March enters like a Lion and ends like a Lamb? I don't know about the lion part but the hopes and dreams of college basketball teams end with a thud.
Georgetown saw its March slide conclude with a 74-56 loss to VCU... as the Rams were busy transforming themselves from "the worst at-large team ever to make the even-expanded field" to Cinderella Darlings. Seniors Austin Freeman and Chris Wright closed out their careers shooting a combined 6 of 27 and 0-13 from three point range. While Wright was injured during the five game flameout the disappearance of Julian Vaughn (2-21 from the field during the swoon) was equally as debilitating. Bring on the Hollis Thompson era.
Alma Mater Update-- a rough finish for the Orange saw Syracuse stumble in the second round 66-62 to Marquette (a team they lost to earlier this year) with a blown backcourt call to feed my conspiracy friends. How do you lose to a team coached by Curly of the Three Stooges? Maybe Larry Fine's a relative of Bernie Fine-- I don't know. Still, a tough way for a season that had quite a bit of optimism surrounding it (18-0 start and a #3 ranking) to end.
Big Least? After getting a record 11 schools into the NCAA Tournament, the Big East went 9-9 with just two schools advancing to the Sweet Sixteen-- UConn and Marquette. I wasn't a fan of bracketing conference schools together in first weekend foursomes... and anyone could have figured slumping Villanova and Georgetown wouldn't stay long... and underachievers Pitt and Notre Dame... well you get the picture.
George Mason after a last-second thriller against Villanova but couldn't keep up with the #1 team in the nation... slipping to Ohio State 98-66. Anytime David Lighty lights you up for 7 of 7 from three point range-- it's not going to be a good night. The Patriots put a 27-7 season to bed with plenty of talent coming back next year... as Cam Long gets quite a senior sendoff.
The Capital of Basketball? Evidently Richmond did rise again-- with a pair of teams in the sweet sixteen. While VCU is in the Regional Semifinals for the first time ever, Richmond is more than an occasional upstart in the big dance- although this is the schools second ever trip to the second weekend. And who wouldn't want to see the Rams and Spiders square off Sunday?
Snubbed-- from the NIT quarterfinals... Virginia Tech had cause to say they belonged in the NCAA's. Unfortunately, they didn't play their way into the Tournament-- and played their way out of the NIT with a home loss to Wichita State.
Maryland Women's Moment-- the tone was set from the opening tipoff when Georgetown stole the ball from Anjale Barrett... the Hoyas jumped out to an 11-0 lead, closed the first half on an 11-3 run and began the second half on an 11-2 run. Other than that... Sugar Rodgers was unstoppable (21 of her 34 points came in the first half on 6 of 8 three point shooting) and Georgetown advances with a 79-57 win. Maryland regroups after a 24-8 season with everybody coming back this fall.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Bold, Fold, and Gold in the Big Dance...
Every year there's a rush to fill out sheets and figure out who will advance, who will steal our hearts and who will break them. Coupled with St. Patrick's Day... the President making picks... and a Husky bailout it'll be one incredible day. Time for the annual BOLD (lower seed to surprise), FOLD (beware these favorites) and GOLD (who gets into the Final Four) picks.
East-- the regional weekend shifts to Newark from the tried and true East Rutherford... I'm hoping eventually they'll build an arena in Paterson. Bold-- Xavier begins its tournament run in Cleveland against a bad Marquette team (I thought the Golden Eagles didn't belong in the field) and potentially play a Syracuse team that has had trouble defending the three. Fold-- Kentucky has been consistently uneven this winter and plays a Princeton team that will stretch them in every way; and coach John Calipari's teams never outperform their seed. Gold-- North Carolina has lost two games in the last two months-- both to a red-hot Duke. After not caring about last weekend's ACC Tournament, the Tar Heels infuriate everyone by turning it on and off at a whim when it suits them.
Notes on the "First Four"-- I was actually more interested in the NIT games... a shame St. Mary's lost with Teenwolf playing for them (Rob Jones)-- perhaps he should have stayed the wolf throughout the final minute of play.
Southeast-- I was surprised to see Michigan State make the field... and the Big Ten was the home to uglyball this past winter. Word is instead of waterboarding they show gametapes to suspects. Bold-- Old Dominion upset Notre Dame last year-- and has the talent to win a pair of rounds this year... especially against a Pitt club that falters in March. Fold-- BYU has the tournament's best player... but lost a key component a few weeks ago and doesn't defend well. Gold-- Florida has a decent draw and the Gators have played better as the season's progressed. Billy Donovan is a proven tourney coach too.
Southwest-- not the Midwest mind you... as this has been referred to in the past... as the NCAA must keep directional integrity. Bold-- Georgetown was 10-5 in the Big East when guard Chris Wright went down with a broken hand... Hoyas are 7-4 under coach John Thompson III's tenure. Fold-- Louisville reached the Big East finals last week... but under coach Rick Pitino recently the Cardinals have developed a reputation as a lamb rather than a lion in March. Gold-- Notre Dame completes my Big East fixation... the Fighting Irish no longer have the guy who took Brenda Walsh to the senior prom but Mike Brey's bunch looks like they will break through.
West-- UConn is in the dance with the major bounce of having won five games in five days at the Big East Tournament... and I have tickets to the games at Verizon so I invited my buddy "UCONN JAMES"-- and he respectfully declined, saying he was partying on St. Patty's Day. I was shocked that a Husky fan would skip watching his team. Bold-- Temple tangles with a less than beautiful Penn State (36 points in a win? Only in the Big Ten!) and a San Diego State that is largely a mystery. Fold-- UConn spent itself to get to the dance... and UCONN JAMES won't even watch them play? I'm ashamed to even know you, buddy-- and your Huskies will feel the pain. Gold--Duke has played well all season and gets guard Kyrie Irving back for the tournament-- game, set, match.
East-- the regional weekend shifts to Newark from the tried and true East Rutherford... I'm hoping eventually they'll build an arena in Paterson. Bold-- Xavier begins its tournament run in Cleveland against a bad Marquette team (I thought the Golden Eagles didn't belong in the field) and potentially play a Syracuse team that has had trouble defending the three. Fold-- Kentucky has been consistently uneven this winter and plays a Princeton team that will stretch them in every way; and coach John Calipari's teams never outperform their seed. Gold-- North Carolina has lost two games in the last two months-- both to a red-hot Duke. After not caring about last weekend's ACC Tournament, the Tar Heels infuriate everyone by turning it on and off at a whim when it suits them.
Notes on the "First Four"-- I was actually more interested in the NIT games... a shame St. Mary's lost with Teenwolf playing for them (Rob Jones)-- perhaps he should have stayed the wolf throughout the final minute of play.
Southeast-- I was surprised to see Michigan State make the field... and the Big Ten was the home to uglyball this past winter. Word is instead of waterboarding they show gametapes to suspects. Bold-- Old Dominion upset Notre Dame last year-- and has the talent to win a pair of rounds this year... especially against a Pitt club that falters in March. Fold-- BYU has the tournament's best player... but lost a key component a few weeks ago and doesn't defend well. Gold-- Florida has a decent draw and the Gators have played better as the season's progressed. Billy Donovan is a proven tourney coach too.
Southwest-- not the Midwest mind you... as this has been referred to in the past... as the NCAA must keep directional integrity. Bold-- Georgetown was 10-5 in the Big East when guard Chris Wright went down with a broken hand... Hoyas are 7-4 under coach John Thompson III's tenure. Fold-- Louisville reached the Big East finals last week... but under coach Rick Pitino recently the Cardinals have developed a reputation as a lamb rather than a lion in March. Gold-- Notre Dame completes my Big East fixation... the Fighting Irish no longer have the guy who took Brenda Walsh to the senior prom but Mike Brey's bunch looks like they will break through.
West-- UConn is in the dance with the major bounce of having won five games in five days at the Big East Tournament... and I have tickets to the games at Verizon so I invited my buddy "UCONN JAMES"-- and he respectfully declined, saying he was partying on St. Patty's Day. I was shocked that a Husky fan would skip watching his team. Bold-- Temple tangles with a less than beautiful Penn State (36 points in a win? Only in the Big Ten!) and a San Diego State that is largely a mystery. Fold-- UConn spent itself to get to the dance... and UCONN JAMES won't even watch them play? I'm ashamed to even know you, buddy-- and your Huskies will feel the pain. Gold--Duke has played well all season and gets guard Kyrie Irving back for the tournament-- game, set, match.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- bring on the brackets!
As the dust settles from Selection Sunday and everyone's looking at Morehead State's press handling as well as Butler's 3-point shooting... more than a few local angles as the Madness ensues--
First Four issues-- I'm not a fan with shipping teams off to a non-destination Tuesday/Wednesday and then sending them elsewhere (Chicago, Washington, Tampa , Cleveland)... if you're going to have these games why not just move them immediately to the city where they're bound? You'll save on travel-- plus give the kids the feel of not being in a play-in game. And as you know, it's all about the kids. I'm also amused with the language regarding the First Four and what used to the be first/second rounds... now referring to Thursday and Friday's games as "second round" seems a little odd. My perfect solution? Have the first four be automatic qualifiers meeting on Sunday-- a quadrupleheader that would give the schools involved a chance to regroup before facing a #1 seed. Call that the "First Four"-- but then go back to "first round Thursday".
Georgetown gets a #6 seed in the Southwest region... with a first round matchup in Chicago against the winner of Wednesday's VCU-USC matchup (no truth to the rumor both made the "first four" because as schools known by initials- they'd be easier to fit on a bracket line). With Chris Wright back in the lineup--in theory the Hoyas will return to the team that started Big East play 10-5 and not the one that lost four straight.
Big East Bonanza-- okay, I get it, the league is good-- but 11 bids? Marquette was awfully mediocre at times. And I'm not excited with the bracketing of the teams-- we could have Syracuse-Marquette and Cincinnati-UConn in the second round. I was hoping for first weekend intraconference separation.
Alma Mater Update-- I jumped in on tickets as the front man for first and second round games hoping the Orange would be placed at Verizon... unfortunately I get three other Big East teams and an extra ticket -- I even tried to unload it on a friend I call "UCONN JAMES" because he allegedly is the most unrealistically foolish Husky fan ever... and he's enjoying Kegs and Eggs instead on St. Patrick's Day. So much for buying pants. Syracuse gets a #3 seed in the East and faces Indiana State at Cleveland... with a potential second round matchup against Xavier or Marquette.
George Mason makes its way to Cleveland as well for a first round game against sinking stone Villanova (5 straight losses)...and would then likely play #1 overall seed Ohio State for a shot at the sweet sixteen. Not an ideal draw-- but the Patriots have slayed giants before in the NCAA Tournament. Just not in their home state.
Snubbed! Who would have thought after Virginia Tech upset #1 Duke sixteen days ago the Hokies would be a top seed in the NIT again. While coach Seth Greenburg tried to assert that somebody must have an agenda against the Hokies-- and if the agenda included getting swept by Virginia, getting blown out at home by Boston College the final week of the regular season and a non-conference slate that saw an improvement in schedule but with no victories to show for it-- I'm in.
Maryland not only misses out on the NCAA but the NIT as well-- the first time since 1993 the Terps are headed nowhere. The season turned on two pivots-- consecutive losses at Boston College and Virginia Tech put them on the outside looking in... while back to back double digit defeats to Miami and Virginia helped seal their at-large fate. What happens now? Hopefully Jordan Williams comes back for his junior season... the huge freshman class makes the leap over the summer and coach Gary Williams brings in fresh talent this fall. Since expansion of the ACC... the Terps have gone 4-7 with just one semifinal appearance (Virginia Tech has three). In the previous seven seasons, Maryland went 9-6 with six semifinal showings... two trips to the finals and the 2004 title. The seeds of Selection Sunday are sown by those who show up Saturday in the ACC Tournament.
First Four issues-- I'm not a fan with shipping teams off to a non-destination Tuesday/Wednesday and then sending them elsewhere (Chicago, Washington, Tampa , Cleveland)... if you're going to have these games why not just move them immediately to the city where they're bound? You'll save on travel-- plus give the kids the feel of not being in a play-in game. And as you know, it's all about the kids. I'm also amused with the language regarding the First Four and what used to the be first/second rounds... now referring to Thursday and Friday's games as "second round" seems a little odd. My perfect solution? Have the first four be automatic qualifiers meeting on Sunday-- a quadrupleheader that would give the schools involved a chance to regroup before facing a #1 seed. Call that the "First Four"-- but then go back to "first round Thursday".
Georgetown gets a #6 seed in the Southwest region... with a first round matchup in Chicago against the winner of Wednesday's VCU-USC matchup (no truth to the rumor both made the "first four" because as schools known by initials- they'd be easier to fit on a bracket line). With Chris Wright back in the lineup--in theory the Hoyas will return to the team that started Big East play 10-5 and not the one that lost four straight.
Big East Bonanza-- okay, I get it, the league is good-- but 11 bids? Marquette was awfully mediocre at times. And I'm not excited with the bracketing of the teams-- we could have Syracuse-Marquette and Cincinnati-UConn in the second round. I was hoping for first weekend intraconference separation.
Alma Mater Update-- I jumped in on tickets as the front man for first and second round games hoping the Orange would be placed at Verizon... unfortunately I get three other Big East teams and an extra ticket -- I even tried to unload it on a friend I call "UCONN JAMES" because he allegedly is the most unrealistically foolish Husky fan ever... and he's enjoying Kegs and Eggs instead on St. Patrick's Day. So much for buying pants. Syracuse gets a #3 seed in the East and faces Indiana State at Cleveland... with a potential second round matchup against Xavier or Marquette.
George Mason makes its way to Cleveland as well for a first round game against sinking stone Villanova (5 straight losses)...and would then likely play #1 overall seed Ohio State for a shot at the sweet sixteen. Not an ideal draw-- but the Patriots have slayed giants before in the NCAA Tournament. Just not in their home state.
Snubbed! Who would have thought after Virginia Tech upset #1 Duke sixteen days ago the Hokies would be a top seed in the NIT again. While coach Seth Greenburg tried to assert that somebody must have an agenda against the Hokies-- and if the agenda included getting swept by Virginia, getting blown out at home by Boston College the final week of the regular season and a non-conference slate that saw an improvement in schedule but with no victories to show for it-- I'm in.
Maryland not only misses out on the NCAA but the NIT as well-- the first time since 1993 the Terps are headed nowhere. The season turned on two pivots-- consecutive losses at Boston College and Virginia Tech put them on the outside looking in... while back to back double digit defeats to Miami and Virginia helped seal their at-large fate. What happens now? Hopefully Jordan Williams comes back for his junior season... the huge freshman class makes the leap over the summer and coach Gary Williams brings in fresh talent this fall. Since expansion of the ACC... the Terps have gone 4-7 with just one semifinal appearance (Virginia Tech has three). In the previous seven seasons, Maryland went 9-6 with six semifinal showings... two trips to the finals and the 2004 title. The seeds of Selection Sunday are sown by those who show up Saturday in the ACC Tournament.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- Bleak Week...
Did anyone think the sun would ever shine again in and around the Beltway? George Washington, Georgetown, Howard, Virginia-- TIM-BERR! And that's not even including the weekend woes of American, George Mason, Maryland and Virginia Tech. There was no joy anywhere near the nation's capital...until the Terps and Hokies made Conference Tournament Week passable.
Maryland (19-13) snapped a three game losing streak by beating North Carolina State 75-67... with another double-double from Jordan Williams (16 points and 13 rebounds) and solid perimeter defense (Wolfpack shot 2 of 14 from three point range). The Terps quarterfinal opponent will pose a much bigger problem from outside-- as Duke made a combined 16 off 44 three's during their regular season sweep. Freshman Terrell Stoglin scored 5 points in the home and home with the Blue Devils-- and after notching 7 straight double digit efforts has been held to 9 points in consecutive contests (shooting 7 of 18).
Cruising the Commonwealth-- classic good news, bad news in the Dominion. Virginia Tech (20-10) is back on the threshold of the field of 68 thanks to a 59-43 smackdown of Georgia Tech-- a win over Florida State in the quarterfinals should all but punch their ticket. Virginia (16-15) was 35 seconds away from facing North Carolina before coughing up a 10 point lead in the final minute of regulation...the end result a 69-62 loss in overtime to Miami. Especially after the way the Cavaliers played in the final weeks of the regular season, not the preferred ACC Tournament memory to build upon.
Georgetown (21-10) saw its rudderless descent continue with a 79-62 loss to UConn... which in retrospect doesn't look too bad after the Huskies bounced regular season champ Pitt. And although they need their senior point guard back in the worst way-- their collapse isn't nearly as bad as Villanova: the Wildcats (once 16-1) have dropped five straight (one to South Florida... South Florida?!)...7 of 9 and 10 of 15. Nova's body of work gets them in the tournament, I guess... but if there's a case for dropping one of the presumed eleven Big East schools-- Jay Wright's team tops the list.
Alma Mater Update-- happy to say... Syracuse (26-6) took the extended NY invitational (its "quadrant" in the tourney had Rutgers, Seton Hall and St. Johns)-- pushing past the Red Storm 79-73 thanks to a 16-7 finishing kick. Brandon Triche had the game many felt he needed to have for this team to succeed in the halfcourt... and Fab Melo may be actually starting to live up to the outsized expectations that only come with the names "Fab" and "Melo". SU plays UConn in the semifinals-- and many are hyping this as "the first Big East Tournament meeting between these two schools since their six overtime affair"... as if it was Georgetown-Villanova in the NCAA Tournament. It's only been two years!
George Washington (17-14) was upset in the first round of the Atlantic Ten tournament... slipping in overtime to St. Joseph's 71-59. They were lucky to get to the extra session-- trailing by 14 in the second half. Tony Taylor tallied 22 points... but that wasn't enough for one of the area's more lacking offensive teams (276th in scoring, 284th in shooting). Now it's on to the NIT or CBI or whatever the Zeppo of second tier tournaments is called.
Howard (6-24) wrapped up the season with a 68-53 loss in the first round of the MEAC Tournament to Norfolk State... actually leading 39-32 before missing 14 straight shots. If you thought GW had offensive issues-- wait until you hear about the toothless Bison. 341st in scoring, 342nd in shooting and 343rd in assists.
Maryland (19-13) snapped a three game losing streak by beating North Carolina State 75-67... with another double-double from Jordan Williams (16 points and 13 rebounds) and solid perimeter defense (Wolfpack shot 2 of 14 from three point range). The Terps quarterfinal opponent will pose a much bigger problem from outside-- as Duke made a combined 16 off 44 three's during their regular season sweep. Freshman Terrell Stoglin scored 5 points in the home and home with the Blue Devils-- and after notching 7 straight double digit efforts has been held to 9 points in consecutive contests (shooting 7 of 18).
Cruising the Commonwealth-- classic good news, bad news in the Dominion. Virginia Tech (20-10) is back on the threshold of the field of 68 thanks to a 59-43 smackdown of Georgia Tech-- a win over Florida State in the quarterfinals should all but punch their ticket. Virginia (16-15) was 35 seconds away from facing North Carolina before coughing up a 10 point lead in the final minute of regulation...the end result a 69-62 loss in overtime to Miami. Especially after the way the Cavaliers played in the final weeks of the regular season, not the preferred ACC Tournament memory to build upon.
Georgetown (21-10) saw its rudderless descent continue with a 79-62 loss to UConn... which in retrospect doesn't look too bad after the Huskies bounced regular season champ Pitt. And although they need their senior point guard back in the worst way-- their collapse isn't nearly as bad as Villanova: the Wildcats (once 16-1) have dropped five straight (one to South Florida... South Florida?!)...7 of 9 and 10 of 15. Nova's body of work gets them in the tournament, I guess... but if there's a case for dropping one of the presumed eleven Big East schools-- Jay Wright's team tops the list.
Alma Mater Update-- happy to say... Syracuse (26-6) took the extended NY invitational (its "quadrant" in the tourney had Rutgers, Seton Hall and St. Johns)-- pushing past the Red Storm 79-73 thanks to a 16-7 finishing kick. Brandon Triche had the game many felt he needed to have for this team to succeed in the halfcourt... and Fab Melo may be actually starting to live up to the outsized expectations that only come with the names "Fab" and "Melo". SU plays UConn in the semifinals-- and many are hyping this as "the first Big East Tournament meeting between these two schools since their six overtime affair"... as if it was Georgetown-Villanova in the NCAA Tournament. It's only been two years!
George Washington (17-14) was upset in the first round of the Atlantic Ten tournament... slipping in overtime to St. Joseph's 71-59. They were lucky to get to the extra session-- trailing by 14 in the second half. Tony Taylor tallied 22 points... but that wasn't enough for one of the area's more lacking offensive teams (276th in scoring, 284th in shooting). Now it's on to the NIT or CBI or whatever the Zeppo of second tier tournaments is called.
Howard (6-24) wrapped up the season with a 68-53 loss in the first round of the MEAC Tournament to Norfolk State... actually leading 39-32 before missing 14 straight shots. If you thought GW had offensive issues-- wait until you hear about the toothless Bison. 341st in scoring, 342nd in shooting and 343rd in assists.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- the cookie crumbles after a weekend washout...
Sunday's monsoon in DC was symbolic of the type of weekend the college basketball teams had (with GW the exception)...: from the Maryland Womens' team's loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC Quarterfinals to American's thriller with Lafayette... local teams had their heads handed to them-- with underwhelming and sometimes maddening results. Not the way you want to go into March. Much like learning your mom bought 5 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies--only to find out they're the experimental flavor "Thank You Berry Much". More on my cookie bracket later... :
Maryland (18-12, 7-9) ended its regular season with a 74-60 thud against Virginia. Lack of intensity hurt the Terps early-- and the inability to contain Sammy Zeglinski (6-7 from three point range, 25 points) helped ruin senior day. Now the Terps tangle with tenth place North Carolina State-- a school that dropped four of its last five games. Maryland won the regular season matchup 87-80 on February 20th. Jordan Williams and Terrell Stoglin need to carry this team like they did that night (combining for 51 points) if the Terps are to advance to the quarterfinals-- where Duke awaits. Maybe Saturday wasn't senior day after all.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Somewhere there must be a magnet inside Virginia Tech (19-10, 9-7) that magically finds the bubble each year... from every imaginable direction. The Hokies shot just 31% in a 69-60 battle for the bye against Clemson... Jeff Allen having a nightmare of a game: 1 for 5 with 8 turnovers against the Tigers. As the sixth seed the Hokies will face Georgia Tech (VT won 102-77 in Blacksburg February 13th)... needing wins against the Yellowjackets and then against Florida State in the quarterfinals to feel better about their NCAA hopes. Virginia (16-14, 7-9) finished the regular season with a flourish-- the triumph over Maryland was the Cavaliers' fourth win in five games with the last two coming by double digits. As the 8th seed they face Miami (the ACC's most unpredictable team) with the winner playing North Carolina in the quarterfinals.
Georgetown (21-9, 10-8) heads to New York City with a point guard in doubt and a team in a tailspin... averaging 23.6 points per half since Chris Wright went on the shelf the first time they played Cincinnati. The senior simply got hurt at the wrong time-- if he misses DePaul or South Florida-- the Hoyas probably eke out a win--but not so against the rapidly improving Bearcats (5-1 down the stretch) or streaking Syracuse (5-0 finish). Can the 8th seeded Hoyas turn things around in time to tangle with the UConn-DePaul winner? Legally I have to have the Blue Demons as an option although they finished 1-17 in league play.
Alma Mater Update-- I've been reminded that last year Georgetown advanced to the Big East Finals as an 8th seed... and I also remember burning my styrofoam bracket cup after the Orange lost to the Hoyas in that one. Thanks for the memories. This year Syracuse (25-6, 12-6) enters MSG as the #4 seed... meaning they'll meet the survivor of the St. John's-Seton Hall-Rutgers trio in the quarterfinals. They're also the hottest team in the conference which never bodes well... and the false sense of security from a 107-59 thumping of DePaul is never good. A game with the Red Storm would bring back memories of the 1986 finals-- the Johnnies won the title but Pearl Washington won the hearts of the MSG fans. Thanks for the memories.
George Mason (26-6) after cruising through the final month of the regular season fell in the CAA Semifinals to Virginia Commonwealth 79-63 Sunday... a 21-3 first half run by the Rams was the difference-- VCU using the three-pointer to provide the cushion (11-25 from outside the arc). GMU drops to 0-5 against the Rams in the CAA Tournament--ouch-- but still should be in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. Problem is, where? I could see them slipping from a 6 to an 8 or 9. The Patriots were interviewed last week about being disrespected despite having the nation's longest winning streak at 15. That won't be the interview topic this week, rest assured.
George Washington (17-13, 10-6)-- thanks, Colonials, for being the only area team not to fall this past weekend. Instead, coach Karl Hobbs' crew wins for the fifth time in six games-- Saturday's 60-58 defeat of Dayton delivered GW its first double digit conference win season since 2007. Tony Taylor's 17 points was punctuated by two late free throws to provide the final cushion. With the 5th seed they face St. Joseph's in the first round of the Atlantic Ten Tournament-- GW took the regular season meeting 78-71 January 8th behind 20 points from Taylor and five players in double figures. A win sets up a quarterfinal clash with Duquesne.
American (22-9) dropped a heartbreaking 73-71 double overtime duel to Lafayette (eight days after defeating the Leopards in double-OT) after Jim Mower canned a three pointer with under a second remaining. The Eagles shot 39 percent from the field and 19 percent from three point range; Vlad Moldeveanu scored 25 points while Stephen Lumpkins added 19 points and 11 rebounds. AU now awaits its postseason destination: maybe the NIT or CBI?
Girl Scout Cookie Rankings-- every March the magic comes together: you know full well about the Shamrock Shakes and the NCAA Tournament... Girl Scout Cookies complete the best trio since the rock group Cream. As always, there are those who have personal feelings about which cookie is best-- and even if your opinion is wrong I accept it because somebody has to buy those flavors that suck.
1--Tagalongs...I know, the Thin Mint contingent will be up in arms. But Tagalongs provide versatility only peanut butter immersed in chocolate can. Can be consumed in both uptempo and half-court settings. Thin Mints are great-- but a one trick pony (although that's quite a trick).
2--Thin Mints... the standard-bearer that you can run through a whole sleeve of in one sitting. Nobody fastbreaks like the TM's... although if you're playing slow-down, their weakness can be exploited (nobody liked the adoption of the shot clock more than Thin Mints in 1985).
3--Samoas... although they're called Caramel dee-Lites in some areas... which is just stupid. The motion offense of cookies-- with all the coconut, caramel and chocolate blending in a series of passes and screens... they're tough to keep track of on each tasting possession. Can they run with the Thin Mints? Not exactly, but Samoas rebound better.
4--Do Si Dos... the redundancy department of redundancy. If you like peanut butter, this is for you. It has that power in the post that only massive amounts of peanut butter can provide-- plays the ultimate physical game with your stomach. If you don't like peanut butter-- this might not be the cookie for you.
5--Trefoils... the traditional shortbread cookie is the original and has its moments-- but has trouble keeping up with the newer cookies over a 40-minute game. Fundamentally sound-- but plays completely under the rim.
While any of the "Fab Five" can contend in any given year-- the next six are lucky to get one victory each March from me-- if that.
6--Dulce de Leche... not to be confused with the Haagen Dasz Ice cream flavor I once wrote a song about (to the tune of "Besame Mucho")... its not a bad cookie but the caramel chips give you just enough to wish they were bigger.
7--Lemonades... okay, they're lemon cookies. Not getting it.
8--Lemon Chalet Cremes... why do you have two lemon flavored cookies? You do know you're cutting the lemon-loving market in two.
9--Shout Outs!... Anytime an exclamation point is in the title of anything, beware.
10--Thanks-a-Lot... a cookie so not awesome they actually pre-thank you for buying them.
11--Thank U Berry Much...despite the fact you're making it okay for young girls to spell the word "you" "U"-- berries in a cookie? No, thank you.
Maryland (18-12, 7-9) ended its regular season with a 74-60 thud against Virginia. Lack of intensity hurt the Terps early-- and the inability to contain Sammy Zeglinski (6-7 from three point range, 25 points) helped ruin senior day. Now the Terps tangle with tenth place North Carolina State-- a school that dropped four of its last five games. Maryland won the regular season matchup 87-80 on February 20th. Jordan Williams and Terrell Stoglin need to carry this team like they did that night (combining for 51 points) if the Terps are to advance to the quarterfinals-- where Duke awaits. Maybe Saturday wasn't senior day after all.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Somewhere there must be a magnet inside Virginia Tech (19-10, 9-7) that magically finds the bubble each year... from every imaginable direction. The Hokies shot just 31% in a 69-60 battle for the bye against Clemson... Jeff Allen having a nightmare of a game: 1 for 5 with 8 turnovers against the Tigers. As the sixth seed the Hokies will face Georgia Tech (VT won 102-77 in Blacksburg February 13th)... needing wins against the Yellowjackets and then against Florida State in the quarterfinals to feel better about their NCAA hopes. Virginia (16-14, 7-9) finished the regular season with a flourish-- the triumph over Maryland was the Cavaliers' fourth win in five games with the last two coming by double digits. As the 8th seed they face Miami (the ACC's most unpredictable team) with the winner playing North Carolina in the quarterfinals.
Georgetown (21-9, 10-8) heads to New York City with a point guard in doubt and a team in a tailspin... averaging 23.6 points per half since Chris Wright went on the shelf the first time they played Cincinnati. The senior simply got hurt at the wrong time-- if he misses DePaul or South Florida-- the Hoyas probably eke out a win--but not so against the rapidly improving Bearcats (5-1 down the stretch) or streaking Syracuse (5-0 finish). Can the 8th seeded Hoyas turn things around in time to tangle with the UConn-DePaul winner? Legally I have to have the Blue Demons as an option although they finished 1-17 in league play.
Alma Mater Update-- I've been reminded that last year Georgetown advanced to the Big East Finals as an 8th seed... and I also remember burning my styrofoam bracket cup after the Orange lost to the Hoyas in that one. Thanks for the memories. This year Syracuse (25-6, 12-6) enters MSG as the #4 seed... meaning they'll meet the survivor of the St. John's-Seton Hall-Rutgers trio in the quarterfinals. They're also the hottest team in the conference which never bodes well... and the false sense of security from a 107-59 thumping of DePaul is never good. A game with the Red Storm would bring back memories of the 1986 finals-- the Johnnies won the title but Pearl Washington won the hearts of the MSG fans. Thanks for the memories.
George Mason (26-6) after cruising through the final month of the regular season fell in the CAA Semifinals to Virginia Commonwealth 79-63 Sunday... a 21-3 first half run by the Rams was the difference-- VCU using the three-pointer to provide the cushion (11-25 from outside the arc). GMU drops to 0-5 against the Rams in the CAA Tournament--ouch-- but still should be in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. Problem is, where? I could see them slipping from a 6 to an 8 or 9. The Patriots were interviewed last week about being disrespected despite having the nation's longest winning streak at 15. That won't be the interview topic this week, rest assured.
George Washington (17-13, 10-6)-- thanks, Colonials, for being the only area team not to fall this past weekend. Instead, coach Karl Hobbs' crew wins for the fifth time in six games-- Saturday's 60-58 defeat of Dayton delivered GW its first double digit conference win season since 2007. Tony Taylor's 17 points was punctuated by two late free throws to provide the final cushion. With the 5th seed they face St. Joseph's in the first round of the Atlantic Ten Tournament-- GW took the regular season meeting 78-71 January 8th behind 20 points from Taylor and five players in double figures. A win sets up a quarterfinal clash with Duquesne.
American (22-9) dropped a heartbreaking 73-71 double overtime duel to Lafayette (eight days after defeating the Leopards in double-OT) after Jim Mower canned a three pointer with under a second remaining. The Eagles shot 39 percent from the field and 19 percent from three point range; Vlad Moldeveanu scored 25 points while Stephen Lumpkins added 19 points and 11 rebounds. AU now awaits its postseason destination: maybe the NIT or CBI?
Girl Scout Cookie Rankings-- every March the magic comes together: you know full well about the Shamrock Shakes and the NCAA Tournament... Girl Scout Cookies complete the best trio since the rock group Cream. As always, there are those who have personal feelings about which cookie is best-- and even if your opinion is wrong I accept it because somebody has to buy those flavors that suck.
1--Tagalongs...I know, the Thin Mint contingent will be up in arms. But Tagalongs provide versatility only peanut butter immersed in chocolate can. Can be consumed in both uptempo and half-court settings. Thin Mints are great-- but a one trick pony (although that's quite a trick).
2--Thin Mints... the standard-bearer that you can run through a whole sleeve of in one sitting. Nobody fastbreaks like the TM's... although if you're playing slow-down, their weakness can be exploited (nobody liked the adoption of the shot clock more than Thin Mints in 1985).
3--Samoas... although they're called Caramel dee-Lites in some areas... which is just stupid. The motion offense of cookies-- with all the coconut, caramel and chocolate blending in a series of passes and screens... they're tough to keep track of on each tasting possession. Can they run with the Thin Mints? Not exactly, but Samoas rebound better.
4--Do Si Dos... the redundancy department of redundancy. If you like peanut butter, this is for you. It has that power in the post that only massive amounts of peanut butter can provide-- plays the ultimate physical game with your stomach. If you don't like peanut butter-- this might not be the cookie for you.
5--Trefoils... the traditional shortbread cookie is the original and has its moments-- but has trouble keeping up with the newer cookies over a 40-minute game. Fundamentally sound-- but plays completely under the rim.
While any of the "Fab Five" can contend in any given year-- the next six are lucky to get one victory each March from me-- if that.
6--Dulce de Leche... not to be confused with the Haagen Dasz Ice cream flavor I once wrote a song about (to the tune of "Besame Mucho")... its not a bad cookie but the caramel chips give you just enough to wish they were bigger.
7--Lemonades... okay, they're lemon cookies. Not getting it.
8--Lemon Chalet Cremes... why do you have two lemon flavored cookies? You do know you're cutting the lemon-loving market in two.
9--Shout Outs!... Anytime an exclamation point is in the title of anything, beware.
10--Thanks-a-Lot... a cookie so not awesome they actually pre-thank you for buying them.
11--Thank U Berry Much...despite the fact you're making it okay for young girls to spell the word "you" "U"-- berries in a cookie? No, thank you.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- Think I'm Shakin' for Two Tickets
Once upon a time ... New York City cop Ed Mahoney turned to a life of music and gave Album Oriented Rock radio a slew of high-octane hits before doing a profitable but ill-advised duet with Ronnie Spector-- before vanishing to the B-list of hardworking musicians. His story should be the focus of the new movie "Take Me Home Tonight"-- but instead it's a romcom starring Topher Grace. Why couldn't they string together Eddie Money's hits like they did for "Mama Mia"? I mean-- "Two Tickets to Paradise"... "Shakin'"... "Think I'm in Love"-- the script practically writes itself. Would it be that much worse than the actual movie they produced? Unfortunately if this movie succeeds I now dread what will come next: "Last Christmas"--starring Owen Wilson as the architect successful at business but unable to build a romantic life... Amy Adams as the office manager with glasses and a ponytail who's perfect for him... Ed Helms as the wacky sidekick you just can't get enough of... and Jessica Biel as the ice princess who dumped Owen that fateful December 26th.
On to the Beltway-- where more than a few scripts took a beating with massive rewrites... and a few productions had location problems...:
Maryland (18-12, 7-8--#7 in the ACC with a first round game against NC State) lost a "can't lose" game in Miami... allowing the Hurricanes to shoot 55% from the field while Jordan Williams hit just 3 of 17 shots in a defeat that almost ensures the Terps need to win the ACC Tournament to make the NCAA's. And with an improving Virginia team on the horizon... Senior Day at Comcast might not be the final game in College Park for the Terrapin seniors.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- THUD! Great followup to that win over Duke, Virginia Tech (19-9, 9-6--#4 with an ACC QF game against Clemson or Wake Forest))... a 76-61 loss to bubblicious Boston College where the Hokies were HANDLED on the boards (outrebounded 38-22). Now coach Seth Greenberg's team visits Clemson in what turns out to be a game for a first round bye... and a Hokie loss coupled with a Boston College win over last place Wake Forest gives them a 6th seed. Virginia (15-4, 6-9--#9 with a first round game against Miami) stays in NIT contention... 3 wins in 4 games has the Cavaliers playing at a level far above their early season wanderings. Although this is a team that has more than a few 40-point efforts to their credit (4 in ACC play)-- with another one sure to be out there.
Georgetown (21-8, 10-7--#8 in the Big East with a second round game against the winner of #9 Connecticut-#16 DePaul) has a full week to reinvent its offense in wake of losing guard Chris Wright for the moment. Now Comcast Sportsnet's Ron Thompson facebooked that Wright is healing more quickly than expected. One would think he'd have a better idea than most. Regardless, they face a Cincinnati team that held them to 26 first half points with Wright in the lineup... and one that is surging up the standings with four wins in five games. Unlike the Hoyas firm of Freeman & Wright... the Bearcats boast more balance: five players who average between 8.5 and 11.2 points a game.
Alma Mater Update-- St John's loss to Seton Hall opened up the door for Syracuse (24-6, 11-6--#4 with a quarterfinal date against the Red Storm/Seton Hall/Rutgers) to claim the famed double bye in the Big East Tournament. All the Orange have to do is defeat DePaul (7-22, 1-16). In the Carrier Dome. Gentlemen: please cover Jeremiah Kelly and Jimmy Drew-- both are hitting 35% of their threes. Meanwhile, Sign of the Whale's Wing Basket is the preferred snack of choice during the games-- as long as you take care of things in post-op.
George Mason (25-5, 16-2) plays Georgia State Saturday in the CAA Quarterfinals; the Patriots beat the Panthers by 14 in Fairfax and by 7 in the the peach state. Cam Long was the key--12 of his 18 points came in the second half of a home win and 5 of his 19 came in the final minute of the road victory. Lurking in the shadows are the #2 and 3 seeds... Old Dominion (faded in February) and Hofstra (surged on the backstretch) both can beat the Patriots--and did: the Pride on January 5th and the Monarchs on January 8th.
George Washington (16-13, 9-6--#5 in the Atlantic Ten with a first round game against St. Joseph's) rallied from an early deficit at Rhode Island and posted its first win against a school with a winning A-10 mark-- despite hitting just 1-of-13 three pointers (it was a rough night from longrange: the Rams hit 3 of 15 from outside the arc). Tony Taylor tallied 23 points notched 4 assists plus 4 steals to lead the way... and the Colonials need a win over Dayton or a Rhode Island loss at St. Bonaventure to lock up 5th place in the conference.
Maryland Womens' Moment-- After scraping to a first round bye in the ACC Tournament, few expected an early exit from the quarterfinals--always physical Georgia Tech topped the Terps 70-64. Maryland was outrebounded 35-22 and committed 23 turnovers. Primary post presence Lynetta Kizer was held to 9 points on 1 of 6 shooting. Now the question is-- where will the Terps land in the NCAA Tournament? They were ranked 15th nationally entering the ACCs... and you'd think they would be a low #4 or high #5 seed. Regardless of seed or region, the Terps will begin their tournament run at the Comcast Center.
American (22-8) plays Lafayette in the Patriot League Semifinals Sunday after taking care of Colgate in the quarterfinals-- a 69-53 win where the hammer (Vlad Moldoveanu scored 31 points) and the anvil (Stephen Lumpkins tallied 19 points and 15 rebounds) pounded the Raiders into submission. The Leopards (12-18, 6-8) are fresh in the Eagles mind-- AU won 95-92 in double overtime on the final day of the regular season. Right now the focus for coach Jeff Jones is to convince Lumpkins about his upside; the forward averaged a double double during the season but Jones thinks the junior is just scratching the surface.
Howard (6-23, 4-12) faces Norfolk State in the MEAC Tournament first round March 9th... trying to bounce back from a regular season where they ranked 341st in scoring, 340th in shooting and 341st in assists. The Bison lost by 10 at home and by 8 on the road in the season series thanks to 21 and 23 points from Spartan swingman Rob Hampton.
On to the Beltway-- where more than a few scripts took a beating with massive rewrites... and a few productions had location problems...:
Maryland (18-12, 7-8--#7 in the ACC with a first round game against NC State) lost a "can't lose" game in Miami... allowing the Hurricanes to shoot 55% from the field while Jordan Williams hit just 3 of 17 shots in a defeat that almost ensures the Terps need to win the ACC Tournament to make the NCAA's. And with an improving Virginia team on the horizon... Senior Day at Comcast might not be the final game in College Park for the Terrapin seniors.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- THUD! Great followup to that win over Duke, Virginia Tech (19-9, 9-6--#4 with an ACC QF game against Clemson or Wake Forest))... a 76-61 loss to bubblicious Boston College where the Hokies were HANDLED on the boards (outrebounded 38-22). Now coach Seth Greenberg's team visits Clemson in what turns out to be a game for a first round bye... and a Hokie loss coupled with a Boston College win over last place Wake Forest gives them a 6th seed. Virginia (15-4, 6-9--#9 with a first round game against Miami) stays in NIT contention... 3 wins in 4 games has the Cavaliers playing at a level far above their early season wanderings. Although this is a team that has more than a few 40-point efforts to their credit (4 in ACC play)-- with another one sure to be out there.
Georgetown (21-8, 10-7--#8 in the Big East with a second round game against the winner of #9 Connecticut-#16 DePaul) has a full week to reinvent its offense in wake of losing guard Chris Wright for the moment. Now Comcast Sportsnet's Ron Thompson facebooked that Wright is healing more quickly than expected. One would think he'd have a better idea than most. Regardless, they face a Cincinnati team that held them to 26 first half points with Wright in the lineup... and one that is surging up the standings with four wins in five games. Unlike the Hoyas firm of Freeman & Wright... the Bearcats boast more balance: five players who average between 8.5 and 11.2 points a game.
Alma Mater Update-- St John's loss to Seton Hall opened up the door for Syracuse (24-6, 11-6--#4 with a quarterfinal date against the Red Storm/Seton Hall/Rutgers) to claim the famed double bye in the Big East Tournament. All the Orange have to do is defeat DePaul (7-22, 1-16). In the Carrier Dome. Gentlemen: please cover Jeremiah Kelly and Jimmy Drew-- both are hitting 35% of their threes. Meanwhile, Sign of the Whale's Wing Basket is the preferred snack of choice during the games-- as long as you take care of things in post-op.
George Mason (25-5, 16-2) plays Georgia State Saturday in the CAA Quarterfinals; the Patriots beat the Panthers by 14 in Fairfax and by 7 in the the peach state. Cam Long was the key--12 of his 18 points came in the second half of a home win and 5 of his 19 came in the final minute of the road victory. Lurking in the shadows are the #2 and 3 seeds... Old Dominion (faded in February) and Hofstra (surged on the backstretch) both can beat the Patriots--and did: the Pride on January 5th and the Monarchs on January 8th.
George Washington (16-13, 9-6--#5 in the Atlantic Ten with a first round game against St. Joseph's) rallied from an early deficit at Rhode Island and posted its first win against a school with a winning A-10 mark-- despite hitting just 1-of-13 three pointers (it was a rough night from longrange: the Rams hit 3 of 15 from outside the arc). Tony Taylor tallied 23 points notched 4 assists plus 4 steals to lead the way... and the Colonials need a win over Dayton or a Rhode Island loss at St. Bonaventure to lock up 5th place in the conference.
Maryland Womens' Moment-- After scraping to a first round bye in the ACC Tournament, few expected an early exit from the quarterfinals--always physical Georgia Tech topped the Terps 70-64. Maryland was outrebounded 35-22 and committed 23 turnovers. Primary post presence Lynetta Kizer was held to 9 points on 1 of 6 shooting. Now the question is-- where will the Terps land in the NCAA Tournament? They were ranked 15th nationally entering the ACCs... and you'd think they would be a low #4 or high #5 seed. Regardless of seed or region, the Terps will begin their tournament run at the Comcast Center.
American (22-8) plays Lafayette in the Patriot League Semifinals Sunday after taking care of Colgate in the quarterfinals-- a 69-53 win where the hammer (Vlad Moldoveanu scored 31 points) and the anvil (Stephen Lumpkins tallied 19 points and 15 rebounds) pounded the Raiders into submission. The Leopards (12-18, 6-8) are fresh in the Eagles mind-- AU won 95-92 in double overtime on the final day of the regular season. Right now the focus for coach Jeff Jones is to convince Lumpkins about his upside; the forward averaged a double double during the season but Jones thinks the junior is just scratching the surface.
Howard (6-23, 4-12) faces Norfolk State in the MEAC Tournament first round March 9th... trying to bounce back from a regular season where they ranked 341st in scoring, 340th in shooting and 341st in assists. The Bison lost by 10 at home and by 8 on the road in the season series thanks to 21 and 23 points from Spartan swingman Rob Hampton.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- and the envelope please...
Was Oscar night as disjointedly amazing for you as it was for me? For some reason the Anne Hathaway/James Franco combo seemed better suited for hosting "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve"-- not that that isn't something to be aspired for. Once you got out of the way that Hathaway was trying too hard and Franco wasn't trying at all you were fed the usual fare-- as period pieces, daring performances and technological envelope pushing were rewarded. Meanwhile the beltway boasted fine performances... with some schools struggling on the big stage or minus key actors.
Shamrock Shake Update-- already on a Charlie Sheen like roll through the district and dominion with 6 Shammys consumed: 2 on 1800ish M Street, 1 at the Verizon Center and 3 on Rte 28 in Centreville, Virginia. Old Line State, be warned. Word is too that because of last year's bitter winter the Shamrock harvest was blessed with bonus minty goodness-- or they're simply using green dye #2138 instead of #2243.
Maryland (18-11, 7-7-- 7th in the ACC with a first round game against Virginia) never led in an 87-76 loss at #19 North Carolina. Allowing 19 offensive rebounds and being unable to contain the Tar Heel fast break doomed the Terps in Chapel Hill; but keep in mind that nobody in the ACC is playing as well as UNC is nowadays. The Terps have to win at Miami and at home against Virginia plus tally two ACC tounament victories (Terps are 3-6 in ACC's since winning the 2004 tourney as a #6 seed) to feel good about their NCAA prospects.
Best Animated Feature-- Okay, so Gary Williams is on his way to the Hall of Fame... and he's doing his usual fine job meshing massive inexperience with a subpar senior class (they can't all be Greivis, Eric and Landon-- I'd even settle for Dave Neal). But there is nobody more fun to watch on the sidelines on so many levels. There's involved coaching and committed coaching. In other words, coach-- you take our first award of the night.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Bye-bye, bubble! Virginia Tech (19-8, 9-5-- #4 with a quarterfinal contest against the Clemson-Wake Forest winner) defeated #1 in the nation Duke, using a 15-4 run to take command in the second half. With winnable but challenging games against Boston College and Clemson on the slate, the Hokies are far from a lock for the final 68 but a signature win is like a red flag on the resume. Virginia (14-14, 5-9--#10 with a first round game against Maryland) essentially has a "9th place game" on tap with North Carolina State-- whoever wins gets the tiebreaker regardless of what happens this weekend.
Best Supporting Actor-- every so often you have a performer who outshines the rest of the cast on a consistent basis... for instance, Kevin Spacey dominates every frame of The Usual Suspects yet wound up in the Supporting Category (deserved win). Jeff Allen was supposed to help Malcolm Delaney guide the Hokies to greatness this winter... and he's been the team's best player since ACC play began. Just like Spacey carried Stephen Baldwin-- Allen's getting the Hokies past the bubble..."the strangest thing..."
Georgetown (21-8, 10-7--#6 in the Big East with a round of twelve game against Cincinnati) lost a heartbreaker on Senior Day to Syracuse 58-51... even minus heart and soul point guard Chris Wright the Hoyas were able to rally past the Orange 45-43 with 10 minutes remaining before hitting an offensive wall: 1-for-13 from the field with four turnovers. Was it as many fans may say an "asterisk" win? Only if you want to give back that win from 2007-08 when the Orange were without Devendorf and Rautins. More importantly-- the Hoyas face a Cincinnati squad that held them to 46 points this Saturday... and they have to face the Bearcats on the road.
Best Adapted Screenplay-- with Wright on the mend... the Georgetown team that dominated the middle stretch of Big East play will be massively modified. In a week when practice is usually fine-tuning, coach John Thompson III will be doing some serious revamping. How well the Hoyas handle plan B over the next few weeks will determine how deep they'll go at MSG and into March.
Alma Mater Update-- (24-6, 11-6-#5 with a round of twelve game against Seton Hall). A huge sigh of relief from suite 305 and my fellow SU peeps during that 15-6 finising run. Scoop Jardine remains a mysterious enigma wrapped in a riddle (although last week he was an enigmatic riddle wrapped in a mystery) taking the classic "NO--NO-YES!" shots... notching 17 points and 7 assists. I would like for SU for give Kris Joseph more touches in the post... for some reason the Orange's leading scorer has notched 3 single digit efforts in the last 5 games-- not an ideal trend. Now if the Orange can dispose of last-place DePaul Saturday and get help-- SU may get the famed "double-bye" at the Big East Tournament (one of the reasons I oppose future expansion is the potential creation of the "bye-bye-bye").
Costume Design-- to the Big East for dressing up the last four pigs in the cellar of the standings as "Big East Tournament Teams"-- Rutgers, Providence, South Florida and DePaul are a combined 11-53 (!) in league play... I want to see those four teams on a Tuesday? And if something strange happens in MSG (as it often does in March)-- do I want to see a 10-win South Florida team playing anytime, anywhere? They'll have 18 conference games to prove they're not in the bottom 25% of the league. That's more than enough for me.
George Mason (25-5, 16-2--#1 in the CAA with a quarterfinal clash against UNC-Wilmington- Georgia State winner) ended its regular season with an exclamation point. No top seed to play for... on the road (where GMU has had issues over the years)... and against a Panther team that showed it could beat VCU back when the Rams were playing good basketball in January. And the Patriots prevailed 65-58 with Cam Long leading the way with 19 points... GMU is ready for the NCAA's-- the question is how high will they be seeded? ESPN has the Patriots 7th... CBS has them 8th (although I think it's a typo because they have Old Dominion 7th).
Best Direction-- putting together a cast of varied actors is a challenge. Getting everybody to buy into an ensemble effort is a test of diplomacy. Knowing how to get the most out of every man in the production is incredible when it happens-- and frustrating when it doesn't. Jim Larranaga's ability to stir in the right ingredients at the right time during a 40-minute motion picture has been masterful this winter. Case in point-- freshman Vertrail Vaughns has come alive with four double digit scoring efforts over the last five games. Wasn't that the shirt Theo Huxtable wanted to buy on the Cosby Show?
George Washington (15-13, 8-6--#6 in the Atlantic Ten with a first round game against St. Louis) was 20 minutes away from ruining it's status as the mid-major thermometer... leading #24 Temple by three at intermission. Unfortuately, the Colonials collapsed at the Smith Center... shooting 6-for-33 in the second half en route to a 57-41 loss to the Owls. And the final week doesn't get that much easier for coach Karl Hobbs (18-10 Rhode Island followed by 19-10 Dayton).
Best Writing (Orignal Screenplay)-- I have a chance to read and follow a lot of college football and basketball in the Washington, D.C. region... and although I enjoy the Post and Examiner- I miss the Washington Times. The former "other sports section" had the better NCAA Tournament Preview (the Post gave you more but the Times was easier to digest the whole bracket)... and I always looked forward to what Maryland beat writer Patrick Stevens would dissect next. Thank goodness Patrick still writes about college athletics on "d1scourse.com"-- the 400-level course for those of my readers who want more than my HOOP 107.
Maryland Womens' Minute-- the Terps 78-69 victory at Boston College not only avenged their most lackluster shooting night of the winter (28-85FG, 12-27FT and 5-20 from three point range)...but also gave Coach Brenda Frese's team a 9-5 ACC mark and a first round bye in this week's tournament...the first round opponent the winner of Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech. And this came from a young team with no seniors many were saying was a year away.
Best Supporting Actress-- Alyssa Thomas is the likely freshman of the year... Lynetta Kizer is the most polished performer... and Kim Rodgers is the perfect infusion of points off the pine... but Anjale Barrett's steady hand at the point has been the glue that's kept this team winning while maturing-- even in the first semester when ten Terrapins averaged at least 17 minutes a game. Her numbers aren't Kristi Tolliveresque (just 6 points and 4 assists a game)... but Barrett's leadership on both ends of the floor allows for the rest of the team to just play.
American (21-8, 11-3--#2 in the Patriot League with a quarterfinal game against Colgate) wrapped up its regular season with a 95-92 overtime thriller at Lafayette... giving coach Jeff Jones enough ammunition for the next few Eagles practices. AU beat the Raiders by nine in both of their regular season matchups-- with Vlad Moldeveanu scoring 26 points on the road and Stephen Lumpkins netting 27 points at home.
Best Foreign Feature-- Okay... so this one was pretty easy. Not as easy as Gary Williams for Animated Feature, but close. Vlad Moldeveanu has averaged 19 points and 6 rebounds a game while shooting 36% from three point range. I often commend the complimentary play of Stephen Lumpkins (the anvil to Vlad's hammer) and Nick Hendra's clutch shooting and passing... but it all begins with the big man.
Howard (6-22, 4-11--#9 in the MEAC with a first round game against Delaware State) missed its final opportunity to take a true road game with a 73-63 loss at Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Bison turned the ball over 26 times and allowed a key 20-7 run in the second half where the Hawks took control. One bright spot in defeat: Anton Dickerson scored 25 points (including 5-of 8 from three point range)... the sophomore bouncing back from being held scoreless by Bethune-Cookman. Howard can still finish last in the league with a loss plus wins by UMES and South Carolina State... and the Bison have 20-8 Hampton remaining on their slate.
Best Makeup-- Coach Kevin Nickelberry had to rely on three sophomores during his first winter in the District. And although Mike Phillips, Dadrian Collins and Anton Dickerson have a lot more to learn-- the foundation for the future appears to be in place at Howard. Add to the mix Calvin Johnson -- who went out in November with a torn ACL-- and there's talented base to welcome coach Nickelberry's first full recruiting class. Although the Bison have had it rough recently, the right mix of players appear to be gelling at Burr Arena for a run next year.
Shamrock Shake Update-- already on a Charlie Sheen like roll through the district and dominion with 6 Shammys consumed: 2 on 1800ish M Street, 1 at the Verizon Center and 3 on Rte 28 in Centreville, Virginia. Old Line State, be warned. Word is too that because of last year's bitter winter the Shamrock harvest was blessed with bonus minty goodness-- or they're simply using green dye #2138 instead of #2243.
Maryland (18-11, 7-7-- 7th in the ACC with a first round game against Virginia) never led in an 87-76 loss at #19 North Carolina. Allowing 19 offensive rebounds and being unable to contain the Tar Heel fast break doomed the Terps in Chapel Hill; but keep in mind that nobody in the ACC is playing as well as UNC is nowadays. The Terps have to win at Miami and at home against Virginia plus tally two ACC tounament victories (Terps are 3-6 in ACC's since winning the 2004 tourney as a #6 seed) to feel good about their NCAA prospects.
Best Animated Feature-- Okay, so Gary Williams is on his way to the Hall of Fame... and he's doing his usual fine job meshing massive inexperience with a subpar senior class (they can't all be Greivis, Eric and Landon-- I'd even settle for Dave Neal). But there is nobody more fun to watch on the sidelines on so many levels. There's involved coaching and committed coaching. In other words, coach-- you take our first award of the night.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Bye-bye, bubble! Virginia Tech (19-8, 9-5-- #4 with a quarterfinal contest against the Clemson-Wake Forest winner) defeated #1 in the nation Duke, using a 15-4 run to take command in the second half. With winnable but challenging games against Boston College and Clemson on the slate, the Hokies are far from a lock for the final 68 but a signature win is like a red flag on the resume. Virginia (14-14, 5-9--#10 with a first round game against Maryland) essentially has a "9th place game" on tap with North Carolina State-- whoever wins gets the tiebreaker regardless of what happens this weekend.
Best Supporting Actor-- every so often you have a performer who outshines the rest of the cast on a consistent basis... for instance, Kevin Spacey dominates every frame of The Usual Suspects yet wound up in the Supporting Category (deserved win). Jeff Allen was supposed to help Malcolm Delaney guide the Hokies to greatness this winter... and he's been the team's best player since ACC play began. Just like Spacey carried Stephen Baldwin-- Allen's getting the Hokies past the bubble..."the strangest thing..."
Georgetown (21-8, 10-7--#6 in the Big East with a round of twelve game against Cincinnati) lost a heartbreaker on Senior Day to Syracuse 58-51... even minus heart and soul point guard Chris Wright the Hoyas were able to rally past the Orange 45-43 with 10 minutes remaining before hitting an offensive wall: 1-for-13 from the field with four turnovers. Was it as many fans may say an "asterisk" win? Only if you want to give back that win from 2007-08 when the Orange were without Devendorf and Rautins. More importantly-- the Hoyas face a Cincinnati squad that held them to 46 points this Saturday... and they have to face the Bearcats on the road.
Best Adapted Screenplay-- with Wright on the mend... the Georgetown team that dominated the middle stretch of Big East play will be massively modified. In a week when practice is usually fine-tuning, coach John Thompson III will be doing some serious revamping. How well the Hoyas handle plan B over the next few weeks will determine how deep they'll go at MSG and into March.
Alma Mater Update-- (24-6, 11-6-#5 with a round of twelve game against Seton Hall). A huge sigh of relief from suite 305 and my fellow SU peeps during that 15-6 finising run. Scoop Jardine remains a mysterious enigma wrapped in a riddle (although last week he was an enigmatic riddle wrapped in a mystery) taking the classic "NO--NO-YES!" shots... notching 17 points and 7 assists. I would like for SU for give Kris Joseph more touches in the post... for some reason the Orange's leading scorer has notched 3 single digit efforts in the last 5 games-- not an ideal trend. Now if the Orange can dispose of last-place DePaul Saturday and get help-- SU may get the famed "double-bye" at the Big East Tournament (one of the reasons I oppose future expansion is the potential creation of the "bye-bye-bye").
Costume Design-- to the Big East for dressing up the last four pigs in the cellar of the standings as "Big East Tournament Teams"-- Rutgers, Providence, South Florida and DePaul are a combined 11-53 (!) in league play... I want to see those four teams on a Tuesday? And if something strange happens in MSG (as it often does in March)-- do I want to see a 10-win South Florida team playing anytime, anywhere? They'll have 18 conference games to prove they're not in the bottom 25% of the league. That's more than enough for me.
George Mason (25-5, 16-2--#1 in the CAA with a quarterfinal clash against UNC-Wilmington- Georgia State winner) ended its regular season with an exclamation point. No top seed to play for... on the road (where GMU has had issues over the years)... and against a Panther team that showed it could beat VCU back when the Rams were playing good basketball in January. And the Patriots prevailed 65-58 with Cam Long leading the way with 19 points... GMU is ready for the NCAA's-- the question is how high will they be seeded? ESPN has the Patriots 7th... CBS has them 8th (although I think it's a typo because they have Old Dominion 7th).
Best Direction-- putting together a cast of varied actors is a challenge. Getting everybody to buy into an ensemble effort is a test of diplomacy. Knowing how to get the most out of every man in the production is incredible when it happens-- and frustrating when it doesn't. Jim Larranaga's ability to stir in the right ingredients at the right time during a 40-minute motion picture has been masterful this winter. Case in point-- freshman Vertrail Vaughns has come alive with four double digit scoring efforts over the last five games. Wasn't that the shirt Theo Huxtable wanted to buy on the Cosby Show?
George Washington (15-13, 8-6--#6 in the Atlantic Ten with a first round game against St. Louis) was 20 minutes away from ruining it's status as the mid-major thermometer... leading #24 Temple by three at intermission. Unfortuately, the Colonials collapsed at the Smith Center... shooting 6-for-33 in the second half en route to a 57-41 loss to the Owls. And the final week doesn't get that much easier for coach Karl Hobbs (18-10 Rhode Island followed by 19-10 Dayton).
Best Writing (Orignal Screenplay)-- I have a chance to read and follow a lot of college football and basketball in the Washington, D.C. region... and although I enjoy the Post and Examiner- I miss the Washington Times. The former "other sports section" had the better NCAA Tournament Preview (the Post gave you more but the Times was easier to digest the whole bracket)... and I always looked forward to what Maryland beat writer Patrick Stevens would dissect next. Thank goodness Patrick still writes about college athletics on "d1scourse.com"-- the 400-level course for those of my readers who want more than my HOOP 107.
Maryland Womens' Minute-- the Terps 78-69 victory at Boston College not only avenged their most lackluster shooting night of the winter (28-85FG, 12-27FT and 5-20 from three point range)...but also gave Coach Brenda Frese's team a 9-5 ACC mark and a first round bye in this week's tournament...the first round opponent the winner of Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech. And this came from a young team with no seniors many were saying was a year away.
Best Supporting Actress-- Alyssa Thomas is the likely freshman of the year... Lynetta Kizer is the most polished performer... and Kim Rodgers is the perfect infusion of points off the pine... but Anjale Barrett's steady hand at the point has been the glue that's kept this team winning while maturing-- even in the first semester when ten Terrapins averaged at least 17 minutes a game. Her numbers aren't Kristi Tolliveresque (just 6 points and 4 assists a game)... but Barrett's leadership on both ends of the floor allows for the rest of the team to just play.
American (21-8, 11-3--#2 in the Patriot League with a quarterfinal game against Colgate) wrapped up its regular season with a 95-92 overtime thriller at Lafayette... giving coach Jeff Jones enough ammunition for the next few Eagles practices. AU beat the Raiders by nine in both of their regular season matchups-- with Vlad Moldeveanu scoring 26 points on the road and Stephen Lumpkins netting 27 points at home.
Best Foreign Feature-- Okay... so this one was pretty easy. Not as easy as Gary Williams for Animated Feature, but close. Vlad Moldeveanu has averaged 19 points and 6 rebounds a game while shooting 36% from three point range. I often commend the complimentary play of Stephen Lumpkins (the anvil to Vlad's hammer) and Nick Hendra's clutch shooting and passing... but it all begins with the big man.
Howard (6-22, 4-11--#9 in the MEAC with a first round game against Delaware State) missed its final opportunity to take a true road game with a 73-63 loss at Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Bison turned the ball over 26 times and allowed a key 20-7 run in the second half where the Hawks took control. One bright spot in defeat: Anton Dickerson scored 25 points (including 5-of 8 from three point range)... the sophomore bouncing back from being held scoreless by Bethune-Cookman. Howard can still finish last in the league with a loss plus wins by UMES and South Carolina State... and the Bison have 20-8 Hampton remaining on their slate.
Best Makeup-- Coach Kevin Nickelberry had to rely on three sophomores during his first winter in the District. And although Mike Phillips, Dadrian Collins and Anton Dickerson have a lot more to learn-- the foundation for the future appears to be in place at Howard. Add to the mix Calvin Johnson -- who went out in November with a torn ACL-- and there's talented base to welcome coach Nickelberry's first full recruiting class. Although the Bison have had it rough recently, the right mix of players appear to be gelling at Burr Arena for a run next year.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- all about the Shake...
Great news friends... Shamrock Shake season is here! Every year during the final days of February participating McDonalds unveil a vessel of minty goodness. And each year the start and end dates change as do the participating locations. Like a team striving for a spot in the tournament, you hope your Shammy intake doesn't peak too soon nor can you afford being unable to find the beloved shake as the season gets underway.
Maryland (18-10, 7-6--#5 in the ACC with a first round game against Wake Forest) played its most complete 40 minutes of the season in a 78-62 win Florida State... shooting 52% against one of the nation's top defensive teams and holding the Seminioles to 24 points after halftime. Terrell Stoglin's recent play has given the Terps an outside threat they'll need if they're to make a run in the ACC Tournament. Sunday provides one more chance for an impact win-- as they visit #19 North Carolina.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- one teams trash is another's treasure. Virginia Tech (18-8, 8-5--#4 with Md-Wake winner the quarterfinal opponent) wants to avoid another trip to the NIT. The Hokies can go a long way towards reaching the field of 68 with a victory over #1 Duke Saturday night in Blacksburg. Virginia (14-13, 5-8-- #9 with Miami their first round matchup) has consecutive wins in ACC play for the first time this winter and plays a somewhat manageable schedule (Maryland, BC and NC State) so there's no reason why 7-9 isn't a possibility.
Georgetown (21-7, 10-6--#5 in the Big East with a first round game against the winner of Seton Hall-Rutgers) lost in more than one ways to Cincinnati. The Hoyas shot 25% from the field and scored just 20 points after halftime in a 58-46 loss to the Bearcats... and also lost guard Chris Wright to a broken hand. The guard had surgery on his non-shooting hand and hopes to be back at some point this season. Not ideal with Syracuse on deck and Cincinnati again next week.
Alma Mater Update-- Optimism is high surrounding the Orange. Syracuse (23-6, 10-6--#6 with a first round date against the West Virginia-Providence winner) has gotten everything together in the last two weeks with three straight wins. SU wraps up the regular season with shorthanded Georgetown and cellar dweller DePaul.
George Mason (24-5, 15-2--#1 in the CAA with a quarterfinal game against UNC-Wilmington or Georgia State) wrapped up its first regular season conference title in eleven years with a 67-61 win over Northeastern... Ryan Pearson finding that late-season gear with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
George Washington (15-12, 8-5--#6 in the Atlantic Ten with a first round matchup against St. Louis) enjoyed its first double-digit home win since January 12th. Tony Taylor tallied 15 points and was sharper at the end because coach Karl Hobbs limited his minutes to keep him fresh. They can take fifth place away from Rhode Island by beating the Rams next week-- GW also has 24th ranked Temple in its finishing run.
Maryland Womens' Minute-- senior night came and went in College Park with no seniors being honored and another Terrapin triumph. The team of six freshmen, four sophomores and four juniors beat Virginia Tech 61-48. At 8-5 in the conference, the Terps need a win over Boston College Sunday plus a Georgia Tech loss against Miami to wrap up a #4 seed and a first round bye in the ACC Tournament. Otherwise, it's a first round reunion with Virginia Tech.
American (20-8, 10-3--#2 in the Patriot League with a quarterfinal game against Colgate) needed Nick Hendra's clutch shooting to dispose of Navy 69-58 on senior night. Hendra scored the Eagles last eight points and canned a pair of three-pointers to turn the game from a two-possession affair into a double digit decision. After their regular season finale against Lafayette-- all eyes will be on Bender Arena for the conference tournament.
Howard (6-21, 4-10--#9 in the MEAC with a first round battle against Delaware State) has one more chance to win on the road Saturday against last place place Maryland-Eastern Shore... and if you're the Bison you take your victories where you can.
Maryland (18-10, 7-6--#5 in the ACC with a first round game against Wake Forest) played its most complete 40 minutes of the season in a 78-62 win Florida State... shooting 52% against one of the nation's top defensive teams and holding the Seminioles to 24 points after halftime. Terrell Stoglin's recent play has given the Terps an outside threat they'll need if they're to make a run in the ACC Tournament. Sunday provides one more chance for an impact win-- as they visit #19 North Carolina.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- one teams trash is another's treasure. Virginia Tech (18-8, 8-5--#4 with Md-Wake winner the quarterfinal opponent) wants to avoid another trip to the NIT. The Hokies can go a long way towards reaching the field of 68 with a victory over #1 Duke Saturday night in Blacksburg. Virginia (14-13, 5-8-- #9 with Miami their first round matchup) has consecutive wins in ACC play for the first time this winter and plays a somewhat manageable schedule (Maryland, BC and NC State) so there's no reason why 7-9 isn't a possibility.
Georgetown (21-7, 10-6--#5 in the Big East with a first round game against the winner of Seton Hall-Rutgers) lost in more than one ways to Cincinnati. The Hoyas shot 25% from the field and scored just 20 points after halftime in a 58-46 loss to the Bearcats... and also lost guard Chris Wright to a broken hand. The guard had surgery on his non-shooting hand and hopes to be back at some point this season. Not ideal with Syracuse on deck and Cincinnati again next week.
Alma Mater Update-- Optimism is high surrounding the Orange. Syracuse (23-6, 10-6--#6 with a first round date against the West Virginia-Providence winner) has gotten everything together in the last two weeks with three straight wins. SU wraps up the regular season with shorthanded Georgetown and cellar dweller DePaul.
George Mason (24-5, 15-2--#1 in the CAA with a quarterfinal game against UNC-Wilmington or Georgia State) wrapped up its first regular season conference title in eleven years with a 67-61 win over Northeastern... Ryan Pearson finding that late-season gear with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
George Washington (15-12, 8-5--#6 in the Atlantic Ten with a first round matchup against St. Louis) enjoyed its first double-digit home win since January 12th. Tony Taylor tallied 15 points and was sharper at the end because coach Karl Hobbs limited his minutes to keep him fresh. They can take fifth place away from Rhode Island by beating the Rams next week-- GW also has 24th ranked Temple in its finishing run.
Maryland Womens' Minute-- senior night came and went in College Park with no seniors being honored and another Terrapin triumph. The team of six freshmen, four sophomores and four juniors beat Virginia Tech 61-48. At 8-5 in the conference, the Terps need a win over Boston College Sunday plus a Georgia Tech loss against Miami to wrap up a #4 seed and a first round bye in the ACC Tournament. Otherwise, it's a first round reunion with Virginia Tech.
American (20-8, 10-3--#2 in the Patriot League with a quarterfinal game against Colgate) needed Nick Hendra's clutch shooting to dispose of Navy 69-58 on senior night. Hendra scored the Eagles last eight points and canned a pair of three-pointers to turn the game from a two-possession affair into a double digit decision. After their regular season finale against Lafayette-- all eyes will be on Bender Arena for the conference tournament.
Howard (6-21, 4-10--#9 in the MEAC with a first round battle against Delaware State) has one more chance to win on the road Saturday against last place place Maryland-Eastern Shore... and if you're the Bison you take your victories where you can.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- planting seeds...
In a single elimination situation... seeding is paramount. Who's on your side of the bracket? How do you match up with your first round opponent? Are there other bad matchups that loom? What I like about college hoops is everybody has something to play for in late February-- from conference tournament position to national tournament seeding... and there is plenty of hope and a little bit of nope around the beltway this week.
Maryland (17-10, 6-6--7th place with a first round ACC game against #10 Virginia) won a necessary game against North Carolina State to stay in the national conversation... albeit barely. The RPI and SOS aren't at-large worthy... but the emergence of Terrell Stoglin (25 points and 9 assists against the Wolfpack-- the fourth straight double digit scoring output) has been a nice development. Beat Florida State and North Carolina (combined 19-5 in the ACC) this week-- and then you'll have something.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Way to find your way back to the bubble, Virginia Tech (17-8, 7-5--4th place with a quarterfinal matchup against Clemson/Wake winner). A 61-54 loss to Virginia deflated whatever excitement there was in Blacksburg after beating Maryland...getting swept by an ACC bottomfeeder decidedly not awesome. Can Seth Greenberg's group turn things around in time for a visit to Wake Forest? If so-- Saturday night's duel with #1 Duke could deliver a tournament ticket punching performance. If not-- I'm sure they can purchase group seats at the Verizon Center for the first two rounds. Virginia (13-13, 4-8--10th place with a first round matchup against Maryland) is actually tied for 8th place with Miami and North Carolina State-- but tiebreakers have them tenth. They play the Wolfpack March 1st.
Georgetown (21-6, 10-5--3rd place in the Big East with a quarterfinal matchup against whomever triumphs out of the #6 Syracuse-#11 Marquette-#14 Providence trio) was able to shake off a 2-for-10 performance by Austin Freeman in a 61-55 win over South Florida. The Hoyas now have an intriguing final two weeks: a showdown against arch-rival Syracuse sandwiched by a home-and-home against a Cincinnati team that's won three of four.
Alma Mater Update-- the Orange somehow held off Rutgers in overtime and then prevailed at Villanova (holding the Wildcats to 5-of-26 from three point range) to slide up the standings of the Big East. While they're currently sixth-- SU is a half game out of third and a two game losing streak could drop them to tenth. Nice to see Scoop Jardine score 20 points against the Wildcats--although Rick Jackson has been just as big a factor during the three game surge (15ppg and 9rpg). Safe to say we're ready for Saturday's showdown with the Hoyas.
George Mason (23-5, 14-2--#1 in the CAA with a quarterfinal game against the Delaware-Georgia State winner) is officially the hottest team in the nation. Saturday's Bracket Buster 77-71 win at Northern Iowa saw Ryan Pearson notch his 3rd double-double of the last month... while Andre Cornelius posted his 3rd 20 point effort of February. The Patriots wrap up the outright CAA title with a win over Northeastern or at Georgia State (combined 11-21 in the league).
George Washington (14-12, 7-5--6th in the A-10 with a first round matchup against #11 St. Louis) squeaked by LaSalle to keep its reputation as the middle ground of the Atlantic Ten. Tony Taylor tallied 17 points and 11 assists... making me realize how happy I am the junior has one more year of me saying "Tony Taylor tallied". Technically GW is tied for 5th in the A-10 with Rhode Island; they play there March 2nd.
Maryland Womens' Minute-- free throw shooting plagued the Terps in a 72-66 loss at Florida State... and now the Terps are 7-5 in the ACC with two conference games remaining. A sweep of Virginia Tech and Boston College plus 1-1 finishes by North Carolina and Georgia Tech would result in the Terps getting an ACC Tournament first round bye.
American (19-8, 9-3--#2 in the Patriot League with a quarterfinal contest against Colgate) locked up home court advantage through the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament-- the hammer and anvil combo of Vlad Moldeveano and Stephen Lumpkins assisted by Nick Hendra and his nine assists against Holy Cross. On the Shamrock Shake front-- I've been two a few McDonalds-- to no avail. I think a trip to Bender Arena is just what the doctor ordered.
Howard (6-20, 4-10-- #9 in the MEAC with a first round game against Delaware State) split its weekend games... topping Florida A&M but losing to Bethune Cookman. The Bison still have one final chance to win a road game... Saturday against Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Maryland (17-10, 6-6--7th place with a first round ACC game against #10 Virginia) won a necessary game against North Carolina State to stay in the national conversation... albeit barely. The RPI and SOS aren't at-large worthy... but the emergence of Terrell Stoglin (25 points and 9 assists against the Wolfpack-- the fourth straight double digit scoring output) has been a nice development. Beat Florida State and North Carolina (combined 19-5 in the ACC) this week-- and then you'll have something.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Way to find your way back to the bubble, Virginia Tech (17-8, 7-5--4th place with a quarterfinal matchup against Clemson/Wake winner). A 61-54 loss to Virginia deflated whatever excitement there was in Blacksburg after beating Maryland...getting swept by an ACC bottomfeeder decidedly not awesome. Can Seth Greenberg's group turn things around in time for a visit to Wake Forest? If so-- Saturday night's duel with #1 Duke could deliver a tournament ticket punching performance. If not-- I'm sure they can purchase group seats at the Verizon Center for the first two rounds. Virginia (13-13, 4-8--10th place with a first round matchup against Maryland) is actually tied for 8th place with Miami and North Carolina State-- but tiebreakers have them tenth. They play the Wolfpack March 1st.
Georgetown (21-6, 10-5--3rd place in the Big East with a quarterfinal matchup against whomever triumphs out of the #6 Syracuse-#11 Marquette-#14 Providence trio) was able to shake off a 2-for-10 performance by Austin Freeman in a 61-55 win over South Florida. The Hoyas now have an intriguing final two weeks: a showdown against arch-rival Syracuse sandwiched by a home-and-home against a Cincinnati team that's won three of four.
Alma Mater Update-- the Orange somehow held off Rutgers in overtime and then prevailed at Villanova (holding the Wildcats to 5-of-26 from three point range) to slide up the standings of the Big East. While they're currently sixth-- SU is a half game out of third and a two game losing streak could drop them to tenth. Nice to see Scoop Jardine score 20 points against the Wildcats--although Rick Jackson has been just as big a factor during the three game surge (15ppg and 9rpg). Safe to say we're ready for Saturday's showdown with the Hoyas.
George Mason (23-5, 14-2--#1 in the CAA with a quarterfinal game against the Delaware-Georgia State winner) is officially the hottest team in the nation. Saturday's Bracket Buster 77-71 win at Northern Iowa saw Ryan Pearson notch his 3rd double-double of the last month... while Andre Cornelius posted his 3rd 20 point effort of February. The Patriots wrap up the outright CAA title with a win over Northeastern or at Georgia State (combined 11-21 in the league).
George Washington (14-12, 7-5--6th in the A-10 with a first round matchup against #11 St. Louis) squeaked by LaSalle to keep its reputation as the middle ground of the Atlantic Ten. Tony Taylor tallied 17 points and 11 assists... making me realize how happy I am the junior has one more year of me saying "Tony Taylor tallied". Technically GW is tied for 5th in the A-10 with Rhode Island; they play there March 2nd.
Maryland Womens' Minute-- free throw shooting plagued the Terps in a 72-66 loss at Florida State... and now the Terps are 7-5 in the ACC with two conference games remaining. A sweep of Virginia Tech and Boston College plus 1-1 finishes by North Carolina and Georgia Tech would result in the Terps getting an ACC Tournament first round bye.
American (19-8, 9-3--#2 in the Patriot League with a quarterfinal contest against Colgate) locked up home court advantage through the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament-- the hammer and anvil combo of Vlad Moldeveano and Stephen Lumpkins assisted by Nick Hendra and his nine assists against Holy Cross. On the Shamrock Shake front-- I've been two a few McDonalds-- to no avail. I think a trip to Bender Arena is just what the doctor ordered.
Howard (6-20, 4-10-- #9 in the MEAC with a first round game against Delaware State) split its weekend games... topping Florida A&M but losing to Bethune Cookman. The Bison still have one final chance to win a road game... Saturday against Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- Bubble Bubble, Toil and Trouble...
College basketball's moving month means the emergence and building of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Schools can salvage subpar non-conference slates with impressive runs in league play (Alabama) while some teams go from flying high to floundering in February (Cincinnati). Others do just enough to reach the threshold but not enough to get the dream. Every college hoops expert has their "bubble watch" and while a few are rather well done, a few seem to have more schools on the bubble (in reality probably 10-15 at-large schools) than actually play Division I basketball.
Maryland (16-10, 5-6) suffered the second half of a double-whammy when the Terps lost at Virginia Tech. Too many turnovers (15 to the Hokies 8), poor three-point shooting (4-14) and lack of rebounding (Terps were beaten on the boards by BC and Va Tech) putting coach Gary Williams' team in a difficult spot... especially with North Carolina and Florida State on the horizon.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Steps forward and steps backward for the Dominion Duo. Virginia Tech (17-7, 7-4) completed a necessary sweep of fellow bubble resident Maryland... but can the Hokies put together consecutive ACC road wins (Seth Greenberg's club is 2-2 in the conference away from Blacksburg)? Thankfully Virginia and Wake Forest aren't UNC and Duke, although the Cavaliers won at Cassell Coliseum in December. Virginia (12-13, 3-8) slips in the standings with a 56-41 loss to Duke. I always thought the ACC was like the SAT... and just like one gets 400 points for signing their name-- schools get 50 points for rolling the balls out.
Georgetown (20-6, 9-5) finally saw their surge up the Big East standings end with a 78-70 loss at Connecticut... as talk of a #1 seed in the NCAA's will die down. The second best shooting team in Division I had a rare off night (43% with Austin Freeman and Chris Wright going 11-for-30) and one can expect they'd get back in gear for their final four regular season games: a home and home with bubble team Cincinnati, a breather against South Florida and a home date with archrival Syracuse.
Alma Mater Update-- Okay, everyone-- here's a newsflash: the Orange 2-3 zone has trouble defending the three-point shot. Even in a win over West Virginia SU allowed 11 threes...
and they face Villanova and Georgetown again (two teams that burned Boeheim's bunch from outside the arc). Rutgers is next (a rare 4pm tipoff) and while the Scarlet Knights may be off to another sub-.500 finish in the Big East-- I request that SU pay atteention to Jonathan Mitchell (42.7% from outside the arc). He may have the green light. In other SU news-- the Washington DC alumni group is proud to have former quarterback Marvin Graves guest-bartending at Sign of the Whale on M Street during the Rutgers game. Unfortunately, my non-alumni friends aren't familiar with SU's best quarterback between the Don McPherson and Donovan McNabb... prompting the exchange "you got Marvin Gaye to guest bartend?"--"no, Marvin Gaye's been dead almost thirty years"-- "didn't he die because somebody poured burning grits on his back?"-- "no, that was Al Green... and he's alive". These are my friends.
George Mason (22-5, 14-2) enters bracket buster weekend with a ridiculous amount of momentum. After smacking fellow big dog VCU by 20 points in Richmond thanks in part to devastating defense (GMU held the Rams to 19 first half points... and 37% shooting for the game) the Patriots stand alone atop the CAA with a perceived chasm between coach Jim Larranaga's crew and the field. While Cam Long has provided steady senior play and Luke Hancock has made the leap, Ryan Pearson's play this month has been smothering- a pair of double-doubles, 18 points against VCU and 12 second half points against JMU.
George Washington (13-12, 6-5) may get a preview of their first round A-10 touranment matchup saturday when the 7th place Colonials clash with LaSalle. GW beat the Explorers 72-67 in Foggy Bottom earlier this winter thanks to 28 points from Tony Taylor-- and he could use memories of that game; the senior's made over 50% of his shots just once since.
Maryland Womens' Moment-- Happy Birthday, indeed. The Terps topped #7 Duke 69-47 on the birthdays of coach Brenda Frese's twin sons... but should this be a surprise? In 2008 Maryland beat the Blue Devils in Cameron the very day Markus and Tyler were born. Duke has asked the ACC not to schedule any more February 17th meetings between the two schools. This was a huge victory for a Terps team that had dropped two straight and needs to complete a sweep of Virginia Tech, Boston College and Florida State to have hopes of a first round bye in the ACC Tournament.
American (18-8, 8-3) now needs a clean sweep plus a Bucknell collapse to win the Patriot League. The Eagles received a nice effort from Nick Hendra (18 points and 7 assists) in a 65-59 win over Army to clinch homecourt for the first round of the conference tournament. AU closes with Holy Cross, Navy and Lafayette...schools that are all capable of shocking coach Jeff Jones' team. On a much more important note, late February at Bender Arena means the McDonald's will start offering the Shamrock Shake as an option... although I'm not pleased with the see-through plastic cups used for milkshakes at the Golden Arch. There are certain things I'd like not to have transparancy about.
Howard (5-20, 3-9) has a home MEAC weekend with games against Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman (combined 15-9 in the league)... but Burr Arena has been quite the home for coach Kevin Nickleberrry's bunch lately as the Bison have won three straight league games in the district.
Maryland (16-10, 5-6) suffered the second half of a double-whammy when the Terps lost at Virginia Tech. Too many turnovers (15 to the Hokies 8), poor three-point shooting (4-14) and lack of rebounding (Terps were beaten on the boards by BC and Va Tech) putting coach Gary Williams' team in a difficult spot... especially with North Carolina and Florida State on the horizon.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Steps forward and steps backward for the Dominion Duo. Virginia Tech (17-7, 7-4) completed a necessary sweep of fellow bubble resident Maryland... but can the Hokies put together consecutive ACC road wins (Seth Greenberg's club is 2-2 in the conference away from Blacksburg)? Thankfully Virginia and Wake Forest aren't UNC and Duke, although the Cavaliers won at Cassell Coliseum in December. Virginia (12-13, 3-8) slips in the standings with a 56-41 loss to Duke. I always thought the ACC was like the SAT... and just like one gets 400 points for signing their name-- schools get 50 points for rolling the balls out.
Georgetown (20-6, 9-5) finally saw their surge up the Big East standings end with a 78-70 loss at Connecticut... as talk of a #1 seed in the NCAA's will die down. The second best shooting team in Division I had a rare off night (43% with Austin Freeman and Chris Wright going 11-for-30) and one can expect they'd get back in gear for their final four regular season games: a home and home with bubble team Cincinnati, a breather against South Florida and a home date with archrival Syracuse.
Alma Mater Update-- Okay, everyone-- here's a newsflash: the Orange 2-3 zone has trouble defending the three-point shot. Even in a win over West Virginia SU allowed 11 threes...
and they face Villanova and Georgetown again (two teams that burned Boeheim's bunch from outside the arc). Rutgers is next (a rare 4pm tipoff) and while the Scarlet Knights may be off to another sub-.500 finish in the Big East-- I request that SU pay atteention to Jonathan Mitchell (42.7% from outside the arc). He may have the green light. In other SU news-- the Washington DC alumni group is proud to have former quarterback Marvin Graves guest-bartending at Sign of the Whale on M Street during the Rutgers game. Unfortunately, my non-alumni friends aren't familiar with SU's best quarterback between the Don McPherson and Donovan McNabb... prompting the exchange "you got Marvin Gaye to guest bartend?"--"no, Marvin Gaye's been dead almost thirty years"-- "didn't he die because somebody poured burning grits on his back?"-- "no, that was Al Green... and he's alive". These are my friends.
George Mason (22-5, 14-2) enters bracket buster weekend with a ridiculous amount of momentum. After smacking fellow big dog VCU by 20 points in Richmond thanks in part to devastating defense (GMU held the Rams to 19 first half points... and 37% shooting for the game) the Patriots stand alone atop the CAA with a perceived chasm between coach Jim Larranaga's crew and the field. While Cam Long has provided steady senior play and Luke Hancock has made the leap, Ryan Pearson's play this month has been smothering- a pair of double-doubles, 18 points against VCU and 12 second half points against JMU.
George Washington (13-12, 6-5) may get a preview of their first round A-10 touranment matchup saturday when the 7th place Colonials clash with LaSalle. GW beat the Explorers 72-67 in Foggy Bottom earlier this winter thanks to 28 points from Tony Taylor-- and he could use memories of that game; the senior's made over 50% of his shots just once since.
Maryland Womens' Moment-- Happy Birthday, indeed. The Terps topped #7 Duke 69-47 on the birthdays of coach Brenda Frese's twin sons... but should this be a surprise? In 2008 Maryland beat the Blue Devils in Cameron the very day Markus and Tyler were born. Duke has asked the ACC not to schedule any more February 17th meetings between the two schools. This was a huge victory for a Terps team that had dropped two straight and needs to complete a sweep of Virginia Tech, Boston College and Florida State to have hopes of a first round bye in the ACC Tournament.
American (18-8, 8-3) now needs a clean sweep plus a Bucknell collapse to win the Patriot League. The Eagles received a nice effort from Nick Hendra (18 points and 7 assists) in a 65-59 win over Army to clinch homecourt for the first round of the conference tournament. AU closes with Holy Cross, Navy and Lafayette...schools that are all capable of shocking coach Jeff Jones' team. On a much more important note, late February at Bender Arena means the McDonald's will start offering the Shamrock Shake as an option... although I'm not pleased with the see-through plastic cups used for milkshakes at the Golden Arch. There are certain things I'd like not to have transparancy about.
Howard (5-20, 3-9) has a home MEAC weekend with games against Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman (combined 15-9 in the league)... but Burr Arena has been quite the home for coach Kevin Nickleberrry's bunch lately as the Bison have won three straight league games in the district.
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