Selection Sunday saw three different destinations for beltway schools--as well some NIT-picking for a pair of ACC area teams...
Georgetown looks to move past its Big East Championship Game loss to Pitt (Hoyas were outrebounded 39-25, bringing back an achilles heel at the most inopportune time)--John Thompson III's team is the 2nd seed in the Midwest and faces Maryland-Baltimore County Friday in Raleigh.
George Mason earns a 12th seed in the East Region; the Patriots play Notre Dame Thursday in Denver. Let the record show the 5-12 game has been upset special over the last decade--but let the record show the Fighting Irish boast the Big East Player of the Year in Luke Harangody (despite bearing an uncanny resemblence to the guy who took Brenda Walsh to the senior prom on 90210).
American makes its NCAA Division I Tournament debut in Birmingham Friday; the Eagles tangle with Tennessee as the 15th seed in the East Region. While a 15 isn't a bad spot at all for AU, the Vols were in contention to get a #1 until they lost in the SEC Quarterfinals-- their subsequent placement in overall top seed North Carolina's bracket quite a slip.
On the outside looking in...
Virginia Tech is headed to the NIT, despite winning 5 of its last 7 games (losing at Clemson by one and falling to North Carolina by two)--a case can definitely be made for the Hokies getting into the field of 65-- this team improved vastly over the course of the season as most young teams do (over 60% of the minutes and points coming from the freshman class) and clearly would be capable of winning one or two games this week--but unfortunately the lack of wins against top 50 teams (just their ACC quarterfinal victory over Miami) and a non-conference slate that included losses to Old Dominion and Penn State were just too much to overcome. Catch the Hokies entire NIT run on Redskins Radio, beginning with their game against Morgan State Wednesday evening at 7pm.
Maryland makes its way to Minnesota for a Tuesday night game with the Golden Gophers, an opportunity for the Terps to salvage a positive spin heading into the offseason. The NIT can be a real boost to a young team, and this year's crop of six freshman and three sophomores will benefit from any bonus grooming they receive over the next week.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Terps tumble...Hoyas get help...Eagles look to brush Colgate aside...
The loud popping noise you heard from Charlotte last night was the bubble bursting for Maryland. All the elements of the stretch that saw the Terps lose five of six were there: Maryland tallied 21 turnovers and allowed BC to shoot 51% in the second half. Once again the Terps couldn't hold a double digit lead, wasting a 15 point advantage in the first half while letting an 11 point second half edge slip away. In what stands as a microcosm of the season, Maryland played well for stretches but couldn't put together a complete 40 minutes-or 32 games to make a statement worthy of advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Look for coach Gary Williams to use the NIT to his advantage with a very young team (six freshman and three sophomore scholarship players); practice for the 2008-2009 season actually begins next week instead of this October.
Georgetown plays West Virginia (thanks Mountaineers for beating my BOLD pick UConn... my GOLD pick Louisville also lost--thank goodness FOLD pick Notre Dame fell as Luke Harangody is still trying to take Brenda to the prom) in the Big East semifinals-- the Mountaineers an odd cross-breed of styles as the players John Beilein recruited have adapted to Bob Huggins' brand of basketball. One additional plus for the Hoyas: guard Chris Wright played for the first time since December 31st yesterday--the freshman provides another shutdown defender on the perimeter as well as a solid ballhandler against the press.
American plays Colgate for the Patriot League championship today-- (making me wonder if there's a Crest University or an Aquafresh State) the Eagles swept their regular season series with the Raiders, taking each game by eight points. Colgate is even hotter than AU entering the finals- having won six straight (and just one regulation loss since January). Can the Eagles contain guard Kyle Roemer (22ppg during the streak and 21-32 over the last two games) while compensating for the loss of starter Bryce Simon to a knee injury? One of the major factors during AU's recent run (nine wins in ten games since a 3-3 Patriot League start) has been chemistry, and Simon's been a huge if underrated part of that.
Georgetown plays West Virginia (thanks Mountaineers for beating my BOLD pick UConn... my GOLD pick Louisville also lost--thank goodness FOLD pick Notre Dame fell as Luke Harangody is still trying to take Brenda to the prom) in the Big East semifinals-- the Mountaineers an odd cross-breed of styles as the players John Beilein recruited have adapted to Bob Huggins' brand of basketball. One additional plus for the Hoyas: guard Chris Wright played for the first time since December 31st yesterday--the freshman provides another shutdown defender on the perimeter as well as a solid ballhandler against the press.
American plays Colgate for the Patriot League championship today-- (making me wonder if there's a Crest University or an Aquafresh State) the Eagles swept their regular season series with the Raiders, taking each game by eight points. Colgate is even hotter than AU entering the finals- having won six straight (and just one regulation loss since January). Can the Eagles contain guard Kyle Roemer (22ppg during the streak and 21-32 over the last two games) while compensating for the loss of starter Bryce Simon to a knee injury? One of the major factors during AU's recent run (nine wins in ten games since a 3-3 Patriot League start) has been chemistry, and Simon's been a huge if underrated part of that.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
No Hibbert? No problem--threepointer supernova whips Wildcats...
If you were playing Georgetown and were told Roy Hibbert would go scoreless and post 4 turnovers over 14 minutes before fouling out--you'd take it in a heartbeat, wouldn't you?
Well, how about a Big East Tournament record 17 three pointers? The Hoyas hit 61% from outside the arc in their 82-63 win over Villanova--and held Scottie Reynolds to 13 points (he scored 24 in the regular season matchup) on 3-for-9 shooting. Despite Hibbert and backup big man Vernon Macklin both fouling out, John Thompson III's team still outrebounded the Wildcats by five. Patrick Ewing Jr. shined off the bench (7 points, 9 boards and 7 assists) and Georgetown moved the ball as well as they have all year--posting 25 assists in 28 field goals.
Next up for the Hoyas? Fifth seeded West Virginia--Georgetown prevailed in the regular season matchup when Patrick Ewing Jr. blocked a shot at the buzzer.
Well, how about a Big East Tournament record 17 three pointers? The Hoyas hit 61% from outside the arc in their 82-63 win over Villanova--and held Scottie Reynolds to 13 points (he scored 24 in the regular season matchup) on 3-for-9 shooting. Despite Hibbert and backup big man Vernon Macklin both fouling out, John Thompson III's team still outrebounded the Wildcats by five. Patrick Ewing Jr. shined off the bench (7 points, 9 boards and 7 assists) and Georgetown moved the ball as well as they have all year--posting 25 assists in 28 field goals.
Next up for the Hoyas? Fifth seeded West Virginia--Georgetown prevailed in the regular season matchup when Patrick Ewing Jr. blocked a shot at the buzzer.
Hoyas and Terps Previews--plus ACC Bold, Fold & Gold...
Championship week continues with one Big East bubble already bursting (Syracuse)... Georgetown plays the winner of that game this afternoon; the Hoyas nipped Villanova 55-53 after Jonathan Wallace sunk a pair of free throws after being fouled 80 feet away from the basket with a tenth of a second remaining. One of the keys to that victory was holding the Wildcats to 13 percent shooting in the second half--and oh-for-13 after intermission from three point range. While containing Scottie Reynolds is a priority-- the Hoyas need to continue to improve on the boards (they outrebounded Louisville last Saturday-- just the second time they've won on the glass in eight games).
While Georgetown's NCAA berth is assured regardless of how the Hoyas fare this weekend, Maryland faces more than one must-win game this weekend--the Terps enter the ACC Tournament at 18-13 and just one school has received an at-large bid with 14 losses since 1991 (Georgia in 2001 went 16-14 with one of the nation's toughest schedules). Maryland meets a Boston College team that's lost six straight--but has the league's second leading scorer in Tyrese Rice (47 points a few weeks ago against North Carolina). Can the Terps regain the swagger, offensive precision and defensive focus present during the stretch where they went 7-2? One major key is keeping James Gist and Bambale Osby out of early foul trouble-- without the duo down low Maryland's offense bogs down into a turnover-machine.
Looking at the ACC Tournament:
Bold Pick-- I'm tempted to take North Carolina State...since the league expanded to 12 teams the conference's last place team has scored upsets over the 5th seed. But seriously, the Wolfpack have dropped eight straight (4 of the last 5 by double-digits) and they're playing red-hot Miami. The Hurricanes have won 6 of 8 and are led by sharpshooter Jack McClinton (3rd in the ACC in 3-point shooting)...after the sad-sack Wolfpack they would have a quarterfinal matchup with Virginia Tech (Canes beat the Hokies in Blacksburg during the regular season).
Fold Pick-- last year Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech all lost sooner than expected... who disappoints this year? Clemson has never fared well in the ACC (the Tigers are the only original school yet to win the title) and over the last two weeks they've escaped Virginia Tech by one at home, lost at Georgia Tech and needed a miracle comeback at Maryland. The Tigers' luck runs out before a decent NCAA run.
Gold Pick-- The question this winter has been-- can anyone hang with North Carolina and Duke? After last Saturday the question becomes-- can even the Blue Devils hang with the Tar Heels? Not only is this team the most talented, they're playing much harder defensively and have a much higher focus (the only slip up coming in January to Maryland)-- and while Tyler Hansborough inside and Ty Lawson outside are the primary reasons for success, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green provide perfect peripheral options. After going nine years between ACC Tournament titles, Roy Williams' bunch cuts down the nets for a second straight March.
While Georgetown's NCAA berth is assured regardless of how the Hoyas fare this weekend, Maryland faces more than one must-win game this weekend--the Terps enter the ACC Tournament at 18-13 and just one school has received an at-large bid with 14 losses since 1991 (Georgia in 2001 went 16-14 with one of the nation's toughest schedules). Maryland meets a Boston College team that's lost six straight--but has the league's second leading scorer in Tyrese Rice (47 points a few weeks ago against North Carolina). Can the Terps regain the swagger, offensive precision and defensive focus present during the stretch where they went 7-2? One major key is keeping James Gist and Bambale Osby out of early foul trouble-- without the duo down low Maryland's offense bogs down into a turnover-machine.
Looking at the ACC Tournament:
Bold Pick-- I'm tempted to take North Carolina State...since the league expanded to 12 teams the conference's last place team has scored upsets over the 5th seed. But seriously, the Wolfpack have dropped eight straight (4 of the last 5 by double-digits) and they're playing red-hot Miami. The Hurricanes have won 6 of 8 and are led by sharpshooter Jack McClinton (3rd in the ACC in 3-point shooting)...after the sad-sack Wolfpack they would have a quarterfinal matchup with Virginia Tech (Canes beat the Hokies in Blacksburg during the regular season).
Fold Pick-- last year Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech all lost sooner than expected... who disappoints this year? Clemson has never fared well in the ACC (the Tigers are the only original school yet to win the title) and over the last two weeks they've escaped Virginia Tech by one at home, lost at Georgia Tech and needed a miracle comeback at Maryland. The Tigers' luck runs out before a decent NCAA run.
Gold Pick-- The question this winter has been-- can anyone hang with North Carolina and Duke? After last Saturday the question becomes-- can even the Blue Devils hang with the Tar Heels? Not only is this team the most talented, they're playing much harder defensively and have a much higher focus (the only slip up coming in January to Maryland)-- and while Tyler Hansborough inside and Ty Lawson outside are the primary reasons for success, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green provide perfect peripheral options. After going nine years between ACC Tournament titles, Roy Williams' bunch cuts down the nets for a second straight March.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Bold, Fold and Gold Big East Picks...
Plenty to play for this week in the Big East Tournament--
Can Georgetown work its way up to a #1 seed? (they should have had one last year after their 65-42 dismembering of Pitt in the finals) Will Louisville or UConn avenge close losses to the Hoyas at Verizon on a neutral floor? Is Notre Dame and Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody for real? (the sophomore averaged a double double during the season but went 3-for 13 with 3 turnovers before fouling out against Roy Hibbert and Georgetown) And who takes the bubble-bursting 8 vs 9 game between Syracuse and Villanova? (the winner faces Georgetown in the quarterfinals) ...
Bold Pick-- Yes, Georgetown's the regular season champ and Louisville was the hottest team until Saturday's loss to the Hoyas, but UConn has quietly won 13 of 15 entering this week-- the most recent loss to Providence giving the Huskies enough anger to not overlook the winner of West Virginia and the Friars in the quarterfinals. Remember, this was a team that led Georgetown by six late at Verizon before being beaten by a Roy Hibbert 3-pointer.
Fold Pick-- Quick, name the last significant win for Notre Dame on the road... February 6th at Seton Hall? The Irish's last three games (all wins) came against schools not qualifying for play at Madison Square Garden. Plus, Luke Harangody looks just like the guy who took Brenda Walsh to the senior prom on 90210.
Gold Pick-- I was very impressed with Louisville last Saturday against Georgetown; the Cardinals have multiple offensive options (Terrence Williams can do it all) and a highly underrated defense (second in the league behind the Hoyas in points allowed and field goal percentage)... they also have the lighter side of the bracket despite being the second seed (I'm more concerned with Villanova, Syracuse and UConn than Notre Dame, Pitt or Cincinnati).
The Hoyas are 6-0 in conference games decided by three points or less... their knack of winning nailbiters has to run out sooner or later, doesn't it?
Can Georgetown work its way up to a #1 seed? (they should have had one last year after their 65-42 dismembering of Pitt in the finals) Will Louisville or UConn avenge close losses to the Hoyas at Verizon on a neutral floor? Is Notre Dame and Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody for real? (the sophomore averaged a double double during the season but went 3-for 13 with 3 turnovers before fouling out against Roy Hibbert and Georgetown) And who takes the bubble-bursting 8 vs 9 game between Syracuse and Villanova? (the winner faces Georgetown in the quarterfinals) ...
Bold Pick-- Yes, Georgetown's the regular season champ and Louisville was the hottest team until Saturday's loss to the Hoyas, but UConn has quietly won 13 of 15 entering this week-- the most recent loss to Providence giving the Huskies enough anger to not overlook the winner of West Virginia and the Friars in the quarterfinals. Remember, this was a team that led Georgetown by six late at Verizon before being beaten by a Roy Hibbert 3-pointer.
Fold Pick-- Quick, name the last significant win for Notre Dame on the road... February 6th at Seton Hall? The Irish's last three games (all wins) came against schools not qualifying for play at Madison Square Garden. Plus, Luke Harangody looks just like the guy who took Brenda Walsh to the senior prom on 90210.
Gold Pick-- I was very impressed with Louisville last Saturday against Georgetown; the Cardinals have multiple offensive options (Terrence Williams can do it all) and a highly underrated defense (second in the league behind the Hoyas in points allowed and field goal percentage)... they also have the lighter side of the bracket despite being the second seed (I'm more concerned with Villanova, Syracuse and UConn than Notre Dame, Pitt or Cincinnati).
The Hoyas are 6-0 in conference games decided by three points or less... their knack of winning nailbiters has to run out sooner or later, doesn't it?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Patriots prevail...Terps and Hokies tormented by the Toreros...
Citizens of Mason Nation punch their passport to the NCAA Tournament with a 68-59 win over William & Mary in the CAA Championship game. The Patriots' formula once again was Folarin Campbell outside (3-8 from three-point range en route to 20 points) and Will Thomas inside (18 points and 13 rebound)...and GMU received contributions off the bench from Cam Long and Chris Fleming-- but once again defense was the difference as Mason held the Tribe to 38% shooting one day after handcuffing UNC-Wilmington to 28% from the field.
Where will the Patriots land in the bracket? ESPN.com has Mason ticketed to Tampa Bay as the 13th seed where they'd play Purdue. CBS Sportsline.com has the Patriots seeded 13th as well.
While George Mason's win has no effect on the NCAA Tournament hopes of Maryland and Virginia Tech, San Diego's triumph in the West Coast Conference championship game did. The Toreros upset of #20 Gonzaga means the Bulldogs will gobble up an at-large berth.
Now the hair-splitting begins: Virginia Commonwealth, South Alabama and Saint Mary's all lost in their respective conference semifinal games-conventional wisdom had all three schools needing to get to the finals to secure an at-large selection.
VCU and South Alabama both have regular season championships to their credit but the Rams lost close to campus in Richmond while the Jaguars fell on their home floor in Mobile. At least Saint Mary's has on its resume finishing second to nationally ranked Gonzaga in its league and losing to tournament champ San Diego on the Toreros home floor.
How many wins do Maryland and Virginia Tech need to get into the NCAA's? The Terps probably need to beat Boston College, prevail in a rematch with Clemson and then stun Duke to reach the finals--and a 21-14 mark is no guarantee.
Virginia Tech's 4th place finish actually works against the Hokies; they won't have a first-round game to add to their victory total and would likely face North Carolina in a must-win semifinal matchup (the team they lost to by 39 in February), but if they get both wins I think a 20-13 mark with a sweep of Maryland and 6 wins in 8 games might be enough.
Where will the Patriots land in the bracket? ESPN.com has Mason ticketed to Tampa Bay as the 13th seed where they'd play Purdue. CBS Sportsline.com has the Patriots seeded 13th as well.
While George Mason's win has no effect on the NCAA Tournament hopes of Maryland and Virginia Tech, San Diego's triumph in the West Coast Conference championship game did. The Toreros upset of #20 Gonzaga means the Bulldogs will gobble up an at-large berth.
Now the hair-splitting begins: Virginia Commonwealth, South Alabama and Saint Mary's all lost in their respective conference semifinal games-conventional wisdom had all three schools needing to get to the finals to secure an at-large selection.
VCU and South Alabama both have regular season championships to their credit but the Rams lost close to campus in Richmond while the Jaguars fell on their home floor in Mobile. At least Saint Mary's has on its resume finishing second to nationally ranked Gonzaga in its league and losing to tournament champ San Diego on the Toreros home floor.
How many wins do Maryland and Virginia Tech need to get into the NCAA's? The Terps probably need to beat Boston College, prevail in a rematch with Clemson and then stun Duke to reach the finals--and a 21-14 mark is no guarantee.
Virginia Tech's 4th place finish actually works against the Hokies; they won't have a first-round game to add to their victory total and would likely face North Carolina in a must-win semifinal matchup (the team they lost to by 39 in February), but if they get both wins I think a 20-13 mark with a sweep of Maryland and 6 wins in 8 games might be enough.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Three steps forward, two steps back and Shamrock Shake sightings...
Saturday was a near-perfect day in college basketball... my journey began with #10 Georgetown topping 13th rated Louisville 55-52 thanks to a last-minute three-pointer from Dejuan Summers, continued with watching my Alma mater Syracuse on the big screen beating Marquette to stay in NCAA contention and wrapped up with watching North Carolina rally past Duke for the ACC regular season championship. I say near-perfect because on my way to catch the UNC game I stopped off at a McDonald's only to be denied a Shamrock Shake-- fortunately the McD's at American University's Bender Arena is participating.
Plenty to iron out after a big weekend--
Georgetown's triumph locked up a second straight Big East regular season championship-- an incredible achievement for a senior class that joined a team that was fresh off a 13-15 season and hadn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2001. In a physical "old-school Big East" battle, Roy Hibbert was able to take advantage of the Cardinals stretching zone in the second half, shooting 5 of 7 after intermission. Louisville had more than one decent look to tie the game with a three in the waning seconds--but if the Cardinals had just hit their free throws (10-18 at the charity stripe) it may not have come down to the final possession.
Maryland saw it's tournament hopes take another hit with a 91-76 loss at Virginia-- allowing 55 points on 63 percent shooting in the second half to a school that finished 5-11 in the ACC. Another night to forget for senior James Gist (6 points on 3 for 13 shooting before fouling out)...another night where the Terps ran out of gas late in the second half (outscored 29-12 over the final seven minutes). Over the last month conventional wisdom had the Terps needing 21 wins to get into the NCAA Tournament--ten days ago it seemed a high probability but now they need to reach the ACC Finals in order to meet that number, meaning victories over Boston College, Clemson and probably Duke. If Maryland pulls off that trifecta they should get in; one win probably isn't enough while two triumphs puts them squarely in the Phantom Zone.
Virginia Tech had a chance to make a major statement for their inclusion into the field of 65 (no 10-6 ACC team has ever been left out) but comes up short 70-69 at Clemson. Turnovers tormented the Hokies in defeat (20 miscues after averaging 11.5 over their four game winning streak). A fourth-place conference finish means the Hokies will wait until Friday before facing the winner of Miami and North Carolina State (the last place team shouldn't be overlooked; last year the 12th seeded Hurricanes shocked Maryland) and probably need two wins to make the NCAA's.
George Mason plays for the CAA championship Monday evening; the Patriots held UNC-Wilmington to 28% shooting in their 53-41 semifinal victory. Patriots face a William & Mary team that's won three games in three days by a combined six points-GMU won the lone regular season meeting between the two schools 60-54 on senior night February 27th.
American is also one win away from the NCAA's-- the Eagles held Army to 4 of 23 from three-point range in their 72-60 Patriot League semifinal victory. Garrison Carr shined on both ends of the floor--scoring 23 points while chasing the Black Knight's Jarell Brown (4-17 from the field) all afternoon. AU got a huge boost off the bench from Nick Hendra-- the freshman scored 11 points in 16 minutes after Bryce Simon left with a knee injury and Frank Borden got into foul trouble in the second half.
Plenty to iron out after a big weekend--
Georgetown's triumph locked up a second straight Big East regular season championship-- an incredible achievement for a senior class that joined a team that was fresh off a 13-15 season and hadn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2001. In a physical "old-school Big East" battle, Roy Hibbert was able to take advantage of the Cardinals stretching zone in the second half, shooting 5 of 7 after intermission. Louisville had more than one decent look to tie the game with a three in the waning seconds--but if the Cardinals had just hit their free throws (10-18 at the charity stripe) it may not have come down to the final possession.
Maryland saw it's tournament hopes take another hit with a 91-76 loss at Virginia-- allowing 55 points on 63 percent shooting in the second half to a school that finished 5-11 in the ACC. Another night to forget for senior James Gist (6 points on 3 for 13 shooting before fouling out)...another night where the Terps ran out of gas late in the second half (outscored 29-12 over the final seven minutes). Over the last month conventional wisdom had the Terps needing 21 wins to get into the NCAA Tournament--ten days ago it seemed a high probability but now they need to reach the ACC Finals in order to meet that number, meaning victories over Boston College, Clemson and probably Duke. If Maryland pulls off that trifecta they should get in; one win probably isn't enough while two triumphs puts them squarely in the Phantom Zone.
Virginia Tech had a chance to make a major statement for their inclusion into the field of 65 (no 10-6 ACC team has ever been left out) but comes up short 70-69 at Clemson. Turnovers tormented the Hokies in defeat (20 miscues after averaging 11.5 over their four game winning streak). A fourth-place conference finish means the Hokies will wait until Friday before facing the winner of Miami and North Carolina State (the last place team shouldn't be overlooked; last year the 12th seeded Hurricanes shocked Maryland) and probably need two wins to make the NCAA's.
George Mason plays for the CAA championship Monday evening; the Patriots held UNC-Wilmington to 28% shooting in their 53-41 semifinal victory. Patriots face a William & Mary team that's won three games in three days by a combined six points-GMU won the lone regular season meeting between the two schools 60-54 on senior night February 27th.
American is also one win away from the NCAA's-- the Eagles held Army to 4 of 23 from three-point range in their 72-60 Patriot League semifinal victory. Garrison Carr shined on both ends of the floor--scoring 23 points while chasing the Black Knight's Jarell Brown (4-17 from the field) all afternoon. AU got a huge boost off the bench from Nick Hendra-- the freshman scored 11 points in 16 minutes after Bryce Simon left with a knee injury and Frank Borden got into foul trouble in the second half.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Fighting for first, battling on the bubble---and the dumbing down of Girl Scout Cookies...
March is a magical month, and not just because of college basketball's crescendo. Not only is this the month where Shamrock Shakes are available at participating restaurants, Girl Scout Cookie orders come in (my supplier hooked me up last month--currently trying to ration the spoils for the entire NCAA Tournament)...but once again something seemingly perfect is tarnished by the powers-that-be. It's not as bad as the NCAA Tournament's play-in game or naming the regionals after cities (woo-hoo...the East Rutherford Finals are next!)... or even several McDonald's not participating in the month of minty goodness-- but it's just as disturbing and could have long-range effects.
This year I've discovered the use of "alternate titles". For instance--I have always known the peanut butter inside the chocolate cookie as a Tagalong-- yet in some parts of this country they're referred to as "Peanut Butter Patties". Likewise with Samoas and its makeshift moniker-- "Caramel Delite"--can't they even spell "delight" correctly? (my main problem with Cap'n Crunch wasn't the sogginess or superfluous sugar but the fact that a whole generation thought that was how one spelled "captain"). Can't we as a cookie-buying public determine what the ingredients are on our own? What about the children who will never ask for a Do-Si-Do, sentenced to "Peanut Butter Sandwiches" instead? Thank goodness a Thin Mint remains a Thin Mint--although I wouldn't be surprised if next year it was referred to as a "chocolate minty magic"...
Anyways-- on to what will be an intriguing weekend with just about everybody in and around the beltway with something to play for...
Saturday's showdowns--
#10 Georgetown plays 13th rated Louisville for the Big East regular season title. The Hoyas lost at Freedom Hall in February by 8 after going 8 minutes in the second half without a field goal (this was the game where Rick Pitino dressed like Colonel Sanders/Mister Roarke/Harold Hill for the first half)... the Cardinals' 2-3 zone is very active on the perimeter yet clogs the middle better than most--usually Roy Hibbert is able to find room underneath, yet Louisville clamped down on the big man.
Defensively, the Hoyas will have their hands full with David Padgett--the big man passes nearly as well as Hibbert and almost always finds the right man in the perfect spot...and another tough is 6-foot-6 forward Terrence Williams-- who leads the Cardinals in rebounding and assists.
George Mason plays the winner of Northeastern and James Madison in the CAA Quarterfinals-the Patriots have the talent necessary to win the conference tournament with first-team all-CAA forward Will Thomas in the post and Folarin Campbell on the perimeter... still questions persist on how Mason melts away from Fairfax (4-6 in their last ten road games) and can this team string together back to back to back efforts? GMU hasn't won consecutive games in a month.
George Washington wraps up a rough regular season by hosting Massachussetts. While the Minutemen are an NCAA bubble team (20-9 with road wins at Syracuse and Boston College) and has that early-March momentum coaches crave with five straight victories, GW is in danger of missing the Atlantic Ten Tournament. Twelve of the league's fourteen schools (I know those numbers fly in the face of "Ten", but the Big Eleven was first) advance to Atlantic City-- and the Colonials need a victory plus a loss by Fordham to last-place St. Bonaventure to slip in as the 12th seed.
They'll try to do so minus Maureece Rice, dismissed from the team for breaking a rule--an unfortunate end to the career of a senior who expected to shine as a shooting guard this winter but was pressed into ball-handling duties when Travis King went down with a knee injury in November. Rice was never able to make the adjustment and unfortunately the Colonials never were able to recover.
Sunday's spotlight--
The ACC bubble is front and center as Virginia Tech continues to play the role of "the little engine that could"--Hokies host Clemson in a game that will determine third place in the conference...the Tigers lost Thursday at Georgia Tech 80-75 in a game where K.C. Rivers was held to 5 points on 2 of 8 shooting; Maryland held the swingman to 2 for 10 shooting and 4 points Sunday.
What's been going right for the Hokies during their winning streak? Taking the battle of the boards (average advantage on the glass has been +11) as well as taking care of the basketball (11.5 turnovers after averaging 15 and a half over the first 25 games of the regular season). A victory would give Virginia Tech a 10-6 league record, and despite a less than stellar RPI and slim non-conference resume no ACC team has been denied an NCAA bid with 10 ACC wins since the field expanded to 40 schools in 1979.
Maryland faces a must-win situation Sunday night in Charlottesville against Virginia... the Terps try to turn around a 2-4 tumble where they've posted more turnovers than assists in each game. They beat the Cavaliers by ten in January on a night where Greivis Vasquez tallied 25 points and Maryland held UVa to 29% from three-point range.
Meanwhile the Cavaliers have been playing much better as of late; after a 1-9 ACC start that saw the Cavs lose five games by less than three points or in overtime, coach Dave Leitao's team's taken three of five. Sean Singletary plays his final regular season home game still waiting for assistance--lack of support has been the continuing story of his and Virginia's season. Can Maryland wipe out the memory of wasting a 20 point second half lead at home on their senior night-- and more importantly can they play a full 40 minutes against a lesser opponent?
More to come as I continue to munch on a box of Trefoils...I mean "shortbreads"...ugh...
This year I've discovered the use of "alternate titles". For instance--I have always known the peanut butter inside the chocolate cookie as a Tagalong-- yet in some parts of this country they're referred to as "Peanut Butter Patties". Likewise with Samoas and its makeshift moniker-- "Caramel Delite"--can't they even spell "delight" correctly? (my main problem with Cap'n Crunch wasn't the sogginess or superfluous sugar but the fact that a whole generation thought that was how one spelled "captain"). Can't we as a cookie-buying public determine what the ingredients are on our own? What about the children who will never ask for a Do-Si-Do, sentenced to "Peanut Butter Sandwiches" instead? Thank goodness a Thin Mint remains a Thin Mint--although I wouldn't be surprised if next year it was referred to as a "chocolate minty magic"...
Anyways-- on to what will be an intriguing weekend with just about everybody in and around the beltway with something to play for...
Saturday's showdowns--
#10 Georgetown plays 13th rated Louisville for the Big East regular season title. The Hoyas lost at Freedom Hall in February by 8 after going 8 minutes in the second half without a field goal (this was the game where Rick Pitino dressed like Colonel Sanders/Mister Roarke/Harold Hill for the first half)... the Cardinals' 2-3 zone is very active on the perimeter yet clogs the middle better than most--usually Roy Hibbert is able to find room underneath, yet Louisville clamped down on the big man.
Defensively, the Hoyas will have their hands full with David Padgett--the big man passes nearly as well as Hibbert and almost always finds the right man in the perfect spot...and another tough is 6-foot-6 forward Terrence Williams-- who leads the Cardinals in rebounding and assists.
George Mason plays the winner of Northeastern and James Madison in the CAA Quarterfinals-the Patriots have the talent necessary to win the conference tournament with first-team all-CAA forward Will Thomas in the post and Folarin Campbell on the perimeter... still questions persist on how Mason melts away from Fairfax (4-6 in their last ten road games) and can this team string together back to back to back efforts? GMU hasn't won consecutive games in a month.
George Washington wraps up a rough regular season by hosting Massachussetts. While the Minutemen are an NCAA bubble team (20-9 with road wins at Syracuse and Boston College) and has that early-March momentum coaches crave with five straight victories, GW is in danger of missing the Atlantic Ten Tournament. Twelve of the league's fourteen schools (I know those numbers fly in the face of "Ten", but the Big Eleven was first) advance to Atlantic City-- and the Colonials need a victory plus a loss by Fordham to last-place St. Bonaventure to slip in as the 12th seed.
They'll try to do so minus Maureece Rice, dismissed from the team for breaking a rule--an unfortunate end to the career of a senior who expected to shine as a shooting guard this winter but was pressed into ball-handling duties when Travis King went down with a knee injury in November. Rice was never able to make the adjustment and unfortunately the Colonials never were able to recover.
Sunday's spotlight--
The ACC bubble is front and center as Virginia Tech continues to play the role of "the little engine that could"--Hokies host Clemson in a game that will determine third place in the conference...the Tigers lost Thursday at Georgia Tech 80-75 in a game where K.C. Rivers was held to 5 points on 2 of 8 shooting; Maryland held the swingman to 2 for 10 shooting and 4 points Sunday.
What's been going right for the Hokies during their winning streak? Taking the battle of the boards (average advantage on the glass has been +11) as well as taking care of the basketball (11.5 turnovers after averaging 15 and a half over the first 25 games of the regular season). A victory would give Virginia Tech a 10-6 league record, and despite a less than stellar RPI and slim non-conference resume no ACC team has been denied an NCAA bid with 10 ACC wins since the field expanded to 40 schools in 1979.
Maryland faces a must-win situation Sunday night in Charlottesville against Virginia... the Terps try to turn around a 2-4 tumble where they've posted more turnovers than assists in each game. They beat the Cavaliers by ten in January on a night where Greivis Vasquez tallied 25 points and Maryland held UVa to 29% from three-point range.
Meanwhile the Cavaliers have been playing much better as of late; after a 1-9 ACC start that saw the Cavs lose five games by less than three points or in overtime, coach Dave Leitao's team's taken three of five. Sean Singletary plays his final regular season home game still waiting for assistance--lack of support has been the continuing story of his and Virginia's season. Can Maryland wipe out the memory of wasting a 20 point second half lead at home on their senior night-- and more importantly can they play a full 40 minutes against a lesser opponent?
More to come as I continue to munch on a box of Trefoils...I mean "shortbreads"...ugh...
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Eagles advance in a night of Patriot squeakers...
Round one of the Patriot League Tournament definitely didn't disappoint... Wednesday's four games were decided by a combined eight points--and 7th seeded Bucknell needed a 40-footer at the buzzer to beat #2 Navy 87-86 in triple-overtime.
American advances to the semifinals with a 62-60 triumph over Holy Cross... rallying from an 11 point first half deficit and solving the Crusaders' matchup zone in the second half- shooting 54% from the field and 7 for 9 from three-point range after intermission. Prime production from the perimeter was a priority with 6-foot-11 Tim Clifford an imposing figure in the pivot. Not only did Derrick Mercer and Garrison Carr provide the usual production (the backcourt duo combines for 30 points on 12 of 25 shooting--6 of 8 from three-point range), coach Jeff Jones received key contributions from Bryce Simon (12 points and 4 rebounds) as well as Brian Gilmore (10 points and 7 assists off the bench).
AU entertains Army (14-15) Sunday at Bender Arena...the Eagles won both games with the Black Knights this winter (66-53 in West Point, 49-40 in DC)--despite shooting just 28% from the field in their February meeting.
American advances to the semifinals with a 62-60 triumph over Holy Cross... rallying from an 11 point first half deficit and solving the Crusaders' matchup zone in the second half- shooting 54% from the field and 7 for 9 from three-point range after intermission. Prime production from the perimeter was a priority with 6-foot-11 Tim Clifford an imposing figure in the pivot. Not only did Derrick Mercer and Garrison Carr provide the usual production (the backcourt duo combines for 30 points on 12 of 25 shooting--6 of 8 from three-point range), coach Jeff Jones received key contributions from Bryce Simon (12 points and 4 rebounds) as well as Brian Gilmore (10 points and 7 assists off the bench).
AU entertains Army (14-15) Sunday at Bender Arena...the Eagles won both games with the Black Knights this winter (66-53 in West Point, 49-40 in DC)--despite shooting just 28% from the field in their February meeting.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Bubble, Bubble, who's in trouble?
"The Bubble" has reached sports cliche in the last few years...taking a life of it's own. Less than two weeks before Selection Sunday, a handful of schools in an around the beltway are finalizing their profiles for evaulation from the Tournament Commitee.
Virginia Tech made a major move towards a potential berth with an 80-58 win over Wake Forest. The ingredients to a victorious senior night involved holding the Demon Deacons to 34% shooting while outrebounding Wake 48-30. Deron Washington posted 22 points and 13 rebounds in his final regular season game at Cassel Coliseum--the Hokies were a model of offensive efficiency by posting 21 assists in 29 field goals while turning the ball over just 8 times.
Four straight wins moves Virginia Tech to 18-11 and 9-6 in the ACC; no 9-win school has missed the NCAA's since 2000 (Virginia). The Hokies visit Clemson (9-5 in the conference) in the battle for third place Sunday.
American begins Patriot League Tournament play tonight when Holy Cross stops by Bender Arena. The two schools split their regular season series, each losing on its home court. Despite their last place conference finish, the Crusaders (15-13 overall) boast one of the league's top players in 6-foot-11 forward Tim Clifford (18 points and 5 rebounds a game). So how did Ralph Willard's team wind up in the cellar? Injuries (second leading scorer Alex Vander Baan missed 6 of 14 Patriot League games this year) and turnovers (Crusaders averaging 5 more turnovers than assists each game).
AU hit nine three-pointers in their February win at Worcester; Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer not only need to be on their usual games (the backcourt duo combines for 31 points a contest) but the duo needs help from the likes of either Brian Gilmore or Bryce Simon on the perimeter.
Virginia Tech made a major move towards a potential berth with an 80-58 win over Wake Forest. The ingredients to a victorious senior night involved holding the Demon Deacons to 34% shooting while outrebounding Wake 48-30. Deron Washington posted 22 points and 13 rebounds in his final regular season game at Cassel Coliseum--the Hokies were a model of offensive efficiency by posting 21 assists in 29 field goals while turning the ball over just 8 times.
Four straight wins moves Virginia Tech to 18-11 and 9-6 in the ACC; no 9-win school has missed the NCAA's since 2000 (Virginia). The Hokies visit Clemson (9-5 in the conference) in the battle for third place Sunday.
American begins Patriot League Tournament play tonight when Holy Cross stops by Bender Arena. The two schools split their regular season series, each losing on its home court. Despite their last place conference finish, the Crusaders (15-13 overall) boast one of the league's top players in 6-foot-11 forward Tim Clifford (18 points and 5 rebounds a game). So how did Ralph Willard's team wind up in the cellar? Injuries (second leading scorer Alex Vander Baan missed 6 of 14 Patriot League games this year) and turnovers (Crusaders averaging 5 more turnovers than assists each game).
AU hit nine three-pointers in their February win at Worcester; Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer not only need to be on their usual games (the backcourt duo combines for 31 points a contest) but the duo needs help from the likes of either Brian Gilmore or Bryce Simon on the perimeter.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Green Milkshakes and 20 point leads don't last long...
March is a magical month, and not just for the NCAA Tournament...this is the month "participating" McDonald's offer the peppermint-flavored "Shamrock Shake"--(it's also the month Girl Scout cookies become available)-- the only frustrating aspect about Shamrock Shake Month is that not every McDonald's is participating...I've often driven to two or three locations only to come up empty. In less than two weeks, Beltway schools will learn if they get their one-way ticket to minty goodness or simply a "excuse me...Sham-rock Shake? We don't make those here. Why don't you try a Fish Fillet."
Maryland was up to the window and had it's order placed only to learn the shake-mixer was busted in a 73-70 loss to Clemson. This loss was rather staggering to the Terps NCAA Tournament hopes and their collective psyche-- they led by 20 points with 11:23 remaining in the second half before everything collapsed... the Terrapins shot 1 for 5 and turned the ball over 3 times in the final 4:48 against a fierce Tiger press. In what is fast becoming a season of missed opportunities, the Terps coughed up another double digit second half lead (not as painful but just as head-scratching at the Virginia Tech game). The most frustrating moment? Not Greivis Vasquez's miss with under a minute to play, but the fact that nobody was crashing the glass for an offensive board. On the bright side, the Terrapins bench had it's best outing in recent memory--the usual reserves scoring 18 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
Elsewhere around the beltway--
Georgetown was told by the cashier they were out of Shamrock Shakes before the shift manager corrected the newbie--Hoyas escape Marquette Saturday with a 70 to 68 overtime win after Jonathan Wallace hit three free throws to send the game into the extra session. Wallace and fellow senior Roy Hibbert each scored 20 points in the win while Dejuan Summers added 14 rebounds to the effort (Hoyas won the battle of the boards with the Golden Eagles); John Thompson III's team wins the Big East if they defeat Louisville this Saturday and most importantly, they get a road win against a ranked team for the first time this winter.
American moved within three home wins of it's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth by beating Lafayette 84-72 Saturday--which coupled with Navy's loss at Colgate handed the Eagles the Patriot League regular season title. This time the hero was Bryce Simon-who knocked down 5 of 8 three-pointers en route to 19 points. AU will have its hands full though-- Holy Cross comes to Bender Arena Wednesday for the quarterfinals; the Crusaders were on track to contend for the conference title before being sidetracked by injuries.
George Mason saw its regular season end in frustrating fashion--a 70-59 loss at Northeastern saw the Patriots allow a 16-0 run and go 6:46 without scoring a point in the first half, fall behind double-digits and never recover. Patriots now face the Northeastern-James Madison winner Saturday in the CAA quarterfinals.
Maryland was up to the window and had it's order placed only to learn the shake-mixer was busted in a 73-70 loss to Clemson. This loss was rather staggering to the Terps NCAA Tournament hopes and their collective psyche-- they led by 20 points with 11:23 remaining in the second half before everything collapsed... the Terrapins shot 1 for 5 and turned the ball over 3 times in the final 4:48 against a fierce Tiger press. In what is fast becoming a season of missed opportunities, the Terps coughed up another double digit second half lead (not as painful but just as head-scratching at the Virginia Tech game). The most frustrating moment? Not Greivis Vasquez's miss with under a minute to play, but the fact that nobody was crashing the glass for an offensive board. On the bright side, the Terrapins bench had it's best outing in recent memory--the usual reserves scoring 18 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
Elsewhere around the beltway--
Georgetown was told by the cashier they were out of Shamrock Shakes before the shift manager corrected the newbie--Hoyas escape Marquette Saturday with a 70 to 68 overtime win after Jonathan Wallace hit three free throws to send the game into the extra session. Wallace and fellow senior Roy Hibbert each scored 20 points in the win while Dejuan Summers added 14 rebounds to the effort (Hoyas won the battle of the boards with the Golden Eagles); John Thompson III's team wins the Big East if they defeat Louisville this Saturday and most importantly, they get a road win against a ranked team for the first time this winter.
American moved within three home wins of it's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth by beating Lafayette 84-72 Saturday--which coupled with Navy's loss at Colgate handed the Eagles the Patriot League regular season title. This time the hero was Bryce Simon-who knocked down 5 of 8 three-pointers en route to 19 points. AU will have its hands full though-- Holy Cross comes to Bender Arena Wednesday for the quarterfinals; the Crusaders were on track to contend for the conference title before being sidetracked by injuries.
George Mason saw its regular season end in frustrating fashion--a 70-59 loss at Northeastern saw the Patriots allow a 16-0 run and go 6:46 without scoring a point in the first half, fall behind double-digits and never recover. Patriots now face the Northeastern-James Madison winner Saturday in the CAA quarterfinals.
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