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Ask any college basketball fan what the best game of the week is and you most likely will not get “BYU vs. San Diego State” as a common answer. Even though it is a matchup of two Top 10 teams, the college basketball world’s focus has not necessarily been on the Cougars or the Aztecs so far this season. BYU’s star guard Jimmer Fredette has gotten a lot of attention, however his team has not gotten the credit it deserves. San Diego State, one of only two undefeated teams in college basketball, also has flown under the radar. They do get press, but tell me the last time the 4th ranked team in the country has flown under the radar as much as San Diego State has. That being said, I have already dissected San Diego State in a post I wrote back in early December. Now we turn to the 19-1, Jimmer Fredette led and 9th ranked team in the country BYU.
The best team to compare BYU to may in-fact be the 2003-2004 St. Joe’s squad led by Jameer Nelson that lost in the Elite Eight to Oklahoma State. That team lost only one game (a week before the NCAA Tournament) and became just the third team since the expansion of the NCAA Tournament to clinch a 1-seed from the Atlantic 10 conference. St. Joe’s may be the better comparison overall, but the 2007-2008 Davidson Wildcats are a more relevant comparison due to the stars players that are pictured above together. Jameer Nelson was good for St. Joe’s, but he was not on the level that Stephen Curry was when he nearly took Davidson to the 2008 Final Four. Curry and BYU star Jimmer Fredette are just one of many similarities that this year’s BYU team, and the 2007-2008 Davidson team have in common.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Before we begin to break down the key elements in comparing these two teams, we need to take a look at the big picture. Below is a chart that compares the two teams as of January 23rd of their respected years.
The only part that may seem like a stretch is the area of comparing schedules. Davidson played one of the hardest non-conference schedules in the history of college basketball back in the 2007-2008 season. Even though they lost all of the games, Davidson had chances to knock off all four of their non-conference juggernaut opponents. Due to their strong out-of-conference schedule, it makes both teams schedules easier to compare. Some of the categories, including schedules, are similar and easy to compare between the two, but three areas of the chart above contain the biggest similarities between BYU and the 2007-2008 Davidson Wildcats. The three things to look at when comparing these two teams are their past NCAA Tournament experiences, their star players, and their important yet unheralded supporting casts.
PAST NCAA TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCES
Both teams are similar in the aspect that they were, and are, led by experienced coaches, and more importantly were and are only a year removed from a tough early exit in the NCAA Tournament. Davidson was just another team for Maryland and legendary coach Gary Williams to knock off back in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. This is when the nation learned who Stephen Curry was. Curry, a freshman at the time, lit up 4-seeded Maryland for 30 points in a hard fought battle in a first round game in Buffalo. Unfortunately for Davidson, they didn’t have the experience and depth required to knock off a top team in Maryland.
In Jimmer Fredette’s first two NCAA Tournament games he scored a combined 28 points, in two losses in the 8-seed vs. 9-seed matchup against Texas A&M. The breakout game for Fredette came last year as he led BYU with 37 points as the Cougars knocked off 10-seed Florida 99-92 in double overtime. Against Kansas State, much like Davidson against Maryland, BYU was overpowered by the relentless up-tempo attack of Frank Martin’s Wildcats. Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen were the best players on the floor that day, not Jimmer Fredette and his 21 points. BYU would get blown out of the gym in the second half as they lost 84-72 to 2-seeded Kansas State. Davidson returned in the 2008 NCAA Tournament with a deep and battle-tested team led by a star in Stephen Curry. The result? Well the result was Davidson nearly upsetting eventual National Champion Kansas in the Elite Eight.
Past experiences fueled Davidson’s magical run as a 10-seed all the way to the Elite Eight. Had Davidson knocked off Kansas, they would’ve had a rematch with North Carolina and a chance to make the National Championship. Even though Jason Richards game-winning shot against Kansas didn’t go in, the Wildcats will always be one of the most memorable teams in college basketball history. Just like Davidson, BYU will use past NCAA Tournament experiences to spark their run to eternal glory in March.
BYU AND DAVIDSON’S STAR PLAYERS
An “I” does not exist in the word team, but there for sure can be a “star” in team. That is exactly what Stephen Curry and Jimmer Fredette were and are to their teams: star players. We will get into the depths of their respective teams, but without Stephen Curry and Jimmer Fredette, Davidson and BYU wouldn’t be relevant towards elite college basketball discussion. Both players can simply be described as a type of glue that keeps, or kept in the case of Curry, together. For those who don’t think star players are that important, simply look at the Cleveland Cavaliers of this current NBA season. After LeBron James left, the team went from the best record in the NBA to being on pace for the worst record in the NBA. There are good pieces on the team, but without the glue and the driving force, they are all but nothing in terms of winning basketball games. Sure teams can win with a team of well balanced players, but a team with a solid supporting cast led by an all-world star like Stephen Curry and Jimmer Fredette are pretty tough to stop. What makes these two players so good though?
Fredette and Curry are very similar players, even Stephen Curry has gone as far to say that he thinks Fredette’s game and skills will allow him to succeed in the NBA. Before going into the NBA Curry had a lot of question marks on whether he had the necessary set of skills to be as successful at the professional as he was in college. The knock on Curry was that he didn’t have the athleticism or explosiveness to succeed at the NBA level. That along with his his slim build and lack of knowledge of the point guard game made him a slight risk in the NBA Draft. The Golden State Warriors “gambled” on Curry with the 7th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft and they would go on to not regret that decision. In his one and a half years of NBA basketball, Curry has started almost every game he has played in, averaged just under 20 points per game and has shot nearly 50% from the floor. For a 20-year old still playing in his second season, it sure seems like those “weaknesses” aren’t quite holding him back. Obviously Curry’s strengths have made him a force in the NBA, the same strengths that made him nearly unstoppable in college. Curry had outstanding ball control and passing ability, but it was his shooting ability that separated him from the rest while at Davidson. There was no fear in the eyes of Curry when he shot the ball, only fear in the eyes of his defenders. Using a lightning quick, yet consistent, release, Curry made it hard for his defenders to contest any of the shots he took. What also made Curry so dangerous was his ability to create his own scoring opportunities. Whether it was threading two defenders in the paint or taking a long-distance three off the dribble, it was simple – Curry found ways to score. No matter where Curry was on the floor, he could score, and that ability made his defenders crumble into nothing. Just ask Wisconsin about how hard it was to guard Curry in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
Stephen Curry made defenders hesitate with his incredible ball and shot fakes, but his quick and precise passing skills were always a worry for his defenders. With teammates who could also find ways to score, Curry had no problem distributing the ball and getting others involved. The skill set he possessed in college was one of a kind, and was a big part of the 32 points per game he averaged during Davidson’s run to the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The question is however, how similar is Jimmer Fredette to Stephen Curry? The answer to that is pretty clear: very similar.
The “weaknesses” that NBA scouts say Jimmer Fredette has are virtually the same as the ones Stephen Curry apparently had during his college career. Fredette is said to have sub-par athleticism and lateral quickness while on the court. If you watch a BYU game, though, you’ll see that if those are indeed his weak points that no one has learned how to exploit them. Jimmer Fredette has consistently found ways to light teams up over the span of the last year as he averaged just under 25 points per game. Just like Curry, Jimmer Fredette finds and creates ways to score on every area of the floor. His range is unlimited when he is shooting. Not just unlimited “with the shot clock winding down” range either, no matter what the clock says, if Jimmer thinks he will make the shot he will take it. TCU learned that the hard way in a game earlier this season.
Much like Curry, he also uses an accurate, consistent and quick release that throws his defenders off and makes him nearly impossible to guard. However, once again much like Stephen Curry, it is Jimmer’s ability to force defenders to guess if he will pass or shoot it when he has the ball. With fast developing point guard skills, Jimmer has turned into a top notch passer and is able to get his large supporting cast involved at any given moment of a game. The only difference between Stephen Curry and Jimmer Fredette is that they have very different builds. In college, and even now in the NBA, Curry had a very slim build and didn’t have the ability to over power any of his defenders. This is not the case for Jimmer Fredette who compliments his precise shooting and passing with superior strength. One of the reasons Fredette can be a force driving to the basket is because he explodes, not just with speed but, with size that allows him to score even with contact. NBA scouts have pointed out that Jimmer is one of the best conditioned players in college basketball, something that has become evident late in games. Jimmer is able to wear down his opponents with his strength and power, while at the same time keeping up his unmatched intensity and consistent shooting.
The biggest similarity between BYU and the 2007-2008 Davidson Wildcats appears to be Jimmer Fredette and Stephen. Both players have similar statistics, similar skills and a similar ability to lead teams to victory. The biggest key in Davidson’s run to the Elite Eight was Stephen Curry’s ability to dominate and take over any game, with Jimmer Fredette, BYU has that same exact opportunity.
THE SUPPORTING CASTS AT DAVIDSON AND BYU
As mentioned earlier, Stephen Curry and Jimmer Fredette have acted like the glue that keeps the pieces of their respected teams together. That is a key in the success of Davidson and BYU, however if those pieces being held together are nothing more than glorified bench warmers then nothing really matters. Without an incredible supporting cast at Davidson, Stephen Curry would most likely not have been as productive and would for sure never have made an unforgettable run through the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Just ask Stephen Curry was his final year at Davidson was like in the 2008-2009 season. With three of Davidson’s biggest contributors in Thomas Sander, Boris Meno and the nation’s leading assist man in Jason Richards all gone, the Wildcats struggled and failed to make the NCAA Tournament after they bowed out of the Souther Conference Tournament. Stephen Curry was, and Jimmer Fredette is, important to making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, but the supporting casts play just as big of a role.
At first glance, BYU appears to be a stronger all-around team than Davidson was back in the 2007-2008 season. This may be true statistically, but that Davidson team has one edge over the current BYU team: Jason Richards. Passing was an art form for Jason Richards, he averaged over 8 assists per game in the 2007-2008 season along with a not-so-bad 12.7 points per game. In the NCAA Tournament, Jason Richards averaged 9 assists per game and even dropped 13 dimes against Wisconsin in the Sweet Sixteen. Jason Richards didn’t just dish the ball to Stephen Curry in that NCAA Tournament, though. When needed, players like Andrew Lovedale, Thomas Sander, Boris Meno and Max Pauhlus Gosselin all were key contributors when needed for Davidson in their run to the Elite Eight.
Did those players make consistent noise throughout games? No they did not, but that wasn’t required of them. When Davidson needed a bucket, Lovedale would supply them with a huge dunk. When Davidson needed a momentum shifting shot, Pauhlus Gosselin would rain threes down on their opponents. None of the smaller contributors outside of Curry and Richards would hurt team for big double-digit scoring games, but they hit teams where it hurt at the right moment for the Wildcats. Davidson was not a team that went six players deep loaded with double-digit scorers, but they were a team with the right amount of production from almost every guy on their roster. That was the ingredient for success at Davidson, and it was almost enough to bring them to the Final Four. The focus was never on Stephen Curry’s supporting cast, and when teams finally learned how good of a team Davidson was, it was simply too late.
BYU is the same, all you hear about in the media is Jimmer Fredette. The headlines, stories and sports reports always talk about Jimmer Fredette and his ability to take over a game and score boat-loads of points. This is what has made BYU so dangerous at this point in the season. Much like Davidson back in the 2007-2008 season, BYU’s entire team is being overlooked when talked about as a serious NCAA Tournament contender. As the saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me once, hame on me.” Well if people around the country don’t start to realize how good of a team BYU is, they will be saying “shame on me” come NCAA Tournament time.
Where this BYU team differs from the 2007-2008 Davidson Wildcats is that they are as deep, but pack a lot more punch in the offensive department. Where BYU lacks in not having a world-class ball distributor in Jason Richards, they make up by having three stud offensive players in Jackson Emery, Brandon Davies and Noah Hartsock. Combined the three players have helped Jimmer Fredette guide BYU to an outstanding 19-1 start. Emery, Davies, Hartsock combine for an average of just under 35 points per game. Emery is a great compliment to Fredette at the guard position averaging 13 points and just under three assists per game. Standing both around six foot nine, Davies and Hartsock help BYU have a balanced attack inside and out on any given night. Much like Davidson had in Andrew Lovedale and Boris Meno, BYU has an outstanding shot blocker in Noah Hartsock, and a physical rebounder in Brandon Davies. Each player on BYU’s roster sees more than five minutes per game and contributes in their own way. What made Davidson so good in the 2007-2008 season, a deep team, is the same thing that is helping drive BYU to a serious contention for the National Championship in the 2010-2011 season.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There more comparisons between the Davidson squad of 2007-2008 and this BYU team, the more it becomes clear that their paths are very similar. From their stars in Stephen Curry and Jimmer Fredette, to their NCAA Tournament experience and to their very deep supporting cast of players, both teams pack an eerily similar punch. The difference for BYU is that as a whole, they might very well be a more talented, balanced and physical team. If Davidson could make a near Final Four run in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, there is no doubt that BYU could potentially make an even farther run the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
Tonight will not answer a lot of questions when it comes to BYU and San Diego State. Those questions will be answered when the two teams hit the floor for the NCAA Tournament in March. For now, we will watch and observe as they begin to fight for the title of top team in the Mountain West Conference. If you don’t get the CBS College Sports channel, then I would suggest you stream the game online somehow as it is a for sure “must see game.” San Diego State will square off against BYU in Provo, Utah tonight at 10:00pm eastern standard time.
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Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
Two teams, UCLA and Central Florida, had very intense weeks. After being on the outside looking in, UCLA vastly improved their NCAA Tournament resume with wins over California and Stanford to launch themselves into the bracket. Central Florida meanwhile continues to fall flat in Conference USA play. They have lost four straight and have a must win against Memphis on Wednesday. Marcus Jordan, the son of Michael, needs to step up and play like his father as he tries to battle the Knights back into the NCAA Tournament picture. San Diego State debuts as a 1-seed for the first time after Kansas blew a gigantic lead to Texas. I have said all year that Texas has been a more impressive team than Kansas. Yeah Texas did lose to USC on the road, but Kansas needed a strong surge in the final minutes at home to knock off USC. I give the edge to Texas and have them above Kansas on the overal seed line. In my write-up about last weekend’s games, I said Kansas needs to do more to impress and convince me that they are really a Top 5 team. Well, I am still waiting for that to happen. I once again have Pittsburgh winning the National Championship, and if you look closely you will see a few upsets. I won’t get into teams like Oakland, Belmont or Coastal Carolina until late February/early March, but keep an eye on those teams for now.
The next post will be in the next 24 hours or so when I finish up a story on BYU.
Nittany White Out Exclusive: Penn State has two huge games this week. Wednesday night is a 100% must win against Iowa at home, and Saturday is a near must win against Wisconsin at home. If Penn State loses to Iowa they will basically guarantee themselves no chance at earning an at-large into the NCAA Tournament. A loss on Saturday would mean that Penn State will almost certainly have to beat Ohio State when they come to town in March. A win on Saturday would put Penn State right back on the line between in the Big Dance and just out of the Big Dance. Their two last second losses to Purdue and Ohio State hurt, but Penn State is still alive in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament.
The bracket and the breakdown after the jump
| Conference | Conference Bids | # of Teams last week | Teams |
| American East | 1 | 1 | Maine |
| Atlantic Coast | 5 | 6 | Boston College, Duke*, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech |
| Atlantic Sun | 1 | 1 | Belmont |
| Atlantic 10 | 3 | 2 | Richmond, Temple*, Xavier |
| Big East | 11 | 11 | Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh*, St. John’s, Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova |
| Big Sky | 1 | 1 | Northern Colorado |
| Big South | 1 | 1 | Coastal Carolina |
| Big Ten | 6 | 6 | Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State*, Purdue, Wisconsin |
| Big XII | 5 | 6 | Kansas State, Kansas*, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M |
| Big West | 1 | 1 | Long Beach State |
| Colonial | 2 | 1 | Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth |
| Conf USA | 1 | 2 | Memphis |
| Horizon | 2 | 1 | Butler, Cleveland State* |
| Ivy | 1 | 1 | Harvard |
| Metro Atlantic | 1 | 1 | Fairfield |
| Mid American | 1 | 1 | Ball State |
| Mid Eastern | 1 | 1 | Hampton |
| Missouri Valley | 2 | 2 | Missouri State*, Wichita State |
| Mountain West | 3 | 3 | Brigham Young, Nevada-Las Vegas, San Diego State* |
| Northeast | 1 | 1 | Long Island |
| Ohio Valley | 1 | 1 | Austin Peay |
| Pacific 10 | 3 | 2 | Arizona, UCLA, Washington* |
| Patriot | 1 | 1 | Bucknell |
| Southeastern | 5 | 5 | Florida, Georgia, Kentucky*, Tennessee, Vanderbilt |
| Southern | 1 | 1 | Charleston |
| Southland | 1 | 1 | McNeese State |
| Summit | 1 | 1 | Oakland |
| Sun Belt | 1 | 1 | Florida Atlantic |
| Southwestern | 1 | 1 | Jackson State |
| Western (WAC) | 1 | 1 | Utah State |
| West Coast | 2 | 1 | Gonzaga, St. Mary’s* |
* – Automatic Bid / italic - New Team
—————————————————
| CONFERENCE | TEAM |
| Big East | 11 |
| Big Ten | 6 |
| Big XII | 5 |
| Atlantic Coast | 5 |
| Southeastern | 5 |
| Mountain West | 3 |
| Atlantic Ten | 3 |
| Pacific 10 | 3 |
| West Coast | 2 |
| Colonial Athletic | 2 |
| Missouri Valley | 2 |
| Horizon League | 2 |
| Conference USA | 1 |
| Last Four In |
|
| First Four Out |
|
| Next Four Out |
|
| Also Considered |
|
New Additions (Power Conferences)
- Richmond
- Memphis
- Cleveland State
- UCLA
Dropped Out (Power Conferences)
- Central Florida
- Miami (FL)
- Colorado
- Southern Miss
1st Round Games
12 – Kansas State vs. Old Dominion
12 – Butler vs. Wichita State
16 – Northern Colorado vs. McNeese State
16 – Long Beach State vs. Jackson State
—————————————————
#1 Seeds -
- Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Duke, San Diego State
#2 Seeds -
- Connecticut, Texas, Villanova, Kansas
#3 Seeds -
- Syracuse, Brigham Young, Texas A&M, Notre Dame
#4 Seeds -
- Missouri, Kentucky, Purdue, Wisconsin
#5 Seeds -
- Washington, West Virginia, Illinois, Florida
#6 Seeds -
- Minnesota, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Louisville
#7 Seeds -
- Florida State, Temple, Nevada-Las Vegas, Tennessee
#8 Seeds -
- Michigan State, Xavier, North Carolina, Cincinnati
#9 Seeds -
- Arizona, St. John’s, Georgia, Boston College
#10 Seeds -
- Saint Mary’s, UCLA, Missouri State, Utah State
#11 Seeds -
- Virginia Tech, Memphis, Gonzaga, Richmond
#12 Seeds -
- Marquette, Virginia Commonwealth, Old Dominion vs. Kansas State, Butler vs. Wichita State
#13 Seeds -
- Cleveland State, Belmont, Harvard, Oakland
#14 Seeds -
- Charleston, Ball State, Coastal Carolina, Fairfield
#15 Seeds -
- Long Island, Bucknell, Maine, Florida Atlantic
#16 Seeds -
- Austin Peay, Hampton, Northern Colorado vs. McNeese State, Long Beach State vs. Jackson State
—————————————————
The Bracket
(Click to view full-size image)
—————————————————
Any thing to say to @JeffDLowe about the brackets?
Contact on Twitter: @JeffDLowe or E-Mail: JeffDBrackets@gmail.com
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Right-handed reliever Todd Coffey has agreed to a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals.
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The Phillies traded 13 prospects and dedicated more than $255 million to have Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton in the same rotation at the same time. That is quite a commitment for something — a World Series championship — that is not guaranteed.
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Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
Penn State’s recruiting class has, slowly but surely, continued to build up steam as we head towards LOI day just two weeks away. Despite a few bumps in the road, and though this class won’t be anything to brag about, the impending destruction of the Nittany Lion program has at the least been staved off for another day. At 8 o’clock this morning, one more top prospect committed to Joe Paterno and crew, becoming the 14th commitment to a steadily improving recruiting class–so many of them players who will do the dirty work in the trenches at the next level.
Getting Deion Barnes is no small potatoes, even if the fact that he’s been considered a Penn State lock for months diminishes the impact of his commitment. Though there’s some disagreement between the recruiting services on his true skill level–Rivals ranks him as the #6 defensive end, the #158 prospect in the country, and the #2 prospect from Pennsylvania, while Scout’s sipping the haterade, slotting Barnes in as the the #31 player at his position–he’s still one of the likelier impact players of this recruiting class.
The 6’5, 225 Philadelphian had an impressive offer list–he had narrowed down his selection to Penn State and Georgia, but could’ve taken a scholarship from Michigan, Pitt, West Virginia, South Carolina, or pretty much any other school in the region. It’s not hard to see why he was so highly coveted–he’s got the kind of frame and athleticism that bode well for development into an elite pass rusher.
Barnes’ high school exploits landed him on the second-team all-state, though he was the Philly Public School player of the year, racking up 85 tackles–35 of them for a loss–along with 13 sacks. And he had a straight-out-of-the-movies moment in his final high school game:
He led Northeast to its first city title since 1983, blocking a punt that set up a touchdown and catching the eventual game-winner off of a fake field goal.
But for Penn State, character is often as important as talent, and in Barnes, they’ve got a great kid. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a great story over the summer, showcasing his heart and determination–he’ll be the first member of his family to go to college. But it’s gut-wrenching, too, chronicling his escape from one of the worst areas of a dangerous city:
Since 2007, the year Barnes entered high school, 130 people have been shot within a half-mile of his North Philadelphia home, and at least 20 have been slain. Tragedy has also darkened his family. Barnes’ uncle was shot and killed at 21. That uncle’s son was also shot and killed at 21, buried this summer. And Barnes and his brothers have friend after friend who have been killed in gun violence.
With that in mind, it’s not hard to understand why Barnes would choose Penn State. He gets to stay close enough to home so his parents–who’ve watched every football game he’s ever played–can keep seeing him in person. And he’s going to a school where he can do more than just play football, where the school is as committed to his education as he is. As he told Sean Fitz, at Lions247:
“I am making this decision because of academics and the comfort level. I am not going to be one of those guys that just stays three years, I want to be there for four. For those reasons, I am going to Penn State.”
For an effort that started as slowly as it did, to salvage respectability as the coaching staff has is nothing short of a significant accomplishment. But we need to remember that these recruits are kids, too, and the story of Deion Barnes may be even greater than the defensive end, himself.
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The initial reason I started blogging about NCAA Basketball, was because of my interest in Bracketology. I have been doing Bracketology for as long as I can remember. That being said, never to the level that I do it right now. Full and past Bracketology posts can be found on my website JeffDBrackets, and my brackets are featured on the website called the Bracket Matrix. The Bracket Matrix compiles all of the brackets from across the internet (ex: ESPN, CBS, etc.) and averages them out each week. I base all of my predictions off the RPI, rankings, standings and most importantly, what I think of the team from the games I have seen them play. It is mostly based off if the season were to end today, however I do factor in my thoughts on how certain teams will end the season (mostly mid-major teams are effected by that thought process).
What makes my Bracketology unique from others is the fact that I predict the bracket that I make.
I already broke down the events of this past week, so I will keep this short and sweet. This season is as unpredictable as it gets. Last season we saw many upsets in the NCAA Tournament, and if this season is any indication of what will happen come March then we may see those same wild results yet again. Enjoy the bracket, the breakdown and all the bubble tidbits. There will be no arrivals and departures, because there has been no bracket since early December. This is also the first time I have not selected Duke to win the National Championship. Pittsburgh just seems like such a dominant team so far this season that it is hard to pick against them. If I could pick, they would be ranked as the #1 team in the country. I struggled to put Ohio State in over Brigham Young. I really think the Cougars compare greatly to the 2007-2008 Davidson team that almost made the Final Four. I won’t go into many details, because I plan on writing an article comparing the two in the coming weeks.
Nittany White Out Exclusive: Now many people are wondering what the chances of Penn State making the NCAA Tournament are. The fact that I have them as one of my “Next Four Out” is still pretty shocking to me. For a team that lost to Maine at home, has no impressive out-of-conference victories and was an after thought only weeks into the season, to even be on the bubble is pretty big.
The question reamins however, what must Penn State do to make the NCAA Tournament? The game against Ohio State most likely helped Penn State even if it was a loss. The Nittany Lions didn’t need the win to make the NCAA Tournament, however it would have a helped. The game against Purdue on Wednesday may indeed be a must win though. Penn State lacks an impressive road victory, actually, Penn State only has one road victory – period.
A win against Purdue would more than likely launch Penn State into the NCAA Tournament (as of right now) by the start of next week. A loss would be a pretty large set-back and require the Nittany Lions to need a win one or two in road games at Wisconsin, Michigan State, Illinois or Minnesota later in the season. All four of those games will be pretty daunting tasks. In order for Penn State to feel comfortable about making the NCAA Tournament, they can only afford to lose really one game at home (Wisconsin or Ohio State, you choose). A game at a stumbling Northwestern will also serve as a must win for Penn State. Those would be six wins for Penn State right there, however 16 wins on the season would not be nearly enough to get in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large. That means of the games at Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Illinois and Minnesota, the Nittany Lions will need to grab two victories to get them to a grand total of 18 wins on the season.
With the NCAA adding four more teams to the Tournament, Penn State would have a little wiggle room with an 18-10 record. Minnesota finished last season 18-12 and was easily on the outside looking in. How did they get into the NCAA Tournament? By making a big run in the Big Ten Tournament all the way to the title game. If Penn State is 18-10 by the end of the season, which still is asking for multiple huge victories, one or two wins in the Big Ten Tournament might be enough to earn them a bid. With all of that being said, Penn State just needs to focus on one game at a time. Their chances to make the NCAA Tournament seem pretty slim due to the fact that the Big Ten conference is strong, but just the fact they control their own destiny and have an actual shot to go dancing is pretty amazing.
The bracket and the breakdown after the jump
| Conference | Conference Bids | # of Teams last week | Teams |
| American East | 1 | Vermont | |
| Atlantic Coast | 6 | Boston College, Duke*, Florida State, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Virginia Tech | |
| Atlantic Sun | 1 | Belmont | |
| Atlantic 10 | 2 | Temple*, Xavier | |
| Big East | 11 | Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh*, St. John’s, Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova | |
| Big Sky | 1 | Montana | |
| Big South | 1 | Coastal Carolina | |
| Big Ten | 6 | Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State*, Purdue, Wisconsin | |
| Big XII | 6 | Colorado, Kansas State, Kansas*, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M | |
| Big West | 1 | Long Beach State | |
| Colonial | 2 | James Madison*, Old Dominion | |
| Conf USA | 2 | Central Florida, Southern Miss* | |
| Horizon | 2 | Butler | |
| Ivy | 1 | Harvard | |
| Metro Atlantic | 1 | Fairfield | |
| Mid American | 1 | Kent State | |
| Mid Eastern | 1 | Bethune-Cookman | |
| Missouri Valley | 2 | Missouri State*, Wichita State | |
| Mountain West | 3 | Brigham Young, Nevada-Las Vegas, San Diego State* | |
| Northeast | 1 | Long Island | |
| Ohio Valley | 1 | Morehead State | |
| Pacific 10 | 2 | Arizona, Washington* | |
| Patriot | 1 | Bucknell | |
| Southeastern | 5 | Florida, Georgia, Kentucky*, Tennessee, Vanderbilt | |
| Southern | 1 | Chattanooga | |
| Southland | 1 | McNeese State | |
| Summit | 1 | Oakland | |
| Sun Belt | 1 | Florida Atlantic | |
| Southwestern | 1 | Texas Southern | |
| Western (WAC) | 1 | Utah State | |
| West Coast | 2 | Gonzaga, St. Mary’s* |
* – Automatic Bid
—————————————————
| CONFERENCE | TEAM |
| Big East | 11 |
| Big Ten | 6 |
| Big XII | 6 |
| Atlantic Coast | 6 |
| Southeastern | 5 |
| Mountain West | 3 |
| Atlantic Ten | 2 |
| Pacific 10 | 2 |
| West Coast | 2 |
| Colonial Athletic | 2 |
| Conference USA | 2 |
| Horizon League | 2 |
| Missouri Valley | 2 |
| Last Four In |
|
| First Four Out |
|
| Next Four Out |
|
| Also Considered |
|
1st Round Games
12 – Xavier vs. Old Dominion
12 – Virginia Tech vs. Wichita State
16 – Morgan State vs. McNeese State
16 – Montana vs. Jackson State
—————————————————
#1 Seeds -
- Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Duke, Kansas
#2 Seeds -
- Syracuse, Connecticut, San Diego State, Texas A&M
#3 Seeds -
- Villanova, Kentucky, Brigham Young, Texas
#4 Seeds -
- Missouri, Notre Dame, Purdue, West Virginia
#5 Seeds -
- Michigan State, Louisville, Wisconsin, Georgetown
#6 Seeds -
- Illinois, Temple, St. John’s, Minnesota
#7 Seeds -
- Nevada-Las Vegas, Washington, Vanderbilt, Florida State
#8 Seeds -
- Central Florida, Florida, St. Mary’s, Kansas State
#9 Seeds -
- Gonzaga, Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee
#10 Seeds -
- Georgia, Cincinnati, Boston College, Miami (FL)
#11 Seeds -
- Marquette, Utah State, Butler, Missouri State
#12 Seeds -
- Oakland, Colorado, Xavier vs. Old Dominion, Virginia Tech vs. Wichita State
#13 Seeds -
- Southern Miss, Harvard, Charleston, James Madison
#14 Seeds -
- Belmont, Kent State, Coastal Carolina, Vermont
#15 Seeds -
- Iona, Long Beach State, Morehead State, Florida Atlantic
#16 Seeds -
- Long Island, Bucknell, Morgan State vs. McNeese State, Montana vs. Jackson State
—————————————————
(Click bracket to view full size)
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Any thing to say to Jeff about the brackets?
Contact on Twitter: @JeffDLowe or E-Mail: JeffDBrackets@gmail.com
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Article from Philadelphia Phillies News. Read more here
Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick agreed Tuesday to a one-year, $2.45 million contract to avoid salary arbitration.
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Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
Before I get into the article, let me introduce myself to everyone. My name is Jeff Lowe, I am a sophomore at Penn State and majoring in broadcast journalism. One of my biggest hobbies for years has been NCAA Basketball and Bracketology. Not until recently however, have I blogged and posted my brackets online. Back in November I entered to blogging world with the creation of my NCAA Basketball blog – jeffdbrackets.blogspot.com. After getting off to a good start, and even having my bracket featured in the Bracket Matrix, I have decided to expand my blog. As a Cleveland sports fan, this is the best way I can put it, “I am taking my talents to Nittany White Out.” Whether they are real talents or not is up to you, but I hope everyone enjoys the NCAA Basketball analysis and weekly Bracketology updates I will be posting on this website. For full Bracketology, past posts and breakdowns just head over to my blog. Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone enjoys my posts.
Ohio State’s win guarantees them a #1 ranking, while Penn State proves to be relevant
More analysis after the jump
Duke shakes off sluggish first half to knock off Virginia
Big East powers Connecticut, Syracuse, Georgetown and Pittsburgh roll
Villanova and Louisville need second half comebacks to grabs impressive wins
Kansas and Texas A&M survive Big XII thrillers to stay unbeaten in the conference
Quick thoughts from the weekend
Key Games This Week -
Note: Bracketology will be released this evening (1/17/2011)
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Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
Ishaq Williams may have chosen Notre Dame over Penn State, but that doesn’t mean Joe Paterno and his staff can’t finish up their 2011 recruiting class with a bang. With plenty of Nittany Lion prospects still uncommitted, this year seems downright salvageable. Perhaps the commitment of New Jersey athlete Bill Belton–news first reported by FightOnState’s Cory James–will help re-energize the momentum that seemed momentarily lost.
Belton originally committed to Pitt early in the recruiting process, but we won’t hold that against him. He became one of a number of verbal commits to look elsewhere after the firing of Dave Wannstedt (and the subsequent firing of Mike Haywood), and quickly whittled down his choices to West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Penn State, and today made his intentions clear–he’ll join the Blue and White.
The 5’9, 180-pounder was one of the top athletes on the east coast, and his offer sheet reflects that. In addition to the aforementioned four schools, Belton received scholarship offers from schools as far south as Florida and Georgia Tech, and to the west, from Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Oregon. Rivals ranks Belton as the 25th best “athlete,” as the #8 prospect from the state of New Jersey, and as a 4-star recruit, sentiments echoed by Scout–who calls Belton the #13 wide receiver in this class of 2011.
Belton was a quarterback in his high school days, and his proficiency at that position demonstrates his elite athleticism. He was the Courier Post (a regional New Jersey newspaper) MVP, and his statistics are pretty staggering. He became the first New Jersian to pass for 2000 yards and run for 1000 in consecutive seasons, completing 61% of his passes with 21 touchdowns through the air. And on the ground, he ran for more than 6 yards a pop with another 16 touchdowns, inspiring some pretty awesome quotes:
“He’s an alien. He shouldn’t even be here,’’ Eastern coach Dan Spittal said. “He’s that much better than everyone else.’’
“You just can’t stop him. He’s at a different level,’’ Moorestown coach Russ Horton said. “He’s a man playing with boys. He is that good.’’
“I’ve been coaching for 30 years and he’s the best high school quarterback I’ve ever seen,’’ Spittal said. “He can throw with accuracy, he has poise and he runs when he has to. And when he runs, you couldn’t tackle him in a phone booth.’’
It’s not clear what position Belton will play at Penn State, whether it’s wide receiver or defensive back, but it’s clear that this kid is a football player, and is a big get for Mike McQueary, especially after he whiffed on Bill the first time. Reports were that Belton and his family were enamored with Big Red, and it’s entirely possible that the Penn State WR coach will get 4 or 5 years to work with Bill.
What we’ve won after the jump
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Article from Philadelphia Phillies News. Read more here
Phillies outfielder Ben Francisco said last week he hoped to avoid salary arbitration with the Phillies. He did just that Saturday, when he agreed to a one-year, $1.175 million contract. The deal includes performance and awards bonuses.
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