In The Paint

281 In The Paint SI.com's All-American Hoops Blog SI.com writers bring you the latest from the world of college basketball, seven days a week.

243

55701

SI.com's Blog

99587 New Hartford CT

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NCAAB A tournament without Steph Curry? A wrap-up of Sunday's action A tournament without Steph Curry? Sunday's roundup <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/27401/douglas.jpg" alt="Douglas" width="298" height="375" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Might Toney Douglas-led FSU be an ACC dark horse? Michael Tureski/Icon SMI</div> </div> One week away from Selection Sunday, everyone's battling for their tournament lives. Northern Iowa secured its spot today with an overtime win over Illinois State in the MVC final. Northwestern probably continued its tournament drought (barring a Big Ten tournament win) with a loss to Ohio State, Davidson lost its chance at an automatic bid (and probably any other) with a loss to the College of Charleston and North Carolina played like a No. 1 seed in a win over Duke in the legendary ACC showdown. Didn't have time to sit in front of the TV today? Here's some highlights: • So when Michael Jordan came to the regular season finale of Duke-Carolina, did he get a larger round of applause than Tyler Hansbrough? Questionable. Hansbrough may be no MJ quite yet, but he certainly earned his cheers today – he scored 17 points in the Heels’ 79-71 win in Chapel Hill. But the real hero of the game was Ty Lawson, who was rumored to be sidelined with a stubbed toe and finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. More good news for North Carolina: the Tar Heels shot 53 percent from the floor and clinched the ACC regular season conference title.<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52623&vendorId=200903080413&vendorVisitTeam=173&vendorHomeTeam=413&pageType=recap"></a> <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52584&vendorId=200903080213&vendorVisitTeam=620&vendorHomeTeam=213&pageType=recap"></a> <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/27401/douglas.jpg" alt="Douglas" width="298" height="375" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Might Toney Douglas-led FSU be an ACC dark horse? Michael Tureski/Icon SMI</div> </div> By Nina Mandell One week away from Selection Sunday, everyone's battling for their tournament lives. Northern Iowa secured its spot today with an overtime win over Illinois State in the MVC final. Northwestern probably continued its tournament drought (barring a Big Ten tournament win) with a loss to Ohio State, Davidson lost its chance at an automatic bid (and probably any other) with a loss to the College of Charleston and North Carolina played like a No. 1 seed in a win over Duke in the legendary ACC showdown. Didn't have time to sit in front of the TV today? Here's some highlights: • So when Michael Jordan came to the regular season finale of Duke-Carolina, did he get a larger round of applause than Tyler Hansbrough? Questionable. Hansbrough may be no MJ quite yet, but he certainly earned his cheers today – he scored 17 points in the Heels’ 79-71 win in Chapel Hill. But the real hero of the game was Ty Lawson, who was rumored to be sidelined with a stubbed toe and finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. More good news for North Carolina: the Tar Heels shot 53 percent from the floor and clinched the ACC regular season conference title.<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52623&vendorId=200903080413&vendorVisitTeam=173&vendorHomeTeam=413&pageType=recap"></a> <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52623&vendorId=200903080413&vendorVisitTeam=173&vendorHomeTeam=413&pageType=recap">[RECAP</a>|<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52623&vendorId=200903080413&vendorVisitTeam=173&vendorHomeTeam=413&pageType=boxscore">BOXSCORE]</a> • A.D. Vassallo played an incredible game to try to keep the Hokies’ tournament dreams alive, but Toney Douglas and Florida State had some other plans. Douglas scored 16 second-half points to bring the Seminoles past Virginia Tech and gave his squad the look of an ACC tournament darkhorse. "I feel like I can score whenever I want," Douglas said. We’ll see what the winner of Clemson/Georgia Tech has to say about that next week. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=54403&vendorId=200903080628&vendorVisitTeam=120&vendorHomeTeam=628&pageType=recap">[RECAP</a>|<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=54403&vendorId=200903080628&vendorVisitTeam=120&vendorHomeTeam=628&pageType=boxscore">BOXSCORE]</a> • Kalin Lucas scored 21 points as Big Ten regular-season champ Michigan State topped Purdue 62-51. The Spartans out-rebounded the Boilermakers 50-32 and held them to just over 28 percent shooting. But most importantly for the darkhorse Final Four candidates: will they shave <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/134579-dont-hesitate-tom-izzo-shave-your-dome-asap">Tom Izzo’s head now?</a><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52623&vendorId=200903080413&vendorVisitTeam=173&vendorHomeTeam=413&pageType=recap"> </a> <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52623&vendorId=200903080413&vendorVisitTeam=173&vendorHomeTeam=413&pageType=recap">[RECAP</a>|<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52623&vendorId=200903080413&vendorVisitTeam=173&vendorHomeTeam=413&pageType=boxscore">BOXSCORE]</a> • Down by four at the half, James Johnson put up all but four of his 21 points in the second half and Al-Farouq Aminu scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Demon Deacons past ACC-rival Clemson. The win puts Wake at the second seed for the ACC conference tournament that begins March 12 in Atlanta.<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=54403&vendorId=200903080628&vendorVisitTeam=120&vendorHomeTeam=628&pageType=boxscore"> </a> <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=54403&vendorId=200903080628&vendorVisitTeam=120&vendorHomeTeam=628&pageType=boxscore">[RECAP|BOXSCORE</a>] • Will this be a tournament without Steph Curry? Looks like it. The College of Charleston topped the Wildcats in the Southern Conference Tournament semifinals as Curry went just 5 of 18 from the floor and 2 of 11 from the three (he finished with 20 points). Other than watching one of America’s most prolific scorers flounder, the game was pretty ugly as a whole: College of Charleston shot just 21.2 percent from the floor in the first half and 32.8 percent overall. On the other end, Davidson shot only 31.6 percent overall. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52584&vendorId=200903080213&vendorVisitTeam=620&vendorHomeTeam=213&pageType=recap">[RECAP]</a>   <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/08/index.html?contestId=52584&vendorId=200903080213&vendorVisitTeam=620&vendorHomeTeam=213&pageType=recap"> </a> North Carolina Tar Heels, Duke Blue Devils, Davidson, Michael Jordan, Clemson, Wake Forest, Florida State, Toney Douglas

2009-03-08T22:02:50-04:00

2009-03-09T02:30:01-04:00

55681

Mallory Rubin

84868 NY

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NCAAB Wooden Watch race is all but finished Wooden Watch race is all but finished <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/27381/griffin2.jpg" alt="Griffin2" width="298" height="375" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Blake Griffin has posted 25 double-doubles this season. AP</div> </div> As conference tournaments commence, the Wooden Watch comes to a close. 'Tis the nature of things. See where the NCAA's best rank in the final Wooden Watch of the season. 1.  Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, So. (Last week: No. 1) Last game: 33 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, 12-for-15 from the field in an 82-78 win over Oklahoma State on March 7. Season averages: 22.1 ppg, 14.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.2 spg, 63.4 fg% Wooden Worth: The Pope's catholic, human beings need air to breathe and Griffin's going to win Wooden and Naismith Player of the Year honors. It's as close to a given as these things can be. Griffin constantly found new ways to amaze this season, from his total dominance on the defensive boards to his tomahawk jams to his lavishly embroidered sports coat and sizeable diamond studs. His 25 double-doubles set an Oklahoma single-season record and tied him with Drew Gooden for second all-time in the Big 12. To really wrap your head around the extent of his dominance, consider this: Griffin amassed more double-doubles than 13 Top 25 teams did wins. If he hadn't missed time with a concussion, it's reasonable to assume he would have notched at least one more, giving him more double-doubles than 19 Top 25 teams had wins. Now that he's back to full health, Griffin will look to lead the underrated Sooners to a No. 1 seed and NCAA tournament run. <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/27381/griffin2.jpg" alt="Griffin2" width="298" height="375" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Blake Griffin has posted 25 double-doubles this season. AP</div> </div> As conference tournaments commence, the Wooden Watch comes to a close. 'Tis the nature of things. See where the NCAA's best rank in the final Wooden Watch of the season. 1.  Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, So. (Last week: No. 1) Last game: 33 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, 12-for-15 from the field in an 82-78 win over Oklahoma State on March 7. Season averages: 22.1 ppg, 14.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.2 spg, 63.4 fg% Wooden Worth: The Pope's catholic, human beings need air to breathe and Griffin's going to win Wooden and Naismith Player of the Year honors. It's as close to a given as these things can be. Griffin constantly found new ways to amaze this season, from his total dominance on the defensive boards to his tomahawk jams to his lavishly embroidered sports coat and sizeable diamond studs. His 25 double-doubles set an Oklahoma single-season record and tied him with Drew Gooden for second all-time in the Big 12. To really wrap your head around the extent of his dominance, consider this: Griffin amassed more double-doubles than 13 Top 25 teams did wins. If he hadn't missed time with a concussion, it's reasonable to assume he would have notched at least one more, giving him more double-doubles than 19 Top 25 teams had wins. Now that he's back to full health, Griffin will look to lead the underrated Sooners to a No. 1 seed and NCAA tournament run. 2. Stephen Curry, Davidson, Jr. (Last week: No. 2) Last game: 43 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals, 5-for-10 from beyond the arc in 27 minutes in an 84-68 win over Appalachian State on March 7. Season averages: 28.9 ppg, 5.7 apg, 4.3 rpg, 2.6 spg, 87.1 ft%, 38.9 3p% Wooden Worth: Davidson may not have lived up to the preseason Top 25 hype, but Curry did, and now, with the Southern Conference tournament under way and an at-large bid to the big dance on the line, he's leading his team when it counts the most. His 43 point performance against Appalachian on Saturday was a SoCon tourney record (imagine if he'd played more than 27 minutes…), and it was his 14th 30-plus (and fourth 40-plus) point game of the season. Though he's been an offensive force all year, Curry's shown there's more to his game than pretty rainmakers. With former point guard Jason Richards gone to the NBA, Curry got a chance to showcase his court vision and passing skills, improving his assist-per-game average from 2.8 and 2.9 his first two seasons to 5.7 this year. On a capable but not gifted team, Curry's been a master puppeteer, deftly setting up his teammates' scoring opportunities and snatching the ball from opponents to the tune of nearly three steals per game. Shot selection (and a propensity to gnaw on his mouth guard) may be the only real flaw in Curry's game. 3. DeJuan Blair, Pitt, So. (Last week: No. 5) Last game: Eight points, eight rebounds, three blocks in 28 minutes in a 70-60 win over UConn on March 7. Season averages: 15.6 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1 bpg, 59.6 fg% Wooden Worth: Blair slowed down at bit at season's end, failing to notch a double-double in the final four games. Still, he, like Griffin, averaged a double-double for the season and dominated when it mattered most. Blair's player-of-the-year candidacy will suffer because he plays alongside Levance Fields and Sam Young, two players vital to Pitt's success. Fields boasts the nation's best assist-to-turnover ratio and is just the type of unselfish court general capable of leading Pitt in March, while Young's a versatile and at times unstoppable scorer. But make no mistake, Blair's the most valuable cog on the nation's best team. For proof, look at Pitt's inability to win this season when foul trouble limited Blair's minutes and aggressiveness (until Saturday's game against UConn, that is, when Blair picked up a couple early ones but managed to play effectively, if not outstandingly). It's been the Wooden Watch mantra all season, but it bears repeating: Nothing short of foul trouble can stop Blair, who's been the nation's best offensive rebounder and an all-around beast down low. Maybe voters will throw in some bonus points for all those wide smiles. 4. James Harden, Arizona State, So. (Last week: No. 3) Last game: 20 points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals in an 83-66 win over Cal on March 7. Season averages: 20.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.7 spg, 35.7 minutes Wooden Worth: A late-season three-game skid cost the Sun Devils a shot at their first-ever Pac-10 title, but one man can only carry a team so far. Harden's been incomparable this season, doing everything and anything his team requires. His stats may not be gaudy, but he's the Pac-10's leading scorer despite playing on a team with a tempo as slow as molasses (though molasses may drip more rapidly than the Sun Devils, the nation's 331st slowest-paced team). Plus, consider the company in which he's about to find himself. Harden's poised to join Dwyane Wade, Ricky Minard, Brandon Roy, Reggie Williams and George Hill as the only players to average 20 points, five rebounds, four assists in a season and shoot 50 percent. Harden's been the model of consistency all season and has avoided wearing down despite logging more than 35 minutes in every game since Jan. 15. Arizona State fans chanted "one more year!" as the super sophomore attempted a first-half free-throw against Cal. Though he'll likely enter the NBA draft, Harden's made himself a Sun Devil legend in just two seasons. 5. Tyler Hansbrough, UNC, Sr. (Last week: No. 7) Last game: 17 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, five fouls in a 79-71 win over Duke on March 8. Season averages: 21.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 52.8 fg%, 85.4 ft% Wooden Worth: As discussed throughout the season, Hansbrough's numbers (particularly rebounding) are down slightly from last season's player of the year stats. And as discussed, point guard Ty Lawson's been the engine that's made the Tar Heels roar all season and arguably deserves this spot more than Hansbrough. But Hansbrough's played all season with a bull's-eye on his back, both on the court and in newsrooms everywhere. His numbers are still good, and so it's easy to say "they're not as good as last year," because his past success has put him more squarely under the microscope. One could argue Hansbrough's only finishing in the top five because of last season's momentum and expectations and then turn around and argue, just as soundly, that he's not higher up because he's being punished for his failure to just barely live up to past success. Bottom line: When the tournament rolls around, the Tar Heels and their fans will anxiously await seeing Psycho T take the court, and his opponents will dread it. 6. Hasheem Thabeet, UConn, Jr. (Last week: No. 8) Last game: 14 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks in a 70-60 loss to Pitt on March 7. Season averages: 13.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.5 bpg, 64.1 fg% Wooden Worth: Like most legends who find themselves in front of a microphone every day or so, Coach Jim Calhoun has a tendency to exaggerate. But when he called Thabeet "the most powerful force in America," he really meant it. Thabeet lost his first battle with Blair this season, but to be fair, he also almost lost an arm. Aside from a handful of forgettable performances, Thabeet was, without question, the most dominant defensive force in the country. Those 10-plus rebound nights are nice, but what really separates Thabeet from other centers is his ability to completely alter an opponent's inside game. Indeed, his 4.5 blocks per game stem as much from the unnatural shots he forces his opponents to take as from his extreme height and wing span. Thabeet's capable of putting up monster offensive numbers, too, but UConn features a beautifully balanced offensive attack and so his services are, simply but, not always necessary. 7. Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, Jr. (Last week: No. 4) Last game: 31 points, 12 rebounds, one block, one assist in a 74-55 win over St. John's on March 6. Season averages: 23.7 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 78 ft% Wooden Worth: On stats alone, Harangody's having arguably the best season in the country, and certainly an individual season on-par with Griffin. But his team's inability to win has sent him tumbling down the player of the year standings. Unlike Curry and Harden, who also play for good-but-not-great teams, Harangody's monster nights rarely correlate with Notre Dame's success. And so while he's been outstanding -- as a scorer, rebounder and free-throw shooter -- it hasn't mattered. 8. Tyreke Evans, Memphis, Fr. (Last week: Not ranked) Last game: 17 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, four steals, one block in a 74-47 win over Tulane on March 7. Season averages: 16.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.1 spg, 28.5 min Wooden Worth: Without an experienced point guard on their roster, the Tigers knew they'd experience some growing pains this year without Derrick Rose. And go through growing pains they did -- for a month. Then Evans stepped up and emerged as one of the top freshman in the country. Though Evans isn't a true point guard and hasn't shot well (or often) from deep, he's routinely used his superior athleticism and size to penetrate defenses, creating shots for himself and scoring opportunities for his teammates. He's filled in so admirably for Rose that the Tigers could land a No. 1 seed for the second year in a row. 9. Jerel McNeal, Marquette, Sr. (Last week: No. 6) Last game: 25 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals in 45 minutes in an 86-79 OT loss to Syracuse on March 7. Season averages: 20.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.1 spg, 40.7 3p% Wooden Worth: It's been rough sailing lately for the Eagles, losers of four in a row and six of their last nine, but McNeal's been a model of consistency all season. He hasn't been able to make up for fellow senior guard Dominic James' absence, but as stated last week, he couldn't do much more than he'd already been doing. McNeal's shown a lot of heart and hustle and the leadership he's exhibited has been as impressive as his consistent scoring and stingy defense. 10. Jodie Meeks, Kentucky, Jr. (Last week: Not ranked) Last game: 15 points, five rebounds, two steals in a 60-53 loss to Florida on March 7. Season averages: 24. 7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 40.8 3p% Wooden Worth: The Wildcats, like most SEC teams, have struggled this season, but Meeks deserves credit for most of their success. Because Kentucky and the SEC are having down years, Meeks hasn't received the attention and praise he deserves, but he's been a lethal scorer and a leader all season. He's been forced to shoulder the offensive load, taking the highest percentage of his team's shots of any player in D-I, and he's delivered in admirably efficient fashion. On the Cusp: Ty Lawson (UNC), Cole Aldrich (Kansas), Jon Brockman (Washington), Terence Williams (Louisville), Jeff Teague (Wake Forest)

2009-03-08T20:34:31-04:00

2009-03-20T01:03:48-04:00

55581

Nicki Jhabvala

97928 New York NY

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NCAAB Pitt's poet, Louisville's title, and more Pitt's poet, Louisville's title, and more   <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2009/writers/the_bonus/02/26/sam.young/Young.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="300" height="393" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Sam Young is UConn's worst nightmare. (AP)</div> </div> This is what it comes down to. The regular season is either on the brink or already passed for Division I college hoops teams, and the pressure leading up to the NCAA Tournament is quickly mounting. And this weekend is already shaping into one of the most significant to date. Why? Because Pittsburgh proved it reigns supreme. Because a number of regular-season conference titles were claimed. Because a handful of senior players (Gasp! They stayed all four years!) put on show-stopping performances. And because bracketologists can officially start to sweat over their office pool(s), as some new bids have officially been named. So pull yourself together and take a look at what's gone down so far this weekend.   <ul type="disc"> <li>Prepare to be enlightened. Sam Young's giving a lesson in How To Go Out In Style 101. First order of business, drop 31 on the No. 1 team, Connecticut. While you're at it, go ahead and grab 10 boards. Then, knock in a layup to halt a 12-0 run by the Huskies, and quickly follow with an alley-oop to teammate Levance Fields for a slam - one that will bring the house down. Next, to make sure Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun knows that no matter how much money his team brings in and no matter who he has defending you, they won't be able to stop you. And finally, complete a season-sweep of the Huskies, with a 70-60 beating. Once you master those topics, you, too, can be like Young in his final home game as a Pittsburgh Panther.</li> </ul> The dominating performance by he 6-foot-6 forward marked he second time he's put the hurt on Connecticut this season. In February, he led the Panthers to a 76-68 win over the Huskies by dropping a game-high 25 points. This time around, though, Young didn't get as much help from DeJuan Blair, who was only able to put up eight points, while UConn's big man Hasheem Thabeet had 14 points and 13 rebounds. With Louisville's win (next bullet), Pitt won a tiebreaker over UConn for the No. 2 seed in the Big East tournament. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=53133&vendorId=200903070465&vendorVisitTeam=129&vendorHomeTeam=465&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=53133&vendorId=200903070465&vendorVisitTeam=129&vendorHomeTeam=465&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>     <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2009/writers/the_bonus/02/26/sam.young/Young.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" width="300" height="393" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Sam Young is UConn's worst nightmare. (AP)</div> </div> This is what it comes down to. The regular season is either on the brink or already passed for Division I college hoops teams, and the pressure leading up to the NCAA Tournament is quickly mounting. And this weekend is already shaping into one of the most significant to date. Why? Because Pittsburgh proved it reigns supreme. Because a number of regular-season conference titles were claimed. Because a handful of senior players (Gasp! They stayed all four years!) put on show-stopping performances. And because bracketologists can officially start to sweat over their office pool(s), as some new bids have officially been named. So pull yourself together and take a look at what's gone down so far this weekend.   <ul type="disc"> <li>Prepare to be enlightened. Sam Young's giving a lesson in How To Go Out In Style 101. First order of business, drop 31 on the No. 1 team, Connecticut. While you're at it, go ahead and grab 10 boards. Then, knock in a layup to halt a 12-0 run by the Huskies, and quickly follow with an alley-oop to teammate Levance Fields for a slam - one that will bring the house down. Next, to make sure Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun knows that no matter how much money his team brings in and no matter who he has defending you, they won't be able to stop you. And finally, complete a season-sweep of the Huskies, with a 70-60 beating. Once you master those topics, you, too, can be like Young in his final home game as a Pittsburgh Panther.</li> </ul> The dominating performance by he 6-foot-6 forward marked he second time he's put the hurt on Connecticut this season. In February, he led the Panthers to a 76-68 win over the Huskies by dropping a game-high 25 points. This time around, though, Young didn't get as much help from DeJuan Blair, who was only able to put up eight points, while UConn's big man Hasheem Thabeet had 14 points and 13 rebounds. With Louisville's win (next bullet), Pitt won a tiebreaker over UConn for the No. 2 seed in the Big East tournament. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=53133&vendorId=200903070465&vendorVisitTeam=129&vendorHomeTeam=465&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=53133&vendorId=200903070465&vendorVisitTeam=129&vendorHomeTeam=465&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>     <ul> <li>With a 62-59 win over West Virginia, Louisville clinched the Big East regular-season title and the top seed in the conference tournament. Terrence Williams led the way with 20 points for the Cardinals, while WVU freshman Kevin Jones scored a season-high 19. The game was Big East-esque as the two teams battled it out until the final shot. With the score 62-58, the Mountaineers' Da'Sean Butler attempted a final three, but it bounced off the rim as the clock wound down. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=53136&vendorId=200903070636&vendorVisitTeam=314&vendorHomeTeam=636&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=53136&vendorId=200903070636&vendorVisitTeam=314&vendorHomeTeam=636&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>     <ul type="disc"> <li>Despite Pitt's dynamite win, Game of the Day goes to No. 25 Syracuse vs. No. 13 Marquette. After trailing by one at the half, ‘Cuse came back to defeat the Golden Eagles 86-79 in overtime, thanks to Jonny Flynn and Andy Rautins. Flynn scored 20 of his 24 points after the break, while Rautins hit some key buckets to secure the victory for the Orange. His 3-pointer with 2:29 left in overtime gave Syracuse an 80-77 lead, but Marquette's Lazar Hayward cut the lead to one with a couple of freebies at the line. Seconds later, Rautins dropped in a layup with 1:23 left to bump the score to 82-79. Syracuse scores four more at the foul line, the buzzer sounds, Jim Boeheim gets happy. However, with star point guard Dominic James on the sidelines (foot), Marquette's senior Jerel McNeal gave a solid performance, scoring a game-high 25 points (and this was Senior Day, mind you), while teammates Wesley Matthews and Jimmy Butler both inked double-doubles. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=54641&vendorId=200903070339&vendorVisitTeam=553&vendorHomeTeam=339&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=54641&vendorId=200903070339&vendorVisitTeam=553&vendorHomeTeam=339&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>How good is Memphis? So good that it can have an "off" day and still beat a team 74-47. Such was the case today, and such was the score against Tulane.  With the win, the fifth-ranked Tigers closed another perfect season -their third-straight -- in Conference USA, extended their winning streak to nation-leading 22 games, marked their 58th-straight victory in the conference and, AND, handed a few of their seniors - Robert Dozier, Antonio Anderson and Chance McGrady - 132 wins in their four-year careers. Not too shabby. But it didn't stop there. Dozier, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Tulane, was just one of three Memphis players to have double-doubles. Frosh Tyreke Evans (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Shawn Taggert (14 and 10) were the others. Can you say Final Four-bound? <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=54515&vendorId=200903070349&vendorVisitTeam=598&vendorHomeTeam=349&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=54515&vendorId=200903070349&vendorVisitTeam=598&vendorHomeTeam=349&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>Out to prove it's worthy of an NCAA Tournament bid, Texas A&M took down No. 15 Missouri, 96-86, marking the Aggies' sixth-straight victory and squashing Mizzou's hopes of a conference title. The Aggies led nearly the entire game and even broke away to a 26-point lead with 16 minutes left. Though Mizzou was able to cut the lead with some strong runs in the second half, it couldn't catch Texas A&M. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=50813&vendorId=200903070587&vendorVisitTeam=367&vendorHomeTeam=587&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=50813&vendorId=200903070587&vendorVisitTeam=367&vendorHomeTeam=587&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>UCLA came thisclose to getting a piece of the Pac-10 crown (see next bullet), thanks to Josh Shipp and Darren Collison. The No. 20 Bruins routed Oregon 94-68, as Shipp scored 28 and Collison contributed 19. Shipp, who dropped 27 points on Oregon State less than 48 hours prior, picked up his 130th start to pass Earl Watson for most in school history. See, Shipp took Sam Young's class on going out in style. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51929&vendorId=200903070606&vendorVisitTeam=449&vendorHomeTeam=606&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51929&vendorId=200903070606&vendorVisitTeam=449&vendorHomeTeam=606&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>Say hello to the new Pac-10 kings. With a 67-60 win over Washington State, the 16th-ranked Washington Huskies are now conference champions for the first time since 1953. In the win, senior Jon Brockman, who opted to stay close to home instead of playing at ACC powerhouse Duke, tied a career-high 18 rebounds in his final home game (Sam Young style). Quincy Pondexter led the Huskies with 16 points, while Venoy Overton, the net-cutting and floor-storming ringleader, had 14. Washington State's Taylor Rochestie had 23 points, despite struggling in the first part of the game. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=54974&vendorId=200903070630&vendorVisitTeam=632&vendorHomeTeam=630&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=54974&vendorId=200903070630&vendorVisitTeam=632&vendorHomeTeam=630&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>I'll make this short and sweet, because, by now, you probably know what's coming: fourth-ranked Oklahoma won (beat Oklahoma State 82-78) and Blake Griffin was disgustingly tremendous. He had 33 points and 14 rebounds to set a Big 12 record and pass Kansas' Drew Gooden for the season record with 425 boards. Gross. (Quick side note: Oklahoma State guard James Anderson actually topped Griffin with 37 points.) <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51841&vendorId=200903070444&vendorVisitTeam=446&vendorHomeTeam=444&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51841&vendorId=200903070444&vendorVisitTeam=446&vendorHomeTeam=444&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>Props to Seth Davis on this one. Even though defending champion Kansas lost to Texas Tech earlier in the week, the Jayhawks bounced back to beat No. 9 Texas 83-73 (<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/seth_davis/03/06/what.to.watch/index.html?eref=T1">I believe Seth predicted an 80-71 finish</a>). Sherron Collins, who shot a dismal 3-for-19 from the field on Wednesday, had 21 points and seven assists in the win, and the Rock Chalk Jayhawks went on to claim their fifth Big 12 title. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=50783&vendorId=200903070287&vendorVisitTeam=585&vendorHomeTeam=287&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=50783&vendorId=200903070287&vendorVisitTeam=585&vendorHomeTeam=287&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>And the Kentucky slide continues. The Wildcats lost again, this time to Florida (60-53) who managed to stop the bleeding after losing three straight. Could this lead to a Kentucky-less NCAA Tournament? Well, if the ‘Cats don't win the conference tournament next week, it most definitely will. As for Florida, even with the win, the Gators may still be NIT-bound unless they continue their winning ways in the SEC tourney. That pressure I was talking about? Yeah, Kentucky and Florida are feeling it. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51206&vendorId=200903070210&vendorVisitTeam=292&vendorHomeTeam=210&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51206&vendorId=200903070210&vendorVisitTeam=292&vendorHomeTeam=210&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul> <div>   <ul type="disc"> <li>In Auburn, it was Korvotney Barber's senior night. The 6-foot-7 senior forward had a double-double in the first half alone to help Auburn beat No. 12 LSU, 69-53. Barber finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds, and Auburn snagged its eighth win in nine games. It also became the only SEC team to beat both West Division champion LSU and East Division champion Tennessee. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51252&vendorId=200903070028&vendorVisitTeam=319&vendorHomeTeam=28&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=51252&vendorId=200903070028&vendorVisitTeam=319&vendorHomeTeam=28&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul>   <ul type="disc"> <li>Senior day all around.  After being honored in front of thousands of screaming Sun Devil fans and receiving a framed No. 4 jersey, Arizona State senior Jeff Pendergraph put on a 27-point, 10-rebound spectacle to lead his team past the Golden Bears, 83-66. Arizona State finished with a third-place tie in the Pac-10, but Pendergraph finished his regular-season career with a standing ovation and high-fives from his peers. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=50035&vendorId=200903070018&vendorVisitTeam=95&vendorHomeTeam=18&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=50035&vendorId=200903070018&vendorVisitTeam=95&vendorHomeTeam=18&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a></li> </ul> <ul type="disc"> <li>This is what every team works for: a chance to vie for the NCAA Championship. Aside from the aforementioned top teams, three others have inked their names among the 65 who will get that chance. With an 83-58 rout of Penn on Friday, Cornell celebrated its Ivy League title and automatic bid into the Tournament (the Ivy League doesn't have a conference tournament). <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/06/index.html?contestId=51005&vendorId=200903060131&vendorVisitTeam=460&vendorHomeTeam=131&pageType=recap">RECAP</a></li> </ul> Radford, with the help of 6-foot-11 Artsiom Parakouski's 26 points and 18 rebounds, defeated VMI 108-94 to win the Big South Conference championship -- the Highlanders' first in 11 years. Of course, the victory also gave Radford its second tournament bid. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=55668&vendorId=200903070483&vendorVisitTeam=621&vendorHomeTeam=483&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=55668&vendorId=200903070483&vendorVisitTeam=621&vendorHomeTeam=483&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a> East Tennessee State can celebrate its eighth overall NCAA Tournament bid. Behind Mike Smith's 22 points, the Buccaneers beat Jacksonville 85-68 to win the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=55703&vendorId=200903070281&vendorVisitTeam=176&vendorHomeTeam=281&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=55703&vendorId=200903070281&vendorVisitTeam=176&vendorHomeTeam=281&pageType=boxscore ">BOX SCORE</a> Morehead State defeated Austin Peay, 67-65, for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament title, as Steve Peterson's only bucket of the game was the winning one. The victory gave Morehead State its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 25 years. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=55704&vendorId=200903070032&vendorVisitTeam=375&vendorHomeTeam=32&pageType=recap">RECAP</a>  |  <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/03/07/index.html?contestId=55704&vendorId=200903070032&vendorVisitTeam=375&vendorHomeTeam=32&pageType=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>  </div>     Pittsburgh Panthers, Connecticut Huskies, Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks, Sam Youth, Hasheem Thabeet, DeJuan Blair, Memphis Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, UCLA Bruins

2009-03-07T19:22:04-05:00

2009-03-07T23:55:25-05:00

55421

SI.com's Blog

99587 New Hartford CT

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NCAAB Q&A with ... Duke's Elliot Williams Q&A with ... Duke's Elliot Williams <div class="photo_container image_right" style="width: 300px;"> <div class="photo"><img title="Elliot Williams" src="http://www.si.com/2009_images/eliot-williams.jpg" alt="Elliot Williams" width="300" height="410" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Elliot Williams/AP </div> </div> By Elizabeth McGarr The first time Duke met North Carolina this season, on Feb. 11, the Tar Heels overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to beat the Blue Devils in Durham. When No. 7 Duke meets No. 2 UNC in Chapel Hill this Sunday, the Tar Heels will notice one major difference: Elliot Williams. The 6-foot-4-inch freshman guard watched from the bench the last time the two teams met (and had been averaging 2.5 points and 10.6 minutes per game). He broke into the starting lineup eight days later, against St. John's at Madison Square Garden, and has now started five games in a row-all Duke wins. During that stretch, he has averaged 11.6 points and 31.4 minutes per game. SI.com caught up with the chess-loving Memphis native, who is ready to make his mark on the Battle for Tobacco Road.   SI.com: How did you develop a love for playing chess? Elliot Williams: I started out as when I was five or six years old and just got interested in the game. My father played a lot and my brother played a lot, so it was kind of like an in-house thing. We just played for fun. In high school, I would play a lot, but I didn't take it too seriously. I wasn't in the chess club. Now, for the most part, I just play on the computer when we're on the plane. I'm pretty good. I would rate [my chess game] a 7 out of 10 maybe. I haven't played against other competitive players in a while.   SI.com: Have you found any fellow chess enthusiasts among your teammates? EW: Not at all. I've asked, but not too many people play here.   <div class="photo_container image_right" style="width: 300px;"> <div class="photo"><img title="Elliot Williams" src="http://www.si.com/2009_images/eliot-williams.jpg" alt="Elliot Williams" width="300" height="410" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Elliot Williams/AP </div> </div> By Elizabeth McGarr The first time Duke met North Carolina this season, on Feb. 11, the Tar Heels overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to beat the Blue Devils in Durham. When No. 7 Duke meets No. 2 UNC in Chapel Hill this Sunday, the Tar Heels will notice one major difference: Elliot Williams. The 6-foot-4-inch freshman guard watched from the bench the last time the two teams met (and had been averaging 2.5 points and 10.6 minutes per game). He broke into the starting lineup eight days later, against St. John's at Madison Square Garden, and has now started five games in a row-all Duke wins. During that stretch, he has averaged 11.6 points and 31.4 minutes per game. SI.com caught up with the chess-loving Memphis native, who is ready to make his mark on the Battle for Tobacco Road.   SI.com: How did you develop a love for playing chess? Elliot Williams: I started out as when I was five or six years old and just got interested in the game. My father played a lot and my brother played a lot, so it was kind of like an in-house thing. We just played for fun. In high school, I would play a lot, but I didn't take it too seriously. I wasn't in the chess club. Now, for the most part, I just play on the computer when we're on the plane. I'm pretty good. I would rate [my chess game] a 7 out of 10 maybe. I haven't played against other competitive players in a while.   SI.com: Have you found any fellow chess enthusiasts among your teammates? EW: Not at all. I've asked, but not too many people play here.   SI.com: I've heard you're an NBA trivia buff. How did you cultivate your knowledge of NBA trivia? EW: When I was younger, I used to watch NBA TV a lot. I would just keep the channel on that and watch that all day. A lot of my friends back in Memphis, they're into that too, so we would just test each other on trivia. We would quiz each other and talk about what went on in the show.   SI.com: You've said that you considered giving up basketball in junior high.  What happened to make you stick with it? EW: In ninth grade I was small, so I had a lot of guard skills. That year, I grew a lot [from 5-10 to around 6-3], and I kept those guard skills, which helps me out a lot now. I got a little bit more athletic, and I grew from there.    SI.com: You've put on some weight since high school. How did you do it? EW: I came in at 167 and now I'm 180, 181. I just lift weights and eat correctly. We have a good strength trainer here, and he makes sure that we get the right amount of protein in. I wasn't eating as much as I am now; that's one of the main things that put on weight for me. With my body type, I can really eat anything. I don't usually eat pizza, but I've had to try to eat that [at night] to gain weight. I've heard that's one of the best ways to put on weight: late-night eating.    SI.com: When did you find out you were going to start in the St. John's game? EW: A couple practices before that game, I had a really good practice. Coach said he was going to go with me. It was after practice, and he just brought me into his office and told me I had been doing well and that he was ready for me to make that jump.    SI.com: You had already started against UNC-Asheville, in Durham, on Dec. 17. What was it like starting at Madison Square Garden? EW: Madison Square Garden is one of the best places to play at. Coming in as a freshman and starting in that venue, it was great for me. I just wanted to do the best I could and play great on-ball defense and just attack when I could. My teammates knew, from the practices, that I was going to [start]. I decided not to tell my parents because I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself. They watched the game and texted me after. They said they were proud of me and to stay hungry and keep up the good work.   SI.com: You were on the bench the last time Duke played UNC. What has been going through your mind this week, knowing you'll have your first opportunity to play in one of the biggest rivalry games in college basketball? EW: I wouldn't say I have any nerves, being that I didn't play in the game last time. I'm pretty anxious to play. I'm just going to go out and do the things I've been doing the last couple of games. I've been proud [of the way I'm] always bringing intensity, helping out my teammates, putting good ball pressure on opposing players, dribbling and coming in and just picking my spot on offense.   SI.com: You had averaged around 10 minutes per game before the St. John's match-up. Now you're averaging around 30. To what extent was conditioning a factor in making that transition?  EW: That transition has been great. One of the things I've been trying to do is just have a lot of energy out on the court. When you look at earlier in the season, when I was averaging 10 minutes, you wouldn't think that I would be in the shape I'm in, but playing in the games, you get in better shape. One of the things I've been trying to do is get extra running in during practice and just get ready to play.   SI.com: You were a McDonald's All-American, a very highly touted recruit coming out of high school, but you hadn't gotten a lot of time on the court at Duke before the St. John's game. Have people started treating you differently on campus or recognizing you more frequently? EW: No, not really. Our fans here, they're pretty loyal. I've gotten love ever since the start.  The basketball players at Duke are pretty recognized anyway. Duke, North Carolina

2009-03-06T15:45:23-05:00

2009-03-06T18:38:13-05:00

55341

Cory McCartney

4734 Atlanta GA

http://img.fannation.com/images/layout/profile-headshot.gif NCAAB The Tenth Power The Tenth Power <div class="photo_container image_right" style="width: 300px;"> <div class="photo"><img title="Greivis Vasquez" src="http://www.si.com/2009_images/vasquez.jpg" alt="Greivis Vasquez" width="300" height="400" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Greivis Vasquez/AP </div> </div> “That's Fez. He's a foreign exchange student.” --Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), That 70’s Show Foreign stars in the college game are nothing new; think Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/basketball/college/news/1999/02/16/cb0222/ ">Vasco Evtimov </a>(OK, bad example). Chalk it up to the globalization of the game, or the belief that, like<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKYl6y8qGqw"> Prince Akeem</a>,  they can all come to America to find their queen. Whatever the cause, players are coming from far <a href="http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/aboya_alfred00.html">(Cameroon)</a> and even farther <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_Soo_Kim">(South Korea)</a> to play the game. The Tenth Power has broken down the numbers and the cultural barriers to bring you the 10 best Fezs in the game today. 1. Hasheem Thabeet, C UConn (Tanzania). His offensive game is still a work in progress and he struggles against bulkier bigs (see Luke Harangody, Arizne Onuaku and DeJuan Blair <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WASWhKKQfY">but Thabeet remains</a> the nation's premier shot-blocker and the latest African-born center to star in the Big East. Am I the only one who every time an African player pops up has flashes of Kevin Bacon scouring <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109067/">villages for talent?</a>  2. Patrick Mills, G Saint Mary’s (Australia). From the Men at Work music that pipes through the McKeon Pavilion speakers to the <a href="https://www.nmnathletics.com/sellnew/ViewItem.dbml?_IN_STORE_=YES&DB_OEM_ID=21400&ITMID=26822&ITMCATID=2451">"Fear the Roo" T-shirts</a>,  Saint Mary's has become <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNT7uZf7lew">Cali's Land Down Under</a>.  The best of the Gales' five-man Aussie contingent, Patty's star rose after an impressive showing in the Beijing Olympics on the Australian National Team. The fleet-footed guard's return from a broken hand could be Saint Mary's key to an NCAA at-large bid. <div class="photo_container image_right" style="width: 300px;"> <div class="photo"><img title="Greivis Vasquez" src="http://www.si.com/2009_images/vasquez.jpg" alt="Greivis Vasquez" width="300" height="400" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Maryland point guard Greivis Vasquez hails from Venezuela/AP </div> </div> “That's Fez. He's a foreign exchange student.” -- Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), That 70’s Show Foreign stars in the college game are nothing new; think Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/basketball/college/news/1999/02/16/cb0222/ ">Vasco Evtimov </a>(OK, bad example). Chalk it up to the globalization of the game, or the belief that, like<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKYl6y8qGqw"> Prince Akeem</a>,  they can all come to America to find their queen. Whatever the cause, players are coming from far <a href="http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/aboya_alfred00.html">(Cameroon)</a> and even farther <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_Soo_Kim">(South Korea)</a> to play the game. The Tenth Power has broken down the numbers and the cultural barriers to bring you the 10 best Fezs in the game today. 1. Hasheem Thabeet, C UConn (Tanzania). His offensive game is still a work in progress and he struggles against bulkier bigs (see Luke Harangody, Arizne Onuaku and DeJuan Blair) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WASWhKKQfY">but Thabeet remains</a> the nation's premier shot-blocker and the latest African-born center to star in the Big East. Am I the only one who every time an African player pops up has flashes of Kevin Bacon scouring <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109067/">villages for talent?</a>  2. Patrick Mills, G Saint Mary’s (Australia). From the Men at Work music that pipes through the McKeon Pavilion speakers to the <a href="https://www.nmnathletics.com/sellnew/ViewItem.dbml?_IN_STORE_=YES&DB_OEM_ID=21400&ITMID=26822&ITMCATID=2451">"Fear the Roo" T-shirts</a>,  Saint Mary's has become <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNT7uZf7lew">Cali's Land Down Under</a>.  The best of the Gales' five-man Aussie contingent, Patty's star rose after an impressive showing in the Beijing Olympics on the Australian National Team. The fleet-footed guard's return from a broken hand could be Saint Mary's key to an NCAA at-large bid. 3. Greivis Vasquez, G Maryland (Venezuela). One of three Venezuelans in the college ranks (along with Marquette's David Cubillan and Rutgers' Gregory Echenique), Vasquez is the only one with a triple-double on his resume, which he had in the Terrapins' <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/viewcast/2009/02/21/index.html?contestId=54391&vendorId=200902210343&vendorVisitTeam=413&vendorHomeTeam=343&pageType=recap">upset of North Carolina</a>. His love/hate relationship with <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/128865-how-greivis-vasquez-reclaimed-college-park">Maryland fans</a> is so dramatic it's like the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWlNZDchrjQ">stuff of a telenovela.</a> 4. A.J. Ogilvy, C Vanderbilt (Australia). Yes, another Aussie. It sort of feels like that Crocodile Dundee era when everyone was obsessed with all things Aussie <a href="http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/Crocodile-Dundee">for about six weeks</a>.  Ogilvy, a sophomore, would be higher on this list had he not taken a step back as the Commodores' centerpiece this season. Still, his 15.9 points and seven rebounds a game are nothing to scoff at. 5. Denis Clemente, G Kansas State (Puerto Rico). OK, technically Puerto Rico is a self-governing unincorporated territory <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico">of the United States</a>, but it’s not a state so Clemente still fits the qualifications. The second cousin of Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto, Denis has earned himself quite a reputation this season with the elbow to Kansas' <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_JLr4EB2U">Brady Morningstar's head </a>and punching <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X-yQtWUj_o">Tyrel Reed</a> in the head. Those issues aside, since mid-January Clemente has averaged 18 points and scored 44 vs. Texas and 33 against Missouri. 6. Daniel Hackett, G USC (Italy). The junior has found himself in the news this season for the wrong reasons. First, there's the NCAA investigation into whether he and his father, Rudy, USC’s strength and conditioning coordinator, <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/hackett-usc-rudy-2313849-espn-son">were a "package deal"</a>; then he reportedly got into a shoving match with <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3930328">teammate Dwight Lewis</a>. He is doing some headline-worthy things on the court for the enigmatic Trojans, standing third in the Pac-10 in assists (4.8) and is scoring 14.6 points per game in the last six outings. 7. A.D. Vassallo, G-F Virginia Tech (Puerto Rico). The Hokies' leading scorer (18.9 ppg) and one of the ACC's leading three-point shooter, Vassallo has a thirst for dunking on guys (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M57f0n2jezA">exhibits A </a>and <a href="http://www.yougotdunkedon.com/2009/03/virginia-techs-ad-vassallo-dunks-on.html">B oh</a>, and for <a href="http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/college/college_football/article/TECHGAT24_20081223-211503/161184/">Dr. Pepper.</a>  8. Samardo Samuels, F-C Louisville (Jamaica). After his blazing start, the 6-foot-9, 260-pound former USA Today National high school Player of the Year appeared to be a lock for the Big East Rookie of the Year. He's slowed down, but it’s still hard to argue with Samuels' credentials (12 ppg, 4.8 rpg) or his toughness after getting his two front teeth knocked <a href="http://video.aol.com/video-detail/samardo-samuels-talks-teeth/3326886518/?icid=VIDLRVSPR04">out against St. John's. </a> 9. Luke Nevill, C Utah (Australia). Nifty's pro potential may not be bright as the last Aussie to play the position for the Utes (former No. 1 pick Andrew Bogut) but Nevill appears to be following in Bogut's footsteps I putting Utah in line to make the tourney. He's having a career year as a senior, averaging 17 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2. 8 blocks and he's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHvpcckgps8">added a little fire to his game.  </a> 10. Jonathan Tavernari F BYU (Brazil). Tavernari is best known for being on the receiving end of a disturbing <a href="http://deadspin.com/337087/lets-take-off-this-mask-and-see-who-you-really-are">Three Stooges-style eye poke </a>and had to be silenced by the Cougars staff for riling up Wake Forest earlier this season. <a href="http://www.cougarblue.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19563&Itemid=90"> But there is substance</a> with the drama as he forms a potent duo with Lee Cummard in delivering 16.4 points and 7.3 boards per game.  Maryland, Vanderbilt, Kansas State, Marquette, USC, Louisville, Virginia Tech

2009-03-06T11:47:46-05:00

2009-03-08T17:40:55-04:00