News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Wednesday, Feb 12th

Posted on February 12, 2020 by David Griggs

NEWS AND NOTES

-For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day between Western Carolina and UNC Greensboro – CLICK HERE

-San Diego State pulled away from New Mexico last night for the 82-59 win, and to become the first team to clinch a first place finish in their conference.  Congrats to them for winning the regular season Mountain West, broought to you by ConExpo Con/AGG!!

-Dayton jumped out to a 17-0 lead on Rhode Island, and that was pretty much it.  The Rams were never really in the game, and Dayton won impressively 81-67.

-Maryland REALLY had to sweat at home against Nebraska, but ended up hanging on for a less than impressive 72-70 wins.  Still, a win is a win, and the Terps were able to hold serve and stay well within the range of a protected seed.

-They weren’t the only ones.  LSU had to sweat out Missouri, and actually needed to come from behind in the second half to pull out an 82-78 win, but did manage to avoid their third straight loss.

-Penn State picked up another very impressive road win as they knocked off Purdue yesterday.  The Nittany Lions look to me like they are the best team in the Big Ten now that they’ve won seven straight.

-Illinois limped through the entire first half against Michigan State, but came from behind in the second half, got the lead, and were in a position to win the game, but couldn’t quite get it done.  The Spartans picked up a 70-69 huge road win that they desperately needed after being in a bit of a free-fall prior to last night.

-Arkansas went on the road to Tennessee and got blown out.  That’s not good when you’re on the bubble.

Syracuse dropped a bubblicious game to NC State 79-74, which seems like it will knock the Orange further outside the bubble while it inches NC State back towards it.

-Virginia won in overtime against a Notre Dame team that was looking for its fifth straight win and a big road win on their resume.  From our estimation this helps UVA stay inside the bubble, and keeps Notre Dame outside of it for now.

-Utah State picked up a tough road win at Colorado State that they probably deserve a little more credit for than what they will actually get.  Colorado State’s resume is unimpressive, but they had won seven of eight going into last night and had been playing really well.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-CREIGHTON AT SETON HALL (Big East).  Creighton continues to play well as they go through the conference, and their resume keeps improving.  This is probably their toughest remaining game, so if they can pick up a win here, the skies the limit.  Seton Hall continues to look like a top ten team and is on pace to end up as a #2 seed, especially if they can continue to blow through the conference.

-XAVIER AT BUTLER (Big East).  Xavier has won three straight and completely turned their season around.  They can take yet another big step forward and improve their resume and seeding even more with another road win.  Butler has slipped a little bit, and lost rather handily to Marquette in their last game, but they are still really strong overall and a win today will help them maintain that.

-KANSAS AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big 12).  Kansas is still being projected solidly on the #1 line, but this is a very tough test for them tonight.  A win on the road against another protected seed is the kind of thing that can cement them onto the #1 line.  West Virginia is coming off a loss, and with their next two games against Kansas and Baylor they could end up dropping three in a row.  It wouldn’t hurt them that much, but if they can win one of the next two they’ll prove that they belong as a protected seed.

-ALABAMA AT AUBURN (SEC).  Auburn has been playing really well lately and has a chance to avenge one of their two losses tonight.  The crowd will likely be way up for it, so Bama could be in trouble.

-UCONN AT SMU (American).  If SMU wants any chance at all of being considered for a bid, then they pretty much need to win out the rest of the way.

-GEORGE MASON AT VCU (Atlantic Ten).  I’m personally not as big on VCU as everyone else seems to be, but most have them floating around the bubble and some have them in the field.  Either way, they really can’t afford a loss in a game like this.

-RICHMOND AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten).  Richmond is squarely on the bubble, so they need to pick this one up and pretty much avoid losses to sub-tournament teams the rest of the way.

-RUTGERS AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten).  The one thing Rutgers needs on their resume is a notable road win.  They’ve come close several times, but haven’t actually done it.  Tonight may be their best remaining chance.  Having said that, Ohio State is a very good team.  They’re coming off a loss, but they won’t be easy to beat in Columbus.

-THE CITADEL AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE (SoCon).  ETSU has a very good chance of ending up inside the bubble if they win out, which they are good enough to do.

-FURMAN AT SAMFORD (SoCon).  Furman MIGHT get a look from the committee if they win out, but lose in the conference tournament.

-LOUISVILLE AT GEORGIA TECH (ACC).  Louisville continues to roll, and shouldn’t have too much trouble picking up yet another conference road win at Georgia Tech tonight.

-STEPHEN F AUSTIN AT TAMUCC (Southland).  SFA should at least get a look from the committee if they win out.  Tonight they will try to avenge their only conference loss so far.

-ILLINOIS STATE AT NORTHERN IOWA (Missouri Valley).  I think we all feel that Northern Iowa is inside the bubble, and will remain there so long as they hold serve.  Illinois State beat them earlier in the year, but they should be able to avenge that tonight.

-MARQUETTE AT VILLANOVA (Big East).  Marquette is coming off a very impressive blowout win against Butler, but as good as they are they aren’t quite as strong on the road.  This would probably be their most impressive win of the year if they can pull it off, and it should get them into the discussion for a protected seed.  Villanova is coming off a home loss to Seton Hall and should be way up for this one as they try to bounce back and maintain their protected seed caliber profile.

-FLORIDA AT TEXAS A&M (SEC).  An argument could be made that Florida does not belong in the field right now, but most of us still have them in.  That will change if they lose this one.

-HOUSTON AT SOUTH FLORIDA (American).  Houston looks like they’re starting to pull away from the rest of the AAC, and should be safely in the top half of the bracket if they can continue to hold serve.

-IOWA STATE AT OKLAHOMA (Big 12).  Oklahoma remains in the field, but is still hovering around the bubble.  They need to hold serve at home against teams like Iowa State who are very very very far outside of the bubble.

-MICHIGAN AT NORTHWESTERN (Big Ten).  The one huge knock on Michigan’s resume is a lack of road wins.  This is a very winnable road game, and they need to make sure they get it done.

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Under The Radar Game of the Day: Wednesday, February 12th

Posted on February 12, 2020 by John Stalica

Western Carolina (15-8, 7-5) at UNC-Greensboro (19-6, 9-3) – 7:00 PM EST (ESPN+)

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day takes us to Greensboro, North Carolina where the hometown Spartans host the Western Carolina Catamounts. There is a heightened sense of urgency for UNC-G tonight; they’ve already been swept by East Tennessee State this season and also lost at Wofford in double overtime back in early January. Neither loss is terribly damaging by SoCon standards, but other than a win at Georgetown and a win at Furman, the only other notable wins so far include games at Vermont and at home against Northern Kentucky. Isaiah Miller leads UNC-G with 18.2 points a game.

Western Carolina got off to a fantastic start by recent standards, but they have only gone 3-5 in their last eight games to drop out of the top of the SoCon standings back into the middle of the pack. The Catamounts already lost their first meeting at home against UNC-G, but they do have notable wins at home against Wofford and on the road against Chattanooga and Samford in conference play. While Mason Faulkner (18.1 PPG) continues to lead WCU in scoring, Carlos Dotson has also averaged a double-double (16.2 PPG/11.o RPG) in conference play for the Catamounts.

 

 

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News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Tuesday, Feb 11th

Posted on February 11, 2020 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for our latest HOOPS HD REPORT

NEWS AND NOTES

-For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day between Bowling Green and Akron – CLICK HERE

-For Jon Teitel’s interview with Hall of Fame coach Billie Moore – CLICK HERE

-The Florida State v Duke game was a very well played game that either team could have won, and even though Florida State lost I think I’m more sold on them being a solid #2 seed than I was before the game started.

-Baylor v Texas was a defensive struggle, but Baylor held on to win 52-45.  Texas Tech hosted TCU, and did not treat them nicely.  They totally blew the Horned Frogs out of the building 88-42.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-PENN STATE AT PURDUE (Big Ten).  Penn State didn’t get a protected seed from the actual committee, but I still think they have a path to it that is within their abilities, especially if they can pick up another big road win tonight.  Purdue has been schizophrenic all season long, but are now in a stretch where they have won four out of five, which includes two road wins, so they may finally be reaching  a point of playing consistently well.

-KENTUCKY AT VANDERBILT (SEC).  Kentucky also not getting a protected seed from the committee, and if they didn’t have one before then winning at Vandy isn’t the kind of game that’s going to put them over the top, but I do think they have a reasonable path to get there and are continuing to play better as the season goes along.

-MISSISSIPPI STATE AT OLE MISS (SEC).  It’s a rivalry game that features a Mississippi State team that’s on the bubble and who needs to avoid losing on the road to an Ole Miss team that may be on the NIT bubble.

-ARKANSAS AT TENNESSEE (SEC).  The Razorbacks are on the bubble and need to win this game to show that they can win on the road against sub-tournament caliber teams.

-NC STATE AT SYRACUSE (ACC).  This is the bubblicious game of the night.  Maybe the bubblicious game of the year.  Both teams are right on the bubble, and both really need this win to help distance themselves from the other bubble teams.

-RHODE ISLAND AT DAYTON (Atlantic Ten).  This game deserves far more attention than it is likely to get.  Dayton is unbeaten in conference (10-0) and is beating their opponents by an average of 14.1ppg.  It took Rhody a little longer to get going, but after losing their conference opener, they’ve won ten straight, which is as many wins as Dayton.  Their margin of victory is 12.8ppg.  It’s not as good, but they are playing at a level that is actually closer to Dayton than what most people realize, and if they can somehow win this game I would argue that it not only puts them inside the bubble, but warrants consideration for the first ballot.  It’s the first of two meetings, and perhaps three if they face each other in the A10 Tournament.

-NEBRASKA AT MARYLAND (Big Ten).  Maryland leads the Big Ten and has started to rack up some nice road wins.  They should be able to hold serve tonight and continue to make a strong case that they are a solid protected seed.

-MICHIGAN STATE AT ILLINOIS (Big Ten).  I’m not as big a believer in Michigan State as the committee seems to be.  At least, not right now.  If they can win this game I’ll start to feel a lot better about them.  I do think that they are both going in on the first ballot, and that this is a good resume building opportunity for both of them.

-MISSOURI AT LSU (SEC).  In their last games, LSU has lost a stunner at Vanderbilt, and an overtime thriller at Auburn at the buzzer.  They are still in good shape, and this should be an easy win for them tonight, which would help get their mental health back.

-NOTRE DAME AT VIRGINIA (ACC).  Virginia continues to improve their resume bit by bit.  They nearly upset Louisville over the weekend, which would have improved their resume by quite a bit more than a little bit, but the NCAAs is still within their reach.  They need to take care of business tonight against a Notre Dame team that’s been playing pretty well for the last couple of weeks.

-UTAH STATE AT COLORADO STATE (Mountain West).  On paper, this game doesn’t look like much, but Colorado State has won nine of their last ten, so if Utah State goes on the road and beat them should (HOPEFULLY) get the attention of the committee and get them a little more credit than what it appears to be on the surface.

-NEW MEXICO AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West).  If San Diego State wins out, they will be a #1 seed.

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Under The Radar Game of the Day: Tuesday, February 11th

Posted on February 11, 2020 by John Stalica

For last night’s Hoops HD Report podcast – CLICK HERE

For Jon Teitel’s interview with Hall of Fame coach Billie Moore – CLICK HERE

Bowling Green (18-6, 9-2) at Akron (17-6, 7-3) – 7:00 PM EST (ESPN+)

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day features a game of the top two teams in the MAC as the Bowling Green Falcons travel across Route 224 for a meeting with the Akron Zips. Bowling Green is coming off of a victory against Toledo where Justin Turner scored 31 points (including a perfect 11-of-11 from the foul line) against the Rockets on Saturday. For his efforts, Turner was named MAC Player of the Week for the third time this season.

Akron suddenly hit the skids about a week ago thanks to losses at home against Buffalo and on the road against Kent State in the Wagon Wheel rivalry by a combined total of four points. They also looked like they were in serious danger of taking on a third straight loss at home against Eastern Michigan on Saturday, but Xeyrius Williams came to the rescue with a game-winning 3-point shot with under five seconds remaining to give Akron a 59-58 win.

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The Hoops HD Report: February 10th

Posted on February 10, 2020 by David Griggs

Tonight we look at the Selection Committee’s release of the top 16 team and discuss what we agreed and disagreed with, particularly Michigan State making the top 16 and Penn State not making it.  We also look at the ACC and discuss the big game between Duke and Florida State, Louisville’s continued dominance, Virginia’s continued improvement, and how Notre Dame has started to sneak into the bubble picture.  In the Pac 12, Oregon, Arizona, and Stanford had rough weeks and we take a look at that.  Gonzaga, Dayton, and San Diego State continue to dominate their leagues.  All that, and more…

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

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Happy Tourney-versary!: HoopsHD interviews Hall of Fame coach Billie Moore

Posted on February 10, 2020 by Jon Teitel

With the 2020 NCAA tourney tipping off next month, we will spend this month taking a walk down memory lane with a choice collection of players/coaches who are celebrating an awesome anniversary this year. From some game-winning FTs in the 1955 tourney (65th anniversary) through a 17-PT comeback win in the 2015 1st 4 (5th anniversary), these legends have all carved out a little piece of history in past Marches. We continue our series with Hall of Famer Billie Moore, the 1st coach in women’s basketball history to lead 2 different schools to national championships. She won the 1970 CIAW national title in in her 1st year at Cal State-Fullerton and won the 1978 AIAW national title in her 1st year as coach at UCLA. She made the Final Four 5 times during the 1970s and was the head coach of the original team USA women at the 1976 Olympics. She was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Moore about the 50th anniversary of winning the 1970 title and the 45th anniversary of making the 1975 Final 4.

Your father coached boys and girls basketball in Kansas: how much of an influence was he on your own decision to become a coach? He was the 1 who got me into sports and I loved competing. When I went to college there was not even an opportunity to become a coach so I went back and got my Masters degree. Coach Charlotte West also helped me: if not for her then I would have never made it to the university level.

You were known for being a strict disciplinarian who held physically demanding practices: what made them so effective, and how did your players like practice? We had a culture of discipline/execution. I always had the philosophy that if you worked hard to develop your skills during practice then it would be fun when you actually played the game. I might change the way that I communicated if I was still a coach but I would not change my style.

In the 1970 CIAW title game in your very 1st year as coach at Cal State Fullerton you had a 4-PT win over West Chester: what did it mean to you to win a title? It was just so new: they were making the switch to 5-on-5 so being around my dad coaching the boys made it easier for me. I focused so much more on the process every day in practice and assumed that the games would take care of themselves. Very rarely do you get to say that you were the best but those young ladies got to say it at that moment. There is always a special bond when you have that kind of success.

In the 1975 Final 4 you had a 9-PT loss to Immaculata: what was it like to face the 3-time defending champs and what made them such a great program? When you get to a certain level it comes down to who can consistently do things. A possession in the 1st minute of the game might not seem that important at the time but you have to raise the bar. To be a part of a game like that is the opportunity you strive for in practice every day.

In 8 years at Fullerton you lost a total of 15 games: how were you able to remain so dominant over such a long period of time? We had the right players who bought into the system. Xs and Os are easy if you have the right Xs to put in there! Talent alone does not win: you need to give some structure/guidance. No matter how technically sound you are you will not have success without at least some level of talent. I think that some of my main strengths was teaching the game and motivating my players. 1 of the things I learned from Coach John Wooden is that technical knowledge does not separate you out in the hierarchy of coaching.

Take me through the 1976 Olympics as the 1st-ever women’s head coach of team USA:
1 of your co-captains was Pat Summitt, who later said, “Billie Moore has had more influence on my coaching career than anyone”: what was she like as a player, and could you have imagined at the time that she would become 1 of the greatest coaches ever? There are 2 factors here. 1 of the things that we accomplished was qualifying by competing with 20+ other countries to claim 1 of the 2 spots. The hierarchy of USA Basketball did not expect us to reach the Olympics so we definitely overachieved, and that starts with a captain like Pat. I recommended Pat to become a coach for the junior team because she had a gift. Everyone has the will to win but what separated her out was her preparation: there was nothing she would not do to give her team a chance to be successful. She had similar intensity as a player and was a great leader.

You ended up winning a silver medal: what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward, and how unstoppable was 7’2′ Soviet center Juliana Semenova? She was a foot taller than all of our players. I told them that what they achieved was beyond what anyone had ever imagined. I told them to take great pride in being the 1st US Olympic women’s basketball team. I remember that Bill Russell was 1 of the announcers for the game: he said the only thing I did wrong was not sending in our 10th or 11th best player to try and take Semenova out of the game! 40 years later there is even a stronger sense of what we accomplished, as the current team USA is expected to win the gold medal every 4 years. They never backed away.

In the 1978 AIAW title game in very 1st year as head coach at UCLA, 4-time All-American Ann Meyers had 20 PTS/10 REB/9 AST/8 STL in a win over Maryland: how much of a home-court advantage did you have while playing at Pauley Pavilion in front of more than 9000 fans (which at the time was the largest crowd ever to see a women’s championship game) and where does Ann’s performance rank among the greatest that you have ever seen? It is a double-edged sword: it is wonderful to play on your home floor but it also gives you a lot of pressure to win it all. Once we reached the final I felt good about our chances because we had a very easy team to coach. Ann is 1 of the best all-around players that I have ever seen and was willing to do whatever it took to win. You do not appreciate what those players bring to the team until they are gone: she made everyone around her better, which is the best compliment you can give a player. I coached them as just players, not female players: it worked well for me because most of them had learned the game from their brothers. There were not a lot of AAU leagues or organized games for women back then. If you watch a high-level women’s game now the only thing they cannot do is dunk consistently.

You are the only coach in women’s basketball history to win titles at 2 different schools: what made you leave Fullerton, and do you think that we will ever see someone else do this? I think someone else will do it in the future. With the advent of Title IX I figured it was just a matter of time until the big-time conferences would start dominating women’s basketball. It took a while for Title IX to have an impact. Before that it was small schools like Immaculate/Delta State but now it is only power-conference teams.

After retiring from coaching in 1993 you became a consultant/instructor for a variety of teams/camps: how have you enjoyed retirement, and what do you hope to do in the future? I spent about 27 years around the Tennessee program and went to all of their NCAA tourney appearances, and then helped Pat’s son Tyler when he became a coach. Only recently have I really been a spectator, and that is okay.

In 1999 you were inducted into a pair of Halls of Fame: where did that rank among the highlights of your career? To be a part of the Women’s Hall of Fame charter class was nice: it is always great to be the 1st to do something. It ranks way up there with winning a championship and being in the Olympics. I feel very blessed but the reason I got there was my players/assistants: I never scored a point or made an assist.

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