BUCKET BRACKETS 103: Best Defense Ever?

Johnny J

The Syracuse Orange were the first team to punch their ticket to the Final Four next weekend in Atlanta by beating Marquette 55-39. The Golden Eagles defeated the Orange back in February 74 -71, but Saturday was all Syracuse. The 2-3 zone swarmed all over Marquette  as they coughed up the ball 13 times. Both teams shot poorly from the field: Syracuse just 38% and Marquette a measly 23%. They shot 12%from behind the arc going 3-25.

"They cover ground really good. You've got to get the ball in the middle, you've got to play inside out, you've got to get to the free-throw line and wear them down with the 3-pointer when you can,"said Marquette's junior guard, Vander Blue. "They're really good at what they do in that zone." Blue went 3-15 from the floor.

Syracuse makes their fourth Final Four appearance, the last time was in 2003, when they won the National Champion. Led by a guy you may know, by the name of Carmelo Anthony. So what's better than having Anthony's jersey retired this year? Wait, wait--what's better than saying good bye to the Big East Conference and saying hello to the Atlantic Coast Conference? I'l tell you what; it's bringing home a Championship trophy and switching conferences at the same time. Hello ACC! Welcome the University of Syracuse, 2013 Champions!

"You want to go out with a win," said junior forward C.J. Fair.

Barack Obama was in attendance as well as Washington Redskins quarterback, Robert Griffin III. I guess Obama had to see the team that beat his team up-close in person (he had Indiana winning it all).  Not a bad way to leave the nation's capital, brushing off your shoulders.

Syracuse played an up and down season all year long. The first part of the season they went 18-1.  They looked like a dominant Big East team that couldn't be slowed down. They finally did in the second half, going 5-7 against teams in the Big East. They played so bad down the stretch, that they had to open the Big East tournament against Seton Hall. Usually a good team in the conference gets a first round bye to let the weaker teams battle it out. Yes, Syracuse was considered a weak team late in the season. They overcame adversity by making it past three teams to reach the Big East Championship. They lost it by 17 to Louisville.

I have no idea how you lose 7 out of 12 games and still be a ranked team. Syracuse were ranked 19th at the end of the season, which helped them secure a four seed in the NCAA Tournament. Somebody must have known something I didn't because they turned it on after that loss to Louisville, winning three straight to reach the Final Four.

The Orange are making more rounds than the Blue Man Group!

Also reaching the Final Four is Wichita St.  A team that has reached the Final Four for the first time since 1956. Since my bracket is totally ruined, I wouldn't mind seeing Syracuse and Louisville in the Championship game. A rematch and a farewell gift. The battle of the Big East for one last time! With Louisville all ready punching their ticket to the Final Four, that scenario is one step closer to becoming a reality.

More NCAA content is available here. 

BUCKET BRACKETS102: Cinderella in Blue

Johnny J

The Sweet Sixteen, welcomes its first 15th seeded team, the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast. After miraculously beating number two seed Georgetown on Friday, they came out with the same intensity and attitude on Sunday, beating San Diego State 81-71 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. It was a few upsets, that happened this weekend, including one of the four number one seeds falling. But right now, I would like to answer the question that a lot of people have been wondering: Who exactly is Florida Gulf Coast?

The Eagles are from the Atlantic Sun Conference, a conference in which, of course, they had to win their Conference Tournament  in order to make the "big dance."  As I was doing research on this program, I found out this is their sixth year in Division 1-A and just their second year of eligibility for the postseason. I didn't know them before, but I definitely know them now. Whenever you come in the tournament and beat a heavy-weight in your first appearence, you have awakened everybody--and I mean everybody! George Mason's Final Four appearance in 2006 is still being discussed. It was just one of the greatest runs by an unknown team in college hoops' history. How about when Lehigh beat Duke in 2012, or when Northern Iowa beat the number one seed overall, Kansas in 2010. Welcome to the NCAA history books FGCU, you're a team that will be talked about for years to come.

"It's an unbelievable feeling. We played a very tough team in Georgetown. They have great players. They're a historic school," forward Chase Fieler said. "So being a newer school it's very exciting for us to be able to win a game like that and for the NCAA history. That's exciting and impressive to be a part of that."

Eagles Guard Brett Comer had a sick game, scoring 10 points and dishing out 14 assists. As rapper E-40 would say, " Sick Wid It." Comer is a former highschool teammate of Austin Rivers, who now plays for the New Orlean Hornets. So it wasn't surprising to see him cheer his former teammate on Twitter:

Watching my boi @brettcomer0 go off!! They Can't handle my Winter Park Point Guard!
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) March 25, 2013

So how exactly does FGCU get it done? By playing with a fast pased uptempo style. According to senior  Fieler, they like to run.

"We just tried to keep a steady pace and tried to wear them down. We think we can play with anybody in the country," Fieler said. "When we got the running game going it felt like a home game."

Its an interesting story behind the recruiting of the Eagles. Some of the players, including Comer, were recruited by coach Andy Enfield at a hospital in Tallahassee. Yes a hospital!  His wife was giving birth to their third child and Enfield was making pitches to students from all over on the phone.

“You gotta put your phone down,” Amanda Marcum shouted at her husband as she was about to go in for a C-section. “We’re about to go in and have a baby.”

As soon as Marcum was finished delivering the baby, Enfield was in the recovery room and he was back on the phone pitching Florida Gulf Coast to several players and coaches.

This team has the right attitude, all the way from the coaches down to the players. I can't wait to see them play, "THE" Florida Gators on Friday March 29th in Arlington, Texas. The crowd is going to be all Florida. Fans from both sides, but literally all Florida.  Oh yes: did I mention that the not highly recruited team of FGCU may have something to prove? Cinderella didn't wear white this weekend, rather she showed up to the party in blue instead. According to ESPN's brackets, nobody expected that to happen. Big Statement!

More NCAA is available here. 

BUCKET BRACKETS 101

Charles Barkley said the Mountain West Conference is better than the Big Ten. Hurry, you want to get into Barkley’s bracket pool.
— steve rosenbloom (@steverosenbloom) March 19, 2013

Johnny J

Everyone may know how to fill out a bracket, but I'm here to help you keep an open mind about when making these selections. As we know, all teams are capable of losing at anytime. I take all match-ups in the tournament serious and with that said, there is no such thing as an "easy" match-up, regardless of the seeding (Unless of course a match-up involves a #16 seed--Ed). For instance, looked what happen to Kansas in 2010. They were the number one seed overall and they lost to ninth-seeded Northern Iowa in the second round.  No one saw that coming and it teaches everybody a lesson: it's always smart to do research on these small schools that no one has never heard of. When you look at match-ups, you have to take into play everything. I mean EVERYTHING:  where is the game going to be played? Are any of the key players injured or in a slump? And how did this school I never heard of make the tournament?

With that said, let's take a look at the top seeds:

• Kansas 
• Louisville 
• Gonzaga 
• Indiana 

Now in my opinion, Indiana shouldn't be a number one seed. Miami, who just won the ACC tournament, as well as the ACC regular season crown, should have been rewarded with the #1 seed. Indiana, on the other hand, lost three times in six games. Three times!  They got crushed by Wisconsin, in the Big Ten. Not to mention they lost three times as a number one seed (Hotter than a Hot Potato--Ed).  Another thing I don't understand is how is Louisville number one overall in the tournament? Gonzaga--hello?--they've only won 14 in a row; going a perfect 16-0 in their conference and only losing two games all year. No love for the small institutions.  I'm sorry, "mid-majors."

With the tournament starting on Thursday, now is the time to fill out your brackets. You wanna be able to take your time and do research on these teams. You don't wanna rush into it, because every mach-up is harder than it looks. The seeds that are in the middle are always the hardest.  If you just look at the match-up you realize it can go either way. For example my favorite team is North Carolina.  Currently, they are an eight-seed playing ninth-seeded Villanova. Of course I want North Carolina to win, but Villanova is tough. I had them to win the Big East tournament. They were 4-2 against top 50 RPI teams. That is a tough match-up if I've ever seen one. I definitely have to think about some of these picks. So starting early is beneficial.

Looking at team stats is a plus as well. If a team ranks fifth in scoring in the country, I know they can score anywhere, anytime, and at any place.  The thing is, "can their opponent keep up? Can they score?  Can they play defense?" All these things come into play. Here's a good example: the Creighton Blue Jays of the Missouri Valley Conference, is not a ranked team, but they can score. They are ranked 24th in the nation averaging 75 points per game. And they make shots consistently ranking 1st in the nation at almost 51% from the field. They are a dangerous seventh-seed. If they get past Cincinnati, they could face two-seeded  Duke in the third round, which would be a very tough match-up for them.

You should now have a better understanding of filling out your bracket. Look at all angles of each game: who has the "home advantage" at a particular "neutral site?" Who can score? What teams are hot? Most important of all, start thinking about these match-ups early. Oh yes, there will be upsets!

I already hate my bracket.

— Barry Rozner (@BarryRozner) March 17, 2013

More NCAA is available here.

THE BIG EAZY: The Final Big East Conference Tournament

The Big East final at Madison Square Garden as a special thing to cover. The passion of the players, fans, coaches, everybody.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 14, 2013

Johnny J

The "Big Eazy," also known as the "Beast," or simply the Big East Conference, is one of my favorite tournaments to watch. The conference is full of ranked and sleeper teams, including NBA prospects and at a stage that gets no bigger than playing at Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks, are on a four game road trip out west, racking up losses. So who is going to be filling the seats at the Mecca? Fans of college basketball, fans of the big east, fans of the most exciting conference tournament in college basketball  Welcome to the "Big Eazy!"

The Big East Tournament started on Tuesday and goes through Saturday. The teams that played first are the weaker teams of the conference. Seton Hall defeated South Florida and Rutgers defeated DePaul.  Now on to round two, where things get pretty interesting.  The game I believed that could of went either way were between, Villanova and St. John's. These are teams that really didn't get noticed at all, simply because their conference is loaded. There are six, ranked teams in the Big East. Villanova is 20-12 overall and 11-8 in their conference, after beating St. John's on wednesday, 66-53; they are ranked seventh in conference play. The Red Storm, on the other hand ,have lost five in a row. They are 16-15 overall and only 8-11 in the Big East. They took number 15th ranked Marquette to the edge after a 69-67 loss in last Saturday's game.  I figured that might have been enough motivation to make a deep run in the Conference Tournament.  That didn't happen. They're done!

I still think Villanova is on the bubble, although, they do have some upsets on their resume. They've beaten Syracuse, Louisville, and Georgetown at home. They play better at home, yes, but in this tourney, Madison Square Garden is everyone's home. Now a win over Louisville, again, should secure a spot.

Another good match-up I look forward to is, Syracuse and Pittsburgh in round three. The last time these teams played, unranked Pittsburgh won by 10 in early February, while the Orangemen were ranked 6th overall. This time, Pitt is ranked 17th and Syracuse is ranked 19th.  Syracuse started the first half of the season strong, but has dropped in the 2nd half, losing four out of their last six games, but somehow still find themselves ranked. (this UNC Tar Heel fan is furious about this!). You never know with a team like the Orangemen. They played their last game in the Carrier Dome, their home-streak of 38 was snapped and they retired former Syracuse player Carmelo Anthony's jersey, all in the same-day. Where is the emotion? Where is the effort?  Show something for your last Big East run!   Because after this season, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Norte Dame are all heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference, where the conference tournament is held in Greensboro, N.C.

"I was thinking about all the times coming here," said  Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim after his 48th Big East tournament win, 13 more than the second-place coach. "I first came to the Garden when I was a sophomore in college, the old, old Garden. Seems like about 50 years ago. Oh, it was 50 years ago.

"I was thinking in the locker room before the game, about some of the games, and some of the highlights. Things have kind of been two years coming, but now that it's here, your whole life has been spent in this league, and the last 31 years coming to this building, that's a lot. That's a lot of memories, a lot of time."


The Panthers, however, have been gaining momentum: they've won their last four games and have a great record at the Garden, winning 30 out of 45 games there over 13 years and have won two out of three there this season. They have found new life at the right time. They've only lost four times out of the last 15 games, all against Big East teams. They're winning the old-fashioned way; by feeding each other the rock. They rank 8th in assists with almost 17 a game. Their leading scorer, Tray Woodall, averages only 12 points per game; he's their point guard, people! Repeat: a point guard is the leading scorer on the team. That's amazing! This is college, not the pros.  I'm kind of curious to see how far this team will go in the big tournament. They look dangerous finishing their big east record at 12-6. This game is definitely going to be worth watching. The winner plays Cincinatti, or Georgetown in the semi-finals. That game is going to be good as well.

The whole Big Easat Tournament is a joy to watch and very interesting once the 2nd round gets uderway. I like underdogs, so i'm going to go with Villanova winning the Tournament. They have something to prove, plus they have already beaten Louisville and Georgetown. I like them, but getting past Louisville would be the toughest task at hand. The Cardinals still remember that loss and they have won seven in a row entering Thursday's match-up, two against ranked teams. They are led by guard Peyton Siva, who averages close to 10 points and six dimes per game (a point guard, people!). Wow, what a conference!  This is the Big Eazy!  This is the Beast!  R.I.P.

More on the NCAA, here. 

THE BATTLE OF THE BLUES: Duke-UNC

Johnny J



UNC PRIDE!



With conference tournaments starting next week, it's only right for me to finish up the NCAA regular season with my favorite team, the North Carolina Tar Heels. They had won six straight, before losing Saturday night to their rival, the Duke Blue Devils, who headed to Chapel Hill to face a re-surging Carolina team.The match-up and the location didn't phase Duke as they beat Carolina 69-53. Duke started the game on a 14-0 run and never looked back.  Duke would wind up doubling-up on UNC 28-14 in the 1st half.  What better way to finish the season and send a message to your rival?

I was hoping the Tar heels would send Coach K, better know as Mike Krzyzweski (or vice-versa--Ed), and the Blue Devils a lesson. It didn't happen. In fact, Duke senior Mason Plumlee, had one of his best games finishing with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

"You want to be playing at your best going into the tournament and you can't afford a loss at this point in the season where you're questioning your lineups and what your identity is," Plumlee said. "It was the kind of win we needed going into tournament time."

The Tar Heels currently sit at 22-9 and finished at 12-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and 9-3 in their last 12 games. They finish two games behind Duke in the conference. The Heels have shown why they should be considered a high seed a two or three seed. If they win their conference tournament, why not a number one seed?  I mean, I know its a long-shot, but hey, the rankings are all politics anyway, right? For instance, how does Duke and Indiana keep high rankings, when they keep losing?  Indiana has lost three times as a number one seed this season, but for some reason they find themselves sitting at number two behind Gonzaga.

UNC to make noise in the tourney?
I'll drink to that!

I tell you one team that should at least break the top 25 rankings next week--it's North Carolina. The Tar Heels  have gone 6-1 in their last seven games and are one of the hottest teams in the ACC right now (Currently 31st in BPI; 18th in RPI--Ed). Why? It's simple; a small tweak in the line-up. They have been playing "small ball." North Carolina's Coach, Roy Williams made the change of starting reserve guard P.J. Hairston. The change puts another deadly, three-point shooter on the floor. Hairston shoots a decent 38% fom long range and is another player on the floor who can create his own shot. It also takes pressure off of guard Reggie Bullock, who shoots a ridiculous 45% from behind the arc.

“One of the ways we've been struggling is scoring and so putting P.J. in there gives us another scorer in the lineup," said coach Williams.

Williams first made this move on Feb 13, when North Carolina lost by five at Duke.  Ever since that loss, the Tar Heels have won by double digits, in the last five of seven games and 6-1 overall.


#22, Wayne Ellington,
Carolina Blue! 

“It’s like a triple barrel gun — all of us shooting at the same time. It’s hard to stop us." said Hairston referring to Bullock and James Michael McAdoo, the latter being a great, low-post player.

This causes match-up problems for opposing teams. It puts Hairston at the power forward position, with McAdoo moving from the four to the five. Now remember, Hairston, is a guard playing the four. This stretches the floor, allowing penetration from the guards, or a one-on-one situation for McAdoo, who moves to the five.  You feed the ball to the big man, he gets doubled, and he's able to kick it out to shooters all across the perimeter. I like it--small ball at its finest!  My only concern is rebounding and the next man off the bench. Right now the heels are tied for 8th in the nation in rebounding.  They average 39.5 per game. They replaced 6-9 Desmond Hubert, with 6-5 Hairston. I hope that number doesn't dip heading into the tournament.

The sixth man is a very important part of a team; someone who can bring instant offense. Now that Hairston is starting, they're going to need someone to step up in his former role. I believe that person can be junior guard Leslie McDonald. McDonald tore his ACL in 2011, although he hasn't let the injury slow him down.  He only averages 7.6 points per game, but he has potential to be more of a threat: he shoots, he drives and he can dish.

I like this move by Coach Williams as he finds ways to exploit other teams' weaknesses. He uses his team's areas of strength very well. So even though the Heels lost their last regular season game, I believe they still can go deep in the tournament. That lost was just a wake-up call. Time to get serious now. Cheers to that!

More NCAA is available here. 

All photos courtesy of Johnny J.

ZIG-ZAGGING: Gonzaga's March to the #1 Spot

ZAGS SURVIVE! No. 2 Gonzaga withstands upset bid from BYU, 70-65. Bulldogs are seeking first No. 1 ranking in school history.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 1, 2013

--Johnny J

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have flown under the radar all year. They are currently ranked number two in the nation and are setting their sights on being the new number one come next week. With the Indiana Hoosiers falling to Minnesota earlier this week, the Bulldogs have all, but locked up the top spot for next week. It will be the first time ever Gonzaga would be ranked number one. For a team that has flown under the radar all year, now is the time to get hot and bark the loudest (pun intended).

The Bulldogs are currently 29-2 and 16-0 in the West Coast Conference. They've clinched their Conference on Thursday by escaping with a 70-65 win at BYU. "There was a lot of clawing, scratching, pushing, shoving and that's what the score (shows)," junior Kelly Olynyk said. "That's what you live for and what we want to play like."

They have one of the highest, regarded basketball programs ever since they made their "Cinderella" run  in 1999, making it all the way to the Elite Eight. In the 16 years they've been in the WCC, they have earned the Conference title ten times. Their victory at Portland made them undefeated in Conference play; their first time since going undefeated in the conference since the 2008-09 season.

"Our guys really [wanted] to finish up the conference really strong and go undefeated," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.

This year, the Bulldogs have a much bigger picture in mind: the goal of winning an NCAA title. The Zags are doing it the best way possible--quietly.  They have notched up almost 30 wins on the season and they've done it with nobody talking about them. I guarantee  nobody wants to see them in the tournament; they have won 10 games in a row and have lost only twice this year: to 13th ranked Illinois in December and 13th ranked Butler in January--they lost by one point.

The Zags are winning games by sharing the wealth. They're ranked 30th in the country in assists, averaging 15.3 a game and are hitting a remarkable 51 percent of their shots as a team. Talk about scoring at will; they're ranked ninth in the country at 78.6 points per game.  That says a lot for a team that hasn't been discussed as a threat. Did I mention they hit 39.6 percent from the trey. That's another word for the three- point line.

The Zags are led by 7-foot, junior Kelly Olynyk, nicknamed, "Long Hair, Don't Care" for his Herculean, long hair look. He is the leading scorer on the team with about 18 points a game to go along with 7 rebounds.  In 2011, he had played for the Canadian National Team, but yet he only averaged 4.8 points for Gonzaga because of then NBA prospect, Robert Sacre who was taking all the glory for Gonzaga. So in order not to transfer, he sat out a year. Now that Sacre is in the NBA as a Lakers' reserve, Olynyk is the man in the middle at Gonzaga.

I guess its safe to say, Olynyk and the Bulldogs are going to be a problem for a lot of teams come tournament time. Anytime you can win on the road in a tough atmosphere shows that the team can stay focus on the task at hand: just winning. I know this team will be hard to stop anywhere they go. I was watching the BYU game and they just kept their composure. Every time BYU got close, the place would begin to rock. Talk about a tough road game, it was a real hostile environment. Gonzaga is a dangerous team.

Let's welcome the new number one: the Gonzaga Bulldogs!

More NCAA is available here. 

GATOR-AID

Here come the Gators!
(photo courtesy of Sharon P. Mancia)

Johnny J

With "Selection Sunday" three weeks away, top schools in the nation are hoping they can become a #1 seed.  The benefits are obvious, as in any sport: it's the easiest road to the championship. One of those schools, whom I believe has a good chance at becoming a #1 seed are the Florida Gators. With a bad loss on their resume to the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Gators would need to blow them out of the waters to show that loss was a fluke. What better way to welcome the Razorbacks to the murky, swampy waters of Florida.?  Thankfully, for the Gators, they did indeed avenged their double-digit loss, by death-rolling the Razorbacks down and putting a 17-point bite into their backs.

"I'm not Coach Donovan. He says it's not a revenge (game), but I wanted to get them back. Everyone on that team wanted to get them back because the way they acted after they beat us was a little ridiculous," said PF/C Patric Young. "But, you know, I guess that's what happens when someone beats the Florida Gators. When we get wins, it's not that much publicized, but when we lose everyone wants to know about it. We just really wanted to get that win tonight."

You might remember coach Billy Donovan: the guy who had signed a contract with the Orlando Magic, and then quickly changed his mind and cried his way out of the contract to go back to coaching college. Yeah that guy! I guess coaching the NBA wasn't for him, but he definitely knows the college game as his 8th-ranked Gators are on the move and sitting two games in front of Alabama in the SEC.

The Gators are 22-4 and 12-2 in their division, with four games to play and one, huge matchup against the Alabama Crison Tide on March 2nd.  The Gators are in good position to finish at the top of the SEC. I believe if they win out the rest of the season and win out their conference tournament, the Gators are going to be a #1 seed for March Madness and with a team that ranks high in points, field goal percentage and assist, the Gators can make noise when the madness starts.

Led by junior Pactric Young, the Gators are a good inside-outside team. They have players who can move around in the paint and when they're in trouble they kick it out to someone around the three-point line. They have a team that that shoots 39% from beyond the arc. Young, however, brings the low-post game. He is quick, he is strong and he brings defense, along with his athleticism. He averages almost two blocks a game and has a total of 44 blocks so far on the season. He leads the team in rebounding at 6.5 per game and he is fourth in scoring, averaging 10.3 points per game.

"It's not like Patric's not getting the ball. You know what? As big and as strong as he is, there's no reason why he shouldn't demand the ball every single time when he gets down inside," Donovan said. "Now, are there times our guys miss him? Yes. Is there times he should get the ball and he doesn't get it? Yes. But there's also -- like tonight, my daughter could have thrown the ball inside to him tonight. He was open. He made himself available and he wanted it and he had a presence."

When selection sunday arrives, the Gators will have the committee's attention. The SEC may not be a powerhouse conference in college basketball (only Florida ranks in the top 30 in RPI--Ed), but if you take a look at their resume they have some quality wins. They beat Wisconsin by 18, Marquette by 33, Mizzou by 31, Kentucky by 17, and in-state rival, Florida St. by 25. I would even look at the loss to then #8th ranked Arizona as a good, hard-fought loss: they lost by one at Arizona. They have a great resume. Now lets see how the SEC tournament plays out. Watch out for those Gators!

More NCAA content is available here. 

HURRICANE COMING! How did the 'Canes move up to #2 in the Country?

THE U!

Johnny J

The Miami Hurricanes have done the unthinkable this season. They have beaten the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels by more than 25 points at home. They are currently ranked number two in the nation, with a record of 21-3 and a perfect 12-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, after slipping past Clemson yesterday 45-43 (Looks more like a football score than a basketball score--Ed). They were never ranked higher than eighth, until this season. Not bad for a team that started the season unranked.



Hurricane fans Rob and fiance Erin

Clemson has always been a tough place to play and yesterday the Tigers proved it. The Tigers held the Hurricanes to just 18 points at halftime and a combined seven free throw attempts for the game. 45 points is the Hurricanes lowest points outing of the season. The Hurricanes star senior, Kenny Kadji, hit the go-ahead three pointer over Clemson.

"We're going to fight until the clock is finished," Kadji said. "That's something coach always tells us. You want to play hard and try to win."

At 6'11" Kadji is more of a wing player than a post-up player. With his ability to shoot, Kadji stretches the floor, which opens the hole for driving teammates. He is third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding. He is projected to go in the second round of the NBA Draft.


The Hurricanes are dominating with seasoned veterans.  They have a total of nine juniors and seniors on their team. They have four players who average points in double figures and the highest is only 14.0 PPG, by senior guard Durand Scott. That tells me this is a team to be reckoned with because of their depth.  You take the ball out of one person's hand and somebody else steps up. With this team not scoring a lot of points, you wouldn't think this team would have won 13 games in a row. They haven't lost since Christmas (Those pesky Indiana State Sycamores--Ed)!

“I don’t think it’s anything we do,” guard Shane Larkin said. “I just think we stay poised and play our game."

 Here's why they win games. They're shooting at 46% from the field as a team. That shows they take good shots consistently. Here's how ESPN has them ranked across the board with the rest of the country:

Points/Game    Rebs/Game     Assts/Game     Field Goal%  

128th at 69.5   106th at 36.4   258th at 11.6    54th at .460     

Hurricane fan giving their team a thumbs up

Sharing the ball is not really their forte, its more of shooting at a high percentage each time. They ranked near the top 50 in one category, but it may be the most important in my eyes. Everyone on the team is a shooter and if they're not, they make a great number of shots around the basket. If their shooting becomes better each game, they will be a handful come tournament time.  Throw in a team with veteran moxie and this team becomes a real threat in the post-season.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were a #1 seed. This wouldn't be a Cinderella team come March Madness time because everyone knows about them now, but they have been all season, especially in the ACC. Even though I'm a big North Carolina fan, it doesn't look like they can compete. So why not root for the team that just came out of nowhere? The Hurricanes have never won a NCAA Tournament game, let alone making an appearance in the Final Four. So hey, if North Carolina falls, let's make history 'Canes nation!

All photos courtesy of Rob Collins.

For more on the NCAA, click here.

NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE: What's happening to the Jayhawks?

Johnny J

The Kansas Jayhawks lost their third straight game on Saturday: all to unranked opponents. Falling to the Oklahoma Sooners 72-66, it was their second straight loss on the road. Just last week, the then ranked number two Jayhawks were on the verge of being number one when the then, number one Michigan Wolverines fell to the Indiana Hoosiers. Now after three straight loses in conference play, the Jayhawks find themselves now in third place in the conference after starting out 7-0 in the Big 12.

The Jayhawks had won 18 straight games before hitting this three game slide. Now they find themselves in dangerous waters. In the next four games, they play two of the teams whom have already handed them a loss.
   

"Obviously three in a row is not good, but this game to me today [against Oklahoma], I'm not leaving out of here disgusted with my team at all because we actually played better today," said Kansas coach Bill Self, who was highly critical of his team after a loss at last-place TCU on Wednesday.

No rest for the weary as the Jayhawks welcome the 10th ranked Kansas State Wildcats on Monday night. The Jayhawks slid past the Wildcats in their last game by four, but the Wildcats will be looking for a little revenge after winning four straight heading in to this game.

The Jayhawks will be leaning on freshman guard Ben McLemore to help them get out of these muddy waters. McLemore, who had jumped from #3 to #1 on the NBA 2013 Mock Draft has to show why he should be selected with the top pick. A 6-5 shooting guard from St. Louis, he has the size and the durability to become a good pick for an NBA team in desperate need of scoring. McLemore averages 16.3 PPG and 5.4 RPG. McLemore has infinite shooting range shooting 42% from behind the arc. I know this is asking a lot for a Freshman, but he has to step up even more to guide the Jayhawks to a championship this year.

(All stats are as of Monday, February 11, 2013 before tonight's game between the in-state rivals from Kansas--Ed)

As I was watching the game against the Sooners, I watched McLemore use his talents to help create off the dribble. He stood behind the arc and gave a quick pump fake to get the opponent off his feet. He then drove to the hole and drew the foul. He is NBA ready. Anytime you can keep opponents guessing, you will always have the advantage.  So at least he can rest assure that he will be a very high lottery pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. But first, he needs to take over and dominate for Kansas this year.

This was just a bad week in college hoops for ranked teams, as the top five ranked teams all lost (see my "Hot Potato" simile from last week). With the conference tournament a month away. I really don't see an established team to run through the big tournament. Nobody wants the trophy as I think its up for grabs! I wouldn't be surprised if an unranked team wins the whole thing. None of these so-called "good teams" can win away from home: THEY GET HOME SICK!

Kansas is the team I'm most worried about; anytime you are a ranked team and you lose three straight to unranked opponents, red flags just pop up all over the place. That tells me no one is helping McLemore at all. Other players have to help step up and play to the potential, in which they had before winning 18 games in a row.  But the biggest concern about the the Jayhawks is that this is basically a team that is run by upper classmen.  For example, 6 Kansas players played in double-digit minutes against the Sooners.  Two of those players were under classmen.  The other 4 players were all upper classmen.  You're supposed to be a better team!  How is a team led by battle-tested players drop games against unranked opponents?  It just doesn't make sense (so much for staying in school--Ed).  The Jayhawks haven't dropped three straight since 2005.

The last Freshman that comes to mind to take over games...Carmelo Anthony's Syracuse Orangemen, as he pretty much carried that team to a championship in 2003. That team had only one senior, but they had a phenomenal Freshman who averaged 22.2 PPG and 10 RPG.  Can McLemore be that phenomenal Freshman?  Absolutely, but first he needs to show that he can actually dominate and take over this team.  Add the fact that this team, unlike 'Melo's Syracuse team, actually has Senior leadership on the squad and Kansas makes for a great recipe for success in this year's tournament.  However, Kansas needs to step up and step up quick, because Kansas State, I can assure you, will show no mercy.

Tell us what you think below in the comments' section.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL #1's: Hotter than a Hot Potato!

The college basketball season so far...
(photo courtesy of Felipe M)

Johnny J

Usually a good university with a good college basketball program is ranked #1 in the country. Schools below them would enjoy knocking them out of the top spot. Not only does it boost confidence, but also it looks good on a team's resume when it comes to making the big "March Madness," tournament. I'm sure most teams would love to be be ranked number one and say they're the best in the country.  However, I believe not being at the top spot is the best to be in for any school. If I were a college player or coach, I would prefer to fly under the radar. I would want people to know that my team is good, but I would rather be characterized as being the team that no one is expecting to make a championship run. That way when tourney time comes, we can just play our game and dominate the rest of the country.

 If you're the top school in the country, you're going to be getting everyone's, "A," game.  Even from the school that has lost every game, when they see that #1 squad on the schedule, they will play harder and tougher than possibly a school that is ranked. Also being the top dog brings a lot of pressure to win simply because you're expected to win.  But people forget that it's already tough enough to just simply win a game! So far the teams that have been ranked number one this year have not performed under pressure. Schools want to be number one, but its been too hot for teams to keep that top spot. It becomes what I call a "hot potato" because no team can hold it for a long period of time.

On Saturday, top ranked Michigan Wolverines fell to the Indiana Hoosiers, 81-73. The third ranked Hoosiers jumped two spots on Monday to regain the top spot after the 2nd ranked Kansas Jayhawks fell last week.  It's the Hoosiers' second time they're ranked #1.  Last time the Hoosiers were ranked #1, a loss to Butler in overtime ousted them from the top spot.  Indiana held the #1 spot for six weeks before that loss. Then came the three teams that had it for a combined seven weeks. Those teams were:

• Duke Blue Devils 
• Louisville Cardinals
• Michigan Wolverines

What makes it worse is that the Hoosiers and Cardinals both lost at home while being number one. That's something that is not suppose to happen! I mean you have the game at an advantage, before tip-off.  That's why they call it "home-court advantage!" How do you drop the potato at home? You have a gym that you play on constantly.  You have the fans that help give opponents a hard time. To me that makes the loss that much harder to swallow; a home loss that made you lose the top spot. It's very rare for an elite team, especially a #1 to lose at home, but as mentioned before, when teams see that #1 next to an opponent's name in their schedule, they tend to play a little bit harder.

Why does it matter?  Because the reason a team plays to be a top team in the regular season is to be a top seed in the tournament.  A number one seed in the tournament tend to have the easiest route to get to the Final Four.

In order to get there you can't boil over (keeping with the "hot potato" theme, here).  You have to be willing to take that challenge of being number one.  Being able to take the pressure and the outside distractions and put it to the side as a team. Just playing your game and showing why you are considered a favorite to win it all. Because if you're ranked number 1 you are usually favored to win it--hands down.

I understand that it's not always the case, because I think every team in the tournament plays their hardest regardless of seeding. Just because a team isn't ranked doesn't mean they're not good. Upsets happen all the time, which is usually why my brackets are all messed up after the first round. I'm just saying if you're ranked number one, then play like it!  I'm tired of seeing different teams every other week being the chosen one. Don't let it become a "hot potato!"

To read more on NCAA, click here.

For more on the pro game, click here. 

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: DEVELOPMENT vs ONE & DONE

Johnny J

(Johnny is a die-hard UNC fan, but he's not liking the new landscape that some schools have manicured in today's NCAA and he explains his reasoning in this article).
   
North Carolina basketball has been known to win championships because of  good recruiting and players willing to stay in school and willing to be developed in college. So when a prestigious school like the Tar Heels have a reputation to protect as a great basketball school, what happens when other schools seem more desirable for top recruits to attend?

Kids coming out of high school are looking at how to get into the pro game as quickly as possible and one coach is bringing in these kids with the idea of "One and Done," (For those that don't know, it's the idea of a basketball player attending the required one year of college before bolting to start his/her professional career--Ed) is ok at Kentucky. Schools like North Carolina who mark their reputation on developing kids may soon be scratched off their list.

"If you're a player that wants to win and that's looking to get on to the next level, Kentucky is the place." explained Derrick Rose, "Getting guys to the next level; [Calipari's] resume speaks for itself." Rose is just one of many players who was coached by John Calipari and later went on to become the number 1 pick overall in the 2008 draft.

Other players that Calipari has coached only to see them leave after one year of college ball are:

• Derrick Rose,# 1 pick overall  & rookie of the year in 2009. ( 1 year at Memphis under Calipari)
• Tyreke Evans. 5th pick overall & rookie of the year in 2010. (1 year at Memphis under Calipari)
• John Wall, # 1 pick overall & rookie of the year in 2011. (1 year at Kentucky)
• DeMarcus Cousins, 5th overall pick in 2010. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Enes Kanter, 3rd overall pick in 2011. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Brandon Knight, 8th overall pick in 2011. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Anthony Davis # 1 overall pick in 2012) ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 2nd pick overall in 2012. ( 1 year at Kentucky)

With a reputation of getting college players drafted in the top 10 of the NBA Draft, how can a school like North Carolina compete? I mean their record this year speaks for itself. The Tar Heels started the season ranked 11th in the nation, but with 3 losses in 7 games, (two to non-ranked opponents) the Heels dropped out of the top-25 and are currently sitting at 13-5. With a win last night over Georgia Tech, the Heels are 3-2 in there Atlantic Coast Conference.

There is a reason for the recent down-fall for the way North Carolina is playing. They lost four good key players to the draft last year, all of them being 1st round picks:

• Kendall Marshall (Soph)  
• Harrison Barnes (Soph)  
• Ty Zeller (Sr) 
• John Henson (Jr.)

The last time North Carolina Won the NCAA Championship was back in the 2009-10 season when they had a team that played with each other for 3-4 years. Players such as:

• Ty Lawson (Jr.) 
• Tyler Hansbrough ( Sr.) 
• Wayne Ellington (Jr.) 
• Danny Green (Sr.)

All of them are still playing in the NBA today, but schools like North Carolina need students to stay more than one year to help build a high-caliber team. A school like Kentucky is thriving off of "One and Done" and even won the NCAA Championship as recently as last year using this paradigm. They're getting the best recruits for that same reason. Freshman center Nerlens Noel from Kentucky is already projected to go # 4 overall in the upcoming NBA Draft and his draft stock can go up or down depending on how he plays this season.  Schools that need kids to develop, need to jump on board if they want to continue having some dominance in the NCAA, or they won't last long as a top-ranked, basketball school.

Personally, as much as "One and Done" sounds good for a program and player, I still prefer to be a fan of a program that wants to recruit players that want to be developed and leave a legacy behind in college. I want my program to win as much as possible and get better in the process. Recruits need to learn that they are able to do that at a good school and with a good coach. I also want to see players who want to graduate with their classmates. People sometimes leave and come back to finish school, but I don't understand why these players wouldn't want to get it out the way early on in their life! What happens if a particular player does get drafted, but ends up riding the pine in the NBA because his game is not fully developed?  Or if said player does want to go back and finish his degree, but for whatever reason, the opportunity is no longer there for him to go back to school?  If I were a player, my thought process would be, "the NBA will always be there and I will declare myself draft eligible when I'm good and ready!"

North Carolina is my favorite team and it hurts to see them not be considered as a top-25 ranked team so far this season. I'm hoping things will change-- for the long-run. I like schools that develop players, but these schools need to get the message out: " One and Done" is not always the best way! 

Patience plays a big part in everything that we do as people. I appreciate schools who try to improve young ball players' lives and to become better men and not just solely develop their basketball skills and talents. Sometimes, choosing the long path is the better decision as opposed to the short one.

(As of today's publishing of this article, UNC holds a 13-5 overall record, 3-2 in the ACC and their next game is at #18th ranked NC State.  UNC is the #13th best scoring team in the nation and #1 in rebounding.  Plenty of basketball left for UNC to right the ship...

...Kentucky, on the other hand, holds a 12-6 overall record, 3-2 in the SEC with their next game coming up against unranked LSU.  Kentucky is ranked #35 and #31 in points per game and rebounding in the country.  Perhaps "One and Done" is finally catching up to Calipari--Ed)

For more on basketball, click here.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF: Joe Paterno

Felipe M

BACKGROUND: Joe Paterno, in terms of wins, is the most successful college football head coaches in NCAA history.  He coached at Penn State University for generations, putting the sleepy town of State College, PA on the cultural map.  If you're a college football fan, you don't need me to tell you the accomplishments and accolades he brought to the university.

A CLASS OF ITS OWN: All these accomplishments brought Joe Paterno immense power.  And what better guy to possess all this clout?  He stood for moral righteousness.  He encouraged his athletes to "do the right thing."  The NCAA thought the same thing as it is very hard to find any NCAA violations--which we all know, everything in the NCAA is a violation: you can't buy your players pizza or ice cream after a game could also be deemed a violation.  If one were to think of all the big time violations and scandals in college athletics in the last 30 years, one has to marvel how this particular school was able to have such a relatively clean record.

A GENERATION OF SCANDAL: Name another collegiate institution with a successful football or basketball program (the top revenue machines at the big universities) and in all likelihood they have been marred with NCAA violations and legal scandal.  Schools like Nebraska who have had multiple players in domestic abuse and sexual assault scandals, Florida State with players stealing from a sporting goods store, Iowa with harboring a known rapist in basketball player Pierre Pierce, Baylor covering up a murder involving basketball teammates, and most infamously Southern Methodist University getting the "death penalty" for paying their football players to play at the school.

Through it all, Joe Paterno has been able to keep his football program away from such scandal and people can say with confidence "that at least they're doing it the right way at Penn State."  It turns out, however, that they were just as sleazy as any other institution of higher learning, if not more so. 

THE TRAGIC TRUTH: And then it turns out that Joe Paterno had a pedophile on his coaching staff in Jerry Sandusky.  It is hard to pinpoint when and if Paterno knew that his friend and top assistant had any notion that he had a sexual predator on his staff, but these are the facts:

• Pedophiles are known to have an average of 100+ victims in their lifetime.  The current allegations involve incidents that go back to 1994. Nevertheless, it's safe to assume that Sandusky has been molesting and raping children well before this time period.
• Public Record shows that Paterno should have known about Sandusky as early as 1998 (I strongly believe that Paterno knew about Sandusky well before 1998).  Instead of ousting this monster, the university forced him to retire and gave him "unlimited access to all football facilities, including the locker room."  How much was Paterno involved in keeping his friend and former top assistant out of the football program, but still remain at the university as a full time employee?
• It was believed that Sandusky would not only be the heir apparent to the Penn State head coaching job, but was also a hot commodity to be the next head coach at any other top-notch university.  Nevertheless, it was rumored that during interviews for other head coaching vacancies, Sandusky looked to have no desire to really coach at another university and always brought up the topic of his Second Mile foundation, ad nauseam.  
• Why was Sandusky forced into retirement at the age of 55 years-old in 1999?  Was it for the safety and well-being of Paterno's football program?  Furthermore, why did the University insist on keeping this predator around campus where he used school resources to hold events and activities for his Second Mile organization? 
• Paterno was known to have clashes with school professors and administrators and despite symbolizing the true spirit of amateur/academic sports and putting "student" first in "student-athletes," many of his players still, ironically, received a lot of special treatment at the school. 
• Rabid fans around 2002-2003 protest the potential investigation into the matter.  Among fear of an ensuing chaos and rioting, local police dismiss investigation.
• 2004, Penn State officials ask Paterno to step down as head coach of the football program.  Paterno refused to do so and continued coaching until he was fired in 2011 after the child rape scandal was uncovered.
• Paterno was the moral authority and had more power and clout at Penn State than any other school administrator, dean, president, and any other higher-up imaginable.  As a school employee, he also had the duty to report such incidents to the proper government authorities, NOT THE PENN STATE CHAIN-OF-COMMAND, that there was a sexual predator on campus that preyed on young children.
• Penn State gave Paterno a massive funeral ceremony fit for a King or a dictator.  Not bad for, as many of his fans would defend, someone at the bottom of the Penn State Chain-of-Command totem pole.  

A LEGACY OF HYPOCRISY: Despite the accomplishments and the many high school athletes he turned into men after participating in his football program, his legacy is forever tarnished and will always be remembered as the guy who was too busy with his precious football program to save any young boys from a known child rapist.  Many of his defenders will say that 99.99999% of Joe Paterno's time at Penn State was positive and that the rest of the small percentage was negative and just a "mistake."  But when the "mistake" involves the known endangerment of children into the hands of a child rapist, it is unforgivable and cannot be justified with his past achievements.  To paraphrase THE SCORE's Dan Bernstein, a Chicago radio sportscaster, "400 wins does not justify little boys getting raped."    

Just like Paterno told Penn State, countless number of times by the way, that he was Joe Paterno and he refused to leave the head coach position, he could have easily gone up to this issue and scream out, "I'm Joe Paterno and I am about doing what is right and at this point, I don't think it's right for a known child rapist to be running around my campus chasing little children around under my watch!  I WANT HIM OUT AND WANT AN INVESTIGATION TO BEGIN TO PUT THIS CRIMINAL IN PRISON WHERE HE CAN BE WITH OTHER CHILD RAPISTS!" The fact that he did not do this, is what will forever define his role at Penn State.  

IN CONCLUSION: It turns out that Joe Paterno was a hypocrite, just like the many right-wing, moral conservative Republicans he supported throughout his life.  The people who scream the most about moral righteousness are the ones who usually have the most to learn about the subject matter.  Joe Paterno and Penn State was just like every big time, college football program in America: money and athletics are priority #1, everything else is optionally unnecessary.  Paterno's program was as corrupt as the Catholic Priests at Notre Dame and as criminally ridden as the Miami Hurricane convicts he defeated for a meaningless football title.  Joe Paterno will forever be known as the man who enabled and harbored a child rapist to run loose at his program.  Why?  Because those are the standards that he supposedly instilled at his precious football program.  The images of him being a mentor, educator, and father-figure who happened to be a football coach are just myths.  Let us never forget this so we don't get suckered into believing such deceitful lies, deify these morally conflicted football coaches/players, and really hold these universities to a higher moral standard where they're not harboring, enabling, and protecting murderers, drug dealers, rapists, money whores, and pedophiles.

Pathological Hate would like to thank the Boers and Bernstein radio show (THE SCORE, 670AM) for being the voice of reason amid the Penn State child rape scandal.  We urge you to listen to their podcast.  

We also highly suggest to listen to the Boers and Bernstein "Who Ya Crappin?" segment from January 26, 2012.  The segment has become a Chicago, sports staple and had a lot of listeners calling the program to show their disgust at Penn State and their handling of the child rape scandal and Joe Paterno's funeral. 

ESPN has provided a timeline for the Penn State child rape scandal as well.  

To read the child rape scandal Grand Jury testimony, click here.