NCAA Basketball FanHouse

Harper Filling Yow's Big Shoes at N.C. State

Michelle Smith — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:10:00 EST

Filed under: NC State, Oregon, Tennessee, ACC, Pac-10, SEC, Women's Basketball

Kay Yow is still very much a presence in the North Carolina State women's basketball program.

Her name is on the athletic department's Wall of Fame, and on the basketball court at Reynolds Coliseum. Her photo still hangs in the women's basketball locker room.

"She was North Carolina State basketball, and you don't and you can't wipe that away with a new staff," said new N.C. State head coach Kellie Jolly Harper.

Harper is making one of the toughest transitions in college basketball this season. She is taking over the Wolfpack program, moving it in a new direction after the passing of Yow last January following a lengthy battle with breast cancer.

Yow fought bravely and publicly, her players and coaching staff rode the ups and downs of her treatment with her until her death. Stephanie Glance, Yow's assistant of 15 years took over the program until the end of the season and was the favorite of many who supported the program to take the job permanently.

But the administration was looking for a fresh start and Harper, who was a star guard at Tennessee under Pat Summitt and coached Western Carolina to two NCAA appearances in five seasons, was offered the job.

Harper said saying yes was not automatic.

"I made sure I did my homework," Harper said. "I had to talk to different people, to make sure I understood the landscape. Being a young coach, I did not want to jeopardize my future by putting myself in a bad situation. But after visiting the campus and talking to people and the players, I knew it was going to be a good situation."

Among those she talked to was her former coach, Summitt.

"It was important to me for her to have that confidence in me," Harper said. "Having her tell me that she thought it was a great fit for me and a great fit for N.C. State, that pushed it over the top for me."

Harper accepted the job and said she knew she had done the right thing when the North Carolina State coaches did their annual caravan around the state.

"I was 100 percent sure," Harper said.

Now comes the hard part, moving the program to a new place. Harper said her focus has been on the players.

"I can't imagine what those kids went through the last couple of years," Harper said. "Not only dealing with the loss of their head coach, but still trying to be student-athletes, with the uncertainty of the future of the program. There were so many things weighing on them."

The Wolfpack returns four starters and three seniors to the team that struggled to a 13-17 mark last season. Her starting lineup in Monday's exhibition game included junior Amber White, who missed last season with an Achilles tendon injury and sophomore Bonae Holston, who led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Harper, for her part, has worked hard to be visible and accessible, let the community in Raleigh get to know her better.

"I want to meet the fans, I want to get myself out in front of them," Harper said. "I want our program to be supported. I want them to step out and play in front of big crowds. I feel like they deserve that."

EXHIBITION FUN: The games that mean nothing have begun. Division I teams around the land playing an exhibition game or two before the real action begins next week.

That doesn't mean some of the scores aren't interesting.

For example, Tennessee defeated Cardinal Newman 124-34 a couple of days after Pat Summitt said her team has been overrated in the national polls. A 90-point win might not be a portend for the Final Four, but it certainly suggests that the Lady Vols have plenty of offensive game. Six players scored in double figures.

At one point in the first half, junior Angie Bjorklund had more points individually than Cardinal Newman had collectively as a team.

On the opposite coast, Oregon tried out its new fast-break offense under coach Paul Westhead and defeated Southern Oregon 109-47. Oregon got to triple digits without senior guard Taylor Lilley, who missed the game with an ankle injury.

Oregon hadn't hit double-digits on the scoreboard in any game -- exhibition or otherwise -- since 2005 and not at home since 1998.

Harper Filling Yow's Big Shoes at N.C. State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon Women's Coach Paul Westhead Working to Get His Ducks in a Row

Michelle Smith — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:43:00 EST

Filed under: Oregon, Pac-10, Women's Basketball

Paul Westhead spent 18 years coaching college basketball, making stops at La Salle, Loyola Marymount and George Mason. But for the first time in his long basketball life, he said he feels like he's coaching in a true college town.

Westhead is embracing life in Eugene, Oregon, the single-mindedness of its residents when it comes to green and yellow, football Saturdays at Autzen Stadium, and the fact that he's got a ready-made base of rabid fans just waiting for him to turn the Oregon women's basketball program into a winner again.

"I'm doing morning coffee talks with fans, radio shows, they are itching," Westhead said. "This is a whole new world for me. Especially with football. In all of my jobs, I've never been in a program with a football program. It really changes the feeling around campus. Everybody in this town is all about the U of O."

That feeling of change is something Westhead is trying to instill on the team. The Ducks are running, hard and fast every day at practice, implementing Westhead's trademark fast-break system, trying to catch up to success.

Oregon had long been one of the Pac-10's top-tier programs with a regular runs at the NCAA field and strong fan support. But it's been a rough few years for the Ducks, who have finished in the upper half of the conference standings (a tie for second in 2004-05) just once in the last eight years.

Oregon went to the NCAA Tournament every year from 1994-2001 and only once since. Last year's 9-21 mark set a school record for losses. Home crowds at Mac Court have declined precipitously in conjunction with the team's competitive decline.

And so the 70-year-old Westhead took the first women's college coaching job of his career as a replacement for Bev Smith, who was let go after eight seasons.

Westhead is the only coach to have titles in the NBA and WNBA, the latter with the Phoenix Mercury two years ago. He's being paid commensurate -- a reported $3 million over five years with an agreement that he's only required to spend nine months a year in Eugene -- with his long track record of success.

In late-March, when Westhead was hired, Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny said he hoped that Westhead's up-tempo system would sell tickets as well as win games. But first he has to teach it to a group of players he didn't recruit.

The returning Oregon players are adapting to fit the system.

"Of the dozen or so players we have, my sense is, whether they are a good fit or not, they are really working to be a fit," Westhead said. "More power to them. Maybe we don't have 12 players who are ideal fast-break players, but we have a dozen players who want to do it."

Senior forward Michaela Cocks said the players are "on the bandwagon", enjoying a system that is opening up their offensive skills and getting them in the best shape of their careers.

"I'm loving it and I know the other players are loving it," Cocks said. "It's just a really good feeling out there. Coach Westhead has made the system very simple ... it's not complicated. The girls are responding really well, conditioning, putting up extra shots.

"There are quite a few of us juniors and seniors who have come from losing seasons and it's not fun," Cocks said. "We understand that we have to change this, and just listening is not enough, we have to believe in it."

Cocks said that no one has said "this isn't the system for me."

"We can change. We are going to go out and do what he needs," Cocks said. "It's not like it's easy, but you don't get results doing things that are easy, and people are starting to see that."

Oregon was the lowest-scoring team in the Pac-10 last season, averaging less than 57 points a game. Westhead's offense almost assuredly will change that.

"I'd be shocked if we didn't score bunches, but notice I didn't say win bunches," Westhead said. "But we are definitely going to increase the energy level."

Oregon Women's Coach Paul Westhead Working to Get His Ducks in a Row originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After Defections, Cal, Washington Are Pac-10 Favorites

Gary Washburn — Sat, 16 May 2009 21:15:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State, Pac-10, NBA Prospects, Oregon State

The upheaval at USC and constant defections at UCLA may have sent conference supremacy north.

The NBA draft's early entries have one month to return to school (June 15), but it doesn't appear any of the Pac-10 entries are coming back. Six underclassmen -- USC's DeMar DeRozan and Taj Gibson, UCLA's Jrue Holiday, the Arizona duo of Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger and Arizona State's James Harden -- will participate in the draft combine beginning May 28 in Chicago, and none are likely to return to their schools. Even Holiday, a projected late first-rounder, is reportedly close to hiring an agent and remaining in the draft.

UCLA also loses All-America point guard Darren Collison and key scorer Josh Shipp, leaving the Bruins young, raw and virtually unproven. The Trojans, meanwhile, who made an improbable run to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Pac-10 tournament, could be gutted with Daniel Hackett likely headed for Italy, top recruit Renardo Sidney bolting for Mississippi State and the program under major scrutiny regarding allegations of payments to representatives for former guard O.J. Mayo. Coach Tim Floyd, if he remains at USC, will be in another major rebuilding mode in Los Angeles.

Such ruin in Southern California and major defections with the Arizona schools leaves the two most stable programs in Washington and California. The Huskies lose all-time rebounder Jon Brockman and solid guard Justin Dentmon, but coach Lorenzo Romar will depend on freshman talent along with Pac-10 Freshman of the Year Isaiah Thomas, improving Quincy Pondexter, who sparkled toward season's end, and defensive ace Venoy Overton.

Romar, always a master recruiter, was able to get Tacoma, Wash., guard Abdul Gabby, who is expected to join Thomas in the backcourt. Bruising juco forward Charles Garcia and freshman Clarence Trent will make the Huskies perhaps the deepest team on the West Coast.

California returns four of the five starters that stunned the conference by winning 22 games and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Gifted but enigmatic swingman Patrick Christopher decided to return to school for his senior season while speedy guard Jerome Randle and redshirt senior Theo Robertson give the Bears a chance to compete for the conference title.

And there will be some noise heard from the Oregon schools with Ernie Kent's job essentially at stake this season and the Ducks coming off an awful 2-16 conference record. Craig Robinson brought home a CBI title -- College Basketball Invitational for those non-diehards -- to Oregon State in his first season and the Beavers return their top four scorers.

After Defections, Cal, Washington Are Pac-10 Favorites originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 16 May 2009 21:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Women's Hoops Gets Serious in Pac-10

Gary Washburn — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:43:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State, Pac-10, Coaches, Oregon State

Stanford has ruled the Pac-10 Women's basketball landscape for the past 20 years, and California and Arizona State have recently emerged to make the conference a three-team scramble for supremacy. But two recent hires by Oregon and USC have made it apparent that women's basketball is indeed becoming a higher priority on the West Coast.

Oregon shocked the women's basketball community by hiring former NBA championship coach Paul Westhead to replace the fired Bev Smith. Westhead was fired along with P.J. Carlesimo from the Oklahoma City Thunder in December, but he comes to Eugene, Ore., with a WNBA title from the Phoenix Mercury.

While Oregon has been a fruitful recruiting base for Stanford and other national powers, the Ducks have advanced to just one NCAA tournament since 2001. Westhead's fast-paced style should attract recruits and some much-needed attention to the program. Meanwhile, USC athletic director Mike Garrett nabbed five-time NBA champion Michael Cooper to lead the Trojans, who haven't been a national power since the days of Cheryl Miller and Cynthia Cooper.

"He has coached and played at the highest level and with the greatest players in the world," Garrett said after the announcement. "He'll be an excellent in-game coach, he'll do a great job preparing his teams and he'll wow the recruits. And I'll say this: we'll be a strong team defensively."

Cooper won two WNBA titles with the Los Angeles Sparks and will coach the Sparks this summer and take over the USC program in the fall. The hiring of Cooper away from the WNBA is a serious indication that Garrett wants the women's program to snatch some of the attention given to Stanford, which has reached two consecutive Final Fours and won at least a share of the past nine Pac-10 titles.

Women's basketball is getting increasing national attention and prestige but West Coast schools have ignored this trend. Stanford is the lone Pac-10 program to consistently compete with the powers -- UConn, Tennessee, Rutgers -- on the East. But if Cooper and Westhead have any say, that will change quickly.

Women's Hoops Gets Serious in Pac-10 originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 07 May 2009 15:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pac-10 Roundup: Arizona Teams Struggle, LA Teams Roll

Shane Bacon — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:48:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Pac-10, Oregon State

On a night when the University of Arizona honored famed coach Lute Olson during halftime, something became very clear as the ceremonial speeches ended and the basketball began. If the Wildcats want to continue their NCAA streak of 25 consecutive tournament appearances, they would need more than an uplifting video (it got dusty in my apartment) and the memory of a coach that has been through a lot the last two years. The Wildcats need a W.

It wasn't happening, as Jerome Randle absolutely murdered the 'Cats in the second half, helping California (22-8, 11-6) improve to third in the Pac-10 with the 83-77 win and put the Wildcats in another uncomfortable position similar to last season -- leaving their March Madness dreams up to chance.

Arizona's Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill did all they could do to keep their team in the game, combining for 52 fo the Wildcat's 77 points, but Randle was absolutely molten from outside, hitting 8-of-11 threes, all coming when the momentum looked to be shifting.

Now, the Wildcats (18-12, 8-9) have to beat Stanford on Saturday and possibly win their first Pac-10 Tournament game to have a chance at making the NCAA Tournament. That task probably seemed a lot more likely before Arizona went on a four-game losing streak, and Stanford didn't show themselves to be capable of taking down a talented Arizona State team on the road as they did on Thursday, 74-64.

In Tempe on Thursday, the Sun Devils were abysmal, going 0-for-6 to start the game and scoring their first basket with 11:50 left in the first half. This was the third-straight loss for an ASU team that looked to be securing a solid spot in the postseason picture before the trip last week to Washington. Now, the Sun Devils have California on Sunday to try and get some positive momentum going before they head to Los Angeles for the Pac-10s.

UCLA and USC both rolled over Oregon State and Oregon, respectively, on Thursday. The No. 17 Bruins are doing the opposite dance of the Arizona teams, carding their third-straight win and improving their tournament resume as the days roll by. The win also kept them in the hunt for a split of the Pac-10 crown, needing a win on Saturday against Oregon and a loss by Washington to Washington State.

Josh Shipp had a career-high 27 points for the Bruins, and DeMar DeRozan of Southern California had 19 in the Trojans' rout of the Ducks.

Pac-10 Roundup: Arizona Teams Struggle, LA Teams Roll originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon Finally Wins a Pac-10 Game

Chas Rich — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:17:00 EST

Filed under: Oregon, Stanford, Pac-10

It takes a lot of work, effort and luck to go winless for the year in a conference. It means dropping heated rivalry games. It means not being able to win at home. It means the team is beyond bad, but also unlucky. Oregon has been all of that this year. Finally, though, the Ducks broke through by beating Stanford 68-60.

This game was an immovable object meeting an irresistible force -- only not. Oregon had been winless in the Pac-10, while Stanford was winless on the road in the conference. Something had to give and in the end it was the Cardinal.

Neither team was particularly impressive -- which should not be surprising for the ninth and tenth place teams in the Pac-10. Oregon just did a little bit more than Stanford to get the win. They shot a hair better from the field. They made one more free throw than Stanford. They hit one more three. They grabbed one more offensive board. They turned the ball over just a little less. It added up to the win.

Oregon joins Georgia in getting free from the fear of being a winless team in a major conference. That leaves only DePaul in the Big East as the only team still capable of going winless this season in conference play. The other winless in conference teams this year include Air Force in the Mountain West and Southeast Missouri State in the Ohio Valley.

Oregon Finally Wins a Pac-10 Game originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UCLA Not Underrated at All

Adam Papagiorgio — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:04:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State, Pac-10, Oregon State

This is never why you listen to the stat heads. They will let you down. Just when you start to doubt UCLA, the Bruins go on a huge winning streak with impressive wins. And just when you completely buy in and believe that UCLA has turned the corner, the Bruins lose on the road at Arizona State, 74-67.

Are we ever going to get an accurate read on this team or are we doomed to be on the back end of a trend?

Probably the latter.

Now, let's not sell No. 18 Arizona State short here. It is a very good basketball team (though, its fans should act like it and not rush the court) and already has a win at Pauley Pavilion. So this shouldn't have been a huge surprise, even though it sure feels like one. The Bruins had looked so good recently, I thought this was going to be a blowout. Factor in a home loss to the Sun Devils and this spelled revenge game.

Arizona State was ready. The Sun Devils were a dog at home (tough for a ranked team) and they played like they took that personally. The defense was great, and James Harden relishes playing against his hometown team. The Devils don't need to worry about the bubble any longer.

Now, you have to question UCLA, which still has not beaten a Top 25 opponent. The projected No. 5 seed seems pretty fair right now, and the Bruins don't seem underrated at all. And all of you college basketball fans know too well that No. 5 is the most dreaded seed in the tournament (outside of No. 16, of course). After a remarkable run of Final Four appearances, could UCLA be looking at a first-round knock this season?

Bruins fans had better hope I'm picking that way.

In other Pac-10 action:

Arizona 83, USC 76: The Wildcats are going to end up making it to the tournament. The streak is going to live. But if Arizona goes to the tournament, is that enough to get Russ Pennell the full-time gig? Wildcats fans will say no, but I think he will get the nod.

Washington State 67, Oregon 38: Ducks fans should prepare themselves for taunts of "Hang Time" in the near future. If Oregon hasn't called Reggie Theus yet, what is it waiting for? Theus is the best possible coaching candidate out there. The Ducks should pull the plug on Ernie Kent right now. This is just sad. Look for Oregon to take its name off the jersey again. And who could blame them?

Washington 79, Oregon State 60: The Huskies really needed this state of Oregon sweep. Oh sorry, was that me already giving Washington Saturday's game against Oregon? Well, really, you can hardly blame me.

UCLA Not Underrated at All originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Arizona State on the Bubble?

Adam Papagiorgio — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, Pac-10

Arizona State was swept by the Washington schools over the weekend, and now fans in Tempe might be growing concerned that Herb Sendek's bunch is close to being on the bubble. But let's not push the panic button just yet.

In the latest Bracketology, Arizona State is a No. 8 seed, the lowest seeded team of any of the Pac-10 schools. And that's kind of a surprise. Cal is a No. 7 seed despite losing four of its last five games. In fact, the Golden Bears lone win during that stretch is over Oregon (more on them in a second).

Joe Lunardi has Baylor, St. Mary's, BYU and Penn State as his last four teams in the tournament. So that should show that the Sun Devils are safe. For now.

Arizona State has a troubling pattern of losing that Thursday game, then ratcheting up the intensity for that marquee Saturday game. That worked when ASU won at UCLA. Didn't work out so well against Washington.

So the Sun Devils aren't a bubble team right now, but they must improve their consistency.

Other notes around the Pac-10.

If the Reggie Theus watch hasn't started in Oregon, it should. Ernie Kent has been the Ducks coach for so long, he will likely get the entire season to try to turn this thing around. But Oregon (and Nike) shouldn't wait too long to pull the trigger. Arizona might figure into the mix here at well.

Arizona swept the Washington schools. Wildcats fans are going to be looking for a big-name coach in the offseason. But if Russ Pennell gets this team to the tournament, can you get rid of him? Decisions. And ask yourself, which is going to be the more attractive job? Arizona or Oregon? Arizona has the history, but Oregon is going to have the money.

UCLA looked more aggressive this weekend, and if they continue to play like that, they can do some damage.

Is Arizona State on the Bubble? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon Coach Ernie Kent's End Is Near

Chas Rich — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:42:00 EST

Filed under: Oregon, Pac-10, Oregon State

Ernie Kent is an Oregon alumnus and has had a fairly successful tenure in Oregon, but the Kent era seems to be drawing to a close. The Ducks went 6-6 before conference play and have slumped to an 0-9 mark in the Pac-10 after falling to Oregon State 57-54.

The Ducks lack inside scoring and their defense has been horrible. Only guards Tajuan Porter and LeKendric Longmire have shown much fire for Oregon in conference play. That really seems about it. Part of it is youth, but that also goes to the coaching.
The Ducks' outrebounded the Beavers by 15 and Oregon State shot miserably from the free throw stripe, but Oregon couldn't take care of the ball or stop Oregon State defensively. The Beavers shot nearly 50 percent overall and better than 50 percent from outside the arc.

Oregon State shoots the ball effectively, but their defense is suspect. Against Oregon, however, the Beavers looked a lot better than they are, helped by the fact that Ducks other than Porter or Longmire hit just eight of the 25 shots they hoisted.

Still, Oregon State is actually riding a four-game winning streak and are clearly improving as the season continues. Craig Robinson has this team playing much better as a team than the individual talent. The team that started the season losing to Howard, Nevada-Reno, Yale and Montana State no longer resembles the team now playing in Corvallis.

That only creates more pressure on Ernie Kent at Oregon. The Ducks are getting closer to a shiny new arena, and Kent has been there for 12 years. There seems to be a weariness with Kent. He has reportedly felt unappreciated at times by Oregon, but has also put his name out for other jobs, which hardly endears him to the fans and boosters.

Oregon Coach Ernie Kent's End Is Near originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Wall Won't Be Swayed By Derrick Favors' Decision to Attend Georgia Tech

Will Brinson — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:20:00 EST

Filed under: Duke, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Memphis, NC State, Oregon, ACC, Big 12, NBA Prospects, Coaches, Recruiting, University of Miami

Derrick Favors and John Wall are the top two recruits in the nation -- Favors, as we mentioned yesterday, was rated number one by Scouts and Wall has been listed as Rivals number one overall prospect.

Favors is now off the board, having committed to be a Yellow Jacket for ~~one year~~ his college career. Wall, meanwhile, remains on the market, so to speak, but there's good news for the teams (Baylor, Duke, N.C. State, Memphis mainly; Kansas, Oregon and Miami are also in consideration) currently pursuing the point guard.

He won't be swayed by Favors decision to attend Georgia Tech when making his decision.

Word of God [Raleigh] coach Levi Beckwith confirmed that notion Thursday.

"I doubt he's going to Georgia Tech," Beckwith said, laughing during a telephone interview.

"I don't think he's sitting by the TV or sitting by the radio trying to find a reason to go where he's going to go," Beckwith said.

So, in theory, if you're Sidney Lowe and the NCSU Wolfpack, you're feeling fairly decent about your chances. Although, purportedly, Wall's commitment to the Pack would probably hinge on landing DeMarcus Cousins. Otherwise, expect to see him roll to one of the higher profiles schools that have courted him for the past few years; although regardless, he's going to hold off for a while before announcing where he actually attends.

John Wall Won't Be Swayed By Derrick Favors' Decision to Attend Georgia Tech originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If You Were Skeptical About Cal, Don't Be

Adam Papagiorgio — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:25:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Washington, Washington State, Pac-10, Oregon State

Washington State certainly isn't the team it wa in the past. But you can't overlook the effort Cal showed in Pullman, Wash., Thursday night in a 57-50 win.The Cougars no longer have the superstars they once had, but they still play pretty good defense. Washington State held Bears star guard Jerome Randle to only eight points, well below from his 20-points-per-game average.

Yet, Cal didn't fold.

Instead, other players stepped up. Patrick Christopher scored 22 points, and was 4-of-6 from 3-point range. This is the kind of team effort you can expect from a team coached by Mike Montgomery. This would have been a huge letdown game for Cal in the past. Especially after such a huge win against Arizona State. A trip to Pullman would have easily derailed the momentum of this team under the former regime.

In fact, you can reason that this game says more about Cal's character than its upset win over Arizona State. Look at what Boston College did after it beat No. 1 North Carolina -- it lost to Harvard. But the Bears didn't fold, instead putting up a great effort. This win is pretty impressive and Cal fans, go ahead and get excited about this team.

Some other games around the Pac-10 Thursday:

Washington 84, Stanford 83: The Cardinal, on the other hand, you can be very skeptical about. Stanford can't play Cal State Northridge every week, eh? Saturday's game at Washington State will be a big test for them. Washington has put together some nice wins, but they still need to beat a good team. Beating Stanford is a nice start. But they need to prove it against UCLA, Arizona State and -- can you believe it? -- Cal.

No. 20 Arizona State 69, Oregon State 38: The Sun Devils had no trouble bouncing back from their loss to Cal. And this was the game they were giving us on free television. What gives? And what's up with Oregon State? Are they packing it in after win its token Pac-10 game of the seasons? This makes USC look even worse.

Arizonan 67, Oregon 52: Did they play "Glory Days" during halftime? Congratulations Oregon, you are the bigger underachiever.

If You Were Skeptical About Cal, Don't Be originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Would Reggie Theus Look Good in Nike?

Adam Papagiorgio — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Oregon, Pac-10, Coaches

Deposed Sacramento Kings coach Reggie Theus isn't going to be unemployed for very long. He's just too good of a coach to be thrown by the wayside. And while another run in the NBA isn't out of the question, Theus should seriously consider returning to college basketball where he achieved some success turning around New Mexico State's basketball program.

But where would be the best fit for Reggie?

New Mexico State would certainly welcome him back. The Aggies are 4-4 under Theus' successor Marvin Menzies. But somehow, I don't believe that Theus will be going back to Las Cruces. UNLV has long been Theus' dream job, but Lon Kruger isn't going anywhere.

Reggie's best bet might be in the Pac-10.

The two programs that jump out at you are Arizona and Oregon.

The Wildcats are making their case for coach Russ Pennell following a huge upset over No. 4 Gonzaga on Sunday night. Arizona is now 7-2 and that should be enough for the interim coach to keep his gig. But with the flood of recruits leaving, I'd still stand by my earlier assessment that Arizona is desperately close to being a mid-major. But I see them staying inside the box to keep Pennell. Arizona doesn't make bold moves.

That leaves Oregon. The school gave Ernie Kent a contract extension this summer, but come on, this is Oregon. A school that basically prints money. At least it prints Nike money. If Phil Knight wants to get Theus as coach of the Ducks, it's going to happen. When Oregon wanted to take Cal State baseball coach George Horton out of Fullerton, they just threw a lot of money at him.

Oregon would be a great spot for Theus. He's already proven that he could win with a mid-major. Combine that with the prestige of the Pac-10 and the seemingly unlimited resources in Eugene, this move seems like -- forgive the expression -- a slam dunk. And if I was Oregon, I wouldn't wait until the end of the season to make this move, either.

Would Reggie Theus Look Good in Nike? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maui Invitational Day 2 Recap: Notre Dame Squeaks By Texas While UNC Rolls

Shiloh Carder — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:25:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, UNC, Alabama, North Carolina

Well, I guess all the college basketball honks get what they wanted: Luke Harangody's Notre Dame Fighting Irish facing off against Tyler Hansbrough and the North Carolina Tar Heels for the Maui Invitational championship.

Notre Dame 81, Texas 80: Harangody poured in 29 points and grabbed 11 boards in the win for the Irish. Notre Dame had to watch an A.J. Abrams half-court heave hit the front of the rim before celebrating their hard-fought win. The Irish made this game closer than it should have been as they missed 11 of their 21 free throw attempts. This is the only one of the eight games played in the Maui Invitational to have a margin of victory under 18 points.

North Carolina 98, Oregon 69: The Heels jumped all over Oregon early with aggressive defense and an offense that, when ran the way Roy Williams wants, looks unstoppable. Danny Green led the way again with 21 points.

Alabama 78, Chaminade 56: Bama used a 23-2 run to create seperation from the Silverswords. Senario Hillman set a career-high with 22 points.

St. Joseph's 80, Indiana 54: It's going to be a long year in Bloomington. How many Hoosier fans out there are scared that Indiana may lose to Chaminade tomorrow? Show of hands!

Today is the final day in Maui and there are some interesting games on the slate. Indiana will try to avoid further embarassment against Chaminade; Texas and Oregon should have a track meet for a game; Alabama and St. Joe's try to get another win; Oh and North Carolina vs Notre Dame.

Maui Invitational Day 2 Recap: Notre Dame Squeaks By Texas While UNC Rolls originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maui Invitational Day 1 Recap: Top Teams Move On

Shiloh Carder — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, Alabama

While you are bundled up in the northeast and midwest, there are some young men hanging out in Hawaii and playing basketball. Lucky!

Day 1 went as expected as the three teams that have a legit shot at winning this all moved on pretty handily. All four games were pretty much blowouts and make for an interesting day today.

North Carolina 115, Chaminade 70: The Tar Heels didn't need a resting Tyler Hansbrough as they used their elite talent to just crush the Silverswords. Danny Green scored a career-high 26 points and became the "oop" to a lot of "alleys". It was the second worst beating Chaminade has suffered in this tournament.

Notre Dame 88, Indiana 50: Last year, Indiana head coach Tom Crean took his Marquett team to the Maui finals (they lost to Duke). This year's trip doesn't compare. The battered Hoosiers were just manhandled by the cross-state Fighting Irish. All the stars at Notre Dame did their thing, including a ho-hum 14 points from Luke Harangody.

Texas 68, St. Joseph's 50: The Longhorns woke up early (a 10 a.m. local start) and showed off their amazing defense yet again. St. Joe's shot a horrid 30% from the field and 4-of-23 from behind the arc. They also turned the ball over 18 times. Texas' offense wasn't as impressive, though it did get the job done.

Oregon 92, Alabama 69: How about the speed out there when Oregon's Tajuan Porter faces UNC's Ty Lawson? Forget that, how about the Oregon jerseys and shoes with a special Hawaiian print? The Ducks play on the court was stylish too as they shot 52.5% from the field while holding Bama to 37%.

Today will be fun. The showdown will be between No. 7 Texas and No. 8 Notre Dame (7 p.m. ET) while North Carolina will take on Oregon (9:30 p.m. ET). In the losers bracket, St. Joe's takes on Indiana while host Chaminade will face Alabama.

Maui Invitational Day 1 Recap: Top Teams Move On originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stacked Field, All-Americans and Speedy Guards Highlight Maui Invitational

Shiloh Carder — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:18:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, UNC, Fans, Alabama, North Carolina

The Maui Classic has always been one of the must-see events of the early part of the college basketball season. You get to see coaches in Hawaiian shirts (picture Phil Martelli), beautiful bump shots of the beaches and some good hoops action.

This year's Invitational is no different. The No. 1 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels headline the event which begins today. But they aren't the only story to watch as six of the eight teams in Maui were in the NCAA Tournament last year:

North Carolina: The top ranked team is the favorite to win this thing but the Heels are coming in on shaky ground. Marcus Ginyard is still out as is Tyler Zeller who is done for the year with a broken wrist. The story will be Tyler Hansbrough's shin. He played Friday against UCSB but will see his minutes carefully monitored this week. If he does well, so will the Heels.

Notre Dame: Doesn't everyone want to see a matchup of Hansbrough and Luke Harangody? It could happen if the Irish get by the Texas Longhorns. The key to winning the Maui will be Mike Brey's coaching against some of the biggest names in the nation.Texas: Everyone talks about what UNC brought back this year but Texas returns nine of its top 10 scorers from last year. Okay, the one they lost was D.J. Augustin but the cupboard isn't bare. The Horns are the obvious darkhorse in this tournament as A.J. Abrams should give fits to Kyle McAlarney or Wayne Ellington. Boy are there some outstanding guards in this thing!

Alabama: The Tide aren't that solid of a team and will ride the coattails of Ronald Steele. Steele redshirted last year after double knee surgery. It will nice to see what he can do in this type of atmosphere.

Oregon: The Ducks are young but they, too, have a star. Tajuan Porter is a micro-marvel who can pop his shot off from anywhere. Forget Hansbrough-Harangody; I want to see Porter and Steele go toe-to-toe in the first round.

St. Joseph's: I think every event needs to have a guy like Phil Martelli there. He's funny, self-defacing and a darn good coach. Don't forget that the Hawks made the dance last year and are capable of pulling an upset in this tournament.

Indiana: Imagine what this dance would have been if the Hoosiers didn't go down in flames. Still, Tom Crean will expect his team to show up and playing alongside some outstanding programs in Maui will help them in the long haul. Also it is nice to send the kids that actually stuck around on a trip to Hawaii.

Chaminade: The Silverswords are the hosts who did win a game over Princeton in last season's tournament. Their win over top-ranked Virginia over 25 years ago will be talked about quite a bit as they face this year's No. 1 Tar Heels.

Stacked Field, All-Americans and Speedy Guards Highlight Maui Invitational originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Pac-10

Adam Papagiorgio — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State, Pac-10, Oregon State

With the fall beginning and college basketball just around the corner, it's time to look back at what our favorite teams did during their summer vacations. Some did some good things; some had a bad time. So let's look back at who did what in our How I Spent My Summer Vacation series.

Today's look is the Pac-10 Conference.

The Pac 10 is coming off a season where six of its members (Arizona State was jobbed) reached the field of 64. And UCLA was bounced in the Final Four, again. Hey, at least it's not the Sweet 16 anymore, UCLA. Although, you have to wonder if the Bruins squandered their best shot under Ben Howland. No matter, the team is loaded again. So you could probably pencil the Bruins in for the Final Four. Just figuring out who will beat them is the kicker.

Let's see how each team did during its summer vacation.

Arizona
The good news is that Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill and Nic Wise all return from last year's team, but head coach Lute Olson won't after a dramatic resignation in October and revelation that he'd suffered a stroke and suffered from depression. Not much else has gone right for Arizona since. The Wildcats lost three recruits in the immediate aftermath of Olson's departure and likely hobble into the season a bit shellshocked.

Arizona State
Coach Herb Sendek and the Sun Devils were screwed out of the tournament, but there is a solid program building in Tempe. He recently scored a verbal agreement from Corey Hawkins, son of former NBA guard Hershey Hawkins. Corey, however, is a junior, so there will be some waiting. But this is a sign that the Devils are on the rise. And why shouldn't they be? They have a beautiful campus, beautiful women and a pretty good facility. Expect them to make some noise and be players in the Pac-10 this season.

Cal
The cross-bay rivalry between Stanford and Cal took a new turn as Mike Montgomery was introduced as the Bears new leading man. Montgomery said that he now has a bigger recruiting window in Cal, than he did at Stanford. The team did lose top recruit Garrett Sim, who went to Oregon. Because obviously Sim hates good coaching.

Oregon
The Ducks extended the contract of Ernie Kent, proving that they don't like good coaching, either. Hey, just trying to have a little fun here, folks. Kent gets a lot of heat from Ducks fans, and it seems a little bit undeserved. He takes the Ducks to the tournament every year and has a couple of Elite 8 appearances. Now suddenly the fans in Eugene think they are UCLA fans. And that shouldn't quell this season, with a young team and Tajuan Porter. But Michael Dunigan is a nice player and this team should at least be interesting. But face it Ducks fans, you are going to have Kent to kick around for a while.

Oregon State
The Beavers long for the success that Kent has provided at Oregon. Craig Robinson is the new coach in Corvallis. Robinson is the brother-in-law of presidential nominee Barack Obama. He even appeared at the Democratic national convention. Now he is trying to show that he is an agent of change in college basketball.

Stanford
The Trees hired a new coach, Johnny Dawkins from that great coach factory, Duke. Of course, Montgomery was hired at Cal before Trent Johnson bailed for LSU, preventing a reunion. (Nice career move, Johnson. Why leave the Pac-10 for the SEC?) Dawkins was unsuccessful in his first order of business -- finding a pair of 7-foot twins to replace the Lopez twins.

Washington
Remember that time when the Huskies were actually a pretty good basketball team? The Huskies were coming off consecutive Sweet 16 berths in 2005 and 2006. Now they languish behind Washington State and Gonzaga in the state of Washington. Lorenzo Romar probably isn't in jeopardy, but he's getting close. Jon Brockman returns and he's still a load. But reports indicate that he's much leaner and has some new post moves. Expect the Huskies to play that up-tempo style that Romar used earlier in his tenure with Washington.

Washington State
The Cougars only return two starters, losing most of its scoring. Which, of course, means they only lost about 20 points per game. Just kidding, people. Tony Bennett was brought in an outstanding freshman class to help his team remain among Pac-10 elite. One of those recruits is Klay Thompson who, just like his dad Mychal, doesn't know how to spell his first name.

UCLA
The Bruins will miss Kevin Love, but Howland has the team loaded again. Darren Collison, Mike Roll and Josh Shipp all return. Jrue Holliday, J'Mison Morgan, Jerime Lee and Malcom Lee bring a lot of athleticism to the team. Morgan (6-foot-10), will be a monster down low. Morgan had originally committed to LSU, but probably made a wise choice coming to Pauly. UCLA will be much more athletic this year and should be able to dominate and a Final Four berth is the minimum.

USC
There is an old Jerry Tarkanian quote -- at least attributed to him -- that the NCAA was so pissed at (insert big name school here) that they put (insert mid-major school here) on probation. While USC is not a mid-major school, you have to wonder if the basketball program will eventually be held responsible for all of the alleged activities of the school's football team. Does that seem fair? No. But this is the NCAA. The Trojans hoop team could end up paying dearly for the O.J. Mayo payment allegations. And if not, maybe Yahoo! can do some more investigations.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Pac-10 originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Uh, Oh! North Carolina Faces Chaminade in First Round of Maui Invitational

Shiloh Carder — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:48:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, UNC, ACC

The Maui Invitational has listed the brackets for their tournament and there is a very interesting game that highlights the list: North Carolina vs Chaminade.

North Carolina should enter the tournament as the #1 team in the country. Chaminade, the host school, only pulled off what may be the biggest upset in college basketball history.

It was 26 years ago when Chaminade upset Ralph Sampson's #1 Virginia Cavaliers while everyone was sleeping.

The winner of the UNC-Chaminade game will take on the winner of Oregon-Alabama.

Another interesting first round matchup will be when Notre Dame faces Indiana. That seems like a pretty tough first round match for both squads until you remember that the Hoosiers don't really have anyone on their roster. Still, it pits the two most popular schools in that state. Texas or St. Joseph's will play the winner.

Uh, Oh! North Carolina Faces Chaminade in First Round of Maui Invitational originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon (Surprisingly) Extends Ernie Kent's Contract Through 2013

Shiloh Carder — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:52:00 EST

Filed under: Oregon, Pac-10, Coaches

In a bit of shocking news, Oregon extended head basketball coach Ernie Kent's contract through the 2012-2013 season. His salary will be $1.06 million during that period with his assistant coaches also receiving a raise.

The reason this is shocking is that Kent seemed to be on thin ice with the Ducks. It's really no fault of his own: he's taken the Ducks to the NCAA Tournament five times in since 2000 ... including the past two seasons. He has led Oregon to the Elite Eight twice. Only seven coaches from BCS schools have held their job longer than Kent's 11 seasons in Eugene.

He is a very nice recruiter and has overseen a new golden age for an Oregon program that wasn't too good when he got there.

Still, there have been harsh critics. Some say he can't develop the talent of his top recruits and there was that down period from 2004-2006 when the Ducks missed the tournament and once finished with losing record. Kent has also had some person issues that were gossiped about. There are also some very wealthy boosters at Oregon who don't like him (they want Gonzaga's Mark Few ... now!) as they pay for a new arena.

It seems as if Kent will be there for the opening for the new digs ... or those boosters forking over some money to buy Kent out. Either way, he finally has a little room to breathe.

Oregon (Surprisingly) Extends Ernie Kent's Contract Through 2013 originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today's Big Winner: Maui Invitational

Shiloh Carder — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: UNC Basketball, Alabama Basketball, Indiana Basketball, Oregon Basketball, Notre Dame Basketball, NCAA Basketball Fans

With all the people watching who will stay and who will go in the NBA Draft today, this has been quite a day. And one place who was really interested in what happened was miles away and had no players on the fence:

The Maui Invitational.

See, North Carolina headlines the event and they just learned that all three of their "water testers" will be returning next season. That means the Heels will most likely be the #1-ranked team in the land which will bring a lot of attention with it.

Texas and Alabama (who also are in the Maui) also learned that they'll get A.J. Abrams and Ronald Steele back, respectively. Sure, both lost a guy too (Texas: D.J. Augustin; Bama: Richard Hendrix) but they both will have more than decent teams returning.

Well, Indiana will still be there ... which could be a blessing or a curse. Obviously, the Hoosiers are going through a rough patch right now, but that could mean a bit more media coverage and fan interest in their trip to Hawaii.

Add in Notre Dame (ESPN's Andy Katz has them as the #4 team in the nation), St. Joseph's, Oregon and host Chaminade and this should be a fun event to watch.

And who wants to miss seeing Phil Martelli in a Hawaiian shirt?

Today's Big Winner: Maui Invitational originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon AD: I'd Probably Talk to Phil Knight (Before Hiring/Firing a New Coach)

Brian Grummell — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Oregon Football, Pac 10, Oregon Basketball, NCAA FB Video, The Word

Interesting piece from ESPN's "Outside the Lines" series profiling the unusual hiring of Oregon Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny. Kilkenny was a well-heeled Oregon booster with ties to former Nike founder Phil Knight.

OTL: "The next time you consider hiring or firing a coach will you call Phil Knight first? To see what he thinks?

PK: Yeah, I'd probably would talk to him about it, I would talk to some other donors too.

This kind of stuff makes the NCAA incredibly squeamish, but Kilkenny comes across as honest about the murkier aspects of his ascent and relationship with Knight.

Previously at FanHouse
Oregon's Filthy Rich AD Draws Preschool Teacher's Salary

Oregon AD: I'd Probably Talk to Phil Knight (Before Hiring/Firing a New Coach) originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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