Kenny Ocker – Rush The Court

Rushed Reactions: #1 Oregon 69, #8 Saint Joseph’s 64

Kenny Ocker — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 05:36:19 +0000

Three Key Takeaways.

It wasn’t easy, but top-seeded Oregon is advancing to the Sweet Sixteen (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Oregon saved the Pac-12 for another few days: The conference took a beating. Every other team lost in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, some in painful fashion, some in blowouts, some in [...]

Rushed Reactions: #5 Maryland 73, #13 Hawaii 60

Kenny Ocker — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 02:02:23 +0000

Three Key Takeaways.

Maryland Moves Into the Sweet Sixteen for the First Time Since 2003 (USA Today Images)

The run Maryland went on is the stuff of champions: The Terrapins trailed 41-39 midway through the second half before Diamond Stone finished off a lob. Jake Layman then slammed home a breakaway jam. And Melo [...]

Rushed Reactions: #8 Saint Joseph’s 78, #9 Cincinnati 76

Kenny Ocker — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 05:29:57 +0000

Kenny Ocker is an RTC columnist and correspondent. He is covering the Spokane pods of the South and West regionals this week.

Three Key Takeaways.

DeAndre Bembry was phenomenal on Friday night. (Photo: USAT)

DeAndre Bembry is phenomenal: The 6’6″ junior wing for Saint Joseph’s has an NBA future, and it’s obvious why. Scoring 20 first-half points against one of the country’s best defenses is no joke. And after being held to three points for most of the second half – and with his Hawks down 71-68 – he hit a floater, set up a three-pointer with a skip pass, grabbed [...]

Rushed Reactions: #1 Oregon 91, #16 Holy Cross 52

Kenny Ocker — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 02:41:00 +0000

Three Key Takeaways.

Oregon Methodically Took Care of Business Today (USA Today Images)

Oregon didn’t embarrass itself, and nobody got hurt: All the Ducks needed to do was win comfortably, have nobody get hurt and try not to tax their key players before Sunday’s second-round game against the winner of Saint Joseph’s and [...]

Rushed Reactions: #5 Maryland 79, #12 South Dakota State 74

Kenny Ocker — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 00:07:31 +0000

Three Key Takeaways.

Maryland Survives the Bakersfield Push (USA Today Images)

South Dakota State knew what was coming, but it didn’t matter: Jackrabbits coach Scott Nagy said Thursday that the key to his team’s defense was collapsing around Maryland star sophomore guard Melo Trimble because he knew there wasn’t one player who could [...]

Rushed Reactions: #13 Hawaii 77, #4 California 66

Kenny Ocker — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 21:53:41 +0000

Three Key Takeaways:

The Magic of March Goes to Hawaii (USA Today Images)

Cal really, really missed its starting backcourt: The Golden Bears came to Spokane knowing it would be without its lone senior and leading scorer, point guard Tyrone Wallace, who broke his hand in practice earlier this week. They didn’t account [...]

Rushed Reactions: #4 Michigan State 80, #12 Harvard 73

Kenny Ocker — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 03:43:26 +0000

Rush the Court will be providing wall-to-wall coverage of each of the NCAA Tournament from each of the 13 sites this year. Follow our NCAA Tourney specific Twitter accounts at @RTCeastregion, @RTCMWregion,@RTCsouthregion and @RTCwestregion. Kenny Ocker is an RTC columnist and correspondent. He is covering the Spokane pods of the East and West regionals this week.

Three Key Takeaways.

Harvard’s Run Came to an End Tonight (Boston.com)

Any Michigan State starter *can* dominate — it just doesn’t mean they will. On Thursday night, Adreian Payne hung up 41 points. Tonight, Branden Dawson had 20 points and six rebounds in the first half. Dawson only had six in [...]

Rushed Reactions: #4 San Diego State 63, #12 North Dakota State 44

Kenny Ocker — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 01:03:20 +0000

Three Key Takeaways.

Xavier Thames Was Unstoppable on Saturday

Xavier Thames is a true X-factor. The San Diego State senior guard is the only thing that separates the Aztecs from mediocrity, but his abilities as a shooter and distributor were too much for North Dakota State to handle tonight. The [...]

Rushed Reactions: #4 San Diego State 73, #13 New Mexico State 69 (OT)

Kenny Ocker — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 07:04:12 +0000

Rush the Court will be providing wall-to-wall coverage of each of the NCAA Tournament from each of the 13 sites this year. Follow our NCAA Tourney specific Twitter accounts at @RTCeastregion, @RTCMWregion,@RTCsouthregion and @RTCwestregion. Kenny Ocker (@kennyocker) is an RTC columnist and correspondent. He is covering the Spokane pods of the East and West regionals this week. He wrote this story after San Diego State’s 73-69 win Thursday night over New Mexico State.

Three Key Takeaways.

Sim Bhullar and His Aggie Friends Gave SDSU All It Wanted Tonight

Overdosing on X. San Diego State leans heavily on its lone offensive play-maker, guard Xavier Thames, who made [...]

Rushed Reactions: #12 North Dakota State 80, #5 Oklahoma 75 (OT)

Kenny Ocker — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 03:36:38 +0000

Rush the Court will be providing wall-to-wall coverage of each of the NCAA Tournament from each of the 13 sites this year. Follow our NCAA Tourney specific Twitter accounts at @RTCeastregion, @RTCMWregion,@RTCsouthregion and @RTCwestregion. Kenny Ocker is an RTC correspondent. He is covering the Spokane pods of the East and West regionals this week. He wrote this after 12-seed North Dakota beat 5-seed Oklahoma 80-75 in Spokane on Thursday evening.

Three Key Takeaways.

Celebrate North Dakota, your team is headed for the Round of 32. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

“WE’RE STAYING HERE.” North Dakota State coach Saul Phillips wants you to know [...]

Rushed Reactions: #4 Michigan State 93, #13 Delaware 78

Kenny Ocker — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 00:17:47 +0000

Rush the Court will be providing wall-to-wall coverage of each of the NCAA Tournament from each of the 13 sites this year. Follow our NCAA Tourney specific Twitter accounts at @RTCeastregion, @RTCMWregion,@RTCsouthregion and @RTCwestregion. Kenny Ocker is an RTC correspondent. He is covering the Spokane pods of the East and West regionals this week. He wrote this after 4-seed Michigan State beat 13-seed Delaware 93-78 in Spokane on Thursday afternoon.

Three Key Takeaways.

Adreian Payne Put On a Superstar Show on Thursday in Spokane

Adreian Payne played the best half of basketball I’ve ever seen in person. Michigan State’s star forward hit back-to-back three-pointers in the [...]

Rushed Reactions: #12 Harvard 61, #5 Cincinnati 57

Kenny Ocker — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 21:19:05 +0000

Rush the Court will be providing wall-to-wall coverage of each of the NCAA Tournament from each of the 13 sites this year. Follow our NCAA Tourney specific Twitter accounts at @RTCeastregion, @RTCMWregion, @RTCsouthregion and @RTCwestregion. Kenny Ocker is an RTC columnist and correspondent. He is covering the Spokane pods of the East and West regionals this week. He filed this story after 12-seed Harvard upset 5-seed Cincinnati, 61-57, on Thursday afternoon.

Harvard’s Siyani Chambers, right, leaps into the arms of teammate Brandyn Curry after the team upset Cincinnati on Thursday. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Three Key Takeaways.

Cincinnati is nothing without [...]

Who Won The Week? Louisville, Marcus Smart, Michigan and The Citadel…

Kenny Ocker (@kennyocker) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 19:51:12 +0000

Who Won the Week? is a regular column that outlines and discusses three winners and losers from the previous week of hoops. The author of this column is Kenny Ocker (@KennyOcker), a Spokane-based sportswriter best known for his willingness to drive (or bike!) anywhere to watch a basketball game.

We’ve got more to get to here than usual, so we’ve got a special extended-yet-abbreviated edition of WWTW on tap today.

WINNER: Louisville

Russ Smith won Louisville’s game over Cincinnati on Saturday with a late jumper. (AP)

Your defending national champions – remember them? – are rolling at just the right time in [...]

Who Won the Week? Two Undefeated Teams, But Certainly Not The Third…

Kenny Ocker (@KennyOcker) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 20:01:07 +0000

WINNER: Wichita State

Cleanthony Early was outstanding this week for the Shockers. (AP)

The nation’s winningest team cleared its toughest conference hurdle Wednesday night in defeating Indiana State in Terre Haute, led by senior forward Cleanthony Early’s 19 points. From here on, the Shockers have better than 50 percent odds to go [...]

We’re #351! Southern Utah Keeps Hope High in Trying Season

Kenny Ocker — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 21:01:24 +0000

Kenny Ocker (@kennyocker) is a national columnist for Rush The Court. He filed this article Thursday night after Southern Utah and Eastern Washington played at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash.

Jumpers snap through the net. Thunderous dunks shake the basket and stanchion. Crisp passes fly around the court, sometimes two or three at a time. Laughter accompanies the occasional goofy or errant shot. The Southern Utah Thunderbirds are loose, just in time for tip-off. You’d never know the team was riding a 14-game losing streak, or that they were the worst team in Division I in Ken Pomeroy’s rankings.

A [...]