College Basketball - NCAA

BIG TEN

ILLINOIS...The Illini lost 4 of their last 5 games prior to trip to Minnesota January 17, in part because their starting soph Gs Chester Frazier & Jamar Smith are banged up and struggling. Frazier (8 ppg, 4.5 rpg & 5.6 apg, but also 3 turnover pg & less than 40% FGs) sat out 74-70 home win over Iowa January 10 with a sore groin, then was benched for most of second half during 63-57 loss at Michigan State January 14. Says frustrated head coach Bruce Weber of his erratic PG, "He has 15 to 18 pretty good minutes and five, six, or seven minutes where he just goes haywire. He makes tough passes. He dribbles too much. If we're going to be successful, he has to take care of the ball." Smith, the team’s best perimeter shooter, is mired in a slump (only 4 for 29 from 3-point arc in last 4 games!), as insiders say he’s having difficulty getting proper lift on his jump shot due to recent sprains to both ankles. Highly-regarded 6-9 frosh PF Richard Semrau, who had 12 points & 10 rebounds in his last game (a 51-49 win over Miami-Ohio November 24), is expected to sit out the rest of the season due to an infection. However, the Illinois frontcourt received a boost soon after Semrau’s loss when reliable veteran 6-8, 220 jr. F Brian Randle (9 ppg, 5.4 rpg in 2005-06) returned to action following groin surgery that caused him to miss 8 of the first 10 games. Randle had 16 point, 6 rebounds, 6 assists & 2 steals in the victory over the Hawkeyes. INDIANA...Hoosiers off to a strong start under new head coach Kelvin Sampson, the former Oklahoma mentor. IU is 13-4 and has won 7 of its last 8 games through January 19. Jr. G A.J. Ratliff, one of the team’s top perimeter threats, sat out the only loss during that recent span, a 7-point defeat at Ohio State January 2. A left (non-shooting) wrist injury also kept Ratliff out of action in 73-51 home win over Michigan State January, but he returned to action and had 30 points (8 of 11 from arc!) in wins over Purdue and at Penn State. The Hoosier offense has been nicely balanced so far this year, with NBA-caliber 6-9, 251 jr. F D.J. White (left; 13 ppg on 52% FGs, 7 rpg, 2.6 bpg) a formidable force in the paint. White missed all but 5 games last season due to a foot injury. And IU has quickly taken to Sampson’s trademark in-your-face man defense, limiting foes to only 4 three-pointers per game on just 28% from the arc! IOWA...Touted 6-7, 210 frosh swingman Tyler Smith, who chose the Hawkeyes over Kentucky, Memphis & Pitt (among others), has scored double-digit points in 16 of the last 17 games since the opener. MICHIGAN...Tommy Amaker did a lot of tinkering with his rotation following the Wolverines’ humbling 92-55 loss at UCLA a couple days before Christmas. But after inserting frosh Ekpe Udoh, DeShawn Sims & Reed Baker into the starting lineup for a couple games, Amaker returned to his veteran core of 4 seniors & 1 junior. The most glaring problem for Michigan in its uneven start has been an inability to keep foes from sagging inside on C Courtney Sims. The Wolverines are making fewer than 5 treys pg and shooting just 32% from the arc (both worst in the Big 10). MICHIGAN STATE...Highly-regarded 6-7, 225 frosh F Raymar Morgan, who contributed 12 ppg & 6 rpg in first 9, has returned to action about a week ago after missing a month with a leg fracture. Morgan had 10 points & 5 boards in 30 minutes during 63-57 home win over Illinois January 14. Soph G Maurice Joseph (8 ppg, 43% on 3-pointers) also recently returned to action after missing the last couple weeks of December with a foot fracture, but he was able to play only 11 minutes (2 points) in the victory over the Illini after spraining his ankle in the previous game. The young Spartans are 2-0 at home and 0-2 on the road in their first 4 Big 10 games. MINNESOTA...Head coach Dan Monson lasted only one month into his 8th season at the helm of the Gophers. After losing 5 straight games to close November, the last a 22-point home loss to Clemson, Monson was forced to resign. Assistant Jim Molinari (former Bradley mentor) is Minnesota’s interim head coach. 6-9, 265 jr. C Spencer Tollackson (13 ppg on 54% FGs, 7 rpg) broke his hand during 68-45 loss at Wisconsin January 6 and will miss at least 3 weeks. Brandon Smith, an athletic 6-6 soph swingman who had 15 points, 4 boards, 5 assists, 4 steals & 2 blocks during that earlier loss to the Tigers, missed nearly all of last 6 games (through January 16), but he has been reinstated after his recent suspension.

NORTHWESTERN...The Wildcats have lost 4 straight through January 16, but they hung tough vs. Wisconsin even with leading scorer Kevin Coble sidelined. Coble (12 ppg, 5 rpg), a skinny 6-10, 200 frosh who has 3-point range, sat out the 56-50 home loss to the Badgers January 13 and is questionable at Ohio State. Insiders say Coble wasn’t anywhere near 100% in Tuesday’s practice. Even at full strength Northwestern is overmatched on the glass most of the time, with foes outboarding the Wildcats by nearly 8 caroms pg (by far the worst in the Big 10). Crafty head coach Billy Carmody is trying to compensate in his “Princeton”-style offense by being careful with rock (just 11 turnovers pg) and working lots of time off shot clock (nearly 10 fewer shot attempts per game than several conference foes).OHIO STATE...Since joining the Buckeyes after missing the first 7 games with a wrist injury, bearded Greg Oden (left) has only confirmed the already near-consensus belief among NBA scouts that he’ll be the first player taken in the draft whenever he decides to turn pro. The 7-0, 280 frosh C, who draws straight-faced comparisons to Bill Russell, leads OSU in scoring (15 ppg on 61% FGs), rebounding (10 pg), and blocks (4 pg). He had 24 points, 15 boards, 4 assists & 3 blocks during 68-66 home win over Tennessee January 13. The Buckeyes have lost only 3 games through January 16, though setbacks coming at North Carolina, Florida, and Wisconsin, who are all ranked in the Top 10. PENN STATE...The Nittany Lion starters are logging heavy minutes recently, as head coach Ed DeChellis has been somewhat reluctant to go to his thin, underachieving bench during the early part of the Big 10 campaign. 6-10, 255 soph F Milos Bogetic logged 46 minutes off the bench in PSU’s first 3 conference games, scoring no points and grabbing just 2 rebounds. PURDUE...Second-year head coach & former player Matt Painter apparently has the Boilermakers (13-5 through January 16) back on the right track after Purdue mustered only 16 total wins in the previous 2 seasons combined. The turnaround is due in no small part to the return of srs. 6-7, 245 PF Carl Landry & 6-5 G David Teague, who both redshirted last season because of an injury. Landry is pouring in 20 ppg on 63% FGs and snagging a team-high 7 boards pg. Teague, an excellent perimeter defender & one of the squad’s best 3-point shooters, is averaging 13 ppg & 4 rpg while shooting 40% from the arc. With no one taller than 6-7 logging significant minutes, Painter is trying to compensate by cranking up the defensive pressure. The Boilermakers are forcing a league-high 18 turnovers pg. WISCONSIN...The veteran Badgers, led by the dynamic sr. duo of 6-6 SF Alando Tucker & 6-2 G Kammron Taylor (combined 33 ppg), are riding a 13-game win streak (through January 16) since 66-64 to Missouri State November 24. Wiscy is careful (only 12 turnovers pg), patient (better than 48% FGs), and crashes boards en masse (+7.7 rpg; 7 different players each average at least 3 rpg).

BIG XII

AYLOR...The Bears, who lost 3 of their first 4 Big XII, are living and frequently dying with the 3-point shot. Baylor is averaging more than 8 made treys pg, but they’ve shot more from the arc than any other team in the conference. Head coach Scott Drew’s bunch made 10 of 26 triples in 73-70 home win over Texas Tech January 13, but made just 11 of 50 attempts from the arc in recent losses to Texas A&M and at Kansas State. COLORADO...After last year’s 20-win season, the rebuilding Buffaloes have hit the skids under lame-duck head coach Ricardo Patton (left), who effectively resigned in October when he announced that he would neither seek nor accept a contract extension. Home win over Iowa State January 17 was just the fifth victory of the season for Colorado, which is using 5 frosh in its regular rotation. And the Buffs rank last in the Big XII in not just overall & 3-point FG% (40 & 28), but also overall & 3-point FG% defense (47 & 43). Jr. swingman Richard Roby is producing a team-leading 18 ppg, but he’s hitting just 36% of his shots. Taking care of the rock has been a problem too, as only 2 players on the entire squad have dished out more assists than turnovers. IOWA STATE...The Cyclones have been somewhat erratic in their first season under new head coach Greg McDermott (former Northern Iowa mentor). After a double-digit loss at McDermott’s previous employer to close November, ISU lost 4 of its first 5 games in December. Four straight victories followed before the Cyclones mustered one of their best efforts of the season in 68-64 OT home loss to highly-ranked Kansas January 13. However, ISU had difficulty regaining its momentum after that loss to the Jayhawks, falling 74-65 at troubled Colorado. The backcourt is a work in progress following the departure of stalwart Gs Curtis Stinson & Will Blalock (combined 35 ppg, 12 apg, 5 spg last season), although the Cyclones perhaps a little stronger in paint thanks to the emergence of 6-11, 225 jr. C Jiri Hubalek. Hubalek, who served a 6-game suspension to start the campaign, has contributed 14 ppg, 10 rpg, 2 bpg over the last 5 through January 19. KANSAS...The Jayhawks have won 10 straight (through January 19) since 7-point loss at DePaul December 2. Balanced KU offense (8 players average between 6 & 14 ppg) is no juggernaut (77 ppg), but Bill Self’s bunch digs in on defense, permitting just 59 ppg on 37% FGs. Free-throw shooting is a significant Achilles’ heel however, as the Jayhawks are hitting only 66% from the charity stripe. KANSAS STATE...6-6, 220 F Bill Walker, a very highly-touted frosh who became eligible after the first semester, played only a few weeks for the Wildcats before suffering a season-ending knee injury very early in 69-65 loss at Texas A&M January 6. Walker averaged 13 ppg & 5 rpg in his first 5 games prior to the loss to the Aggies. K-State has cranked up the defensive intensity under demanding new mentor & former Cincinnati head coach Bob Huggins, permitting less than 30% from the arc and only 41% FGs overall. MISSOURI...The retooling Tigers lost their first 4 conference games, as new head coach Mike Anderson (former UAB mentor) has brought his full-court pressing, fast-breaking philosophy to Columbia. Mizzou is among the nation’s leaders in steals (nearly 12 pg!), as were most of Anderson’s Blazer squads, and have forced foes into more than 21 turnovers pg. However, the Tigers are also giving up a lot of easy hoops, permitting 80 or more points in each of their last 3 games (through January 23). G Stefhon Hannah, a juco transfer, leads team in scoring (15 ppg), assists (5 pg), steals (3.3 pg), and turnovers (3.5 pg). NEBRASKA...6-4 frosh swingman Ryan Anderson, who averaged 14 ppg & 6 rpg while hitting 52% FGs & 48% from arc in the first 11 games, has seen only very limited action in the last couple weeks due to a lingering leg injury. After sitting out win at Miami December 30 and home victory over Savannah State January 3, Anderson played a total of only 14 minutes in the next 3 games (5 points, 4 boards) through January 19. OKLAHOMA...6-11 jr. C Longar Longar (12 ppg on 58% FGs, 7 rpg), who leads the Sooners in both scoring & rebounding, is expected to be back in action January 20 vs. Baylor after serving a two-game suspension for an elbow he threw during 68-54 loss at Texas Tech January 6. OU lost touted 6-8, 240 frosh F Keith Clark, the only other player on the squad taller than 6-7, to a season-ending knee injury at the end of December. The thin Sooners used only 7 players in each of their last 2 games (through January 19) and were outrebounded by 12 in recent double-digit loss at Texas. OKLAHOMA STATE...The Cowboys are down to only 8 scholarship players after frosh G Obi Muonelo (11 ppg, 4 rpg, 28 assists, 16 steals) broke his ankle during practice last month. Muonelo had 10+ points in each of his first 10 games. Sr. G Jamaal Brown, a regular last season, was kicked off the team prior to the start of the campaign. Composed, veteran OSU is hitting 75% FTs, tops in Big XII. TEXAS...The Longhorns’ 13-4 start through January 19 is all the more impressive when you consider that their starting five is made up of 4 frosh & 1 soph. Jr. G J.D. Lewis & sr. G Greg Winder (combined 17 mpg off bench) are the only upperclassmen getting playing time for UT. Slashing 6-9, 225 frosh Kevin Durant (left), one of the nation’s most highly-touted recruits, has more than lived up to his advanced billing, leading the Horns in scoring (25 ppg), rebounding (11 pg), and blocks (2 pg). TEXAS A&M...Head coach Billy Gillispie used mostly only 7 players during the first part of the season, but says he expects his rotation to expand as the campaign progresses. Savvy sr. G Acie Law (16 ppg on 52% FGs, better than 2-to-1 assist/TO ratio) has led Aggies to 8 straight wins (through January 19) since their only 2 losses of the season, back-to-back setbacks at LSU & UCLA in early December. TEXAS TECH...7-0, 250 jr. C Esmir Rizvic has missed last 2 games through January 19 and is probably done for the season due to a broken bone in his face. The Red Raiders are the worst rebounding team in the Big XII, getting outboarded by an average of more than 3 caroms pg.

COLONIAL

ELAWARE...The short-handed Blue Hens snapped a 5-game losing streak with 77-62 home win over William & Mary. UD’s roster is down to 8 players after 6-4 soph Zaire Taylor (10 ppg, 5 rpg), the team’s 2nd-leading scorer, decided to take an indefinite leave of absence following 25-point loss at Hofstra January 6. 6-9, 220 soph F Pau Geli has been sidelined since Christmas and is through for the season due to a blood clotting problem. Neither 6-11, 240 sr. C Ralph Madera (17 mpg in each of the previous 3 seasons; 5 ppg, 4 rpg over that span), who’s been suspended, nor 7-2 soph C Matt Hewson (quit school) has played since the first month of the season, leaving rookie head coach Monte Ross with only 1 player as tall as 6-8 (reserve jr. F Henry Olawoye, who’s playing fewer than 10 mpg). The Hens are getting outboarded by near 8 rpg, next-to-last in the Colonial. DREXEL...Dragons recently ran out of gas after an impressive early 10-game win streak that included victories at Syracuse and “Big 5" Philly rivals Saint Joseph’s, Villanova & Temple, as well as a double-digit home win over CAA foe & last season’s “Big Dance” Cinderella George Mason. Drexel has lost its last 2 games (through January 16), a gut-wrenching home OT loss to Hofstra January 11 followed by a lifeless 84-57 blowout at Old Dominion a couple days later. Head coach Bruiser Flint has one of the top frontcourt duos in the conference in 6-9, 220 jr. Frank Elegar (team-leading 14 ppg, 7 rpg) & 6-10 sr. Chaz Crawford (6 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 bpg), as well as a 4-year starter at PG in tough-minded sr. Bashir Mason (13 ppg, 2.4 spg). The recent collapse vs. the Monarchs notwithstanding, the Dragons are one of the top defensive teams in the CAA, allowing less than 40% FGs and leading the league in steals. GEORGE MASON...The Patriots have won 4 straight (through January 19) after losing their first 3 games in conference play. The recent uptick coincides with the insertion of jr. G Jordan Carter (left) into the starting lineup. Carter is averaging 11 ppg & 5 apg in the last 4 games. GMU is trying to replace 3 senior starters—including backcourt mates Lamar Butler & Tony Skinn—from last year’s Final Four team. GEORGIA STATE...6-5 sr. swingman Brandon Cartwright (5 ppg & 4 rpg), who had 13 points & 8 boards in just 14 minutes during mid-December win at Alabama State, has missed the last 5 games after breaking his finger in practice and is not expected to be available at Delaware January 17. However, 6-9, 260 jr. C Deven Dickerson appears to be back at full strength after being far less than 100% recently. Dickerson had 9 points, 6 boards & 3 blocks in 59-54 win at UNC Wilmington January 13. The Panthers don’t get many easy shots, hitting just 41% FGs on a league-low 10.4 apg. HOFSTRA...Perimeter-oriented Pride has emerged as one of the early favorites to win the CAA title, although head coach Tom Pecora sent his starting five a message at Northeastern recently, benching them en masse for a short time early in the 84-74 road loss January 13 that ended Hofstra’s 6-game win streak. Pecora’s bunch is hitting 8 treys pg on 39% from arc (both league highs), as go-to veteran Gs sr. Loren Stokes & jr. Antoine Agudio, who have attempted more than half of their team’s shots, are combining for 40 ppg. But Pride frontcourt lacks depth behind effective 6-9, 260 soph Chris Gadley, especially with 6-9, 230 soph Arminas Urbutis less than 100% recently & 6-7, 230 soph Mike Davis-Sabb frequently saddled with foul trouble. JAMES MADISON...The Dukes, who have only 18 wins in their previous 3 seasons combined, are off to another slow start under 3rd-year head coach Dean Keener, losing 12 of their first 16 games. Continuity is a significant problem, as 6-11, 250 reserve jr. C Gabriel Chami is one of just two upperclassmen on the squad, and the only one that was with the team last season. JMU ranks last in the CAA in most of the significant defensive statistical categories, including an allowance of 9 treys pg on 41% from the arc. NORTH CAROLINA-WILMINGTON...Season could be going from bad to worse for perennial CAA power Wilmington, which has lost 11 of its first 15 games (and 7 of last 8) through January 16. First, 6-3 sr. G T.J. Carter, who earned all-conf. honors last season by scoring 20+ points in seven of the final 17 games, was ruled out for the season after undergoing groin surgery prior to the start of the campaign. Now, 6-3, 225 impact frosh G Montez Downey is struggling to overcome a problem with back spasms. Downey, who scored double-digit points in five of his first 9 games, has sat out two of last 5 and played only 32 minutes with just 8 points in the other three (through January 16). The Seahawks are taking poor care of the ball (league-high 17 turnovers pg) and not shooting well (only 41% FGs). NORTHEASTERN...The Huskies, searching for a new identity under rookie head caoch Bill Coen, lost 12 of 15 to start the season. They mustered 58 points or fewer in 11 of those first 15 games. But NEU showing signs of coming together on the attack end, scoring 84 points in each of recent back-to-back home wins over Georgia State & favored Hofstra. Late-blooming 6-9, 220 sr. F Bennet Davis (48 points & 19 boards in last 2 games) is emerging as a force inside, creating openings on the perimeter for sr. Gs Adrian Martinez & Bobby Kelly (combined 14 of 22 from the 3-point arc in last 2 games). The Huskies, who rank last in the league in FG shooting (39%) and rebound margin (-9.4 pg), hit better than 50% in each of the last 2 games and outboarded both the Panthers & the Pride.

OLD DOMINION...Veteran Monarchs are one of the deepest teams in the CAA, using 10 players in each of their last 6 games (through January 16). Athletic ODU leads the league in rebound margin while also swiping more than 8 steals pg. TOWSON...Star sr. Gary Neal is pouring in the points again, his 25 ppg so far this season down just a tick from the 26 he averaged last year. But the Tigers, losers of 6 of their last 8 through January 16, are still searching for other reliable scoring options. No other player is averaging double-digit points, and Neal is attempting more than a third of the team’s shots. Half of those attempts are coming from beyond the arc, with Neal converting just 31% of his 9+ three-pointers he’s attempting pg. VCU...Balance isn’t a problem for the frontrunning Rams, who won their first 6 CAA games. Seven players are scoring between 5 & 15 ppg, with six of those also contributing 3+ rpg. While the attack is purring with blossoming soph PG Eric Maynor (better than 3-to-1 assist/TO ratio!) at the:controls, VCU also digging in defensively for rookie head coach Anthony Grant (former Florida assistant), forcing more than 18 turnovers pg and permitting just 42% FGs & 34% treys. WILLIAM & MARY...The improved Tribe (10-6 through January 16), which hasn’t won more than 12 games in any of the past 5 seasons, claimed a high-profile scalp early in conference play, upsetting George Mason at Fairfax just after New Year’s. But slowish William & Mary has lost its last 3 games (through January 19), hitting just 19 of its 68 three-point attempts during that span while allowing foes to convert 30 of 62. Depth is a strength, however, as the Tribe is using 9-10 players every game.

HORIZON

UTLER...After recently having his wisdom teeth extracted, leading scorer jr. G A.J. Graves (18 ppg, 99% FTs) sat out home win over S. Dakota State January 13 and played only 13 minutes in home blowout of Youngstown State January 17. The veteran, perimeter-oriented Bulldogs are making more than 8 treys pg although they’re converting only 34% of their whopping 25 attempts pg from the arc. CLEVELAND STATE...The Vikings have been very shorthanded lately. Sr. G Victor Morris (9 ppg), a key part of the backcourt rotation in each of his 4 seasons, sat out 8 games with a foot fracture before returning to very limited action (4 minutes, no points) in 78-67 home loss to Wright State January 18. Starting sr. PG Carlos English (9 ppg, 4 apg) & jr. F Kevin Francis (6 ppg, 4.4 rpg) have each missed the last 2 games (through January 19) after being declared academically ineligible, although insiders say the two should be reinstated soon. Francis’ absence, as well as the loss of veteran 6-9 jr. F Luke Murphy early in the season, has left CSU (-24 rebounds in the last 5 games) without much muscle in the paint. Vikes have lost 10 of their 12 through January 19. DETROIT...The Titans are having trouble developing a reliable No. 3 option to complement their potent perimeter-post duo of sr. G Brandon Cotton (18 ppg) & 6-9 sr. C Ryvon Covile (13 ppg, 11.4 rpg), as no other UD player is averaging even as much as 8 ppg. ILLINOIS-CHICAGO...It’s been a tumultuous first half of the season for the Flames. Head coach Jimmy Collins has been on an indefinite leave of absence since before Christmas due to health concerns. Sr. G D.J. Smedley & jr. F Kevin Bond quit the team. Jr.G Karl White was declared academically ineligible. And, most recently, frosh G Luis Martinez, who left the squad very early in the season, filed a lawsuit against Collins & the school that alleges sexual harassment by one of UIC’s assistant coaches. LOYOLA-CHICAGO...Balanced Ramblers lead the Horizon in FG%, as 4 players are averaging between 10 & 15 ppg led by 6-7 sr. PG Blake Schilb (left). WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY...Trey-happy Phoenix (more than 17 three-point attempts pg) are hitting a league-low 37% FGs.

WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE...Frosh G Charlie Swiggett (5 ppg) has missed last 3 games and is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury. The heavily-rebuilding Panthers, a perennial conference power, lost 11 of their first 13 games, but are 4-3 their last 7 (through January 19). Four of 5 starters scored more than 10 points in recent double-digit home win over Illinois-Chicago. WRIGHT STATE...The surprising Raiders have won 7 of their last 8 games (through January 19) and are in first place in the conference. WSU has very little size and is making a league-low 5 treys pg. But Raiders have patience on offense, a senior leader & go-to scorer in sr. G DaShaun Wood (19 ppg), and a righteous defensive work ethic under new head coach Brad Brownell (former UNC Wilmington mentor). YOUNGSTOWN STATE...Penguins are having trouble creating quality shots in their half-court sets. YSU hit just 19 of 58 FG attempts in 59-49 home loss to UWGB January 11, made 30 of 60 during double-digit home win over uptempo UWM January 13, then had more turnovers (15) than made baskets (13) in humbling 67-39 loss at Butler January 17.

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