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." »
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!)
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.
How did these ne're-do-wells get seats at mid-court, five rows up?
Really now, Mr. Pirate.
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.
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.
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 the 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.
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.
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.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Michigan State boarded its flight back to East Lansing a happy team while BYU boarded its bus back to Provo a solemn bunch.
ANAHEIM -- Saint Mary's win over San Diego State came down to one big factor -- composure down the stretch. In a taut game from the start, the Gaels were clearly the better team in the final two minutes of the game and it showed up on the scoreboard.
The most glaring discrepancy is at the free throw line, where the Aztecs faltered at an 0-for-5 clip down the stretch. For the game they finished 8-for-18.
"You're not going to win if you don't make free throws," SDSU coach Steve Fisher said. "When you get there, you have to be able to make them and we were 8-for-18 from the free throw line."
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - BYU may be haunted by its free-throw shooting when this thing is over.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - BYU junior Trent Plaisted was bleeding from his nose during a timeout with 9:17 remaining.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Now we have a game.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - So much for Drew Neitzel's shooting slump.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- In a game that was nip-and-tuck throughout, Saint Mary's proved to be best prepared for crunch time. The Gaels controlled the last two minutes of the game from the floor and at the foul line to pull out the 69-64 win over San Diego State.
The Aztecs looked frantic on offense and tired at the free throw line, missing their last six attempts at the line, which proved to be the difference in the game. I'll check back in after the press conference and in time for the feature matchup between Davidson and UCLA.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With the clock ticking under two minutes, San Diego State has just left four points off the board and trails Saint Mary's 63-60. Lorenzo Wade missed the front end of a one-and-one at about the 2:30 mark and Richie Williams just missed two free throws to keep the Gaels firmly in control. The Aztecs will know where to look if they don't end up pulling this one out.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - BYU has a 35-25 lead over Michigan State at halftime at Energy Solutions Arena.
Continue reading "BYU Leads, But Morgan Presents Problems" »
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- At the final television timeout with 3:27 left on the clock, San Diego State just got a shot-clock beating layup from Billy White to cut Saint Mary's lead to 61-58. The Gaels looked ready to pull away, but San Diego State is determined to keep it close.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- While neither team was lighting it up in the first half, both SDSU and Saint Mary's are finding a rhythm in the second as the Gaels' hold a 45-44 lead with about 11 minutes left in regulation. While this is certainly not a playoff game, it could end up being an elimination game once NCAA at-large bids are handed out. And it looks like it's going to come down to the wire.
Both teams are off to hot starts on the season, but have to contend with powerful squads in their own conferences to seal up an automatic bid come March. They're both looking up the national polls in their respective conferences with the Aztecs likely doing battle with No. 20 BYU for MWC supremecy, while No. 17 Gonzaga is the favorite in the WCC.
If both SDSU and Saint Mary's end up battling for at-large bids, the outcome of this game will likely weigh heavily in the committee's collective mind.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - BYU has found its range from the outside and started raining down jump shots on Michigan State.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- I'm sitting beside Steve Aminoff, a stringer for the Canberra Times out of Australia -- not exactly the media presence I expect to see at a college basketball game in Southern California. But after taking a look through the Saint Mary's bios, it makes sense.
Three Australian-born players suit up for the Gaels, including Aborigine Patrick Mills. Mills just happens to be the Gaels' best player and leading scorer with 16.3 points per game and even has NBA scouts checking him out.
Continue reading "Aussie Connection, Saint Mary's Takes Control" »
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - BYU has jumped out to an early 5-2 lead over Michigan State on the strength of a Trent Plaisted hook shot and 3-pointer by Lee Cummard.
ANAHEIM -- Through one half, Saint Mary's hasn't looked like the same team that beat Oregon as San Diego State has stifled the Gaels' offense into 32 percent shooting and opened a 29-24 lead. The vocal Aztec crowd, which traveled about 80 miles north on I-5 have had a lot to cheer about early in a game that could have big implications for both teams come March if either is sitting on the bubble.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is in attendance to watch the BYU-Michigan Stage matchup at Energy Solutions Arena.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The feature presentation of the Wooden Classic pits UCLA against upstart Davidson in the late game, but the early game features the second best team in the country. That is if you trust the RPI. Believe it or not, after compiling wins over Drake, Seton Hall and Oregon en route to a 6-0 start, WCC power Saint Mary's is ranked No. 2 in the early season RPI.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- I'm up and running at the Honda Center in Anaheim watching the undercard at the Wooden Classic. I'm jumping in a few minutes into the first half after clearing up some internet issues, but never fear; I've got all the action live between a pair of teams that aren't getting a lot of pub right now, but we may be hearing from in March.
San Diego State and Saint Mary's are both off to red-hot starts with just one loss between the two of them.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- It can't get much better for the first weekend free of college football than a matchup of two ranked 7-1 teams on the hardwood.
That's what fans are going to get here at Energy Solutions Arena this afternoon, when No. 9 Michigan State plays No. 20 BYU.
LAS VEGAS -- Roy Williams hit the nail on the head in Saturday's post-game press conference.
"I thought it was ugly as all get out," Williams said of UNC's 73-63 win over BYU tonight. "The toughness is what you've got to have [in a game like this]...For a while we were playing football under our basket and football under the other basket."
Tonight's win over a good BYU team was 180 degrees from the vintage fast-breaking offensive showcase Carolina put on in a 99-82 victory over Old Dominion on Friday. And it was good for Carolina.
Continue reading "UNC Leaves Vegas With Very Different Wins" »
LAS VEGAS -- North Carolina got all it could handle from a very tough BYU squad but held on for a 73-63 victory to secure the Las Vegas Invitational title and likely its No. 1 ranking. Tyler Hansbrough led the way with 21 points while Wayne Ellington dropped in 15, including the clutch 3-pointer down the stretch that secured the victory.
Danny Green and Wayne Ellington earned All-Tournament honors while Tyler Hansbrough was named MVP. I'll check back in one more time after hitting up the press conference.
LAS VEGAS -- After struggling all night from the field, Wayne Ellington picked a clutch time to find his stroke. With about two minutes left, he launched a shot from well behind the NBA 3-point line to give UNC a 67-61 lead, his first make in five attempts from long range.
LAS VEGAS -- Carolina holds a 64-61 lead with 2:46 to go. BYU is clearly not going to back down. This one's coming down to the wire.
LAS VEGAS -- Carolina almost just got two points without putting the ball in the hoop. Quentin Thomas drove the lane and drew a blocking foul, and the officials put up two points on the scoreboard after his shot missed. Of course this put BYU coach Dave Rose into fits. It's a good thing he was paying attention.
Had he not loudly protested, the refs probably wouldn't have reviewed the game tape to make the correction. In the mean time, BYU holds a 59-58 lead with about seven minutes left.
LAS VEGAS -- I know it's only November, but this is starting to feel like a tournament game. Players are almost getting into fights battling for balls, the pro-Carolina crowd has gotten irate over some calls that went BYU's way and both teams are fighting back and forth in the post trading blows as Carolina holds a 51-50 lead with 11:30 to go. This game is shaping up to have a great finish. The only thing missing is the pep bands.
LAS VEGAS -- While a basketball game has broken out at the Orleans Arena, the fans were just treated to the timeout entertainment antics of Roger Clamens, a ridiculous blow-up doll of a giant clam wearing a baseball uniform.
His act consisted primarily of playing fetch with a giant pearl and evidently eating a man. I love this town.
Meanwhile the game is tied at 46 and Tyler Hansbrough and BYU guard Ben Murdock almost got into a fight battling for a loose ball.
LAS VEGAS -- It's taken BYU four minutes to turn a 38-31 halftime deficit into a 44-42 lead. Joe Tavernari just hit his sixth 3-pointer of the night to take the lead and force UNC Head Coach Roy Williams into taking a timeout. Trent Plaisted is leading the way for the BYU run with seven quick points during the run.
With Ty Lawson out for the game, Carolina could be in trouble.
LAS VEGAS -- UNC SID Steve Kirschner just told me that Ty Lawson will likely not return to action tonight because of his rolled ankle.
LAS VEGAS -- North Carolina goes into halftime with a 38-31 lead, but news is not all good for the Tar Heels. They've been able to slow down a fast-paced BYU attack primarily through forcing 13 turnovers. But they don't have an answer for Joe Tavernari who hit his fifth 3-pointer of the game at the buzzer to up his scoring total to 15.
Ty Lawson was still sitting in his warmups at halftime and we don't know yet if he'll be back in the second half. UNC SID Steve Kirschner says trainers will test his rolled ankle out at the half to determine if he can come back in the game. Bobby Frasor has filled in for most of Lawson's minutes with Quentin Thomas and Will Graves seeing extra time as well.
The Tar Heels obviously miss Lawson as they settled more into a halfcourt set than you normally see out of Carolina.
Tyler Hansbrough has been the top threat for UNC with 11 points, including 7-of-7 shooting from the line.
LAS VEGAS -- Neither team has kept up the torrid pace of the first five minutes as UNC holds a 31-25 lead with 3:29 left in the first half. With Ty Lawson on the sidelines it's a completely different game. Where it started with a run-and-gun style, both teams have settled into a halfcourt rhythm.
LAS VEGAS -- The pace has slowed down a bit at the Orleans Arena as Carolina goes into the third media timeout holding a 26-21 lead over BYU with 7:53 left in the first half. As usual, the Heels are going early and often to Tyler Hansbrough who has nine points and two rebounds.
But Carolina can't find and answer for BYU star Joe Tavernari, who already has 12 points. Tavernari lit up Louisville for 29 and looks intent on campaigning for Most Outstanding Player honors.
As for Ty Lawson, he appears to be walking comfortably on his rolled ankle, but is still wearing his warmups on the sideline. It's not looking like he'll see any more action tonight.
LAS VEGAS -- I just got an assist from Sports Illustrated writer Seth Davis who spoke with UNC SID Steve Kirschner about Ty Lawson's injury. The Carolina point guard rolled his ankle and is going to try to come back in. He just put his right shoe back on and walked down the tunnel to test it out.
Meanwhile, UNC has a 26-19 lead with 10:45 left in the first half.
LAS VEGAS -- Bad news for the Tar Heels. Starting point guard Ty Lawson is out of the game and icing his right ankle on the bench and does not look like he's coming back in. I'll check back in as we find out more details.
LAS VEGAS -- As expected, North Carolina and BYU are lighting up the scoreboard early as the Tar Heels hold a 15-11 edge at the 14:27 mark. BYU runs the secondary break that Roy Williams has made famous at Kansas and Carolina, so neither team is using much of the shot clock. Deon Thompson has been the go-to guy for the Tar Heels with five points as he's looking for his first breakout game of the season.
LAS VEGAS -- The anthem has been sung and Elvis is blaring over the loudspeakers, so that means we're about to tip off for the Las Vegas Invitational championship.
BYU enters the game fresh off an impressive win over sixth-ranked Louisville on Friday to face an even stiffer test against top-ranked North Carolina. Though it's the second of six straight games away from Chapel Hill for Carolina, tonight should feel like a home game with baby blue shirts filling most of the Orleans Arena.
For BYU, it's a chance to pull off another top 10 upset and truly enter the national spotlight. For Carolina, it's one of the first of a slew of tough non-conference matchups as trips to Ohio State and Kentucky are on the slate for next week.
LAS VEGAS -- Facing a high-octane BYU team without key players David Padgett and Juan Palacios, Louisville coach Rick Pitino was honest in his assessment of the Cougars' 78-76 win tonight in Las Vegas.
"We're a depleted team," Pitino said. "We were looking forward [to facing North Carolina], too. But Brigham Young is a better basketball team."
Now, unless Old Dominion pulls of the upset in the night cap, BYU will face the Tar Heels on Saturday.
LAS VEGAS -- Unless we see another upset tonight, there will be no Carolina-Louisville matchup in Las Vegas. Behind a relentless offensive attack and a ball-hawking defense, BYU just stunned the No. 6-ranked Cardinals, 78-76.
And if you haven't heard of Jonathan Taverneri, it's time to start paying attention. The 6-foot-6 BYU wing was a beast tonight, scoring 29 points, including a 5-of-11 performance from behind the arc and the game-clinching free throws with 1.4 seconds to go.
Top-ranked North Carolina will look to avoid the same result as it prepares to take on Old Dominion at 9 p.m. PST for the right to face the Cougars in Saturday's Las Vegas Invitational finale.
LAS VEGAS -- It's all but official. BYU is at the line for one more free throw with a 77-73 lead, 1.4 seconds left on the clock and an upset over the sixth-ranked Cardinals in the making.
LAS VEGAS -- I've never understood how every person in the stands knows what to do when the players on the court don't. Facing a 74-70 deficit with about 40 seconds remaining, Louisville let 12 seconds run off the clock before committing a foul. And BYU still wasn't in the bonus as the Cardinals had to foul again to stop the clock.
Now BYU has the ball with a 76-73 led and 11.3 seconds remaining. The Cardinals need a miracle.
LAS VEGAS -- Albeit premature, but the always annoying overrated chant tried to make its voice heard as BYU holds a 74-67 lead over No. 6 Louisville with 1:19 to go. A three-pointer by Jonathan Taverneri for his 25th point gave the Cougars their current lead.
Louisville will be at the foul line coming out of the timeout with a chance to cut the deficit to five.
LAS VEGAS -- Derrick Caracter just picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench with BYU holding a 67-61 lead. Louisville can't afford to be without its leading scorer for long as it's already thin up front with the injury to David Padgett. In fact, as I wrote this, Rick Pitino put him back in the game after just a few seconds on the bench.
With an attacking BYU offense, Caracter will have trouble playing effective defense down the stretch. This could be a big turning point.
LAS VEGAS -- And one's got nothing on the Cougars. BYU just took a 62-57 lead courtesy of a sweet behind-the-back pass from Jonathan Tavernari that led to a Trent Plaisted dunk that got the Cougar faithful on their feet.
LAS VEGAS -- BYU just took a 54-52 lead thanks to a four-point swing courtesy of a missed layup by Earl Clark. Clark, who had hit five of seven shots prior, left a finger roll short on a fast break leading to an easy two for the Cougars on the other end.
LAS VEGAS -- This game just feels like one that will go down to the wire. After struggling early, Louisville has jumped right back into the game and taken a 51-48 lead six minutes into the second half. Jonathan Taverneri continues to shine with 17 points for the Cougars while Derrick Caracter is taking on his newfound leadership role head first with a team-best 14 points in place of the injured David Padgett.
The crowd has livened up too as North Carolina fans are filling in the empty seats in anticipation of the night cap between UNC and Old Dominion. A lackluster atmosphere is starting to feel more and more like a tournament as the Louisville fans are energized by the Cardinals' comeback.
LAS VEGAS -- This is the first time I've watched a Rick Pitino team live and he's one of the more vocal coaches I've ever seen. Whenever the action's near the Louisville bench he's barking instructions to his players that I can hear from the other side of the court. And he's not the only one. His assistants are giving their vocal cords a workout. Maybe they need to yell a little louder with BYU taking a 41-37 lead into halftime.
