Top 10 Stories of the Day in the World of Sports - By Trevor Hass

Thursday August 9th was a busy day in the world of sports.  At one point last night I was flipping between Patriots-Saints (the offenses looked in midseason form), Red Sox-Indians (yet another loss), a Nebraska-Missouri Little League World Series regional game (the highlight of the night), Packers-Chargers (Rodgers had a 0 passer rating?) and Olympic diving (no but really, how do they do that?).  Here’s a rundown of the Top 10 stories of the day:

1)      USA Women's Soccer – The USA women’s national soccer team won the gold medal yesterday behind a heroic performance from Carli Lloyd and fierce goalkeeping from Hope Solo.  Lloyd scored in the eighth minute and again in the 54^th.  The first goal came off a brilliant pass by Alex Morgan.  Morgan delivered a bullet right toward Abby Wambach.  Known for scoring with her head, Wambach nearly notched her 144^th interinational goal.  But it wasn’t Wambach’s head this time.  Instead, a slashing Carli Lloyd came out of nowhere to head the ball into the net.  A celebration and inevitable pig pile ensued as the USA took a 1-0 lead.  Lloyd’s second goal was a laser beam (fire the laser beam!!!) from way downtown.  It was like an Antoine Walker three-you question it while it’s happening and then erupt once it somehow goes in.  Yuki Ogimi scored for the resilient Japanese squad in the 63^rd minute.  Japan had many chances, including one in the 83^rd minute off a misplay from USA defender Christie Rampone.  Solo made a stellar save and the USA preserved a 2-1 win.  After losing to Japan on penalty kicks in the 2011 World Cup finale, the USA is back on top, and, as their t-shirts so modestly say, “Greatness has been found.”

2)      Dwight Howard- Dwight Howard is actually going to the Lakers.  This seems like I accidentally copied and pasted a Tweet from May, June or July, but this time it seems like a deal is imminent.  Part of a four-team mega-deal, Howard joins Kobe, Gasol and Nash, catapulting the Lakers back into elite status after a one-year respite.  Bynum is heading to the 76ers along with Jason Richardson, while Iguodala is off to Denver and Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington are going to Orlando (the only team that didn’t win personnel-wise in this trade).  Basketball-wise, there are pros and cons for LA.  Nash, Kobe and Dwight are all playmakers and require the ball a lot to be effective, which can be both good and bad.  Nash to Howard alley-oops will certainly be “Nash-ty.”  From a Hollywood, media and fan standpoint, the deal has people salivating and fantasizing about a Lakers-Thunder Western Conference Final.  It will still be tough to get by the Spurs, Clippers and Grizzlies, but LA certainly took a Super(man) step in the right direction. 

3)      Usain Bolt – The puns are hackneyed and unexciting at this point when it comes to Usain Bolt.  His speed is not.  Bolt bolted to a win in the 200-meter dash (couldn’t resist the bad pun-shucks) and became the first person to win gold in the event twice.  Just to boost his swag and add to his legend, Bolt has essentially trademarked the “Shhhh As You Cross The Finish Line While Everyone Else Stumbles Hopelessly Two Seconds Behind You (or the SAYCTFLWEESHTSBY if you will-you probably won’t.  I wouldn’t either.).  Supposedly he does the SAYCTFLWEESHTSBY to silence his critics.  What critics?  Last time I checked, people recognize that he’s a fast runner.  No, Chris Johnson doesn’t count.  And no, there’s no way Johnson would beat Bolt in a 40-yard dash.  Bolt will be considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, whether he plays professional soccer or not.

4)      Football – Are you ready for some football?  Of course you are.  During what feels like the longest offseason in sports every year (maybe because it is), NFL fans are often forced to hide in their rooms and prep for Fantasy Football drafts months in advance, sleep and eat to pass the time.  Now that period of hibernation is history and the preparation finally comes to fruition.  Football is here.  Here are some storylines from yesterday: Peyton Manning was intercepted.  I guess that means he’ll have a terrible season now…Michael Vick hurt his thumb.  Fans cheered for Andy Reid, a few days after his son tragically passed away.  Curtis Painter threw three touchdowns for the Ravens (yeah!).  The Chargers-Packers game featured six fumbles and three interceptions.  Chargers RB Ryan Mathews broke his collarbone and will be out 4-6 weeks.  RG3 threw a touchdown.  Shannon Eastin became the first female to ever ref an NFL game.  Great for the sport.  But none of that matters-the Jets are playing tomorrow and Tim Tebow will likely take more than a few snaps.  That’s what all of America wants to see and what the whole country cares about!  Tebow Time, baby!

5)      Decathlon – While all of these other occurrences captured the public’s attention (including mine), Ashton Eaton was “Eaton” the competition alive in the Decathlon.  It was the 100^th anniversary of the event.  Jim Thorpe won in 1912 in case you were wondering.  The always modest Usain Bolt even had words of praise for Eaton: "I'm a great athlete, but to do 10 events, especially the 1,500 -- I've got to give it to him," Bolt said on ESPN.com.  Eaton dominated in the 100-meter dash, long jump and 400.  Props to Ashton Eaton.  Now Ashton Kutcher (aka Kyle Korver) isn’t the only Ashton grabbing headlines in the USA.  The decathlon is one of the most incredible events in the Olympics.  Possessing the ability and work ethic to excel at such a wide variety of events in tremendously impressive.

6)      The Red Sox lost.

7)      Baseball - R.A. Dickey improved to 15-3 on the season (Who saw that one coming?), giving up only one run while going the distance and ending Jose Reyes’ 26-game hit streak.  Michael Morse homered twice and the Nationals beat the Astros (whoop-dee-doo) 5-0 behind a gem from Jordan Zimmerman.  Zimmerman is very quietly having one of the best seasons in Nationals/Expos franchise history.  Evan Longoria is making his presence felt.  The Rays’ star went 3-5 in his third game back since coming off the DL as the Rays beat the Jays.  The Cardinals once again have the same record as the Giants after beating San Fran 3-1.

8)      POP! – American runner Manteo Mitchell’s leg popped while he was running the 4x400 relay.  “It felt like somebody literally just snapped my leg in half," he said.  Sounds like fun.  Yowza.  He remarkably finished the last lap while limping on what was later diagnosed as a broken fibula.  I ain’t fibbing when I tell you that’s impressive stuff.  The team incredibly finished tied for first with the Bahamas and tied the all-time record for a first-round race with a time of 58.87 seconds.  The Americans have won gold eight times in a row in the event, so Mitchell knew he had to do his job, despite the agonizing pain.  That’s exactly what he did.  He’ll be out 4-6 weeks while wearing a walking boot and watching from the sideline.

9)      College basketball – ESPN College Game Day released its schedule.  March 9^th: Syracuse vs. Georgetown at noon and Duke vs. UNC at 9:00.  Hubba hubba. 

10)  USA Women’s basketball – The USA women’s basketball team beat Australia 86-73 to advance to the gold medal game.  Diana Taurasi and Tina Charles led the USA with 14 apiece as the team held Australia to 26 points in the second half.  They’ll face France on Saturday in pursuit of the gold. 

Pivotal juncture for Beckett, Sox - By Trevor Hass

Last year a Josh Beckett vs. Justin Verlander showdown would have featured two of the most dominant pitchers in baseball.  This year, while Verlander has continued to excel, Beckett’s ERA has consistently hovered around 4.50 and his record has dipped to a pedestrian 5-9.

Just one year ago he was 13-7 with a 2.89 ERA and was the undisputed ace of a loaded Red Sox staff while flirting with Cy Young contention.  Since then, however, it’s been all downhill.  After the fried chicken and clubhouse drinking kerfuffle and a late-season drop off amidst a team-wide debacle, Beckett finds his name blazoned all over NESN, Twitter and the likes for all the wrong reasons. 

His future with the team is in question as the Sox decide whether to be buyers, sellers or remain quiet.  Trade rumors are rising as Beckett’s ERA does the same. 

The 3 p.m. deadline is rapidly approaching like an Aroldis Chapman fastball, as Sox fans wait impatiently, twiddling their thumbs and refreshing ESPN.com.  Fans will question Ben Cherington and company’s decision to keep or trade Beckett regardless of what the GM decides to do.

Option A is to get rid of Beckett and his hefty contract in exchange for two or three young prospects and cash.  Option B is to keep Beckett and pray to the baseball Gods that he returns to 2011 form.

What makes this situation slightly unusual is that the decision will be immediately justified or questioned based on Beckett’s performance tonight.

            The stage is set.  Winners of three in a row, the Sox’ playoff hopes are starting to look slightly more promising, yet every time the team shows signs of a turnaround, something goes wrong.  When Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford came back from lengthy stints on the DL, David Ortiz went down with an Achilles injury. 

One game above .500 with August essentially here, it’s make or break time for the topsy-turvy, always fluctuating Sox.  While the offense has been potent and consistent, the main area of concern is starting pitching.  Clay Buchholz pitched a gem of a game last night as the Sox picked up a 7-3 win over the Tigers.  Now it’s Beckett’s turn.

The Red Sox are 1-7 in Beckett’s last eight starts.  He has given up 19 first inning runs in 17 starts this season.  In his last outing against the Rangers he gave up four runs on nine hits and needed 114 pitches to get through seven tumultuous innings.  The numbers speak for themselves.

            If Beckett is still a Red Sox a few hours from now (which it looks like he will be), he’ll be on the hot seat to produce.  An X-factor for the Sox’ chances at a playoff push, all eyes will be on Josh Beckett tonight at Fenway. 

            He doesn’t need to be Justin Verlander.  He doesn’t need to post Cy Young numbers.  He just needs to pitch well enough to get the Red Sox a win.   Otherwise, Cherington will be wishing he was Bill Murray from Groundhog day and it will be a long winter in Boston if Beckett doesn’t find himself.

No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown: Which NBA Draft spot fields the better team?

By Trevor Hass - Syracuse University '15 - 168 views

Many people (myself included) get great amusement out of making fun of draft picks gone awry, such as former No.2 pick Darko Milicic and the classic No. 1 bust of all-time, Kwame Brown.  Something about witnessing GMs make terrible mistakes (i.e. Hasheem Tha-bust) and seeing injuries derail potential stars’ careers (insert Greg Oden joke here) makes it easy to poke fun.

It’s funny to think that the Portland Trail Blazers passed up on Kevin Durant, who’s now arguably the best pure scorer in the world.  Well, at least the Oden pick worked out…he played in part of two NBA seasons and has had five knee surgeries.  That’s a success, right?  You really can’t help but feel bad for the guy.

There’s a lot of second-guessing in retrospect and the “I-knew-it-all-along” phenomenon comes into play, as fans get restless, coaches get fired, and GMs lose sleep (and their hair).

Sometimes they get it right.  Picking Dwight Howard over Emeka Okafor would elicit a “You made…a good deal!” from Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel.  But Mandel’s praise of a “good deal” isn’t thrown out too often when it comes to No.1 and No. 2.

Picking players is kind of like picking fruits and vegetables.  A tomato may be juicy and succulent and appear to have a lot of potential, but it may not translate well in a different climate (Milicic).  You may think you find the perfect apple in the orchard full of thousands of delicious apples, yet that apple may not ever ripen (or mature) and may develop a nasty, unfortunate bump (Jay Williams).  Let’s just say Gregor Mendel’s pea plant theory is more dependable and bulletproof than a Howie Mandel-approved good deal guarantee when it comes to selecting a superstar.

I think now is an ideal time to look back at the No. 1 and No. 2 picks of the past 12 years and see which crops have survived the long winters (alright, the fruit and vegetable analogy is probably rotten at this point).  I’m going to compare the best lineup of No. 1 picks from the past 12 years to that of the No. 2 picks.  Here it goes.

Center: No. 1 Dwight Howard (2004) vs. No. 2 Tyson Chandler (2001)

Center is a terrific matchup.  You have Superman, Hannah Storm-captivating and 59% from the line Dwight Howard on one side of the ring.  Drafted first overall in 2004 from Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Howard was the National High School Player of the Year and Co-MVP of the McDonalds All-American Game.  He didn’t skip a beat, becoming the eighth player in NBA history to average a double-double in his rookie season.  Howard is now arguably the most explosive, unguardable center in the league.

On the other side of the ring (no but seriously, how good of an actual fight would this be?) you have Tyson Chandler.  Chandler is an NBA champion, a title Howard cannot claim (pun intended).  Ten years after being drafted No. 2, he was the backbone to the Mavericks’ defense in their championship run.  Now he has “transformed the defensive culture” in New York.  Though that term is hackneyed, it is somewhat applicable and accurate for what the Defensive Player of the Year brings to the table.

I give the slight edge to Howard, mostly because of his physical prowess, but Chandler is a beast and very rarely lets his opponent dominate a game.

Power Forward: No. 1 Blake Griffin (2009) vs. No. 2 LaMarcus Aldridge (2006)

At power forward, it’s another diaper-dandy matchup.  You’ve got No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin up against No. 2 pick LaMarcus Aldridge.  If you combined Griffin’s explosion and Aldridge’s 14-16 footer, you’d have the best power forward in the league, hands-down.  Each player brings something different to the table.  With Griffin, you can count on “Lob City” being in full effect every time he steps out on the court.  Aldridge wears you down and plays his way into a game.  He’s much less flashy, but is equally effective and you can count on 22 and eight from him night in, night out.

LA (LaMarcus Aldridge) gets the slight edge over the other LA (the actual city LA) in my book, mainly because of his experience and multi-faceted game.  Griffin is still improving his inconsistent jump shot, while Aldridge is one of the most underrated superstars in the NBA.

Small Forward: No. 1 LeBron James (2003) vs. No. 2 Kevin Durant (2007)

You already know what matchup is coming at small forward:  1) Because it’s written right above this line, 2) Because it features arguably the league’s two best players.  It’s Marvin Williams vs. Andrea Bargnani (actually an eligible matchup under these circumstances)!  Pause, nahhht.  It’s LeBron and Durant.  It’s weird that LeBron has a ring now.  The jokes about not having a fourth quarter and the phone not ringing are still hilarious, but they’re less amusing now that LeBron has a title and put on one of the best playoff performances of all-time, including in the fourth quarter.  LeBron was one of the few players in the past decade that attracted more hype than consensus No.1 Anthony Davis is getting this year.  Scouts knew that LeBron’s game would translate immediately to the NBA, and many people are projecting that Davis will excel right away with the New Orleans Hornets.  Many consider James the best player in the game, but there’s another man who will have something to say about that for the next 10-15 years: Kevin Durant.

Basketball fans are in for a treat.  It may not be Magic-Bird or Wilt-Russell, but LeBron-Durant could be a tremendously entertaining rivalry for the next decade.  Both players are extremely efficient and have pizzazz.  GMs have spent hours analyzing which player out of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, Brad Beal and Harrison Barnes has that “it” factor after Davis.

I give the edge to LeBron here, based on what he did in the Finals, but it’s always quite a matchup, and one we’ll get to see for years to come.

Shooting Guard: No. 1 John Wall (2010) vs. No. 2 Evan Turner (2010)

Though Wall is customarily a point guard, the No.1 picks lack a legitimate two and he has the scoring ability and strength to step in quite nicely.  Let’s take a look at Wall and Turner.  Wall is 6’4” and weighs 195, while Turner is 6’7” and weighs 205.  Wall has averaged 16.3 ppg, 8.2 apg and 4.6 rpg over two seasons in the pros; Turner, meanwhile, has posted 8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 2.4 apg.  Despite Wall’s superior numbers, you have to take into consideration that Wall is the 1a option in Washington, while Turner is a C option on a very balanced 76ers team.  Turner emerged in the playoffs against the Celtics and has an explosive, unpredictable first step.

More food for thought: Wall is only a 41.6 career shooter, whereas Turner is at 43.6%.  Though it’s only 2%, it shows that Turner’s shot selection (though not stellar) is better than that of Wall’s.  Having said that, I give Wall the slight edge, because he has everybody “doing the John Wall” and it’s no secret that he knows how to ball.

Point Guard: No. 1 Derrick Rose (2009) vs. No. 2 Jay Williams (2002)

Sadly, this is not a joke.  Williams is the only point guard picked at No. 2 in the past 12 years.  His No. 22 jersey was retired at Duke, as he finished his career as the sixth leading scorer in school history and won the Naismith Award and Wooden Award.  He averaged close to 10 points and five assists in his rookie season with the Bulls, but his career swerved off track when he suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle crash.  He was never able to recover, spending some time in the D-League and eventually disappearing.

Derrick Rose was the next Jay Williams.  The 2011 MVP was drafted first overall in 2009 and has not disappointed.  His 22 points, eight assists and three rebounds per game have sparked the Bulls to three straight terrific seasons.  Rose is a class act and gets where he wants to with ease.  He suffered a torn ACL against the 76ers in the first round of the playoffs, but doctors say he is progressing and should be able to make a return sometime next season.  It’s safe to say Rose wins this one.

There are the matchups.  Honestly, I think it would be a classic, down-to-the-wire game.  There are four great matchups and Jay Williams would have the unenviable task of staying with D Rose.  I would take the No. 1 picks in a close game.  Durant would have a tough time staying with LeBron and the Rose-Howard combo would be lethal.

That raises the question: Do No. 1 picks actually have more success than No. 2 picks, or is that a myth?  Though there are busts like Oden and Brown, I believe that No. 1 picks are generally more successful because they have been scrutinized as much as any other athlete in the country and people know their games inside and out.  It’s easier to spot a dud when everyone is watching the same player.  Plus, for players like James and Rose who are so intrinsically motivated, all of the pressure increases their level of play and motivates them to dominate.

In this year’s draft, I believe that there will be a drop-off between Davis and whomever is picked next, whether it’s MKG, Robinson, Beal, or Barnes.  Though I believe that all of these players have a chance to be starters for years to come, none of them have what Davis has.  He may very well overtake Howard in the role of No. 1 center of the past 12 years.  Davis has all the intangibles necessary to be a star.  The fact that he was 6’3” and a point guard in high school isn’t even fair.

NBA Mock Draft specialist Chad Ford says that Davis’ ceiling is as high as that of Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett, and that his floor is as low (or high, really) as that of Marcus Camby, which is saying something.  Stephen A. Smith has already compared him to Bill Russell…but that’s Stephen A. Smith for you.  I’d be shocked if Davis was a Brown or Oden-esque flop.  I think he’ll be a superstar for years to come and will be an elite No.1 pick.

Kansas Jayhawks survive Ohio State, but can they knock off Kentucky?

By Trevor Hass - Syracuse University '15 - 80 views

Lenn Robbins / New York Post
Anthony Davis will look to cap off a remarkable season with a win over Kansas Monday night

Well, Kansas did it again.

The Jayhawks were outplayed for about 37 minutes against Ohio State and were able to claw back and find a way to win.

A steal and breakaway layup with 0.02 seconds left in the first half cut the Kansas deficit to 34-25 heading into the break. The Jayhawks then went on a 13-4 run to tie the game at 38.  Fueled by Thomas Robinson’s 19 points and eight rebounds, Bill Self’s team had yet another second-half comeback.

“It’s just been our thing all year, coming back,” Robinson told ESPN.com. “I don’t like doing it, but for some reason my team is pretty good when we’re down.”
In their last two wins, the Jayhawks have held North Carolina and Ohio State to a combined 12 percent shooting in the final two minutes and outscored them 25-8, according to ESPN.com.
These wins have left doubters across the country in disbelief, thinking there’s no way they can do it again … and then wow, they just did it again.
Now the Jayhawks have a showdown with the Kentucky Wildcats in the national championship game at 9:23 ET Monday night.  The question (yep, you got it): Can they do it again?
In case you live on Saturn, don’t own a television, or prefer watching curling or bobsledding, Kentucky is pretty good this year. OK, so they’re really good.
Kentucky comes into the game against Kansas with a 37-2 record.  After beating Louisville 69-61 in the Bluegrass Battle, the Wildcats are hungry for their eighth championship.
Louisville was able to hang around and give Kentucky all it could handle. In fact, the game was tied at 49 with 9:12 remaining.
Then Kentucky’s defense kicked in. Anthony Davis showed why he was named the AP Player of the Year. The star freshman had 18 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks and put an end to Louisville’s rhythm in the second half. He became the first player since Kansas superstar (and current Jayhawk assistant coach) Danny Manning to post 15+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ blocks in a Final Four game.
Davis’ play was a microcosm of that of his team, as it has been all season. The Wildcats shot 57 percent from the floor and held Louisville to 35 percent.
“Any time you don’t know whether a team is better offensively or defensively, you know you’ve got a great basketball team,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino said on ESPN.com. “And Anthony Davis is incredible.”
For much of the game, offensive rebounding essentially kept the Cardinals alive. Louisville had a 19-6 advantage on the offensive glass and second-chance points were the Cards’ bread and butter.
When Kentucky plays Kansas Monday, it’ll need to patch up this miniscule hole in order to claim the national title. Kansas outrebounded Ohio State 41 to 30. Jeff Withey and Thomas Robinson grabbed eight rebounds apiece, and are both excellent defensive players as well.
One marquee matchup in this one will be point guards Kentucky’s Marquis Teague  vs. Kansas’s Tyshawn Taylor. Though Taylor is a shocking 0 for 20 from downtown during the tournament, he had nine assists last night and can heat up at any moment.
Another key matchup is Kansas seven-footer Jeff Withey, who’s been playing better lately, against Anthony Davis. A volleyball spiker as a kid growing up in San Diego, Cal., Withey blocked an impressive seven shots against OSU. Withey will look to contain Davis in a matchup of perhaps the two best shot blockers in the country.
Ultimately, Kentucky will have too much for Kansas to handle. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist got into foul trouble against Louisville and will be motivated and in the zone coming into this one. Expect a big game from him. Doron Lamb, Darius Miller and Terrence Jones are all elite scorers.
Kansas may make yet another second-half push, but it won’t be enough. Kentucky will win its first national championship since 1998 and cut down the nets in the Superdome in New Orleans.
Prediction: 83-67 Kentucky, with Anthony Davis winning the MVP (15 points, eight rebounds, four blocks).

Some things remain to be SE-seen

March Madness is just around the corner.  Many SEC teams have solidified a spot in the field of 68; others can’t wait for the season to be over; some are right on the bubble and are fighting for their lives in the upcoming pivotal weeks.  Anything can happen in the conference tournament, but let’s take a gander at where these teams currently sit.

Alabama (19-9, 8-6 SEC) – BUBBLE - The Tide picked up a key win over Mississippi State Saturday and currently sits at fourth in the conference.  Despite their looming inability to score, ‘Bama plays lockdown defense.  As of now, the Tide is in, but that’s subject to change depending on the next few weeks.

Arkansas (18-11, 6-8 SEC) – OUT - Arkansas has had a tough year.  They’ve lost 5-7, including winnable games to Tennessee and LSU.  Marshawn Powell has been one bright spot for the Razorbacks.  He’s averaged 19.5 points and six rebounds per game.

Auburn (14-14, 4-10 SEC) – OUT - There’s not much to deliberate here.  Auburn isn’t quite there yet, but grade 94 2012 recruit Jordan Price may make a difference next season.

Florida (22-7, 10-4 SEC) – IN - Florida lives and dies by the three.  Billy Donovan’s teams usually make a run in March.  This team is capable of doing the same, yet it will need more consistency out of Kenny Boynton, who is a rather streaky three point shooter.  Patric Young is one of the most improved young big men in the country.

Georgia (13-15, 4-10 SEC) – OUT – Georgia is second to last in the SEC.  A date with Kentucky Thursday likely won’t help their cause.  Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been a bright spot for the Bulldogs, but his 40% field goal percentage is nothing to write home about.

Kentucky (28-1, 14-0 SEC) – OUT – It’s been a disappointing season for the Wildcats.  They lost to Indiana in the most exciting game of the year and have trailed maybe three or four times all season besides that thrilling game.  There’s no way they deserve to make the tournament.  They really shouldn’t even be allowed to qualify for the SEC tournament.  (Obviously this is a joke.  Kentucky is the best team in the country and Anthony Davis’ slicing and dicing on the defensive end is the best thing since sliced bread).

LSU (17-11, 7-7 SEC) – OUT – The Tigers have actually not had a terrible season.  After suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Alabama in the BCS National Championship game, the school immediately turned to the basketball team…oh wait…well, at least the Tigers will finish with a winning record.  They picked up wins over Big East teams Marquette and Rutgers earlier in the season, but are coming off of a 24-point loss to Ole Miss.

Mississippi State (19-10, 6-8 SEC) – BUBBLE – MSU looked like a guarantee to make the tournament a mere few weeks ago.  Lately, however the ‘Dogs have been barking up the wrong tree.  They’ve lost five in a row, which really hasn’t been helpful in their pursuit of making the tournament.  Arnett Moultrie will need to lead MSU to a strong showing the SEC tourney to warrant a spot in the field of 68.

Ole Miss (16-12, 6-8 SEC) – OUT – Looks like yet another “Big Ole Miss” for the Rebels.  Ole Miss has not made the tourney since 2002 and will likely not end that futile dismal streak this season.  Having said that, Ole Miss beat Miami and Mississippi State earlier in the year.

South Carolina (10-18, 2-12) – OUT – South Carolina is last in the SEC.  Case closed.

Tennessee (16-13, 8-6 SEC) – BUBBLE – Trae Golden and Jeronne Maymon (how cool are those names?) have carried the load for the Volunteers this season.  They beat Florida twice, nearly knocked off Kentucky, and have won six of seven.  Things are looking good for Tennessee going forward.

Vanderbilt (20-9, 9-5) – IN – Vandy has key showdowns with Florida and Tennessee to close out the regular season.  Wins in both of these games will likely give Vandy the #2 seed in the SEC tourney because Florida also has to play Kentucky.  Jeffrey Taylor is capable of taking over games, Brad Tinsley’s tough at the point, and John Jenkins is a terrific shooter.  Vandy is a lock for the tournament regardless of how they fare the rest of the regular season.

An instant (replay) classic

By Trevor Hass - Syracuse University '15 - 83 views

Syracuse.com
Should calls such as the one in the final moments of West Virginia-Syracuse be reviewable?

Kevin Jones’ play had been more impressive and frightening than Deniz Kilicli’s beard. The star from West Virginia (15-7, 5-4 Big East) was right on his Big East-leading average of 20 points per game and had penetrated the trademark 2-3 zone of Syracuse (22-1, 9-1 Big East) very effectively. Then, with two seconds left, Jones missed a potential game-winning three and dejectedly sunk to the floor.

The miss was upsetting for WVU, but what was more upsetting was that the game shouldn’t have even come down to that play.

A mere four seconds earlier, Kilicli put up a lefty hook and Syracuse’s Baye Moussa-Keita attempted to swat the shot. The ball bounced off the backboard and then Keita deflected it toward the sideline.

So that’s a goaltend, right? Yes it is, but the referees failed to make the blatant call and cost WVU from potentially sending the game into overtime.

“Do I think it was (goaltending)? No. I know it was. I saw the replay,” Head Coach Bob Huggins said according to ESPN. Huggy Bear couldn’t bear the news of the missed call and he burst up into the air and rushed out onto the court to protest, yet his plea was to no avail.

After review, it is clear that the refs made an erroneous call, but the play stood and Syracuse escaped with a 63-61 win.

The NCAA season-high crowd of 28,740 went ballistic as the Orange maintained their perfect home record. Many SU fans had been complaining about the previous foul calls made by the refs, but the fans were able to smile when it was all said and done.

Brandon Triche paced ‘Cuse with 18 points, while Darryl Bryant added 12 for the Mountaineers. The game was tight throughout, as the Orange led by four at halftime and (barely and semi-debatably) held on.

Looking ahead, the result of this game has serious implications for both teams and may affect the way instant replay is used in college basketball in the near future.

Syracuse has struggled without starting center Fab Melo, who has missed the past three games due to academic ineligibility. The buzz around campus is that SU will contend for a title with Melo, but will not do so without him. He protects the paint extremely well and alters shots. Notre Dame’s Jack Cooley was able to take advantage of the smaller frames and inexperience of Keita and freshman Rakeem Christmas in SU’s lone loss of the season.

Meanwhile, for West Virginia, the loss drops the Mountaineers to seventh in the Big East. After getting upset by a young St. John’s squad, Huggins’ team was in need of a bounce-back win. They nearly got one, but now they have to play Louisville, Notre Dame, and Marquette in the next few weeks and will need to pick up a few statement wins to warrant an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament.

The controversial issue of instant replay has befuddled sports junkies for years. Each sport has adopted specific rules. For example, Major League Baseball now reviews questionable home run or foul ball calls and can check if a fan interfered with a play. In college basketball, the refs can check how much time is on the clock and whether a shot is a two or a three. However, there is nothing in the rules that states that a goaltending call, or lack thereof, can be reviewed.

Should this policy be changed? After all, the correct call was a goaltend, and that is not what was called. College basketball analysts have mixed opinions on the matter. Hubert Davis feels as if there will always be human error in certain situations and both teams have to live with the results. Digger Phelps thinks that instant replay in such circumstances would help, but implementing the rule would be a difficult task.

The Big East informed analyst Andy Katz that it would not comment on the call in order to avoid setting the precedent of doing so. The refs should not be suspended; people aren’t perfect. The NCAA should investigate what is best for the sport in terms of what is reviewable. One downside is that games would last much longer if coaches could “challenge” calls like in football.

The rule may be changed in the near future, but for now, Syracuse comes away victorious and WVU suffers a heartbreaking defeat.

Big East thumps SEC in Challenge

            While the SEC is known first and foremost as a football conference, many people in the college basketball world predicted that this would be the year that the SEC re-established itself as a basketball beast.  With teams such as Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State, the SEC was bound to have a breakout year.

            However, during the Big East-SEC Challenge, Syracuse, UConn, Louisville, and company had something to say about that.  The Big East won eight out of the 12 matchups, some in decisive fashion, and some that came down to the waning seconds. 

            In a highly anticipated matchup, Syracuse beat Florida 72-68, behind 20 points from Brandon Triche and 16 points and seven assists from Scoop Jardine.  The raucous crowd contributed to the statement win for the Orange.  Despite hot shooting from the Gators’ Kenny Boynton, ‘Cuse was able to hang on and remain undefeated.

            UConn missed freshman sensation Ryan Boatright for its first six games.  In his second game, and first at home, the co-player of the year in the state of Illinois showed why he earned the honor, dropping 23 points, five rebounds, and six assists.  Once Boatright entered the game, he righted the ship, so to speak, and the Huskies busted the game open on a 14-2 run.  From there, guards Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb paced the Huskies to a 75-62 triumph.  UConn’s fast break was too much for Arkansas to handle. 

            A defensive-minded battle between Louisville and Vanderbilt came down to the wire in both regulation and overtime.  Despite 27 points from Vandy guard John Jenkins, the Cardinals were able to escape with a 62-60 win, behind a very balanced offensive attack and stellar defense.  Guard Peyton Siva slashed to the basket and made a layup with 1.4 seconds left in overtime, propelling the Cardinals to a win and maintaining their undefeated record.

            All in all, the Big East dominated the SEC, with Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh also picking up wins.  However, there were some bright spots for Kentucky, Mississippi State, LSU, and Ole Miss, as all four teams were able to beat their opponent. Mississippi State improved to 8-1 with a “state”ment win over West Virginia.  Though the Big East exceled over the weekend, the SEC still has the number one team in the country in Kentucky, a team that edged UNC 73-72 thanks in part to a game-saving block from freshman phenom Anthony Davis.