining more steam. Having a collegiate basketball player become a football player isn't a new thing. Antonio Gates is an All-Pro tight end who didn't play a snap of college football, for example.

Still, the movement from football to basketball seems to be increasing in recent weeks. It makes sense, considering the speed, quickness and agility needed in both. For post players in basketball, they've become accustomed to a physical game anyway, and have the necessary strength-athleticism combo for a position like tight end. Here are four currently considering the shift:

Greg Paulus - Duke's former point guard is supposedly considering entering the NFL draft -- where the Packers are interested -- tranferring to Michigan to play football, or staying at Duke to play football. That's probably not all he's considering, but the high school All-American quarterback definitely has options. Holding a clipboard for the Packers, playing quarterback in the Big House, or playing wide receiver on a famiilar campus all seem appealing to varying degrees, so we'll see how he chooses. Of course, you could argue picking basketball over football was the wrong move in the first place, so there is precedent for a sub-par decision.

Jamelle Cornley - Here's a guy who played basketball like it was football at times. At 6-foot-4, 248-pounds, he definitely has the frame to take on the more physical sport. Apparently, he never got the chance to try his hand at the gridiron because his father didn't allow it when Jamelle was growing up. Now, after leading the Penn State Nittany Lions to an NIT Championship as a senior, Cornely is reportedly considering a go-round in pads. In fact, he would have a year of collegiate football eligibility, so it's possible he's added to the fray at Penn State for next season. He's also considering his NBA, NFL and overseas basketball options.

Jon Brockman - Friday night during his on-air visit with the Seattle Mariners broadcast team, Brockman mentioned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had contacted him and were very interested in the big man. He hasn't even been on a football field competitively since junior high. He said he played some receiver and some lineman. So that narrows it down, I guess? Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 255, though, makes Brockman yet another perfect tight end candidate, should he answer the Bucs' call. For what it's worth, he said he wanted to keep pursuing basketball, but if that didn't work out he'd certainly give football a try. Can't say I blame him.

Fendi Onobun - The former Arizona forward has never played football, but he's got the body for it (6-foot-6, 250 pounds). Onobun played basketball like a football player as well, but he had much less grace than Cornley. Unlike Cornley, he has no chance of playing in the NBA, so the NFL would be his only route, should he wish to make money in America playing a sport. He's currently learning the game, and has worked out for the Patroits, Panthers and Bills. His potential position? You guessed it: Tight end.

Transition to Football Gaining Popularity originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Year of the Spartan Still to Come

Matt Snyder — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State, Big Ten, March Madness

The Michigan State Spartans concluded a very successful season just over a week ago. They rode a two-seed past the defending champions, the top overall seed, and a supremely talented Connecticut squad before falling to the obvious best team in the nation, the NCAA champion Tar Heels.

After a brief rest, the Spartans will eventually get back to work in East Lansing, and it won't be a rebuilding project. It will be a reloading one. They did lose Goran Suton, Travis Walton and Marquise Gray to graduation, but there's plenty left for Tom Izzo to make another Final Four run -- one that would be his sixth in the past 12 years.

A stellar cast returns to the Spartans, along with two highly-rated recruits.

- Kalin Lucas, the reigning Big Ten player of the year, grew by leaps and bounds as an on-floor leader during this past season. He showed flashes of being one of the top point guards in the country during the tourney run, including the ability to lead the Spartans to a victory by assuming any offensive role. He can let others take the shots while he plays distributor, or take the initiative and score himself. With Walton's departure, Lucas will be needed more on the defensive end next season, but he has the ability and tenacity to at least partially fill Walton's shoes.

- The silver lining of Raymar Morgan's health-ravaged season is two-fold. First of all, many more players were able to develop while he was either absent or struggling. Secondly, if he continued to flourish as he had his freshman and sophomore seasons, he was headed to the NBA. Instead, he pretty much has to stay, and he'll be hungry for a huge senior year. He showed in the Final Four against UConn -- where he had 18 points, 9 rebounds and 5 steals -- that he still has crazy talent, and that was with a protective mask over his broken nose.

- Durrell Summers has shown flashes of being a spectacular player, and it wasn't just the defining dunk of the Final Four, either. He scored over 20 points three times and in double-digits 16 times during the course of his sophomore campaign. And his defense will only continue to improve.

- Delvon Roe grew into a really solid rebounding and defensive presence during his freshman season, and with the departure of Suton, his offense will blossom as well.

- Chris Allen, Korie Lucious, Draymond Green have all shown the capability to play more than a few meaningful minutes in pressure situations.

Latest College Basketball Images

In this photo taken Jan. 8, 2009, Xavier coach Sean Miller, left, and assistant Chris Mack, right, watch an NCAA basketball game in Cincinnati,. Mack is to be introduced at a news conference Wednesday, April 16, 2009 in Cincinnati. Xavier has promoted assistant Chris Mack to succeed Sean Miller as basketball coach. Miller left Xavier to take the head coaching position at Arizona. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

South Carolina's tailback Jarvis Giles picks up yardage during the annual garnet and black spring game at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. (Kim Kim Foster-Tobin/The State/MCT)

MCT

This photo, supplied by the Michigan Governor's Office, shows Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm paying off her NCAA basketball tournament debt in a photo released Friday, April 10, 2009. Granholm poses in a Tar Heel jersey and hat to settle her wager with North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue on the tournament's championship game. North Carolina toppled Michigan State 89-72 on Monday.(AP Photo/courtesy of Nicole Haley)

UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland, left, speaks at a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 9, 2009, where freshman guard Jrue Holiday, center, with his father Shawn Holiday, right, announces he will make himself available for the NBA basketball draft, but will not hire an agent so as to maintain his NCAA eligibility. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

With head coach Ben Howland in the background, UCLA freshman guard Jrue Holiday announces he will make himself available for the NBA basketball draft, but will not hire an agent so as to maintain his NCAA eligibility, at a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

UCLA freshman guard Jrue Holiday announces he will make himself available for the NBA basketball draft, but will not hire an agent so as to maintain his NCAA eligibility, at a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Pittsburgh's Shavonte Zellous, right, holds up a Detroit Shock jersey as she poses with WNBA president Donna Orender after Zellous was chosen as the 11th overall pick iick in the WNBA basketball draft Thursday, April 9, 2009 in Secaucus, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Connecticut head women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma, left, and player Renee Montgmery listen to the applause of the crowd at Gampel Pavilion at Storrs, Conn., Wednesday, April 8, 2009 during a homecoming celebration for the team. Montgomery holds the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball trophy. Connecticut beat Louisville 76-54 in an NCAA college basketball game on Tuesday in St. Louis to win the title for the first time since 2004. (AP Photo/Bob Child)

Connecticut's Maya Moore high fives the fans at Gampel Pavilion at Storrs, Conn., Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at the end of a homecoming celebration for the UConn women's basketball team. Connecticut beat Louisville 76-54 in an NCAA college basketball game on Tuesday in St. Louis to win the title for the first time since 2004. (AP Photo/Bob Child)

- Of the players mentioned above, only Roe is really at home in the post. That's okay, though, because the Spartans have two highly rated centers coming in as recruits who bring different elements to the team. Derrick Nix (6-foot-9, 285 pounds from Pershing, Mich.) brings power and bulk to the post and Garrick Sherman (6'10" 225 from Kenton, Ohio) brings a lanky shot-blocking presence who can shoot from both the inside and out. The two, along with Roe, give Izzo a variety of post options. Seven-footer Tom Herzog also adds depth -- he'll be a junior in 2009-2010.

The talent is there, the pedigree is there, and now they have Final Four experience. It's entirely possible that 2010 will be the year of the Spartan, adding yet another entry to the already impressive Izzo resume.

Year of the Spartan Still to Come originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saban Can't Help 'Bama Land Izzo

Matt Snyder — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State, Big Ten, SEC, Coaches, Alabama

For some godforesaken reason, some Alabama fans and media think they have a shot at landing Michigan State's Tom Izzo as the replacement for Mark Gottfried. Apparently, just because their football coach, Nick Saban, is a former Michigan State coach, he can just extend a phone call and land Izzo at the drop of a hat.

There are two problems here. First of all, Izzo has already built a situation superior to one he could build at Alabama. He's worshipped on campus, and his family is settled in the area. You aren't going to uproot your entire life unless bowled over by money. How much more money does Alabama have to spend on a basketball coach than Michigan State? Not near enough, if any at all.

Secondly, Saban himself has nothing to do with hiring basketball coaches. Just ask him.

"I'm not going to be responsible for hiring a basketball coach," Saban said. "There is nothing in my contract that says anything about that. I'm going to be as helpful as I can to whoever it is because we have good people here that are very capable of making a decision about who the good basketball coaches out there are, and who would be the best fit for our program in the future."

Obviously, this isn't to say he won't give Izzo a phone call and do a little recruiting for the betterment of the athletic department. He probably will do that.

A phone call from an old friend isn't going to pry Izzo away from East Lansing, though. He grew up in Michigan. He went to college in Michigan. He's not poorly compensated or disrespected in his current gig, and he's manning a program that is about to make the Sweet 16 for the eighth time in the past 12 years. There is no worldly reason to leave, especially not to play second fiddle to the Alabama football program

Tom Izzo is not leaving Michigan State. Nick Saban can't do anything about that. Just turn the page and start searching for a legitimately realistic coach, Alabama.

Saban Can't Help 'Bama Land Izzo originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan State in Class of Its Own

Matt Snyder — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State, Purdue, Big Ten

When it comes to the Big Ten, there are a few tiers of similar teams. Illinois and Purdue are similar. Iowa and Indiana are similarly bad. There's a big amoeba in the middle where every team is on the bubble. Then, you are left with Michigan State. They are in a class all by themselves.

Sunday we received another reminder, as they turned Purdue away despite a sub-par shooting performance.The pressure defense and the quick-paced offense were just too much for the Boilers.

No. 8 Michigan State 62, No. 19 Purdue 51: Box Score | RPI | Scores

Kalin Lucas -- who will be named Big Ten Player of the Year very soon -- paced the conference champs with 19 points. Goran Suton, on his senior day, recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards.

As for Purdue, they shot even worse than the Spartans. You can't expect to win in the Breslin Center when you shoot less than 30 percent from the floor. Robbie Hummel couldn't hit the broad-side of a barn, while Chris Kramer, Lewis Jackson and several others did their part in the mason's convention.

The main story of this game, though, is just how much better Michigan State is than everyone else in the conference. Their main competition in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament would likely be Illinois or Purdue -- both of whom enter the conference tourney on two-game losing streaks -- but Michigan State is just a much better basketball team than both of them.

Should the Spartans not win the conference tourney, it will have been a huge upset. They should be plenty motivated, as they still have an outside shot at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. I believe the Big Ten Tournament will be one of the most exciting conference tournaments in the nation, as long as you are only looking at the first two or three rounds. In the championship, I just can't see anyone hanging with the Spartans.

Michigan State in Class of Its Own originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penn State Cancels Out Its Illinois Win

Chris Burke — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Iowa, Penn State, Big Ten

The NCAA bubble is a fickle mistress. One day -- literally, for one day -- Penn State appeared to be an NCAA Tournament lock after Thursday night's shocking come-from-behind win over Illinois. Less than 48 hours after that miracle, Penn State's profile looks shaky again following a 75-67, double-overtime loss at Iowa.

Penn State nearly pulled off another Houdini job against the Hawkeyes. Iowa led 51-42 with two minutes left when Nittany Lions point guard Talor Battle decided to take over. Battle scored the next 11 Penn State points, while Iowa got sloppy with the ball, and the Lions actually surged ahead 56-54 just 34 seconds from the final buzzer. Iowa tied it, Battle missed a last-ditch three-pointer and on to extra sessions the two teams went.

Iowa 75, Penn State 67 (2 OT): Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

A back-and-forth first overtime ended knotted at 72, but Iowa slowly pulled away in the second overtime, despite a short bench. The dagger came when Jake Kelly banked him a deep three with 55 seconds left -- his second bank-job in the overtimes. Penn State scored just three points in the second OT, on a Battle trifecta 37 seconds in.

So the Big Ten's bubble keeps on bobbling. Michigan State, Illinois and Purdue are locks, with Wisconsin and Ohio State almost certainly in as well.

Beyond that, the pecking order looked to be Penn State-Minnesota-Michigan, in that order, heading into Saturday. Then Michigan won in Minneapolis, Penn State imploded at Iowa, and you'd have to think things now sit Michigan-Penn State-Minnesota. The Wolverines lost at Iowa just a couple weeks back, but this defeat hurts Penn State worse than that one hurt Michigan, given the Nittany Lions' shaky computer numbers.

Penn State finished 10-8 in a solid Big Ten, and has 21 wins overall. But if the Nittany Lions, who have a bye out of the Big Ten conference tournament's first round, lose in the quarterfinals, there's a better-than-good chance that they'll be sitting the NCAA Tournament out.

Penn State Cancels Out Its Illinois Win originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan Finally Gets Its Big Road Win

Chris Burke — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan, Minnesota, Big Ten

Heading into Saturday, Michigan's NCAA Tournament resume looked pretty decent, save for two key spots: the Wolverines were under .500 in the Big Ten, and had no big road victories.

Consider both problems taken care of. Claiming what was arguably its most clutch win in more than a decade, Michigan stormed back from a 12-point deficit at Minnesota and stunned the Gophers 67-64. The two teams basically swap spots in the Big Dance picture -- Michigan now looks like a pretty safe bet to get in, while Minnesota finds itself right on the border.

Michigan 67, Minnesota 64: Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

Michigan, 9-9 in the conference, will need at least one win at the Big Ten Tournament to feel totally secure -- especially given that the Wolverines could open with Iowa or Indiana, either one capable of delivering a "bad loss" to their case. Minnesota, also 9-9 but with two losses to Michigan, likely needs to find a way to get to the conference semifinals to make a strong case.

There's no use tap dancing around the fact that this was just a gigantic victory for Michigan, not only in the scheme of things this season, but for the program as a whole. Since last making the tournament in 1998 (a trip later vacated due to internal sanctions), Michigan has traversed just about every possible landmine in an attempt to revive itself. Time and time again, the Wolverines came up shy when they most needed a victory, but they finally broke through in Minneapolis.

It wasn't easy. Minnesota led 35-32 at halftime, and given that Tubby Smith had been 33-1 with the Gophers when leading at the break, the deck looked stacked in their favor. An early second-half run pushed the edge out to 51-39, and Minnesota looked on the verge of blowing Michigan out.

The Wolverines settled down, though, paced by huge performances from Lavel Lucas-Perry and DeShawn Sims, who scored 19 and 24 points, respectively. Michigan clawed back within 56-52, then took over the game when Minnesota's Damian Johnson headed to the bench with four fouls at the 8:14 mark.

Michigan took the lead at 59-58 with 5:02 left, then extended it to 67-62 in the game's final minute. Minnesota actually came within a split-second of tying things back up at 67 -- with Minnesota down 67-64, guard Lawrence Westbrook hit a three with four seconds left, but the make came right after Smith called for a timeout.

The Wolverines finished the regular season 19-12; Minnesota closed out at 21-9.

Michigan Finally Gets Its Big Road Win originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On-Court Obsession: The Final Saturday

Chas Rich — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Mid-Majors, MVC, MWC, Pac-10, SEC

Saturday is a busy day for college basketball. On any Saturday during the season, there can be well over 40 games on TV. Unfortunately, many are completely unwatchable. Every Friday, FanHouse puts together a handy guide of the best options for how to spend your Saturday on the couch watching college hoops.

This is a busy one. I mean, really busy. The end of the regular season for many teams. Conference tournaments for the mid-majors are underway. A couple are even playing their finals so they can get some ESPN exposure.

12 PM ET
UConn-Pitt, CBS: Think CBS was happy to make this their final Big East game? Over/under of times they show DeJuan Blair flipping Hasheem Thabeet is set at five.

Michigan-Minnesota, ESPN: The loser is going to have to go deep in the Big Ten Tournament if they don't want to be sweating next Sunday.

Georgia Tech-Boston College, Raycom affiliates and Full Court: If BC loses they are heading to the NIT.

2 PM ET
Kentucky-Florida, CBS: Neither team is looking good for the NCAA Tournament, but all hope is abandoned for the loser.

California-Arizona State, CBS: Cal looking for a sweep in the desert and clinching an NCAA berth. ASU is trying to get better than an eight seed after losing at home to Stanford on Thursday.

Syracuse-Marquette, Big East Network affiliates and Full Court: Marquette trying to show that they can at least beat other NCAA Tournament teams without Dominic James and keep their seed reasonably high.

Missouri-Texas A&M, Big 12 Network affiliates and Full Court: The Aggies have gotten back on the bubble in no small part because so many teams have played their way off. This would be a win that secures their spot.

South Carolina-Georgia, Raycom affiliates and Full Court: South Carolina got humiliated at home by Tennessee on Thursday, so they are still on the bubble. Georgia just beat Kentucky to knock them out. The Gamecocks cannot afford a loss.

Penn State-Iowa, Big Ten Network: A loss for Penn State would effectively negate the last second win over Illinois on Thursday and put PSU back on the bubble.

2:30 PM ET
Missouri Valley Conference Semifinal, Bradley-Northern Iowa, Fox Sports Midwest: The MVC Tournament is one of the most entertaining and competitive.

3:30 PM ET
Oklahoma State-Oklahoma, ABC: Oklahoma State still trying to hold on to a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. OSU has just about clinched a berth. This would make it a lock.

Maryland-Virginia, ABC: Will Greivis Vasquez flip off the 'Hoos? Will Gary Williams implode? Can Maryland blow another opportunity?

New Mexico-Wyoming, The Mtn.: If you are a fan of a major conference bubble team, then you are cheering for the Cowboys. The Lobos can finish tied for the Mountain West regular season title and be firmly on the bubble.

4 PM ET
Texas-Kansas, CBS: Kansas can win the Big 12 regular season title. Texas needs to improve their seeding.

Big South Final, VMI-Radford, ESPN2: This will be the first conference tournament champion and auto-bid for the NCAA Tournament.

5 PM ET
Missouri Valley Conference Semifinal, Illinois St.-Creighton, Fox Sports Midwest and Comcast SportsNet Chicago: See comments from the 2:30 PM game.

6 PM ET
Atlantic Sun Conference Final, ETSU-Jacksonville, ESPN2: Watch the game and try to figure out just how low the A-Sun champ will be seeded.

7 PM ET
Horizon League Semifinal, Wright State-Butler, ESPNU: Will Butler be upset and squeeze the bubble tighter?

7:30 PM ET
Stanford-Arizona, Fox Sports Arizona: The Wildcats are officially desperate and clinging to the bubble.

8 PM ET
Ohio Valley Conference Final, Morehead State-Austin Peay, ESPN2: The OVC has history. Not much success, but history.

9 PM ET
Louisville-West Virginia, ESPN: Louisville can make their claim for a No. 1 seed with a win and at least tying for the Big East regular season title.

Horizon League Semifinal, Cleveland State-UW-Green Bay, ESPNU.

10 PM ET
UNLV-SDSU, CBS College Sports: More Mountain West excitement and two more teams with bubble claims.

Nevada-Boise State, Full Court: Neither is a bubble team, but they are good bets to challenge Utah State for the WAC Tournament title.

On-Court Obsession: The Final Saturday originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bubble Wrap: The Crowded Big Ten

Matt Snyder — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Big Ten, March Madness

First of all, allow us a moment to give Penn State some credit. They had never won 10 Big Ten games in one season until they garnered their tenth of 2009 Thursday night. They apparently have a flair for the dramatic, as they trailed by six with under two minutes left. A Stanley Pringle three, a huge offensive board -- followed by two free throws -- from David Jackson, some good defense, and a clutch runner from Talor Battle propelled them to an unbelievable victory over a very solid Illinois team for the second time this season.

So, after Thursday night's showing, did Penn State punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since '01? What about the other Big Ten bubble teams?

Penn State (21-9, 10-7)
Big Wins: Illinois home/away, at Michigan State, vs. Purdue. vs Minnesota, vs. Michigan
Bad Losses: none
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 66
Remaining Game(s): at Iowa, conference tourney
What they need to do: Win at Iowa. If they do that, they'll get a three-seed in the Big Ten tourney. Um, hold on. Actually, if they win in Iowa and Purdue loses in Michigan State (obviously, that's entirely plausible), Penn State will be the number two seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Can you even fathom that? With a conference this good and this deep, the second-worst program -- pedigree-wise -- is behind only the mighty Spartans? Anyway, I digress. It's tough to tell who they'll face in the conference tourney in this scenario, because of a muddled middle in the standings, but after the bye I don't think they really have to win a game. Thursday night's victory along with a road win in Iowa Saturday should do it (as long as Purdue loses to MSU). You can't keep the technical second-place team of the number two RPI conference in the nation out of the Big Dance. You just can't. (Just in case, though, don't lose to Iowa should they happen to pull an upset in the first round)

Michigan (18-12, 8-9)
Big Wins: vs. Duke, vs. Illinois, UCLA (neutral), vs. Minnesota, vs. Purdue, vs. Penn State
Bad Losses: at Iowa
Last 10: 4-6
RPI: 47
Remaining Game(s): at Minnesota, conference tourney
What they need to do: They absolutely have to win at Minnesota Saturday, and that's not an easy task. If they do that, they'll probably get either Northwestern, Indiana, or Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten tourney. That would be another must-win game. If they get those two, they will be squarely on the bubble. A second Big Ten tourney win would go a long way in solidifying their spot, but they need to win two straight before we discuss that.

Minnesota (21-8, 9-8)
Big Wins: Louisville (neutral), vs. Illinois, Wisconsin home/away, vs. Ohio State, vs. Penn State
Bad Losses: none
Last 10: 5-5
RPI: 32
Remaining Game(s): vs. Michigan
What they need to do: A win at home against Michigan should pretty much do it. They have a solid enough resume that a 10-8 record in this conference should do, especially considering their win over the Wolverines would eliminate another bubble team from the conference in one fell swoop. Winning their first Big Ten Tournament game would likely be gravy, but there's no reason to leave anything to chance. The mantra in Tubby Smith's locker room would be: Just get that dubya.

Ohio State (19-9, 9-8)
Big Wins: vs. Butler, vs. Purdue, vs. Minnesota, Michigan home/away, at Miami (FL), vs. Penn State
Bad Losses: none
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 40
Remaining Game(s): vs. Northwestern
What they need to do: If they take care of business against a tenacious Wildcat team at home Sunday, they should be pretty firmly in. Just as I said with the Gophers, though, it couldn't hurt to nail down that spot with one Big Ten tourney win as well.

Wisconsin(18-11, 9-8)
Big Wins: vs. Illinois, vs. Ohio State, Michigan home/away, at Virginia Tech
Bad Losses: at Iowa
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 31
Remaining Game(s): vs. Indiana, conference tourney
What they need to do: Don't screw it up. Winning over Indiana at home -- which should be an absolute given -- seals their birth. If they lose, they'd likely to have to win at least two conference tourney games to make up for losing to IU at home this late in the season.

Northwestern (17-11, 8-9)
Big Wins: at Michigan State, vs. Florida State, vs. Wisconsin, vs. Minnesota, at Purdue, vs. Ohio State
Bad Losses: at Stanford, at Iowa
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 70
Remaining Game(s): at Ohio State, conference tourney
What they need to do: Man, if only they could flip those bad losses into wins. They'd be sitting at 19-9 with a 9-8 conference record, plus, a better resume than Michigan and Penn State. Instead, they need to do some work. First of all, they'll have to win at Ohio State. This team isn't getting in with an 8-10 conference season record. If they win that game, they'll need at least two wins in the Big Ten tourney to get on the bubble. At that point, they'd really have a legitimate shot. You'd be talking about a 20 win team with a serious list of quality victories from a deep conference.

All told, I really think the Big Ten is getting seven teams in. That means there are two on this list not making it, but four that will. If you like "on the bubble" action, pay attention to the Big Ten for the next week and a half. It's going to be exciting as everything sorts itself out.

My personal prediction is that it's Northwestern and Michigan left out in the cold.

Note: This is assuming Michigan State, Illinois, and Purdue are in. It's also assuming Iowa and Indiana are out (I know, a huge leap of faith there).

Bubble Wrap: The Crowded Big Ten originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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