Bleacher Report - Articles by Justin Kundrat

CBE Classic Showdown: Pitt vs Texas

Justin Kundrat — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:20:22 -0500

The Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri is the place to be tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

Anyone who is the least bit interested in college basketball will tune to ESPN2 around this time to catch a glimpse of the No. 3 ranked Texas program taking on their toughest foe of the season, Pittsburgh.

While Pitt is nowhere near the team they were last season, one would be crazy to think that they aren’t a threat to any Top 25 team.

Pittsburgh sophomore Ashton Gibbs is now filling the shoes of departed point guard Levance Fields, and it is even plausible to say that he’s a better all-around player than Fields ever was.

He currently leads the team in scoring with 17 points per game and is shooting a remarkable 42.9 percent from beyond the arc, making him a tough player to cover.

He has the body and playmaking abilities of a point guard, but the scoring mentality of a shooting guard.

Redshirt Freshman Travon Woodall out of St. Anthony has assumed the point guard role for the Panthers this season, allowing Gibbs to focus on scoring.

His seven assists per game ranks 12th in the NCAA and fourth among freshman.

And with the arrival of McDonald’s All-American Dante Taylor, a 6-foot-9, 240 pound, freakishly athletic big man in the mold of DeJuan Blair, it’s easy to see the potential of this team in a few years.

The pieces are all there, it just comes down to leadership and experience.

Texas, on the other hand, has exactly what Pitt needs: A go-to guy who knows how to execute in pressure situations. And this savior goes by the name of Damion James.

James is a 6-7 senior swing man averaging 16.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

He has played a crucial role in his team’s success over the course of his four-year career at Texas and has never been afraid to take the big shot.

Returning alongside him is fellow senior, Dexter Pittman, as well as both Varez Ward and Gary Johnson, the core nucleus of last season’s team minus AJ Abrams.

The Longhorns, who rank second in the country in offensive efficiency, also bring in one of the most highly touted freshman classes in the country, featuring NBA lottery prospects Avery Bradley and Jordan Hamilton.

While it is unlikely that we will see these two players stick around for more than two years, it will be interesting to monitor the progress that they make under Rick Barnes this season.

While Pitt is by no means a pushover, Texas dominates them in the two most important attributes of any team: Talent and experience.

The Longhorns have held their opponents to just 28.4 percent from the field, and Bradley, who is known to be a great defender, should give Gibbs all sorts of problems.

With Gibbs struggling, the Panthers will have to turn to someone else, and this is where their lack of leadership might start to show.

It would be very surprising if Texas did not come away with a victory here, perhaps even by a double-digit margin.

Nonetheless, it will undoubtedly be an entertaining game to watch.

First Round Analysis: Wisconsin vs. Florida State

Justin Kundrat — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:11:51 -0400

This has to be one of the more intriguing first round matchups. This is a matchup between pure offense and pure defense.

Wisconsin received an at-large bid despite a first round loss in the Big Ten Tournament to Ohio State. The Badgers are just 19-12 overall, 10-8 in conference play, mainly due to their offensive struggles.

They are not the same team as they were in years past, scoring just 64.4 points per game on 44.2 percent shooting. While that percentage may not be bad, they don’t get an awful lot of shots, or possessions, because of their style of play.

Steals, a statistic that the Badgers usually specialize in as part of their defensive strategy, is at a low of just five per game. This also makes it difficult to score easy buckets in transition.

The Florida State Seminoles on the other hand are pretty much the opposite.

There is very rarely a time when they have difficulties on the offensive end, especially when Toney Douglas (21.3 ppg) is hitting his shots. He is the only player to average double figures, but four others score around between eight and nine per game.

The style with which they play very rarely causes them to go into scoring droughts. Defense, on the other hand, has been a concern for the 'Noles all year.

The Seminoles commit a whopping 15.7 turnovers per game, which explains a 1:1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. They don’t exactly play terrific defense, allowing 65 points per game, and fail to force many turnovers on the defensive end.

While they have had success at times throughout the season, their defensive flaws, and low scoring margin of just +3.6 points per game, have certainly hurt.

Both of these flawed power conference teams will square off in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It ultimately becomes a matter of who controls the tempo of the game. If Wisconsin can play their game, one that relies on halfcourt set offenses and forcing turnovers, then they should have no problem winning.

The key will be containing Toney Douglas. If they can give him trouble, the Seminoles may become a bit flustered. Wisconsin commits turnovers just 16.2 percent of the time (fifth nationally), which won’t allow for easy buckets on the other end.

If Florida State can turn it into a fast break game, one in which Wisconsin has trouble slowing them down, then it should be a massacre.

Yet, in retrospect, Florida State played a similar Northwestern team earlier in the year and lost by 14. They certainly can not afford to turn the ball over as much as they do, and will be forced to take quality shots if they hope to break Wisconsin.

The Badgers have the overall edge in my opinion.

Either way, it will definitely be a great game, and one worth watching.

Reasons Pitt Won't Win

Justin Kundrat — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:35:32 -0400

I’ve been back and forth for the past two days trying to determine this year’s national champion. In doing so, I came across some interesting trends and statistics.

The first states that no team has gone on to win a national championship after losing their first game in the conference tournament.

Obviously this does not say that it isn’t possible, but it would eliminate Oklahoma, Kansas, UConn, and Pittsburgh from any consideration. Maybe it has something to do with neutral floors and playing away from home, or maybe the pressure of playing in a tournament, but that trend definitely scares me away from choosing the above mentioned teams.

Pittsburgh, despite having a No. 1 seed and a 28-4 record, isn’t the best team away from home. Yes, they have road wins against Connecticut, West Virginia, and Florida State, but aside from that their remaining road wins have been against mediocre teams.

They lost games to Louisville, Villanova, and Providence on the road, before dropping that first game in the Big East tournament to West Virginia. In those games, DeJuan Blair got into foul trouble and Pittsburgh was unable to recover.

Teams that haven’t really learned to play away from home scare me, especially when they enter the NCAA tournament on an ugly double digit loss.

Another thing that scares me is that the Panthers shoot a horrid 67.3 percent from the foul line, which would make it extremely difficult for them to close out games.

They don’t exactly have a shooting guard to put up points in a hurry, and they can get dysfuntional at times without Levance Fields in the game. The non-existent shooting guard probably would have helped them against Providence and West Virginia, when they had trouble scoring.

Jermaine Dixon, who plays at shooting guard, averages just nine points per game and shoots 31.4 percent from three—not something you want to rely on.

Lastly for the Panthers is their rather difficult road to the finals, and the region they must get through. Oklahoma State, if it beats Tennessee, is very dangerous as an eight seed, and has been red hot lately.

The Cowboys have won eight of their last 10, including an upset of Oklahoma in the Big 12 tournament.

Then comes a possible matchup with Florida State, a team capable of beating almost anyone when they shoot well, or Xavier, who has one of the highest-rated interior defenses in the country.

If they get through all of that and find themselves in the Elite Eight, they will likely meet Villanova (who beat them earlier in the year) or Duke, who could very well be considered a favorite in that matchup.

Then, if the Panthers reach the Final Four, UNC or Oklahoma could await, either of which would get DeJuan Blair into early foul trouble.

A championship game against Louisville, UConn, or Memphis? Pittsburgh simply does not have the offensive firepower to get through the road ahead of them.

Sorry Pitt, but getting through the first weekend could be enough of a challenge.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

The A-10 Tourney Could Get Real Nice

Justin Kundrat — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:20:57 -0400

This has been a very up-and-down year for the Atlantic 10, a conference that usually produces 2-3 solid NCAA Tournament teams every year. But this year the conference has been lacking in that area and as of right now, only has one guaranteed tournament team—Xavier.

I've written about the Musketeers before and they are the cream of the crop when it comes to mid-major basketball. This is their fourth straight 20-win season and although they lost a significant portion of their scoring after last season, new players have filled their shoes.

However, this team's one major flaw is turnovers, mainly due to the lack of a true point guard after Drew Lavender graduated last year. The Musketeers are averaging nearly two fewer assists per game than last season, while their turnovers have gone up by about 2.2 per game.

Not a great stat right there, but Xavier still leads the way at 12-4 in the A-10 and 25-6 overall. The team is one of just three teams to beat Memphis this season and also knocked off Missouri, which makes a great resume.

As for the rest of the conference, Temple and Rhode Island are fighting for that potential second bid.

Temple had its fair share of success midway through the season, but dropped a few along the way and now has the No. 4 seed in the A-10 tourney. To make matters worse, the Owls face top-seeded Xavier tomorrow in the semifinals—any team's worst nightmare.

Rhode Island, one of the more interesting teams this season, drew attention after nearly beating Duke back in November. In addition, they really have had no bad losses this season. Wins over Penn State, Dayton, and Temple help, but they will need to win the tournament to have a good shot at getting an invitation.

Senior guard Jimmy Baron (16.8 PPG) is part of the reason the Rams led the conference in three-point percentage (40.0) and points per game (80.1). This high-powered offense gave Duke all sorts of problems earlier and if they can take care of business in these next few games, a Cinderella run is possible.

The Rams will take on No. 7 Duquesne tonight to advance to the semifinals and play the winner of the Dayton-Richmond matchup.

Speaking of Dayton, the Flyers have the best overall record in the conference at 25-6 and therefore certainly aren't lacking in the win department. Aside from Xavier, they have the best chance of securing a tournament bid, but shouldn't take any chances.

A win tonight over Richmond is a must and they would probably need to win their semifinal matchup as well. The Flyers have wins over Marquette, Auburn, George Mason, and Xavier, but are squarely on the bubble right now. The A-10 tourney means everything for them right now.

Things have gone as expected in this tournament so far with Xavier and Temple grabbing places in the semifinals earlier while Rhode Island and Dayton are favored in their quarterfinal games tonight.

If everything plays out right, we could be set for one hell of a final four in the A-10. This will decide the fates of three bubble teams all needing to add key wins before Selection Sunday.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

Bracket Buster No. 9: Utah

Justin Kundrat — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:00:53 -0500

We are sort of running out of viable options since most of the serious threats have already been mentioned. But if we choose to include the Mountain West Conference, a league that has been making some serious noise this year, then Utah can easily qualify.

The Utes currently hold a 20-7 record and have just about clinched the regular season title at 11-2. Yet unlike most of the previous Bracket Busters, this team is probably a lock in the NCAA tournament.

They have done enough over the course of the season to be a strong candidate for an at-large bid, but closing the season out strong and making a run in the MWC tournament would be a good idea.

Led by 7'2" senior center Luke Nevill, Utah has won eight straight now and have convincing victories over Gonzaga, LSU, and Mississippi, while also defeating BYU and UNLV in conference play.

And although Nevill, who averages 17.4 points and 8.5 boards per game, has been a key factor, three other players contribute over 10 points per game, all of whom are seniors.

Experience is a critical component in pressure games such as the conference tournament, and Utah has plenty of it. The Utes also return four starters and a majority of their scoring options from a team that nearly made the sweet sixteen last season.

And for a team that struggles at times with their defense, having multiple guys who can knock down shots is important. Which is the reason why Utah ranks 8th nationally in 2-point field goal percentage at 55.2 and 27th in three-point percentage at 38.8. This all adds up to a stunning 1.44 points per shot thanks to Nevill’s 61.1 percent conversion rate.

An efficient offense and tough-to-guard big man are what make Utah such a dangerous team this March. Many teams have struggled to slow down Nevill and have been forced to double him and leave a guy open. And since they shoot 79 percent from the stripe as a team, Utah is very good in late game situations.

The Utes will be a tough out this year.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

Gamenight: Memphis at UAB

Justin Kundrat — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:19:54 -0500

This has to be the best C-USA game of the year, and one of the most anticipated by fans all week. Memphis has been climbing the polls all season after getting off a slow start. They have won 18 straight games including non-conference matchups against Gonzaga and Tennessee.

Tonight marks the Tigers’ second meeting with UAB. They won the first one at home, by 13. Since then, very few teams have stood a chance against Memphis, as they have been BLOWING OUT conference opponents. They enter tonight with an average scoring margin of +17.1 points per game.

Led by arguably the best freshman in the nation, Tyreke Evans, the Tigers are now ranked No. 5 in the country at 24-3 overall. They returned Robert Dozier, Antonio Anderson, and Shawn Taggart from last year’s finalist team, and each is currently averaging over 10 points and five rebounds per game.

What stands out the most though is the recent play of Evans, who leads the team in scoring at 17.1 and is the main reason that Memphis has been able to continue their C-USA dominance. It’s safe to say at this point that the Tigers will be heading to the tournament yet again and are destined for a No. 2 seed, although a No. 1 is not out of the picture.

Aside from Memphis, there is only one other Conference-USA team worthy of bid consideration, and that just happens to be the UAB Blazers. This will undoubtedly be the Tigers’ biggest challenge since league play started as Uab is probably the only team capable of breaking their winning streak.

UAB stands at 19-8 overall and 9-3 in the conference with their most notable win coming at Arizona. But they have also played Oklahoma, Boston College, Cincinnati, and Butler very closely and were only a couple of shots away from winning.

The Blazers are led by three FANTASTIC seniors, most notably Robert Vaden, who all average at least 15 points per game. Vaden was held to just 12 in these teams’ most recent meeting, and UAB will need a big performance from him if they expect to win.

UAB’s only chance at getting an at-large bid would mean winning tonight on their home court, where they are 12-0 this season. This matchup is always a rivalry and by far the biggest game of the season for the Blazers. The key will be stopping Evans and restricting ball movement, something very few teams have been able to do against Memphis.

The game is at 9pm eastern on ESPN2. Be sure to tune in!

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

Here Comes...Kansas?

Justin Kundrat — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:40:22 -0500

We all remember Mario Chalmers’ game-tying three-pointer in the national championship last year that eventually helped crown the Jayhawks as the 2008 national champions, right?

Well, that team is basically gone.

Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Brandon Rush, Darnell Jackson, and Sasha Kaun all bolted for the NBA, leaving Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich—the only two players who actually played in the Final Four last year—to run a team by themselves.

So how, you may ask, have the Jayhawks had another successful season? The answer lies in recruiting.

Kansas brought in five terrific freshman, headlined by Tyshawn Taylor and Marcus Morris, who both combine for over 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game. And then there were the significant playing time boosts of sophomore guards Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar to make this team one of the most balanced and efficient in the country.

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Jayhawks and instead they turned it into yet another shot at a Final Four. And despite Blake Griffin’s absence in last night’s game, they took everything they could get in a hostile road environment, and came away with a big win. To no one’s surprise, Sherron Collins came up huge in the second half, scoring 26 points on 5-8 shooting from downtown. It was his smooth stroke that matched the three-point barrage from Willie Warren, Cade Davis, and Omar Leary.

Sophomore center Cole Aldrich has also had a breakout year now that he is longer overshadowed by Kaun, Jackson, and Arthur. The 6'11'', 245 lb. big man is currently contributing 15 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, and had a huge 20 rebound game against Oklahoma. Aldrich has been the key to this team’s success, providing them with a scoring option in the low post, and a huge defensive presence capable of altering opponent’s shots.

The most surprisingly thing though is the lack of a weakness in Kansas’ overall game. The 15th ranked Jayhawks shoot over 48 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from three while ranking 9th in the country in defensive efficiency. They have it all—good shooters, a post presence, an excellent coach, leadership, and a point guard who simply knows how to play the game.

So while Kansas sits alone atop the Big 12 standings at 12-1 with a 16-0 home record, everybody else will be trying to play catch up.

They have done more than enough to secure a tournament bid by now and their success will be dependent on seeding and matchups. Upcoming home games against Missouri (23-4) and Texas (18-8) will certainly be tough tests, but if Kansas is able to pull off wins in both games, they could be looking at a three seed this March.

The scary part about this team? Every single player, with the exception of two walk-ons, is returning for next season along with the addition of two highly ranked recruits.

Watch out.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

NCAA Winners and Losers of BracketBusters Weekend

Justin Kundrat — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:20:09 -0500

Although most of the participants of BracketBusters 2009 were not candidates for an at-large bid, several, such as Butler, Davidson, Utah State, and St. Mary’s were.

In those two matchups, the winners added a very solid win to their resumes and just about solidified their NCAA tournament bids. So, as BracketBusters weekend comes to an end, here is a short recap of the winners and losers of the event.

Winners

Nevada

There is nothing like a big home win against the CAA leader. A huge comeback sparked by Luke Babbitt gave Nevada a much needed edge and a boost before the WAC conference tournament.

Butler

Nothing like holding the nation’s leading scorer, Stephen Curry, to 6-23 shooting in a bid-clinching road win.

The Bulldogs, despite having a rough week in which they dropped two games to Horizon League opponents, have just about sealed their spot in the tournament and would like nothing more than to win the remainder of their schedule.

Watch out for Gordon Hayward, America.

Vermont

Although it was a home game, the Catamounts mounted a huge comeback against Buffalo and showed why they deserve to be in the NCAA tournament. Winning the America East shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for this team, but it was definitely a great opportunity to prove themselves on national television.

Siena

Like Vermont, the Saints made a huge case for themselves.

Yes, they got off to a rough start, but since November, this team has been on a roll. Losses to Pitt and Kansas will not hurt their case. Neither will a 15-1 conference record and a win over a tough Northern Iowa team.

Two more games to go, and I still think they deserve a bid even if they don’t win the MAAC, although they definitely should.

St. Mary’s

All I can say is "wow."

This team struggled a bit after losing Patty Mills with losses to Gonzaga, twice, Portland, and Santa Clara. But Omar Samhan and Diamon Simpson have really stepped up.

Their final two games should be wins regardless, and I bet the Gaels cannot wait to get Mills back. They may need to go deep into the WCC tournament in order to get a bid, but that should be manageable.

Creighton

The Bluejays are on fire, winning their last eight and a big one against CAA-contender George Mason. I can’t imagine this team not getting a bid now, but that could easily change in the short remainder of the season. Booker Woodfox certainly knows when and how to step up for his team though.

Kent State

I talked earlier about this team and how they were unable to play well together despite the talent being there.

Well now the Golden Flashes seem to have found a rhythm, winning their last eight and picking up a nice win over Morehead State, the second place team in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Here is a dark horse to win the MAC title and do some damage in the NCAA tournament.

Losers

Liberty

A chance to show off their own Curry, Seth, in a rare national appearance and they came up short.

Old Dominion is in no way a bad team, but Liberty is trying to push for the Big South crown and now Radford seems to be running away with it. Their final two games happen to be against the first and second place teams, Radford and VMI.

Let’s see what they do.

Miami (OH)

Here is another team who was desperately trying to make a case for themselves and ended up blowing a big lead. The loss of point guard Kenny Hayes has really hurt them, and now their window of opportunity is slowly closing. Evansville, who started off hot and has since gone cold, found a way to slow down Michael Bramos.

Utah State

The Aggies made a brief stint in the top-25 before dropping a game to Boise State and ending their 19 game winning streak. Because of their weak schedule, they needed a win against St. Mary’s badly, but fell short.

Maybe this team is not as good as we had originally thought, or maybe it was just a poor performance. Regardless, winning the WAC tournament is now a must.

Davidson

Not as much of a loser, but still could not afford to lose that game and have a chance at an at-large bid. The Wildcats, who missed Curry this past week, now must win the Southern Conference or their tournament hopes are gone.

Could you imagine a tournament without Stephen Curry? I couldn’t.

Cleveland State

This team was red hot coming into Saturday, winning seven straight, and really pulling for a chance at winning the Horizon League. Wichita State has been tough at home, but the Vikings needed this one badly.

A game this coming Saturday versus Butler will be huge.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

BracketBusters Weekend Part 1

Justin Kundrat — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:25:19 -0500

Yes, the glorious time of year has finally arrived. It's a time when hearts are broken, hopes are lost, and confidences are destroyed.

These games are make or break for most teams that need a final resume builder before selection Sunday, because otherwise, it means win the conference tournament or else.

Tonight, there are two huge match-ups, both of which are aired on television, and both are must-wins if any of the four teams is looking for an at-large bid.

First, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2, Illinois State heads to Niagara. Both teams are trying to inch closer to first place in their respective conferences and it will surely be a battle of the defenses.

They each outscore their opponents by about nine points per game, giving up about 65 points per game while scoring in the seventies. And both have valuable senior leadership and strong guard play, key components that will make this game interesting.

Although Siena does have a strong case for a potential at-large bid, if they lose here, their chances are essentially gone. This is arguably the most important game for either team to win as we near conference tournaments and the season-ending losses.

Players to Watch: Tyrone Lewis #2 G (Niagara, 16.4 PPG), Osiris Eldrige #0 G (Illinois State, 14.0 PPG)

My Prediction: In what will be a closely fought game, I like Illinois State to come through on the road. It will be a battle of will and in my opinion, Illinois State needs it more.

Then, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU, Virginia Commonwealth faces Nevada. The Wolfpack, although talented, lack senior leadership on a team that is primarily led by freshman forward Luke Babbitt, who averages 16.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

They currently stand at 15-10 and 8-4 in the WAC, but they really do not have a strong case for an at-large bid. Their only hope is to win the conference tournament, and that would likely mean upsetting Utah State, but the future is bright for this team. VCU on the other hand, has had some minor slip ups in the unpredictable CAA, but now sit in first place, alone.

They have an overall 19-8 record led by point guard Eric Maynor, who scores 22.9 a game, which ranks tenth nationally. But, due to the lack of a RPI top 50 win, don’t present a strong case for an at-large bid either.

Winning the conference tournament is essentially a must for both of these teams, but a win here could give either team a much needed boost before the final push.

Players to Watch: Luke Babbitt #5 F (16.2 PPG), Eric Maynor #3 G (VCU, 22.9 PPG)

My prediction: VCU comes through in yet another close game because of Maynor’s hot shooting.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

The Importance of Fans to College Basketball

Justin Kundrat — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:25:49 -0500

Well, despite all my talk about mid-major hoops and my true, untarnished affection for bracket busters and cinderellas, I am still very much affiliated with the BCS conferences. I’m a season ticket holder at Rutgers, so Big East basketball is always big around here (even though RU can never win) and since ESPN never really airs mid-major hoops much, I watch a lot of top 25 games.

So, you may ask why I write about cinderellas if I am so caught up with major conferences, and the reason for that is because I have always been so fascinated by a team’s ability to come in relatively unrecognized and create major havoc. And my job here is to inform you guys of these potential teams while also recognizing some players that have flown under the radar due to poor media coverage.

I’m not trying to take away from my mid-major schools in any way, but sometimes true passion for a team is never really apparent in smaller schools.

For that reason, major conference games can be more exciting. The fans go absolutely insane for their favorite team, screaming and booing opposing teams while keeping their team in the game with deafening chants.

I’m not saying that none of the mid-major students paint their faces or go crazy for their teams because trust me, many do (and most of those games are sellouts). I’m also not saying that every BCS school does that either, but for games such as UConn-Pitt yesterday, nothing can match the fan-generated hype.

Speaking of UConn-Pitt, that’s exactly where I was yesterday: Hartford, Connecticut. Since I usually go to Rutgers games (where most of the fans are apathetic, especially when their team sucks), I couldn’t believe just how far some fans went.

One guy came in in just boxers, with half his body white and the other half blue, and was literally, from head to toe in body paint. And every time the Pitt players passed, they were screaming and cursing anything they could think of in hopes of getting inside their heads.

The arena, the XL Center, was surprisingly big for a place that doesn’t hold a professional sports team, yet there were no empty seats to be found. The place exploded on every single score to the point where you couldn’t even hear yourself talk, and I have to say that despite being to several Final Fours and Big East tournaments, there was nothing like it.

The game itself was very exhilarating (I’m not going to go into details because those can be found elsewhere and I don't want to bore you guys), and the atmosphere was what made it that way.

Which brings me to my main point: the students and fans are what make a game. Sure, I love watching close games, especially between mid-major schools and bubble teams, but when there is nobody cheering, it sort of takes the excitement out of it. And even in not-so-close games, a rowdy student section keeps the home team fighting for a chance to win.

I saw this in the Indiana-Illinois game on Sunday. We all know how bad Indiana is this season after the Kelvin Sampson issue, but they still manage to sellout their games and the students are always crazy, even in a 15-point game.

The students kept the Hoosiers going, kept them playing for an outside shot at winning the game and pulling off a big time upset, and Indiana even brought it within six before slipping up.

This is why having a consistently high-caliber team such as UConn, Duke, UNC, or Pittsburgh is so beneficial to an active fan base, but that’s not to say less competitive teams don’t have one.

Ultimately, any team, good or bad, can have rowdy and die hard fans, it all depends on how devoted and passionate the students are. But the reason we primarily see it in the better teams is because they have something to play for: a national championship.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

Bracket Buster No. 7: Creighton

Justin Kundrat — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:32:48 -0500

This bracket-buster write-up has been long overdue.

For the past six or so seasons Creighton has been one of the most dangerous mid-major teams in the country, making the postseason for the past ten seasons and always giving major-conference schools a scare.

This year is no different. The Bluejays are finally making way, on a six-game winning streak, to put themselves only one game behind conference-leading Northern Iowa.

But even if they don’t win the conference, a tournament bid is still likely. Creighton is currently 21-6 overall, having recently snapped Northern Iowa’s eleven-game winning-streak in a six-point heart-breaker win on the road.

Like most other dangerous bracket-busters, Creighton shoots very well from beyond the arc, at 39.4 percent as a team, which ranks 15th in the country. This is what allows them to score more than 74 points-per-game, backed by the efforts of senior guard Booker Woodfox, who averages 16 points-per-game on 49 percent three-point shooting.

Yet Woodfox, who is second in the Missouri Valley in scoring, didn’t even receive preseason honors. Instead, 6'"3 sophomore P’Allen Stinnett did, who chips in an average 12.8 points of his own on a team that plays at a much faster pace than most other MVC teams.

But that doesn’t mean their defense is lacking. As a team, the Bluejays hold opponents to just 64.7 points-per-game while forcing more 16 turnovers in what usually results in an assist-turnover ratio of about 0.7 to 1.

However, even though they are responsible for handing Dayton one of their three losses and hold wins over New Mexico and St. Joe’s, Creighton’s losses haven’t exactly been “pretty.”

Two point drops to Nebraska and Arkansas-Little Rock can be excused, along with a three-point mishap against Northern Iowa. But losing by 22 to Illinois State and double digits to both Wichita State and Drake? I don’t think so.

If a team (especially one who hasn’t exactly proven themselves on a national level) is to be successful, they need to be consistent. One can argue that they are on a six- game winning streak, beating conference opponents by near 15 points-per-game, but those losses still are a little unsettling, to say the least.

Looking ahead, the Bluejays have four remaining games, three of which are at home. The big test will be their bracket-buster matchup against George Mason, a team that is sitting at third place in the CAA.

A four-game sweep over the next few weeks would almost guarantee Creighton an at-large bid, especially if they can make a run in the ever-competitive conference tournament.

Creighton, depending on how they fare in the MVC tourney, will probably land an eight or nine seed, which would likely mean playing a one seed in the second round. While they are fully capable of winning, the Bluejays lack size, and therefore rebounding.

This will certainly hurt them down the stretch of NCAA tournament games, so if there is any chance of a Sweet Sixteen run, they need to be paired up against smaller, more guard-oriented opponents.

Only time will tell what happens with the Bluejays.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

Northern Iowa: Unknown, Unexpected, Unforgiving

Justin Kundrat — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:58:42 -0500

How’s this for a headline? A team that was voted to finish sixth in the preseason poll by coaches in the conference is currently two full games ahead of second place, with an 11-2 choke hold over conference foes.

This team, projected to pass up what could be a successful season for a borderline .500 finish, is surprisingly 17-7 and has won eleven of its past twelve games in one of the toughest mid-major leagues in the nation.

So what is their secret? How do they do it? The answer for the Panthers hasn’t been outscoring, outrebounding, or outdefending opponents, it has simply been outshooting them.

The success of the Panthers, like many other bracket busters, has been a result of taking every possession for granted and making sure to get the most of each one.

And we know this because they lead the conference in both field goal percentage (46.0%) and points per shot (1.36).

They take very good care of the ball (something every bracket buster needs to do) and although their defense can be lacking at times, offensive efficiency and free throw shooting make up for it.

But surprisingly enough, despite the Panthers’ self proclaimed successful offensive sets, nobody scores over 12 points per game, a sign that this team has some serious chemistry.

The 6'8" junior Adam Koch who didn’t even receive honorable mention in the preseason polls, leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, at 12 and 5.1 per game, while also serving as an emotional leader for a team that only has one senior.

He is their go-to-guy in the critical minutes of games and shoots a remarkable 80.1 percent from the strike, something very few 6'8" 245 big men can claim.

It’s not like this team has had many disappointing losses either.

That one point loss to Indiana State in double overtime may not have been the result that they wanted, but the rest of their losses (with the exception of Illinois-Chicago) were to well established basketball programs in major programs.

And they can even brag about a six point win over Auburn, a game in which they shot 53.7 percent from the field and a stunning 8-17 from downtown.

However, like most other mid-major programs, anything short of a conference championship would put an NCAA tournament bid in serious jeopardy. Yes, the Missouri Valley has a chance at being a two-bid league, but not if they continue to beat each other up.

The Panthers essentially must dominate conference play from here and get that win over Siena in bracket busters weekend if they wish to lock up a bid without winning the conference.

And a game at Illinois State on Feb. 24 will certainly be a big test as they will need to prove to the selection committee that they are capable of winning under all conditions.

But enough with the speculative future of the Panthers. February is about enjoying where a team is now without having to worry about what lies ahead (which in many cases is self-destruction).

Northern Iowa has established itself as a premier program in the Missouri Valley Conference and will return every single one of their significant players next season to a team that could see a top-25 spot.

We, the bracketbuster fans, forgive your most recent home loss to the 19-6 Creighton Bluejays; it was an off night from downtown. If Adam Koch can put up more performances similar to that (23 and 12, 13-13 from FT), then there should be no problem against the rest of the conference, right?

Please Northern Iowa, just don’t shoot yourselves in the foot come tournament time because a Sweet 16 run is definitely possible. Keep your eyes open for this team in March.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

Bracket Buster No. 6: American University

Justin Kundrat — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:11:59 -0500

Our next team is one from the Patriot Conference, a league that is only going to get one bid—but it could be a deadly one.

The American Eagles dominated this conference last year, going 10-4 for an overall 21-11 record heading into tournament play.

While they only received a 15 seed, their date with Tennessee in the first round proved to be a near scare. Returning 5'11" senior Garrison Carr (17.4 ppg) went for 27 points, which included six threes, in a 15-point loss.

The Tennessee loss was far from disappointing and just showed how dangerous a confident, strong shooting team can be.

The Eagles have every right to be, seeing how they return their top three scorers from last season in an offense that converts on 52.7 percent of their two-point field goals.

Carr, Gilmore, and Mercer, all seniors, combine for 41 points, almost 64 percent of the total scoring output, and they sit atop the Patriot League with a lofty 7-1 record.

Part of the reason that the Eagles are so successful is their efficiency on offense. They currently lead the conference in both field goal percentage and three-point shooting at 46.5 percent and 36.4 percent respectively, and they are never intimidated by big conference schools.

They also flaunt a 7-1 home record, and while they do not have a marquee win this season, they are likely to get the automatic bid if they can dispose of Holy Cross, who handed them their only loss in conference play. Mark that date folks: Feb. 21 at 2pm.

Unfortunately, the Eagles are on pace for another ugly seed in the tournament. Blowout losses at Oklahoma and Georgetown won’t help their case (even though they weren’t expected to win), and at most, they could get lucky with a 13 seed.

But that won’t stop the Eagles from giving many fans a scare and thoughts of an early exit. They did it last year to Tennessee in what was expected to be a blowout, and with virtually the same team returning, are easily capable of actually pulling it off this year.

Watch those crazy Eagles fly this year, and be sure to keep an eye on them in the remainder of the season. The hot shooting, conference dominant teams are always the most dangerous, and American can certainly keep up with the best.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com.

Mills Injures Hand as Gonzaga Slips Past Saint Mary's

Justin Kundrat — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:43:50 -0500

Last night's game between Saint Mary's (18-1) and Gonzaga (14-4) was one of the biggest mid-major showdowns all season.

Both teams, who lead the West Coast Conference at first and second places, respectively, were undefeated in conference play and ranked in the top 25.

Even more importantly, this was one of St. Mary's few times on national television and provided a chance for us to see potential lottery pick Patty Mills face one of the best teams on the west coast.

The Gaels led for a majority of the first half, with Mills shooting six of eight from downtown and scoring 18 points by halftime, at which point his team led by six.

Yet things took a rapid turn at the three-minute mark in the first half, when Patty Mills broke his wrist when he dove for a loose ball.

The sophomore guard from Australia had already matched his season average (18.7) and looked as if he was on his way to a 40-point game had he continued to shoot lights out.

Gonzaga had no answer either, but when Mills declared that he was unable to play in the second half, the Bulldogs took over and outscored the Gaels, 36-23, in the remaining 20 minutes, providing no chance for the Gaels to get back into it.

From this game, we can see just how much of an impact Mills had on his team. Their shooting percentages went from 48 percent in the first half to just 33 percent in the second.

And Mills could do nothing but cheer his team on from the sideline as he watched their lead dwindle away.

The Gaels looked choppy on offense, lacking a go-to guy and a leader, and although senior forward Diamon Simpson contributed 17 and 12, there was no answer for Gonzaga's fast-paced offense.

For stretches of the second half, Saint Mary's was unable to get the ball into the paint and struggled to get a good look at the basket in Mills' absence.

Gonzaga guard Matt Bouldin went on to score 17 points while three others also scored in double figures as they shot 17-of-22 from the line and forced 13 turnovers.

Although the effort was there for the Gaels, the offensive fluency was not. They simply could not keep up in the eventual 69-62 loss.

So for now, in spite of Mills' injury, the Gaels will have to learn to play without him.

They go on to face the third place Portland Pilots on Saturday in search of a new identity without their star. These next few weeks will be tough as Mills is expected to miss up to four weeks and likely the next Saint Mary's-Gonzaga clash on Feb. 12.

All we can hope for now is that Mills will be 100 percent in March as the Gaels look to make a deep tournament run.

Purdue Basketball: The Pride of the Big Ten

Justin Kundrat — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:45:18 -0500

The Big Ten is a mess this year.

Some play terrific defense and little offense (Wisconsin) while other plays terrific offense and little defense (Michigan State). Some have terrific home records, but just can't figure out how to win on the road (Iowa). And some still haven't even won a Big Ten game (Indiana).

Yet somewhere amongst this mess of a conference is a lone shining star, Purdue. The Boilermakers are the perfect mix of everything.

They have a balanced offense that combines for close to 72 points per game, while still getting dirty on defense (57.9 points allowed). They have the size, the shooting, the composure, the talent, the athleticism, and most of all, the teamwork to be a successful basketball program.

And Purdue is one of only two Big Ten teams to have three players averaging over twelve points per game.

After all, what isn't there to like about this team?

Junior Chris Kramer, despite only averaging 4.5 points per game, is a defensive leader for the team. He is their glue that builds the framework for such a potent defense. Yet he barely gets noticed due to the trio of sophomores that are the face of this upcoming program.

E'Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel, and JaJuan Johnson combine for 40 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, it's no wonder Purdue is 16-4 on the season.

When one player goes cold, another steps up and fills his role.

Now, the Boilermakers have been more focused than ever following a three-point loss at Penn State in Hummel's absence.

They have now won five straight, including twice against Wisconsin as well as at Minnesota and Northwestern, two very dangerous teams. They have an exceptionally high scoring margin too for a team that puts so much of its focus to the defensive end of the floor.

Currently, they are outscoring teams by an average of 13.8 points per game, and while their upcoming schedule doesn't get any easier, Purdue seems ready for anything that comes their way.

The struggling Michigan Wolverines should prove to be no match for Purdue's defense, but the two games at Ohio State and at Illinois next week will prove to be a huge test for the young Boilermakers. Wins would pronounce them a top ten team in the country whereas losses would show that their defense falls apart in critical situations.

Yet Purdue leads the nation in both field goal percentage defense (35.6 percent) as well as opposing two-point field goal percentage (37.8 percent).

The fact that it is possible for a team to be held to 37.8 percent shooting FROM INSIDE THE THREE is the reason why they have quickly arisen as a premier program in the Big Ten.

A few losses may have plagued them earlier in the season, but now they quickly get back on their feet after a bad performance and continue to play hard.

In addition, Purdue is still so young. Barring any early draft entries (which is highly unlikely), the Boilermakers will return all five starters next season for what could be the best team in the country. The sophomore trio has developed significantly from last season and will continue to do so over the next two years.

Coach Matt Painter really has this team heading in the right direction after many unsuccessful years as a Big Ten program.

They are by and far the most unique team in the country, one that can get out and score quickly while finding a way to get the defensive stops they need to win games.

Now that is what a real team looks like.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com

Bracket Buster No. 5: Siena

Justin Kundrat — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:56:35 -0500

The Siena Saints have secretly become one of the hottest teams in the country. No, they don’t really have a signature win or a key upset over some top 25 team, but they do have a five-game winning streak and a 9-0 MAAC record. After their 17-point victory over second place Niagara on Saturday, it became very clear that Siena was the best team in the conference.

The Saints have an extremely efficient offense, converting on 47.2% of their shots and commiting the fewest turnovers in the league at 13.6 per game. And although they don’t really blow teams out (+6.5 margin), they don’t get blown out either.

Siena’s lack of size is the reason that they were unable to compete with some of the bigger teams earlier in the season (Pittsburgh, Kansas, Tennessee), but in the MAAC, there has been no such problem. They only have one player taller than 6′7", yet the Saints have found a way to out-rebound opponents through aggression and physical defense.

Led by senior guard Kenny Hasbrouck (12.9 ppg), Siena is almost guaranteed an NCAA tournament bid now.

While they may not run the table and go undefeated in conference play, they are the most talented and defensive-minded team in the league, and should have no problem winning the conference.

The Saints are ranked 15th in the RPI with a 15-5 record and are now playing with heads full of confidence, which is the most dangerous attribute of any bracket buster. Davidson went into last year’s tournament on a HUGE winning streak, and look at the mayhem they created.

If Siena, who knocked off fourth seeded Vanderbilt in the first round of last year’s tournament, is able to do the same, we could be looking at a hell of a bracket buster.

Now if only they could improve that ugly 63.6% free-throw shooting…

Key Upcoming Games:

2/7: at Rider
2/27: at Niagara (ESPNU)

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com and is part of an on-going series to raise awareness of dangerous mid-major teams.

Don't Look Now, But the Hokies Are 4-1 in ACC Play

Justin Kundrat — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:43:58 -0500

The Virginia Tech Hokies are on a roll.

Forget the ACC Preseason Poll that had them finishing sixth and the projected record of 18-12 and an 8-8 conference record. Forget the expectations of another failed ACC tournament run which leads to a disappointing NIT bid. Forget the critics who said that they weren't experienced or talent enough to piece together a successful season. Virginia Tech has surpassed all the expectations this season en route to a 14-5 record and 4-1 in the ACC.

Who knew that sophomores Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen would combine for 30.8 points and 13.2 rebounds per game? Apparently, they did.

"We’re a couple of baskets away from being one of those top teams,” Delaney said. “We still have the confidence of being one of those top teams."

Virginia Tech is fresh off two of their biggest wins of the season. A stunning road victory over the undefeated Wake Forest Demon Deacons and just recently, a five-point overtime triumph at Miami, a team that was 9-2 at home.

In both of these games, they held their opponents to 16-47 from beyond the arc and forced 27 turnovers.

And the Hokies, who only have two seniors, seem to have found a rhythm on offense, having won five straight and nine of their last 10.

Their scoring average has increased, and nobody, I mean NOBODY, has been able to stop Malcolm Delaney, who has scored 50 points in the past two games.

But you can't count out senior leader A.D. Vassallo, the Hokies' leading scorer (17.8) and second leading rebounder and passer. Vassallo hit some key shots down the stretch in the win over Miami en route to 29 points and showed no mercy in taking it to the hoop.

Now with a 14-5 record, you must be wondering what kind of games they lost if they managed to knock off the hottest team in the nation, Wake Forest.

Well, aside from an ugly loss to Duke (the top team in the country), their other four losses have totaled to EIGHT points, all of which came down to the final minute. Two buzzer beater losses to Xavier and Wisconsin as well as a one point loss at Georgia and four to Seton Hall.

Yes, those are some tough losses, but not necessarily ugly ones, considering only one was played on their home floor.

Life doesn't get any easier for the Hokies this week though.

A home game versus Clemson and at Boston College, who is looking to get revenge from their previous clash on the 17th. Virginia Tech must not let themselves get overconfident or comfortable with their current record, because it is never too late to fall off the map and lose all hope for an NCAA postseason.

We know how dangerous confident teams can get, but we saw the same exact thing happen with Boston College, who, after beating UNC, lost to Harvard at home and then followed up with three more losses.

In any event, Virginia Tech's turnaround week has proven to be quite an interesting one and maybe now they finally realize what they are capable of.

Don't look now, but what could be the nation's most dangerous sleeper is finally coming alive.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com

Mid-Major College Basketball Squads That Aren't So "Mid"

Justin Kundrat — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:41:00 -0500

Mid-majors are often defined as schools that do not belong to conferences that are affiliated with the BCS, which would therefore rule out all teams from the ACC, SEC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac-10.

Kyle Whelliston, writer for the mid-majority, has a different idea though, and bases it off of school’s athletic budgets. His concept then rules out C-USA and Mountain West as well, leaving 24 conferences to be considered “mid-majors.”

I generally still consider the Mountain West to be a mid-major conference (for the most part), since it is not known to hold “dominant basketball teams”.

But since there is no clear idea for where to draw the line, it’s possible to sometimes fudge it a bit. Anyways, my mid-major conferences are all but those six listed above and this is generally what I focus my writing on.

Note: I didn’t include Memphis in this article because I still don’t consider them a mid-major school since they receive the same media coverage as the “major” schools, although they do belong to the C-USA.

Every year, there are a few mid-majors that tend to play above the average mid-major talent level and find their way into the top 25 poll. These teams dominate conference play and make deep NCAA tournament runs backed by experience, strong team chemistry, and an accustom to winning.

I refer to these types of teams as “giant-majors” because they are a little better than the ordinary mid-major.

Currently, there are three teams that fall into this category, with a few others on the borderline.

Xavier Musketeers (17-2)

The Xavier Musketeers top off the list with a No. 15 ranking and a 17-2 record.

They hold impressive wins over several “major” teams such as Missouri, Virginia Tech, Memphis, Auburn, Virginia, and most recently, LSU.

Although they certainly miss recent graduates Drew Lavender, Stanley Burrell, and Josh Duncan, the Musketeers have shown no signs of it with other players filling their roles.

Junior Derrick Brown and Seniors BJ Raymond and CJ Anderson combine for 36.3 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, all of which account for a massive percentage of the team’s statistics.

They do commit a large number of turnovers though (15.4) and only gather around 5.4 steals per game mainly due to a lack of a consistent point guard. Thankfully, their strong defense makes up for this.

Xavier ranks ninth in the country defensively, allowing an average of only 86.3 points on 100 offensive possessions, and hold opponents to just 37.2 percent from the field (seventh nationally).

If there is a team to be afraid of from the Atlantic-10, it would be the Musketeers, who look to continue their A-10 dominance with matches this week against Charlotte and UMass.

Butler Bulldogs (18-1)

The next team on this list is Butler, who lost four of their five starters last year and yet somehow manage to have an 18-1 record and a No. 16 rank.

They are led in scoring (and everything else for that matter) by two freshmen and a sophomore, who all average at least 13 points per game.

Butler has taken a commanding lead over the Horizon League this past week, with wins over UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay, the second and third place teams, and are now 9-0 in conference play.

A very low turnover percentage, and a defense that only allows 55.6 points per game certainly don’t hurt either, as Butler has glided through their schedule with an average winning margin of 13.0 points.

They have wins over Northwestern and UAB, while also defeating fellow “giant-major” Xavier by nine points at their place. Butler’s lone loss came at Ohio State (by three), something that they cannot possibly be upset about seeing that they have won every other game.

Looking at the remainder of their conference schedule, I seriously wouldn’t be surprised if they ran the table and finished 18-0 in the Horizon League.

Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-4)

The final qualifier is perhaps the most well-recognized of the bunch, No. 23 Gonzaga.

The Bulldogs are by far the most talented giant-major and have easily played the most challenging schedule, but they have been mildly disappointing thus far.

They were ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation, but following that devastating loss to UConn, everything seemed to go downhill as they went on to lose to Portland State and Utah.

An overtime win at Tennessee helped end that skid, and they have now won six straight and are 5-0 in the WCC.

The Bulldogs have four players scoring in double figures and have been pummeling conference opponents by an average of 28 points per game. They rank in the top 15 in both offensive and defensive efficiencies and display no apparent weaknesses other than some occasional foul trouble.

They also have a stunning 1.39-to-1 AST/TO ratio (eighth nationally) thanks to Pargo’s six assists per game, and have defeated a plethora of major teams such as Maryland, Oklahoma State, Tennessee (twice), and Washington State, NONE of which were played at home.

Gonzaga, however, have a big in-conference foe in St. Mary’s, a team that still has not broken into the AP Top 25 (currently 27) but should this upcoming week. Games against the Gaels will prove a lot about which team is the real giant-major.

The Rest: St. Mary’s (27), Davidson (34), Utah State (36), Dayton (42), George Mason (43).

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com

All Mid-Major SG: Lester Hudson

Justin Kundrat — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:13:21 -0500

Lester Hudson truly is one of the most remarkable players in the country. A junior-college transfer who arrived at Tennessee-Martin in the 2007-08 season and then declared for the NBA draft, but weeks after returned to school.

However, it is very easy to overlook Hudson, who plays for a school like Tennessee-Martin (who?!?) in one of the worst conferences, one that never gets more than one bid.

Mr. Hudson has everything working for him though and don’t expect that to change over the course of the season. Ohio Valley Conference play has been a breeze for him, and although the Skyhawks were off to a rough start, Hudson has helped them back onto their feet with five straight wins by an average of 14 points per game. He has also led them to the best overall record in the conference and put them in an excellent position to win the OVC championship bid.

To rephrase what I am trying to say, there is no stopping Lester Hudson. Tennessee couldn’t do it, USC couldn’t do it, and nobody else in the conference can do it. Hudson’s lowest scoring total this season has been 20 points, which would help us understand how he is second in the country in scoring with 27.2 points per game.

For a 6-2, 190 guard, he also rebounds at an unusually high rate. Somehow, even against bigger opponents, he pulls down 7.3 rebounds per game and 3.9 assists complemented by more than 2.5 steals and a block or two. In fact, last year he recorded a quadruple-double in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, the only one in Division I history.

I have never seen someone do so much for his team on offense while still putting himself on the line on defense. Hudson has the body, athleticism, shooting skills, strength, and intangible instincts to be a successful NBA point guard and scouts are finally beginning to realize it.

Think about it this way. Lester Hudson is as important to Tennessee-Martin as Stephen Curry is to Davidson. He is a scoring machine and their primary source for offense, and without him they are a mediocre team. There is no such thing as a night off for Hudson because the Skyhawks cannot afford to rest him for more than six minutes a game, as goes with Curry who is responsible for a majority of the scoring load.

This will not be the last time you see me write about Hudson, because if there is anyone more deserving of national recognition, it is him.

This article is featured at www.thebracketbusters.com

All Mid-Major PG: Eric Maynor

Justin Kundrat — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:24:40 -0500

Most people know of Eric Maynor from his buzzer beater in 2007 that lifted VCU over Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The shot, a 14-footer with 1.8 seconds left, gave Duke their first loss in the opening round since 1996 and made headlines all over the country the following morning.

But since then, the 2008 CAA Player of the Year has flown under the radar and become almost forgotten on the national scale.

The Rams were knocked out by UAB in the first round of last year’s tournament despite a 22 point effort from Maynor and a second half comeback to bring them within three. Something to be noted though, is that Maynor’s scoring average has increased by at least four points every year and he now sits at 12th in the country with 21.8 ppg.

VCU has dominated conference play thus far, with Maynor topping the conference in both points and assists per game. His production is the reason why the Rams lead the CAA in scoring at 74.2 ppg, three-point shooting (38.1%) and field goal percentage (46.7%).

But the main struggle for them has been defense, and Maynor’s lack of it is a contributing cause. VCU allows over 65 points per game which may not seem that bad, but that number balloons to 72.5 in road games and 83.6 in their five losses. Moreover, they rank 262nd in the country in three point defense, allowing opponents to shoot 36.1% from beyond the arc.

Despite their poor defensive efforts, it is likely that we will see VCU back for action in the tournament this year, but the Rams will need big contributions from more than just Maynor if they want to make it past the first round.

Nonetheless, NCAA tournament or not, Maynor has a bright future ahead of him. He is projected to be drafted in the mid-first round and NBA scouts know he is capable of being an excellent NBA player. Maynor has all of the important qualities of an NBA point guard. He can shoot, get into the paint at will, see the floor, and is an outstanding passer.

If you haven’t seen him play before, I highly advise you to do so because he truly is one of the best point guards you will see out of a mid-major program. VCU has a game on 1/24 against George Mason that will be aired on ESPN2 and on 1/27 against Northeastern on ESPNU. I will also be posting links of live games whenever I can get them.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com

All Mid-Major PG: Patrick Mills

Justin Kundrat — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:22:34 -0500

Led by sophomore guard Patrick “Patty” Mills, St. Mary’s has quickly emerged as a top five mid-major program this season. They lead the WCC with a 4-0 conference record and an average winning margin of 13.9 ppg. In fact, after a 50-point win over Pepperdine, I would be very surprised if they were not ranked this week, since this team has been ON FIRE lately.

The Gaels have won 14 straight games and flaunt a 17-1 overall record with their only loss coming to UNLV in what was considered to be an upset. But that doesn’t mean they have had a weak schedule either. The team has wins over Providence, Kent State, Oregon, Southern Illinois, and San Diego State, all of which have made the tournament at least once in the past two seasons.

The Gaels’ success is largely based on the play of this All Mid-Major point guard. Mills, an Australian native who was a member of the national team in the ‘08 Olympics, currently averages 19.1 ppg and has scored in double figures every game this season. Even more impressively, Mills’ statistics have increased drastically from last season despite only playing one more minute per game.

His scoring average went up by 4.3 points, rebounds 0.5, assists 0.4, steals 0.6, and free throw percentage 12.1 percent! Yet still, many people do not know of this Aussie phenom because mid-majors get no national media love. Wins over large conference schools prove that St. Mary’s is battle tested, and Mr. Mills, who was voted to the '07-'08 All-WCC First Team, has been anything but disappointing in his sophomore season.

Upcoming games against Gonzaga and San Diego should prove to be big challenges, but even if they happen to drop a few games, the Gaels are a near-lock for the NCAA tournament. And trust me, Patty Mills will be back for more after last season’s disappointing first round loss.

A few nationally televised games and a top-25 rank should help Patty Mills get the exposure he deserves, yet he still has some ways to go before being one of the premier point guard NBA prospects in the nation. He must develop a better mid-range jump shot as well as the strength and finesse to finish in the paint, but seeing that he is only 20 years old, Mills has plenty of room to grow.

If he stays for another year or two in college (which hopefully he will), then we could see a lottery pick develop right before our eyes. Luckily for us, St. Mary’s has two upcoming games on ESPN2; Jan. 29 and Feb. 12 both against Gonzaga and both at 11p.m. eastern.

So mark your calendars, set your tivo’s or whatever else you have to do, and be prepared to watch one of the best mid-major point guards in the nation.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com

All Mid-Major PG: Stephen Curry

Justin Kundrat — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:19:27 -0500

Yes, another article about Stephen Curry, my pick for the NCAA Player of the Year. I can’t leave him off this list because he (and Davidson) essentially define a “bracket buster.” Davidson is the team so many other mid-majors aspire to be, hoping to pull off a miracle run and receive the national exposure that most lack.

Because of last year’s breakthrough, EVERYBODY knows who Stephen Curry is and how dangerous he can be in any game. As a result, all his opponents are locked in on him, doing their absolute best to hold him below 20 points.

But sometimes, there simply is no answer and no way to do anything about it. You just have to let him score and focus on his teammates. Stephen Curry is a man among boys in the Southern Conference. He has Davidson on track for what appears to be another undefeated conference run, with their current streak at 37 games. College of Charleston is literally the only team that stands a chance, and even they went down earlier this season at home.

What makes the Wildcats even more intimidating to conference opponents is their 24 game home winning streak, something only four teams can claim to have beaten this season.

Simply stated, Stephen Curry is unstoppable. He’s going to get his points, as evident from his nation-leading 29.1 points per game this season, which is up 3.8 ppg from last season despite only adding on 1 more minute per game. And somehow he dishes out 6.5 assists per game (12th) with a remarkable 1.61/1 assist-to-turnover ratio in his first season at the point. Curry’s decision to play point guard this season was one that is critical to his future success as a basketball player.

If he is able to develop some point guard skills, he will have a very long, successful career in the NBA. The problem he had earlier was that he was too small to play shooting guard in the NBA, but was not polished enough to run the point. Now, with rapidly improving passing abilities and exceptional court vision, he could become an NBA franchise’s dream.

Davidson, unlike most mid-major programs, has had plenty of televised games, so I am sure all of you have seen him play at least once. If not, then Davidson has an upcoming game against the 2nd place College of Charleston on Feb 7, ESPN2.

The Wildcats will undoubtedly be back in the NCAA tournament this season, but with all eyes on Curry now, they will be hard pressed to make another elite eight run. Regardless, Curry could be the greatest player we will ever see out of a mid-major program.

This article is featured on www.thebracketbusters.com

All Mid-Major SG: Dionte Christmas

Justin Kundrat — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:08:05 -0500

As a former 07-08 All Atlantic-10 First Team member, Dionte Christmas may not be “flying under the radar," but he is certainly one of the best mid-major shooting guards out there.

Christmas’ production has been steadily increasing each season and this year he has made Temple a very dangerous team. The Owls have had some ugly losses (UMass, Long Beach St), but also some stunning victories (Tennessee, Penn St), which proves that although they may not be the most consistent team, they are fully capable of beating bigger programs.

Temple is currently 2-1 in the A-10 with an unexpected loss to UMass, but they still hold a 10-7 record and fourth place in the conference. The A-10 is bigger and better than last year though and Temple will need to pick up some huge wins against the likes of Xavier, St. Joe’s, Dayton, and Richmond if they want to have a shot at an at-large bid.

Christmas is a leader in every possible way for this team. He emotionally carries them through tough shooting nights and has the uncanny ability to take control of games when the rest of his team is struggling. Christmas is currently averaging 20.8 points per game on 40 percent shooting from downtown and also pulls down over six rebounds a game, despite being only 6'5".

He has a very high release on his jump shot, which makes it nearly impossible for defenders to block and has demonstrated his ability to focus on the defensive end (1.5 steals per game).

Perhaps Christmas’ most impressive performance was his 35-point showing against Tennessee, a game in which he scored 30 of those points in the second half alone. The Volunteers had no answer for his hot shooting, which included seven threes and 55 percent from the field.

The Owls though, who shoot 39 percent from three as a team (23rd nationally) and score 35 percent of their points from beyond the arc, will need similar outings from Christmas in order to remain competitive in conference play. A loss to UMass is simply inexcusable and a 6-5 road record does not help their case either.

Nevertheless, Christmas seems to be ready for the challenge ahead and may be able to put his team in position for a tournament bid. He is projected to go in the early second round of the 2009 NBA Draft and will definitely be a vital component to any team.

His ability to score in a variety of ways and shoot over defenders will prove to be valuable and he has lived up to his comparisons of a less athletic Michael Redd. A little work on ball control and shot selection would be beneficial, but all in all, Christmas is one of the most deserving players to be named to the All Mid-Major team.

This article is also featured on www.thebracketbusters.com

College Basketball: Night Watch

Justin Kundrat — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:10:55 -0500

As were approaching the end of January, the college hoops scene is beginning to kick up a bit. Conference scrambles are becoming more intense, top 25 teams are fighting to stay within the top tier, and mid-majors are looking for resume builders and every chance to impress the country.

And before I start, let me just say that Kyle Whelliston does an EXCELLENT job with the mid-major rankings.

Tonight marks a big day for the St. Mary’s Gaels. They get another opportunity to impress critics and hopefully break into the top 25 poll (which they should already be in).

At 9 PM et on ESPN2 tonight, Patty Mills and the Gaels face San Diego. I seriously cannot wait to see this one and will be praying for St. Mary’s to pull through against the conference co-leader. Huge huge game for a conference that may only get two bids (and certainly, Gonzaga will get one of them).

The two best teams in the Horizon also square off tonight. The seemingly invincible Butler Bulldogs (No. 17) are 7-0 in conference play and have won eight straight. But they will face a serious test tonight against Wisconsin-Green Bay, who is only a game back at 6-1.

Ryan Tilemma (16.0 ppg) is definitely a player to watch out for, and with the unpredictability of this league, who knows which team will win tonight. If you want to watch this game (7 PM ET), sign up online for free at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv and watch it!

In other games…

Illinois-Chicago has a good chance to pick up a win on the road against Detroit. At 2-5 in the Horizon, things seem to be slipping away for them and they cannot afford to lose this one.

Temple and St. Louis, two poor road teams, face off in Philadelphia. The Owls had an odd loss to UMass on Saturday and look to recover, whereas St. Louis (0-4 on the road) just looks to prove they are competitive away from home.

Happy Thursday everyone. Bracket Busters weekend is now officially less than one month away! Also, instead of asking for donations, I just ask for… below

A Look at All Mid-Major SG, Stefon Jackson

Justin Kundrat — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:43:38 -0500

Every since his freshman year, UTEP fans knew that Stefon Jackson was a special player.

When given the chance to play significant minutes (which happened a lot more towards the end of the season), Jackson put up a healthy heap of points, despite not doing much else to fill up the stat sheet.

But since then, his playing time has gone up, and as a result, point totals have drastically increased along with his rebounding and passing numbers.

Jackson is not your typical three-point bomber though (like most guards who score over 20 ppg). In fact, in 18 games this season, he has only shot a total of 54 threes, demonstrating that he prefers to take it to the hoop and get fouled.

But, his stunning mid-range shot and quick release certainly make up for the absense of a three-point threat. And on a team that scores over 78 ppg, it certainly is not hard to bury teams with fast break points.

This 2007-08 C-USA First Team member has seen his team struggle through a number of games.

UTEP’s conference is MUCH more talented and certainly deeper than last season—all but three teams have overall records at .500 or above. Memphis is still ahead of the pack, but Houston and UAB could make for some tough games, and UTEP won’t have it easy this year.

A loss to Santa Clara as well as a 12-point beat down to New Mexico St. definitely doesn't help their case for a tournament bid, and even though Arizona State has been impressive this season, a 30-point loss on a neutral floor is simply inexcusable.

Yet the Miners really don't have a glaring weakness. Sophomore guard Randy Culpepper has assisted Jackson in scoring (19.8 ppg) and they have above average marks in defensive and offensive efficiency. However, the efforts of Jackson and Culpepper might not be enough to power them through this tough conference.

Despite what could be a rough year, Jackson’s ability to flat out score is what makes him one of the best shooting guards in the country. He is currently 9th in the nation in scoring (23.3 ppg) on a remarkable 1.38 points per shot and pulls down close to six rebounds per game.

Anyone who has not seen him play gets one last chance to on Feb.21 (Bracket Busters weekend!) against Memphis on ESPN.

Even if we don’t get to see UTEP in the tournament this season, we will surely see Jackson’s name called in the 09 NBA Draft. He is one of the most capable scoring guards in this draft, and with a three-point shot, could become a huge problem for defenders.

Keep an eye on him for the remainder of the season because his scoring is critical to UTEP’s success.