Saturday, March 20, 2010
Jim Boeheim looking as bored as anyone that actually watched games Friday.
Leading off
I'm bleary eyed and happy this morning as I was reminded why the NCAA Tournament is so fun.This will be a mildly abbreviated day guide as I'm leaving early for my fantasy baseball auction.
What to look forward to today
St. Mary's vs. Villanova - Will the Wildcats bounce back?
Fearless Prediction of the day
(1-for-2 so far)
Washington over New Mexico.
Questions I don't know the answer to:
What has to happen for Oliver Purnell to be on the hot seat? Is playing a lousy schedule and getting bounced in the first round every year good enough at Clemson?
Links:
Wetzel was bored on Friday.
Buzzer beaters:
Somehow the Pac 10 is 2-0.
...4 hours til tip...
Friday, March 19, 2010
The little guys put college basketball on their shoulders Thursday.
Leading off
I'm bleary eyed and happy this morning as I was reminded why the NCAA Tournament is so fun.
If the NCAA Tournament had 96 teams Villanova would have had a bye instead of hanging on for dear life against Robert Morris. Ohio and Murray State might have been playing each other. Texas and Wake Forest were so even that they went to overtime, but the Longhorns would have had a bye in a 96-team field.
What to look forward to today
The possibility that today could be anywhere near as good as yesterday.
Fearless Prediction of the day
(1-for-1 so far)
Temple beats Cornell.
UMass connected games:
Travis Ford's OK State vs. Georgia Tech
Questions I don't know the answer to:
How does Texas blow an eight-point lead in overtime?
Obama vs. Vautour II
vs. 
I'm leading the president 13-12. Plus he had Georgetown in the Elite Eight and I had the Hoyas losing to Tennessee on Saturday.
On the home front my wife is 10-6, which is bad news for her because I hold bragging rights. Both the Pres and Mrs. V would have been crushed if Robert Morris had got fair treatment from the refs.
Links:
Wetzel called it the best first day ever.
Mark Schlabach agrees. Well everyone does, but Schlabach writes so here.
Gary Parrish too.
Buzzer beaters:
The only thing that could top yesterday is a win today by a No. 16 or 15 seed.You could fill a lot of One Shining Moment from Thursday alone.
...4 hours til tip...
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Evan Turner might not be done celebrating.
Leading off
Happy bracket day. At some point today, the nation will be introduced to a player who had been previously anonymous. Maybe he'll hit a buzzer beater. Maybe he'll hit five second-half 3-pointers in an upset.
I love knowing as I sit at Buffalo Wild Wings this afternoon watching four games at a time, that there are people in sports bars from Portland, Maine to San Diego doing the same thing.
Other than maybe the World Cup, there is no more perfect sporting event.
I'll be tweeting (I love Twitter, hate the word tweeting) during the early games today. Check it out here.
What to look forward to today
Florida vs. BYU - It's the first good game in a day filled with them.
Fearless Prediction of the day
Washington over Marquette
UMass connected games:
Tony Barbee's NCAA Tournament debut vs. Butler at 4:45
Kentucky and Calipari vs. East Tennessee at 7:15
Questions I don't know the answer to:
Who wants the DePaul job?
Obama vs. Vautour II
vs.
I edged the president last year. He'll try to get even.
Obama's bracket. The President has the same Final Four as my wife. Not sure what that means, but I'm throwing that out there.
My bracket.
Links:
An underdog outfitting an underdog.
Pete Thamel looks at Derrick Caracter's transformation at UTEP.
Wetzel says the field is wide open.
Jimmer Fredette could become a national name today.
Buzzer beaters:
Is this Tony Barbee's final run at UTEP? The ex-Minuteman player and assistant coach is being mentioned for several open jobs.
...4 hours til tip...
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
While the Minutemen won't be in the Field of 65, there are nineschools with UMass connections:
1. Kentucky - Former head coach John Calipari is the coach. Former assistant coach John Robic is an assistant coach.
2. Oklahoma State - Former head coach Travis Ford is the coach.
3. UTEP - Former star guard Tony Barbee is the coach. Former UMass player Mike Babul is an assistant coach.
4. Baylor - Former A.D. Ian McCaw is the A.D., former S.I.D. Nick Joos is the S.I.D.
5. Cornell - Former reserve guard Max Groebe is a reserve guard.
6. Villanova - Former assistant coach Chris Walker is an assistant coach.
7. Vermont - Former UMass wing Matt Glass is sitting out as a transfer.
8. Texas - Former UMass S.I.D. Scott McConnell is the S.I.D.
9. Louisville - Former UMass player Rick Pitino coaches there.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
I created a group on the ESPN Bracket Challenge.
Beat me and you'll have the extreme honor of having your name right here on this very blog.
Prestigious?
You betcha.
Get in the action now:
http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/group?groupID=90767
Group: Gazette UMass Coverage
Finish first and I'll send some random free swag your way (UMass nerds will appreciate this stuff like old UMass scorecards or media guides). It's guaranteed to have very little actual value, but you can display it like the Stanley Cup.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
West Virginia might not be done cutting down nets..
Leading off
I still think its a bad idea to have a 3:30 p.m. game on Selection
Sunday. Creating a bracket isn't easy and the committee will
essentially have to make two today. One with Minnesota in and one with
them out.
What to look forward to today
Brackets!
Prediction of the day
Temple wins its third straight A-10 title.
Bubble guide:
Mississippi State vs. Kentucky - MSU might have done enough already. URI etc. is rooting for a Kentucky win by about 30.
Minnesota vs. Ohio State -The Golden Gophers have other bubble team nervous.
Questions I don't know the answer to:
Could Utah State get a bid?
Buzzer beaters
Ohio State and West Virginia have officially established themselves as championship contenders.
...13 hours til UMass-Richmond...
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Refresh for updates from UMass vs. Richmond at Boardwalk Hall. Click on "GazetteUMass" on the Twitter widget for older posts.
Friday, March 12, 2010
From UMass:
The UMass-Richmond A-10 Quarterfinal game tonight will be carried on
Channel 283 on Comcast Cable in Western Massachusetts at 9 p.m.
Additionally, the game will be on Fox Sports Ohio Cincinnati, which is Channel 661 on DirecTV and 427 on Dish Network.
Friday, March 12, 2010
"There's going to be a rumble down on the promenade." - Bruce Springsteen in Atlantic City.
West Virginia needed a buzzer-beater to be the only top seed to advance at MSG.
Leading off
With two teams fighting for spots and three playing to improve their seeds, this is the most interesting Atlantic 10 Tournament in years.
What to look forward to today
A whole bunch of bubble games.
Prediction of the day
SLU finishes off Rhody.
Bubble guide:
San Diego State vs New Mexico - The Aztecs might be in already. This would solidify it.
UNLV vs. BYU -Same scenario at SD State.
Tennessee vs. Ole Miss - The Rebels' spot is far from solidified.
Illinois vs. Wisconsin - A win puts the Illini in. A loss and they're sweating.
Rhode Island vs. Saint Louis - A win probably gets URI in. SLU would likely need at least one more.
Dayton vs. Xavier - A win puts Dayton in great shape, especially if Richmond beats UMass because it wouldn't hurt much if the Flyers lost to the Spiders in the semis. But would Dayton still get in, if it beat X and then lost to UMass?
Tulsa vs. UTEP - After losses by Memphis and UAB, UTEP has become like Butler. Bubble teams need it to win to keep somebody else from stealing a bid. The Golden Hurricanes, who were picked to win CUSA before the season, could be the most likely to pick off the Miners, especially with the tournament in Tulsa.
Georgia Tech vs. Maryland -The Yellow Jackets could use at least one more to solidify their spot.
Florida vs. Mississippi State -Loser is out.
Stanford vs. Washington -It actually hurts the Huskies that Arizona State lost to Stanford because a loss to Stanford would be far more damaging than a loss to ASU. A loss today could send the Huskies to the NIT.
Questions I don't know the answer to:
Could Northwestern get at-large consideration if it makes the final?
Buzzer beaters
It hasn't gotten much attention because Arizona was never really in consideration this year. But the Wildcats' 25-year streak of making the NCAA Tournament is over.
...13 hours til UMass-Richmond...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Ankle tackling was about the only way Weber State could slow Montana's Anthony Johnson.
Leading off
The double bye was supposed to be a huge advantage for the higher seeds in the Big East Tournament, but don't be surprised if there's more than one upset today at Madison Square Garden.
What to look forward to today
The ACC, SEC and Big Ten tournaments get underway.
Prediction of the day
North Carolia will beat Georgia Tech today.
Notre Dame over Pitt.
Bubble guide:
Houston vs. Memphis - The Tigers could benefit from the weak bubble, but they can't afford a slip-up here.
Southern Miss vs. UAB - The Blazers are in similar shape to Memphis.
North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech - A loss here would make for a very long three days for the Yellow Jackets wondering if their spot was safe.
Stanford vs. Arizona State/Oregon State at Washington - The weak bubble has both ASU and UW back in play for bids, but losses today would end that in a hurry.
Questions I don't know the answer to:
If Oregon somehow won the Pac 10 Tournament, would Ernie Kent's job be spared?
Did Yahoo Sports really need seven pictures of Nick Lachey watching Cincy in its college basketball gallery?
Is Greg McDermott predicting his team's result here?
Link
Michael Wilbon thinks the lack of a truly great team could make March madder than usual.
Dallas Green's legend is growing at Robert Morris.
Michael Rosenberg looks at Tom Izzo's fear of failure.
Buzzer beaters
Anthony Johnson had 34 of his 42 points in the second half for Montana, who beat Weber State for the Big Sky Championship. The Grizzlies will not be a popular upset pick when the brackets come out Sunday. Check out Johnson's backstory here.
...36 hours til UMass-Richmond...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
For every UMass men's basketball game this season, I'll be giving out three stars to the top three performers from the Minutemen and keeping track of who earns the most three star points over the course of the season.I'm putting a little extra weight on No. 1. So a No. 1 star is worth 5 points. A No. 2 is worth three and a No. 3 is worth 2.
Three Stars from UMass vs. Charlotte
No. 1 - Ricky Harris -The senior guard is leaving everything he has on the floor to keep his career going.
No. 2 - Terrell Vinson - He continues to make big plays in big spots.
No. 3 - Hashim "Big City" Bailey - After fading lately, the junior big man made the most of his minutes again.
Season-to-date points:
Ricky Harris - 66
Anthony Gurley - 44
Terrell Vinson - 36
Sean Carter - 19
Freddie Riley - 18
Javorn Farrell - 18
Hashim Bailey - 17
Sampson Carter - 8
Gary Correia - 5
David Gibbis-2
Matt Hill - 2
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Refresh for updates from UMass vs. Charlotte at Halton Arena. Click on "GazetteUMass" on the Twitter widget for older posts.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Bubble teams around the nation celebrated with Old Dominion fans.
Leading off
On my plane to North Carolina, I sat next to a Rhode Island grad/fan who was still smarting from Ricky Harris' game-winning shot Saturday. But more interesting to me was that he originally planned on going to Atlantic City for the A-10 Tournament. When Rhody didn't earn a bye, he didn't want to reserve a room and buy tickets with no certainty that his team would be there. I asked if he planned to go if URI beat St. Joe's, he said he didn't want to leave the weekend open and made other plans.
I'm guessing he's not alone. And considering this is coming from a fan who could drive there, I can only imagine that Dayton and Charlotte fans are in the same boat.
I've said it and written it before: First round games at campus sites is a bad idea. It was stupid the last time the A-10 did it and it's still stupid now.
What to look forward to today
The opening of the Big East Tournament at MSG.
Prediction of the day
Rutgers picks off Cincy, ending the Bearcats hopes.
Bubble guide:
Butler vs. Wright State - Butler is obviously in. Wright State could steal a bid.
Saint Joseph's at Rhode Island - The bubble is soft enough for the Rams to still get a bid with a little run.
UMass at Charlotte - The 49ers are a long shot now. But maybe a trip to the finals gets them consideration.
George Washington at Dayton -See Rhody.
UConn vs. St. John's - The Huskies are a long shot now. But there are opportunities for big wins in New York.
Seton Hall vs. Providence - The Pirates could earn a bid with a run.
Cincinnati vs. Rutgers -The Knights could end Cincy's hopes. The Bearcats can end the Fred Hill era.
South Florida vs. DePaul - The Bulls better get this one.
Questions I don't know the answer to:
Will Charlotte play well tonight at home or have the 49ers run out of gas?
Links
Pete Thamel looks at the connection between financial committment to success in the Big East. The teams with the biggest and smallest investments in basketball may surprise you.
Mike DeCourcy looks at the coaching performance of Jim Boeheim this year.
Buzzer beaters
The best arguement for not expanding the NCAA Tournament is how bad this year's bubble is.
...9 hours til UMass-Charlotte...
Monday, March 8, 2010
A lot of trophies to be had this week.
Leading off
Welcome to Day One of Year Four of the Day Guide. Every day when conference tournaments or NCAA Tournament games are play, I'll post a primer on the day's action before 11 a.m. The only exception Wednesday or any other early travel day.
What to look forward to today
William & Mary vs. Old Dominon, CAA Final- The Tribe is one of a small handful of schools who've been Division I since there has been an NCAA Tournament, that has never earned a bid. It'd be fun to see them pull off the upset.
Prediction of the day
IUPUI and Oakland earn spots in the Summit finals.
Bubble guide:
W&M at ODU - Old Dominion has a shot at an large bid if it loses. Bubble Teams are pulling hard for the Monarchs.
Gonzaga vs. St. Mary's - Most bracket predictors seem to think St. Mary's with no signature wins has already done enough to clinch a bid. I'm not so sure. Bubble teams are rooting for a Gonzaga rout.
Questions I don't know the answer to:
If DePaul were to somehow win the Big East Tournament (it's not going to happn; this is strictly hypothetical), would they be in the play-in game? I realize the Blue Demons' RPI would be too good, but shouldn't any team with a losing record have to play in the play-in game? If not, what would its seed be?
Top 24
1. Kansas
2. Kentucky
3. Syracuse
4. Purdue
5. Duke
6. Ohio State
7. Michigan State
8. Kansas State
9. West Virginia
10. New Mexico
11. Butler
12. Pitt
13. Tennessee
14. Temple
15. Villanova
16. Wisconsin
17. Gonzaga
18. Vanderbilt
19. UTEP
20. BYU
21. Texas A&M
22. Maryland
23. Georgetown
24. Baylor
Links
Nice Ricky Harris story in the Baltimore Sun.
Mike Celizic is excited for championship week.
Buzzer beaters
Boston University's win over Stony Brook Sunday ensures New England at least one NCAA bid. The Terriers will play Vermont for the America East title. According to friend of the blog Dave Guthro, New England has had at least one team since 1971.
...34 hours til UMass-Charlotte...
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Ricky Harris was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Third-Team Sunday. He was the only Minuteman honored. I thought Vinson had a chance to be all-rookie, but he wasn't consistent enough apparently.
2009-10 ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First-Team
Kevin Anderson, Richmond
Lavoy Allen, Temple
Jordan Crawford, Xavier
Damian Saunders, Duquesne
Chris Wright, Dayton
Second-Team
Ryan Brooks, Temple
David Gonzalvez, Richmond
Rodney Green, La Salle
Kwamain Mitchell, Saint Louis
Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Third-Team
Keith Cothran, Rhode Island
Ricky Harris, Massachusetts
Delroy James, Rhode Island
Jason Love, Xavier
Shamari Spears, Charlotte
Honorable Mention
Juan Fernandez, Temple
Damian Hollis, George Washington
Willie Reed, Saint Louis
Rookie Team
Chris Braswell, Charlotte
Cody Ellis, Saint Louis
Chris Gaston, Fordham
Lasan Kromah, George Washington
Aaric Murray, La Salle
Akeem Richmond, Rhode Island
Defensive Team
Lavoy Allen, Temple
David Gonzalvez, Richmond
Damian Saunders, Duquesne
London Warren, Dayton
Garrett Williamson, Saint Joseph’s
Player of the Year: Kevin Anderson, Richmond
Rookie of the Year: Chris Gaston, Fordham
Defensive Player of the Year: Damian Saunders, Duquesne
Chris Daniels Most Improved Player of the Year: Chris Johnson, Dayton
Sixth Man of the Year: Ramone Moore, Temple
Student-Athlete of the Year: Yves Mekongo, La Salle
Coach of the Year: Fran Dunphy, Temple
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Saturday was a huge day in UMass sports. Now the reason it was a huge day was because the men's hoop and hockey teams had disappointing Februarys. But putting that aside, it was a pretty fun day.
Hoop
* I think most UMass fans would rather consider Boston College their top hoop rival, but in truth there is no more natural rival than Rhode Island. The last two regular seasons have ended with UMass beating the Rams at the buzzer to deal a hugeblow to the Rams at-large bid hopes.
* Javorn Farrell continues to be emerge as a glue guy. In addition to 12 points including a couple of big second half shots, Farrell blocked shots and continued to pace UMass with his hustle.
* Sampson Carter continued to play better.
* After getting whipped at Dayton, Wednesday, I'm guessing UMass is glad to get Charlotte.
Hockey
* The Minutemen seemed to have found themselves as they dominated to wins at Maine.
* UMass is a long shot to win the Hockey East championship, but you can be certain Boston College is less than enthusiastic about facing the suddenly resurgent Minutemen.
* Brett Watson is not a scorer. But he's been a great captain in recent years for the Minutemen. They've badly needed scoring and he's had a goal in each of the last three games as he tries to will his team back to life.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
For every UMass men's basketball game this season, I'll be giving out three stars to the top three performers from the Minutemen and keeping track of who earns the most three star points over the course of the season.I'm putting a little extra weight on No. 1. So a No. 1 star is worth 5 points. A No. 2 is worth three and a No. 3 is worth 2.
Three Stars from UMass vs. URI
No. 1 - Ricky Harris - Easiest choice to make this season. Harris was terrific in the second half and made the game winning shot.
No. 2 - Javorn Farrell - His 12 points matched a career high. But more than that his hustle play gave UMass a lift again.
No. 3 - Terrell Vinson - Lots of candidates for No. 3, but Vinson, who had a huge mometum tip in in the second half as well as a good all-around game earns the spot.
Season-to-date points:
Ricky Harris - 61
Anthony Gurley - 44
Terrell Vinson - 33
Sean Carter - 19
Freddie Riley - 18
Javorn Farrell - 18
Hashim Bailey - 15
Sampson Carter - 8
Gary Correia - 5
David Gibbis-2
Matt Hill - 2
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Refresh for updates from UMass vs.Rhode Island at the Mullins Center. Click on "GazetteUMass" on the Twitter widget for older posts.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
It's a big day for UMass sports with the conference tournament fates of both men's basketball and hockey hanging in the balance.
Let's start with hockey. The Minutemen dominated at Maine in a 5-2 win that was a huge boost to the ability to make the Hockey East Tournament. The easiest way UMass clinches a spot is to finish tied or ahead of Vermont. Both teams have 24 points. So whatever Vermont does aganst Lowell, UMass has to do the same or better, which could create an interesting scenario.
If UMass is tied with two minutes left in Maine and Vermont is beating Lowell, the Minutemen could be forced to pull the goalie in a tie game. If UMass is tied and Vermont is tied, the Catamounts might have to pull the goalie.
I'm curious what each team is doing to keep track of the score of the other game. Do they have someone there with a cell phone?
Things are far more simple in hoop. If they upset Rhode Island, they're in. If La Salle beats St. Joe's, the Minutemen are in. If neither happens, they're out.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Minuteman freshman forward Terrell Vinson will play despite suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday's loss to La Salle.
Both UMass coach Derek Kellogg and Vinson himself confirmed his availability.
