NCAA Basketball FanHouse

Mississippi State Rack and Rollin'

Michelle Smith — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:54:00 EST

Filed under: California, Connecticut, Gonzaga, Maryland, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA, Virginia, WCC, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Mid-Majors, MWC, Pac-10, Women's Basketball

Two weeks ago, Pat Summitt surveyed the national scene and said this:

"A lot of people don't have Mississippi State on their radar screen and they should."

Never argue with Pat.

Mississippi State is climbing the rankings -- moving from No. 25 to No. 19 in this week's poll -- and the ladder of national recognition, particularly after Sunday's 84-55 win over No. 20 Maryland.

Granted, Maryland is remodeling after the graduation of Kristi Tolliver and Marisa Coleman and the transfer of Marah Strickland, and Brenda Frese's program will likely struggle with change most of the year, but the Bulldogs took it to the Terrapins on their home floor.

Senior guard Alexis Rack -- one of eight seniors on the roster -- broke out for 43 points, including seven 3-pointers in the victory. It was the fourth-best individual scoring performance in school history.

"Sometimes I was just letting it go," Rack (above, right) said after the game.

Mississippi State is flying high at 4-0, and it has enjoyed its home court advantage. It's time to hit the road now ... which leads up to the sun and sand of the Paradise Jam Tournament next week in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This year's eight-team field will feature five ranked teams.

Mississippi State will be there, playing in the "Reef" division along with Rutgers, USC and No. 13 Texas.

The "Island" division includes No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 20 Oklahoma, No. 23 San Diego State and South Carolina.

San Diego State, who broke into the national rankings for the first time in 14 years, feels like there's a little honor in the invitation to play.

"Three years ago, the only way we get there is to hold a fundraiser and go in the spring," Aztecs coach Beth Burns said.

The holiday's other big tournament is the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas. It is a bit more of a second-tier group with four ranked teams in the field including George Washington, No. 25 Michigan State, South Dakota State, Indiana, Minnesota, TCU, No. 18 Kansas, UNC Charlotte, No. 15 Virginia, Marist, Oklahoma State and No. 9 Xavier.

Don't overlook Tennessee

Summitt was handing off credit to Mississippi State, but her own team was building some impressive momentum after beating Virginia, 77-63. Angie Bjorklund, Shekinna Stricklen and Glory Johnson combined for 56 points.

The Lady Vols were even good enough to get their locker room back at Thompson-Boling Arena. The team had been kicked out of it for lackluster play in February and Summitt had said her team would have to "win something" to earn its way back in.

Apparently, beating a Virginia team that beat the Vols by one point in Knoxville last year was good enough to unlock the door.

Tennessee is young and inexperienced right now. But they look very, very good -- good enough to turn Connecticut and Stanford's intimate party as national championship contenders into a legitimate threesome.

Now for the bad news: Freshman center Faith Dupree will be sidelined for the season with a back injury. She played in two games, including 18 minutes against Texas Tech on Tuesday night in San Antonio. The Lady Vols are down to 11 active players for the season and need to keep Kelley Cain healthy to avoid serious depth issues in the post.

A View From the Top

The Huskies and the Cardinal don't look to be moving off their top two rankings any time soon. Here's a look at how the best of the best are stacking up so far.

Tale of the Tape
Category	No. 1 UConn	No. 2 Stanford
Scoring Avg.	91.7	86.2
Reb. Margin	17.0	23.0
Victory Margin	49.4	20.4
Next Five Games	vs. Hofstra vs. Richmond vs. Vermont vs. Hartford vs. Iona	vs. Utah vs. Gonzaga vs. DePaul vs. Duke vs. Tennessee

The Week Ahead

The most intriguing non-tournament matchups of the coming week:

UCLA at Tennessee: Former Vols assistant Nikki Caldwell comes back to Knoxville with an intriguing team that should finish near the top in the Pac-10.

Gonzaga at Stanford: One of the country's top mid-majors has a major-league test at Maples Pavilion against the Cardinal.

Cal vs. Ohio State in the Buckeye Holiday Tournament: Cal has showed its youth with poor shooting performances and the Bears lost to Baylor by 20 at home on Sunday. The No. 3 Buckeyes will be an even bigger challenge.

Randoms...

For a mid-major, Dayton is having a good early season run playing tough against big-conference teams. Dayton threw an opening salvo with a 77-74 win over Michigan State, lost a two-point game to Louisville and then knocked off Purdue 56-53 in the Boilermakers' own tournament ... The top nine teams in this week's AP poll went 19-0 last week with an average victory margin of 27 points ...There are two conferences in which every team has at least a .500 record thus far: the Big East and the Big Ten.

Mississippi State Rack and Rollin' originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charles Learning to Meet Big Expectations

Michelle Smith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:45:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Women's Basketball

Tina Charles' stat line in the box score looks just fine by almost any measure: 15 points, 11 rebounds in 18 minutes.

Unless the person doing the measuring is UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma, who sees the personal fouls that kept her out of the game for much of the first half.

Auriemma has a knack for viewing the glass half-empty when it comes to Charles. Fine has never been good enough to stop the yelling and the cajoling. It is really an existential thing between the demanding coach and his senior center who hasn't always risen to meet his demands.

"It's easy to be frustrated with Tina. If I didn't get frustrated with Tina it wouldn't be any fun coaching this team," Auriemma said Tuesday after the top-ranked Huskies' 83-58 win over Texas in San Antonio. "You watch Tina play for the first six or seven minutes and you will say 'Wow, there is nothing this kid can't do.' She could go for 30 every night.' "

Auriemma knows what Charles is capable of. He's always known, which is why they've had such a strained relationship over the years.

It was just two years ago that Auriemma took Charles out of the starting lineup for a lack of effort heading into the 2008 NCAA Tournament. He told his team that the reason they were eliminated by Stanford in the national semifinals that season was because of a lack of a low-post presence. He was talking to Charles.

A year later, he gave her large portions of credit for helping the Huskies to a 39-0 record and the program's first national title since 2004. She scored 25 points and pulled down 19 rebounds in the 2009 title game against Louisville.

Charles, the Queens, N.Y., native, has blossomed into a star player, the standout that Auriemma always knew she could be. Now she must know it, too.

The 6-foot-4 center led the U.S. team to a gold medal in the World University Games early in the summer and then earned an invitation to join the U.S. senior women's team -- coached by Auriemma. She was the only active college player on the team.

In addition to being viewed as the likely No. 1 pick in next spring's WNBA Draft, she's also a shoo-in to be part of the American team that will play in the World Championships next year.

And that will extend her time trying to satisfy Auriemma, a dance that never seems to end, not even on a Tuesday night in November when she picks up two quick fouls and goes to the bench in a 25-point win.

"I'm trying not to do that dance anymore," Charles said. "I've known what he wants from me since my freshman year."

Charles said she feels like she is settling into the right mental place about her game as she settles into her final college season.

"It's a matter of knowing what I can do on the floor," Charles said.

Charles led the U.S. team with 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds a game over the summer for the World University team. And she more than held her own with the senior team.

Showing Auriemma more makes him expect even more. But he knows he still has to push buttons to get it.

"The worst thing about when she does that is I want you do it every night," Auriemma said. "Tina is not wired like that. Maya [Moore] is. But Tina is not."

Charles Learning to Meet Big Expectations originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blowouts Rule the Night in San Antonio

Michelle Smith — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Tennessee, Women's Basketball

SAN ANTONIO -- Tennessee and Connecticut in the same gym, but not on the court at the same time. Maybe San Antonio will bring Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma back together, but not on this night.

Instead, the top-ranked Huskies and the Lady Vols combined to behave a little ungraciously to their Texas hosts in the ESPNU Road to the Championship doubleheader at the AT&T Center.

Tennessee routed overmatched Texas Tech in the first game, 91-53, while the Huskies had little trouble with No. 10 Texas, winning 83-58.

But the night wasn't going to end without a little excitement. Not with Auriemma in the house.

Asked in the postgame press conference about whether he'd run into Summitt in the last two days, Auriemma said yes.

"We said 'Hi, how are you?', the same way I did with Gail (Goestenkors) and the same way I did with Kristy (Curry). There's no difference," Auriemma said. "There's no fugitives here, no crimes, just people saying hi to one another. I don't know why everybody thinks that when you are in the same neighborhood, you have to go out for dinner or something.

"I don't go out to dinner with my players. And I like them."

Auriemma's evening-ending salvo was the most exciting thing about an evening that featured two blowouts, perhaps not the greatest bookend for the Final Four, which will be returning to San Antonio (albeit at the Alamodome) in April.

Texas Tech was overmatched by Tennessee's size. Texas couldn't take advantage when Connecticut's size was off the floor because of foul trouble.

"Unfortunately, our bigs picked up some fouls too," Goestenkors said. "We had moments. But when you play a team like Connecticut, you need to have 40 of those moments."

In her third season at Texas, Goestenkors is still looking for a breakout, a defining win. But UConn doesn't like to oblige.

The Huskies ran out to a sizable lead, even as Tina Charles sat on the bench for much of the first half with two quick fouls. She finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes. All-American Maya Moore led the way with 20 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocks.

Texas got a big night from Kathleen Nash, with 22 points and nine rebounds.

All five Connecticut starters scored in double figures and Auriemma said he learned a little more about his team.

"It wouldn't do us any good if Maya scored 30 and Tina had 25 and people said, 'Wow, these are the best players in the country'. We already know that. We need to see the other stuff that we did ...

"We went long stretches without Tina and Tiffany (Hayes) and Kaili (McLaren) and we were able to function well. It was a good test for us."

Summitt, meanwhile, is waiting for the right moment to let her team back in the locker room. Apparently an easy win over Texas Tech isn't it.

"I told them they had to win something," Summitt said. "We've got a couple of games coming up here. We'll see what they can do."

Tennessee's got a couple more road games coming up, a Sunday date at No. 12 Virginia, followed by a Nov. 25 game at No. 24 Middle Tennessee State.

The ninth-ranked Lady Vols have been locked out of their locker room since last February, the price they paid for poor play.

They've got to be getting close to a reprieve, right?

Sophomore Glory Johnson thinks it might be coming.

"She's been saying we have to win something and we've won a couple of games and we still get the same answer," Johnson said. "I think she wants us to get a really big win, for something amazing to happen."

And beating up on Texas Tech, which couldn't match the Vols' size or talent, didn't quite qualify. Four Tennessee players scored in double figures, led by reserve post Taber Spani with 18 points. Johnson finished with 17 and Shekinna Stricklen added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in just 23 minutes on the floor.

Tennessee put together big runs in each half to put the Lady Raiders far in the rear view mirror, including a 32-4 stretch in the second half that made it a rout. The Vols also won the boards by a 49-28 margin.

Texas Tech is searching for more answers, and none of them are good so far, particularly after last week's exhibition loss to Lubbock Christian.

"We can only wish we had more size," said Texas Tech coach Kristy Curry. "I'm not going to sit here and make excuses for us, there are a lot of teams across the country that don't have their size."

The Lady Vols are off to a nice start, following up on Sunday's 74-65 home win over Baylor with a strong performance on the road. While the AT&T Center hosted Tuesday night's event, the 2010 Women's Final Four will be held at the Alamodome. The Vols aren't much picky about those details. They just want to come back.

"This is just a little taste of what it's all about," Summitt said. "It just wets our whistle a little bit."

Blowouts Rule the Night in San Antonio originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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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Stanford Now Has 1-2 Ogwumike Punch

Michelle Smith — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Notre Dame, Stanford, Pac-10, Women's Basketball

Tara VanDerveer, right, has been coaching for nearly 30 years. She doesn't think she's recruited siblings before. So as new experiences go, it's worked out pretty well.

Chiney Ogwumike, a 6-foot-3 forward from Texas and the No. 1-rated recruit in the country, signed her national letter of intent to play at Stanford on Thursday. Chiney will join her older sister Nneka, who is a sophomore forward for the No. 2-ranked Cardinal. Ogwumike chose Stanford over Connecticut and Notre Dame.

"I know it sounds surprising, but I really had to consider Nneka a teammate in order to be fair about it," Chiney Ogwumike said Thursday. "She'll always be my sister. But Stanford has the best combination of what I've worked for in academics and athletics. I believed Stanford would be the best for me."

Chiney called VanDerveer early Thursday morning with the good news. The coach said she was "knocked out." And she suspects Chiney's sister knew first.

"When I asked her if Nneka already knew, she just laughed," VanDerveer said.

Nneka Ogwumike said she was "very excited" about her sister's decision, one that should give Stanford the most athletic post game in the country.

"It was her own decision," Nneka said. "She felt like this was the best place for her and I think she picked the best place. I never wanted to poke my head in too much. She was always asking me questions. I was not going to lie and tell her this place isn't amazing."

Chiney said the two would talk about "sisterly" things instead of recruiting.

"When it came to recruiting, she would say she hoped things were going well, that there was no pressure that she wanted me to do what's best for me," Chiney said. "Coincidentally, it ends up being at Stanford with her."

Chiney Ogwumike has led Cy-Fair to the Texas state tournament the past three seasons. She played her season opener Tuesday night, scoring 28 points with eight rebounds.

VanDerveer, who has made it a yearly habit to bring in some of the nation's elite post players, said the two sisters are very different players and they will complement each other well on the court. Nneka is a true post, most comfortable under the basket. Chiney could end up moving out to the wing as a fit for her driving, aggressive game.

"The thing I really like about Chiney is she is really aggressive and versatile," VanDerveer said. "I think it will be an easier adjustment, to have a sister on the team.

Some thought this would be a slam-dunk process for Stanford considering the family ties. But Chiney Ogwumike made it clear she would make her own decision. Ultimately, she chose to follow her sister's path.

"I think it worked for us," VanDerveer said.

The good news for VanDerveer, there are still two more younger Ogwumike sisters in the pipeline.

"I don't know if I'll still be coaching then," VanDerveer laughed.

Stanford Now Has 1-2 Ogwumike Punch originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Look At the Top 5 Schedules in Women's College Basketball

Michelle Smith — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:53:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Oklahoma, Stanford, Tennessee, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, SEC, Women's Basketball

Part of the beauty of college basketball is that it isn't like college football. The top teams don't have to be afraid of playing a tough opponent; worried that risking a single loss would derail a season's worth of effort.

Instead, the best teams in college basketball want to cut their teeth on one another, learn from their shortcomings, shore up before spring, or build a resume for the NCAA committee by collecting wins against stiff competition.

The following is a list of the top five schedules in women's college basketball this season. These teams are going to do it the hard way. And you gotta admire that.

1) Tennessee. The Lady Vols never duck anyone (well, except maybe for that one team up north). The fact that they are coming off an unprecedented first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament doesn't change the degree of difficultly for Pat Summitt's program.

Tennessee routinely plays the most challenging schedule in the country and this year is no exception. The Lady Vols' non-conference schedule includes games against eight teams ranked in the first poll of the season, which was released Friday.

The Lady Vols' slate includes home games against Baylor, UCLA, George Washington, Texas, Louisville, Old Dominion and Oklahoma. The road schedule includes Virginia, Middle Tennessee and Stanford and a pair of big neutral-court games against Texas Tech and Rutgers.

At No. 8, Tennessee starts with its lowest ranking since 1985.

2.) Stanford. The second-ranked Cardinal have put together the best schedule in program history, one that includes games against five ranked teams and three conference champions. With many of the top teams in the Pac-10 rebuilding or reloading this year, Stanford will have to find out where it stands by going outside of the conference and, specifically, across the country.

Stanford will make two trips to the East Coast -- a season-opening journey to Old Dominion and Rutgers, followed by a Dec. 23 date against top-ranked Connecticut that will rank as one of the marquee regular-season matchups of the year.

Stanford's six-game home non-conference schedule includes Utah, Gonzaga, DePaul, Duke and Tennessee.

"We're playing such good competition that I don't know what will happen," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "There's a sense of urgency now, that if you don't have that schedule, I don't know that we could feel."

3.) Oklahoma. The 13th-ranked Sooners, who have been ranked in the AP Poll since the opening poll of the 2005-06 season, could play as many as nine of the teams ranked in the current preseason poll, and will face 10 others who received votes in the first poll.

Oklahoma's schedule includes tough road games against Georgia (Nov. 15), Tennessee (Jan. 3), and a matchup with Notre Dame in the Virgin Islands Tournament. The Sooners also face up-and-comer San Diego State, South Carolina, mid-major star Marist, and have home games against Baylor, Texas, Kansas and Connecticut.

4.) Rutgers. With the departures of Epiphanny Price and Kia Vaughn, the 25th-ranked Scarlet Knights are rebuilding, and just like last year, they will find out where they stand pretty quickly.

Rutgers' schedule includes eight ranked teams, four of them in the non-conference and four in the brutal Big East. The non-conference schedule includes home games against No. 2 Stanford, Boston College and Florida with a New York City date against Tennessee on Dec. 13.

Rutgers will go on the road to play Georgia and George Washington and will meet both Mississippi State and Texas in the Virgin Islands tournament on Thanksgiving weekend.

5.) Connecticut. The top-ranked Huskies don't always load up with non-conference opponents, but tough competition in the Big East always ups the RPI.

UConn's non-conference slate includes a neutral-court game against Texas in San Antonio, home games against Stanford and North Carolina -- the latter in the middle of the Big East schedule -- and road games against Florida State (Dec. 28) and Duke (Jan. 18).

If Connecticut blows through this schedule, a second straight national title could seem like a foregone conclusion come March.

A Look At the Top 5 Schedules in Women's College Basketball originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UConn Coach Calhoun Collapses After Charity Bike Race

FanHouse Newswire — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:50:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Big East, Coaches

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun was hospitalized Saturday after he collapsed following a 50-mile charity bicycle ride during which he fell and broke five ribs.

Calhoun, 67, was taken to the UConn Health Center in Farmington, where he was listed in good condition. He was to be held overnight for observation and released Sunday, said Maureen McGuire, a hospital spokeswoman.

McGuire said Calhoun told her he hit a pothole and fell with about 16 miles to go in the ride, which began and ended in Simsbury, winding its way through northwestern Connecticut and part of southwest Massachusetts.

"He got back on the bike and finished the ride,'' she said. "Obviously, he's in extremely good physical shape. It was after he finished the ride, he was talking to some people and he did faint.''

At the hospital, the Hall-of-Famer was told he had broken ribs during the fall.

Team spokesman Kyle Muncy said heat and dehydration contributed to the collapse, but said there were no other health concerns.

The Hartford Courant reported online that Calhoun was leaning against a car parked near the finish line at the Simsbury Performing Arts Center, when he slumped and fell to the ground as two friends reached for him.

The newspaper reported that Calhoun lay motionless and expressionless as his son Jeff and daughter-in-law Amy took off his shoes and socks and poured water on his forehead. By the time an ambulance arrived a few minutes later, he was conscious and sitting up, the newspaper reported.

He had to be talked out of driving by family and friends, including Boston Celtics star Ray Allen, who played under Calhoun at Connecticut.

"He's so stubborn, so stubborn,'' Allen told the Courant. "He doesn't want people to help him out. He's always been the type who feels he's invincible. I think we've all been there.''

The annual Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge Ride includes rides of 10, 25 and 50 miles. Organizers say it has raised almost $500,000 to benefit the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut Health Center and Coaches vs. Cancer, a program established in 1993 by the American Cancer Society.

Calhoun is a three-time cancer survivor. A year ago, he underwent surgery and radiation treatments for squamous cell cancer, a type of skin cancer.

Calhoun, who has led Connecticut to three Final Fours and national titles in 1999 and 2004, missed the Huskies' first NCAA tournament game in March after being hospitalized for dehydration. Connecticut lost to Michigan State in the national semifinals.

Calhoun, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, has a career record of 805-342, good enough for sixth place on the NCAA Division I career wins list. He is 557-205 at Connecticut.

By PAT EATON-ROBB

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

UConn Coach Calhoun Collapses After Charity Bike Race originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UConn Would Be Lucky to Have Miles, Majok Stay in NBA Draft

Chas Rich — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:07:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Big East, Coaches, Recruiting

On its face, one of the sillier declarations of testing the NBA draft waters was UConn freshman forward Ater Majok declaring for the draft. Ater Majok never played for UConn this season, as Majok's academic situation took quite a while to unravel. Not too surprising for a Sudanese native that first went to Australia before getting to the United States. The NCAA decided that Majok would not be eligible until the 2009-10 season.

Nate Miles, briefly of UConn, but this past season with the College of Southern Idaho (a junior college) has also declared for the NBA draft. Having both players go pro -- even if they do not get drafted -- is probably the best case scenario for UConn and Jim Calhoun.

Majok and Miles are persons of interest to the NCAA with their relationship with Josh Nochimson -- the one-time UConn basketball student manager, personal assistant to Richard Hamilton and formerly registered agent. Nochimson was revealed to be actively involved in the lives of Majok and Miles. Two kids that eventually found their way to UConn -- though neither has ever suited up for the Huskies.

Most of the attention from the initial story reported by Yahoo! Sports focused on the part with Nate Miles. Nochimson housed Miles, may have paid for surgery for Miles, and was an ever-present figure in Miles' recruitment.

Majok, though, also was represented by Nochimson at a summer league tournament before signing with UConn. It is not clear what, if any benefits Majok received from Nochimson. It is also unclear how much Nochimson represented Majok's interests.

These are all questions that the NCAA should want to have answered, along with the records of excessive phone communication between UConn assistant coaches and Miles and Majok. And this is to say nothing of the calls that went first to Nochimson before Miles or Majok were contacted by the UConn coaches. Of course, to do that, the NCAA needs to actually interview Miles, Majok and Nochimson. That's the problem for the NCAA.

The NCAA has no power over Nochimson to get him to speak with their investigators. Miles is apparently not returning to college basketball, and thus, outside the reach of the NCAA. Majok, if he does not return to UConn, would also be outside the reach.

As important as the 6-10 forward would be to UConn's on-the-court hopes for the next season, his departure without ever playing a minute for the Huskies coupled with Miles would be better for Jim Calhoun's legacy and the UConn program overall.

Just ask the NCAA how far they have gotten with their investigations into USC and O.J. Mayo when they have been unable to interview Mayo. They have records and evidence that Mayo was receiving money from a runner for an agent, they have interviewed USC coaches and administrators, and they have little to show for it.

All the NCAA investigators have are damning cellphone records of the UConn assistant coaches. The problem is that that only means that UConn was guilty of committing excessive phone calls to recruits. Good luck on getting anyone on the UConn coaching staff -- present or past -- to concede that their calls were anything more than excessive phone calls.

And the calls that went to Josh Nochimson? They could be explained as nothing more than coincidental conversations with an old student manager who was a friend around the same time they were making calls to Miles and Majok. Surely, there was no way they knew that Nochimson was involved with these kids. At least that will be the story.

Of course, no one at UConn would be so cynical as to hope a couple of kids that are not even projected to get signed in the NBDL wind up not coming back to the college ranks. Never.

UConn Would Be Lucky to Have Miles, Majok Stay in NBA Draft originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big East Tournament Preview: Everyone Is Playing, Except Bubble Teams

Chas Rich — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, Big East

The Big East Tournament gets underway Tuesday, and this year the Big East Tournament (BET) matches the construction of the conference -- oversized, a bit confusing and very clearly divided.

The Big East at this point has seven teams that are definitely going to the NCAA tournament and one team that lies way out on the fringe of the bubble. This year, the BET is all about teams trying to improve or maintain their projected seeding for the Big Dance.For the first time, the BET includes all 16 teams. The Big East, though, did not want the top teams to have to play too many games in a row before the NCAA Tournament or risk damaging their seed with the possibility of a really bad loss. To protect the top teams, the top four get a double-bye and do not play until Thursday. The next four teams seeded from No. 5 to No. 8 get a first-day bye. That leaves teams No. 9 through 16 to face each other.

Those teams in the bottom half have no chance of going to the NCAA Tournament, and to win the BET they would have to win five games in five days. The odds are prohibitively stacked against that. So much so, that the opening day is not televised anywhere. There are free webcasts at the Big East site.

Matchups

Tuesday: DePaul (16) vs. Cinci (9); St. John's (13) vs. Georgetown (12); Rutgers (15) vs. Notre Dame (10); USF (14) vs. Seton Hall (11).
Wednesday: 16/9 Winner vs. Providence (8); 13/12 Winner vs. Marquette (5); 15/10 Winner vs. West Virginia (7); 14/11 Winner vs. Syracuse (6)

You can view the bracket and times here (PDF).

What Teams Want

Playing for No. 1 Seed: Pitt, UConn and Louisville
Trying to improve seed: Villanova, Syracuse, Marquette and West Virginia
Hoping to find a golden ticket: Providence
Next stop, NIT: Notre Dame, Georgetown, Cinci
Where is the CBI: Seton Hall, St. John's
Just stopping by to say hello: USF, Rutgers, DePaul

Storylines

The Bubble is an Illusion for Providence
Every conference is supposed to have a bubble team. The Big East really does not. Nonetheless, for purposes of keeping punditry with standard storylines, Providence will be proffered as a Big East bubble team.

The Friars' RPI is hovering around 70. With the exception of knocking off Pitt and Syracuse, they were the beneficiary of an unbalanced schedule that gave them six five games against the bottom four of the Big East. That gave them the edge in finishing above .500 in the conference. They did beat Cincinnati twice, which only made the Big East bubble more barren.

Will the Big East Get Three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament?
That will be the most discussed issue in the BET. Pitt seems like a virtual lock for a No. 1 seed even if it goes out and loses its first game. They have the No. 1 RPI, they are No. 2 in both polls. They have been a top-five team all season. UConn was considered another lock, but how do you deny the regular season Big East Champion in Louisville? It just does not seem possible that the NCAA selection committee would pick three No. 1 seeds from the same conference. UConn and Louisville do not meet unless both get to the championship game. If so, that could decide the issue.

How Far Will Marquette slide?
The injury to Dominic James has been devastating. Before that, the Golden Eagles were looking like a No. 2 or 3 seed and seemed like a guard-heavy team that could go far in the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Eagles played tough against UConn, Louisville and Pitt but still lost. That was not so bad, even encouraging. But then Marquette lost at home, on senior day to Syracuse. That was damaging. If Marquette does not win a couple games, they could see themselves as a No. 6 or 7 seed by Sunday night.

The Big East is a Beast: It is the biggest and was supposed to be the toughest conference. With four teams in the top 10 and six teams ranked in the Top 25, there is plenty of quality in the conference. The issue is that the bottom is so weak. DePaul went 0-18 in the Big East. Rutgers is a wreck. South Florida is very slowly improving. The sheer size is the issue. Teams at the bottom have a hard time getting out from under the pile.

Predictions

Day one: Cincinnati over DePaul; Georgetown over St. John's; Notre Dame over Rutgers; and USF surprises Seton Hall.
Day two: Providence over Cincinnati; Marquette over Georgetown; WVU over ND; and Syracuse beats USF.
Quarterfinals: Louisville over Providence; Villanova over Marquette; Pitt over WVU; and UConn over Syracuse.
Semifinals: Villanova upsets Louisville and UConn finally beats Pitt.
Championship: UConn

Big East Tournament Preview: Everyone Is Playing, Except Bubble Teams originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seniors Lead Pitt Closer to No. 1 Seed

Chas Rich — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Big East

There is nothing more terrifying at the end of the season than to be the road opponent on Senior Day. UConn was harshly reminded of that in their 70-60 loss to Pitt, a win largely won by the Pitt seniors.

Elder statesmen Sam Young and Levance Fields were unstoppable, even though Fields entered the game as questionable with a lower back contusion.

The win likely clinched a No. 1 seed for Pitt in the NCAA Tournament. It might've also put UConn's hopes of a top slot in peril.

No. 3 Pitt 70, No. 1 UConn 60: Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

The story going into the game was the matchup of Hasheem Thabeet and DeJuan Blair, Part Two. While Thabeet was effective in the first half with 14 points, he was held scoreless in the second half. Blair was limited by UConn double-teams, keeping him to eight points and eight rebounds.

Pitt had a surprisingly effective game plan against UConn. Known for their very efficient halfcourt offense, Pitt ran at every chance on Saturday. Any turnover, defensive rebound or mental lapse by UConn and Pitt would push the ball upcourt, forcing Thabeet to expend too much energy.

UConn struggled shooting the entire game. Even A.J. Price, who hit the clutch threes in the second half to give the Huskies a chance, shot 5-for-15 to get his 19 points. Pitt simply rarely let UConn's guards get penetration or find room to work. That made it harder to get the ball inside, as the Huskies' overall lack of a three-point shooting threat meant Pitt could pack it inside against UConn.

UConn shouldn't be in danger of losing their No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they could be. If Louisville ends up winning the Big East regular season title outright -- rather than a three-way tie -- and has a deep Big East Tournament run, UConn could find itself bumped to a No. 2 seed. It just doesn't seem likely that the NCAA selection committee would put three teams from one conference on the top line.

Seniors Lead Pitt Closer to No. 1 Seed originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Larry Eustachy Returns $25,000 to Southern Mississippi

Michael David Smith — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:50:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Coaches

In a now-infamous press conference exchange last month, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun was reminded that he makes $1.6 million while working for a public university in a state that has a huge budget deficit. Before the questioner could finish, Calhoun snapped, "Not a dime back."

Southern Mississippi coach Larry Eustachy is no Jim Calhoun. Eustachy has decided to give not just a dime back, but 250,000 dimes back.

Eustachy has given the university $25,000, saying that he doesn't think he's done a good enough job (the team is 14-14) and that he wants to make a gesture to show that he understands the economic realities of the present day.

The $25,000 represents the amount he got in a bonus for reaching various incentives, including the number of tickets Southern Miss has sold. Eustachy's base salary is $380,000. Here's what Eustachy said in a written statement:

"The university, fans and administration have been so supportive. I am part of the Golden Eagle family and I want the team and program to succeed more than anyone else does. To that end, until I can turn around the program I have told the administration that I do not want a contract extension and I will donate part of my compensation package back to Southern Miss to help during these difficult economic times. I want to win a championship at Southern Miss and I know that we can do it."

Said Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini, "I respect him for what he did. He knew the economic times we were having and we need to use every dime we can find."

I respect him, too. Eustachy was once best known for resigning from Iowa State after embarrassing photos of him partying with college students surfaced, but a gesture like this could go a long way toward changing that image. Calhoun could learn a thing or two from Eustachy.

Larry Eustachy Returns $25,000 to Southern Mississippi originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Notre Dame's NCAA Hopes Are Finished

Chas Rich — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:14:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Notre Dame, Big East

Notwithstanding the protests of Digger Phelps, the Irish's loss at UConn finishes their chances at going to the NCAA Tournament without a miracle run in the Big East Tournament. Forget the non-conference strength of schedule, which ranks at 257th. Forget an overall RPI of 72. Ignore the 3-10 record against the RPI top-50.

The reason that the Irish are done is that they finished 2-7 in the Big East in road games. Simply put, they could not win a single quality road game in conference. When you can't do that, regardless of how tough the conference schedule is, you are not an NCAA Tournament team.

No. 2 UConn 72, Notre Dame 65: Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

Notre Dame's NCAA Hopes Are Finished originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Connecticut Lawmakers Want Attention From Calhoun's Blow-Up

Chas Rich — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:35:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Big East, Coaches

This story of UConn coach Jim Calhoun's blow-up at a press conference last Saturday just won't die. It is not like Calhoun has never lost his temper at a press conference, yelled or even cursed at reporters. Yet, because this one touched on salary and state budget issues in Connecticut, everyone seems to feel it is time to jump in there.

First it was the governor of Connecticut calling it "embarrassing." Now a couple politicians want to go further and have Calhoun reprimanded by the university.
The leaders of the Connecticut General Assembly's higher education committee, Sen. Mary Ann Handley and Rep. Roberta Willis sent a letter to the president of the University of Connecticut (PDF) that they happily made public.

We feel this misses a critical element -- that he stands as an example for the students. We know that Coach Calhoun demands high standards of conduct from his team, and we expect the same from him.

His recent behavior was unacceptable and we request that the university take appropriate disciplinary action to reinforce the high ethical standards we have come to expect from our flagship institution.

Their complaint is that he needs to be a better role model and representative of the University of Connecticut and the state. They do not seem to have a problem with his salary (a wise decision considering the overall popularity of Calhoun in the state).

Apparently Calhoun behaving poorly at a press conference is new to them. That or they just have never thought to make a political grandstand play with it until now.

More Connecticut Lawmakers Want Attention From Calhoun's Blow-Up originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calhoun Tops Marquette for Win No. 800

Chas Rich — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:18:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Marquette, Big East

Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun is now a member of one of college basketball's most exclusive coaching fraternities, winning his 800th game, topping Marquette. The two-time national champion coach is just the seventh Division-I men's coach to crack the 800-win mark and is just five wins from passing Eddie Sutton for sixth all time.

And as a bonus, the game meant plenty for the Huskies' March aspirations.

UConn 93, Marquette 82: Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

With the road win over Marquette, the Huskies' grip on a No. 1 seed seems even firmer.

That UConn won on the road isn't surprising, they've yet to lose away from home. But then again, Marquette had been perfect at the Bardley center. Something had to give, and it turned out to be Marquette's interior and Dominic James' ankle.

It was an obvious blow to Marquette to be without Dominic James, who went down early and was likely lost for the season. Still, the Golden Eagles hung with the Huskies most of the game. Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews did what they could to pick-up the slack by combining for 46 points. The problem is that it came on a combined 15-for-40 shooting to get those points. That left only 24 shot attempts for the rest of the team.

UConn just had too much for Marquette. Price was incredibly hot, scoring a career high 34 points (including eight from behind the arc). This on a team that attempts a little more than nine three-point shots per game. Hasheem Thabeet had a typically effective game with 14 points and 15 boards. The other scoring came mainly from Stanley Robinson who abused Marquette defenders mainly by driving the baseline for slams as he put in 19.

Marquette is obviously in some real trouble because of the injury to James, not because they lost to the No. 2 team in the country; they are a lot less scary with the 5-foot-8 Maurice Acker starting at guard.

UConn is now in control of winning the Big East regular season. They are tied with Louisville at the top of the conference standings, but hold the tie-breaker over the Cardinals. If they can win their last two games over Notre Dame and at Pitt they will win the conference and almost assuredly clinch a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament regardless of what would happen in the Big East Tournament.

Calhoun Tops Marquette for Win No. 800 originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Connecticut Governor Calls Jim Calhoun Salary Tirade 'Embarrassing'

Michael David Smith — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:45:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Coaches

Connecticut governor Jodi Rell is the latest person to weigh in on the Jim Calhoun salary controversy, and the governor said Tuesday that she found Calhoun's response to a question about his status as the state's highest-paid employee "embarrassing."

Said Rell of Calhoun's answer to a question about his salary, "I think if Coach Calhoun had the opportunity right now, he would welcome a do-over and not have that embarrassing display."

Rell, whose salary is $150,000, wouldn't directly answer whether she believes Calhoun should take a pay cut. Calhoun declined to answer when the Hartford Courant asked him about the governor's comments.

Calhoun was asked at a weekend press conference about getting the biggest paycheck in a state that is currently running a deficit, and before the questioner could even finish asking, he interrupted with "not a dime back." He then lectured the questioner about the revenue that his team generates, and told the questioner to shut up.

Although the questioner (a political activist who got to the press conference with a photo pass) didn't conduct himself in a very professional manner, the underlying question is a legitimate one, and Calhoun is wrong to suggest that his own salary is above being questioned. Rell is right to call his response embarrassing.

Connecticut Governor Calls Jim Calhoun Salary Tirade 'Embarrassing' originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ranking the Rankings: Pitt's Full Circle

Will Brinson — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Duke, Kansas, Memphis, Oklahoma, Wake Forest, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Media Watch

Ranking the rankings criticizes the critics when the polls come out.

Headlining: Pittsburgh beat Connecticut to kick off the week, led by DeJuan Blair's ridiculous 22-point, 23-rebound effort. It seemed relatively unlikely at the time that the Panthers could manage to jump both North Carolina and Oklahoma, providing that either one of the two won out for the week.

But then Saturday rolled around. The Tar Heels fell to Maryland and Oklahoma, without Blake Griffin for most of the game, coughed one up to Texas.

And suddenly, Pitt was No. 1 in both polls and without any real question to the matter. Just four first-place ballots went elsewhere. There shouldn't have been any debate, either. Memphis nearly lost to UTEP while the Panthers throttled DePaul to close out the week on a seven-game winning streak.

Free-Fallin': Wake Forest (20-5). Despite the dead-horse nature of "young Wake team in Cameron" from Sunday night, there's a little bit of truth to what people are saying about Dino Gaudio's team -- they've hit a wall. It's intriguing to see just how streaky Wake Forest, and specifically star guard Jeff Teague, played in Durham. Yes, they're obviously talented, but, no, they're probably not winning the national title this year.

You Gotta Rise Up: Duke (22-5). It's not so much that the Devils skyrocketed in the polls, it's just that they switched Elliot Williams into the starting lineup and pumped Mike Krzyzewski full of Red Bull for the six hours leading up to the Wake game. It was a bizarre turn for a team that seemed to be free-falling (hence their inclusion) and games at Maryland and at Virginia Tech this week could make for some interesting schizophrenic tendencies as well. But, frankly, I think the Blue Devils are much more likely to keep rolling.

Hyped: UCLA (20-7). The Bruins earned three of their seven losses over the past two-and-a-half weeks, dropping games to Arizona State, Arizona and Washington State. It's certainly a rough patch, although it is a stretch that includes a win over Washington. That's nice and all, but the problem, as Mr. Papagiorgio pointed out, is that it was UCLA's first win over a ranked opponent. Yet, somehow they're still in the Top 25. See where I'm going with this?

Latest College Basketball Photos

In this Feb. 21, 2009 photo, Maryland's Greivis Vasquez (21) celebrates against North Carolina during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in College Park, Md. Maryland upset North Carolina 88-85 in overtime. Now that the afterglow of beating North Carolina has faded, Maryland faces an even stiffer challenge: a matchup Wednesday against Duke, which ripped the Terrapins by 41 points a month ago. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

In this Feb. 21, 2009 photo, Maryland coach Gary Williams looks on from the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in College Park, Md. Maryland upset North Carolina 88-85 in overtime. Now that the afterglow of beating North Carolina has faded, Maryland faces an even stiffer challenge: a matchup Wednesday against Duke, which ripped the Terrapins by 41 points a month ago. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

In this Feb. 21, 2009 photo, North Carolina guard Ty Lawson (5) puts up a shot while being defended by Maryland's Greivis Vasquez (21) and Cliff Tucker (24) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in College Park, Md. Now that the afterglow of beating North Carolina has faded, Maryland faces an even stiffer challenge: a matchup Wednesday against Duke, which ripped the Terrapins by 41 points a month ago. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Kansas guard Taylor Tyshawn (15) is fouled as he passes away from Oklahoma guard Omar Leary in the second half during their NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Oklahoma, February 23, 2009. REUTERS/Bill Waugh (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor drives to the basket against Oklahoma during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2009 in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Injured Oklahoma player Blake Griffin watches his team during their loss to Kansas in their NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Oklahoma, February 23, 2009. REUTERS/Bill Waugh (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor shoots a free throw against Oklahoma in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2009 in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Oklahoma guard Willie Warren (2nd L) drives against Kansas defenders Tyrel Reed (L) and Cole Aldrich (R) in the second half during their NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Oklahoma, February 23, 2009. REUTERS/Bill Waugh (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Oklahoma's Cade Davis, left, and Willie Warren, right, sit on the bench in the final seconds of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas on Monday, Feb. 23, 2009 in Norman, Okla. Kansas won 87-78. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Kansas head coach Bill Self (L) pumps his fist during his team's win over Oklahoma in the second half of their NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Oklahoma, February 23, 2009. REUTERS/Bill Waugh (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Bunked: Kansas (23-5). What interests me is how high the pollsters will push the Jayhawks after their win over Oklahoma. I tend to think they might get discounted because Griffin didn't play on Monday. If that's the case, it seems a little bit silly since Kansas has only lost twice since the start of 2009, and those two losses were to Michigan State and Missouri. Yes, both teams are in the top 10.

WTF? Griffin didn't play Monday night because he couldn't pass the "Standard Assessment of Concussion." Like a good little blogger, I googled that mess to try and find out what kind of sheet Holly Rowe was actually holding up. And this link (a Word Doc) appears to best represent the test. Frankly, I hope they administered that before the season and gauged Griffin based on relative results, because there's almost no chance that I could pass that thing right freaking now.

People Who Vote Are Smart (Brought to You by Pollspeak.com): Roger Clarkson pulls the bizzaro ballot this week, and really it's for just two reasons. First of all, he has Wake Forest ranked seventh. That's unacceptable with the week the Deacons had, unless he missed the game Sunday night against Duke. That would actually be even more unacceptable. Secondly, he's got Memphis 12th. Twelfth! Something ain't stirring the Kool-Aid there.

Ranking the Rankings: Pitt's Full Circle originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Calhoun's Heated Exchange

Chas Rich — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:25:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Big East, Video

UConn coach Jim Calhoun dealt with a journalist/activist questioning him about his salary after the Huskies beat South Florida. On the best days, Jim Calhoun can be prickly with the media. As you can imagine, this went well.

Video: Calhoun's Heated Exchange originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Salary Questions Irk Jim Calhoun

Chas Rich — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:19:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Big East

Jim Calhoun getting ticked off at questions at a post-game press conference is generally not surprising. It generally is not news. If he does not get irritated, it generally means that the Huskies won easily and someone spiked his water with sedatives.

So, that Jim Calhoun was annoyed and yelled at someone asking questions after an easy win over South Florida was not exactly news in and of itself. It was that the questions were not about the game or his players. It was a line of questions about his salary.

A local freelance journalist, political activist and former campaign manager for the Green Party candidate for Connecticut governor in 2006, Ken Krayeske, attended the press conference. He wanted to question Calhoun about all the money he makes at the state university even as the state budget faces a nearly $1 billion deficit.

"Not a dime back," Calhoun joked as Ken Krayeske asked about Calhoun's salary and the state's budget deficit, which is estimated at $944 million for the current fiscal year and up to $8 billion over the next two years.

When Krayeske continued the line of questioning, Calhoun got angry.

"My best advice to you is, shut up," said Calhoun, who offered to talk to Krayeske after the news conference, in which Calhoun was discussing the top-ranked Huskies' 64-50 win over South Florida.

"If these guys covered this stuff, I wouldn't have to do it," said Krayeske, who had been granted a photo pass to attend the news conference.

Classic Sports Tirades

Faced with irritating questions about his salary, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun fires back at a freelance journalist during a postgame news conference Saturday. "My best advice to you is, shut up," said Calhoun.
Click through to see more classic sports tirades.

Karl Walter, Getty Images

Who: Pat Knight
When: Jan. 31, 2009
The Texas Tech head coach was ejected after running onto the court to protest a call in the Red Raiders' loss to Nebraska. Watch the video.

YouTube.com

Who: Jim Zorn
When: Oct. 26, 2008 during a press conference after the Redskins win over the Lions.
Apparently annoyed by a reporter's actions during one of his answers, Zorn snapped at the journalist, shouting "You keep rolling your eyes and I'm getting ticked off!" Watch the video.

YouTube

Who: Mike Singletary
When: Oct. 26, 2008 following San Francisco's loss to Seattle.
Singletary produced fireworks in his first postgame press conference as a head coach, laying into Niners tight end Vernon Davis, whom Singletary sent to the locker room for a second half penalty. Watch the video.

YouTube

Who: Terrell Owens
When: Jan. 13, 2008 after Dallas' playoff loss to the Giants.
T.O. could not keep his emotions in check following the Cowboys early playoff exit last year, launching into a tear-filled defense of quarterback Tony Romo. Watch the video.

YouTube

Who: Kevin Borseth
When: Feb. 28, 2008, moments after the Michigan women's basketball team lost to Wisconsin.
Borseth opened his press conference by slamming the game's stat sheet onto the podium, yelling "That's how I feel! I'm damn sick and tired of getting outrebounded!" Watch the video.

YouTube

Who: Mike Gundy
When: Sept. 24, 2007 during a postgame press conference.
Angered by a newspaper reporter's column criticizing quarterback Bobby Reid, Gundy unleashed a fiery rant that included the soon-to-be-famous words: "I'm a man! I'm 40!" Watch the video.

YouTube

Who: Avery Johnson
When: June 18, 2006 after Johnson's Mavericks lost an NBA Finals game to Miami.
Following a question about a foul against the Mavs, Johnson refused to answer, instead repeatedly - and increasingly angrily - asking the reporter for his thoughts on the play in question. Watch the video.

YouTube

Who: Dennis Green
When: Oct. 16, 2006 following an Arizona loss to Chicago.
Another press conference meltdown that instantly tagged a one-liner: "They are who we thought they were!" Green shouted that gem in the midst of a rant about the Bears. Watch the video.

YouTube

Who: John L. Smith
When: Oct. 15, 2005 as ABC's Jack Arute interviewed Smith at halftime.
Smith, who also gained fame by slapping himself repeatedly in a press conference, answered a question by screaming about how the Spartans' coaches were blowing their game at Ohio State. Watch the video.

YouTube

According to Krayeske's own version of the events, the local media audibly groaned at that statement. Probably because that's his common complaint when he attends the post-game of UConn basketball to ask questions.

While I waited to interview Boone, a beat reporter scolded me for asking my question, saying I took valuable deadline time away from daily writers.

"If you asked the question a long time ago, I wouldn't have to do it," I said. He stomped away.

My problem with Krayeske's questions was that, as Jim Calhoun told him, he really didn't have anything.

"Quite frankly, we bring in $12 million to the university, nothing to do with state funds," Calhoun shouted back. "We make $12 million a year for this university. Get some facts and come back and see me ... Don't throw out salaries and other things.

"Get some facts and come back and see me. We turn over $12 million to the University of Connecticut, which is state-run. Next question."

While the University of Connecticut is a state-supported university, the athletic department is self-supporting. Much like many major Division I athletic departments. This means, that while Calhoun does have his salary approved by the trustees at UConn, the money does not come from the school or state funds.

Even Krayeske conceded in his own story that he didn't know what the gate was that day, and he could not actually dispute whether the $12 million figure Calhoun tossed out was accurate or not. His own version failed to note where Calhoun's salary falls in the comparison of other top coaches nationally.

It appears that Krayeske was trying to make some sort of point that in difficult economic times, the extremely well-compensated should take a pay cut for the greater good, especially if they are some sort of government employees.

Even a small pay cut could help the athletic department sustain more programs for college students. But, in Jim Calhoun's world, a comfortable retirement is more important than scholarships and equipment for young athletes who happen to excel at a sport that doesn't attract a national television audience.

Unlike the bank executives to which Krayeske tries to draw an analogy, he can't claim that the pay to Calhoun or other college coaches has been out of proportion to the success, profit and attention they have helped bring to their programs.

UPDATE: Here's the video from the press conference.

Salary Questions Irk Jim Calhoun originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ranking the Rankings: UConn Still No. 1*

Will Brinson — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, Butler, Connecticut, Duke, LSU, Oklahoma, UCLA, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, Media Watch

Ranking the rankings criticizes the critics when the polls come out.

Headlining: The beauty of a Tuesday column, at least this season, is that whoever ends up No. 1 can do so with an asterisk based on Monday's games. (*In case you didn't know already, Pittsburgh beat Connecticut.) And it appears that next week, we'll likely have a new No. 1 team in the nation. That will likely be Blake Griffin and the Oklahoma Sooners. Which is fitting, considering Griffin dropped a rediculous 40-point, 23-rebound Valentine's Day stat line on Texas Tech Saturday night.

But for now, at least, UConn is still your No. 1 based on this week's rankings. And it's not like they don't deserve it either; yes, Hasheem Thabeet was outmanned by DeJuan Blair down low (from the start, no less), and yes, the Huskies missed Jerome Dyson, but they're still a top-five squad despite losing on their home court Monday.

Freefallin': Duke (20-5). "Freefall" might be a stretch considering Duke is "only" at ninth overall. But they've lost four of six overall and the only two wins were over Virginia (unimpressive) and Miami (a textbook squeaker). The Blue Devils have serious issues right now, particularly with their point guard and post play, and unfortunately, those are two pretty important aspects of basketball. The home stretch, featuring North Carolina, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Florida State, isn't pretty either. Butler (22-3). Here's a hint, mid-majors: Don't lose. The Bulldogs, a very talented and dangerous, albeit young, team, coughed up a single game to Loyola-Chicago and nearly got booted from the top 25. Presuming Stephen Curry can play this Saturday, they'll have a chance for redemption at Davidson. Matt Howard, by the way, is very much for real. UCLA (19-6). It's a pretty simple formula, really. Lose twice in a week after having your value inflated (sixth in the Coaches' Poll!) and you'll hurt yourself moving down the poll the next week.

You Gotta Rise Up: Arizona State (20-5). Just another 20-game winner plus a trip to the NCAA for Herb Sendek, eh? The Sun Devils rode a four-game winning streak, including a home victory over UCLA for a season sweep of the Bruins, all the way up to 11th in the coaches' Poll (14th in the AP). LSU (21-4). Clearly, the Tigers felt that the SEC was under performing and needed someone to rep the conference in the polls. That, and they ripped off six straight wins (and nine of their last 10); granted, every single one of those wins is in-conference, so the whole "grain of salt" thing applies, but that doesn't make a tiny taste of cream rising above sour milk any less impressive. Back-to-backs against Florida and at Kentucky might even come after they've locked up an SEC West title and an NCA tourney bid.

Hyped: Duke, clearly, right? The Devils aren't "bad" per se, but right now, I'm extremely confident that they are not the ninth best team in the nation. Sure, college basketball is rife with parity and the ACC is most likely the best conference in the nation (the Big East, obviously, would disagree) but if you're a top-10 team in the nation, you're not coughing up four of six games. The Clemson game -- an absolute embarrassment -- stands out more than anything.

Bunked: Arizona, despite winning seven straight games -- in-conference no less! -- isn't pulling much love from the pollsters. And sure, maybe they aren't a legit top-25 team (sorry, Bacon) at this exact moment, if we're going to reward Syracuse for losing seven games, I see no reason why the Wildcats can't get some love with eight. Missouri is ranked 11th in the AP poll, and while that might seem generous even following a huge come from behind win over Kansas and a throttling of Nebraska, I think they're better than that. Certainly better than Duke and Wake Forest, no?

WTF? Why are there only 500 some names on the Pollspeak petition to force all college voting polls into the public? There should be five million. Do your country a favor and sign that sucker electronically so we can make sure the integrity of our college athletics aren't being compromised. Or, "more compromised than they already are by the BCS."

People Who Vote Are Smart (Brought to You by Pollspeak.com): Michael Vega was the pretty clear winner in "insane voter of the week" for the past seven days. While I don't necessarily disagree with all of the points he appears to be making with his ballot, there are still some, ahem, irregularities. For instance, Duke is 25th. Even I won't agree with that. Additionally, Butler is sixth. Not doable following a loss to Loyola. He has Dayton at seventh, while Louisville clocks in at a lowly 17. Additionally, Arizona State is unranked. LSU sits at 13. And even Connecticut was number two (regardless if that turned out to be correct, it's indicative). All told, six of his teams are higher in the polls than anyone else, with another six checking in lower than anyone else. It's like someone handed Jeff Goldblum (the Jurassic Park version) a ballot and some sort of chaos theory erupted, only with less non-pertinent lines of thinking.

Ranking the Rankings: UConn Still No. 1* originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DeJuan Blair May Have Cost Hasheem Thabeet Some Money

Chas Rich — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:33:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Big East, NBA Prospects

There were quite a few NBA scouts in attendance at the XL Center in Hartford to see what Hasheem Thabeet would do against DeJuan Blair, one of the top big men in the Big East. It was no contest. Blair was tougher, more aggressive, he shot better, he grabbed rebounds, and he literally put Thabeet on the deck.

Blair finished with 22 points and 23 rebounds, and his play put Thabeet on the bench for almost half the game with foul trouble. Thabeet only finished with 2 blocks, 4 rebounds and 5 points. That the 7-foot-3 Thabeet was dominated by a stronger, more determined 6-foot-7 Blair had to be an eye-opener for the NBA scouts.

Thabeet has been looking like an unstoppable force in the pain for the past few weeks. He completely intimidated entire opposing teams from coming into the paint for fear of having their shot blocked. Coaches like Jim Boeheim were comparing him to Patrick Ewing. Well, Ewing was never abused the way Blair treated Thabeet.

Thabeet is still a big man, and as the cliche goes, you can't teach 7-foot-3. That said, if there was anyone suggesting that maybe Thabeet might get drafted among the first five picks, that should be finished. The NBA is littered with promising big men who were too offensively limited in college and never advanced that part of their game. A performance like this could be the sort of thing that sticks with scouts and general managers. Heck, a performance like this could potentially keep Thabeet at UConn for his senior season. A thought that should worry most of the Big East.

On the flip side, DeJuan Blair is only a sophomore and a couple mock drafts already had him going in the top-20 picks. Blair has continually raised his game when facing other top big-men. This can only help his stock and make the increase the chances of him going pro after this season.

DeJuan Blair May Have Cost Hasheem Thabeet Some Money originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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