By Paul Gotham

It is kind of hard to imagine that a region with three Big East teams (Villanova, Louisville, and Notre Dame) and two teams from the Big 12 (Baylor and Texas A&M) could have the makings for a Cinderella run. Especially, when one looks at the fact that Baylor and A&M have the chance to play third and fourth round games in Houston.  Still, Cinderella might exist in the South.

Consider this. The South region has a two seed that has lost six of its last ten. A three seed that hasn’t won a tournament game since 1950. The four seed scored 11 points in a half last weekend.

If ever there was a region set up for a lower seed to make a run, this is it. The question is which team.

On the other hand, this region might play out well for a run by the one seed – Duke.

Maybe, the first question should be what is a Cinderella? Some might say North Carolina State in 1983. The Wolfpack was a six seed. They beat Phi Slamma Jamma, but NC State is not exactly a small school.

Villanova in 1985 was a great story. They were an eight seed who beat Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown. Villanova is not a big school, but there is a rich basketball history there.

Recently, George Mason captured the hearts of many with their magical run to the Final Four in 2006.

Two years ago, tiny Davidson advanced to the Elite Eight. They fell one Stephen Curry trifecta short of beating eventual champ Kansas.

What exactly defines a Cinderella, and can it be found in the South Region?

Before searching for that team, it might be a better idea to discuss why the opportunity is there.

Suddenly, Villanova can’t get out of its own way. The Wildcats are playing like they are doing a penance. They give their opponents plenty of charity. Those personal fouls are contributing to their sliding fortunes.

Baylor as a three seed is a little confusing. If there are four regions, and a team gets a three seed, would that not suggest the team should be ranked somewhere around say 12th in the country. Not that the polls are the be all and end all or anything. It’s just that Baylor has never been any higher than 17 this year. And rightly so. The Bears have made five all-time appearances in The Dance. They lost to Purdue in the first round of the 2008 tournament.

The loss of Robbie Hummel was devastating to Purdue’s chances. That goes without saying. At one time, the Boilermakers looked like a Final Four team. Thing is, they still have enough talent – E’Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson, and Chris Kramer – to carry them. Is 20 points in a half too much to ask for? What’s worse? Minnesota, the team that held them to 11 in a half, looked absolutely feeble the next day.

Now, here’s the other side of it. Siena is 2-2 in the last two NCAA Tournaments. The Saints led the Louisville Cardinals with less than ten minutes remaining in last year’s second round match up. Siena returns four starters from that team. Ronald Moore leads the nation in assists per game. Alex Franklin averages 16 points and eight rebounds. The Saints have four guys averaging double figures. They seamlessly switch defenses and create lay ups. The Saints are not bothered by playing on the road. They do not depend upon the three, but Clarence Jackson has hit 71 from behind the arc this year.

Purdue is in trouble.

The Boilermakers are not the only high seed in trouble.

Villanova is staring at a second round game with Richmond. The Spiders play a frustrating match up zone defense. They limit opponents to 62 points. Their field goal percentage and three-point percentage defense ranks in the nation’s top 20. Worse yet for Villanova? Richmond has great guards – Kevin Anderson was the A10 player-of-the-year and David Gonzalvez is true grit. They will stifle Villanova on the perimeter.

Then there is Notre Dame. Maybe, Purdue should study Irish game film. Since ND’s leading scorer and former Big East Player of the Year, Luke Harangody, has been injured, the Irish have played their best hoops. Now, Mike Brey and crew needs to figure out how to make the best use Harangody since he has returned.

By the way, Richmond and St. Mary’s play Thursday at 3pm. Make sure you tune in to see two contrasting styles. The Gaels score almost 80 a game. They have four players who have taken more than 100 three-point attempts – Mickey McConnell (67/ 130), Matthew Dellavedova (70/ 169), Ben Allen (43/ 110), and Clint Steindl (48/ 128). St. Mary’s has just five losses this year – by two to Vanderbilt, 11 to USC, by seven and 19 to Gonzaga, and by five to Portland. Which Gaels’ team will show up? The one that bombed Gonzaga? Or the one that was bombed by Gonzaga?

Match ups to die for: Notre Dame and anyone is intriguing. Notre Dame and Richmond? Wow! The Irish have learned to play with patience of late. Richmond forces teams to play uncomfortably patient basketball. Tory Jackson versus Kevin Anderson? That is a battle of two cagey point guards. They both pick their spots. They both know how to get the ball in the hands of the players who can where they can score.

Duke and Louisville could meet in the second round. Coach K and Rick Pitino – the last time they met, their teams staged arguably the greatest game in NCAA Tournament history. Maybe, Pitino can get Mashburn out of retirement.

Players to watch: Mason Plumlee (Duke) – everyone knows about Scheyer, Singler, and Smith. The younger Plumlee’s confidence is growing every game.

Justin Harper (Richmond) – he is a 6’10″ junior who is active on the glass, and he can slash. Think of it. He is 6’10″ and he can slash. The prospects are scary.

Isaiah Armwood (Villanova) – the freshman has shown flashes all year. The Wildcats might not be around long, so catch him while you can.

Tory Jackson (Notre Dame) – a little sad to see his career come to an end. Jackson has plenty of unrealized potential still.

Ryan Rossiter (Siena) – for the old timers out there – think Jack Sikma. It’s not pretty, but he gets the job done. Rossiter has great footwork, and he is a savvy player.

What to look for: If Villanova is the weakest two seed in the tournament, then Richmond is the strongest seven seed. Richmond, Siena, Notre Dame, and Duke in the Sweet 16 – there is very real possibility.  From there it is anyone’s guess.

By Paul Gotham

Thirty-three days ago, Jay Wright’s Villanova Wildcats dispatched the Seton Hall Pirates, 81-71. A No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament dangled in front of the denizens of Philly.

Only days prior, they easily defeated Notre Dame. Analysts praised Wright and pointed to a deep bench that the ninth-year coach deftly deployed to his team’s advantage. Using ten players at least ten minutes or more, Wright continued encouraging aggressive play from his soldiers. There seemed to be no consequence for playing the attacking style.

Since the victory over the Pirates, Villanova has dropped five of nine.

Could the style of play, which brought so much early success, be the reason for Villanova’s recent slump?

Villanova followed the triumph over Seton Hall with a loss at Georgetown. The final score was 103-90. One could easily look at Georgetown’s point total as cause for concern.

How did Georgetown score so many points?

One possible contributing factor is this statistic – 38-20. That is, the number of personal fouls committed by Villanova as opposed to those by Georgetown.  As a result, the Hoyas made more free throws (39) than the Wildcats took (23).

Georgetown outscored Villanova at the line by 22.

Antonio Pena and Taylor King fouled out of the game. Corey Stokes, Mouphatou Yarou, Maalik Wayans, and Isaiah Armwood all finished with four apiece.

The trend continued when Villanova lost to UConn by nine. Referees whistled Villanova for 30 infractions to UConn’s 19. The Huskies graciously accepted Villanova’s charity going 35-44 from the stripe. Villanova went 16-20.

Pena, Stokes, and Maurice Sutton fouled out. Two Huskies finished with four offenses.

In their next contest, Villanova fell to Pittsburgh. The Panthers took advantage of 26 Wildcat sins going 26-34 from the line. Jamie Dixon’s team outscored Villanova by 15 in the free throw category.

Reggie Redding and King were disqualified. Pena, Scottie Reynolds, and Corey Fisher played the end of the contest with four fouls.

Jay Wright’s squad looked to reverse their fortunes against Syracuse. Instead, the Wildcats were whistled for 25 transgressions. Syracuse ended the game with 14. The Orange hit 24 of 33 free throws. Villanova went 13 of 18. Syracuse won 95-77.

Wright and his team have four days before playing in the Big East quarter-finals. Four days to change their ways. Four days before setting out on a potential return to the Final Four.

By Paul Gotham

In less than 48 hours, we will be fully immersed in conference tournaments. As the regular season of college basketball ends, here is a smattering of questions to consider.

1. Does Jim Boeheim have any voodoo is in his bag of tricks? Louisville is 11-4 against Syracuse, including a Cardinal win less than a month ago. Rick Pitino seems to have a hex on his old boss’s team.

2. Can UNC make it worthwhile for ESPN? UNC at Duke is the game of the week. Did anyone see the Heels being 16-14 overall and 5-10 in the league? On paper, tonight’s game looks like a mismatch. But this rivalry is never about what is on the paper.

3. Can Purdue take a page from ND? The Boilermakers lost Robbie Hummel. It appears the Fighting Irish have lost Luke Harangody for the foreseeable future. ND is catching some momentum. Can Purdue do the same?

4. Truth AND Consequences? Villanova is 4-4 in the last eight. West Virginia is 4-3 over their last seven, including a home loss to…Villanova. Will the real Wildcats and Mountaineers stand up?

5. Why is Texas in the top 25? Seven and seven since the middle of January? Somewhere, there is a Mountain West team crying foul.

6. When will Rick Barnes learn his lesson? Barnes did a great job bringing in Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin. How is the time spent on those recruits looking right about now?

7. Does Gary Williams know the tonic? The Terps topped Duke earlier this week. They get Virginia today. Is Maryland suffering from a hangover?

8. U.C.L.A. at Arizona State…in case anyone forgot or overlooked it or cared. It would serve me right if a Pac 10 team made a run in the tournament.

9. 3s or rebounding? Mike Brey’s team has put the fight back in Fighting Irish. ND has taken three in a row in the Big East. How are they doing it? Is it the three ball? Is it their rebounding?

10. Will Richmond avoid the pothole? The Spiders rebounded from an overtime loss to Xavier by trimming Dayton. Richmond plays at Charlotte today. The 49ers will be hungry for the upset.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: West Virginia and Villanova close their Big East regular seasons at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia Center when Bob Huggins brings in his No. 10 Mountaineers (23-6/ 12-5) for a clash with Jay Wright’s No. 8 Wildcats (24-5/ 13-4).

Plot: Both of these teams have clinched byes into the Big East quarter-finals.

Sub-plot: Neither of these teams are limping into the conference tournament, but they are not in full stride either. Of late, Villanova is four and four. West Virginia is four and three. Can these teams afford to rest? Or do they need to rediscover their momentum?

Flashback: A little more than a month ago, Scottie Reynolds hit a game-high 21, and Corey Fisher added 17 as the Wildcats stole one in Morgantown, 82-75.

Villanova leads the series 21-18. West Virginia has won four of the last six meetings in the series.

Villanova has earned 30 invitations to The Dance, including last year’s Final Four appearance and a National Championship in 1985. On twenty-two occasions, the Mountaineers punched tickets to The Dance. West Virginia played for the national title in 1959.

Foreshadowing: Thirteen Mountaineers have played in the NBA. Joe Alexander is the only current alum of West Virginia basketball in the Association. Thirty-eight Wildcats have moved on to the Association. Malik Allen, Dante Cunningham, Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry and Tim Thomas spent their college days playing for Villanova.

Conflict: West Virginia is 19-0 when holding opponents to 69 or fewer points. Villanova averages 83. Both teams have rebound margin of 5.3, but in recent losses Villanova has been exposed on the glass.

How big of a role will be played by Villanova’s 6′10″ Mouphtaou Yarou? The freshman averages almost 13 minutes off the bench. He scores three points and grabs three boards but gets called for 2.3 fouls per game.

Villanova’s offense starts with Scottie Reynolds. The senior guard is at his best when he can exploit open lanes to the basket. He is adept at drawing contact and finishing. Reynolds scores almost 19 a game with 3.4 assists and 2.6 turnovers.  Reynolds hits 41.6 percent from behind the three-point arc. He will need success from long range to spread out the West Virginia defense.

Corey Fisher adds almost 14 a game along with an assist to turnover ratio of 2 : 1. Most of Fisher’s assists come from drive and dish situations.

At 6′8″, Antonio Pena represents Villanova’s tallest starter. He scores 11 and grabs 7.4 boards. The junior’s biggest challenge Saturday will be staying out of foul trouble while limiting the WVU front court.

Reggie Redding chips in nearly eight points and five rebounds. Corey Stokes chips in nine and four.

Da’Sean Butler and Darryl Bryant lead the Mountaineers with 52 and 39 three pointers. Butler hits 34.9 percent of his shots from long range while Bryant knocks down 34.2 percent.  Butler leads four Mountaineers in double figures with 17.1 per game. Kevin Jones and Devin Ebanks score 13.7 and 12.4 respectively. Bryant adds 10. Ebanks leads the way with 8.4 rebounds.

Resolution: If nothing else, this should be a close game. That favors the home team, Villanova. The Wildcats hit over 75 percent from the line. West Virginia scores 69 percent from the charity stripe.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

West Virginia Notes

Villanova Notes

The Big East Tournament is not far away, and MSG wants to know who has the BEST FANS in the Big East!

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This week’s battling schools feature West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Villanova! Fans can vote online for their favorite school.

As conferences begin their post-season tournaments, MSG is the place for all the action. Check out MSG for exclusive college hoops videos and interviews. Fans can also catch the Top 10 College Basketball Moments at the Garden.

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Photo by Dennis Nett/The Post-Standard

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Tune in and put away the remote. You won’t want to miss a second of this Big East clash when Jay Wright and his No. 7 Villanova Wildcats (23-4/ 12-3) collide with Jim Boeheim and his No. 4 Syracuse Orange (26-2/ 13-2).

Plot: First place in the Big East and a possible number one seed in the NCAA Tournament hang in the balance.

Sub-plot: An on-campus record crowd of 34,616 is expected to file into the Carrier Dome. The university is already encouraging fans to plan ahead and arrive early. Both of Syracuse’s losses this year have come at home.

Wright and his Wildcat staff will have to make a decision about junior guard, Corey Stokes.

Flashback: Dwayne Anderson led six Wildcats in double figures as Villanova trumped SU at the Dome last February, 89-86. Dante Cunningham led all with 12 rebounds as Villanova got the better of the boards, 34-30.

Syracuse leads the all-time series 34-30, but Wright boasts a record of 9-4 against his Big East foe. Villanova swept the series a year ago, and the Wildcats have taken three of  four in the Dome.

Villanova has earned 30 invitations to The Dance, including last year’s Final Four appearance and a National Championship in 1985.

The Orange have made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances under Boeheim. In the last 10 years Syracuse has reached ‘The Dance’ seven times with three ‘Sweet Sixteen’ appearances (‘00, ‘04, ‘09) and a National Championship in ‘03.

Foreshadowing:  Thirty-four Orange have earned spots in the NBA. Carmelo Anthony, Jonny Flynn, Donte Green, Jason Hart, Etan Thomas and Hakim Warrick currently hold spots in the Association. Thirty-eight Wildcats have moved on to the Association. Malik Allen, Dante Cunningham, Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry and Tim Thomas spent their college days playing for Villanova.

Conflict: Villanova plays a four-guard set with no one taller than 6’8″ in the starting five. The Orange go with a front line of two 6’9″ players and 6’7″ forward.

In their two losses, Syracuse’s zone was susceptible to high-low action on the interior. But both Pittsburgh and Louisville had the bigs that could execute that plan.

How big of a role will be played by Villanova’s 6’10″ Mouphtaou Yarou? The freshman averages almost 13 minutes off the bench. He scores three points and grabs three boards but gets called for 2.3 fouls per game.

Villanova’s offense starts with Scottie Reynolds. The senior guard is at his best when he can exploit open lanes to the basket. He is adept at drawing contact and finishing. Reynolds scores 19 a game with 3.3 assists and 2.7 turnovers.  Reynolds hits 40 percent from behind the three-point arc. He will need success from long range to create gaps in the Orange zone.

Corey Fisher adds almost 14 a game along with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.9 : 1. Most of Fisher’s assists come from drive and dish situations.

At 6’8″, Antonio Pena represents Villanova’s tallest starter. He scores 11 and grabs 7.5 boards. The junior’s biggest challenge Saturday will be staying out of foul trouble while limiting the SU front court.

Reggie Redding chips in nearly eight points and five rebounds.

The big question for Wright deals with his decision regarding Stokes. The junior is valuable to the Villanova attack hitting 34 percent from beyond the arc.

Wes Johnson and Andy Rautins have led the Orange charge for much of the year. The two have combined for 27 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assist per outing.

Rautins’s selfless play has been key to the Orange success. The senior guard finds seams in opposing defenses that most could not. Rautins does not always get credit for assists, but his passes always shift defenses. Add to that his 41 percent accuracy from behind the arc, and Rautins is dangerous.

Johnson makes a variety of plays for the Orange. His most overlooked contribution to the Orange attack could be his work on the offensive glass. Johnson has grabbed an offensive board in all but four contests this year. Two of those games were blowouts. The others were wins for the Orange where opposing defenses made it a priority to limit Johnson.

Freshman guard Brandon Triche might face his biggest challenge yet this year. Triche averages just under nine points and three assists, but the Wildcats will bring more pressure than he has seen thus far. Triche has shown flashes where he can drive strong to the basket and finish. Can he do that against Villanova’s guards?

Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku are formidable pair in the paint. The two combine for twenty points and nearly 12 rebounds.

Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine give this Orange lineup valuable minutes from the bench. Joseph has scored in double figures in eight of the last nine Syracuse games. In 21 minutes per game, Jardine has amassed an assist to turnover ratio of 2.3 :1.

Go 'Cuse!

Resolution: Syracuse’s two losses are the result of complacency. The Orange carried a 13-game winning streak into their loss to Pittsburgh. Louisville has floundered this year and caught the Orange unprepared. Syracuse will not look past Villanova.

The Wildcats have struggled of late losing two of their last three. Wright’s gang will be prepared, but what effect will the Stokes situation have? Villanova can ill afford to lose any of their key contributors for this game.

Villanova will need as many easy baskets as possible. They will press and trap looking to create turnovers and lay ups. The Wildcats will need to slow the Orange in transition.

Villanova will stay close, but Syracuse’s bench will be the difference.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: It’s a Big East battle at the Wachovia Center as Mike Brey brings his Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish (15-5/ 4-3) to the City of Brotherly Love for a conference showdown with Jay Wright’s No. 3 Villanova Wildcats (18-1/ 7-0).

Plot: Notre Dame sits tied for sixth place in the Big East three games behind Villanova. With a loss, the Irish could fall to 10th in the conference.

Sub plot: The Irish defeated DePaul last time out (87-77), but ND has split their last six decisions. Notre Dame continues on the road with a weekend game at Rutgers. Villanova is riding a nine-game winning streak.  The Wildcats host Seton Hall next Monday.

Flashback: Last year, Scottie Reynolds scored 23 and added five assists as the Wildcats won at ND, 77-60. Villanova holds an edge in the series 17-14. The teams have split the last four with Notre Dame winning at Villanova in 2008.

Notre Dame has made 29 appearances in the NCAA Tournament – five under Mike Brey.  Villanova has earned 30 NCAA berths including last year’s Final Four appearance and Sweet Sixteen bid the previous season.

Foreshadowing: Forty-nine Fightin’ Irish have graduated to the N.B.A. including current players Matt Carroll, Troy Murphy and  Chris Quinn.  Thirty-eight Wildcats have moved on to the Association. Malik Allen, Dante Cunningham, Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry and Tim Thomas spent their college days playing for Villanova.

Conflict: On paper these two teams have many similarities: Notre Dame scores 80.6 per game while holding opponents to 71. Villanova totals 84.9 and limits the opposition to 70.4. Through 20 games, Notre Dame has a field goal percentage of 48.3 (570-1181). Villanova hits at a pace of 46.6 (534-1145). The rivals appear to play at a similar pace.

Can Notre Dame maintain this pace against Villanova’s four-guard lineup. Despite having four players 6’5″ and under the Wildcats have a rebound margin of 7.2. Notre Dame’s margin is 4.3.

The Irish have shown a 2-3 zone of late. Against Villanova, Notre Dame will find out if that defense is real or counterfeit.

Scottie Reynolds leads three Wildcats in double figures. The senior guard creates problems for opposing defenses because he can hit from outside (42.4 percent/ 42-99), and he can go off the bounce and attack the rim. If Reynolds has a weakness, it is that he tries to do too much. He averages 3.4 assists per game, but he also turns the ball over 2.7 times. Notre Dame will need to stay patient.

But Reynolds has plenty of help spreading the floor.

Corey Fisher averages 13.1 ppg. The junior has hit 21 of 60 from behind the arc.

At 6’8″, Antonio Pena is the tallest player in Wright’s starting lineup. He chips in 10.7 with 7.5 rebounds.

Reggie Redding and Corey Stokes combine for 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Wright uses 10 players at least 11 minutes per contest.

Taylor King hits 42.6 percent (29-68) from long range. The transfer from Duke also grabs six boards.

As he has throughout most of his career in South Bend, Luke Harangody leads the Irish with 24.7 points and 9.9 rebounds.  The senior power forward is not afraid to shoot taking 160 more shots than his closest teammate. Harangody has struggled from time to time trying to expand his role. He averages 1.8 assists but turns over the ball 2.1 times per game.

Notre Dame’s success on the offensive end of the floor relies on how well Harangody can use teammates like Tim Abromaitis. Opposing defenses will collapse on Harangody. Will he take the challenge personally or look to create for teammates?

Abromaitis leads the nation behind the arc at 49.6 percent.

Senior point guard, Tory Jackson dished out 15 assists against Syracuse. Jackson leads the country with an assist to turnover ratio of 4:1.

Tyrone Nash had a double-double against DePaul with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Ben Hansbrough adds 11.7 points and 3.5 boards.

Brey uses a seven-man rotation with Carleton Scott and Jonathan Peoples coming off the bench.

Resolution: Notre Dame will need to slow down this game. Villanova has too many ballhandlers for the Irish to try an up and down game. If the game is decided at the free throw line, Notre Dame has made (314) more free throws than their opponents have attempted (287). But Villanova is not like ND’s other opponents. The Wildcats are 395 of 524 from the charity stripe.

Brey’s Irish could be in for a long night. The Wildcats will challenge ND off the dribble and create foul problems. Notre Dame’s short bench will be a factor as Villanova stretches its lead late in the game.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

By Paul Gotham

Time to cruise through the sports world and get a grab bag of stories.  Here are items of interest that could spur on some discussion.

Dude looks like a lady.

Props to Andrew Bogut. After one season in the NBA, the native of Australia found himself a little disappointed with the turnout for his Milwaukee Buck games. He missed the raucous crowds of his homeland, and the seven footer decided to do something about it. Bogut bought 100 season tickets and distributed the ducats to willing fans.   The center outlined a few basic requirements for fans to maintain their privileges. The result has been exactly what Bogut hoped.  Check out how Bogut’s 100 responded to Chicago’s Joakim Noah.

Congrats all around

If not for our friendly 24 hour sports station, we might not know about the accomplishments of the Penn State women’s volleyball team, Villanova football, and the Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks.  These three teams deserve cheers.

The last time the Penn State women’s volleyball team lost, GW claimed the oval office as his residence. Megan Hodge led the Nittany Lions back from a two-set deficit to win their third straight national title. Penn State has won 103 consecutive matches.  I have read and heard how others find female sports unwatchable. I wonder how these people would respond to yesterday’s match. What a fantastic display of athleticism, intensity, and grace.

Good things come to those who wait, and no one knows that better than Villanova’s Andy Talley. After 25 years Talley reached a pinnacle.

Junior wide receiver, Matt Szczur, notched 270 all-purpose yards as the Wildcats defeated Montana, 23-21 to take the 1AA national championship.

Montana entered the game undefeated (14-0) and number one in the country.

The championship was the first football title for Talley and for the university. How does those 1AA teams play so many games?

Wisconsin-Whitewater scored 10 points in the final 1:10 to defeat reigning champ, Mount Union, 38-28. Levell Coppage scored three touchdowns and Jeff Donovan threw for two to lead the Warhawks to the D3 title.

W-W and Mount Union have met each of the last five years for the title. Mount Union winning three times. Mount Union entered with a 29-game winning streak.

Twitter me this; twitter me that.

If nothing else, Twitter can provide some amusement.

SI provides a weekly sampling of humorous tweets from a variety of sports personalities. This week has Chad Ochocinco distancing himself from Tiger. Ron Artest getting Tiger’s back. And, Denny Hamlin is taking Tiger’s place. Oh yeah, there is also something about Serena and beans, and Shaq being A-Rod.

The General on integrity

Thank you Bob Knight for saying what the rest of us want to say. It’s about time someone with some relevance in the college basketball world took John Calipari to task.

Talking Smack

Bart Scott has made smack an art form. The New York Times ran a piece outlining the Jets linebacker and his non-stop mouth.

Another close call

ESPN is reporting that USC’s Joe McKnight did nothing wrong. The SUV he drives around is paid for by his girlfriend. Yeah,  and OJ is innocent. Let’s see Randy Bush, Matt Leinart, OJ Mayo, and now McKnight. Who is the compliance officer at USC?

Holloway

By Paul Gotham

Sunday sweep for the A-10

Rumors of the Atlantic 10′s demise appear greatly exaggerated, at least for now. After a sluggish November characterized more as opportunities lost rather than seizing chances, the A-10 seems to have landed on its feet. In a pair of intra-city rivalries, Xavier downed Cincinnati, 83-79 in a double overtime classic, and Temple took down Villanova, 75-65.

Sophomore, Terrell Holloway led the Musketeers to their third consecutive victory in the Crosstown Shootout.  The 6’0″ (that is generous) point guard did everything possible to seal the victory. Holloway finished with 26 points, four assists,  a steal, a rebound, and a defensive assignment not found in the box score.  The point guard from Hempstead, New York went a perfect 11 for 11 from the line including six in the first overtime period.  Holloway also assisted on the eventual game-winner when he drove the lane and dished to teammate, Jason Love, for the lay up.

All those numbers might take a back seat to Holloway’s late defensive stand. During a time out in the second OT, Holloway informed Xavier head coach, Chris Mack he could  stop Lance Stephenson. The Bearcat freshman had 22 points BEFORE Holloway manned up. After that, Stephenson got nothing…and had no choice whether he liked it or not. Holloway, giving up five inches, drew a pivotal charge late in the game.

Key numbers in the game: Xavier went 28-36 from the line. Cincy finished 10-22. Ouch! Both teams grabbed 43 rebounds. This is an important stat for the Musketeers who have been out-rebounded of late. Kansas State held a 39-30 edge on the boards in a victory of XU. Likewise, Baylor got the best of the boards 40-29 in a 69-64 victory over XU. Xavier’s rebounding woes can be traced to Jamel McLean whose father recently passed away. McLean is Xavier resident ball-getter. He is active on the glass and tough to box out. Here’s hoping McLean and the Muskies can continue moving forward.

Jason Love grabbed 19 rebounds against Cincy. The senior is averaging 9.9ppg and 11rpg.

The game was the 77th meeting between the schools divided by 3.3 miles. Cincinnati holds a 47-30 advantage.

ESPN’s Pat Forde enjoyed the spice of the Crosstown Shootout.

Xavier’s wasn’t the only victory by an A-10 team over a Big East squad.  Juan Fernandez dropped 33 points, Ryan Brooks added 20, and Lavoy Allen led the Owls on the boards as Temple took a Big 5 match-up from #3 Villanova.

Down six at half, the Owls opened the second stanza on a 11-0 run. Fernandez led Temple with seven 3s for the game. The Owls shot 11-22 from long range. Lavoy Allen pulled down 17 rebounds, and Temple bested their Philly ruval on the glass, 32-24. Allen pulled down three offensive rebounds.

Earlier this year, the Owls lost to Georgetown by one. Temple is currently 8-2. Temple plays Seton Hall later this week and has a date with the Kansas Jayhawks on January 2nd.

The loss was Villanova’s first of the season and first in Big 5 play since February of 2008. Scottie Reynolds led three Wildcats in double figures with 23. Antonio Pena scored 16, and Corey Fisher added 14.

What is the best non-conference rivalry in the country?

These wins come on the heels of a pair of other big victories for the A10. Charlotte tripped up Louisville, 87-65.  Rhode Island trimmed Boston College, 80-69.

Capel making adjustments

Oklahoma coach, Jeff Capel, knew he would have to adjust. After losing 22ppg, 14 rpg, and 2apg when Player-of-the-Year, Blake Griffin, moved on to the NBA, Capel prepared for changes.  Oklahoma dropped to 2-3 when they lost to Houston, 100-93. Since then, Capel shifted to a four-guard lineup. Capel has surrounded freshman center, Tiny Gallon, with Tommy Mason-Griffin, Tony Crocker, Cade Davis, and Willie Warren. The result is a four-game winning streak with triumphs over Arkansas, Arizona, Centenary, and Utah.

All the rage

Not sure the last time a freshman received as much attention as Kentucky’s John Wall. The 6’4″ freshman is averaging 18ppg, 7.1apg, and 4.1rpg.  Everyone from Dickie Vitale and Jason Williams have heaped praises in Wall’s direction calling him the greatest freshman ever.

Okay, so it is as if in Wall they took Magic Johnson’s touch, put it in Adrian Dantley’s frame, and gave it Calvin Murphy’s speed. Wow! Did I just date myself? Right now, there are a half dozen hipsters googling Calvin Murphy. Save your energy. Trust me. As far as basketball court speed goes, no one is faster than the former Niagara Purple Eagle.

Murphy

Here’s the thing with Wall. Yeah, the Wildcats have beaten Stanford, Carolina, UConn, and Indiana. Those aren’t exactly Little Debbie cupcake all-stars. But it is a matter of time before the Wildcats meet their own personal speed bump. Saturday, the Hoosiers used a 2-3 zone in the first half to keep the Wildcats in check. It was 42-41 at half. In the second stanza, the Wildcats converted two turnovers into a 19-2 faster than Kelvin Sampson can punch out a 150 character text message. The Hoosiers were forced to go man and Kentucky went on to a 90-73 victory.

Once a team takes care of the ball and can play a soft man, Kentucky will meet their match. That sounds like Florida on January 12th.

Is the medicine getting to Roy?

With his UNC Tar Heels en route to a 103-64 trouncing over big, bad Presbyterian, head coach Roy Williams had a rare moment of losing his cool. Ol’ Roy is recovering from shoulder surgery and it is well-known that the head coach suffers from occasional dizzy spell. Is it possible Roy is experiencing some side effects from the meds? Speaking of side effects to medicine – does it bother anyone else when seeing a TV ad for a medicine when the precautions and list of side effects outnumber the benefits?

Who says the Ivy League doesn’t care about wins?

Glen Miller found hot seats can exist in the Ivy League. After Pennsylvania started 0-7, Miller found himself on the outside looking in. The Quakers made the move to dismiss the third-year coach. Assistant coach and former Quaker great, Jerome Allen, takes over on an interim basis. Allen is the last Ivy Leaguer drafted into the NBA.

Staying in the Ivy League – Harvard recently topped Boston College 74-67. The Crimson also dropped a close one to UConn, 79-73. Harvard plays Georgetown on December 23rd.

Syracuse jumps to #5

Spurned by the pre-season voters, Jim Boeheim’s Syracuse Orange have run off 10 in a row to open the season. The Orange show how the total can be greater than the sum of the parts. With glue-like players, Andy Rautins and Wes Johnson the Orange are exceeding expectations. Many thought the Orange would stall with the exits of Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris, and Eric Devendorf. Instead, the Orange run the floor and play selfless basketball.  Coming soon to a high school team near you – zone defense.

Got any college basketball splinters? Share them here.

Leading up to the 2009 NIT Season Tip Off on November 16th, Pickin’ Splinters will be counting down the top 25 of the college hardwood nation.

’08 – ’09 Results: 30 – 8 (13 -5 Big East) Lost to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four, 83 – 69.

Coach: Jay Wright 178 – 91(eight seasons at Villanova) 300 -176 overall

Key Returners:

Scottie Reynolds – 15.2ppg, 2.9rpg

Reggie Redding – 7.1ppg, 4.9rpg

Corey Fisher – 10.8ppg, 2.3rpg

Antonio Pena – 5.1ppg, 4.2rpg

Corey Stokes – 9.4ppg, 3.4rpg

Notable Non-Conference Tilts: 11/19 vs. George Mason, 11/20 vs. Dayton or Georgia Tech, 12/6 vs. Maryland, 12/9 at St. Joseph’s, 12/13 at Temple

Stat of Identity: 75.3% from the free throw line

By Paul Gotham

On January 21st Villanova fell to UConn, 89-83. The loss dropped the Wildcats to two wins and three losses in the Big East Conference. From there Jay Wright’s gang recovered and won nine of ten on their way to the school’s first Final Four trip in over two decades.

This year’s version of the Villanova Wildcats will need to call upon that resolve which led the team to Detroit seven months ago. Wright’s Wildcats might swing through the season like a pendulum. The Wildcats will need to endure some lows as they prepare for another possible run in March.

Villanova returns one of the most experienced back courts in the college game. Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher and Reggie Redding all averaged at least 24 minutes per game during ’08 – ’09 – they understand what it takes to win big games. Each dished out over 100 assists – the three upper class men understand the value of teamwork. The three led the Wildcats to 300 steals last year while limiting opponents to 237. Corey Stokes will come off the bench. The junior would start in most programs. But in the guard-rich Villanova system, Stokes will have to wait his turn.

As deep as Villanova’s back court is, that is how lean their front court is. Wright got by with Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson. What the two lacked in size they made up for with athleticism. Taking their place is Antonio Pena and freshman, Mouphtaou Yarou.  Pena played 17 minutes a game last year. Yarou will look to make the transition from Africa.

With an active back court, Villanova has the ability to make each game a battle of 94 feet. The Wildcats might need to do that to avoid shortcomings 15 feet within the basket.

25 | 23t | 23t | 22| 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6