Cindy's Team of the Week and Player of the Week

Player of the Week - Jason Thompson, Rider
We're a little late to the Thompson party but our excuse is we're still getting over the MAAC's loss of Jeff Ruland from its coaching ranks. We should have remembered the Jared Jordan league's most NBA-ready player was going to be a senior this season and the 6-11, 250-pound Thompson has not disappointed as the Broncs are streaking and sitting atop the MAAC.

"Being my last year, this is really exciting putting together a nine-game winning streak," Jason Thompson said. "All the hard work is paying off."

The league's pre-season player of the year has lived up to the hype - and more. Last season he was one of just three Division I players to average over 20 points and 10 rebounds for the year, the other two being Kevin Durant of Texas and Nick Fazekas of Nevada. He sits at 20 ppg and 11.5 rpg as the Broncs head into the stretch run of MAAC play and is coming off a 21-rebound performance at Siena.

Continue reading "Team and Player of the Week: UTEP and Jason Thompson, Rider" »

Posted by David Scott at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cindy's Team of the Week and Player of the Week

NOTE: For the first time this season, Cindy's Team and Player of the Week come from the same school. There's just no denying the Drake Bulldogs this week.

Team of the Week - Drake
Tale your pick for the reasons why Drake is our TOW: The 17-1 record for Keno Davis's club; the first national ranking in 33 years; or the already-equaled win total (17-15) from last season.

Or how about the 68-60 overtime win at Creighton on Tuesday night?

Whatever reason you like best, the Bulldogs are the surprise of the Missouri Valley Conference and one of the nation's true surprises as well with 16 straight wins and an 8-0 record in the rough and tumble MVC. The 'Dogs are off until Saturday when they host Northern Iowa.

Continue reading "Team and Player of the Week: Drake" »

Posted by David Scott at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Cindy's Team of the Week and Player of the Week

Team of the Week - Xavier
Consider this a non-conference season lifetime-achievement award as much as anything. Sean Miller scheduled so smartly and so aggressively that as his program heads into it's toughest conference schedule in recent memory, the Musketeers are uniquely prepared to continue an already special season.

With three straight wins over BCS conference teams, Xavier is 12-3 with a resume showing one marginally bad loss (Miami-OH which has an RPI of 37), two absolutely fine losses (Arizona State and Tennessee) and several super wins (the last three in routs over Kansas State, Virginia and Auburn). The X-Men have the RPI daily-double with a a No. 9 SOS and a No. 9 overall Rippie (if an RBI is a Ribbie, than the RPI is the Rippie). Their A-10 games will strictly decide their seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

"We took on a pretty aggressive non-conference schedule," Miller said in the A-10 Conference call on Monday. "I really think our team has grown through the 15 games we have played. We've played against different styles. We've played a lot of different conferences and certainly a lot of quality opponents. And, when we've lost, to our team's credit, we seem to have improved."

Continue reading "Team of the Week: Xavier" »

Posted by David Scott at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cindy's Player of the Week and Team of the Week

Player of the Week - Lester Hudson, UT-Martin
Hudson is Cindy and the Sneaker's first repeat Player of the Week in 2007-08 and really, how can we not honor the high-scoring junior guard from Memphis? Hudson had his second 36-point outing of the season in UT-M's loss to Vandy last week and continues to lead the nation in scoring at 27.4 ppg (half a point better than last week's PoW, Charron Fisher of Niagara).

Hudson has stepped up in virtually all of the Skyhawks' biggest games with 35 against Memphis in the season-opener, 27 vs. Mississippi State, 26 at UNLV and the 35 vs. Vandy. Look for him to win a few Ohio Valley games for UT-M all by himself.

"I told our team (before the game) that he'll be an NBA player," said Commodore coach Kevin Stallings. "He's quite good. He's not the (leading) scorer in the nation for nothing. He's capable of making a lot of baskets."

Continue reading "Player of the Week" »

Posted by David Scott at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Glass Sneaker Team of the Week: Dayton

Coach Brian Gregory's Flyers are 7-1, on a six-game win streak and took down Louisville AT Louisville last weekend. With a six-game homestand beginning after exams -- including a home match-up with Pittsburgh looming large on Dec. 29 -- Dayton should be on the verge of the Top 25 (now in the pseudo-Top 35) and could stick around a bit with an upset over the Panthers.

Senior Brian Roberts leads the team in scoring with 19.3 points per game and A-10 Rookie of the Week (third time) Chris Wright (13.3 ppg and 7.4 rpg) also scores in double figures for the deep Flyers. Gregory has nine players averaging double-digit minutes and they all have bought into the team defense concept that is keeping opponents under 63 points per game.

Continue reading "Team of the Week: Dayton" »

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

Glass Sneaker Team of the Week: George Mason
An impressive third-place finish at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando helped move the Patriots record to 5-1 and senior Will Thomas brought home the CAA Player of the Week honors for the second straight time.

Mason is stocked with senior leadership like forwards Thomas and Folarin Campbell and guard Jordan Carter and, if you can believe it, only two seasons removed from its monumental Final Four appearance. The "very good win" over Kansas State in Orlando was joined by a "good loss" to Villanova and a "good win" against South Carolina. If Mason had gone 1-2 against those opponents, it would have been commendable.

A significant contest looms at home on Thursday night when 5-1 Drexel visits Fairfax for the start of Colonial Athletic Association play. It could very well be a preview of a CAA Tournament semifinal or final game and more importantly a marquee early season game for a conference that is finally getting the respect and credit it deserves nationally, instead of just regionally.

Continue reading "Team of the Week: George Mason" »

Posted by David Scott at 01:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Glass Sneaker Team of the Week: New Orleans

Still reveling in a huge road upset against then-No. 21 North Carolina State from Sunday, the Privateers (Sun Belt) take on C-USA upstart Tulane (3-0 with a win over Auburn) on Saturday and look to extend their undefeated start to the season.

"Our guys have been through so much - our seniors have endured hurricanes, three coaching changes," first-year coach Joe Pasternack said in an AP story. "To come in here and give them a win like this, to me that's everything special.

"Our guys really believed before the game they could win this game, and I believe that is half the battle, coming into a game like this," Pasternack said. "They came in here and they fought for 40 minutes, and that's all we can ask as coaches - that they do that - and they did that tonight."

Continue reading "New Orleans On Top With N.C. State Upset" »

Posted by David Scott at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)