TAMPA, Fla. -- 13 years ago, Darrin Horn helped take Western Kentucky to the Sweet 16 as a player.
Now, he has done it as a coach.
The Hilltoppers advanced with a 72-63 win against San Diego and will now face top seed UCLA on Thursday in Phoenix.
"I'm just unbelievably happy for these kids," Horn said. "These guys have worked hard. They're great kids and they deserve it. I'm really happy for our players and our program."

Continue reading "Tampa sweet for Western Kentucky, Villanova" »

Posted by Mike McCall at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Do you hear that sound? Listen closely. That's the sound of somebody's bubble bursting as San Diego just stunned No. 20 Gonzaga, 69-62 to win the WCC Championship and the automatic NCCA bid that comes with it. With Gonzaga a virtual lock to earn an at-large bid, somebody will be left out in the cold.

But that's of no concern for the Toreros, who are going dancing for the first time since 2003 when Jason Keep trolled the middle to lead USD past the same Gonzaga program for the conference title. Neither is it any concern of the USD students, who stormed the floor of the Jenny Craig Pavilion for the second straight night, thrilled at a conference title won on their home court.

USD capped off the win with a fast-break two-handed slam by Trumaine Johnson with 7.9 seconds left. He got a technical for hanging on the rim, but it was of no consequence as Gonzaga could get no closer than final seven-point margin.

"We got beat tonight," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "It shows up in the rebounds and the hustle plays. Outside of the first five or seven minutes, we just could not match their desire."

Continue reading "WCC: They're Dancing in San Diego" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

SAN DIEGO -- It's go time for Gonzaga. Trailing 59-51 at the final media timeout, the Gonzaga students are trying to will their team to the comeback. USD has the ball with 3:35 and the Zags need a rally.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- In a situation that looks eerily similar to San Diego's win over Saint Mary's on Sunday, the Toreros are locking down on defense as the game winds down. Gonzaga has scored just one field goal in the last six-plus minutes as the Toreros have pulled away for a 57-47 edge with 5:30 remaining.

The Toreros won last night by holding Saint Mary's to one field goal over the final 11:31 of regulation to take it to overtime. The USD crowd can smell blood and bubble teams everywhere are worried. But I'm guessing Gonzaga has another run before we're done here.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- After a semifinal round that saw one game come down to the final possession and the other go to two overtimes, it looks like the WCC Championship will live up to the billing. With 10:56 left in regulation, San Diego has taken a 49-45 lead over top-seed Gonzaga with both teams throwing body blows and long range daggers at each other.

The Toreros just got back on top with a newfound 3-point proficiency. They missed their first four from behind the arc, but are 5-of-13 for the game, including one on each of the last two possessions. They're doing it with balance too with five players scoring between 8-10 points each.

And again -- in case you forgot -- the Toreros are playing for their season with an automatic NCAA bid at stake on the outcome.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- After relinquishing control to close the first half, Gonzaga has jumped back out to a 39-34 lead at the 15:35 mark of the second half.

San Diego took the lead in the first by dominating the boards, 23-13, including nine on offense. It looks like Mark Few made some halftime adjustments as the Zags have a 5-3 edge on the board through the first few minutes of the second stanza. Star guard Jeremy Pargo is getting into his game too, scoring four quick points after tallying six in the first.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Sparked by a 9-2 run to close the half, San Diego has seized momentum in the WCC Championship with a 30-27 halftime lead. But the Zags caught a break in the closing seconds when the officials allowed a Micah Downs jumper that appeared to come after the shot clock expired.

Either way, bubble teams are sweating everywhere.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- After four San Diego misses from behind the arc, De'Jon Jackson pulled up for a transition long ball to put the Toreros on top for the first time, 28-25 in the final two minutes of the first half. The Toreros have an NCAA tourney bid on the line. It looks like they're starting to figure that out.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- USD weathered an early Gonzaga storm and has kept things close with the Bulldogs holding a 19-16 edge with 7:40 left in the first half. The Zags have had no trouble scoring, hitting at a 58 percent clip from the field while USD has kept things close working the offensive glass. The Toreros' four early offensive rebounds have made up for 37 percent shooting from the field.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- With Gonzaga grasping early control on the court and in the stands, the Toreros got a timeout and stopped the bleeding with two straight baskets to cut their deficit from 13-6 to 13-10. We'll see if they can maintain focus in an almost hostile environment.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- The Toreros have the ball on offense next to the Gonzaga student section which, judging by its call and response, has officially declared the Jenny Craig Pavilion as their house. It's hard to argue as it feels like a Gonzaga home game -- at least from where I'm sitting (directly in front of the students).

So far the Toreros have committed three shot clock violations and we're only six minutes into the game. They didn't commit any last night against Saint Mary's. The Zags have an 13-6 edge at the 13:57 mark and the USD fans already look downtrodden.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- While tonight's WCC championship between top-seed Gonzaga and 3-seed San Diego is drawing a lot of local buzz, there may be even more interest nationwide.

The Floridas, Virginia Techs and Marylands of the college basketball are all Bulldogs fans tonight as a USD win would take one more coveted NCAA tourney spot away from a bubble team.

The biggest question inside the arena tonight is who will actually have the home court advantage. USD is playing in its home gym, but Gonzaga travels well and had a considerably stronger presence in the stands during Sunday's semifinal round. Torero fans will have to step up to give their home team an edge.

Continue reading "WCC: Zags, Fans Look to Overtake USD's Home Court" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- With about 30 seconds left, I heard voices in the USD student section directly behind me talk about jumping over the media table. Thankfully security redirected them as they rushed the court, but they can thank Brandon Johnson for a 75-69 double-overtime win over Saint Mary's to keep the season alive and advance to Monday's WCC title game against Gonzaga.

USD trailed by double digits most of the game, but started a rally with about eight minutes left in regulation and didn't look back until two overtimes were played.

The Toreros took the lead for good when Johnson took an inbounds pass with two seconds on the shot clock and hit a 3-pointer falling out of bounds with 2:53 left in the second overtime. After he crashed into the media table, he just looked up at the student section and smiled.

"When I start smiling, I start rolling," Johnson said. "Kids dream of moments like this, and when I get there I want to cherish it."

Continue reading "WCC: All Hail Johnson, Toreros Win Thriller" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 02:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- With two seconds left on the shot clock, USD inbounded the ball to Brandon Johnson, who hit another huge 3-pointer to give USD a 60-55 edge with 2:55 remaining in the second overtime. Then he crashed into the media table and just turned around to the student section and smiled. He knows Saint Mary's is in trouble.

Posted by Jason Owens at 02:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Overtime ended much like regulation -- with USD's Brandon Johnson missing a fall-away jumper with time running out, so we're playing a second overtime in San Diego tied at 55.

Johnson held the ball deep into the clock and clearly wants to maintain charge of winning this game for the Toreros. But he's forcing it now after leading the USD comeback from a 13-point deficit in regulation. I'm sure coach Bill Grier is telling him the same thing during the break.

Posted by Jason Owens at 02:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Thanks to a free throw by both sides, a circus layup by USD's Brandon Johnson and a jumpshot by Saint Mary's Diamon Simpson, we're still tied, 55-55 with 18.2 seconds to play.

USD has the ball at a timeout and chance to win with its season on the line.

Posted by Jason Owens at 02:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Brandon Johnson's fall-away jumper came up short with time winding down and USD and Saint Mary's will play at least five more minutes of basketball. Since holding a 52-37 lead at the 7:43 mark, the Gaels have relinquished control to the hometown Toreros. Add in the loss of starting center Omar Samhan and Saint Mary's will be hard pressed to win in overtime.

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Saint Mary's 6-11 center Omar Sanhan fouled out at the 1:31 mark with the Gaels holding a 52-50 lead. This could be trouble for the struggling Gaels.

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Brandon Johnson is playing out of his head right now as the Toreros continue to charge back at the Gaels. He just hit his third 3-pointer in the last five minutes to cut the Saint Mary's lead to 52-49 with 2:16 remaining. His 20 points have kept USD in this game.

Meanwhile, Saint Mary's only has one field goal since the 11:31 mark as San Diego pressure has forced bad shots and turnovers. This one's going down to the wire as well.

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- For the first time all game, the hometown crowd has something to cheer about. Over a 3-minute span, USD has cut the Saint Mary's lead to 50-46 with 4:44 remaining and seized control of momentum.

They've drawn charges and forced turnovers on defense and gone to the hot hand of Brandon Johnson, who has hit a pair of three pointers and a free throw during the comeback. The San Diego crowd is psyched and Saint Mary's has a game on its hands.

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- USD has done a good job of keeping up with Saint Mary's in the second half, but little to make up ground as the Gaels hold a 49-37 lead with 7:45 left. There's still enough time to make a comeback, but it has to start soon.

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- USD is maintaining a manageable distance from Saint Mary's, but hasn't found an answer to the Gaels' size inside. Saint Mary's leads 43-29 lead at the first media timeout of the second half.

Omar Sahan, listed at 6-11 and Diamon Simpson, listed at 6-7, but with long arms and athleticism plays much taller, are giving the Toreros fits inside. No USD buckets are coming easy near the basket and the Toreros are having trouble stopping them on the other end.

Gyno Pomare is the only Torero that can bang bodies with them and has hit 6-of-10 shots. The Toreros need to stick with Gyno to have a chance at a comeback.

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- USD got a boost before halftime with a buzzer-beating putback by big man Gyno Pomare, but still have a big hole with Saint Mary's holding a 36-23 lead.

While the pace has slowed down from Saint Mary's torrid 13-2 start, the Gaels haven't let USD sniff momentum. They're doing it with defense, holding USD to 35 percent shooting and without a 3-pointer in six attempts.

USD's best hope is to keep the pace slow and limit Saint Mary's opportunities, as the Gaels are taking advantage when they do have the ball, hitting 52 percent of their shots.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- The USD offense has woken up a bit, but Saint Mary's is still running away with this one. USD has no answer for the Saint Mary's offense, which is shooting 58 percent from the field and 56 percent from long distance en route to a 35-19 lead with 3:21 left in the first half.

The Torero fans are still making noise, some of it inappropriate and obnoxious, but they're not going to have much to cheer about if USD doesn't close the gap before halftime.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- I haven't seen the Gaels in person this year. Now I know what all the hype is about. The offense is lightning quick and deadly accurate while they keep pressure on the ball on defense. The Gaels have jumped out to a 24-8 lead at the second media timeout and are putting the hometown Toreros in danger of never even being in this game.

So far, they've hit 10-of-14 field goals, 4-of-6 3-point shots and forced three USD turnovers.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- The hometown team may be in trouble. at the 16:43 mark of the first half, Saint Mary's has taken a 13-2 lead over the Toreros with a quick-strike, fast break offense. Patrick Mills and Diamon Simpson have already combined for three 3-pointers as the Gales have picked up six points on three early USD turnovers.

The San Diego crowd is lively, but nothing compared to what Gonzaga fans brought to the table in the early game.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- It will be interesting to see how the complexion of the crowd changes for the night cap as the hometown Toreros take the floor against the Gaels in tonight's WCC semifinal. The crowd for the early Gonzaga win was louder for the Bulldogs than the Jenny Craig Pavilion ever gets for a USD home game.

That is, except when Gonzaga comes to town once a year to play USD. Torero fans have no love for Gonzaga, but it looks like the Bulldogs have the monopoly on seats this weekend. Unless there's some ticket-trading going on in the street, the Toreros may not have as big of a homecourt advantage as they hope with the 2nd-seeded Gaels in the building.

Posted by Jason Owens at 11:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- The sellout crowd full of Gonzaga fans got what it wanted as the Zags pulled off a hard-fought 52-48 win over Santa Clara to advance to Monday's WCC championship game.

The game was in doubt in the :12 mark when Santa Clara's Brody Angley launched an ill-advised fall-away 3-pointer to try to tie the game at 51. Abdullahi Kuso got the rebound for Gonzaga and picked up John Brant's fifth foul to go to the line. He missed the first, but hit the second to give the Zags a four-point lead and put the game out of reach for the Broncos.

The Zags advance to faced the winner of tonight's matchup between top-seeded Saint Mary's and 3rd-seeded San Diego, which is playing on its home court. Santa Clara goes home to regroup for next season.

Continue reading "WCC: Zags Hold On, Advance to Championship" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- With about five minutes remaining, Gonzaga led Santa Clara 49-44. Santa Clara center John Bryant returned to the game with four fouls and has changed the complexion on both ends of the court. Gonzaga's struggling to get open baskets and Santa Clara is working the ball inside to cut the deficit to 49-48 with 2:00 remaining. This one's going down to the wire.

Posted by Jason Owens at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- It didn't take John Bryant long to pick up his fourth foul after spending four minutes on the bench when he got his third. Santa Clara's All-WCC center returned to the game returned to the game with his Broncos leading 37-36 at the 10:15 mark of the second half, but went right back to the pine about two minutes later when he picked up his fourth.

But Santa Clara has been playing well without him and trails 43-42 with 7:26 remaining thanks to a Mitch Henke 3-pointer. So far, they've hit 6-of-12 from long range. They'll need to keep it up; I doubt we'll see Bryant again until the game is under four minutes. They'll also need to figure out a way to slow center Josh Heytvelt, who leads Gonzaga with 13 points.

Posted by Jason Owens at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Santa Clara center John Bryant scored the first four points of the second half but also picked up a couple of quick fouls for a total of three with about 14 minutes left in regulation. Now he's riding the pine, but don't expect him to be there long as the Broncos need their All-WCC center down the stretch to beat the Zags.

With 13:27, the Broncos have kept the score low and hold a 35-34 lead with 13:27 left in the game. They've done it by pressuring the ball and forcing 13 turnovers, leading to 11 Santa Clara points.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- If the Zags expected to coast tonight, they were wrong. After facing an early 11-3 deficit, Gonzaga has battled back to take a 28-25 halftime lead with a strong inside-out game that's led to five 3-pointers and nine point inside from center Josh Heytvelt off the bench.

Santa Clara has countered with strong perimeter play of its own, led by Calvin Johnson's nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arc. Gonzaga has limited the effectiveness of center John Bryant, who has six points and three rebounds at the half and has missed 6-of-9 field goal attempts. The All-WCC center averages 18.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game; if the Broncos want to pull off this upset, they'll need better production from Bryant in the second half.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- After a slow start, Gonzaga is settling into its game, but Santa Clara is not backing down and still maintains a 19-18 lead with 6:48 left in the first half. Even though the Gonzaga campus if the farthest from San Diego of any of the WCC teams, this is essentially a home game for the Zags, with their red-clad crowd cheering along with the cheerleaders to drown out the Santa Clara faithful.

Instead of going into All-WCC center John Bryant, the Broncos have been attacking the Bulldogs from the perimeter, catching them off guard. They've hit 3-of-6 3-pointers so far, which should open the inside up for Bryant to do his work as the game continues. The Zags have countered with three 3-pointers of their own while owning the glass, 12-8 in the early going. They've got their crowd behind them; now they need to figure out out to slow the Broncos down.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- After two days of sub-.500 teams and sparse if not non-existent fan support, we officially have a conference tournament on our hands. It's the WCC semifinals, featuring two nationally prominent teams in No. 22 Gonzaga and top-seeded Saint Mary's, which has spent plenty of time in the top 25 this season.

No. 2 seed Gonzaga tips the night off against 4th-seeded Santa Clara and the Zags came fully equipped with a jam-packed student section and rowdy crowd. Few expect the Broncos to give Gonzaga a game, but they'll have their hands full with Santa Clara center John Bryant, who schooled USF last night to the tune of 25 points and 17 rebounds. The Zags have an at-large bid wrapped up while Santa Clara, with a 15-15 record has its eyes on the WCC automatic bid. The atmosphere is electric. Let's see if the game is too.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Pepperdine looked ready to make this a game early in the second half, but once the hometown Toreros started to pull away, this one was over. USD advances to face St. Mary's in Sunday's 2-3 semifinal matchup with a berth in the WCC championship game on the line. courtesy of its 73-55 win. Pepperdine goes back to Malibu to regroup for next season.

De'Jon Jackson led the way for USD with a 24-point effort as the Toreros pretty much controlled every aspect of the box score. Rob Jones had a great game as well, logging 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Toreros scored with ease, hitting half their field goals and logged a double-digit advantage on the boards.

Continue reading "WCC: Toreros Advance to Face Saint Mary's" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- A friend of mine in the stands who's a USD grad just made an astute observation. If this was a dance competition, Pepperdine would have been served long ago. The USD dance team, fully equipped with form-fitting tops and parachute pants tucked into shin-high shoes that look like a cross between combat boots and boxing shoes have indeed been bringing it.

And it's no knock on the Peppedine cheerleaders, who are doing a fine job in their much more traditional cheerleader attire of pompoms and short skirts. But the Torero girls look ready to star in a cheesy street-dancing movie. And they have the moves to match.

As for the game, the USD basketball team has a clear edge as well, mounting a 63-46 lead with 6:51 remaining. The Waves are outmatched and don't really stand a chance for a comeback on USD's home court right now. I'm not in the business of calling games, but I'd be shocked if the Waves make this interesting.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- When USD took a 28-14 lead behind an amped home crowd, it looked like the Toreros were going to run away with it. But Pepperdine maintained its composure to keep the game reasonable and goes into halftime trailing 39-30.

The Toreros are still in control and pretty much dominate the halftime box score. They're outshooting (48-42 percent) the Waves and controlling the glass (23-14 rebounds) and have hit 5-of-11 3-pointers. De'Jon Jackson leads USD with 12 points while Rob Jones already has 11 rebounds while Tyrone Shelley has matched Jackson with 12 points for Pepperdine.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- You'd think Santa Clara was UCLA and the Jenny Craig Pavilion was Pauley Pavilion. Playing with a one-point deficit and time winding down, Santa Clara went inside to star big man John Bryant, who picked up a questionable foul in the post and hit two free throws to ice a 51-50 win over USF to advance to the WCC semifinal round.

The game is the last for USF coach Eddie Sutton, who picked up his 800th career win with the Dons earlier this season and has said he won't return for another stint in San Francisco. The Broncos, meanwhile advance to face top-seeded Gonzaga in Sunday's WCC semifinal.

"I don't know what this league does," Sutton said with a smile on his face when asked about the foul that sealed the win for the Broncos. "They'd probably fine me... I'm not going to comment on officiating."

Continue reading "WCC: Sutton's Career Concludes on Questionable Call" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- With about four minutes remaining, San Francisco's Dior Lowhorn just fouled out. Though he's struggled tonight, tallying just 10 points and three rebounds, he's the Dons' go-to guy and leading scorer and rebounder on the season. With USF holding a 46-45 edge and time winding down, his loss is a big blow to Eddie Sutton's crew.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- This game has looked more like a wrestling match than a basketball game lately as Santa Clara holds a 39-38 edge with 7:51 remaining. Needless to say, points are at a premium with neither team scoring in the last two-plus minutes.

There have been a lot of fouls down low and a lot of players put on the floor near the basket. This looks like tournament basketball.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Santa Clara continues its woeful shooting from long range (1-of-12), but has made some defensive adjustments to take control of the second half. USF hasn't had a good luck at a 3-pointer in the first four minutes and the Broncos have cut their 31-24 halftime deficit to a 32-32 tie. This game feels like it's will go down to the wire.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Maybe Eddie Sutton will survive to coach another day. Behind strong shooting from behind the arc, USF has a 31-24 lead at halftime. The Dons still haven't found an answer for John Bryant, who has 12 points and eight rebounds, but have countered with 4-of-9 shooting from long distance.

Continue reading "WCC: Sutton, Dons Up at Half" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO-- Barring a stunning upset this weekend or a change of heart from Eddie Sutton, he'll finish his career here at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. You'd think USF would hook him up with a pep band for the occasion.

But no, the Dons dance squad is stuck dancing to the public address music or the Santa Clara band. It's kind of sad.

Continue reading "WCC: Where's the Band?" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Through the first eight minutes, San Francisco has an early 14-11 edge over the Broncos thanks to a pair of 3-pointers and some cold shooting from Santa Clara. Every USF game in this tournament has the potential to be a milestone with legendary coach Eddie Sutton on the sidelines. Sutton took over the reins in mid-season and proceeded to pick up his 800th career win.

Known for producing winners at every stop in his career, most notably at Kentucky and Oklahoma State, Sutton has said that USF's last game will be the last of his career. It definitely gives the early-round WCC tournament action an added edge.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- After 35 minutes of wretched basketball and five minutes of inspired play to extend the evening, this game carried on the only way it could in overtime -- with Pepperdine outscoring Portland 4-2 in overtime to secure a 50-48 win. This is officially the ugliest college game I've witnessed in person.

How ugly was it, you ask? Well I'll tell you.

Continue reading "WCC: Whew... Waves Win a Close One" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- After 35 minutes of excruciating basketball, Portland decided to step up and make this a compelling basketball game. Now we have overtime. Nick Raivo capped off a 13-2 run with a layup in the waning seconds after stripping Mike Hornbuckle to tie the game at 46, where it stands at the end of regulation.

What this all means is that I shouldn't have busted on Portland for the entire game. I shouldn't have called it for Pepperdine with about six minutes remaining. And I really shouldn't have asked the basketball gods for no overtime early in the first half.

Posted by Jason Owens at 01:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- As much as Portland and its fans have entertained me, I don't think they'll be back on Saturday. Pepperdine holds a 44-33 lead with 6:15 remaining and looks in full control.

Normally an 11-point deficit with this much time left wouldn't be insurmountable, but the way this game is going, I'd be stunned if the Pilots pulled it out.

The box score through the first 34 minutes is one of the strangest I've seen. Portland is crushing Pepperdine on the boards (33-19) and in field goal percentage (43-33), but the Waves have forced 17 turnovers while committing just five. It's been a weird, ugly game.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- I don't know whether to laugh at them or with them. The Portland dance squad took the floor at halftime with a couple of guys in the routine, one of them very tall and very hairy.

Now I've gotten used to and understand the need for male cheerleaders in college athletics (to a point), but these guys were gyrating and shaking it like they were Laker girls (The tall dude in the middle was the star of the show). And they were good.

The whole time they did it with straight faces, so I'm not sure if they have mad comic skills or if they were serious. Either way, it was worth the price of admission.

Meanwhile Portland has cut the halftime deficit to 29-21 with 15:32 left in the game. Watch out Pepperdine.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- There are a couple of cute girls about four rows behind the Portland bench holding a big "Go Pilots" sign. Those girls are awesome. Any girl that would travel the bulk of the west coast (I assume they're students) to see this sorry display of basketball is the kind of girl I'd like to meet.

So far their Pilots have rewarded their dedication with a 15-point first half effort highlighted by a 6-of-19 performance from the field. Lucky for them, Pepperdine isn't much better and just holds a 27-15 lead.

Amazingly Portland has outrebounded Pepperdine 24-10. That's an awesome stat in so many ways, mostly in that they've managed to secure 14 more rebounds and 12 fewer points than their opponent -- at halftime. Here's hoping there's no overtime.

Posted by Jason Owens at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- While the WCC nightcap doesn't have much basketball to speak of, it does feature a sweet mascot. Willie the Wave is rad.

As for the game itself, the WCC's 6-7 matchup is living up to its billing. No. 6 Pepperdine holds a 15-9 lead with 7:55 left in the first half. An offensive showcase, this is not.

Continue reading "WCC: More Willie, Please" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Ugh -- this one's off to an early start. We're at the first media timeout and Portland hasn't scored yet. Pepperdine is off to an 8-0 start with a pair of 3-point buckets. Portland is 0-for-6 from the field with three turnovers. It could get ugly.

Posted by Jason Owens at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- LMU came into tonight's game against USF with a clear strategy. Shoot a lot from behind the arc and hope it keeps them in the game.

In one aspect it worked. The Lions shot well from long-distance, but didn't do much else right as the fifth-seeded Dons advance to the WCC semifinal round with a 79-60 win.

Continue reading "WCC: Sutton, Dons Survive to Play Another Day" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Now comes everyone's favorite element of basketball. With 1:45 remaining, USF has a 76-58 lead and LMU is refusing to concede. Translation: The Dons are shooting a lot of free throws. Come on people. I know it's your last game of the season, but there is another game to be played tonight.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- LMU has been hot from long-distance (8-of-16), but has no answer for USF forward Dion Lowhorn, who is scoring at will and tallied 26 points and nine rebounds to put USF in the drivers' seat. The Dons have a 70-56 lead at the final media timeout and, barring a complete collapse, will advance to Saturday's WCC semifinal round against Santa Clara.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- Since Myron Strong put Shawn Deadwiler on the line for three free throws, LMU has cut its 51-43 deficit to 56-53 with just under eight minutes left. If the Lions pull off the upset, that play will be a big reason why.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- USF guard Myron Strong just discovered the quickest route to the bench. With the Dons riding momentum and holding a 51-43 lead, he fouled Shawn Deadwiler after he released the ball on an errant 3-point attempt. Eddie Sutton immediately called timeout, sat Strong down and Deadwiler hit all three foul shots to cut the LMU deficit to 51-46. USF needs to answer to keep momentum from switching sides.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- The second half has started out much like the first as USF holds a 42-38 lead with 15:22 remaining. The Lions struck first blood, tying the game with a Shawn Deadwiler 3-pointer, but Eddie Sutton's Dons have played a more well rounded game to extend their lead to 42-38.

Posted by Jason Owens at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- You'd think USF had a hefty lead over LMU with a glance at the halftime box. The Dons have outrebounded the Lions (20-18) and outshot them from the field (47 percent to 37 percent) and the line (71 percent to 43 percent) .

But the Lions have the advantage from long distance, hitting 6-of-9 3-pointers to keep the Dons' lead to a quite reasonable 34-31 score. Forward Dion Lowhorn has been huge for the dons with 12 points and seven rebounds, but USF will have to defend the perimeter better to avoid the upset by the 8th-seeded Lions.

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- This doesn't look like the bottom rung of a mid-major tournament as San Francisco holds a 25-22 lead over LMU with about six minutes left in the first half. Both teams are playing well, but the fifth-seeded Dons have started to push their agenda.

Continue reading "WCC: Dons Find Rhythm, Lead" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- A small but loud contingent of LMU students and a cowbell-intensive pep band have given the Lions what feels like a homecourt advantage in the early goings of tonight's WCC opener.

LMU enter the WCC Tournament as the eight-seed, but you wouldn't know it by its start or its fans tonight. The Lions came out on fire behind strong play from Shawn Deadwiler and Orlando Johnson and a hot stroke from behind the arc.

Continue reading "WCC: Lions need more cowbell" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN DIEGO -- If the three-month thrill-fest that is the NCAA Tournament is Christmas, then this is Christmas Eve. Conference tournaments are officially underway and we kick things off tonight with No. 8 seed Loyola Marymount taking on 5th-seeded San Francisco in the West Coast Conference Tournament.

Well, maybe it's very early on Christmas Eve. Ok -- the sun hasn't even risen as tonight's matchups amount to play-in games in the odd format that is the WCC Tournament.

Continue reading "WCC: It's like Christmas Eve... Sort of" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MEMPHIS -- Welcome to the FedEx Forum for today's match-up between No. 1 Memphis and Gonzaga. The 60:00 until game clock has yet to start ticking but four Memphis Tigers are shooting around on the Forum floor (Robert Dozier, Doneal Mack, Derrick Rose, Antonio Anderson and Andre Allen). Rose is being stretched out at half court and a few other Tigers are currently taking the floor.

The student section to our left, in the endzone, is filled in. We're ready to roll.

Memphis game notes

Gonzaga game notes

Posted by David Scott at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery always knew Bryan Mullins could score.

Now, a lot of other people know it too.

The junior guard scored a career-high 24 points, including 11 of the Salukis' last 13, as SIU ended a three-game losing streak with a 71-56 win over previously unbeaten Saint Mary's on Tuesday.

"We've always had guards that do stuff like that when we needed it," said Lowery. "I've told him this past three weeks that this was his team."

Mullins stepped into the spotlight after Saint Mary's had massaged away most of had been a 19-point second-half lead. Up 53-34 with 13:17 remaining, the Salukis started missing shots from close range. Conversely, the Gaels started pushing the ball up court. Two free throws by Todd Golden with 5:51 left got Saint Mary's within 55-52.

"We did some things right to get us back in the game," said Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett. "We just didn't do enough things to win the game.

"Give them credit. We knew they were going to be good. We didn't walk into this ball game thinking this was a bad team."

The Salukis had dropped contests to USC, Indiana and Charlotte and were struggling for an identity. Graduation left some big holes to fill in the scoring. Mullins filled one of them Tuesday.

"We opened up the floor more and I was able to hit a couple of shots," he said. "We came out with a lot of energy tonight."

Tyrone Green held off Saint Mary's until Mullins got untracked. His three free throws pushed SIU's lead back to 58-52. Omar Samhan's jumper got the Gaels back within four, but Mullins scored the next nine points of the game.

"With the work ethic he has, you know it's going to pay off sooner or later," Shaw said of Mullins.

Shaw's previous career best had been 16 points. Tuesday, he nearly had that in the final four minutes. And he added five assists to his line as well.

SIU's Randall Falker scored all eight of his points in the first half, but he had eight rebounds in the second and 12 for the game. Shaw finished with 13 points and nine boards as SIU out-rebounded the Gaels, 39-24.

"I think it's a credit to this team that we came out and played with the energy we did and the enthusiasm we did after losing three straight," Shaw said.

Saint Mary's (7-1) got 11 points from Patrick Mills, 10 from Diamon Simpson and eight from Samhan, some 15 below their combined average for the season.

The loss probably knocks the Gaels, ranked 24th in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll, out of the Top 25.

"It's December," said Bennett. "If we're a good team, we'll get back in there."

Yes, it's only December, but a team looking for answers like SIU, there was no time like the present.

"I told them it's winning time," Lowery said of his charges. "We're not going backwards."

Mullins seemed to listen most of all.

"He was special," Lowery said. "He wanted to win."

Posted by Rick Underwood at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Salukis' Bryan Mullins took over down the stretch, scoring seven straight points after Saint Mary's cut an 18-point lead to four, and Southern Illinois held on to break a three-game losing streak, 71-56.

The loss was the first of the year for the Gaels, while Southern Illinois improved to 4-3.

Posted by Rick Underwood at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A big cushion for Southern Illinois is wafer-thin.

Saint Mary's poured on six straight free throws, four from Patrick Mills and two from Todd Golden, and cut SIU's 18-point lead down to just three with just under six minutes to go.

The Salukis are attacking the paint, but missing from close range. A free throw and a Saint Mary's turnover has stemmed the tide. The Gaels' Diamon Simpson fouled out with 4:48 to go, and SIU's Tyrone Green hit the subsequent throws to put SIU back up, 58-52.

Posted by Rick Underwood at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- With Saint Mary's protecting the post, Southern Illinois found room on the perimeter.

The Salukis got back-to-back three-pointers from Bryan Mullins and Matt Shaw, and one of three free throws from Shaw when he was fouled on a trey to open a 50-32 lead just six minutes into the second half.

But SIU started settling for the jumpers and Saint Mary's took rebounds up court for transition opportunities. Diamon Simpson's two free throws when fouled on a fast-break got the Gaels back within 14 at 53-39 with 12 minutes to play.

An SIU turnvoer and a Patrick Mills three-pointer pulled Saint Mary's withing 11 and swung the momentum, with the Salukis earlier in the half, back to the Gaels.

Posted by Rick Underwood at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Call off the ABP on Randall Fallker.

Falker, held scoreless in Southern Illinois' weekend loss to UNC-Charlotte, resurfaced on the Salukis' home court Tuesday against the Gaels.

Falker, the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year, finished the first half with eight points, four rebounds and a blocked shot in 14 minutes of play as SIU posted a 36-24 halftime lead. Along the way, Falker drew three fouls on Saint Mary's big man, Omar Samhan, who played just eight minutes in the first half.

Also in foul trouble for Saint Mary's was starting guard Patrick Mills, the Gaels' leading scorer. He picked up his third foul late in the half and had just four points at the break.

Both teams worked the ball into the paint instead of settling for jumpers, as Saint Mary's shot 47.4 percent for the half but was plagued by 12 turnovers. SIU shot 46.4 percent with nine turnovers.

Matt Shaw and Joshua Bone added seven points each for SIU. Mills and Samhan led the Gaels in scoring with four each.

Posted by Rick Underwood at 08:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Neither Saint Mary's or Southern Illinois can get much separation on scoreboard or on the court. Tight defense at both ends are forcing extended possessions.

The Salukis' Tyrone Green took a steal coast-to-coast for a jam that brought the crowd to life and prompted a Gael timeout. Another Saint Mary's turnover after play resumed resulted in a Joshua Bone teardrop down the lane to give SIU its biggest lead of the first nine minutes at 18-12.

Posted by Rick Underwood at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Saint Mary's and Southern Illinois are firing shots from close range early in the contest, with the Salukis hanging onto a 9-8 lead.

Both teams are getting the ball into the paint when they're getting shots. Less than five minutes into the game, Saint Mary's has three turnovers and SIU has a pair.

Gael center Omar Samhan was just saddled with two fouls and is headed for the bench.

Posted by Rick Underwood at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Earlier in the day, some 1,000 students were scattered about SIU Arena, taking a final exam.
Later Tuesday night, the Salukis of Southern Illinois were hoping to have just one answer -- how to end the first three-game losing streak in Chris Lowery's three-plus years as head coach.

Not that the Salukis have been terrible of the past three games, losing to USC and UNC-Charlotte on the road and at home to Indiana.

Meanwhile, the Gaels of Saint Mary's look to keep their record spotless. This is the Gaels' first road game of the season, although they have posted a win on a neutral court. The other six have come at home.

For SIU, it seems a different ingredient has been missing in each of the three losses. Against USC, the defense didn't show up. Against Indiana, the offense couldn't find the hole.

And against Charlotte, the Salukis' all-everything, Randall Falker, was held scoreless for the first time since his freshman season.

The teams have met five previous times, with SIU holding a 4-1 edge. The Salukis won, 66-61, at Moraga, Calif., last year.

Posted by Rick Underwood at 07:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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."

Continue reading "Saint Mary's - SDSU Wrapup" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Jason Owens at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Jason Owens at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Jason Owens at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Jason Owens at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 04:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Continue reading "Aztecs in Control at Halftime" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Continue reading "So Much For Cinderella" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Continue reading "December Cinderella Story" »

Posted by Jason Owens at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Alex Harris knows it can be ugly sometimes on the road but he also think UC Santa Barbara showed what it takes to get it done away from home on Saturday night in a 63-56 victory over host Loyola Marymount.

Sure, Harris had 21 points to lead the Gauchos (7-1) to their best start since the 1992-93 season but even he knew the win had more to do with 24 LMU turnovers.

"It's all about playing with heart on the road," Harris said. "No flash. You win roadgames on the defensive end."

Continue reading "Learning The Elements Of A Road Victory" »

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Loyola Marymount guard Shawn Deadwiler and UC Santa Barbara guard Alex Harris have both found their scoring touch in the second half. Deadwiler has 20 points and Harris has 19 while UCSB lead 57-53 with under two minutes in the game.

Harris tried to take the scoring lead too but missed a shot and then fouled Jon Ziri going for the rebound. Ziri goes to the line for a 1-and-1 situation to cut the lead to two points and missed the front end, which ended a streak of 12 consecutive made free throws.

It looked like a crucial miss too when Harris scored again to give UCSB a six-point lead. But Ziri made up for it with an offensive rebound that led to a Deadwiler 3-pointer. UCSB leads 59-56 with under a minute to play.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount have played 83 times with the Lions holding a 48-35 advantage, including a 21-9 lead at home. But if the Gauchos can hold onto their lead it would be their first win at Gersten Pavilion since 1993 and first win over LMU since 2000. LMU has won seven of the last 10 games between the Southern California teams.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- UC Santa Barbara can't seem to pull away from Loyola Marymount, but it's shooting percentage has went through the roof. The Gauchos made 10 of their first 15 shots in the second half and their first five free throws. And that came after it missed 22 field goals and made just 4-of-7 free throws in the first half.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- UC Santa Barbara seems to be handling its lack of height just fine, tied in rebounds 24-24, with Loyola Marymount and ahead, 49-42.

As for Loyola Marymount's point guard situation... well, it's clearly a work in progress. The Lions have 19 turnovers and while Quentin Turner has played well at the point, the Gauchos are forcing turnovers with their superior quickness at every position.

Offensive fouls are a problem for the Lions, who have at least four, including a couple of charge calls.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- UC Santa Barbara just scored on a dunk by Ivan Elliott and it is shots such as those Gauchos coach Bob Williams needs to see more of from his team. It was not a great shooting performance in the first half for UC Santa Barbara, which made just 8-of-30 field goals for a measily 26.7 percent. Elliott's dunk was followed by a layup by Alex Harris, who is trying to heat up in the second half after making just 2-of-7 shots in first 20 minutes.

UC Santa Barbara holds a 38-31 lead over Loyola Marymount with under 15 minutes left in the game. The Lions defense can't afford to give up too many more easy shots if it wants to have a legitimate chance to win.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- The second half just started and it looks like both offenses are ready to go. Loyola Marymount has two three-point plays this half and James Powell just hit a three-pointer to give UC Santa Barbara a 30-29 lead.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- The first half just wrapped up and UC Santa Barbara guard Alex Harris is having some trouble with the Loyola Marymount defense. Harris is averaging 24 points per game this season (12th in the country) but so far has just eight points. Credit LMU guard Jon Ziri with leading the way to curtail the high-scoring guard, which probably has a lot to do with why the Gauchos are only ahead 23-21 at the halftime break.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- UC Santa Barbara is doing a nice job of playing aggressive and using its superior quickness to pressure LMU into 10 turnovers but fouls could catch up. LMU will be in the double bonus the rest of way, trailing 16-13, with seven minutes left in the half. If LMU wants a chance to pull off the win, it's going to need to make a high percentage of those freebies.

LMU just drew a turnover with an offensive foul by Alex Harris and have a chance to take the lead, trailing UC Santa Barbara, 16-15.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Loyola Marymount coach Rodney Tention isn't a cartoon but he can be just as animated. The fiery third-year coach has been quite busy screaming at his team and the officials. Tention's team is getting pushed around a little bit and after one particular non-call, he slammed the scorer's table. The officials probably could have given him a technical but opted to issue him a warning.

His emotion seems to be splashing onto the floor as his team has rebounded from a five-minute scoreless span and now trail UC Santa Barbara, 16-12.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- Both UC Santa Barbara coach Bob Williams and LMU coach Rodney Tention must handle a bit of a matchup issue in tonight's game. Tention has to figure out how his team is going to handle the Gauchos' pressure defense without a proven point guard while Williams has to make sure LMU doesn't use its superior size to dominate the glass.

Continue reading "Matchup Situation" »

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES -- The crowd isn't significantly bigger than Wednesday night - although it's clear the Loyola Marymount student section seems to have had some fun with the day's Homecoming events. Still, it's clear walking into Gersten Pavilion with the TV truck outside and the cameras above the court give this nonconference game with UC Santa Barbara a little extra excitement. Let's see if it impacts the game at all.

LMU just won the tip.

Posted by Bob Holtzman at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- Gonzaga earned a well-deserved 85-82 win with a 11-8 closing run over the game's final three minutes to put away the not-quite-there-yet UConn Huskies.

The Huskies did not go quietly as AJ Price nearly banked in a three-pointer with 21.6 seconds left and was fouled on the attepmt. He proceeded to hit two of three fouls to cut the lead to 82-80, a mad scramble for the rebound ensued and a tie up gave the ball to the Zags. Austin Daye was fouled on the in-bounds and the freshman calmly hit two free throws for his third and fourth points of the game (all from the line). Daye returned to the line with 4.2 seconds left and sank one of two to keep the lead at three points. A last second attempt to tie by A.J. Price for the ties barely touched rim and the Zags escaped.

The road weary Zags will no return home for in-state rival Washington State on Wednesday the 5th. UConn hosts Northeastern on Thursday at Gampel Pavillion.

UConn led 75-74 with 3:23 left but never again after a Pargo reverse layup with 3:00 left put the Zags up, 76-75.
Pargo was named the game's MVP with 23 points, five assists and four rebounds in 40 minutes.

Price led the Huskies with 24 points. Micah Downs had 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Gonzaga.

. . . Kuso fouled out with 2:45 left in the game, finishing with no points and one rebound. He came in averaging 9 and 4.

Thabeet then fouled out on a fairly questionable call where Pendergraft got entangled with the big fella with 2:05 left. He finished with six points and five rebounds. he came in averaging 10.5 and just under 10 boards. Pendergraft made one of two free throws and then Gonzaga got the offensive board that led to a Pargo jumper and a 79-76 lead.

. . . We'll work the post-game interviews and then be back with you for the tip of the nightcap between Providence and Boston College.

Posted by David Scott at 05:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- The Zags maintain a 74-73 lead with 3:46 left in regulation.

. . . Thabeet picked up his fourth personal with 6:38 left in the game and was replaced by Curtis Kelly. He'll probably stay on the bench until after the 4:00 media timeout. (And is.) Kelly had a nice putback right away for the Huskies in the midst of a UConn mini-run that saw them take the lead back, 73-72.

. . . Gonzaga junior Jeremy Pargo is something to behold in the open floor. Great ball control and he really attacks the rim. A driving lay-up with 4:13 left in the game gave him 17 points and the Zags a 74-73 lead.

. . . Doug "Dougie" Wiggins has had a rough afternoon for the Huskies. A three-point air ball with just under 4:00 left in the game wound up right in the arms of Pendergraft. WIggins has two points on 1 of 8 from the field

Posted by David Scott at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- Matt Bouldin is on fire for th Zags, hitting back-to-back three-pointers for Gonzaga to put the Zags back out in front by two, 69-67. Bouldin has 13 points in the second (15 for the games). Gonzaga leads, 69-67, with 7:59 left in the game.

. . . Jeff Adrien has come alive a bit for the Huskies a bit and now has 13 points, four rebounds and two assists after a six-point first half.

. . . The Gonzaga bench is outscoring the UConn bench, 28-5. The Huskies have 20 second chance points to nine for the Zags and the Zags are leading the fast break battle, 11-4.

. . . The Zags are already in the double bonus with 10 team fouls; UConn has five. Robinson and Kuso have four fouls each (not to be confused with Robsinson Crusoe, who has zero fouls).

Posted by David Scott at 05:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- It's an FX special, as we're in for a tight finish as the Zags now lead, 63-59, with 11:32 left in the game.

. . . Kuso picked up his third foul of the game with 16:02 left and was replaced immediately. Thabeet got his third foul with just over 13:00 left in the game and was also replaced on the floor. Robert Sacre picked up his third a few seconds later.

. . . Donyell Marshall, also an ex-Husky, is in attendance as well.

. . . Ray Allen is seated next to fellow Celtic and ex-USC Trojan Brian Scalabrine. Scal is holding a baby. Gently. Allen participated in the holding-of-the-ball-somersault dunk by Lucky the Loser Leprechaun. Jesus should not have to stoop to such indignities.

. . . Tough crowd -- an older, female Zag fan in a Bulldog sweatshirt was roundly booed by the partisan Husky crowd. A mom for crying out loud!

. . . Refs did a good job reviewing a shot by Matt Bouldin from top of the key that was in fact a 3-pointer, after originally being credited as a two. It gave the Zags a five point lead.

Posted by David Scott at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- Gonzaga has come out on a 9-4 run to lead 54-48 with 17:16 left in the game. Stanley Robinson picked up his third foul of the game with 17:38 left, leading to a technical foul on Jim Calhoun, who slammed his hand on the scorer's table and probably violated all sorts of decorum.

. . . Jerome Dyson came out with a three-pointer to start the second half, his fourth of the game. Pargo answered with a three of his own for his fourth of the game.

. . . The referees today are John Hampston, Steve Pyatt and Hal Lusk.

. . . We were a bit surprised to learn that UConn was a slight favorite in this game, but as always, the Wise guys know something. Providence is a two-point favorite in the second game.

Posted by David Scott at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- Gonzaga took its first lead of the game on halftime buzeer-beating three-pointer from Pendergraft to head into the locker room up, 45-44. UConn lost a lot of its momentum when Thabeet went to the bench and the Zags settled into their offense.

Pargo leads the Zags with 11 points, Micah Downs has 10 and Pendergraft has nine. UConn is paced by Price's 13, followed by Dyson's nine and eight from Stanley Robinson.

. . . Both teams attempted 16 three-pointers in the first half -- UConn hit seven, and the Zags hit eight. Rebounds were even at 16 apiece and both teams converted 15 field goals (out of 35 for UConn and 32 for Gonzaga). Pargo leads all players with four assists and Price has a team-high three for UConn.

. . . We're going to try and catch the end of the BC-Va. Tech football game and then be back with you for the second half.

Go grab a beer on our behalf if you are of legal age and willing.

Posted by David Scott at 04:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- A very entertaining first half of basketball is winding down with UConn clinging to a 42-39 lead. The Zags cut the lead to one, 38-37, on a Jeremy Pargo three-pointer with just over 4:00 left in the half and now trail by three with 2:36 left in the game.

. . . With Thabeet on the bench, the Zags are having much more success scoring in the paint.

. . . Lucky the Pathetic Celtics Mascot is also here today. Not a big fan of that little leprechaun.

. . . Dancing Celtic Big Baby (Glen Davis) just appeared on the video boards. Dude's got moves.

Posted by David Scott at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- Gonzaga appears to have steadied itself, thanks to some timely three-point shooting from Pargo and some scrappy play underneath by 6-foot-5 forward Larry Gurganious. UConn still leads, 32-25, with 7:50 to go in the half. A.J. Price leads all scorers with 13 points (including a few trey balls). Pargo leads the Zags with eight points.

The Huskies are shooting 7-of-11 from three-point land and the Zags are 4-of-10.

. . . Hasheem Thabeet picked up his second foul with 9:11 left in the half, as he fouled Pargo under the rim. He will sit the rest of the half for Jim Calhoun.

. . . The UConn band began chanting for Ray Allen who is sitting courtside opposite the Huskly bench to root on his alma mater. The Celts host Cleveland tomorrow at 12:30.

. . . The Celtics Dancers are in attendance, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It looks like a split squad day for the second-year incarnation of the final NBA team to get a dance team.

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

BOSTON -- UConn leads 21-14 with 11:50 left in the half. The Huskies, who have averaged 12 three-point attempts per game through their first six, have already hoisted seven treys (connecting on four).

. . . Gonzaga's first three field goals were all from beyond the arc.

. . . Jerome Dyson had made four three-pointers (out of 15) coming into the game and through the first seven minutes of play today he had three (out of five).

. . . Abdullahi Kuso has two personal fouls for the game.

Posted by David Scott at 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- Gonzaga is showing signs of the long road trip they have been on with UConn a half step quicker in the early going. UConn got out to a 6-0 lead, which was stifled by a David Pendergraft three-pointer. The lead ballooned to 13-3 until another Pendergraft trey which leaves us at 13-6 at the first media timeout.

Jerome Dyson has been the early star for UConn with two three-pointers for six points, Pendergraft has all of the Zags' points. Every UConn starter has already scored at least one point with 15:31 left in the half and A.J. Price has thre assists on the five Husky field goals.

. . . Definitely a UConn crowd as you'd expect with the Storrs, Conn., campus less than two hours from Boston. Interestingly, the second game could be a more pro-Providence crowd as reports had BC returning a poriton of its allotted tickets, which were then scooped up by the Friar faithful. BC has a notoriously front-running fan base (said the UMass alum).

. . . The UConn cheerleaders are positioned directly in front of the press section in a kneeling position which is semi-obstructing. With their megaphones, it's completely obstructing and when the cheerleaders stand, well, we might as well be where you are.

Some of the more established (read: Cranky) writers are seeking Garden personnel to complain to. We'll keep you posted.

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

BOSTON -- Our stats monitor issue has been resolved and the starting line-ups look like this:

UCONN:
Donnell Beverly
Jerome Dyson
AJ Price
Stanley Robinson
Hasheem Thabeet

GONZAGA:
Jeremy Pargo
Austin Daye (would be his first start of the season if true, replacing Micah Downs)
Matt Bouldin
David Pendergraft
Abdullahi Kuso

. . . We're about ready to get going here as the Garden slowly fills up for what is expected to be a near-sellout.

. . . The UConn band is playing "Thriller" - perhaps in honor of its 25th birthday? We could do without the tribute, to be honest.

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

BOSTON -- Gonzaga took the floor for pre-game shooting at about 2:45, led by David Pendergraft who was the first Zag out of the locker room. The Zags are stretching and shooting at the East End of the floor closest to the Posting Up Perch.

. . . We're blessed enough to have a stats monitor to our right but at this point they have Boston College playing UConn, which would clearly be news to the Big East office.

. . . Gonzaga freshman Austin Daye from Irivine, California is the sone of ex-NBA player (and Celtic) Darren Daye, who played at UCLA. Papa Daye logged five years in the NBA, including parts of two season with the Celts (1986-'87 for 61 games and '87-'88 for 47 games. he wore No. 20 for the Celtics, a number now worn by UConn alum Ray Allen. The younger Daye is currently leading the Zags in scoring with 14.3 ppg and 4.9 rpg in a sixth man role.

Continue reading "Zags Take The Floor" »

Posted by David Scott at 03:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOSTON -- A host of Hall of Famers are scheduled to be in the house today beyond the HOF coach Jim Calhoun. Also slated to be here are Walt Bellamy, Denny Crum, Wayne Embry, Marques Haynes, Bailey Howell, Meadowlark lemon, Nancy Lieberman, Calvin Murphy and CM Newton.

The Hall is also boasting that 28 NBA scouts will be in attaendance (inclduing Charlotte's Bernie Bickerstaff and Denver's Rex Chapman) as well as more than 125 members of the media from nearly 50 outlets. The first game is teleised by ESPN with the second sliding over to ESPN Classic. Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas have the call on both games. McDonough is tanned and still aglow over his trip to Hawaii for both the Maui Invitational and a Hawaii football game. He told us Hawaii is a legit BCS bowl team with a defense to finally match its offense and then headed into the Will McDonough press room, names in honor of his late father, a Boston legend.

Continue reading "Hall of Famers In Da House" »

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

BOSTON -- Welcome to the TD BankNorth Garden for the Beantown debut of The Hartford Hall of Fame Showcase (the event debuted as the Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge in Phoenix in December of last year). Our 3:30 tip-off will feature No. 19 Gonzaga (6-1) vs UConn (5-1) and the 6 p.m. game is a New England battle of former Big East rivals Boston College (5-0) and Providence College (4-1).

The Huskies are currently shooting around (mostly free throws for the 64 percent foul shooting Huskies) at the West end of the floor (Posting Up is positioned in the East End for today's event). Boston native Jim Calhoun is out early with his team (sans suit coat) and is standing right foul extended chatting up assistant George Blaney. Garden workers are cleaning the backboard in our endzone proving once and for all that they "do windows."

Continue reading "Welcome To Beantown" »

Posted by David Scott at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)