It was quite a wild ride to the 2008 National Championship tonight. Here, in pictures, is a quick chronological look at the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the Kansas-Memphis title bout here in San Antonio...

(Four hours before Armageddon hits. The quiet tranquillity of the stadium you see here won't last for long as the crowd, the teams, the bands, the cheerleaders and the energy start to fill the building.)

(Jim Nantz and Billy Packer are prepping for their first on-camera appearance of the night. Doesn't it look like Nantz is looking straight at the camera as if to ask, "Who the hell is this freak taking a picture of me?")

("Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." ESPN's Shelley Smith is about to give a court-side pre-game report.)

(Ya' gotta love CBS hoop dude Gregg Doyel. Not only does he know his roundball stuff, but he also sported the coolest haircut among the Final Four media throng. Dig the Mohawk Gregg. Although he did tell me it was only temporary because his slight bald spot is exposed more with this cut.)

(The Memphis dancers and Pouncer the Tiger are keyed up for tip-off.)

(Who's more fired up, the Kansas dancers or the dudes in the lower sections that are leering at the Kansas dancers?)

(Of course, no Final Four would be complete without Jesse Jackson, right? Here, he and Houston Phi Slamma Jamma alum Clyde Drexler are chatting it up with a mutual friend.)

(Soon after, Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell happened to pass by and made this a trio of famous people all within the frame of my camera lens.)

(For the injured Roderick Stewart, this was the only way to get around the Alamodome before the game.)

(This is the Memphis Tigers walking out of the locker room on their way to the court. As you can see from some of the players that are laughing, they were loose and even quite jovial at this moment, seemingly at ease with the big game ahead of them.)

(KU, on the other hand, walked out a few minutes later and were very quiet and serious in demeanor. I didn't think this was a good sign for the Jayhawks.)

(ESPN roundball guru Andy Katz is caught courtside looking for another story to break.)

(KU seemed a step slow in the early going, although Mario Chalmers is providing some in-your-face D here.)

(At halftime, both teams walked amongst each other on their way to the locker rooms and to my surprise there was no trash talking at each other. Unlike on the way to the court to start the game where the two teams stood in the tunnel one behind the other and a couple of F-bombs were tossed back and forth - there's a picture of that in one of the earlier entries.)

(The dreadfully shy Dick Vitale gives Patrick Ewing a hug after being introduced at halftime of the game as part of the Hall of Fame class of 2008.)

(As the game went on, you could see John Calipari's body language and expressions change as the score tightened.)

(Ya' nervous there? I bet so. This Memphis dance girl had to catch her breath as she saw Kansas start making its move in the waning minutes of the game.)

(Check out this look that Calipari was shooting at Joey Dorsey. Ouch. Coach Cal was not particularly happy with his enforcer after he fouled out of the game in regulation.)

(As was their bugaboo all season long, the Tigers couldn't hit their free throws - even though Calipari swore up and down that the poor charity stripe percentage was not a big worry of his. Here Derrick Rose tosses up another late-game brick.)

(This was my view of Mario Chalmers' game-tying shot at the buzzer. Sorry for the slight blur to the picture. Then again, this whole final sequence seemed to go as fast as a blur anyway.)

(The scoreboard and the confetti didn't lie. Kansas wins the game and the national title. The jumbotron camera is fixed on MU's Joey Dorsey as he leaves the court.)

("Did this really just happen?" Chris Douglas-Roberts can barely look up as he makes the long walk back to the locker room.)

(The Jayhawk radio crew wrangles Chalmers up for a post-game interview. Doesn't that guy look like a slightly heavier version of James Carville?)

(Coach Self gets his post-game query from Jim Nantz. This is the one media interview every college coach dreams of doing.)

(Jim Gray, manning the mic for CBS Radio, gets second dibs on Self after the TV crew is done with him.)

(Funny thing I found out about the post-game celebration... See the KU player holding up the "Champions" newspaper - something that is very common for teams that win the football national championship. Now, notice the player behind him taking the paper out of his hands...)

(This is J.D. Hamilton of the NCAA, he has a wad of those faux "Champions" papers in his hands. J.D. would later tell me that those newspapers aren't allowed to be shown because only those advertisers that are "corporate champions" to the NCAA are allowed to have a post-game presence at the Final Four. So this fake Lawrence paper printed out well beforehand proclaiming Kansas as the national champs had to be confiscated.)

(To the victors go the nylon spoils. Mario Chalmers is relishing his turn up on the ladder after the game.)

(... and one last shot of the Kansas Jayhawks holding up the rather blandly-styled NCAA basketball trophy. Ever wonder what happens to the shirts and hats that were pre-printed with "Memphis - National Champions" on them? They are set in a locked room in the bowels of the stadium and later set ablaze by the NCAA, never to be seen again.)

Continue reading "Final Four: The National Championship Game In Pictures" »

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

SAN ANTONIO -- You have to feel bad for Memphis coach John Calipari, who had a great team and a great season, but must be pained by the missed opportunities in tonight's championship game.

Even the hot UofM dancers had a hard time handling the stress...

Billy says, "Damn. I screwed the pooch on my bracket!"...

But Mr. Dunk-the-ball-then-grab-it-so-they-can't-inbound-it deserves a long walk tonight...

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 12:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO -- Kansas has scoreboard...

Kansas has cutting nets...

Kansas also has its Self...

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO -- Kansas completed its remarkable comeback and won the national championship, 75-68, in OT.

And now, we are buried in confetti.

Neither rain, nor snow, nor hail of confetti can keep us from blogging.

As time wound down, Memphis fans sense that their team had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. You really have to feel for Memphis and the heartbreaking way they lost this game.

Kansas fans also had a sense of what was coming when Rock Chalk went up with 18.2 secs left.

Final stats have just been handed over. Arthur finished with 20 and Chalmers had 18, including the game-tying shot.

For Memphis, Rose, who played every minute, had 18, but CDR led the Tigers with 20. Memphis shot 63 percent from the line, better than their season average, but missed free throws down the stretch certainly aided the Kansas comeback.

The all-tournament team has been announced. Mario Chalmers is the MOP. Artuhur, Rush, Rose and CDR are also on the team.

And that is a wrap from San Antonio. I may attempt a Hang Time entry tomorrow, but I'm not sure if that will be possible. We are closing down CSTV.com after the NCAA Tournament.

So with that said, I want to take this opportunity to especially thank my editor at CSTV.com, Josh Herwitt, and Managing Editor Dan Kaufman, for giving me an opportunity to bring coverage like this to you over the last several years. And also a big thank you to all you readers. Hopefully, you'll see me around here again sometime.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO -- Overtime started great for the Jayhawks. Collins got a steal, leading to a Rush layup. After a stop, Arther got an alley-oop from Chalmers that they didn't even signal to each other.

Chalmers just threw it up and Arthur went up and got it. The next possession saw some great passing from Chalmers to Arthur, who fed Jackson for another layup, and KU is now up six half-way through the OT. Kansas is now on a 13-1 run.

The mood in this gym has changed considerably. I'm hearing a lot more very bad words from the Memphis fans behind us.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO -- OK, Coach Cal ... guess what? We're not going to believe you from now on when you say free throws won't be a problem.

Here's a shot of Derrick Rose's choke job (following CDR's choke job) that helped KU send the game into OT:

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO -- Chalmers drained a long three to tie the game with about two seconds left after Rose hit one of two from the line and we'll have some free basketball.

Memphis appeared to be trying to foul on the possession, but none was called before Chalmers slipped away and drained a rainbow from beyond the arc.

Wonder how momentum will go here. KU seems to have it now, but sometimes the team that comes back relaxes too much after completing that job.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO -- After a miss by Memphis, Collins flew down the floor, shot in traffic and missed. Self wanted the foul, but didn't get it. CDR was fouled at the other end and went 0-for-2.

Dozier grabbed the rebound though and after another foul, CDR spiked the ball with a 30-foot bounce, and for the only time in basketball history, that move did not earn a T.

Don't know if Self complained about that.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Forty-four second left in the game, Memphis up 2 with the ball and 19 seconds on the shot clock.

CDR missed the front end of a one and one and Arthur answered with a nice shot on the baseline. 62-60.

Give the ball to Rose.

Posted by David Scott at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Joey Dorsey fouls out with six points and two rebounds, but every point was big and he was 3 of 3 from the field. Tigers up six, 62-56 with 1:23 left.

It's never easy.

Posted by David Scott at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Kansas has now begun to foul and Robert Dozier is the first victim and he makes his two shots. Kansas answers with an Arthur jumper. With 1:54 left in the game, Memphis is up 60-53.

. . . Attendance 43,257.

. . . Taggart who had been awful most of the game gets a huge bank shot to go with 2:45 left in the gamne to keep the Memphis lead at 58-51.

Posted by David Scott at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Yes he did. Final Four MOP-in-waiting Derrick Rose banked in a two-pointer from deep with the shot clock at zero and 4 minutes left in the game to put tthe Tigers up 56-49. His left foot was just inside the line and the officials reviewed the play during the under-4:00 timeout to make the proper call. The shot came on a broken in-bounds play.

Good biut of officiating.

Posted by David Scott at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO -- Kansas is learning the hard way how tough it is to stop Derrick Rose. He has totally taken over the game on the offensive end for Memphis, including a back-breaking three to beat the shot clock and give the Tigers an eight point lead at the last media timeout.

Sherron Collins scored in the lane for Kansas for the Jayhawks' only bucket in quite a while.

We're watching the replay of Rose's last shot on the monitor next to us and his shot is clearly a two-pointer, so we expect the lead to drop to seven as the refs review the play.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO-- The longer the game goes, the more animated Memphis coach John Calipari seems to get. He has been gyrating, screaming and fist-pumping like a whirling dervish this second half. Here he is in one of his "calmer" moments:

And this was the KU fans reaction to the Alamodome jumbotron showing former KU coach Roy Williams in the crowd.

(See? Kansas fans still love Roy. So can we all just move on now?)

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Kansas went to a box and one using Chalmers and Robinson instead of Rush on CDR. That worked ot the extent that he hasn't scored since they switched.

However, Rose got loose for five points, and Dozier hit a tough shot in the lane, so Memphis is now back ahead 49-47 with just over eight minutes left to play.

The Tigers have done a good job on the other end keeping Kansas out of the paint, where it was so dominant in the first half (24-8 advantage). They are also attacking the glass much better in this half.

In the KU huddle, Self is very calm and collected. He's telling the team that everything is fine. He is one of the coaches who does not have a coaches' meeting prior to talking to his team. His assistants just chime in when they have something to add. Some x-and-o discussion happens and they're ready to go. It's a very business meeting-like huddle.

Right in front of us, NCAA Tournament Queen Jeanne Boyd shows us how detail oriented she is by picking up a towel from behind the Memphis bench and laying it over a chair.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Kansas got back-to-back baskets from Darnell Jackson to help keep a 43-42 lead at the second TV timeout.

I walked down to the KU huddle and got as close as I could. It's a bit loud in here, but if I heard things right, we might see a box-and-one coming on CDR. He also told the team, 'The game is in our hands."

Or maybe he was just educating them on the importance of washing their hands.

I think my first guess is better.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Memphis scored the first five points out of the locker room to tie the game, and it's been going back and forth ever since.

The action in this game has been incredible throughout, but just in this sequence, we had a dunk by Dorsey on a beautiful feed by Rose, and another by Dozier off a Rose pass. Also, in two possessions, Kansas blocked three shots by Dozier.

Dorsey also picked up his third foul on a silly play, and when he came out, he heard about it from Calipari. John's wife won't like that.

We now return you to David Scott's Memphis coverage, already in progress.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO-- Strange as it sounds, Kansas and Memphis walked intermingled with each other to the locker rooms and not a single word was said to anybody from either team. In this day and age, that's an upset in itself. I'll see if anything is said when they come out for the second half.

Oh, also, they announced the college basketball Hall of Fame class of 2008. Here's a picture of them. (Special thanks to ESPN's Shelley Smith, who allowed me to stand in the spot where her seat was.)

(I didn't hear the entire class, but second to left is Adrian Dantley, followed by Patrick Ewing, Akeem Alojuwon, Pat Riley, some lady and Dickie V.)

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

SAN ANTONIO - Kansas scored the last five points of the half to take a 33-28 lead into the break.

Kansas is flat out killing Memphis on the boards, 19-11. The Jayhawks also have all but about nine of their points in the paint.

KU is also shooting much better, 52%-39%.

All that considered, coach Calipari has to feel pretty good about only being down five. His big guys had foul problems, Rose only had three points and at least as many turnovers. KU took away a lot of what Memphis wants to do, but they're still right in it.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Chris Douglas-Roberts put Memphis on his back and tied the game at 28. In the last three and a half minutes, he has a runner in the lane, a three off a great feed from Rose, another jumper to tie, and a steal which is why Memphis will inbound when we come out of the final media timeout of this half.

Kansas was able to respond with a runner by Collins and a dunk by Kaun, who is getting a breather at the moment.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO-- When Shawn Taggart drove toward the goal, trying to get a foul call but instead just forced up a wild shot that flew out of bounds, Calipari took him out immediately. He sat him down on the Tiger bench and said, "You've got two fouls! You're not going to get that call. If you're not going to get the call, don't just throw it away!"

(Taggart after getting called for his second foul earlier in the game)

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - The action, and to some degree, the tempers are getting hot.

A Rush layup and a three by Chalmers capped a 15-4 run by the Jayhawks early on in this sequence. We also had big plays by the big men, with Dorsey on a steal and dribble for a dunk, followed at the other end by an alley oop to Arthur, who had beaten Memphis down the floor.

KU had been doing a better job keeping the Memphis guards out of the lane, but the last two possessions for the Tigers were penetrate and dish threes to keep them within 3 at the 8-minute timeout.

Memphis is getting a little frustrated with the KU defense, the officials, and the fact that some technical gremlins are keeping my partner and Tiger tailer David Scott from posting at the moment. His jacket has come off and he's on the verge of getting a T.

TV just showed Roy Williams in the stands wearing a KU sticker. So, I guess we're not done talking about Roy yet.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - At the last timeout, Bill Self sent in Sasha Kaun and Sherron Collins and they made an immediate impact.

Robinson hit Kaun for an alley oop that seemed to get the Jayhawk juices flowin'.

Collins added a driving layup to tie the game and it remains tied at the second media timeout.

Memphis had a particularly frustrating sequence with three fouls and an out of bounds call right in front of their bench that went Kansas' way. Looked from here like it hit Sasha last. That possession resulted in two Jackson freebies for KU.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - At the first timeout, Kansas is losing the battle of the backcourts big time. KU trails 9-5 and it's only because of Darrell Arthur that they are in this at all. He has both field goals for Kansas.

All three of the Jayhawk starting guards have turnovers, and Robinson has a foul on a made shot by Rose.

There was one scary moment when Rush, who suffered a knee injury last year, went down hard on a dunk attempt after being fouled by Anderson. He was OK though, and Anderson helped him up, which is a kind of sportsmanship rarely seen these days.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - A little bit ragged to start and some poor shot seletcion by Memphis but the Tigers lead 9-5 with 15:36 left in the half. Memphis is 4 of 8 from the field.

. . . Dorsey scored the game's first bucket 2-0, a good sign for Tiger fans.

. . . Antonio Anderson turnover leads to breakaway and then a hard foul by Anderson on Rush.

. . . CDR on Rush, Antonio Anderson on Collins, Dorsey on Kaun, Rose on Robinson and Taggart on Arthur.

. . . Tigers very loose during introductions boucning all around and creating a circle. Chants of "JOEY, JOEY" for the first time tonight.

. . . The scoreboard is in proper order tonight, something that wasn't true for the start of Saturday's first game.

. . . Willie Kemp was very loose in warm-ups, bouncing and dancing and bumping teammates. If he and Mack can give a lift off the bench, Memphis will be in very good shape.

. . . Pouncer the Tiger mascot in my favorite blue Elvis jumpsuit with glitter.

Posted by David Scott at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - It was plenty loud in here for lineup introductions, and the volume seems to be pretty equal for both teams.

Memphis does a strange thing with its introductions. The non-starters bounce around in a pile, and the starter "busts" through them as the reserves jump back. No high fives, low fives, chest bumps or anything like that.

The Big Man, Bill Russell, sitting right behind me. Much better than in front of me.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO-- As the two teams were standing in the darkened tunnel you see below, some Memphis players turned around and started yackin' back at the Jayhawks who were standing behind them.

Pierre Niles and Robert Dozier (who you can sort of see in the background of the picture) of Memphis were the biggest trashers, even going so far as to throw out a few "f___ y__!" yells back at the Kansas players. The KU players were yelling stuff back as well, but I couldn't hear them as well from where I was standing.

Boys. Boys.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

SAN ANTONIO - All that's left is prediction time, keeping in mind that Memphis is a 1.5 point favorite with an over/under of 146.

Jerry Palm predicts Memphis, 82-76
David Scott predicts Memphis, 85-75

Let's get it on!

. . . Bill Russell is seated over my left shoulder wearing a black Celtics cap.

Posted by David Scott at 09:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - If you are missing a pair of blue glasses on press row, I found them and turned them in to media coordination staff. Better than stepping on them.

Tonight's lineups were not passed out to the media, but we're sitting next to the NCAA broadcast desk, so the guy there helped us out.

For Kansas:
G Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush
F Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson

For Memphis:
G Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Antonio Anderson
F Joey Dorsey, Robert Dozier

Our refs are Ed Hightower, Ed Corbett and John Cahill

And representing God, the Rev. Jesse Jackson

Thanks to staff paparazzi Eric Sorenson for this pic.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - The Memphis celebfans are pouring in and so far we have Mrs. Fields (Debbi Fields), who lives in Memphis with her husband, Mike Rose. Mmmmmm, cookies.

Also here are in the Memphis section are the Governor of Tennessee, Phil Bredesen, creator of the dribble drive offense, Vance Walberg, Calipari coaching pal and Manhattan head coach Barry Rohrssen and former Elvis running mate, Jerry Schilling.

Some ex-Memphis athletes include Larry Keenon, Hank McDowell, Isaac Bruce, DeAngelo Williams and Cedric Henderson.

. . . National Anthem is complete and we're inching closer to game time.

Posted by David Scott at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - We're less than an hour from tip and both teams are warming up on the court. Kansas in their red shooting jerseys and blue uniforms is shooting at the basket in front of the Posting Up Perch. Memphis players have a combination of white and blue shooting shirts over their white uniforms.

. . . Jesse Jackson, who a week ago spoke to the Tigers at practice, is right behind the Posting Up perch, two rows behind the Calipari family.

. . . Officials have not yet been announced but we did see Ed HIghtower near the River Walk today, so unless he's a back-up official, it's likely he will be one of the three.

. . . The Calipari family is directly behind our perch in their usual seating order of, from left to right, Ellen, Megan, Erin and Bradley.

. . . Penny Hardaway is here again, of course, and was scheduled to be a guest on the CBS College Sports Network pre-game show.

Posted by David Scott at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Dang, they just moved our stat monitor to the table in front of us. I'll have to use my x-ray vision to see it. I'm not sure I drink the right kind of beer to get x-ray vision though, and it certainly wasn't being served to the media at dinner.

They did give us a pretty good lasagna (for catered food) and Caesar salad.

Meanwhile, the teams have taken the floor for warmups.

Kansas players stretch using big rubber bands.

And we have also learned that's it's never too late to learn more about your opponent.

A Memphis cheerleader phones in a scouting report on the Kansas warmups.

The championship game sometimes brings out the rich and the famous. We'll be sending CSTV.com photog Eric Sorenson out for some candids.

This pic of KU football coach Mark Mangino holding court was snapped with my cheesy cell phone camera.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO-- Here in San Antonio, the Alamo is the center point of town and a national landmark.

But in 1982, Ozzy Osbourne visited.

On a cool February night, the Ozzman, drunk in his hotel room, decided to don one of his wife's dresses and go out and about to take pictures of the city. At one point, while allegedly changing film, he decided to lift up his dress and urinate on a crumbling part of a wall. Turns out it was a wall on the side of the Alamo.

So when the police spotted him, he got busted. He was then banned from performing in San Antonio. Soon after, Ozzy did a benefit concert raising $10,000 for the Alamo. The ban was lifted in 1992.

- Turns out that Jon Feinstein doesn't like Robert Earl Keen.
Keen's twangy music and performance was being televised on the big screens around the AlamoDome and the sound was - I admit - a tad on the loud side. But Jon got up from the table he was sitting at near me and said, "Now if we could just get the staff to turn this sh#@t down."

- Just thought I'd say it here... Palm is better.
Jerry Palm nailed all 65 teams in the NCAA tournament in his projections he does right before the field is announced. He also got all the seedings correct too, just missing out on a few teams going to different venues. How did Bracketologist Joe Lunardi do? According to an XM basketball radio host, also at my table, Lunardi missed 11 of the teams in the 2-through-5 seeds. "He would've done a better job flipping a coin to get those picks."

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - There are two signs that have caught our attention more than most at this year's Final Four. The first is the NCAA's catchy, "The Road Ends Here." Problem is, Robert Earl Keen (still on the big screens live from HemisFair) has a song (that we hope he does soon) titled "The Road Goes on Forever." The rest of the lyrics include the line, ". . .and the party never ends."

So which is it? Does the road end here or does the dance never end? For one team it will be the end, but for the other the party will never end.

Our other favorite sign was posted coincidentally at our favorite drinking establishment of the fortnight here, The Sirius Club on Losoya. It read, "Stay Thirsty, My Friend."

That's exactly what these teams have done to get here. They stayed hungry, thirsty and composed.

Okay, we're getting all clichey on you now, but you get the point. Big night, big game. Enjoy it.

. . . And yes, we've stayed reasonably thirsty despite our frequent visit to Richard the Barkeep at Sirius.

. . . In between songs of REK, the Big Board is showing each of tonight's teams' Road to San Antonio.

. . . Our Posting Up Perch is located two rows behind the Memphis bench, a much better seat than Saturday.

. . . REK just did "Merry Christmas from the Family," one of his classic. We're guessing he either closes or encores with "Road Goes on Forever."

. . . Fans have been allowed in and slowly they are filling seats throughout the Alamodome.

. . . We've got to go get some nourishment so we'll leave you with a link to our feature from last year's Monday night game on the talented writer (and best singer) of "One Shining Moment."

Posted by David Scott at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - The Posting Up crew has a little better seats tonight. Check that, much better seats.

TV dudes working in front of our seats.

Not only are we close, but we're at command central. I have a TV monitor on my left and a live stat monitor on my right.

No excuses for not knowing tonight's stats and Scott is already hard at work.

Bill Self's seat isn't much better than ours.

No stat monitor here, but that's why he has assistant coaches.

I spent some time today shuffling along the Riverwalk, where fans from both teams congregated for lunch and pregame lubrication. This woman had the best headgear on the river.

Excuse me, ma'am, but there's a bird on your head.

We're still an hour and a half from tip. Time to check out the media pregame meal.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - That's what Bill Self wants to know. You could see him rolling his eyes as the inevitable Roy Williams question came.

"There is no animosity or jealousy, at least on my end, when it comes to Roy Williams. We never mentioned that once to our kids. We were not motivated by that at all. This win is special regardless of who is the opposing coach. I hope we're done talking about this now and that we can all move forward."

I don't know if Packer and Nantz asked about Williams.

Self noted that the first fifteen minutes of the game were the best a team of his had ever played. He also noted that the next fifteen minutes were almost as bad as the first fifteen were good.

The stat sheet doesn't lie. KU won big. Of particular note is the shooting percentage, 53% for KU and only 36% for UNC. Kansas won the battle of the boards as well 42-33.

Brandon Rush had the big stat line, with 25 points and seven rebounds, but the player of the game was Cole Aldrich, who came off the deep bench to contribute eight points and seven rebounds, filling in admirably when Arthur and Kaun had first half foul problems.

We'll be back on Monday night with the final between Kansas and Memphis, and the dueling bloggers of David Scott and myself. That's one matchup where the motivation is all about who is on the other bench, er, keyboard.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - The Rock Chalk chant went up with about a minute and a half to go as Kansas ran away from Carolina at the end and won 84-66, meaning the Jayhawks actually outscored UNC by a point in the second half.

Both coaches actually emptied the bench for the final half minute.

I'll be back with a recap in a bit, but here's a pic or two of the celebration.

Yay, we win!

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - I can't help but think of Chaka Khan whenever I hear Sasha Kaun's name. Kaun's layup followed by a dunk on an alley oop snatched the momentum back for Kansas, and now the Jayhawkds are up by 12 again at the last media timeout.

Darrell Jackson finished the most recent sequence with an alley oop dunk and a layup of his own.

Carolina's defense in the paint went away again at the worst time.

I feel for you, Sasha Kaun

Thanks again, Eric.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Danny Green had a three-point attempt do a lap and a half around the rim before rolling off. That would have cut the Kansas lead to two, but as it stands, KU leads 58-53 with 7:53 left. Cole Aldrich is going to the line for two when we come back.

The KU band has piped up with, "We're not going to take it." They did that right before what ended up being the decisive run against Davidson as well. You gotta go with what's working.

Coach Self perhaps looking for some Divine inspiration.

Thanks to staff shutterbug Eric Sorenson for the pic.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Kansas has seen eight more points shaved off its lead since the last timeout, and now the Jayhawks are only up six at 54-48.

During the timeout, Self told the boys, "forget about the score. Just play."

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Until a Danny Green three right before the first media timeout, Kansas and Carolina were basically trading baskets, which is fine for KU. The next time down for Kansas though, Sasha Kaun was called for knocking down Hansbrough, so UNC has the ball when we return.

Danny Manning told Kaun, "it's a very bad word call, but you gotta go with it."

The biggest lead ever blown in a Final Four game belongs to Maryland, who gagged away a 22-point cushion in 2001 to Duke.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Bill Self could hardly have asked for better. Even though Carolina cut into what was a 28-point lead at one time, Kansas leads 44-27 at the break after a Sherron Collins jumper at the horn. That letup late in the half will give coach Self something to talk about.

Rush leads Kansas with 12 points, a number he's been sitting on for a little while because he didn't play much at the end of the half due to foul trouble.

Five other Jayhawks have scored between 5-7 points. Cole Aldrich is the leading rebounder in the game with six, and has helped KU to a 23-15 advantage over Carolina. KU shot 18-33 from the floor for 54.5%, and 4-6 from behind the arc.

The Kansas crowd is a pretty U dancers/cheerleaders performed at the half, but otherwise it's just highlights, music video-style on the big board.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Kansas has gone a little cold. UNC has a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 18 with 2:27 left.

The players aren't the only ones cold. The cheerleaders changed to long sleeves.

KU missed a dunk out of the timeout, but slammed one home on the next possession to momentarily stem the tide.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Do not adjust your monitors folks. It really is 38-12 KU with 7:32 left in the first half. The Jayhawks are holding a team that averaged 93 points a game in the first four rounds of the tournament to a 40-point pace. The only concern is fouls, of which Kansas has nine. They are absolutely kicking Carolina's rear ends in every other aspect of the game.

Hansbrough has eight points, but only one rebound. Rush already has 12 and 4, and Cole Aldrich, a 6'11" freshman from Minnesota, has 4 and 6 off the bench.

As we went to the media timeout, referee Tom Eades was explaining to Bill Self how Darrel Arthur getting slapped in the face badly enough that they had to stop play wasn't a foul. I'm sure Eades said something like "must have been the wind blowing something into his eye."

While that was going on, assistant coach Danny Manning went over and exhorted to the Jayhawks not to let up.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - At the second timeout, Kansas' lead is now up to 13. They are forcing turnovers on defense and beating NC down the floor for easy baskets. Almost all of the Jayhawks' points have come in the paint.

They have also started some fast breaks with blocked shots.

The only concern at this point is 2 quick fouls on Sasha Kaun. And our hit-and-mostly-miss internet connection.

And the fact that sometimes the game looks like this.

Can't see the forest through the trees.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Internet troubles have reared their ugly head again, so we'll see how well this goes.

Kansas is trying to go inside right away and succeeding. They are also having more luck trying to run because they have forced a few turnovers.

Arthur and Jackson already have six points in the paint, but Kaun missed a tough layup from a bad spot under the basket.

Of course, it's not always easy to see what's going on.

No, really. Down in front!

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Here are a few images from between the games. I am sitting about 15 feet beyond the end of the baseline in the corner by the Kansas bench at the first press table that goes that far. I'm wearing a green shirt, if you're looking for me.

This guy got a little too close for the comfort of the lady on the left at one point. Me too. He was practically in my lap.

Hey! Down in front! How are we supposed to see the game?

Newly injured Rod Stewart (not the singer) watches as his teammates warm up.

KU didn't bring that half-pint jaychick to the Final Four. We get Big Bird, er Big Jay.

The lineups are in.

Kansas starts G Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush, and F Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson.

UNC counters with G Marcus Ginyard, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington, and F Deon Thompson and Psycho T.

Our refs are Tom Eades, Tony Greene and Verne Harris.

Game tips in about 10 minutes.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN ANTONIO - Kansas has a difficult challenge in the second semifinal tonight when it faces the tournament's top seed, North Carolina.

Both teams are very fast and like to run, so we could see a high scoring game. A lot of the focus is on trying to stop, or at least slow down, Tyler Hansbrough. Although, coach Bill Self realizes that's not the only problem.

"They're averaging about 90 a game and he's getting 23 of them," Self said yesterday. "There's still a lot of other points there. Everyone concerns me."

Self thinks it will be important to slow them down. "We have to do a real good job I would say defending the first five to ten seconds of the possession."

He said that was important because Carolina gets a lot off shots off that quickly, and often times the defense isn't ready yet to rebound misses, so they can get a lot of putbacks. The transition defense, stopping the ball, closing out on shooters, and most importantly, rebounding misses is going to be one of the keys for Kansas.

In partcular, in any rebounding situation, they have to find and try to box out Hansbrough, who is a relentless rebounder. He'll get some - you can't shut him down entirely - but they need to minimize the damage.

Offensively, very simply, they need to play loose. Against Davidson, they were tight, short-arming shots and playing not to lose. That resulted in a pretty ugly 59-point performance that was good enough to win that game, but will get them embarrassed today.

Kansas does a good job of creating turnovers on the perimeter and turning them into points. It would be ideal if that would happen today, but it's not likely to be a common occurrence.

They also need a good performance from Brandon Rush, who is the one guy for the Jayhawks that can beat you outside and inside.

One other factor is simply being mentally in the game. The injury to Rodrick Stewart shook the team a bit, and made what should be a fun day a real downer. They need to shake that off and focus on the task at hand. It is too big of a task to allow for distractions.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Fifteen minutes or so after the Kansas win, the celebration continues. The nets are being cut down.

Strangely though, no chant of Rock Chalk Jayhawk has gone up yet. In fact, I heard that more in Denver than I have here, and Kansas wasn't even in Denver.

After the game, Davidson left with their heads held high, but Curry and Richards were obviously a little frustrated.

Curry might be hungry. He should be. He played the whole game.

Self had an extended talk with Richards afterwards.

Davidson's fans sing Sweet Caroline one more time before hitting the buses.

Davidson leaves the floor, beaten but unbowed.

A happy bevy of Jayhawks

Oh, there goes the Rock Chalk chant.

I expect my hotel to party all night long tonight - if anyone is still there. A lot of people checked out already.

The all-regional team has been announced.

From Kansas, Sahsa Kaun, Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers.
From Davidson, Jason Richards, and the Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player, Stephen Curry.

The PA announcer, after getting his name right all weekend, mispronounced it Ste-fahn when he announced him as the MOP.

It is a bit unusual to have the MOP from the losing team, but there really was no choice.

I'll have a wrap of the Detroit experience on the Hangtime blog tomorrow, including any useful quotes from the postgame.

Also, the Hangtime blog has the details of my excellent adventure from yesterday.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Kansas defeated a more-than-gritty Davidson squad 59-57 to earn a trip to the Final Four in San Antonio next week. Jason Richards missed a long three at the horn that would have won it. On the final play, Kansas defended Curry well and forced him to give up the ball to Richards.

Kansas reaction to winning seemed to be more relief than celebration. Richards was fighting back tears afterwards. Heck, even I'm shaking. What an effort by Davidson.

So we now have our first ever Final Four with all four number one seeds.

Back with more in a bit.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Stephen Curry may finally be running out of gas as Davidson trails by 6 with 59 seconds left and the ball coming out of a timeout.

He has missed two straight threes, one in transition after a steal by Richards. He also had a shot blocked from behind by Rush in the lane.

Chalmers also had a big block from behind on Lovedale before Lovedale fouled out seconds later. He was shown a lot of love in the form of a standing O from the DC crowd.

There is no panic at all in the Davidson huddle during the timeout. It's all business.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - A Kaun layup has KU back up three with 3:31 left and they have the ball when we come out of the timeout.

The hero for Davidson today hasn't been Curry, but Barr, who has 11, all in this half, but with 4:17 left, this is where you could find him.

What am I doing here?

He has been the only reliable option besides Curry and gave Kansas someone else to guard. Without him, Davidson would be toast already.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 06:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Yet another three by Barr had Davidson up four with the ball, and it looked like Kansas was starting to pucker. But Chalmers got a steal and made the layup this time, then after a Curry miss, Collins buried a three, and now Kansas is back up 1 with 6:11 to go.

This is going all the way to the wire, as the DC band kick into 'Sweet Caroline," the theme for the team. The fans behind me are in full voice.

SWEET CAROLINE!! OH OH OH!!!

Posted by Jerry Palm at 06:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Brandon Rush hit a three, then a couple of minutes later, drove to the hole for a layup and one. If he heats up, it could be trouble for Davidson, who now trails 43-38 at the 12-minute timeout.

It could have been worse Chalmers blew a chance when he got a steal but missed the layup at the other end.

Kansas seems more aggressive on defense this half, using a mix of man and box-and-one to shadow Curry. Since those first five, he hasn't scored, or even really had a good look.

Most useless sign of the day - Davidson cheerleaders holding up signs that say "Stand up and Cheer" and "Make Some Noise". DC fans have been doing that the whole game.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Curry scored the first five points of the half for Davidson, and we are tied at 35 at the first timeout.

Really though, he's been the only semi-reliable offensive option. Kansas is doing a good job on the other guys.

Rush seems to be short-arming everything for Kansas, which is a sign of feeling the pressure.

Kansas finally got an alley oop to work to Kaun, with an and one. Kaun missed the FT though, and when Rush rebounded the miss, McKillop turned to Stephen Rossiter on the bench and says, "Get him (the player missing the box out) the very bad word out of the game."

Arthur and Kaun have each picked up their third foul already in this half. Lovedale also has three for Davison, and he and Kaun remain in the game.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 06:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Collins dished to Jackson for a layup late in the first half to give the Jayhawks a two point lead at the break.

Kansas probably has to feel pretty good about its position considering how badly they have played. They have too many unforced turnovers (9 total turnovers to just 3 for the Wildcats), and shot only 13-28 for the half, which doesn't sound so bad, but a lot of those misses were pretty good looks.

McKillop probably feels the same way. He's still hammering his team about rebounds. Late in the first half, he turned to the bench and yelled, "We have got to get the loose balls and rebounds! We should have had that one down there and we should have had that one down here!"

A minute or so later, he pulled Archambault, and McKillop got in his face on the bench with , "It's very simple, you either give me the body, or I give you the bench!"

McKillop is right. KU leads the rebound battle 22-13, although they only have five offensive boards.

KU switched to box and one late in half to try to slow down Curry, and generally, Kansas has had success defensively. Curry has 15 on 5-12 shooting from the floor and 3 freebies.

Chalmers leads Kansas with 11.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 05:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Kansas has had to use two timeouts to bail out of bad situations due to good defense by Davidson, and then ran out of time on the shot clock anyway. We're tied at the four-minute timeout.

We don't have LeBron James tonight, but we do have former Chicago Bull Bill Wennington

Wennington played for McKillop at Long Island Lutheran HS

Davidson's cheerleaders provide a pleasant distraction during timeouts.

Pay attention to the coach, boys.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 05:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Stephen Curry scored eight straight points for Davidson to give the Wildcats a one-point lead at the 8-minute timeout.

Chalmers answered with a couple of threes to help keep it close.

One thing I've never understood is why there has to be a coaches' meeting at every timeout.

But there always is, while the players cool their heels. You don't see coaches go right into the huddle anymore.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - It's still tough going for the shooters here. Davidson has hit two in a row to take a 9-6 lead at the second timeout, but they are only 4-15 from the floor for 27%. KU is only 3-14 for 21%. It's been so rough that one of the shots that went in for Kansas took two laps around the rim before falling. Even their one alley oop attempt, while resulting in a basket, didn't work as drawn up.

Both teams have missed a bunch of layups and open shots, and neither has done a particularly good job of taking care of the ball, although Kansas has more turnovers at this point.

So far though, this is the kind of game Davidson needs.

Right after the timeout, and two Darnell Jackson misses from the line, the clock went nuts and lost three minutes and all the points.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Detroit has a lot of nicknames like Motor City and Rock City, but so far, it's Brick City in this game. It's only 2-2 at the first timeout as each team has only hit one of its first six shots. Included in those is a miss by Curry and a block by Lovedale of an Arthur layup in transition.

Russell Robinson is on Curry initially.

Davidson coach McKillop is his usual, intense self. He turned to the bench and yelled, "C'mon! We gotta box out!" after a Kaun tip-in, as if any of those guys were in a position to box out.

And after a reach in foul on Richards, he got after the ref with, "C'mon, that's a cheap foul, Randy!"

Posted by Jerry Palm at 05:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Davidson's players and coaches are all smiles as we get ready for the tip. Assistant Matt Matheny is jokingly taking deep breaths, trying to relax and signaling to folks in the crowd.

Let's have a clean fight, men.

If there's any pressure on these guys, it's not showing before the tip.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 04:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, Davidson fans are pumped up and ready to go. We are over a hour from our tip and the only people here are these guys:

Davidson fans think you can't be here too early.

Davidson is a school of 1700 students, or roughly the size of both my high school and my dorm at Purdue. And it seems like they're all here. I bet it's a ghost town today.

Actually, many of those folks got on buses at 3 AM this morning for the roughly 12 hour trip to Detroit. Davidson sent seven buses full of students up here on Friday, and five more made the trip today.

I asked one of the students who made the trip when they were leaving and she said, "Tonight after the game. We have classes tomorrow. I hope we get back in time for my 8:30, but I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

Some more drove up on their own. I talked to another girl who said she made the trip late yesterday, and it took her a little more than 10 hours. "It would have been faster, but we ran into traffic in West Virginia of all places. Who knew that many people would be on the roads in West Virginia?"

Actually, Gus Johnson and Len Elmore are working already also.

I'm ready for my closeup!

Both teams have arrived on the floor for warmups. Kansas walked in to silence because their fans are still getting lubed up for the game.

One of the keys for Davison today is the play of Jason Richards, the point guard who had the ridiculous line of 13 assists and no turnovers in the game against Wisconsin.

With Memphis cruising, Davidson has the last chance of preventing the first Final Four with all #1 seeds.

The lineups are in, and here they are.

Davidson will start:
G Jason Richards, Stephen Curry, Max Paulhus Gosselin
F Thomas Sander, Andrew Lovedale

Kansas' lineup is:
G Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush
F Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson

Our refs are Tony Greene, Randy McCall and Doug Sirmons.

The only starter on either team from the school's home state is Curry, who is from Charlotte. The teams collectively start three foreigners. Gosselin is from Quebec, Lovedale from Nigeria, and Chalmers is from Alaska.

Note to editor, yes, I know Alaska isn't technically a foreign country.

A couple more shots of Davidson fans:

The Curry family nervously awaits

Sign of the times

Posted by Jerry Palm at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Memphis played its basketball of the season in this two games of the regional and because of it they now advance to San Antonio next week where they will meet UCLA in the national semifinal. The Tigers won this one, 85-67, and, much to the dismay of many, were able to hit free throws down the stretch. CDR was 12 of 15 from the line, Rose was 7 of 8 and the Tigers were 30 of 36 from the stripe.

Memphis shot 26 of 52 from the field . Texas began the Hack-a-Tiger assault with about four minutes and left and Memphis leading by 20 to no avail.

It was another never-ending Gobstopper for the Tigers as Texas stretched the game with 3-pointers and fouls in the final four minutes.

. . . Calipari pointed to his family as time wore down which started Erin crying on Ellen's shoulder. Derrick rose waved goodbye to the Texas fans with a huge smile on his face.

. . . Abrams and Augustin both helped their numbers with some 3-balls down the stretch, but the job the Memphis guards did on them, coupled with the big man scoring in the paint for Memphis (40-24) was the real story of the game. Abrams finished with 17 points on 6 of 16 form the field (5 of 10 from 3-point land). Augustin had 16 points (4 of 18 and 2 of 6).

. . . Dozier fouled out with 3:36 left in the game. He had two points and seven rebounds and was 1 of 6 from the field.

. . . Mason fouled out for Texas with 2:47 left in the game. He had 7 points, 7 rebounds and three assists. James fouled out with 46.2 seconds remaining. he had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

. . . We'll stick around for the awards presentation and then work the post-game interviews and have a regional wrap-up for you in our final Hang Time Office Hours of the year later tonight. be sure to check it out and we'll be back with you from San Antonio on Thursday afternoon sometime.

Posted by David Scott at 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Appearing in its third straight Elite Eight, the Memphis Tigers are on their way to the school's third-ever Final Four and the first since 1985. Memphis leads 67-48 with 3:56 left and the Memphis fans are on the verge of total celebration amidst the burnt orange, and some of that burnt orange is heading to the exits.

Abrams and Augustin are now a combined 5 of 25 from the field and have 16 points between them (11 for Augustin).

Joey Dorsey has a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

. . . Not looking like I get an all-regional ballot but my team would be CDR, Rose, Dorsey, Augustin and Justin Mason. Rose will be my regional MVP.

. . . Today's attendance is announced at 32,798. Friday was 32,931.

Posted by David Scott at 04:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - With 8:07 left in the game, Memphis is up 59-43 and Texas is going to need to really turn things around to get back in this one.

Memphis remains at 50 percent shooting from the field (24 of 48) while Texas has dropped slightly since halftime to 17 of 47. Both teams have hit just one 3-pointer this half.

Paint points are now 38-20 in favor of Memphis while rebounding remains close at 30-27 for Memphis.

. .. DJ Augustin is 3 of 14 from the field and AJ Abrams is 2 of 8.

. . . Taggart has had a very solid game off teh bench for the Tigers with 12 points on 5 of 7 from the field. he had four points in the first half.

. . . Dozier picked up his fourth foul with 8:32 left in the game, he was replaced by Dorsey. Pittman missed the free throw that would have given him the 3-point play on the foul.

Posted by David Scott at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Memphis has weathered an early second half run by Texas to extend its halftime lead by one point, 50-38 with 12:53 left in the game. Joey Dorsey will go to the line to shoot one after being fouled on a basket to put the lead at 12.

The Texas run got to 12-0 as they scored the first six points of the half to trim the lead to 39-34. Taggart ended it with a jumper in the paint over Atchley. Memphis quickly got it back to nine on a Rose dunk.

Damion James scored four of first six points of the half for Texas. He now has eight points and Augustin has 11 to lead Texas.

. . . Rose defedning Augustin, Anderson on Abrams.

. . . Anderson banked in a 3-pointer just under 15 minutes left to put memphis back up by 12.

Posted by David Scott at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - With the the exception of Texas's 6-0 run to end the half, Memphis has to be v ery happy with the way things played out in the first half.

Calipari was able to use eight players for five or more minutes and despite having been outscored 8-4 by the Texas bench, the Longhorns trio of guards had to play all but four minutes of the half (20 for Augustin, 18 each for Abrams and Mason). That wearing down of the gaurds is definitely part of teh Memphis strategy as they have been able to shuttle in Andre Allen, Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp.

No one is any real foul trouble and only 15 total fouls were whistled in the first half, something that definitely favors the Tigers.

. . . Rose was 5 of 6 form the field in the first half, his only miss coming from 3-point land on a shot that rimmed out.

Mack and Kemp are 0 of 4 from 3-point land.

. . . The Tigers met in a circle at halfcourt after watching Dorsey hit a free throw attempt and raised arms and fists in unison.

. . . Texas cheerleaders are in chaps, as is the halftime custom, and we are once again happy for such rituals.

. . . Well, there is a Bish in the house, but it's former President Bush not the sitting one.

Posted by David Scott at 03:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Texas re-gained a bit of composure toward the end of the half with a couple of sloppy plays by Memphis and now trail 39-28 at the break.

Some quickie stats:

Tigers led in scoring by CDR with 11 and Rose with 10.
Longhorns led by Mason and Augustin with seven each.

Joey Dorsey leads all rebounders with seven.
Mason has six for Texas

Memphis shot 15 of 31 from the field (48 percent) and 2 of 9 from 3-point land.
Texas shot 10 of 27 form the field (37 percent) and 2 of 8 from 3-point land.

Paint points are in favor of Memphis 24-12.
Rebounds are Memphis 18-17.

Turnovers are 8 for Texas, 3 for Memphis.

Rose has four assists to lead all dishers.

Dorsey dunked with 2:40 left on an alley-oop from CDR, then pointed to the Memphis rooters who responded with a chant of "Joey, Joey, Joey."

Posted by David Scott at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - With each attempt to get back in it by Texas and their fans, Memphis seems to have an answer. It got especially loud after Texas trimmed the lead to 12 with just over 4:00 left on a dunk by Pittman, but Memphis answered with a Shawn Taggart bucket off the galss. The score is now 34-20 Memphis with 3:45 left in the half.

. . . Rebounding battles is going to Memphis, 17-15.

. . . Texas has eight turnovers to three for Memphis.

. . . Paint points are 22-8 in the Tigers favor.

. . . A DJ Augustin trey off a block from Clint Chapman trimmed the Memphis lead to 29-18 with 6:26 left in the half, prompting a Calipari timeout.

. . . The daily Dorsey dunk-o-rama came on a leak-out after some great Tiger defense in transition and led to Dorsey two handing a monster flush all alone. It brought the Memphis lead to 13.

Posted by David Scott at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - It's not quite Friday night when Memphis stormed out to a 30-point lead, but with 7:40 left in the half, the Tigers are up 29-13 and have been on a 11-2 run over the last seven minutes.

CDR now has 11 points for Memphis and Rose has 10 points. Mason continues to lead Texas with 7.

The length of Memphis is certainly affecting the shot selection of the Longhorns who are now 5 of 19 from the field (26 percent). Memphis is 11 of 24 (46 percent). Both squads are 1 of 7 from beyond the arc.

. . . It went to 24-13 on Rose steal and dunk at 10:00 mark, then 26-13 8:56 on alley-oop in transition from Rose to Dorsey and finally 29-13 with 8:10 left, CDR lay-up in transition and foul.

. . . Memphis switching up with man-to-man and then zone.

Posted by David Scott at 02:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - With 11:56 left in the half, Memphis is up 20-13 and Texas will have the ball coming out of the timeout.

Memphis is being led by CDR's eight points and Rose's eight. Texas is led by Mason's seven points.

The Tigers are shooting 47 percent from the field (7 of 15) and Texas is at 36 percent (5 of 14).

Paint points are 10-6 in favor of Memphis.

Texas has three turnovers to two for Memphis.

. . . Rose started off 4 of 4 from the field. Not sure he had hit anything but net until his first trey attempt rimmed out in the 12:30-area.

. . . Biggest lead so far is 18-8, Memphis.

. . . Texas has switched to a 2-3 zone.

. . . Barnes inserted Dexter Pittman and Calipari countered with Pierre Niles. That, friends, is some texas-sized beef in the paint. First battle goes to Niles who deflected a rebound off Pittman. Niles stayed for just a miunute.

Posted by David Scott at 02:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - A wonderful start with great intensity at both ends as Memphis leads 13-8 with 15:49 left in the half. CDR has seven early points, Derrick Rose has four, including a rebound and coast-to-coast lay-in that was breathtaking in its speed and control.

Justin Mason has four for Texas. Memphis is 5 of 8 from the field, Texas 4 of 9.

. . . A 5-0 start by Memphis. Ended by Connor Atchley dunk.

. . . A preponderance of burnt orange engulfs the Stadium, but a strong showing by the Tiger faithful as well. But when Texas made a run, it got very loud for the 'Horns.

. . . Calipari and Barnes exchanged a hug pre-game during lay-up lines and then another after line-ups were announced. Looked like Cal made a funny. Nice moments, both of them.

. . . Derrick Rose has a bandage over his right here where he was cut on Friday night. He checked out at 18:37 favoring the eye and was tended to immediately by Memphis medical staff. Andre Allen replaced him. Rose was re-inserted 1:03 later

. . . Texas starts out in man-to-man defense. Memphis also man-to-man but showing some match-up zone it appears.

. . . Calipari using the coacing stool, Barnes not.

Posted by David Scott at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Some familiar names and faces on the officiating crew this afternoon with veterans Mike Kitts, Bob Donato and Patrick Driscoll. Kitts was in Little Rock last week and had Texas but not Memphis. Donato was in Birmingham last week and Driscoll was in D.C.

. . . Analysis:
This is one of those games that won't be about the Xs and Os as much as it will be the Jimmys and the Joes (cliches work, whaddya want from me?). Both teams are going to run, both have exceptional talent level and both are capable of scoring bursts.

Our two deciding factors in our pick of Memphis (by five or less) are this:

1. The Tigers are likely going to start out in their usual man-to-man defense and will force Texas to make outside shots. The hope being that DJ Augustin had his one breakout game on Friday and they can contain AJ Abrams enough to keep things managable.

2. The depth factor: Memphis has it, Texas doesn't and especially at the guard spot. If Memphis's bulky guards acan wear down the 'Horns, it will be the end of Texas.

. . . Memphis mascot Pouncer has broken out the ref jersey. Nice.

. . . Our CSTV.com Road Trippers are in the house. They're tired but feisty and it brings all new levels of excitement to have them courtside. We love those guys.

Posted by David Scott at 02:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - One of the many interesting tales that came out of John Calipari's extended press conference yesterday was one about a text message he received form former UMass guard Edgar Padilla, who was part of Calipari's Final Four team at UMass.

"It's funny, Edgar Sent a text and said, 'I hope you live that experience all over again, that was one of the greatest experiences of my life,'" said Calipari. "I hope these young men get to experience it , because one of the things I've told them is that they are a Dream Team. I handed out alist to them a couple of weeks ago about what a 'Dream Team' is and there were 15 things on it and I read to my players, and they meet every one of those statements.
And I said, basically, you're a Dream Team. You may never play on a team that gets along this way ever again in your life. You're a Dream Team. And what I'm saying to them now is, let's keep playing just so we can stay around each other for another two weeks, and let's just do it. The experience of going one more step, they will talk about it the rest of their lives."

. . . Probable starters as listed on the stats monitor to our right:

Memphis
Robert Dozier
Joey Dorsey
Anotnio Anderson
Chris Douglas-Roberts
Derrick Rose

Texas
AJ Abrams
Damion James
DJ Augustin
Justin Mason
Connor Atchley

. . .Memphis assistant John Robic just stopped by for some pre-game talk. He appeared relaxed and did everything but say, "The hay's in the barn." But it is and the Memphis coaching staff is comfortable with its gameplan.

Robic said the court configuration wasn't a big issue on Friday night aside form the fact that from the opposing bench, it is near impossible to see the other bench. That becomes a factor when coaches try and see what calls are being made by the opponent but doesn't have that big of an effect on the game itself. Especially in this contest where both teams are mostly about running and not running a whole lot of set plays.

. . . Memphis has taken teh court for pre-game stretching at 12:17 local time. They are in blue shooting jerseys with white uniforms underneath. Antonio Anderson is shwoing some dance moves as he slides onto the court. JOey Dorsey is in all black warm-ups and wearing long pants as has become his custom. He is the lone Tiger in long pants.

. . . Calipari children, Bradley and Megan are already in their seats and have just been joined by Erin. They are in Row 2 behind press row a bit off center-court.

Posted by David Scott at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Welcome back to Reliant Stadium for today's Regional Final between No. 1-seed Memphis and No. 2 seed Texas. A smattering of fans has begun to filter into the seats and Jim Nantz and Billy Packer are working on some pre-recorded voice-overs just in front of the Posting Up perch (we've been upgraded to the 2nd row today, indicating we behaved well on Friday in the third row).

There had been rumors that President Bush was going to be in the house today, but judging from the way our bags were lightly inspected coming in, we're guessing G-Dub will be watching this one on the White House's flat screen.

. . . The NCAA's Greg Shaheen has been spotted in the building, as he and Committee Chair Tom O'Connor are scheduled to complete their four sites in four days tour of the Sweet 16/Elite 8.

. . . The Tigers have been installed as slight 3 1/2 point favorite by the wiseguys.

. . . Two great columns on today's game that we'll leve you with for now:

Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe.

Geoff Calkins of the Commercial Appeal.

Posted by David Scott at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - We have just concluded the day-before interviews here at Reliant Stadium and we can't say we heard any ourageous comments or taunting from either the Memphis or Texas side.

No real feel for how each team will perform tomorrow, but it is pretty safe to bet that this game will be quite an up and down battle. John Calipari joked that the score could be in the 100s for each side. Or maybe he wasn't joking.

Responded Rick Barnes: "Who did he say was going to win? (Laughter) Did he say? Well, I don't know. We're going to play the way we've played. I think that at this point in time, I think teams are who they are, and both teams -- Stanford, they ran (Friday) night. We knew they were going to run. I think every team that we've played all year has had the attitude that you have to get out and try to get easy baskets; I think so much depends on how you take care of the ball. What you don't want to do is to allow teams to get out from your turnovers, but we are going to run. There's no doubt they are going to run and they are not going to change what they do and we are not going to change what we do. In terms of a score, I don't know. But like our guys were saying, we've got to this point playing a certain way, and we are going to continue to do that."

Said DJ Augustin: "Like Coach said, we are not going to change anything we have been doing all year, we are going to push the ball up and down and we have to do the same thing in defense. It's going to be an up-and-down game but we are just going to play our game."

. . . The cut above Derrick Rose's right eye showed no signs of swelling and despite an early morning headache, Rose said he is fine and the cut won't affect him tomorrow.

. . . A big part of the Texas presser was dedicated to the unsung hero-ness of "glue guy" Justin Mason. Several questions were asked about Mason - who was sitting there sort of bemused by all the attention. You can expect the Mason storyline to be a big one for tomorrow's game. As will the DJ Augustin-Rose storyline. The two played against each other over the summer at an adidas camp and Rose said Augustin got the better of him.

. . . We're working on a column about the two coaches in tomorrow's game and it will be posted at Hang Time in a couple of hours. Please be sure to check it out.

In the meantime, you can venture over to our good friends at ASAP Sports for transcripts of the day's pressers.

Posted by David Scott at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Davidson is looking to become the second double-digit seed to go to the Final Four in three years when it takes on Kansas here Sunday night.

Stephen Curry had another big game against the Badgers, and there is no reason to think he can't light up Kansas as well. Defending Kansas may be another issue for the Wildcats.

The Jayhawks run up and down the floor as well as anybody, and are one of the quickest teams in transition in this tournament. They also try to move quickly after made baskets. They are able to get easy shots inside, or threes for Robinson, Rush and Chalmers by beating teams down the floor.

Davidson had some success pressuring Wisconsin, and I look for them to do more of that against Kansas to try to force some turnovers and get some easy hoops.

Athletically, the Wildcats are wildly overmatched, much more so than they were against Georgetown. I don't see any way they can run with them, but Davidson isn't much of a slow down team either.

Like Davidson, Kansas likes to create turnovers, so taking care of the ball will be critical. The Wildcats have done a good job of that so far.

Kansas is also motivated to get its coach, Bill Self, to the Final Four for the first time and get that monkey off his back.

For the fourth time in a row, I'm picking against Davidson. That is good news for Wildcat fans. I also picked against Mason every time out in 2006.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Kansas finished off Villanova 72-57. Both teams called off the dogs with about 30 seconds left.

Not exactly the raucous celebration like when Davidson won.

KU finished with 54% shooting on 24-46. Rush had 16, Robinson 15 and Chalmers 14 for the Jayhawks.

Nova got the shooting percentage up a bit to 36%, but it wasn't nearly enough. Reynolds had 11, and Clark and Cunningham had 10 each.

KU fans aren't even doing the Rock Chalk thing yet. Maybe they all went home.

So we have Davidson vs Golaith again on Sunday at, it was just announced, 5:05 ET.

The beggars are out behind me. Some pre-teen boys are hitting us up for media guides and, I'm not sure this is a good idea, used towels from the Nova bench.

Time to find the Davidson party. See you on Sunday.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 12:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Jay Wright and Nova never gave up. He coaches all the way to the end. He pulled Stokes with about 1:45 left and let him having it for blowing a defensive assignment. "You gotta get out on that man! We're down very bad word 15!"

Now, they're down 12 with just over a minute left.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Jay Wright was trying to get Weed (I'm pretty sure) to do something, but what exactly that was remains a mystery. He just kept yelling 'C'mon Weed!" over and over until he got sick of it and turned to his bench to send in a sub with, "Go get Weed." I'm also pretty sure that he was not placing a take-out order.

Anyway, Weed, that is Dwayne Anderson, is out.

So is Nova, trailing by 17 with 3:30 left.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - It isn't getting any better for Villanova as they still trail by 19 at the 12-minute timeout.

Much of the crowd has headed for the exits.

Jay Wright is starting to lose his optimism and show some frustration at his team's inability to stop the alley oop, of which Kansas has about six.

The Wildcats haven't quit though. They're pressing and trying to get back in it, but KU is toying with them.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - This is getting ugly. Jeremy Case drained a three late to extend the Kansas lead to 41-22 at the break.

Kansas cooled off from their torrid start, but is still shooting 59%, while Nova is a putrid 25%. Russell Robinson has 13 and Brandon Rush 11 to lead KU. Scottie Reynolds' six paces a very balanced Wildcat attack, such as it is.

Jay Wright is still keeping a positive outlook though.

Just talked to Brent Stover from the Big Ten Network, who reports that the Wisconsin locker room was like a morgue. No surprise there.

We actually got a little halftime entertainment this time. The Kansas Dance team performed, but because my cell phone takes mediocre pictures at distance, I don't have one, which will disappoint our colleague, Eric Sorenson.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Kansas has finally stopped Nova's run with a 7-0 run of its own to extend the lead back to 15 with 3:45 to go.

Jay Wright had Scottie Reynolds out of the game for a minute, and when he sent him back in, he told him, 'When he's outside the three point line, keep your hands off him." Not exactly sure who he meant, but my guess is Robinson.

Also, after a Reynolds walk, Wright turned to one of his assistants and said, "Don't say anything. Just don't."

Sasha Kaun tried a goofy-looking, two-handed tip that looked more like he was trying to set a volleyball than tip in a basketball. It didn't work.

When Wright called timeout here, a manager grabbed a couple of stools for the players to sit on, and a priest sitting with the team grabbed a couple also. I guess he doesn't just provide moral support.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

DETROIT - The Villanova bench is lively at the 8-minute timeout because they have cut the lead to 10 and KU just threw the ball away.

Scottie Reynolds has a couple of threes to spark this 8-2 run.

Remember how I said that little schools have cheesy mascots. Here's a cheesy big-school mascot.

More of a jaychick than a Jayhawk. The number on the jersey is 1/2.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

DETROIT - Kansas is on fire to start the game. The Jayhawks have hit 9 of their first 11 shots, including three dunks and three long balls by Russell Robinson to get out to a 24-10 lead with 11:42 left. Kansas also has at least four steals already.

Villanova coach Jay Wright is staying positive and encouraging. He's not nearly as animated, or to this point, negative as McKillop is on the sidelines.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - Kansas is getting up and down the floor all they want early on as they have jumped out to an 11-6 lead at the first timeout.

The Jayhawks already have two alley oops, and almost got a third. They are very quick in transition, but even after made baskets.

That must be way coach Self seems so relaxed.

All he needs is a bar to go with his stool

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT - While the Hoops Odyssey boys are off doing the postgame rounds, let me clean up some garbage from the last game.

Davidson came back on the boards to finish within 3. It seemed worse than this, but the turnover margin was only +5 for Davidson, but they had nine steals.

We don't get info like second-chance points.

Now, the lineups for game two, which is five minutes away.

Kansas starts:
G: Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson
F: Darnell Jackson, Darrell Arthur

Nova counters with:
G Scottie Reynolds, Cory Stokes
F Antonio Pena, Dwayne Anderson and Dante Cunningham.

Our ref, Doug "Show of" Shows (pardon me for channeling Berman for a moment), Pat Evans and TV Teddy Valentine, who I may have to report for stalking me. He's like Visa, everywhere I go.

Danny Manning just came out onto the court. His famed championship run in 1988 came through Detroit. Back then, they played in the Pontiac Silverdome. They beat Vanderbilt and Kansas St to get to the Final Four. The 4th team in that regional was Purdue, which is why I was there. The Boilers were the top seed, but lost to Mitch Richmond and KSU.

Not that I'm bitter.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Texas has extended to a 19 point lead, its biggest of the game and the 'Horns are Elite 8-bound and riding high. The 'Horns lead 77-56 with 2:07 left.

DJ Augustin has been simply marvelous and now has 20 points on 9 of 16 from the field. We wouldn't hate you if you headed over the Hang Time to check out our column on Augustin from this morning, because the competitive part of thsi one is O-V-A, over.

Four Longhorns are in double-fgures scoring and just one (Brook Lopez) has reached double digits for the Cardinal.

. . . Looks like we know where the POTUS will be on Sunday afternoon. Wonder if he'll bring his daughters?

. . . Trent Johnson's been doing the stare-down with a couple of the officials, but it's too late for that. Maybe he should've gotten tossed again?

. . . No matter who advances from our seocnd game, Texas should be a few point favorite on Sunday. the homecourt advantage is worth at least four points in our opinion.

Posted by David Scott at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - If Brook Lopez were to get say a smidgen of help, the Cardinal would still have a chance in this one. But he's not and his 26 points are almost exactly half of the Cardinal output as they now trail 63-53 with 7:58 left in the game.

Texas's is being bouyed by its virtual home crowd and some re-energized play in the last five minutes. It will take a monumental effort by Stanford to come back in this one.

. . .In the first half it was Clint Chapman who gave Rick Barnes valuable big man minutes. Now it's Dexter Pittman, who has been a revalation in this NCAA Tournament.

. . . Stanfoird's Mitch Johnson has such a strange jump shot and it's betraying him tonight as he's 2 of 8 from the field, including a clanked 3-pointer that would have cut the lead down to seven.

Posted by David Scott at 09:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Texas is clinging to a 54-51 lead with 11:43 left. DJ Augustin has scored just two pooints this half for the Longhorns after netting 12 in the first half. Stanford now has a plus-11 on the boards, 34-23 (9-4 in the second half)>

. . . A trey by Landry Fields cut the texas lead to one, 52-51. It was the closest the Cardinal had been since leading 2-0 to start the game.

. . . Robin Lopez back into the game with 12:29 left in the game and his three fouls.

. . . Love that Davidson score - Jerry Palm must be in Heaven.

Posted by David Scott at 08:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - The Cardinal trimmed to the lead to four points and now trail 50-44 with 15:34 left in the game. Brook Lopez has seven of Stanford's 10 second half points and now has 22 points in the game.

If Texas can find a way to stop BLop, they will be fine. But that's a big a IF.

. . . Robin Lopez picked up his third foul of the game with 17:07 left in the game. It was his second of the half. He was replaced by Taj Finger.

. . . Texas dance team has made the chaps change. Thank you, ladies.

Posted by David Scott at 08:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - The numbers do appear to be lying in this one as Stanford lead sthe rebound battle 25-19 bu trails by nine.

The Cardinal do have five more turnovers (7-2) and have been very reliant on Brook Lopez who has 15 points and 8 rebounds to lead everyone.

DJ Augustin has 12 points on 5 of 9 from the field and both he and Justin Mason have four assists each.

Stanford is shooting 13 of 33 from the field (39 percent) while Texas is at 18 of 38 (47 percent). The Horns are 4 of 12 form 3-point land and Stanford is 2 of 7 from beyond the arc.

. . . Mason, a guard, leads the 'Horns in rebounding with five.

. . . Twelve of Stanford's 25 rebounds have been on the offensive glass.

. . . Seemed like a lack of intensity on the Cardinal's part in the first half. that will have to change as they try and overcome the decided homecourt advantage.

Posted by David Scott at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Texas leads 43-34 at the half and DJ Augustin has 12 points to lead the Longhorns. Brook Lopez leads Stanford with 15 points. A late 3-pointer by Micth Johsnon boosted Stanford's hopes going into the locker room.

. . . Texas's Clint Chapman who hasn't scored in the 'Horns' prior four games and has four total points in his last seven appearances has four points tonight and has played some important minutes.

. . . We'll be back with halftime stats.

Posted by David Scott at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Texas continues to outplay the Cardinal and now leads 31-22 with 3:51 left in the half.

DJ Augustin leads Texas with seven points and Brook Lopez leads all scorers with 11 points. Stanford is actually plus-four on the backboards (19-15), but they are 8 of 26 from the field (31 percent) and Texas is 13 of 28 (44 percent).

Posted by David Scott at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Stanford is really struggling form the field in the early going while Texas has found a nice early groove. Texas leads 23-16with 7:52 left.

Stanford has started to feed the post, and specifically Brook Lopez, with increasing success as they have . Brook Lopez has nine points, including the last seven in a row for Stanford.

Stanford is 5 of 19 from the field and Texas is 10 of 23. Five Longhorns have three or more points led by James.

. . . A very competitive battle between our two cheer and dance squads. The Cardinal dancers wear white gloves that bring a nice flair to the uniform. You already know our feelings for the Texas ladies form last week in Little Rock. We eagerly await the chaps changeover that comes around halftime.

. . . The raised court set-up allows for the head coach to stand above the bench on the carpeted apron. Each coach - Trent Johnson and Rick Barnes - are utilizing the space, but it doesn't appear the carpet is designated with the coaching box line. The line does appear on the actual hardwood, but they should have taped it off on the carpet for continuity.Looks odd, but we're getting used to it.

Posted by David Scott at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Texas is up 10-4 with 15:22 left in the half. The homecourt advantage that everyone assumed would be the Longhorns' is certainly proving to be true. Just about the whole place is in burnt orange and it's near impossible to find any maroon in the crowd. But that crazy Cardinal tree sure is an active piece of lumber.

Damion James leads all scorers with six points.

Posted by David Scott at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Rumors of a Tiger Woods appearance have circulated through the building and we believe they are emanating from CBS's Jim Nantz. He would certainly know.

Also supposed to be another Penny Hardaway evening as the ex-Memphis Tiger continues to follow his school.

Lastly, we just got word that should Texas advance, George Bush the Younger will be in the building on Sunday. That could make for a huge headache in terms of security and entrance to the building, so we just became Stanford fans.

. . . Memphis assistants John Robic and Derek Kellogg are scouting the game from the socut seats in the row in front of us.

. . . The NCAA has announced that "more NCAA . . . fans will attend this weekend's regionals than at any time in the event's 70-year history. As of Noon on Thursday, over a quarter of a million fans were expected at the four venues over eight sessions."

. . . Houston hosts the Final Four in 2011, Detroit has next year's - thus the dual experimentation in the stage-court.

Posted by David Scott at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Those kooky kids with the Stanford Band have arrived with their pin-festooned hats and West Coast joei de vivre. No sign of the Tree yet.

. . . Tonight's officials for Game 1 are John Cahill, leslie Jones and J.D. Collins.

. . . NCAA Committee Members on-site are Lynn Hickey (Texas-San Antonio AD) and Laing Kennedy (Kent State).

NCAA Staff members on site are Jeanne Boyd (the former Florida Gator mascot) and Byron Hatch. We also saw and spoke to David Worlock of the NCAA.

. . . Jim Nantz just went into the bowels of the stadium to put on his yellow tie. Billy Packer, who has been doing research at a second row table, is in his blue CBS sports blazer. You know, we'd like a blue CBS sports blazer too - we are part of the family, ya know?

Clock-til-game time is approaching 30 minutes, which means it's time for us to go get some nourishment. Back in a bit.

. . . Ex-Texas footballer and Houston native, Vince Young, just appeared being escorted by John Bianco from the Texas Media Relations staff. If we were cool like Eric Sorenson, we would take a picture and post it. We're not so we'll tell you VY is wearing a blue and white striped SeanJohn golf shirt, jean shorts and currently signing some autographs and posing for pictures with fans. he has black Reebok sneakers with black RBK socks. His entourage includes three friends, one in a Tracy McGrady Rockets jersey.

. . . We're also scheduled to be sitting next to Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware who is with Sports Radio 610.

Posted by David Scott at 06:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Welcome back to Reliant Stadium where we're about an hour from tip of our first contest between No. 2 seed Texas (30-6) and No. 3 seed Stanford (28-7).

We finally have identified what the raised stage/court design reminds us of - especially for those in the front row bordering the edge of the court: A gentleman's club (or what we would think the set-up of a gentleman's club's stage and apron seating area would look like). Yes, folks, the NCAA has created the world's largest dancer's paradise with its hoops-in-the-round concept that is being utilized here and in Detroit.

We will refrain from Joey Dorsey making-it-rain jokes and move on to matters of basketball.

. . . Fans are just being allowed in and as expected there's a lot of burnt orange already on display.

. . . Stanford has take the floor and are shooting at both ends. They are in their maroon shooting jerseys with maroon uniforms underneath. Texas, as the higher seed, will be in home whites.

Continue reading "Houston: Hour 'Til Tip of Game One at "The Gold Club"" »

Posted by David Scott at 06:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - The Longhorn guards continued to strictly shoot around while the big men were working on some low post moves, taking feeds in the paint and instruction from Coach Barnes.

With 15:30 left on the session clock, Texas left the floor, leaving team managers to entertain the crowd. Players fanned out and signed autographs and posed for pictures with session attendees. Nince touch.

. . . Some CBS staffers are looking for optimum position for the ever-present yellow CBS banners along the railing behind the scorer's table.

. . . Memphis will be out at 3:10 p.m. CT and we'll re-join you at that time.

Posted by David Scott at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - One half of the lower "field seats" are filled with on-lookers enjoying the light workout that the Texas Longhorns are currently going through.

Texas coach Rick Barnes is sitting between Jim Nantz and Billy Packer for his CBS interview and players are getting used to the raised floor and the black curtain backdrops. With the raised floor, the traditional table banners are not in use at this site. There is a an overhead octagonal rigging above center court that holds huge video screens as well as video screens in each endzone. Believe it or not, it's actually an intimate setting - but only in the lower section. By the time you start getting up to the upper levels, we're guessing it's not very easy to see what's going on courtside.

. . . We did some time in the Texas locker room and will be able to offer up a column on DJ Augustin at Hang Time for your Friday morning reading pleasure.

. . . We also got some time with Memphis coach John Calipari, who is sort of enjoying the fact that his Tigers are being portrayed as underdogs. Calipari was able to stop the golf cart carrying Rick Barnes back to his locker room and the two chatted for a while. Tom Izzo passed by on a different golf cart on the way to his presser and Calipari bemoaned the fact that he didn't have any golf carts. "They got me walking everywhere," laughed the at-ease coach.

. . . We were also able to say hello to our fellow Peabody, Mass. native, Todd Wright, who is the Texas strength coach. Wright's dropped his Peabody accent and now has a hybrid Peabody/Austin twang that will not soon be duplicated.

Posted by David Scott at 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOUSTON - Welcome to Reliant Stadium for the South Regional games, being hosted by Rice University and the Univeristy of Houston. This is one mammoth stadium and it sits next to the building that used to be called the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Houston Astrodome. Reliant, by that logic, is the Ninth Wonder.

The set-up for this regional is a first-time experiment by the NCAA (also being used at Ford Field in Detroit, where Jerry Palm will describe the action for Posting Up and CSTV.com). The court is elevated and placed in the middle of the football field with seating brought down close to the court. The endzones have been draped off with black curtains, but the rest of the seating under the retractable roof (which is closed, wiseguy) is available for fans and tickets still remain for the three games on Friday and Sunday.

Interviews start shortly with Stanford going at 1 p.m. CT, followed by Texas, Michigan State and Memphis. Stanford has just finished its open practice in front of a small crowd and they are being followed by Michigan State, Texas and Memphis (3:10-4 p.m.)

We'll try and liveblog the latter two open practices after we work some of the interviews.

. . . In the official regional media guide, there is a reference to Memphis as "Memphis State University," a moniker they have not used in some time. Very old school.

Continue reading "Houston: Interviews and Open Practice Day" »

Posted by David Scott at 01:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Welcome to the South Regional, an experiment in both seating and seeding.

Reliant Stadium (in addition to Ford Field) will be guinea pig sites in the NCAA's latest plan to get more fannies into the game. That seating issue - no matter how the experiment in "Hoops in the Round" goes over - is quite secondary to the seeding issue.

No. 1-seed Memphis is suddenly the least liked 1-seed in the history of 1-seeds - taking slings and arrows from all sides. No. 2-seed Texas finds itself with a decided homecourt advantage. Even if Texas coach Rick Barnes doesn't it see that way.

"The bottom line is that in the two games we played in San Antonio (en route to the 2003 Final Four), we had to fight for our lives," said Barnes of his team's wins over UConn and Michigan State. "At this point and time in the season, (playing in Houston) is probably going to be made a bigger deal that it really is."

Still, there is evidence that Everything's Bigger and Better in Texas for the Longhorns. They are 9-4 in NCAA Tournament play in the state of Texas and are undefeated in such games under Barnes(6-0, twice in Dallas and once in S.A.). In fact, Barnes is .500 (9-9) in NCAA games outside the friendly borders, as the Texas head man.

In other Houston seeding intrigue the site also gives us the slightly under-seeded duo of Michigan State (5) and Stanford (3). The Spartans are more of a "4" and Stanford feels like a "2.5." Both - at the very least - are playing their best ball at the most opportune time and quite deserving of playing on the next-to-the-last weekend of the season.

After the jump, some South Regional tidbits that will help you pass the time between now and Friday night's tip from the Texans' home.

Be sure to join us for live-blogging from Media Day on Thursday afternoon from Houston (as well some open practice live-blogging) here at Posting Up.

Continue reading "South Regional: The Day Before the Day Before Preview" »

Posted by David Scott at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DETROIT -- The Detroit regional features two of the three double-digit seeds remaining in the tournament. It's not likely either will still be there when the dust clears on Friday.

Continue reading "Midwest Regional: The Day Before Preview" »

Posted by Jerry Palm at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - They say act like you've been there before.

Well, Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals have been to the Sweet 16 before, and that's exactly where they're headed after handing a sound thumping to the Oklahoma Sooners.

They knew what it took to advance, and they made it look easy in a 78-48 victory over the Sooners.

"We played a good game against Boise State, but we played a great game tonight," Louisville head coach Rick Pitino said. "Offensively, defensively, we just played a complete game. You really can't find a weakness in the way the guys played tonight."

Continue reading "Cards Roll Onto Sweet 16" »

Posted by Dan Sellers at 07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - They say act like you've been there before.

Well, Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals have been to the Sweet 16 before, and that's exactly where they're headed after handing a sound thumping to the Oklahoma Sooners.

They knew what it took to advance, and they made it look easy in a 78-48 victory over the Sooners.

I'll be back with quotes.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Louisville has extended its lead to 29 points at 70-41 with just under 7 minutes to go.

The Cardinals will advance to its 16th Sweet 16 since 1975, a mark that is 5th among all schools. The 3-seeded Cardinals will tangle with 2-seed Tennessee in Charlotte.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 07:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - An Earl Clark three-pointer and Jerry Smith layup has built the Cardinals lead out to 23 with just under 15 minutes to go in the game.

Oklahoma had cut it to 18 before a quick flurry of points by Louisville. The Cards look really, really good right now.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - At the half, the Cardinals have a 44-22 lead on the Sooners.

The Cardinals have come out with a balanced offensive attack, getting production from David Padgett and Earl Clark on the inside and stellar shooting on the outside from Jerry Smith, terrence Williams and others.

They have also played suffocating defense, which has led to points off turnovers.

As exciting as the first game of the day was, it looks as if this one is ging to follow suit with most of this tournament in Birmingham.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

BIRMINGHAM - With just over 5 minutes to go, Louisville has taken a commanding lead over Oklahoma. They are dominating defensively, in the paint and from deep. They just look 10 times better than the Sooners right now.

They lead 33-16 with 5:24 to go. They've been rotating guys pretty regularly as well, so they look fresh. I'm not sure they will let off the pedal at all.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 06:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Louisville maintains a 7-point lead with just over 7 minutes to go in the first half. Jerry Smith has connected on another 3-pointer to give him 8 points already.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 06:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Louisville has jumped out to an 18-12 lead on the heels of an 11-3 run. Jerry Smith has 5 and David Padgett has 4 for the Cards.

Still working on that UT game story...

Posted by Dan Sellers at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - David Godbold picked up right where he left off.

The senior guard for Oklahoma had a career-high 25 points Friday for the Sooners, and he his 3-for-3 from deep right from the start. The Sooners have a 9-7 lead with just under 15 minutes to go.

I'm working on a final recap from the UT-Butler game that had the crazy finish. Should be up in a few minutes...

Posted by Dan Sellers at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - A look at some of the pertinent final stats from Game 1:

Texas won the board battle, 41-30

Texas shot 43 percent for the game (25 of 58 and 8 of 24 in the second half)
Miami shot 40 percent for the game (22 of 55 and 11 of 24 in the second half)

AJ Abrams finsihed with a game-high 26 points. Damion James had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

Jack McClinton had 18 points to lead Miami, Hurdle had 11 and Raymond Hicks had 10 points including 2 of 3 from 3-point land, with both makes coming in the final seconds. McClinton was 5 of 14 from the field and 4 of 10 from 3-point land.

DJ Augustin had 12 points and 8 assists and 3 steals.

Texas shot 12 of 21 from the free throw line and Miami was 19 of 22.

. . . Officials for the next game are Reginald Greenwood, Ted Hillary and Frank Scagliotta. Our tip will be at 4 p.m. local team.

We're going to (Austin) Peay (can't get enough of the sub-regional-themed joke) and we'll be back for the nightcap.

Posted by David Scott at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - Miami made a spirited, late comeback but Texas had built too big of a lead in the game's first 36 minutes for the 'Canes to be able to come all the way back. Texas holds on and advances with a well-earned 75-72 win. Miami's Raymond Hicks hit two monster 3-pointers in the final 12 seconds that cut the lead to two, but after a monitor review of time left, the 'Canes were left with 1.8 seconds to try and foul Texas, pray for misses at the line and then score. DJ Augustin airballed the first, hit the second and a baseball pass from Hicks found no receiver as Texas hung on.

Some nice hugs and handshakes as the teams exited the court - lots of commonality and overlap between the two staffs and players.

Free throw shooting down the stretch almost cost the 'Horns the win, but two big ones from AJ Abrams with 9.5 seconds remaining helped to seal the deal.

. . . We'll be back in a bit with final stats and a look ahead to the second game of our doubleheader here at Alltel.

Posted by David Scott at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals are trying to improve their impressive NCAA Tournament resume and advance to the Sweet 16 Sunday afternoon.

Standing in their way: the 6-seed Oklahoma Sooners.

Continue reading "16 Sweet 16's?" »

Posted by Dan Sellers at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - The 'Canes have cut the Texas lead to six with 1:37 left in the game and the crowd, which had fallen asleep, is suddenly behind Miami in a big way.

Texas leads 68-62 with 1:34 left in the game.

McClinton has come on late and now has 18 points.

. . . Texas will need to make free throws and they'll survive.

Posted by David Scott at 04:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - The rebounding edge tells you all you need to know about this one as Texas has a plus-18 edge on the boards (40-22). Texas leads the game 66-52 with 3:30 left in the game. The 'Horns are in cruise control to Houston where they will meet Stanford next Friday night in the round of 16.

The game was tied 8-8 with 16:33 left in the first half and since then it has been all Texas.

. . . James Dews has been one of the lone bright spot for Miami. The sophomore has 8points

. . . McClinton's first field goal of the second half came on a jumper with 5:12 left in the game. He now has 8 points and is one of three 'Canes with 8. Texas has four players in double figures scoring, led by Abrams' 20.

. . . Damion James has 14 rebounds and 15 points for Texas.

. . . Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury got some cheers from the Bulldog faithful as he approached press row to do his pre-game radio show. Most coaches pre-record such things in the bowels of the building, so the sight is a bit odd.

Posted by David Scott at 04:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - AJ Abrams now has 20 points and is 6 of 9 from 3-point land. His latest trey gave the 'Horns a 58-43 lead with 11:52 left. Defending the 3-ball must've been overlooked in Frank Haith's gameplan.

Abrams also had six treys against Austin Peay in the opener.

. . . McClinton continues to struggle from the field and is now 2 of 9 and 2 of 6 from 3-point land.

Posted by David Scott at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - Our string of mediocre games here in Little Rock continues with this one as Texas leads 49-36 and Miami doesn't appear ready to mount any kind of real comeback. We have 15:33 left in the game.

A 3-pointer by James with just over 16:00 left gave Texas its biggest lead of the game at 16.

. .. Rick Barnes has now put AJ Abrams on McClinton. It's probably part of a rotation, but Mason should still get most of the checking assignments on the Miami scorer.

. . . The first chaps-clad routine of our favorite dancers was a rousing success. Tough to say if it's the white frilly vests that get us or the brown chaps or a combination of both. Hook 'em horns, indeed.

Posted by David Scott at 03:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - This one is going according to script for the Longhorns who are getting production from all their key contributors. Some key lines:

AJ Abrams - 14 points, 5 of 8 form the field, 4 of 7 from 3-point land
Damion James - 9 rebounds, 7 points
DJ Augustin - 5 points, 5 assists and 3 steals

Texas has dominated the boards, 22-15.

Miami shot 11 of 31 from the field (36 percent) and 3 of 11 from 3-point land (27 percent)

Texas shot 17 of 34 from the field and 9 of 16 from 3-point land (56 percent)

Texas has 12 assists on its 17 field goals, Miami has 4 on its 11

. . . Gary Johnson, coming back from an injury for the Longhorns, logged four minutes and picked up two fouls. Big fella Dexter Pittman, who had a great first game, played four minutes for Texas and had two points and three rebounds.

. . . Anthony King was 4 of 5 from the field for his 8 Miami points. McClinton was 2 of 7 from the field.

. . . As expected, hoped for and embraced, the Texas dance teams has chnged into their chaps.

Posted by David Scott at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - With remarkable proficiency from the 3-point land, Texas has built an 11-point lead at the half, 43-32. The Longhorns are 9 of 16 from beyond the arc and 17 of 33 form the field. They have effectively contained Miami's Jack McClinton, who has six points in the first half. of course, McClinton also had half a dozen in the first half on Friday against St. Mary's and then exploded for 32 in the second. That's not a realistic expectation today, but it is worth keeping in mind.

Abrams has 14 to lead Texas and King has eight for Miami.

. . . The arena is just about all filled up as most of the second game's fans have made their way off of Main Street in N. Little Rock and into their seats.

. . . It appears the Texas dancers have gone in for a wardrobe change. We're giddy in anticipation.

Posted by David Scott at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - Miami has mounted a bit of a comeback and they too are using the three-ball to do it. With 6:38 left in the half, Texas leads 35-26, as Miami has cut into a 14-point deficit.

McClinton's first hoop came on a trey with just under 10 minutes to go in the half. A minute later he hit another to cut the 'Horns lead to eight. he is now 2 of 4 from beyond the arc. A s ateam, texas is 7 of 13 from international waters.

. . . Your daily Texas dance team outfit update: The ladies have started off in a orange sequin halter tops (I think they're halters - they show a lot of belly whatever they are) and black velour, form-fitting pants. We eagrely await the wardrobe change into chaps.

Posted by David Scott at 02:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - Texas is out to a blazing start and they have used the 3-pointer to take a 19-8 lead with 13:51 left in the half.

Texas is 5 of 8 from 3-point land and four different Longhorns have hit three balls (James, Atchley, Augustin and Abrams). McClinton is 0 of 3 form the field this far as King leads Miami in scoring with six points.

. . . Texas's best defender, Justin Mason is guarding McClinton. Barnes mentioned yesterday that the No. 24 would now be reserved for players who exhibit the grit and tenacity of Mason and his predecessor in the number, Royal Ivey.

. . . Our sneaker battle is between two Nike schools.

. . . Looks like the Memphis and State fans in the house are 'Cane fans for this one.

. . . If forced to chose between burnt orange and bright orange, I will take the burnt orange. This is true mainly because I got a burnt orange fleece from my sister for my birthday. So, really, it's Karen that prefers burnt orange.

Posted by David Scott at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - Happy Easter and welcome back to the Alltel Arena for today's second round games. Our first game, tipping at 1:15 local time, features Texas and Miami. the follow-up will be a mid-south battle with Memphis and Mississippi State.

Things were buzzing in the North Little rock area surrounding the arena as fans pre-lubed for the day of basketball. Tickets are fairly tough to come by because of the local interest with Memphis, State and Texas (which always travels well).

. . . Officials for today's game will be Mike Kitts, Joe Lindsay and Patrick Adams.

. . . Probable starting line-ups look like this:

No. 2 seed Texas (29-6)
AJ Abrams
Damion James
DJ Augustin
Justin Mason
Connor Atchley

No. 7 seed Miami (23-10)
Lance Hurdle
Jack McClinton
James Dews
Dwayne Collins
Anthony King

The feature players to watch are, of course, McClinton who is coming off his 38 point effort on Friday and DJ Augustin. But the interesting thing to us will be the post play, especially that of 'Cane big man Jimmy Graham and King. If they can do damage in the paint, Miami will be able to open up the outside game a bit and be able to stay in it.

Still, despite both teams employing similar tactics from the Rick Barnes/Frank Haith coaching tree, the Longhorns are likely to advance to Houston next weekend and they should do it easily.

Posted by David Scott at 01:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE. -- Two things KU had going for it over UNLV tonight was a big disparity in height and a much deeper bench.

Well it turns out they didn't really need either of them.

KU used a 14-3 run midway through the second half and some lock-down defense for all 40 minutes to quell any upset hopes for the Runnin' Rebels tonight, in a 75-56 win in Omaha.

Continue reading "Omaha Regional- Kansas goes small, moves on." »

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE. -- Yep, I'm calling my shot now. There's only four minutes left in UNLV's season. It's now 65-51 KU and from this rather dark picture below you can see that people are already heading for home en masse. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

(Wait! Wait for me!)

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE. -- With 7:33 remaining, the Jayhawks have built up a 60-46 advantage. UNLV's best shouter, Josh Barger has exited the game with five fouls and the Reb fans behind me are starting to blame the refs more and more... just like good fans are supposed to do.

Yep, this one is nearly over. But I'm saving room for a blistering comeback by UNLV. But that light at the end of the tunnel is very likely an on-coming train.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How did these ne're-do-wells get seats at mid-court, five rows up?

Really now, Mr. Pirate.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 08:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE. -- It's still KU's game... but there's still hope for a good finish.

The whole arena can feel ole Mo' putting on Jayhawk white. Their energy is still much better and are filling the passing lanes very well. Long and lean Sasha Kaun just came in to give Darnell Jackson a breather. He's got fresh legs, so it won't be a drop off.

After a timeout, it was deflating for the Rebs to give up an easy layup to Sherron Collins. That puts KU up 46-37 with 13 and a half remaining.

Again, if UNLV can just hit more of their shots (still shooting just 31% compared to KU's 56%, this could still become a game.). But UNLV is having to work much harder for their points, being outscored 22-8 in the paint.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 08:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE. -- The Omaha Regional really needs a ball game. No, I mean one of those Ew-mah-Gawd! finishes. Maybe this will be the one that goes down to the wire. Right now, KU leads - expected - by 34-29 - unexpected.

(UNLV point forward Curtis Terry leads the Rebs with nine points so far)

And get this... if UNLV would just hit a few more shots, they'd be ahead in this bad boy. So far UNLV is just 8-for-27 from the field, including just 3-for-13 from beyond the arc.

KU is using its significant size advantage to garner 16 points in the paint. It's been pretty even scoring for KU as well since Mario Chalmers leads them with a team-high nine points. But Darnell Jackson is the beast under the glass, grabbing a game-high nine caroms so far. Fourteen of the 18 KU rebounds have come on the defensive end.

No one is in serious foul trouble so far. KU has only made one three-pointer.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE. -- Because the post-game press conference after the Wisconsin-Kansas State game went so long (and still nothing of real worth was said) I didn't get to this Kansas-UNLV game until halfway through the first half

(As you can tell by his sleepy eyes, press conferences bore Michael Beasley too)

Anyway, UNLV is not just hanging with the top-seed Jayhawks, they're leading the Big 12ers by a 19-17 margin here at the eight minute mark of the first half. Maybe THIS will be a ballgame. Since we haven't had any here in Omaha worth cooing about. Dammit.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE.--Kansas State had the better players. Wisconsin had the better team.

The Badgers used a steady, pass-first offense and its usual suffocating perimeter defense to bury Michael Beasley University here in the first game of the Omaha Regional's second round 72-55.

Continue reading "Omaha Regional- Wisconsin constricts the Cats, 72-55." »

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 07:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE.-- As you can tell by this picture, the blood-loving media just LOVE when there's an injury. Notice all the cameras pointed at Kansas State's Bill Walker as he lay on the floor?

(What is this, Princess Di or something? Tame your cameras paparazzi)

Wisconsin does what they like to do, squeeze the life out of people. They bled the clock down to the four minute mark and hold an insurmountable 72-53 lead. That loud slamming sound you just heard was the sound of a door slamming.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

OMAHA, NE.-- As an unbiased observer in the game, I gotta say, it looks like Kansas State is getting the shaft on a handful of calls in this second half so far. They've been whistled for eight fouls, while Udub has just four.

But I will say that double-technical call was warranted, Bill Walker appeared to be innocent, but I've noticed he's been hacking and hand-checking a bit more than should be allowed. Still, these calls need to even out a bit for the Cats.

(Bill Walker giving the zebra the business after a questionable double-technical)

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE.-- Apparently the governor of the great state of Kansas, Kathleen Sebilius, is a K-State fan, as you can tell by her purple attire for today's game:

(the governor of Kansas getting interviewed by a writer that just won't leave her alone to enjoy the game)

My guess is that she'll be changing to a blue blazer for game two today.The honorable gov is sitting in the first row right behind the two rows of press peeps.

It's now Wisconsin 49-35 on the strength of a 3-point jumper by Trevon Hughes. He's making up for that last ill-advised rush at the end of the first half.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

OMAHA, NE.-- As the Badgers were exiting through the bowels of the stadium, one of the UW players said this to another player regarding Trevon Hughes' length-of-the-court drive and subsequent three-point attempt at the end of the first half.

(Coach Ryan, so angry his eyes are devil red, consults with Hughes about his last second shot to end the half)

At the half it's Wisconsin 39, Kansas State 33. But really, it's Udub's three-point shooter 21, Beasley 17. THAT'S the story of the first half of the game. Overall, the Badgers are 7-for-15 from beyond the arc while KSU is 0-for-4, choosing to pound the ball inside instead. State has 24 points in the paint, UW has just 10. KSU is also leading the rebounding at 17-12.

Wisconsin has to like the pace of the game so far, however.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 05:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE.-- It's now 26-18 at the 6:36 mark .

But during the previous timeout, while the Cats were huddling, Michael Beasley was way down at the end of the bench getting his left ankle re-taped. He hasn't looked gimpy or anything - to say the least - but it's something to keep in mind as the game goes on.

(Beasley getting a quick tape job during a timeout)

Meanwhile, Beasley is 4-for-9 with 10 points and the rest of the Cats are 2-for-10. Wisky is now 4-for-10 from three point land and their ball movement has been incredible. If Bohannon heats up, look out.

Also, there have been some huge ovations from the Badger fans for Krabbenhof, Stiemsma and Butch every time they've come out of the game. Their fans are saavy enough to know they are the key to containing Beasley.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 04:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE.-- Wisconsin either seems alright with Michael Beasley getting his points or they can't stop him, because he's slashed, dashed aand fallaway jumpered to eight of his teams points and taken seven of the Cats' 13 offensive shots.

But UW just hit another and got an old school three-point play by Greg Stiemsma to surge ahead 16-12.

(Look at all the different types of shoes that K-State players wear. Does Nike approve?)

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, NE.-- Today is day two of the Omaha Regional and the two biggest questions going into today's action have to be...

1- Will K-State revert to typical freshman form and play great one day, but awful the next?
When you consider they'll be going against the best defensive team in the country in Wisconsin, this could be the case.

2- Will Kansas be pushed at all by the much-shorter, matchup-challenged UNLV Walkin' Rebs?

Judging by the looks of things, my guess is that Kansas will come out looking better than anybody in today's action. Just my hunch of course.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 03:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK - We're on our in-between day here in Le Petite Roche and Miami players and coach Frank Haith are starting their press room/locker room interviews. They will be followed by Texas at 2:15 local time; then Mississippi State at 3:10 and finally Memphis at 3:50.

All practices are closed today at the arena.

We'll plan on filing a column over at the Hang Time blog late this afternoon. if any news breaks here, we'll also be on top of that. In the meantime, enjoy the live-blogging here as half the Sweet 16 is filled out today. We'd also encourage you to check out Jerry Palm's Hang Time re-cap of his off-day game watching. The Palmist captured a wild day form the perspective a bar-sitter and he did it quite well.

Enjoy the action.

Posted by David Scott at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Senior guard David Goldbold scored 25 points, provided baskets at clutch times and held St. Joseph's leading scorer to just 6 points as Oklahoma defeated Saint Joseph's 72-64 to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma (23-11) will play the winner of the Louisville-Boise State game Sunday.

Continue reading "Goldbold Leads OU Into Second Round" »

Posted by Dan Sellers at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Blake Griffin only had 12 points for Oklahoma,but four of them came when St. Joe's had life left in them. His 2 baskets under the goal took some life out of the St. Joe's surge and preserved a 72-64 win for the Sooners.

Be back with more later...

Posted by Dan Sellers at 09:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - St. Joe's keeps coming. Rob Ferguson just knocked down a 3-pointer and St. Joe's trals by just four points.

3:30 left and it's 65-61 OU. Don't go home just yet....

Posted by Dan Sellers at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - I think I jinxed Oklahoma.

As soon as the last entry was posted, St. Joe's has made a run and just forced OU to burn a timeout. Rob Ferguson and Pat Calathes have nailed 3's during that stretch and SJU has cut it to a 9-point deficit with 10 minutes to go.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - As the clock ticks down here in Birmingham, the Hawks cannot seem to gnaw into the OU lead.

The Sooners lead by 18 with 13 minutes left. The offense continues to escape Phil Martelli's squad, and to make it worse for St. Joe's fans, the Sooners are actually scoring this half.

This one is headed for a blowout...

Posted by Dan Sellers at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - OU's David Godbold put an end to first half that happened primarily under the basket for OU by nailing a trio of three-pointers out of the break. Godbold now has 18 points in the game and has surged the Sooners to a 19-point lead.

If St. Joe's can't find a way to score some points quickly, this one will wind up just like the Butler-South Alabama game we witnessed a few hours ago -- UGLY!

Posted by Dan Sellers at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - As I said earlier, the first half was a battle to 30 and Oklahoma won. The Sooners went on a 14-2 run to close out the half. They lead St. Joe's 34-22.

The Hawks have committed 8 turnovers in the game, and that was a big part of its offensive struggles. They never seemed comfortable. They haven't played bad defense, but it's easy to get behind when you can't score. Those 8 turnovers led to 14 OU points.

Continue reading "Sooners in Control at Half" »

Posted by Dan Sellers at 07:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIMRINGHAM - Omar Leary just made 2 free throws and Blake Griffin converted a layup off a steal and OU is up 7 with just over 3 minutes to go. St. Joseph's has looked really sloppy in the second half of the first half.

Aside from Ferguson, there has been virtually no offense for the Hawks. They're really struggling to get into a rhythm the offensive side of the ball.

As I type, St. Joe's breaks the dry spell, but it was Ferguson who nailed the 18-footer. He now has 13 of the 22 Hawk points. 29-22 after a OU layup with 1:45 left.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Neither side can buy a bucket. Looks like the first half will be a struggle to get to 30. OU up 23-20 with 3:42 left in the half. Longar Longar has 7 points for the Sooners.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - St. Joseph's forward Rob Ferguson is carrying the Hawks at the moment. He has 9 of their 19 points as the Hawks hold a 1-point lead with 7 minutes to go in the first half. The senior is well on his way to his average of 12 points per game.

Very exciting game. Lot of back-and-forth scoring. No team has grabbed a big lead yet.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 07:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - The Sooners and Hawks have opened the game on a fast offensive pace, with OU holding a 12-10 lead 5 minutes in.

Longar Longar has 4 points in the paint for OU, while Austin Johnson has 5. Rob Ferguson has 5 for St. Joe's.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BIRMINGHAM - Game three of first round tournament action in Birmingham is set to tip in 30 minutes.

Six-seed Oklahoma (22-11) will battle 11-seed St. Joseph's (21-12) for the right to play the winner of the Louisville-Boise State game that follows this one.

The Sooners are out stretching now as the fans are starting to trickle into the stands. The Sooners are already the target of some taunting by some St. Joe's fans.

The crowd will likely not be as large or energetic for the second session, because of the school's distance from the Steel City. Louisville is by far the closest team to Birmingham with St. Joe's coming from the Northeast, Oklahoma the Midwest and Boise State clear across the country.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the rest of the night.

Posted by Dan Sellers at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- Here are some final stats and a few thoughts from Purdue's 90-79 win over Baylor:

Continue reading "Baylor-Purdue Stats and Thoughts" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- Despite Curtis Jerrells' 27 points, Purdue wins easily, 90-79, in a game that was not as close as the score indicates. I'll try and get back with you later with some stats, quotes, and closing thoughts.

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- Curtis Jerrells: good. The rest of Baylor: Not that great.

Continue reading "Grin and Bear It" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- The same woman donning a Purdue No. 3 jersey is letting the refs have it over what she perceives is some one-sided officiating.

Continue reading "Purdue Fans: They Don't Like the Ref" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- Baylor's LaceDarius (not a typo) Dunn doesn't want to go quietly.

Continue reading "Baylor Not Quite Dunn" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 04:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- Chris Kramer just blocked a Baylor shot at one end, ran the break, got an offensive rebound, and scored the putback.

Continue reading "Kramer On Both End" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 04:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- With Purdue up 16, it's time to take a look at their fans.

Continue reading "Purdue Fans" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 04:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- I haven't seen any of the games at the other sites, but this half by Purdue had to be the most impressive half of basketball thus far in the 2008 tournament.

Continue reading "" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- First of all, I realized the headline I gave this entry is a pretty forced PUN. I fully intend to make more of them whenever possible. That aside, Purdue cannot, will not miss.

Continue reading "Purdue Approaches Boiling Point" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON -- Welcome back to Verizon Center. The problem with these NCAA first round sites is that to get four games in in one day, the second game of a session and the interviews from the first game basically coincide. But i;m finally back with the Boilermakers leading by 10 with about 10 minutes to go in the first half.

Continue reading "Purdue Making Early Noises" »

Posted by Bailey Heaps at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OMAHA, Ne.-- Just in case this is Portland State's last appearance in the NCAA tournament for 30-some odd years, I thought I'd go ahead and post a picture of them coming out of a huddle. Just to prove they were actually here.

KU is still controlling things and maintaining the pace to their liking.They are a broiling 9-for-16 from beyond the arc and still hitting 55% from the floor overall.

By the way, at the half, I noticed Sasha Kaun had a little hitch in his giddy-up as he gingerly jogged to the locker room. But looks like it's not a problem now as he appears to be playing aggressively on the offensive end.

Darnell Jackson just crushed another dunk and Mario Chalmers hit a driving layup to put KU up 66-42 with seven and a half left.

Posted by Eric Sorenson at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday's action in the NCAA Tournament will get kicked into high gear from the start as the high-octane Tennessee Volunteers will tip things off in Birmingham at 11:15 a.m. ET.

Bruce Pearl's troops will battle No. 15 seed American, who is making its first tourney appearance.

The first session wraps up with an intriguing matchup with perenniel mid-major power Butler taking on 10-seeded South Alabama, who will make a short trip up Interstate 65 to play.

Continue reading "NCAA Tournament Preview: Birmingham" »

Posted by Dan Sellers at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Was it good enough?

The canvas Kansas presented to the NCAA tournament selection committee got its most prominent paint when it defeated Texas in the Big 12 tournament championship game. But for the next 90 minutes, Kansas will wonder whether it was enough to earn a top seed.

Continue reading "Kansas 84, Texas 74" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sherron Collins just iced this game.

As a result, Kansas wins its third consecutive Big 12 tournament title over Texas. The Rock Chalk chant was deafening.

Kansas 84, Texas 74.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After Connor Atchley hit a pair of free throws to cut KU's lead to four, Darnell Jackson stepped in bounds while bringing the ball out.

With 1 minute to go, Kansas 77, Texas 73.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- By my count, Kansas and Texas have changed leads 19 times.

It's been that sort of game.

With 3:35 to go and Kansas with possession, KU 72, Texas 71.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A nice give and go between Brandon Rush and Sasha Kaun didn't net a basket, but it draw Texas forward Connor Atchley's fourth foul.

Atchley hasn't lit it up offensively, but he has done a great job playing defense inside against Kansas' big men. Kaun headed to the line after the break.

NOTED: Attendance for the day was just announced at 19,047.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas guard A.J. Abrams has sandwiched 3-pointers around one by teammate Damion James.

Abrams scored 24 points on Saturday, and he's up to 13 today.

With 7:53 left, Texas 67, Kansas 64.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After Mario Chalmers drilled his seventh 3-pointer of the game, he continued to show the emotion he has much of the game.

Instead of the leg kick or fist pump he used earlier, though, Chalmers ran back to the defensive end of the court, just leaving his right arm and hand elevated above his head, a la White Men Can't Jump.

Chalmers now has 25 points and is getting a quick breather.

With 11:16 to go, Kansas 60, Texas 54.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas and Texas have made it a point this half to establish some sort of an inside game.

Kansas Darrell Arthur drew a second foul on Texas' Connor Atchley, and UT, using back-door passes and nifty dribbling, have forced a pair of fouls on KU inside.

With 15:48 left, UT 49, KU 47.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- That list of 3-pointers Texas and Kansas players have been hitting also comes with an added bonus.

Texas has hit 72.7 percent (8-of-11) of its long-range tries; Kansas is at 60 percent (9-of-15). So it's not like these guys are just airing out junk. Both teams are getting good looks and, more importantly, making them count.

Second half is about to begin.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas and Texas aren't fooling around.

As expected, this matchup is a good one because of the two teams' strengths and their desire to earn that No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Neither are letting fans down.

D.J. Augustin leads all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting (4-of-4 from 3-point range). Kansas' Mario Chalmers, not normally a huge scorer, is only a point back of Augustin, and he's got five 3s. Brandon Rush and Justin Mason have 12 points each for Kansas and Texas, respectively.

Texas' Damion James has also started hot, scoring 10 first half points. For KU, Darrell Arthur also has eight points, and Sasha Kaun has added five rebounds.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas-Texas has turned into a four-man game.

Texas' D.J. Augustin (15 points), and Justin Mason (12) are exchanging shots with Kansas' Mario Chalmers (14) Brandon Rush (12). The four have combined to hit 14 3-pointers.

With 3:00 left in the first, Kansas 42, Texas 38.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Apparently grabbing a Kansas basketball player by the arm with some force is a huge no-no in Bill Self's mind.

Referee Curtis Shaw was trying to instruct KU forward not to knock the ball back after scoring, and with the noise in here, there was no way Arthur was going to hear him. After a timeout on the floor, Arthur began heading back to the bench with his team when Shaw interrupted by grabbing his forearm. It stopped Arthur in his tracks.

Enter Self and assistant coach Joe Dooley, who took turns ripping into Shaw.

With 5:36 left to go, Texas 32, Kansas 32.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The turnover problems continue for Kansas. No. 7 came a moment ago as Sherron Collins basically just dribbled the ball out of bounds.

With 9:15 to go in the first, Texas 24, Texas 21.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas guard Brandon Rush's 28-point performance on Saturday against Texas A&M might have fueled something.

In a little more than 9 minutes against Texas today, Rush is again making himself known. He's got a pair of 3-pointers, and he's taken two other shots that just missed. After coach Bill Self criticized Rush earlier in the season for not taking enough shots, it looks like Rush is finally taking the hint.

Texas, meanwhile, is lucky to only be down three points. Kansas' offense has had four passes sail lazily out of bounds or into the hands of Longhorns.

With 10:55 left in the first, Kansas 21, Texas 18.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas fans are competing with each other, and it's making the Sprint Center as loud as it's been this week.

On one end, every time the Jayhawks make a stop, the place erupts. Offensively, Darrell's Arthur's break-away jam just sent it to another level. Arthur has six points and a pair of boards.

With 14:58 left to go, Kansas 10, Texas 8.

NOTED: I'm not sure anyone in college basketball has more intimidating elbows than Kansas senior Sasha Kaun. He throws those suckers out there when he grabs a rebound. No one wants anything to do with them.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No shockers in the starting lineups.

Texas is going with D.J. Augustin, A.J. Abrams, Damion James Justin Mason and Connor Atchley.

Kansas is countering with Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson, Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackon.

Don't be shocked to see Kansas throwing a slew of players at both D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams. If the two guards heat up, KU would find itself in a world of hurt early on. It could easily override tournament history, which at least recently is in the Jayhawks' favor.

Kansas and Texas have now met in three consecutive Big 12 tournament finals, with KU winning 80-68 in 2006 in Dallas and then 88-84 last season in Oklahoma City.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- T-minus 90 minutes until tip-off in the Big 12 tournament title game, and the Sprint Center consists of every official in house getting ready.

From the red-coated security guards practicing walking to their spots on the foul line during timeouts to a group of seven award recipients at mid-court to ESPN's TV crew setting up shop, there is a different feel to this game already.

Continue reading "Sprint Center bustling on last day of event" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Three consecutive years.

Three consecutive Texas-Kansas matchups in the finals of the Big 12 tournament. Kansas backed up its side of the arrangement by beating Texas A&M 77-71 after Texas smoked Oklahoma in the early game.

Continue reading "Big shocker -- Kansas, Texas to meet in finals" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Russell Robinson made a sweeping lay-in to push Kansas' lead to four points, and Beau Muhlbach missed a 3-point attempt for the Aggies.

Add in a couple of Brandon Rush free throws, and the Jayhawks will move on to meet Texas in the Big 12 tournament finals for the third consecutive year.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With 1:20 left to go, KU is leading 73-66 over Texas A&M.

The Aggies have the ball, and both teams are in the single bonus.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Courtesy of Beau Muhlbach's 3-pointer, Texas A&M now trails Kansas by just two points.

With 5:13 to go, KU 65, A&M 63.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- If you watch any highlight shows tonight, there's a good chance you'll get to see Bryan Davis' 3-pointer.

The 6-foot-9 forward grabbed the ball at the left elbow with time on the shot clock was expiring. In one swift -- well, as swift as a big dude can be -- move, Davis wheeled, threw the ball baseball-style toward the goal.

The ball banked off the glass and went in, bringing Texas A&M fans and Kansas fans alike to their feet.

With 6:38 left, Kansas 63, A&M 57.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On the strength of a 9-0 run, Kansas now has a seven-point lead less than 5 minutes into the second half.

The Jayhawks created three consecutive turnovers from A&M and converted all three into points.

With 15:47 left, KU 46, A&M 39.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A few minutes ago, Kansas guard Mario Chalmers had to leave the game after turning his right ankle on a break-away layup.

Chalmers returned to the game, but only for a couple plays before coming right back out. The absence seems to heavily favor Texas A&M.

The Aggies finished out the first half on a 7-0 run to tie the game.

Kansas' Brandon Rush and A&M's Dominique Kirk each have eight points, to lead all scorers, and A&M's Chinemulu Elonu has seven points and four rebounds.

At halftime: Kansas 34, A&M 34.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas apparently didn't want Texas A&M center DeAndre Jordan playing much.

On four of the last five possessions, the Jayhawks have gone right at the big man. Eventually, KU accomplished it's goal, getting Jordan whistled for his third foul.

With 4:52 left in the first, KU 28, A&M 22.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas freshman Cole Aldrich came to Lawrence under high expectations.

Aldrice, a former McDonald's All-America, continues to show glimpses of what fans want to see. The 6-foot-11 center has six points and a pair of rebounds so far against Texas A&M.

His last two points came on an alley-oop slam from Russell Robinson.

Certainly Aldrich's playing time will continue to increase as older players such as Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun move on, and from the looks of what he's done at times this year, KU fans probably won't be dissapointed.

With 7:29 left, Kansas 23, A&M 20.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Long-time TV and radio commentator Fred White was just introduced during the last media timeout.

White, who has been serving with the ESPN crews for the past several years, is retiring at the end of this season.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas big man Darrell Arthur headed to the bench after getting called for his second foul of the game.

Depending on how Sasha Kaun, Darnell Jackson and Cole Aldrich play here, we might not see him for the rest of the half.

Granted, if this place stays as loud as it was after a Brandon Rush break-away dunk, the Jayhawks might not need him.

With 10:33 to go, Kansas 19, Texas A&M 16.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- At the first media timeout, Texas A&M holds an early lead over second-seeded Kansas.

The Aggies have utilized strong inside play on both ends, and the Jayhawks have yet to get going.

With 15:50 left in the first, A&M 9, KU 5.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A.J. Abrams made D.J. Augustin's 17 points look as quiet as they could.

Abrams finished off the game -- and Oklahoma -- with 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting. He nailed seven 3s, and bigger yet, did so every time Texas needed a boost. The points helped turn a halftime nail-biter into a post-break laugher.

Continue reading "Abrams keys Texas-sized victory" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Barring the greatest comeback in the history of any sport, Texas is going to advance to the finals of the Big 12 tournament against the winner of Kansas-Texas A&M.

The Longhorns have a 26-point lead with 1 minute left to play. Thankfully, Oklahoma isn't fouling.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- D.J. Augustin just came out of the game after hitting the deck hard while making a jumper in the lane.

He made the ensuing free throw, but coach Rick Barnes quickly got his star on the bench and out of harm's way. Even that, though, probably won't be enough for the Sooners.

With 7:15 to go, Texas 66, Oklahoma 47.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A.J. Abrams and Co. are starting to take advantage of what looks like Oklahoma running out of steam.

The Longhorns have held a double-digit lead the last several minutes. Abrams leads all scorers with 18, and OU coach Jeff Capel is giving Blake Griffin (16 points) a bit of a rest.

With 11:01 left, Texas 54, OU 42.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas' A.J. Abrams is turning this into a personal battle between he and OU's Blake Griffin.

Abrams has added two 3-pointers this half to the three he had in the first and now has 16 points in the game.

With 15:59 left, UT 42, OU 36.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma's Blake Griffin is quickly becoming a favorite here at the Sprint Center.

Griffin earned his double-double about a minute into the second half when he grabbed his tenth rebound -- and his fifth on the offensive end. The board came off his own miss, and he quickly went back up for two more points.

After another rebound on the defensive end on Texas' ensuing possession, he now has 14 points and 11 rebounds.

With 17:55, OU 36, UT 36.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas' offense is starting to fire up.

At the half, the Longhorns already have guard A.J. Abrams (you know, that other really good guard in burnt orange) in double digits. Abrams has hit a trio of 3-pointers. Damion James has added eight, Aliexis Wangmene has seven and D.J. Augustin has six.

Oklahoma's Blake Griffin has already played two more minutes than he did during all of yesterday's game against Colorado, and he's making the most of it. The frosh has 10 points and nine rebounds, as well as the previously mentioned swat block that ended up in press row.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- This is not what we saw yesterday from Oklahoma.

The Sooners -- a team built on defense -- are moving the ball as well as they have all season. Blake Griffin has a pair of thunderous dunks (one off an alley-oop from Austin Johnson).

Texas, on the other hands, has already got two 3-pointers from A.J. Abrams.

With 6:10 left in the first, Texas 23, OU 22.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It's still early, but Oklahoma is holding on to a small advantage here at the Sprint Center.

While OU guard Tony Crocker has a game-high six points, the story so far has been freshman big man Blake Griffin. He's already blocked a shot into press row and is showing a good first step with the ball when he's posting up.

His work without the ball has been solid thus far, too.

With 11:19 left in the first, OU 13, UT 12.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma seems to have shaken off some of the sluggishness it played with on Friday, and it at the first media timeout holds a lead over top-seeded Texas.

OU guard Tony Crocker already has six points, and fellow backcourter Cade Davis hit an open 3-pointer.

With 15:54 left in the first half, OU 11, Texas 6.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- I've already talked this week about the rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma.

Guess it's fitting then that today we find ourselves in the position of watching the two teams match up for a chance to play in the Big 12 championship game.

Continue reading "Red River, Kansas City style" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Dominique Carter wanted to ensure Texas A&M's spot in the NCAA tournament.

The Texas A&M senior score 19 points, including two huge 3-pointers in the second half, to push the Aggies past the No. 3 seeded Kansas State Wildcats 63-60.

Continue reading "A&M advances, K-State's seed drops" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas State got two attempts, one to win the game and one to send it to overtime.

Both failed.

A&M won 63-60 at the Sprint Center and will advance to play Kansas in the semifinals Saturday.

Kansas State's Jacob Pullen missed a 3-pointer as time expired, ending the game.

The Wildcats' first try came after they got the rebound off a missed A&M shot attempt and called timeout with 20 seconds left to set up a winning shot attempt. Michael Beasley's layup attempt bounced off the rim, and A&M's Josh Carter hit two free throws to make it a 3-point game.

K-State is the lone favorite to lose today.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- K-State has been doing everything right for the past two minutes.

Rebounding, shooting, playing defense hustling to loose balls, you name it. This crowd is louder than during any time of the Kansas-Nebraska game. It's clear the KSU fans want to lock up a good NCAA tournament bid.

With 3:49 left, K-State 57, A&M 56.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Thursday night, several Texas A&M players talked about how eager they were to play tonight's game.

They were demolished by K-State when the teams met in January. It also appears they want a chance at getting back at Kansas, too.

Led by back-to-back 3-pointers by Dominique Kirk, the Aggies have expanded their lead back to seven points.

With 7:25 left, A&M 55, K-State 48.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The natives were getting restless, booing at practically every call and getting highly frustrated with Kansas State. They don't want to be the only higher seed to fall today here at the Big 12 tournament.

It took all of a minute for all of that to change. Kansas State is still trailing by five, but considering they were looking at a double-digit disadvantage, they'll surely take it.

With 11:42 left, Texas A&M 47, K-State 42.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- We all know Michael Beasley can score. Duh.

But on one Texas A&M possession, the 6-foot-10 frosh blocked two shots. The first came right at my spot on press row, and I had one of the best views of the mid-air collision between K-State's Bill Walker and A&M's Josh Carter.

With 16:43 left, A&M 40, K-State 35.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The back and forth between K-State and Texas A&M appears to be starting.

A&M led by as many as six, the Wildcats led by two and now the Aggies are up five again.

KSU's Michael Beasley has 14 points, and A&M's Dominique Kirk has 12.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The back and forth between K-State and Texas A&M appears to be starting.

A&M led by as many as six, the Wildcats led by two and now the Aggies are up five again.

KSU's Michael Beasley has 14 points, and A&M's Dominique Kirk has 12.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Just in case any of you were wonder if K-State and soon-to-be No. 1 pick Michael Beasley lost anything during his five days between games.

Nope.

In 13 minutes, the 6-foot-10 stopover has 13 points.

With 6 minutes left in the first, K-State 28, Texas A&M 26.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On Darren Kent's 3-pointer, Kansas State has tied the game 26-26 with 7:41 left in the first half.

Momentum, and certainly a semi-hometown crowd, are on the Wildcats' side.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Third-seeded Kansas State appears to be having the same type of early problems Kansas did with Nebraska in the previous game.

The Wildcats trounced Texas A&M in January in Manhattan. So far tonight, the Aggies are controlling this one.

With 11:44 left in the opening half, Texas A&M 18, Kansas State 14.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Envy comes in many forms.

For teams not located in Lawrence, Kansas, it also comes with two names -- Sherron Collins and Sasha Kaun. The pair of former starters turned reserves were as big a reason as any why the Jayhawks climbed out of an early hole against Nebraska and eventually won 64-54.

"You could make a case tonight, they were our best two players," KU coach Bill Self said.

Continue reading "Kansas 64, Nebraska 54" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Well, apparently the game is over.

The Kansas fans have started the "Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk" chant, their traditional symbol meaning end-game. Technically, there are 37.6 seconds left, but with KU up 62-52, it's pretty much done with.

Wrap-up post to follow.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas' Sharron Collins was just fouled while making a break-away layup, and apparently the points were good enough.

Collins walked over to Ade Dagunduro -- the player who fouled him -- and immediately started gabbing. After a referee tried unsuccessfully to calm Collins down, he slapped him with the technical. Somewhere in the mix, the Nebraska bench did something to warrant a technical.

We have free throws from both teams coming up.

With 1:19 left, Kansas 58, Nebraska 48.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas has a solid seven point lead at the last media timeout, and whether or not the Jayhawks advance to Saturday's semifinals will likely depend on free throw shooting.

So far, Kansas is 13-of-17 from the line, and three starters are perfect from the charity stripe.

With 3:25 to go, Kansas 53, Nebraska 46.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- KU got a 3-pointer from Brandon Rush earlier this half, but for the most part, Kansas' points during it's second-half run have come from inside.

Now, it appears the Jayhawks are going to continue to push the ball there time after time in order to get some of the Nebraska players into foul problems. Darnell Jackson has already had one trip to the free-throw line, is headed back for a second, and Sasha Kaun and Darrell Arthur also have a trip.

With 11:49 to go, Kansas 40, Nebraska 36.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas' players are beginning to smile, and that might not be a good thing for Nebraska.

Since the start of the second half, when Nebraska led 27-22, KU has been extremely active on both ends of the floor and in the transition. It is, in part, thanks to a 12-4 run to open the second half.

With 14:30 left in the game, Kansas 34, Nebraska 31.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- This Sprint Center crowd -- the majority of which are decked in Kansas blue -- are waiting to go nuts.

So far, about the best they've had is a self-created "Let's go Jayhawks" chant. KU has had flashes of playing like it has most of the year, but for the most part, Nebraska is the team playing solid basketball.

Because of it, the Huskers are up five points at halftime.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Coaches at the Big 12 tournament have spent the past day and a half talking about energy.

Kansas, after coming out flat against Nebraska, certainly just got a shot of it in the arm.

Huskers center Aleks Maric went up for a dunk a few moments ago, only to be denied by 6-foot-1 Kansas guard Mario Chalmers. While Nebraska would eventually score the next bucket, Chalmers then converted a layup on the other end. The Jayhawks will need much more of the same if it wants to win this game.

Nebraska is definitely here to play.

With 3:20 left in the first half, Nebraska 23, Kansas 18.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas forward Darrell Arthur just got owned by a 5-foot-7 dude -- named Cookie.

Arthur was attempting to throw an outlet pass to one of his guards when Nebraska's Cookie Miller broke up the pass. It originally came right back to Arthur, and when the big man tried to throw the outlet again, Miller jumped high enough to keep Arthur -- all 6 feet, 9 inches of him -- from throwing it high enough.

Miller batted the ball back toward the Kansas bench, beat Arthur to the ball and then -- after Arthur knocked Miller to the deck -- the referee called the ball out on Kansas. Not a bad exchange for Nebraska, and it was enough for Kansas coach Bill Self to pull Arthur from the game out of frustration for a second time.

With 10:42 left, Kansas 11, Nebraska 10.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas and Nebraska aren't lighting up the scoreboard, and it's not simply because they aren't hitting shots.

Neither team can seem to hold on to the ball. Kansas forward Darrell Arthur has had the ball fly out of his hands twice after receiving it in the post; guard Mario Chalmers had it go into the Nebraska bench while he wasn't being guarded and Nebraska big man Aleks Maric -- normally sure-handed, has had two balls go off his hands and out of bounds while he was under the basket.

With 14:05 left in the first half, Kansas 7, Nebraska 5.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No. 2 seed Kansas is moments from trying to prove to the rest of the Big 12 it deserved to be called co-champions.

The Jayhawks missed out on the top seed for the event by losing its head-to-head matchup with Texas, but that didn't stop the conference from awarding KU a trophy. Kansas will take it, but what it really on the line for KU this weekend is probably much more important.

Continue reading "Kansas-Nebraska minutes from tip" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jeff Capel wasn't blowing smoke after his team defeated No. 12-seeded Colorado a little bit ago.

"I don't think we played well," Capel said after Oklahoma beat Colorado 54-49. "But this time of the year, it's about surviving and advancing."

Continue reading ""Surviving and advancing"" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Despite 18 points from Colorado senior Richard Roby, Oklahoma has polished off the Buffaloes 54-49 in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.

The Sooners will play Texas in the semifinals on Saturday.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Colorado's Marcus Hall hit a 3-pointer to make this a two-point game.

With 30.2 left, Oklahoma 51, Colorado 49.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Colorado's Jermyl Jackson-Wilson didn't have his best game, and now he has fouled out with 5:52 left.

Jackson-Wilson had two points and five rebounds, and his main contribution was again on defense.

Junior Taylor Griffin hit the ensuing pair of free throws, and with 5:41 left, Oklahoma leads 43-39.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Blake Griffin is a freshman. Freshman often do odd things.

But I would hope Oklahoma's coaching staff would realize the problems he was just having. With about 9 minutes left against Colorado, Griffin's right shoe came off while he was running back toward the defensive side of the court.

He played a defensive possession without it and then posted up on offense, waiting for the ball. When coach Jeff Capel finally called a timeout for him, Griffin sat on the bench for a number of minutes attempting to get the knot out of his laces -- with his teeth.

Griffin is just now getting his shoe back on and should check back in shortly.

With 6:45 left, Oklahoma 41, Colorado 37.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Colorado senior Richard Roby didn't have the season he hoped the Buffaloes would.

But as solace, Roby will not depart Boulder as the leading scorer in history. The 6-foot-6 senior has 13 points in today's game against Oklahoma and has surpassed Donnie Brooks for the all-time lead at Colorado. Roby now has 1,996 career points.

Meanwhile, OU is holding onto a four-point lead.

With 15:01 lef, OU 32, CU 28.

EDIT: Roby has since hit a 3-pointer and now needs one point to reach 2,000 for his career.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No one thought it was going to be a pretty game.

But why should it be? Oklahoma hasn't played pretty basketball all season. The Sooners are doing what they do best, though: imitate Bob Stoops' football Sooners.

Physical play is going to start taking its toll on the Buffaloes. Longar Longar is pounding the defensive glass and Blake Griffin is doing so on the offensive end. The pair are probably going to really being overmatching Colorado's big men.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- What originally looked like a blowout in the making has turned into another close one here at the Sprint Center.

Neither team is shooting all that well -- Colorado at 37 percent; Oklahoma at 32 percent.

With 3:40 left in the first half, OU 20, Colorado 17.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Longar Longar may not be that old, but I'm pretty sure he watched a lot of old '80s music videos.

Longar, Oklahoma's 6-foot-11 center, is rocking some socks that, when extended, may traverse half the court. He's got them bunched around his ankles, nearly making him appear to have on ankle weights.

With 11:45 left, Oklahoma 12, Colorado 9.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- At the first media timeout, Oklahoma is looking very much like a top-four seed.

Colorado, well, the Buffaloes are looking like the worst team in the Big 12 again. Four Sooners have already contributed with points while CU is 0-of-4 from the floor.

With 15:21 left in the first half, Oklahoma 10, Colorado 0.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When Texas has a lead late, it doesn't lose. We all know that.

But what was impressive about the Longhorns on Friday was the team's ability to shut Oklahoma State down in the beginning of the second half in order to gain that lead.

Continue reading "Texas feeling the love" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Top-seeded Texas has finished off Oklahoma State 66-59.

The Longhorns will move on to face the winner of the Oklahoma-Colorado game on Saturday.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma State is now fouling to stop the clock.

With 40.5 seconds left, Texas 64, OSU 57.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Just as I thought Texas was going to wrap this up, Oklahoma State has hit three 3-pointers in the last two minutes, closing the gap to three points.

With 3:25 left, Texas 58, OSU 55.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas is not extending it's lead, but it certainly isn't giving up any ground.

All the while, the Longhorns are running clock. We've got just under 6 minutes left in the game, and we just hit our under-8 media timeout. Basically, D.J. Augustin is being allowed to dribble time off because Oklahoma State's Byron Eaton already has four fouls.

With 5:47 left, Texas 56, Oklahoma State 46.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- OSU's Ibrahima Thomas' free throws off a technical foul just marked the Cowboys' first points of the second half.

During the span -- 6 minutes, 28 seconds -- Texas turned went from down a point to up by 11. If Oklahoma State doesn't make a run soon, this one could get ugly.

With 13:32 to go, Texas 46, Oklahoma State 35.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- D.J. Augustin is one of those players who makes it look so easy.

In 1:20 of play in the second half, Augustin already has five points, a steal and an assist. The seven-point stretch has put the Longhorns back on top, and it's all thanks to the super-talented sophomore.

Methinks within a week of Texas' season ending -- which might not be for some time -- we'll finally here word out of Austin, Texas that Augustin is declaring for the draft.

With 18:40 left, Texas 39, Oklahoma State 33.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma State is making this one heck of a game, despite the best efforts of UT point guard D.J. Augustin.

Augustin has pushed his point total to 12, joining teammate Damion James (13) in double figures. For Oklahoma State, it's still all about freshman Ibrahima Thomas. He ended the first half with 15 points and five rebounds. Three of his boards came on the offensive end.

The first five minutes of the second half will be key, if for no other reason we'll see if the Cowboys can maintain this intensity for more than the first half.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The look on Byron Eaton's face said it all for Oklahoma State.

Texas forward Damion James just drilled his third 3 of the game, and like the other two, it came over the top of an outstretched OSU defender's hand. Didn't matter.

James appears prepared to make the battle between he and OSU's Ibrahima Thomas a good one.

With 8:34 to go in the first half, James 13, Thomas 12 (Texas 23, OSU 20).

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas freshman forward Gary Johnson was just helped off the floor by a trainer with a right ankle injury.

Johnson got tangled up while battling for a rebound with Oklahoma State forward Marcus Dove. Trainers now hoave Johnson's shoe off and are attempting to determine the severity of the injury.

With 12:15 to go in the first half, OSU 14, UT 13.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma State's Ibrahima Thomas is starting today's game against Texas similar to how he did early in Thursday's game against Texas Tech.

The freshman is being extremely active around both baskets -- he has a pair a rebounds and was just fouled while making a layup. The problem against the Red Raiders, though, was he didn't stick around long enough to make an impact. Coach Sean Sutton limited him to 15 minutes, during which he was 3-of-4 from the field and had five rebounds.

Today appears to be a different story. He just knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers -- something we didn't see Thursday -- and has 10 points and three rebounds.

With 13:45 to go in the first half, Oklahoma State 13, Texas 11.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Everyone got a good chuckle out of the inflatable Baylor mascot, Judge, Thursday at the Big 12 tournament.

The 9 1/2 foot bear just cleared rims, and he even did that crazy, walk-on-his-head deal. I laughed.

But Oklahoma State's Cowboy, complete with the oversize head, just scares me. I can deal with the chaps and the leather vest and even white bandana hanging out of his back pocket (whose gang's color is white? not scary). But that oversized head. Seriously, I might have nightmares tonight.

His face looks like he spent about 35 hours in a tanning bed, and the stubble just came from being too sensitive to shave afterward.

Shivers.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On Thursday, the Big 12 tournament was full of close games.

Oklahoma State beat Texas Tech by four points. Colorado beat Baylor by seven. Nebraska beat Missouri by five. And Texas A&M beat Iowa State by 13, but did not pull away until the final two minutes.

Continue reading "Big 12: Crowds should be bigger -- will the wins?" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon said on multiple occasions he didn't want to make any excuses for his team's less-than-stellar performance in the Aggies' 60-47 victory over Iowa State.

But given the circumstances, it's hard not to give this team some slack for struggling against the 11th-seeded Cyclones.

Turgeon announced after his team's game that Sandra Sloan, the mother of guard Donald Sloan, died early Thursday morning. Additionally, starting forward DeAndre Jordan is still in the hospital after suffering what was originally diagnosed as food poisoning.

Continue reading "A&M's struggles defined" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While there is technically still a few seconds left in the Texas A&M-Iowa State game, this one is, for all intents and purposes, over.

With 36.1 seconds left, A&M 56, ISU 47.

Wrap-up post to follow.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Twice tonight, Iowa State fans have made it a point to mock Texas A&M's long-standing yell leader traditional chants and dance.

The first time was sort of humorous, as it was just an older ISU fan doing it by himself. The second time, the Cyclone band started in, doing the "Hokey Pokey."

No, it's not that I'm an A&M fan or any kind of stuck-up. It's just that I'm pretty sure those five yell leaders, the ones who all look like they could pick up and throw my Grand Am, could take your entire band, trombones and all.

Just something to think about.

Oh, and with 2:07 left, A&M 50, Iowa State 40.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas A&M has struggled to put away Iowa State, but it looks like we might finally have a game in the Big 12 tournament not decided in the last minute of play.

With 3:23 left, A&M 48, Iowa State 37.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas A&M forward Joseph Jones isn't exactly putting together a mind-blowing stat line tonight against Iowa State.

But he's been key defensively, helping the Aggies guard mid-range jumpers, as well as around the basket. However, Jones will spend some time on the bench with five points and four rebounds after picking up a silly foul after Iowa State had already grabbed a defensive rebound.

With 8:56 left, A&M 40, ISU 33.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Iowa State, after baskets on three of its last four possessions, has put a shot of HGH into its shooting percentage, which now stands at 27 percent.

The buckets have helped the Cyclones climb to within six points, and after an offensive foul called on Texas A&M's Elonu Chinemulu, ISU has the ball.

With 11:56 left, Texas A&M 37, Iowa State 31.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- What's worse? The fact that Iowa State shot 21 percent (8-of-38) through 3-plus minutes of the second half?

Or is it the fact the Cyclones trail Texas A&M by just six points?

With 15:33 left, Texas A&M 29, Iowa State 23.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Iowa State's entire first half could be defined in a 30-second span just moments ago.

The microcosm included four Cyclone shots, all within three feet of the basket.

All four of them hit rim and bounced out.

Continue reading "Oklahoma, your record is safe ... barely" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- New rule for teams in the Big 12 basketball tournament: No watching a game in part or its entirety when your team is about to play.

Case in point, Iowa State's Wesley Johnson just hit a beautiful 3-point and the ISU fans went nuts. But they were almost doing it out of relief. Even after Johnson's make, the Cyclones are just 5-of-24 from the field. That's 21 percent for those of you without calculators.

With 6:30 left in the first half: Texas A&M 14, Iowa State 12.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The post-game news conferences from the Nebraska-Missouri game ran a bit late, so let me get you up to speed.

With 11:33 left, Texas A&M is up 10-7 on 11th-seeded Iowa State.

Aggies forward/center Joseph Jones leads all scorers with four points; teammate Donald sloan has already grabbed three rebounds. For Iowa State, Craig Brackins is leading the way with three points and a pair of rebounds.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Nebraska coach Doc Sadler and Missouri athletics director Mike Alden saw the same thing on the court tonight.

Their feeling on it obviously different.

On one hand, Sadler praised his defensive effort, one that included holding Missouri to 31.6 percent from the field during the Huskers' 61-56 victory in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.

Continue reading "Nebraska-Missouri recap" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Nebraska has finally finished off Missouri, and, like the rest of today's games, it took until the final moments to do so.

Missouri missed a pair of shot attempts, and Nebraska his a pair of free throws with 9 seconds left to ice the game.

Nebraska 61, Missouri 56.

More to come.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- I said earlier in the day the Big 12 conference wanted all of their games to be as close as the Texas Tech-Oklahoma State game.

While that is in no way inaccurate, the league is close to getting another added dream come true.

Missouri has pulled within one point of Nebraska and with a win would earn a trip to play Kansas tomorrow. The league has already seen major boosts in interests of the two schools with last fall's football success. But when the two teams are playing basketball in a big game, it's a thing of beauty.

With 1:29 left, Nebraska, 57, Missouri 56.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri continues to be pesky, both through it's full-court presses and it's ability to stay in this first-round tournament game against Nebraska.

Following a Matt Lawrence 3-pointer, Nebraska leads by just four points after moments ago appearing to be ready to pull away for good.

With 6:54 left, Nebraska 49, Missouri 45.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Nebraska's fans at the Sprint Center have come to life after the last several minutes, a span capped by center Alex Maric's dunk.

The slam put the Huskers ahead by nine points and continued a streak of Nebraska's shooting slowing improving throughout the game. Missouri just got two free throws from Keon Lawrence, but it appears Nebraska might start to pull away.

With 13:55, Nebrask 41, Missouri 34.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- There was a story in a southern newspaper recently how the coaching staffs at Texas and Oklahoma were actually pretty good friends, golf partners, actually.

From people I know south of here, the story didn't go over real well in either state.

I'm not sure if Kansas and Kansas State fans are quite to the hatred level of the Red River Rivalry or not (in my opinion Kansas-Missouri is a bigger rivalry). But I do know that K-State coach Frank Martin joking around with the Kansas assistants -- including Danny Manning -- just a bit ago in the back hallways of the Sprint Center isn't probably what fans of either team expect to see...

Continue reading "Dirty secrets -- Kansas-Kansas State" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- I've been told by a reporter on the Missouri beat that this type of performance is pretty much what Missouri fans have been accustomed to all season.

The Tigers run their tails off on defense, throw up a few 3s on offense and just pretty much hope for the best. Well, that method definitely applies today, too.

Continue reading "Lights out -- seriously, turn the lights out" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One nameless fan just said it best -- Do neither Nebraska nor Missouri want to play second-seeded Kansas tomorrow.

The reason was simple. Missouri started the game just 2-of-9 from the field; Nebraska was slightly better at 3-of-9. Had it not been for back-to-back 3s from the Tigers, I'm sure the boo birds might have started raining.

With 14:19 left in the first half, Missouri 10, Nebraska 6.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- I'm not a big fan of criticizing cheerleaders. I'm sort of the indifferent type.

But I can understand why the Missouri cheerleaders have been snickering at Nebraska's. Specifically, what the Beautiful Girls from the Land of Corn are wearing.

Continue reading "Cheerleader brawl abrewin?" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Scott Drew isn't one for extremes, but he couldn't help but alter one opinion after his Baylor team lost to Colorado.

Specifically, Drew was asked about his team's chances for making the NCAA tournament.

Continue reading "Baylor aftermath" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Colorado overcame poor free-throw shooting and a big Baylor run in the second half and overtime before finally upsetting the Bears 89-84 in double overtime.

The win mean the Buffaloes become the first No. 12 seed in the Big 12 tournament to win a game.

Colorado's Richard Roby led all scorers with 32 points while adding 12 rebounds. Teammate Marcus Hall added 25.

More to come.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Colorado guard Marcus Hall got another chance to end the game at the end of an overtime period against Baylor.

But just as his first buzzer beater failed, so did the second. Now, attrition may start to factor in. Three Buffaloes have four fouls, and three Bears have three or more.

Start of second overtime, Colorado 74, Baylor 74.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Henry Dugat's transition lay-up with just under 1 minute to go in overtime has given Baylor its first lead since the opening minutes of the first half.

With 52 seconds left in overtime, Baylor 72, Colorado 71.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- We have free basketball at the Sprint Center as Baylor has come back from a double-digit deficit.

Colorado had a shot attempt at the buzzer to win, but Marcus Hall's attempt clanked off the front of the rim.

Colorado 65, Baylor 65.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Until a few moments ago, it wasn't clear if there were more than just a few Baylor fans here.

Thanks to Colorado's free-throw shooting problems, the Sprint Center sounds like Waco North. Colorado has missed six of its 11 free throws in this half; several of the misses have come in the last few minutes.

Instead of building or even hanging onto what had been a double-digit lead for most of the half, Colorado is now up 2 points with Baylor about to shoot two free throws of its own.

With 2:54 left, Colorado 61, Baylor 59.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Baylor is finally starting to look like the team it did earlier in the year.

The Bears have finally trimmed Colorado's lead to just eight points following Tweety Carter's wide-open 3-pointer. CU led by twice that for much of the half.

With 6:47 left, Colorado 60, Baylor 52.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Colorado is more than willing to miss a few shots this half in lieu of continuing to take some serious time off the clock.

In their last five possessions, Colorado has attempted just one shot when there was more than 6 seconds remaining on the shot clock, and that lone attempt was a put-back.

The Buffaloes are still shooting 58 percent for the game; meanwhile, Baylor is shooting just 43 percent.

With 11:32 left, Colorado 53, Baylor 42.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Colorado is showing it wasn't a one-half wonder.

The Buffaloes have only scored two baskets early in the second half, but one was an electrifying dunk by Cory Higgins and the second was a sleak spin move by Richard Roby, a play on which Roby was fouled and still has a free throw to shoot.

With 15:43 to go, Colorado 46, Baylor 34.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first thing you need to know about the Big 12 tournament is that a No. 12 seed has never won a game.

Zero wins in 10 tries.

It just hasn't happened.

Continue reading "Colorado trying to make history" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It's clear Baylor thinks it can simply line up and out-shoot Colorado.

Problem is, that hasn't happened so far.

The Buffaloes have made 6-of-9 3-pointers while Baylor coach Scott Drew has stuck to his zone defense. When Baylor finally did push the zone out some to defend the 3, Colorado's Richard Roby hit one anyway. One CU's next possession, with the zone further extended, it got a wide-open dunk from Marcus-King Stockton.

With 4:47 remaining in the first half, Colorado 32, Baylor 24.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- All season, Baylor has been committed to the 3-point shot.

The Bears had more long-range shots attempts (671 -- 22 per game) than any other team in the Big 12, and their percentage (38.6) was second only to Kansas. It shouldn't be much of a surprise then that Baylor is going deep again today against Colorado.

BU has already attempted nine 3-point attempts, making four of them.

With 9:39 left in the first half, Baylor 18, Colorado 14.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- More than a few of the conversations in the tunnels around the Sprint Center floor have included Baylor.

Do the Bears, who finished the regular season at 21-9 overall and 9-7 in the Big 12, already deserve a spot in the NCAA tournament? Conventional wisdom based on the history of the league would say so.

Continue reading "Baylor-Colorado underway" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No one is going to confuse Oklahoma State's Byron Eaton with Texas' D.J. Augustin.

Augustin has picked up the nickname "The Closer," courtesy of his late-game stability. But on Thursday, Eaton was pretty good at the same trait.

Continue reading "OSU-TTU wrap-up" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma State's NCAA tournament hopes aren't gone just yet.

The Cowboys, on the strength of several key baskets in the final 2 minutes, beat Texas Tech 76-72 in the Big 12 tournament opener. OSU (17-14) will move on to play No. 1 seed Texas on Friday at 11:30 p.m.

Texas Tech (16-15) will now await word on one of the two secondary NCAA tournaments, the NIT and the CBI.

More to come.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One thing's for sure: The Big 12 Conference would love each of it's 11 tournament games to be as close as this one.

Texas Tech and Oklahoma have traded blows, and there have been nearly 20 lead changes.

With 3:14 left in the game, Oklahoma State 69, Texas Tech 68.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas Tech is getting a huge boost right now from sophomore forward Trevor Cook.

The 6-foot-8 sophomore scored just two points in the first half. In less than 10 minutes during the second, though, Cook already has 13 points. He's hit all three 3-pointers he's taken, and including free throws, is a perfect 6-for-6 shooting this half.

With 10:54 left, Texas Tech 57, Oklahoma State 56.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first half of the Oklahoma State-Texas Tech game was slow and deceptively controlled.

The beginning of the second half has been anything but. Both teams have started to push the ball upcourt at a quicker pace, and both teams have already decided to start airing out open looks at 3s. Texas Tech's Trevor Cook hit back-to-back long balls, and OSU guard Byron Eaton seems to be feeling few effects of that minor wrist injury he sustained in the opening half.

Eaton is handling the ball well and has contributed a 3-pointer of his own.

With 15:36 left in the game, Oklahoma State 45, Texas Tech 44.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sean Sutton either thought star point guard Byron Eaton's wrist was causing too many problems or he just wanted to get the junior a rest. Either way, taking him out seems to have worked.

Eaton did not play the last 3:38 of the first half. When he left, the Cowboys trailed by four points.

However, at the break, OSU is now up 36-32 after a 13-5 run.

Continue reading "No Byron, no problem" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma State point guard Byron Eaton is clutching at his right wrist and is in obvious pain.

Play was stopped momentarily for him, but he stayed in the game. The only noticeable effect so far is an apparent inability to dribble to his right at 100 percent. For now, Cowboys coach Sean Sutton seems content to let Eaton dribble with his left hand.

With 3:38 left in the first half, Texas Tech 27, Oklahoma State 23.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- College basketball referees are supposed to be unheard and unseen.

My only exception to that is when they are funny.

Continue reading "Great referee-player exchange" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Despite a sloppy start, one that forced Texas Tech coach Pat Knight to call a timeout, the Red Raiders have surged in the last 4 minutes.

TTU's 10-0 run has put Knight's team up by eight. The effort is about control on the offensive end of the court -- the Raiders are getting good looks at the basket -- and the defensive end, where Oklahoma State has been getting good movement by nothing to drop.

With 11:34 left in the first half, Texas Tech 14, Oklahoma State 6.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It took less than 3 minutes into the first game of the Big 12 men's tournament for Oklahoma State freshman Ibrahima Thomas to make his presence felt.

Thomas scored the first points of the game with a 4-footer. On Texas Tech's ensuing possession, Thomas then blocked a Red Raider shot. Still, he wasn't finished.

On the transition, Thomas found teammate Marcus Dove under the basket with a nice pass that led to an easy basket. Combined with three rebounds (one on the offensive end), and Thomas more than appears ready for this game.

With 14:40 remaining in the first, OSU 6, Texas Tech 4.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- T-minus 130 minutes until tip-off of the 2008 Big 12 men's basketball tournament at the Sprint Center.

And while today's first-round games aren't the cream of the crop that certainly doesn't mean it will be boring. Will Pat Knight make his dad look like a genius by delivering a Texas Tech tournament victory (or two?). Will Baylor (21-9) match the 23-win season it had when it last made it to the NCAA tournament (1987-1988)?

Continue reading "Big 12: Less Doesn't Mean Nothing" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- For Longhorns fans, a win can't taste much sweeter.

With UT football star Vince Young in the house, the No. 11 Texas hoops team refused to give in on the hardwood, battling back from a four-point halftime deficit to knock off No. 3 Kansas, 72-69.

After D.J. Augustin missed the back end of two free throws in the game's final seconds, Kansas had a chance to tie the game with a three, but Kansas' Mario Chalmers shot at the buzzer rattled out as Texas held on for the victory.

"Kansas is a very difficult team to guard and they do a great job of passing the ball," Texas head coach Rick Barnes said. "But it was really an effort from our guys and they just found a way to get it done."

Another factor in UT's victory was a sold out and rowdy home crowd, which coach Barnes attributed to the team's success.

"When this building is full, its as good as any in the country," Barnes said.

And boy is he right.

Just ask Kansas' head coach Bill Self.

"I think they just outmanned us in the second half," Self said. "That was our focus at halftime and our guys did not respond to their aggressiveness."

According to Self, one of the reasons for the rise of the UT basketball program is due to the fact that the Texas defense has improved tremendously, one of the key reasons for the Longhorns big victory.

After getting outscored 42-38 in the first half of play, the Horns battled back to outscore the Jayhawks, 34-27, in the second half en route to a three-point nail-biting win at the Erwin Center.

However, when the Jayhawks' Chalmers addressed the media following the Longhorns' victory, he informed the reporters that Kansas is still the team to beat in the highly competitive Big 12 Conference.

"We're still the favorites and I think we're the best team in the conference," Chalmers said at the conclusion of Monday's game.

Texas might have something to say about that.

And sure enough, they did... But the Horns aren't about to get ahead of themselves.

"When you're behind and when it's a close game, it feels the same because you get lost in the game and just try to take care of the details," Texas junior guard A.J. Abrams said. "Sometimes you get behind and have to fight back, but fortunately today we shot the ball well in the first half and hung with them."

Connor Atchley led the Longhorns in scoring with 16 points, going 4-for-4 from 3-point range as well as grabbing four rebounds and dishing out two assists.

Longhorn sophomore guard D.J. Augustin also played a clutch game, despite a poor shooting first half.

"I've told him many times that I don't care what he's done up until the end of the game, but he's our guy and we're going to go to him," Barnes said. "I trust him totally."

And that's a good thing, especially considering the star guard's penetration in the second half helped propel the Horns to a big victory.

"There is no question when we get down to the end of the game, we are going to put it in his hands, because he knows his teammates so well," Barnes said. "He's got a lot of confidence and he's certainly going to do something to get A.J. [Abrams] involved."

Speaking of A.J., the junior guard notched 14 points in the Texas victory while teammate Damion James had a monster game, garnering a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

With the victory, Texas moves to 20-4 overall while improving to 7-2 in Big 12 play, as the Jayhawks drop to 23-2 overall and 8-2 in the conference.

"Our crowd really came out today and supported us," sophomore guard Justin Mason said. "We all can feel it in the atmosphere, the crowd was there early when we were shooting around, and I think that really helped us out with the victory."

Final Notes:

With Monday's victory over Kansas, Texas secured its ninth consecutive 20-win season, building on the prior school record of four (from the 1988-89 season to 1991-92).

In addition, UT is now 9-3 against Top 10 teams at the Erwin Center under the helm of Rick Barnes and improves to 12-2 at home in Big Monday contests.

Also, the Horns had four players score in double figures on Monday night against Kansas, the sixth time for that to occur this season.

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Longhorns have finally done it.

UT knocked off Kansas in front of a sold out, rowdy crowd in Austin as 'The Eyes Of Texas' rained down on KU.

Texas finished the night on 22-for-51 shooting from the field (43.1 percent), while Kansas finished shooting 43.9 percent from the field (25-for-57) as UT held on for the W.

With the victory, Texas now joins the leaders in the Big 12 Conference as the Horns drilled home the biggest win of the season thus far.

The Longhorn's three-point victory came due primarily to fantastic, clutch free throw shooting by UT in the game's closing seconds.

Check back soon for postgame quotes and final stats...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- I told you it was a good time to be A.J. Abrams...

Abrams just blocked a potential game-tying 3-pointer by KU's Rush as Texas holds a 67-64 lead with 0:40 left and James at the line for two free throws...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- The tides have turned, and now it's KU facing a four-point deficit. Kansas just called a timeout in an attempt to cool down the hot Horns.

UT currently holds a 67-63 lead with 2:29 left in regulation....

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- With a little under 2:30 left in regulation, the Texas Longhorns have a 66-63 lead over Kansas with Augustin headed to the line when we return to action.

As of lately, the Horns have taken control of the game and aim to close things out with a big victory here at home over KU.

Check back soon for the latest...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- With just about 5:30 left in regulation, Texas holds a 62-57 lead over Kansas as the home crowd continues to voice their support for UT...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- It's a good time to be A.J. Abrams.

The UT guard drew a charging foul against KU with 7:28 left in regulation and the game tied at 57-57 prior to a media timeout.

When we return to the hardwood, it's Longhorns ball as this dog fights continues in Austin...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- The City of Austin may very well be the biggest fans of Texas Hold 'Em.

If the Horns can do just that over the final 11:18 of regulation, UT can pick up a big win in the Big 12 on Big Monday.

Currently, Texas holds a 54-53 lead over Kansas and we're midway through the second half of play.

This one's coming down to the wire...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- After trailing by four at the break, the Texas Longhorns now hold a three point lead over KU.

And Kansas was just forced to call a timeout with 14:42 left in regulation as UT holds a 51-48 lead and the crowd continues to grow louder by the second...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- You can't ask for a better game.

With UT down four at the break, the Horns came out hot to begin the second half and currently hold a 50-48 lead over Kansas with 15:44 left in regulation...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks currently lead by four at halftime over the pesky No. 11 Texas Longhorns, who refuse to go away as the burnt orange host KU.

Both teams have shot quite well, with Texas shooting 46.2 percent on 12-of-26 shooting from the field and Kansas shooting 45.9 percent (17-of-37).

Meanwhile, both squads are hot from the charity stripe, with UT shooting 80 percent on 7-for-9 shooting from the line compared to KU netting 85.7 percent from the line (6-for-7).

From beyond the arc, UT leads the 3-point charge on 6-for-13 shooting (46.2 percent) compared to 2-for-7 from the 3-point line for KU (28.6 percent).

In the scoring department, Texas' Atchley leads the Horns with 12 points while teammate Abrams has 10 at the break. For KU, Texas native Arthur (14 points) and Jackson (11) lead the Jayhawks in scoring at the half.

Looking at halftime stats, Kansas is pounding the ball in the paint, scoring 24 points inside compared to only 6 points for Texas. In addition, Kansas has done a remarkable job on the glass, pulling down 23 boards (while Texas only managed 13).

With the halftime clock hitting seven minutes and counting until the second half of play, it's time to get this blog at the half updated as we prepare to return to hardwood action here in Austin...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Kansas Jayhawks just called a 30-second timeout as Head Coach Bill Self aims to get his team on the same page with KU on top, 41-38.

When we return to play, it's KU ball with 55 ticks left in the first half...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Longhorns just called a 30-second timeout in an effort to cool down the Jayhakws.

Returning to action, it's UT ball with the Horns down 39-36 with just over two minutes remaining in the first half...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 09:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- With 3:35 left in the first half of play, KU has a 35-33 lead after Kansas slammed home the go-ahead shot just seconds ago.

Texas has called a quick timeout and will retain possession when we return to play.

Halftime is right around the corner, and I will make sure to give fans the latest stats and news for tonight's game...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- Leave no doubt, we are in for a battle here in Austin.

With 7:42 remaining in the first half of play, UT holds a slim 29-26 lead after A.J. Abrams drained a three-pointer to put Texas on top after KU battled back to knot the game at 26.

When we return to action, it's Kansas ball after a tough no-call drive to the basket by D.J. Augustin led to a UT turnover...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- Near the midway mark of the first half, Texas holds a 20-18 advantage over Kansas with 11:50 remaining in the first half.

Atchley has drained three big 3's for UT, helping to propel the Longhorns to an early lead as Gary Johnson awaits free throws for Texas after we return from the timeout...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 09:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- With 15:20 left in the first half, UT has a 15-12 lead over KU, due in a large part to two big 3-pointers by Connor Atchley.

Texas was just fouled driving to the lane and will get the ball after the TV timeout...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- In just under two minutes, two of the nation's best teams will battle it out on the hardwood in Austin.

For NCAA basketball fans, nothing is sweeter than a match-up such as this one.

And right now, it's hard to both think and talk as 'Texas, Fight' echoes throughout the walls of the arena...

Check back soon as the Horns prepare to host the Jayhawks on ESPN on Big Monday. The lights are off and UT's players are about to be announced... Tipoff is right around the corner...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Jayhawks just hit the hardwood to the boos of the Texas faithful, which means game time is just around the corner.

Shortly after the blue and red jerseys found their end of the court, UT's band struck up their fight song as the Longhorns hoops team hit the floor to a standing ovation.

It's hard not to get goose bumps in this type of setting, and as mentioned earlier, America, we're in for a fight to the finish... no doubt.

Vince Young just walked past press row to a roaring applause from the Texas band and student section, as a group of Longhorns fans quickly surrounded the football star to shake his hand and welcome him back to Austin.

With Vince in the house tonight, who knows ... maybe it's time for the Longhorn's losing streak against Kansas to end tonight with UT's super star at the Erwin Center showing his support.

We'll all find out soon enough, as tipoff is just mere minutes away.

And I can tell you right now that Vince and those in attendance are ready to bring down the house with a UT victory.

Check back soon for the game's opening tip and live coverage of tonight's super showdown between two of the Big 12's best...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- Despite the hype surrounding this evening's highly anticipated match-up between the Longhorns and Jayhawks, the stadium remained only half-filled by 7:20 p.m. CT.

Don't worry, though, come tipoff time, I have no doubt that UT's house will be rocking.

A school with a rich tradition in football, it's taken a while for the Longhorns faithful to fall in love with basketball.

However, that is no longer an issue and the Horns look to take care of business tonight at home in a pre-March madness match-up with the No. 3 Jayhawks.

It's now 7:30 p.m. CT, and this place is beginning to fill to the brim with burnt orange passion... just 30 minutes and counting until game time.

A win for Texas could very well help propel the Longhorns to the next level by proving to the doubters that they can, and will, take care of business on their home hardwood.

A Kansas win, meanwhile, will solidify the Jayhawks as one of the best team's in the country, putting the Big 12 leader in the mix with teams such as Memphis and Duke as the nation's best squad.

Check back soon and often for the latest and greatest in Monday night's Big 12 battle between No. 3 Kansas and No. 11 Texas...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 08:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUSTIN, Texas -- Kansas (23-1, 8-1 Big 12), ranked No. 3 in the nation in both the AP Poll and the ESPN Poll, will be battling it out with the No. 11 Texas Longhorns (19-4, 6-2) in a little over an hour here at the Frank Erwin Center.

Whether you love the Horns or hate them, this place is going to be rocking come 8 p.m. CT... and it will most likely be an automatic ESPN Classic.

Kansas, coming off a hard-fought 100-90 victory over the Big 12's big surprise, the Baylor Bears, is looking to secure their lead in the race for the conference title, currently sitting alone with in-state rival Kansas State with just one loss in Big 12 play.

Texas, meanwhile, aims to prove to the nation that they can beat the big names at the big times, especially at home, including a much-needed victory over the Jayhawks tonight in Austin.

If the game is anything like the prior four match-ups between these two highly touted squads, we're in for a fight to the finish.

Also, keep an eye on Texas native Darrell Arthur (Kansas' leading scorer) and UT guard A.J. Abrams. If either Arthur or Abrams catch fire, it may be smart for the opposing team's coach to call a quick timeout and stop the bleeding before it becomes a massacre.

Check back at 8 p.m. CT for the latest news and notes on the Kansas-Texas Big 12, Big Monday game of the week on ESPN.

Until then, break out a few cold ones and open those bags of Lays... an Austin barn-burner tips off in just over an hour...

Posted by Denton Ramsey at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Aggies lift the Lonestar Showdown Trophy after dominating the Longhorns, 80-63.

Both sides talked about how important the start was, when the Aggies jumped out to a 31-10 lead. D.J. Augustin seemed really disappointed and Rick Barnes said his team's defense was the difference.

Mark Turgeon showed his appreciation for the amazing crowd, and talked about how much the Aggies have grown up in the last three games. He said he was confident they are making the turn.

That's it and that's all. The Aggies dominate the Longhorns at Reed Arena, 80-63. The next game for A&M is Saturday at home against Oklahoma, and next for the Longhorns is Saturday at home against Baylor.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The last seconds tick off the clock in Aggieland as the Aggies pull off the upset. Barnes had his players foul a few times in the closing minutes, but the Aggies had built an insurmountable lead. Josh Carter lead the Aggies with 19 and Dexter Pittman and D.J. Augustin paced the Longhorns with 14.

Quotes to come.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 11:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Bill Walker turned the tables on packed media room.

"I got a question for y'all," the freshman forward said after Kansas State's victory over Kansas. "How many of y'all thought we would win?"

Walker's answer was a resounding silence.

But after the Wildcats' 84-75 victory over rival Kansas -- the first win over their in-state rival in Manhattan in 25 years -- Walker probably deserved to ask any question he wanted. Gone are the assumptions that K-State simply is no match for the Jayhawks. Gone are the assumptions that KU would run away with the Big 12 conference title.

And gone is the stigma that K-State was just an early flash in the pan.

Behind 25 points from Michael Beasley, 22 from Walker and 20 from guard Jacob Pullen, KSU beat Kansas quite handedly and now stands atop the conference at 5-0 (15-4 overall). Kansas (20-1, 5-1), meanwhile, left Memphis as the lone undefeated team in the nation.

"We weren't going to run the table," Kansas' Bill Self said, admitting the Jayhawks' 24-game win streak in Manhattan coming to an end stung relatively little when compared to dropping a game to his team's rival.

That sting Self and Co. felt came in large part to Beasley, who finished with those 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range. Despite the Jayhawks' best efforts, they couldn't contain the freshman.

"He scored real points," Self said. "He scored pro points."

The pros are where most assume Beasley will be shooting next season, as most consider him an NBA draft lottery lock. On Wednesday, though, Beasley did his damage in the college ranks.

Beasley obviously wasn't alone. Walker's points came despite playing just 11 minutes in the first half. The true difference against Kansas might have been Pullen.

While Beasley and Walker have proved nearly all season they could put up points, Pullen -- a reserve after starting the first nine games -- came into the game averaging 9.4 points per game. He topped that average from the free-throw line alone. There, he was 10-for-10, seven of the makes coming after halftime.

The trio made sure another stigma is gone for the time being.

"People act like there's one team in Kansas," Walker said.

Not anymore.

Instead, the party started as the final buzzer sounded and fans stormed the court. Willie the Wildcat crowd-surfed; a 10-year-old boy shook vigorously in front of a TV camera. And Beasley stood atop the scorer's table pounding his chest like the king of Manhattan he has quickly become.

"Twenty-five years -- I would have rushed the court, too," Pullen said.

The game and the aftermath also had reprecussions for Kansas. On top of losing for the first time, it also leaves less room for error in a Big 12 that is extremely tight in spots two-five.

Kansas guard Brandon Rush said moments after the loss he was already preparing for what was to come, be it from Kansas State or hecklers.

"Now they think they can beat us on our own court (March 1 in Lawrence)," said Rush, who also said an expected influx of phone calls was going to force him to change his cell phone number during the drive back home.

That might be Rush's only solace.

As for Kansas State, Aggieville is surely already hopping. And Walker is beaming. Anything he said now carries more weight than even the preseason prediction Beasley made declaring K-State would beat Kansas.

"Until someone knocks us off the top," he said, "We're the best."

Posted by Ian Guerin at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- This hotly contested rivalry game is near completion, and the Aggies are maintaining control with a 73-56 lead. The Longhorns have nailed some 3-pointers to stay close, but the Aggies have weathered the storms nicely.

Josh Carter is leading the way for A&M with a quiet 18. A&M has been getting DeAndre Jordan involved on the offensive end, and whenever he touches it, the fans get really excited. The 12th Man has maintained the noise all game. It looks like A&M has it wrapped up with under three minutes remaining and a solid cushion.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Wow, Alexis Wangamene was just ejected from the game for committing a flagrant foul. He elbowed DeAndre Jordan in a loose ball situation, and the referee wasted no time tossing him from the game. He left to an earful from the 12th Man.

After the long deadball, the Aggies nailed a few shots and forced Barnes to take another timeout. This place is rocking, and the 13,555 attendance I mentioned earlier was a record by a few hundred. I get the feeling the Aggies have taken control with 7 minutes remaining. 67-54, Aggies.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M is maintaining a comfortable lead at 55-40, but there is a feeling that Texas is not done yet. The Aggies had a chance to really seize control a minute ago after a score on offense and forcing a turnover on the end, but a bad pass led to an easy Texas score. The Longhorns still need Augustin to step up if they want to mount a comeback. 12 minutes left, and the Aggies lead.

Attendance was 13,555, well over capacity.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- That's one way to kill a streak nearly 25 years in the making.

Kansas State is still celebrating mid-court after beating Kansas 84-75 in Bramlage Coliseum. The victory ends what had been a 24-year losing streak to the Jayhawks in Manhattan. It also gives KU (20-1) it's first loss of the season.

More to come.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Longhorns and Aggies look out of sync to start the second half. Texas has outscored A&M, 5-2, but A.J. Abrams just fired an airball. Neither team has seized control but the Aggies maintain a 15-point lead at 48-33.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- The most-hyped Kansas State-Kansas game in years is turning into a purple-clad Wildcat party.

Frank Martin's squad leads 83-75 with 26.9 seconds left, and barring a minor miracle on Kansas' part, KSU is going to head to 15-4, but more importantly, 5-0 in the Big 12 most people assumed was all Kansas'.

Most people thought wrong -- at least for now.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Almost everything went right for Texas A&M in the first half, and almost everything went wrong for Texas. The raucous crowd here at Reed Arena never got out of it, fed by a barrage of three-pointers by the Aggies and some exciting dunks to finish up. The Aggies are shooting 64 percent from the floor and 75 percent from behind the arc. They were making everything.

On the other end, Texas' D.J. Augustin was shut down effectively by Donald Sloan and Derrick Roland. That kept the Longhorn's offense from sustaining any consistent attack, although they made a good run with about eight minutes remaining. Texas shot only 30 percent from the floor and Augustin scored only four.

Halftime is about to wrap up on the first edition of the 2008 Lonestar Showdown, and A&M is winning big, 46-28.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- One of two unbeaten teams in the country is about to fall.

And Kansas coach Bill Self won't have to look hard to figure out why. The Jayhawks have hit just seven of their 21 field-goal attempts in the second half. And now, with 2:27 remaining, they trail No. 22 Kansas State, 76-64.

Bramlage Coliseum is just a few moments from collapsing upon the floor, and it will be rightly deserved. The Wildcats have not beaten Kansas in Manhattan in 25 years and 1 day -- a streak that's very close to ending.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- With about a minute left in the first half, Chinemelu Elonu made a big rebound for A&M, and converted a three-point play. That really got the crowd here at Reed Arena into the game.

The next possession, freshman DeAndre Jordan drove the baseline for a thunderous dunk and this place erupted. He also made a three-point play out of it and the Aggies close the half with six quick points and a giant momentum boost. The 12th Man gave them a rousing send-off to the locker room.

At the half, A&M is dominating 46-28.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Jayhawks are scratching their heads.

Kansas State fans are trying to break eardrums.

Courtesy of Michael Beasley's wide-open three-pointer with 4:10 to go, the Wildcats now lead, 67-57, here in Bramlage Coliseum.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Good damage control by Rick Barnes and the Longhorns, but the Aggies seemed to have regained some composure, as Donald Sloan buries a three-pointer.

The Aggies are ahead because they were doing a good job of shutting down Augustin, but the last few possessions he has gotten penetration and created for himself or his teammates. If he can continue to be a factor, Texas will not be out of it for long. Three minutes until halftime, 38-26 A&M.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- No. 22 Kansas State is 7:31 away from handing mighty Kansas its first loss of the year.

The Wildcats have already received 34 points from their two stars -- Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. Meanwhile, Kansas continues to struggle.

With 7:31 left -- K-State 57, Kansas 49.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The long television timeout was just what Texas needed. The Longhorns got a quick layup, two three-pointers and forced two Aggie turnovers out of the break. The score is now 31-18 as Turgeon calls a quick timeout to get things under control for A&M.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- At least the referees are consistent.

With a number of players drawing multiple fouls in the first half, tonight's officials for the Kansas-Kansas State game have continued to call a relatively tight game. During the last 4 minutes, four fouls have been called, including a fourth foul for both Kansas forward Darrell Arthur and K-State reserve Darren Kent. Kent has been forced to pick up some of the slack left by three early fouls on Wildcat starter Bill Walker.

With 11:58 to go, Kansas State 49, Kansas 45.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- With the game getting out of hand at 24-7, the Longhorns showed some frustration as Dexter Pittman picked up a technical foul after a held ball. That gave the Aggies two free throws and the ball. Barnes is furious with the referees, and the Aggie fans are loving it. Another three-pointer by Josh Carter makes it 29-7. The Aggies are on fire, hitting 83 percent from behind the arc. 29-7 A&M, with more to come.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Smart timeout by Rick Barnes, with the game getting out of hand early. But little has changed. The Aggies are hitting everything in sight, shooting 58 percent, and Damion James has done the only scoring for the Horns.

An unexpected matchup is taking place, with Donald Sloan guarding D.J. Augustin. It's working, though, as Augustin has not gotten anything going.

Another timeout as the Aggies commit their fourth foul. 19-5, A&M with more to come.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Kansas coach Bill Self just delivered a few choice words to the referee crew for tonight's game against Kansas State.

But like it or not, most of the Jayhawks' problems early in the second half are their own fault. Kansas has managed just one bucket -- a Darnell Jackson breakaway dunk -- so far after halftime. Inside, the Jayhawks are just not enough without forward Darrell Arthur, who has yet to play after picking up three first-half fouls.

With 16:16 left to go, Kansas State 44, Kansas 38.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Longhorns have offered no answer to the inside presence of A&M. The Aggies have had an easy layup on almost every possession so far and have converted. When the Longhorns double-team, the Aggies have open three-pointers outside.

On the offensive end, Texas looks disjointed, committing a few turnovers. Connor Atchley has two fouls already. Texas needs a timeout, because the crowd is really into it. First timeout of the game, A&M leads 14-2.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Pick your cliche.

Kansas State isn't scared. The Wildcats are drawing enthusiasm from a ruckus home crowd. Whatever.

Whatever your poison, Kansas State certainly isn't letting itself getting controlled by arguably the best team in college basketball, No. 2 Kansas. KSU's slim, 38-36 lead at the half is an attribute to it's ability to find variation on both sides of the court.

Forward Bill Walker -- the Wildcats' second-leading scorer -- played just 11 minutes after finding himself with three fouls. However, Chicago native and fellow freshman Jacob Pullen has picked up some of the slack. He and Michael Beasley have each added eight points to Walker's 12.

Conversely, Kansas' depth is already being put to the test. Forward Darrell Arthur has already been called for three fouls. Senior reserve big man Sasha Kaun also has two, as does guard Mario Chalmers.

Any extended foul trouble, and Kansas' bench might soon mean little at all.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Michael Beasley might be making the most of his time at Kansas State, but it's a pretty good thing the Wildcats stud freshman is good at basketball.

After spilling out just moments ago, Beasley drew chants of "Michael Beasley" from the packed Bramlage Coliseum when he proceded to towel up his own sweat. It didn't work out so well.

As soon as play started again, teammate Darren Kent looked the part of a slip-and-slide participant when he hit the same spot on the floor.

Beasley got a second chance a few minutes later on the other end of the court. So far, the second try seems more effective than the first.

With 25.5 seconds left before half: Kansas State 38, Kansas 36.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Aggie War Hymn has been sung, and the starting lineups have been announced:

No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (16-4, 2-3)
G-Dominique Kirk
G-Donald Sloan
F-Josh Carter
F-Joseph Jones
C-Bryan Davis

No. 10 Texas Longhorns (16-3, 3-1)
G-D.J. Augustin
G-A.J. Abrams
G-Justin Mason
F-Connor Atchley
F-Damion James

As expected, Reed Arena is bursting at the seems, and it is very loud. The house is full of white shirts, which were offered free on every seat at the beginning of the game.

Texas A&M wins the opening tip. And a quick three-pointer by Dominique Kirk. 3-0 A&M.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Having witnessed the "blow" that just sent Kansas guard Mario Chalmers to the floor, I have a bit of advice for the Jayhawks' junior.

Avoid a fist fight.

Chalmers drew a foul on Kansas State forward Bill Walker with a hair more than 5 minutes remaining in the first half. And whether it was Chalmers have a glass jaw, Walker being the strong, a little bit of acting or a combination of the three, Chalmers hit the deck, and Walker was immediately whistled for his third foul of the game.

Continue reading "Chalmers Makes Martin Pay" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Less than a quarter of the way through No. 2 Kansas against No. 22 Kansas State, a key player from each team has already been whistled for two fouls.

On consecutive possessions, Kansas forward Darrell Arthur and K-State forward Bill Walker were called for their second infraction. For now, at least, it may turn out to be in Kansas' favor.

The Jayhawks have one of the deepest benches in the country; Kansas State is known more the 1-2 combo of Walker and Michael Beasley. Walker currently leads all scorers with 12 points.

Even with him on the bench, the Wildcats lead 28-22 with 9:18 remaining in the first half.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Using a combination of a tightening defense and it's fast-break offense, Kansas has equalized what had been an early K-State lead.

Jayhawks guard Brandon Rush already has eight points with about 12 minutes left in the first half, and Kansas has an 18-16 lead.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Whether No. 22 Kanas State is trying to set up No. 2 Kansas to utilize an inside game or it just thinks it can live and die with the 3-pointer, the Wildcats are certainly taking advantage of the deep shot early.

Courtesy of three threes -- one each by Bill Walker, Clent Stewart and Blake Young -- K-State holds an 11-5 lead four minutes and 33 seconds into the game.

The Wildcats have also missed three three-pointers, but even at a 50-percent clip is more than paying off so far.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- As expected, Kansas State forward Andre Gilbert will not play in tonight's game against No. 2 Kansas.

Gilbert, KSU sports information announced, has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules and will have his status determined at by coach Frank Martin at a later date.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 07:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Electricity is in the air with about 15 minutes left until tip-off at Reed Arena. Both teams have taken their warm-up shots and headed back to the lockers. Aggies were cheered, Longhorns were hissed, as is tradition here in Aggieland.

The upper and lower tanks are somewhat slow filling up, but there is some time before tip. And both sides of the student section are packed from top to bottom. It is going to be loud in this arena if the game remains close. A&M just took the floor. First game update coming next, keep following.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Lonestar Showdown Rivalry will be renewed again tonight in Aggieland as No. 23 Texas A&M hosts the No. 10 Texas Longhorns. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Reed Arena staff just opened the doors to the students and there is a mad scramble in the student section to procure the best possible seats for this heated rivalry.

Texas (16-3, 3-1) comes in on a three-game winning streak, having just dismantled Texas Tech. Their probably starters are:
Point guard- D.J. Augustin
Guard- A.J. Abrams
Guard- Justin Mason
Forward- Connor Atchley
Center- Damion James

The leader of the Longhorns is D.J. Augustin, one of the top point guards in the country. He is scoring 20.9 points a game and dishes 6 assists a game. The offense runs through him. One of the players Texas head coach Rick Barnes expected to make an impact is Justin Mason, a sophomore who has made his presence known and worked his way into the starting lineup.

The Aggies (16-4, 2-3) had a difficult start to their Big 12 schedule, losing three straight. But they just defeated Oklahoma State in a difficult road game and head coach Mark Turgeon said he has been pleased with his team's two latest performances. He said he feels the offense is coming around. They will start
Point guard- Dominique Kirk
Guard- Donald Sloan
Forward- Josh Carter
Forward- Joseph Jones
Center- Bryan Davis

An important player for the Aggies will be Kirk. He is the senior leader and scores 8.2 a game, but Turgeon said he's expecting him to expand his offensive role. He plays the point and will be guarding Augustin, a tough job. Davis, who scores 8.4 a game, has been the MVP of the Aggies on the young season. With his strong play recently and the struggles of freshman DeAndre Jordan, he has worked his way into a starting role. The inside performance of the Aggies, who are bigger than the Longhorns, will be the key to the game.

Approaching game time and Reed Arena is filling up. More to come.

Posted by Jack Molitor at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Kansas-K-State will not tip off for more than an hour, but already the Wildcats have been dealt a blow of sorts.

A release from Kansas State's sports information department is expected to follow soon, but it appears small forward Andre Gilbert has been suspended for an undisclosed violation. Gilbert, who has started 13 of the Wildcats' 18 games and averages 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per, did not practice this afternoon and will not play tonight.

Gilbert's defense, though, is what might be missed the most. He likely would have been responsible for guarding Kansas star Brandon Rush for most of the night.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- As the flow of purple lava flowed into Bramlage Coliseum just moments ago, it's hard to imagine that it has been as long as it has since Kansas State took care of its in-state rival in Manhattan.

It was 25 years and one day ago -- Jan. 29, 1983, to be exact -- when K-State last beat the Jayhawks here. Think about everything that has transpired in that time.

Continue reading "Where Were You?" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- The last time Kansas State beat a Top 10 opponent, there was no follow-up energy.

It was March 6, 2004, when the Wildcats took out then-No. 10 Texas at home, only to lose it's next game -- the first round of that year's Big 12 tournament -- to Iowa State. That loss ended the season, and erased the memories of a quality victory that essentially did nothing but guarantee a non-losing season.

Continue reading "Big 12 Contender?" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 06:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- It's official here in Manhattan, as K-State has improved to 12-4 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12 with a 75-54 win over No. 10 Texas A&M.

K-State's talented freshman 1-2 punch of Michael Beasly (21 points) and Bill Walker (19) were too much for A&M.

The Aggies drop to 15-3 and 1-2, and have now lost consecutive games for the first time this season.

Wrap-up post to follow.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Despite three first-half fouls and a less-than-stellar shooting effort for most of the game, K-State freshman Michael Beasley is breaking out against the Aggies.

On back-to-back possessions, Beasley has scored.

Following two more breakaway baskets, K-State now leads, 64-46, and appears poised to move to 7-0 all-time against Texas A&M at Bramlage Coliseum.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Frank Martin has decided Bill Walker had enough rest.

Walker, who was leading all scorers with 15 points but also had three fouls, just re-entered the game with 10 minutes remaining after a couple on the bench.

He responded by nailing a three-pointer to give K-State a 52-41 lead and ignite an already over-the-top crowd.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- K-State's fans gave coach Frank Martin's team enough reason to be up for this game.

The Wildcats are certainly returning the favor so far.

Courtesy of more stingy defense, K-State is up 46-40 on the Aggies with 10:37 to go and the ball coming out of the current timeout.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Add another K-State player to the list of the endangered starters.

Freshman forward Bill Walker -- who did not have a foul during the first half -- has been called for three during the opening 6 minutes of the second half. Walker leads all scorers with 15 points, and K-State coach Frank Martin has just taken him out of the game.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- At the first TV timeout of the second half, K-State and Texas A&M is starting see some foul trouble.

While neither team has recorded 10 fouls, three Aggies and two K-State starters have already been hit with at least two personal fouls. The list inlcudes three apiece for K-State's Michael Beasley and A&M's Bryan Davis.

K-State reserve Darren Kent was also just whistled for his second foul.

With 15:55 to go, it's K-State 39, Texas A&M 36.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- During the next three months, college basketball fans will continue to get look after look at K-State freshman Michael Beasley.

NBA teams are drooling over the next big thing, and Wildcat fans are drooling at what he's doing in K-State purple. And sure, there are the fantastic dunks, the activeness underneath both baskets and an immeasurable ability to seem to be in the right place at the right time more often than not.

Continue reading "Beasley Lovefest Is Deserved" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Texas A&M didn't put itself among the best teams in the country for nothing.

The Aggies have a rounded-out lineup that includes at least seven players who could start. In any game, opponents have to be looking in multiple directions.

Continue reading "Sloan's Effectiveness Key So Far" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- K-State looks like it's already made some adjustments to Texas A&M's inside attack.

The Wildcats just held A&M scoreless for approximately 4 minutes without a score. K-State's presence has been an instant credit to much more physical, gang-style approach.

Continue reading "K-State's Defense Now In Play" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- It didn't take long to figure out what Texas A&M was planning on doing today.

The Aggies have jumped out to a 11-3 lead here at Bramlage, and most of Texas A&M's damage has come from the paint. Specifically, coach Mark Turgeon's team is going at K-State's "other" talented freshman, 6-foot-6 forward Bill Walker.

Three of the Aggies' early baskets have come against Walker down low. And as if the play itself wasn't enough, Texas A&M sophomore Bryan Davis already made it a point to get in Walker's ear early, too.

On the other side of the court, Walker, who is averaging 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, has K-State's only after the first five minutes.

Posted by Ian Guerin at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Funny what happens when you leave the Midwest for a few years. I've seen a number of basketball games here at Kansas State.

But never -- including two games against archrival Kansas -- have I seen and heard out of Bramlage Coliseum what I already have today.

Continue reading "Something Different" »

Posted by Ian Guerin at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Posting Up will be courtside for Saturday's ACC-Big 12 match-up pitting host Boston College (10-2) vs. No. 3 Kansas (13-0). The contest tips off at Noon (EST).

With our new live-blogging software, the Live Blog experience becomes even more interactive for you the user, so be sure to join us in the 11 a.m. hour when we kick things off with some pre-game Polls and sights and sounds from Conte Forum.

In the meantime, here are Kansas Game Notes.

Here are Boston College Game Notes.

You can also follow along with all the action at CSTV.com's GameTracker.

Posted by David Scott at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Here are some notes and quotes from Michigan State's big victory over Texas this afternoon at The Palace:

* To say that Texas got nothing from its bench would be overrating it. Five guys played a total of 16:19 (including two seconds from Ian Mooney) and took only one shot, a made three-pointer by J.D. Lewis.

After the game, Longhorns coach Rick Barnes was obviously concerned.

"This week in practice, we didn't even play the first five much," he said. "We practiced the back ups a lot to try to get those guys going, because we know we are going to need more production from them.

"One of the bad things about our schedule right now is that it hasn't given us a lot of chances to play our bench. We haven't had too many games where those guys can play much."

* As I write this, Oakland leads Oregon by three at 15-12.

* Barnes also felt like his guys helped out Michigan State -- a lot. "Michigan State doesn't need a lot of help to beat you three times," he said.

Barnes was talking about defensive lapses and perhaps bad shooting. The Longhorns only had nine turnovers (Michigan State only had six) and out-rebounded the Spartans, 36-31.

* Damion James had a monster game with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Connor Atchley chipped in with 10 rebounds. On the scoreboard, Abrams totaled 24 and Augustin finished with 22. Thirteen of Abrams' points came in the last minute of each half. Augustin also had six assists and no turnovers.

* Obviously, Tom Izzo was pretty pleased with his team's performance. He thought the six turnovers were "probably a low in my 13 years here. We tend to throw the ball around a lot."

* Oakland is now up 25-17. Quick, someone pull the fire alarm!

* I mentioned before that the teams shot roughly the same percentage from long range, but Texas was 11-for-29, while Michigan State was only 3-for-8.

* Kalin Lucas' night was just outstanding on the stat sheet. He also had six assists and only one turnover. Not bad for a freshman. He wasn't the best point guard on the floor, but he wasn't a distant No. 2.

* The press room here was as poorly equipped as press row. There were only 12 chairs, although twice as many would have fit easily. As a result, while Izzo was talking, about 30 of us were jockeying for position against the wall, out of the way.

* After Augustin and Abrams addressed what was left of the media after Izzo had already left the press room, the SID with them told them to "keep drinking." How many college students really need to be told that?

* Oakland is now up 11 with 4:34 left in the half. I think I'll go check a little of that out before heading home.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- No. 10 Michigan State put on a stifling defensive performance in the second half and defeated No. 5 Texas, 78-72.

Texas scored two quick baskets to start the second half, but only hit three more buckets in the next 14 minutes. Several late baskets, including three A.J. Abrams three-pointers in the final minute, upped the Longhorns shooting for the half to 12-for-33. Texas ended up shooting 39.3 percent for the game.

The only play Michigan State had trouble defending was penetration by D.J. Augustin. The Spartans fouled Augustin seven times (by my count) on his forays into the lane. Izzo really let Travis Walton have it after one of those was his fourth foul. Izzo told him to go ahead and give him the layup rather than take his fourth foul with so much time left (about eight minutes).

Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan had 18 each for the Spartans, which shot 49.1 percent from the floor. The shooting difference was nearly all from two-point range though. Michigan State was worse than Texas on threes, shooting 33 percent to the Longhorns' 39.3. Neither team did much from the free throw line, as both shot about 65 percent.

Both teams are now 11-1 on the season. I'll be back in a little bit with some notes and quotes.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- I knew my battery was bad, but it was worse than I thought. I didn't even make it to tipoff.

MSU came out of the eight-minute timeout, went on an 11-0 run and leads 41-33 at halftime.

Both teams were sloppy at first, but Michigan St finally found their shot and ended up hitting 53.6 percent for the half. Texas never found a rhythm and shot 42.9 percent.

D.J. Augustin went out after getting his second foul early in the Spartans big run, and he was really the only thing working for Texas in the first half. He had nine points and showed a variety of moves on the floor, both to get his own shot and to create for others. Damion James had 10, but shot three of the worst free throws I've seen this year. A.J. Abrams has seven on 3-for-8 shooting. Augustin also shot 3-for-8, but for some reason, Abrams looked worse.

The Spartans got a spark from freshman Kalin Lucas, who came off the bench when Travis Walton got in some quick foul trouble. Lucas leads MSU with 11 points on 5-for-10 shooting.

Halftime Notes:

* Izzo is fun to watch on the bench. He ripped into Marquise Gray on the bench for not going after a loose ball (a mortal sin in Izzo's world), pounded the scorers table when Lucas passed up an open three early in a possession during the big run late in the half (when was the last time you saw a coach complain that a guy didn't shoot quickly enough?) and lament that he team was "givin' 'em points" at the line. That was before Abrams ever got there.

* The guy I thought was Jud Heathcote wasn't. I don't know who he is.

* The crowd has filled in nicely and it's a near sellout.

* The Izzone (student section) boos any time Texas fans are shown on the scoreboard.

* I missed about three minutes of the game when the Michigan State bench stood up in front of me. They have me crammed into an auxiliary press table, which is right up against the stands. For a guy my size (6-foot-1, all leg), it's pretty cramped. The guy next to me (6-foot-8) will need to have his knees surgically removed from his shoulders after the game, though.

* The stat sheet is in. Texas leads by one in rebounds and turnovers.

I see that the half has started. Better get back to my seat. More after the game.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The good news is that I made it to Auburn Hills for the Spartan Clash, a double header featuring No. 10 Michigan State against No. 5 Texas in the opener. Oregon plays Oakland in the nightcap, but I will not be sticking around for that.

The bad news is that if I had planned my day better, I could have caught No. 8 UCLA at Michigan earlier this afternoon.

The worse news is that my seat here, which is right behind the MSU bench, does not have a place to plug in my computer, so I may only be blogging until the first timeout or until my battery dies.

Tom Izzo, Jud Heathcote and Bill Raftery are chatting in front of me as the teams warm up before the start, which is 15 minutes away. I can't hear them, though.

This game features one of the more pleasant surprises nationally in Texas, which is 11-0 despite losing Kevin Durant from last year's team. D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams make up arguably the best backcourt in the country. They combined for 38.5 ppg and Augustin averages 6.4 assists.

Michigan State is led by senior Drew Neitzel and his 14.5 points and five assists, and Raymar Morgan, who averages 16.7 points and 7.4 boards from his small forward position. As always, the Spartans are one of the top rebounding teams in the nation with a plus-11 margin.

Michigan State's only loss this year is to UCLA in the finals of the CBE classic in Kansas City.

The Palace isn't quite, but it is pretty nice. It seems newer than it is. The place holds just over 22,000, but there isn't more than 15 here -- yet anyway. It's pretty much a Michigan State crowd, as you might imagine. The Spartan band, cheerleaders (complete with Santa hats on the girls) and dancers are all here.

That's all for now. Maybe for good.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Now that the Notre Dame game is over, Josh and I leave the blogging in the capable hands of Professor Scott. It's safe to do that because he can spell and pronounce "Mayo." He has a little more trouble with Harangody.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- As we watch No. 3 Memphis take on USC in the second game of our double-header here at a more crowded, yet still rather empty Madison Square Garden, Notre Dame coach Mike Brey seemed to be pleased with his team's effort after securing a 68-59 win over Kansas State.

"It's certainly a game for us to build on," he remarked during his post-game press conference. "We had to fight off a very good basketball team and make some game-winning plays.

"Just winning a game against a good team on this stage when the lights are very bright and there's game pressure, that's more important than all the math and bracketology that we start talking about early. Sometimes you forget about the process with the team, so I think it's a big step forward for our team."

Several of those plays came from Staten Island native Kyle McAlarney, who hit a big three with less than three minutes left to put Notre Dame up by five and then knocked down by a pair of free throws a couple minutes later that sealed the victory for the Fighting Irish.

"It's a great feeling," the junior guard said about his strong homecoming performance that included 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. "I heard a lot of people in the stands cheering my name. It's just good to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. At the end of the game, I just wanted the ball in my hands to just knock down those free throws."

While McAlarney made the big plays down the stretch for Brey's team, it's hard to forget about sophomore forward Luke Harangody, who battled down low with Kansas State's Michael Beasley and matched the freshman phenom with a team-high 19 points and 14 rebounds. Beasley finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds in 31 minutes.

"He's definitely going to be a major factor in years to come," Harangody said of Beasley. "In the first half I don't think we bodied up on him well enough and then in the second half we started getting out on him a little more and getting physical with him."

And while Beasley didn't have his typical 30-point performance under the Big Apple's bright lights, Bill Walker came on strong in the second half after tallying just two points at halftime and actually gave the Wildcats the lead at one point in the second half.

"In the first half we settled for a lot of jumpers," the 6-foot-6 freshman said after finishing with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting and six rebounds. "We just tried to focus [after halftime] on pounding the ball inside, and I think that jumpstarted us."

But Kansas State couldn't make enough plays late in the game when it needed to and struggled to rebound the ball against a broad-shouldered Big East team that's known for its physical style of play down low.

"It's frustrating," Kansas State coach Frank Martin, who saw his team suffer a tough loss to Oregon in overtime last week and battle against the Irish before falling late. "It's just a matter of us continuing to work. There's a reason we have to play these kind of games."

But was even more disappointing -- for this reporter at least -- was the fact that Beasley couldn't even offer a few words on his performance or the game in general. According to a policy set out by the school's media relations department, all Kansas State freshmen are not allowed to conduct interviews with the media until they've completed their first academic semester. So for Beasley, that means he won't be talking to anyone until Dec. 16, a day before the Wildcats face Florida A&M in the K-State Holiday Classic at the brand new Sprint Center.

And while its understandable that the school has every intention of protecting its players and giving them a shot at playing basketball rather than just talking about it, why bring your team to New York City with all the national media in attendance and not let him say a single word?

Because the fact is, it's what every reader wants, and if the Wildcats knew what was good for them, they would let Beasley say a few words every now and then -- especially when you lead not just your team in scoring and rebounding but an entire nation.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Despite trailing by nine points with about five minutes left in the second half, Kansas State has fought its way back and got within two points of Notre Dame as the Wildcats continue to work the ball through Michael Beasley.

Kyle McAlarney just hit what could be the biggest shot of the game, as the junior guard drained a three from the top of the key to put the Fighting Irish up by five at 64-59.

And with a minute to go, Kansas State might have to resort to fouling to have any shot of winning this one.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- One of my pet peeves is when the ref calls a charge when the defender is under the basket. I was always taught (when I was a ref in my feckless youth, or roughly ten years older than Josh) to make the defender step out and get a defensive position where the defense still matters. The refs just called a charge on McAlarney where the defender was on the other side of the basket, basically catching him as he landed after he already scored. That was a bad word call, although the ref at least counted the basket.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Not only is it dark and desolated up here in the eaves of the Garden, I'm working on a potential lawsuit (something Dolan and the Garden are quite familiar with) because of the heavily damaged electrical socket that I foolishly tried to plug the laptop into. Note to Mr. Dolan: Socket JK 39 is a fire hazard, a safety hazard and quite possibly could poke an eye out.

. . . Isn't having a McAlarney on Notre Dame rather redundant? It's like Yeshiva having a Goldstein. (Happy Hannukah, by the way. I lit my menorah last night to make up for the night I knew I would miss tonight and I gave Percy the Wonder Dog a butcher's bone before I left this morning. Thanks for asking.)

Continue reading "James Dolan Is No Friend of Mine" »

Posted by David Scott at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- With 6:20 left in this one, Notre Dame has built an eight-point lead with the scoreboard reading 59-51.

After a stellar first half that saw Luke Harangody put a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, the Fighting irish are making sure to run their offense through the sophomore big man. And while the 6-foot-7 forward now has tallied 19 points and 14 rebounds, he's getting his other teammates involved, hitting Tory Jackson down the middle of the lane for an easy layin.

We'll see if Kansas State can respond, but the Fighting Irish's experience could prove to be the difference down the stretch.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- David and I have finally arrived at the the self-proclaimed world's greatest arena to see Notre Dame and Kansas St. We would have been here sooner, but we weren't.

We have great seats in the sense that we are at center court. However, we are about five miles away from the court, so that even a monster like Luke Harangody looks no bigger than a cockroach. It's almost like being here.

Where we are sitting, it is completely dark. The stat girl brought us the halftime numbers, but I can't read them. And I have good vision. Professor Scott probably doesn't know they are on the table. He might even think the stat girl was a guy.

At halftime, they showed Jim Valvano's "Don't Give Up" speech on the scoreboard. It's the first time I have ever seen the whole thing. Actually, I was too busy telling Josh and the Professor that I had never seen the whole thing, so I ended up missing bits of it. That means, I still haven't seen the whole thing.

I thought there might be more of a crowd for this game, since I expected ND to have a good following in NYC. They might, but it appears Irish fans had something else to do tonight, since the place is a little more than half full.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- The second half has kicked off here at Madison Square Garden, and after keep things close with Kansas State, Notre Dame has now surged out to a 52-41 lead at the 12-minute mark.

The Wildcats are struggling to find their offense, and Michael Beasley is looking a little winded after losing the ball at the top of the key and letting Tory Jackson get an easy break-away layup to push the Irish's lead to nine. Beasley has had to shoulder much of the load for KSU in the first half in playing 18-plus minutes and tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds, but head coach Frank Martin needs someone else to step up if his team hopes to leave the Big Apple with a victory tonight.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK - The rest of the Posting Up Posse has arrived after the Palmist and myself wolfed down some Blarney Rock sangwiches and made it over to the high-above-courtside P-Up Perch for the annual replay of the inspirational Jimmy V speech. My rough estimate is that I've seen the speech, in its entirety, upwards of 50 times. My cohorts say they haven't seen it more than 10 times combined. Sheltered youths.

We're starting to think the paranoid MSG staff (as described in a recnet article about covering the Knicks) may very well be CSTV.com readers. There is no other explanation for the distant, next borough seats they have given us in the hockey press box, than to assume that they read my blistering report card from the Coaches vs. Cancer games when I compared the Garden to a bad college bar. That was inappropriate, I now realize. And a complete insult to every bad college bar in America.

If I keep ripping on the smelly, rat-infested arena, I'm guessing they'll have to put us in a harness hanging from the Bill Bradley's retired number for the Big East Tournament. But I will not be censored! I will not conform to the MSG gestapo.

Continue reading "Posting Up Posse Has Arrived" »

Posted by David Scott at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- In what may have been one of the fastest first halves of basketball this season, Notre Dame has a 36-34 lead over Kansas State.

Luke Harangody has been dominant force at both ends of the court for the Fighting Irish, tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds in roughly 17 minutes of action. Senior forward Rob Kurz is currently Notre Dame's second leading scorer with six points but has only managed to grab one rebound in 13 minutes.

On the other side of things, Michael Beasley has played well so far in his first appearance under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, knocking down seven of his 13 attempts from the floor for 15 points in addition to 10 rebounds. Blake Young has been the other

Despite shooting only 38.1 percent in the first half (in comparison to KSU's 40.5 percent from the floor), Notre Dame has gotten after it on the glass, outrebounding the Wildcats, 27-21. Now the Irish just need to pick it up from the three-point line, where they've managed to make just one of 11 shots at a stellar 9.1 percent-rate.

Fortunately for Mike Brey and company, KSU isn't doing that much better from long range, as Frank Martin's team heads into halftime with a 25.0 percent clip (3-of-12).

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- After trailing 28-18 with a little less than 10 minutes left in the first half, Kansas State has just used a 10-2 run to get back in the game.

And between Michael Beasley's dominance on the interior and some solid perimeter shooting from senior guard Blake Young, Frank Martin's team is starting to get it together with about four minutes to go before halftime.

With 3:22 remaining, it's Notre Dame leading by four, 32-28.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- In what's been an up-and-down game so far, Michael Beasley is doing his usual thing and dominating inside for Kansas State, but the Wildcats still find themselves down early with 15:37 left in the first half.

While Notre Dame has been able to match KSU stride for stride in the first four minutes of the game, both teams have looked a little sloppy with some careless turnovers in their half-court sets.

We'll see how the rest of this first half plays out after Luke Harangody just put the Fighting Irish up, 11-8, with a three-point play on a drive to the basket.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- After a cross-country trip back to the East Coast, we're here at the world famous and nearly empty Madison Square Garden to see two great games tonight in the Jimmy V Classic. Joining me in the blogging banter and festivities will be Professor Scott and Mr. Jerry Palm, our RPI guru, bracketologist and BCS expert (for all you college football fans out there), so we should have some good commentary and analysis for you over the next five hours or so.

In our first game tonight, Kansas State makes a visit to the Big Apple to face Big East foe Notre Dame in an exciting matchup between two unranked teams. The Wildcats are coming off a tough 80-77 overtime loss to No. 17 Oregon at home but are hoping that freshman phenom Michael Beasley can lead them past another quality opponent tonight. The 6-foot-10 Washington, D.C., native, after all, is averaging a jaw-dropping 26.7 points and 15.0 rebounds per game and has been considered by many, including our Wooden Watch panel here at CSTV.com, as one of the favorites to garner Player of the Year honors by the end of the season. Though Beasley has nearly done anything and everything for the Wildcats so far, Jacob Pullen has been the other consistent scorer for the Wildcats, as the freshman point guard has averaged 13.6 points and 3.9 assists in 28.1 minutes of action through seven games.

But while head coach Frank Martin is still seeing his young team develop its identity during this early part of the season, Notre Dame is hoping to use a three-game winning streak and its experience in Rob Kurz, Kyle McAlarney and Luke Harangody for its first-ever appearance in the Jimmy V Classic. Harangody, in particular, has been the focal point at both ends of the floor for Mike Brey's team, leading the Fighting Irish with 17.3 points and 8.1 rebounds as just a sophomore, but McAlarney and Kurz have been almost as good. McAlarney, in fact, has tallied 14.1 points and 4.1 assists from his two-guard spot, and Kurz is having a very productive senior campaign with 13.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 27.3 minutes.

Meanwhile, if any of you are wondering when the last time these two teams actually got together, the press notes have indicated that it's been nearly 15 years since the Wildcats and Fighting Irish played on the same court, with Notre Dame winning a second round NIT matchup at the Joyce Center back on March 23, 1992.

So with that said, let's get ready for some more basketball.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 06:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- In what could be considered one of the better games of this season so far, No. 8 Texas has just upset No. 2 UCLA with a 63-61 victory in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series to snap the Bruins' 25-game winning streak at Pauley Pavilion.

Despite leading by four with less than two minutes to play, Texas responded when Damion James threw down a dunk off a missed shot from D.J. Augustin with eight seconds left that proved to be the game-winning basket.

Frazzled and surprised, the Bruins tried to get down the floor to score but were unable to answer on the ensuing possession as Luc Richard Mbah a Moute missed an open three-pointer from the right wing, leaving the Longhorns to celebrate at center court in front of a stunned crowd of 12, 048.

"Damion made huge plays," Texas coach Rick Barnes said afterward. "He made some clutch shots.

While Augustin managed Texas' offense well and tallied 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting in 36 minutes on action, it was James who really proved to be the difference for the Longhorns down the stretch, tallying 19 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal.

For UCLA, Mbah a Moute led a team that featured four double-digit scorers with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting in addition to seven rebounds. Freshman phenom Kevin Love, meanwhile, never really got unleashed against the Longhorns' frontline, finishing with 11 points but just five rebounds in 24 minutes on the floor.

A big reason for that was Connor Atchley, who added nine points to Texas' scoring line, even though the Bruins were able to hold three-point striker A.J. Abrams at bay with the junior scoring only seven points on 3-of-8 shooting.

"UCLA did a good job with Abrams," Barnes remarked. "I knew they were going to come out with a big punch in the second half in which they got more physical. We knew we had to defend and not give up offensive rebounds."

Rebounding certainly belonged to Texas for much of the night, as the Longhorns held a 34-28 advantage over UCLA, and that was something that played into the loss for the Bruins.

Having to overcome a 11-point deficit at halftime, though, also seemed to be a big part in what resulted in Texas leaving Southern California with a 7-0 record.

"We lost to a very good team," UCLA coach Ben Howland said in his post-game press conference. "I was impressed with their athleticism and patience on offense. We had a great comeback after burying ourselves in the first half."

But while the loss to Texas will ultimately be a tough pill to swallow for Howland and his players, the Bruins can't get worry too much about this game with Davidson coming to Anaheim for the Wooden Classic next Saturday.

"We will just have to get better with practice, especially once we get our full team back," Howland added.

And maybe this could be just the beginning for a talented Texas team that doesn't need Kevin Durant after all.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Pauley Pavilion just exploded after No. 2 UCLA took a 59-55 lead on No. 8 Texas with three minutes remaining.

Following a pair of free throws by Kevin Love that knotted the game at 55-55, a tip-in by Lorenzo Mata-Real gave the Bruins the four-point lead, but D.J. Augustin came back with a three-pointer from the left wing to put the Longhorns down by one.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- We're deadlocked at 51-51 with 6:35 remaining as No. 2 UCLA and No. 8 Texas are trading three-point field goals from D.J. Augustin and Josh Shipp.

Shipp has really picked it up in the second half for the Bruins, knocking down his shots from beyond the arc and driving the lane to get buckets or free throw attempts.

Down low, Kevin Love and Connor Atchley continue to go at it, and with each of them having three fouls, it could come down to whoever picks up number four with a little less than six minutes remaining here at Pauley Pavilion.

Damion James, in the meantime, has been unconscience for Texas. The sophomore guard-forward can't seem to miss from outside and continues to knock down every shot that leaves his hands.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Things are starting to heat up with No. 2 UCLA regaining the lead over No. 8 Texas with scoreboard reading 41-40 with a little more than 12 minutes to play at Pauley Pavilion.

After struggling from the field in the first half and trailing by 11 points, the Bruins have really picked up their defense and it's carried over to the offensive end in getting easy transition baskets.

Preseason All-American Darren Collison is playing some very good close defense on super point guard D.J. Augustin but still hasn't found his perimeter shot at the other end of the court.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Just when I was getting on Luc Richard Mbah a Moute for missing all three of his three-point attempts in the first half and tallying just four points, No. 2 UCLA has started the second half on a 6-0 run after a pair of free throws from the Cameroon Prince and a fastbreak layup from Darren Collison.

And with the Bruins down just six with 18:51 to go, Pauley Pavilion is really rocking as the sound decibel level is nearly defeaning.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- It what may be a surprise to some, No. 8 Texas is really taking it to No. 2 UCLA, surging out to a 37-25 lead at halftime with some good play from its frontcourt and point guard D.J. Augustin has won the battle early against preseason All-American Darren Collison.

Much like the CBE Classic championship game against Michigan State in Kansas City, Mo., freshman phenom Kevin Love has been bumped and bruised early on as he's had to battle a solid frontline led by 6-foot-10 junior Connor Atchley, who has tallied six points at the break. Love does lead the Bruins with seven points at the half along with Collison, but Ben Howland's team hasn't got much from Russell Westbrook (two points), Josh Shipp (three points) or Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (four points).

Damion James, meanwhile, leads all scorers with nine points on 4-of-9 shooting, and Augustin has recorded eight points and three assists so far.

But you don't have to look much further than the field goal percentage differential to see what's been the real difference in the game. While the Longhorns have nailed 17 of their 32 shots for a 53.1 percent mark, the Bruins are shooting just 38.5 percent from the floor (10-of-28).

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- No. 8 Texas has continued to shoot well from the floor as the Longhorns hold a solid 34-21 lead over No. 2 UCLA with 2:35 remaining before halftime.

The Bruins have started to score the ball with more consistency over the last few minutes but haven't been able to stop their opposition at the other end of the floor.

Damion James has been a big boost for Rick Barnes so far, but D.J. Augustin has really been the leader so far for Texas, taking care of the ball-handling duties and managing the game well.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- No. 8 Texas has taken over the lead with a 19-14 advantage at the 7:58-mark in the first half, and No. 2 UCLA is struggling to get the ball in the basket after starting fast with some hot shooting from the perimeter.

The Longhorns' 2-3 zone against the Bruins has proved to be effective so far, and freshman forward Kevin Love is still on the bench after hobbling to the sidelines when Connor Atchley knocked him over for an easy layup.

And as I was saying earlier about the possibility of UCLA three-point specialist Michael Roll playing today, the 6-foot-5 guard-forward entered the game around the 15-minute mark and has been playing a significant number of minutes so far. While Roll hasn't attempted a shot yet, he's got a tough assignment trying to guard another sharpshooter in A.J. Abrams.

Love, meanwhile, has returned to the game after taking a rest, but the Bruins are in a bigger hole now, trailing 26-14 with more than six minutes left before halftime.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Unlike the first game that we witnessed today with No. 4 Kansas sneaking by No. 22 USC for a 55-51 victory at the Galen Center, this one between No. 2 UCLA and No. 8 Texas looks to be a high-scoring affair with the Bruins and Longhorns going back and forth.

UCLA is holding a slight 12-11 lead with 15:23 remaining in the first half, but Texas is taking the ball to the basket and getting some early fouls on Kevin Love, Josh Shipp and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. Texas has yet to commit a foul.

Shipp and Collison both hit threes to put the Bruins out in front early, but Rick Barnes' Longhorns have done a nice job on the last couple of possessions, getting to the goal for easy layups and dunks and cutting the lead to one.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- After a short drive over on the 10 Freeway from downtown L.A. to Westwood Village, we're back at Pauley Pavilion to witness No. 2 UCLA take on No. 8 Texas as part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series.

The Bruins are coming off an 83-60 spanking of Atlantic 10 foe and three-time NCAA Tournament participant George Washington, as sophomore point man Russell Westbrook led the way with 18 points and Josh Shipp chipped in with 15.

Preseason All-American Darren Collison, meanwhile, made his season debut Wednesday night against the Colonials after spraining his left knee and came out strong with 14 points and five assists. UCLA coach Ben Howland, however, didn't say after the win over GW whether his 6-foot junior would start today, so we'll see who the fifth-year coach has in his starting five when the players take the floor in a few minutes.

Howland, though, has had to deal with other injuries early this season, and we could see sharpshooter Michael Roll return to the floor for the first time this season after rupturing his plantar fascia in his left foot during a Nov. 3 practice. Right now he's listed as questionable for the game, but I have an inkling that the 6-foot-5 guard-forward from Laguna Niguel, Calif., could be making an appearance with the sort of implications surrounding this game.

Speaking of Texas, the Longhorns come into today's contest with six straight wins by a margin of at least 15 points for just the second time in school history and first since the 1915-16 season.

And after seeing Rick Barnes' team demolish then-No. 7 Tennessee last weekend in Newark, N.J., at the StubHub! Legends Classic, getting great guard play out of D.J. Augustin, A.J. Abrams and Justin Mason, this should be one of the better games during the month of December.

So with that said, let's get ready for the tip.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- If there's one player that Kansas coach Bill Self should be thanking for the next few days, it's undoubtedly Mario Chalmers.

That's because with the game clock down to 20 seconds in the second half, the junior guard came up with the biggest shot of the game for the Jayhawks, knocking down a three-pointer five feet behind the line to seal a 59-55 win for No. 4 Kansas over No. 22 USC at the Galen Center.

And while the Trojans had two timeouts remaining with 11 seconds left on the clock, it's unsure why USC coach Tim Floyd didn't take one to set up a play at the other end of the court.

Instead, the Trojans settled for another fade-away three-point attempt from O.J. Mayo in the right corner and were forced to foul Chalmers with three seconds remaining. Chalmers hit one of two free throws and Darnell Jackson grabbed the rebound on the second attempt to seal the win.

Mayo, whose shot selection easily rivals that NBA all-star playing across the 110 Freeway at the Staples Center, finished just 6-for-21 for a team-high 19 points to go along with five turnovers, five rebounds and three steals. Davon Jefferson also had another strong showing after the win over Oklahoma Thursday night, tallying 17 points and three rebounds.

For Kansas, Chalmers finished with a game-high 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting, but his coach wasn't pleased with his performance surprisingly.

"Mario did not play that well overall today," the fourth-year coach Self said. "He made some deep plays down the stretch which we needed. It was one of those grind-it-out games. We did not execute very well today."

Afterward, you could hear the frustration and anger in Tim Floyd's voice as the USC coach took four questions before leaving the press conference in a hurry.

"We gotta do some things better," he said. "They showed their experience and poise when they needed to, and I thought we did not. We looked like who we are."

Though the Trojans came up just short in pulling off a big-time upset in front of a rowdy crowd that left the building ever so quietly, it was clear as Floyd said that the Jayhawks' depth and experienced proved to be the difference down the stretch.

"We never had the game totally under control," Self admitted afterward. "We turned the ball over too much, especially at the end of the game. That should never happen."

But for as bad as the Jayhawks might have played according to their coach, it's still a win that they can take back to Lawrence and use in March when the NCAA Tournament selection committee places a seed next to Kansas' name.

"We feel that the Pac-10 is the toughest conference in the country," Self added. "This looks as if this will be the best team we will play before Big 12 play begins. It was a big win, especially on the road. It was not pretty, but it was a win."

I'll have more on this game later in Hang Time, but now we head to Westwood to see No. 2 UCLA take on No. 8 Texas at Pauley Pavilion in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- I guess Tim Floyd must have listened to me because Davon Jefferson has got No. 22 USC back in the game with 1:31 remaining and the Trojans down just by four, 55-51.

Bill Self has called a timeout and a Kansas score on this next possession could seal the game.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Kansas is seeming to get every offensive rebound right now as the Jayhawks are holding onto a 51-44 lead with four minutes to go in this one at the Galen Center.

Bill Self's team is starting to milk some clock, and Mario Chalmer's layup with 3:35 remaining now has KU up by nine.

The Trojans need to answer quickly if they want to have a chance to upset the No. 4 team in the country, and if I'm Tim Floyd, I'm doing everything I can get to the ball in Davon Jefferson's hands. The 6-foot-8 forward from Lynwood, Calif., has been solid on the block for the Trojans, registering 11 points at the 3:30-mark.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 03:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Free throws are really killing USC right now with Taj Gibson just missing a couple from the line minutes after a USC assistant on the bench received a technical foul for arguing a foul on the Trojans. Head coach Tim Floyd was lucky not to receive his own T after standing outside the coaches box during the altercation, but he's seemed to regain his composure with a lot of game still left to play.

And the Jayhawks are starting to gain control of this game, as Brandon Rush just hit a jumper from the right elbow to put No. 4 Kansas up by five while Darrell Arthur hit a layup to extend KU's lead to 49-42.

Little Kobe is starting to chuck up shots from way behind the three-point line, while Kansas methodically works its offense with less than seven minutes remaining now.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- So far this game has certainly lived up to the hype as both teams are kneck and kneck with 10 minutes almost gone in the second half.

No. 22 USC took the lead with 13:15 remaining after Daniel Hackett hit his second three-pointer of the half, but No. 4 Kansas finds itself back in front at 42-40 after Mario Chalmers nailed a three way behind the arc at the top of the key.

The USC faithful is slowly but surely getting angry, taking out their angst on the referees while the Trojans are having a tough time right now against Kansas' suffocating defense.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Darnell Jackson has just had two impressive dunks back-to-back to start the second half, and a young USC team is starting to look frazzled against a more expierenced and athletic Kansas team.

And after a three-point play by Mario Chalmers, who is really starting to push the ball against the Trojans, to put the Jayhawks ahead, the KU fans are starting to make their voice heard in the Galen Center.

With 16:30 remaining in the second half, it's Kansas holding a slight 35-32 lead.

On a side note, I finally got some stats from USC media relations, and Darrell Arthur led Kansas at the half with six points. Darnell Jackson may have had an even more impressive first half with five points and nine rebounds. Six-foot-5 guard Daniel Hackett, in the meantime, was the Trojans' leading rebounder in the first half, recording four boards to go along with two points.

One surprise throughout the first 25 minutes of play has been the ineffectiveness of Kansas junior Brandon Rush, who managed to make just one of four shots for two points in 11 minutes of action during the first half.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 03:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- In what's been a thrilling and up-and-down first half, Davon Jefferson hit a jumper with less than a second remaining to put USC up, 27-25, going into halftime.

The Trojans have been looking to push the ball against the Jayhawks for much of the first 20 minutes of play, and while Tim Floyd's team has made its share of mistakes, it's also forcing Kansas into some turnovers as well.

On the stat sheet, Little Kobe, er, O.J. Mayo, is leading USC with 12 points on who knows how many shots. I haven't gotten a stat sheet yet, but it's quite a few from the way the ball seems to leave his hands ever other possession. And maybe that's what it's going to take for the Trojans to pull off what would be one of the bigger upsets in the program's history, but after the 27 shots that he took against Mercer, that won't be a key ingredient in pulling this one off.

For some reason, I just have a feeling that whatever Bill Self said at halftime to his team, it's going to make a difference. The Jayhawks may have played their first six games at home, but the wealth of talent and experience coming out of Lawrence, Kan., can't be forgotten about.

And you certainly can't say the same about a USC team that starts three sophomores and two freshmen. If this game goes down to the wire, look for Kansas' depth and experience to play the part.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- O.J. Mayo has just gone down after setting a screen near the baseline, and the 6-foot-5 freshman looks like he got the wind knocked out of him. He's managed to stay on the floor for the time being, but Kansas has just cut the lead to 22-20 with 1:38 remaining before halftime.

Mayo, meanwhile, is leading all scorers with 12 points after knocking down a pair of field goals from beyond the arc. Darnell Jackson has tallied five points for Kansas.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- The momentum has certainly swung back and forth in this one, as No. 4 Kansas is starting to take it to No. 22 USC with the Jayhawks tying the game at 16-16 with 5:45 remaining in the first half.

Darrell Arthur is making himself a real presence on the block, as the 6-foot-9 Dallas native battles 6-foot-8 forward Davon Jefferson and 6-foot-9 forward Taj Gibson. And between Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson, the Trojans are really struggling with the Jayhawks' size and length right now, yet are holding onto a 21-18 lead with less than four minutes to go thanks to a three-pointer by O.J. Mayo and a breakaway flush from Jefferson.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 02:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- No. 22 USC has darted out to a 16-6 lead on No. 4 Kansas with a little more than 10 minutes remaining in the first half, and while you would have expected the Trojans to be a little tight in playing as big of a game as they're playing, it's actually the Jayhawks who are looking out of sync on the offensive end.

But it's still early, and Kansas has gotten some better looks down the floor on the last two possessions.

O.J. Mayo, who comes in to today's contest averaging a team-high 21.3 points and 4.9 rebounds, has taken a good number of shots but has been only able to connect on one from long range.

After leading by 10, the Jayhawks have cut the lead to four, trailing 16-12 with eight minutes to go in this exciting first half.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- O.J. Mayo has just hit a three to put No. 22 USC up on No. 4 Kansas, and the Trojans are starting to get things going on both ends of the floor.

Mayo, however, has looked a little frustrated at times, and it's obvious that the freshman phenom knows just how big of a game this is if the Trojans are trying to prove that they can compete with some of the best and most renowned programs in the country this season.

Davon Jefferson, in the meantime, made a nice drive to the basket to put USC up by five, as the Trojans now lead 9-4, with 13:25 left before halftime.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Both teams have started this game at the Galen Center looking rather sloppy, and No. 22 USC is hoping to stay with No. 4 Kansas early despite trailing, 4-2, with 15:42 left in the first half.

The Trojans are having a tough time against a stingy Jayhawk defense, but Bill Self's team hasn't been able to muster up much so far. Darnell Jackson has hit a smooth turn-around jumper to give his team a two-point lead, while Darrell Arthur scored the first points of the game.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 02:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Welcome back to the Galen Center next door to downtown L.A., as No. 4 Kansas makes a visit to Southern California to face No. 22 USC, who we saw down another Big 12 foe in Oklahoma Thursday night with a 66-55 victory.

The Trojans have won six straight since suffering a season-opening loss to Mercer back on Nov. 10 here at home, and while Coach Tim Floyd's team has a real test today against Bill Self's Jayhawks, it won't get any easier next week when USC heads to New York City to face No. 3 Memphis in the Jimmy V Classic. The hype, of course, is slowly building around the O.J. Mayo-Derrick Rose rivalry that will hit Madison Square Garden, and luckily for me (and maybe you), I'll be there with DScott and JPalm to watch it all go down (the first game of the night that pits No. 18 Kansas State against Notre Dame will be another spectacle to watch with freshman phenom Michael Beasley playing under the Big Apple's bright lights).

Kansas, meanwhile, has started the season at 6-0 and has done it by an average margin of 27.8 points in the six home games, with the last beat down coming against Florida Atlantic in a 87-49 victory. The Jayhawks are led by sophomore forward Darrell Arthur, who is averaging 14.5 points and a team-high 5.8 rebounds coming into the game. Junior guard Mario Chalmers is also scoring in double figures for the season, putting up 12.2 points and 2.5 boards a contest.

But there's a good amount of Jayhawk fans in the stands, and we'll see how that plays into this game with a lot of seats still vacant throughout the building. It's sure to fill up, though, and the USC students, of course, have filled their section with yellow shirts.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 01:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- After opening the season with a disappointing double-digit loss at home to Mercer earlier this month, No. 22 USC has now run off six straight wins with tonight's 66-55 victory over Oklahoma in the inauguaral Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series.

And despite what the scoreboard read when the final buzzer sounded here at the Galen Center, this game proved a much tougher test for the Trojans than it might have looked in the end.

But with a boisterous USC crowd on hand, Oklahoma couldn't put together a late run after getting as close as 39-36 with 12:37 remaining in the second half.

"I thought our crowd was outstanding tonight and our young guys really needed it," USC coach Tim Floyd said in his post-game press conference. "The students were unbelievable. I thought they were a huge difference overall, and we needed it when they started to close it in the second half."

While much of the talk after the game was centered on Davon Jefferson's assurgance over the last two games with a game-high 23 points against the Sooners, it was the defense that really clamped down and got several crucial stops down the stretch to pull away with less than six minutes remaining in the second half.

"We're continuining to do a few things well," Floyd continued. "We're making more free throws than the other team is attempting. We're continuing to defend and keep teams at 35 percent [from the floor] or below. And we're rebounding better."

Oklahoma, after all, has given its opponents trouble with a formidable frontcourt tandem in freshman Blake Griffin and senior Longar Longar, but those two pieces were very quiet tonight admist a crowd that was anything but quiet for all 40 minutes.

"They did not do anything that we didn't expect," Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel said. "We have to figure out a way to make things work on defense especially. I thought USC did a good job of getting down deep and getting opportunities down by the post."

That certainly didn't happen for Griffin, who finished with four points and a team-high nine rebounds, or Longar, who managed to register only three points and two rebounds in 18 minutes of action.

The Trojans, meanwhile, looked to be well on their way to an easy win over the Sooners with an 11-point lead at halftime, but Capel's ball club turned things around early in the second half and gave USC a run for its money.

That is, until O.J. Mayo broke loose on the Sooners with about 10 minutes to go in the second half, as the freshman phenom tallied 16 of his 18 points after halftime to spur a late rally and secure the win for the Trojans.

"In the second half we started making some shots and getting in a rhythm," Capel explained about his team's resurgence in the second half. "You are not going to beat a team like USC when you score 18 points in the first half."

"O.J. let the game come to him," Floyd said. "He's a great talent."

And with sophomore forward Taj Gibson spending much of the game in foul trouble, Dwight Lewis also stepped up to finish with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the floor, but if the Trojans are looking to upset No. 4 Kansas Sunday afternoon when the Jayhawks make an appearance in Southern California, they'll need to not only shoot the ball better than tonight's 44.2-percent mark but also continue to dominate the glass after outrebounding Oklahoma by a solid 38-28 margin.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 01:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Oklahoma is running out of chances now as the Sooners turn the ball over with less than a minute remaining and USC up by 11 points.

The USC students are starting to chant "We Are...SC" with O.J. Mayo holding the ball and milking the clock near midcourt, and it looks like Jeff Capel's team will be leaving Los Angeles with its second loss this season.

While Davon Jefferson proved to be the difference for the Trojans down the stretch, Mayo certainly asserted himself in the final 10 minutes of the game and made sure that there would be no late comeback from Oklahoma.

So with the buzzer just sounding, it's USC moving to 6-1 on the season with a 66-55 victory. We'll be back in a little bit with final stats and some quotes from both coaches following tonight's press conferences, so stay tuned for that.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 12:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- USC has just suffered a major blow with sophomore forward Taj Gibson fouling out at the four-minute mark, but Oklahoma is having a hard time stopping O.J. Mayo's dribble-drive penetration.

The Trojans are holding onto a 58-48 lead with just more than three minutes remaining in this one, and Oklahoma has managed to stay close on Austin Johnson's perimeter shooting.

Mayo, meanwhile, has just collected his 17th point after burning a Tony Crocker at the top of the key and gracefully laying the ball up to extend the Trojans' lead.

Just seconds later, Keith Clark was called for a hard foul on Davon Jefferson, who hit both free throws and now has tallied 23 points for the night.

And with the way things are looking here, USC has all but wrapped up this one up with a 66-53 lead and just a minute remaining now.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 12:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- USC has got the crowd back into it with two straight layups from O.J. Mayo and junior forward Keith Wilkinson, who went up strong and finished with his left hand to give the Trojans a 49-43 lead with roughly seven minutes left in the second half of this non-conference matchup.

Mayo is starting to get some better looks at the basket in the last couple of minutes, as the 6-foot-5 guard has just made another dazzling drive to the basket and then followed that up with a fall-away jumper from the right corner and a three-pointer a couple feet behind that spot.

The Trojans are now looking to put this game away with a 56-43 lead and 5:36 remaining, and we'll see if Oklahoma can make a run of its own to quell USC's 11-0 run over the last 90 seconds. Timeout on the floor.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- After watching Oklahoma struggle possession after possession down the floor for much of the first half, we've managed to see quite a game develop with USC leading by just three now, 39-36, with 11:30 remaining in the game.

While the Sooners' comeback can be largely attributed to Oklahoma making shots from the perimeter, OU's defense on O.J. Mayo is something that has also kept Jeff Capel's team close. The freshman sensation, in fact, hasn't had a lot of good looks on the basket, and David Goldbold's tight defense on Mayo hasn't allowed the Huntington, W. Va., native to even touch the ball 30 feet away from the basketball.

Davon Jefferson has just hit a pair of free throws, and it's now USC 45, Oklahoma 40, with about nine minutes to go.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 12:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- That timeout that Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel just called a couple minutes ago must have helped straighten the Sonners out because OU has seemed to find some offensive rhythm after USC opened the second half with five straight points.

Davon Jefferson managed to knock down a wide-open jump shot from the top of the key after two straight three-pointers from Oklahoma, but the Sooners continue their hot shooting from the outside, as freshman guard Austin Johnson just hit a three from left wing with a Daniel Hackett hand in his face.

And slowly but surely, Jeff Capel's team is climbing back in this game with the Trojans only leading by six, 37-31, as we go under 14 minutes in the second half.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- USC has opened the half on a 5-0 run after O.J. Mayo knocked down his first three-pointer of the game and Dwight Lewis came down on the next possession following an Oklakoma miss and knocked down a 20-footer from the top of the key to give the Trojans it's largest lead at 33-18 just two minutes in the game.

Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel has called a timeout, and the first-year coach needs to find an answer in a hurry if it he hopes to keep his team in the game over the next 18 minutes.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- With a minute and change remaining in the first half, USC pushed the lead up to 11 after Keith Wilkinson hit a big three-pointer from the top of the key for his first points of the night, and that's where we now stand at halftime as the Trojans lead, 29-18, going into the break.

We haven't talked much about O.J. Mayo at all, and in large part that's because there hasn't been much to talk about. The freshman phenom has tallied just two points for the Trojans. Luckily, the 6-foot-5 guard has had Davon Jefferson do much of the scoring tonight, as the Lynwood, Calif., native has led the way with 12 points so far.

For Oklahoma, Blake Griffin has managed to only record four points in the first 20 minutes of play, while Longar Longar has only one point yet two fouls. If Jeff Capel's team hopes to turn things around in this second half, it's most likely going to start with Griffin and Longar, who have bolstered the Sooners' scoring production in OU's first six games of the season.

Here comes the second 20 minutes of play...

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Blake Griffin has just airballed a three from the top of the key with 6:25 remaining in the first half, and that got the USC faithful chanting "Airball! Airball!" with the Trojans holding a three-point lead at 16-13.

It's been an enthusiastic crowd that's shown up at the Galen Center tonight, and Davon Jefferson's follow-up dunk a couple minutes got the fans really roaring with USC extending its lead to 22-14.

Coming off a stellar performance in the Trojans' win over Southern Illinois last Sunday, Jefferson has really shown what he's capable of doing this season, as the freshman forward leads all scorers right now with 12 points.

Oklahoma, in the meantime, is struggling to get its offense going forward, as the Sooners continue to miss from the perimeter on several straight possessions down the floor. At the moment, Griffin is leading OU with a meager four points.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- USC has jumped out to a 10-6 early in what's been a defensive struggle in the early portion of this first half at the Galen Center.

Blake Griffin is starting to get involved more for Oklahoma on both ends of the floor, while Dwight Lewis has shown a spark for the Trojans.

Tony Crocker has just hit a three from the right wing for the Sonners, and Jeff Capel's ball club trails by just one with scoreboard reading 12-11 with a little more 10 minutes to go.

The Trojans, on the other side of the court, are struggling to get good looks against a physical frontline that the Oklahoma features in Griffin and senior center Longar Longar.

Speaking of Griffin, the 6-foot-10 forward just blocked a shot from Taj Gibson off the block but was called for a goaltending violation.

Jeff Capel sure didn't think it was, though.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Good evening from the Galen Center, where we see two dynamic teams in No. 22-ranked USC and Oklahoma go toe to toe tonight in what looks to be a riveting non-conference game as part of the inaugural Big 12/Pac-10 Harwood Series.

The Trojans are coming off a big win over then-No. 18 Southern Illinois in the Anaheim Classic championship last Sunday, and the Trojans are looking to score another big win after freshman phenom O.J. Mayo and Devon Jefferson teamed up in the 70-45 beating of the Salukis.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, is coming off a win over Morehead State in Norman after splitting games against No. 3 Memphis (a 63-53 loss) and Cinderella story Gardner-Webb (a 69-55 win) in New York City at the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic.

Jeff Capel said after the loss to Memphis that the Sooners are still searching for their offense, and it largely starts with freshman forward and McDonald's All-American Blake Griffin, who struggled against the Tigers before breaking out against Gardner-Webb in the preseason tournament's consolation game. Griffin, after all, currently ranks second in the Big 12 with three double-doubles and was very impressive in his season debut Nov. 8 against San Francisco, in which he scored 18 points and collected 13 boards.

Also down on the block, senior center Longar Longar has been another one of OU's go-to guys, ranking second on the team in scoring and rebounding with 12 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. But that's even more impressive when you consider that Longar only plays 22.5 minutes an outing right now.

In any case, tonight's game should certainly be a good test for both teams and a win that both teams would like to use as an indicator for the NCAA Tournament selection committee come March.

So with that said, let's get ready for the tip, as we'll have plenty of action coming your way over the next three hours.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Well, there you have it folks.

No. 15 Texas just put on an old-fashioned whooping on seventh-ranked Tennessee, and maybe it's not as big of a surprise after the way the Volunteers escaped Friday night against West Virginia with a two-point win.

D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams were the Longhorns' one-two punch the whole night for Rick Barnes' squad, and now they'll head back to Austin to face Texas Southern before making their way to Los Angeles to take on No. 2 UCLA Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion in the Pac-10/Big 12 Hardwood Series.

That's a game I'm certainly looking forward to as I'll be back in my old stomping grounds next weekend when the Longhorns and Bruins meet in Westwood, a place I grew up watching games as a kid with my dad.

And if Texas shoots the ball the way it did tonight against Tennessee, Ben Howland's club will be for a dogfight for sure. But the Bruins also haven't lost at home in nearly two years, and with that stiffling defense that UCLA plays game in and game out, it will be an interesting scenario for the 5-0 Longhorns.

Here's some final notes on tonight's championship game, and I'll have more once again in Hang Time for your reading pleasure.

-Legends Classic All-Tournament Team:

Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia
Connor Atchley, Texas
Chris Lofton, Tennessee
A.J. Abrams, Texas
D.J Augustin, Texas (Legends Classic MVP)

-All four of Texas' double-digit scorers finished with 20 or more points. Augustin led the way with 23 points along with eight assists and four rebounds, and Connor Atchley had an impressive 22 points down low to go along with a team-high 11 rebounds. Abrams, who shot 3-for-8 from downtown, and Justin Mason, who shot the ball particularly well in making six of his eight attempts, both finished with 21 each.

-Chris Lofton paced Tennessee with 18 points, but the preseason All-American never broke loose on the Longhorns, as Augustin and Abrams teamed up in defending the senior point guard, who shot 50 percent from the field (5-for-10) and from behind the three-point line (4-for-8).

-JaJuan Smith was one of the three double-digit scorer for the Volunteeers with 13 points, but the 6-foot-2 senior from Cleveland, Tenn., only made four of his 14 field goal attempts and just 1-of-4 threes. Tyler Smith added 11 points, eight assists and eight rebounds in 33 minutes, but Bruce Pearl's team didn't get much else on the interior with sophomore Wayne Chism managing just seven points in 19 minutes and Duke Crews scoring a meager four points in 21 minutes.

-The Longhorns held a 38-30 rebounding edge over Tennessee, as Damion James, despite playing with four fouls, and Abrams both tallied six while Augustin had four. On the other side, Crews pulled down five boards and Chism had four for the Vols, who shot just 38.8 from the field for the game -- quiet a comparison when you look at the Longhorns' 63.6 field-goal percentage along with its 10-for-20 efficiency from behind the three-point line.

-Lastly, the stat sheets that were handed out to the press state tonight's attendance was 4,327. With the way things looked in the crowd, though, The Prudential Center would have been lucky to have had 1,500 for both the consolation and championship games.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- No. 7 Tennessee garnered much of the preseason hype coming into the season as the SEC favorite, but the Volunteers haven't shown much against No. 15 Texas in tonight's championship game of the StubHub! Legends Classic.

The three-point shooting of D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams has really been the difference so far, as the two guards have combined for 41 points of Texas' 69 points through 30 minutes of play. Augustin has made four of seven from long range for 22 points, while Abrams has hit three of his attempts from downtown for 19 points.

Connor Atchley is the third Texas player in double figures, tallying 14 points to go along with a team-high 10 rebounds.

No Tennessee player has hit the double-digit point mark yet, but Tyler Smith and Jordan Howell both have contributed nine points for the Volunteers. Smith has a team-leading six rebounds to this point.

We'll see if the Longhorns can continue their hot shooting, with 25 of their first 40 shots (62.5%) going down.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- No. 15 Texas is keeping a good distance from No. 7 Tennessee right now, as the Longhorns' lead has crept up to 61-48 with 15:37 remaining in the second half.

Chris Lofton has started to get it going a little bit for the Volunteers, but Bruce Pearl's team is still struggling to take care of the ball and penetrate a pretty good defensive front from Texas. That's forced them to take a lot of outside jumpshots, and with the way Tennessee is shooting the ball right now, at just over 40 percent, the Longhorns have a good chance of upsetting the Vols tonight.

D.J. Augustin has just hit a three, and Texas' lead is all the way up to 17 now with the Longhorns leading, 69-52

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- No. 15 Texas has gotten out to a 50-41 lead at halftime over No. 7 Tennessee in the championship game of the StubHub! Legends Classic, and while it may be a surprise to some to see the Longhorns leading, Tennessee hasn't played up to its potential in its first six games this season.

The Volunteers, after all, barely escaped last night with a 74-72 win over West Virginia and now find themselves down by nine with 20 minutes left before heading back to Knoxville for games against North Carolina A&T and Louisiana-Lafayette -- not exactly prime-time competition after the field that the Gazelle Group put together for this annual preseason tournament.

Looking over the halftime stat sheet, dimunitive Texas point guard D.J. Augustin is leading all scorers with 14 points, and Connor Atchley has put together a solid first half with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

For Bruce Pearl's Vols, Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism have each recorded seven points and Chris Lofton, Jordan Howell and Cmaeron Tatum all have six to in the first 20 minutes of action.

The teams are now in their layup lines, so we'll brace ourselves for the second half of this thrilling Top 15 matchup.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- D.J. Augustin is having himself a nice game in the first 16 minutes of the StubHub! Legends Classic championship game, knocking down 4-of-5 shots, including both of his three-point attempts, to record 12 points with 3:57 remaining before halftime.

His backcourt mate D.J. Abrams is also starting to put it together from the perimeter, knocking down his last two attempts from three to put the Longhorns up, 43-39, with about three minutes and change left.

Now with 2:11 remaining, Abrams has just hit his third straight three to put Texas up by nine, and Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl is probably giving it to his guys in the 30-second timeout that followed. After the way Abrams stroked the ball against New Mexico State last night, it's amazing that the Volunteers haven't been more conscious of Abrams and his ability to sizzle rather quickly.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- The first 10 minutes of the StubHub! Legends Classic has been a high-scoring affair, as No. 15 Texas is out in front of No. 7 Tennessee with a 25-18 lead.

Wayne Chism is leading the way for the Volunteers with seven points, making all three of his attempts from the field, and preseason All-American has chipped in six in the first nine minutes of the game.

Connor Atchley, meanwhile, has got off to a great start for the Longhorns, tallying 11 of Texas' 25 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbing a team-high three rebounds.

Neither side has been able to slow the other's offense down and we'll see if both teams can continue their hot shooting -- Tennessee is 11-for-14 (78.6%) from the field while Texas is 7-for-15 (46.7%) -- through the rest of the first half.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- We're underway in our championship game of the StubHub! Legends Classic at the brand new Prudential Center in downtown Newark, N.J., and so far it's been close between No. 7 Tennessee and No. 15 Texas.

The Longhorns come in after a big 100-87 win Friday night over New Mexico State in the tournament's semifinals, and A.J. Abrams has been a big reason why Rick Barnes' team has gotten off to a 4-0 start to the season. The junior guard has averaged 30.5 points per game and hit 70.8 percent of his three-point attempts (17-of-24) in the last two games. D.J. Augustin hasn't been too bad himself after recording 25 points and 10 assists in Friday's win, his second double-double already of the season.

On the other side, the Volunteers are in tonight's title game after a 74-72 victory over West Virginia with preseason All-American Chris Lofton having his best game of the season so far, leading all scorers with 19 points in addition to three steals. Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl will sure need that kind of performance out of his senior point guard against an even better opponent if he hopes to leave the East Coast with a championship trophy and a 6-0 record to begin the 2007-08 campaign.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Mark Turgeon came to New York City this week and got exactly what he wanted.

The Aggies are going home as winners of the 2007 NIT Season Tip-off after demolishing Ohio State, 70-47, and the Buckeyes never had a shot in this one after failing to score for the first 12 minutes of the second half. That drought was due to some quality defense from Mark Turgeon's squad, along with some poor shooting from the Buckeyes, who shot a lowly 24.6 percent from the game. And in looking at OSU's shooting after halftime, it's even uglier, with Thad Matta's team making just 5 of 28 shots for a pathetic 17.9 percent in the second half. Three-point shooting wasn't much better with OSU, shooting the ball from deep at a 19-percent clip.

Here's the All Tournament Team that was announced following the Aggies' championship win:

Donte Green - Syracuse
Kosta Koufos - Ohio State
Jamar Butler - Ohio State
DeAndre Jordan - Texas A&M
Joseph Jones - Texas A&M*

*named Most Outstanding Player

I'll have some more commentary on both games in Hang Time, so make sure to check there for more tournament coverage, but until then, here are some key points from tonight's championship game:

-For as poorly as Ohio State played and shot the ball from the perimeter, senior point guard Jamar Butler led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting. The Lima, Ohio, native was clearly the one bright spot for the Buckeyes, playing a well-rounded game with three assists, three rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes of action.

-Kosta Koufos was the other Buckeye to score in double figures with 10, but the freshman from Canton, Ohio, never looked comfortable going up against the powerful frontcourt that Texas A&M possesses with both center DeAndre Jordan and forward Joseph Jones.

-The Aggies had four scorers in double figures for the game, with sophomore Derrick Roland topping the state sheet at 15 points. The 6-foot-4 guard really started to light it up in the second half, finishing 6-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-4 from three despite only playing 16-plus minutes tonight.

-Jordan and Jones were two of the other double-digit scorers for Texas A&M, as each scored 10 and 11, respectively, but managed to be even bigger factors on the glasses with 15 rebounds between the two. The Aggies really controlled the boards all night long, outrebounding the Buckeyes, 47-32, for the game.

-Freshman forward Nathan Walkup, a top 150 recruit from the Class of 2007, had a solid game for A&M, contributing 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three in just 13-plus minutes.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- A.J. Abrams did come back into the game for Texas, so that's good news for Longhorn fans. Texas used its early lead and was able to keep New Mexico State at bay the whole second half, never letting them get closer than 10 points, as they won 102-87, and hit 100 points for the second straight game.

Continue reading "Texas Hits Century" »

Posted by Doug Kroll at 08:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Texas A&M has put it on cruise control here at the Garden, as it looks like Thad Matta and Ohio State have conceded this one, bringing in reserves like Dallas Lauderdale, P.J. Hill, Eric Wallace and Matt Terwilliger.

Mark Turgeon's team is up by 30 with three minutes to go in this one, and the Aggies can celebrate all the way back to College Station, Texas, after beating two quality teams in Washington and Ohio State on the big stage of New York City.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Texas can't quite squash the Aggies and put them away, even though they have 86 points with 7:29 remaining in the game, pretty impressive offensive shootout.

NMSU trails by 13 here, and good news for you Texas fans, Abrams is back on the bench by himself, not receiving attention any more on his leg at the end of the bench. As I'm typing this, he just went back over to the end of the bench where he's standing, but he's walking around putting pressure on it, which is certainly better than when he was helped off. I'd expect to see him tomorrow night here in Newark in what should be the championship game for Texas.

More of a crowd is filling in here, with the time approaching 9pm, which is when Tennessee and West Virginia are scheduled to tip-off. There's an overwhelming number of Vols fans of the four teams i'd say. But I'll wait for that judgement until after we're done here.

Texas still trying to put NMSU away, leading 87-73 with 7 minutes left.

Posted by Doug Kroll at 08:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Well, just like that, A.J. Abrams is out of the ballgame with an apparent leg injury. Trying to guard a three, Abrams went sprawling down into the NMSU bench area and didn't get up until the Texas trainers got over there to help him back over to the bench. He's now being attended to and doesn't look to be in as much pain as he was to begin with, but with this game well in hand, Abrams won't have a shot at the Texas record for three pointers in a game, as he'll fall one short of tying it with nine.

Posted by Doug Kroll at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Texas guard A.J. Abrams is flirting with a Texas record with 11:53 left in the game. He's hit nine three-pointers and has 29 points.

What are the Texas records? The individual record for threes in a game is 10 when Al Coleman did it against Kansas State on Jan. 12, 1997. As for points, he still has a long way to go for the Texas record of 49 from back in 1956 when Raymond Downs torched Baylor and in 1949 when Slater Martin (one of the legends being honored in this tournament) scored 49 against TCU.

Either way, Abrams is unconcious from downtown, not to mention he's basically been wide open.

We just had our first Bob Huggins sighting, as he came strolling by the writers' table as he'll watch the end of this game before WVU takes the court. His counterpart, Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl, has been scouting all night.

As for the game, Texas now leads, 82-59, with 11 minutes left.

Posted by Doug Kroll at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Despite being up by 16 with 11 minutes left to go, no one in particular has really stood out for No. 16 Texas A&M in tonight's championship game against unranked Ohio State.

Freshman forward Nathan, though, has started to found his groove from the three-point line along with Derrick Roland as the Aggies have run up on the Buckeyes now, leading 54-30 with 9:29 remaining.

Kosta Koufos hasn't been able to get any of his shots from the perimeter to go down, and the Canton, Ohio, native hasn't challenged DeAndre Jordan or Joseph Jones much in the post.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M has really looked strong in the first five minutes of the second half, and it looks as if Mark Turgeon's team was the one who made the necessary adjustments to go up by double digits.

Right now the Aggies lead, 44-30, at the 14:18-mark, and both teams are in a timeout. Ohio State's Kosta Koufos hasn't looked comfortable against A&M's huge frontline of 7-foot center DeAndre Jordan and 6-foot-9 forward Joseph Jones.

If the Buckeyes can't find some scoring on the interior, it could be a long second half for Thad Matta and company.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- The second half of our championship game has gotten started at Madison Square Garden, and No. 16 Texas A&M has run out to a nine-point lead, 36-25, within the first couple minutes of the game.

Josh Carter has just hit a three-pointer from the left sideline to extend the Aggies' leadto 38-26, and Thad Matta has been forced to take a timeout with his team down by its biggest deficit of 12.

Kosta Koufos has really been absent in our first 23 minutes of action after having a stellar 24-point performance against No. 21 Syracuse on Wednesday night in the semifinals.

Jamar Butler has continued to be the one guy that the Buckeyes can count on right now, and if I'm Matta, I'm calling a play for my point guard out of this timeout to get OSU back on the right track.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- At the half here in Newark, it's Texas 57 and New Mexico State 46. Give some credit to the Aggies for fighting back late in the first half to cut it to 11 and make a game of it. It also helped that Texas actually missed some shots, something that they didn't do a lot of in the first half.

Texas finished shotting 55.3 percent, including a blistering 11-for-19 from downtown. The 11 three-pointers in a first-half ties a record, and falls just one shy of the school record for three-pointers in a half (they hit 11 against Kansas on March 3 of last year in a first half, but hit 12 against Kansas State in a second half back in 1997.

A.J. Abrams leads the way for Texas with 20 points, after scoring 30 in his last game. Not bad. He's already hit his season's average. Abrams is 7-for-12 from the field, including a ridiculous 6-for-9 from the field.

Other noteables for the Longhorns, big man Connor Atchley has 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 3-for-3 from downtown. Damion James also is in double figures with 10 points.

Taking a look at New Mexico State, the Aggies actually shot 60.7-percent from the field, but when you take into account the fact that they took 10 fewer shots, and hit four fewer threes, that's how you get our score.

Leading the way for the Aggies, Jonathan Gibson with 15 points and Paris Carter hit three 3 pointers to finish with 11 in the half. Give credit to the Aggies, they outrebounded the Longhorns 19-10, but did finish with a horrendous 14 turnovers, something that will obviously have to change if they want to stay in this thing.

Second half just about to get underway with NMSU looking to get back into it.

Posted by Doug Kroll at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Derrick Roland just hit a big three in the left corner to give No. 16 Texas A&M the lead with three minutes to go, but the Buckeyes are hanging tough, down by just three, 28-25, with a minute left before halftime.

Aggies coach Mark Turgeon has to be happy with the way his freshman center DeAndre Jordan has played so far, as the Houston, Texas, native has really controlled things on the glass and made it tough for Kosta Koufos or Othello Hunter to break loose with second-chance opportunities.

Nathan Walkup, meanwhile, just hit a three from the right corner with less than five ticks remaining on the clock, and Texas A&M is headed to the locker room up, 31-25, at halftime.

Jamar Butler is leading the Buckeyes with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the floor, including two shots from behind the arc, but Ohio State hasn't had much offensive elsewhere as Kosta Koufos has just six points and Evan Turner has tallied three.

The Aggies, on the other hand, have used a balanced scoring attack, as Walkup leads the team with six points on three-pointers. Roland and Jordan each have five, but if I learned anything in watching the first half from the baseline, one of those two is going to have to play well in the second half if Texas A&M wants to crown itself champion here in New York City.

We'll see what adjustments both teams make during the break and be back with more commentary and analysis from the second half.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M is seeing just how tough of an opponent Ohio State really is, as the Aggies have gone up by three, 23-20, with four minutes left in the first half.

Both teams have taken a break in the action, and while I'm looking at the crowd, I'm noticing that this finals matchup between two pretty good ball clubs sure didn't attract any more fans than the first game. It's certainly a disappointing way to end the tournament with a quarter-full arena, but with a 7 p.m. ET start time and today being the biggest day of the year for Christmas shopping, it's understandable that not more have made their way to Madison Square Garden to witness this tintillating contest.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- I think we have a record on our hands already, with only 6:48 remaining in the first half. Texas' A.J. Abrams hit his sixth three pointer of the half, and according to the Longhorns record book, that ties a school record for the number of three's made in a half. Abrams hit eight in their last game against Arkansas-Monticello, and should be well on his way past that!

As for the game, the Aggies have cut into the lead a little bit thanks to a few threes of their own, and trail 43-30 with just about six minutes to play.

Posted by Doug Kroll at 07:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- This thing is getting out of hand and we're only just under the 12-minute timeout. Texas has raced out to a 30-14 lead on the Aggies, largely from hitting six three-pointers in the first seven minutes and seven overall. A.J. Abrams has only missed one three-pointer, going 4-for-5 from downtown in the early going to lead all scorers with 12 points.

In fact, when Augustin just missed a three, there was a collective groan from the crowd, as they were shocked that someone actually missed.

Part of New Mexico State's problem is that they can't get the ball upcourt after a made basket by Texas. It's not because the Longhorns are pressing, either. The Aggies have thrown the ball away or to a Longhorn at least five times in those spots and have turned the ball over, on my count, seven times here in the first eight minutes. Not a good way to come out against the No. 15 team in the country.

But, it's still early.

Posted by Doug Kroll at 07:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Texas has gotten off to a nice start, thanks in large part to a couple of horrendous turnovers by New Mexico State on in-bounds passes.

Just about five minutes into this one, Texas is out to a 14-8 lead behind five points by Connor Atchley, and of course, a three-pointer from 5-foot-11 guard A.J. Abrams.

A quick sidenote: When LSU just lost in triple overtime to Arkansas on the football field, a loud cheer came up from the skyboxes here. I have a feeling there are some happy West Virginia fans in this place, even before their team takes the court later tonight.

Posted by Doug Kroll at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Press conferences from the consolation game between No. 21 Syracuse and Washington ran a little long as usual, but we're courtside again to see No. 16 Texas A&M and Ohio State battle in the finals of the NIT Season Tip-off.

The first half between the Aggies and Buckeyes has been closely contested, as both teams have gone back and forth with the lead. But Jamar Butler is the one player who has seemed to find his rhythm early from the perimeter, knocking down two threes to put his team up by two, 17-15, with just less than seven minutes remaining.

The Texas A&M dance team has taken the floor once again after a few appearances during Wednesday night's semifinal game against Washington, and they're dancing at center court to "We've Got The Funk" with their pom-poms. Interesting choice with the song by the Texas A&M pep band conductor.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- So just what is the Legends Classic? Besides being a tournament sponsored by Stubhub, one player from each team here will be honored for making a significant contribution to collegiate basketball. The names are pretty impressive: Jerry West from West Virginia, Bernard King from Tennessee, Lou Henson from New Mexico State and Slater Martin from Texas.

Continue reading "Who Are The Legends?" »

Posted by Doug Kroll at 06:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Welcome to Newark, New Jersey and the brand new Prudential Center, which even before being completed had already been nicknamed "The Rock."

We have a doubleheader on tap, with No. 15 Texas and New Mexico State squaring off at 7 p.m. ET, followed by No. 7 Tennessee and West Virginia.

This is all part of the Stubhub! Legends Classic, which has an interesting format to say the least, but we'll get to that later. First, a preview of the Longhorns and Aggies...

Continue reading "Welcome To The Rock" »

Posted by Doug Kroll at 06:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M will be headed to the finals of the NIT Season Tip-off finals after disposing Washington with a 77-63 victory at Madison Square Garden tonight.

Mark Turgeon's club was bolstered by solid play in the frontcourt, as senior Joseph Jones led the way with 17 points and Dominque Kirk added 15 of his own to the Aggies' scoring line.

One major disappointment for Texas A&M was junior guard Josh Carter, who never seemed to find his shot against the Huskies, finishing with just five points and six rebounds. Donald Sloan, however, filled in nicely for the Aggies, picking up the slack with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists in a grind-it-out win.

Washington's Jon Brockman was the high scorer for the night, recording 21 points on 9-of-20 shooting to go along with 15 rebounds, five of them coming on the offensive end.

Justin Dentmon was the other Husky to tally double-digit points with 10, but the junior point guard really struggled from the field, making just 3 of his 12 attempts (0-for-4 from three).

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Quincy Pondexter has just fouled out of the game for Washington, and it's looking more and more like No. 16 Texas A&M is gaining control of this game with its defense.

But the Aggies continue to struggle from the line, and I'm sure it's something that Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon will touch on in the post-game press conferences that will follow this one.

After a Josh Carter dunk, it's Texas A&M up, 64-56, with just less than three minutes left to play.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M is clinging to a one-point lead, 55-54, over Washington with 6:17 remaining in the first game of the NIT Season Tip-off semifinals in The City That Never Sleeps.

The Aggies have opened things up with Donald Sloan starting to heat up from the outside, canning a three to put Texas A&M up 60-54 as we approach the five-minute mark.

Lorenzo Romar and the Huskies are staying close, however, and it's looking like this one is going to be a dogfight to the bitter end.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Jon Brockman has been the catalyst all night for Washington, holding down the middle for Lorenzo Romar's Huskies with 15 points and 12 rebounds so far as we go below 12 minutes in the second half here at Madison Square Garden.

No. 16 Texas A&M is hanging on to a 49-46 lead after trailing throughout the first half and shooting just 39.4 percent from the floor before halftime.

Washington, on the other hand, hit an impressive 53.3 percent of its field goals in the first half, but the Huskies aren't showing that same kind of efficiency now after halftime.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Texas A&M has got out to the gates early, tying the game at 38-38 just three minutes into the second half, and Washington looks frustrated on the offensive end as junior forward Jon Brockman just picked up his second foul on a charging call.

The Aggies, on the other end, are starting to pick up the pace, getting up and down the floor on Huskie misses yet struggling at the free throw line.

After dominating the glass with offensive rebound after offensive rebound, the Aggies have gained their first lead of the game, 40-38, with 15:45 remaining in the second half.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- You would have thought with 7-footer DeAndre Jordan and 6-foot-9 senior Joseph Jones that No. 16 Texas A&M would be dominating the paint, but it's been Washington who has really controlled play in the frontcourt, swatting away shot after shot from the Aggie big men.

Donald Sloan just launched what would have been a halfcourt shot at the buzzer, but the ball clanked off the heel of the rim as we head to halftime with Washington leading by four, 36-32.

Jon Brockman is leading all scorers with 13 points and already has 11 rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. For Texas A&M, DeAndre Jordan has only four points but has been big on the glass with nine boards. Sloan is the high scorer for the Aggies, tallying seven points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field.

While the first half had some spectacular moments between Venoy Overton (four points and four assists in the first half) and Jordan, it will be interesting to see what adjustments Mark Turgeon will make with his team at halftime.

But either way, Texas A&M will certainly need to shoot the ball much better from the perimeter if they hope to open things up down low in the second half for Jordan and Joseph Jones.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- DeAndre Jordan just threw down a big jam of his own with a little more than eight minutes remaining, as No. 16 Texas A&M now trails just by one, 25-24, against a scrappy Washington team.

The Aggies are looking a little more fluid on offense but have yet to lead this game. Washington has found a nice balance between Jon Brockman's physical play down low and their outside perimeter game between freshman Venoy Overton and junior Joel Smith.

What's really hurting Mark Turgeon's team right now is its struggles from the foul line, where neither DeAndre Jordan nor Joseph Jones have found any rhythm so far.

Brockman, meanwhile, just ran the floor and got rewarded for his hustle, throwing down a one-handed dunk that had the MSG crowd ooing and awing as Washington looks to maintain its 36-30 lead heading into halftime.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Washington freshman Venoy Overton just made a dazzling steal and took it the other way for the jam to put Washington up, 9-3, with 14 minutes remaining in the first half.

Texas A&M has struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter so far, as Josh Carter hasn't found himself getting many good looks at the basket with the Huskies playing a suffocating brand of defense, a characteristic that's been a part of most of Lorenzo Romar's teams.

Overton, meanwhile, continues to dazzle the few fans that are here at the Garden on the night before Thanksgiving, making a circus layup on a spectacular drive to the basket.

Speaking of spectacular, the Texas A&M dance team is making their first appearance on the court during a timeout, and it's a little hard to focus on the game right now with the Huskies leading, 15-7, at the 11:39 mark.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Greetings from The World Famous Madison Square Garden, where tonight we'll witness the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-off.

The first matchup of the night pits Pac-10 rep Washington against No. 16 Texas A&M, who is out to a 4-0 start on the season after wins over McNeese State, Oral Roberts, UTEP and Quachita Baptist (who???).

While their win over UTEP showed that the Aggies are vulnerable, Mark Turgeon's ball club has two veteran stars in Josh Carter and Joseph Jones, along with a lottery pick candidate this year in 7-foot freshman center DeAndre Jordan.

For Lorenzo Romar's Washington Huskies, junior Justin Dentmon runs the point avergaging 11.7 points and 3.0 dimes a game. Jon Brockman mans the middle after two productive years in Seattle and really carried the Huskies in their 82-68 win over in-state rival Eastern Washington last week. We'll see if Brockman can continue that against a quality Texas A&M team after averaging 23.0 points and 11.7 rebounds in his first three outings. Joel Smith, meanwhile, should also look to provide a spark for Washington tonight as the Huskies' third double-digit scorer.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 06:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri has held on for the win over Maryland.

Maryland seemed so close to taking control of the game but just couldn't get over that last hurdle. Missouri always had some little answer, whether it was a leaner in the lane by Stefon Hannah, a drive by Leo Lyons, or a steal by Keon Lawrence.

The Tigers were just one step ahead of Maryland. The score, 84-70, really doesn't do the game justice, as it was padded with free throws at the end.

Missouri showed that its brand of three-guard ball with little inside presence can still win games. However, that is against a Maryland team that is built similarily, yet plays a different style.

The real question for the Tigerse is whether post players like DeMarre Carroll will be able to stay out of foul trouble and Darryl Butterfield will start playing down low instead of hanging out 15 feet away from the basket. If Missouri can do that, they might survive the season ahead in the Big 12.

Maryland is just one star player away from being a very good team. At the end of the season, they could prove to be a dangerous team poised for a small run through the ACC Tournament or NCAA Tournament.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Grievis Vasquez seems to want to take this game into his own hands, and he is doing just that. Vasquez drew DeMarre Carroll's fifth foul a mere 10 seconds after Carroll rentered the game. Maryland has moved back into their own full court press and are trapping. Missouri is trying to sit on the ball and run the clock down as the Tigers are still clinging to a 72-67 lead with 1:46 left.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With 5:30 left and Maryland threatening, only down by five, Missouri can't help but play sloppy ball. Mike Anderson had to call a 30-second timeout to regroup his team for the final push.

Darryl Butterfield came up huge for the Tigers scoring on a traditional three-point play, as Missouri has gone back into their full court press and is putting the game into the hands of their guards, Keon Lawrence and Stefon Hannah.

Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes have shown that they can easily break the press, and now it's whether they can translate that into points that will determine the game.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Every time Missouri tries to pull away, Maryland has an answer. The Terrapins seem to be getting closer and closer to taking the lead, as they are just a few defensive stops away from getting there.

Stefon Hannah of Missouri made a few bad decisions driving to the hoop and trying to draw the foul but ended up turning it over instead. Maryland has a chance to make it a one-possesion game with the scoreboard reading Missouri 63, Maryland 58.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri seems to have righted the ship, but only due to the insertion of Stefon Hannah back into the lineup.

WIth Hannah in the lineup, that freed up Keon Lawrence, who answered with two straight field goals. MIssouri is back up by eight, but I think the slowed pace of the game favors Maryland.

Maryland seems to have the upper hand when it comes to rebounding and blocking out, and with Missouri continuing to drive the lane, that could prove to be the difference-maker.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo.-- In the span of two mintues, DeMarre Carroll has commited two fouls and earned himself a spot on the bench, leaving a huge hole in Missouri's frontcourt.

Even though Missouri still has a four-point lead, Maryland seems to be slowly taking over the game. The Terps have slowed things down and taken Missouri out of their fast-paced game. It's almost as if Missouri is afraid to go with the press again and is playing timid right now.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri has come out of the locker room for the second half a little cold.

Maryland has gone to the inside and Bambale Osby to pull within four, 45-41. Maryland's defense has seemec to step up and slow the game down. Maryland is playing more of a half-court game now to set up the inside play.

DeMarre Carroll, one of Missouri's big men, has just picked up his third foul three minutes into the second half.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 08:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Leo Lyons continues his impressive first half, putting up 13 points.

Maryland has gone to a full court press that led to a Missouri turnover and quick basket. The Tigers are quick to respond, though. As the first half winds down, both teams are in run-and-gun mode, but Maryland pushed it too hard and got called for an offensive foul.

Maryland seems to be trying to make one too many passes and driving too deep into Missouri's defense, causing offensive fouls and turnovers. Missouri is holding for the last shot and...travels

At the end of the first half, Missouri leads by six, 43-37.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Just when I thought Missouri remembered how to play the low post, they break down defensively. The Tigers just allowed Bambale Osby to score two straight baskets underneath, prompting Mike Anderson to call a 30-second timeout to regroup.

Missouri responded well with a three-point play from Leo Lyons, then a steal from the full court press and a basket by Stefon Hannah. Leo Lyons continues his low post dominance by scoring another field goal. It's Gary Williams' turn to call a timeout now.

It's Missouri 36, Maryland 25 with 5:28 left in the first half.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri looks like a different team from the one that almost came back to beat Michiagn State last night. They are more patient on the offensive end showing excellent ball movement and not just driving for the hoop.

Maryland has gone to a full-court press to give Missouri a taste of their own medicine, and it worked. Jason Horton lost the ball for a backcourt violation. Maryland failed to capitalize, though, commiting an offensive foul.

Gary Williams' team seems to be just barely out of sync. His players are making hasty decisions on the offensive end, but once again, defense bails them out with a huge block. The score is Missouri 29, Maryland 21.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 08:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Against Michigan State last night, Missouri seemed to abandon the inside game, instead of settling for drives and three-pointers. Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll have established an early presence inside for the Tigers.

Missouri is also breaking down Maryland's backcourt game, which they were unable to do against Michigan State. Maryland needs an increase of defensive pressure from their big guys, more importantly shotblocker Bambale Osby.

Missouri maintains a nine-point lead, 25-16.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is playing like it is the championship game of the CBE Classic. They currently lead Maryland by five with 15:30 left in the first half. The Sprint Center is only about 1/4 full, but still is largely made up of Missouri fans.

DeMarre Carroll continues to impress in the first few games of his Missouri career. Grievous Vasquez once again seems to be Maryland's only offensive spark.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two Drew Neitzel free throws sealed the win for Michigan State. In what could have been a very interesting finish, Missouri just missed the halfcourt heave-ho shot that would have sent the game into overtime.

Missouri showed heart and toughness, staples of Mike Anderson's style, and almost gutted out a win against a very fundamentally strong Michigan State team.

Final score: Michigan State 86, Missouri 83.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri has once again pulled to within two. It's Michigan State's ball with 20 seconds left. Missouri goes to the full court press and.....it fails, sort of.

The Tigers are looking for the steal but their defense was no match for Drew Neitzel and Kalin Lucas, breaking the press and finding Goran Suton, who layed the ball in for a three-point lead. Missouri, however, drove down and scored with three seconds left to pull within one.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Just when you think the game is over, Stefon Hannah comes down and nails a three to pull MIssouri to within two with 30 seconds left. I want to hold up a sign for Tom Izzo that says "GIVE NEITZEL THE BALL!!"

Missouri fouled Raymar Morgan on the inbound pass, and the sophomore made both free throws to put Michigan State up, 82-78. Matt Lawrence has checked in for Missouri to chuck up three-pointers.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Planning and execution, that is what it takes to win close games. With 1:36 left we will see who has it, Michigan State or Missouri.

Michigan State leads 77-75 and has the ball. Goran Suton just nailed a baby hook as the shot clock expired to put MIchigan State up by four, and Marshall Brown was called for traveling violation. It's Michigan State's ball with 49 seconds left.

Now we get into foul-fest, which I think Missouri has been in all night.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Marshall Brown lost the ball to Drew Naymick on what could have been the go-ahead score for Missouri, but Michigan State couldn't capitalize.

Drew Neitzel just drilled a three, which could be a dagger in the heart of Missouri's comeback hopes. Michigan State leads, 77-72, with 2:14 left. If I am Tom Izzo, I keep the ball in Neitzel's hands.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- WIth five minutes to go, Michigan State leads by one, and the crowd is a player. Kalin Lucas hit a field goal from the top of the key to put Michigan State up by three and then Drew Naymick fouled Missouri's Marshall Brown, who hit one of two from the free throw line.

Michigan State failed to convert on the their ensuing possesion and lost the offensive board out of bounds, leaving the door open for Missouri to take the lead with 3:46 left. Right now, it's Michigan State 74, Missouri 72.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The crowd reached a fevered pitch as Drew Neitzel coming off a double screen had his shot blocked.

Missouri pressed it down the floor and botched the layup. However, the unsung hero for the Tigers, DeMarre Carroll, was there to clean it up.

The Vanderbilt transfer's putback pulled the Tiger's to within three and gave Carroll 12 points on the night. Michigan State has been saved by its free throws. The Spartans went 16-for-18 in the first half and have been on the money in the second half.

Everything gets lost, though, when you allow Missuori to drive the lane and score. 68-66, in favor of Michigan State.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- You lose focus for one minute and everything changes. A couple quick turnovers on Michigan State and suddenly Missouri is back in the game.

Michigan State is clinging to a five-point lead, but the crowd has woken up. The fans went crazy as Stefon Hannah stole the ball on the press and passed it forward to DeMarre Carroll for the breakway dunk.

I was questioning Missouri's small line up with DeMarre Carroll being the tallest palyer on the floor for the Tigers at 6-foot-8. The faster lineup worked, though, as the press broke down Michigan State. Missouri is within three, 67-64.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Always be wary of freshman point guards. Kalin Lucas almost lost the ball for Michigan State in the full court press. The disruption, though, allowed Missouri to put some momentum together and pull to within seven, 65-58.

Michigan State tried to go low post but lost the ball. Unfortunatley, Missouri doesn't know how to do anything on the block but foul. Michigan State ball with 9:30 left.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri finished the first half on a frenzy, pulling within 10, but the Spartans came out at the half and extended the lead back to 11. Drew Neitzel has re-entered the game for Michigan State, adding four points to bring his total to 16 so far.

Missouri's leading scorer and sparkplug Stefon Hannah only has eight points for the game. The Tigers have just put up a 4-0 run and gone into the full court press, firing up the crowd. It's Michigan State 65, Missouri 56.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is showing some life on the low post, Marshall Brown just had his second block on a Spartan driving to the hoop. The Tigers are running into foul trouble though, Darryl Butterfield, one of their more physical inside players is on the bench with three fouls.

Drew Neitzel is still on the bench for MIchigan State, but things seem fine without him. MIchigan State leads by 12 with one minute left in the half.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Michigan State's zone has shown to be extremely effective, especially with Missouri's reluctance to establish a low post game. Marshall Brown just fired up his fellow Missouri Tigers with a block, but the momentum was soon lost by a TV timeout.

Michigan State leads by 13, with sophomore Raymar Morgan picking up the offensive slack scoring 11 points for the Spartans during Neitzel's absence.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Drew Neitzel seems to be playing in some pain, but that didn't stop him from draining two free throws. MIke Anderson just got T's up after Missouri was whistled for another offensive foul. The crowd, which is primarily made up of Missouri fans, has been booing loudly for the past two minutes.

Missouri's press hasn't slowed MIchigan State down at all, and Missouri has been whistled for another foul, putting Michigan State in the double bonus. Michigan State leads, 46-30, with six minutes left in the first half.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Stefon Hannah drained a three, and Darryl Butterfield followed it up with a field goal to pull MIssouri to within six, 36-30. Kalin Lucas just made two free throws for Michigan State to push the lead back to eight, 38-30.

Michigan State seems to find a way to stop any sort of Missouri run. Missouri also seems helpless on the boards. Michigan State is already in the one-and-one bonus.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Drew Neitzel just went to the bench with his 2nd foul, 9:55 left in the first half. Missouri has fallen back out of the full court press, but the crowd is back in the game. Missouri doesn't seem to be looking to the low post game much. The Tigers are mainly driving the lane or putting it up from three.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 10:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It didn't take Mizzou long to switch into the full court press, Michigan State had minimal trouble breaking it but did so without Neitzel. Missouri is playing at a frantic pace, almost seemingly out of control. Neitzel has re-entered the game to provide Michigan State with some offensive firepower and ballhandling.

Michigan State switched into a zone defense, but then immediately gave up a 3 pointer. Missouri has pulled to within 7 points, 30-23 advantage Michigan State.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Anderson's version of the 40 minutes of hell has suddenly put Missouri back into the game. After two offensive fould against Michigan State and two unanswered baskets by Mizzou, Michigan State finds its lead at eight, 26-18, at 11:45 in the first half.

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The marquee match up for the local fans has gotten off to a less than rousing start. Michigan State leads Missouri, 19-8, five minutes into the game. Drew Neitzel leads all scorers with 12 points.

Continue reading "Michigan State Out Early On Missouri" »

Posted by Chris Farrell at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- While much of the hype tonight has been focused on No. 3 Memphis' meeting with Big East foe UConn in the finals of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic, for the few of us that happened to be here at Madison Square Garden for the first game of the night, Oklahoma played strong and steady for 40 minutes before taking down Cinderella story Gardner-Webb, 69-55, for a third-place tournament finish.

And in looking at the stat sheet, field goal percentage is sure one of the first things that jumps out, as the Sooners finished the game shooting 41.5 percent from the floor while the Runnin' Bulldogs struggled mightly, making just 27.9 percent of its attempts.

But after the game, Gardner-Webb coach Rick Scruggs seemed to be more concerned about his team's rebounding issues than its shooting woes in the post-game press conference.

Continue reading "Oklahoma Takes Third Place With 69-55 Victory" »

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Game #1 is winding down here at Madison Square Garden, and Oklahoma has got this one in the books as the Sooners lead, 66-55, with 30 ticks left on the clock.

Gardner-Webb players are now fouling out left and right as Nate Blank and Thomas Sanders have both left the game for good.

Longar Longar has just hit a free throw, and the Sooners are putting the final touches on this game with some hard-nosed defense against the Bulldogs.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- So just as I was saying about Gardner-Webb needing to hit some shots from the outside, Nate Blank has hit back-to-back field goals as the Bulldogs now trail by just four, 51-47, with roughly five minutes left to go.

The freshman guard made just 1-of-6 shots -- the one being a three-pointer -- in the first half, but it looks like he's starting to feel it as he's taking the majority of the Bulldogs' shots right now.

Grayson Flittner has also just hit a three, swishing a fadeaway from the left wing to keep Gardner-Webb within striking distance at 59-52 with three minutes left to play in this one.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Gardner-Webb is slowly starting to creep back in this game, trailing 45-39 with 7:23 left, and it's been largely due to the Bulldogs' ability to hit shots from three-point range.

Takayo Siddle has been one of those G-W players, showing a nice rhythm from the perimeter after attempting no shots in the first half.

Meanwhile, as both teams just headed to the bench for a timeout, Oklahoma's Longar Longar seemed to be upset about something, clapping his hands together and barking a few words at one of his teammates about a previous play on the floor.

And after losing last night to No. 3 Memphis and leading here by double digits just a few minutes ago, the senior center and the Sooners sure don't want to let this one slip away and leave the Big Apple with two straight losses.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Blake Griffin is starting to find his groove here in the second half, and the Sooners are leading by nine, 35-26, with 15:05 left to play.

The freshman forward sunk a pair of free throws, came back down the floor and took a charge on a drive to the basket by Takayo Siddle, and it's starting to look like Jeff Capel's squad is in control of this one. If Gardner-Webb can catch fire from outside somehow, watch out.

The Bulldogs, however, are starting to look a little lackadasical on offense, and Mr. Scott and I are finding ourselves yawning with 13:38 left to go. Maybe some coffee would help, but we're sure to provide more energy once Memphis and UConn get going in Game #2.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Omar Leary's steal and breakaway layup with 40 seconds remaining in the first half has Oklahoma up, 24-22, at halftime, and it looks like it's anyone's game to win in this first one here at Madison Square Garden.

Sophomore guard Grayson Flittner is the game's high scorer right now, leading the way for Gardner-Webb with nine points, while senior center Longar Longar and junior guard Austin Johnson have each tallied a team-high five points for Oklahoma.

Despite trailing by two, the Bulldogs are shooting an impressive 46.2 percent from three-point land, but it's been ugly from everywhere else, as G-W finished the first half just 8-of-30 (26.7%) from the field.

For Oklahoma, it's been the other way around. The Sooners are shooting just 34.5 percent from the field, and even worse from beyond the arc with two of just 10 attempts going down.

Here's hoping for a more productive second half from both teams.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- We're about halfway through the first half between Oklahoma and Gardner-Webb and both teams are tied, 11-11, in somewhat of a snoozer.

Freshman Blake Griffin hasn't got off to a great start, as the 6-foot-10 forward has had trouble staying on his feet with a physical Gardner-Webb frontcourt constantly bumping him down low.

The Bulldogs, however, are starting to light it up from outside, as Grayson Flinter, the Bulldog hero who scored 22 points in the win against Kentucky last week, and Aaron Linn have connected from downtown to put G-W up, 22-20, with just more than two minutes to play before halftime.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 07:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK - We're back in the saddle here at the Posting Up perch in the Ramp 64 endzone as we await the tip of Oklahoma and Gardner-Webb in the consolation game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

The championship game, slated for an 8:30 tip pits underdog UConn vs. No. 3 Memphis. Once again I'm side-by-side with the Herwitty One, my esteemed CSTV.com editor and we're still awaiting the arrival of Ronnie. Keep your fingers crossed, as the early game could be a yawner. With five minutes before tip of Game 1, the Garden is virtually empty. The public address announcer asked "ladies and gentlemen to rise for the National Anthem" but would have been justified in asking for the "lady and the gentleman" to rise.

. . . Got in some pre-game chatter with Dick Vitale, who said he was really looking forward to the second game of tonight's twinbill. Also got to chat up Doris Burke for a while, who passed along the good news that Rhode Island - where her husband Greg is an athletic department administrator - managed to pull one out vs. South Florida this afternoon, 74-67.

. . . Vitale, in addition to his usual causes that he advocates and supports, has begun spreading the word of a special young lady named Payton Wright who lost her battle with brain cancer on May 29. Vitale has set a goal of $1 million to raise for pediatric cancer research. More information and donating instructions can be found at dickvitaleonline.com.

Say what you will about Vitale, but make no mistake that the man has a huge heart.

Posted by David Scott at 06:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- The national anthem just got sung to a near-empty Madison Square Garden and we're getting set for Oklahoma to take on Gardner-Webb in tonight's consolation game of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.

While Oklahoma's defense seemed to hold up against a talented Memphis squad last night, the Sooners' offensive struggles were ultimately what led to a 63-53 defeat to the third-ranked team in the country. Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel is sure hoping that freshman forward Blake Griffin can find that rhythm that Joey Dorsey and Shawn Taggart were able to disrupt in the semifinals, and it might be a little bit easier against a Gardner-Webb team that gave up 78 points to UConn last night.

Gardner-Webb, meanwhile, played tough but couldn't keep pace with A.J. Price and the Huskies, as Jim Calhoun's team started to show a spark in the second half against the Runnin' Bulldogs. And the Huskies are going to need that energy in tonight's finals, which gets underway at 8:30 ET following this first game between the Bulldogs and the Sooners.

For better or worse, probably for better, it looks like we're without our good friend Ronnie the Ranter tonight.

Well...at least for the first game.

After the way Ronnie was talking last night about the thrilling matchup that Memphis and UConn would provide in the finals, it's not a sure bet that he won't show up for Game #2 after all. We'll wait and see...

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK - Because of a technical malfunction with a new statistics program being utilized by the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic organizers, Gardner-Webb coach Rick Scruggs wasn't able to peruse a box score of his team's 78-66 loss to UConn on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

"That's a Godsend that we didn't have stats tonight," said the down-homey Scruggs, who was still floating a bit from his team's stunner against Kentucky last week that advanced the Runnin' Bulldogs to New York City. "This is a good night not to have stats."

Put another way, it was a great night to have these kind of stats if your name is Anthony Jordan Price: 18 points on 6 of 11 from the field (2 of 5 from 3-point land) and an undetermined (but substantial, probably eight or nine) amount of assists. (Note to teh Gazelle Group: If you really think you can run a post-season tournament, you should figure out how to get some stats printed for the in-season ones, first.)

"Price destroyed us," said Scruggs. "We couldn't do anything with him. It seemed like every match up we gave him didn't seem to work (for us). We changed match-ups, we substitued some, it didn't seem like anything seemed to work."

For UConn coach Jim Calhoun, it was a welcome reminder of the player who led Amityville High School to three straight Long Island Championships and two New York state titles.

"That's the A.J. Price I remember from Amityville," Calhoun said. "He can run the team, he has a feel for the game. He's really putting things together. That's obviously very encouraging for us."

Price, a junior, has lived a lifetime in his four seasons at UConn. What would have been his freshman year of 2004-05 was erased by a life-threatening battle with Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) that led to bleeding in his brain. His 2005-06 season - his redshirt freshman year - was wiped out when he violated the school's Code of Conduct along with a teammate. Last season as a sophomore Price was inconsistent and often found himself on the wrong end of Calhoun's fiery temper.

But in three games this season, Price has been Mr. Everything for UConn. He had nine assists in the Huskies' first win of the year over Morgan State, 24 points in the second win over Buffalo and then Thursday night's performance which was divided into Shooting AJ in the first half and Dishing AJ in the second.

Continue reading "The Amityville Horror Returns; Scruggs Seeks Memorabilia" »

Posted by David Scott at 02:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Things are starting to get interesting here with 2:17 left, as Oklahoma has cut the lead to six on a three-pointer after looking like it was surrending the game to the Tigers.

But from the looks of the scoreboard reading 59-53 right now, you would have thought this was the kind of game that Jeff Capel and Oklahoma wanted to play coming into tonight's semifinals. Memphis, after all, would have had this one in the 80s, and better yet, the 90s, if Calipari would have had it his way.

The Tigers left Oklahoma with a chance to cut the lead to four with 1:46 left in the game, but the Sooners never got a look at the basket with Omar Leary throwing the ball away on a drive at the one-minute mark. That play sparked more enthusiasm from Ronnie as the Tigers are now headed to the championship game tomorrow night with UConn waiting in the wings.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK - Our guy, Ronnie has switched into a bit of BCS talk with a dissection of the Ohio State-Michigan contest on tap for this weekend. He smoothly segued back into a discussion of the ongoing game and his assessment that Derrick Rose does not play like a freshman.

He seems to be calling this game "over" and is looking ahead to tomorrow night's championship tilt.

Yeah, I'm at the point where I may record Ronnie on my Sony digital recorder and submit a demo reel to WFAN 660 AM, New York's premiere sports talk radio station. "Ronnie Up All Night" would do some serious numbers. And he certainly wouldn't need callers to add to the show. Heck, he's done this whole game without a color guy. Or a microphone. Or a drink of water.

I will be Ronnie's agent by the end of this Tournament, trust me.

. . . Herwitt thinks I'm insane because I've been blogging about Ronnie. He could be onto something.

. . . Fantastic coconut/walnut cookies have been put out in the press room. I rewarded Herwitt for his hard night of blogging with a whole cookie and a chocolate chunk brownie, which he either needs to eat soon, or I'm giving it to Ronnie.

. . .On a more serious note, Derrick Rose has some of the most tantalizingly terrific MISSES that you will ever see. He simply attacks the basket and contorts his body into incredible positions. he would help the Knicks today, without a single practice for Team Turmoil.

Posted by David Scott at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- For as much as Memphis has controlled this game for the first 32 minutes, Oklahoma is still right there, trailing by just five now with 11:38 remaining in the game.

But out of a timeout, Derrick Rose came up big again, swishing a three from the corner to put Memphis back up at eight.

Back behind us, Ronnie has seemed to take his attention away from the game at hand, as he's moved on to football analysis in concentrating on this weekend's big Michigan-Ohio State matchup along with UConn's surprising Cinderella run this season.

Anyway, back to the game, where Rose has now pushed the Tigers' lead to 11 with a spectacular drive and finish for a three-point play.

At the other end, the Sooners are looking a little lost right now, as David Goldbold just clanked one off the side of the backboard. From the way things are looking here, the Sooners will probably be playing Gardner-Webb in the consolation game tomorrow night, while Jim Calhoun and John Calipari look to face off against each other in the tournament finals.

And as I watch Memphis continue to expand on its lead with less than eight minutes to go, tomorrow night's finals will sure be a fun one for Mr. Scott and I to witness.

After all, it's a known fact that the two Cals aren't exactly fond of one another after Calipari's days at UMass, and that should make it all the more fun to see the two go head to head right here at Madison Square Garden.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Joey Dorsey is slowly taking over this game after almost getting ejected in the first half for grabbing Blake Griffin's neck during a play down low.

The senior center has powered his way to the basket to keep Memphis up by seven, 37-30 , with 17 minutes left in the second half, while Derrick Rose is starting to find his range from outside, knocking down a three-pointer to put the Tigers back up by 10.

Dorsey, meanwhile, looks to be clutching his right shoulder, the same one that forced him to miss the Tigers' first two games of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic last week against UT-Martin and Richmond.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Derrick Rose just missed an opportunity to throw down a huge dunk before halftime, as the freshman point guard was fouled with .02 seconds remaining before halftime.

Rose hit both free throws to give the Tigers a 35-25 advantage at halftime, and good things just seem to happen with the Chicago native on the court.

That's because Rose sure doesn't play, nor look, like a freshman. With the fluidity and grace that he's been demonstrating on each play down the floor, it will be a surprise to see him play more than one year at Memphis.

We've been slow on getting out stats due to some technological difficulties here at the Garden, but Shawn Taggart is leading both teams at the break with seven points. Meanwhile, the Tigers have shown some balance on the offensive end with six other players tallying three points or more.

Oklahoma, on the other hand, has struggled from the perimeter, canning just 1-of-7 three-point attempts in the first half after coming into the game with a 42-percent average from beyond the arc.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Joey Dorsey just threw down a huge jam off an alley-oop and that got a lot of people sitting in the Memphis section off their seats.

The Tigers have extended their lead to 33-25 with less than one minute to play before halftime, and John Calipari is hoping to push this one into double digits before the break.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- Oklahoma is hanging around right now, in large part because of senior guard David Godbold. The 6-foot-5 Oklahoma City native has been able to penetrate the lane and get to the rim. That will certainly need to continue for Jeff Capel if his team hopes to pull off the big stunner here tonight in The City That Never Sleeps.

Joey Dorsey, however, has picked it up at both ends of the floor, tipping in a Derrick Rose layup to put the Tigers up by four and then coming back down the court and swatting a shot into the stands.

Antonio Anderson, in the meantime, is also starting to heat up from outside, knocking down a three in the corner to put Memphis up, 26-20, with six minutes left to play.

While UConn seemed to have control of the tempo early in the first game of the night, it still seems to be anyone's ball game at the moment.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK -- No. 3 Memphis and Oklahoma have kicked off here in Game #2 at Madison Square Garden, and the Tigers are up early on the Sooners, 11-6.

The stands have also seemed to fill in a little more for this second game, but there's still a lot of purple and turquoise showing around the building.

On the court, Memphis is certainly using its athleticism to its advantage right now, as the Tigers continue to control the tempo and push the ball against the Sooners.

Longar Longar has been the one bright spot for Oklahoma so far, as the senior center is trying to keep the Sooners close with more than 10 minutes to spare in the first half.

And as my sidekick Mr. Scott tells me, with the same first and last name, it's only natural that Longar would be the one carrying Oklahoma in the early going.

Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK - Good evening and welcome to the World's Most Famous Arena for tonight's semifinals fo the Coaches vs. Cancer College Hoops Classic. Our first game tonight, tipping in about 30 minutes, will feature early-season Cinderella Gardner-Webb and the Univeristy of Connecticut. The nightcap will feature No. 3 Memphis and Oklahoma.

Both UConn and Gardner-Webb are warming up with G-W going through lay-up lines, while the Huskies work on some free-throw shooting (good move, UConn has hit just 53 of 80 free throws in its first two games, both wins).

The most noticable thing about the Runnin' Bulldogs early on is the bleach-blonde hair of 6-7 reserve Matt French from Melbourne Australia. We're guessing he uses those Aussie hair products with the annoying kangaroo mascot. But we won't hold it against him.

. . . We always like to check what the Vegas wiseguys even though we don't encourage gambling (unless it's done in casinos). UConn is hovering as an eight point favorite while the Tigers are a low double-digit pick, between 11 and 12 points. Tough to go against the chalk in either contest.

. . . CSTV.com is double-staffing tonight's contests so you won;t have to deal with my live-blogging antics all evening long. College Hoops editor Josh Herwitt will live-blog the second game, at which time I will probably retire to the concesion area in search of cold, adult beverages. No, I kid. It's the Garden - they won't be cold.

. . . Gotta get some energy food for the evening of hoops, so we'll be back with you for tip.

. .. Please forgive our time-stamps - they're a bit screwed up. This entry was posted at 6:30 p.m. EST - the rest foolow sequentially with a seven hour time discrepancy.

Posted by David Scott at 06:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)