Here’s a quick recap of some of the big games over the college basketball weekend.
Vanderbilt 83 #1 Florida 70
This time the Commodores did not squander a double digit lead. Vanderbilt, who led the top ranked Gators in Gainsville by as many as 14 points, shot 57% from the field in the upset victory. The Commodores inside-outside duo of Derrick Byars and Shan Foster combined for 48 points. Vanderbilt (8-4 and 2nd place in the SEC East) has 8 wins against RPI 100 teams and with a favorable closing schedule seems a lock for an NCAA tourney bid.
#4 North Carolina 77 # 21 Boston College 72
The most important regular season week in BC hoops history ended in a second consecutive loss. Jared Dudley, the normally reliable FT shooter, (76% on the season) bricked three consecutive charity shots with BC down 3 (72-69) with 1:20 left on the clock. Both teams shot an identical 28-54 from the field, but BC missed 10 of their 21 FT attempts. Tyler Hansbrough led the Tarheels with 17 points.
#7 UCLA 81 #24 Arizona 66
Bruins PG Darrin Collison made his return to the starting lineup and dominated this contest from the get-go at the McKale center. The 6’1 sophomore scored 17 points and dished out a career high 15 assists as UCLA won their 5th straight over the Wildcats. Arizona just can’t get any production out of their bench. Among the Wildcats struggling most mightily is former Houston area product Jawaan Mcclellan, who has managed double digit scoring in only 2 of his last 10 games. Arizona still ranks in the top 10 in RPI thanks to a brutal non-conference schedule and the strength of the Pac 10, but they won’t do much in March without more production off the pine. The Bruins, with Collison, appear headed for the #1 seed out west.
#8 Kansas 92 Nebraska 39
This is not a misprint. I’m not saying this game was a blowout, but the Jayhawks could have won this game with zero points in the 1st half. Kansas outscored the Huskers 56-17 after intermission and have beaten their opponents by an average of 32 points since their loss to Texas A&M two weeks ago.
#9 Memphis 78 Gonzaga 77 OT
John Calapari IMHO is not a very good game day coach, but he is a hell of a recruiter. Joey Dorsey scored 15 points, pulled down 12 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots for the Tigers who have won 15 straight games. The Tigers had an obvious advantage inside the paint, but Calipari refuses to give his big guys any touches. The ‘Zags, despite their early season victories over UNC and Texas probably need to win the WCC post season tournament to make the field of 65.
#15 Southern Illinois 68 #12 Butler 64
Jamal Tatum scored 20 points including critical free throws late to help the Salukis pull off their first road win over a ranked opponent in more than three decades. The Salukis are for real. They play aggressive man-to-man defense for 40 minutes and wear their opponents down. Here are the four teams who currently have a higher RPI ranking that Southern Illinois- UCLA, UNC, Ohio State, and Pittsburgh. With Missouri Valley league games remaining against the dregs of the conference, the Salukis could potentially enter the NCAA tournament with the most wins in the country.
Missouri 75 #20 Oklahoma State 64
Repeat after me…Oklahoma State is not an NCAA tourney team. Tournament teams don’t get destroyed at home by rebuilding programs. The Cowboys do not have a signature road win this season. In fact the Cowboys have yet to win on the road in Big 12 play. I think their season is on the line Wednesday night against Texas A&M.
Houston 70 UAB 64
This game certainly isn’t important to anyone except the most die hard of Cougar fans. But since I was at the game, I’ll go ahead and tell you what you missed. This was a brutal basketball game. The Cougars had no semblance of a half-court offense (again). They shot 25% from the 3point arc which wouldn’t be that big of a deal except that they never stop shooting. They have shot 70 from downtown in the last 2 games, connecting on only 18 of them. It really is difficult to watch these guys play this year. That being said, the Cougars do sit in 2nd place in CUSA at this point and can continue to pray for someone to knock of Memphis in the CUSA tourney before the championship game. I wish I felt better about the Alma Mater’s program right now, but I just don’t see any real direction.
Vanderbilt 83 #1 Florida 70This time the Commodores did not squander a double digit lead. Vanderbilt, who led the top ranked Gators in Gainsville by as many as 14 points, shot 57% from the field in the upset victory. The Commodores inside-outside duo of Derrick Byars and Shan Foster combined for 48 points. Vanderbilt (8-4 and 2nd place in the SEC East) has 8 wins against RPI 100 teams and with a favorable closing schedule seems a lock for an NCAA tourney bid.
#4 North Carolina 77 # 21 Boston College 72The most important regular season week in BC hoops history ended in a second consecutive loss. Jared Dudley, the normally reliable FT shooter, (76% on the season) bricked three consecutive charity shots with BC down 3 (72-69) with 1:20 left on the clock. Both teams shot an identical 28-54 from the field, but BC missed 10 of their 21 FT attempts. Tyler Hansbrough led the Tarheels with 17 points.
#7 UCLA 81 #24 Arizona 66Bruins PG Darrin Collison made his return to the starting lineup and dominated this contest from the get-go at the McKale center. The 6’1 sophomore scored 17 points and dished out a career high 15 assists as UCLA won their 5th straight over the Wildcats. Arizona just can’t get any production out of their bench. Among the Wildcats struggling most mightily is former Houston area product Jawaan Mcclellan, who has managed double digit scoring in only 2 of his last 10 games. Arizona still ranks in the top 10 in RPI thanks to a brutal non-conference schedule and the strength of the Pac 10, but they won’t do much in March without more production off the pine. The Bruins, with Collison, appear headed for the #1 seed out west.
#8 Kansas 92 Nebraska 39
This is not a misprint. I’m not saying this game was a blowout, but the Jayhawks could have won this game with zero points in the 1st half. Kansas outscored the Huskers 56-17 after intermission and have beaten their opponents by an average of 32 points since their loss to Texas A&M two weeks ago.
#9 Memphis 78 Gonzaga 77 OTJohn Calapari IMHO is not a very good game day coach, but he is a hell of a recruiter. Joey Dorsey scored 15 points, pulled down 12 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots for the Tigers who have won 15 straight games. The Tigers had an obvious advantage inside the paint, but Calipari refuses to give his big guys any touches. The ‘Zags, despite their early season victories over UNC and Texas probably need to win the WCC post season tournament to make the field of 65.
#15 Southern Illinois 68 #12 Butler 64Jamal Tatum scored 20 points including critical free throws late to help the Salukis pull off their first road win over a ranked opponent in more than three decades. The Salukis are for real. They play aggressive man-to-man defense for 40 minutes and wear their opponents down. Here are the four teams who currently have a higher RPI ranking that Southern Illinois- UCLA, UNC, Ohio State, and Pittsburgh. With Missouri Valley league games remaining against the dregs of the conference, the Salukis could potentially enter the NCAA tournament with the most wins in the country.
Missouri 75 #20 Oklahoma State 64
Repeat after me…Oklahoma State is not an NCAA tourney team. Tournament teams don’t get destroyed at home by rebuilding programs. The Cowboys do not have a signature road win this season. In fact the Cowboys have yet to win on the road in Big 12 play. I think their season is on the line Wednesday night against Texas A&M.
Houston 70 UAB 64
This game certainly isn’t important to anyone except the most die hard of Cougar fans. But since I was at the game, I’ll go ahead and tell you what you missed. This was a brutal basketball game. The Cougars had no semblance of a half-court offense (again). They shot 25% from the 3point arc which wouldn’t be that big of a deal except that they never stop shooting. They have shot 70 from downtown in the last 2 games, connecting on only 18 of them. It really is difficult to watch these guys play this year. That being said, the Cougars do sit in 2nd place in CUSA at this point and can continue to pray for someone to knock of Memphis in the CUSA tourney before the championship game. I wish I felt better about the Alma Mater’s program right now, but I just don’t see any real direction.
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Here's an updated view (my view anyway) of the NCAA tournament field. There aren't really any major changes with the exception of some changes in the ACC and Big 12, and the addition of Vanderbilt as a lock.
NCAA Tourney Field of 65
Big Conference Locks-38
ACC-7
In: Duke, Boston College, UNC, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Maryland, Clemson
Bubble: Florida State
Atlantic 10-1
Xavier
Big 12-3
In: Texas A&M, Kansas, Texas
Bubble: Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech
Big East-5
In: Pitt, West Virginia, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova
Bubble:Notre Dame, Louisville,
Big 10-3
In: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Indiana
Bubble: Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue
Colonial-1
Bubble: Virginia Commonwealth/Hofstra/Old Dominion
Conference USA-1
In: Memphis
Horizon League-1
In: Butler
Missouri Valley-2
In: Creighton, Southern Illinois
Bubble: Wichita St. Northern Iowa, Bradley, Missouri State
Mountain West-3
In: Air Force, BYU, UNLV
Bubble: San Diego State
PAC 10 –5
In: UCLA, Washington State, Arizona, Oregon, USC
Bubble: Stanford
SEC-5
In: Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Vanderbilt
Bubble: Arkansas
WAC-1
In: Nevada
Bubble: Utah St.
One Bid Conferences-18
America East(Vermont), Atlantic Sun(East Tennessee State), Big Sky(Weber State), Big South(Winthrop), Big West(Long Beach State), Ivy(Penn), MAAC(Marist), Mid-Continent(Oral Roberts), MAC(Akron), MEAC(Delaware St.), Patriot League (Holy Cross), NEC(Central Conneticut St.), OVC(Austin Peay), Southern Conference(Davidson.), Southland(A&M-Corpus Christi.), SWAC(Mississippi Valley State), Sunbelt(South Alabama) , WCC (Santa Clara)
Bubble Bids-10
Big Conference Locks-38
ACC-7
In: Duke, Boston College, UNC, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Maryland, Clemson
Bubble: Florida State
Atlantic 10-1
Xavier
Big 12-3
In: Texas A&M, Kansas, Texas
Bubble: Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech
Big East-5
In: Pitt, West Virginia, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova
Bubble:Notre Dame, Louisville,
Big 10-3
In: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Indiana
Bubble: Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue
Colonial-1
Bubble: Virginia Commonwealth/Hofstra/Old Dominion
Conference USA-1
In: Memphis
Horizon League-1
In: Butler
Missouri Valley-2
In: Creighton, Southern Illinois
Bubble: Wichita St. Northern Iowa, Bradley, Missouri State
Mountain West-3
In: Air Force, BYU, UNLV
Bubble: San Diego State
PAC 10 –5
In: UCLA, Washington State, Arizona, Oregon, USC
Bubble: Stanford
SEC-5
In: Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Vanderbilt
Bubble: Arkansas
WAC-1
In: Nevada
Bubble: Utah St.
One Bid Conferences-18
America East(Vermont), Atlantic Sun(East Tennessee State), Big Sky(Weber State), Big South(Winthrop), Big West(Long Beach State), Ivy(Penn), MAAC(Marist), Mid-Continent(Oral Roberts), MAC(Akron), MEAC(Delaware St.), Patriot League (Holy Cross), NEC(Central Conneticut St.), OVC(Austin Peay), Southern Conference(Davidson.), Southland(A&M-Corpus Christi.), SWAC(Mississippi Valley State), Sunbelt(South Alabama) , WCC (Santa Clara)
Bubble Bids-10
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