April 3, 2009
Penn State: The Improbable NIT winner
Penn State finished off Baylor last night 69-65 to take the NIT title. While some may mock the winner of this secondary tournament -- calling then No. 66 even though this title brings with it more prestige than dropping a first round NCAA game in an upset -- the NIT has been a stepping stone for many teams moving into the next season.
I wrote about this at Examiner, but here is a list of the teams that have turned recent NIT success into NCAA tournament glory the next season:
Ohio State turned last year’s championship into a No. 8 seed in this year’s NCAA tournament.
West Virginia, the 2007 champion, reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2008. The runner-up, Clemson, was No. 5 seed but ran into a hot Villanova team.
Two-time defending champ South Carolina started the 2007 season 10-3 before getting rolled by a hot SEC conference that ultimately produced NCAA champ Florida.
Ok, so Ohio State's tournament run didn't end with fireworks and parades, but they made the field. That should give Penn State a lot of hope going into next year, even with the loss of Jamelle Cornley.
Continue reading "Penn State: The Improbable NIT winner"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 12:11 PM | Comments (0)
March 25, 2009
Northwestern Wildcats Examiner: Could Curry become a Wildcat?
Liberty’s season ended Monday, an 88-65 loss to the James Madison Dukes in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
The future of the basketball program ended Tuesday.
Seth Curry, the high-scoring, little brother of Davidson’s Stephen Curry announced his decision to transfer in order to face tougher competition during his college career.
Frankly, the fact that Liberty had this kid for a year is a shock in itself.
Everyone watched the elder Curry light up the league in his freshman season, averaging almost 22 points per game. Then he turned it on for his sophomore campaign, almost leading the Wildcats to the Final Four.
At that point, coaches across the country should have been scrambling to recruit Seth. Even if he were a bust, given the play of his brother, it would have been worth the risk.
It is almost like watching Archie Manning play in the NFL and Peyton tear up the SEC, and then not recruiting Eli.
The family has the genes.
So Liberty got its season of glory, even if that glory ended in the fourth best tournament in the country.
Now where does Seth go?
Read the rest of this story here.
The MRI Rankings are copyright 2009 by MRISports.com. Ben Miraski is a freelance reporter, edits and writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. He also is the Northwestern Wildcats Examiner for Examiner.com. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2009
Northwestern Examiner: Men look to exorcise demons against Indiana
The men's basketball team takes on Indiana tonight in Evanston, ... assuming that Tom Crean and company are able to get through the snow and to the stadium.
Northwestern is looking to exact some revenge on Indiana after the Hoosiers have beaten them in five straight games. It isn't the same players on Indiana now as then, but a win like this could go a long way to having Northwestern pointed in the right direction again.
Read the preview and then look for a game review later as MRISports and your Northwestern Examiner will be on the sidelines from press row for this one.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2009
Northwestern Examiner: Men hope 13 unlucky for Spartans
In my new role as Northwestern Examiner for Examiner.com, the Chicago Edition, I preview tonight's game for the Northwestern men against the Michigan State Spartans.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)
January 7, 2009
Of Boards and Men
In the process of applying for a real job yesterday afternoon, I had to write a short article on a subject with a local angle.
That shouldn't be a problem when the subject is Northwestern sports.
So I wrote it.
Three hundred glorious words on why Northwestern men's basketball is struggling now that conference season has started because of rebounds.
Heck, I should just let you read it yourself:
Continue reading "Of Boards and Men"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:13 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2008
Big Props to Psycho T
Stop and take a look at the picture that accompanies this article.
Look how graceful Tyler Hansbrough seems as he lays the ball in.
Ok, now forget that image.
That is not the real "Psycho T".
No, the real Hansbrough worked his way into the low post and practically shoved the basketball toward the basket last night to score the points that made him the all-time leading scorer at North Carolina, breaking Phil Ford's 30-year-old record.
Think about that achievement. This isn't the top scorer at some no name school; this is North Carolina.
And this is not some shot-heavy guard that took away the mark, it is a tough center.
Hansbrough did it the way he made most of his now-career 2302 points -- hard-driving, muscle-ripping, and pounding.
That is the Hansbrough that has brought North Carolina back to the top of the basketball world.
It is also the Hansbrough that will probably drop in all the draft lists because he is not polished enough, he doesn't shoot from outside, and he hasn't got the finesse to play in the NBA.
That is all ridiculous scout nonsense.
This is a basketball player at his best. And if grit and determination aren't valued anymore, then so be it.
But, you would be hard pressed to count the number of basketball players who would have accepted the accolades that come with Hansbrough's achievement with as much humility as the senior did. In an era of 'Me, Me, Me', Hansbrough is all about team.
He looked as if he would rather forget the whole thing happened during the brief stoppage of play after the record basket. He wanted to get back to playing.
And some team in the NBA should reward that because they will get a player on their team that they never have to worry about giving 100 percent and not getting into trouble on off nights or after the game.
Congrats to Hansbrough for his achievement...
And for being a real class act in a sport that is severely lacking in that category.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:18 PM | Comments (0)
November 8, 2007
Kentucky Oops? Just Par for the Course
It is probably hard to miss these days. When a team from one of the smaller college upsets one of the big boys, on their home floor, none the less, it is big news. We saw it in football, with Appalachian State taking down Michigan.
Last night, we saw it in Kentucky as they lost to Gardner-Webb, 84-68. As far as we now, no one was calling Tubby Smith up in Minnesota to see if he would come back. The era of Billy Gillispie is off to a rocky start.
There are lots of moans on the message boards today about the state of the program. Some can't believe that Tubby Smith left the cupboard as bare as it looks. Some can't believe that Saint Billy wasn't able to turn the tide so quickly.
But should we really be worried? It is rare that a loss this early in the season will derail a team that should still make it to the NCAA tournament. And a loss this early is difficult to judge. While this is a huge win for Gardner-Webb - anytime you have a victory over Kentucky on your resume, it is a good thing - this isn't going to hold Kentucky back from success this season, if the team is really the 22nd best team in the country.
Continue reading "Kentucky Oops? Just Par for the Course"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:50 PM | Comments (0)
November 7, 2007
Over Expansion? You Bet
I made mention of it in the MRI Says article for today. There are now 341 teams ranked in the MRI for basketball.
This is the eight year of the MRI for basketball, and in that time, the list has grown from 320 teams in that first season. That is a 6.5% increase in the number of teams all trying to get a small piece of the pie which is the NCAA basketball tournament.
That is just the net increase overall. Remember we had that nice team from Birmingham Southern who came and left in a flash when after making it to Division I, the athletic department decided to head back to Division III and actually shut down their basketball program for a length of time. (The basketball program is back now. If you think you are good enough, you can fill out a questionnaire to be considered for the team.) It was strange timing. Birmingham Southern finished second in the Big South to Winthrop that season, and their coach was named the conference coach of the year.
Don't think this is going to stop in the years ahead. Over the next few years, expect to see seven more teams added to the list, including the return of Seattle University and Houston Baptist to the Division I ranks.
However, when the final seven finish their transition, there will be no more, at least for four years. The NCAA Division I committee was so worried about teams jumping into Division I for more exposure and more money, they suspended reclassification in August. They will not accept any more applications until 2011.
The MRI and my hands thank them. I don't have an issue with teams with success at the Division II level making the jump. That is Seattle University. That is UC Davis. I do have an issue when teams come from nowhere, without the same competition level and think that they can make it at the top level. There is a reason so many of them clump at the bottom of the MRI standings. They aren't ready.
At least until 2012 my prep for each season will take a little less time.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 5:50 PM | Comments (0)
October 19, 2007
I Thought Stanford Was One of Those Smart Schools
You need to be smart to get into Stanford, but apparently all those academics can fry your brain while you are there (well, academics, or the other stuff that is fairly prevalent in the San Francisco Bay area).
Case in point, sophomore center Brook Lopez. Last season, Lopez made the PAC-10 All-freshman team, after averaging 12.6 points and 6 rebounds a game for the Cardinal (18-12, last season).
However, earlier this month, Lopez was suspended from the team for failing to meet academic standards. He responded saying that he was taking full responsibility for this and apologized to his team and the school.
Apparently, sometimes these things don't sink in.
Lopez was suspended indefinitely today for skipping two days of classes and a practice during the last week.
I could be wrong, but usually you improve your academic standing by going to class. And here I thought Stanford was a smart school.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:40 PM | Comments (0)
October 17, 2007
Kelvin Sampson = Teenage Girl
Woah, a basketball story? Yes. In the middle of all those football upsets on Saturday, there was a small little event called March Madness.
And less than a few hours later, there was the first big shocker of the season.
Kelvin Sampson is apparently no better than a teenage girl, forever on the phone, forever talking when he should be doing homework. In case you missed the story, Sampson is being punished by Indiana for recruiting violations related to phone calls that he participated in, despite being under probation by the NCAA.
New details about the phone calls were released today, which slightly changes the initial story around Sampson's involvement. However, the $500K dent in his checkbook remains.
Continue reading "Kelvin Sampson = Teenage Girl"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:50 PM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2007
Thoughts on Saturday's Second Round
I didn't know we had to get through the first round for the excitement in the tournament. From the opening tip of the Ohio State-Xavier game, well into the night, we were treated to some close exciting games for a change. 4 Overtime periods; last second shots to tie or win; great, gritty basketball, leaving everything on the court.
These are the games we are used to seeing in the opening round as teams want to prove they are Cinderella. These are the games we take off work to watch. These are the games that make the tournament "THE TOURNAMENT." And we finally got them.
1. Every team that makes the Final Four, or wins a championship, needs a game that they struggle in and is almost an upset. This could be Ohio State's game. I give a lot of credit to Ohio State for not losing focus despite trailing in the game. Ron Lewis was magic with his game tying three point shot at the end of regulation. This is especially so since the entire Xavier team knew the ball was going to him. And then Ohio State did what it did quietly for the first ten games of the season - just win. Without Greg Oden that is. The Buckeyes almost looked more comfortable without him on the floor. Perhaps it was the release of the pressure of trying to get it to the large man inside.
2. One side note on Oden. Despite his size, I for one would like to see him play another year in college. While he has the size and the ability to make it in the NBA, I think he would very much benefit from another year of banging inside, fully healthy, against the Big Ten, a conference known for its physical basketball. Why do I say this? I think we could see that another big man on the floor can frustrate the large Oden. He is not used to having other players of size against him. And that will be a problem in the NBA where he will no longer be a man among boys out on the floor. A little polish to his skills, especially his movement in the post against a larger defender, will make him the sure fire success that everyone thinks he is.
Continue reading "Thoughts on Saturday's Second Round"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 9:15 AM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2007
Thoughts on Friday's First Round
Given the lack of non-chalk in the first day of the tournament, we had to hope for something on Friday to save our collective tournament watchability. Not that there haven't been games that made us fear for a while, but this season has severely been lacking in the gut wrenching first round endings.
By far, my favorite game of the day was watching Wisconsin get down big to scrappy little Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. As we were reminded again and again, this was a school that didn't even have an athletic program 8 years ago. And on Friday, they scared a good portion of the country as they jumped out to a 19-4 lead on Wisconsin and then were still hanging strong with a 27-19 lead at the half.
Of course, by that point, Wisconsin had adjusted and were on their way back, but it was nice to see the little school that no one thought could do it come close for a while. The announcers even over reacted at one point wondering if Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan should put in injured center Brian Butch to provide a little spark.
In the end, Ronnie Arrow and the Islanders couldn't do it, but it made for some great drama and some bracket scrambling among those watching.
Other thoughts on the day:
1. Memphis just toyed with North Texas. Anyone who thinks that Friday's game was proof that Memphis isn't that great and excels based on weaker competition doesn't know the Tiger team. Part of what ailed Memphis was early foul trouble for leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts. Losing him for the final 10 minutes of the first half gave North Texas some life, but it was obvious by the late flurry of scoring by Memphis that they were not going to let a little set back worry them. They are still the toughest out that no one is looking at.
2. Virginia was hot, which was key to them winning any game. Sean Singletary was at one point outscoring the entire Albany team. This should probably give Virginia some lift, but knowing that they are now going to be facing Tennessee who put up 121 on Long Beach State probably worries them a little bit.
Continue reading "Thoughts on Friday's First Round"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:12 PM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2007
Demise of Duke Overblown
It is no secret that Duke is hated across the country. Success breeds contempt and no one has had greater success even in down years than Coach K and the Blue Devils.
Last night's win by Virginia Commonwealth over Duke, therefore, was met across the country with numerous cheers. No, this wasn't the great Duke teams of old. This team had problems like almost every other team this season, but it was still a good team. And Virginia Commonwealth was not the easy first round opponent that Duke is used to facing. Truthfully, VCU probably got too low a seed for the success that they had this season, including a regular season and conference tournament victory in the CAA.
However, there is no reason to believe that Duke has collapsed like the headline which greeted us all on CBS Sportsline this morning:
Freeman: VCU exposes downfall of mighty Coach K Put a fork in the old Duke. The Rams add a little spice in what's a lackluster first round, handing the now-ordinary Blue Devils their first opening-round defeat since 1996.
Did I read that right? The downfall of the mighty Coach K? Coach K is destined to pass his mentor Bob Knight as the all-time wins leader in men's college basketball. He will likely be the first coach to pass 1000 victories. And yet, Mike Freeman thinks that Duke has lost its luster.
Continue reading "Demise of Duke Overblown"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)
Thursday Thoughts
The tournament tipped off yesterday and I spent the better part of it perched on a stool watching every minute of every game that CBS felt fit to actually show.
And there wasn't much worth showing. Blowouts galore, only one true upset and for the most part the seeds held. However, that was to be expected on day one. The real action is tipping off now, and I imagine there are a lot of brackets out there which have a couple of double digit seed winners today.
I had a "beer mishap" before the later games, not of my doing so I have only limited notes on the day. However, here were a few thoughts that I took away from Tournament Thursday.
1. No one was at the game in Buffalo for Davidson - Maryland, which was a shame since that game was probably the best game overall until the late night slate.
2. I got a lot of crap for the MRI only liking 3 Big XII teams to make the tournament. After Texas Tech's pathetic performance, I would like everyone to take back what they said. They helped to prove that the league was Kansas, Texas A&M and Texas, and then everyone else. The league's only saving grace might be Kansas State making the final 8 in the NIT should they beat DePaul in the second round of that tournament. Bob Huggins has the coaching skill to do it, but I am not convinced he has the talent.
Continue reading "Thursday Thoughts"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
March 12, 2007
Opening Round Game Racism
You want outrage over seeding? Don't complain if you are Duke, or Notre Dame, or Kentucky. If you want to really complain, you need to go to MAAC champion, Niagara.
The opening round game which will be played on Tuesday is entering its seventh year of existence, ever since the old WAC conference split into the WAC and Mountain West and the committee moved to preserve the 34 at-large bids.
This year's game features Florida A&M, who upset the regular season winner in the MEAC conference, and the Purple Eagles of Niagara. Niagara's coach, Joe Mihalich, was not very happy with this decision, especially since the opening round game, or play-in game, is supposed to match the two worst teams in the tournament, usually rated by the RPI of the teams. Niagara's RPI was better than five other teams in the field, making their selection for the game an anomaly.
But apparently this was done on purpose.
On Monday, selection committee chairman Gary Walters basically admitted that the move was done to avoid claims of racism.
Continue reading "Opening Round Game Racism"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 11:15 PM | Comments (0)
March 7, 2007
Rebuttal
I should have seen this coming. The biggest danger is catching up to the rest of the world with the MRI is that now my bracket projections are current and everyone is scrutinizing them from the Bracket Project Website.
So, in order to respond to some of the comments you will undoubtedly see on the site, I have put together this full rebuttal.
Let's talk a few baseline topics first.
#1: If you look at the Bracket Project, you will notice that I have a number of seeds in difference to the rest of the projected brackets. There is a good reason for this in that I use a totally different methodology than the other brackets. Without having looked at all 30 of them, I would assume that most if not all are done by hand, by a human, with a brain crunching most of the hard numbers.
The MRI bracket projections are different. The MRI bracket projections, other than placing the teams into the regions according to the bracketing rules and automatically including conference tournament winners, are done by computer, using only computer numbers, and registering out a result based on the rankings of teams in the MRI. That's it. No grand scheme of all the top three teams from a major conference assumed to be in. No bias for or against a certain conference. Just computer numbers.
This means, despite some of the comments, there is no bias. There can't be. I have no human input into the numbers outside of entering them by hand into the spreadsheet which calculates the ratings.
Now you may say that the Dance Card site does the same thing, and projects with greater accuracy the seedings, the teams, etc. That is true, because the Dance Card formula looks at the metrics around a team as established by the tournament committee as things they look at for selecting teams to the tournament. They essentially built a model to represent the brains of the committee. The MRI doesn't do that.
The MRI uses its own factors and strength of teams to pick the field. That is what leads to baseline #2.
#2: While I "seed" teams and place them into nice little brackets because that is what everyone is used to seeing when they come look for projections, that doesn't mean that a seed in my brackets is saying the same thing as a seed in the bulk of the other brackets.
What a seed in the MRI bracket is saying is that the team, over the course of the season, has shown that they will, on average, perform at the expected level of a seed of that number in the tournament. That means any team seeded lower than #9 will be gone after the first day. Anything lower than #4 will likely be gone after the second round, and so on to where the #1 seeds are what the MRI sees as the likely Final Four teams.
That doesn't mean there can't be upsets, or changes based on actual match-ups.
For an example, let's take a look at George Mason from last season.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 9:35 PM | Comments (2)
December 20, 2006
Does Wichita State Warrant Their Ranking
Before I begin, let me say, I am of the mind that the Missouri Valley is the 7th best conference in the country. They deserve multiple tournament bids, and likely should get three or four this season. There is no doubt that from top to bottom, that is a tough conference to win in, and it can compete with the teams from the top 6 conferences. We have already seen wins this year to show us that. MIssouri State beat Wisconsin, Northern Iowa took out Iowa State and Iowa, Southern Illinois won against Virginia Tech, and Wichita State beat LSU and Syracuse.
Wichita State. They are one of five teams without a loss after beating Kennesaw State on Tuesday night. As a result, they have rocketed up the rankings to #8 in the country. I, however, am not sure the high praise is warranted.
Continue reading "Does Wichita State Warrant Their Ranking"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 6:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 5, 2006
The Jimmy V Classic
Today is my favorite basketball day of the year. No Championship is on the line, and no tournament berths are at stake.
Instead, the basketball world comes together for one night to celebrate the life of one its own, and help to save the lives of many more. Tonight is the Jimmy V Classic.
Jim Valvano lept into the spotlight when his North Carolina State Wolfpack defeated the Houston Cougars (of Phi Slamma Jamma) to win the 1983 NCAA Basketball Championship. Valvano ran around the court like a madman, just looking for someone to hug.
Jimmy V was stricken with cancer and less that 10 years after the celebration of his amazing victory, Valvano was fighting for his life. However, while cancer took away the life in his body, it never took away the life in his spirit or his drive and passion.
During his last few years, he dedicated himself to raising money for cancer research, not to save himself, but to help those that came after him. The Jimmy V Foundation was set up to do just that. When he announced the formation of the foundation, he was accepting the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 1993 ESPY awards. This is probably my favorite speech of all time, at any event, anywhere, and you can read it at the Jimmy V Foundation website. (I would normally post it here, but the speech rights are owned by the foundation and there are no public domain videos of it. You can see a full length video here.)
It is rare that there is a charity where 100% of everything you contribute goes to research and the Jimmy V Foundation does just that. They recently received an endowment which allows them to give all of the donations to fight against cancer, not to pay bills. As I am sure is the case with many of you, a lot of people I know have been touched by cancer. Some have fought and won, others have fought and lost. I hope for a day when we can eliminate the second group and everyone fights and wins.
It is the holiday season and many of us are busy spending on gifts for our loved ones so there is probably not a lot of extra money to go around. If there is, please consider giving some to the Jimmy V Foundation.
I am sure Jimmy V would appreciate it.
"Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up."
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 5:20 PM | Comments (0)
November 30, 2006
Monson Resigns from Clemson
Apparently losing to Clemson by more than 20 is tough on a coach. However, it appears Dan Monson was less phased by the loss, than by the threat of a loss of money.
This story developed soon after I posted the ACC/Big Ten Challenge piece. Literally five minutes later, Monson was reported to be let go from his job, by his own choosing.
According to reports from ESPN's Andy Katz, Monson was given the choice earlier in the week whether to be fired or walk away. Walking away was guaranteed by the athletic director to give him more money.
And it did. Monson will be paid a little over a million dollars to leave, and will continue to receive his salary through March.
Monson took over at Minnesota after leading Gonzaga into the spotlight. I didn't think this was a good move when he did it. Minnesota was mired in controversy after Clem Haskins left. There were academic scandals, and I am sure there was more we never heard about. Monson had no chance, other than to make the program clean again. He did that, but couldn't get the Big Ten wins which would have saved his job.
Minnesota went from being a big name in the Big Ten to being an easy win under Monson. I think it will be some time before we see his name again in a big time coaching job.
He will be replaced by assistant coach Jim Molinari on an interim basis.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 8:20 PM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2006
Pre-Season NIT Final - Butler vs. Gonzaga
Last year was supposed to be the year of the mid-major. The Missouri Valley stormed into the NCAA tournament. The Colonial Athletic Association placed a team in the Final Four. Storied programs around the country struggled with their smaller foes all through the season.
And it looks early this season like the trend has continued.
Two schools which have been the poster children for small school success are set to take it to the big stage tonight as Butler and Gonzaga face off in Madison Square Garden. On the line, the Pre-season NIT championship.
Continue reading "Pre-Season NIT Final - Butler vs. Gonzaga"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:00 PM | Comments (1)
November 15, 2006
Little Sisters of The Poor
There is the tendency come tournament time to make fun of teams with less that tough schedules. The most common saying is that the team got to where they were by beating up on the "Little Sisters of the Poor".
Well, Prairie View A&M, a team that probably won't be talked about come tournament time no matter who they play, may actually have decided to do just that.
On Tuesday night, Prairie View defeated the Southwestern Assemblies of God Lions 61-57. Not exactly the drubbing that they expected I am sure, but a win is a win, even if it doesn't count.
Speaking of wins, anyone seen what Savannah State has been doing this year? The infamous doormat of Division I is undefeated. Yes, you read that right, undefeated, and it isn't because they haven't played yet. They are 3-0 after defeating Clark Atlanta (DII), Jacksonville, and Mercer. The Tigers better not get too used to winning, even though they have two more gimmee games next on their schedule.
They travel to Illinois on November 21st. That should end whatever winning streak that Savannah State has at the time.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 5:20 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2006
The Mailbag is Open
My mail doesn't come like that pictured, but I usually try to address all the email that comes across. As we saw last February, I seemed to attract a lot of attention with my views on the seeding and placement in the tournament, and I spent a lot of the early year pleading my case. Of course, George Mason getting to the Final Four sure made the MRI look pretty smart with the #16 rating they had most of the season.
I was at dinner last night, and mentioned that I got my first letter of this basketball season. I figure it is a record. I had only made one post in order to get it.
It seems to follow a pattern. Football season goes quietly. I can say that a team is not that great, or is dragging, and nothing. However, as soon as basketball season begins, the flood begins.
So what began the flood is year? My article stating that Michigan State wouldn't amount to much this season because of their performance against Brown.
Continue reading "The Mailbag is Open"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 8:00 PM | Comments (0)
November 12, 2006
First "Big Game" of the Season?
It may not seem like it, but tonight's game between Arizona and Virginia could go a long way towards saying what the fate of these teams may be this season.
The Arizona Wildcats are coming off of one of their worst seasons under Lute Olson and despite a #10 ranking, have a lot to prove this year. They should be helped out by the recruitment of Chase Budinger, a 6-7 freshman who should give Arizona a major presence at small forward. Olson has called Budinger possibly the most talented recruit ever at Arizona which is saying a lot about the young wingman. Budinger was also the national high school volleyball player of the year last year, so you know that he can jump. He will be joining a strong line-up of Mustafa Shakur, Marcus Williams and Ivan Radenovic, to provide a high powered offense that may not have been seen in the desert since the 1997 championship.
The reason this is a big game though, is that they will be facing a Virginia team which could surprise this season. The Cavaliers return the top scoring backcourt in the country in Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds. The two alone could give defenses some headaches, but they also add some big time help inside which could make Virginia an all-around nightmare.
Chances are that Arizona will walk away with the victory tonight, but let's be honest. A big game from Virginia, possibly keeping it close or stealing a win, could say a lot about where the Cavaliers will end up in this year's ACC. They were picked pre-season to finish 8th, but that is by no means a given in the always tough twelve team league. They have enough talent to challenge not only for a top five finish but also a chance at a NCAA tournament bid for the first time in six years.
Keep an eye on Virginia tonight, and also look to see if Arizona is as good as everyone thinks they will be. Yes, this is a big game.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 5:30 PM | Comments (0)
November 10, 2006
Who Will Be This Year's George Mason?
The buzz is already starting. People are wondering who will show up and become the team that shocks the world this season. They are being tabbed "The Next George Mason".
ESPN tackled this issue on Wednesday night during their broadcast of the Maryland-Vermont game. The first to weigh in was Jimmy Dykes. I am not a huge Dykes fan. I have watched him the last few years on the late games on Monday nights and more than not I disagree with him.
So, I am not sure whether I should be happy or fearful of his pick for this year's George Mason as he revealed them.
His four picks, with his reasoning after:
Continue reading "Who Will Be This Year's George Mason?"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)
November 9, 2006
Two Days In - Two Teams Not to Watch
The college basketball season has started with the Coaches vs. Cancer classic, this year expanded into a very large tournament. One of the teams that will be playing in the semi-finals coming up is Maryland, who took care of their first two opponents, Vermont and Hampton, with less than a concern.
However, there are plenty of concerns for the Terrapins, who last season missed the NCAA tournament last year. The biggest concern I would have is what they have done to address their issues inside. Ekene Ibekwe is good, but he got beat up last season in the ACC and didn't give the Terps the power they needed on the interior. This season, I already see concerns with Maryland on the inside and this was against Vermont and Hampton. They will be overmatched again in ACC play and may struggle to make the tournament for a second straight season.
Continue reading "Two Days In - Two Teams Not to Watch"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 5:00 PM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2006
Richard Billingsley Has Had Enough
Do you know who Richard Billingsley is? You should.
Why? Because for the past 8-plus years, you have blasted him and a number of men like him.
They are the ones who developed the computer formulas used in the BCS. And Billingsley is, for one, tired of it.
In an open letter to not only the fans of the sport, but also to ABC and FOX, the college football expert reacts to the very harsh criticism which has been laid against him in the past week, corresponding with the release of the first BCS rankings.
Being one of those out there in the world with a computer ranking system for football (There are at least 75 others that you can see here), I have to say I agree with him.
Continue reading "Richard Billingsley Has Had Enough"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:30 PM | Comments (0)
September 18, 2006
Duquesne Players Shot, Suspect Still At Large
It is not often that Duquesne gets any press in the MRI. They haven't finished in the Top 25 in my basketball rankings yet, and they most definitely haven't made the tournament since the MRI started.
And yet, it has been quite some time since we have had a tragedy like this one where multiple members of a single team are involved. The last one in my memory was the plane crash back in 1999 which took the lives of half of Oklahoma State's basketball team midway through the season.
Five Duquesne basketball players were shot coming out of a school sponsored party early on Sunday morning. The suspect fired into a crowd after approaching the players and then following them as they walked back towards the campus. The suspect is still on the loose. Shawn James, one of the injured players, relayed the story of shooting to Andy Katz of ESPN.com earlier today.
One player remains in critical condition while two others are still in the hospital. The other two players were treated and released.
Not that it is of any importance at a time like this, but basketball practice is set to begin on October 13. Given the nature of the injuries, it appears that Duquesne may be without the services of at least two of the players for a significant amount of time. Two of the injured players were transfers and would have had to sit out the season under NCAA rules.
Here's holding out hope for the remaining hospitalized players and that the police capture the shooter soon.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 6:00 PM | Comments (0)
April 1, 2006
The Final Four, April 1st, 2006
Sitting in Columbia, South Carolina, the Gamecocks are celebrating a second straight victory in the NIT. And while they are celebrating, the bigger championship is still to be decided. Playing for that championship are two teams that South Carolina knows well, LSU and Florida, currently seen as possible favorites for a finals rematch.
What does the MRI say about the Final Four?
Continue reading "The Final Four, April 1st, 2006"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:45 PM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2006
Clock is stopped at 11:59, Cinderella Still Dancing
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!
George Mason pulls off what was an unbelievable upset. The Patriots will be making the trip to Indianapolis thanks to their overtime victory over the Connecticut Huskies.
Rashad Anderson couldn't make magic this time as the game ran out. The lead for George Mason, yes the lead, was too much for Connecticut to overcome in overtime with just Anderson's magic.
Marcus Williams tried all he good to will back the Huskies. Rudy Gay disappeared once he had four fouls. Hilton Armstrong and Josh Boone were beaten by the smaller Patriot team on the boards.
Lamar Butler, Will Thomas, Tony Skinn, Jai Lewis, and coach Jim Larranaga, keep on dancing. You've definitely earned it.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:10 PM | Comments (1)
MRI Predicts the Final Four - Sunday
The MRI is still stinging from yesterday. Two 80% confidence games, two losses.
Things to learn from that?
- There is no way that Texas can win when LaMarcus Aldridge can't hit a shot from within 10 feet of the basket.
- Even though they tried, Memphis can't win while Rodney Carney is in foul trouble and they only hit two three point baskets on the night.
It was painful as anything to watch the UCLA-Memphis game. Both teams were shooting terribly and UCLA didn't make it any better with their foul shooting.
So what does the MRI have to say today, to make up for yesterday's losses?
Washington Region: Connecticut (1) vs. George Mason (11)
MRI Predicts: Connecticut Confidence factor: 72.80%
Minneapolis Region: Villanova (1) vs. Florida (3)
MRI Predicts: Florida Confidence factor: 59.93%
All I can say is Go Gators! Enjoy the games.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:30 AM | Comments (0)
March 25, 2006
MRI Predicts the Final Four - Saturday
The MRI is celebrating being correct on seven of the eight Sweet Sixteen contests.
With only seven games left in the tournament, the computer still has a chance to get all seven correct as it predicted them before the tournament started.
As for round by round, the computer is excelling even more.
So who will be the first two participants in the final four?
Atlanta Regional: Texas (2) vs. LSU (4)
MRI Predicts: Texas Confidence factor: 79.16%
Oakland Regional: Memphis (1) vs. UCLA (2)
MRI Predicts: Memphis Confidence factor: 79.16%
As a sneak peak to the Sunday games, the MRI is predicting Connecticut and Florida to move on for now. Tune in tomorrow for the exact percentages.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:30 PM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2006
Tournament Musings: Sweet 16 Friday
I am still trying to catch my breath. The highlights keep rolling on ESPN, repeatedly showing the last few seconds of the final two games from Thursday.
Kenton Paulino deftly catching the pass from AJ Abrams with his left hand and in one motion stopping his rush up the court and jumping from about three feet beyond the arc. Swish! Game over. Texas advances.
Jordan Farmar steals the ball from over JP Batista's head in the back court and tosses it to Luc Richard Mbah a Moute for an easy two points. Derek Raivio rushes up the court with the ball, harassed by the UCLA defense. The ball is knocked from him and Mbah a Moute dives to the floor to cover it up forcing the tie-up. Arron Afflalo manages to hit one free throw after getting fouled on the inbounds pass, keeping hope for the Zags alive. Gonzaga has one last heave down court to Batista. Clunk! Game over. UCLA survives and Adam Morrison collapses to the floor in tears.
Within about the game space of about a minutes, two No. 2 seeds survive what were amazing games.
Not to take anything away from the earlier two contests, but the second two were games that rival the finishes of last season's Regional Finals. And there is no reason to suspect that they won't lead to great games on Saturday making us recall last year's games once again.
So, with Thursday's games done and Saturday's games set, the MRI takes a look at Friday's schedule and who should still be playing on Sunday afternoon.
Continue reading "Tournament Musings: Sweet 16 Friday"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:00 PM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2006
Tournament Musings: Sweet 16 Thursday
8 games, two days, getting us to what last year was the most exciting two days of the season.
Not to take anything away from the championship game last year, or the Final Four, but it was all downhill after the Regional Finals.
So who is going to make it to the Regional Finals this year and try to live up to last year's buzzer beaters, comebacks and shockers?
Let's see what the MRI has to say about Thursday's games.
Continue reading "Tournament Musings: Sweet 16 Thursday"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 12:00 PM | Comments (2)
Will He? Won't He?
There are conflicting reports this morning around the Kansas State job. According to some sources, Bob Huggins, the embattled ex-Cincinnati head coach will be heading to Manhattan to take the Wildcats job. According to his agent, Huggins hasn't signed a contract. According to the school, no press conference has been scheduled even though the Kansas City Star thinks there is one this afternoon.
So much for taking their time and going through an exhaustive search if this is true.
I guess this also means that Mark Turgeon is out of the picture.
Don't get me wrong. I like Bob Huggins as a coach. I think he did phenomenal things at Cincinnati and he grabs talent from all over the country, from the unlikeliest of places. He would do the same thing at Kansas State and the Big XII will be a different place with him. Of course, we said the same thing about Bob Knight when he went to Texas Tech, but don't let anyone tell you that going to Lubbock is different than it used to be before he got there.
Still, a part of me is hoping that Howard Richman shows up for the news conference in Manhattan and is the only guy in the room.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 7:00 AM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2006
Raiding the Missouri Valley
In case you missed it, Iowa State hired Northern Iowa coach Greg McDermott to lead the Cyclones next season. McDermott has led the Northern Iowa Panthers to three straight appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Iowa State is plucking their coach from an in-state school in an up and coming conference, one that I feel might over the next few years, shed the label of mid-major. This despite living under the footprint of two well established major conferences in the Big Ten and Big XII.
This begs the question, where might the coaches of other successful Missouri Valley teams end up, given the coaching vacancies that have been arising.
Continue reading "Raiding the Missouri Valley"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2006
What? No Coverage?
I am sure the number of hits on my site has been down over the last week. No one is looking for tournament projections. No one is looking for how to fill out their brackets. No one is trying to figure out how I can have omitted Marquette and West Virginia from my field. I can't tell for certain though because the stats program that is supposed to run on the site hasn't worked since February 11th, and I was a little preoccupied to get a ticket in to get it fixed. Needless to say, I am probably well shy of the 1,000,000 unique hits that are necessary to qualify for an internet media pass to the Final Four, but that doesn't mean I don't like to try.
For those looking for coverage of the first two rounds, sorry, it's not here. But that doesn't mean that I don't have something planned about the tournament. I spent four straight days watching basketball. Other than running, sleeping, and eating (and even sometimes while doing that), I was watching the tournament from various locations from Thursday at tip-off until Sunday Night when the final points were scored in the Arizona-Villanova game.
Continue reading "What? No Coverage?"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 6:30 PM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2006
Tournament Musings: Lines 5 through 8
Now that you have the inside track on the top lines in the bracket, what are you going to do on the tough match-ups, the games anywhere from the 5-12 to the 8-9. We all know there are some trends but what do the rules from the first part tell us about the other games?
Let's keep looking at that first round.
Continue reading "Tournament Musings: Lines 5 through 8"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:00 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2006
Tournament Musings: The Rules and the Top 4 lines
People think that just because I have a rating system, I always pick the games strictly according to the numbers.
Some of that is true, but a lot of that is not. The best brackets I have always have a bit of knowledge soaked into them to complement the numbers.
So what is that knowledge? I'll tell you. Let's look at the 2006 bracket and make some picks.
Continue reading "Tournament Musings: The Rules and the Top 4 lines"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 8:00 PM | Comments (0)
Tournament Backlash
I wasn't particularly pleased seeing Air Force and Utah State pop up on Selection Sunday. Don't get me wrong, they were teams that were definitely worthy of playing in the post-season, just not in the NCAA tournament. And while my numbers didn't exactly have Marquette, West Virginia, Seton Hall or Indiana in the field, I can understand their selection to the dance.
What I can't understand for the life of me is the reaction by Billy Packer and Jim Nantz on Sunday night during their interview with Tournament Selection Committee chair, Craig Littlepage. Even after brow-beating the man for 10 minutes, they wouldn't let him congratulate the field. It was as if they thought the field was wrong, so none of the teams deserved any praise from the man who chose them.
Continue reading "Tournament Backlash"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 8:00 AM | Comments (0)
March 6, 2006
Performance Problems, But This Isn't the Cause
I would normally say that this is the reason for the Tennessee slide as of late, but these players barely appear on the court.
Two Vols were arrested on possession of crack cocaine with intent to sell and one of the pair added a charge for possession of marijuana.
Than again, maybe they needed all this to help them stand sitting on the bench watching as their season slowly slips away from them. No worries about that now as both have been suspended.
Tennessee has lost three of its last five games heading into the SEC tournament which begins this Thursday in Nashville, TN.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)
March 2, 2006
People Go to College to LEARN?!?
Wednesday marked the first release of the NCAA's newest attempt to keep an eye on their athlete's education. The Academic Progress Rate, or APR, is based on a formula which gives a school credit for having athletes who maintain their grades and also do not transfer or drop out of school. The NCAA then measures this performance against their standards and will begin assessing penalties for schools who do not make the grade.
Continue reading "People Go to College to LEARN?!?"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:00 PM | Comments (2)
March 1, 2006
Pop(s) Goes One Bubble
According to ESPN.com, the injury Pops Mensah-Bonsu sustained to his knee during the George Washington game against La Salle is more serious than originally thought. It will now require surgery to remove a piece of cartilage in the knee and that will keep Pops sidelined through the Atlantic 10 tournament.
This leaves the door open for a team from the Atlantic 10 to steal the automatic bid for the conference and potentially add that elusive second bid for the league.
Continue reading "Pop(s) Goes One Bubble"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)
2001 Illinois All-State Basketball Team
The Peoria Journal Star runs an article every day in the sports page highlighting sports moments occurring 5,10, 25, and 50 years ago. This weekend, the interesting fact in the five year section was the selection of the Associated Press Class AA all-state basketball team in Illinois.
Continue reading "2001 Illinois All-State Basketball Team"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
NIT Clinchers
UPDATED: March 12, 2006
Thanks to a new rule for the NIT allowing all regular season conference winners bids to the NIT, the following teams have already clinched themselves a place to play in March, no matter what happens over the next two weeks. Probable NCAA teams are noted with asterisks.
Continue reading "NIT Clinchers"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 8:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2006
Three Coaches and a Record
The departures of Quin Snyder, Eddie Sutton, and Mike Davis had been written on the wall for a while. Sutton had already placed his son on the bench beside him, priming him to take over when the venerable coach had finished his reign. Missouri had been sliding down a long hill for the past few years, receiving accolades they weren't due and building a large file in the NCAA offices. Indiana never seemed to embrace Mike Davis, despite his National Championship loss to Maryland in 2002. All three will be absent from the bench soon, though there are some lingering questions in the air.
Continue reading "Three Coaches and a Record"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:00 PM | Comments (2)
February 18, 2006
Bracket Busters, Part 3
The final five games of the Bracket Buster weekend feature some of the best chances for a big run come tournament time. What does the MRI say about the evening run of games?
Continue reading "Bracket Busters, Part 3"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
Bracket Busters, Part 2
There are 11 more games on the slate for Bracket Buster weekend. The MRI is encouraged by a great record after the first night so here are more predictions for the beginning part of the day.
Continue reading "Bracket Busters, Part 2"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2006
Bracket Busters, Part 1
With only 20 minutes until tip-off in two of the all important Bracket Buster games, the MRI is going to take a shot at projecting the winners early.
Continue reading "Bracket Busters, Part 1"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 5:38 PM | Comments (0)
February 1, 2006
AP Editors Sleeping
I am sure I have made plenty of mistakes in my writing over the past five years, so this may be a case of me throwing stones when I live in a glass house.
However, there is a certain level of quality that we should expect out of the AP. The Associated Press provides stories to so many news outlets and websites that it is safe to say that almost half of what we consistently read at ESPN.com or in the paper is written and edited by the AP. So, when there is a rash of mistakes, it tends to get noticed. There have been two that I have noticed since Thursday, and probably more lurking in the wings.
Continue reading "AP Editors Sleeping"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 6:15 PM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2006
Couch Musings - January 17, 2006
It is halftime of the Illinois-Indiana game and already I am starting to worry about my article from Monday. Why is it that nothing can actually go the way that I think it will? A couple of thoughts on last night's contests.
Continue reading "Couch Musings - January 17, 2006"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 6:52 PM | Comments (0)
January 16, 2006
Injuries and Returns
Injuries have begun to plague teams trying to compete this year. UCLA, Indiana, and Duke have all been hit. Some of them actually thought they were going to get their injured players back, only to see them go back down again, some for good. While all this is happening, Randolph Morris came back to Kentucky. Not that it did them any good.
Continue reading "Injuries and Returns"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 5:30 PM | Comments (0)
April 3, 2005
You Get What You Asked For
After an amazing Elite Eight series of 4 games which saw 3 games in Overtime, one a double affair, it is no wonder that the two Final Four games failed to be as exciting. Two fairly even first halves, including a Michigan State lead, gave way to what many had been anticipating all season. Illinois and North Carolina asserted their dominance with defense and talent and pulled away from their respective foes setting up a final which could be talked about for years.
Continue reading "You Get What You Asked For"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:31 PM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2005
6 Games
Six games. That is all that remains between us and the field of 65. Twelve teams, some playing just to get into the field, others playing for a better seed. The winner of the SWAC can pretty much be assured of playing on Tuesday. The winner of the Southland game will know that they have to face one of the top 8 teams in the country, and would have to do something that only 4 teams have ever done. The other games, those are the gravy. Match-ups with teams playing for a banner, a seed a little higher, and the glory that comes with a championship season.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:27 PM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2005
Week 10 Commentary
The emails have started again. You know the ones I am talking about. They are the ones that consistently question how an undefeated Illinois team could possibly be listed below a North Carolina team with 3 losses, including a loss that came this week. There are a couple of responses to this. First, the loss earlier in the week did cause North Carolina to actually lose rating points for the week as a whole. Illinois, therefore, did gain on them in the rankings while pulling even further away from the #3 team, which was Kansas (though that will change again after Monday night's loss to Texas Tech). Second, the performance of Illinois in its wins against Michigan and Wisconsin was not something that shouted out the praises of the team. Sure they came from behind in the Michigan game and yes, they beat a Wisconsin team bent on revenge, yet Illinois was not the dominant team that they had been just a few weeks before which begs the question if they are getting tired.
Continue reading "Week 10 Commentary"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
February 7, 2005
Week 9 Commentary
It has been quite a couple of weeks since the MRI last graced the pages of Sitting Courtside. The one thing I can say is true is that no team is immune to a lapse right now. North Carolina has been beaten, not in the last two weeks, but they have been beaten. Illinois has had some scary moments when they have looked less than the #1 voted team in the land. In the land of the major conference teams, the bottom has consistently been knocking on the doors of the top teams and coming hard at them, winning some, losing some, but playing hard and upsets are bound to happen.
Continue reading "Week 9 Commentary"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 10:49 AM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2005
Week 7 Commentary
Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, I have been missing lately. No games to watch, no musings. Not that those things haven't gone on. I just haven't had the chance to write about them.
Well, all that is changed. I am back with a vengeance, and the first thing I have for you in my triumphant return is the review of Week 7.
Continue reading "Week 7 Commentary"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 11:07 AM | Comments (1)
January 12, 2005
Wilkinson Badgers Buckeyes
When you win 36 games in a row and 51 out of 53, you have to have some breaks go your way. When Wisconsin took to the floor on Tuesday night, they were hoping for just that. Earlier in the day, it was decided that leading scorer and second leading rebounder Alando Tucker would be sitting out the game against Ohio State after an ankle and foot injury he suffered on Sunday during practice. Without Tucker, they were losing almost a quarter of their offense.
Continue reading "Wilkinson Badgers Buckeyes"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2004
You Have Learned Well Grasshopper
Tuesday night was the fourth meeting between Bobby Knight and Steve Alford on the basketball court, and the first triumph for the Alford led team. The Iowa Hawkeyes soundly beat Texas Tech 83-53 at the United Center in Chicago to continue their season with only a single blemish coming against North Carolina. Earlier in the year, I commented on how Alford needed this season to be fantastic if he hoped to continue holding onto his job at Iowa. If Tuesday night was any indication of how Iowa will play in the Big Ten, then Alford's team will not only see the NCAA tournament, they will be in the Sweet 16, and Alford will keep his job.
Continue reading "You Have Learned Well Grasshopper"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2004
Omission Mission
Oops. Leave it to me to forget the one thing I wrote in my notebook last night. Shavlik Randolph, one of the few Duke big men, is out indefinitely with mono. This can not be a good sign for the Blue Devils. While Randolph has not been as effective as Sheldon Williams this season in Duke's games, he was still another inside presence. Without him, Duke is very small. They will have to rely on freshman David McClure who was not the freshman that impressed me so far this season. The shooting of JJ Redick and Daniel Ewing will now be key for Duke if they want to continue winning this season. When the shots stop falling, you will have to wonder what Duke will be able to do. Look for them to lose a few games that they should have won, and would have won with Randolph. The first real test will be NC State on January 13th, but they should not overlook Temple on the 8th. John Chaney may have a way to take down the Blue Devil machine.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:12 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2004
Week 3: Pride of the Illini
Illinois managed to move into the #1 spot this week in the rankings after just missing edging Georgia Tech last week. A big win over Valparaiso on Sunday combined with Gonzaga beating the Yellow Jackets set the Illini firmly on top of the standings. Clemson and Florida join the Top 25 this week, and Texas moved into the Top 10 despite a loss to Wake Forest. Dropping out were Marquette who lost to Arizona, and Wichita State, who is still undefeated. The Shockers played a close game with Tulsa and came out with the win, but it was not enough to keep them in the blue numbers of the Top 25.
Continue reading "Week 3: Pride of the Illini"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:34 PM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2004
For the Basketball Fan Who Has Everything
It's December 16th. There are, counting today, only 9 shopping days until Christmas. I know you are all done with your shopping like good Santa's helpers. If you have been a bad elf this year, it is time to get cracking.
Kyle Whelliston, who runs a very detailed blog called the Mid-Majority, and is also on a quest to attend 100 College Basketball games this season, offers up a few suggestions.
Personally, I am partial to the stuffed Big Red.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)
Batman vs. Two-Face
Last year, Depaul made the NCAA tournament and defeated Dayton in the first round before being run over by eventual champion Connecticut to the tune of a 27 point loss. The MRI didn't think that Depaul deserved to go to the tournament despite tying for the Conference USA title. Thanks to the tournament committee, Depaul got a friendly match-up against Dayton, another team the MRI didn't think deserved to be there. Anyone who watched the game between those two could see that neither team displayed the type of play that proved they should be there.
Continue reading "Batman vs. Two-Face"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:58 PM | Comments (1)
December 15, 2004
Leather and Swift Strike Again
Just in case you thought I missed it last night, Terrence Leather again displayed his shooting skill in South Florida's game against South Carolina. Leather shot 10 for 13 from the floor and scored 24 points for the Bulls in the 72-70 loss. Combined with Brain Swift's 13, together they again generated over half of the South Florida offense. They came very close to getting the win but two shots by Swift in the final moments of the game refused to fall for the Bulls. Leather is quickly making a case for All-Conference honors in a league dominated by great guard play (Think Louisville and Depaul). It is a shame he won't be around one more year to help the Bulls inside against a much bigger and tougher Big East next season.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:56 PM | Comments (0)
Welcome to my Home
There are several givens in life. We all die. Most of us pay taxes. 16 seeds don't win the first round games in the NCAA tournament. Duke doesn't lose at home against non-conference opponents. Read that last one again. Duke doesn't lose at home against non-conference opponents. Since Mike Krzyzewski took over the program, they are 176-8 against non-conference teams playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium, including 160 of the last 163.
Continue reading "Welcome to my Home"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2004
Week 2: The Cream Rises to the Top
The top teams in the league were able to pull themselves to the top of the ratings this week in the MRI. Illinois made a big jump with an impressive win over Oregon. This should quiet those who felt that last week's rating was too low for them. However, Illinois does not lead. That honor goes to the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech this week. Many believe that this team is playing better than they were at the end of last season when they went to the championship game.
Continue reading "Week 2: The Cream Rises to the Top"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:46 PM | Comments (0)
Saturday Afternoon: Lounging with the Big Ten
Saturday afternoon, two college teams invaded the home stadiums of their closest NBA franchises. One drew a crowd which hadn't packed the stadium since the glory days of the franchise during the mid-90s. For their game, they put on a show belonging in the NBA, with high flying dunks and crisp play. The other team played a tough inside game reminiscent of older teams which used to play in the arena, all the while wearing flashy silver uniforms which seemed to belong in the NBA.
Continue reading "Saturday Afternoon: Lounging with the Big Ten"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:43 PM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2004
Saturday Morning: Flipping Channels
With the regular season over in football, and most schools either finishing finals or not starting yet, there were close to 100 basketball games on Saturday to match Division 1 teams. With so many games going on though, there were a few match-ups that kept me with my finger on the remote control buttons and switching the channel every few minutes.
Continue reading "Saturday Morning: Flipping Channels"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:40 PM | Comments (0)
December 8, 2004
The Jimmy V Foundation
In case you live in a hole and didn't watch basketball last night, or you were so put off by the first 5 minutes of the Pittsburgh-Memphis game that you didn't stick around or pay attention, last night was the Jimmy V Classic.
I wouldn't normally make this plea, because I am not a big charity drive type of guy. Don't take that the wrong way. I give to a few charities which mean something to me and if someone I knew asked me to contribute, I would definitely put some money forward. I just don't like hitting people up for money. The only time I have was for my first 5K run which was sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation. I asked for money for the charity, but the idea was to support the fact that I had made some major changes in my life to get to that point.
Each year, ESPN puts on the Jimmy V Classic. For those that don't know, Jim Valvano was the coach of North Carolina State back in the 1980s. He was a great friend of a lot of the broadcasters on ESPN and he was a fun coach to watch. He was very animated on the sidelines and when he stopped coaching, he was very animated when he called games. If you have ever watched college basketball, you can't help but remember seeing him run wildly around the court after his team won the National Championship, in 1983, as he looked for someone to hug.
Jimmy V lost his life less than 10 years after that to cancer. During the last few years of his life, he dedicated himself to raising money for cancer research, not to save himself, but to help those that came after him. The Jimmy V foundation was set up to do just that. When he announced the formation of the Foundation, he was accepting the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 1993 ESPY awards. This is probably my favorite speech of all time, at any event, anywhere, and you can read it at the Jimmy V foundation website.
It is rare that there is a charity where 100% of everything you contribute goes to research and the Jimmy V Foundation is about the closest thing you will find. A lot of people I know have been touched by cancer. Some have fought and won, others have fought and lost. I hope for a day when we can eliminate the second group and everyone fights and wins.
It is the Holiday Season and many of us are busy spending on gifts for our loved ones so there is probably not a lot of extra money to go around. If there is, please consider giving some to the Jimmy V Foundation. I gave mine last night.
You can link here to their site. Please do what you can to help this fight.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 3:36 PM | Comments (0)
Defending the MRI #2
Those of you who read my articles in On The Field will recognize the title of this post. This will be one of the series of articles where I answer reader emails which complain about the position of their team in the rankings. I had one email from an Illini alumnus but I am choosing to answer a different email instead in this column.
Continue reading "Defending the MRI #2"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 2:21 PM | Comments (0)
December 7, 2004
Revenge of the Mid-Majors
The MRI numbers first filtered through the spreadsheet last Thursday which was exciting and scary at the same time. It is always tough to tell what the first numbers will look like before they happen. Part of the reason is that the numbers are based on league averages in certain categories and because of this, I can't even see the league average until everyone has a first game under their belt. The second reason is that so much changes from day to day over the course of the first few weeks of the season that one moment, a team could be destined for the #1 spot and the next they are in 39th place. Still, it is exciting to watch as the blue numbers run down the spreadsheet and the first teams are highlighted for the Top 25.
Continue reading "Revenge of the Mid-Majors"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 2:19 PM | Comments (0)
December 1, 2004
Big Ten-ACC Challenge
This post is the recreation of an email discussion I had with a friend of mine. He started this whole thing before last night's game but after the opening game between North Carolina State and Purdue.
Continue reading "Big Ten-ACC Challenge"
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:56 PM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2004
Basketball as Life
Think for a moment about something that you excel at. Something that you might have spent the last 26 years of your life involved in. Think about that one thing defining so much who you are that without it, no one would know you. Now think about Steve Alford.
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Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:55 PM | Comments (0)
November 15, 2004
More on Longwood
Ken Pomeroy is a man with a few more contacts than me. He adds to the discussion of the four new Division 1 teams by interviewing the coach from Longwood. You can check out his interview here.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:49 PM | Comments (0)
Communism is Upsetting
I found this article while surfing through Yoni Cohen's College Basketball blog. I chose to link to it not for the reason he did, the banning of the Rock n Roll Part 2 Cheer at Maryland, but because of the last paragraph.
Meanwhile, the 4,000-seat student section that rings the Comcast Center court will be known as "Garyland." Last year's designation — the Red Army — was withdrawn after alumni objected it referred to the Soviet Union.
Yes, and nothing else in college basketball has ever been offensive before. Now, someone is upset about the Soviet Union? And to add to the thought, you are telling me that with all the students who go to that school, they couldn't come up with a better name for the section than "Garyland"? Personally, if I was an opponent, I would feel a little more intimidated by "The Red Army" than something that sounds like a theme park in some guy's backyard dedicated to himself.
Sorry, Maryland, you got this choice very wrong.
Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:47 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2004
Mississippi State Survives
He came back, but he hasn't played yet. Mississippi State All-Everything forward Lawrence Roberts came back to school this year to play out his Senior season. If the first two games without Roberts are any indication, the team is going to be very glad that he did.
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Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:45 PM | Comments (0)
Breathe Deep, It Begins
Can you smell that? I do. It is the smell of a new leather ball being rolled out onto the court. The smell of new sneakers (Thank goodness they haven't been worn yet). The smell of a college field house. The smell of popcorn and hotdogs and stale pizza being reheated.
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Posted by Benjamin Miraski at 1:40 PM | Comments (0)