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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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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Brittney Griner Cleared for Takeoff

Michelle Smith — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Stanford, Tennessee, Big 12, Women's Basketball

Dunks in women's basketball have been like meteors in the night sky, fleeting moments of excitement, flashes that fade quickly until the next one shows up. Six women have dunked in a college game, totaling 15 dunks.

When a dunk happens, it makes the highlight reel, sparks a brief discussion about the impact on the women's game and then fades away again.

But along comes Baylor's Brittney Griner, who promises a meteor shower. It's no overstatement to say that Griner will change the women's game beginning Sunday when the seventh-ranked Bears take on No. 8 Tennessee in Knoxville in the State Farm Tip-off Classic.

Griner is a 6-foot-8 freshman from Houston who dunks.

Regularly.

She dunked 52 times in her 32 high school games last season. She can dunk with two hands and hang on the rim. She can dunk from a standing position under the basket. In one video that has made the rounds on YouTube, she dunked off the backboard. She doesn't need an open lane or a running start. This is no novelty act.

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey acknowledged Monday that Griner's ability to dunk was part of the appeal of bringing her to the program. Baylor drew 6,000 for an exhibition game over the weekend and the fans didn't come to see the Bears beat up on Incarnate Word.

"There's an attraction for fans who don't like women's basketball, for those men who attack the game, an attraction for media because it's a highlight film."
-- Baylor coach Kim Mulkey They came to see Griner throw down. And with 14:25 left in the game, she did. It was not her first official dunk because it happened during an exhibition game, but it's almost assured that the masses won't have to wait long to see her do it again.

"I've never seen a girl play above the rim like Brittney," Mulkey said. "You're watching her on the computer or on TV on in person and it excites you because you are witnessing something you've never seen before."

Other high profile players have dunked in the women's games, most recently Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles, but Griner may be the first to make it routine.

There are two distinct camps in women's basketball when it comes to the dunk. There are those who think that dunking would be a boon to women's basketball, a chance for the game to get attention and respect and capture the interest of the mainstream sports fans.

And there are those who think that dunking should never be a standard of success for a game that will be played below the rim by the vast majority of players.

Griner's combination of size (she has a 7 1/2-foot wingspan) and athleticism is an extraordinary package. Her game is more than one-dimensional. She will block shots, she will score and she will rebound. But when it comes to dunking, she is the exception, no matter how far the game progresses.

But for as long as she plays, the women's game will have an element, a drawing card that it never had before. Mulkey said she's confident Griner will be able to handle the attention. She has plenty of experience.

"Brittney is going to have a lot of people focused on Baylor and watching her play," Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. "The fact is, she can dunk and it's not a challenge for her. She plays above the rim and that does generate more media, more television exposure and more excitement."

Summitt is in the "good for the game" camp. Mulkey is there as well.

"There's an attraction for fans who don't like women's basketball, for those men who attack the game, an attraction for media because it's a highlight film," Mulkey said.

Like Griner, Stanford's Nneka Ogwumike is from Houston and she is considered one of the most athletic players in the country. She jumps so high on rebounds and Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer jokes that she will get a goaltending call this year.

Ogwumike said Griner will "revolutionalize women's basketball. She does it so easily."

Ogwumike, who is 6-foot-3, doesn't dunk. Not yet.

"I've been thinking about it," Ogwumike said. "It's not that I don't want to do it. I've been thinking about doing it in practice this year, see how it goes."

Mulkey said she expects a lot of attention for Griner and the program welcomes it.

"I would welcome it even I wasn't at Baylor because I want people to appreciate women's basketball," Mulkey said.

Brittney Griner Cleared for Takeoff originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harper Filling Yow's Big Shoes

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 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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Never a Dull Moment for SEC Coaches

Chas Rich — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, SEC, Coaches

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive might have been hoping that when college football season ends, he would not have to be issuing weekly warnings to his high profile coaches to watch their mouths. But it looks more like he will be chiding coaches some time into April.

The addition of John Calipari at Kentucky means the SEC coaching family gatherings promise to be more entertaining. Calipari has never been one to build warm relationships with other coaches in his conference (right, John Chaney?). His soured relationship with Rick Pitino should make his meetings with Florida's Billy Donovan more interesting.

The warm and special relationship that was built during his time at Memphis, with Tennessee's Bruce Pearl will undoubtedly produce the most entertainment. .
As Calipari made no secret of his feelings at SEC basketball media day.

"He was trying to take over the state, and I wasn't going to let him," said Calipari. "I conceded the rest of the state other than Memphis.

"I'm not recruiting Knoxville, you're recruiting Memphis; that's why I didn't want to play him in a home-and-home (series)," Calipari said, his audience swelling as he spoke. "What good does it do for me to go to Knoxville, other than to play in front of 22,000 people in orange ... I can't stand the color."

Which should make his trip to Knoxville as well as Florida, for that matter, a little more spicy.

Pearl, who always seems to enjoy any and all attention played the good sport.

"Why would he like orange? I think that's great," Pearl said. "I said when I took this job I wanted Kentucky to be my rival. If we're not competitive, it's not a rivalry."

Then there is Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt to declare his lack of interest in public shots by coaches -- after he fired one.

"I don't agree with all the things Bruce does, or John will do ..." Stallings said. "I don't want to be out there publicly feuding with other coaches.

"If John and Bruce want to square off and have a 12-rounder, I'm sure people will pay attention to it. A little bit of that is probably good for the league."

Safe to say that SEC basketball is going to be a lot more entertaining this year. On and off the court.

Never a Dull Moment for SEC Coaches originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 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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After Cardiac Arrest, Negedu Out for Year

FanHouse Newswire — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:23:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee forward Emmanuel Negedu will not play or practice during the 2009-10 season but will remain on scholarship after suffering sudden cardiac arrest last week.

The 20-year-old sophomore from Kaduna, Nigeria, underwent surgery Tuesday to have a cardiac defibrillator implanted in his chest to monitor his heart's rhythm and delivery energy when an irregularity occurs.

"I just want to say thanks to all those people that care about me and show me they care," Negedu said in a statement. "God is going to see me through this. With God, all things are possible. God is always in control."

Negedu had just completed a team weightlifting session and had been racing a teammate on the Vols' indoor football field when he collapsed on Sept. 28. He lost consciousness and had no pulse.

Tennessee athletic trainer Chad Newman and director of sports medicine Jason McVeigh used an automatic external defibrillator and performed CPR to revive Negedu.

He underwent a battery of tests at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic in the week before his surgery. He's also spent time with his U.S. guardians, Frank and Alison Quirk, who were his host family while he attended Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H.

"Emmanuel is such a special young man," coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement. "You don't come across many like him. He's faced a tremendously frightening obstacle with unbelievable courage. He is going to be an inspiration to many, and we all feel truly blessed that he's still here with us."

After enrolling at Tennessee in the summer of 2008, Negedu underwent an echocardiogram and an electrocardiogram as part of the routine physical examinations for incoming Vols athletes. No issues were detected on those tests, the team said.

As a freshman, Negedu averaged 7.2 minutes, 1.9 rebounds and 1.7 points in 33 games. His biggest game came Jan. 28 against LSU, when he scored 11 points, grabbed two rebounds and had one assist and one block in 15 minutes of action.

After Cardiac Arrest, Negedu Out for Year originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bruce Pearl Apologizes for 'Hood' Joke

Michael David Smith — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:16:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, Coaches

Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl has apologized for telling a joke in which he contrasted some members of his team as being from "the hood" and others from parts of Tennessee "where they wear the hood."

Speaking at a charity event Thursday morning, Pearl said, "I've got guys from Chicago, Detroit -- I'm talking about the 'hood! And I've got guys from Grainger County, where they wear the hood.'' On Thursday evening he issued this apology:

"This morning while speaking at a private kick-off event for a great organization that benefits many local charities, I made a statement in jest to describe the diverse group our staff recruits year-in and year-out, " Pearl said.

"Unfortunately while I was trying to excite the crowd and encourage employees to give, I made an inappropriate joke. I certainly did not intend to offend anyone and I apologize to everyone, especially the people of Grainger County.

"In no way am I trying to justify what I said, but I'm disappointed that the focus has been placed on me rather than the charities I was there to help. My only hope is that the visibility of this mistake will encourage those who can to give to those in need during these difficult times.''

Although Pearl obviously chose his words poorly in telling the joke, I think he can be given a pass here. He was actually trying to celebrate the diversity of his team, and the fact that he quickly apologized should prevent this bad joke from getting Pearl into too much hot water.

Bruce Pearl Apologizes for 'Hood' Joke originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rejuvenated Pat Summitt Looks to Bring Pride Back to Tennessee Program

Michelle Smith — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, Coaches, Women's Basketball

Last we saw Pat Summitt, she was knocking heads in Knoxville, running her demoralized Lady Vols team through a rigorous practice just days after the season was over. Yes, over.

Her Tennessee team lost a first-round NCAA Tournament game for the first time in the history of the program to upstart Ball State and she was making a point, one that's still clearly and quickly articulated five months later.

"Losing is unacceptable at Tennessee," Summitt said Monday after finishing up a workout with several of her players. "They were the first team to be in that situation. They were obviously hurt and embarrassed. There's no question they knew that the former players were really disappointed and really upset about it. That had an impact too."

Yep, it was a long, unprecedented free-fall from defending national champion to first-round exit. But something had been off all year in Knoxville. Five starters left after winning the 2007 and 2008 titles and took the magic with them. Tennessee lost 11 games last season, eight to ranked teams. Not one player made the all-conference first-team. The Vols' No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament was their lowest-ever.

Last year's young Lady Vols tested Summitt's steely resolve, her sanity and generous nature. By the end of the season, they had lost their practice gear, their locker room and they were doing their own laundry.

But time heals wounds and frustrations. Summitt and her players have had the summer to digest, evaluate and, at least in the coach's case, go to the beach.

Summitt said she cut back on her public speaking schedule this summer and tried to carve out some time to rejuvenate with her feet in the sand.

"I feel like I have more energy," Summitt said. "I can tell a big difference."

Well, not THAT big of a difference. The locker room door is still locked. And Summit's clarity isn't exactly rose-colored.

"I was too patient with them. I needed to be impatient," Summitt said. "I thought I had to teach this and that. I spent too much time on offense and I thought we suffered defensively."

Summitt said she mulled last season as much as any year in memory. But break time is over. School's back in session in every way for the Tennessee players. The NCAA allows teams to get together for two, two-hour sessions each week once classes are back in session, coaches allowed to work with only four players at a time.

Summitt said she's focusing on defense.

"We didn't play a lot of that last year," Summitt said.

Tennessee will return all five starters, having been gutted by graduation losses after the 2008 national title game.

Players such as junior guard Angie Bjorklund and sophomores Glory Johnson, Shekinna Stricklen and Kelley Cain logged major minutes in the roller-coaster ride of a year ago and much will be expected of them this year.

Junior Vicki Baugh, who has seen her first two college seasons cut short by ACL injuries in the same knee, is making a "cautious" return. Meanwhile, the experience of sophomore Amber Gray has brought a heavy dose of perspective. Gray had brain surgery to repair an aneurysm and is recovering. She returned to campus for the first time this week. There is no timetable for her return to the court.

"It brings your team so much closer together when one of your teammates is fighting for their lives," Summitt said.

All in all, the winningest coach in the history of college basketball seems satisfied that her program is headed back on the right track.

"The players have worked very hard in the offseason, the feedback I got from our strength coach, who has been her maybe eight years, said they put in more workouts than any team since she's been here. And it's showing on the floor now."

Rejuvenated Pat Summitt Looks to Bring Pride Back to Tennessee Program originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another Look at Alabama's Anthony Brock Going From Grief to Glee

Chas Rich — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:34:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, SEC, Alabama

Alabama junior Anthony Brock's turn from the grief of attending the funeral of his grandmother Saturday to hitting the game winning shot Sunday is the stuff of poorly written TV scripts. That's part of what makes sports so fantastic. These things really happen.

Of course the only thing more ridiculous, is complete denial. A video highlight of the game produced by the Tennessee athletic department is hysterical. It is nothing but Volunteer highlights, does not show the game winning shot, and never mentions the score. Absurd propaganda to deny the reality above.

Another Look at Alabama's Anthony Brock Going From Grief to Glee originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anthony Brock the Hero a Day After Grandmother's Funeral

Chas Rich — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:34:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, SEC, Alabama

On Sunday, the Vols got knocked off by Alabama on a desperation shot from mid-court with time expiring.

Anthony Brock was the hero who took the shot, throwing Alabama into hysteria. Yet a day earlier Brock was gripped with sadness, as he was mourning the loss of his grandmother at her funeral. It wasn't until late in the night that he re-joined the team. With little sleep for an early afternoon game and a heavy heart, Brock scored 11 points and shot 3-of-3 from behind the arc, including the game-winner.

Alabama 70, Tennessee 67: Box Score | RPI | Scores

Sunday was not about Alabama snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with Brock's shot, however. Alabama led most of the game, and Tennessee was the team trying to catch up despite it being senior day in Knoxville. The Vols are just a team without a clue.

To lose on senior day, a day when emotions should be high, is inexcusable. The Vols backed into the SEC East title, acting like a team that did not take the Crimson Tide seriously.

Brock made them pay and, in the process, ended a sad week on a positive note.

Anthony Brock the Hero a Day After Grandmother's Funeral originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bruce Pearl Strips Down to T-Shirt During South Carolina Game

Will Brinson — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: South Carolina, Tennessee, SEC, Coaches, Media Watch, Video

Bruce Pearl seems like a pretty intense dude. He's willing to paint himself orange and run around Knoxville, Tenn., shirtless, for one thing. For another, he yells a lot. Well, on Thursday night against South Carolina, he was rocking a blazer-white T-shirt combo. And at one point during the first half, he ripped said blazer off. Brent Musberger noticed, too. Enjoy.

I tend to like Pearl, even if he does embody everything about Tennessee that is so, well, Tennessean. But I'm pretty sure that unspoken coaching etiquette dictates that if you wear the T-shirt-blazer combo, you leave the blazer on for the entire game.

Bruce Pearl Strips Down to T-Shirt During South Carolina Game originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vols Hold Off Gators for First-Place Win

Will Brinson — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Florida, Tennessee, SEC, Coaches

Tennessee spent the first half of Sunday's game against Florida showing that it knew two things about the outcome of this game: The winner would be tied with South Carolina for first in the SEC East and find themselves on the right side of the bubble watch heading towards the SEC Tournament.

The second half was a different story. The Gators outscored the Vols 42-34 in the final 20 minutes, cutting the lead to three points with 54 seconds remaining. But Tennessee managed to hold on for a 79-75 win, hitting just enough free throws to stave off the Gators.

So where does this leave the SEC?

Tennessee 79, Florida 75: Box Score | AP Recap | SEC Scores

Florida, with the loss, now joins Kentucky firmly on the bubble, which is especially interesting because the two schools meet each other next Saturday with the loser possibly getting squeezed out of March Madness.

Tennessee, on the other hand, travels to Columbia, S.C., for a weekday matchup against the Gamecocks with first place in their division on the line and serious NCAA seeding up for grabs.

The good news for all these schools, though, is that it appears as if plenty of big-conference schools will get NCAA tourney berths this year. That doesn't excuse the SEC's inability to offer the nation a single team that has a chance at a championship. It does however, put a tremendous amount of weight on a game like Tennessee - Florida today, and makes you wonder how Billy Donovan couldn't get his team as prepared as Bruce Pearl's.

Vols Hold Off Gators for First-Place Win originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NIT or NCAA: Tennessee Volunteers

Chas Rich — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:18:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, SEC

It's bubble time in college hoops, so FanHouse is here to determine whose gets popped and who rides the bubble to the Big Dance. Check back for more NCAA or NIT calls.

Team: Tennessee Volunteers

Record: 16-10 (7-5 SEC)

Good Wins: Marquette (in Nashville), South Carolina, Florida

Bad Losses: At Auburn

Comments: The Vols were a preseason top-10 team, but the lack of a true point guard has hurt the team. Tennessee struggled with turnovers and against teams with strong backcourts. Meanwhile the Volunteers' misadventures in perimeter shooting means teams are packing inside against Wayne Chism, and limiting drives by Tyler Smith.

Tennessee played a very challenging schedule, so most of its losses were to good teams or at least respectable teams. The problem is that the losses have piled up. Even in a down SEC, the Vols haven't been dominant.

Other Views: Tennessee is 25th in RPI, the Basketball State has the Vols 51st, while the Sagarin Ratings have them 43rd.

Verdict: Tennessee is probably still in line for an at-large bid as long as they can finish at least 9-7 in the SEC and win a game in the SEC tournament. If not, the Vols might find themselves sweating a bit on Selection Sunday. Their overall and non-conference strength of schedule is ranked first, which should help. The few mid-major teams jockeying for a berth also helps Tennessee's chances.

NIT or NCAA: Tennessee Volunteers originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tennessee Stops Meeks, Not Kentucky

Chas Rich — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Kentucky, Tennessee, SEC

A month ago, Tennessee was torched on their home court for 54 points by Jodie Meeks. The Volunteers really wanted to stop Meeks this time. Even Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl talked about his team being motivated to stop Meeks. Well the Vols won the battle, but lost the war by losing to the Wildcats 77-58.

Jodie Meeks was held in check with only 14 points on only 4-for-14 shooting (0-for-7 from outside). The problem for Tennessee was that the rest of the Wildcat team shot 24-for-33 -- a blistering 72.7 percent. Patrick Patterson looked very healthy dropping 19 points on 75 percent shooting and Darius Miller had 17 on a perfect 6-for-6 day.

Tennessee's shooting was suspect, at best, in this game. They stayed in it through the first half with better offensive rebounding that allowed them to get second and third chances. Those opportunities started drying up in the second half as Kentucky became more effective at boxing out and getting the boards.

This was another blow for Tennessee as they were swept by Kentucky this year and are only 2-4 against the five teams ahead of them in the SEC. As strong as their non-conference record was to make their computer numbers look good, their performance in the SEC has been that of a bubble team.

The win helps Kentucky in its bid for an at-large bid. They grab another win against a team with a good RPI number -- though after this Tennessee will no longer be an RPI top-25 team -- putting them at 4-4 against RPI top-50.

Tennessee Stops Meeks, Not Kentucky originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Does Anyone Want to Win the SEC?

Chas Rich — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:08:00 EST

Filed under: Florida, Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, SEC

Well, I mean aside from LSU which has run their record to 10-1 in the conference. Over in the SEC East it is a mess. Whether you want to call it parity, mediocrity or just plain suckitude, there are four teams pillow-fighting their way to see who can back into the top spot in the division.

Kentucky got humiliated by Vanderbilt yesterday. Florida, which had lost three of four got a win over a bad Alabama team. Tennessee got run out of Oxford by an injury-ravaged Ole Miss team. South Carolina has been overachieving, but they couldn't win in Starkville. That leaves all four with identical 7-4 conference records.
South Carolina may have the best chance to win the SEC East. The Gamecocks get Kentucky and Tennessee at home and have games with one-win Arkansas and one-win Georgia as well as 5-6 Vandy.

Tennessee has the toughest road, with road games at South Carolina, Florida and Kentucky still on its schedule. They also have to face Mississippi State before they end the season with Alabama.

Kentucky does not have it that much easier. Even with three home games, Rupp Arena has hardly been a source of mystique and intimidation. The Wildcats have to play LSU, Tennessee, go to South Carolina and finish the season at Florida. Only a visit from Georgia seems like a respite.

Florida should be able to finish reasonably strong. They do have to go to LSU and Mississippi State, but they have Vandy, Tennessee and Kentucky coming to them.

All four of the teams somewhere on the dreaded bubble. Except for Tennessee, they have all played very, very weak non-conference schedules. Couple that with the SEC being so weak, and the only sure way any of them have to get into the NCAA Tournament is by winning the conference tournament.

Does Anyone Want to Win the SEC? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pat Summitt Wins 1,000th Game

Shane Bacon — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:20:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, Coaches

There is a SportsCenter commercial with Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt where Kenny Mayne fires off puns that use the coach's name and team, only for Summitt to respond that she's got "this coaching thing down pat."

I concur.

Thursday night, Summitt became the first Division I coach, men's or women's, to reach 1,000 wins as her Volunteers beat up on Georgia 73-43.

Streamers fell from the rafters, a banner flashed "Congrats Coach" and the players pulled an old Harlem Globetrotters trick when they showered her with confetti from a Gatorade bucket as she was giving a post-game interview.

"It's a hard number to even comprehend," Summitt said. "It's a time to reflect on a number of things, the administration saying yes to women's basketball and giving us an opportunity to play on the biggest stage in the women's game. I appreciate that."

Summitt's Volunteers are currently 17-4, perhaps a worse record than what Summitt is used to, but getting the victory on the court bearing her name, instead of on the road against Oklahoma in her first attempt at 1,000, must have been sweet for the coach. Phillip Fulmer, the former Tennessee football coach, and men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl were on hand for the remarkable feat.

Pat Summitt Wins 1,000th Game originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jodie Meeks Scores 54 Points, Breaks Kentucky Scoring Record

Will Brinson — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:15:00 EST

Filed under: Kentucky, Tennessee, SEC, NBA Prospects, Media Watch

Jodie Meeks is a baller. He was AJC Player of the Year. He averaged 23-plus points as a senior in high school. In college, he made the 2007 All-SEC Freshman Team and All-America Freshman Team. And he's only 21. But Tuesday he reached a new level, as scored the most points in a single game by a player in the University of Kentucky history. (Meeks also broke the record for most 3-pointers made in a game, with 10.)

This is no joke, folks. Kentucky, as you may or may not know, is kind of a decent basketball school. They had this guy named Adolph Rupp. He did okay. And Rick Pitino (who can't even hold a candle to Rupp) still managed to become a college basketball legacy in the Bluegrass State.

So when Meeks scores 54 points against Tennessee on a single night in Knoxville and manages to steal away Billie Gillispie's questionable job and turn it into a historical celebration for UK (not to mention a huge win over a conference rival) it probably behooves all of us to stand up, recognize and throw a little DAP towards Jodie's way.

And the crazy thing is ... all he said after the game was "I never got a win here". Touche, Mr. Meeks. Touche. When someone shatters a superpower NCAA school scoring record (Meeks broke Dan Issel's 53-point mark) and cares more about beating Tennessee in their home arena, well, you probably deserve the record.

Jodie Meeks Scores 54 Points, Breaks Kentucky Scoring Record originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dennis Felton Needs Another Miracle SEC Tournament Run

Chas Rich — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, SEC

At least, that is, if Dennis Felton wants to keep his job as coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. The Bulldogs blew a home lead against the only ranked SEC team, the suddenly struggling Tennessee Volunteers, falling, 86-77.

Normally, it wouldn't be that noteworthy that a Georgia team that has lost to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Loyola (Ill) would lose to Tennessee. What makes it a surprise was how badly Georgia managed to blow this game. The Bulldogs were up by 11 on the Volunteers with over 12 minutes left.

More importantly, Tennessee was in significant foul trouble. Even as Tennessee chipped away at the lead, Georgia held a lead with over five minutes left. Tennessee had four players with four fouls, including their power forward Wayne Chism and wing guard J.P. Prince -- both starters.
The Bulldogs could not get that fifth foul on any of the Vols, even Chism, who continued to battle and rebound inside. No Georgia player went at him to even try and draw a foul on a key starter inside. The Georgia coaches were either asleep at the switch or could not seem to grasp that it would help their chances if Chism and/or Prince were not on the floor.

Georgia earned that loss with poor play in the final ten minutes, and Felton will earn his termination as the losses continue to occur. Especially when he doesn't put the players in a position to win.

Dennis Felton Needs Another Miracle SEC Tournament Run originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome Back, Gonzaga

Adam Papagiorgio — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:28:00 EST

Filed under: Gonzaga, Tennessee, WCC, Mid-Majors

You can't always teach an old dog new tricks, so it's fitting that Gonzaga went back to its underdog role to once again regain national relevance. The Bulldogs were on the verge of drifting into obscurity again, losers of three consecutive games and looking at a fourth as Tennessee came out smoking on Wednesday night.

But that old Gonzaga grit -- the one that made them a tournament darling only a few years ago -- was on display once again. The Bulldogs withstood a strong first-half charge by the Volunteers and really showed the depth of their character in overtime to beat No. 15 Tennessee, 89-79.

There are statement games, but this game spoke volumes about the makeup of this team.

The rap on Gonzaga was that the team was a little bit soft. And to be honest, a lot of that was justified. They just didn't make the plays to win. And when Matt Bouldin missed a potential winning shot at the end of overtime, you couldn't help but think, "Here comes the old Gonzaga fold again."

But it didn't happen. When Tennessee flubbed its chance to win, something seemed to click for Gonzaga that carried them through a dominating overtime session. This is the kind of win that the Bulldogs needed to carry them through the conference season.

Let's be honest, nobody is going to be impressed when Gonzaga crushes Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. But that's the key. Gonzaga has used up all of its free-passes. They can't afford to slip up anymore. They need to attack the WCC schedule the same way that it attacked overtime on Wednesday. Gonzaga went old school and gutted out a win.

Austin Daye said that the swagger was back. Now it's time to prove it. No more bad loses. Gonzaga is back, it needs to show us that they want to stick around this time.

Welcome Back, Gonzaga originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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