St. John's basketball program has hired Steve Lavin as their new head coach, succeeding Norm Roberts. Roberts was fired after six seasons as head coach, not making the NCAA Tournament in any season. Lavin coached at UCLA for seven seasons, and he made the NCAA Tournament in six of those seven seasons. His last season, UCLA went 10-19 and Lavin was promptly fired after the season, in which he took a job as a college basketball analyst with ESPN.
UTEP also made a big hire, getting Tim Floyd as their new head coach. Their previous coach, Tony Barbee, left UTEP to take a head coaching job with Auburn. UTEP was in the NCAA Tournament this year, but lost to Butler in the first round. Butler is still in the tournament, playing Michigan St in the Final Four on Saturday. Floyd was previously head coach with USC, but left last year after allegations were made stating he illegally recruited O.J. Mayo. Floyd has continuously denied those allegations. USC is still being investigated by the NCAA, and the school decided to forfeit past wins on their own. USC also didn't compete in the Pac 10 tournament or the NCAA Tournament.
The hire of Lavin by St. John's is going to be interesting, because Lavin will have a lot to do in order to restore the prominence of St. John's basketball. This isn't UCLA, where a lot of top high school basketball players love to go. He'll have to hire assistants with great ties to the New York City area, and the surrounding area, to recruit the top basketball players in the area. I believe Lavin can get it done, because he has been able to study college basketball from afar as an analyst. He'll know what St. John's needs, and they could be back competing in the Big East, and in the NCAA Tournament.
The hire of Tim Floyd by UTEP could go either way. Floyd has NBA credentials as well, having coached the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Hornets. However, the latest allegations made against him during his time at USC could scare away parents of good basketball players he's trying to recruit. There is a possibility that Floyd can put the UTEP program in trouble, the same way Kelvin Sampson did with Oklahoma and then Indiana, and John Calipari with UMass, and then Memphis. However, it's a wait and see process with both coaches.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Final Four Set
The four teams that will be participating in the Final Four are now set. It is probably the unlikeliest four that are in, however. Butler was the first to clinch a berth, with their win over Kansas St. Kansas St averages 80 points a game, but they were only able to score 56 points. Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente, and Curtis KellyCurtis Kelly were responsible for 46 out of the 56 points, as Butler was able to shut down the rest of the team. Gordon Hayward led them with 22 points, and also contributed a game-high 9 rebounds. Butler will be playing in their first Final Four in their home state.
The second team to clinch was West Virginia, in a battle of 1 vs 2. West Virginia was able to handle the explosiveness of Kentucky, and Kentucky was unable to knock down three-pointers in the loss. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins struggled to get going all game, and Wall eventually fouled out. West Virginia's offense was supposed to struggle without Darryl Bryant. That wasn't the case as Joe Mazzulla was able to get in the lane at will for 17 points. This is West Virginia's first berth in the Final Four since 1959.
Michigan St. and Duke were the last two to clinch with victories over Tennessee and Baylor respectively. Tennessee battled Michigan St hard, and it came down to the last 10 seconds. J.P. Prince fouled Raymar MorganRaymar Morgan with less than two seconds left with the game tied at 69. Morgan knocked down a free throw and missed the second purposely to put them ahead, leaving Tennessee with virtually no time for a final shot. Durrell SummersDurrell Summers led Michigan St. with 21 points. This is their second straight year in the Final Four. Last year, they lost to North Carolina in the title game.
Duke was able to outlast Baylor with a big run at the end. Nolan SmithNolan Smith and Jon ScheyerJon Scheyer led the charge, with Smith scoring 29 and Scheyer chipping in 20. Kyle SinglerKyle Singler, their other big threat, only scored 5 points and was 0 for 10 from the field. LaceDarius Dunn led Baylor with 22 points, and Ekpe Udoh chipped in 18 points in the loss. This is the farthest Baylor has ever gone in the NCAA Tournament. They weren't picked to compete in the Big 12 in the preseason, but they were competetive all year and they'll probably be that way next year also.
Duke will definitely be looked at as favorites, as they are the only #1 seed remaining. However, West Virginia looks to be the strongest team out of the four. Their length and toughness makes them a tough out, and Michigan St. can match their toughness as well. They also may get Darryl Bryant back for the Final Four, so that'll be a lift for them. West Virginia and Michigan St. will definitely battle it out in the title game, and West Virginia will come out on top in a sluggish, low-scoring affair.
The second team to clinch was West Virginia, in a battle of 1 vs 2. West Virginia was able to handle the explosiveness of Kentucky, and Kentucky was unable to knock down three-pointers in the loss. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins struggled to get going all game, and Wall eventually fouled out. West Virginia's offense was supposed to struggle without Darryl Bryant. That wasn't the case as Joe Mazzulla was able to get in the lane at will for 17 points. This is West Virginia's first berth in the Final Four since 1959.
Michigan St. and Duke were the last two to clinch with victories over Tennessee and Baylor respectively. Tennessee battled Michigan St hard, and it came down to the last 10 seconds. J.P. Prince fouled Raymar MorganRaymar Morgan with less than two seconds left with the game tied at 69. Morgan knocked down a free throw and missed the second purposely to put them ahead, leaving Tennessee with virtually no time for a final shot. Durrell SummersDurrell Summers led Michigan St. with 21 points. This is their second straight year in the Final Four. Last year, they lost to North Carolina in the title game.
Duke was able to outlast Baylor with a big run at the end. Nolan SmithNolan Smith and Jon ScheyerJon Scheyer led the charge, with Smith scoring 29 and Scheyer chipping in 20. Kyle SinglerKyle Singler, their other big threat, only scored 5 points and was 0 for 10 from the field. LaceDarius Dunn led Baylor with 22 points, and Ekpe Udoh chipped in 18 points in the loss. This is the farthest Baylor has ever gone in the NCAA Tournament. They weren't picked to compete in the Big 12 in the preseason, but they were competetive all year and they'll probably be that way next year also.
Duke will definitely be looked at as favorites, as they are the only #1 seed remaining. However, West Virginia looks to be the strongest team out of the four. Their length and toughness makes them a tough out, and Michigan St. can match their toughness as well. They also may get Darryl Bryant back for the Final Four, so that'll be a lift for them. West Virginia and Michigan St. will definitely battle it out in the title game, and West Virginia will come out on top in a sluggish, low-scoring affair.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Spurs, Bucks Get Close Wins
The San Antonio Spurs overcame an early deficit against the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder to defeat them on the road 99-96. The Thunder built a 14-point-lead in the first half, but saw it go away in the third quarter, en route to their second straight defeat. Also, the Milwaukee Bucks continued their strong play with a home win against the Atlanta Hawks. John Salmons scored 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to put the Bucks over the top.
The Spurs and the Bucks have been hot as of late, with both involving unique circumstances. The Spurs have won 10 of their past 13 games, with all of them coming without Tony Parker. The Spurs have a rough schedule this week, with a road loss to the Hawks in the books already. They face the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, and the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
The Bucks have only lost two games since trading for John Salmons on February 18. They are now in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. If the playoffs were to start today, they would face off with the Hawks in the first round. The Bucks, with the excellent play from Salmons, the emergence of Andrew Bogut, and the play of rookie Brandon Jennings, have the Bucks looking like minor contenders in the East.
The Spurs and the Bucks can be sleepers come playoff time. The Spurs certainly have the championship experience on their roster, and the Bucks have shown they can compete with the likes of the Hawks and Celtics. The Spurs climbed to sixth place in the standings with the win, which could mean a matchup with the struggling Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks once looked like a team to contend with the Lakers, but they've looked bad since their home embarrassement against the New York Knicks. That could be a perfect matchup for the Spurs.
The Bucks have not necessarily shown the ability to compete with the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers with Lebron James. Until they can prove that, they'll only get as far as the second round at the very most.
The Spurs and the Bucks have been hot as of late, with both involving unique circumstances. The Spurs have won 10 of their past 13 games, with all of them coming without Tony Parker. The Spurs have a rough schedule this week, with a road loss to the Hawks in the books already. They face the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, and the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
The Bucks have only lost two games since trading for John Salmons on February 18. They are now in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. If the playoffs were to start today, they would face off with the Hawks in the first round. The Bucks, with the excellent play from Salmons, the emergence of Andrew Bogut, and the play of rookie Brandon Jennings, have the Bucks looking like minor contenders in the East.
The Spurs and the Bucks can be sleepers come playoff time. The Spurs certainly have the championship experience on their roster, and the Bucks have shown they can compete with the likes of the Hawks and Celtics. The Spurs climbed to sixth place in the standings with the win, which could mean a matchup with the struggling Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks once looked like a team to contend with the Lakers, but they've looked bad since their home embarrassement against the New York Knicks. That could be a perfect matchup for the Spurs.
The Bucks have not necessarily shown the ability to compete with the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers with Lebron James. Until they can prove that, they'll only get as far as the second round at the very most.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Spartans, Boilermakers Win Thrillers
The Michigan St. Spartans beat the Maryland Terrapins 85-83 in a thriller that resulted in Korie Lucious hitting the game winning three-pointer as time expired. A couple of hours later, their Big Ten counterparts, the Purdue Boilermakers, won their second round game against the Texas A&M Aggies 63-61 in overtime. Chris Kramer drove past the Aggies defense for the game-winning layup with 4.2 seconds left. B.J Holmes desperation three at the buzzer was short. Michigan St. will take on Northern Iowa in the Sweet 16, and Purdue will face Duke.
Purdue's advancement to the Sweet 16 is surprising to some because they are without the services of Robbie Hummel. Hummel is the team's second leading scorer behind E'Twaun Moore, and they struggled after his injury. They were embarrassed in the Big Ten tournament by Minnesota, only scoring 11 points in the first half en route to a 27 point loss. Purdue also faced Siena, who advanced past the first round of the tournament the past two seasons. The Purdue-Siena matchup were a lot of people's choice for an upset, but they were able to pull it out.
Michigan St. advanced, but they struggled to get past New Mexico St. in the first round, and they let a big lead against Maryland slip away as well. However, their problems have just begun. They are facing a Northern Iowa team who beat the overall #1 team in Kansas. They will also be without the services of Kalin Lucas, who tore his ACL during the game. Lucas is their leading scorer, and they struggle to get shots without him.
For Purdue and Michigan St., their runs in the tournament will end on Friday. Northern Iowa, even though a performance like what they had against Kansas probably won't happen again, were in the top 25 earlier this season. They are a legit basketball team with a legit big man presence in the middle. Michigan St. will have a lot of problems with Northern Iowa without Lucas. Purdue, without Hummel, will not be a factor against a healthy Duke team. Duke has three players who are averaging over 17 points a game.
This is March Madness, however, so anything can happen. A lot of people didn't give the Spartans a chance against Kansas in the Sweet 16 last year and Louisville in the Elite 8. They have to get on the court and perform.
Purdue's advancement to the Sweet 16 is surprising to some because they are without the services of Robbie Hummel. Hummel is the team's second leading scorer behind E'Twaun Moore, and they struggled after his injury. They were embarrassed in the Big Ten tournament by Minnesota, only scoring 11 points in the first half en route to a 27 point loss. Purdue also faced Siena, who advanced past the first round of the tournament the past two seasons. The Purdue-Siena matchup were a lot of people's choice for an upset, but they were able to pull it out.
Michigan St. advanced, but they struggled to get past New Mexico St. in the first round, and they let a big lead against Maryland slip away as well. However, their problems have just begun. They are facing a Northern Iowa team who beat the overall #1 team in Kansas. They will also be without the services of Kalin Lucas, who tore his ACL during the game. Lucas is their leading scorer, and they struggle to get shots without him.
For Purdue and Michigan St., their runs in the tournament will end on Friday. Northern Iowa, even though a performance like what they had against Kansas probably won't happen again, were in the top 25 earlier this season. They are a legit basketball team with a legit big man presence in the middle. Michigan St. will have a lot of problems with Northern Iowa without Lucas. Purdue, without Hummel, will not be a factor against a healthy Duke team. Duke has three players who are averaging over 17 points a game.
This is March Madness, however, so anything can happen. A lot of people didn't give the Spartans a chance against Kansas in the Sweet 16 last year and Louisville in the Elite 8. They have to get on the court and perform.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Iverson Not Returning This Season
The Philadelphia 76ers have announced that Allen Iverson will not be returning to the team this season. Iverson missed some time before the All-Star break and then the All-Star Game to be with his sick daughter Messiah. Iverson briefly came back after the All-Star break, but hasn't played for the 76ers since February 20. His daughter, who is 4 years old, seems to be going through a mystery illness. So far, doctors at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have reportedly not determined what is wrong with her.
This will most likely be the end for Iverson. Iverson had an excellent career -- a Hall of Fame career -- but it's going to end without a championship. If Iverson doesn't play anymore, he'll join the likes of Hall of Fame players like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Patrick Ewing, who have had long careers and come away without a championship.
This is a sad ending for Iverson. It's logical to say that Iverson wanted to go out on his own terms. However, that isn't happening, and it isn't because of injury. It's because his daughter, his loved one, is suffering. This is not only a difficult time for Iverson, but it is a difficult time for his family. Iverson went through a crazy offseason in which he was trying to figure out what team he wanted to join.
The Charlotte Bobcats, New York Knicks, and the Memphis Grizzlies were among the teams this past offseason who were courting Iverson. The Grizzlies were able to land him in a one-year deal. That quickly turned sour as Iverson was expecting to be in the starting lineup. That wasn't the plan for Grizzlies' coach Lionel Hollins. Iverson only played three games, with none of them in front of the home crowd, before he took a leave of absence.
Iverson and the Grizzlies then decided to part ways with each other, and it turned out to be great for the Grizzlies. They started the season 1-8, and their record now stands at 30-30, which is 4 1/2 games out of the eighth and final spot for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Iverson joined his old 76ers team who were already struggling, and unable to get better with him. Making matters even worse, Iverson was traded to the Detroit Pistons from the Denver Nuggets last season for Chauncey Billups, and has seen the Nuggets soar, and the Pistons flop.
While Iverson has been a Hall of Fame player, with an NBA Finals appearance and an MVP award, he has not made teams better in his career, and that will be the thing people will remember.
This will most likely be the end for Iverson. Iverson had an excellent career -- a Hall of Fame career -- but it's going to end without a championship. If Iverson doesn't play anymore, he'll join the likes of Hall of Fame players like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Patrick Ewing, who have had long careers and come away without a championship.
This is a sad ending for Iverson. It's logical to say that Iverson wanted to go out on his own terms. However, that isn't happening, and it isn't because of injury. It's because his daughter, his loved one, is suffering. This is not only a difficult time for Iverson, but it is a difficult time for his family. Iverson went through a crazy offseason in which he was trying to figure out what team he wanted to join.
The Charlotte Bobcats, New York Knicks, and the Memphis Grizzlies were among the teams this past offseason who were courting Iverson. The Grizzlies were able to land him in a one-year deal. That quickly turned sour as Iverson was expecting to be in the starting lineup. That wasn't the plan for Grizzlies' coach Lionel Hollins. Iverson only played three games, with none of them in front of the home crowd, before he took a leave of absence.
Iverson and the Grizzlies then decided to part ways with each other, and it turned out to be great for the Grizzlies. They started the season 1-8, and their record now stands at 30-30, which is 4 1/2 games out of the eighth and final spot for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Iverson joined his old 76ers team who were already struggling, and unable to get better with him. Making matters even worse, Iverson was traded to the Detroit Pistons from the Denver Nuggets last season for Chauncey Billups, and has seen the Nuggets soar, and the Pistons flop.
While Iverson has been a Hall of Fame player, with an NBA Finals appearance and an MVP award, he has not made teams better in his career, and that will be the thing people will remember.
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