NCAA Basketball FanHouse

Wall Saves Wildcats in Kentucky Debut

Ray Holloman — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:45:00 EST

When John Calipari accepted the Kentucky coaching job, he warned that there are no easy solutions in college basketball. At the time, it was like telling a state full of lottery winners about the value of sound investment strategies.

Thank Miami University for proving your point, Coach.

And thank John Wall for reminding Wildcats fans just why they were so darn excited in the first place.

Wall scored 19 points, including the biggest two of the season, a 15-foot jumper with less than a second left that lifted the No. 4 Wildcats to a 72-70 win over the Redhawks, narrowly avoiding the first major upset of the college basketball season.
"It felt good to make a shot like thatand I just have to have confidence to make those and I did," Wall said.

For the freshman point guard, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for Kentucky's regular-season opener, it was a debut that lived up even to the addled expectations of Kentucky basketball. The Raleigh (N.C.) point guard led the team in points, handed out five assists and pulled down five rebounds in a game-high 38 minutes.

But the Wildcats still had to sweat the finish.

Miami jumped out to a 36-18 lead 13 minutes in, before an 18-3 Kentucky run trimmed the margin to three points heading into halftime. But the Redhawks didn't turn blue in front of a nervous Rupp Arena crowd. Kentucky couldn't't regain the lead until 7:24 remaining, 54-52, and could never pull away. A 3-pointer by Miami's Kenny Hayes -- one of four long-range hits for Hayes -- tied the game with six seconds left before Wall darted up the left side of the court for the game-winning jumper.

Unlike Friday night, when the Wildcats shot 4-19 from 3-point range in a 75-59 win over Morehead State, the problem wasn't connecting from beyond the arc, it was defending behind it. The Redhawks hit 15-of-26 3-pointers, including eight by Nick Winbush, a Rupp Arena record for a UK opponent.

"For us to win a game when they go 15-for-26 from the 3-point line, I can't believe we won the game," Calipari said to open his press conference, once again staging a rout at the dais even if his team didn't on the floor.

And through it all, Calipari couldn't help but be smile, at least a little. Even if Kentucky fans bit through every fingernail in the BIg Blue Nation.

"We were down 18 with a freshman team," Calpiari said. "And every time that we did something they just took the air out of our sails by making a shot. We still won the game.

"I think that any time that you can be tested like this is good for your team."

Calipari will have no trouble finding things to work on. His team shot just 56 percent from the free throw line -- an eery echo of his best Memphis teams -- and he blamed much of the early deficit to passive defense.

And it was entirely expected -- if not necessarily against the 0-2 Redhawks -- even for a team that has star recruits keeping the Gatorade company. With a seven-man rotation made up of four freshman, two sophomores and graybeard junior Patrick Patterson, the Wildcats will occasionally struggle. And they'll be brilliant. And by March they'll have as good a chance as anyone to bring home another national title.

All of which will make Calipari's original goal of keeping expectations in check still awfully difficult. The dribble-drive motion might've replaced evolution in Kentucky school books, but tamping down expectations in a basketball mad state is a trick that's probably beyond even Calipari.

Fortunately for the coach, who narrowly avoided the same type of ill-fated home upset that plagued his predeccessor Billy Gillispie -- Gillipsie lost to Gardner-Webb in 2007 -- all that talent ensured he at least didn't have to explain a loss as well.

There was Wall and backcourt mate Darnell Dodson scoring 27 in the backcourt. Frontcourt stars DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson both added double-doubles for the Wildcats.

And Calipari made the game's final point. In college basketball, there are no easy answers.

Wall Saves Wildcats in Kentucky Debut originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isiah Thomas Will Coach FIU Tonight Despite Mother's Heart Attack

Chas Rich — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:24:00 EST

Filed under: UNC, Mid-Majors, Coaches

With the exception of New York Knicks fans, there will not be much booing tonight when Isiah Thomas steps on the court at the Dean Dome. UNC fans will not be cheering for Thomas or his FIU team, but who is going to boo a guy on the same day his mother has heart surgery after a heart attack on Saturday?

According to Jeff Goodman at FOXSports.com, Thomas' mother told him to go and coach the game. This will be Thomas' national debut as a college coach. Not much is expected from a very bad Golden Panthers team that has to play the defending national champs in Chapel Hill.

Isiah Thomas Will Coach FIU Tonight Despite Mother's Heart Attack originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Born With One Hand, Kevin Laue Ready for NCAA Basketball Debut

Michael David Smith — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors, Video

Michael McCarthy has a great article in Wednesday's USA Today about Kevin Laue, a 19-year-old who was born without his left hand and forearm but has nonetheless earned a Division I college basketball scholarship at Manhattan College.

The 6-foot-11 Laue, who cites former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott as a personal hero, told USA Today he hopes people who see him play become inspired by what he's overcome:

"Maybe me playing with one hand inspires others to try to work harder toward their goals. Or their dreams. I hope it does inspire them. I hope I can help them in any way I can."

But Laue isn't just a feel-good story. His teammate Rico Pickett says, "He's a good player just like any other players. I don't see him as any different."

The first time Laue takes the floor for Manhattan, it's likely that everyone watching will see him as different: It's not every day you see an NCAA player with one hand. But Laue, who averaged 10 points and five rebounds a game last year at Fork Union Military Academy, won't need much time on the floor before he shows everyone that Pickett is right: He's just like any other player.

Born With One Hand, Kevin Laue Ready for NCAA Basketball Debut originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIU Now Happy to Play UNC

Chas Rich — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:34:00 EST

Filed under: UNC, ACC, Mid-Majors

Merely a week ago Florida International, their coach Isiah Thomas and athletic director Pete Garcia were threatening to pull out of a preseason basketball tournament when they found out that they were going to play UNC rather than Ohio State. Forget that their contract specified that it was and either/or situation at the discretion of the organizers, they were taking a stand against being "bullied." They were standing up for the "little guys" in college basketball.

Yeah. So much for that. It's now about the greater good of the Coaches vs. Cancer charity that the tournament supports.

"We are honored to play against North Carolina, the defending national champions," Thomas said. "We are happy to participate in the cause and we are proud to be invited and want to help promote the American Cancer Society in any way we can."

Right. More likely it was the realization that they were locked into the contract. To say nothing of the fact that if they pulled out, they would also lose the three home games in late November that also came with the deal. Games they would have no chance to replace at this point.

FIU Now Happy to Play UNC originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:34:00 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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Lance Stephenson Has Really Limited Choices

Chas Rich — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:52:00 EST

Filed under: Memphis, Conference USA, Mid-Majors, Campus, Recruiting, Rumors

Lance Stephenson is one of the top high school players in the country. He was a McDonald's All-American. He is also just about the only major recruit not running screaming from the rubble of USC that is without a college destination.

Where once he seemed headed for Kansas, that door has closed. Arizona opted against wanting him. Now Maryland has decided they are not interested any longer.

At this point, the only programs that still seem to be pursuing him have nearly as many warts as he does. The choices for Stephenson have dwindled to a school under a major NCAA cloud and one that toils in obscurity, but with a new "name" coach.

Memphis needs talent and recruits. As the Tigers wait to find out what the NCAA has in store for them, they see no risk at this point in taking a player that will certainly draw heavy scrutiny from the NCAA for his academics and the Born Ready web documentary of Stephenson.

The other is regular Sun Belt Conference cellar dweller, Florida International now being coached by Isiah Thomas. Thomas tried to get Stephenson interested right after being hired, but it seemed to go nowhere. Now Pete Vecsey is reporting (for whatever that is actually worth) that Stephenson may be reconsidering the Miami school.

While in Orlando, an on-campus source informed me the Lincoln HS whiz had a sleepover a couple of weeks ago at Florida International University in Miami.

It is more rumor than anything else -- but what do you expect with a Vecsey story. Still considering Stephenson came from the same high school as Stephon Marbury, and Thomas' own history with Marbury the storyline seems too juicy to resist (or make up?).

In all the scenarios Lance Stephenson considered coming out of his senior year of high school, this definitely was not one of them.

Lance Stephenson Has Really Limited Choices originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:52:00 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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Maine Coach Charged With Sex Offense

Chas Rich — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:14:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors, Police Blotter

There are things people do to lose a job, then there actions that completely obliterate any chance at continuing a career in their chosen field. For Mike Burden, the now former associate head basketball coach at the Maine Black Bears, he allegedly took an action that should necessitate leaving coaching -- and likely anything involving students -- forever.

Burden resigned after being charged with unlawful sexual contact against one woman and assault against another woman who tried to assist the victim. Both women were students at Maine.

The first alleged victim was also a woman's soccer team member. She notified her coach of the incident. That quickly led to the suspension and resignation of Burden.

The short AP wire story does not do justice to how egregious Burden's behavior allegedly was, and why his career in coaching should be done. On its fact, this doesn't appear to be some sort of "he said/she said" incident stemming from a misunderstanding or flirting gone bad.

According to the police report, Burden had been the passenger in a car that was pulled over by police not too long before the crime. The driver was arrested for drunken driving. Burden was passed out in the car, and was only awoken after the driver had been arrested and police rousted him so they could impound the vehicle.

Burden was then walking home when the encounter occurred.

The 21-year-old female victim reported to police that she left the 103 Ultra Lounge just before the nightclub closed at 2 a.m. and was walking down Park Street when she noticed that she did not have her cell phone. Thinking she had dropped it while taking a shortcut behind an apartment building, she started looking for the phone in that area when a man she identified as Burden approached her.

"He offered to help her and began making advances, which led to the charges of unlawful sexual contact," Ewing said. While the assault was happening, "one of her friends walked by and she yelled to the friend" who came over to assist the crying woman.

"While standing with the two girls, he starts pawing at [the second woman] and she pushes him away," [Orono police Capt. Josh] Ewing said.

The two women, who both recognized Burden, left together and reported the assault at 3:19 a.m. after the two got to one of their apartments.

It is chilling to think how much worse this may have been, if the police report is accurate, if no one else had been able to help.

Burden is 36 years old, and has slowly climbed the coaching ranks from Division II and III just to this point at a Division I school. But that will likely be over if this allegations are proved true. For a guy who has a degree in health and physical education, he's likely limited his career options.

Maine Coach Charged With Sex Offense originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 14 May 2009 16:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Media Will Not Let Go of Isiah Thomas Willingly

Chas Rich — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:44:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors, Coaches, Media Watch

Has the statute of limitations run on making a Brokeback Mountain, "I wish I knew how to quit you," reference? That phrase comes to mind with regards to the New York City media and Isiah Thomas. He was such a wonderful villain for them. So hated by everyone in the area. An easy punchline to jokes. Everyone understood the reference.

Stuck for an insult towards a sports franchises front office? Compare them to Zeke. Company going in the tank because of bad management? Reference the Knicks under Isiah.

Then he was gone. Off to the Florida International and the Sun Belt Conference down in Miami. The media just was not prepared for this. They had not said their goodbyes. There was still a bond. That's means, the New York media is essentially covering the activities of the FIU Panthers.

Thomas signed a bunch of junior college players in the present signing period. Then Thomas did what new coaches do everywhere: kick aside recruits from the previous regime. So, the New York Post in its usual restrained manner ran the story:

ISIAH MAKING ENEMIES IN NEW FIU JOB

Thomas failed to directly contact the kids to tell them that he really did not think they would fit with what he wanted to do (yes, I know there's another joke there, but I'll pass on it or this post will never get finished).

The former Knicks president/coach is being accused of tactless behavior in failing to personally phone three FIU recruits to inform them they were no longer wanted despite scholarship offers from the past regime.

Wolfson High coach Greg Rosebrock threatened to close the door for Thomas to recruit at his Jacksonville school because of how his player, Chris Rozier, was treated.

"From Jacksonville, to Orlando to Pensacola, there's a lot of coaches in Florida not happy with him right now," Rosebrock told The Post. "He's not making friends here. I understand not wanting him but place a phone call and do it in a professional way."

Horror of horrors, instead it was an assistant coach that made the call rather than Thomas himself. Now a high school coach in Florida is flipping out, making empty threats and hyperbolic statements of the damage Isiah Thomas is already wreaking in the entire state of Florida.

Thomas, apparently, was under the impression that he was not yet permitted to directly talk to unsigned high school recruits -- signed or unsigned -- because he had not yet received the results of his NCAA compliance test. That was why he did not call, and was buried in the story.

Of course, why let an actually rational excuse get in the way of a chance to take another shot at Thomas and re-confirm all that is known to be true and evil of Isiah Thomas? (I cannot believe I find myself actually defending Isiah Thomas on anything.)

Who cares if this is hardly atypical behavior after a coaching change? It's a chance to blast Isiah Thomas one more time.That must not be allowed to pass without comment.

Given the emotional involvement that the New York media has had with Isiah Thomas, there's a good chance that FIU/Isiah stories will appear more frequently than St. John's.

New York Media Will Not Let Go of Isiah Thomas Willingly originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 11 May 2009 22:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephen Curry Heading for NBA

Chas Rich — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:08:00 EST

Filed under: Davidson, Mid-Majors

It took Stephen Curry an agonizingly long time to make the decision, but ultimately the apparently weak draft and likelihood of being a lottery pick was too much to resist. Curry and Davidson announced that he was turning pro.

The press release put out by Davidson did not indicate whether Curry had signed with an agent. The release, though, noticeably did not mention that Curry was going to be gauging interest or that there was a possibility he would return. That absence makes it clear that this is not a "testing the waters" decision.

"My goal since I can remember has always been to play in the NBA, and that goal has now become a viable opportunity for me," Curry said. "After weighing my options, I came to the conclusion that it is in my best interest to take hold of that opportunity now."

Curry is probably the best pure scorer entering the draft. After spending the past season running the point for Davidson, Curry's draft status was only helped.

Stephen Curry Heading for NBA originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIU Makes Splash With Isiah Thomas

Chas Rich — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:24:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors, Coaches

With only one year left on his contract to do, uh, nothing with the New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas has opted to take the head coaching job at Florida International University.

Thomas received a five-year contract, with presently undisclosed terms. He will be formally introduced Wednesday as the head coach of the FIU Panthers. Also under consideration for the FIU job was former NBA star Tim Hardaway. FIU's athletic director Pete Garcia was clearly looking to make sure whomever he hired actually got some media attention.

NCAA Tournament Action

GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 21: Wayne Ellington #22 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives against Garrett Temple #14 of the Louisiana State University Tigers during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 21, 2009 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Wayne Ellington;Garrett Temple

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: A Washington Huskies cheerleader performs during a break in the action against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Manny Harris #3 of the Michigan Wolverines jumps to the basket for a lay up against Taylor Griffin #32 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Harris

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Zack Novan #0 and Zack Gibson #32 of the Michigan Wolverines vie for the loose ball with Blake Griffin #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Gibson;Zack Novak;Blake Griffin

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Willie Warren #13 of the Oklahoma Sooners makes contact as he goes to the basket with Zack Gibson #32 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first hafl during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Willie Warren

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Taylor Griffin #32 of the Oklahoma Sooners goes up for the short jump shot against DeShawn Sims #34 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Taylor Griffin;DeShawn Sims

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: JaJuan Johnson #25 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a shot over Jon Brockman #40 of the Washington Huskies in the second half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaJuan Johnson;Jon Brockman

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Taylor Griffin #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners and Zack Novak #0 of the Michigan Wolverines vie for position to the loose ball in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Novak;Taylor Griffin

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Head Coach Jeff Capel of the Michigan Wolverines yells from the sideline during their game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Capel

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: Lewis Jackson #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a layup as Quincy Pondexter #20 of the Washington Huskies looks on during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lewis Jackson;Quincy Pondexter

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FIU has wasted no time putting out a press release with a very sanitized resume of Isiah Thomas' career. The school president is making no bones about part of the reason for the hire.

"We are excited to have Isiah Thomas join the FIU family," said FIU President Modesto A. Maidique. "This is bigger than basketball and bigger than athletics. Having a nationally-recognized coach like Isiah at FIU will have a positive impact on our university as a whole, helping us achieve additional national exposure."

While Thomas has no experience as a coach at the college level, he has shown repeatedly since his playing career ended that he is a charismatic salesman. In college, it is as much about recruiting as it is coaching.

Recruiting is all about selling kids, their parents and entourage. Thomas, despite being a punchline to lots of jokes, can still do that. As long as he stays on the right side of recruiting restrictions, this is not a bad hire. Especially at FIU.

FIU Makes Splash With Isiah Thomas originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Florida International Wants Isiah Thomas

Chas Rich — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:34:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors, Coaches

UPDATE: Thomas Officially Accepts Job

This is almost too good to be true. Isiah Thomas appears poised to take the head coaching job of Florida International. This, despite no experience in coaching or recruiting in college basketball.

For those unsure of where FIU is, it is right in Miami. A place where a few New Yorkers have been known to migrate. If this happens, you have to imagine there will be a contingent of Knicks fans that will attend FIU games now just to chant "Fire Isiah!" and worse for old times sake.
Thomas has been trying to get any relevant job since his exile from the Knicks. He recently tried to get involved with the LA Clippers. Last year, he tried to float his name for the Indiana coaching job. Shockingly, no one has been too interested in hiring a guy who has been inept in the front office, lost a sexual harassment civil suit, and was at best an average coach.

Despite all of Thomas' shortcomings, the job is apparently his if he wants it.

The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because university officials have not authorized anyone to reveal search details, said FIU was "very hopeful" that a deal could be closed with Thomas on Tuesday morning. He would replace Sergio Rouco, who was ousted after five consecutive losing seasons, including a 13-20 campaign this year.

If Thomas accepts, he would be introduced in Miami on Wednesday.

Thomas would be taking over a program in the Sun Belt Conference, joining other league coaches trying to rehab their, including Mike Jarvis at Florida Atlantaic and ex-LSU coach John Brady at Arkansas State. Once the conference of up-and-coming coaches -- well, at least at Western Kentucky and South Alabama -- it seems to have become the place of repair and recover.

The parallels of having Jarvis at FAU and Thomas possibly taking the job at FIU are just tremendous. Jarvis killed St. John's basketball program perhaps even worse than the way Thomas ran the Knicks into the ground. To have them working rivals in the same conference. Perfect.

Florida International Wants Isiah Thomas originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Davidson Can Take the Stephen Curry Show to the NIT

Chas Rich — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:28:00 EST

Filed under: Davidson, Mid-Majors

The College of Charleston Cougars locked down on Stephen Curry the entire game, limiting him to only 20 points on 5-for-18 shooting. No one else on the Davidson squad picked up the scoring slack. While the Cougars weren't exactly efficient on offense, they shot slightly better and grabbed more offensive rebounds to increase their opportunities.

While it may have been possible for Davidson to receive an at-large bid if they lost in the SoCon Championship game, they had the bad luck of facing the second-best team in the conference in the semifinals. That will cost Davidson dearly.

College of Charleston 59, Davidson 52: Box Score | RPI | Scores

Davidson's at-large chances, ultimately are doomed by their own conference. The Wildcats have a RPI near 70. Within their conference, there is no team that has a RPI under 100. With the exception of Charleston, the other ten teams in the conference have sub-170 RPIs. That completely dragged down the Davidson RPI.

As much as Davidson tried to build their resume with some challenging non-conference games, they only notched one quality win in that portion -- a neutral site win over West Virginia. They failed late in the season in the Bracket Buster game with Butler.

So instead of another chance for Stephen Curry to shine in the Big Dance, he will be off-Broadway in the NIT.

Davidson Can Take the Stephen Curry Show to the NIT originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:28:00 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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Patrick Mills' Return Should Lift St. Mary's Into Tourney

Adam Papagiorgio — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:59:00 EST

Filed under: Marquette, WCC, Mid-Majors, St. Mary's (CA)

Point guard Patrick Mills has been cleared to play in the WCC tournament which begins in Las Vegas on Sunday. (Don't ask why that conference chose Sin City of all places.) That's great news that not only greatly increases St. Mary's conference tournament chances, but also should impact the Gaels at-large bid hopes.

St. Mary's isn't in the tournament right now -- not according to any of the mock brackets out there. But should St. Mary's be given the benefit of the doubt in this instance? Should the tournament selection committee consider Mills' injury while figuring out the tournament resume of the Gaels? Uh, yeah.

And for that reason, St. Mary's should be given an at-large bid in the tournament.
Now a lot of you might take offense to this. Mainly because you are big school snobs who would rather see the eighth place team from the Big Ten make the tournament over a deserving mid-major. (And yes, it's dangerous to generalize, but play along.)

But when your postseason championship is, in large part, determined by a committee, then everything should be a factor. NCAA basketball isn't as cut and dry as, say, football. There is no selection committee in the NFL that weighs Tom Brady's injury and decides to give the Patriots a playoff bid over the Ravens. Though, that would be a pretty cool idea.

The NCAA however, does have conference winners. You have the conference winners, and then you have at large bids. Committee members will sit in a room and hash out the remaining bids. The committee will consider schedule, quality wins and a number of factors. And if a team lost its star point guard for a large chunk of the season, that team should be given the benefit of the doubt. Especially if that player is returning. If Mills was out for the season, I wouldn't be pushing for this. But when your participants are so subjective, taking injuries into consideration should play a big part.

And likewise, if a team loses its point guard for the season and he doesn't return, then the committee should consider that too and rule against them. Right Marquette? That team is completely different without Dominic James and shouldn't even be considered for the tournament right now.

St. Mary's with Mills is certainly an at-large team. And my hunch is that St. Mary's probably wins the WCC tournament to make this point moot. Still, it shouldn't come to that and hopefully the tournament selection committee does the right thing.

Patrick Mills' Return Should Lift St. Mary's Into Tourney originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seth Davis' 'When March Went Mad'

Will Brinson — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State, Mid-Majors, March Madness, Media Watch

Even the casual basketball fan knows about the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird rivalry, and its beginnings in the 1979 NCAA National Championship Game. Seth Davis' book, "When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed College Basketball," chronicles the beginning of that rivalry in '79, and the long-lasting effect that the game has had on the way we all watch college basketball. The book drops Tuesday, just in time for the 30-year anniversary of the game (you can purchase it here). Read FanHouse's review of the book after the jump.

Because of the media coverage -- and the general proliferation of technology -- in today's world, countless "bloggable" stories emerge from every major sporting event. When we look back at particular sporting events in a very generic historical sense, it's easy to miss the trees for the metaphorical forest that is the overall theme. This is especially true with the 1979 national championship game between Indiana State and Michigan State, which is looked at today as "Magic vs. Bird."

But Seth Davis, in "When March Went Mad," does an outstanding job of recapturing that season in a narrative-styled, insider's look at the perfect storm that formed to lift college basketball into the national spotlight.

The subject matter, on its face, is simple enough: Magic and Bird meet in Salt Lake City for a game that, despite its underwhelming nature (the game itself was actually pretty lopsided in favor of Michigan State), jump-started a longstanding rivalry between the two players. But as Davis' narrative weaves back and forth between each program's season, it manages to lift an incredible number of story lines to the forefront.

There is the stark comparison -- on any number of levels -- between Magic and Bird. There are the vast differences between Michigan State and Indiana State. Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote and Indiana State's Bill Hodges maintain many similarities but their coaching styles juxtapose fascinatingly in Davis' narrative.

And that's what this factual retelling of events actually becomes a narrative. You can tell, while reading the book, that Davis spent countless hours re-watching old game film, listening to radio broadcasts of games and interviewing the various subjects of the book.

There are innumerable quotes from everyone ranging from Bird himself, to both schools' team managers, on up to the bigwigs at NBC (as well as this little fledgling-at-the-time network named ESPN). What makes all the interviews so compelling, though, is that Davis took media, player and coach reactions throughout the season and combined them with his own interviews from modern day.

It's a blend that works especially well in this setting, because while it's one thing to hear Heathcote's immediate reactions to his team's mid-season troubles, it's especially fascinating to listen to an elderly legend removed from coaching as he ruminates on his possible failures at the time (and they called Bird a perfectionist).

Taken as a whole, the book is actually a history lesson. That might be considered a bit of a turnoff for someone under 40 years old, even if they're a basketball fan. But the truth of the matter is that Davis' method of transitioning back and forth across figurative state lines while also building a foundation for understanding the Bird-Magic rivalry is enough to intrigue any fan of college basketball, regardless of age.

Seth Davis' 'When March Went Mad' originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Soft Schedule Dooms Utah State

Adam Papagiorgio — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors, WAC

When Utah State lost at Nevada Saturday night, some felt it was one of those "nothing to play for games." And some means Utah State fans trying to spin this awful loss. But when you are good mid-major team searching for respect, you cannot afford to have an off night. When an at-large bid hangs in the balance, you need to play every game like it's a tournament game.

The Aggies did not.

Utah State clinched the WAC title on Thursday night. Saturday's loss to Nevada sealed its reputation as a fraudulent team. And the reason is that butter-soft schedule.
Winning in Reno is no easy feat. And this isn't a slam on the Wolf Pack, the team picked to win the WAC title this season. Instead, this is a criticism of Utah State's effort. The Aggies never seem to rise to the occasion against big-time opponents. And it's because of that schedule.

Utah State's record is akin to running up the score against the computer against Madden. Hard to improve yourself when you are playing inferior competition. And this is something that has been mentioned in the past at great length.

But now you are seeing the rotten fruits of this aversion to labor. The Aggies looked star-struck losing at St. Mary's. And Utah State follows that up with a weak effort at Nevada.

You can hear the Utah State apologists spinning it now, the Aggies area young team, this was a rebuilding year. That's a nice story. But this current team had a chance at something special. Besides, Stew's teams will always be in the hunt.

For a conference title, at least. If Utah State ever wants to run with the big boys, they will have to start playing them. Anywhere.

Soft Schedule Dooms Utah State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Butler Clinches Horizon League Again

Matt Snyder — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Butler, Mid-Majors

For the third straight season, the Butler Bulldogs are the regular season champions of the Horizon League. For fans and second-year head coach Brad Stevens, though, this title has to be a little more sweet than last year's -- due to lowered expectations because of the significant losses from last year's stout squad.

The clinching win Saturday, however, was anything but easy. Cleveland State used 14-2 spurt in the second half to take a small, brief lead. The game see-sawed back and forth the rest of the way.

No. 24 Butler 58, Cleveland St. 56 : Full AP Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

After a Matt Howard airball, the Vikings got a George Tandy bucket to break a tie with 2:04 left in the game. The tenacious Bulldogs, however, were not to be denied -- as is often the case in the Horizon League and in the friendly confines of Hinkle Fieldhouse. Facing a one-point deficit with 1:10 left, a steal cleared the way for a Ronald Nored put-back layup -- which would give the Bulldogs back the lead for good.

Cleveland State actually had a chance to win the game with a last second three, but Norris Cole's shot was contested by Howard. At first glance, it appeared Howard may have fouled Cole, but replays seemed to show that he only got a slight piece of the ball, affecting Cole's shot successfully. In the ensuing fight for the ball, a jump ball was called -- and the possession arrow favored Butler with only 1.2 seconds remaining in the game.

Two missed free throws and a desperation Vikings 70-footer later, the Butler Bulldogs secured their seemingly annual regular season championship.

The Bulldogs used balanced scoring, as usual, as five players scored between eight and 13 points. Cleveland State was led by Norris Cole with 17.

With the regular season championship, Butler will host the Horizon League conference tournament. It's hard to see anyone rolling into Hinkle and taking down the Bulldogs, though they are securely in the NCAA Tournament even if they somehow falter.

For Cleveland State, they can come away from this game with confidence they can play with Butler. That should carry over into what is shaping up as quite an appetizing rematch between these two teams in the conference tourney. Remember, in early December Butler won in Cleveland State by just two. That's two games, two Butler wins, but a deficit of only four total points. You can bet the Vikings will be hungry to get another shot -- assuming they don't slip up before their chance.

Butler Clinches Horizon League Again originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Billy Packer Would Have Loved the Upcoming NCAA Tournament

Shiloh Carder — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Butler, Davidson, George Mason, Gonzaga, WCC, Xavier, A-10, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Mid-Majors, MVC, MWC, Pac-10, SEC, March Madness, St. Mary's (CA)

One of the biggest gripes against former CBS basketball analyst Billy Packer was that he didn't respect the mid-majors. He famously complained that there were too many mid-majors in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. That was the year that George Mason upset Michigan State, North Carolina and UConn to get to the Final Four.

This will be the first Packer-less tournament in decades as he retired after last year's Final Four. It's a shame for him because he would have loved the makeup of the brackets this time around. Going against the recent trends, it looks as if the major conferences will get most of the at-large bids, leaving the mid-majors out in the cold.

According to ESPN's Joe Lunardi, there aren't too many mid-majors that are locks to get in if they do not win their conference tournament. Siena, Utah State and Davidson have the strongest cases to be at-large teams but there are factions that believe they won't. Utah State has that win over Utah, but nothing else. Davidson has actually lost a couple of SoCon games this year and their biggest win is against West Virginia on a neutral court. Siena just lost to Niagara last night. All will be overwhelming favorites to win their conference tournaments but they could be in trouble if they don't.

Gonzaga will snatch a bid if they don't win the West Coast Conference tournament. Butler does the same if they fail to win the Horizon.

Lunardi is also projecting that 31 of the 34 at-large bids will be going to the so-called "BCS conferences". The ACC leads the way with eight teams, followed by the Big East and Big Ten with seven each. The SEC, which is suffering a perceived down period, is projected to get five teams in the tournament. The other three bids are penciled in for the Atlantic 10's Dayton and two from the Mountain West (Utah, BYU and UNLV should all get in; one should win the conference tournament). The only non-BCS school that is currently seeded as a No. 4 seed or better is Memphis.

Even Lunardi's last four out includes nothing but BCS schools. The "next four out" features two more Mountain West schools and two Big XII schools.

All this leads up to schools from power conferences fighting for those last spots available in the tournament. It will also lead to more name matchups in the first and second round. Right now, Lunardi has first round games of Kentucky-Texas, Florida-California, Oklahoma State-Arizona State, Boston College-Tennessee, Michigan-LSU, Penn State-UCLA and South Carolina-Wisconsin.

Billy Packer Would Have Loved the Upcoming NCAA Tournament originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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St. Mary's Bursts Utah State's Bubble

Adam Papagiorgio — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:04:00 EST

Filed under: Nevada, WCC, Mid-Majors, WAC, St. Mary's (CA)

St. Mary's might have been the biggest winner in Saturday's BracketBuster following a huge 75-64 win over Utah State. The Gaels had been adrift in recent weeks, seemingly rudderless without star Patrick Mills.

But St. Mary's has been solid in recent weeks, fattening up on the weaker teams in the West Coast Conference. Saturday's win over the Aggies was a big exclamation point on the season, letting people know that the Gaels are still in the hunt for an at-large bid.

Not to say that St. Mary's is in right now; the Gaels still have a lot of work to do. But the team is squarely on the bubble right now.

Utah State, not so much. It is on the bubble -- possibly. But after its own and the WAC's dismal showing in general, the Aggies are going to have to win the WAC tournament to reach the NCAA tournament. Again, this is coach Stew Morrill's own doing. As long as he is unwilling to play some of the big boys on the road, he has no reason to complain.

The ESPN announcers kept saying that this was a bigger game for St. Mary's. And the Gaels needed the win, no doubt. But Utah State has always been viewed as a fraud and probably needed the win more, especially with Mills out. Utah State was a disappointment for a conference that just looked ugly in the BracketBusters. When you don't play many good teams, you need to beat them when you get the chance.

How bad was it for the WAC on Saturday?

Nevada is clearly in a rebuilding mode, but will play host to the conference tournament. The Wolf Pack hasn't been the same following the loss of players Nick Fazekas, Ramon Sessions and Marcelus Kemp. But coach Mark Fox still has enough to win the conference tournament.

New Mexico State has never recovered from the loss of Reggie Theus and the NCAA jacking around Herb Pope. The Aggies actually had a solid win over Cal State Fullerton, but this program is on the decline.

Boise State -- last year's conference tournament winner -- beat Utah State this week, but looked average at Portland State.

In fact, the West Coast conference proved that it was the premiere mid-major conference on the West Coast. St. Mary's and San Diego knocked off Utah State and Pacific respectively, arguably the top two teams in thet WAC and Big West. (Sorry, Long Beach State fans.)

Even San Jose State was exposed by UC-Riverside.

In the end, Utah State was proven to just be the best team in a really bad conference. Which is the equivalent of being the smartest contestant on Rock of Love. St. Mary's, on the other hand, is back in the mix.

BTW, you might not have noticed this, but did you see the way the St. Mary's fans reacted after the win? They stayed in their freaking seats and cheered on their team despite beating a ranked opponent. Maryland, on the other hand, has a championship banner hanging in its rafters and its fans rushed the court after winning a conference home game. Embarrassing.

St. Mary's Bursts Utah State's Bubble originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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