Coach Chamber
Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here
It looks like Big Ten is not about to make it easy for first year head coach Patrick Chambers.
In a complete schedule release, the conference announced today that Penn State will open their 20th season of Big Ten play at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 29th followed by a second consecutive road contest against Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois.
But its the single play opponents the Big Ten has drawn for the Nittany Lions that should have them worried. In spite of expansion, the Nittany Lions, like all 12 members of the Big Ten will continue to play a 18-game conference slate this season; 9 home and 9 away. But each member will now have 4-single play opponents instead of the 2 teams had prior to the addition of Nebraska. This season, the Lions will be facing Minnesota (home), Illinois (home), Michigan State (away) and Ohio State (away) in single-play games.
On the one hand, Coach Chambers could be catching a slight break by facing the Buckeyes and Spartans, two of the conferences perennial top dogs just once this season. That is huge for the win-loss column. But on the other, this setup makes the games against the Gophers, Illini, Spartans and Buckeyes that much more important since the Lions will just get the one shot at a RPI-boosting win against each top-notch opponent. And with both the Michigan State and Ohio State games being away, our odds of winning are that much smaller.
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Comments off Coach Chamber’s Big Ten Orientation to kick off at MichiganArticle from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here
It looks like Big Ten is not about to make it easy for first year head coach Patrick Chambers. In a complete schedule release, the conference announced today that Penn State will open their 20th season of Big Ten play at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 29th followed by a second consecutive road contest against Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois. But its the single play opponents the Big Ten has drawn for the Nittany Lions that should have them worried. In spite of expansion, the Nittany Lions, like all 12 members of the Big Ten will continue to play a 18-game conference slate this season; 9 home and 9 away. But each member will now have 4-single play opponents instead of the 2 teams had prior to the addition of Nebraska. This season, the Lions will be facing Minnesota (home), Illinois (home), Michigan State (away) and Ohio State (away) in single-play games. On the one hand, Coach Chambers could be catching a slight break by facing the Buckeyes and Spartans, two of the conferences perennial top dogs just once this season. That is huge for the win-loss column. But on the other, this setup makes the games against the Gophers, Illini, Spartans and Buckeyes that much more important since the Lions will just get the one shot at a RPI-boosting win against each top-notch opponent. And with both the Michigan State and Ohio State games being away, our odds of winning are that much smaller.
The Big Ten did Penn State no favors scheduling the toughest 2 of Penn State’s 4 single play opponents all within a span of 14 days, Ohio State (away), Wisconsin (home) and Michigan State (away). Even the Iowa game, a welcome breather during that stretch will be an away game. Anyone remember the last time we visited Iowa City? Ouch. Related Posts:
Comments off Bryce Jordan Center set to receive scoreboard upgradeArticle from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here
Penn State has announced that the BJC will be home to a brand new center-hung high-definition scoreboard. ANC Sports Enterprises, the same software firm responsible for the the LED ribbons in Beaver Stadium and the upgraded scoreboards in Rec Hall has once again been selected for the job. ANC Sports will be partnering with scoreboard maker Mitsubishi Electric in manufacturing the $1.2 million center-hung scoreboard that will feature 4 new 10mm Diamond Vision video screen systems. The same Mitsubishi Electric video display system built (PDF) for the the world’s largest 1080p HDTV video board at Cowboys Stadium. A much needed improvement that will replace the original unit that was last upgraded 11 years ago.
The old BJC center-hung scoreboard unit
The new boards measuring approximately 12 feet high and 16 feet wide will be significantly taller and wider than the old unit’s displays. The new unit will also feature two 16mm Diamond Vision ribbon displays, one located on top of the video screens and the other at the bottom of the structure.
The most significant difference for fans once the new boards are installed will be the unified messaging the BJC will now be able to offer to fans and more importantly, arena advertisors. This new center-hung scoreboard will compliment the digital courtside signs and 960-feet of 20mm LED ribbon boards also installed by ANC Sports back in 2008 finally allowing scoreboard operators at the BJC to integrate the center-hung scoreboard displays with the digital signage around the rest of the arena. And though this new upgrade should indeed move Penn State past the archaic and static display of player stats and and scores and encourage the use of in-game pump-up videos and animated displays as the athletic department has claimed, somehow I just expect more advertising and brand messaging.
The new boards will be installed in time for basketball season when the Nittany Lions tip off the 2011-12 season with the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament on November 14th. This new scoreboard marks the latest step in a series of upgrades the athletic department has pursued since 2008 with two HD videoscreens in Rec Hall and the installation of LED ribbon boards in Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center. Don’t look for Penn State to stop with the Bryce Jordan Center though, the Nittany Lions are also set to replace the two giant video boards at Beaver Stadium next year. And let’s not forget all the bells and whistles that are planned for the brand new hockey arena currently underway across from the BJC. It’s just refreshing to see the athletic department dig into their coffers and commit to ensuring that our venues remain on par with the best in the nation. Related Posts: Comments off Nittany Whiteout BracketologyArticle from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here 
3s and controversy dominated yesterday, but the number 11, as in 11 Big East bids, highlighted the day
Bubble teams started falling to the curbside on the road to the Final Four yesterday as Nebraska and Baylor (un)officially ended their campaigns to reach the NCAA Tournament. Speaking of things that are (un)official, with Marquette’s win over West Virginia, the Golden Eagles sealed up a record 11-bids from the Big East this March. The Big East Tournament is always something to watch, just asked Rutgers, but with 11-bids all wrapped up focus can shift on to the other conference tournaments. Before the bracket, let’s take a look at some games today with huge bubble implications. If these teams lose they will Comments off Nittany LionArticle from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
Now that the regular season is finally done and past us, we can finally look forward to the games that actually matter. For the better part of this season, the Lions seemingly played themselves onto the bubble only to lose it away the following week over and over again. Wins over Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin were negated by sweeps by Michigan, Purdue and Ohio State, often in heartbreaking fashion. The Lions are in no better position today following the conclusion of the regular season than during conference play when they hovered at or around .500 all season long. Now with the regular season finally behind us, the Lions have an opportunity to play themselves into the Dance. If they can’t put together a run next week in Indianapolis, how would it be any different come March against the Top 68 teams in the nation? It’s finally time to put up or shut up.
As of today less than a week before the 2011 Big Ten Tournament, the Lions
Not great, but it does suggest that the Lions are teetering right on the edge and could be right back in the discussion for an at-large with a run through the B1G tournament. The following chart essentially sums up how the selection committee will look at teams still in the discussion. Wins are listed in order of quality in the left column. Teams that projected to be in the Tournament or on the bubble are in bold. These would be squads that bracketologists have considered worthy of the field based on their own criteria so a win against a higher seeded team would be viewed far more favorably than an lower seeded opponent. Teams not projected for the field of 68 are listed based on their RPI. The RPI is really the only way committee members can judge the strength of your opponents and as Andy Staples described following last week’s media mock selection process, it is a stat essentially attached to every piece of data the committee sees in the selection room. Losses are listed on the right, with the worst losses listed first and upcoming games are listed in the center. The committee isn’t allowed to take margin of victory into account so a 3 point loss to Ohio State is just as bad as a 15 point beatdown by Purdue, but they can and do take notice of where a game is played (home/neutral/away) and whether a game was played without particular players lost to injury (ex: Jeff Brook’s dislocated right shoulder).
Ouch. The Nittany Lions’s resume seems weaker when compared to 2 weeks ago. 2 weeks ago, Minnesota was projected to be a 10-seed, Fairfield a 14-seed and Duquesne was projected to be on the bubble. Today, Minnesota is reeling from a 5 game losing streak dropping them back onto the bubble, Fairfield was knocked out by St. Peter’s in the MAAC tournament and Duquesne has lost 6 of their final 8 games. Although they are all still Top 100 RPI wins, they just aren’t as attractive as they were 2 weeks ago. Since then, the Lions have also notched road victories over Top 100 RPI foes Northwestern and Minnesota, but also another loss to top ranked, and projected top seed Ohio State at home. This leaves the Lions exactly where they were 2 weeks ago, teetering on the edge of the bubble needing a run through the B1G Tournament to boost their at-large chances. Should the Lions make it all the way to the B1G Tournament Final, that would most likely provide the 2 extra conference wins needed to solidify their spot on the bubble. Unfortunately, Indiana with a projected RPI of 121 is our first round opponent providing little or no boost to our bubble hopes by beating them, but losing to them would be devastating and kill any chance of staying in the discussion come Selection time. Comments off Nittany White Out BracketologyArticle from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
Jimmer Fredette and BYU’s win over SDSU may have given them a #1 seed
With only minutes until the Comments off Pregame Glance: Penn State at Michigan StateArticle from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
It’s a shame Penn State wasn’t able to capitalize against the Wolverines despite holding 2 double digit leads. That game was as close to a must win as you can possibly get. And at 5-6 in conference play, the Lions now find themselves backed up against the wall and forced into a situation where an upset win or two is a must to remain on the bubble. We’ve long considered 10 wins to be the magic number to solidify Penn State’s tournament chances, but with 7 games remaining before the B1G tourney, 2 against Northwestern and Minnesota, a game against #1 ranked Ohio State at home and games at Breslin and Kohl remaining, it’s hard to find 5 more wins. One can’t help but to think about all the missed opportunities that led to this. Of the 6 conference losses, only 2 (@ Michigan, @ Illinois, Purdue) have been by 7 points or more points. The remaining 3 losses have come by gut-wrenchingly close margins; 3 point loss to Michigan, 1 point losses @ Purdue and @ Ohio State. Those missed opportunities is why tonight’s game in East Lansing is now considered a must win. In order for Penn State to hit 10 B1G wins, the path of least resistance is to sweep both Northwestern and Minnesota and win 1 of the 3 against #1 Ohio State, @ Wisconsin or @ Michigan State. The reeling Spartans might be the best shot for the Lions to win amongst the 3. Penn State has already beaten then #18 Michigan State 66-62 last month and the Spartans are in a slump, having lost 5 of their last 6 making this the perfect opportunity for the Nittany Lions to come away with a resume building road win. But it’s always hard to consider a road game at Breslin Center a good opportunity. Michigan State is 267-39 at the venue, a staggering 88% winning record at home. And let’s not forget that the Lions have just 1 win in 7 road attempts thus far. For the Lions to beat the Green and White on their home court would be nothing short of a miracle. Unfortunately, a miracle is exactly what we need now.
Difference < 25 National Rank = Push Comments off Nittany White Out Bracketology – Version 3Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here
St. John’s was one of many teams to pull off a huge upset this past week
Last week was one of the wildest weeks in the history of college basketball. If you include this past Sunday, fifteen Top 25 teams were upset over the span of last week. Whether it was Duke getting pummeled by St. John’s, Providence stunning Villanova or Nebraska rocking Texas A&M, no Top 25 team was safe last week. Amazingly enough, in terms of who is in the NCAA Tournament, not many teams have changed. There were only two at-large changes from last week’s bracket. Penn State and Duquesne replaced Richmond and once Final Four contender in Kansas State. On the topic of Duquesne and Penn State, the bubble teams are all very similar and sorting them out has become pretty tough. For me the bubble teams this week came down to Penn State, Duquesne, Wichita State, Gonzaga, Washington State, Richmond, Alabama Birmingham and Colorado State. Out of those teams four teams received bids. Nittany White Out Penn State Exclusive – If it wasn’t for a loss to Maine and Michigan, Penn State wouldn’t be a question right now for the NCAA Tournament. Their out of conference play was a complete failure, but they have almost completely made up for it with wins over Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin in Big Ten play. Their road doesn’t get any easier however. In order to feel somewhat comfortable on Selection Sunday, Penn State will need to win a game in Big Ten Tournament, beat Northwestern twice, Michigan at home and win two road games out of four at Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan State. The Nittany Lions also play Minnesota and Ohio State at home before the season is over. While those games are not must wins, a win in one of those games and a final conference record of anywhere from 10-8 to 12-6 would virtually lock Penn State into the NCAA Tournament. Thinking about how Penn State gets into the NCAA Tournament is so complicated that it can give you a headache. The fact Penn State has gotten to this point after such a sluggish starts tells me that they have the talent to keep their success going. Gonzaga is battle tested and has been competitive throughout the season, with a strong finish they will once again find themselves in the NCAA Tournament. Wichita State is very similar, led by outstanding head coach Gregg Marshall, the Shockers have been one of the most competitive teams this season. While they have no big time wins, they haven’t lost any bad games. Consistency and a battle tested team is enough for me to put them in the NCAA Tournament. Duquesne is currently undefeated in the Atlantic-10 conference, so it is hard to not put them in the NCAA Tournament. The Dukes have close losses to teams like Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Penn State, but have wins over strong Atlantic-10 teams like Temple and Dayton. Their resume isn’t outstanding, but to be undefeated in a competitive Atlantic-10 conference is enough for me to put them in as of right now. The big question is if Duquesne can keep their surprising success going. Now for the first four teams that did not make it in - Richmond has fallen back a bit in the NCAA Tournament talk after a blow-out loss to Xavier this past weekend. The Spiders have a big win over Purdue on their resume, but their losses to Iona and Georgia Tech are holding them back. There are still opportunities left for the Spiders to improve their resume, but their time is quickly running out. A team on the rise however is Alabama-Birmingham. The Blazers have a few bad losses, but more than a handful of solid Top 100 RPI victories so far this season. Close losses against teams within the Top 50 of the RPI have legitimized Alabama-Brimingham to an extent, but they need to cash in on almost all of their remaining games to become a solid NCAA Tournament team. Colorado State has also quietly crept onto the bubble with a decent enough resume to survive in a down year for college basketball. The Rams haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2003, and a few good wins so far this season have put them in the bubble discussion. Their issue has been trying to overcome two bad sube RPI Top 100 losses. With two games against San Diego State and games against BYU and UNLV before the season ends, Colorado State has many opportunities to make their resume NCAA Tournament worthy. A team I can’t quite understand is Washington State. Most people across the country seem to think that Washington State is already worthy of an NCAA Tournament bid. As much as the RPI matters, the eye test matters more for me. From what I have seen in Washington State, I cannot say I am very impressed. Wins against the likes of Baylor and Portland may look good in terms of RPI, but anyone that has watched those two teams knows they are not considered elite. The other thing I struggle with is the fact that they are in the Pac-10. As of right now they are only 5-4 in a conference that is considered one of the weakest so far throughout this season. Sure, their recent win against Washington was good, but that is the first time they have really impressed me. Out of the three other teams who have just missed the cut, they have the simplest road to the NCAA Tournament. All they need to do is consistently win the rest of the way out, that is just one of the perks of being in a power conference. Before we go to the brackets, let’s dip into the Final Four teams that I have selected. All year I have said that, depending on the draw, I will put either Brigham Young or San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars get the better draw this week, therefore I got them going all the way to Houston. Both Texas and Ohio State have been outstanding this year, but I struggle to make them my National Champion right now. The Buckeyes have been tested lately by teams like Penn State, Michigan and Northwestern. They did beat Purdue with much ease last month, but it will take a little more dominance from the undefeated Buckeyes to convince me they are good enough to raise the hardware in April. When it comes to dominance, Texas has been able to define what that means so far in Big XII conference play. The Longhorns have won all of their conference games by double digits against competition like Kansas, Missouri and Texas A&M. My only issue with picking Texas to win it all is the Big XII conference. How good is the Big XII? From what I have seen, not very good. I think Texas is an elite team, but they’re like a Big East team playing in the Ivy League right now. It is hard to really gauge how good the Longhorns really are against what appears to be potentially overrated competition in the Big XII. Texas is good though, they had impressive out of conference victories, and close losses to Big East powers Connecticut and Pittsburgh. It is clear that they are good, we will see in March if they are truly good enough. Speaking of Pittsburgh, it is time to talk about the team I have predicted to win it all yet again. The Panthers, inside and out, are the most balanced team in the country, and when they play their game they’re nearly impossible to beat. In the Big East they will get exposed and falter at times, but great teams learn from their tough losses. Their resume that includes eleven Top 100 RPI victories over the likes of Texas, Connecticut, Syracuse and Georgetown, is enough for me to crown them National Champions for the third week in a row. The bracket and the breakdown after the jump
Who made the bracket:
* – Automatic Bid / italic - New Team ————————————————— The Breakdown
New Additions (Power Conferences) - Duquesne - Penn State Dropped Out (Power Conferences) - Kansas State - Richmond 1st Round Games 12 – Duquesne vs. Gonzaga 12 – Penn State vs. Wichita State 16 – Texas Southern vs. McNeese State 16 – Long Beach State vs. Montana ————————————————— NCAA Tournament Seeding #1 Seeds - - Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Texas, Duke #2 Seeds - - Connecticut, Kansas, Notre Dame, San Diego State #3 Seeds - - Kentucky, Georgetown, Louisville, Brigham Young #4 Seeds - - Missouri, Purdue, Villanova, Texas A&M #5 Seeds - - West Virginia, Wisconsin, Syracuse, Florida #6 Seeds - - Minnesota, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, North Carolina #7 Seeds - - Washington, Illinois, St. John’s, Xavier #8 Seeds - - Temple, Florida State, Nevada-Las Vegas, Utah State #9 Seeds - - Michigan State, Arizona, Cincinnati, Marquette #10 Seeds - - Boston College, Saint Mary’s, Old Dominion, Missouri State #11 Seeds - - Memphis, UCLA, Virginia Commonwealth, Georgia #12 Seeds - - Virginia Tech, Butler, Duquesne vs. Gonzaga, Penn State vs. Wichita State #13 Seeds - - Oakland, Cleveland State, Belmont, Coastal Carolina #14 Seeds - - Harvard, Charleston, Fairfield, Kent State #15 Seeds - - Maine, Florida Atlantic, Murray State, Bucknell #16 Seeds - - Long Island, Hampton, Texas Southern vs. McNeese State, Long Beach State vs. Montana Procedural Bumps (Seeding Adjustments) - - Michigan State – Down to 10 - Saint Mary’s – Up to 9 - Purdue – Down to 5 - Florida – Up to 4 ————————————————— 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 Comments off How similar is BYU to the 2007-2008 Davidson Wildcats?Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here 
Jimmer Fredette and Stephen Curry are similar, but are their teams similar?
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.
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.
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. 
How will BYU use its tough second round loss in 2010 to fuel its 2011 run?
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.
Jimmer Fredette has shown that no matter what a defender does, he will score
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.
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. 
Jason Richard (middle) and company were a huge part of Davidson’s success
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.
Jimmer Fredette is good, but his supporting cast makes BYU a true contender
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.
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. Comments off Nittany White Out Bracketology – Version 2Article 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
JeffDLowe Bracket: 1/24/11
Who made the bracket:
* – Automatic Bid / italic - New Team ————————————————— The Breakdown
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 ————————————————— NCAA Tournament Seeding#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 - 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 - #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
JeffDLowe Bracket: 1/24/11
(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 Comments off Nittany White Out Bracketology – Version 1Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here 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
JeffDLowe Bracket: 1/18/11
Who made the bracket:
* – Automatic Bid ————————————————— The Breakdown
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 ————————————————— NCAA Tournament Seeding#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 —————————————————
————————————————— Any thing to say to Jeff about the brackets? Contact on Twitter: @JeffDLowe or E-Mail: JeffDBrackets@gmail.com Comments off Wild weekend sets up an exciting week of basketballArticle 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
Jared Sullinger has been as good as advertised this season for Ohio State
More analysis after the jump Duke shakes off sluggish first half to knock off Virginia
Big East powers Connecticut, Syracuse, Georgetown and Pittsburgh roll
Kemba’s supporting cast is slowly becoming more effective
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
San Diego State continues to be one of the most impressive teams in the country
The Dukes are off to a 3-0 start in the A10 after shocking Temple
Georgia and Colorado have surprised everyone this year
Key Games This Week -
Note: Bracketology will be released this evening (1/17/2011) Comments off Nittany Lions pull second straight upset, beats #16 Illini 57-55Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here 
Photo Credit: Brian Siegrist
It wasn’t supposed to happen. Sure, Penn State was coming off an emotional 66-62 win over ranked nemesis Michigan State. But to pull off a second consecutive upset against another B1G title contender, now that’s just wishful thinking. Except someone forgot to send Talor Battle and Andrew Jones the memo. The two connected on a putback basket with barely a second left in the game to clinch the upset for the Nittany Lions. Coming into the game, the (13-3, 3-0) Fighting Illini were red hot, converting 65% from the field including 64% of their 3s in B1G play. Impressive numbers, yet pales in comparison to the 70.5% shooting performance that set a single-game school record against Northwestern just 6 days ago. It was clear the Lions would be tested defensively by one of the best shooting teams they will be facing all season. Surprisingly Penn State limited the Illini offense that was shooting 64% in B1G play to just 41% for the game, but Penn State’s own offensive woes (35% shooting) kept Illinois in the game. Even as the two teams traded shot for shot in a game that featured 5 ties and 3 lead changes, the Nittany Lions never backed down, not when the Illini wiped out a 12 point lead in the first half, nor following Bill Cole’s layup to tie the game with 20 seconds left. Most teams wilt under the pressure. But Talor Battle has been in this situation before, he actually thrives on it. A mere 3 days earlier against #18 Michigan State, Battle asked for the ball with Penn State up by 1 and less than a minute to go. It didn’t matter that the senior star was just 2-13 from the field by that point, Battle knew he would make the play. With time running down, and the good guys up by 1, Talor Battle scored on an off-balance jumper that gave the Nittany Lions the 3 point lead they needed to put the Spartans away. Tonight was no different. Although the Illini fought back to tie the game at 55 with 22 seconds left, Penn State remained surprisingly calm. In fact, Ed DeChellis didn’t even call a timeout following Bill Cole’s game-tying layup. Talor Battle simply dribbled the ball down the court for another off-balanced attempt at the game winning shot. Except it took the help of fellow teammate Andrew Jones tonight. Battle’s shot bounced off the rim into the hands of Andrew Jones who slammed the ball into the basket for the game clinching score with just 0.7 seconds remaining. Even Illinois’ desperation heave downcourt was intercepted by the 6’10″ senior forward. Game, set, match.
This win marks the 8th time in the last 11 games that a Penn State / Illinois game was decided by 5 points or less, 5th on shots in the final seconds. In fact, 4 of the past 6 prior meetings were decided by a single point. So shame on those who were in town and chose not to attend the game. It was also THON night, and all student ticket sales went towards the Four Diamonds Fund. The celebration will be short lived though. Penn State will barely have any time to enjoy the program’s first consecutive upset of ranked teams since the 1954 NCAA tournament (No. 14 LSU and No. 6 Notre Dame) with undefeated and #2 ranked Ohio State scheduled for Saturday. Let’s just hope the Lions are up to the challenge. Comments off
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And just like it took a team effort (4 different players scored 10+ points) to knock off the Spartans 3 days ago, it took a tremendous defensive performance by Andrew Jones (12 points, 8 rebounds including the game clinching rebound and dunk), Jeff Brooks (10 rebounds) and Tim Frazier (8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals) to upset the Illini. Jones (8), Brooks (10) and Frazier (8) helped the Lions out rebound the Illinois’ size 33-27 increasing the Nittany Lions record to 8-1 this season when it wins the rebounding edge. Battle also recovered from a shooting slump against the Spartans to finished 8 of 15 from the field and 4 of 9 from 3-point territory including his 
