Yahoo Sports photo Marquette continues to point in a positive directions. Tipping off Is there a more underrated coach in the country than Buzz Williams. He's not quite a revered veteran older coaching and he's not a young up-and-comer. He just wins, with underrecruited guys in one of the nation's top conference every year. Links : Dana O'Neil on the rise of La Salle. "Six programs call the Philadelphia area home -- Villanova, Temple, Drexel, Penn, Saint Joseph's and La Salle. In a lot of
By MATT VAUTOUR
Monday, March 25, 2013
Yahoo Sports photo FGSU became the latest No. 15 to upset a No. 2. Tipping off It's a matter of when now, not if. A No. 16 seed is eventually going to beat a No. 1. The first days of this tournament didn't have such an upset,but it allbut guaranteed that day is coming. Southern nearly knocked off Gonzaga and Western Kentucky despite not playing especially well, came within a few made shots of beating Kansas. It's coming soon. Links : John Thompson III
Richmond Times Dispatch photo VCU scored at will against an undermanned Akron team. Tipping off One day into the tournament and the Atlantic 10 looks pretty good. For all the raving about the Mountain West, the MWC has already lost UNLV, Boise and New Mexico. Only Boise didn't lose to a lower seed. Colorado State and San Diego State are all that's remaining to carry the conference banner. Meanwhile the Atlantic 10 has looked terrific. VCU delivered one of the most dominant performances of
By MATT VAUTOUR
Friday, March 22, 2013
Will anybody be able to chomp on Louisville? Tipping off I know that the NCAA Tournament in theory started on Tuesday with the play-in games but in reality, today is the day. As a sports fan, this is my favorite day of the year. Sixteen games, upsets (likely), buzzer-beaters (hopefully) a lot of basketball and deliciously unhealthy food. Links : Michigan State fans have been buying South Dakota State gear to root against Michigan. This story made me change my bracket Sports Illustrated power
By MATT VAUTOUR
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
After Xavier and Butler finally confirmed their long expected departure from the Atlantic 10 to go to the new Big East, Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade released a statement: “I wish Xavier University and Butler University all the best in their new conference. They are two outstanding universities with outstanding people; our partnership has been mutually beneficial and successful. As a longtime strong A-10 member, Xavier’s departure is unfortunate. Butler’s departure is a by-product of the chaotic conference realignment environment. BU’s association with the A-10
By MATT VAUTOUR
Saturday, March 16, 2013
NEW YORK – With their fate out of their hands following Saturday’s 71-62 loss to Virginia Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts players and coaches made their case for an at-large bid when the NCAA Tournament field is announced Sunday at 6 p.m. “The question I would ask is do we pass the eye test. You can take the BPI, the RPI, the CPI whatever you want to call it. But if you watch us play against George Washington, Temple, Xavier, Butler and then today against a
By MATT VAUTOUR
Saturday, March 16, 2013
"New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made, oh - There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York These streets will make you feel brand new Big lights will inspire you, let's hear it for New York" - Alicia Keyes - Empire State of Mind Tipping off I don't think it will affect the selection process, but I have to believe that CBS is hoping the Minutemen make the NCAA Tournament. UMass, especially Chaz Williams, makes for good television. I obviously wasn't watching
By MATT VAUTOUR
Saturday, March 16, 2013
There's a lot of basketball to be played between now and Selection Sunday, but when the bracket gets revealed UMass can watch the show with hope. It's been 15 years since the Minutemen watch the field come out with any hope of inclusion. CBS Sports' Jerry Palm moved the Minutemen into his field projection after the win. ESPN's Joe Lunard had UMass as "Possible, not probable." and had UMass in the "next four out." USA Today had UMass in the first four our before the
"Take your dreams and stretch them out on the street Take your turn to get back on your feet"- Nazareth - Last Exit to Brooklyn Tipping off Welcome to bonus rivalry day. The UMass-Temple and Syracuse-Georgetown rivalries appeared to be lost to history and conference realignments. But today about six miles apart in New York City, the teams will meet one more time. On top of that Notre Dame and Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois and Maryland and Duke will play rematch of
By MATT VAUTOUR
Thursday, March 14, 2013
For as long as today’s story on Freddie Riley was, there’s was a lot more that didn’t make it into the final story. So if you finished reading and still felt hungry… Riley has long been one of my favorite interviews on the Minutemen. He’s honest, which is not to say some people aren’t, but a lot of athletes are either bland of very careful not to expose any vulnerability. Riley comes off insightful and interesting. We did most of the interview after UMass’ win over
