All The Latest On College Sports: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Tennessee Makes Special Delivery to NCAA: Lane Kiffin

For the past several months the University of Tennessee and the NCAA have been feverishly negotiating the notice of allegations that UT released Wednesday. The damage to the Volunteer athletic program was significant, but it wasn't crippling. Why? Because Tennessee handled the NCAA, a bureaucratic agency that answers to its own regulations and precedent as it sees fit, just about as well as a university can.

By that I mean that Tennessee immediately retained heavyweight attorney Mike Glazier, who specializes in these investigations and is worth his weight in gold. Whatever legal fees the Vols paid him in 2010 and '11, Tennessee got the best bargain for its money in college football this side of Cam Newton. They ought to retire his gavel on the ring of honor at Neyland Stadium.

In earlier drafts of the notice of allegations the Volunteer football program was set to take a hit for a major violation, a failure to monitor, alongside Lane Kiffin. Then, voila, Glazier worked his magic in the last two weeks and not only managed to avoid a direct hit to the football program, but he delivered Lane Kiffin's head on a silver platter to the NCAA.

Throughout this investigation, according to multiple sources, the goal of Tennessee was to isolate the football violations and place them squarely upon Lane Kiffin and his staff. Ultimately the Vols succeeded in going state's evidence and making Lane Kiffin football's fall guy.

A few months ago, Bruce Pearl said he missed Lane Kiffin being in Knoxville because Kiffin would always put his foot in his mouth and get the attention off Pearl. Well, Pearl got his wish. For one last time, Kiffin delivered the Volunteer basketball coach the ultimate gift, on a day that Pearl got slammed with seven major violations, a great deal of attention has shifted to the only real surprise from the notice, Kiffin's being hit with two major violations of his own.

Let's dive in and consider six other major takeaways from the notice of allegations arriving.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/23/tennessee-makes-special-delivery-to-ncaa-lane-kiffin/

Big Ten NCAA Basketball

Greg Beals Interview

Ohio State baseball coach Greg Beals talks to Collegebaseball360.com at the 2011 Big East/Big Ten Challenge.

Source: http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/02/25/greg-beals-interview/

USC University of Florida

A Knight of Familiar Disappointment

Editor's Note: This column originally published Feb. 4, 2008.

With Bob Knight, the latest black eye was never more than a downturned head, blown call or salad bar running low on iceberg lettuce away.

So when Knight abruptly announced his retirement Monday, a day which might replace Christmas on the calendars of more than a few referees, the logical reaction was to wait for the next shoe to drop. Or, since it's Knight we're talking about, wait for the shoe to come hurtling at an unsuspecting reporter.

Had he given another impromptu lesson on etiquette while gripping a Texas Tech student by the arm with the same gentleness Gary Sheffield applies to his bat, as he did at Indiana in September, 2000?

Had he smacked Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance with a pair of pristine white gloves and opted for pistols at dawn?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/28/bob-knights-retirement-a-knight-of-familiar-disappointment/

Ole Miss Temple

Cooper-Dyke Bringing Hall of Fame style, Broken Clipboards to UNC-Wilmington

Filed under: Coaches, Women's Basketball

TOWSON, Md. -- As Cynthia Cooper-Dyke turned to walk out a side door of the Towson Center to board the team bus for a seven-hour ride in the middle of the night back to Wilmington, N.C., it was gently brought to her attention that she had broken yet another clipboard in that night's game in frustration over her team's play.

"How many is that this year?" asked Cooper-Dyke.

"Five," answered an assistant coach.

There are three things that make that situation pregnant with irony. First, UNC-Wilmington, where Cooper-Dyke is in her first season as head coach, had just beaten Towson by 29.

Second, the win moved the Seahawks to a 21-6 overall record and to 13-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association, keeping them in contention for an at-large NCAA tournament bid.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/cooper-dyke-bringing-hall-of-fame-style-broken-clipboards-to-un/

Big 12 Sports UCLA

Sunday, February 27, 2011

North Carolina Ready for High Stakes Rematch With Duke

Filed under: Maryland, ACC, North Carolina

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Harrison Barnes said he did not even stay up Saturday night to watch the Duke-Virginia Tech game. Roy Williams did stay up, though. "I'm sitting at home, so I'm comfortable,'' he said Sunday night after his North Carolina team had played Maryland. "I didn't have to coach it.''

Williams and his players will see Duke soon enough -- six days later, in the same building, the Smith Center. And because of the results of the games Saturday and Sunday, the chances are excellent that the game will decide the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season champ, as well as the usual bragging rights on Tobacco Road. Both Duke -- ranked first in the nation going into the weekend -- and 19th-ranked North Carolina have to get past one more conference game before meeting in prime time to decide it all.

Of course, after Virginia Tech beat Duke, North Carolina had to handle another opponent immediately, and it did, decisively. Maryland needed this game as much as, or more than, the Tar Heels thanks to its precarious NCAA bubble positioning -- and the Terps got simultaneously run over and swatted away, 87-76. No getting caught up in the moment or overlooking opponents for this group, not this season and not lately.

"We all woke up this morning and we were told about the game,'' said Barnes, the freshman, who set the tone by knocking down three three-pointers in the game's first four minutes. "And that was great and all, but we knew we had to come out here today and play our game. Because if (Duke) lost and we lost, then we're in the same position we were in. We knew this was a big game for us, and we had to come out and win.''

The Heels have been winning just fine lately. They lost the week before Christmas to Texas, and since then they've won 15 of 17. Their last lost was at Duke, but they've won five straight since. Their previous loss was early in the ACC season, a 20-point throttling at home to Georgia Tech that still defies logic. It also raised the questions about whether this team really was past last year, the 17-loss disaster.

"You lose a couple of games in November and December, and people kind of stop talking about you,'' Maryland coach Gary Williams pointed out, before calling North Carolina, sure to move up in the polls this week, "a top-12, top-15 team.''

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/27/north-carolina-ready-for-high-stakes-rematch-with-duke/

Tulane Pac 10

No, Tennessee Fans. Your Nightmare is Not Over.

Try as they might, the Tennessee Volunteers cannot escape the hell that was "The Lane Kiffin Era."

The NCAA on Wednesday released a "notice of allegations" outlining alleged rules violations in Vols' basketball, baseball and football programs. But while the apparently very serious hoops charges relate to incidents that actually took place during the tenure of current Vols coach Bruce Pearl, the football charges date back to the nightmarish days of Lane Kiffin, who spent one eventful and ridiculous season in Knoxville before heading off to Los Angeles to take over at USC.

...

Read Full Post

Source: http://collegefootball.about.com/b/2011/02/23/no-tennessee-fans-your-nightmare-is-not-over.htm

University of Georgia Konica Minolta Gator Bowl

Tim Floyd Reprimanded After Sideline Outburst

Tim Floyd has been reprimanded by Conference USA after an outburst during a game last week.

Floyd, the first year coach at UTEP, had to be escorted off the court by police officers after being thrown out for arguing a call. Floyd claims that he was mostly innocent, and that the officials had a quick whistle.

Still, C-USA officials are upset with the way that he handled the ejection.

"When a coach is ejected, I expect them to leave the floor," league commissioner Britton Banowsky said in a statement. "Coach Floyd's actions were unacceptable. I have made our expectations clear going forward and do not expect this to happen again."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/tim-floyd-reprimanded-after-sideline-outburst/

Utah ESPN

Tim Floyd Reprimanded After Sideline Outburst

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/tim-floyd-reprimanded-after-sideline-outburst/

University of Florida ACC

Justin Bieber, Mike Gundy Are Ring Tone Buddies

Filed under: Oklahoma State, Big 12

We found out Sunday that teenage sensation Justin Bieber is a fan of Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy, or at least a fan of his infamous rant, "I'm a man. I'm 40!"

The 16-year-old Bieber has Gundy's fiery speech as his ring tone

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/14/justin-bieber-mike-gundy-are-ringtone-fans-of-each-other/

Mississippi State NAIA Baseball World Series

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Calipari Wins 500th Game as Kentucky Beats No. 13 Florida

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Darius Miller scored a career-high 24 points and Brandon Knight added 16 points and six assists as No. 22 Kentucky surged past No. 13 Florida 76-68 on Saturday.

The Wildcats (20-8, 8-6 Southeastern Conference) won their 33rd straight home game and gave coach John Calipari his 500th career victory in bouncing back from a difficult overtime loss to Arkansas on Wednesday.

Miller topped the career high of 22 set last week against South Carolina with the kind of dynamic, aggressive play Calipari has been searching for all season.

Kenny Boynton led Florida (22-6, 11-3) with 21 points and Chandler Parsons added 15 points and eight rebounds. But the Gators, who clinched a share of the SEC East title with a win over Georgia on Thursday night, couldn't keep up with the Wildcats in the second half.

Fighting for loose balls, crashing the offensive boards and trying to keep Parsons in check, Miller kept Kentucky perfect at home under Calipari and gave the Wildcats a much-needed confidence boost following another meltdown on the road against the Razorbacks.

Kentucky took control of a tight game with a 10-2 burst midway through the second half to get some breathing room at 58-49.

The Gators answered with a 3-pointer in the corner by Parsons and drew within 61-56 on a layup by Parsons, who appeared to be just fine in his second game back from a painful thigh bruise.

The Wildcats responded, as they always seem to do at home. DeAndre Liggins, who engaged in a spirited back-and-forth with Calipari in the first half, hit a 3-pointer and Doron Lamb added a runner to push Kentucky's lead to 66-56.

Kentucky's offense, however, stalled over the next 2 minutes as the Gators stayed close.

Enter Miller, who has been a puzzle at times during his up-and-down career but finally seems to be finding himself. He chased down a 3-point miss by Lamb shortly after checking back in with 4:51 to go. Kentucky reset and Miller moved to the top of the key. The Wildcats went inside to Terrence Jones, who kicked it back out to Miller. He calmly drilled the 3-pointer and stuck his tongue out briefly while hustling back on defense.

Calipari had chastised his team for being too passive, saying his players appeared to be content to watch and let others do the work.

It wasn't an issue on Saturday. Kentucky held a slight edge on the backboards and outscored Florida 11-1 on second-chance points.

Miller added five rebounds, three assists and three blocks and senior Josh Harrellson had six points and 12 boards in his penultimate home game.

Kentucky has been unbeatable at Rupp Arena under Calipari, but the Gators - who ended Xavier's 30-game home winning streak on New Year's Eve - hardly looked intimidated.

The Wildcats needed 13 points from Miller and 11 from Knight to take a 34-33 halftime lead as Jones battled foul trouble and the rest of Kentucky's six-man rotation proved ineffective.

Florida showcased its depth by getting contributions from whomever coach Billy Donovan threw out on the court.

There were seven ties and 10 lead changes in the half, but the Wildcats finally gathered themselves early in the second to breathe some much-needed life into their season.

The win also made Calipari the second coach in NCAA history to win 500 games in his first 19 seasons, joining North Carolina coach Roy Williams, who won 524 games in his first 19 seasons.

Calipari is 500-151 in 19 seasons at Massachusetts, Memphis and Kentucky.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/calipari-wins-500th-game-as-kentucky-beats-no-13-florida/

NCAA Mens Division I Basketball NCAA Division III Football

Former FSU Star John Wyche Now Tackling the Cleaning of Garbage Cans

Filed under: Florida State

Miami policeman John Wyche is committed to keeping residential streets clean of bad guys. Wyche is also committed to keeping residential trash cans and commercial garbage dumpsters clean of hazardous bacteria and fungi.

Both can be dirty jobs but, hey, somebody's got to do them, right?

Wyche, a former collegiate and professional football player, loves both his jobs.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/22/former-fsu-star-john-wyche-now-tackling-the-cleaning-of-garbage/

Champs Sports Bowl Missouri

Marquette Nets R�sum�-Building Win Over Calhoun-less UConn

Filed under: Connecticut, Marquette, Big East

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Darius Johnson-Odom scored nine of his 17 points in overtime Thursday night to lead Marquette to a 74-67 victory over No. 14 Connecticut, which played without coach Jim Calhoun on the bench.

Jimmy Butler added 16 points for the Golden Eagles (17-11, 8-7 Big East), who tied the game at 59 with 5.3 seconds left on a drive by Johnson-Odom.

Kemba Walker led the Huskies (20-7, 8-7) with 27 points but the junior guard missed four shots and committed one turnover in the extra period.

It was the Huskies' first game since the NCAA revealed its sanctions against the program over recruiting violations. Among the penalties was a suspension of Calhoun for next season's first three Big East games. Calhoun was cited for failing to monitor and promote an atmosphere of compliance within his program.

Calhoun left the team Wednesday to be with his family in New Hampshire following the death of his sister-in-law on Monday.

This was the 15th game that associate head coach George Blaney replaced Calhoun on the bench and Connecticut's record in those games dropped to 7-8.

The loss was the third in five games for the Huskies, who beat Marquette 76-68 in their earlier meeting this season.

Nine of Marquette's 11 losses have been to ranked teams, and this looked to be No. 10 when the Huskies opened the second half with a 26-7 run to wipe out an 11-point halftime deficit.

The Golden Eagles responded with an 8-2 run that brought them to 51-49 with 6:55 to play.

There were two lead changes and three ties from there, including Johnson-Odom's drive that tied it with 5.3 seconds left.

Walker missed a spin move as the regulation buzzer sounded.

Johnson-Odom made one of two free throws and a jumper in the opening 40 seconds of the overtime to give Marquette the lead for good.

His move down low followed by a jumper made it 70-65 with 1:12 left. Donnell Beverly missed two free throws for the Huskies and Dwight Buycks hit two for Marquette to make it 72-65 with 25 seconds left.

Buycks had 13 points for Marquette, which desperately needed this win to enhance its chances for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Golden Eagles lost their 11 games by an average of 5.6 points with only one in double figures. This was their third win over a ranked opponent after wins over Notre Dame and Syracuse.

Alex Oriakhi had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Huskies, who dropped to 8-2 in the XL Center, while Jeremy Lamb had eight points and 12 rebounds.

Connecticut started the game by making five of its first nine shots to take an 11-3 lead.

The shooting disappeared against Marquette's 2-3 zone for the rest of the half. While the Huskies closed the opening 20 minutes by going 5 of 23 from the field, the Golden Eagles started to make their shots - although they didn't exactly scorch the nets either, going 13 of 33 (39.4 percent).

With Butler leading the way with 13 points, Marquette took a 34-23 halftime lead. Butler capped the 31-12 run with 3 seconds left in the half by making a 15-foot jumper as the shot clock expired.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/24/marquette-nets-resume-building-win-over-calhoun-less-uconn/

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Clemson

Banked 3-Pointer at Buzzer Wins Game for Wisconsin at Michigan

Filed under: Michigan, Wisconsin, Big Ten

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Josh Gasser banked in a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to give No. 12 Wisconsin a 53-52 win over Michigan on Wednesday night.

The Wolverines (17-12, 7-9 Big Ten) led by two, but Darius Morris missed the front end of a one-and-one with 30.8 seconds remaining. Michigan still had four fouls to give and used them all, the last with only 5.4 seconds left, but on the final play, Gasser was able to beat the buzzer and deal a severe blow to the Wolverines' NCAA tournament hopes.

After his shot went in, the Wisconsin bench emptied and piled on top of Gasser near midcourt.

Jordan Taylor scored 20 points for Wisconsin (21-6, 11-4). The Wolverines double teamed him on the final play and made him give up the ball, but Gasser was open to the right of the top of the key.

Wisconsin shot only 36 percent from the field and went 8 of 29 from 3-point range. Taylor was 3 of 6 from long distance and Keaton Nankivil was 3 of 7. The rest of the team was 2 of 16, but that included Gasser's winner.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 16 points for Michigan, which went 5 of 11 from the free throw line.

It was probably the most heartbreaking loss of the season for the Wolverines, and there have been a few. Michigan was not expected to win much this season with a young team, but the Wolverines took Kansas to overtime and nearly knocked off Ohio State at home.

Michigan started 1-6 in conference play but was inches away from returning to .500 in the Big Ten on Wednesday.

Nankivil scored 13 points for the Badgers, and Jon Leuer added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Jordan Morgan scored 12 points for Michigan.

Michigan led 31-30 at halftime after making 12 of 18 shots. Taylor and Leuer kept Wisconsin in it by combining for 21 points in the first half.

The Badgers started the second half 1 of 8 from the field, but Michigan couldn't pull away. In fact, when Nankivil finally broke the drought with five quick points, Wisconsin led 37-36.

After Taylor put the Badgers up 48-45 with a long two-pointer from the right corner, Morris scored from inside and Hardaway sank a 3-pointer from near the top of the key to put Michigan back in front.

Gasser tied it at 50 with 3:00 left, but Morgan scored inside with 2:41 to play.

For a while, it seemed that basket might hold up until the end of the game, but Gasser had one more chance.

Wisconsin has won 10 straight games against Michigan.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/23/banked-3-pointer-at-buzzer-wins-game-for-wisconsin-at-michigan/

Michigan State Tulane

Marcus Dupree Reigns as King of the Ring in Philadelphia, Mississippi

Filed under: Oklahoma

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. - Marcus Dupree left here destined to be the greatest football player ever. He returned over the weekend as a pro wrestler looking for a new start.

There he was, a burly grandfather all dressed up in Oklahoma red, dropping make-believe elbows on pretend bad guys. Somehow you knew Dupree's long strange journey would end like this, sharing a bill with characters like the Krypt Keeper and the Albino Rhino.

The rasslin' extravaganza on the outskirts of town pretty much lived down to expectations. The surprising thing was the main attraction didn't.

"I'm happy, I'm living, I'm healthy," Dupree said.

That's great, but most of us figured he would want more out of life at age 46. It's hard to imagine Tom Brady happily swinging a folding chair as Gisele Bundchen sits ringside. But you and I and Tom and Giselle aren't from around these parts.

Most of us look at Dupree and see a story in search of a happy ending. Saturday night's event was billed as "REDEMPTION."

How could it be found chasing clowns around a wrestling ring at the Neshoba County Coliseum?

The last time Dupree performed in front of a hometown crowd was Nov. 13, 1981. He scored his 87th career touchdown for Philadelphia High, breaking Herschel Walker's national record. You probably know the rest of the story.

Dupree signed with Oklahoma. He made second-team All American as a freshman and gained 239 yards in an abbreviated Fiesta Bowl appearance. Conflicts ensued. When Barry Switzer gets on you for a lack of discipline, you know you have issues.

Dupree left Oklahoma, signed with the USFL and injured his left knee. He came back five years later for a couple of nondescript seasons in the NFL.

He was the best that never was.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/marcus-dupree-reigns-as-king-of-the-ring-in-philadelphia-missis/

UT New Mexico Bowl

Friday, February 25, 2011

Eric LeGrand, Paralyzed Rutgers Player, Makes First Public Appearance

Filed under: Rutgers

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) - Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand made his first public appearance since being paralyzed in a game against Army more than four months ago.

LeGrand attended a "Laugh to Heal Comedy Fest Fundraiser" for him at the Rutgers Athletic Center on Saturday.

"I just want to thank everybody for coming out here today and I'm just going to keep on chopping during my rehab," LeGrand told the crowd of approximately 3,000 who attended the comedy show featuring Rutgers alumnus Bill Bellamy.

The event was for the "Eric LeGrand Believe Fund."

Rutgers spokesman Jason Baum did not know on Monday how much money was raised over the weekend.

It was LeGrand's second trip to Rutgers since the injury. He also joined his teammates for the first team meeting of the semester in January.

The junior defensive tackle has resumed his coursework at Rutgers, joining via videoconference last month for a class on "Blacks and Economic Structures."

LeGrand remains paralyzed below the neck. The Avenel, N.J., resident fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae while making a head-first tackle on a kickoff in the win over Army at New Meadowlands Stadium.

LeGrand has regained movement in his shoulders and is experiencing sensation throughout his body. He is undergoing rehabilitation at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/eric-legrand-paralyzed-rutgers-player-makes-first-public-appea/

Oklahoma South Carolina

Fiesta Bowl CEO Under Investigation, Placed on Administrative Leave

Filed under: General CFB Insanity, Bowl Games

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Fiesta Bowl chief executive John Junker has been placed on administrative leave while officials investigate allegations of improper political campaign contributions and expense reimbursements by bowl employees.

Bowl organizers said Monday in a news release that an independent investigation is being conducted by a special committee of the board of directors consisting of retired Arizona Supreme Court Justice Ruth McGregor and Fiesta Bowl Directors Jim Bruner and Steve Whiteman.

The board doesn't have a definitive timeframe for when the investigation will be completed.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/14/fiesta-bowl-ceo-under-investigation-placed-on-administrative-le/

NCAA Basketball Big 12 Sports

Mark Cuban Launches (Ill-Advised) Effort to Revamp College Football

Just what college football needs: Mark Cuban.

Ugh.

Cuban, one of the sporting world's most stunningly self-important figures (and, yes, that is saying something), has launched an effort to destroy the much-hated (by some) BCS system. According to the San Diego Tribune, Cuban in late December created a limited liability company called "Radical Football" (a name, it should be noted, that is every bit as amateurish as "Super Bowl").

...

Read Full Post

Source: http://collegefootball.about.com/b/2011/02/20/mark-cuban-launches-ill-advised-effort-to-revamp-college-football.htm

UT New Mexico Bowl

Georgetown Loses to Cincinnati, Loses Chris Wright

Filed under: Cincinnati, Georgetown, Big East

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Cincinnati beat a Top 25 team on the road for the first time in seven years Wednesday night, holding Georgetown to four field goals in the second half in a 58-46 win over the No. 11 Hoyas.

Yancy Gates scored 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead a balanced attack for the Bearcats, who held Georgetown to 25 percent shooting from the field, by far a season low. Dion Dixon also scored 17 points, and Rashad Bishop had 12.

The win ended Cincinnati's 20-game road losing streak against ranked teams, their last win coming against then-No. 21 Marquette on Jan. 14, 2004.

It also moved the Bearcats (22-6, 9-6) into a tie for seventh in the Big East standings, which would be good enough for a first-round bye in the conference tournament, and gives another boost to the school's hopes to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in Mick Cronin's five seasons as coach. A loss would have dropped them to 11th in the conference.

The Hoyas (21-7, 10-6) experienced a similar swing as they lost for only the second time in 11 games. Instead of moving into third place, which would be worth a double-bye in the Big East tournament, Georgetown dropped into a tie for fifth.

Austin Freeman broke out of his latest mini-slump to score 19 points for the Hoyas, but he was the only player with any degree of success against a Bearcats team that entered the game leading the Big East in scoring defense, allowing 58.7 points per game.

Chris Wright went 0 for 6 from the field and appeared to hurt his wrist as he hit the floor after losing the ball early in the second half. Julian Vaughn was 1 for 9 and fouled out late in the game.

Overall, Georgetown shot 12 for 48, including 5 for 23 from 3-point range, a stunning display from a team that entered the game shooting 49.7 from the field - second in the nation. The Hoyas were 4 for 23 from the field in the second half.

The teams were tied at 26 at halftime, but the Hoyas missed their first eight shots of the second half and committed seven turnovers before finally making a field goal - Hollis Thompson's 3-pointer with 9:31 remaining. By then, the Bearcats had opened the half with a 17-3 run to take a 43-28 lead. Gates scored seven points during the run and was an offensive rebounding force who kept possessions alive.

Georgetown stayed as close as it did because of the game's free-throw discrepancy. The Hoyas made 17 of 20 from the line; the Bearcats took only two free throws in the first 35 minutes and finished 9 for 13 because Georgetown was forced to foul late.

Gates' three-point play put the Bearcats ahead 48-35 with 4:43 to play. Freeman's fast-break layup and Vee Sanford's 3-pointer got the Hoyas within eight, but Bishop banked in a 3-pointer as the shot clock was about to expire to restore a double-digit lead with 3:13 to play. Freeman looked exasperated, slumping his shoulders and rolling his eyes as the shot went in.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/23/cincinnati-gets-huge-win-at-georgetown/

Arkansas Arizona

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Doug Williams Going Back to Grambling, Leaving UFL Behind

At first glance, Doug Williams' return to Grambling State as head football coach seems like a great move for the longtime NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XXII Most Valuable Player.

It sounds like less than good news for the UFL, which Williams leaves after exactly eight months as the general manager of the Virginia Destroyers, the Norfolk-based team scheduled to begin play this fall.

The UFL announced Williams' departure Monday morning in a press release, in which Williams was quoted: "I was looking forward to working with the Destroyers, but this is a great opportunity for me and it is very rare that a father gets to coach his son at the college football level ... I went to school there, I coached there, and now I have a great opportunity to coach there again."

Williams' son, Doug III (known as D.J.), also a quarterback, committed to Grambling last month.

Grambling had been looking for a head coach since Rod Broadway left for North Carolina A&T earlier this month. Williams, who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy race as a Grambling senior in 1977, replaced retiring Hall of Fame coach Eddie Robinson in 1998 and had a 52-18 record in six seasons. Grambling went 9-2 under Broadway last season.

Williams left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' front office to become the UFL expansion team's general manager last June 21. In September, after speaking at a charity golf event in Norfolk to promote the team, Williams told FanHouse that he saw the job as the next logical step in his football career, in which he aspired to be in charge of an entire organization.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/doug-williams-going-back-to-grambling-leaving-ufl-behind/

University of North Carolina Big East

Doug Williams Going Back to Grambling, Leaving UFL Behind

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/doug-williams-going-back-to-grambling-leaving-ufl-behind/

Arizona Purdue

Harrison Barnes Helps North Carolina Pull Away From N.C. State

Filed under: NC State, ACC, North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Harrison Barnes scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half to help No. 19 North Carolina pull away late to beat North Carolina State 75-63 on Wednesday night.

Fellow freshman Kendall Marshall added 14 points for the Tar Heels (21-6, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who were in a tough fight against their nearby rival before Barnes got rolling. The freshman missed all six shots in the first half, including an airballed jumper that had the rowdy Wolfpack fans on his case.

But Barnes roared back in the second half, hitting a key jumper to ignite a clinching 17-7 run that sent the red-clad crowd heading for the exits. He also stuffed home a pair of misses from teammates in transition, then calmly buried a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock and give North Carolina a 67-59 lead with 1:52 left.

C.J. Leslie had 13 points to lead N.C. State (14-13, 4-9), which lost to the Tar Heels for the 10th straight meeting.

And while the Wolfpack played with enough intensity to make the latest meeting worthy of the longstanding rivalry, this one ended the way seemingly all of the other ones have since Sidney Lowe took over in Raleigh: with the Tar Heels celebrating as the horn sounded.

Lowe won his first game against the Tar Heels, roaming the sideline in a striking red blazer while his Wolfpack earned an 83-79 win four years ago. But North Carolina hadn't lost to N.C. State since, taking nine straight meetings by an average margin of 16 points.

That included last month's meeting in Chapel Hill, where the Tar Heels jumped to a 13-2 lead, never let the Wolfpack get closer than nine points and led by double figures for the final 33 minutes in an 84-64 win.

This time, North Carolina rallied from a 10-point deficit in the first half and led by as many as nine in the second half before N.C. State staged its own rally to tie the game with about 10 1/2 minutes left. But Barnes knocked down a jumper to make it 56-52, then Tyler Zeller tipped in a miss from Barnes on the next possession. Dexter Strickland followed that with a pullup jumper in transition to push the margin to 60-52 with 6:16 left.

Minutes later, Barnes caught John Henson's missed shot and dunked it home with both hands, then threw down a miss from Strickland that made it 64-56 with 3:41 left.

Zeller - who battled foul trouble and steady double teams all night before finishing with 11 points - provided a punctuation mark by dunking a miss from Barnes to make it 70-59 with 1:01 left.

That came shortly after Lowe was whistled for a technical foul, perhaps a sign of the frustration bubbling over for a team that appeared within reach of its best win of a disappointing season.

The rivalry game even had some extra interests outside the Triangle region where the schools are separated by about 30 miles. The game was televised in Shanghai, the first NCAA regular-season game broadcast in China.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/23/harrison-barnes-helps-north-carolina-pull-away-from-n-c-state/

Chick-fil-A Bowl Tennessee

Final 2011 Big East/Big Ten Baseball Challenge Notebook

A By The Numbers Rundown Of The Action… College baseball’s opening weekend is in the books and now it’s on to the grind of the regular season. We got to see a ton of baseball and a lot of teams at the third annual Big East/Big Ten Challenge in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Dunedin over [...]

Source: http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/02/22/final-2011-big-eastbig-ten-baseball-challenge-notebook/

Auburn University of Georgia

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

NCAA Gives UConn, Calhoun a Love Tap, Garden Party

Filed under: Connecticut

Carmelo Anthony will be playing in Madison Square Garden next month, something a lot of people who follow the NBA aren't crazy about.

The Connecticut men's basketball team, led by head coach Jim Calhoun, will be playing in the Garden next month, too, and everybody in college basketball should be upset about that.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/22/ncaa-gives-uconn-calhoun-a-love-tap-garden-party/

Penn State Iowa

Final 2011 Big East/Big Ten Baseball Challenge Notebook

Source: http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/02/22/final-2011-big-eastbig-ten-baseball-challenge-notebook/

Maryland USC

No BS: Syracuse Dumps Villanova

Filed under: Georgetown, Syracuse, Big East

PHILADELPHIA - It's all bulls**t.

Don't believe me, just listen to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim minutes after his No. 17 Orange hung on for a huge victory at No. 15 Villanova, 69-64, Monday night.

Boeheim was asked if these sort of games help at this stage of the season.

"I think that's bulls**t," Boeheim said. "It's all bulls**t. We can play next week and get in the same game and lose. We can have 10 of these in a row and win them and then get in the (Big East or NCAA) tournament and lose. It's all bulls**t. You get in these games somebody's got to make a play. Whichever team makes a play ... we were fortunate we had the cushion."

Boeheim was asked a follow-up question about his thoughts if the Big East, which some are projecting could receive 11 NCAA tournament bids, helps toughen a team or beats them up?

"Like that other question," Boeheim said. "The whole thing about toughening a team up: I don't think it hurts you. They see they can make a play but they say play a tough non-league schedule and it will help you for the league.

"Georgetown had the toughest non-league schedule and what did they start out in the league? 1-4. We had a fairly easy one, we were 5-0. Does that mean our schedule wasn't tough enough -- but it took a little longer to kick in? That's all nonsense. It's what kind of team you have. We play a fairly decent schedule -- whatever it is -- you can play 14 easy games and a couple of tough ones, just to see. And then you start playing."

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/22/no-bs-syracuse-dumps-villanova/

Oklahoma State Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Maryland's NCAA Hopes Ride on Freshmen

Filed under: Maryland, NC State, ACC

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- On the day Maryland welcomed back the centerpiece of last year's ACC co-champion and NCAA tournament team, current Memphis Grizzlies rookie Greivis Vasquez, Gary Williams started his two freshman guards together for the first time this season.

The Terps won, defeating North Carolina State 87-80, with Terrell Stoglin, the point guard from Tucson, knocking down a career-high 25 points, many of them in spectacular fashion, and adding nine assists.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/20/marylands-ncaa-hopes-ride-on-freshmen/

ESPN2 NCAA Mens Division I Basketball

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Doug Williams Going Back to Grambling, Leaving UFL Behind

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/doug-williams-going-back-to-grambling-leaving-ufl-behind/

Bowling Green Houston

Doug Williams Going Back to Grambling, Leaving UFL Behind

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/doug-williams-going-back-to-grambling-leaving-ufl-behind/

LSU Central Michigan

Tom Izzo Helps Out Snowbound Motorist

It has been a tough year for Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans. So now the coach is looking for some good karma as the season winds to a close with MSU perched on the NCAA tournament bubble.

Izzo paid it forward Monday, helping a stranded motorist push her car out of the snow. But he almost drove right by the struggling woman before reversing course.

He told reporters that he was just about to drive by before he thought, "God, I've got to be a better human being." He reversed course, then, and helped push the woman out of the snow.

"She said, 'Thanks, coach,'" Izzo said. "That was probably the first good thing I've done in a month. How about that? A good deed before 8 o'clock in the morning."

Hopefully for Izzo, some good things will start coming his way. And why not start Sunday, when the Spartans welcome No. 8 Purdue to the Breslin Center.

(h/t ESPN College Basketball Nation Blog)

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/22/tom-izzo-helps-out-snowbound-motorist/

Fresno State Stanford

Kansas Bounces Back, Destroys Colorado

Filed under: Kansas, Big 12

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Markieff Morris had 26 points and 15 rebounds and No. 1 Kansas bounced back from a lopsided loss to Kansas State with an 89-63 victory over Colorado, the Buffaloes' 28th straight defeat in Lawrence.

Brady Morningstar hit his first four 3-pointers to help the Jayhawks (25-2, 10-2 Big 12) get off to a flying start after their brand-new No. 1 ranking was tarnished Monday night by a shocking 84-68 loss at the home of the unranked Wildcats.

Colorado (16-11, 5-7) will go into the Pac-10 next year with a 5-52 record in Allen Fieldhouse. The last time the Buffs won in Lawrence, their coach, Tad Boyle, was a sophomore on Larry Brown's Jayhawk team in 1983.

Alec Burks had 15 points for the Buffs, Cory Higgins had 14 and Marcus Relphorde 12.

Markieff Morris, the Big 12's leading rebounder, had three points and no rebounds on Monday night at Kansas State. But he but led a spirited effort against Colorado that resulted in a 41-29 rebound margin. Morris was 8 for 10 from the floor, 9 of 12 from the foul line and had two assists, two blocks and two steals along with his 15 rebounds in 29 minutes.

Colorado, which has lost seven of eight after a seven-game winning streak, including a two-game sweep of Kansas State, mounted one effort to get back in the game early in the second half, when Higgins had four points in an 11-2 run that sliced the lead to 57-44.

Josh Selby's bucket finally halted the spree, then Higgins' 10-foot jumper got the lead to 60-48, before Markieff Morris rebounded a miss by twin brother Marcus and completed a three-point play. Marcus hit two more buckets for Kansas, then Tyrel Reed and Tyshawn Taylor connected on back-to-back 3s, building the margin to 76-57.

Marcus Morris and Morningstar each had 16 points. Tyrel Reed had 13 points and Taylor 10.

The Buffs dropped to 0-15 all-time against top-ranked teams, including 0-7 when they playing a No. 1 Kansas over the years.

The Jayhawks, who came in leading the nation with a 52.1 shooting percentage, hit 52.4 from the floor and were 11 for 24 from the 3-point arc.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/19/kansas-bounces-back-obliterates-colorado/

Autozone Liberty Bowl Northwestern

West Virginia Topples No. 8 Notre Dame

Filed under: Notre Dame, West Virginia, Big East

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- Truck Bryant broke out of a slump by scoring 24 points, West Virginia took command early in the second half and beat No. 8 Notre Dame 72-58 on Saturday, ending the Irish's seven-game winning streak.

Joe Mazzulla added 16 points, and Kevin Jones had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Mountaineers (17-9, 8-6 Big East), who got a badly needed win against a ranked opponent to prop up their NCAA tournament hopes.

Ben Hansbrough led Notre Dame (21-5, 10-4) with 19 points before fouling out. Carleton Scott added 11 points and Tyrone Nash scored 10.

West Virginia scored 46 points after halftime after shooting just 29 percent (8 of 28) before the break. The Mountaineers committed a season-low five turnovers.

The Irish were trying to match their best conference record through 14 conference games, set in 2000-01, but shot just 35 percent (21 of 60) for the game.

West Virginia had been struggling since its high mark of the season, a 68-64 win over No. 11 Purdue on Jan. 16 that pushed its record to 12-4. They had lost five of nine entering Saturday.

Bryant single-handedly turned things around. He had shot 24 percent from the floor and averaged six points over his last five games, but went 5 of 11 against Notre Dame - and 10 of 12 from the foul line - as the Mountaineers outscored the Irish 20-8 on free throws.

West Virginia has a tough task to finish the regular season with games at No. 4 Pittsburgh and Rutgers, then home contests against No. 13 Connecticut and No. 16 Louisville.

Notre Dame led 27-26 at halftime but went through a couple scoring droughts early in the second half. Hansbough was held without a field goal for the first 12 minutes of the second half. By then, West Virginia had taken command.

Bryant made two 3-pointers during a 17-4 run that was capped by Jonnie West's 3-pointer for a 45-35 lead with 13:59 remaining. After Tim Abromaitis hit a 3-pointer for Notre Dame and Tyrone Nash made a layup, West Virginia got going again.

Bryant scored six points during a 12-4 run that gave the Mountaineers a 57-42 lead with 9:35 remaining. Notre Dame got no closer than 10 points the rest of the game.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/19/west-virginia-topples-no-8-notre-dame/

Oklahoma South Carolina

Monday, February 21, 2011

Justin Bieber, Mike Gundy Are Ring Tone Buddies

Filed under: Oklahoma State, Big 12

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/14/justin-bieber-mike-gundy-are-ringtone-fans-of-each-other/

TCU Mississippi State

Nai Fotu, Utah Linebacker, Suspended After DUI Arrest

Filed under: Utah, Mountain West

Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday that senior linebacker Nai Fotu has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

According to the The Salt Lake Tribune, Fotu was arrested Sunday on the suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Fotu was stopped around 2 a.m. MT and booked into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of DUI and an open container in the vehicle. He also was speeding and failed to present a valid driver's license.

This isn't Fotu's first run-in with the law. He already had a warrant from the Provo City Justice Court for failure to appear, giving false personal information to police, possessing alcohol or a controlled substance as a minor and public urination all stemming from an incident on March 20, 2009.

Fotu was a starter heading into last spring but suffered a knee injury during spring football and missed the 2010 season. In 2009, Fotu played in 13 games -- one start -- and had 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/nai-fotu-utah-linebacker-suspended-after-dui-arrest/

ACC LSU