Searching for Billy Edelin

Ticket Punching: Montana Grizzlies

2010-03-11T17:29:01Z

Down twenty points at halftime, Montana looked ready to roll over and die. But then, at the 19-minute mark in the second-half, Grizzlies' guard Anthony Johnson sprouted two inches to 6'5'', switched to number 24, developed an unequivocal killer instinct and an immunity to missed shots, thereby morphing into the Kobe Bryant for one unforgettable half of basketball. Riding Bryant's Johnson's 34-point second half performance, the Montana Grizzlies overcame the monster deficit, topping Weber State 66-65 and vaulting into the field of 65. Even Harold "The Show" Arceneaux would be mightily impressed.

It will be Montana's first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2006 when they pulled off a first round upset over Nevada. This year's Grizzlies squad have great size down low and multiple long-range shooting threats. While they have ball skills that rival weekend YMCA stars, seven-footers Brian Qvale and Derek Selvig are both proficient rebounders and deft at altering shots by driving guards. With a team Assist/Turnover Ratio a mediocre 1/1, Montana's ball-handling and passing must improve.

While there is no doubt that their first round opponent will have superior athleticism, Montana has the big guys and the star to scare any top seed.

Top Player: Anthony Johnson (19PPG, 3APG, 3RPG), in case you hadn't gathered that already. The senior's path to Montana ... quite fascinating.
Need-to-know Stat: Montana boasts five players who shoot 40% or better from 3PT range.
Projected Seed: #14

Get even more knowledge on the Montana Grizzlies by visiting StatSheet.com

Ticket Punching: Oakland Golden Grizzlies

2010-03-11T00:06:27Z

Back late last summer, when I was putting in hours of work researching the 2009-2010 one-bid leagues, it appeared that the stars were somewhat aligned for the Oakland Golden Grizzlies to be really, really good. Or something like that. I was blined by the four returning starters, led by Jonathan Jones, the school's all-time leader in assists, flanked by an excellent wing player and imposing big man. Their non-conference schedule featured games against Kansas, Michigan St., Syracuse, Memphis, etc. etc.. Tons of opportunities to at least earn at least a moral victory!

But none of that happened, and because they play in the lowly Summit Conference, nobody really gave a damn.

So I adopted the Golden Grizzlies (here and here) in a half-assed way to show support, knowing they had a few nice pieces that would be fun to watch this time of year. And after watching them rout IUPUI in the conference finals, I give myself a bit of the credit for righting the ship and living up to expectations put on them before the season started.

You say their 17-1 conference record just shows the lack of talent they played against in the Summit. I say they finally have their mojo working, and are maybe, maybe, going to be the most dangerous #14 seed since Bucknell back in 2005.

Best Player: Keith Benson (17 points/game; 10.5 rebounds/game)
Need-to-know Stat: The Golden Grizz can score in bunches, as they have averaged 81 PPG since the start of February.
Projected Seed: #14

There's plenty more on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on StatSheet.com.

'One Shining Moment' Is A Horrible Audio Slice Of Squid Vomit - SB Nation

2010-03-10T23:19:24Z

'One Shining Moment' Is A Horrible Audio Slice Of Squid Vomit - SB Nation

I couldn't have said it any better myself.

Props to Ms. Jennifer Hudson for being given the chance to give new life to this song.

Ticket Punching: North Texas Mean Green

2010-03-10T17:43:24Z

The North Texas Mean Green. Sounds more like a mediocre AAU program, or even a 9-year old Little League team, for the Sun Belt Conference champions. But Johnny Jones' kids don't care, they're dancin' like it's 2007. Efficiency from big men George Odufuwa (61FG%) and Eric Tramiel (56FG%) as well as an experienced backcourt led the Mean Green on an undefeated February run, giving them plenty of momentum to sweep through the conference tournament.

With the 6'8'' Odufuwa being the tallest player, North Texas could struggle against a top seed with good size. The Mean Green are rather friendly on defense also allowing 69PPG. They have always countered a porous defense with four players averaging in double figures, but everybody (besides VMI) knows defense really matters in March.

To have a chance at an upset, North Texas guards will have to be blazing from beyond the arc. Josh White and Tristan Thompson both shoot 40% from downtown...it'll have to be 60% for a first round win.

Top Player: Josh White (15PPG, 3.5APG)
Need to Know Stat: Each of the top four scorers for North Texas have scored twenty or more points in a game this season.
Projected Seed: #15

Get an in depth look at the North Texas Mean Green at StatSheet.com.

Week 4.1 Bubble Watch, presented by Microsoft Paint

2010-03-10T03:22:58Z

It's RIP UConn, as the Huskies remain on the .jpeg simply because I'd like to show the distance they are from bubble, and how they can do absolutely nothing about it. Wonk wonk.

Seton Hall and Notre Dame square off tomorrow in the 2nd round of the Big East Tournament, and whlie the Fighting Irish should be in, a loss here would probably turn their entire team and staff into zombies who pace up and down hallways, refusing to eat or interact with friends until the brackets are announced.

Both Joey Brackets and our own Chris Dobberdean have San Diego St. and Arizona St. as either in or right on the cusp. I'm looking for more, as the Aztecs are 2-5 against the RPI top 50, and the Sun Devils are 2-4.

Previous Versions

Ticket Punching: Old Dominion Monarchs

2010-03-10T00:45:53Z

Dubbed a bubble team by the ultimate optimist, the Monarchs put to bed any discussion that they weren't worthy of a tournament bid by winning the CAA last night, which by the way was a fantastic conference tournament from end to end.

Undefeated at home, ODU was excatly average away from the Blaine Center (8-8) and came up short on the road against Northern Iowa to lead-off last month's BracketBuster Weekend. So just why were some wrapped up in the idea this team was at-large worthy? One of those roadie wins came against Georgetown at the McDonough Arena, the on-campus venue for the Hoyas that hosts only one regular season game a season. The Monarchs held G-Town to 57 points and forced them to cough up the ball 18 times in a slow-paced game of basketball.

This team will do that though, as their philosophy mimics the next generation of moneyball, which emphasizes defense and points prevention rather then a high-octane offense. Their fifth in the country in points allowed, and rely heavily on the versatile and foreign-born stud Gerald Lee, their only double-digit scorer, to fill the stat sheet.

Top Player: Gerald Lee (14.6 points/game; 54 % FG)
Need-to-know Stat: Because they only average 17 free-throws a game 63 percent of the Monarchs points were of the two- or three-point kind, highest in the country.
Projected Seed: #10

Do your own research on the Old Dominion Monarchs at StatSheet.com.

The 2009-2010 Huskies are six-feet deep

2010-03-10T00:42:57Z

UConn's roller coaster ride season came to an end today in embarrassing fashion against St. John's as part of the opening round of the Big East Tournament. And while we speculate whether or not Jim Calhoun will return next season, the Huskies' athletic department and coaching staff are mulling whether or not to even accept a bid for the NIT.

For the health of these old dudes, I'd advise against it. They're coaches, not babysitters.

Ticket Punching: Siena Saints

2010-03-09T19:31:10Z

For the third consecutive season, the Siena Saints will represent the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in the NCAA Tournament. In his fifth season at the helm, Fran McCaffery has established Saints as a perennial mid-major not-to-be-messed-with. Leading assist man in the nation Ronald Moore (7.8 APG) has a bevy of scorers around him and the Saints have the athleticism to defend almost any team in the nation.

The problem this year? A couple things. 1. The Saints won't be sneaking up on anybody this year because the country knows they are legit. 2. Crunch time decision making. Over and over last night towards the end of the game and overtime, the Saints put the ball in Edwin Ubiles hands with 20 seconds left on the shot clock to make a play. Why would you ever take the ball out of Ronald Moore's hands man?!

They do more than Just Dance: Siena scored first round victories in 2008 and 2009 and flirted with the Sweet 16 both years before falling to Villanova and Louisville respectively. Will this be the year they get by the first weekend?

Top Player: Edwin Ubiles (15.2 PPG). Great athleticism and wingspan. Biggest impact felt on the defensive end
Need to Know Stat: For the past two years, the Saints have been a fairly hyped MAAC team despite being 0-8 against the RPI Top 50 teams in regular season games.
Projected Seed: #12

There's plenty more on the Siena Saints at StatSheet.com.

Ticket Punching: Wofford Terriers

2010-03-09T18:28:30Z

On December 12, Wofford beat South Carolina 68-61. On January 26, South Carolina beat Kentucky 68-64. Logically one would then assume that since Wofford > South Carolina and South Carolina > Kentucky, then Wofford > Kentucky. Okay maybe not, but SOCON Coach of the Year Mike Young has guided his pack of Terriers to quite a season. With wins in 22 of the last 24 games, and 13 straight to close out the year, this team is hotter than Buster Poindexter. Coach Young has 10 players averaging 11 minutes per-game so depth will not be an issue. Neither will big game experience.

Among big conference schools on Wofford's '09-'10 schedule: Pittsburgh, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan State, and the aforementioned Gamecocks.

Wofford will hope to mirror the 2008 SOCON winners, Davidson, and not that team who played UConn last season.

Top Player: Noah Dahlman (16.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG). Coaches voted the 6'6'' junior as the top player in the Southern Conference. Respect.
Need to Know Stat: The Terriers are at their worst when they score in the 60's. Here is the breakdown of their record by how many points they score. 40's: 1-0, 50's: 4-1, 60's: 4-6, 70's: 12-1, 80's: 5-0.
Projected Seed: #14

Learn more fun things about the Wofford Terriers at StatSheet.com.

This Year's Best College Hoops Players Recognized As All-Conference Teams Are Announced - SB Nation

2010-03-09T00:22:51Z

This Year's Best College Hoops Players Recognized As All-Conference Teams Are Announced - SB Nation

SB Nation will have these updated for each of the power conferences as they are released.

Kevin Anderson steals A10 POY from Jordan Crawford

2010-03-09T00:21:46Z

Congratulations to Richmond's Kevin Anderson for winning the Atlantic 10 POY today, but the coaches got it all wrong. Despite leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring, and boasting higher averages than Anderson in important statistical categories such as rebounding, 3pt percentage and assists, Jordan Crawford has been left to referencing J-Hova on twitter and telling everyone to calm down.

Sizing up the two guard's vitals, Crawford appears to be just a tad more deserving...err... I'm kidding, he absolutely deserves to be the POY. Heck, not only did he put up better numbers, he did it in five less minutes a game. He even dunked on LeBron James this summer! REMEMBER??!!

The A-10 hardware is official, but as the talking heads begin to release their regular season awards (here and here), it's pretty clear Anderson stole this one. Here's to hoping they square off in the conference semis on March 13th. They can settle it then.

Week 4 Bubble Watch, presented by Microsoft Paint

2010-03-08T14:17:06Z

After losing their last three, Illinois is indicating they would rather make things complicated and fall back onto the bubble among the cluster of mediocre teams. A healthy Notre Dame should be in, and the same goes for Florida State. But for the teams looking in they certainly do not control their own destiny; and Dayton and UConn are sooooo kicking themselves this morning.

Ticket Punching: Murray St. Racers

2010-03-07T23:09:09Z

After cruising through the Ohio Valley Conference, Murray St. wins because of a balanced attack. Lake a look at this: 10.6, 10.5, 10.4, 10.4, 10.3, 9.5. Those are the scoring averages of the Racers top six players in terms of minutes. If you're a math guy, the median is just 0.12 above the average. Thus, to eliminate this team from the tournament it's likely going to take a well-rounded defensive effort that limits production inside and out.

The OVC hasn't had a team play past the first round of the tournament since way back in 1998. Something tells me this could turn into a trendy pick, especially if they're matched up against a poor defensive team.

Top Player: Tony Easley (10.4 points/game; 5.8 rebounds/game),
Need to know stat: Many lower-seeded teams rely on the 3pt shot to keep them in games. Well the Racers are third in the country in two-point shots at 55 percent.
Projected Seed: #12

Get the unabridged version of the Murray State Racers at StatSheet.com.

Things we missed during the first week of March

2010-03-07T21:52:59Z

Just typing the phrase "first week of March" makes my private parts tingle. Moving on...

Remember back in December when North Carolina was playing Presbyterian and a sensitive Roy Williams had the nerve to kick a college kid out of the Dean Dome for making a simple "MISS IT!" heckle while Deon Thompson stood at the free-throw line? Well that kid, Brian King, was courtside for last night's Duke-Carolina game, courtesy of the Cameron Crazies. King told the Raleigh News & Observer he grew up a Blue Devils fan and was thrilled to be seated in the student section after years of taking in games with his family growing up. Given its back story, all those great paperbacks that chronicle this rivalry may need to be updated with a new chapter.
It's been a fairly overlooked story throughout the season, but there was some finality to the Renardo Sidney saga this week, and it may prevent the prized Mississippi St. recruit from ever playing a single college basketball game. Sidney has officially been suspended for the rest of the season (he had been sitting out awaiting a decision from the NCAA) and also will have to miss the first 30 percent of the Bulldogs games in 2010-2011. Furthermore, The Los Angeles-area high school star was also fined nearly $12 thousand for "benefits received from preferential treatment." That basically means we all know your parents were using funds raised from a non-profit organization that had ties to a summer league team coached by Renardo's father. Mississippi St. plans to appeal, but Sidney is likely preparing to declare for this year's NBA Draft.
After missing Monday's game against West Virginia, and just feeling flat-out sick for a few days, Georgetown's Austin Freeman was diagnosed with diabetes. SB Nation's Casual Hoya was my source for the news, and the guys pointed out five other notable athletes whose bodies can't produce enough insulin but seem to get by just fine: "A bunch of athletes have been able to compete at a high level with the disease, including Jay Cutler, David Wells, Arthur Ashe, Jackie Robinson, and Adam Morrison. Pretty eclectic five I picked there. One's a douche, one's a drunk, one's mustachioed, and two are racial relations pioneers." The Hoyas desperately need Freeman, their leading scorer, if they plan on making any sort of tournament run.

Ticket Punching: East Tennessee State Buccaneers

2010-03-07T20:24:00Z

Much like the Winthrop Eagles, the Buccaneers recent tournament experience seemed to trump their actual win-loss record and helped earn them their fourth NCAA tournament bid since 2003. After losing four starters from last season's Atlantic Sun winning team, a lot of the credit here should go to head coach Murry Bartow for getting his team to form.

With exactly half of their games coming against teams with a +200 RPI, there's no doubt the Buccaneers will be overwhelmed by whomever they're paired with in the tournament. They're small, with player listed over 6'8". And at 69 possessions per 40 minutes, they aren't quite moving the ball from end-to-end at lightning speed. If they leave any sort of mark in this year's field of 65, it will be because they're stroking it with ease from deep.

Player to know: Tommy Hubbard (14.1 points/game; 8.2 rebounds/game)
Need to know stat: With a 0.73 assist-to-turnover ratio, the Bucs are inefficient basketball sharers
Projected Seed: #15

Learn more about the East Tennessee State Buccaneers at StatSheet.com

Ticket Punching: Winthrop Eagles

2010-03-07T18:49:49Z

Last year we gave you 100 plus words on each and every team in the field. It hurt our brains and burnt us out. Needless to say, we won't be barking up that tree this year, but we gotta give the little guy some love as Championship Week tips off. Expect a crash-course on each of the one-bid conference winners. Yes, that may also include the Pac-10.

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At 12-6 in the conference, and just one player averaging double figures this season, the Winthrop Eagles were far from a Big South favorite as a tournament three seed. In fact, the venerable Ken Pomeroy gave this team just a 6.6 percent chance to win the Big South tournament. But the mojo is still flowing in Rock Hill, South Carolina, as the Eagles kept their brand name prominent, clinching their eighth tournament bid since 1998 with a victory last night over top-seeded Coastal Carolina.

You may know the name, but this is a team unlkely to put a scare into whatever heavyweight they're matched up against in the first round. Way back during the non-conference season, the Eagles took each of their four games against BCS teams on the chin, losing by an average margin of 20 points. Statistically they have little to show that would justify their tournament berth, finishing dead last in the conference in assists and nearly every relevant shooting statistic.

Top Player: Mantoris Robinson (8.2 points/game; 6.2 rebounds/game; 1.8 steals/game
Need to know stat: At 25 percent, the Eagles are the absolute worst 3pt shooting team in the country
Projected Seed: #16

Educate yourself further on the Winthrop Eagles at StatSheet.com.

3/6 Game Links: Louisville and Notre Dame are dancing

2010-03-07T17:14:51Z

More photos » Ed Reinke - AP

Browse more photos »

Louisville stuns Syracuse in farewell to Freedom Hall
Courier-Journal: Kyle Kuric writes final legend of Freedom Hall
Duke pummels UNC, Blue Devil seniors get first win in Cameron over Heels
Iowa St. spoils Kansas St.'s bid at one-seed
West Virginia pulls out tough win over Villanova
Austin Freeman returns, scores 24, in rout of Cincinnati
Notre Dame steals win over Marquette in Harangody's return
Dayton apparently has no interest in the NCAA Tournament
The same goes for Connecticut

Tonight's Picks

2010-03-06T16:39:02Z

UTEP (-6.5) over UAB- With wins over Butler, Cincinnatti, and Georgia to go along with a 23-6 record, UAB is firmly affixed the NCAA tournament 'bubble', and will most certainly be a lock with a win today. They'll be facing a UTEP team who is ranked 21st in the nation and riding a 13-game winning streak. UAB has been led all season by 6'6'' guard Elijah Millsap and his 16 PPG/9 RPG. He'll need a lot of help for the Blazers to pull off this road upset.

Maryland (-5) over Virginia- This one is set up for a classic Maryland let down after the win 'n riot they pulled off on Wednesday. Virginia has dropped eight straight games, and will be looking to end the regular season on a high note and improve their ACC tournament seeding. That being said, the Cavaliers won't have enough to take down the Terps at the John Paul Jones Arena.

South Florida (-1) over Connecticut- All the talking heads have UCONN in the tournament, but if they lose today, there is no way a 14 loss team sneaks their way in. Not a chance. For USF, with the Big East tournament springs new hope of notching enough wins to slide in. In a conference where anybody can beat anybody (save Syracuse), the (18-11) Bulls must go deep into next weeks tournament. They've got the star to lead them in Dominique Jones. Maybe the most underrated player in the nation, Jones averages 21PPG and he'll have to be big today in a must win for both teams. I think UCONN loses their way to an NIT bid.

Overall: 83-77-1

Wednesday: 1-2

SB Nation: We'll Sort Of Miss You, Freedom Hall

2010-03-06T16:00:35Z

SB Nation: We'll Sort Of Miss You, Freedom Hall

Today marks the Cardinals' last home game in Freedom Hall. In short, the feelings are "good riddance" from Jon Bois.

Ticket Punching: Cornell Big Red

2010-03-06T15:56:28Z

Last year we gave you 100 plus words on each and every team in the field. It hurt our brains and burnt us out. Needless to say, we won't be barking up that tree this year. But we gotta give the little guy some love as Championship Week tips off. Expect a crash-course on each of the one-bid conference winners. Yes, that includes the Pac-10.

As your Ivy League champs, Cornell is the first entrant in the field of 65. The Big Red defeated Brown last night - scoring SIXTY points from behind the arc - and will be making their third consecutive trip to the Big Dance. Just a few weeks ago we gave you a rundown on this team. Go check it out, you'll learn more about this team's chances at being 2010's Cinderella.

Today's Conference Finals:

Big South: Winthrop - Coastal Carolina @ 4 p.m.
Atlantic Sun: Mercer - East Tennessee St. @ 6 p.m.
Ohio Valley: Morehead St. - Murray St. @ 8 p.m.

Searching for Billy Edelin

Ticket Punching: Montana Grizzlies

Ticket Punching: Oakland Golden Grizzlies

'One Shining Moment' Is A Horrible Audio Slice Of Squid Vomit - SB Nation

Ticket Punching: North Texas Mean Green

Week 4.1 Bubble Watch, presented by Microsoft Paint

Previous Versions

Ticket Punching: Old Dominion Monarchs

The 2009-2010 Huskies are six-feet deep

Ticket Punching: Siena Saints

Ticket Punching: Wofford Terriers

This Year's Best College Hoops Players Recognized As All-Conference Teams Are Announced - SB Nation

Kevin Anderson steals A10 POY from Jordan Crawford

Week 4 Bubble Watch, presented by Microsoft Paint

Ticket Punching: Murray St. Racers

Things we missed during the first week of March

Just typing the phrase "first week of March" makes my private parts tingle. Moving on...

Ticket Punching: East Tennessee State Buccaneers

Ticket Punching: Winthrop Eagles

3/6 Game Links: Louisville and Notre Dame are dancing

Courier-Journal: Kyle Kuric writes final legend of Freedom Hall

Duke pummels UNC, Blue Devil seniors get first win in Cameron over Heels

Tonight's Picks

SB Nation: We'll Sort Of Miss You, Freedom Hall

Ticket Punching: Cornell Big Red

Today's Conference Finals: