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7/10 Seed Match-Up: Clemson/ Missouri

Glenn Andrew — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:32:52 +0000

One of the most difficult 7/10 match-ups to handicap will take place Friday afternoon as the Clemson Tigers and Missouri Tigers battle in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Both teams faired well in their respective conferences, but I feel that it will be the strength of the conferences themselves that will determine who escapes this first round collision.

Clemson started the year 15-3 before the lost 3 consecutive games in the ACC to Georgia Tech, Duke and Boston College. They stumbled through their final 9 games going 6-3. Despite their bas stretch at the end of the season, they still went into the ACC tournament as the 5th seed, but came away empty handed after a shocking loss to a mediocre N. Carolina St squad. Many experts feel as though the ACC as a whole is “down” this year. The Tigers better hope not as they face a very capable and offensively dynamic Missouri team in their opening round game.

For the most part, Clemson goes 6 players deep. Trevor Booker leads the team in scoring with a 15.3 point per game average. His 8.3 rebounds are also tops on the team, and with 2.5 assists he ranked 2nd on the Tigers. Demontez Stitt is the only other player to average double-digits in scoring (11.1 ppg) for Clemson. However, their 3-6 players all have the ability to step in and make shots when needed. It will take a solid defensive effort to contain Missouri’s attack, and keep them in the game. Clemson does allow 2 fewer points per game than Mizzou, but these numbers can be skewed due to the lack of competition in the ACC this season.

Missouri averages almost 78 points per game. They have 8 players that average at least 6 points per game which gives the starters plenty of time to rest throughout the course of the game. Guards Kim English and Marcus Denmon are a tremendous 1-2 combo that can cause problems for any defense in the country. Together they combine for 25 points and 6 rebounds per game. As many of us know, solid guard play is an essential part of being successful in the NCAA tournament. Their 3rd guard (J.T. Tiller) may be the most well rounded as he contributes almost 9 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per contest. Forwards Laurence Bowers and Justin Stafford may not be dominating in the paint defensively, but they do more than enough on both ends of the floor to make this Tigers team a threat.

The Tigers of Missouri have several key wins this season against top ranked teams, and play in a conference that boasts 4 top 25 schools. Their tough schedule should make them tournament ready, and potentially a sweet-16 team.

Expect a high paced, fast moving game as both of these teams aren’t afraid to get up and down the court. This game has the potential to be go down to the final shot, so tune in Friday as Clemson takes on Missouri for the opportunity to take on W. Virginia in the second round.

7/10 Seed Match-Up: Brigham Young/ Florida

Glenn Andrew — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:13:38 +0000

In the West region of the NCAA tournament we find one of the most interesting match-ups in the 7/10 game. The Brigham Young Cougars take on the Florida Gators in a game that displays two very different philosophies on winning.

The Cougars like to score. They led the Mountain West Conference with a 83 point per game average, and scored 90 or more points in 10 of their 34 games. This is almost 12 points per game more than the Gators scored this season. I know that it’s not comparing apples to apples as Florida plays in the tough SEC, but it’s hard to ignore the vast difference in offense.

These teams may have similar numbers defensively, but the Gators are clearly the better team in this category. Holding teams like Colorado St, Air Force and TCU below the 60 point barrier isn’t nearly as impressive as keeping Florida St and South Carolina below that plateau. Despite being far removed from their back to back National Championship days, Florida still has plenty of “Blue Chip” talent that will be tough for the Cougars to maintain.

Florida has lost 3 of 4 coming into the tournament, but that shouldn’t be a sign of things to come as those losses were to Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Mississippi St. Kenny Boynton leads the Gator attack offensively with a 13.6 point per game average. The solid backcourt duo of Boynton and Erving Walker keeps the Gators honest against teams with star players at that position. However, the strength of the Florida offense is their forwards. Chandler Parsons and Alex Tyus have almost identical stats. They both average around 12 points and 7 rebounds per game, and make it very difficult for opponents to get to the rim with ease. Center Vernon Macklin rounds out the starting 5 with a respectable 10.4 points and 5.5 boards per game. There isn’t much depth to this Florida team, but they should have more than enough defensively to hold the Cougars well below their season average in points.

Brigham Young had a very solid year overall. Their only 3 conference losses were to UNLV (conference tournament champs), and New Mexico (regular season conference champs). They took on a difficult early season schedule, and got wins against Arizona, Arizona St and Nebraska.

The Cougs are led by Jimmer Fredette and his 21.7 points per game. He is unquestionable the best guard in the conference, and can be a force against any defense. Jackson Emery and Tyler Haws are the other two starting guards in this 3 guard offense. They combine for 24 points, almost 9 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Florida’s weakness is BYU strength in terms of bench play. The Cougars have 5 solid back ups that can keep the offense flowing when the starters are out. This may make it slightly tougher for the more talented Florida team as they will have fresh legs on the court at all times.

Expect a lower scoring game than anticipated as the Gators show this Mountain West squad what physical defense is all about.

7/10 Seed Match-Up: Oklahoma St/ Georgia Tech

Glenn Andrew — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:36:30 +0000

The 7/10 match-ups are always intriguing and this year is no exception. I will be breaking down all four games prior to the start of the tournament. We start with the Midwest bracket were the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets take on the Oklahoma St Cowboys in what promises to be a highly competitive affair.

The common denominator with these squads is that they both had poor road records. It will be interesting to see how they both react to being away from home.

Georgia Tech had a strong showing in the ACC tournament as they won 3 games before losing to the clear cut best team in the league Duke. Their impressive run to the ACC title game is what ultimately got them into the tourney. They were clearly a “bubble team” prior to that. Gani Lawal leads the team in scoring with a 13.1 point per game average. Forward Derrick Favors and point guard Iman Shumpert are the only other players averaging in double figure for this Yellow Jackets squad. What they lack in offense they make up for in defense. They held the high powered Duke offense to just 65 points in the ACC Championship game, and will need to have an equally good effort if they have any chance of taking down the Cowboys.

Oklahoma St has had several big wins this season. They beat a top 10 Kansas St squad back in January, and beat the top ranked Kansas Jayhawks convincingly last month. They have the ability to score, but somehow have trouble against teams that can score too. Allowing over 68 points per game will not be good enough during the NCAA tournament. If they have any intention of making a deep run, they will have to sure up their defensive deficiencies and make big shots towards the end of games.

There is no question that the Cowboys can get up and down the floor offensively. They are led by one of the best guards in the country in James Anderson. His 22.6 points per game led the Big-12, and he also averaged an impressive 6 rebounds per game. Obi Muonelo and Keiton Page round out the trio of stud guards that make this team dangerous offensively. Forwards Marshall Moses and Matt Pilgrim are serviceable scorers, but can hold their own with anyone on the glass. Combined they average 15 rebounds per game, and are a big reason why Okie St has the ability to go deep in this tournament.

This game will come down to tempo. If Georgia Tech gets out to an early lead they will be hard to stop due to their superior defense. However, if the Cowboys can force Tech into an up-tempo style of play, it may get the Jackets out of rhythm. We should have a good idea of how this game will end up in the first 10 minutes of play. It should be a very entertaining game as both squads are very capable of getting to the sweet -16.

Blue Devils and Yellow Jackets: ACC Conference Finals

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:01:12 +0000

As expected, the Duke Blue Devils have advanced to the ACC Conference Finals following what turned out to be a competitive game against a pesky Miami Hurricanes squad. Duke trailed by 3 at halftime, but managed to pull away early in the second half. They were up by as many as 15 before the Hurricanes reeled them back in the last few minutes.

Although the Blue Devils have a 28-5 record, and are ranked 4th in the country, they haven’t been classed in the same group as Kansas and Kentucky by the experts. This is due to the lack of strength of the ACC conference as a whole. Only 2 teams are currently ranked in the top 25, and the other (Maryland) lost in their first round match-up against Georgia Tech. Just 7 of the 11 teams in the league are above .500 for the season. Considering the easy schedule that many of these teams play prior to starting conference games, this is a very unimpressive number.

Despite giving up a double-digit halftime lead to N. Carolina St, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have earned their invitation into the ACC finals. G-Tech has managed to squeak by all 3 of their opponents in the conference tournament, winning by an average of 4 points per game. However, hard fought games like those are what makes a team stronger. This is much needed for an inconsistent Yellow Jackets squad that went just 7-9 against the rest of the ACC this season. It is still uncertain if Georgia Tech has done enough to punch their ticket into the NCAA tournament, but a win in the Championship game would get them in automatically.

The only chance they have of winning is with defense. Duke has struggled over the last 2 games from the field, and will not find it any easier to get open looks against a G-Tech team that holds most of their opponents well below their season averages. They are led in scoring by Gani Lawal. Lawal contributes 13.4 points per game, and also leads the team in rebounds with 8.8 per game. Derrick Favors is the other “bookend” forward in the Jackets frontcourt. These 2 big men are the reason why they are so competitive defensively as they make it difficult for opposing teams to score easy baskets in the paint. Unfortunately, their guard play is lacking with the exception of Iman Shumpert. Shumpert scores just over 10 points, takes down over 3 boards and dishes out 4 assist per game. This team struggles mightily versus teams that have strong guard play. Duke’s top 2 scorers are guards, but they tend to shoot more than they facilitate.

The Blue Devils have only 5 losses, but one of them was to Tech back in early January. They tend to have an occasional letdown game, and it always seems to be against teams with a solid defensive foundation. Two of their losses came against teams from out of conference (Wisconsin, Georgetown), that know how to apply pressure defensively.

Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith may be the best scoring guard duo in the country. They average over 36 points, 6.5 rebounds and 8 assists per game combined. Inside, the Blue Devils counter G-Tech’s dynamic duo with a pair of gems of their own. Kyle Singler pours in over 17 points per game on his own, while Miles Plumlee scores 5 pts, and grabs over 5 boards per game.

This should be a closely contested game regardless of the records or ranking. Georgia Tech definitely has the edge in regards to motivation as they are still on the bubble. If you like watching good basketball, this is the game for you!

Illinois and Ohio St meet in Big Ten Semi-Finals

Glenn Andrew — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:50:52 +0000

Evan Turner is amazing! His last second 30-footer at the buzzer beat Michigan in what was an epic battle between two of the most high profile teams in the league. The Ohio St Buckeyes have been one of the hottest teams in the country over the last 2 months. Outside of a 60-57 loss to a highly ranked Purdue Boilermakers team back on February 17th, the Buckeyes have been perfect. An 11-1 finish to the season has propelled them inside of the top-10 in the country, and will most likely land them a very favorable seeding in the NCAA tournament. They will have their hands full Saturday as they take on a confident Illinois Illini team that just beat a ranked Wisconsin team in their opening game of the Big Ten conference tournament.

The Illini have been flying under the radar all season long in the packed Big Ten conference, but are now just 1 win away from the championship game and their 20th win. They have built a rather solid resume’ over the course of the year with key wins against Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan St and Wisconsin twice. They are clearly on the bubble, but it seems as though they have done enough to punch their ticket to the “Big Dance”.

They are led offensively by Demetri McCamey who averages just under 15 points, 3 rebounds and almost 7 assists per game. Illinois is not a deep team in regards to their bench, but their starting 5 can hold their own with just about any team in the Big Ten. Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and D.J. Richardson all average double-digits in scoring, and can hold their own defensively. It will take a huge effort Saturday to get past a streaking Buckeyes squad that has handled them easily in their 2 meeting this season, but after the shocking win against the Badgers on Friday, we can’t rule anything out.

Ohio St lives and dies with the play of stud junior Evan Turner. Three of the Buckeyes losses came in a stretch during late December when Turner was sidelined with an injury. If not for that injury, there is a good chance the Buckeye’s would be ranked in the top 3 in the country, and would most likely receive a #1 seed for the tourney. They will definitely be a tough team to get past during the tournament as they are much better than their record indicates.

This may seem like a cake-walk for Ohio St, but I anticipate a highly competitive game that may be closer than the experts think. Tune in Saturday at 1:40 PM ET.

Wake and Miami Collide for 3rd Time in ACC opener

Glenn Andrew — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:58:00 +0000

With selection Sunday for the NCAA tournament right around the corner, the Miami Hurricanes will need to have an impressive showing in the ACC conference tourney to get the attention of the voting committee. An 18-12 record isn’t very impressive, but what makes matters worse for the Canes is their 4-12 mark in conference play. It will take everything they have just to win their first round match-up over a Wake Forest Demon Deacons team that was ranked in the top 25 for much of the season.

Miami began the year with an extremely easy non-conference schedule. Many coaches do this to build the confidence of their players prior to league play. Sometimes it works, but obviously not in this case. After opening the ACC year with a win against Wake, the Hurricanes have since gone 3 and 11, and are not in a “must win” situation. With such a weak strength of schedule outside of the ACC, Miami will most likely need to get to the Championship game if not win it.

They are a well balanced team that does not have any standout players. Dwayne Collins leads the team in scoring with a 12 point per game average. James Dews is the only other Hurricane player that averages over 10 points per game. However, they have 5 players that contribute solid minutes and over 5 points per game. Their ability to keep their line-up fresh is what keeps them in games, but the lack of star-power is why they have failed to finish teams off late in games.

Wake Forest has the potential to be a bracket buster. They started the season with a difficult schedule, taking on solid mid-major teams. They beat Gonzaga, Richmond and a tough Xavier squad prior to starting ACC play. Although they are 9-7 in the ACC, they have taken down many reputable teams that will be high seeds in the NCAA tournament. Wins against Maryland, Georgia Tech and Clemson should be more than enough to earn them a reasonable seeding. They only blemish to their year was a 4 game losing streak in which they played Virginia Tech, NC St, N. Carolina and Florida St. Two of those 4 games should have been easy wins, but sometimes teams find it hard to get their confidence back during a losing streak.

The last game of the year may have given the Demon Deacons the lift they needed to get them back on track. A 70-65 win against Clemson sends this squad into the ACC tourney on a high note, and could potentially get them started on a deep run in the Big Dance.

Al-Faroug Aminu leads Wake in scoring with a 16 ppg average. He also contributes almost 11 boards per game, and is clearly their defensive stopper. The key to this teams success is the balance on offense. They have a true center in Chas McFarland that scores 7 points and grabs 7 rebounds per game. Their guard play is outstanding as Ishmael Smith, C.J. Harris and L.D. Williams combine for 32 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists per game. Everyone knows they are one of the best teams in the country despite not being ranked, but they will need to forget about the past and focus on one team at a time.

S. Florida Meets Georgetown in 2nd Round of Big East Tourney

Glenn Andrew — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:05:31 +0000

After a convincing win against DePaul in the first round of the Big East tournament the South Florida Bulls will now have to face the 22nd ranked Georgetown Hoyas whom they beat rather easily back in early February. Georgetown has been inconsistent at best this season, and will need to bring their “A” game if they expect to take down this red-hot Bulls squad that has won 4 straight.

South Florida’s style of play is similar to the Hoyas as they slow the pace of play on offense, and play solid lock-down defense that frustrates opponents and leads to easy transition baskets. Dominique Jones leads the Bulls offensively with a 21.3 point per game average. He a stat sheet stuffer as he also contributes over 6 rebounds and almost 4 assists per game. The two headed forward combination of Augustus Gilchrist and Jarrid Famous are equally as talented on both ends of the floor. They combine for 25 points and 14 rebound per game, all while holding opponents to just over 66 points per game.

The Big East conference is without question the toughest in the country. Although S. Florida has a 9-9 record in conference play, they can hang their hats on several big wins as they have taken down Seton Hall, Providence, Pittsburgh and Georgetown this season. They are clearly on the bubble and may need a win Wednesday to secure an NCAA tournament spot. Even though they beat the Hoyas earlier this year, they will have to be at their best to take them down in the Big East tournament.

Georgetown is a hard team to figure out. They are one of 5 ranked teams in the best conference in the country, but they only have a 10-8 record in Big East competition. While wins against Temple, Butler, UCONN, Pittsburgh, Villanova and Duke are impressive, they seem to play down the level of their opponent as they have lost games to Old Dominion and Rutgers. If they intent to get a good seeding in the “Big Dance” they will need at least 2 wins in the Big East tournament.

The focal point of the Georgetown offense is center Greg Monroe. He is having a phenomenal sophomore season as he’s averaging 16 points and almost 10 boards per game. He is a true “Big Man” that can clog up the paint and make scoring inside very difficult for the Hoyas opponents. Along with Monroe, Georgetown has a three guard attack that keeps other teams on their heels. Austin Freeman leads the team in scoring with a 17.3 point per game average, while Chris Wright and Jason Clark contribute 24 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6 assists per game combined.

The Big East tournament is always the most competitive and has the most story lines. This game is no exception. Watch as the Hoyas and Bulls battle it out for a chance to prove to selection committee that they are each deserving of an NCAA tournament invitation.

Horizon League Championship: Butler vs. Wright St.

Glenn Andrew — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:05:21 +0000

The 12th ranked Butler Bulldogs look to win another Horizon League Title as they take on feisty Wright St. Raiders squad Tuesday night. Butler currently holds the longest winning streak in the country at 19 games with their last loss coming to Alabama-Birmingham back on December 22nd. Despite winning both games against the Raiders by 12 points during the regular season, it won’t be an easy task taking them down in the Championship game.

Wright St. is much better than their record indicates. They have lost several close games, and have only lost by double-digits 3 times this season (twice to Butler, once to Mississippi St.). They play a lock-down style of defense that suffocates their opponents. At 60.5 points per game allowed defensively, they are 2nd to only Butler in the Horizon league.

Vaughn Duggins and Todd Brown lead the way on offense, combining for over 27 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game. The Raiders don’t have a ton of size, but they do go 4 deep at the guard position. It takes a fast cohesive defensive unit to keep Wright St’s guards in check. N’Gai Evans and Try Tabler average just over 9 points apiece, and have the ability to shut down opposing guards. They will need to be at their best if they are to have any chance of winning the Horizon league title game against Butler.

The Bulldogs resume’ is far more established in terms of strength of schedule. They have taken down Xavier and a very good Ohio St team, and lost to Clemson by just 1 point. Gordon Hayward is having a breakthrough season for the Bulldogs as he’s averaging career highs in both points (15.6) and rebounds (8.6). Forwards Matt Howard and Willie Veasley are contributing 22.6 points and almost 10 boards per game combined, and have played outstanding defense all season long. This squad is more than just a good mid-major team, and has the ability to make a run in the NCAA tournament. Tuesday night’s clash may be more closely contested than the 2 previous contests between these teams as Butler will get in to the tourney even if they don’s win. Wright St on the other hand will need to win the conference championship to get the automatic bid for the tourney.

Red Hot Spurs Take on Cleveland Monday Night

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:31:50 +0000

The San Antonio Spurs are making their move. It’s almost expected as every year they make a last season run that propels them into the playoffs with momentum. They are currently on a 4 game win streak that has seen them beat Phoenix, New Orleans (twice) and Memphis. They will need to be at their best Monday when they take on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is fighting for home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Cleveland has a 2.5 game lead over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, and 3 more home games to play than the Lakers down the home stretch. The Cavs haven’t missed a beat with Shaquille O’Neal being out as they have won 9 out of 10. LeBron James has been a beast all season, and has legitimized himself as the best player in the league at the age of 25. There is no team in the league that revolves more around one player than Cleveland. James sat out Saturday against the Bucks due to a “coach’s decision”, and Milwaukee won 92-85. There is definitely some talent on this Cleveland team, but not nearly as much as many other teams in the league. Even Kobe Bryant has a above average supporting cast that can handle business when he’s not able to play. We saw this last month when Bryant sat out 6 games because of an ankle injury. The Lakers went 5-1 with him on the bench. The Cavs don’t have that luxury. Without LeBron, they are an average team that would most likely not even make the playoffs.

San Antonio has been bit by the injury bug again this year. Tony Parker has missed several games this season, and Manu Ginobili still doesn’t look to be himself after coming back from a major injury. Many experts feel as though the Spurs window for success is closed due to their age, but they still believe that have the players to make a run at another championship.

Tim Duncan may not be the same player he was 10 years ago, but he’s still averaging 19 points and almost 11 boards per game. Defensively he has lost a step, but he’s so fundamentally sound that he can get away with it. Parker, Ginobili and Jefferson are contributing 43 points per game, while 2nd year point guard George Hill has stepped up his game and is averaging almost 12 points per game.

This should be a hard fought defensive battle as both teams are in desperate need of a win for different reasons. The Spurs currently sit as the 6th seed in the Western conference playoff race, and will need to have a strong finish if they hope to overtake Oklahoma City for the 5th spot. LeBron and the Cavs know how important it is to retain home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Lakers are a tough enough team to beat at home, and having to play 4 games in Staples Center would be a tough task to overcome. Tune in Monday night as the Spurs and Cavaliers face off in what may be a decisive game for each team in regards to the playoffs.

Baylor Takes on Texas in Last Game of Regular Season

Glenn Andrew — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:39:31 +0000

The Texas Longhorns and Baylor Bears will face off in the last regular season game for both teams. Baylor beat Texas in an overtime thriller back in late January. These teams seem to be heading in different directions as the Longhorns have lost 7 of their last 13 games, while Baylor has come on strong to win 6 of their last 7.

Despite the recent trends, Texas has the upper hand in this match-up due to their depth. They go 7 deep on offense, which gives them the ability to increase leads when the starters are out. Damion James leads the way with a 17.7 point per game average. His 10+ rebounds are also tops on the team. They have a well balanced attack as their guards Avery Bradley and J’Covan Brown contribute 22 points per game, and their center Dexter Pittman pours in 10.5 points and 6 boards per game. Gary Johnson and Varez Ward are more than adequate off of the bench as they combine for almost 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Texas has had troubles in conference due to their lack of defense. They can shut teams down when they want to, but have too many lapses during the course of games to sustain any type of consistency. The Longhorns have allowed over 74 points in 5 of their last 8 conference games, and will be in serious trouble against a very capable Baylor offense if they don’t establish themselves early on the defensive end of the floor.

LaceDarius Dunn leads the Baylor offense with a 18.8 point average. However, Tweety Carter and forward Ekpe Udoh are also considered “go-to” players, and lead the team in assists and rebounds respectively. The Bears main concern is the serious drop off of talent after their starters come out. It is extremely hard for this squad to maintain a lead as their bench has a difficult time staying with their opponent’s starters. As a whole, the offense can score with any team in the Big-12 conference, and excels against opponents with mediocre defenses. If a team allows them to get up and down the floor at will, they will make you pay the price.

Texas will need to slow the pace of play, and force the Bears to play a half-court style of offense. Getting the opposition out of their rhythm and forcing them to play your style of ball is very important when playing at home. This should be a competitive game just like their previous match-up. It will be interesting to see which team will dictate the pace of play. Both of these squads are in desperate need of a strong finish as they try to impress the selection committee a day before the brackets are announced.