By Paul Casey Gotham
A glance at some of the interesting tilts on this week’s college basketball slate.
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh – Tonight
Haven’t the Panthers been at the place in the recent past: middle to late January with a bunch of impressive wins to their credit only to fall short of expectations in March. We will have to wait a couple of months to see if this group of Panthers can get over the hump (hard to believe Pitt hasn’t been to the Final Foursince 1941). This Pitt teams rebounds well (13.7 rebound margin), passes well (19.9 assists per game) and shoots well (48.5 percent from the field). The Irish are 5-0 in Big East play at home, but 0-3 on the road. Can Ben Hansbrough inspire the Irish to play over their heads?
UConn at Marquette – Tuesday, 9 p.m.
UConn leads the nation with 6.9 blocks per game. Marquette won’t play to the Huskies strengths. The Golden Eagles hit more than 49 percent from the field and are capable of getting hot from behind the arc. Marquette has guards, guards and more guards. The Huskies will need production in the paint. Will Kemba Walker allow that to happen?
Florida and Georgia – Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Two teams in search of relevance. After topping off a nine-game win streak with a victory over Kentucky, the Bulldogs promptly lost two of three. Florida is 15-4, but they won at Auburn 45-40 last week. Auburn is 7-12. The Gators chose to play a passive zone against the Tigers for most of the game. Zone? Against Auburn?
San Diego State at BYU – Wednesday, 10 p.m.
Juh…juh…juh…Jimmer and the Cougs. Skeptics unite! Two top ten teams from the Mountain West meet. One will lose. How far will the loser drop in the rankings?
Illinois at Indiana – Thursday, 9 p.m.
Bruce Weber’s Illini know there’s know place like home…or Assembly Hall. Five of Illinois’s losses have occurred away from the orange confines including two of their three losses in the last four games. The Hoosiers will be focused.
St. Mary’s at Gonzaga – Thursday, 11 p.m.
Two conference road losses dropped the Bulldogs into a third place in the West Coast Conference. The Gaels are undefeated in the WCC.
Niagara at Canisius – Friday, 7 p.m.
ESPN U comes to the Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo, New York as The Battle of the Bridge rivalry writes a new chapter. It’s a Pickin’ Splinters exclusive event.
Missouri at Texas – Saturday, 9 p.m.
The inexperienced backcourt of the Longhorns goes against the pressure defense of the Tigers.
Xavier at Richmond – Saturday, High Noon
The Muskies are undefeated in the Atlantic 10. Richmond is searching for consistency.
Duke at St. John’s – Sunday, 1 p.m.
Suddenly, Madison Square Garden is not so welcoming.
Wow! The Irish beat #2 Pitt ON THE ROAD!!! Now that’s what I’m talking about, Mike Brey. You are now off probation … let’s keep it that way.
This just in … the younger Hansbrough is pretty dang good .
Way to go, ND. You brightened my day after the Bears hangover. 🙂
Big win on the road!!! Let’s hope this is a sign the Irish have turned the corner!
Wally – You are the Jerry Jones of Notre Dame sports. There is no in between with you. If you were AD, the whole coaching staff would probably become chain smokers just to calm their nerves.
Smoking is prohibited on campus.
Hey, if you aspire to be “the best” or “among the best” … which is what I believe ND’s target is in all sports … but you sit stagnant for a long period or a decade … we better see some improved results quickly. These guys make too much money to make a career out of being also rans. Mike Brey … nice guy and all … hasn’t really accomplished all that much in his ~10 years at ND … except for staying in his job. It’s time to expect more out of ND basketball. This is a nice season so far … an improvement …. top 15-20 is where this program should be consistently year in and year out.
I hear ya. I was just joking with you. Your unbridled passion keeps things lively around here. And I don’t know why, but your comment that “Smoking is prohibited on campus” cracked me up. You’re all ready to take post in South Bend!
Yea … I’m just having fun, too. That was a deadpan comment. But seriously, I would LOVE to be the AD at Notre Dame … would be one of my fantasy jobs, so when the day comes that my current employer thinks I’m “over the hill”, I may just go over to South Bend and try to get on the staff there. I’ve got the passion for it as you say … and that’s more than half the battle. Of course, they’ll say I’m unqualified … but then I’ll hand ’em my glowing references from you fine folks here on the Pine. Ha! Slam dunk! 🙂
Wally. I have often contemplated working for ND now that I am retired. A good friend was head of public relations a few years back, and he said there would be a spot for me there if I wanted, but I haven’t gone there yet. I talked to alumni office, and they said guys in my situation were desired in their office, but I haven’t gone there yet. The Provost, is a friend; I’ve been to his house for dinner. I’m sure he would help me land a spot. My cousin is one of the top people in the sports information department. Men’s basketball is her major assignment. She also does the football press guide. I’m sure she could help me get my foot in the door. I have also looked into (I’m serious when I say this)
working grounds or doing security at one of the snack bars. I’ve even considered ushering at football games or volunteering to be a “green jacket” on game days. But the one job I have never considered is ATHLETIC DIRECTOR! However, if you do eventually get the job, keep me in mind as your personal psychologist. You’ll need the counseling!
Pete —
Wow, you sure have connections! I really don’t anymore, so I may need your help some day. After reading your comments, maybe I’m shooting too high with this AD thing … afterall, what I’m really trying to do is get good, free seats to all the games. Ha! There must be an easier way 🙂
But seriously … I would love to be the AD for a solid 5 years … wasn’t kidding about that.
Good free seats to ushers!
I can’t wait to see BYU-SDSU. I’m going to go ahead and claim that SDSU has a complete starting five. BYU is exactly as you explained them: Jimmer and the rest. But SDSU has that Gay kid stepping up (And Gay is his surname and in no way an insinuation of his sexuality). I think the question for this game isn’t how the Aztecs will stop Jimmer, but how BYU will stop SDSU’s team.
BYU’s gonna run the swinging gate play for the Jimmer … just like they did it in Hoosiers!
Jimmer Fredette from Glens Falls, NY. I don’t think upstate has ever had a player of his national significance. Roosevelt Bouie at SU in the mid ’70s comes close. Pat Riley in his days at Kentucky in the mid ’60s was really a role player; Louie Dampier was the star. Rochester area players like Sheehy and Bill Smith were role players at the very best. Jimmer is a star. The closest to him other than NYC players might be the McCray brothers from Mt Vernon; Scooter and Rodney, who starred at Lou-uh-vul under Denny Crum, but Mt Vernon is DOWNstate, not up. Any upstate stars I am missing?
If SDSU wins this one, hard not to consider them as for-real. Contests against BYU (again) and CSU would be all that would stand in the way of them running the table. Could they bag a #1 seed? Could BSU or TCU play for the B(C)S championship? Oh, the intrigue!
These guys didn’t match what Fredette is doing, but John Wallace and Danny Schayes come to mind for starters.
DOH! Bob Lanier
Is Bob Lanier from upstate? I will give you Wallace. No way Schayes. Lanier from Buffalo, so he is the only one truly in Jimmer’s class, though Wallace is very close.
How about Elton Brand? Isn’t he from upstate NY??
Bob Lanier is from Buffalo, NY. Went to Bennett High School. I believe he was a year or two ahead of my Dad.. But they were in the same high school.
Elton Brand and John Wallace did not single-handedly carry their college teams, as did Lanier and does Fredette. Brand and Wallace were prominent players. Lanier and Fredette are/were the whole team! Besides, Brand is from Cortlandt Manor near White Plains (only NYC considers that upstate). That puts him as far downstate as Mt Vernon, so he’s DQd from the discussion.
DOH! #2 Christian Laettner
i always try to forget him. I guess he qualifies, though Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley certainly were also stars; he was not the WHOLE show.
Jackson Emery has hit 56 of 138 from behind the arc for BYU this season. In comparison, Jimmer Fredette is 64 of 156. Emery is no Bobby Hurley, but he keeps the opposition honest. As does Brandon Davies who is scoring 11 a game. Again, no Grant Hill, but he is making it tough for opposing defenses to focus on Fredette.
A preview for tonight’s SDSU-BYU game: https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/luke_winn/01/25/defending.jimmer.fredette/index.html
Seton Hall 90 Syracuse 68 ???? Did I read that right??? At Syracuse??? Now that’s a “Game of Intrigue”. Holy crap … what the heck’s going on with the Orange????
Syracuse gets the Jack-Haley-Tin-Man-of-the-week award because they have to wonder what they could accomplish “if ‘they’ only had a heart.”