Boston College
Pittsburgh -5
The Boston College Eagles (20-10) rallied to defeat Rutgers 60-55 and advanced to the Big East quarterfinals on Thursday. The Eagles play Pittsburgh on Friday in a rematch of last year's championship game, which BC won 79-57. Rutgers led 33-22 at halftime after running off 13 straight points and limiting the Eagles to two points in the final 7:21 of the half. The Eagles climbed back in the game on Troy Bell and Kenny Walls baskets. Then Ryan Sidney, who had a game-high 20 points, made two straight baskets, and consecutive 3-pointers by Walls put BC in front at 38-37. Rutgers battled back to lead 49-46 before Sidney's 3-pointer tied the score with 4:16 to play. Sidney then made another 3-pointer, and free throws by Bell and Uka Agbai put BC in front to stay. Bell had 16 points but made just four of 20 shots. Walls had 11 on 4-of-17 shooting as BC shot 27.3 percent for the game. The Eagles, on the NCAA tournament bubble, shot a miserable 5-for-33 (15.2 percent), the lowest half ever in Big East tournament history. In their last regular season game, Julius Page scored 23 points as the Panthers closed their half-century old arena -- and the best regular season in school history -- with a 92-65 victory over rival West Virginia on Saturday night. With more than 130 former players lining the sidelines in the final game at Fitzgerald Field House, the Panthers (25-4, 13-3 Big East) fell behind by eight points early, quickly caught up, then pulled away in the second half. Pitt, the Big East Western Division champion, will take a seven-game winning streak and 10 victories in 11 games into the Big East quarterfinals Thursday, against BC. "Not many people thought we could have the season we've had, so I think it was special," said Brandin Knight, who had 15 points and 14 assists. The Panthers have their work cut out as they face off against last years nemesis. BC will need a much better offensive showing if they are to make a contest out of Fridays’ game but the talented, defensive minded Panthers will have other ideas. Pitt has come too far to let down early in the Big East Tournament.
Projected Score: Pittsburgh 73, Boston College 59
Injury Report
Georgetown
Miami Fl -1
Wesley Wilson's slam with 3.8 seconds to play gave Georgetown a 68-67 victory over Providence in Wednesday's opening-round game. Wilson's only basket in the final 10 minutes came on a nice pass from freshman Drew Hall. It allowed the Hoyas (19-10) to move on to the quarterfinals against No. 20 Miami (23-6) and kept alive their chances for an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament. Providence had a last chance at the upset, but John Linehan, who wasn’t fouled, was unable to get off a clean shot as he started his drive near the head of the key. Mike Sweetney, limited to 12 minutes in the second half because of foul trouble, had 18 points for Georgetown, the last six after Providence used a 15-2 run to take a 59-52 lead. Sweetney had 10 rebounds to lead the Hoyas, who finished with a 43-28 rebounding advantage. Wilson finished with 13 points, and Hall had nine for Georgetown, which is 5-0 in opening-round games.Senior center Elton Tyler scored a season-high 24 points and Miami held off Virginia Tech 83-77 Saturday, tying the school record for most victories in a season. "Elton Tyler really stepped up," Miami coach Perry Clark said. "He had two great practices and hopefully he is ready to take this on to the (Big East) tournament." The Hurricanes (23-6, 10-6 Big East), who beat the Hokies twice this season, struggled down the stretch but reached the 23-victory mark for the third time in four years. After building a 58-38 lead five minutes into the second half, Miami watched Virginia Tech narrow the gap to 72-69 on Carlton Carter's basket with 4:20 left. Tyler responded with a jump shot. After a basket and two free throws by senior John Salmons, Miami increased its lead to 77-69 with 2:10 to play. Their overall team quickness is very good for this athletic bunch. Georgetown comes off a thrilling win Thursday and will need the same kind of intensity to stay with the talented Hurricanes. Miami is ready and has so much talent that if they get on a roll, they could easily be playing in the Championship game on Saturday.
Projected Score: Miami Fl 77, Georgetown 70
Injury Report
No line available at this time.
Villanova
Connecticut
Injury Report
No line available at this time.
TBA
Notre Dame
Injury Report
Massachusetts
Xavier -9
Anthony Anderson had 16 points, including four 3-pointers, as Massachusetts advanced to the Atlantic 10 Conference quarterfinals with a 73-62 win over George Washington on Wednesday. The Minutemen (13-15) advance to quarterfinals for the 13th straight time and will face top-seeded Xavier on Thursday at noon. Shannon Crooks scored 14 points, Micah Brand had 11 points and Kitwana Rhymer added 10 for the Massachusetts, which has won three of its last four. Massachusetts fell behind 38-37 when two free throws by Chris Monroe capped a 10-3 run for George Washington. The Minutemen then scored 22 of the next 32 points and a dunk by Brand made it 59-48 with 6:50 left. David West scored 22 points and Xavier wrapped up the best of its seven seasons in the Atlantic 10 with a 72-52 win over Massachusetts on Saturday. The Musketeers (22-5, 14-2) also avenged their only conference loss in two seasons at the Cintas Center. The Minutemen beat Xavier at home last January. Xavier, which won five of its last six, had 13 conference wins in the 1996-1997 season. Xavier's Romain Sato had 13 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Lionel Chalmers added 13 points. Xavier was scoreless for almost five minutes spanning halftime, but the poor-shooting Minutemen couldn't take advantage. Then the Musketeers went on a 12-5 run that put them ahead 50-35 with 13:24 remaining. Massachusetts shot 50 percent (13-for-26) in the first half and fell to 21 percent, or 6-of-28, shooting after halftime. The Musketeers are the class of the A-10 and the only threat heading their way is Temple. Umass comes off a good win but they will be merely a bump in the road for the Musketeers.
Projected Score: Xavier 69, Massachusetts 57
Injury Report
Dayton
St Josephs -1
Dayton easily handled Rhode Island 90-71 in quarterfinal action of the A-10 on Wednesday. D.J. Stelly had a career-high 19 points, making 7-of-11 from the field, in the first round game. The Flyers (19-9) advanced to play Saint Joseph's in the quarterfinals Thursday. Sean Finn matched a career-high with 17 points, Brooks Hall scored 17 points and David Morris matched a career high with 11 assists for Dayton. Leading by four, the Flyers scored 22 of the next 29, taking a 72-57 lead when Ramod Marshall made a fast break layup. The lead reached 24 when scored 11 straight points, capped by a 3-pointer by Stelly with 5:02 remaining. Temple 87, St. Joe's 84. Lynn Greer, playing his final Big 5 game and his last game at the Big House, made a game saving shot in regulation that neither he nor St. Joe fans will forget. Greer's game-winner was actually his second-biggest shot of the game. With his team trailing by three near the end of regulation, Greer appeared to be in an impossible situation, trapped beyond the arc without a dribble. He pivoted his way into a shot, stepped through and swished a three that tied the game at 67. The Hawks (18-10, 12-4 Atlantic 10, 1-3 Big 5) played one of their best halves of the season to lead by 41-25 at the break. They were so good that Owls coach John Chaney abandoned his zone after the first television timeout. St. Joe's made 12 of 17 shots during one stretch. The Temple man-to-man was just as helpless. "You all should have had to pay to see that," Hawks coach Phil Martelli said to the media. "That was probably as good as it gets. Terrific teams. Terrific individual performances.""I don't think we lost," Martelli said. "I think we just ran out of time. I think the c**** just said zeros and they said, 'Go home,' and that's the end of that. Or we would have kept going." Dayton might have something to say about that if the Hawks think too much about “the shot”. But, the Hawks will look forward to another chance to skin the Owls after this barnburner.
Projected Score: St Josephs 73, Dayton 69
Injury Report
Marshall 157
Kent -10½
MAC tournament game and you'd have to side with Kent here, as they play great defense while Marshall is talented but inconsistent. Marshall boasts two of the MACs top two players in 6’-9” Tamar Slay (18 points, 7 rebounds, 41% shooter from three-point land), while 6’-10” J.R. VanHoose chips in 14 points, and 10 boards per game. 6’-8” senior Latece Williams averages 12 points and 6 rebounds per game. Temple transfer Ronald Blackshear, a 6-‘5” sophomore, has just been activated (19 ppg) and 6’-7” senior William Butler is back after a back injury giving this team plenty of depth and trees in the paint. Marshall can rebound with anyone in the MAC, but their defense is terrible. They should be better at 15-14 SU and only 9-14 ATS (5-9 SU/2-9 ATS on the road). Blackshear had 44 points, 7 rebounds in a 104-87 win over Akron and they beat Northern Illinois 97-93 but failed to cover last night. The Kent State Golden Flashes are the class of the MAC, winning 22 games last season and they are 24-5 SU/19-7 ATS this season. Kent has a strong backcourt and is led by All-MAC 6’-1” senior Trevor Huffman (15 ppg, 4.4 asp). Kent is a strong defensive team holding opponents to 40% shooting (#1 in the MAC), led by MAC Defensive Player of the Year Demetric Shaw, a 6’-3” senior guard who averages 5 boards per game. 5’-11” senior Andrew Mitchell averages 15 ppg and is strong from the line. In fact, the whole team is solid from free throw line (73%, #1 in the MAC). 6’-3” junior Antonio Gates is having a great season averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds per game. Kent is 10-3 SU/8-4 ATS on the road and on an 11-0 SU/9-1-1 ATS run! Kent won 116-76 at home over Marshall and 73-70 at Marshall.
Projected Score: Kent 90, Marshall 75
Injury Report
Cent Michigan 133
Toledo -3
Central Michigan gets it done at home (7-6 SU, 5-6 ATS) but falls apart on the road (2-12 SU/2-10 ATS). Note that the Chippewas are 7-16 ATS on the season and led by dynamic 6’-2” sparkplug senior guard Dave Webber (18 points per game). 7-foot sophomore Chris Kaman (12 points, 8 rebounds per game, 64% shooter) teams with Webber to form a strong one-two punch. 6’-6” junior Chad Pleiness averages 11 points, 4 rpg and 6’-5” junior Mike Manciel is averaging 10 points and over 4 boards per game. They are not a strong defensive team and give up 76 points per game on the road, and is the third-worst defensive team in the MAC, allowing teams to shoot 46%. They are on a 3-8 ATS run despite last night’s 65-56 win over Ohio. The 15-13 Toledo Rockets are a guard-oriented team led by MAC Freshman of the Year Terry Reynolds. The 5’-9” sophomore averages 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game. His partner in the backcourt is 6’-1” junior Nick Moore, who is second on the team in scoring (14.5 ppg). The frontcourt is thin and 6’-7” Ricardo Thomas pulls down 5 rebounds per game and is second in assists at 2.6 apg, which shows how much this team lives on the outside shot. The shoot 43% from the field, 66% from the line and 36% from long range (66 points per game). Toledo is 15-13 overall, 11-14 ATS. They had a nice 73-64 upset win at Western Michigan as 6’-7” junior Milo Kirsch stepped forward with 21 points, 8 rebounds. Toledo is on a 5-9-1 ATS run, though they have a 6 game win streak which included upset wins over Ohio and Bowling Green and a 89-53 rout of Eastern Michigan. CM won at home 75-61, while Toledo won 58-42 at home over CM. Central Michigan won't go far in this tourney because of a poor defense and weak road record, but they do have a lot of talent and match up well with Toledo, so don't be surprised if the Chippewas get a straight up win.
Projected Score: Cent Michigan 78, Toledo 75
Injury Report
Miami Oh 136
Ball St -5½
13-17 Miami of Ohio is led by 6’-8” senior Alex Shorts: over 13 points, 5 rebounds per game. 6’-3” senior point guard Doug Davis (12 ppg) is a great defensive player and 6’-5” sophomore Julius Johnson is chipping in 10 points per game and is a 44% shooter/42% from three-point land. Danny Horace leads the team with over 6 rebounds per game. Miami is 13-17 SU and 12-16 ATS (2-11 SU on the road, 4-9 ATS). They are on a 2-5 SU/ATS run. The Ball State Cardinals are 19-10 SU/12-12 ATS. Ball State is led by 6’-8” junior Theron Smith, who averages 19 points, 11 rebounds per game while 5’-10” senior Patrick Jackson runs the backcourt (17 ppg, 3.6 assists, shooting 47% from the field and 45% from three-point land). 6’-3” transfer Chris Williams has been a huge asset, averaging 15 points per game, 38% from long range and 82% from the free throw line. Offensively they are averaging 80 points per game and shoot 40% from 3-point land. Away from home this team is only 6-7 SU, 3-9 ATS and on a 4-7 ATS run. Ball State won 74-58 at home, while Miami beat Ball State 80-77 as a +2 home dog.
Projected Score: Ball St 79, Miami Oh 72
Injury Report
Akron 146
Bowling Green -10
The Akron Zips are struggling at 10-20 SU and 11-14 ATS. After going 4-0 SU/ATS with some impressive upsets, Akron is on a 2-7 SU/3-5 ATS run. The upset wins were over Bowling Green (as a +8) and at Ohio as a +12 dog, but they have gone back to playing poorly. Rebounding is a weakness and they are averaging 69 points per game and shoot 44%. The guard play is solid with Rashon Brown (16 points per game, 42% from 3-point land) and 6’-3” junior Emmanuel Smith (8 ppg). 6’-8” Andy Hipsher is a skinny sophomore and has stepped forward averaging 12 points, 6 rebounds per game. Akron is good from the charity stripe (75%). Akron upset Bowling Green 87-86 in OT, but BG got revenge in a 30-point win over Akron! The 22-7 Bowling Green Falcons have a great one-two punch in 6’-9” senior center Len Matela and guard Keith McLeod. Matela averages 15 points and 8 rebounds per game, while 6’-2” senior Keith McLeod led the team with 22 points and 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Coach Dan Makich also has one of the top point guards in 6’-1” senior Brandon Pardon (11 points, 6.4 assists per game, 45% from three-point land). This team shoots 49% from the field and 41% from 3-point land. They are 22-7 and are strong at home (13-1 SU, 8-4 ATS at home) and on the road (7-5 SU, 5-7 ATS). They whipped a good Detroit team 77-60 at home as McLeod had 24 points and Matela grabbed 12 rebounds and are the second best free throw shooting team in the MAC (74%).
Projected Score: Bowling Green 79, Akron 63
Vanderbilt 125
LSU -2
The SEC Tournament gets started with this matchup between the fifth place team in the Eastern Division, Vanderbilt, and the fourth place team in the West, LSU. The only regular season meeting between these teams took place on February 6th, at Vanderbilt. The Commodores scored a 68-63 victory, covering the 2 ½ point spread in the process. The Commodores went just 2-5 straight up after that game, ruining any hopes they might have had for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, while LSU seemed to improve after that contest. The Tigers were 4-3 SU over their last seven games to end the season with a 16-13 record, 6-10 in the SEC. Vanderbilt’s record is identical to LSU’s this season, both overall and in the SEC, so these teams are obviously very similar. Both teams are among the best in the conference from three-point range, but LSU is a much better defensive team, holding their opponents to under 42% shooting from the field. Vanderbilt’s opponents shot over 45% from the floor on the season. LSU is a bit tougher and they should be able to avenge their earlier loss to move on.
Projected Score: LSU 64, Vanderbilt 58
Injury Report
Arkansas 137
Tennessee -1
Arkansas heads into this tournament with interim head coach Mike Anderson running the squad, as controversy continues to surround former head coach Nolan Richardson and, in fact, the entire university. The Razorbacks played their final game of the season without Richardson, at home, and responded with one of their best games of the season, an 81-67 win over Vanderbilt, to improve their record to 14-14 on the season and 6-10 in the conference. Against the spread they are just 9-14 on the season, though. Tennessee has also had a disappointing season. They are 14-15 overall and 7-9 in the SEC, but they ended a four-game losing streak in their last game, a 71-63 overtime win against Georgia. The Vols most impressive stat this season was their 17-8 mark against the spread. They beat Arkansas once this season, 64-53 at home on February 13th, and should be able to repeat the trick on Thursday. Take Tennessee.
Projected Score: Tennessee 72, Arkansas 66
Injury Report
Auburn 139
Florida -14½
For the most part the opening rounds of the major conference tournaments pit teams with mediocre records against other, equally mediocre squads. But this game is one of the true mismatches in the entire country on Thursday, as Auburn takes on Florida. This game also shows just how deep the SEC is. Florida is a Top 10 team, and should be a second or third seed in the NCAA Tournament, yet they weren’t good enough to get a bye in the opening round of their league’s tournament. The Gators went 10-6 in the SEC, good enough to finish in a three-way tie atop the SEC East, but were forced to play today because of tie-breakers. They went 21-7 on the season, and have one of the most talented starting fives in the country, including Udonis Haslem, Matt Bonner and Brett Nelson. Auburn has lost two in a row and four of their last five, and they just don’t have the talent to hang with Florida on a neutral floor. Take the Gators to get an easy win.
Projected Score: Florida 88, Auburn 66
Injury Report
So Carolina 122
Mississippi PK
Just a few weeks ago, South Carolina looked like a possibility to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament, but three straight losses to end the regular season have dashed those hopes. The Game@#$%s finished the season with a 16-13 record, but were just 6-10 in the conference. They were even worse against the spread this season, going 10-15. They’ve had trouble scoring all season, and that was the case when these teams met for the first time. Ole Miss got a 71-53 win at home on January 26th, as South Carolina made just 35% of their shots and turned the ball over 19 times. Ole Miss got a balanced effort in that game, with four players scoring in double figures and hitting 48% of their field goal attempts as a team. The Rebels are 20-9 straight up on the season, and they should be invited to the Big Dance whether they win this game or not. They are coming off a big home win over Alabama to close out the regular season, but they’ve lost three of their last five games, and they haven’t played that well this season, when they aren’t at home, that is. Fifteen of their 20 wins have come at home this season. This game should be tight and low –scoring. Take the under in this one, as the game goes down to the wire.
Projected Score: Mississippi 56, So Carolina 54
Injury Report
Colorado -1½
Nebraska 151
Colorado (14-13, 5-11).despite a second-half charge, lost 82-71 to Oklahoma on Saturday. James Wright had 16 points for Colorado, which has lost six of seven, while Michel Morandais had 14, Nick Mohr 13 and Blair Wilson 10. Oklahoma made just five of its first 21 shots as Colorado frustrated the Sooners with 2-3 zone defense. Colorado led 22-17 when the Sooners went on a 14-1 run, fueled by a 3-pointer and a layup after a turnover. Oklahoma led 40-31 at halftime and stretched it to 59-47 before Colorado got within 66-61 on a 3-pointer by Wilson and a layup by Mohr. Colorado was 7-for-16 from the line in the first half, while Oklahoma was 10-for-10. Kansas State beat Nebraska 67-58 Saturday night. Kansas State held off a Nebraska rally with a 10-0 run late in the second half and clinched a seventh seed in the Big 12 tournament. John Turek led Nebraska (13-14, 6-9) with 20 points and eight rebounds and Cary Cochran added 13 points. The Wildcats took a 13-point lead early in the second half, but the Cornhuskers answered with a 17-3 run to take a 42-41 lead with 12 minutes left in the game. These teams split during the season with each winning at home. Colorado is in a 1-6 spiral while Nebraska is on a 3-5 run. The Buffs have been having some serious problems putting the ball in the basket so Nebraska is the prohibitive play in this close one on Thursday.
Projected Score: Nebraska 66, Colorado 60
Injury Report
Texas A&M 140
Texas Tech -13
Texas A&M, down by only a point with 7 minutes to play, was outscored 16-1 by Oklahoma State the rest of the way, in losing 66-51 Saturday night. Jesse King had a career-high 17 for Texas A&M (9-21, 3-13). Bernard King, defended by Sanders most of the night, had 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. For Texas Tech, Andy Ellis scored 28 points, including the putback slam of Ronald Ross' miss with less than a second left, as Texas Tech came back to beat Baylor 91-89 on Saturday. Ellis caught the ball in midair, his 10th rebound, and stuffed it in with nine-tenths of a second left as Tech (21-7, 10-6 Big 12) completed its first regular season under coach Bob Knight. "I've never had a kid make a better play than that at the end of the game," said Knight, in his 35th season as a head coach. "I think most guys would have stood and watched. The Red Raiders overcame a 10-point deficit in the final 13 minutes. They remained in contention for a first-round bye in next week's Big 12 tournament. Baylor led 46-42 at halftime, and 3-pointers were the difference. The Bears made 8-of-16 treys and Texas Tech missed all nine of its long-range shots in the first half. Tech made all three of its 3-pointers after halftime. Texas Tech won both meeting during the year. Texas A&M won both meetings last year. A&M doesn't play great defense while Texas Tech loves to run-and-gun, which means this game should be a shootout.
Projected Score: Texas Tech 100, Texas A&M 82
Injury Report
Baylor -1½
Kansas St 135
Texas A&M, down by only a point with 7 minutes to play, was outscored 16-1 by Oklahoma State the rest of the way, in losing 66-51 Saturday night. Jesse King had a career-high 17 for Texas A&M (9-21, 3-13). Bernard King, defended by Sanders most of the night, had 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. For Texas Tech, Andy Ellis scored 28 points, including the putback slam of Ronald Ross' miss with less than a second left, as Texas Tech came back to beat Baylor 91-89 on Saturday. Ellis caught the ball in midair, his 10th rebound, and stuffed it in with nine-tenths of a second left as Tech (21-7, 10-6 Big 12) completed its first regular season under coach Bob Knight. "I've never had a kid make a better play than that at the end of the game," said Knight, in his 35th season as a head coach. "I think most guys would have stood and watched. The Red Raiders overcame a 10-point deficit in the final 13 minutes. They remained in contention for a first-round bye in next week's Big 12 tournament. Baylor led 46-42 at halftime, and 3-pointers were the difference. The Bears made 8-of-16 treys and Texas Tech missed all nine of its long-range shots in the first half. Tech made all three of its 3-pointers after halftime. Texas Tech won both meeting during the year. Texas A&M won both meetings last year. A&M isn’t the team they were a year ago and Knight’s Raiders are an up and coming brew so they get the nod.
Projected Score: Kansas St 88, Baylor 75
Injury Report
Iowa St 149
Missouri -8
Iowa State fell to Texas 79-76 Saturday night. Iowa State (12-18, 4-12) could not hold an eight-point lead in the last three minutes and lost for the seventh time in the conference when it had a last shot to win or tie. Jake Sullivan's fadeaway 3-point attempt bounced off the rim at the buzzer. "The tougher team won. The harder team won," Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy said. "That sums the whole thing up. We haven't been able to get to a point where we can make the plays in these types of game to win." Tyray Pearson led Iowa State with 21 points, Shane Power scored 19 and Jake Sullivan 15. Iowa State shot 65 percent in taking a 38-35 halftime lead and capitalized on a six-point possession to build what appeared to be a comfortable lead late in the game. Missouri came oh-so close before falling to Kansas 95-92 on Sunday in one of the best college games of the year. Missouri (20-10, 9-7) trailed by as many as 11 points after halftime but twice rallied to tie it and briefly led after Arthur Johnson's three-point play made it 92-91 with 1:57 to go. Kansas quickly regained control as Collison connected from the key with 1:36 to go and Drew Gooden's tip rolled in with 26 seconds left for a three-point lead.Missouri had several missed opportunities in the closing minutes. Kareem Rush missed a turnaround jumper with 1:14 left and a chance to take the lead, then his errant pass was intercepted by Jeff Boschee with about 15 seconds to go and Kansas up by three. Kansas beat Missouri 105-73 on Jan. 28, in Lawrence, Kan. Missouri enters the Big 12 tournament as the sixth seed and a first-round matchup against Iowa State on Thursday night after being ranked No. 2 in the nation in December. Missouri wants a rematch with the Jayhawks and the road to that potential game starts with Iowa State who will have a very difficult time early and late on Thursday.
Projected Score: Missouri 88, Iowa St 73
Injury Report
Louisville
Marquette -4½
Bryant Northern scored a career-high 25 points and led a 3-point shooting binge that swept Louisville to a 110-86 victory over TCU on Wednesday in the first round of the Conference USA tournament. Louisville (18-11) riddled the conference's worst defense, hitting 15 of its 30 3-point shots, as it made another breakthrough in coach Rick Pitino's first season. The Cardinals will play Marquette in the quarterfinals tomorrow. Reece Gaines scored 30 points for Louisville, going 11-of-16 from the field. The run-and-gun pace was typical for TCU, which led the conference in scoring (81.2 points per game) and was last in defense (83.4 allowed per game). Ninth-ranked Marquette (24-5, 13-3), led by Dwyane Wade with 16 points, capped an undefeated home season by beating DePaul 72-53 last Friday. Cordell Henry added 10 points for Marquette, which had lost its last two games -- at Cincinnati and East Carolina. The Blue Demons were up by eight when the Golden Eagles used a 16-0 run in the span of 5:02 to take a 31-23 lead. "I thought we did a great job after we settled down," Marquette coach Tom Crean said. "We made some shots and got back in the game." The Golden Eagles, who had a 37-31 rebounding advantage, shot 55 percent (31-56). The Cardinals are playing their best ball of the season and their timing couldn’t be better as Marquette figures to be ready to rumble on Thursday. Dwayne Wade and Reece Gaines will put on a show but defense will decide this battle and in the C-USA only one team is better defensively than Marquette and that’s Cincinnati. The Golden Eagles will fly high in this thriller, defense is the key.
Projected Score: Marquette 88, Louisville 82
Injury Report
Houston
Memphis -9½
Houston (17-13; C-USA: 9-7) defeated East Carolina 58-49 on Wednesday. Louis Truscott scored 11 of his game-high 15 points in the second half today as Cougars avenged a 63-46 loss at East Carolina on Feb. 23, in the first round of the Conference USA tournament. Houston (17-13) overcame a 13-point deficit late in the first half to earn a quarterfinal matchup against Memphis on Thursday. East Carolina (12-18) stunned the Cougars by pulling out to a 25-12 lead with 5:20 left in the first half, but the Pirates' undependable offense disintegrated. The Pirates finishedin the conference in scoring (60.4 points per game), field-goal shooting and 3-point shooting. Houston is the best-shooting team in the conference, making 47.6 percent from the field, but the Cougars couldn't get any shots to go in at the outset. They missed 14 of their first 16 as East Carolina pulled ahead by double digits. Last Sunday, Cincinnati needed every bit of mojo a sold-out crowd could muster to hand Memphis (22-8, 12-4 C-USA), an 80-75 defeat in overtime. Steve Logan easing in a floater that hit the rim four times before falling in to tie it at 68-68 as the buzzer sounded to signal the end of regulation. Dajaun Wagners’ 27 points on 11-of-28 shooting helped pace an offensive effort that saw the Tigers hit 45.5-percent from the field against the nation's best defensive team. Memphis is an offensive powerhouse and Tiger fans are hoping that super-Dajaun Wagner sticks around for a couple of years to show his wares. On Thursday he does and the Tigers prowl into the next round.
Projected Score: Memphis 78, Houston 66
San Jose St 130
Hawaii -12
WAC tourney from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Does San Jose State have a chance here? Probably not. A pair of 6’-3” junior guards lead the way for the Spartans. Guard Brandon Hawkins averages 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists per game, while Phil Calvert chips in 10 points per game. 6’-8”, 276-lb Marion Thurmond is a solid defender and grabs 7 boards each game. SJ State is 10-21 SU and 11-15 ATS, and terrible away from home (3-11 SU, 6-8 ATS). They are shooting 41% from the field and are 5-13 SU/8-10 ATS the last 18 games, but had an upset of Hawaii 57-53 as Thurmond had 11 boards. They were later smashed 71-46 at Hawaii, and are off a 58-57 win over Rice on Tuesday. They did not play well, shooting 37%, 5-20 from 3-point land and getting outrebounded. Hawaii is 24-5 SU, 16-8 ATS. 6’-6” senior Predrag Savovic leads the way averaging 19 points per game while 6’-5” sophomore Carl English chips in 16 points per game. 6’-10” sophomore Haim Shimonovic leads the club in rebounding (6.7 rpg), 6’-7” senior Mindaugas Burneika is chipping in 9 ppg and 6’-4” Mark Campbell leads the team in assists (4.8 apg). Hawaii won a nice defensive effort, a 54-44 win over Georgia, and had a win over Fresno State 83-73. They are 17-2 SU/14-5 ATS the last 19 games. Hawaii is 17-2 SU/10-6 ATS at home and 6-3 SU/7-2 ATS on the road. Hawaii should win by 15 or more.
Projected Score: Hawaii 80, San Jose St 62
Injury Report
Nevada Reno 144
SMU -1
WAC tournament match-up: For 16-12 Nevada, the strength lies in his backcourt, where junior Terrance Green (16 ppg) teams with sophomore Gary Hill-Thomas (16 points, 45% shooter, 76% from the line). 6’-7” senior Corey Jackson crashes the boards (11 rebounds per game), while sophomore guard Andre Hazel chips in 9 points and 3 assists per game. This team averages 73 points per game and is very good from the charity stripe (68%). Nevada is a decent 6-8 SU/8-6 ATS on the road. They had an 88-85 home win over Fresno State where freshman Kirk Snyder scored 21 points while Green had 25 points, and Jackson had 17 points, 15 rebounds in the rematch, a 66-57 upset win at Fresno State. They took a 20-win Louisiana Tech team to OT on the road before losing 86-83 as a +9 dog. SMU and coach Mike Dement are 15-13 (8-14 ATS). 6’-6” junior guard Quinton Ross (16 ppg, 5 rpg) and 6’-4” senior guard Damon Han@#$% (21 points per game) lead the way. 6’-9” freshman Patrick Simpson has been a key and he pulls down 7 boards per game while chipping in 9.8 points per contest. SMU is a poor free throw shooting team (66%) and is 6-7 SU/4-8 ATS on the road, but they are on a 1-4 ATS run. SMU won both games vs. Nevada this season, though they went 0-1 ATS. SMU won 77-74 over Nevada at home as an 8-point favorite. Nevada matches up well and it's tough to beat a team 3 times in one season.
Projected Score: Nevada Reno 75, SMU 71
Injury Report
Fresno St 140
La Tech -2
Two of the better teams from the WAC clash here. The Fresno State Bulldogs are hurting and are on a 4-7 SU/2-8 ATS run. After upset losses to Tulsa and Nevada, Fresno bounced back with an impressive 58-52 over Oklahoma State, but dropped a 61-58 shocker at home to Boise as a 12-point favorite. 6’-10” senior center Melvin Ely (23 points, 9 rebounds per game, 55% shooter) leads the way along with 6’-8” junior Chris Jefferies is strong at 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game (though he’s out). 6’-4” junior Damon Jackson is averaging 11 points per game and freshman Matt Mitchell has been a pleasant surprise (4 assists per game) while 6’-1” senior Chris Sandy is averaging 6 assists per game. Jerry Tarkanian knows the value of defense, as Fresno State allows teams to shoot 40% from the field. Fresno is 18-13 overall, and 10-17 ATS. This team is 5-7 SU/5-6 ATS on the road. They ended the regular season on a low note, losing 82-79 at home to Hawaii. Tarkanian is frustrated and has hinted that he might leave after the season. The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs have had a great season at 20-8 SU, 13-7 ATS. 6’-4” senior guard Gerrod Henderson averages 16 points, 3 assists per game and shoots 36% from 3-point land. 6’-5” junior Darius Brown has stepped up with 10 points, 6 rebounds per game. L-Tech has three big men up front who are very good in 6’-8” Antonio Meeking (6 rpg), 6’-5” Marco Cole (11 ppg) and newcomer Zach Johnson, a 6’-10” freshman who is averaging 6 rebounds per game. This team is very good, averaging 72 points per game while leading the WAC in rebounding with 38 boards per game. And they can play defense, as they beat Boise 59-36 and allow teams to shoot 36%, best in the WAC! L-Tech is 9-6 SU/9-3 ATS on the road and on a 15-3 SU/11-6-1 ATS run, including a 71-64 upset over Fresno State. L-Tech went 2-0 SU against Fresno this season, winning 71-64 and 66-63.
Projected Score: La Tech 67, Fresno St 64
Injury Report
Boise St 139
Tulsa -14½
WAC tourney from Tulsa and a terrible spot for Boise State. The 13-16 Boise State Broncos are led by Abe Jackson at 19 points, 5 rebounds per game. But the team is very weak offensively, averaging 62 points per game and shooting 41% from the field and 31% from long range. Boise is just 4-10 SU/6-7 ATS away from home and had to play an overtime game on Tuesday, upsetting UTEP 73-72. Boise did not play well, allowing UTEP to shoot 51% from the field and were outrebounded 37-25! Tulsa (24-5 SU) has a group of guards who can flat out score, led by 6’-2” senior Greg Harrington (13 ppg) and 5’-10” junior Dante Swanson (12 ppg, 4 rpg, 55% shooter). The frontcourt is also solid with 6’-7” junior forward Kevin Johnson (14 ppg, 5 rpg) and 6’-7” junior Charlie Davis (7 rebounds per game) and 6’-8” Marquis LeDoux. The Golden Hurricane’s are well coached, run a disciplined offense, average 82 points per game and are on a 12-4 SU/ATS run. Tulsa is 11-3 SU, 9-1 ATS on the road, shoot 48% from the field and 75% from the line! They had an 80-60 home win over Boise, then won at Boise 70-56 (going 2-0 SU/ATS vs. Boise). And remember, this is a home game for Tulsa.
Projected Score: Tulsa 86, Boise St 63
Injury Report
Iowa -1½
Purdue 138
Last season Iowa entered the Big 10 Tournament on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and proceeded to run through the tournament, winning four games in four days and earning the automatic bid. They will need a similar effort this weekend, because their regular season was so bad, they aren’t even on the bubble this time around. Iowa is one of the real disappointments in college basketball this season. They went just 16-14 this season and had an awful 5-11 record in the Big 10. They’ve lost six of their last seven, and have covered the spread just once since January began. That said, the talent is still there for the Hawkeyes to make a run. Luke Recker and Reggie Evans haven’t played as well as expected but if given a chance, either one of the two can dominate, especially against an opponent as weak as Purdue. The Boilermakers went 13-17 this season and also went 5-11 in the Big 10 during the regular season. They are coming off an easy win over Penn State in their last game, but had lost three in a row and six of seven before winning that game. Their season ends today, though, as Iowa puts together a strong game, and gets the win.
Projected Score: Iowa 71, Purdue 66
Injury Report
Michigan 115
Northwestern -3½
Northwestern is certainly used to playing in the First Round of the Big 10 Tournament, but they aren’t used to being favored. For the fifth straight season the Wildcats will play on the first day of action, but this is the first time they are the favorite, as they face a bad Michigan team. Northwestern struggled down the stretch, losing three straight games to Illinois, Minnesota and Indiana, dropping their overall record to 16-12 this season and 7-9 in the Big 10. They had a fine record against the spread, at 16-8, including 8-2 as a favorite, despite failing to cover in two of their last three games. They beat Michigan on the road, 58-54 on January 16th, as an underdog in the only regular season meeting between these two teams. Michigan finished the season even worse than Northwestern, dropping six straight on their way to a 10-17 record, 5-11 in the conference. Northwestern is a fine defensive team, and they should be able to move on with an easy win in this game.
Projected Score: Northwestern 62, Michigan 55
Injury Report
Penn St 136
Minnesota -10½
Losses don’t come much harder than Minnesota’s 67-66 defeat at the hands of Illinois on Sunday, to end the regular season for both teams. The Golden Gophers led throughout much of the game, but couldn’t hold on at the end, as Illinois earned it’s share of the Big 10 title. With that loss, Minnesota replanted themselves firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Big 10 isn’t as strong as it’s been in the past, and the league may not be able to get six bids to the tournament, which would leave Minnesota on the outside looking in. Of course, Minnesota can still make a statement with a few wins this weekend. This game should be an easy one, which would leave Minnesota with another meeting against Illinois on Friday. Penn State hasn’t had the talent to compete in the Big 10 all season, and they don’t have the offensive firepower to match the Golden Gophers. Lay the points and take Minnesota to get an easy win.
Projected Score: Minnesota 77, Penn St 63
Injury Report
Cal State Northridge 128
Pacific -3
Big West tournament: The 12-15 Northridge Matadors are led by 6’-1” guard Markus Carr (17 points, 4 rebounds, 4.8 assists per game). 6’-9” junior Ryan Sims is pulling down 4 rebounds per game, while 6’-8” freshman Chris Davis chips in 6 points per game. Northridge is 12-15 SU, 15-8 ATS and they are the second-worst shooting team in the Big West at 41%. They also are the worst free throw shooting team at 66%. Northridge managed to pull off a 70-59 home upset of Pacific as a +4 dog. After a nice 6-0 SU/5-0 ATS run, streaky Northridge went 0-5 SU, but since then is on a 4-0 SU/2-0 ATS run. The 19-9 Pacific Tigers are led by 6’-7” senior Mike Hahn (9 points, 5 rebounds per game), while 5’-10” junior guard Demetius Jackson leads in scoring (12 points per game, 35% from long range). 6’-9” senior Mike Preston (9 ppg, 4 rpg) and 6’-10” center Ross Mills provide bulk in the middle and defense. Pacific is 19-9 SU, 13-12 ATS and 6-7 SU/4-8 ATS on the road. They are strong defensively allowing teams to shoot only 41%, and shoot 45% from the field and are terrific at the free throw line (74%). Pacific won 74-58 at home over Northridge, so these teams are 1-1 SU/ATS this season against each other.
Projected Score: Pacific 68, Cal State Northridge 60
Injury Report
Idaho 113
Utah St -12½
9-18 Idaho has a new coach (Leonard Perry) and limited talent, which explains the 9-18 SU/12-13 season. This team has little height and is led by two players: 6’-4” junior Tyrone Hayes (14 ppg, 5 rpg) and 6’-5” senior Rodney Hilaire (9 ppg, over 5 rpg). The backcourt is a strength with 6’-5” junior Jerald Jenkins (11 ppg) and 6’-1” senior Bethuel Fletcher. Idaho is currently the worst offensive team in the Big West, averaging 56 points per game and 38% shooting. Idaho beat Santa Barbara 40-37 and is on a 6-7 SU/9-3 ATS run, which included a 64-62 win at Long Beach as a +9 road dog. 21-6 Utah State is led by 6’-3” shooting guard Troy Brown (averaging 15 points, 5 assists per game) and 6’-7” JC transfer Desmond Penigar (17 points, 7 rebounds per contest). 6’-4” sophomore Ryan Wheeler has been a pleasant surprise (9 ppg) and note that this team is shooting 48% from the field and 72% from the line! They average 68 ppg and are #1 in the Big West in rebounds (35 per game). Utah State is 7-5 SU/ATS on the road. 6’-9”, 245-lb senior Jeremy Vague had 25 points, 8 rebounds in a 85-53 rout of Cal Poly. Utah State is terrific defensively, allowing teams to shoot only 39% and they pulled off a 62-61 upset win at Irvine for first place in the Big West. Utah State won two defensive games against Idaho this year, 57-46 and 65-56.
Projected Score: Utah St 67, Idaho 52
Injury Report
Long Beach St 141
Cal Irvine -5
The 20-9 Irvine Anteaters went 25-5 last year and are led by Big West Player of the Year in 6’-5” Jerry Green (20 points, 4 assists per game, while shooting 48% from the field, 80% from the free throw line and 36% from 3-point line). 7-foot sophomore center Adam Parada chips in 12 points and 7 rebounds per game, while 6’-5” junior Jordan Harris averages 11 points, 7 rebounds per game and 6’-9” senior JR Christ is a decent role player. Irvine is the second-best three-point shooting team in the Big West (36%), the best shooting team (48%) and third-best defensively allowing teams to shoot 41%. Irvine is an impressive 8-5 SU/7-5 ATS on the road. They recently lost a home showdown with Utah State for first place in the Big West, 62-61. 13-16 Long Beach State has two big men currently leading the way. 6’-8” Travis Reed is averaging 14 points, 7.7 rebounds per game, and 6’-9” forward James Williams is chipping in 11 points/7 boards per contest. This is a good shooting team from the field (46%), averaging 70 points per game, but they are second-worst in the Big West at the free throw line (64%). They’re terrible defensively allowing teams to shoot 50% (worst in the Big West), and weak at rebounding. LBS is 13-16 SU and 11-13 ATS. LBS is 2-9 ATS at home and 8-5 ATS on the road, and on a 7-2 SU/6-3 ATS run. Irvine won 75-69 at home early in the season and LBS won 86-70 over Irvine last week in the season finale. Irvine has too many guns and plays better defense.
Projected Score: Cal Irvine 84, Long Beach St 68
Cal Poly SLO 135
Santa Barbara -5
15-11 Cal Poly is led by two big guns up front and these guys can play. 6’-8”, 260-lb sophomore Varney Dennis averages 15 points, 6 rebounds per game, while 6’-6” senior Brandon Beeson chips in 12 points, 6.4 rebounds per game. JC transfer Jason Allen averages 8 points and 4 assists per game, while 6’-4” sophomore Eric Jackson is a strong role player at both ends of the floor. Cal Poly is decent from the free throw line (69%), and 11-2 SU/10-2 ATS at home, but 4-9 SU/3-7 ATS on the road. They won straight up twice the season as a dog, and lost to Vanderbilt by 5 points as a +16 road dog. They enter the tourney on a 1-4 SU run. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (17-10 SU, 11-13 ATS) are led by 6’-9” junior Mark Hull (15 points, 5 rebounds per game), who is a good shooter (77% from the line and 40% from 3-point land). 6’-9” senior Mike Vukovich crashes the boards along with redshirt freshman 6’-9” Adama Ndiaye (11 points, 7.7 rebounds per game). Two All-Freshman guards last year command the backcourt in 6’-4” Branduinn Fullove (14 ppg) and 6’-4” Nick Jones. The Gauchos are the best free throw shooting team in the Big West (76%) and #1 defensively allowing teams to shoot 37%! They are tough at home (11-2 SU, 6-6 ATS), and 5-8 SU/4-7 ATS on the road. Santa Barbara won both meetings this year, but they were close 74-67 and 69-66 games.
Projected Score: Santa Barbara 72, Cal Poly SLO 64
Injury Report
Air Force 118
Wyoming -9
Mountain West conference tourney opens in Las Vegas. The Air Force Falcons are averaging 57 points per game. They rely on the 3-pointer (37% as a team) and 6’-1” senior Lamoni Yazzie leads the team with close to 12 points per game while shooting 38% from long range. 6’-7” junior Tom Bellairs chips in 10 points and pulls down 5.3 boards per game. 6’-6” Joel Gerlach averages 11 points, 3.2 rebounds per game. Air Force is 9-18 SU, 14-5 ATS, and the Falcons are 2-12 SU/7-3 ATS on the road. Air Force plays a slow down game, but they allow teams to shoot 47%, the worst defensively in the MWC and have lost 6 in a row. The Wyoming Cowboys won 20 games last season and lost in the first round of the NIT. They’ve carried that over this year at 20-7 SU, 10-13 ATS. 6’-5” Marcus Bailey is averaging 13 points per game, and team MVP 6’-8” senior Josh Davis is leading the team with 12 points, 7 rebounds per game, while shooting 53% from the field. 6’-10” sophomore Uche Nsonwu-Amadi is using his 260-lb frame to chip in 8.4 rebounds per game while JC transfer Donta Richardson is chipping in 13 ppg. The backcourt has strong depth with 5’-10” senior Chris McMillan (4.5 assists per game) and keep an eye on 5’-11” freshman guard Jason Straight who had 25 points in a 95-72 win over Colorado State. Note that these Cowboys are 14-1 SU/6-7 ATS at home, but 6-6 SU/4-6 ATS on the road and the best defensive team in the MWC (holding teams to 39% shooting). Bailey had 25 points, 6 assists in a 83-76 four-OT win over Air Force. Wyoming is on a 2-6 ATS run but went 2-0 SU vs. Air Force, winning 83-76 in OT and 51-48. Don't look for a lot of scoring.
Projected Score: Wyoming 59, Air Force 53
Injury Report
San Diego St 138
BYU -1
San Diego State has had a good season at 18-11 SU, 15-9 ATS. 6’-4” senior guard Tony Bland is averaging 16.4 points and 3.6 assists per game. The rebounding is handled by 6’-9” senior Randy Holcomb (17 points, over 9 rebounds per game) and 6’-9” Mike Mackell (close to 5 boards per game). 6’-2” senior guard Al Faux is averaging 16.7 points per game and is shooting 45% from the field and 36% from long range. This team is solid in the low post (averaging 75 points per game while shooting 48%). SDSU went 5-8 SU/6-5 ATS on the road. They gave Duke a tough time before losing 92-79 (and covering), with Holcomb grabbing 15 rebounds against the defending champs. They are a talented team and after losing at home to BYU and to Air Force, Holcomb had 15 points, 10 boards in a 77-73 home win over BYU. BYU was supposed to be rebuilding, but they are rolling at 17-10 SU/13-11 ATS. 6’-7” sophomore guard/forward Mark Bigelow averages 15 points and 4 rebounds per game. Senior forward Eric Nielsen (10 ppg, 5 rpg) and 6’-6” junior Travis Hansen (15 points, 6 rebounds per game) handle the low post. Guard Matt Montague is unselfish and averages 7.3 assists per game. BYU averages 71 points per game while shooting 47% from the field, 76% from the line and 40% from 3-point land. BYU is 15-0 SU/9-3 ATS at home, but 1-10 SU/3-8 ATS on the road ! BYU is on 3-8 ATS run and SDSU should get the win.
Projected Score: San Diego St 66, BYU 57
Injury Report
Colorado St 126
Utah -8
Colorado State is 12-17 SU and can score, shooting 47% from the field averaging 68 points per game. 6’-8” junior Brian Greene leads the way with 16 points, 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 51% from the field and 72% from the line. 6’-4” junior Andy Birley chips in 12 points, 4 assists per game and two freshman have been terrific in 7’-0” Matt Nelson (12 ppg, shooting 59%) and 6’-6” Matt Williams (4 boards per contest). Colorado State is a good defensive team (40% shooting allowed) and is 7-7 SU/4-8 ATS at home, 4-9 SU/7-4 ATS on the road. Colorado State has lost 11 of 15 games and is on a 1-4 ATS run. Utah is 20-7 SU, but a poor 8-14 ATS. 6’-9” junior Britton Johnsen is averaging 12 points, 5 rebounds per game, while the guard play is strong with Travis Spivey (4.6 assists per game) and Nick Jacobsen (13 ppg, 80% from the line, 45% 3-point shooter). Utah is averaging 67 points per game while shooting 40% from long range and 47% from the field. Utah is 14-2 SU, 3-9 ATS at home and 6-5 SU/5-5 ATS on the road. They blew a big halftime lead in a 72-64 loss at UNLV and struggled in wins over Air Force (59-51) and new Mexico (66-65). Utah beat C-State twice this season, 67-62 and 72-62 (1-1 ATS).
Projected Score: Utah 75, Colorado St 62
Injury Report
Washington 164
Oregon -11
Frederick Jones scored 22 points and the 13th-ranked Ducks beat UCLA 65-62 Saturday to claim the title outright and a No. 1 seeding for next week's conference tournament. "It's big for this team and the players," Jones said. "We're happy we achieved one of our goals, which was to win the Pac-10 title. Now our other goal is to win the Pac-10 tournament." The Ducks (22-7, 14-4) won at Pauley Pavilion for the first time since 1984, also the last time they swept the Bruins, who lost by 29 points at Eugene on Jan. 31. Luke Ridnour added 14 points for the Ducks, while Jones had four of their 10 3-pointers. In his final college home game, David Dixon scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to help Washington beat Washington State 82-75 Wednesday night. The victory earned the Huskies a spot in the Pacific-10 Conference tournament. Dixon, a 7-foot senior, made 7-of-9 shots from the field and pulled down eight rebounds before fouling out with 2:02 remaining. Before the season started, the Huskies' goal was to make the tournament, the victory made them the eighth and final seed. They will play the yet-to-be-determined conference champion on March 7. Washington (11-17, 5-13 Pac-10) led by as much as 17 points in the first half, but struggled to put the last-place Cougars away. The Huskies had six players in double digits. Besides Dixon, Erroll Knight had 13 and C.J. Massingale, Doug Wrenn and Grant Leep had 12 apiece. Curtis Allen added 11. the Huskies have met most of their goals for the year and a good show against the Ducks would put icing on the cake. Ducks struggle early and get untracked for a handy win.
Projected Score: Oregon 90, Washington 78
Injury Report
Stanford 149
USC -1
USC will be playing Stanford, a team it swept in convincing fashion, in the first round of the Pacific 10 Conference tournament on Thursday, but the Trojans would rather face a UCLA team with which they split two games in the regular season. "Stanford is going to be gunning for us," senior forward Sam Clancy told the Los Angeles Times. "I'd rather play UCLA, to be honest." Why? "I think we owe UCLA one and I think Stanford's better," Clancy said, matter-of-factly. Sam Clancy scored 20 points and Southern California defeated Oregon State 79-45 Saturday to close out the regular season with a split. The Trojans (20-8) lost to No. 13 Oregon 67-65 on a last-second shot Thursday night, costing them a share of the conference title. They finished in a four-way tie for second with California, Stanford and Arizona, all of whom finished 12-6. The only thing at stake Saturday for the Trojans was a No. 4 seeding in next week's Pac-10 tournament. David Bluthenthal opened the second half with a 3-pointer, then Clancy scored six of USC's next eight for a 51-24 lead with 14:44 remaining. Casey Jacobsen had 29 points and Curtis Borchardt had 19 points and 17 rebounds as Stanford finished the regular season with a road sweep, beating Arizona State 81-76 Saturday night. Julius Barnes scored 16 points for the Cardinal (19-8, 12-6 Pac-10), who won their second straight and sixth in eight. Stanford snapped a two-game skid by beating Arizona 76-71 on Thursday night. Jacobsen had 19 points in the second half of the Cardinal's ninth consecutive win over the Sun Devils. Neither of these teams want to be here now they wanted this to be a PAC-10 Championship game as this one will be a dandy. Stanford lost both games to the Trojans this year by 19 at home and 8 points away. The Cardinal is a definite threat but in the Staples Center USC is the pick with Clancy and Bluthenthal authoring the Trojans three game sweep.
Projected Score: USC 80, Stanford 74
Injury Report
Arizona St 161
Arizona -5½
Rick Anderson had 17 points to lead six Arizona scorers in double figures as the 14th-ranked Wildcats routed California 99-53 on Saturday. The loss guaranteed Oregon the Pac-10 title, the Ducks' first outright conference championship since they won the inaugural NCAA tournament in 1939. Later Saturday, Oregon beat UCLA 65-62 to finish two games ahead of its nearest rival. Luke Walton had 10 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Wildcats, while Salim Stoudamire had 15 points, Jason Gardner and Will Bynum each added 14 and freshman Dennis Latimore a career-best 12. Bynum, who sat out Thursday's loss to Stanford for missing a workout on Sunday, was 4-for-9 from 3-point range. Arizona State lost to Stanford 81-76 and finished their regular season Saturday night. Chad Prewitt had 14 of his 18 points in the second half for Arizona State, which finished the regular season by facing five ranked teams in a row, the most in school history. The Sun Devils were 1-4 during the stretch, beating only UCLA on Feb. 16. Curtis Millage and Awvee Storey each scored 15 points, while Tommy Smith had 12. There isn’t much question who the big favorite is in this game, go with Arizona in what should easily be a no-brainer.
Projected Score: Arizona 90, Arizona St 77
Injury Report
UCLA PK
California 136
Arizona routed California 99-53 on Saturday. The Bears (21-7, 12-6), swept by Arizona this season, fell behind 14-3, trailed by 19 points at halftime, then were buried by Wildcats with a 30-4 burst to start the second half. Bynum, who sat out Thursday's loss to Stanford for missing a workout on Sunday, was 4-for-9 from 3-point range. Wethers scored 18 points for the Bears and Joe Shipp had 13. The Wildcats outscored California 43-7 in a stretch of just over 13 minutes -- 13-3 over the last three minutes of the first half and the run over the first 10:04 of the second. Arizona scored 21 consecutive points to go up 79-34 on Latimore's over-his-head layup with 9:56 to play. UCLA lost to Oregon 65-62 Saturday. The Bruins quickly, and quietly, walked off the floor. "We made a lot of runs, but they always had an answer," UCLA coach Steve Lavin said. For the first time in school history, the Ducks are Pac-10 champions in men's basketball and football in the same academic year. The defeat was costly for UCLA (19-10, 11-7). After No. 21 California lost 99-53 at 14th-ranked Arizona earlier Saturday, the Bruins needed a victory to climb into a second-place tie in the conference. Instead, they dropped to a likely sixth-place finish, their worst Pac-10 showing ever, depending on Saturday's two other games. "It was a big game," said Matt Barnes, one of four UCLA seniors playing their final game at Pauley. "We just didn't play well. If we want to do something in the tournament, we're going to have to step it up a notch." These PAC-10 games will be worth the price of admission and there will be surprises. Cal looked terrible against Arizona while UCLA comes off a game they could have won against Oregon. These teams split with each winning at home this year. Can Cal regroup after Saturday is the big question or will the Bruins get their act together first? UCLA has the better inside game and their pressing defense will be the difference so the Bruins are the pick in a squeaker.
Projected Score: UCLA 77, California 70
Injury Report
Clemson 149
Florida St -1
As a prelude to what should be an outstanding tournament, Clemson takes on Florida State in the ACC play-in game. These teams combined for an 8-24 record in the ACC this season, with both squads going 4-12. Clemson was a bit better overall, with a 13-16 record, while Florida State was just 11-16 on the season. The Seminoles finished the season terribly, losing nine of their last 10 and three in a row, including their last two home games of the season. Clemson is just 2-8 over their last 10 games, but their last win was over Florida State, 87-78, on February 23rd. Florida State won the other game between these two teams, at home, way back on January 24th. These are two bad teams, and with Maryland waiting for the winner, their respective tournament stays won’t be very long. Clemson has played with more fire recently, and they beat the Seminoles recently. Take the Tigers to get the win.
Projected Score: Clemson 79, Florida St 75
Injury Report
Portland St 153
Weber St -6
Big Sky tournament: Portland State went 12-15 SU, 13-10 ATS. The centerpiece of the team is 6’-5” junior Anthony Lackey who leads the team with 16 points, 6 rebounds per game. He teams with 6’-7” sophomore Seamus Boxley (5 rpg) to form a nice low-post combo, while the guard play is handled by 6’-2” junior Jeb Ivey (13 ppg, 3.3 apg) and 6’-2” freshman Aaron Fitzgerald chips in 10 points and 4.5 assists per game. Despite a losing season, Portland State is on a 4-0 SU/ATS run. Lackey had 30 points, 12 rebounds in a 74-67 win at Sacramento. They are a good shooting team from the field (47%) and from the line (74%), but the worst defensive team in the Big Sky (47% shooting). Weber State had a strong 17-10 season. 6’-4” senior Chris Woods averages 10 points, 6 rebounds per game while junior Jermaine Boyette is a strong outside shooter (17 ppg). 6’-2” sophomoe John Hamilton chips in 12 points per game making this more of a guard-oriented team. They shoot 70% from the free throw line and a solid 39% from 3-point land while averaging 75 points per game. But they carry a 1-3 SU/0-4 ATS run into this tourney. Weber State was the 3rd best defensive team in the Big Sky, allowing 46% shooting and has the home court edge here.
Projected Score: Weber St 75, Portland St 67
Montana 139
No Arizona -2½
Big Sky tourney: Montana is 13-14 SU, 9-11 ATS. 6’-6” Dan Trammell crashes the boards and averages 10 points, 7 rebounds per game, while 6-1 junior David Bell leads the team with 14 points per game. 6-7” junior Brent Cummings chips in 10 ppg. Montana was a poor 3-9 SU/3-7 ATS on the road this season, which bodes bad for them here. They were the second-best defensive team in the Big Sky, allowing 43% shooting. Northern Arizona is 14-13 SU, 10-101 ATS. 6’-7” junior Ryan McDade leads the way with 11 ppg, 7 rpg and 6-4 senior Matthew Gebhardt is a strong all-around shooter who leads the team with 11.8 ppg. Northern Arizona was 9-3 SU, 5-5 ATS at home and the best defensive team in the Big Sky, holding teams to 41% shooting. These teams split games this season, with No-Arizona winning 77-64 at home and covering as a 6-point favorite.
Projected Score: No Arizona 68, Montana 60
Thursday NSS-College Hoops write up
