Three Key Takeaways.

1. Draymond Green is the man. The senior Big Ten POY compiled a triple-double with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. It has been said all year that Green does everything for the Spartans and tonight that was definitely the case. It is tough to find a player in the country that means more to his team than Draymond Green means to Michigan State.
2. Michigan State dominated in the low post. Green had a triple-double. Adreian Payne had 16 points and seven rebounds. Derrick Nix came off the bench to put up 18 points and eight rebounds. The Spartans dominated the rebounding category by a margin of 43-20. It was truly a dominant performance by the big men of Michigan State.
3. Michigan State needs to avoid turnovers moving forward. At times, the Spartans were careless with the basketball. They finished the game with 12 turnovers and that number kept LIU Brooklyn in the game probably much longer than they should have been. If Michigan State is sloppy with the ball in a subsequent round, it could be a candidate to be upset.

Star of the Game. Draymond Green, Michigan State. The senior recorded a triple-double with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists and it was never a question who was the best player on the court. Green is a very special talent, and tonight, he was fantastic.

Sights & Sounds. Real strong Michigan State contingent, which was loud to the very end. LIU Brooklyn head coach Jim Ferry is a great coach to watch on the sidelines. He is extremely animated and never let up even when the game was out of reach. It seems like the Blackbirds really have a good one with Ferry.

What’s Next. Michigan State moves on to play Saint Louis on Sunday afternoon. The Billikens’ front court struggled in their win over Memphis, so one can assume if it struggles again, Green and company could have another big day at the office.

Three Key Takeaways.

1. Neither team played very well. Saint Louis won despite turning the ball over 16 times. The Billikens had an assist/turnover ratio of 7 to 16. Brian Conklin, the team’s leading scorer, turned the ball over a total of eight times. Memphis only shot 38.9% from the field for the game, turned the ball over 11 times and only had four assists. There were many times during the game were both teams possessed zero offensive rhythm.
2. Rick Majerus can still really coach. Saint Louis was overmatched physically and athletically, but the Billikens found a way to get the victory. Leading scorer Brian Conklin struggled throughout most of the game, so Majerus went away from Conklin and ran the offense through Kwamain Mitchell, who ended up with 22 points. It was quite obvious that Majerus made some adjustments that Memphis head coach Josh Pastner could not.
3. Memphis still has a ways to go before it is an elite team. The Tigers have way too many guys that play as individuals. Never once during the second half did Memphis look like a cohesive unit. Also, when Saint Louis grabbed the lead in the second half, it seemed like Memphis lost complete confidence in itself and its body language was subpar.

Star of the Game. Kwamain Mitchell, Saint Louis. The junior guard took over the game for the majority of the second half. He finished with 22 points, while hitting 4-7 from long range. Mitchell’s performance was crucial for the Billikens due to the fact that leading scorer Brian Conklin did not turn in his best performance.

Quotable. “The open guy is the go-to guy and we obviously went away from that.” – Memphis head coach Josh Pastner.

Sights & Sounds. Very impressive showing from the Saint Louis faithful. They remained loud and proud even when the Billikens were struggling. Memphis had a decent size contingent, which spent a majority of the second half yelling at referee Ted Valentine.

Wild Card. It has to be Rick Majerus’ wardrobe selection. The navy blue Saint Louis sweater and dark khaki pants were a welcome departure from the serious suit and tie look that most coaches utilize.

What’s Next. Saint Louis will meet the winner of Michigan State and LIU Brooklyn on Sunday. You have to figure it will be Michigan State, which would provide the Billikens with a tough and physical test, but with how today’s games have gone, you cannot really assume anything.

Three Key Takeaways:

1. Georgetown is very solid defensively. Whether the Hoyas were playing zone or man, they stifled Belmont’s long-range shooting attack all night, as the Bruins were held to 37% from behind the arc. The success of Georgetown’s defense can definitely be linked to the length the Hoyas have on their roster. Starters Nate Lubick, Otto Porter, Henry Sims, and Hollis Thompson are all at least 6’8″ and each uses their length quite well.
2. Jason Clark can be a March star. The senior was outstanding, as he put up 21 points on 9-12 shooting. If Georgetown can get performances like this from Clark as the tournament progresses, there are not many teams that will be able to contain him. Clark also picked up four rebounds and two steals, while playing solid defense on Belmont’s Drew Hanlen.
3. Georgetown shook off its last two NCAA Tournament appearances. After consecutive opening game defeats to Ohio and Virginia Commonwealth, Georgetown was able to take advantage of its higher seed and top a team it was favored against. Georgetown will be favored again on Sunday when it plays NC State, so it will be interesting to see if the Hoyas can take care of business again.

Star of the Game. Jason Clark, Georgetown. The senior scored 10 of the team’s first 14 points and paced the team for the remainder of the game. As a senior, Clark had experienced opening game disappointment before, so one would have to credit him for putting past disappointment out of mind and leading his team to victory.

Sights and Sounds. Belmont definitely had the more raucous following. Clad in all red, the Bruins fans stayed into the game until the very end, even when it was known their team was finished. There were not as many Georgetown fans as I had expected, but the ones in attendance made their presence known, especially when the Hoyas began to pull away.

What’s Next? Georgetown will meet North Carolina State on Sunday. The Wolfpack were upset winners (by seeding at least) over San Diego State earlier this afternoon. The Wolfpack were able to top the Aztecs with solid defense and outstanding shooting. With the way Georgetown defended today, it will be interesting to see if NC State can maintain its strong offensive performances.

Three Key Takeaways.

1. NC State simply shot the ball better. The Wolfpack shot a sizzling 58.5% from the field for the game, which included a scorching 65.4% in the second half. On the other hand, San Diego State shot just 37.7% from the field for the game. When you see that big of a discrepancy in field goal percentage, it is easy to see why one team won and the other lost.
2. Chase Tapley did not play a complete game. While the junior guard scored 19 points and shot 7-13 from the field in the second half, Tapley was held scoreless in the first half and only attempted five shots. If Tapley had been able to give the Aztecs a strong effort in the first half, they might be the team moving on to the round of 32.
3. NC State has balance. Four players scored in double-figures – Richard Howell with 22, Lorenzo Brown with 17, CJ Leslie with 15, and Scott Wood with 10. It is tough to beat a team that gets such strong contributions from its starters and that was something the Wolfpack did receive.

Star of the Game. Lorenzo Brown, NC State. The sophomore guard was a jack-of-all trades for the Wolfpack, as he scored 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and handed out eight assists. He also did a fine job of maintaining his composure when San Diego State threatened to come back multiple times during the second half.

Quotable. Steve Fisher. In his opening statement, Fisher said that his squad was “beat by a very good team who played very well.” That is a credit to how good of a job Mark Gottfried has done in his first season in Raleigh. When Gottfried took over for Sidney Lowe, the Wolfpack could hardly be considered even an average team.

Sights & Sounds. NC State had a strong contingent of fans make the trip to Columbus. Clad in mostly red, the Wolfpack fans were in the game from the beginning and were rewarded handsomely in the end.

What’s Next. NC State will move on to face the winner of Georgetown and Belmont. If it faces Georgetown, NC State will need to have an answer for the Hoyas’ length and quickness on the defensive end. If it faces Belmont, NC State will need to contend with the Cinderella factor as the Bruins will be the crowd favorite.

That’s Debatable is back for another year of expert opinions, ridiculous assertions and general know-it-all-itude. Remember, kids, there are no stupid answers, just stupid people. We’ll try to do one of these each week during the rest of the season. Feel free to leave your takes below in the comments section.

This Week’s Topic: There are a number of teams trending up — Notre Dame, Florida, Pittsburgh, St. Mary’s, Florida State, Iowa State, etc. Among these and other non-elite teams, which one do you think has the best long-term prospects this season?

Andrew Murawa, Pac-12/MW Correspondent & Pac-12 Microsite Writer

When I’m looking for a sleeper team in the NCAA Tournament, I like to see size, depth, good guard play and an experienced head coach. When I look at Wisconsin, I can check off all of those categories with confidence. Still, while Bo Ryan’s Badgers have made the Tournament in each of his nine previous seasons and won at least a game in eight of those years, they’ve advanced beyond the Sweet Sixteen just once, in 2005 before losing a hard-fought regional final to North Carolina. The Badgers struggled early to replace several key big guys, and senior point guard Jordan Taylor’s numbers haven’t been up to last year’s lofty realm. But things are picking up now, as Taylor’s scored in double figures now in 14 straight games and frontcourt guys like Mike Bruesewitz and Jared Berggren have stepped into that typical three-point shooting big man role for Wisconsin. Given the right matchups, this team could be playing into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and possibly beyond.

Walker Carey, Correspondent

I am going with Notre Dame. Three weeks ago this answer would have been insane, but look what the Irish have accomplished in that time – wins at home versus Syracuse and Marquette and road victories over Seton Hall, Connecticut, and West Virginia. Mike Brey has his squad playing much better than anyone would have ever imagined. The most surprising part of Notre Dame’s resurgence has been that it has come without the services of preseason All-Big East senior forward Tim Abromaitis, who tore his ACL in late November. While at first the Irish struggled mightily without him, they are currently in a groove led by a variety of players. Sophomore guards Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant, freshman guard Pat Connaughton, junior forward Jack Cooley, and senior forward Scott Martin have all been instrumental to the season’s turnaround. If the Irish continue to show great defense, smart basketball, and timely shooting, I think it is reasonable to believe that Mike Brey’s squad will be a force to be reckoned with in March.

Kenny Ocker, Correspondent

With the exception of its second inexplicable conference loss Wednesday night, Florida State has the best prospects throughout the rest of this season, mostly because of its conference form and remaining schedule. Before the BC debacle, the Seminoles had run off seven straight wins to sit atop the ACC. In those seven straight wins are victories against the three other ACC contenders — a 33-point shellacking of North Carolina at home, a 76-73 win at Duke, and a 58-55 win over Virginia at home on Saturday. According to Ken Pomeroy, Florida State is in a dead heat with North Carolina to become the outright ACC regular-season champion, but the Seminoles hold the tiebreaker against the Tar Heels because they only play once this season. The best part of this recent run of form for Florida State is that it has been keyed by the team’s offense, which ranks second in the ACC in efficiency, but the team’s stalwart defense hasn’t gone anywhere either. Although the Seminoles seemingly peaked with their Sweet Sixteen run last season, the potential is there for this team to reach those heights again this season, or possibly go beyond.

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That’s Debatable is back for another year of expert opinions, ridiculous assertions and general know-it-all-itude. Remember, kids, there are no stupid answers, just stupid people. We’ll try to do one of these each week during the rest of the season. Feel free to leave your takes below in the comments section.

This week’s topic: Last weekend Dan Wolken of The Daily wrote an article suggesting that college basketball should move its season forward to the spring semester so as to not compete with football. Is this a good idea? Bad idea? Why?

Patrick Prendergast, Big East Microsite Writer

All the article does is validate the argument that college football should have a tournament to decide its champion. From a television standpoint, a comparison cannot be made between a football bowl game and a regular season basketball game.  Traffic is herded to bowl games, not to mention the gambling angle. Bowls are played in a media competition vacuum and promoted to no end.  The great thing about college basketball is its depth and breadth. Fans are likely to be just as entertained and intrigued by Boston University vs. Stony Brook as they are Georgetown vs. Syracuse, so the audience spreads itself artificially thin.  The only schedule tweak that would make meaningful sense is to work conference play around the semester break. Home courts are much better with a student presence to drive the energy.

Brian Otskey, Big East Correspondent

Bad idea. I like Wolken’s one semester argument because that would make transfer rules a lot less complicated while allowing freshmen and transfers more time to get acclimated to their new schools, but I don’t agree with much of anything else in his piece. College basketball already goes out of its way to not conflict with the NFL. Just look at the lackluster schedule every Sunday from November to January. If college basketball can’t draw ratings during the week or on Saturdays (when the NFL isn’t playing), there isn’t much hope to begin with. It is hard to go up against college football on November Saturdays but that’s why college basketball saves most of its good non-conference matchups for December, in between the college football regular season and bowl games. It pains me to say this as a person who follows only two major sports (college basketball and MLB) but college basketball will never be more than a niche sport in months not named March. Making the season run January to May instead of November to March won’t change that.

Brian Goodman, Editor

The idea of moving the season to a window entirely within the second semester is interesting, but would wreak logistical havoc. I wouldn’t envy those tasked with planning the NCAA Tournament sites around the potential of conflict with the NBA playoffs, for instance. Also, early entry candidates would have a shorter window of time to gather information and be properly evaluated, increasing the potential of regrettable decisions. It wouldn’t be without its advantages, though. In addition to the idea of owning the spotlight, positioning the end of the season to coincide with the end of the semester would probably lead to a lower rate of classroom attrition by draft candidates, which would bring some relief to programs with APR concerns. Wolken’s column raises some valid points – for the longest time, college basketball has lacked a true “kick-off” event that maximizes viewership. This is hardly a new revelation, but it’s nonetheless relevant. Events like the Carrier Classic and ESPN’s 24-Hour Tip-Off marathon are nice starts, especially for us die-hards, but the endurance of casual fans of marquee programs in the Eastern and Central time zones is tested every year with late games during the Maui Invitational. Competing with football is a tall order, and it may be impossible if the pendulum doesn’t swing back to the days before the gridiron took over.

Read the rest of this entry »

That’s Debatable is back for another year of expert opinions, ridiculous assertions and general know-it-all-itude. Remember, kids, there are no stupid answers, just stupid people. We’ll try to do one of these each week during the rest of the season. Feel free to leave your takes below in the comments section.

This Week’s Topic: With Syracuse’s loss last Saturday, Murray State is the last unbeaten team. How do you see the rest of the Racers’ season playing out?

Kenny Ocker, Correspondent

I honestly think Murray State is going to go undefeated until the NCAA Tournament. Morehead State doesn’t have a return trip to face the Racers, the matchup against Austin Peay is a home game, and so is the BracketBusters game. If that happens, Murray State will probably get the courtesy of a #4 seed from the committee, and that may mean that the Racers actually get a pretty clear path to the Sweet Sixteen. I don’t see them going any farther than that, simply based on the intense level of scrutiny and attention that will be given to a team that hasn’t seen another NCAA Tournament-bound team since early December. But it’s going to be one hell of a fun story to follow for the next couple of months, regardless of when there is finally a blemish on Murray State’s record.

Brian Otskey, Big East Correspondent

Murray State is a real tough team for me to get a read on because of its schedule. Sure it’s 20-0 but with only one or two quality wins, I don’t think anyone can say with certainty just how good this team is. I believe Murray State is a borderline top 25 team. Going forward, it should be able to win out in the regular season and will likely take the OVC Tournament title as well now that Ivan Aska has been cleared to play. Playing with a target on your back every night is never easy but this team is good enough to run the table against the incredibly poor completion its conference offers. The Racers’ final three games are on the road and that’s where they’re most likely to fall as the pressure mounts and they don’t have the home crowd behind them. Plus they will get a still to be determined BracketBuster matchup, another possible stumbling block. With an RPI in the high 30s and an SOS well over #200, I don’t see this team getting more than a #5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. It has the potential to make a run but I foresee it bowing out in its first or second NCAA game. 

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That’s Debatable is back for another year of expert opinions, ridiculous assertions and general know-it-all-itude. Remember, kids, there are no stupid answers, just stupid people. We’ll try to do one of these each week during the rest of the season. Feel free to leave your takes below in the comments section.

This Week’s Topic: Through the first half of the season, which player has been the biggest surprise? 

Walker Carey, Correspondent

With Kemba Walker leaving Connecticut early for the NBA Draft, I knew someone on the Huskies was going to need to step up to complement Jeremy Lamb. I thought that player was going to be Alex Oriakhi. As it turns out, my thought was very wrong. As of right now, Oriakhi is only averaging 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. The junior big man has also apparently fallen out of Jim Calhoun’s good graces, as he is only averaging 19.9 minutes per game after averaging 29.1 last season. In Connecticut’s three conference losses, Oriakhi has only scored a combined 10 points and grabbed a combined 11 rebounds. I highly doubt that was the kind of production Calhoun and his staff were looking for this season. I believe that if the Huskies are going to be a major player in the Big East conference race, they’re going to need a much better contribution from Oriakhi.

Kellen Carpenter, ACC Microsite Correspondent

Duke's Ryan Kelly has Bumped His FT Percentage Up 50 Percent This Season

Ryan Kelly has made big strides in his game this year for Duke. Increasing offensive efficiency while having your offensive role and usage expand dramatically is a hard task to pull off. While I’d say that overall he’s improved most facets of his game, the most impressive change is how he is getting to the line this year. After posting a free throw percentage of 22.3% last season, he’s bumped the rate to 72.1%, one of the best marks in the country. He’s gone 71-of-88 from the line so far this year, meaning that he’s already made more free throws in half a season than he even attempted in his past two years combined.

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