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Archive for the ‘College Teams’ Category
Bigger and Better
Big East men’s basketball has twice as many teams as it football counterpart: 8 teams football to 16 teams basketball. And it’s been apparent since 1979 that having such a large conference, 3 more teams in basketball than any other NCAA Division I conference, hasn’t watered-down the talent level or competitiveness of the league. The conference’s proudest moment might’ve happened either in 1985, when 3 of the 4 Final Four team’s comprised itself of Big East teams (Villanova, Georgetown and St. John’s; the tournament winner going on to be Villanova) or last year, when 11 of the conference’s 16 teams went on to enter the NCAA Tournament comprising 16 percent of the tournament’s total field (Connecticut, Big East’s conference winner, also going on to win the 2011 championship game). Although not all of the Big East’s teams have done it while members of the conference, all of the Big East team’s, besides USF, have made an appearance in the Final Four at some point in their history’s.
For the last 30 years the spotlight of this mega-conference’s season-ending tournament has been played at basketball’s virtual mecca, Madison Square Garden, where 12 of the conference’s top 16 teams annually make the pilgrimage. This year the most highlighted team heading into the Garden will be #2 AP-ranked Syracuse. The Orangemen are one Notre Dame loss removed from a perfect season, and have been winning in the face of on-going former assistant coach Bernie Fine’s child abuse scandal, and a subsequent slander case against head coach Jim Boeheim, surrounding comments about the abused ball-boy children made soon after child abuse allegations first surfaced. Read More >>
In SEC Men’s Basketball, Kentucky always rules
Throughout its history, SEC basketball has really been about one team: the Kentucky Wildcats. If you don’t quite understand the above video, you probably have not watched a lot of Kentucky basketball (fans hold a sign of the number 3 everytime they make a 3-point shot… I.E. so they make a lot of 3′s). Wildcat Men’s Basketball has had a dominant presence in a portion of every decade since the SEC’s inception in 1932. Only one coach that coached multiple seasons at UK finished with an overall losing record in his tenure: W.W.H. Mustaine, UK’s first ever men’s basketball coach. And no coach, after Kentucky’s first joined the original SEC, has left the university with an overall losing record.
There is no doubt the standard of excellence is high at basketball university USA. Perhaps, where Kentucky has shined most has been in the tournaments. Kentucky has won over half of SEC tournaments in history (27 of 52), owns 7 total NCAA tournaments Titles (Second most to UCLA in history), the most appearances (51) and wins (105, currently tied with North Carolina) in NCAA tournament history. If those stats were too much for you, then know UK also owns 2 NIT Titles in its history too (the only school with multiple NCAA and NIT tournament Titles). It’s no wonder Rupp Arena in Lexington, where the Wildcats play, is the biggest basketball arena in the nation, and regularly leads college basketball in attendance. More often than not considered the Yankees of basketball, fans annually expect a Sweet 16 and Final Four appearances from their Wildcat basketball squad. This year’s crop talent, despite their youth, is not letting expectations fan expectations down. Considered by many the best team in the nation, and tied with the Syracuse Orange for the best record in the NCAA so far this year, the Wildcats are a virtual lock for one of the four tournament #1 seeds. Barring an early exit in this year’s SEC tournament, they are in best spot to grab the overall #1 seed of the tournament’s field of 68. Read More >>
This is not Madness…
It’s awkward time as we approach the 15th of March. A day also known as the Ides of March, in Ancient Rome the day was a celebration of Mars, their God of war, but was more famously the day of Julius Caesar’s untimely assassination and betrayal by the friends he considered close. On the 15th of March fans of NCAA College Basketball will be celebrating the famous ‘Ides’ in their own way. Yes, after the opening round of the First Four (the first four play-in games to enter the tournament’s overall field of 64 teams) the NCAA Tournament will officially begin. March Madness is the colloquial term for the time over the duration of the NCAA Tournament; where buzzer-beating shots regularly encroach on narrowly-lead teams and lesser known teams ordinarily poach off more commonly branded basketball. It is a time of passion, persistence and revelry in the arts of war; not unlike the ancient Roman’s celebrations of the God of war. Today, I’ll be starting off tournament coverage of possible tournament teams conference by conference, each of the major conferences, and a bundle of the mid-majors. Read More >>
Twisting and Turning in the Mountain West
Since being established in 1999, the NCAA’s youngest D-I FBS conference, the Mountain West, has been gaining exponentially more media coverage and national respect over the past few years, as a growing mid-major conference that can compete and win against the other high-major conferences: Pac-12, Big 12, Big 10, Big East, Southeastern and Atlantic Coast. Of the five mid-major conference BCS births since the 2004 NCAA College Football season, four of the five have been from the Mountain West (Utah in ’05, Boise State ’07, Utah ’09, Boise State and TCU ’10 and TCU again in ’11), going a combined 5-1 in those BCS appearances, possibly 6-0 if Boise State and TCU had not been bidded against eachother in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl. Mountain West men’s basketball has not been meek in competitive spirit either, appearing in 29 NCAA Tournaments since the Conference’s inception; on average, almost two and half teams a year. Most notably in my mind, the Mountain West has had three #1 overall draft selections for each major professional sport: the NFL’s Alex Smith of Utah and the NBA’s Andrew Bogut of Utah in 2005; MLB’s Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State in 2009. Read More >>
NBC ‘versus’ ESPN
As of Jan. 2, 2012 Versus, a channel known for broadcasting NHL games and a number of outdoor and combat sports, became the NBC Sports Network. The transition and rebrand weren’t completely unexpected. When Comcast, the original owner of Versus, bought the majority stake of NBC February 2011 it started merging NBC’s own sports content into the channel, and started relaunching Versus as a sort of extension to NBC normal sport’s broadcasting. As the months progressed the executive decision made sense to rebrand Versus as NBC Sports Network.
The rebrand is expected to make Versus into a more creditable channel that would appeal to a more mainstream sport’s audience; essentially, a channel that could compete with ESPN’s sports monopoly. An advantage of the new NBC Sports Network is NBC Universal’s recent procurements of lengthy contract extensions of viewership rights with the NHL and Olympic Games, helping Versus with its initial step towards its vision.
Brightening for the future expansion of the channel was the announcement of a new TV deal next year with the growing MLS over its original broadcaster partner, Fox Sports Channel. The deal was even announced for less money than Fox was offering, because executives were convinced on the future direction of the sports network. With soccer gaining ground each year in the US, the MLS has been thriving more than ever, and should be able to continue growing exponentially if NBC Sports Network can continue growing along with it. Read More >>
Thoughts on the Passing of Joe Paterno
Not many people will accomplish in a life time what Joe Paterno did for both a University and its football program. In essence, some people will say no college football coach again, in our modern BCS landscape, could accomplish what the affectionately nicknamed “JoePa” has been able to do for Penn State University.
From 1966 to the end of 2011, Paterno spent 46 seasons as the head coach of Penn
State’s football program going out with an overall record of 409-136-3, five undefeated seasons and a 24-12-1 college bowl game record; two of those bowl game wins going for National Championships in 1982 and 1986. Joe Paterno is the winningest coach in major college football history. It didn’t come down to just wins, losses and the money that comes from those accomplishments though. Read More >>
National Signing Day 2012: Alabama does the best – get your favorite’s new team jersey at Onthefield.com
It’s not uncommon for the College national champion to do well a month later when College national signing day comes around. With 27 quality recruits on board, Alabama is solidly atop the country in the No. 1 College recruiting spot. With less than a week until most recruits will sign their letters of intent, here’s a look at Sporting News’ top 10 College classes:
1. Alabama (27 commitments): The Crimson Tide have one of those well-rounded classes. They are most likely done, but the Tide coaches are still pursuing at least a couple top targets. Six of Alabama’s 27 recruits are Sporting News Top 125 members, and it’s a strong class top to bottom. Alabama should be especially proud of its defensive backs haul—all five are good enough to be early contributors.
Top SN 125 players: DB Geno Smith, DB Landon Collins
2. Michigan (23): Brady Hoke has made quite an impression with this group, and there’s an outside chance he might be able to pick up another top kid or two. Hoke went after tough players and got them. One of his crowning achievements has been attracting top-flight linemen from all over the country, and keeping Ohio State coach Urban Meyer from flipping them. The strength of this class is the middle of the group, not just the elite players. “(Hoke is) going back to the power running attack and needs guys who aren’t afraid to get in a three-point and run right at you … hit it up the gut,” SN 125 OL Kyle Kalis told Sporting News.
Top SN 125 players: OL Kyle Kalis, DB Terry Richardson
3. Texas (24): As usual, about 75 percent of this class was in place before last summer was over. In fact, the Longhorns are probably more focused on their 2013 class right now than worrying about what they might gain or lose before signing day. One thing is for certain: The Longhorns have a nice set of offensive skill players in QB Connor Brewer, RB Johnathan Gray and WR Cayleb Jones. Three played together at the Under-Armour game. “This class is great with all the guys we got,” Brewer said. “Cayleb is going to be a great guy to throw to and I can’t wait to play with him.”
Top SN 125 players: WR Cayleb Jones, RB Johnathan Gray
WHoosiers?
Unless you’re from Indiana or a college basketball fanatic,
the Indiana Hoosiers might be little more than an inspirational college
basketball movie you watched on any particular Saturday or Sunday Afternoon. A
school filed beyond your usual March Madness pick repertoire of NCAA men’s
basketball schools… Kentucky, Kansas, Duke or any of the NBA-lite, media-frenzy
schools of the Big East. What’s been going on this year at Indiana could be
nothing short of the sort of basketball exorcism that occurred at Kentucky a
few years ago.
During the 1971 to 2000 Bobby Knight coaching era the
Indiana Hoosiers men’s basketball team appeared in 24 NCAA Tournaments, won 3
NCAA Championships, 11 Conference Championship titles, and in 1976, became the
last undefeated NCAA men’s basketball champion finishing with a perfect 32-0
record. This was a program that in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s had come as
closely synonymous with “winning” as Charlie Sheen, and as recent as even 10
years ago eyed a possible NCAA tournament title in 2002, has finished 11th,
9th and 11th respectively in the Big Ten Conference the
last three years. With the 2002 loss to
Maryland in the NCAA title game aside, Indiana has not seen a Sweet Sixteen
appearance since 1994. Indiana is indicating it wants that changed though in
2012.
Read More >>
Go Big or Go Home
Years of College basketball experience have taught Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson to respect the guards who are his teammates the way a quarterback values his offensive linemen, or a singer treasures that perfectly tuned accompanist. One cannot shine without the other.
“The ball has to go through them first,” Robinson says, “before it comes to me.”
Playing last season with College All-American center Jared Sullinger taught Ohio State’s shooting seniors how much easier their jobs could become with more room to operate. Jon Diebler and David Lighty saw their 3-point accuracy grow dramatically as defenders drifted inside, fretting about the damage Sullinger might inflict in the post.
“Honestly, Jon and Dave, they always said thank you,” Sullinger says. “What made us special — it really didn’t matter who shot the ball, who was the leading scorer. We wanted to succeed.”
It is easy to see how all of this works in harmony, how North Carolina big men Tyler Zeller and John Henson rely on Kendall Marshall the way Mick Jagger and Keith Richards rest on the foundation provided by bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts. So why do we hear every March that college basketball is all about guard play?
If ever there were a season in which that “March is for guards” theory should be discredited, it is this one. If a team must rely on superior guard play to win the 2012 NCAA championship, the title might be left vacant.
There is no more Kyrie Irving, Jimmer Fredette or Kemba Walker in Division I, and no reasonable facsimile. The teams that appear to be most powerful are built around big men.
College Basketball Top Programs
Kentucky, the only College team in last week’s top four not to lose over the weekend, is back on top of The Associated Press’ college basketball poll.
The Wildcats, who were ranked No. 1 for two weeks earlier this season, moved up one place Monday after receiving 61 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.
Missouri, which got two No. 1 votes, jumped from fifth to second, while Syracuse, which was in first place for the last six weeks, dropped to third after losing at Notre Dame, its first loss this season. The Orange were No. 1 on two ballots.
Ohio State and Kansas moved up two places to fourth and fifth and were followed by Baylor, which fell three places after losing two games last week, North Carolina, Duke, Georgetown and Michigan State. Duke dropped four places after losing to Florida State at home.
The top 25 College teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 22, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking:
Full list
Record Pts Prv
1. Kentucky (61) 19-1 1,620 2
2. Missouri (2) 18-1 1,532 5
3. Syracuse (2) 20-1 1,506 1
4. Ohio St. 17-3 1,411 6
5. Kansas 16-3 1,383 7
6. Baylor 17-2 1,234 3
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