Big South Basketball

Below are questions from each region answered by the three of us dillweeds. Enjoy.


EAST Region

Best first round match up?

Dogg- Best first round match up will be Indiana vs. Arkansas. Both teams have been very good at times this year, but they both have been average as well. I believe the departure of Kelvin Sampson has put a huge damper on this team, and I see Indiana not showing up in round one with their new head coach. Arkansas by eight.

Q: I think the best first-round match-up has to be Butler vs. South Alabama. Two midmajor teams that a majority of the country knows nothing about. If Butler continues to shoot the ball as they have for most of the season, it is very likely that they win this game and upset Tennessee in the second round.

Fuzz: The best first-round match-up is Washington State (No. 4) against Winthrop (No.13). Winthrop can win this game. They have a bunch of thugs on their team, and Wash St. can't handle it.

Sleeper team?


Fuzz: As for a sleeper team, I think the obvious choice is Butler. They are 29-3. That is an impressive record. They beat Ohio State and Virginia Tech earlier in the season. Both are NIT teams but both are pretty good teams. Plus, they won't have to meet UNC until the Elite Eight since they are in the lower area of the bracket.

Q: I'm not sure how much of a "sleeper" a seven seed can be, but I like Butler winning at least two, if not three games and ruining a lot of brackets (just not mine, of course).

Dogg: My sleeper team is Butler. They play good defense, slow the game down to the pace where most college teams are uncomfortable and have great guard play with Green and Graves. They’ve played the big dogs the past two seasons, so playing Tennessee in a potential second-round match-up will not be intimidating for this squad. They could make a run towards the Sweet 16, maybe even the Elite Eight.

Dream match up in later rounds?

Dogg: Louisville vs. Tennessee would be a great one to see. Tennessee can score points with the best of them, and Louisville plays defense that most teams can’t handle. Tennessee bombs threes, and Louisville guards the 3-point line like no other team in the country. This game would be intriguing, and you always take defense over offense. I would pick Louisville in this game.

Fuzz: UNC and Tennessee is the dream match-up. Both have been the No. 1 team in the land at some point this year.

Q: I know a lot of people want to see the Tar Heels and the Volunteers square off, but I'm not one of them. A Butler/Oklahoma Elite Eight match-up would be a dream for me because it would mean my brackets are in good shape.

Who comes out of this region?

Q: As for a team to head to San Antonio for the Final Four? You'd have to be crazy not to pick UNC, so I'll go with them. As long as Lawson is up and running, they are nearly impossible to defend with inside (Hansbrough) and outside (Ellington) scoring options.


Dogg: Hansbrough and UNC come out of this bracket. Psycho T is the best player in college basketball and is a force on the block. Lawson and Ellington can step up in any big game and they are deep. They will outlast any team in a running game.

Fuzz: I know this will be ripped, but I think Louisville comes out of this region. UNC is going to be in everyone's Final Four, but not with this guy. Louisville is a balanced team that went 14-4 in the Big East, including the Big East Tourney. They are a tough team. Pitno is a pretty damn good coach, too. Louisville will represent the East.

Any Additional comments about this region?

Dogg- Washington St. is my team to watch. They are unique in that they can score when they really decide to push the ball but also have the ability to slow the game down to a Princeton-type style. They have great guard play with Weaver and Lowe who will both play at the next level, so this team should not be overlooked.

Fuzz- The East region is a pretty tough region in my mind. Maybe the toughest. UNC could be playing Indiana second round, and Indiana was ranked near the top 10 all year until Sampson got booted. They could just turn it on.

Q- The East will be tough, but it's not the toughest. Sure you have the No. 1 overall seed in North Carolina, but I think there are some overrated teams in this bracket, starting with the second-seeded Volunteers. Sure, they score a lot of points, but they also give up a ton and don't shoot free throws all that well either. Not a great combination for tournament success. Strong arguments could also be made about Louisville and Washington St. (the three and four seeds) not being very tough as well.

MIDWEST region

Does Kansas finally break through to the Final Four? Why or why not?


Fuzz: Yes, they do. Bill Self and the Jayhawks seem to have a hot team entering every tourney but come up short every year. Not this year. They have the depth and the will to get to San Antonio. Guys like Chalmers, Rush, and Robinson know too well what it feels like leaving the tourney too early, and, this year, the wait is over.

Q: If you take out the fact that this is Kansas, they would appear, on paper, to have a team that absolutely should go to the Final Four. They have the best and deepest backcourt in the nation with Chalmers, Robinson, Rush, and Collins. Combine those guys with above average big men in Kahn, Arthur, and Jackson, and you have possibly the most talented team in the land.

The problem is the name on the front of the jersey. This is the same school that has produced uber-talented teams over the last two years and have been bounced in the first round by Bucknell and Bradley. Nevertheless, I'm going to say that they finally get that proverbial monkey off their back with a trip to San Antonio this year.

Not because this team is necessarily that much better than in previous years, rather, because of the lack of talent in this region. For instance, Georgetown, the two seed, has not been consistent and star player Roy Hibbert has proven that he absolutely can disappear at crucial times (such as fouling out with zero points and three rebounds in the Big East semis).

Dogg: I believe Kansas does breakthrough to the Final Four this year. The first reason is that I don’t see a real threat to them in their bracket, and, secondly, they are that good this year. They have the best seven-man rotation in the country, and, if Mario Chalmers decides to be the player he can be during crunch time, I see them playing in the National Championship. They don’t really have a weakness except maybe for their tournament jinx, but, with a little more experience and Bill Self probably itching to reach a Final Four, they are primed for a big-time run at the title.

Who has the better game: Mayo or Beasley?

Dogg: I believe Beasley will have a better stat line when it comes to points, but Mayo leads his team to victory. This will go with my answer to my sleeper team in this region who is USC. They were up-and-down most of the year, but I really like all the Pac 10 teams this year, as I believe from top to bottom that this was by far the toughest conference.

Thanks to FSN on Thursday nights and Saturday nights we are blessed with late-night Pac 10 basketball, and it was exciting every night because most of the teams were legit. I believe Mayo and Beasley will rise up on the national stage for this game, but USC is just a better team than Kansas St. The supporting cast for USC actually can play basketball, and, other than Bill Walker, Kansas St. doesn’t have another player who should be playing college basketball at any level.

Fuzz: Beasley will have the better offensive statistic game, but Mayo’s USC team will win this game. Beasley could have 40, and they could still lose. Mayo will get his 20 and Beasley will get his absurd stat line that seemed to be the norm for him.

Even though I see Kansas State losing, I’m not sold on USC either. I think USC wins this game but gets stuffed from Wisconsin the next game. USC will be owned by Bo Ryan’s D. Anyways, what really matters is that Beasley needs plenty of time off to get up to Minny and start house shopping. Needs to get comfortable with his surroundings.


Q: In the made-for-TV match up between USC and Kansas State, I have Beasley with the better game (Jay Bilas guaranteed that he'd get 30-plus on ESPN last night), but Mayo and the Trojans will win the game because of OJ's unselfish play. Mayo has gotten a reputation for being a me-first player, but he'll shatter those thoughts and have the country raving about him as USC wins no fewer than two games.

Sleeper team?

Q: I'd love to say Davidson is the sleeper, considering we've been pimping them on the site all year, but I'm just not sure with the draw they got. A potential Gonzaga-Georgetown-Wisconsin run is a very daunting task. So, instead, I'm going with Clemson. The four or five times I've seen them play this year, they have looked really good. They have a great combination of guard play and physically imposing size to play with anyone in the region. Their free-throw shooting may be their ultimate downfall, but don't be surprised if they pull off an Elite Eight run.

Fuzz: Q doesn’t like when sleepers are high seeds, but I’m putting Vanderbilt down here. Yes, Vanderbilt the No. 4 seed. I’m putting them down because I’ve literally heard nothing about their chances since the brackets have come out. Out of the top four seeds in each bracket, they have to be the least mentioned.

I bet a lot of people pick them to lose early because of the non-media coverage. They beat Tennessee and have a pretty good team. If Vandy makes the Sweet 16, they’d more than likely play Kansas to get to the Elite Eight. Even though I personally think Kansas will advance, Kansas is far from a guarantee this time of the year. Vandy could make a run.

Who do you have representing this region?

Fuzz: Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

Dogg: Kansas and Bill Self represent big-time throughout the tournament and think they are one of three teams that have a shot at winning the title. We all know their fans will be supporting their team because they are one large clique who live and die KU hoops. I personally know several who attended KU, and trust me when I say their fans will be cheering louder than ever this season.

Q: As stated earlier, I've got to go with Kansas. I'm not a big fan of the Hoyas or the Badgers, and picking Clemson to represent the region is a call that is way too bold for me to take. KU's depth is going to be the key to them squaring off against UNC in a match up that will get hyped to no end.

SOUTH region

Who's the best point guard in this bracket?


Q: Wow, what a loaded region for playmakers—great question. Let's make sure everyone's clear on the options for best PG in the South: Rose (MEM), Neitzel (MSU), Fields (PITT), James (MU), Crawford (KEN), Augustin (TEX), and whichever guard out of Oregon you deem as the point. Holy cow.

Well, with all due respect to the clutchness (made up word) of Neitzel and the excitability (another) of Rose, I'm going to have to go with DJ Augustin out of Texas. I may be a bit biased since I just spent the last three to four days in Kansas City watching the Big 12 Tournament and got to see him up-close-and-personal, but I think Augustin is the real deal. He can score, pass, defend; he does it all. Plus, I think he'll be the catalyst that gets Rick Barnes' club to the Final Four.

Fuzz: Let’s run through a few of the names of PG’s in this bracket: Derrick Rose, Drew Neitzel, Dominic James, and DJ Augustin. That’s a good group. James is overrated but still deserves to be on this list. When he’s on, he’s as hard of a player to stop as anyone in the country.

Unfortunately for James and Marquette, he’s off more than he’s on. Neitzel is probably the PG with the biggest kahuna’s in that list. Gamer is overused, but he’s just that. Rose is an talented freshman who plays for a system that favors good point guards. Memphis runs and runs and runs, so a good PG can really excel. Rose has done just that.

That leaves DJ Augustin, my pick for the best PG in this bracket and even the nation, for that matter. Augustin is unreal. There is a reason why Texas didn’t fall off after Durant left; it’s because of this animal. Bob Knight called him the hardest guy to guard in the nation the other night. Texas could be Final Four-bound if he simply does what he does best—be the best PG in the nation.

Dogg: Yeah, there are a few good PGs in this region but my clear-cut, best PG and maybe best player in this region is Dominic James from Marquette. I still don't know how he only got second-team all-Big East, but Marquette is a fringe NIT team if he's not on the court. I know he tends to disappear at times, but, when it's national television time, it's D-James time! He will lead Marquette to a Sweet 16 berth this year.

What's the most intriguing possible Sweet 16 matchup?

Dogg: I see Marquette playing Texas and seeing two undersized but explosive PGs duking it out with James and Augustin. Both teams can look like the best team in the country but both have looked relatively mediocre, especially the Golden Eagles. I like Marquette in this match up and think this is their year to make a legit run.

Fuzz: Memphis vs. Michigan State would be an interesting game. Memphis plays like the Phoenix Suns, and Michigan State plays like a small-town high school team playing zone and box and ones. Michigan State would try to control the tempo almost at an uncomfortable to watch slow-down level and Memphis would try to do the same but at the opposite end of the spectrum. I could see Memphis players getting frustrated with this game. It simply would be a prototypical Big Ten team playing against a prototypical Conference USA team.

Q: In the Sweet 16, I'd love to see Stanford-Texas. It may not have the flash and boatloads of points that a game like Memphis-Pittsburgh would, but, for a real college basketball fan, this would be highly entertaining. Both teams have numerous players that are big-time stars (and others who will be soon), and it would be interesting to see who would prevail—the Cardinal with their twin towers Brooke and Robin Lopez, or the Horns and their dynamite backcourt of Augustin and AJ Abrams. I'm getting excited just writing about it.

Overall thoughts on this region?

Q: Top to bottom, this is the most difficult and balanced region in the tournament. You have the consistent high level of play from Memphis, Texas, and Stanford, as well as a number of those "next level" teams that could easily go on a five- or six-game tear in Pittsburgh, Michigan State, Marquette, and Kentucky. Oh, and don't forget about a couple of potential Cinderella's in Temple and St. Mary's. This quarter of the bracket is absolutely loaded, and I wouldn't be surprised to see any two of the previously mentioned nine teams battling it out for the right to go to the Lonestar state.

Dogg: Memphis doesn't make the Final Four is my thought. I selected Oregon in my draft for teams because if they can get by Mississippi St., they can run up and down with just about anybody. They can score but aren't deep. Stay out of foul trouble and they might just be the spoiler once again for Memphis.


Fuzz: With Memphis as the No. 1 seed, this bracket is the widest open of all the regions. Out of all the No. 1s, most would agree that Memphis would be the most vulnerable. Memphis scores a healthy amount but also gives up its fair share.

They are also a horrendous free-throw shooting team, which doesn’t bode well come tourney time since most games are close ones. So, that leaves the door open for Texas. Texas is also a very good team but has the most losses out of any No. 2 seed with bad losses to Missouri, Texas Tech and an overrated A&M squad. So, that leaves the door open for Stanford. How many brackets has Stanford wrecked this decade? Exactly. So, that leaves the door open. This is the hardest bracket to pick, in my opinion.

Who do you have taking this region?

Fuzz: I like the Longhorns. They played the Jayhawks very tough in the Big 12 championship game, and Kansas could be the best team in the country. I think the free-throw stat comes into play for Memphis. Calipari seems like one of those coaches who thinks this stat is overrated. He just blows off free-throw drills some days. “We’ll just outscore them, so it doesn’t matter.” I could see him saying something like that. I think it bites them in the ass and Texas rides to the Final Four.

Dogg: I have Marquette in a huge surprise!!

Q: I have the Texas Longhorns representing the South region with Damian James as a sleeper regional MVP.

WEST region

Who is the best coach in this region?

Q: Oh man, what a loaded first question. I'll give our readers one guess as to the moderator of this roundtable. Here's a hint: he waited until Duke's region to ask the question "Who is the best coach?" Well I'm not going to give you the satisfaction, Fuzz. I'm taking Ben Howland at UCLA.

The guy has an amazing track record for success in both the regular season and the NCAA Tournament. Here are some stats for your ass: overall record of 290-143 (.670 winning percentage), including 122-44 (.735) with the Bruins. Won the Big Sky regular season twice and the Big Sky tournament once.

At Pitt, he won two regular season Big East crowns and one Big East tournament title. Since coming to UCLA, he has taken home the Pac 10 regular season title three times and has twice been victorious in the Pac 10 tournament. The guy flat out wins (went to the last two Final Fours and has his team poised as a No. 1 seed again this year).

Fuzz: This region boasts some pretty decent ones, but my pick is Coach K. Weird. Since Coach K took over 27 years ago, he’s had three losing seasons, three National Championships and 10 Final Four appearances. Plus, he’s one of the most hated coaches for fans out there, and it’s more reason for me to love him.


Dogg: The best coach in this region is a complete landslide with Ben Howland. He leaves Pittsburgh for UCLA and with mass amounts of pressure on him; he has led UCLA to two-straight Final Fours and probably a third straight this year. He recruits, has guys leave early and then develops new stars the next year, recruits again, and he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

What is the best first-round game?

Dogg: Arizona/WVU is the most intriguing game for me. There are three superstars in this game (Joe Alexander, Jared Bayless, and Chase Buddinger). Two of them play for Arizona but WVU has a much deeper and more balanced team so I'm taking WV. Watch out for WVU to give Duke a nice run in round two.

Fuzz: 5-12 game—Drake vs. Western Kentucky. With Drake already being a Cinderella story, they’ll be picked heavily against in this game. Everyone usually picks an upset in the 5-12 game and Drake seems like the safest No. 5 seed to go down. Will Drake keep the glass slippers on or will they be another 5-12 statistic?

Q: The best first-round game in the South comes courtesy of West Virginia and Arizona. Not many people in the country know about Joe Alexander and the Mountaineers, but they will soon.

This team is talented, well coached, and has a shot at pulling off a huge upset of Duke in the second round (you know, if the Blue Devil can manage to squeak by Belmont, which is by no means a guarantee). On the other hand, many so-called experts are bitching and moaning about the fact that the Wildcats shouldn't even be in the tourney.

That doubt always seems to put a chip on teams' shoulders and pushes them to play well above expectations (i.e. when UNC "shouldn't" have gotten in a few years back and then went to the Final Four). It would not shock me if Arizona took out WVU in the first round and then Duke in the second round. I think the moral of the story is that the winner of this game will beat Duke in the second round, and I will be happy.

Who is the most overrated team?

Fuzz: My two cohorts will probably say Duke. Actually, I know they will. This is a softball question for them to once again rip down Duke. They take any chance they can—believe me. Personally, I think it’s Georgia. Yes, they are a No. 14 seed, but they don’t even belong here. Screw this automatic conference tourney bid stuff. They aren’t even close to the top 64 teams in the country, which they preach it is. The Gophers are better than the Bulldogs.

Q: Most overrated team? Easy. The Duke Blue Devils. They blow, enough said.

Dogg: I believe Drake is the most overrated team in this region. I've seen them play twice, and, yes, they do play hard but they rely heavily on the 3-point shot and don't have a lot of athleticism to guard anybody big or quick. I like Western Kentucky to beat Drake in round one.

Fuzz: One out of two ain’t bad right?

Who is your pick to win this region?


Q: My pick to win this region is UCLA in a cakewalk. The only game they're likely to get is in the Elite Eight against Xavier and even that game won't be all that close. Howland and the Bruins stroll into San Antonio for a ridiculous third year in a row.

Fuzz: UCLA. They’re a Final Four machine. This would be their third-straight Final Four, and I see it happening. UCLA, Kevin Love and his outlet passing get through a fairly easy bracket to reach San Antonio as my last team.

Dogg: I'm taking UCLA because Duke lives behind the arc, and, if they do match up in the Elite Eight, Kevin Love is going to own the block. UCLA will guard the 3-point shot and are as athletic as Duke so they will be able to contain penetration and kick tactic they like to use.

Finally...

Who wins it all? Over who?

Fuzz: If you weren’t paying attention my Final Four is: Louisville, Kansas, Texas, and UCLA. I see Kansas winning it all over UCLA. Alfalfa finally gets to cut down the nets after years of disappointment.

Q: So that makes my Final Four UNC, Kansas, Texas, and UCLA (I know, real original). I have UNC and Texas advancing to the final game with the Tar Heels leaving as the 2008 National Champions.

Dogg: I'm taking UCLA over Kansas. UCLA has the easiest road to the Final Four so they should be the healthiest team going into the Final Four, which usually plays a factor on the outcome. I'm waiting anxiously to see Ben Howland holding the trophy while "One Shining Moment" is played.

How tall is 7-foot-7 Kenny George of UNC-Asheville?

So tall that his head almost grazes the bottom of the net when he walks underneath the basket.

So tall that his warm-up jersey didn’t even reach his belly button.

So tall that everyone at the Schott tonight gawked at him and took pictures during pregame warmups.

So tall that the basketball looks like a tennis ball in his hands.

So tall that OSU’s 7-foot center Kosta Koufos doesn’t even reach George’s neck when they stand side-by-side.

I sat courtside at the OSU-UNC Asheville NIT game earlier tonight, keeping stats. Every eye in the arena was on George just about the entire night. And trust me, he isn’t hard to miss. He might have been the most amazing basketball player that I have ever seen in person, and that counts many NBA players, including LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

His presence on the court is breathtaking. I commented to my fellow statisticians that he sure took up a lot of the paint on defense, and one answered, “He is the paint.”

George is by no means athletic. His physical conditioning is really nonexistent, as you could visibly see him struggle to get up and down the court. During warmups, all he did was stretch and stretch and stretch. He took about five or 10 shots, all of them dunks that he exhibited throughout the night.

But watching him play was incredible. He was on the court for 27 minutes, seven minutes higher than his average, and scored 12 points—all of them coming from above the basket —and grabbed 11 rebounds.

He also rejected a David Lighty shot in such impressive fashion that everyone in the arena gasped. He dunks the ball quicker than any player I've seen; it reminds me of playing Pop-a-Shot in my buddy Stu's basement, when we try to set scoring records by standing next to the rim and just throwing the ball in as fast as possible.

My roommate asked me if I thought George had any pro potential. I think he does.

Here’s where he’d fit perfectly:

A team like Golden State or Denver that plays such an up-tempo style but suffers at the defensive end would be a good match. If I were one of those teams, I’d snatch him up in a heartbeat, play him 5-10 minutes a night and tell him not even to bother crossing halfcourt and playing any offense. J

Just block shots, rebound, and keep the opposing team out of the paint. Plus, if you need a bucket late and are inbounding under your basket, just lob it into him and let him throw it down. The only person in the NBA who could stop that would be Yao Ming, and even he’s giving an inch or two to George.

If you ever get a chance to watch George or UNC-Asheville on TV or person next year, do so. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Anyway, hats off to the Bucks tonight. You always have to be concerned about teams showing up to play in tournaments like this because, honestly, it’s pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things. (Who can name the past three NIT winners?)

But Ohio State showed up and played pretty well. The 84 points was the most the Bucks scored since they beat UMBC Dec. 29. That’s frightening.

But Koufos came out and was pretty aggressive, as was Othello Hunter, who had a nice spinning layup around George. Jamar Butler led the team as he has done throughout the year, and Jon Diebler (28.8 percent from beyond the arc) hit some big 3-pointers as well.

Clearly OSU is playing pretty well right now, probably going about as good as they have all season. My bold prediction: they make it to the finals and, like every other team in the state, fall short.

The Season of Almost Dreams continues for Ohio State and Cleveland teams.

Washington State University will begin their NCAA Tournament run in Denver, CO this coming Thursday against Winthrop University of Rock Hill, SC. The Cougars are the No. 4 seed, while the Eagles visit to the Big Dance this time around as a No. 13 seed.

Both teams have experience playing in the tournament. Winthrop knocked off Notre Dame last year in the first round. That's some experience! The Cougs didn't equal the Eagles, losing to Vanderbilt in a very close, hard fought game.

This game might be one that only ardent fans of either school will relish.

What?

We're talking about two of the best defensive clubs in the country. Great defenses make for a low scoring and methodical paced contest. Translation. A game devoid of ESPN Top Ten Plays. Heck, fans will probably need to be jacked up on Mountain Dew or Red Bull to stay awake.

Here's a trite generalization to throw at you.

Defense wins.

OK.

If defense wins, what happens when you match up a couple of teams focused on that very thing? Just about anything except high scoring, which will be the probable outcome of this first round pairing.

A glance at Winthrop by WSU Coach Tony Bennett is like looking in the mirror. Almost. The Eagles only have two players scoring in double figures, senior guard Michael Jenkins who pours in a little over 14 points a game and senior Taj McCullough who adds another 12 points per game.

The Eagles bring plenty of experience to any game this season. Four of their five starters are seniors. That even tops the Cougs who start three seniors. Yes, these clubs are loaded with experience.

Reviewing team stats for either the Eagles or the Cougs reveals that these are two very well coached teams. They don't beat themselves. Each will try to control the pace of the game.

Wait.

They each like to play deliberate basketball so it won't take much to control the pace when both want the same thing. Here's a thought. Might one team try to push the ball rather than take their time and set up half court offense? Right. That'll happen.

Winthrop Coach Randy Peele will have the Eagles prepared to make an even deeper run into the tournament this time around. His players experienced success last season and will be intent on doing even better this time around.

Washington State is in great shape physically. Daven Harmeling was the lone question mark and he looked very good in the Pac-10 Tournament. WSU seniors Derrick Low, Robbie Cowgill and Kyle Weaver aren't ready to hang up their jerseys just yet. This group wants to do something no other WSU team has done. They want to make a serious run at the Final Four.

This time of year, everyone who's still playing is either good or great. You're good to get in. Making at least the Elite Eight qualifies as great.

The Cougars are on their way to greatness.

GO COUGS!!!

When i first saw that West Virginia got a seven seed i was thinking "what an upset in the making". West Virginia is a battle-tested team in and out of Conference; with a respectable RPI of 29, SOS of 45 and a record of 5-5 against RPI top 50.they finished the season 24-10 and 5th in the Big East. WVU played Tennessee and lost by 2. They also played Winthrop,Oklahoma, and at Auburn. West Virginia has great guard play from Senior Darris Nichols who has averaged 10-3-3 this season. Also G Alex Ruoff makes 3 threes a game and shoots 46 percent from the floor. They also have 4 players averaging double figures in scoring. Theirs two things needed to make a tourney run; A pair of guards who can control the game and a great scorer WVU has both.

WVU will play the #10 Arizona Wildcats in the first round. Arizona did have the #1 toughest schedule but they lost 14 games, they should not be in the tourney. Arizona the last two years has showed me nothing. It seems that all they are thinking about is getting Lute Olsen back next year. PF Joe Alexander is shooting like another big man i have seen Larry Johnson. Alexander is averaging 17 points and shooting 47 percent from the floor. But in the Big East tournament he averaged 22 and lost in the 3rd round to Georgetown. Arizona's big man does not want to come outside the paint to play defense. Joe will put on a clinic in this game with his mid range jumper.

WVU's potential opponent in the 2nd round will be the winner of Duke vs Belmont. I'm from Nashville so i have seen Belmont play they are a very good perimeter team. I expect them to give a good game to Duke but will not win. WVU will give Duke all it wants on the defensive end. West Virginia plays great perimeter D and we all know Duke lives and dies by the three. Again Duke doesnt have a good enough big defender to slow down Joe Alexander. JOE will carry WVU on his back to the SWEET 16!

This is not the first tournament for coach Bob Huggins. While with Cincinnati and Kansas State Bob lead his teams to 14 of the last 15 NCAA tournaments. He took Cincy to the Final Four in his 3rd year as coach in 1991-92. Then later took them to the Elite 8 twice once in 93 then later in 96. This is Bob Huggins first year with WVU and you can see the toughness he brings to the team. Bob is a very experienced coach and will lead the Mountaineers to the Sweet 16 and who knows maybe further on... 

Many people argue that only the 65-team NCAA championship tournament is considered “March Madness”. I disagree.

Conference tournament games have significant implications for the participating teams. Many teams are trying to make a last ditch effort to qualify for the NCAA tournament by improving their resume, others’ only hope is to win their respective tournaments. Sometimes intense rivalries can be developed and improved upon in conference tournaments, and at other times a student-athlete can evolve into a heroic player or a hated player.

My all-time favorite conference tournament was in 2006 when Gerry McNamara led Syracuse to the Big East title (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ArlqIs2NT8). The Orange were a tournament bubble team that barely made the Big East tourney heading into their first game against Cincinnati. McNamara made a clutch winning shot in the dying seconds of that game to propel the Orange into their quarter-final against powerhouse UConn. The Huskies featured five 2006 NBA draft picks and were ranked in the top 4 in the country at the time. Once again McNamara came through with clutch shots to lead the Orange to an OT victory. McNamara’s heroics continued in the semis against Georgetown and the championship game against Pittsburgh.

Another incredible conference tournament memory took place at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. It was the 2005 Conference-USA championship game between Memphis and Louisville, and the game’s finish was tighter than young Forrest and Jenny. After a wild final minute (which is often overshadowed by the game’s final seconds) consisting of three-pointers and answering three-pointers, Memphis guard Darius Washington Jr. was fouled in the act of shooting a three-pointer with no time left on the game clock. The score was 75-73 for the Cardinals, and the confident freshman calmly stepped up to the line. Make. Miss. Miss. The heartbroken guard collapsed on the floor along with the Tigers’ tournament hopes.

There are, of course, so many other exciting conference tournament storylines which I failed to mention, and probably even failed to be alive to witness. Please share your favorite memories in the article’s comments section. And always remember: March Madness does start before the NCAA tournament!

Winthrop is back.

Contrary to what several critics have said about the Eagles, they never really left.

Despite an average first half of the season, the Winthrop Eagles rallied late in the year to pull off their fourth Big South Conference Championship in a row—and an unprecedented eight out of the last 10 years.

Leaning on their experience, Winthrop defeated the University of North Carolina-Asheville in convincing fashion Saturday afternoon.  The Eagles’ took the Bulldogs down, 66-48, at the Justice Center in Asheville.   

But, really, who was surprised by this?

Winthrop is a senior-laden team rich with history.  Plus, playing in front of a nationally televised audience like this is nothing new to these guys.

And it didn’t hurt that the Eagles lost the first two games to UNC-A this season.  

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs can be summarized in one word:  inexperienced.

While UNC-A’s enormous center Kenny George has gotten plenty of press, can you name another member on the Bulldogs’ roster (the same roster that was bounced from the Big South tournament in the first round the three previous years)?  

Home court advantage for UNC-A was no matter.  The Bulldogs were clearly rattled, and it showed.

UNC-A was held to only 18 first half points.  A mere six made field goals, although a late run did cut a nine-point deficit to only four before the break.

For the game, however, UNC-A shot only 33 percent from the field, including an ice-cold 4-21 from three-point range—usually a strength for the Bulldogs.

In the second half, the Eagles broke away and UNC-A couldn’t get the deficit under seven for the rest of the game.  Winthrop held the Bulldogs at arm’s length, and hopes for a comeback seemingly ended at the three-minute mark.

That’s when Taj McCullough (playing in a No. 23 jersey since his No. 31 jersey was stolen two weeks ago) threw down an emphatic and downright nasty dunk.  He was fouled, still managing to put the Eagles up by 20.

Winthrop players and fans went wild after the dunk.  Even though McCullough missed the free throw, the energy from the Bulldogs was zapped.

And so the Eagles go dancing again.

Head coach Randy Peele has to feel vindicated after this win.  When Gregg Marshall bolted for Wichita State, Peele (Marshall’s assistant for three years) had the difficult and highly pressured task of continuing Winthrop’s Big South dominance.

Having lost two starters and roughly 28 points of production per game, Peele faced a tough string of matches.  And the transition wasn’t easy at first.

After ripping off an unblemished 14-0 conference record last season, Winthrop lumbered through an uncharacteristic and sometimes ugly 10-4 conference record this season.  Due to Winthrop’s struggles, UNC-A became the new chic pick for the tournament.

But in the end, the Winthrop Eagles just kept doing what they do—winning big games and making the record books.

During the championship game, senior Chris Gaynor broke the Big South career assist record, and senior Michael Jenkins plain went off—good for a Big South tourney record-tying 33 points.

Since the Eagles pasted Notre Dame in the first round of the tournament last year, it will be hard for Peele and Company to sneak up on anyone this season.

But it will be fun to watch them try.