Source: http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/01/27/baseball-america-2011-preseason-college-baseball-poll/
Monday, January 31, 2011
Baseball America 2011 Preseason College Baseball Poll
College World Series teams from 2010 comprise six of the top 10 spots in the Baseball America 2011 Preseason College Baseball Poll. Florida starts the season at number one, followed by 2010 CWS runner-up UCLA. Another ’10 CWS team, TCU, comes in at number three. Fourth-ranked Vanderbilt is the the first team in the poll [...]
Pitt Staves Off Upset-Minded Rutgers
Filed under: Pittsburgh, Big East
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Ashton Gibbs scored 24 points and No. 2 Pittsburgh avoided a second straight upset by holding off pesky Rutgers 65-62 on Saturday night.The Panthers (20-2, 8-1 Big East) scored 12 of their last 15 points from the free throw line and hit only one basket in the final 7:03 - a long 3-pointer by Gibbs with 55 seconds to play - in posting their 10th straight 20-win season.
Gary McGhee added 13 points and Brad Wanamaker had nine, including seven free throws in the final 6:17.
Jonathan Mitchell, Mike Coburn and Robert Lumpkins had 12 points apiece for Rutgers (12-9, 3-6), which saw a potential game-tying 3-point attempt by Dane Miller hit off the backboard with less than seven seconds to play.
Pittsburgh got the rebound and ran out the clock, disappointing a raucous, near-sellout crowd at the Rutgers Athletic Center.
Rutgers' previous biggest upset came against then-No. 6 West Virginia in 1982, and coach Mike Rice and his Scarlet Knights came close to topping that against Rice's former mentor Jamie Dixon, only to be done in by Gibbs and second-half foul problems.
Rutgers picked up its seventh foul less than six minutes into the second half and Pittsburgh capitalized, converting 18 of 22 free throws in the final 20 minutes.
Pittsburgh struggled against Rutgers' tight defense and it didn't take the lead for good until McGhee converted a three-point play with 11:46 left.
Rutgers never went away and it got within a point at 58-57 when Coburn hit the second of two free throws 1:27 to play.
That's when Gibbs struck from long range. With the shot clock running down, he hit a 25-foot shot from right in front of the Panthers' bench for a 61-57 lead.
After Miller made 1 of 2 free throws, Gibbs was fouled immediately and sank both free throws for a 63-58 lead.
Coburn hit two free throws with 35.7 seconds left and then Rutgers forced Lamar Patterson into a traveling call in the backcourt. Lumpkins, whose previous college high was 11 at New Mexico State, hit a layup with 20.9 seconds to close the gap to 63-62.
Wanamaker was fouled as soon as Pittsburgh put the ball in play and made both free throws, and Miller's long-range attempt was well off target, giving the Panthers their 11th win in 12 games against Rutgers.
Rice was an assistant under Dixon before taking a job at Robert Morris and eventually coming to Rutgers this season.
The Panthers, who were held to a season-low 51 points in a loss to Notre Dame on Monday, continued their offensive woes in the first half, hitting 7 of 24 shots (29.2 percent) in falling behind 28-27.
Gibbs was Pittsburgh's offense, scoring 15 points on 5 of 9 shooting, including three 3-pointers.
Rutgers wasn't much better, shooting roughly 37 percent. However, the Scarlet Knights made four of their first five shots in never trailing in the half.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/29/pittsburgh-staves-off-upset-minded-rutgers/
BCS National Championship Preview: Why Oregon Will Win
So it's almost here. After more than a month of talk off the field, the Oregon Ducks and the Auburn Tigers are about to get their chance to do their talking on the field.
...College Baseball 360 Podcast: All-American Peter O?Brien
Bethune-Cookman Catcher Looks To Keep Rolling In ’11… O?Brien burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2010 to become one of the top catchers in all of college baseball. He batted .386 with 56 RBIs, while swatting 20 home runs with an 1.193 OPS as a sophomore last season. He made dramatic strides from [...]
Source: http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/01/31/college-baseball-360-podcast-all-american-peter-obrien/
Duke Demolished by St. John's 93-78
Filed under: Duke, Big East, St. John's
NEW YORK (AP) -- Teams that beat Duke have reason to celebrate. Teams that blow Duke out of the building should be able to party all night.
So, how long will the St. John's players be allowed to celebrate Sunday's 93-78 victory over No. 3 Duke - a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated?
"Coach Lav said we had two hours to celebrate and then we have to get ready for Rutgers," senior forward Justin Burrell said, referring to first-year coach Steve Lavin and the Red Storm's next opponent on Wednesday.
Two hours? It will take longer than that just to go over the highlight plays of a game that St. John's had won by halftime. Those last 20 minutes were just a formality.
"I felt like we were ready. The guys wanted to play this game," Duke guard Nolan Smith said. "We wanted to be here but they came out from the jump ball and kicked our butts."
It wasn't that St. John's (12-8) beat the Blue Devils (19-2), it was the way it happened.
St. John's was finishing a stretch of eight straight games against ranked teams. This win gave them three wins in that span. It was enough to have Lavin waving his arms to the crowd at a media timeout in the second half.
"You're caught up in the moment of the game and I wanted St. John's fans to come to the party in terms of supporting the players on the court," Lavin said. "We had this arduous stretch of games and having lost five of six, at that moment it was just wanting to jumper cable the crowd and bring energy for our players because they deserved a pat on the back and some appreciation for the yeoman's effort and the cohesive brand of basketball they had been playing against the defending national champion."
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/30/duke-demolished-by-st-johns-93-78/
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Stafon Johnson Suing USC Over Weightlifting Incident
Stafon Johnson is taking his alma mater to court over a year after a weightlifting incident at USC could have taken his life.Johnson filed a lawsuit Monday in L.A. County Superior Court against USC, alleging that weightlifting coach Jamie Yanchar recklessly struck the bench press bar Johnson was lifting, causing it to go off balance and fall on Johnson's neck.
According to Johnson, he was lifting 270 pounds in Sep. 2009 when Yanchar's "negligent, careless and reckless" action "substantially increased the risk inherent in Mr. Johnson's bench pressing." The exercise was part of a mandatory regimen.
Johnson underwent complicated surgery after the incident, ending his college career. It was believed his football career as a whole was done, but Johnson recovered and opted for the NFL draft. The Titans signed Johnson as an undrafted free agent, but a severe leg injury ended his rookie campaign in the preseason.
Johnson is suing for unspecified damages, including loss of future earnings.
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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/24/stafon-johnson-suing-usc-over-weightlifting-incident/
Ex-Kansas Athletic Director Lew Perkins Agrees to Fine in Ethics Case
Filed under: Kansas
Topeka, Kan. (AP) -- Former University of Kansas Athletics Director Lew Perkins agreed Tuesday to pay a $4,000 fine to settle an ethics case over allegations that he improperly accepted a gift of exercise equipment while working for the university, but he did not acknowledge intentionally violating Kansas law.The state Governmental Ethics Commission approved a consent decree signed by its general counsel and a Perkins attorney after a brief discussion about the amount of Perkins' fine. Some members wanted to impose the maximum of $5,000, but others noted that he'd cooperated with the commission's investigation and had himself alerted its staff to the gift and questions about its legality.
A complaint before the commission alleged that Perkins violated a state law barring state employees from accepting most gifts. He was considered a state employee because state funds paid part of his salary.
"I never acted with any intent to violate any laws or ethical rules," Perkins said in a statement issued through his attorneys. "It is time for closure and to move on, and I am glad to have this matter fully and finally resolved."
The commission agreed not to pursue the matter further. The fine is a civil penalty, but the commission could have taken the unusual step of forwarding the case to prosecutors to consider criminal charges.
"Both parties worked very hard to reach this consent decree," said commission Chairwoman Sabrina Standifer, a Wichita attorney. "It is to everyone's benefit. We didn't have to have a full-blown hearing, bring in witnesses, all of those expenses, so I think it's a good resolution."
Perkins stepped down in September, a year before he intended to retire, amid allegations that he improperly accepted perks, including the exercise equipment and free physical therapy sessions from employees of the university's sports medicine department, which is part of the athletics department.
Under Perkins' watch, several athletics department employees were implicated in an alleged scheme to steal tickets to sporting events and scalp them for profit. Perkins was not implicated in that scheme but he acknowledged poor oversight of the ticket operations.
Perkins did not attend the commission's meeting. Todd Thompson, the attorney representing him at the commission's meeting, declined to comment, but in the agreement, Perkins and the commission's staff said they wanted to avoid "potentially costly and protracted litigation."
"I regret that this matter may have detracted from the attention given to our athletes," Perkins said in his statement.
The athletics department declined to comment, and university spokesman Jack Martin would say only that, "We said at the beginning that the ethics commission was the proper venue, and they've done what they were going to do."
In the agreement, Perkins acknowledged that he accepted exercise equipment in 2005, at no cost, from Medical Outfitters, based in the Kansas City area. The equipment stayed in his home until 2009.
Last year, Perkins paid $5,000 as a rental fee on the equipment, something the commission took into account when deciding how much to fine him. The complaint did not mention Perkins' payment or other details about the gift.
Before Tuesday's commission meeting, its staff dropped one of two counts in the complaint against Perkins, dealing with the physical therapy sessions. But the evidence provided by some witnesses was not strong enough to prove the allegation, and the commission had trouble in obtaining the testimony of another, said general counsel Judy Moler.
The unrelated ticket scandal led to federal charges against six former athletics department employees and a former department consultant. Four of the former employees have pleaded guilty - two to conspiracy and the other two to knowing about but doing nothing to stop the scheme - and will be sentenced in March. A former employee and the consultant had change-of-plea hearings on a single conspiracy charge later this week, and a former associate athletics director is set to stand trial on a conspiracy charge in March.
Reports: Forcier Considering Miami, Washington ... and Montana?
Former Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier, who just last week announced his intentions to leave Ann Arbor, is now actively looking for a new home.
Forcier, whose departure from Michigan was made all but inevitable by the rise of sophomore superstar Denard Robinson (not to mention his own academic troubles), told ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg on Tuesday that Miami, Washington and Baylor are among the schools he's mulling for his future home. Rittenberg reported Forcier is also considering such less high-profile programs as San Diego State, Middle Tennessee State and Montana.
...East Dominates West in Shrine Bowl
Filed under: Prospects
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Marvin Austin kept mostly a low profile in the practice sessions leading up to the East-West Shrine Game.After sitting out this past season following his involvement in the agent scandal that rocked North Carolina's football program, he had a lot to prove Saturday in the annual showcase for college seniors.
So grabbing a late-game fumble recovery for a touchdown to punctuate a 25-8 victory for the East over the West more than made his week in Orlando worthwhile.
"I sat the whole season out. Everybody knows it," Austin said. "People thought I was going to feel sorry for myself. ... A lot of people talk about my talent. They don't see the work I put in to try to be the best. They (the NFL) say they just want me to be confident and keep playing hard."
That workhorse spirit was exhibited throughout an East team that dominated first major all-star game of the draft season.
Syracuse running back Delone Carter ran for a touchdown and was selected the offensive MVP and Richmond tackle Martin Parker had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble to take defensive MVP honors.
The East scored 19 points in the first half and recovered three fumbles. It also had a team safety.
Carter finished with 54 yards on 11 carries, while Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor had the best passing day for the East, going 4 of 5 for 59 yards.
Austin's highlight came with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter when West quarterback Jerrod Johnson of Texas A&M was sacked by Tennessee's Chris Walker inside the 2. The ball trickled into the end zone and was recovered by Austin.
Parker had 96 tackles this past season and 5½ sacks. He was projected to be a late-round pick, but said he ignored all of that this week.
"My goal coming down here was just to play a solid game and just show the scouts, (and) show the people what I could do," Parker said. "It never crossed my mind that I would go out there and be defensive player of the game. I'm really thankful and grateful for it."
The West managed just 14 yards rushing yards and had just eight first downs. Its lone score came on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Idaho's Nathan Enderle to Portland State tight end Julius Thomas with 2:44 left in the second quarter. The pair also hooked up for a 2-point conversion pass. Enderle was 6 of 12 for 45 yards.
The West's best effort on defense came from Oklahoma State linebacker Orie Lemon, who finished with eight tackles. He said he will let his play speak for itself regarding the future.
"I put it all in God's hands and I'll let him do his will," Lemon said. "Wherever he takes me, that's where I'm going."
The East led 19-8 at halftime, dominating the time of possession in the opening 30 minutes and riding the play of a stingy defense that had a pair of fumble recoveries.
West running back and Hawaii product Alex Green fumbled on the opening play of the game to set up a 16-yard touchdown run by Carter.
The lead grew to 9-0 with 8:59 left in the first quarter when Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien was sacked at his own 5 by Oregon defensive end Kenny Rowe. The ball rolled into the end zone and was recovered by Illinois' Randall Hunt for a safety.
Following the free kick, the East capped the first extended drive of the day with a 4-yard touchdown run by Penn State's Evan Royster.
Auburn kicker Wes Byrum, who had the winning kick in the Tigers' national championship game win over Oregon, connected on one of three field goal attempts in the first half. He hit from 25 yards and had misses from 27 and 44 yards.
The East held the ball for 18:32 in the first half, compared to just 11:28 for the West. The East also had 11 first downs, to just four for the West.
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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/22/east-dominates-west-in-shrine-bowl/
Hoke Takes the Reins at Michigan
The Brady Hoke era has arrived at Michigan. And Big Blue fans can only hope that this era works out better than the previous one.
Michigan officially (and finally) introduced their new coach on Wednesday, ending a prolonged coaching-search drama that saw the school approach both Jim Harbaugh (now with the 49ers) and Les Miles (staying at LSU) before apparently settling on Hoke, who arrives in Ann Arbor after a short-but-successful stint at San Diego State.
...Source: http://collegefootball.about.com/b/2011/01/12/hoke-takes-the-reins-at-michigan.htm
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Hoke Takes the Reins at Michigan
The Brady Hoke era has arrived at Michigan. And Big Blue fans can only hope that this era works out better than the previous one.
Michigan officially (and finally) introduced their new coach on Wednesday, ending a prolonged coaching-search drama that saw the school approach both Jim Harbaugh (now with the 49ers) and Les Miles (staying at LSU) before apparently settling on Hoke, who arrives in Ann Arbor after a short-but-successful stint at San Diego State.
...Source: http://collegefootball.about.com/b/2011/01/12/hoke-takes-the-reins-at-michigan.htm
College Basketball Power Rankings: Texas 'Horns in on Top Three
You might find more drama in the owner's manual for your coffee pot than you'll find in the battle for No. 1.
It's Ohio State, which turned Purdue into a fine puree Tuesday night and next up get Northwestern, a team whose idea of postseason success is scoring discounted airfare for spring break.
At No. 2, there's Duke, which continues to push buttons and tweak its offense without Kyrie Irving, who remains out with an injury to the most publicized toe not belonging to the wife of an NFL head coach.
Then it's anybody guess.
Here's ours, led by the Texas Longhorns at No. 3, who snapped a Kansas' 69-game home winning streak Saturday, which was the longest streak this side of betting the 'under' on Wisconsin basketball games.
Ballots were tallied from college basketball editor Ray Holloman, associate editor Matt Snyder, national college basketball writer Terrance Harris and blogger Evan Hilbert. Points, listed in parentheses, were given in reverse order of rankings (16 points for a first place vote, 15 for second, etc.).
This week's comments are by Matt Snyder, Evan Hilbert and Ray Holloman. Please tip on your way out.
Georgetown Passes St. John's on Brutal Big East Escalator
Filed under: Georgetown, Big East, St. John's
WASHINGTON -- There's never a time when the Big East's mantra (this league will eat you alive) does not apply. It fit the bill again Wednesday night, particularly in Providence, where the lowly Friars (1-6 in conference play as the day began) took down eighth-ranked Villanova (previously 17-2 overall and one of just two Big East teams with one loss).It also fit for the two combatants at the blizzard-buffeted Verizon Center, Georgetown and St. John's, who both had four league losses entering the night. Thanks to a 77-52 domination, No. 21 Georgetown moved from 1/2 game behind St. John's to 1/2 game in front, although they both still have a distant view of the top of the standings, looking up at no fewer than seven teams.
But Georgetown, 15-5 overall, feels a lot better about its 4-4 conference mark than 11-8 St. John's feels about its 4-5 record. That's because the last time they met, three weeks ago in Madison Square Garden, St. John's won to improve to a surprising 3-0, and knocked Georgetown down to 1-2, on its way to 1-4. Revenge was sweet, as St. John's coach Steve Lavin suspected and the Hoyas players confirmed. But chipping away further at the bad start was sweeter.
"Winning three in a row is much better than losing three in a row -- but the same thing still applies,'' coach John Thompson III said. "There's still a lot of ball to be played. Every team can beat every team.
"We had a focus tonight; we had a doggedness about us tonight. We just have to maintain it for every game,'' he continued. "I've said this, I believe this, I live this, 4-4 vs. 1-4 vs. whatever, you have to get ready for the next game. This league is too tough, too daunting, too challenging, and if you get caught up in the big picture too much -- 'We gotta do this over the next four game-span' -- no, you've got to come to play and beat the team in front of you next. And if you do that enough times, at the end of the day you'll be fine.''
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/26/georgetown-passing-st-johns-on-big-east-escalator/
TCU Horned Frogs Tops Among Non-AQ Teams in 2011 Recruiting
Filed under: Recruiting
In the final push toward National Signing Day 2011 on Wednesday, FanHouse has examined the recruiting efforts of major conferences in twice-weekly notebooks. As always, recruiting is an always-changing landscape -- and there are several high-profile players who remain uncommitted. In the finale of the eight-part series, here is FanHouse's review of the major non-automatic BCS qualifiers.
THE BEST
TCU HORNED FROGS
Total commitments (as of Jan. 27): 25
Five- and four-star commitments: 2
The 411: TCU is all set to join the Big East in 2012, leaving the Mountain West in search of a conference that has an automatic berth in the BCS for the league champion. Doing so will be slightly easier with four-star incoming talent like ATH LaDarius Brown (6-2, 190, Waxahachie, Texas, HS) and DT Chuck Hunter (6-1, 294, West Monroe, La., HS) on board.
Grade: A
Friday, January 28, 2011
Oscar Robertson Joins Lawsuit Against NCAA
Oscar Robertson, former collegiate and NBA star, has joined a lawsuit against the NCAA for what he believes to be an overreach of their rights.
Robertson has recently been noticing trading cards bearing his image from his playing days at Cincinnati. He attempted to contact the companies manufacturing the cards, but he later learned that the NCAA had entered an agreement with the companies. The NCAA maintains that it owns the rights to player likenesses forever.
"The arrogance of the NCAA to say, 'we have the right to do this,'...is what troubles me the most," Robertson told Yahoo! Sports Wednesday. "The University of Cincinnati gets a fee each time my picture is used on a card. I don't. When I played there, there was nothing like this ever agreed to."
Wednesday, Robertson joined a class action suit led by former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon. The suit claims that Robertson's image is being used for profit without his consent, and that he has no ability to profit similarly.
Several other players are involved in the suit, including former Connecticut player Tate George. In addition, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently filed a similar suit in California state court.
Robertson has recently been noticing trading cards bearing his image from his playing days at Cincinnati. He attempted to contact the companies manufacturing the cards, but he later learned that the NCAA had entered an agreement with the companies. The NCAA maintains that it owns the rights to player likenesses forever.
"The arrogance of the NCAA to say, 'we have the right to do this,'...is what troubles me the most," Robertson told Yahoo! Sports Wednesday. "The University of Cincinnati gets a fee each time my picture is used on a card. I don't. When I played there, there was nothing like this ever agreed to."
Wednesday, Robertson joined a class action suit led by former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon. The suit claims that Robertson's image is being used for profit without his consent, and that he has no ability to profit similarly.
Several other players are involved in the suit, including former Connecticut player Tate George. In addition, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently filed a similar suit in California state court.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/28/oscar-robertson-joins-lawsuit-against-ncaa/
For Klay Thompson, Success Is in NBA Genes, Dreams
Filed under: Washington, Washington State, Pac-10
Klay Thompson has pedigree and good genes on his side.
The rest, the talent, the hard-work, the results are up to him.
Thompson, the junior guard at Washington State, heads into Sunday night's rivalry matchup against No. 17 Washington as one of the top offensive players in the nation. He leads the Pac-10 in scoring at 22.2 points a game and is ranked ninth nationally.
Graceful and agile and with a definite scorer's mentality, Thompson looks bound to follow his father's footsteps into the NBA.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/28/for-klay-thompson-success-is-in-nba-genes-dreams/
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Picked Purdue Basketball Over State of Union
Oh, governors. They're just like us!
Indiana governor Mitch Daniels admitted Wednesday that he didn't catch President Barack Obama's State of the Union address because he was watching Purdue battle top ranked Ohio State.
When asked for his thoughts in regards to the speech, the governor came clean.
"You caught me. I didn't watch it. I was watching the Purdue game as long as it was watchable," Daniels told a local television station. "Honestly, I've read the accounts. I've got the text of the speech and I'll be reading it between now and the next stop. I think I'll just say that I'm very hopeful that we are going to see changes in national policy."
In actuality, the game wasn't watchable for too long. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 19-5 lead, led by 20 at half, and never allowed the Boilermakers within 10 points after their initial burst.
(h/t Huffington Post)
Indiana governor Mitch Daniels admitted Wednesday that he didn't catch President Barack Obama's State of the Union address because he was watching Purdue battle top ranked Ohio State.
When asked for his thoughts in regards to the speech, the governor came clean.
"You caught me. I didn't watch it. I was watching the Purdue game as long as it was watchable," Daniels told a local television station. "Honestly, I've read the accounts. I've got the text of the speech and I'll be reading it between now and the next stop. I think I'll just say that I'm very hopeful that we are going to see changes in national policy."
In actuality, the game wasn't watchable for too long. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 19-5 lead, led by 20 at half, and never allowed the Boilermakers within 10 points after their initial burst.
Governor misses State of the Union, cheers on Purdue: wlfi.com
(h/t Huffington Post)
Mountain West Tables Expansion, for Now
Filed under: Mountain West
The Mountain West Conference is content with its current membership.That was the gist of a release issued by the conference following two days worth of meetings by the Mountain West's board of directors in Las Vegas.
"The Board feels strongly the membership configuration already established going forward creates outstanding prospects for future success," the release stated.
For the past two days, rumors have been rampant that the Mountain West was looking at adding two members in order to create a conference championship game and perhaps gain a more lucrative television deal. While the teams the conference was considering -- Utah State and San Jose State -- might potentially have brought the television markets of San Jose/San Francisco and Salt Lake City, they added very little to the conference's quest of ultimately being a BCS automatic-qualifying conference.
"In addition, we are continuing with our strategic initiatives related to our television partnerships and the MWC's efforts to effect change in the BCS structure," the statement said. "The Board is excited about what is undoubtedly a bright future for the Conference."
Utah State hasn't had a winning season since 1996 and hasn't been to a bowl game since 1993. The Aggies have only had three winning campaigns since 1980. San Jose has had just five winning seasons during the past two decades and is 3-22 in the past two years.
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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/25/mountain-west-tables-expansion-for-now/
Your Preseason No. 1 for 2011? The Oregon Ducks
Yeah, I know Oregon didn't look all that impressive in the national title game.
Yeah, I know the Ducks were completely overpowered by Auburn.
And yeah, I know we saw the same lack of physicality when the Ducks took on (and lost to) Ohio State in the Rose Bowl a year earlier.
...Source: http://collegefootball.about.com/b/2011/01/17/your-preseason-no-1-for-2011-the-oregon-ducks.htm
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Lorenzo Romar, Ken Bone Put Friendship Aside for Rivalry Week
Filed under: Washington, Washington State, Pac-10, Coaches
Lorenzo Romar and Ken Bone have known each other since college.Bone was a player at Seattle Pacific; Romar was at the University of Washington.
They met in the offseason, playing pick-up games at a local gym. They have remained close friends.
Their wives talk often. Romar said seeing Bone's three daughters makes him smile because he's known them since they were small.
They will take their respective spots on opposite ends of the sideline Sunday night when Romar's 17th-ranked Washington team takes on Bone's Washington State team in one of the most intriguing matchups of the Pac-10 season. The Cougars haven't beaten Washington since the last game of the conference season in 2008.
"The moment that game starts, the friendship goes out the window," Romar said.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/26/romar-bone-put-friendship-aside-for-rivalry-week/
Florida Outlasts Georgia in Double OT
Filed under: Florida, SEC, Georgia
It took a while, but No. 24 Florida (16-4, 5-1) eventually got a huge win on the road over Georgia (14-5, 3-3) in Athens, 104-91.Some heroics by both teams in the waning seconds extended the game. A Trey Thompkins tip-in as time expired in regulation sent the game to overtime, and a deep Erving Walker 3-pointer with one second remaining pushed it to a second OT.
Walker's shot came from well beyond the 3-point line after two Georgia free throws gave the Bulldogs a three-point lead. It appeared that Georgia coach Mark Fox wanted his team to foul prior to the shot, but either they failed to get the message or they couldn't catch Walker. He navigated the Georgia pressure with ease and got a clean -- if deep -- look.
Florida dominated from there, scoring the first nine points of the second overtime. As big as Walker, Kenny Boynton, and Vernon Macklin were in the first 45 minutes, Chandler Parsons was just as effective in the final five. The senior finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, including a stretch when he scored nine straight points for the Gators.
Walker and Boynton led all scorers with 24 points, while Macklin added a career-high 23 points and 10 boards.
Travis Leslie led the Bulldogs with 21, and Thompkins finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
How it was won: Offensive rebounding in the second overtime. The Gators grabbed four in the second overtime alone, when it appeared that Georgia's spirit had been broken. The Gators were able to reverse the trend of the previous 45 minutes, when they got outworked in the post for long stretches.
How it was lost: Momentum, if you can blame that. The second overtime saw a completely different Georgia team than the first, and they weren't able to stay with the Gators. Florida came out fast and the Bulldogs were never able to recover.
Where to from here: Florida's put a touch of distance between itself and the rest of the SEC East, but it has a tricky stretch coming, beginning with a road game against Mississippi State. Georgia now heads to Lexington to face Kentucky in a rematch after the Bulldogs upset UK 77-70 in Athens.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/25/florida-outlasts-georgia-in-double-ot/
Peyton Siva's Layup Pushes No. 23 Louisville Past West Virginia
Filed under: Louisville, West Virginia, Big East
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Peyton Siva hit a twisting layup with 4.5 seconds remaining to lift No. 23 Louisville over undermanned West Virginia 55-54 on Wednesday night.The sophomore point guard finished with 14 points as the Cardinals (16-4, 5-2 Big East) rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to post their second down-to-the-wire victory in the last two weeks.
West Virginia's Dalton Pepper tried to answer Siva's shot, but his rushed 3-pointer was well off as the horn sounded.
Chris Smith led Louisville with 15 points and Preston Knowles added 10, but it was Louisville's defense that led the comeback.
The Mountaineers (13-6, 4-3), playing without suspended leading scorer Casey Mitchell, made just two field goals over the final 15 minutes. Joe Mazzulla led West Virginia with a career-high 18 points, all in the first half.
Despite their offensive woes, the Mountaineers had a chance to win it late. Kevin Jones hit a hook shot in the lane with 41 seconds left to give West Virginia the lead.
Louisville's Terrence Jennings had a perfect chance to answer but rushed a wide-open layup. West Virginia's Darryl Bryant missed two free throws with 25 seconds left, giving Louisville one last opportunity.
After a timeout, Siva dribbled the ball at the top of the key and tried to get the ball to Knowles hoping to duplicate a play that worked to perfection in a win over Marquette on Jan. 15.
Knowles took the ball, drew three Marquette defenders and fed Kyle Kuric for the game-winning layup. This time, the Mountaineers swarmed Knowles and Siva opted to attack the rim. He sliced through two West Virginia players and spun the ball off the glass.
The Mountaineers, out of timeouts, got the ball to Pepper. The sophomore hurriedly dribbled up the floor, failing to see Bryant all alone behind the Louisville defense. Instead, he put up a 35-footer that didn't have a prayer.
West Virginia, playing with just eight scholarship players, ran out of gas after opening a 42-31 lead. The Mountaineers missed 14 straight shots, opening the door to Louisville's rally.
Some questionable shot selection by the Mountaineers helped. West Virginia built its advantage by bulling its way inside. All that seemed to be forgotten in the middle of the second half.
Rather than go inside, the Mountaineers hoisted 3-pointers, playing right into Louisville's hands.
The Cardinals tied it at 42 on a layup by Jennings and took their first lead since midway through the first half on a layup by Stephan Van Treese.
Louisville's lead grew to 53-47 after Smith hit a jumper from the right elbow, but the Cardinals couldn't close it out. West Virginia clawed back in it at the free throw line, setting the stage for the final dramatic moments.
Louisville coach Rick Pitino warned his team not to get overconfident after West Virginia coach Bob Huggins suspended Mitchell indefinitely on Monday for a violation of team rules.
Pitino told the Cardinals he expected the Mountaineers to "play like a wounded tiger." Louisville jumped to an early 14-7 advantage, leading Huggins to challenge his team to man up, asking them loudly at one point "are you scared?"
Apparently not.
West Virginia used a 17-2 run to take command, bullying the Cardinals all over the lane while Mazzulla went off.
The senior, whose previous career high was 17 against Kentucky in the NCAA regional finals last spring, did a little bit of everything. He knocked down two 3-pointers - double his total on the season - and knifed through Louisville's porous zone for layups.
Pepper also got in on the act, hitting a 3-pointer and providing a rare putback dunk as the Mountaineers overcame so-so shooting by simply chasing down the miss and reloading.
West Virginia had 13 second-chance points in the half to take a 37-26 lead into the break and appeared ready to become the latest Big East team to go on the road and knock off a ranked opponent.
It didn't happen thanks to Siva, who was booed at one point for erratic play earlier in the season but has responded with the best basketball of his brief career.
CAA Baseball 2011 Preseason Poll
James Madison Picked For Title… RICHMOND, Va. ? James Madison, which returns five starters from last year?s squad that finished atop the CAA baseball regular-season standings, has been picked to win the conference title in 2011 according to a vote of the CAA?s head baseball coaches. The Dukes received four first-place votes and finished atop [...]
Source: http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/01/21/caa-baseball-2011-preseason-poll/
Florida Outlasts Georgia in Double OT
Filed under: Florida, SEC, Georgia
It took a while, but No. 24 Florida (16-4, 5-1) eventually got a huge win on the road over Georgia (14-5, 3-3) in Athens, 104-91.Some heroics by both teams in the waning seconds extended the game. A Trey Thompkins tip-in as time expired in regulation sent the game to overtime, and a deep Erving Walker 3-pointer with one second remaining pushed it to a second OT.
Walker's shot came from well beyond the 3-point line after two Georgia free throws gave the Bulldogs a three-point lead. It appeared that Georgia coach Mark Fox wanted his team to foul prior to the shot, but either they failed to get the message or they couldn't catch Walker. He navigated the Georgia pressure with ease and got a clean -- if deep -- look.
Florida dominated from there, scoring the first nine points of the second overtime. As big as Walker, Kenny Boynton, and Vernon Macklin were in the first 45 minutes, Chandler Parsons was just as effective in the final five. The senior finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, including a stretch when he scored nine straight points for the Gators.
Walker and Boynton led all scorers with 24 points, while Macklin added a career-high 23 points and 10 boards.
Travis Leslie led the Bulldogs with 21, and Thompkins finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
How it was won: Offensive rebounding in the second overtime. The Gators grabbed four in the second overtime alone, when it appeared that Georgia's spirit had been broken. The Gators were able to reverse the trend of the previous 45 minutes, when they got outworked in the post for long stretches.
How it was lost: Momentum, if you can blame that. The second overtime saw a completely different Georgia team than the first, and they weren't able to stay with the Gators. Florida came out fast and the Bulldogs were never able to recover.
Where to from here: Florida's put a touch of distance between itself and the rest of the SEC East, but it has a tricky stretch coming, beginning with a road game against Mississippi State. Georgia now heads to Lexington to face Kentucky in a rematch after the Bulldogs upset UK 77-70 in Athens.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/25/florida-outlasts-georgia-in-double-ot/
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Notre Dame 'Burns' No. 2 Pitt, Panthers' Home Winning Streak
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Ben Hansbrough and Notre Dame made Pittsburgh feel the burn Monday night.
Hansbrough scored 19 points, Carleton Scott had 16 and the 15th-ranked Fighting Irish beat No. 2 Pittsburgh 56-51, snapping the Panthers' 20-game home winning streak.
Employing a methodical, plodding game plan they call "burn," the Irish won their third consecutive game in the series against Pittsburgh and picked up their first victory at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers won 51 of their previous 52 home games.
"This was the first time we committed to an all-out 'burn,' and we beat Pitt doing it two times last year," said Hansbrough, who went 8 for 14 from the field. "This is probably the best win I've had ... maybe ever."
Scott went 5 for 6 from 3-point range as Notre Dame (17-4, 6-3 Big East) earned its first road win of the season. Reserve Scott Martin made three 3s and finished with 10 points.
"We knew if we didn't concentrate at the end of the clock, we would lose here by 15 like everybody else does," Irish coach Mike Brey said. "They're really good. They're hard to guard. They're really hard to keep off the boards. This was the absolute road challenge for us."
Hansbrough scored 19 points, Carleton Scott had 16 and the 15th-ranked Fighting Irish beat No. 2 Pittsburgh 56-51, snapping the Panthers' 20-game home winning streak.
Employing a methodical, plodding game plan they call "burn," the Irish won their third consecutive game in the series against Pittsburgh and picked up their first victory at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers won 51 of their previous 52 home games.
"This was the first time we committed to an all-out 'burn,' and we beat Pitt doing it two times last year," said Hansbrough, who went 8 for 14 from the field. "This is probably the best win I've had ... maybe ever."
Scott went 5 for 6 from 3-point range as Notre Dame (17-4, 6-3 Big East) earned its first road win of the season. Reserve Scott Martin made three 3s and finished with 10 points.
"We knew if we didn't concentrate at the end of the clock, we would lose here by 15 like everybody else does," Irish coach Mike Brey said. "They're really good. They're hard to guard. They're really hard to keep off the boards. This was the absolute road challenge for us."
Florida Outlasts Georgia in Double OT
Filed under: Florida, SEC, Georgia
It took a while, but No. 24 Florida (16-4, 5-1) eventually got a huge win on the road over Georgia (14-5, 3-3) in Athens, 104-91.Some heroics by both teams in the waning seconds extended the game. A Trey Thompkins tip-in as time expired in regulation sent the game to overtime, and a deep Erving Walker 3-pointer with one second remaining pushed it to a second OT.
Walker's shot came from well beyond the 3-point line after two Georgia free throws gave the Bulldogs a three-point lead. It appeared that Georgia coach Mark Fox wanted his team to foul prior to the shot, but either they failed to get the message or they couldn't catch Walker. He navigated the Georgia pressure with ease and got a clean -- if deep -- look.
Florida dominated from there, scoring the first nine points of the second overtime. As big as Walker, Kenny Boynton, and Vernon Macklin were in the first 45 minutes, Chandler Parsons was just as effective in the final five. The senior finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, including a stretch when he scored nine straight points for the Gators.
Walker and Boynton led all scorers with 24 points, while Macklin added a career-high 23 points and 10 boards.
Travis Leslie led the Bulldogs with 21, and Thompkins finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
How it was won: Offensive rebounding in the second overtime. The Gators grabbed four in the second overtime alone, when it appeared that Georgia's spirit had been broken. The Gators were able to reverse the trend of the previous 45 minutes, when they got outworked in the post for long stretches.
How it was lost: Momentum, if you can blame that. The second overtime saw a completely different Georgia team than the first, and they weren't able to stay with the Gators. Florida came out fast and the Bulldogs were never able to recover.
Where to from here: Florida's put a touch of distance between itself and the rest of the SEC East, but it has a tricky stretch coming, beginning with a road game against Mississippi State. Georgia now heads to Lexington to face Kentucky in a rematch after the Bulldogs upset UK 77-70 in Athens.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/25/florida-outlasts-georgia-in-double-ot/
Al Nolen's Broken Foot to Require Surgery
Filed under: Minnesota
Minnesota senior guard Al Nolen will be sidelined after breaking his foot Saturday against Michigan. Nolen will require surgery, Gophers coach Tubby Smith announced Monday. It is unclear at this point how long he will be out for. Nolen missed five games earlier in the season due to a stress fracture in his foot, and he only played eleven minutes in the Gophers' win over Michigan Saturday. Nolen, the conference leader in steals, had been playing his best ball of late.
"That's a real blow to us," Smith said.
A couple of freshmen will attempt to fill the void, and Smith also said that Blake Hoffarber will also get some minutes at the point. Another guard, Devoe Joseph, transferred out of the program last month.
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/24/al-nolens-broken-foot-to-require-surgery/
Big South Baseball 2011 Preseason Poll
Coastal Carolina Tabbed As Early Favorite… CHARLOTTE, N.C – For the fourth consecutive year, Coastal Carolina University‘s baseball team has been voted the Big South Conference’s preseason favorite by the League’s Head Baseball Coaches, it was announced today by the Conference office.� In addition, the coaches voted Chanticleers’ redshirt-junior second baseman Tommy La Stella (Closter, [...]
Source: http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/01/25/big-south-baseball-2011-preseason-poll/
BCS National Championship Preview: Why Oregon Will Win
So it's almost here. After more than a month of talk off the field, the Oregon Ducks and the Auburn Tigers are about to get their chance to do their talking on the field.
...Tuesday, January 25, 2011
John Calipari, Terrence Jones Find Peace After Outburst
Filed under: Kentucky
That's it, folks. It's over.Whatever disingenuous and self-righteous outrage persisted following John Calipari's profanity-laced outburst aimed at freshman Terrence Jones has been quelled, as both player and coach suggest that the situation is behind them.
"I just don't think that even needed to be that big a deal," Jones said. "My coach isn't the first coach to cuss. That didn't even bother me."
Even so, questions were raised about the relationship between the two, which Calipari also put to rest Monday.
"There are times when I just look at him and I go, 'I love you, you know," Calipari said. "And he says, 'I know you do, I love you too."
Calipari certainly loved Jones Saturday, when Jones had a steady 14 point, eight rebound effort in a big road win over South Carolina. Kentucky had been sputtering on the road thus far in the SEC, with losses coming at Alabama and Georgia. Included in the South Carolina game was a sustained effort from Jones and four monstrous dunks. The consistency, Calipari says, is key for Jones's future success.
"He's smashing guys," Calipari said. "If you're doing that, you can be a special guy. The special guys do it all the time."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Renaldo Woolridge Music Video Sour Note for Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is investigating whether any NCAA rules were violated when basketball player Renaldo Woolridge was provided free use of a Knoxville bar in order to film a music video.The Vols are already under investigation for recruiting violations centering around coach Bruce Pearl.
A report in the Knoxville News-Sentinel indicated that Woolridge was granted exclusive access to a part of Amsterdam Bar and Grill. The use of the space, according to the newspaper, was given for free in support of Tennessee athletics.
Woolridge is averaging just over a point and a rebound in eight games this season.
UT athletics spokesmen Jimmy Stanton denied further comment, and, unfortunately, there is no footage of the alleged music video.
(Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.)
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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/24/renaldo-woolridge-music-video-sour-note-for-tennessee/
John Jenkins, Vanderbilt Snap Saint Mary's 11-Game Winning Streak
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor both scored 19 points and Vanderbilt upset Saint Mary's (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP) 89-70 to snap the Gaels' 11-game winning streak Saturday in the last non-conference game for both teams.
Vanderbilt (14-4) improved to 3-1 against the Top 25 this season and 2-0 against the Gaels. The Commodores won their second straight by closing out the first half with a 21-5 run and with sizzling shooting from beyond the arc (11-of-22).
Saint Mary's (17-3) hadn't lost since Dec. 1 to then-No. 17 San Diego State, and this loss is a tough end to a week when the Gaels moved into the rankings for the first time since Jan. 26, 2006.
Brad Tinsley had a season-high 18 for Vandy. Lance Goulbourne had 15 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
Matthew Dellavedova lead the Gaels with 19 points. Rob Jones had 15, and Stephen Holt 11.
Mitchell Young came in as the West Coast Conference's top shooter at 64 percent averaging 10.5 points a game. He took only one shot and had no points before fouling out with 7:05 left. Mickey McConnell fouled out with 3:20 to go after scoring only six points. He had averaged 16.5 over his previous 11 games.
Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings improved to 104-8 against non-Southeastern Conference opponents at Memorial Gym, and he had a soldout crowd cheering loudly once his Commodores took control of this one. The Commodores also outrebounded Saint Mary's 39-27.
Saint Mary's didn't even get to the free throw line in the first half. Vanderbilt nearly had more chances the line in the first half (11-of-13) than the Gaels finished with for the game (12-of-15). The Commodores finished 26-of-32 for a season-high 81.3 percent shooting at the line.
The opening minutes looked like this would be a tight game with five ties and four lead changes. Vanderbilt missed five of its first six shots. Saint Mary's didn't have a problem with the early tipoff despite having flown in from California, hitting nine of the first 11 shots with Jones' 3 putting them up 19-13 with 12:56 left.
But Jones also woke up the Commodores when called for a technical as he hung on the rim trying to slam back through the dunk he had just missed with 7:29 remaining and Saint Mary's up 23-22.
Jenkins, the SEC's leading scorer, hit the second free throw for his first point of the game to tie it up. He then came back with a 3 to put Vandy ahead to stay. Steve Tchiengang added a 3, then Jenkins hit another 3 that started the 21-5 run as the Commodores lead 43-28 at halftime.
The Gaels never got closer than five in the second half, the last midway through the half on a three-point play by McConnell. Vandy just kept adding to its lead and was up by 21 late.
Vanderbilt (14-4) improved to 3-1 against the Top 25 this season and 2-0 against the Gaels. The Commodores won their second straight by closing out the first half with a 21-5 run and with sizzling shooting from beyond the arc (11-of-22).
Saint Mary's (17-3) hadn't lost since Dec. 1 to then-No. 17 San Diego State, and this loss is a tough end to a week when the Gaels moved into the rankings for the first time since Jan. 26, 2006.
Brad Tinsley had a season-high 18 for Vandy. Lance Goulbourne had 15 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
Matthew Dellavedova lead the Gaels with 19 points. Rob Jones had 15, and Stephen Holt 11.
Mitchell Young came in as the West Coast Conference's top shooter at 64 percent averaging 10.5 points a game. He took only one shot and had no points before fouling out with 7:05 left. Mickey McConnell fouled out with 3:20 to go after scoring only six points. He had averaged 16.5 over his previous 11 games.
Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings improved to 104-8 against non-Southeastern Conference opponents at Memorial Gym, and he had a soldout crowd cheering loudly once his Commodores took control of this one. The Commodores also outrebounded Saint Mary's 39-27.
Saint Mary's didn't even get to the free throw line in the first half. Vanderbilt nearly had more chances the line in the first half (11-of-13) than the Gaels finished with for the game (12-of-15). The Commodores finished 26-of-32 for a season-high 81.3 percent shooting at the line.
The opening minutes looked like this would be a tight game with five ties and four lead changes. Vanderbilt missed five of its first six shots. Saint Mary's didn't have a problem with the early tipoff despite having flown in from California, hitting nine of the first 11 shots with Jones' 3 putting them up 19-13 with 12:56 left.
But Jones also woke up the Commodores when called for a technical as he hung on the rim trying to slam back through the dunk he had just missed with 7:29 remaining and Saint Mary's up 23-22.
Jenkins, the SEC's leading scorer, hit the second free throw for his first point of the game to tie it up. He then came back with a 3 to put Vandy ahead to stay. Steve Tchiengang added a 3, then Jenkins hit another 3 that started the 21-5 run as the Commodores lead 43-28 at halftime.
The Gaels never got closer than five in the second half, the last midway through the half on a three-point play by McConnell. Vandy just kept adding to its lead and was up by 21 late.
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