No. 17 Aztecs rally to beat Boise State
February 2, 2012
SAN DIEGO (AP)—After rallying from a 12-point deficit and seeminglygaining manage, Chase Tapley and the No. 17 San Diego State Aztecs watched inhorror as Boise State’s wide-open Thomas Bropleh launched a three-point shot fromthe corner as the final seconds ticked off in a two-point game.
The shot rimmed out as the buzzer sounded and the Aztecs exhaled, havingheld off the Broncos for a 58-56 win Wednesday night.
“I was like, `Please, please, please miss it,’ `’ Tapley said. “I hadmissed a totally free throw and coming down, messed up a switch. I just did horrible inthat sequence. When the shot was going up, I was just praying it rolled out, andit did. The basketball gods saved us.”
Boise State head coach Leon Ri&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:12 pm EST BoSt-SDSU Gallery
Jamaal Franklin had 16 points and Tapley added 14 for San Diego State (19-three,five-1 Mountain West Conference), which applied a 14- run in the second half to takecontrol.
Anthony Drmic and Tre Nichols scored 17 apiece for Boise State (10-11, -6),which lost its seventh straight game.
SDSU led 47-40 ahead of Boise State closed the gap on a 3-pointer by Nicholsand a three-point play by Derrick Marks. SDSU made seven of eight totally free throwsover the final 34.1 seconds.
Tapley created a single cost-free throw with 7.five seconds left but missed the second,giving the Broncos a opportunity to win.
The Aztecs somehow left Bropleh unguarded on the baseline.
“If that goes in, we really feel like we are the very best team in the world,” Drmicsaid. “But if it doesn’t, we don’t.”
Mentioned coach Leon Rice: “Tre created a terrific play and got Thomas a greatlook. It was halfway down. It truly was.”
San Diego State was coming off a dismal 17-point loss at Colorado State onSaturday. A second straight upset loss would have been tough to take.
“We just can’t have sequences like that at the end of game,” Tapley mentioned.“We have to finish games off.”
Stated coach Steve Fisher: “Sometimes after losses, you really feel very good abouteverything you did except searching at the scoreboard. And sometimes right after wins,it practically feels as if you didn’t win. And that was tonight. We were veryfortunate.”
Fisher mentioned the ugly win could be great for the Aztecs.
“If our players genuinely believe what I’m saying, it will be good for us. OnMarch ten or 11, or whenever the season is over … I’m hoping that our playerswill say, `That Boise State game at residence on Feb. 1 helped us.’ If we view itthat way, and I’m hoping we will. If we don’t, I’m concerned about what’s goingto take place on Saturday, and on the following Saturday, and the followingWednesday, and on and on and on.”
Fisher stated he doesn’t “appreciate the way we’ve been playing, especiallytonight.”
He cited certain stretches of superior play, “But it’s the complete physique of work,and I’m hopeful that our leaders and our veteran guys will make certain that thatmessage is delivered home to one particular a different.”
Boise State seemed prepared to run away with the game immediately after generating the firsttwo baskets of the second half to take a 37-25 lead, its largest of the night.But the Broncos scored just 19 points the rest of the way.
This one didn’t start well for the Aztecs,
Boise State stunned the cold-shooting Aztecs by rallying from an early ten-3deficit. The Broncos went on a 14- run, fueled by 3 three-pointers and a jumperby Nichols to take a 17-ten lead with 8:14 left before halftime. Garrett Greenmade one particular of two free throws with 7:48 left for the Aztecs’ initially points innearly 7 minutes.
The Aztecs pulled to 19-16 with a 3-pointer by Franklin and a slam dunk byDeShawn Stephens, only to see Drmic get hot from behind the arc with 33-pointers plus yet another long shot that helped the Broncos take a 33-25 halftimelead.
Soon after producing the initial two shots of the second half, the Broncos bogged downwith fouls, turnovers and poor shooting, allowing the Aztecs to go on their 14-0run.
LaBradford Franklin produced an off-balance layup and a cost-free throw to pull theAztecs to 37-35, Franklin made a fallaway jumper to tie it at 37 and XavierThames hit a jumper to give SDSU at 39-37 lead with ten:23 to go, its initially sincemidway via the initially half.
“We kind of got on the ropes and got rattled a little bit,” Rice mentioned. “Ithought we regrouped. … They turned up the heat on us.”
Marks had 12 points for the Broncos.
Bellfield, Stanback lift No. 11 UNLV
February 2, 2012
LAS VEGAS (AP)—Oscar Bellfield appears to have his shooting touch back forNo. 11 UNLV, giving the Runnin’ Rebels another dimension to an ensemble that haswon five straight games and 12 of its last 13.
Bellfield and Chace Stanback both scored 16 points as UNLV pushed pastColorado State 82-63 on Wednesday night.
“Oscar needed it for Oscar but a lot more importantly, his teammates haveconfidence in him,” UNLV coach Dave Rice said. “He’s continued to haveconfidence.”
Bellfield was four of 8 from beyond the 3-point line in matching a season-highfor points he set earlier this season against then-No. 1 North Carolina.
UNLV guard Justin Hawkins (31)&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:39 pm EST Cost-UNLV Gallery
Bellfield is shooting 44.four percent more than his last three games immediately after makingjust five field targets combined throughout his earlier 3 games—including a1-for-12 performance against then-No. 22 San Diego State to open Mountain WestConference play.
“He’s back generating the shots he’s capable of,” Rice stated.
Anthony Marshall and Mike Moser scored 13 points each for the Runnin’ Rebels(21-3, 5-1). Moser fell two rebounds shy of a double-double, ending a 4-gamepersonal streak for the reigning conference player of the week.
The Rams (14-7, 3-3) came within two points of UNLV immediately after starting thesecond half on an 11- run. But the Rebels responded with a 15-four spurt startedby Stanback and Marshall to put the game out of reach.
“In two minutes, our lead was gone,” Colorado State coach Tim Miles said.“We gave them 3 possessions without having touching the ball.”
Wes Eikmeier led Colorado State with 18 points, whilst Dorian Green scored15.
UNLV fell behind 19-12 practically 7 minutes into the game, then went on a 20-2run more than the next 8 minutes to take a 32-21 lead.
“We got off to a rough begin,” Rice stated. “We picked up our defensiveintensity.”
With the game tied at 19, Reggie Smith pulled up for a extended 3-pointer togive the Rebels the lead for great, one particular possession right after missing two no cost throws.
UNLV shot 50 percent for the game with 27 quick-break points and 17 pointsoff turnovers.
Green scored 10 points in the initial half, seven through Colorado State’searly run.
The Rams were looking to make the conference race even far more chaotic afterbeating then-No. 13 San Diego State by 17 points on Saturday night.
UNLV noticed.
“Colorado State had our full attention,” Rice said.
Against UNLV, the Rams ended up with 12 turnovers compared with eightassists, and were outrebounded 39-28. Colorado State shot 41.1 percent, 46.2percent from beyond the three-point line.
The Rebels’ reserves scored 20 points, led by Quintrell Thomas with nine in17 minutes.
The teams observed a moment of silence just before the game to honor former UNLVcoach Charlie Spoonhour, who died Wednesday at 72.
Jackson’s late 3, FTs lift No. 6 Baylor
February 2, 2012
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP)—Pierre Jackson coming via with the game onthe line is becoming a trend for No. 6 Baylor.
Jackson hit a three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining to put Baylor on leading andadded two totally free throws to give the Bears a 63-60 victory over Texas A&M onWednesday night.
It was his second straight game with a big play late soon after he hit thego-ahead three-pointer in Baylor’s 76-71 win more than Texas on Saturday.
Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy &hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:43 pm EST Baylor's Pierre Jackson (five&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:43 pm EST
Baylor' Quincy Acy (4) dun&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:42 pm EST
Baylor's Quincy Acy (4) Pe&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:41 pm EST
Texas A&M guard Naji Hibbert (&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:41 pm EST
Texas A&M guard Jordan Green, &hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:24 pm EST
Baylor coach Scott Drew calls &hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:56 pm EST
Baylor forward Quincy Acy, rig&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:48 pm EST
Baylor forward Quincy Acy (4) &hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:41 pm EST 1 of 9 Bay-TAMU Gallery
Baylor coach Scott Drew wishes he knew what it was about Jackson that causeshim to excel below pressure.
“I don’t know, but if we could clone it or duplicate it, we’d inject it ina lot of folks,” he mentioned. “The larger the moment, the larger the play, thebetter he performs. You’ve either got it or you don’t and he absolutely hasit.”
The Bears (20-2, 7-2 Huge 12) were up by 4 points with five minutes leftbefore A&M used a 9-3 run capped by a short jump shot by David Loubeau to take a60-58 lead with 29 seconds remaining.
Jackson’s second 3 of the game put the Bears on best ahead of A&M’s ElstonTurner missed a 3-pointer forcing the Aggies (12-9, three-6) to foul.
Jackson missed his very first no cost throw try, but was fouled again right after therebound and produced the insurance shots.
He was glad to have a chance to redeem himself immediately after missing a 3-pointerjust ahead of Loubeau’s shot that put the Aggies on top.
“I missed and I was wide open, and my teammates just told me the subsequent onewas going to fall and it did,” Jackson stated.
Perry Jones III said they really like seeing the ball in Jackson’s hands in keysituations.
“He’s been taking big shots due to the fact he got right here,” Jones mentioned. “Anytime he’sopen, we’re searching for him.”
Loubeau had 16 points for Texas A&M, which was with no two starters.
“They’ve got a lot of weapons and we made them have to use them,” TexasA&M coach Billy Kennedy mentioned. “I’m proud of the way our guys competed in adifficult scenario.”
The win provides Baylor its very first 7-two conference begin considering that 1968-69 and itsfourth 20-win season in the last 5.
Baylor has won five straight more than the Aggies in this rivalry which has beenplayed every single year because 1930-31 but is in jeopardy with Texas A&M leaving forthe Southeastern Conference.
Wednesday’s victory leaves the Bears tied with No. four Missouri for secondplace in the Huge 12. They are one game behind league leader No. 8 Kansas.
The Bears got 15 points from Jones and Jackson completed with 14 points andfive assists. Quincy Acy added 11 points and Quincy Miller had 11 rebounds andnine points.
They completed with a season-low seven turnovers and restricted A&M to 39.3percent shooting, the fourth time in league play they have kept an opponentbelow 40 percent.
The Bears were down by 5 just before scoring nine consecutive points to take a53-49 lead with 6 minutes remaining. Acy had two dunks in that span to quiet thecrowd a bit.
The Bears led by nine points early in the second half before A&M used a 14-3run to take a 44-42 lead with about 12 minutes remaining. Daniel Alexanderstarted the spurt with a three-pointer and A&M had two steals which ended with easylayups to keep it going.
Anthony Jones had a tip-in for Baylor to tie it ahead of A&M scored fivestraight points, led by a dunk by Loubeau, to take a 49-44 lead with about 10minutes left.
Points got testy in this a single with Loubeau and Acy having to be separated byteammates and officials soon after two other players tussled on the court for a looseball midway via the second half.
Acy liked how intense the game got and the fervor of A&M’s fans.
“It’s constantly like that,” he said. “It’s A&M and that’s the rivalry.”
Alexander finished with 12 points and six rebounds for A&M and Ray Turnerhad 13 points. The Bears were able to limit Elston Turner, who had scored atleast 23 points in three straight games, to eight points.
The Aggies had been with no second-top scorer Khris Middleton (proper knee)for the third straight game and point guard Dash Harris (suitable foot) for thesecond. Kennedy said Monday that he hoped Harris could play, but when heappeared on crutches throughout warmups it became apparent that he would sit outagain.
Acy was impressed with A&M’s performance on Wednesday whilst playingshorthanded.
“Those are two of their much better players and they showed a lot of heart andthat says a lot about them and their coach,” he said.
Baylor used a 16-5 run to take a 31-23 lead about 3 minutes ahead of halftime.The Bears led 36-25 at halftime.
Robinson’s 20 and 17 help Kansas roll
February 2, 2012
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)—Bill Self refused to let his team look past Oklahomato a high-profile showdown with border rival Missouri, even though his own mindmight have slipped that way a time or two.
Given the way No. 8 Kansas had played lately, they weren’t always pleasantthoughts.
That certainly changed Wednesday night, though, when Thomas Robinson had 20points and 17 rebounds to lead the Jayhawks in an 84-62 blowout of the Sooners.
“I’m leaving out of here more excited about our team than before the gamestarted,” Self said. “I didn’t think the last couple of weeks we had been thatgood. We’re going to have to be better Saturday night than we were tonight, butwe were pretty good.”
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: R… Getty Images – Feb 2, 12:01 am EST LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 2, 12:00 am EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: E… Getty Images – Feb 2, 12:00 am EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: R… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:55 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:53 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: R… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:52 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: R… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:52 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:51 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:51 pm EST
Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor ge… AP – Feb 1, 11:42 pm EST
Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger talk… AP – Feb 1, 11:41 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: o… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:39 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:39 pm EST
Oklahoma forward C.J. Washingt… AP – Feb 1, 11:36 pm EST
Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor (1… AP – Feb 1, 11:36 pm EST
Oklahoma forward C.J. Washingt… AP – Feb 1, 11:35 pm EST
Kansas players celebrate a bas… AP – Feb 1, 11:34 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: H… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:29 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: J… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:19 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:18 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:17 pm EST
Kansas coach Bill Self dispute… AP – Feb 1, 10:34 pm EST
Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor (1… AP – Feb 1, 10:34 pm EST
Kansas forward Thomas Robinson… AP – Feb 1, 10:34 pm EST
Kansas guard Kevin Young, left… AP – Feb 1, 10:20 pm EST
Kansas guard Kevin Young, left… AP – Feb 1, 10:18 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 10:11 pm EST
Kansas guard Elijah Johnson (1… AP – Feb 1, 10:08 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: E… Getty Images – Feb 1, 10:08 pm EST
Kansas center Jeff Withey, rig… AP – Feb 1, 10:08 pm EST
Oklahoma forward Romero Osby (… AP – Feb 1, 10:08 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: H… Getty Images – Feb 1, 10:07 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: E… Getty Images – Feb 1, 10:05 pm EST
Kansas center Jeff Withey (5) … AP – Feb 1, 10:04 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 9:58 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 9:57 pm EST
LAWRENCE, KS – FEBRUARY 01: T… Getty Images – Feb 1, 9:57 pm EST 1 of 37 Okla-Kan Gallery
Pretty close to perfect, at least in the second half.
Tyshawn Taylor had 21 points, Jeff Withey added 15 and Travis Releford had12 for Kansas (18-4, 8-1 Big 12), which responded to its first conference lossat Iowa State by outscoring turnover-prone Oklahoma 50-31 over the final 20minutes.
“I don’t think it was difficult to focus on this game because of our lastgame,” Taylor said, adding: “Coach said in the locker room, `It’s something wecan start focusing on now.”’
The Jayhawks haven’t lost to Oklahoma in the last nine meetings, and thelast 10 at venerable Allen Fieldhouse, where they have won 19 straight overall.They have also gone 225 games without consecutive defeats, the longest streak inthe nation. Duke is next at 110 games.
“They’re a terrific ball club. Bill does a great job,” said Oklahoma coachLon Kruger, who is no stranger to the Jayhawks from his days as a player andcoach at Kansas State. “You can’t give them that opportunity to get up and getgoing like they did. They finished it pretty early in the second half.”
Romero Osby scored 19 points, Steven Pledger had 17 and Andrew Fitzgeraldfinished with 14 for the Sooners (13-8, 3-6), who were within 34-31 at halftimebefore Kansas hit its stride.
The game nearly got out of hand much earlier, when Elijah Johnson hitconsecutive 3-pointers and Taylor—after some encouragement from Self—carvedinto the lane for an acrobatic layup.
Robinson’s putback moments later gave the Jayhawks a 30-19 lead.
“Coach just told me that I’m not playing like the player I’m capable ofbeing,” Robinson said. “He’s been stressing all week that I haven’t beenaggressive.”
Kruger wisely called for a timeout, and his Sooners embarked on 12-2 run.
Cameron Clark’s basket started it and Pledger added a deep 3-pointer fromthe wing. The hot-shooting Pledger, who had 30 points in a win over Kansas Statelast weekend, capped the spurt with another 3-pointer with 15 seconds left inthe half, drawing the Sooners within 32-31.
Taylor’s two foul shots just before the buzzer restored the three-pointcushion.
It turned out to be the closest Oklahoma got.
“I thought we battled pretty well for a half,” Kruger said. “Then weopened the second half not how we wanted to, or not how we needed to, forsure.”
Withey, who played just 8 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble,scored the first basket of the second half, sending the Jayhawks on a 12-2 runthat resulted in a 44-33 lead.
Robinson added an impressive dunk off a feed from Taylor, who finished withsix assists, and Kansas kept drawing away. Taylor’s deep 3 from the wing as theshot clock wound down pushed the lead to 59-39 with 11:41 left in the game.
The lead reached 30 when Withey made a nice post move on C.J. Washington anddrew a foul with 4:06 left. The 7-footer, an 86 percent free throw shooter, madeboth for an 80-49 lead.
“We took a lot of 3-pointers in the first half, kind of playing into theirhands, how they wanted to play,” Taylor said. “I think we got a lot offast-break points and in the paint just because of our defensive pressure,getting fast breaks.”
Self substituted liberally after that, allowing his starters to bask in theadoration of another sellout crowd and rest up before the first installment thisseason of the Border War.
The Jayhawks had been wary not to look ahead to their game against Missouri(20-2, 7-2), who had a couple of extra days to prepare after beating Texas onMonday night. They can now turn their full attention to one of the biggestregular-season matchups ever between the teams.
“If we’re tuned in defensively and we’re rebounding the ball, I think wecan beat anybody, and I think that’s going to be our focus these next coupleweekends, guarding and rebounding the ball,” Taylor said. “We have to winthese games. We have to. They’re important.”
No 14 Hoyas extend UConn’s skid to 4
February 2, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP)—One game later, Georgetown’s defense was back.
Of course, it helped that Connecticut was getting its worst offensive nightsince the last millennium.
The 14th-ranked Hoyas held the Huskies to 30 percent shooting Wednesdaynight in a 58-44 win, UConn’s fourth straight loss and a nice bounce-back forGeorgetown following a poor loss at Pittsburgh.
“We did respond really nicely,” mentioned Jason Clark, who scored 11 points forthe Hoyas. “We know what we did wrong in the game to lose at Pitt. We didn’twant the exact same thing to happen.”
Connecticut head coach Jim Cal&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:42 pm EST Connecticut head coach Jim Cal&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:42 pm EST
Connecticut head coach Jim Cal&hellip AP – Feb 1, 8:23 pm EST
Georgetown head coach John Tho&hellip AP – Feb 1, 8:15 pm EST 1 of 4 Conn-Gtwn Gallery
Coach John Thompson III had called the defensive performance “awful” afterPitt shot 52 percent, the ideal by a Georgetown opponent this season. It’s notoften a team can increase in that category by 22 percentage points in 1 game.
“Just since you know what they’re going to do doesn’t mean you’re goingto quit it,” Thompson stated. “We were fortunate enough that we knew what theywere going to do, and were productive in slowing them down just a little bittoday.”
But Georgetown (17-four, 7-three) occurred upon Connecticut at a very good time. TheHuskies (14-7, four-five) are slumping badly. The 44 points had been their fewest given that a59-42 loss to Syracuse on Feb. 1, 1999. The shooting percentage hadn’t been aslow because a 23.8 percent effort against Syracuse on Feb. 8, 1997.
“Right now,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun stated, “we’re stuck in mud. And ourwheels are spinning, especially offensively.”
The numbers tell only element of the story. The Huskies look like a team that’slost some focus. They were gambling on defense when they didn’t require to. ShabazzNapier, who’s out of a beginning job, is for 16 from the field in his final twogames, and his body language shows it.
“I’m going to maintain pushing them. We’re going to maintain pushing,” Calhounsaid. “Tomorrow (practice) is going to be longer. We’re going to go soon after them.We’re going to find folks who want to do what they can do. We’re not the mosttalented team in America. … What I don’t like to see is men and women mentally notstay in the task at hand.”
Hollis Thompson regained his shooting touch to lead Georgetown with 18points and nine rebounds. The Large East’s leading 3-point shooter went three for 7 behindthe arc, matching the quantity of 3s from his last three games combined.
Henry Sims added 13 points for the Hoyas, who led by 10 points at halftimeand didn’t enable the Huskies to get closer than six the rest of the way.
Even a shake-up in the lineup didn’t assist the Huskies. Following scoring 48points against Notre Dame on Sunday, Calhoun started freshman Ryan Boatright andsophomore Roscoe Smith in location of Napier and Alex Oriakhi. Calhoun was hopingfor far more quickness and speed, but the Huskies didn’t score any quickly-break pointsin the initial half and had only 4 for the game.
Boatright went scoreless, and Smith completed with just two points. Oriakhicame off the bench to commit three of UConn’s six initially-half turnovers.
The usually trustworthy Jeremy Lamb had a difficult game, shooting 1 for 9 at inthe 1st half and 4 for 18 for the game to finish with 14 points.
The spark for the Huskies was provided by freshman Andre Drummond, who had18 points and was unstoppable for the initial 4 minutes. He dominated the paintfor eight swift points to give UConn a 13-7 lead.
Then the Huskies went cold, missing 13 straight shots and 17 of 18.Georgetown took advantage, albeit slowly, meandering its way through a 24-8 runthat genuinely didn’t get going until the final minutes of the half. A layup and a3-pointer from Thompson, and a jumper and a layup from Sims helped put the Hoyasup 31-21 at halftime.
“Our offense began out wonderful,” Calhoun said, “and ended up very poor.”
Thompson’s three-pointer gave Georgetown a 13-point lead early in the secondhalf, and only then did UConn start to show signs of an organized offense. Dunksby Drummond and Lamb and a layup by Drummond off an alley-oop pass cut the leadto eight.
DeAndre Daniels’ driving layup made it 45-39 with 7:43 to play, but that wasas close as the Huskies would get in the second half. Georgetown responded witha 10-2 run led by Clark and Sims.
“We had folks who felt down nine with 12 to go, the game’s over,” Calhounsaid. “So they’re going to gamble. Bang! You’re not down nine any longer you’redown 11.”
The play that in all probability served most to restore Georgetown’s momentum was adriving dunk by Sims more than Lamb, giving the Hoyas a 12-point lead with 5:43remaining.
“Everybody was just like—Whoa!—on his head,” Hollis Thompson mentioned.“It was a fantastic dunk.”
———
Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP
No. 13 Creighton easily pushes run to 11
February 2, 2012
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)—No. 13 Creighton leads the nation in three-point accuracy andoverall field aim percentage, and Illinois State saw why Wednesday night.
Doug McDermott scored 17 of his 25 points in the 1st half to lead sixCreighton players in double figures and the 13th-ranked Bluejays rode a faststart to a 102-74 victory.
The Bluejays (21-2, 11-1 Missouri Valley Conference) created 13 three-pointers andshot 56.four percent though winning their 11th straight general and fourth in a rowagainst the Redbirds (14-9, 6-6).
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: The C&hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:09 pm EST OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Coach&hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Doug &hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Coach&hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Coach&hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Doug &hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Ethan&hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Will &hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Will &hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Josh &hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Doug &hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Doug &hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Grant&hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Josh &hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Jahen&hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Greg &hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Antoi&hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Josh &hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Grego&hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Grego&hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: The C&hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Coach&hellip Getty Pictures – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
OMAHA, NE – FEBRUARY 01: Doug &hellip Getty Images – Feb 1, 11:08 pm EST
Creighton's Will Artino (3&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:07 pm EST
Illinois State coach Tim Janko&hellip AP – Feb 1, 11:00 pm EST
Creighton coach Greg McDermott&hellip AP – Feb 1, ten:59 pm EST 1 of 26 ILSt-Crei Gallery
“A incredibly telling stat: We lead the nation in 3-point shooting, but we didn’ttake a three-point shot until our 17th possession of the game,” Creighton coachGreg McDermott mentioned. “We’re turning down very good shots for fantastic shots.
“That may have been as unselfish an offensive performance as I’ve ever beena element of. The ball motion, guys turning down shots, receiving it to the hothand—it was a thing of beauty from an offensive standpoint.”
Creighton broke out to a 17-two lead creating eight straight shots and ten of itsfirst 11, and McDermott was in double figures inside 8 minutes.
“We’ve hopped out to excellent starts, but today was most likely our greatest initial 4minutes of a game,” guard Grant Gibbs stated. “It had a thing to do with theatmosphere and getting ready to go.”
Redbirds coach Tim Jankovich called two fast timeouts to attempt to slow thingsdown, but to no avail.
“There isn’t a lot worse feeling than that,” he said. “You’re down andout prior to you feel like it even starts. There are so quite a few problems, you can’thardly address them.”
Gibbs had 12 points and seven assists, Jahenns Manigat and Will Artino added11 points every single and Gregory Echenique and Josh Jones had 10 apiece.
Tyler Brown had 21 points, Bryant Allen added 14 and Nic Moore and Jon Ekeyhad 11 apiece for the Redbirds.
Creighton went over 100 points for the second time this season. The Bluejaysscored 104 against Campbell.
They hadn’t gone more than 100 against a conference opponent since beatingBradley 111-110 in double-overtime 4 years ago. It was the 1st time theywent more than 100 in a conference game in regulation because a 102-69 win overEvansville in 2000.
Illinois State gave up 100 points for the initial time since permitting Oklahoma112 in 1990.
The Bluejays created their 13 3s on 25 attempts and are shooting 45.3 percentfrom long range for the season.
“Part of it has to do with our unselfishness,” Doug McDermott stated.“We’re finding genuinely open excellent looks at the three-point line. If we continue toknock those down, with the bigs we have, it’s going to be a really great year.”
Jackie Carmichael, Illinois State’s leading scorer who had 26 and 19 pointsin his earlier two games, took only three shots and had just two points in thefirst half with Echenique and Artino guarding him.
Carmichael, the Valley player of the week, completed with six points on fiveshots prior to fouling out with 3:50 left.
“Gregory did a terrific job on Carmichael to start off the game,” GregMcDermott said. “He never ever let him get going, and that’s essential when you’replaying against a guy who has had a hot streak like Jackie has.”
The Redbirds got inside 14 points early in the second half when Carmichaelstrode by means of the lane for a big dunk and Ekey hit a three. But Jones’ three a whilelater restored Creighton’s 20-point lead, and it was a 25-point game when EthanWragge hit a single from extended range with 11:12 left.
“You always really feel like there’s a opportunity as lengthy as the math adds up andthere’s enough time,” Jankovich mentioned. “I wasn’t overly optimistic at thatpoint. We had been playing greater and issues had been going our way, but we couldn’tsustain that and they built the lead back. They had been awfully, awfully good—andwe were awful.”
Doug McDermott, who came into the game as the nation’s third-top scorerat 23.5 points a game, was 9 of 11 from the field, which includes 3 for three on3-pointers.
The Redbirds, who have dropped 5 of six conference road games, have lost23 straight against ranked opponents given that 1987.
“You can dig a ten- hole, and I’ve noticed it erased a million instances,”Jankovich stated. “That wasn’t going to take place tonight.”
No. 21 Florida State wins sixth straight
February 2, 2012
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)—The Florida State players swear coach LeonardHamilton didn’t raise his voice, at least too a lot, with them at halftimeWednesday night before the Seminoles got rolling on the way to a 68-54 victoryover Georgia Tech.
The 21st-ranked Seminoles had been playing the final-spot team in the AtlanticCoast Conference and had been trailing 25-24 at halftime.
Florida State hadn’t played in a week and looked rusty, scoring only 10points more than the final 12:45 of the 1st half and tossing the ball away on 11occasions—plenty to frustrate even a veteran coach like Hamilton.
Florida State 's Deividas &hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:38 pm EST Florida State head coach Leona&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:20 pm EST 1 of two GT-FLSt Gallery
“It did get a small hyped up each and every when in a although,” mentioned senior centerBernard James, who had 13 points and eight rebounds in the win. “Strategy typestuff. A little reminder of the tiny factors.”
Those little things paid massive dividends as Florida State shot 61.5 percentand had just four turnovers in the second half when Tech had 14 of its 24turnovers.
Michael Snaer scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half as the Seminolesgot their sixth straight win.
The victory provides Florida State (15-6, 6-1) its ideal start out in league playsince joining the ACC for the 1991-92 season and it keeps the Seminoles tiedwith North Carolina for initial location. Duke is suitable behind at five-1.
Snaer’s major second half helped awaken a slumbering offense that managed toshoot just 34.8 percent in the initially half. The 6-foot-4 junior produced five of 7 from3-point distance and has produced 11 of his last 13 tries from beyond the arc,such as a buzzer-beating game-winner at Duke on Jan. 21.
Georgia Tech (8-14, 1-7) had the halftime lead regardless of not having scoringand rebounding leader Glen Rice Jr., who missed the game with a foot injury.
“I think they played up to us,” Snaer said. “They hit us each and every chancethey got.”
Brandon Reed, who was four of 8 from 3-point distance, scored a season-high 18points and Daniel Miller added ten for the Yellow Jackets, who lost their sixthstraight.
Two cost-free throws by Reed capped an 18-8 run that gave Georgia Tech its firstlead, 23-22 with 3:09 left in the half.
“This was a very good chance for us to get that feel of what it’s going tobe like when people are going to be playing you when you are in initial location in aleague that is as talented and as nicely coached as the ACC,” Hamilton mentioned. “Weare in a position that we have never been in just before … at the top rated of the heapand folks are wanting to get to that kind of spot.”
The Seminoles get a major test Saturday when No. 16 Virginia visits.
But for the most portion it was tough sufficient against Georgia Tech, which hasdropped 10 of its final 11 games beneath initial-year coach Brian Gregory. And itwasn’t made any simpler for the Yellow Jackets without Rice and his averages of13. points and 6.five rebounds.
“Our guys competed fairly nicely and did some superior factors,” Gregory mentioned.“Unfortunately we’re not at a point to sustain that type of concentration andeffort that you require to be profitable on the road in this league, especially onthe road against a team that keeps coming at you.”
Georgia Tech climbed inside 49-42 with 7:51 left ahead of an 11-3 run by theSeminoles that was capped by James’ slam put the game out of reach.
Okaro White’s thundering dunk capped a 10- spurt early in the second halfthat gave Florida State a 43-32 lead. The Seminoles had their largest lead at68-51 on Snaer’s fifth three-pointer in the final seconds. White completed with 11points and senior guard Luke Loucks added nine points and seven assists.
No. 23 Michigan holds off No. 20 Indiana
February 2, 2012
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)—In the middle of an additional rough shooting night, TimHardaway Jr. located himself open on the left wing.
With Michigan needing a basket, the talented sophomore didn’t hesitate.
“It was a walk-in 3, and we got it from penetration. That’s when, as ateam, we strive to shoot those types of balls,” he stated. “Lucky sufficient, itwent in.”
Hardaway’s 3-pointer with two:58 remaining helped the 23rd-ranked Wolverineshold off No. 20 Indiana 68-56 on Wednesday night. Michigan scored the game’sfirst 13 points and led by 20 before the Hoosiers rallied to cut the deficit totwo. With the score 52-50, Hardaway and Stu Douglass made shots from beyond thearc.
Indiana forward Cody Zeller, t&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:46 pm EST Michigan guard Zack Novak () &hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:30 pm EST
Michigan guard Trey Burke, lef&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:23 pm EST
Indiana guard Verdell Jones II&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:21 pm EST
Indiana forward Tom Pritchard &hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:09 pm EST
Michigan guard Zack Novak () &hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:09 pm EST
Indiana guard Verdell Jones II&hellip AP – Feb 1, 9:06 pm EST
Michigan guard Trey Burke (three) &hellip AP – Feb 1, 8:42 pm EST
Michigan guard Tim Hardaway Jr&hellip AP – Feb 1, 7:28 pm EST
Indiana forward Derek Elston (&hellip AP – Feb 1, 7:27 pm EST
Indiana forward Christian Watf&hellip AP – Feb 1, 7:25 pm EST 1 of 11 Ind-Mich Gallery
“Coach looked at us and was begging us to make open shots,” Douglass mentioned.
During the final seconds, the Michigan fans started chanting “Beat theSpartans!”—the Wolverines will attempt for their fourth straight victory overMichigan State on Sunday in East Lansing.
Trey Burke scored 18 points for the Wolverines, who remained unbeaten athome. They got off to a fast commence following last weekend’s loss at No. 3 OhioState.
Burke opened the scoring with a spinning layup and added two three-pointers, andZack Novak’s three-pointer from the appropriate corner put Michigan (17-6, 7-three Major Ten)ahead 13-.
It was 28-8 after a free of charge throw by Michigan’s Jordan Morgan.
“We’ve been quite fortunate that we’re not dependent just on one particular or twoguys,” Wolverines coach John Beilein said. “One guy has had a great game, andwe had been in a position to squeak by and win. Yet another day, an individual else has been at the topof their game. I just mentioned, `You know, it is OK if everybody plays pretty wellon the identical day.’ And right now was supposed to be the day. For those first 10minutes, it undoubtedly was.”
Indiana answered with nine straight points. Burke identified a cutting Hardawaywith an alley-oop pass to make it 33-20, and the Wolverines led 33-22 athalftime.
Michigan had only one particular turnover in the initial half, though Indiana had eight.
“At the commence of the game, we allowed a extremely good team to play like a greatteam due to the fact our players came out playing like they had seen a ghost,” Indianacoach Tom Crean stated. “You can’t come out and not have a physical presence andgive that type of space to a team like Michigan.”
Indiana (17-6, five-6) twice fought back within two points in the second half,such as at 52-50 with three:20 remaining. Hardaway completed 2 of 8 from 3-pointrange and is shooting 28 percent from extended distance this season, but heconnected from the left wing right after a pass from Burke to make it 55-50.
“He’s undoubtedly got the guts to take them,” Novak stated. “He’s hit,already in his short career, very a handful of big shots toward the end of games.”
After Indiana’s Derek Elston missed the front end of a 1-and-1, Douglassmade his 3-pointer to put the Wolverines up by eight.
Jordan Hulls scored 18 points for Indiana.
The Hoosiers beat Michigan 73-71 earlier in the season, element of a 15-1 startfor Indiana that included wins more than Kentucky and Ohio State. The Hoosiers havelost five of their final seven to fall well off the pace in the Large Ten race.
They did make Michigan work for the victory on Wednesday. Indiana chippedaway in the second half, and Christian Watford’s three-point play created it 38-36with 12:53 remaining. Novak answered with a three-pointer, the commence of a 9-two runfor Michigan.
Indiana trailed by six points when Hulls created a 3-pointer and Watford addeda free of charge throw to cut the deficit once more to two at 52-50.
Hardaway and Novak each scored 13 points. Cody Zeller had 11 for Indiana butwas outshined by Burke in a matchup of two of the country’s best freshmen.
Hulls went 4 of five from three-point range, but the rest of the Hoosiers were 1 of9.
There were eight fouls called in the first half and 25 in the second.
Former Saint Louis coach Spoonhour dies
February 1, 2012
Charlie Spoonhour won huge wherever he went, and left `em all smiling.
The well-liked, homespun coach who put Missouri State on the map with 5 NCAAtournament appearances and led Saint Louis to 3 a lot more with a mixture ofsharpshooting and tenacious defense recognized as Spoonball, died Wednesday soon after atwo-year battle with a lung illness. He was 72.
“Charlie was a single of a kind,” Missouri Valley Conference commissioner DougElgin said. “He was magnetic, charismatic. Just an unforgettable character.”
Spoonhour was diagnosed in 2010 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, whichrequired a transplant at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. He diedin nearby Chapel Hill, N.C., said Chuck Harker, the funeral director at Walker’sFuneral House in Chapel Hill.
In 19 seasons as a Division I head coach, the last three at UNLV from2001-04, Spoonhour compiled a record of 373-202.
“Coach Spoon was an amazing individual,” mentioned Dave Rice, current head coachat UNLV and a former UNLV assistant beneath Spoonhour. “I learned so considerably fromhim about coaching, but a lot more essential, he taught us how to maintain issues inperspective and showed us how to be superior people.”
Spoonhour lost none of his popularity after ending his coaching career,serving as Television analyst for the Missouri Valley Conference, and was in high demandon the banquet circuit. Retired Missouri State athletics director Bill Rowe, whohired Spoonhour to his initially Division I head coaching job, recalled a WillRogers-like wit.
“Give him a napkin and four or five words and that’s all it took,” Rowesaid. “He’d have the place in stitches.”
Rick Majerus was nicely conscious of Spoonhour’s legacy when he was hired as SaintLouis coach. The Billikens were ranked for one particular week earlier this season, theirfirst look in the Best 25 since Spoonhour’s glory days in 1994.
“He had good rapport with his players, was an outstanding tactician andgenerally a excellent person,” Majerus said. “He seriously loved the game.”
Spoonhour built his reputation at Missouri State, then known as SouthwestMissouri State, exactly where he was 197-81 from 1983-92. Rowe interviewed a half-dozencandidates for the school’s head coaching vacancy, but was impressed bySpoonhour’s accomplishment at the junior college level and by his reputation as astrong recruiter.
“I had Charlie in my thoughts all the time,” Rowe stated. “As far as reallygetting the plan moving, we couldn’t have picked a superior guy. It was aperfect fit. He was really, really common appropriate away and our crowds seriously pickedup.”
Missouri State planned a moment of silence for the duration of a pre-game tribute beforeits game against Wichita State on Wednesday night.
Saint Louis won just five games the season before Spoonhour arrived, but inhis second season the Billlikens were 23-6 and ended a 27-year NCAA tournamentdrought by leaning on the outside shooting of guards Erwin Claggett, ScottHighmark and H Waldman, combined with stingy defense. The 1994-95 team, whichalso won 23 games and went to the second round of the NCAA tournament, set aschool record with 284 3-pointers.
“What I generally liked was we could play a team like Memphis, and Memphiswould dunk two and just pull the goal down,” Spoonhour recalled in 1996. “Thenwe’d hit two three’s and be up by two points. You could see them going, `Thisdoesn’t appear suitable.’ I always sort of liked that.”
It wasn’t run and gun at all. Spoonhour preached patience on offense andoften stomped his feet to make sure players were paying attention at both endsof the floor.
“Defense was a big, large deal,” Rowe stated. “And if you were going to dunk,that was fine, but you’d much better make it.”
Spoonhour could be stern, but commonly would leaven ire with cornponecriticism such as calling a player a “Hickory Nut Head.” Following a 27-pointloss at home against Cincinnati in 1998, Spoonhour deadpanned: “I would suggestwe get out of right here before the roof falls in.”
During Saint Louis’ heyday in the mid-90s, the Billikens played toconsistent sellout crowds of 21,000 and students planted plastic spoons all overcampus in tribute. Average attendance increased by about ten,000 fans.
“Charlie Spoonhour was a man of good character and integrity,” said Rev.Lawrence Biondi, the school president. “I will usually recall his positivepersonality, his energetic spirit and his deep devotion to his players.”
Saint Louis’ 1st-round victory over Minnesota in 1995 was the school’sfirst in 43 years. The Billikens lost in the second round to a Wake Forest teamled by future NBA star Tim Duncan. Saint Louis also went to the NCAA tournamentin 1998 but freshman sensation Larry Hughes then jumped to the NBA, leaving atalent gap Spoonhour couldn’t resolve. He resigned in 1999, but kept the moodlight.
“I am not sick, no matter how I appear,” Spoonhour stated. “I’m not gettingdivorced. There’s just a point when you have to get off the merry-go-round, andthat point is now.”
Immediately after compiling a 122-90 record in seven seasons at Saint Louis, Spoonhourretired briefly prior to returning to coaching at UNLV. He was 54-31 in threeseasons, resigning with ten games to go in 2003-04.
Spoonhour’s son, Jay, is an assistant coach at UTSA. Jay Spoonhour wasassistant coach under his father at Saint Louis and UNLV, and was 6-four as interimhead coach following Charlie Spoonhour stepped down.
Spoonhour will be inducted into the Valley Hall of Fame in March. Elgin saidhe spoke lately to Spoonhour, who had been excited about generating the trip toSt. Louis.
“He was possibly 1 of the greatest teachers that I ever had the privilegeto be involved with,” stated Kelby Stuckey, who played for Spoonhour at MissouriState from 1985-89. “The lessons he taught me helped me, not just on basketballcourt, but life in general.”
———
AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.
Adhere to Yahoo! Sports college basketball coverage on Twitter.
Spartans’ Green has sprained left knee
February 1, 2012
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP)—Michigan State forward Draymond Green has beendiagnosed with a sprained left knee.
Green had an MRI on Wednesday and is listed as day to day. The ninth-rankedSpartans don’t play once more till Sunday, when they host No. 23 Michigan.
Green was injured throughout Tuesday night’s loss at Illinois. He was helped offthe court and hobbled by way of the postgame handshake line.
[News slideshow: Fat cat gets revolutionary new knee joint]
The senior is averaging 14.9 points, 10.three rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocksper game, top Michigan State in every category. He is second on the team with3.5 assists per game.
Other well-known content material on Yahoo! Sports:&bull The Dagger: ‘We are Mizzou’ video spurs clever Kansas rebuttal&bull ThePostGame: NFL fan feels scammed on Super Bowl Media Day&bull Refreshed Urban Meyer aims Ohio State Buckeyes at title
Stick to Yahoo! Sports college basketball coverage on Twitter.