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Post by Admin on Apr 4, 2007 20:49:45 GMT -5
Different stage - same results ... DaShaun had the best overall game on the first day in Portsmouth: 7 of 11 shooting (including 3 of 6 on three-pointers), 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and of course, his team won.
HOLIDAY INN-PORTSMOUTH vs TIDEWATER SEALANTS 04/04/07 7:00 PM at Portsmouth,VA - Churchland High
HOLIDAY INN-PORTSMOUTH 110 Total 3-point Rebounds ## Player p fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta off-def tot pf tp a to blk stl min 12 WOOD,Dashaun * 7-11 3-6 1-2 1-5 6 3 18 9 2 0 3 36 14 VASYLIUS,Valdas * 5-11 1-2 0-0 1-6 7 2 11 4 3 0 1 18 15 ALEXANDER,DeAngelo * 9-14 5-9 2-2 1-4 5 1 25 0 0 1 1 17 32 CARTER,Russell * 6-12 1-2 1-1 1-3 4 3 14 5 4 0 3 18 52 TOLLIVER,Anthony * 3-4 1-2 7-10 1-7 8 2 14 2 0 3 2 35 24 CAGE,Justin - 5-6 0-0 0-1 1-3 4 2 10 2 0 0 0 31 30 HARRIS,Dion - 2-10 1-4 2-2 3-1 4 0 7 6 3 0 0 24 40 HUGHES,James - 5-10 0-0 1-1 2-3 5 2 11 0 0 1 0 21 TM TEAM - - - - 4-1 5 0 - - - - - - Totals.............. - 42-78 12-25 14-19 15-33 48 15 110 28 12 5 10 200 53.8% 48.0% 73.7%
Team summary: FG 3FG FT 1st Half: 21-40 6-13 8-12 52.5% 46.2% 66.7% 2nd Half: 21-38 6-12 6-7 55.3% 50.0% 85.7%
TIDEWATER SEALANTS 71 Total 3-point Rebounds ## Player p fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta off-def tot pf tp a to blk stl min 01 SCHILB,Blake * 1-5 0-1 0-0 1-1 2 1 2 2 2 0 1 34 02 JAABER,Ibrahim * 2-7 0-1 1-2 0-2 2 2 5 5 2 2 1 18 05 DOWDELL,Zabian * 9-14 0-1 4-5 0-2 2 0 22 1 3 0 2 23 14 BRADSHAW,Craig * 6-17 0-1 1-4 2-5 7 1 13 0 2 0 1 28 21 ABUKAR,Mohamed * 3-9 0-0 2-2 3-5 8 2 8 0 2 2 0 26 10 SAMARCO,Martin - 3-8 2-6 2-2 0-0 0 1 10 2 3 0 0 25 11 TRAVIS,Romeo - 1-2 0-0 0-0 1-3 4 3 2 3 3 2 2 25 12 WIGGINS, Alan - 4-6 0-0 1-2 0-3 3 6 9 1 0 0 1 21 TM TEAM - - - - 4-3 7 0 - - - - - - Totals.............. - 29-68 2-10 11-17 11-24 35 16 71 14 18 6 8 200 42.6% 20.0% 64.7%
Team summary: FG 3FG FT 1st Half: 12-29 0-5 3-7 41.4% 0.0% 42.9% 2nd Half: 17-39 2-5 8-10 43.6% 40.0% 80.0%
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total HOLIDAY INN-PORTSMOUTH 56 54 110 TIDEWATER SEALANTS 27 44 71
Officials: Larry Rose, Donnie Gray, Duke Edsell Technical fouls: HOLIDAY INN-PORTSMOUTH-None. TIDEWATER SEALANTS-None. Attendance:
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Post by Admin on Apr 2, 2007 20:09:21 GMT -5
sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2822896Heath named South Florida coach By Andy Katz ESPN.com Former Arkansas coach Stan Heath landed quite nicely after being fired just a week ago, getting the head coaching job at South Florida. Closer Look: Stan Heath's Record Stan Heath was fired from Arkansas, despite leading the Razorbacks to two consecutive 20-win seasons. Overall, he's 112-77 in six seasons as a Division I head coach. School Years Overall NCAAs Kent State 2002 30-6 Elite Eight Arkansas 2003-2007 82-71 Lost in first round, 2006 and 2007 Heath agreed Monday to a five-year contract to take over the struggling program and try to transform the Bulls into a contender in the Big East. Including incentives, the deal is worth up to $4.275 million. Heath replaces Robert McCullum and jumps from being fired in the SEC to hired in the Big East, a week to the day he was let go in Fayetteville. South Florida will hold a 3 p.m. ET news conference Tuesday in Tampa, the school announced Monday. Heath leaves an Arkansas team that was 7-9 in the SEC, 21-14 overall and went to two straight NCAA Tournaments, including last month, losing to USC in the first round. He takes over a program that finished 3-13 in the Big East, 12-18 overall and hasn't made the Big East tournament in the past two seasons since moving over to Conference USA. Heath was stunned that he was let go at Arkansas last week when athletic director Frank Broyles called him for a scheduled end-of-season meeting. Broyles tried to get Texas A&M's Billy Gillispie to replace Heath but apparently has settled on Creighton's Dana Altman. South Florida athletic director Doug Woolard pursued Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall and flew him to Tampa after visiting with him in his home but was rebuffed. He then made a play for ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla after also talking to South Alabama's John Pelphrey and former Virginia coach Pete Gillen. His next turn was to go after Kevin O'Neill, the former Marquette, Tennessee and Toronto Raptors' coach. A source close to Woolard told ESPN.com on Saturday that O'Neill was close to being the coach but there could be a hiccup in the process. Later, ESPN.com learned that an offer wasn't tendered to O'Neill and that Woolard and Heath had clearly hit it off. Heath emerged as the leader in the last 24 hours and the deal was sealed. Senior writer Andy Katz covers men's college basketball for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Post by Admin on Apr 2, 2007 20:04:49 GMT -5
sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2822209Updated: April 2, 2007, 8:58 PM ET Altman takes over as Arkansas hoops coach ESPN.com news services FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- For 13 years, Dana Altman was content at Creighton, helping the Bluejays win 20 games season after season. Now, Altman has finally found another job that appeals to him -- coaching the Arkansas Razorbacks. "I've had conversations with a number of schools," Altman said. "I just felt like at 48 years of age, the time was right. ... But more importantly, it was the opportunity. Arkansas has great tradition." Altman was named the Razorbacks' new basketball coach Monday, ending their weeklong search to replace the fired Stan Heath. Altman was 260-141 at Creighton. The Nebraska school went 22-11 this season for its ninth straight 20-win season, a Missouri Valley Conference record. Creighton officials were more concerned recently that Altman could be off to Iowa, which is a job he had coveted. But the Hawkeyes never contacted Altman. No one was convinced that Altman was going to Arkansas. Scott Sutton of Oral Roberts, who was a former Bluejays coach who left there to go to Arkansas, is a possible replacement for Altman, according to ESPN.com's Andy Katz. Sutton is the son of legendary coach Eddie Sutton. In 1974, Eddie Sutton came to Arkansas from Creighton. A source close to the situation said Creighton also is losing athletics director Bruce Rasmussen, who will go with Altman to Arkansas as his director of operations for men's basketball. The move, viewed as a step down for an athletics director, would put Rasmussen in line for an administrative position once athletics director Frank Broyles retires, which is expected at the end of the year, the source said. Altman was introduced at a news conference in Bud Walton Arena, with athletic director Frank Broyles leading a "Pig Sooie" cheer. Altman might need some tutoring on that famous tradition -- and he was quick to look back on his days at Creighton. "You don't stay in a place 13 years, and in 72 hours change your feelings about a special place and a special group of players that I had," Altman said. "So today, although I'm very excited, has also been very tough." Altman is 343-208 in 18 years at the Division I level. He coached at Marshall and Kansas State before going to Creighton. He has been linked to other jobs in the past -- such as Illinois and Minnesota -- but the Bluejays managed to keep him until now. Heath was fired March 26, and Arkansas eyed Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie. The Razorbacks also received permission to talk to Memphis coach John Calipari -- so Altman probably isn't the type of big name some Arkansas fans were hoping for. Broyles said he knows of very few recent examples of a coach leaving one major conference team for another. "Virtually 95 percent of the hires are people who -- I call them non-BCS schools, but they're playing tough basketball," Broyles said. "We knew we were eventually going to have to look for someone who had sustained success, played the style of basketball that our fans like, and be willing to come and build our program back." The program won't need that much building. Arkansas made the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2007 and had no seniors this season. The Razorbacks heard some good news immediately after the news conference. Freshman Patrick Beverley, this year's Southeastern Conference newcomer of the year, announced he is staying at Arkansas. He had wavered since Heath was fired. Altman said he was excited to follow in the footsteps of Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson. Sutton, also a former Creighton coach, took Arkansas to the Final Four in 1978. Richardson's teams reached the Final Four in 1990, 1994 and 1995 and won the national title in 1994 with a style of play dubbed "40 Minutes of Hell." The soft-spoken Altman described himself as "boring" -- but he was only talking about his personality. "We press 40 minutes a game," he said. "It's not quite the old Nolan press. We change it up a little bit. We'll back it up to three-quarter and we trap in different spots. But we do press all the time." Offensively, Altman said he might have to adjust to his new players. The Razorbacks have some solid big men, such as 7-footer Steven Hill and forward Darian Townes. "We have traditionally taken a lot of 3s, but looking at the size of some of our players coming back next year, we might go inside a little bit more," Altman said. "But we will push the ball up and down the floor." Arkansas' attendance has been a concern lately, and Broyles stressed Creighton's ability to draw a crowd under Altman. The Bluejays averaged almost 16,000 fans this season. "It's not just Xs and Os," Broyles said. "You're doing something special because the fans want to come see you play." Creighton has been to the NCAA Tournament seven times in the last nine seasons and won a school-record 29 games in 2002-03. The Bluejays lose Altman just a few days after assistant Kevin McKenna left to take over the Indiana State program. Creighton lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Nevada, 77-71 in overtime. Heath took over at Arkansas after Richardson was fired in 2002, and it's been a while since the Razorbacks enjoyed much success on a national scale. Arkansas hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game since 1999. Altman will be charged with helping the Razorbacks reach the next level again. It's a challenge he looks forward to. "I'm 48 years old," Altman said. "And with your permission I'd like to finish my career at the University of Arkansas." ESPN.com's Andy Katz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Post by Admin on Apr 2, 2007 22:42:48 GMT -5
sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2823339Lickliter named NABC Coach of YearAssociated Press INDIANAPOLIS -- Todd Lickliter was named Division I Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches after leading Butler to the NCAA Tournament's round of 16. Later Monday, Iowa announced that they were making him the school's next head coach, replacing Steve Alford. Lickliter received the groups highest honor Sunday night in Atlanta as part of Final Four weekend activities. Butler finished 29-7. The Bulldogs won the NIT Season Tip-off championship and were ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 for 16 consecutive weeks. Butler opened the season with 10 straight wins, including a victory over Purdue in the Wooden Tradition. Lickliter has a 131-61 record in six years at Butler. The Bulldogs have reached the NCAA Tournament in four of his six years. A No. 5 seed this March, Butler beat Old Dominion and Maryland before losing to defending national champion Florida.
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Post by Admin on Apr 2, 2007 20:03:02 GMT -5
sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2823327Lickliter to leave Butler for Iowa coaching job By Andy Katz ESPN.com ATLANTA -- Butler's Todd Lickliter will be named the next head coach at Iowa Monday night and introduced at a Tuesday news conference, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com. Lickliter will replace Steve Alford, who left for New Mexico last month. Lickliter led the Bulldogs to 29 wins this season, including an appearance in the Sweet 16, where they lost to Florida. Lickliter is the latest Butler coach to land a big-time job, following the footsteps of Barry Collier (Nebraska's former coach) and Ohio State's Thad Matta. Iowa is expected to release the news later Monday night. Multiple sources told ESPN.com that Iowa offered the job to Vanderbilt's Kevin Stallings, but he withdrew Monday morning. Iowa also spoke with Creighton's Dana Altman Sunday before he accepted Arkansas' job. Lickliter's departure could open the door for Collier, who returned to his alma mater to be the athletic director last offseason. Senior writer Andy Katz covers men's college basketball for ESPN.com.
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Post by Admin on Mar 24, 2007 10:26:58 GMT -5
www.sj-r.com/sections/sports/stories/110755.aspIt wasn't hard for Chris Lowery (head coach at Southern Illinois) to decide giving up the ball was a pretty good idea. Among his teammates at Harrison were Calbert Cheaney (Indiana and 13 NBA seasons), Walter McCarty (Kentucky and 11 NBA seasons) and Kevin Hardy (played linebacker at Illinois and for 10 seasons in the NFL). Another former teammate, Brad Brownell, is the head coach at Wright State, which played in the NCAA tournament this year.
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Post by Admin on Mar 24, 2007 10:47:06 GMT -5
www.dailymail.com/story/Sports/+/2007032340/Donnie-Jones-has-a-free-pass-to-Marshall-job/by Chuck Landon HUNTINGTON -- It is very quiet here. Too quiet, perhaps. Considering Marshall University is in the midst of searching for a new head basketball coach, you would expect the town to be buzzing with rumors, reports and opinions. Instead, the only sound is the ... well, sound of silence. Surprising? Yes. Perplexing? Somewhat. Troubling? Not yet. The quiet just might be a further indication that the job is Donnie Jones' to turn down. I believe that is the case. Since the University of Florida associate head coach is busy helping the Gators defend their NCAA championship, it would stand to reason that if he were indeed the front-runner there wouldn't be much conjecture right now. Members of Marshall's screening committee, which held its first meeting Thursday morning, have been in contact with Jones. They also have spoken with Florida Coach Billy Donovan. There is no doubt that Marshall is interested in Jones, a former Herd assistant coach, and vice-versa. Another indication of that is several sources have indicated that Marshall has put together a contract worth about $450,000 for a new basketball coach. It will take that kind of money to get Jones. But even that package isn't quite enough. There also will have to be a financial commitment to upgrading the program, especially in the travel budget. Besides that, Jones is seeking total control of the program, including the schedule. Of course, another reason it's quiet is there doesn't seem to be very many legitimate candidates to discuss. Winthrop's Gregg Marshall isn't a candidate. He has been offered the South Florida job by Athletic Director Doug Woolard, who traveled to Rock Hill, S.C., Tuesday to meet with Marshall, according to ESPN. The Bulls are offering a contract in the neighborhood of $650,000. In hopes of keeping Marshall, Winthrop officials have countered with a new contract worth $400,000. Pete Gillen isn't a candidate, either. The former coach turned broadcaster was interviewed for the South Florida job, but it may have been out of respect for ESPN basketball's Dick Vitale, who lobbied on and off the air for Gillen. Although Gillen isn't going to get the South Florida job, he doesn't appear to have any interest in Marshall. Former Herd assistant John Pelphrey also appears to be a reach. The highly successful South Alabama head coach also interviewed for the South Florida job, according to the Tampa Tribune. Other than the fact that Pelphrey is from eastern Kentucky, it's hard to figure what would make Marshall an attractive job to him. At best, it would be a lateral move for Pelphrey. Such former Marshall players as Jeff Battle (an assistant at Wake Forest) and Brian Fish (an assistant at Creighton) have had their names mentioned, but I don't believe they are legit candidates. The same goes for Wright State Coach Brad Brownell, who has been successful with a slow-tempo style. That alone rules him out.Who does that leave? Basically, Bryan Poore and Mark Cline. Poore, the highly successful West Virginia State coach, has spoken with the screening committee and submitted his resume. He also has telephoned Marshall Athletic Director Bob "Kayo" Marcum. "But I haven't heard back from him yet," Poore said. The former Marshall assistant is an attractive candidate because he is the best coaching bargain out there. Marshall could pay Poore, who makes about $50,000 at State, the same money that Jirsa got -- around $225,000 -- instead of having to up the ante. Then, MU could put the money it saves into improving the basketball program. As for Cline, the Williamson native and former Wake Forest star has Buck Harless and the southern West Virginia coal money backing him. That is significant. Cline has been Coach Jeff Capel's top assistant at both Virginia Commonwealth and, now, Oklahoma. They obviously left VCU well-stocked. The bottom line, however, is the Marshall job still is Jones' to turn down. That's why it's so quiet.
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Post by Admin on Mar 18, 2007 9:13:54 GMT -5
www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070318/SPORTS0302/703180358/1002/SPORTSThe list of possibilities to replace Ron Jirsa grows by the day. Jirsa was fired Monday after completing a 13-19 season. He compiled a 43-74 overall mark in four consecutive losing seasons. A screening committee for the position was announced Thursday and the job was posted Friday. Tennessee associate head coach Tony Jones has joined the list and he's also still involved with an NCAA tournament team. Other men getting attention in media and online reports or just on the rumor mill include former Virginia, Xavier and Providence head coach Pete Gillen; South Alabama head coach John Pelphrey; Oklahoma assistant coach Mark Cline; Creighton assistant coach Brian Fish; Wright State head coach Brad Brownell; and Davidson head coach Bob McKillop.
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Butler
Mar 18, 2007 18:39:29 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Mar 18, 2007 18:39:29 GMT -5
proxy.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney07/news/story?id=2802726&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos2Updated: March 17, 2007 Bulldogs putting new spin on mid-major label By Kim Baxter Special to ESPN.com BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Go ahead and call them a mid-major. Go ahead and call it an upset. Go ahead and sleep on the Butler Bulldogs. "I get tired of 'mid-major' sometimes," said junior guard Mike Green. "But I guess it doesn't matter when you're out there on the court whether you're coming from the ACC or the CAA. It all depends on what you do out there on the floor. I'll take any label." On Saturday, the only label that mattered to Butler was "Sweet 16" because with a 62-59 win over fourth-seeded Maryland, the Bulldogs earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament's second weekend. "I'm going to say we're a mid-major," said junior A.J. Graves, who scored a team-high 19 points. "I don't know how you don't label us as mid-major. Coming from 3,000 people at our school, it's just small. We don't get to play in the major conference and we don't get the attention, but that's not going to stop us. That doesn't mean we can't play." Maryland found that out Saturday as fifth-seeded Butler (29-6) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the program's second time (the first was in 2003). The Bulldogs knocked off the Terrapins in dramatic fashion -- executing perfectly in the final minutes of their win. Twice the Bulldogs' deliberate and perimeter-oriented offense, predicated on ball and player movement, whittled the shot clock down to its final ticks. And twice, the team capitalized with a Brandon Crone jump shot as the 35-second horn sounded. The first one, from about 25 feet, gave Butler a 54-48 cushion. The second shot, with three minutes to play, gave the Bulldogs a 58-56 lead, which they would not relinquish for the rest of the game. But leading 61-59, Butler made a sloppy inbounds pass (the team's only turnover in the final nine minutes) to give Maryland the ball with less than a minute to play. But when D.J. Strawberry cut to the basket and barreled into Crone, he was called for a charge. Maryland ran the same exact play on the previous possession and that time, Strawberry was fouled and went to the free-throw line. It was a controversial call with 40 seconds remaining. Crone admitted he might have made his defensive rotation underneath the basket, but Maryland refused to blame the call. "It's 50-50," Strawberry said. "It went their way. You can't do anything about it." Even with the charge, Maryland still had life. With 40.6 seconds left and a 5.6-second differential between the shot clock and game clock, the Terrapins opted to defend Butler for the length of the possession, hoping for a missed shot and a defensive rebound. Maryland coach Gary Williams gambled that his team could corral the miss and score in the short time frame. The Bulldogs shoot 76 percent at the foul line, and the coach liked his team's chances in an unsettled situation. But Butler protected the ball and eventually found Julian Betko for a wide-open 3-pointer with just one second on the shot clock. The shot was short, but Green -- who at 6-foot was the shortest player on the court -- read the miss and grabbed the rebound. "We did what we wanted to do," Williams said. "We made them miss the shot. The problem is you expect to get the rebound in that situation and we didn't get the rebound." Maryland failed to execute when it needed to the most. Butler -- which has forged its mettle in wins over Notre Dame, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Indiana and Purdue -- played like a grizzled, confident team down the stretch. "Size really doesn't matter," Green said. "As you can see, they were way bigger than us, way more athletic. It's not always about that. We were fortunate to come out with the win." Butler plays with a basketball IQ that is incalculable, but also an intangible facet of a Sweet 16 berth. The Bulldogs are not big. Their tallest starter is Brian Ligon at 6-foot-7. They are not deep. They essentially use a seven-man rotation. They are not overly athletic. They finished with zero blocks and zero dunks, an unusual statistic that Williams compared to a game from his playing days. But Butler understands its strengths and takes advantage. The Bulldogs hit 12 3-pointers and 11 2-pointers. They rarely turn the ball over, committing just 12 against Maryland. Their feisty, aggressive defense creates turnovers, even when they're out of position. The Terps committed 17 turnovers. It was an impressive display of Basketball 101 from a physically overmatched team. "They use their body for position, they use their position to get in the way when you try to make a cut, and that's the way they play," Williams said. "I think you're seeing a new trend in college basketball. If you look at a lot of teams that don't have the size they used to have, but yet they're still effective. There's a lot of ways to play this game. You have to adjust as time goes by to a different way to play basketball." And for the past few years, Butler basketball has been synonymous with successful basketball. The program has won at least one game in the 2003 and 2001 NCAA Tournaments. Coach Todd Lickliter is now 4-1 in the Big Dance. With two Sweet 16 appearances in the past five seasons, the Bulldogs have joined some of the top programs in the country. All this from a self-proclaimed mid-major who embraces the label. "Call us mid-major," said Joel Cornette, the team's coordinator of basketball operations and a member of the 2003 Sweet 16 squad. "Call us whatever you want. But as long as you're talking about us, that's all that matters. Maryland's a major, but I'd bet they'd love to be the mid-major in the Sweet 16 right now. I've always taken it not as disrespect. We succeed with less money, less resources, less support, less coverage than the big guy, and it makes it that much more special. … It's great to be along for the ride." Kim Baxter is a staff writer for the Syracuse Post-Standard.
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Post by Admin on Mar 14, 2007 23:57:14 GMT -5
www.tribune-democrat.com/collegesports/local_story_073234854.htmlPanthers trying to maintain a sharp mindset BY DALE GRDNIC For The Tribune-Democrat PITTSBURGH — As the Pitt men’s basketball players trudged out to their chartered bus for the last time this season, they clearly were focused on their first-round NCAA matchup against Wright State tonight at 9:40 p.m. at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t thinking ahead just a bit. “It’s possibly our last game, so we have to make sure we go in there and play hard and do the best that we can,” junior guard Ronald Ramon said. “They’re a quick team. They have a lot of guards that can play. They have good shooters and guys that can create for each other. “They’re tough inside, too, but they’ll probably try to outrun us. Their one guard (DaShaun Wood), he looks like he can score. So, we’ve got to make sure we stay in front of him and use our help defense. We know that he can do a little bit of everything, but he’s their big scorer.” The Panthers (27-7) worked out a little and watched film Monday and practiced hard Tuesday afternoon before getting on a bus for Buffalo, and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon believed his team was recharged and ready to go after a tough three-day stretch at the Big East tournament. “We beat two very good teams, and I don’t think anybody else played three NCAA tournament teams on three straight nights like we did,” Dixon said. “So, going 2-1, while not what we wanted, certainly was respectable. ... And now, a new season begins for us, so we’re focusing on our NCAA opener with Wright State.” Senior Levon Kendall believed that while Pitt really hasn’t talked about finally getting past the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament since earlier this season, that certainly is in the back of the players’ minds. “Of course, we’ve done a lot of great things as a program the past five or six years, but no one’s really satisfied,” Kendall said. “So, getting past the Sweet 16 has always been our goal from the beginning of the year, and we really believe that we can do it. “We’ve worked our way into the upper echelon of schools in the country, as far as overall winning percentage and things like that, but if we can make a run past the Sweet 16 and go a little further in the tournament we’ll be able to take another step up.” Kendall even took it another step. “Everybody wants to make it to the Final Four with a chance to win a national championship,” he said. “That has to be the goal, and you can’t play in this tournament without thinking about it. The trick is to concentrate on each game at hand and to take it from there. “It’s part of the challenge of the tournament. (And) there’s also a little extra incentive to it, the fact that every game could be our last one for the season and my career. But I try not to think about it too much. This is the next step, though, and we still have six games to go, ideally. “So, we’re just focusing on that and trying to make the most of it,” Kendall said. “You can’t really avoid it possibly being our last game, but we have to turn that into a positive and hope it makes us play a little harder and with a lot more passion. And I’m sure that’s the way we’re looking at it.” Senior guard Antonio Graves agreed. “Anything short of the Final Four is going to be a disappointment, in my mind,” Graves said. “But I think we have the team and the chemistry and the bench to get it done. I really don’t think there’s any excuse. We just need to bring our ‘A’ game every night.”
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Post by Admin on Mar 14, 2007 23:55:18 GMT -5
www.post-gazette.com/pg/07074/769692-175.stmPitt Notebook: Buffalo may be site for an upset Thursday, March 15, 2007 By Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette BUFFALO, N.Y. -- If you're looking for an upset in the first round of the tournament, HSBC Arena might be the place to be today. Three teams from thriving mid-major conferences will square off against teams from power conferences, and one of the top mid-majors (Butler) will face a team (Old Dominion) that pulled off one of the biggest shockers of the year. In addition to Pitt-Wright State, this first-round site features No. 4 seed Maryland against No. 13 seed Davidson, No. 6 seed Duke against No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth and No. 5 seed Butler against No. 12 seed Old Dominion. Butler and Wright State play in the Horizon League, which sent more than one team to the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years. Butler beat Notre Dame, Tennessee, Gonzaga and Purdue in non-conference play, and Wright State beat Butler twice. "We don't concern ourselves with labels," Butler coach Todd Lickliter said. "We just try to represent Butler University as best we can. We are proud of what our league has done. When our league has been represented we have played well." Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth play in the Colonial Athletic Association. Old Dominion won at Georgetown. Davidson, of the Southern Conference, won at Arizona State. Wright State coach Brad Brownell is in his first season with the Raiders after 12 years as an assistant and head coach in the Colonial Athletic Association at UNC Wilmington. "There are great mid-major leagues that certainly produce teams that have the ability to win games in these tournaments," Brownell said. "I was in the CAA for 12 years and watched that league grow and now see it get multiple bids on a regular basis is exciting." Unfamiliar territory Duke is a No. 6 seed this year, its lowest seed in the tournament since it was a No. 8 seed in 1996. The Blue Devils had been a No. 1 seed seven times in the past 10 years. They were a No. 2 seed once and a No. 3 seed on two occasions. Duke (22-10) struggled down the stretch, losing its last three games going into the tournament, including a first-round loss to North Carolina in the ACC tournament. "We're happy to be in the tournament and to be a sixth seed," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "If you're a program that has great success, I don't think you ever look at yourself as a seed. As long as I am here I would think that nobody would ever play us thinking that we are the underdog because they would be playing our team and our heritage." When Dukes was a No. 8 seed in 1996, the Blue Devils lost their first-round game to Eastern Michigan, 75-60. Fields looks for offense Pitt point guard Levance Fields is hoping to regain his shooting touch in the NCAA tournament. Fields had been one of Pitt's most consistent scorers all season until a late-season slump limited his production. In the past six games, Fields is shooting 27 percent (14 for 51) from the field. For the season, he is a 41 percent shooter. In the last two games of the Big East tournament, Fields was 1 for 12 from the field and scored four points. "I feel good," he said. "Sometimes you have nights like that. You don't want to be inconsistent. You just have to shoot the ball and not think about it too much." Fields is not afraid of the big stage. In two NCAA tournament games as a freshman last season, he was 10 for 16 from the field and scored 28 points. He led the Panthers with 18 points in their second-round loss to Bradley. "I'll be more aggressive again, too," he said. "I don't think I was aggressive the last two games. With the tournament starting this is a great spot for me to be aggressive again."
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Post by Admin on Mar 14, 2007 23:53:25 GMT -5
www.post-gazette.com/pg/07074/769689-150.stmCollier: Wright State leans heavily on one man Thursday, March 15, 2007 By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette BUFFALO, N.Y. -- This town flaunted every last one of its 18 shades of gray yesterday, but inside the fog-bound HSBC Arena, a Wood fire still burned brightly. Throwing the heat in an evening practice on the eve of Big March Dance Madness was Wright State University's DaShaun Wood, who found the bleached white NCAA nets much like most others in his remarkable college career; they too seemed to suck his jumper straight into their vortex. "All year I've been making plays," he said matter-of-factly before practice. "If they try to take me away, I'll just get it to someone else." Wood gets the Warholian imperative of fame tonight against Pitt in the first round and fully expects to get his 20 points, if not 30. But aside from the final math, DaShaun (say it, "DAY-shon") will be the Raiders. Wood will be the show. Wood will run the offense. Wood will direct the defense, take the shots, attempt the steals, be the man. "I was that guy at East Carolina," Pitt transfer Mike Cook said just a little wistfully before the Panthers practiced yesterday. "If you're winning in that role, it's great. But if you're losing, everything's on you. He's having a great season; he's getting 20 a game, his team is winning, he's in the tournament. Good for him." Fact is, Pitt has three, four, five players with the talent and court intellect to play like Wood, but it's Jamie Dixon's job to recast those aptitudes so that it results in a more elaborate basketball portrait. Dixon yesterday called Wood "a great, great player," but surely said it in the full knowledge that he would never afford a Pitt man the same kind of strategical latitude. "He's very good at it," Panthers point guard Levance Fields said of Wood, "but you're not going to get very far when one guy's getting 30 every night. I like to think that if the situation presented itself, I could fill that role, but I'd rather play the way we do." Somewhere in the fast-forgotten backgrounds of tons of Big East players, there are numerable instances when they virtually owned the floor. None of them ever said they weren't having fun at it, but all of them got to a level where the game became way too complicated for such Maravichian impulses. Fields once scored 18 points in the second half, in the Jordan Classic High School All-Star Game in Madison Square Garden, no less. "My senior year [at Xaverian High School in Brooklyn], we had no true center and I had to take a lot more shots and that was fine, but I'd still rather be doing what I'm doing now. That [All-Star] game, we were just running up and down like it was an NBA game. It was fun, but I remember with about 12 minutes left, we got together and said, 'Hey, let's play serious.' " Playing most seriously tonight, Fields revealed, will be teammate Antonio Graves, who'll draw the initial man-to-man assignment against Wood. That will be Pitt's opening bid to dissuade Wood from the 52 he poured home in his past two games, the games that flew Wright State to the championship of the Horizon League. "Ninety percent of their plays are run for him," Graves was saying yesterday. "This will definitely take a team effort. We'll need help inside and help with him on the perimeter. We have to stick to our defensive principles." Last seen, Pitt's defensive principles were somehow allowing Georgetown to thunder to a 32-17 lead in the first 20 minutes Saturday night in New York City. Wright State isn't Georgetown, but the Raiders might look suspiciously dangerous if Pitt isn't Pitt. Wood, who has scored 30 and 32 this year, had a career high 35 last year against Youngstown State. As a sharpshooter at Detroit's Crockett High, he once hit for 44 in 48 minutes. No Pitt player, by the way, has scored 25 in game this year. "We've seen a little bit of everything," Wright State coach Brad Brownell said of the defensive approaches to Wood. "What separates DaShaun from a lot of players is that he recognizes defenses and recognizes what his role is against whatever he sees. If he's going to be allowed to shoot, he'll shoot, but we've won games when he's scored 12 points and gotten seven assists. I think it's the sign of a great player when he can beat you in other ways. He's really matured and improved as a player." Dixon was typically coy on what Pitt's advanced plans are, although Fields said there would be no gimmicks. "You can't give him anything easy, you can't give him open shots," said the Pitt coach. "And you can't put him on the foul line." In one stretch this winter, Wood made 37 consecutive free throws, and 49 of 50. Very late tonight, DaShaun Wood might well go into history as one of the more overhyped aspects of Big March Dance Madness Eve, as it's not like Pitt has never successfully defended a big-time scorer before. But yesterday, Wood was the only Wright State Raider practicing without his uniform number (5) evident. I guess he figures everyone will know who he is soon enough. Pitt should hope everyone doesn't. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Gene Collier can be reached at gcollier@post-gazette.com or 412-263- )
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Post by Admin on Mar 14, 2007 23:41:45 GMT -5
www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_497790.htmlPitt guard Benjamin wants Wright State to 'just quit' By John Grupp TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, March 15, 2007 BUFFALO, N.Y. - Pitt reserve guard Keith Benjamin got right to the point Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers, he said, can't come out slow again tonight in their NCAA Tournament opener against Wright State. "You've got to go out and dominate the lower conferences and get them out of there," he said. "You can't let them gain confidence as the game goes on. That's how you get upset." Pitt has trailed at halftime in five of its past six games, losing three of them. Three times in the past 12 days, Pitt trailed by double-figures as they jogged off the court for halftime. Benjamin says the No. 3 seed Panthers (27-7) need to flex their muscles early and often tonight against No. 14 seed Wright State (23-9) at 9:40 p.m. at HSBC Arena in the NCAA Tournament first round. "Those guys are no different from us," Benjamin said. "They are Division I basketball players. But, sometimes, they see 'Pittsburgh' or something like that, and it scares them a little bit. If after the first 10 minutes of the game, they are not afraid of you anymore, then you are in for a long game. "But if you come out and do everything that you normally do and get Aaron Gray 10 points in the first 10 minutes of the game -- and he's dominating and we're hitting our 3s -- that fear becomes bigger because they think they can't do anything to win now. They will just quit." As Pitt prepared for an afternoon shooting session, Benjamin said the Panthers need to provide separation -- both mentally and physically -- from a mid-major team that needed to win its conference to make the NCAA tournament. Leaving Wright State in the game for the opening half would be courting problems with a Horizon League team that is 11-1 in its past 12 games. Wright State, led by high-scoring guard DaShaun Wood, has two wins against a team with an RPI better than 98 (Butler, twice). But the Raiders have gotten healthier since a 3-5 start in which they had to practice with seven or eight players, and "it was hard to get better," coach Brad Brownell said. "If you want to make a statement in this tournament, then you can't start out slow," Benjamin said. "You've got to come out and jump on people and impose your will. You've got to strike first. We have to strike first, everybody that we play from now on. "Even though this is college basketball and there are different levels ... when you come from the Big East, there is a certain level of dominance, and you have to sustain that. If they come out and their offense is working against a team like us, they will think 'Well, Pittsburgh is nothing. What were we scared for in the first place. Let's go out there and play.' " Last season, Pitt witnessed some tough nights in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers were at Auburn Hills, Mich., last year when No. 13 seed Bradley stunned No. 4 seed Kansas and No. 14 seed Northwestern State edged No. 3 seed Iowa in two first-round shockers. Pitt, the fifth seed, beat Kent State before becoming an upset victim itself -- against Bradley of the Missouri Valley Conference in the second round. "Once you get on the court, it doesn't matter what seed you are," Aaron Gray said. "In this atmosphere and this setting, anybody can lose to anybody." The Pitt players believe they have regained some swagger since their 65-42 mauling to Georgetown at Madison Square Garden five days ago. "I don't even know what happened (that game)," Gray said. "It's not even in my mind anymore. I'm fully concentrating on what I have to do to help my team against Wright State and in the NCAA Tournament. "We still have a chance." The Panthers say there is no looking ahead to possible matchups with storied programs Duke or UCLA, or possibly Kansas, as they try for the elusive berth past the Sweet 16. "We just want to play well for 40 minutes," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. "That's what we stress. It's hard to do. But you have to go in with that mentality. "You want to get off to a good start and a good middle and a good finish." John Grupp can be reached at jgrupp@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7930.
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Post by Admin on Mar 14, 2007 23:24:16 GMT -5
www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2007/03/15/ddn031507wsustarters.htmlWho are these Raiders? By Marc Katz Staff Writer Thursday, March 15, 2007 A quick guide to the team that will try to upset Pitt tonight in the first round of the 2007 NCAA men's basketball tournament Drew Burleson 6-6 220 Senior forward Wheelersburg High School Wheelersburg STATS: 8.8 points per game 5.8 rebounds per game Scouting report: Will have to grab some rebounds and help with inside defense against one of the bigger teams the Raiders will play this season. Inside scoop: "I'm the best guitar player you're ever going to find in college ball. I play Dave Matthews." Jordan Pleiman 6-8 240 Junior forward Fort Loramie High School Fort Loramie STATS: 7.4 points per game 5.5 rebounds per game Scouting report: Key player to defending Pitt's 7-foot Aaron Gray. Must also make some baskets to take pressure off of WSU's outside shooters. Inside scoop: "I wanted to be a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, but we didn't have a football team in high school, so I couldn't play." Todd Brown 6-5 190 Freshman guard McKinley High School Canton STATS: 8.6 points per game 2.9 rebounds per game Scouting report: Sprained ankle continues to bother him a little, but he has regained most of his mobility and will be counted upon to score tonight. Inside scoop: "I color in coloring books. Whatever my little brother (age 9) has around. It clears my mind." Vaughn Duggins 6-3 180 Freshman guard Pendleton High School Pendleton, Ind. STATS: 8.9 points per game 3.3 rebounds per game Scouting report: Must make some 3-point shots and play tough defense against one of Pitt's high-scoring guards. Scouting report: "I grew up playing soccer in Chicago and went to Europe on a youth World Cup team. When I moved to Indiana, I got into basketball. Imagine that." DaShaun Wood 5-11 180 Senior guard Crockett High School Detroit, Mich. STATS: 19.8 points per game 5.0 rebounds per game Scouting report: Leader of the team, must have a good scoring day and get someone to score with him to beat Pitt. Has not had a game this season scoring less than double figures. Inside scoop: "I really love kids. That's why I want to be a teacher."
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Post by Admin on Mar 14, 2007 23:22:27 GMT -5
www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2007/03/14/ddn031507wsunotes.htmlWSU notes Pitt gearing up to take on Wood tonight By Marc Katz Staff Writer Thursday, March 15, 2007 BUFFALO — Even though their last game was a loss, 65-42, to Georgetown in the Big East title game on Saturday, the Pitt Panthers have struck that from their minds. "I don't even know what happened," said 7-foot Aaron Gray. "Right now, it's all Wright State." Pittsburgh actually limped home, splitting its final six games, losing to Georgetown twice and Marquette. The Panthers know they have to stop DaShaun Wood, WSU's 19.8 scorer and Horizon League Player of the Year. "Definitely we're going to have to focus on him," said Pitt senior guard Antonio Graves. "We're going to have to stick to our defensive principles." Kettering's Long proud Pitt's athletics director, Jeff Long, a Kettering native who graduated from Fairmont East High School, said he's proud to be from the Dayton area and have his team face Wright State. "Certainly with Dayton and Wright State, that makes Dayton a good basketball town," Long said. Duke still hot Duke lured the biggest crowd of the day to HSBC Arena, but only about 1,000. Of course, there weren't any real local teams to see. Pittsburgh, more than three hours away, is closest. A year ago, a crowd of about 6,000 watched Ohio State practice at UD Arena and several years ago, an official at Butler said, an NCAA game practice in Indianapolis involving Indiana and then coach Bob Knight attracted more than 35,000. After that practice, Knight had his players lie down on the court and spell out, "Thanks." Wright State recognized Butler coach Todd Lickliter gave more props to the Wright State Raiders than the NCAA selection committee, which seeded Butler No. 5 and WSU No. 14. "We lost six games this year," Lickliter said, "and two of them are to them. What more can I say?" Well, a little more. "I think they have good personnel, they have great coaching and they play with the kind of enthusiasm and emotion you have to play with." In two of the previous four years, Horizon League teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 (Butler in 2003 and Milwaukee in 2005). Yet the league remains a good, if quiet, achiever. "People don't know it," Lickliter said of the Horizon's success. "I know it. I say it all the time. Wright State will advance, and it will be exciting for Wright State, and it will still be, 'We're the little Horizon League.' " LeCrone at another venue Horizon League commissioner Jon LeCrone, a member of the NCAA tournament selection committee, was assigned duties at the Winston Salem first- and second-round site instead of here, where Horizon League members Butler and Wright State are playing. Kissel calls Before he left on this trip, WSU athletics director Mike Cusack heard from University of Dayton athletics director Ted Kissel. "He congratulated us," Cusack said. Unfortunately, Cusack only heard the message on voice mail, and his return call also went to voice mail. That means the two never got to talk about a possible game between the two schools. Maybe when Cusack returns to Dayton ... Oops Wright State had more than 100 tickets available for sale at the Nutter Center Wednesday morning, except the NCAA sent the tickets to the game site in Buffalo, rather than Dayton. For the several Wednesday morning purchasers, vouchers were issued for the tickets to be picked up at a Wright State window at the HSBC Arena. WSU sold about 400 of its eventual allotment of 550 tickets and had to turn in the unsold tickets at the game site. Should the Raiders beat Pitt tonight, the school will have 550 tickets available for Saturday's game, which will be sold at a WSU window at the arena. Cola rules Coca-Cola is an official sponsor of the NCAA, which means only its products can be visible at courtside. That means Powerade is the official drink of the tournament. The Raiders use Gatorade, and will have to cover that name on their bottles. Short items • Rich Bly, an usher at HSBC Arena, expects to visit the Dayton area a few times during the next year. His son, Mark Bly, is a backup quarterback for the Silverbacks indoor football team that will play in Troy. • Nick Keyes, owner of Key Ads, had a 'Good Luck Raiders' sign pasted to a billboard between the Buffalo airport and arena.
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