Wednesday Night Dribbles

A few quick hitters to sum up the night in college basketball:

• Temple and BYU both lost opportunities to strengthen their cases for a protected seed. Kudos to Chris / Craig on calling the Charlotte upset. Though, I still don't think they are or will be a tournament team.

• Anyone who had William & Mary as an at-large team can gently take them out of the discussion. Tonight, they lost to CAA strugglers James Madison. David Schneider has shot 11-for-45 in their last three games - all losses. Ultimately, their demise comes down to their defense (246th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency). Meanwhile, my preseason pick, George Mason, is 9-1 in conference play.

• If no one in the SEC West separates themselves from the pack, Vanderbilt may turn out to be the SEC's 2nd-best team despite a shaky start to the season. They now have wins over Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Middle Tennessee St., St. Mary's, and Arizona. Not bad for the end of January. After their Rocky Top high, Tennessee is looking like a team without the services of its best player.

• Oklahoma State is starting to normalize with another win at Texas A&M. The margin for error remains small for Travis Ford. Their next four are @ Missouri, v. Texas, @ Texas Tech, v. Oklahoma. So, that's 2 road games, 1 against a top 5 opponent, and another against your in-state rival who hates your guts and has a mental edge from a prior win. We'll know a lot more about this team's heart (Eaton and Harris were huge losses) very soon.

Mid-Majors Matter Too!!!

Be sure to check in here at PHSports and the Twitter site (Tweet Tweet) for plenty of post-NBA draft analysis.

If you're looking for retrospect on some BUSTS (and booms) of the past 10 NBA draft, check out my latest offering...until this.

Now for a little love-fest, VCU, CAA, & mid-major style...

Eric Maynor didn't have to play in a power conference to get drafted -- in the first round at that. He didn't need face time on the tube. It just proves that if you have talent, the NBA will find you, Gary Parrish says.

Credit: CBSSports.com

The article reads...
"Can't Hide Skill"

If you want to play for a national title, go to North Carolina.
That's a good way to get a championship.
If you want to play on national television, go to Kentucky.
That's a good way to get on TV.

But what Thursday night's NBA Draft proved -- once again -- is that the best and quickest way to David Stern's league isn't necessarily through the best and biggest conferences. Oh sure, that's one of the recruiting pitches BCS-affiliated coaches use, and I'd probably use it too if I were them. But whether it was Stephen Curry (from the Southern Conference) or Eric Maynor (from the Colonial) or some dude from another country few of us have ever seen, the reminder from Madison Square Garden was that the NBA will find you if you can play, and it doesn't really matter where you play.

It's not all a love fest though, although you have to wonder if the grade is more about the selection than the player.

Fortunately, Utah doesn’t seem shy about their positive reaction towards their selection at #20.

Although this is somewhat humorous...
During the interview, Maynor passed along a "hello" to coach Jerry Sloan from his father, George, a former East Carolina player who was cut in training camp by the Chicago Bulls -- when they were coached by Sloan. Sloan didn't make the connection until the younger Maynor told him. "Let's not talk about that," Sloan chuckled during the news conference. "I guess I cut his dad when I was coaching in Chicago."

A 6-foot-3, 164 pound pure point guard, Maynor played all four years of college ball. ESPN's Jay Bilas says Maynor is "a true point guard … has a great feel for the game. Superior change of pace and change of direction, a great leader, runs the pick and roll to perfection. Very old-school." Credit: KSL.com

ESPN's expert Chad Ford says, "I thought they might go with Sam Young here, but I have to admit that I love this pick for the Jazz. They needed a backup for Deron Williams, and Maynor is perfect for Utah as one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft. He has a high basketball IQ and great leadership qualities. The Jazz fill a need and get a guy that I think is the most underrated player in the draft."

Don't worry Pay, GMU gets some pub in this article...
Just consider the scouting report on the Jazz's newest draft pick from George Mason coach Jim Larranaga, who had a spot in the NCAA Tournament swiped by Maynor in the last two minutes of the 2007 CAA Championship Game.

"A player like Eric has the ability at both ends of the floor to do things that I don't think a lot of players even think about," Larranaga said. "When I talk about Eric, I often say he's like a magician ... and he made us disappear."

Well said. Well said.

InClement Weather: Wednesday Night College Basketball Thoughts...

Ten Thoughts on a Wednesday night...stretched out just a bit.
Yes, even while watching Lost and being more confused than ever before...and still LOVING it.

Don't let the face fool you, I firmly believe Tech walked into their matchup tonight expecting to win. Funny how often you do win with an attitude like that.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

1) Jeff Teague and Wake Forest will no longer remain #1. Not unless about six or seven teams fall too a crazy string of upsets this week(end). It should come as no surprise though, as the life of a college basketball #1 is always week-by-week at best.

2) Virginia Tech, winners of their last 4 of 5 against the Deacs, went into Winston-Salem and walked out 78-71 victors.

3) Jumping out to an early lead, the Hokies combined timely three-point shooting with an aggresive temperment on the boards to lead by as many as 13 in the first half. What had to surprise Wake most was the depths the Hokies went to allow them to come back into the game; especially during three or four stretches in the second half. Missing free throws left and right and not cleaning up on the defensive glass, the Hokies allowed Wake an opportunity to have the ball down only 2. An inability to box out on poor Tech shots and, on their own poor possessions, kick out before driving to the hoop with a little too much steam cost Wake dearly down the stretch. Len "Troy Bell Sr." Elmore might've noticed the most disturbing trend too: Jeff Teague was passive and far too quiet, due to his own inability to demand the ball, in the closing ten minutes.

4) Perhaps the Naismith frontrunner at this point, Teague appeared a little "pouty" according to Elmore. While his teammates were quite frustrating at times with silly fouls and a lack of control (especially with those aforementioned drives to the hoop), Teague passed up several shots late and almost seemed unwanting of the ball in the final possessions. Not a good trend to say the least for one of the nation's most talented playmakers at any position.

5) While that reason can't be divulged as without Teague's input, it did question my faith in Wake Forest in the following:
A) Close games
B) After slow starts
C) Without an inside presence to depend on
The same could be asked of all top tier teams; however, Wake's first blemish - especially at home - did open up some important questions.

6) As for the Hokie-side of things, it goes without saying how HUGE this W is; especially for a 5-loss team. While they have some iffy non-conference losses, the ACC will offer up plenty of opportunities for big time Ws. Let me also state a clear-cut fact: Tech won this game MUCH more than "Mistake" Forest lost it.

7) Unfortunately for the Hokies, due to the strength at the top of the ACC, their worst-case scenario isn't tough to decipher. See Maryland last year after their front-page news upset (on the road, unranked, against an undefeated UNC team) and then see how they faltered late time and time again and even when possessing the most impressive single-win of the year, it wasn't impressive enough come March Madness. In fact, it wasn't close. I have to wonder how much that home loss to Georgia might hurt the Hokies too. Just something to think about, raining on the parade of a team's top effort of the year. My bad.

...after seeing Sayid toss a guy off of a two-story balcony to imminent death (with the amazingly viscous back-breaking sound effects on the side), I'll note three other "affairs" of importance to me...

Outside of Jack Bauer, this is TV's most badassed man.
Credit: Wikipedia.org

8) Believe it or not, there are "mid-major stories" out there that don't involve Stephen Curry and Davidson. SHOCK and GASP! While this website has an obvious bias towards the CAA-side of things, it doesn't go without reason. Tonight was an important night for the conference:
A) George Mason fell from the top perch with a 58-57 loss at Northeastern.
B) Both are joined at 7-1 with red hot VCU, who after a rough loss at Delaware two weeks ago, has reeled off six impressive conference victories, although tonight's 5-12 Georgia State team doesn't exactly scream "road test".
C) The true test for Anthony Grant, Eric Maynor, and the Rams will come when the Patriots - who play notoriously well in Richmond (both the Siegel Center and the Collesium) - come marching in Saturday afternoon at 4pm.
Some advice: buy tickets and go if you are affiliated in any way with either school OR figure out when it's on television and watch a truly stellar conference rivalry play out. Sadly, they don't double dip each year like they SHOULD.

9) Northwestern upset Michigan State on the road, South Carolina likely took Florida back out of the rankings on some last-second hoopla, UCONN held off a feisty Villanova team in their hideous gray jerseys, UNC will one day be 100-0 against Clemson at home, and Memphis is going to steamroll through Conference USA and really confuse "bracketeers" come March.

10) Watch college basketball. I can try and inspire you. But I deleted that diatribe. Just watch it. It's awesome.

Tonight's victory will (likely) overshadow their early season's top highlight.

10 Opening Day Thoughts: Thursday-Style in March Madness

Note: If you’re feeling a little down in-between games, feel free to check out:
Thursday's Streaming Updates & Bracket Re-Caps

Sorry folks, no Cinderella-slipper for George Mason this season.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

…in relative order of occurrence…

1) Dionte Christmas scores only 3 points in Temple’s loss to Michigan State.

The Temple star carried his team through the final month of the season, including the A-10 Tournament. In fact, many people felt the inconstancy of Michigan State would bite the Spartans hard enough to spark the tournament’s typical 12 over 5-upset. Not so fast. While Temple kept it close for the first eight minutes, Michigan State relied on a team effort predicated on second chances on offense and eliminating extra shots on defense. While the recent run from the Owls was fun while it lasted, nobody should be upset with a phenomenal Saturday-matchup in the Midwest pitting 4-seeded Pittsburgh (who manhandled Oral Roberts) against the aforementioned 5-seeded Spartans.

2) How many of you were 7 of 8 (or better) after the afternoon’s slate of games?

Unless you were upset-heavy with your sheets of integrity, the only real toughie might’ve been overreaching on Kent State (guilty) or perhaps not trusting the likes or Purdue (with Baylor as an opponent though?). Fortunately, most people didn’t have Kent State going too far (whew); however, any Sweet Sixteen runs for Temple may come back to haunt you.

3) How many of you were sweating out the second-half of the Xavier/Georgia game big-time?

Xavier has been the “sleeper” of nearly every major-media pundit I could listen to over the past few weeks. Despite two hiccups late in the season against the Red Hawks of St. Joe’s, the Musketeers netted a 3-seed and an enticing road that led to a potential Sweet 16-matchup against the Dookies. Things seemed a little bleak (except for UGA) when the Bulldogs took a 12-point second-half lead. Yet, as I predicted during my live streaming, Georgia went sour in the second-half and Xavier (unlike Mississippi State or Arkansas in the SEC Tourney) turned on the gas and throttled the Bulldogs in the second-half. Xavier’s complete dominance at the free-throw line, specifically attempts (which Pay, who saw the game in person, was skeptical about), was the nail in the coffin of the feel-good-SEC-story.

4) How many Masters commercials have you seen today?

“A Tradition Unlike Any Other…”. Even as a golf fan, I had more than enough of these ads at 2:30 pm (and I was teaching at the time!). Which vintage Masters-moment do you expect to see more: Tiger hugging his dad after his first Masters victory or Phil Mickelson’s “fatty-jump” after his infamous-putt on 18 to win his first Masters? I think I just used the words “vintage” and “infamous” when referring to golf on this blog (Pay is gonna KILL me!).

5) Which non-upset bit you the most?

If you took Portland State over Kansas or Miss. Valley State over UCLA…sit down and don’t open your mouth again. However, I saw a bracket or two that actually took Cornell over Stanford (ouch), countless Mason supporters were prophesizing gloom and doom for the Irish, UNLV & A&M weren’t given too much love, and PLENTY experts and fans alike liked the potential of upstart conference tourney champs Georgia and Temple continuing their runs. Either way, it hurts. If you lost an Elite Eight team tonight though…you’re likely in trouble.

6) Brook Lopez scores 4 points and Trent Johnson couldn’t he happier. Seriously?

Stanford went up 22-11 in the first half and cruised the entire way. Sinking their threes at nearly 50%, the Cardinal only required 4 points from their All-America center. Why is this such a good thing? Because Brook Lopez’s stature, as well as his ability, can be an intimidating presence with or without putting the ball in the basket. Saturday offers a real treat when the size and strength of Stanford is pitted against the team speed and penetration of Marquette. Me likey very much.

7) Mayo v. Beasley I. What’d you think?

After Beasley netted two fouls before the under-16 timeout, it became the Bill Walker show. With 9 early points, the red shirt freshmen reminded more than a few of us his amazing potential (and likely 1^st-round status, if healthy come draft-time). Meanwhile, foul trouble hit the Trojans; however, it was Taj Gibson, not OJ Mayo, who it engulfed early in the second half. Mayo and USC weathered a few runs, made one or two of their own, yet KSU seemed to hold a 4-5 point lead for the majority of the game. Admittedly, as pumped as I was for this game, the Belmont/Duke-affair took my attention for quite some time (remember, the final 30 seconds in a college basketball game takes 57 minutes). In the final ten minutes of this particular game, thanks to DVR enlightening me, the Wildcats overcame anything and everything the Trojans could throw at them (they were stone cold from the field, in all fairness), as Beasley notched his typical double-double (23 and 11) and the Wildcats further proved their 11-seed was one of the selection’s committees most grievous errors (Illinois State, anyone?).

8) NIT Scheduling?

Isn’t it odd the NIT has games going on tonight? As a ‘Cuse fan (ugh), I was surprised to see we: a) beat Maryland b) were in fact, playing tonight. I understand the logistics of traveling and formatting this tournament around the NCAAs, but why schedule 2^nd-round games the same night as opening night for March Madness? It’s almost as perplexing as ABC putting out the final Lost, for over a month, tonight. (Plug!)

9) Belmont Tigers are from ???

It wasn’t until an idiotic “hustle-foul” from Kyle Singer – and the two resulting free throws from a 91% free-throw shooter – that I started to wonder if the Atlantic Sun champions could become the media’s next tournament darlings. No better way for Belmont to achieve such a feat than to be the 5^th 15-seed to win a game in tournament history (then CAA-Richmond over Syracuse in ’91 being the first)…over the Dookies no less! Belmont had a lead as late as 15 seconds to go; however, you’ve probably seen the highlight of Gerald Henderson (who scored the last eight points for the Blue Devils) going coast to coast to give Duke a 1-point lead. Shades of last season galore! Unfortunately, for the Duke-haters, Belmont fumbled a possession away on an errant inbound and then missed a half-court heave by mere inches. It was oh so close. It also proved just how hard it is for a 15-seed to take out a 2-seed, especially Duke. While I enjoyed hearing Eric Maynor’s name throughout the game, I was ready for some new history to be written by one of the Tigers. Oh well. Oh yeah, in case you didn’t know, Belmont is in Tennessee. In fact, it’s the largest Catholic university in the state.

10) Late Night Thoughts…

Admit it, you’re gonna say you dozed off in the recliner at work tomorrow. Trying to prop up your fanhood (or whatever the four-letter network calls it). Truth is: you went to bed at 10pm. You didn’t expect any late night fireworks. You were tired and wanted to save your energy for surviving Friday at work and then feasting on the final 32-teams all weekend. Wimp. So what did you miss?

-Arizona and WVU battled back and forth and back and forth. None of the impact stars did much before the half; however, the story of the second half was WVU maintaining a 7-point lead nearly throughout (despite their star-player not having a strong night). Leading 69-61 near the 2-minute mark, the Mountaineers executed in the clutch hitting shot after shot on their way to the W.
-Notre Dame came out lighting up three after three against Mason. At one point, Patriot fans were faced with the best and worst of scenarios: Will Thomas had 25 of their 41 points and Folarin Campbell was 1-12 from the field (0-4 3-point). With a 16-point lead near the 10 minute-mark, Mason needed more than fairy dust to maintain Cinderella-status. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t arrive tonight, as the CAA’s lone representative bowed out far too early for this blog.
-UCLA annihilated and all but destroyed their 16^th-seed opponent Mississippi Valley State. The good news is that Jerry Rice is still an alum of the university, no matter how much they lost by.
-#3-seed Wisconsin was far from impressive as they failed to break away from Cal State-Fullerton in the first half, nor the second. Both teams shot around 35% for the majority of the game, until a 15-3 run keyed Wisconsin to a baker’s dozen-point lead and entrance into an interesting showdown against Beasley (and Walker) of Kansas State on Saturday. Some of us might be regretting picking a Final Four-appearance for the Badgers (just maybe).

And there you have it. 10 thoughts/illuminations/rants/raves/whine sessions…etc.
It’s now time to drift off to sleep, at 1 am, and return to the madness tomorrow.
After work for me.

Thanks again to Armin for all the help with streaming today.
We’ll be at it again tomorrow!

Until then…

Bracket Chatter - All About the Bubble

Work calleth for much of the day …

If your team is or was on the bubble, you’re likely taking a mental health day or you feel an ulcer coming on. Either way, my lack of internet connectivity from last night pales in comparison to what you are experiencing.

Here is one question to consider:

What’s more valuable: Winning a conference by three games (Conference RPI: 13) and defeating Houston/Akron/Maryland on a floor other than your home floor or winning your conference on a tie-breaker (Conference RPI: 15) and having your key wins versus Mississippi State and Western Kentucky (twice)? For those just joining us, I’m talking about VCU and South Alabama.

In terms of bad losses, VCU lost @ JMU when they were a RPI top 100 squad, lost to ODU at home on a blown no-call (though I argue they deserve to lose for letting it come to that), and William & Mary in the conference tournament on a neutral court. A common misnomer is that VCU plays at the Richmond Coliseum, site of the CAA tournament. In reality, they play at the Siegel Center. That's an enormous difference considering how well some teams travel, namely UNC-W and now George Mason. The Hampton loss is not forgivable but the loss was in November.

As for South Alabama, they lost at North Texas and dropped two of three against Middle Tennessee State.

Oddly enough, the fates of VCU and South Alabama may be decided by the likes of Houston, Maryland, Akron, Ole Miss, Miami-Ohio, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.

Other talking points
- On George Mason, I was among the final bracket projectionists to switch from Mason to VCU. Even when I begrudgingly ceded the automatic bid to VCU, I knew that if Mason ever decided to play defense, they would win the CAA Tournament. Despite not shooting well from behind the arc for much of their time in Richmond, the Patriots challenged nearly every shot. For the anonymous hater on CAA: LAMM, who, for lack of better words, hated on my lamenting about Mason's love affair with the trifecta, inability to box out or cover the perimeter during the regular season ... thank you. Not only was I dead on, but my alma mater rectified those shortcomings when it mattered most.

- I hate conferences that hold tournaments on the home floor of a team who is not the #1 seed. In essence, it begs teams who would otherwise not make the tournament to do so and party like rock stars on their home floors after winning it all. Yes, I’m talking about you, West Coast Conference. For the record, I am not married to three coming out of that conference, so beware St. Mary’s. The Gaels have a strong resume (RPI: 38) with a solid SOS incorporated into that rating and wins at home versus Drake, Oregon, Seton Hall, San Diego and Gonzaga. Neutral-court triumphs over San Diego State and Ohio may push them over the top if both perform well in their conference tournaments. If you couple losing three of your final five games with the lack of precedence in having three teams from the 14th-best conference (let alone two), then St. Mary’s may be on the outside looking in.

- Who is the Valley #2? Convenience suggests that it’s Illinois State, who won 15 conference games counting the tournament in the nation’s #8 conference. Of course, that is before you factor in their 0-5 record against the Top 50, three losses of which are against Drake. On the flipside, they are 5-0 against squads rated between 51 and 100. Long-forgotten SIU, who let many down, has four wins against the Top 50, but are 17-14 overall, had four less conference victories in the MVC which has balanced scheduling. There’s also Creighton, who boasts a meager 0-6 clip against the Top 50, also losing thrice to Drake.

- Though I very much dislike the transitive property (i.e. Digger's MO), I see it playing a larger role than either Clement or myself would have liked.

Your UNOFFICIAL Colonial Athletic Association Conference Tournament Preview

It doesn’t take any reader of this blog very long – whether viewing daily or yearly – to recognize a friendly bias towards the CAA.

And why not? We have alums from Mason and VCU working hard to spread the good word of one of America’s most underrated conferences. The term mid-major isn’t going anywhere, although this conference is looking to change that perception via their postseason impact.

Need I remind you all of what a certain George Mason team did in 2006? [Hint: FINAL FOUR!]

To a lesser extent, USC fans (not to mention, Sam Clancy) won’t forget the name Brett Blizzard, Duke fans are sick and tired of Eric “The Dagger” Maynor, and Aaron Coombs would haunt Maryland fans if it weren’t for the heroics of Drew “St.” Nicholas.

UNC-W's Brett Blizzard may have been the best mid-major performer of the last 10 years. Seriously.
Credit: BlizzardAcademy

Nevertheless, championship weekend in the CAA kicks off early Friday afternoon with a few snoozers (we’re not exactly getting UP for Northeastern vs. James Madison). Fortunately, there is hope on the horizon as Saturday may have an upset or two in mind (not likely, as you’ll see below) and Sunday could potentially offer up what could become a tantalizing pair of appetizers before the conference championship game gets the royal treatment on The Ocho.

While it’s too early to start predicting results (or is it?), let’s take a look at what the conference’s twelve squads have to offer this weekend, and perhaps, determine their chances of cutting down the nets and earning one of the nation’s first automatic qualifying bids.

We’re not predicting any losing record squads to go all the way, but they deserve their just due. Call me crazy - or a hater (I prefer hata’ by the way) - but I have a hard time NOT envisioning a 1/4 vs. 2/3 semi-finals. In case you didn’t know, the conference only sports (sadly) 4 teams with overall winning records this season.

#12. Georgia State

-Thought to be an up-and-coming squad, Georgia State has a knack for losing games in the closing minutes time and time again. An enticing matchup against an overachieving William & Mary squad may afford them the opportunity to pull off a Friday afternoon upset.

#11. James Madison

-In shambles after a surprising start (they did beat VCU back in 2007), the Dukes have a lame-duck coach and a roster that lacks athleticism at most positions. While Northeastern is far from a juggernaut, both teams are on different sides of the CAA universe during the last two months.

#10. Drexel

-Easily the biggest disappointment of the season, Drexel lost key senior leadership and, surprisingly, any form of last season’s dominant interior presence from 2006-07 Defensive Player of the Year, junior Frank Elegar. You’d think a team with Bruiser Flint riding them would be a darkhose to pull a few upsets this weekend (at least the pro-Bruiser media would), but the Dragons will be fortunate to be competitive ten minutes into a game they may not reach on Saturday.

#9. Towson

-A lot can be gained in their 8/9 matchup against Hofstra, especially considering VCU will garner some mild national interest as the Rams have a decent chance of securing an at-large bid (although that becomes far less likely with a quarterfinal choke-job). While thoughts of CAA-legend Gary Neal have vanquished, the Tigers still have enough athleticism to make it to Satuday.

#8. Hofstra

-After losing last year’s Player of the Year, Loren Stokes, to graduation, Hofstra clearly stood on the fence of pre-season rankings for the conference. It should come as no surprise that they enter the tournament as an uneven 8-seed. What isn’t a surprise is the stellar play of likely CAA 1^st teamer Antoine Agudio. If you can make it to any of Hofstra’s games, he’s easily worth the price of admission alone.

#7. Delaware

-Every year, I wonder if the Blue Hens will make a legitimate tournament run. Outside of a mild upset here or there, Delaware has been far from amazing since joining the conference. While Herb Courtney provides presence in the paint, they appear a rather easy matchup for 10-seed Drexel to pull of the potential “upset”. Although, it must be stated that Delaware’s overall record is a little flawed since several talented transfers after December 15.

#6. Northeastern

-To be honest, the only true interest Northeastern offers for us is the potential for a quarterfinal rematch with recent regular season foe George Mason. Why you ask? Northeastern stunned Mason (sort of) by 11 points on Saturday and cost the Patriots the 2-seed and their wildest of pipe dreams of at-large consideration. Honestly though, that result might not make much of a difference, as Mason in recent years has been able to turn on impressive play for their annual weekend in Richmond in early March. Northeastern may not even reach that matchup if they overlook at nothing-to-lose JMU squad.

#5. William & Mary

-10-8 in conference is a definitive step up for the Tribe; however, 14-15 overall means the NIT won’t even consider them. Yet, if the Tribe is serious about contending in conference in the coming seasons (and alleviating some anxiety from certain VCU fans), they need to control the pace of their 5/12 matchup early and often (remember, Georgia State loves to play you close) and then give self-proclaimed darkhorse-ODU a real run for their money in an under-the-radar 4/5 matchup. This weekend will go a long way in determining the next few seasons for William & Mary basketball in the CAA.

…now for the big boys…

#4. Old Dominion

Pros: Seemingly the hottest teams in the conference before last Saturday, those illusions were swept under the rug after being manhandled on both sides of the balls and the boards at UNC-Wilmington. Coach Blaine Taylor’s squad doesn’t have the starpower of year’s past; however, they have the right blend of talent to give VCU, in particular, fits in the semi-finals. A relatively easy road there should leave the Monarchs more than ready for their 3^rd matchup of the season with the Rams (each winning on each other’s home court).

Cons: ODU can live and die by the three-ball. Despite having a talented bench, that is often the result of less than stellar starters. Only sophomore Gerald Lee has been a consistent scorer in and out of the paint this season. Hitting clutch shot after clutch shot last month against VCU, ODU still clanged two key free throws in the closing seconds and walked away victors only after an apparent no-call on an obvious arm slap on Eric Maynor (ODU won by 1 at the Siegel Center, the only conference opponent of the Rams to do so). ODU’s early schedule (UNC, Georgetown, Louisville) tested them for high-pressure conference tourney moments; nevertheless, they have shown they will play down to their lesser opponents just as often as they’ll play up to their elite ones.

#3. George Mason

Pros: Three key performers remain from the Final Four-squad of 2006; especially PF Will Thomas (the conference’s top interior performer) and Folarin Campbell (the best shot-maker in the conference…when he’s on). Always capable of three good days during the second weekend in March, the Patriots have a proven coach and plenty to play for. Not to mention, they are the only CAA team to not lose to #1-seed VCU. There’s a reason they are a consistent second choice to win this conference tourney.

Cons: Sloppy play down the stretch has erased any at-large considerations for the Patriots. Collapsing against Ohio in their bracketbuster was inexcusable and a late-season loss to Northeastern was downright embarrassing. Although, that’s the exact motivation this team needs entering this weekend. Campbell has been uneven this past month and Mason often becomes far too streaky from behind the arc (hello, Dre Smith!). It remains to be seen if they can perform for 40 minutes for three straight days.

#2. UNC-Wilmington

Pros: Anybody who’s been to a CAA Tournament this millennium knows that the teal t-shirts of UNC-W flood the Coliseum. In fact, per capita, it’s not even close who draws the most fans year in and year out. After a horrific 2006-2007 season, the W swept Mason and earned the tie-breaker for the #2-seed. Interestingly enough, it allows a likely third matchup with Mason in the semi-finals. TJ Carter’s playmaking ability is well known to GMU fans, as is UNC-Ws recent ability to continuously foul the Patriots in the blocks without repercussion from the zebras. After last season’s embarrassing run, UNC-W is hungry to perform well in a tournament that has treated them exceptionally well the last half-dozen years.

Cons: UNC-Wilmington was handled on the road and at home in the second-half of both of their games against VCU. Even though they swept George Mason, we all know how annoying it is to hear about beating a team three times in one season, no matter the sport. More importantly, if the refs handcuff the physicality in the paint of Todd Hendley and Vladimir Kuljanin (or their palming of the ball nearly every position), Wilmington has shown it can lose to lesser opponents badly (Drexel, JMU by 20+, and Delaware).

#1. Virginia Commonwealth {VCU}

Pros: VCU’s perimeter game is led by a dynamic scoring duo of junior PG Eric Maynor and combo senior guard/forward Jamal Shuler (also a lockdown defender). Both are able to score away from the basket and at times appear unstoppable while driving to the basket. Eric Maynor is a lock for Player of the Year and has the ability, unlike any other player in the conference, to carry his team the entire weekend on his back to a championship. The Rams have won this tournament two of the last three seasons and been a staple in the finals the past five seasons (including two wins over George Mason and a loss to ODU). Anthony Grant is 1 for 1 so far in winning CAA Tournaments, while seniors Michael Anderson and Will Fameni both appear healthier and sharper, especially Anderson, than in weeks and months past. Freshmen Larry Sanders also is 10^th in the nation at 3 blocks a game.

Cons: VCU’s inside game has shown plenty of holes. If Maynor can be contained on the perimeter (Mason displayed that blueprint flawlessly) or Shuler finds foul trouble/erratic shooting early, the Rams may have to depend on wildly inconsistent freshman like PG Joey Rodriguez and PF Larry Sanders (who lacks any true offensive post-up game). Both should be limited to 4-5 key plays a game, at best. In fact, Rodriguez has appeared a downright liability at times in the closing moments of games. CAA pundits know that George Mason always plays VCU extremely well and was the only CAA foe the Rams couldn’t knock off (to be fair, they played only once, in Fairfax). ODU also stunted a ton of VCU momentum (who couldn’t equal their 16-2 conference mark of last year thanks to the Monarchs) with their big-time W in late February. If the paint is unkind to the Rams, they may not be able to shoot their ways out of early deficits on Sunday or Monday. Despite defending the 3-ball better than any of the other 340 teams in Division 1, the Rams often become far too reliant on the deep ball at times.

???Projection???

VCU is, but does not have to be, the favorite to win the tournament after winning their last three games in impressive fashion (8 of 9 overall as well). Despite it being held less than five miles away from their home court (Siegel Center) at the Richmond Coliseum, the Rams may not necessarily have the most fans in attendance during all stages of the weekend. Eric Maynor, the likely CAA Player of the Year, has anchored the Rams to a potential at-large birth, but that is FAR from set in stone. It’d be a mistake not to consider the experience of 2007 tournament runner-up George Mason as well, especially considering it took a Herculean effort from Maynor in the closing minutes in last year’s finals to push the Rams to victory over the Patriots. UNC-W and ODU obviously have the talent and coaching to punch their ticket to March Madness as well. What I don’t see is the big-time upset on Saturday or continuing through Sunday…which almost assures us of one. Enjoy the tournament!

Until next time…

So Long and Thanks for the Memories...

So it wasn't George Mason: Part Deux.
Truth be told: nothing ever will be.

Fortunately, almost every year there's a story or two to be told that's special in its own right. As for this year, there is too much drama to imagine left to unfold.

Yet, clearly the BEST story of the first weekend of the tournament had to be the CAA Champion VCU Rams. Whether it was their defeat of the almighty Duke, behind the gutsy sophomore named Eric Maynor, or their near-miraculous comeback against Pitt led by guys named BA and Jesse (down 15 at the half and 19 in the second half)...the Rams were the surprising talk of the first weekend of the tournament more often than not.

And to think that if they hadn't somehow escaped Richmond with the CAA title, and a narrow defeat against George Mason of all people...they probably would've had their bubble burst.

So for all of you people constantly saying: "Any mid-major in America would finish dead-last in a major conference..." SHUTUP! SHUTUP now and forever.

Tell that same garbage to Wisconsin who lost to a Mountain West team called UNLV. Tell that to Notre Dame who lost to the Big South's Winthrop. Tell that to anyone who loses to 'mid-majors' like Butler and Southern Illinois. You think Michigan State, North Carolina, and UCONN think that way after George Mason's run last year? You think even Florida thought that?

How about you Dukies ask Coach K what he thinks. [That is, if he ever stops sobbing like a little girl with a skinned knee and 10 high-school All-Americans who had some bad luck.]

Sure, I attend VCU. What gave that away? Of course I am biased. But I also know a great story when I see one. Even if it's barely a weekend long...

Check out this link for a sappy, cliched, corny, and still poignant article about the Rams and their NCAA Tournament weekend. Props also go out to schools like Winthrop, Texas A&M CC, Wright State, and Davidson. Whether in victory or defeat...you helped mid-majors matter. Even if for 5 seconds for every major's 5 hours of press time.

Props to Pitt for the W. But everyone knows...you aren't nearly as welcome as we would've been to continue dancing.

It's nice when names like Fameni, Roland, Shuler and Pellot-Rosa get some press.
Not every team survives somehow with half-a-dozen
blue chip All-Americans, boosters with fat cash to pad a program,
and fat bank rolls to keep talented coaches in one place.

NCAA Tournament Projections – Version 8.0

(Editor’s Note: In order to adjust for personal bias, I have not allowed myself to project a team over another in a one-bid unless they are within one game of first place.)

This week, North Carolina is back in the top 4, knocking out Wisconsin, who needed a late three-pointer by Kammron Taylor to overcome Michigan State at home. The Heels hopped Kansas, who had a big win versus Texas, but only started their comeback following a brief injury to phenom Kevin Durant.

The big shock (to me) is Virginia Tech as a 4 seed. In my opinion, they have nowhere to go but down following their defeat at home to Clemson. They’re riding on their 6-2 record against the top 6 teams (not including them) in the ACC. If they do not impress in Tampa next weekend, they can easily fall to a 7 or 8 seed. In fact, the quality margin between 16 and 28 overall is razor-thin.

In the Valley, Creighton overcame two regular season losses to Southern Illinois by defeating them to take the automatic bid. In the CAA, craziness set forth as George Mason has beaten Hofstra and at-large candidate Old Dominion. Tonight, they seek to complete an improbable sweep of the conference’s top three teams after being 0-5 against these teams in the regular season. The theme of retribution resurfaces as they face off against rival Virginia Commonwealth in Richmond.

One of the most shocking yet little-spoken upsets of the weekend was Arkansas’ victory at Vanderbilt. It catapulted the Razorbacks to the final spot in the field. Clemson and Florida St. also had good weeks, which puts them within reach of an at-large bid. Meanwhile, Drexel remains in the field due to their strong road/neutral court record as well as their quality wins. Losing to VCU in Richmond is no small crime, but Drexel will likely become victim to teams on the outside who surge their way into the tournament.

For your information, the teams in bold represent automatic bids and the parentheses surrounding the regions indicate the overall seed of the top team in that region. The teams who are officially in the tournament are in bold italics. As always, if you have any comments or questions, drop a line in the comment box.

Seed	East (4)	South (3)	Midwest (2)	West (1)
1	North Carolina	Florida	Ohio St.	UCLA
2	Kansas	Wisconsin	Texas A&M	Georgetown
3	Washington St.	Maryland	Memphis	Southern Illinois
4	Pittsburgh	Oregon	Tennessee	Virginia Tech
5	Arizona	Marquette	Duke	Vanderbilt
6	UNLV	Nevada	Virginia	Texas
7	Georgia Tech	Louisville	BYU	Kentucky
8	Indiana	Texas Tech	Creighton	Villanova
9	Butler	Xavier	Notre Dame	Michigan St.
10	Winthrop	Air Force	USC	Boston College
11	Syracuse	Missouri St.	Old Dominion	Stanford
12	Virginia Commonwealth	Davidson	Akron	Gonzaga
13	Arkansas	Purdue	Holy Cross	Drexel
14	Pennsylvania	Vermont	Oral Roberts	Long Beach St.
15	Texas A&M - CC	Siena	Belmont	Western Kentucky
16	Weber St.	Jackson St./Central Connecticut St.	Eastern Kentucky	Delaware St.

In: Virginia Commonwealth, Purdue, Arkansas, Texas A&M-CC, Siena, Belmont (in), Eastern Kentucky (in)
Out: Illinois, Georgia, Appalachian St., Sam Houston St., Marist, E. Tennesee St., Austin Peay

Seedings
1s: UCLA, Ohio St., Florida, North Carolina
2s: Kansas, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Georgetown
3s: Southern Illinois, Memphis, Maryland, Washington St.
4s: Pittsburgh, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
5s: Duke, Arizona, Marquette, Vanderbilt
6s: UNLV, Nevada, Texas, Virginia
7s: Kentucky, BYU, Louisville, Georgia Tech
8s: Indiana, Creighton, Texas Tech, Villanova
9s: Notre Dame, Michigan St., Xavier, Butler
10s: USC, Winthrop, Air Force, Boston College
11s: Syracuse, Stanford, Missouri St., Old Dominion
12s: Virginia Commonwealth, Gonzaga, Davidson, Akron
13s: Purdue, Drexel, Holy Cross, Arkansas
14s: Penn, Oral Roberts, Long Beach St., Vermont
15s: Western Kentucky, Siena, Texas A&M –CC, Belmont
16s: Eastern Kentucky, Weber St., Delaware St., Central Connecticut St., Jackson St.

Last Four In: Old Dominion, Purdue, Drexel, Arkansas
Last Four Out: Florida St., UMass, Clemson, Illinois
Next Four Out: Bradley, Georgia, Kansas St., West Virginia

Summary
ACC: 7
Big East: 7
PAC-10: 6
Big Ten: 5
SEC: 5
Big 12: 4
Missouri Valley: 3
Mountain West: 3
Colonial: 3

Dateline: Richmond, Virginia.

The destination…the Aeropostale CAA Championship from March 2^nd to March 5^th.

VCU's Anthony Grant hopes to capture
both regular-season and conference titles
during his first year in Richmond.

Seriously, if you can…be there.
This is one of the most underrated conference tournaments going today.

Just about every year, the first-round provides a stunning game on Friday Night. Just about every year, one of the big dogs gets bit by Cinderella…if only for a night. Just about every year, the crowd is packed (with far too many screaming fans from UNC-W). Just about every year, the championship game brings plenty of drama and a deserving champion.

Here’s hoping this year is no different.
So now it’s time to have a ramblin’ man’s ramblin’ preview. -

Let’s take a look at each of the teams, with a quick one-liner.
#1. VCU [24-6, 16-2]
-Easily the surprise of the year in-conference (picked pre-season to finish 6th). While the Bracketbuster-loss to MVC's Bradley may have them desperate for a title-game appearance for an at-large bid (at best), this is a hungry team that loves to run, shoots the deep-ball as well as anyone in the conference, and can hopefully use the Richmond-area advantage to land their first conference title in three years.

#2. Old Dominion [23-7, 15-3]
-As hot as any team in the country, Blaine Taylor’s crew has gotten real physical and must continue to ride captain Drew Williamson, just as they have throughout their recent 11-game winning streak, if they can punch an automatic ticket to the Big Dance. They come into Richmond as the team to beat, barely.

#3. Hofstra [22-8, 14-4]
-Perhaps a little too under the radar entering Richmond, following one of their best tournament runs in recent memory last year’s (which ended in a CAA Title game defeat to UNC-W), the Pride must ride CAA Player of the Year Loren Stokes (20.8 ppg) to earn their spot in March Madness. The Pride must have the poise and deft shooting touch necessary to control games in the closing minutes for their playmakers to secure close victories.

#4. Drexel [22-7, 13-5]
-A resume that has STACKED road wins [@Cuse,@Vermont,@Villanova] and yet they remain an underdog as a 4-seed. It will be a tough road, but the Dragons are healthy and Mejia is finally starting to sink key shots, after a season I would describe as nothign but hype. Look out for Bruiser’s Dragons though.

#5. Northeastern [12-18,9-9]
-Still getting used to the CAA, a .500-record shows that they played well enough in-conference to be considered trouble in the tournament.

#6. George Mason [15-14, 9-9]
-Never doubt the heart of a champion. 4 Days in Richmond is all it takes. This is not the type of team you want to face if they start making open shots and start feeling confident in themselves.

#7. Towson [14-16, 8-10]
-Gary Neal is the best ticket in town on Friday night. Despite hitting a few too many lumps early this season, Towson has started to make solid strides over the past five seasons in CAA-play.

#8. William and Mary [15-14, 8-10]
-Very young and very hard to read. Should be an entertaining team to check out on Friday night…but nothing more.

#9. Georgia State [10-19, 5-13]
-Wow, quite the drop off as of here. Yet, they almost stunned VCU to close the season (losing 70-72). They may get a re-match with the Rams on Saturday afternoon. Might not go nearly as well for them though.

#10. UNC-Wilmington [7-21, 4-14]
-Took a lot more lumps than many expected in a 'transition year'. Nevertheless, this squad won the CAA title last year and is the toughest 10-seed you’re likely to find in a conference tourney this season.

#11. James Madison [7-22, 4-14]
-There’s not much positive to talk about on the basketball court in Harrisonburg this year (or most years as of late for that matter). Take advantage of Friday night as much as you can against Jorge.

#12. Delaware [5-25, 3-15]
-An absolute embarrassment. Once a legit second-tier team, the Blue Hens were downright abysmal this season and have zero shot to win on Friday night. Zero.

So there we have it. I’ll be there most of the weekend (I attend VCU in case you didn’t already know). Hopefully I'll be enjoying the action much longer than a few others might suppose as a Ram-supporter (in true Clement-fasion, if we lose...I'm out of that Colesium immediately).

Prediction: Old Dominion is a wrecking crew lately. They manhandled Hofstra in Norfolk only a few weeks ago and wore VCU down in a key home-victory over the Rams only a month ago. Nevertheless, their physical style may lead to more than some wear and tear by Monday night. Look for VCU to escape with a narrow victory over Drexel and match up with their big-time rival, OD-Spew, for a classic at 7pm on ESPN for the CAA Title. Who will win? You know its bad luck if you pick your school to…see you Monday night.