Was interested in reading a March 5th Jay Bilas article on ESPN but was rudely surprised (but not really) when I scrolled down a smidge only to find out that said article was an “Insider” article. Makes me wonder why I ever venture onto ESPN in the first place, it’s like freakin rooting for the Yankees, it represents the worst in people… greed, pomposity and underachievement. Ok, maybe that last one was just meant for the Yankees, honestly, I can’t gripe too much about the world wide leader’s programming.

Even though I knew I already disagreed with Bilas about his argument for just allowing the 64 best teams make the tourney instead of all these little mid-major froufrou teams, (hey Jay Bilas, wake up and listen here, have you forgotten what makes the tourney so fun and exciting? It’s when teams like VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH BEAT TEAMS LIKE DUKE and look darn good doing it) I was actually intrigued to read what his reasons were because most of the time Mr. Bilas does not annoy me. Jay and Grant Hill are alright in my book.

Who is Jay Bilas to tell everybody that teams like Oakland University or North Dakota State University (tonight 8pm, ESPN 2, bring it home Grizzlies) are not better than a Maryland, a Notre Dame or a Kansas State. Screw that! If you can’t get in even though your conference gets anywhere from 4-8 teams in the dance every season, then I got news for you,

YOU’RE JUST NOT THAT GOOD!

Geez almighty, I bet Jay also hates the electoral college. The Big bully.

Bubble watch alert

Upon learning this just a little while ago, I have determined that in NO WAY should a certain Big East team be allowed to go dancing.

That certain team is none other than Providence. The reasoning behind my decision is Doris Burke.

Have a listen and a look

Bubble watch alert #2

After much back and forth on this issue, I’ve concluded that Florida should be IN the tourney based just alone on this well known Gator alumna.

A look will do, don’t mind Tom

Hope that cleared things up a bit on the bubble front. Just trying to do my part.

Recap: Providence OUT, Florida definitely IN

Post from: EveryJoe

Jay Bilas and ESPN annoy me

[ A trick only a fluff high school coach would use. Classless. Weird. Primitive.] Deuce of Davenport

[ Looks like first place North Dakota State is the sexy pick to be the Summit League rep in the Big Dance. Oakland and Oral Roberts might have something to say about that.] Rush the Court

[Kyle Whelliston finally shows some love to the Summit League by awarding the NDSU @ Oral Roberts game tonight at 8 as his Game! Of! The! Night! Couldn't be better timing, I'm tired of hearing about the Missouri Valley so often (I could be imagining it). ] The mid-majority

[ You may or may not be surprised which team will give the Tar Heels the most fits come tourney time.] Hoops Addict

[Howard Salwasser is doing his best to set things straight in this world of rampant hoop misinformation.] Bracket Watch

Post from: EveryJoe

Fast Breakin’

1. Western Illinois (3-0, 6-8)
2. North Dakota State (3-1, 8-5)
3. Oakland (3-1, 10-7)
4. IUPUI (2-1, 9-5)
5. Oral Roberts (2-1, 4-11)
6. Southern Utah (2-2, 4-11)
7. IPFW (1-3, 6-9)
8. South Dakota State (1-3, 6-10)
9. UMKC (1-3, 5-12)
10. Centenary (0-3, 2-13)

Highlights

SDSU – 2 days before Christmas the Jackrabbits beat Iowa State on the road by 7. While the Cyclones are anything but a powerhouse team, props to SDSU for getting this win and holding Iowa State’s second leading scorer to 5 points on 2-12 shooting.

IPFW – The Mastodons finally broke through for a W in league play with a 100-66 smackdown of South Dakota State (Jan.2). Former Kansas St. forward Deilvez Yearby scored 19, grabbed 9 boards and swatted 5 shots. Former Oakland forward David Carson scored 24.

UMKC senior guard Dane Brumagin – he was named the conference player of the week for Dec.23- Dec.29 after averaging 30 points and 6 rebounds in 2 games.

IUPUI – Beat Southern Utah by 5 without getting a single field goal from star senior guard Gary Patterson (Jan 2). IUPUI got 21 points from their only 2 bench players to see action in the game, Robert Glenn (13) and John Ashworth (8). Back on December 20th IUPUI beat Seton Hall with a Leroy Nobles layup as time expired.

Western Illinois – Just as likely to be the last undefeated Summit league team left as Eric Gordon is to be the future of the NBA. Senior guard David Dubois doesn’t shoot the 3 ball real well, won’t wow you with his athleticism, gets in foul trouble too much, and probably dances like Elaine, but still manages to cram more than 17 ppg down team’s throat.

Lowlights

Centenary – Losers of 7 in a row, it’s not looking good for the Gentlemen, or for my prediction of Centenary winning 8 games in the league.

UMKC – After drawing their conference record to 1-1 with a 8 point win against IPFW early on in December, the Kangaroos have lost their last two league contests by a combined 6 points. In both of the losses UMKC has been down by double digits at the half.

Oakland senior guard Derick Nelson – Head coach Greg Kampe finally announced (Dec.30) Nelson would be redshirted (medical). Nelson tried to come back from a serious foot injury he suffered in practice the day before the season opener but just couldn’t do it.

Southern Utah got out of the gate quickly with 2 straight W’s but has since dropped 2 in a row. I said it wouldn’t last long.

NDSU @ Oakland (Jan.2)

I was fortunate enough to be in attendance as unarguably the two best teams in the league squared off. Neither team had more than an 8 point lead at any one time. I don’t think either coach sat down the entire game and I know neither was delighted with the officiating. NDSU guard Ben Woodside (23.5ppg) was held scoreless in the first half as was Oakland’s center Keith Benson (12.5ppg). Both stepped up their games in the second half but Keith Benson really woke up, scoring 17 (7-7 fts, 5-9 fg). The unequivocal iron man of the game was sickly 6′6 senior Brett Winkleman who only ate a piece of toast before the game because he was ill all day with a stomach virus. Brett not only played 32 minutes, but scored 33 points (6 treys) and had 3 steals. It was not enough.

Oakland’s Erik Kangas, bothered by a calf injury virtually throughout the whole game, drained a 3 pointer falling away with a little over 7 seconds left to give OU the lead by 1. It was his first 3 pointer of the game and it sent the O’Rena into a frenzy of sorts, yet seconds later Ben Woodside zigzagged his way down the court and got all the way to the hoop to attempt a wild (it was made wild by the stout defense supplied by Kangas, the only OU player who seemed to know the game wasn’t over yet) layup that just bounced off the back rim. If the game had been in NDSU’s place a foul would have been likely called in my opinion, as Kangas challenged him and probably got a little body, but Woodside was going at a hundred miles an hour ( just a tad out of control I’ll say). The refs got off the court in a hurry.

These teams meet again on the 29th of January in North Dakota.

I bet NDSU gets the call at the end. Or else head coach Saul Phillips will be right behind them like a hungry lion.

Post from: EveryJoe

Summit League Update

Correspondent duty at its finest by yours truly.

Checking in on the…Summit League

—
Summit League Digest (NOV.21)

The first 10 days or so of the college basketball season has been refreshingly cosmic. My penchant has always been my college hoops fandom. It’s an impulse that will not die.

It’s like Rasheed Wallace snapping “Ball Don’t Lie” after an errant free throw.

It’s, you know, automatic.

Summit League Headlines

–Two days before Oakland’s opener at Cleveland St., star guard/forward Derick Nelson injured his foot. He’ll be out until late Decemberish. A huge blow to not only Oakland, but also to the dozens of participants who selected Derick in their fantasy mid major only college basketball draft.

–IUPUI senior guard Gary Patterson (12.9 ppg last season) has missed the team’s first 3 games because of a broken left hand he suffered in late October.

–0-9. The Summit League’s record versus other DI teams before Oakland’s overtime win @ Oregon on November 17th. And it wasn’t as if Summit League teams were playing perennial powerhouses like UCLA or UNC every game. Some of these losses were against Kennesaw State (yes, they’re DI), San Jose State, Northern Illinois, Cleveland State and Northeastern. UMKC even lost to first year DI team North Dakota. So technically that’s a 0-10 DI record prior to the Oakland win.

The Breakdown

Oral Roberts (1-1) So far in 2 games of action only Robert Jarvis is averaging double figures in points. Jarvis is also averaging 5.5 rebounds as well. Don’t expect that to continue.

Key upcoming games: Nov. 30 @ Mizzou, Conference opener Dec. 4 @ North Dakota State

UMKC (1-2) 5 days after losing to DI newbie North Dakota, the Kangaroos beat Wichita State on the road by 3. Sophomore guard Reggie Hamilton is averaging 15.3 ppg.

Key upcoming game: Nov. 30 @ Florida

IUPUI (1-2) 3 point loss at Indiana on the 18th. 6′5 freshman Alex Young is leading the squad in scoring with 15.7 so far. Good young nucleus needs veteran Gary Patterson back to seriously contend.

Key upcoming game: Nov. 29 @ Western Michigan

IPFW (0-2) The Mastodons have played Xavier and Michigan State thus far and actually had a second half lead against the Spartans before succumbing to their freakish athleticism. Sophomore guard Ben Botts is the only player averaging double figures.

Key upcoming game: Conference opener Dec. 4 @ Southern Utah ( first of 7 straight road games)

North Dakota State (1-0) The Bison doubled up NAIA school Mayville State 128-64 on the 18th–7 players scored in double figures. Star guard Ben Woodside scored 28 in just 16 minutes.

Key upcoming game: Nov. 29 @ Minnesota

Oakland (1-1) Upset Oregon on the road (17th) in overtime with the help of a phenomenal 32 point performance by junior point guard Johnathon Jones. Even more impressive was the fact that Jones only made one three pointer.

Key upcoming games: Nov. 23 @ Iowa, Nov. 25th @ Kansas State.

Western Illinois (1-2) Senior guard David Dubois is averaging 20.3 ppg. He was named to the 100 Club Classic All-Tournament Team.

Key upcoming game: Nov. 28 @ Coastal Carolina.

South Dakota State (1-2) Sophomore guard Clint Sargent is averaging 17.3 ppg and 8.3 rebs/gm. He’s 10 for 20 from downtown thus far.

Key upcoming game: Nov. 29 @ Central Florida.

Centenary (1-2) 6′1 senior guard Nick Stallings scored 31 in a Nov. 20th win against Troy. Guards Chase Adams and Gary Redus II are playing well early on too.

Key upcoming game: Conference opener Nov. 4 @ South Dakota State

Southern Utah (1-1) The Thunderbirds gave the Florida Gators a decent game on the 20th in a 14 point loss. Junior guard Davis Baker had 23 points and 8 rebounds. 6′10 senior John Clifford struggled mightily (fouled out, scored just 5). John wishes Southern Utah could play the likes of DII Mesa State more often (scored 24).

Key upcoming game: Nov. 29 @ Boise State.

The Summit League is what it is. The guard dominated league will pull off a few solid upsets in the coming weeks against those big school beasts, but along the way there will be plenty of blowouts, some camel spider cringe worthy.

I digress.

Post from: EveryJoe

Summit League Digest

From Yours Truly:

Summit League 08/09

Predicted Order of Finish:

North Dakota State Bison (19-10, 13-5)
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (20-10, 13-5)
Oakland Golden Grizzlies (18-13, 12-6)
IPFW Mastodons (16-13, 11-7)
IUPUI Jaguars (16-15, 9-9)
UMKC Kangaroos (14-17, 8-10)
Centenary College Gentlemen (11-19, 8-10)
South Dakota State Jackrabbits (13-18, 7-11)
Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks (9-20, 6-12)
Southern Utah Thunderbirds (6-23, 3-15)

What you need to know.

22 out of 31- Conference RPI ranking for the Summit League in each of the last two seasons.

Oregon, Marquette, Oklahoma St., Kansas, Texas Tech, Utah- Casualties at the hands of Summit league teams throughout the past 2 seasons. Does beating Seton Hall count? What about Louisiana Tech, twice? Not bad, not bad. The Summit is not quite knocking on the door of the Missouri Valley in stature as of yet, but at least they’re in the neighborhood. Some will never be in the continent.

Guardplay- Guards rule this conference in more than one way. They not only light up the scoreboard from downtown, but they also grab more than their share of rebounds. Lots. Last season 6′5 Derick Nelson led the Oakland Grizzlies with 7.4, 6′6 Brett Winkelman led the North Dakota State Bison with 8.3, and 6′2 George Hill led IUPUI with 6.8. The big men you will find, and there are some actually, are your rudimentary mid-level giants who usually possess the muscle tone of Kevin Durant and the post-up game of Muggsy Bogues. Besides that, Summit league big men are studs.

Predicted Champion. North Dakota State (#14 NCAA). Coincidentally this happens to be the very first season in which the Bison are postseason-eligible. But the Bison seem to be the consensus these days. And for good reason. The three-headed monster returning for the Bison all redshirted their freshman year so that they would be able to have an opportunity like this. The littlest of the fifth year senior trio, Ben Woodside, scored over 20 ppg last season while also dishing out over 5 feeds. At 5′10, Woodside is a very creative attacker and gauging from the few times I have seen him play in person, he will hoist from anywhere, anytime. The giant of the group is Brett Winkelman, all 6′6 of him. While you already know he’s a terror on the glass, he’s also quite the assassin on the perimeter, hitting 43.8% of his threes last year. Winkleman is an efficient player and one not to shy away from the dirty work. He’d be in any team’s rotation. 6′4 Mike Nelson is the third head of this Bison monster. Often overlooked because of the other two, Nelson just goes about his business, you know, the usual 46.1% from downtown, 13.8 ppg, and 32 mpg. Not a shabby third option. All numbers aside, this Bison squad is downright hungry. They’re ready for the limelight, ready for the Summit league tourney.

Others considered. Oral Roberts, the Summit League representative in the tourney the previous three years, will always be in the discussion for the title. Oral Roberts consistently plays defense year in and year out the way it should be played: stay between your man and the basket. Alright, that may not be their textbook philosophy on defense, but a casual fan watching this team would probably not argue against it actually being THE PHILOSOPHY. Offensively speaking, combo guard Robert Jarvis and forward Marcus Lewis are the only returning players that averaged north of 5 ppg last season. Jarvis is a star though. He’s without a doubt the most streaky player in the conference (16.1 ppg in 29 mpg…off the bench). I’m not real sure Oral Roberts can survive the shoot first mentality of Jarvis as their point guard, but it sure looks like that will be their only chance to make it 4 straight tourney appearances.

Oakland finished third in the conference in 2008. They have one heck of an opening stretch of road games to begin the year. If they can come out of it with an upset or three, it might just be all the confidence this team needs to make a run. Scoring the ball is not a concern for head coach Greg Kampe. Guards Johnathon Jones, Erik Kangas and Derick Nelson all averaged over 14 ppg last season. Nelson has a tendency to try to do too much, but when he plays within himself, he can hurt you in a variety of ways, whether it’s on the offensive glass, in transition, or with an occasional trey. Defense and rebounding seem to be the problem for this team, especially up front. They can usually get away with lackluster defensive lapses against the weaker teams, but losing four out of five to last year’s strongholds IUPUI and Oral Roberts should be an indication of what Oakland must drastically improve on to legitimately be considered a threat . A pair of highly touted freshman (as opposed to lowly touted), 6′9 Jay Thames and 7′0 Ilija Milutinovic, hope to give this lacking front line a boost. Ilija, says coach Kampe, might be just what the doctor ordered: “There is a lot of hype with him and we have never had this much hype about a recruit before. He turned down six figures to play professionally in Serbia because he wants to go to the NBA.” Kampe later referred to Ilija as “very comparable” to Darko Milicic. I’m still not sure what to make of that.

—-

For more, visit Rush the Court.

They have everything covered.

Post from: EveryJoe

Summit League Preview

I equate 40% from the long line with a .300 batting average, or close to it. Obviously the number of at bats, or in this case, three point attempts, figures into how consistent a player performs. Usually a player who can exhibit the ability to hit threes at around a 40% clip will more than likely shoot close to a 100 threes in a season, if not more (the usual). That’s essentially what happened last year in the Summit.

IUPUI, the regular and postseason runner up to Oral Roberts last year, shot a collective 42.3% from the three, good for 2nd best in the nation. North Dakota State’s 40.7% was good for 7th best in the nation (NDSU was not full fledged member of DI yet, so it’s not official).

The Summit League as a whole shot a collective 36.95% from downtown.

The Big Ten is the best conference that is closest in proximity to the Summit League. So we have the Big Ten to judge the Summit League by.

The Big Ten shot 34.89% from downtown (11 teams). *Also take into consideration that many of the Big Ten teams played more games than did most of the Summit League teams.

In fact, in terms of three point production, each team save Southern Utah averaged at least 5 made threes/gm.

The Summit as a whole made 6.359 three’s/gm.

The Big Ten made 6.746 three’s/gm (11 teams). *

This Summit may not make the most threes, but the overall percentage of their makes is sound.

Downtown relocation?

So how will the three point line change from 19 feet 9 inches to 20 feet 9 inches affect this guard oriented league? Certainly teams will not throw it inside more frequently because of the lack of competent post players in the Summit. However, we could see the more capable guards drive the lane and, as defenses adjust by playing better help defense, kick the ball out to lethal outside shooters that just may happen to have some more space to work with.

Oakland Head Coach Greg Kampe sumed up why the line change won’t really be that big of a deal for one of his deep threats, “Most of the ones that (Erik) Kangas takes are a foot back anyway.”

The same can be said for many of the outstanding long ball shooters around the country.

So the toughest adjustment might have to be made by the defense. Can a pedestrian style of zone defense be able to get a hand in the face of the shooters that have an extra foot of hardwood to drift back to?

Certainly an overzealous zone defense allows capable slashers to slice into the zone to find open teammates, inside and outside.

The line change will ultimately force teams to play a little bit more aggressively when playing zone. Good defenses could, however, feast on sloppy teams with inexperienced point guards, making the aggressive zone defense a key facet in their overall game plan. Methodical half court style teams prone to turnovers could play right into the hands of a defense’s desire of forcing the offensive action farther and farther away from the basket.

I’m not sure I simplified anything with this diatribe. Using the Big Ten as a basketball model is probably like using T.O. as a model of humbleness.

Anyhoo, basically the Summit League is full of guards aplenty. Real good ones too, who, for the most part, will make you pay from downtown.

ESPN ShootAround- Summit preview from August.

Post from: EveryJoe

Getting to know the Summit League (III)

His health is a prime concern right now. Will he be ready for the beginning of the season?

Looks as if the early season schedule will allow Pitt to take it slow with Fields.

Friday, Nov. 14
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON
Petersen Events Center
TBA

Monday, Nov. 17
MIAMI, Ohio
Petersen Events Center
TBA

Friday, Nov. 21
Legends Classic vs. AKRON
Petersen Events Center
TBA

Saturday, Nov. 22
Legends Classic vs. IUP
Petersen Events Center
TBA

Tuesday, Nov. 25
BELMONT
Petersen Events Center
TBA

Forward DeJuan Blair had an impressive rookie season last year, posting 11.6 ppg and 9.1 reb/gm.

Guy Junker and Jon Burton had the low-down on the seventh straight tourney appearance for the Panthers.

Post from: EveryJoe

Pitt Panthers highlights