Johnson’s 21 points marked the most by a RedHawk this year while junior guard Quinten Rollins notched his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists. Junior forward Jon Harris added 15 points and a career-high eight rebounds for Miami while fellow junior forward Will Felder chipped in 12 points, matching his season high, and seven rebounds, five of which came in the first half.
“It kind of came as I went along,” Johnson said. “They went into that zone, so there were a lot of gaps and I was able to get a few early open looks that kind of got me going. I just came out and stayed aggressive and my teammates found me.”
The RedHawks shot a season-best 49 percent for the game, going 25-for-51 from the floor, including hitting a season-high-tying nine 3-pointers on 23 attempts (39.1 percent). Miami held JMU to just 38.3 percent shooting, including only 33 percent in the second half, while outrebounding the Dukes, 35-28. The ‘Hawks totaled 19 assists on their 25 field goals.
Miami stormed out of the gate to a 9-0 lead just over a minute into the contest, hitting its first three shots, including an old-fashioned three-point play from Harris and triples from Johnson and junior forward Bill Edwards, who left the game soon after with a knee injury. After a pair of Dukes buckets by Rayshawn Goins, the RedHawk lead ballooned to 22-4 with just under 13 minutes left in the first half as Miami went on a 13-0 run with Johnson, Rollins and Felder combining for all 13 points.
A jumper by Felder with 9:07 remaining gave Miami its largest lead of the half at 26-7, but JMU then started to chip away. The Dukes went on a 13-2 run over the next 3:07, with Devon Moore scoring 11 of the points for James Madison, to cut the deficit to eight at 28-20. A Harris trey ended the spurt and restored the RedHawks’ lead back in double digits. He added a free throw and another trifecta as part of a 9-1 outburst that give Miami a 37-21 lead with two minutes to play in the period.
JMU scored the final five points of the half capped by a fastbreak floater by Moore at the buzzer to make it a 37-26 ballgame at halftime. Harris led the ‘Hawks with 10 points at the break on 3-of-4 shooting while Miami was 12-for-25 from the floor over the first 20 minutes as a team, including hitting five 3-pointers. Moore had 15 points at the break to lead the Dukes, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 in the half, however JMU committed 10 turnovers in the opening period and finished with 15 in the game, which Miami converted into 20 points.
The second half opened with end-to-end action as the teams traded baskets. Johnson scored 10 of Miami’s first 14 points to start the second stanza, including two triples, the second of which boosted the RedHawk lead to 16 at 51-35 with less than 15 minutes left in the game. A free throw by Andre Nation capped a 9-3 spurt by the Dukes to get JMU within 10 but again Harris came up with a clutch triple to end the draught.
James Madison once more closed within 10 with 7:29 remaining on a 3-pointer by Ron Curry but a Johnson trey and four points from Felder bumped the lead back to 17 at 66-49 with 6:15 left in the contest. The Dukes would get no closer than 14 the remainder of the game with junior guard Allen Roberts adding five points down the stretch as Miami closed out the 76-58 victory.
“Every home game brings confidence and you start to understand how important they are and how you have to protect home court,” said Miami head coach John Cooper. “You can’t win championships without learning that.”
Moore finished with 17 points to lead JMU while Goins had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Dukes, who went 17-for-28 from the free throw line. The ‘Hawks were 17-of-22 from the charity stripe.
The RedHawks return to the court Saturday, Dec. 1 with a road contest at IPFW at 7 p.m. which begins a four-game road trip for Miami. The ‘Hawks are back in Millett Hall on Dec. 22 against Illinois-Chicago.
Miami (2-2) trailed 24-23 just before intermission when Edwards canned a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the RedHawks the lead for good. The Miami win marked the RedHawks’ first on the road this season and also was the first loss for the Tribe (3-1).
The opening half was a back-and-forth battle with neither team leading by more than three points. William & Mary opened up a 21-18 lead with 4:25 remaining in the opening half, the largest lead by any team in the first 20 minutes, but the RedHawks went on an 8-3 flurry over the closing minutes of the first stanza to seize a 26-24 halftime lead.
Edwards sunk a long 3-pointer with 1:28 remaining in the half to give Miami a 23-21 lead, but the Tribe’s Matt Rum responded with a trey at the 37 second mark to give William & Mary a one-point edge. Edwards responded by sinking a triple with three seconds remaining to lift the RedHawks to the 26-24 lead.
Edwards’ 3-pointer to end the first half sparked a 13-3 RedHawk run that catapulted Miami to a 36-27 lead by the 18:05 mark and forced a William & Mary timeout. Junior forward Jon Harris and Roberts also sunk triples during the Miami surge.
A fastbreak layup at 16:32 by junior guard Quinten Rollins pushed the RedHawk lead to 10 points, 40-30. The Tribe closed within four, 40-36, with 15:06 to play, but Miami eventually pushed its lead back to double-figures, posting an 11-point advantage at the 9:11 mark off an Edwards layup.
William & Mary got as close as seven with 8:33 to play, but an 8-1 Miami run that was comprised of five Roberts free throws and a Roberts 3-pointer pushed the RedHawk lead back to double figures for good, 48-62. Miami extended its lead to 17 points off a pair of Roberts free throws with 52 seconds remaining, 71-54, and went on to collect a 13-point win.
Roberts sunk 12-of-14 free throws for the RedHawks, who shot 73.1 percent from the charity stripe for the game.
Miami forced 18 William & Mary turnovers and tallied eight steals while posting a positive assist/turnover ratio for the third time this season (12 assist/9 turnovers). Junior forward Will Felder led Miami on the boards with eight and also notched two impressive blocked shots for the Red and White.
The Tribe had three players in double figures, led by Brandon Britt’s 17 points. Marcus Thornton chipped in 15 points, while Kyle Gaillard added 12.
Miami returns home to host James Madison at noon on Saturday, Nov. 24.
]]>Cooper will be introduced to Miami fans and media at Miami University’s Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester on Monday, April 9 at 3 p.m.
According to Bates, Cooper’s experience as a head coach and as an assistant coach at Auburn, Oregon, South Carolina and Fayetteville State was a major determinant to his hiring at Miami, but his emphasis on academics also played a role in his selection.
“John Cooper symbolizes the extraordinary future of Miami Basketball that we all envision,” Bates said. “He excelled as a student-athlete, as team captain, leading scorer and rebounder, and a Rhodes Scholar candidate. John has been mentored by some extraordinary leaders in the sport and has coached in the Southeastern Conference and the PAC 12 Conference. He has annually increased three critical variables during his time in Nashville: competitiveness, Academic Performance Rating and attendance. Most importantly, John genuinely cares about his players as high school prospects, students and alums. We are excited to welcome John, Melissa, Kennedy and Kameron to Oxford and look forward to a great future of Miami Basketball.”
Cooper’s 2011-12 Tennessee State squad posted a 20-13 record, the school’s first winning mark since 1995-96 and the Tigers’ first 20-win season in 32 years. The team had an 11-5 league record in Ohio Valley Conference play. Perhaps TSU’s most impressive victory this past season came on Feb. 9 when it defeated seventh-ranked Murray State, 72-68. The loss was only one of two in `11-12 that was suffered by the 31-2 Racers. Cooper’s team nearly earned a berth in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, losing at the hands of Murray State by a score of 54-52 in the OVC Tournament final. On Feb. 19, 2012, Cooper led TSU to a 68-61 victory over Miami at Millett Hall. TSU also claimed its first win over an SEC opponent this year when the Tigers beat South Carolina 64-63. His three-year overall record at TSU was 43-51, including a 27-25 mark in OVC games.
“First of all, thank you to the Tennessee State University family and for all of the things they’ve done for me,” said Cooper. “This group of players at TSU provided me with this opportunity to continue my career. As I look forward to Miami, I’m certainly excited about working with such a great administration. It was so evident that they’re fully supportive of the program. When we played at Miami in February, it was clear to see the youthful talent on the RedHawk team and that has me excited. They worked so hard for Coach Coles and I want those guys to know that we’re always going to have their best interests at heart. We want to create a family atmosphere and become successful, but also to feel comfortable that we’ll be completely supportive to their needs. We will strive to help them improve as athletes but, more importantly, we want them to become better people.”
Cooper was a finalist for four different coaching awards this past season, including the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award (national coach of the year), the John McLendon Award (top overall collegiate coach), The Hugh Durham Award (nation’s top Mid-Major coach) and the Ben Jobe Award (nation’s top minority coach in Division I).
Cooper joined Tennessee State following a five-year stint as Associate Head Basketball Coach at Auburn University under Jeff Lebo. He played a vital role in the revitalization of the Tigers’ basketball program with Auburn recording its first winning season since 2003. Auburn posted a 24-12 record in 2008-09, advancing to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.
Prior to his time at Auburn, Cooper spent two seasons at Oregon where he helped the Ducks to a 41-23 mark. Oregon went 23-10 with an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2002-03 and had an 18-13 record in `03-04, losing in the NIT semifinals.
From the 1995-96 season through the 2000-01 campaign, Cooper served as an assistant coach to Eddie Fogler at South Carolina. During a three-year stretch from `95-96 to `97-98, the Gamecocks posted a 66-28 record. The `96-97 squad won the Southeastern Conference title, finishing with an overall record of 24-8 and finishing No. 6 in the national rankings.
Cooper’s first coaching job was as an assistant at Fayetteville State from 1993-95.
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Cooper played collegiately at Wichita State under Fogler. He led the Shockers in scoring and rebounding during his junior and senior seasons. Cooper was a two-time team captain and a Rhodes Scholar candidate in his senior year.
Fogler praised Miami’s selection.
“John Cooper is the perfect fit for Miami University,” said Fogler. “A high achiever both on the court and in the classroom, Coop will compete for championships with student-athletes that graduate and who are prepared for life after basketball. John was very instrumental in my own personal successes as a player for me at Wichita State University and as my assistant coach at the University of South Carolina. What he accomplished as head coach at Tennessee State the past three years is remarkable. He’s a great young coach and even a better person.”
He played professional basketball with the Ft. Wayne Fury of the Continental Basketball Association in 1991-92 and with Holland’s Commodore Mustangs in the European Professional Basketball League in 1992-93.
Cooper earned a B.S. in business administration in 1991.
He is married to the former Melissa Mathis. They have two children, Kennedy and Kameron.
]]>
Probable Starters
DJ Gay, 6’ Sr. 11 pts, 3 ass. 47% FG, 44% 3PFG, 55% FT. Looks to setup his teammates first, but he’s a very capable scorer. Plays under control, especially when he puts it on the floor. He can hit the pullup, step back, and spot up jump shots.
Chase Tapley, 6’2” So. 9 pts, 2 reb. 63% FG, 14% 3PFG, 60% FT. More of a slasher than a shooter. Good rebounder for a guard. Good on-ball defender.
Kawhi Leonard, 6’7” So. 21 pts, 11 reb, 3 ass. 50% FG, 37% 3PFG, 75% FT. This guy reminds me of Carmelo Anthony. Handles the ball well for a guy his size. He can take you outside beyond the 3 point line. He has all the moves: jab step, 2 hard dribble pull up, and step back 3. He can post you up as well. But he’s also very unselfish, always makes the correct decision. Relentless on the glass.
Billy White, 6’8” Sr. 14 pts, 6 reb. 69% FG, 50% 3PFG. Another multi-talented forward. He can take you off the dribble. He’ll hit the floater in the lane. He can post you up and hit the baby hook. He’s also a legitimate 3 point threat. Another great rebounder, he plays with a lot of energy.
Malcolm Thomas, 6’9” Sr. 6 pts, 6 reb. 41% FG, 41% FT. Good athlete, good rebounder, looks to block shots on the defensive end. Can score with his back to the basket. Prone to foul trouble.
Off the Bench
James Rahon, 6’5” So. 8 pts, 2 reb. 59% FG, 50% 3PFG. Biggest offensive threat off the bench. Very much a 2 guard. Can score off of curls, off the dribble or off passes.
Tom Shelton, 6’7” Jr. 3 pts, 2 reb. 36% FG. Wide body who takes up space under the glass.
Brian Carlwell, 6’11” Sr. 3 pts, 2 reb. 50% FG, 60% FT. Wider body via Illinois. He’s a beast on the glass but has a nice touch around the hoop.
The Aztecs do a great job of spreading the floor offensively, they make everyone play defense. They want to attack the basket and so with high and wing pick and rolls. They love to run curls for Leonard and Rahon who consistently make the 15-17 foot elbow jumper. Leonard will play some point guard and when he does, he usually bounces an entry pass to the high post and goes back door. If the back door isn’t open, he and usually Rahon come off a staggered screen on the weak side, Leonard being the 2nd guy through, and he’s usually open. If Gay bounces an entry into the high post, he’ll get the ball back on a handoff and fire a quick 3. But the Aztecs will mostly keep moving, pick and roll, cut and fill, and space the floor, then crash the glass once the shot goes up.
Defensively, the Aztecs don’t pressure the perimeter in their half-court man, instead building a wall in the lane, forcing you to hit outside shots, which you’ll get plenty of, as Gonzaga did last week. Steven Gray had over 30 because he was able to step into shots. But if you don’t hit your 1st attempt, you probably won’t get a 2nd because of the Aztecs rebounding prowess. The Aztecs will run and jump in the backcourt after a made free throw. Because they’re so big and crash the glass hard, you can score in transition on them.
One of the biggest things that stood out to me about the Aztecs is how for such a good team, everyone plays within themselves. No one tries to do too much, everyone knows their role, and they play together. Miami will need a great shooting, rebounding, and defensive performance to stay with San Diego St.
]]>Probable Starters
Rahmon Fletcher, 5’10” Sr. 14 pts, 3 reb, 3 ass. 14/33 FG, 44% 3PFG, 86% FT. Lefty combo guard, can shoot the mid-range jumper or the 3. He really shoots well coming off screens.
Steve Baker, 6’2” Jr. 8 pts, 5 reb, 2 ass. 38% FG, 50% 3PFG, 57% FT. JUCO transfer still finding his way. Similar game to Fletcher’s but doesn’t have his confidence. Good rebounder for his size.
Bryquis Perine, 6’3” Sr. 14 pts, 4 reb, 4 ass. 33% FG, 5/13 3PFG, 67% FT. Long, lanky guard. Wants to drive, but a very capable shooter, more streaky than consistent. Also has the mid-range pullup and the floater in his arsenal.
Troy Snyder, 6’7” So. 10 pts 5 reb. 12/23 FG, 40% 3PFG, 50% FT. Athletic rebounder who found his shooting touch against San Diego St.
Alec Brown, 7’1” Fr. 6 pts, 6 reb. 44% FG, 63% FT. Very skinny, only weighs 215. Looks like a kid who grew late because he’s more comfortable shooting rather than playing big. Doesn’t move very well.Off the Bench
Seth Evans, 6’ So. 6 pts, 2 ass. 6/13 FG, 40% 3PFG, 50% FT. Shooter off the bench, not much of mid-range game. Daniel Turner, 6’6” Fr. 3 pts, 2 reb. 30% FG. Aggressive slasher who can go both ways
Jarvis Williams, 6’6” Jr. 6 pts, 4 reb. 50% FG, 14% 3PFG. Didn’t play vs. SDSU. Lefty slasher who can get out-of-control. Not much of a shooter.
Greg Lesage, 6’8” Sr. 2 pts, 5 reb. 28% FG. Tough guy who plays his role well. Strong rebounder.
Green Bay runs a lot of different offensive sets, but they all revolve in getting their perimeter players open shots or open lanes to the basket. They don’t get much inside production from their 4 and 5 men. They run a lot of high pick and rolls and dribble weaves. They’ll fake the dribble weave and have the wing go back door. The wings will cross off of screens underneath to get open for 3s. And they also like to run their point guards off of staggered screens in the high post area and flare to the opposite wing for a look. On side out of bounds, they’ll enter the ball into the post and the inbounder will step and go back door down the baseline.Everyone has a long reach, but they’re not physical. They can be pushed around underneath, especially on the boards. They play tight man defense on the perimeter, but their interior helpside often gets lost. They will play some 2-3 zone, but they don’t match up out of it. A simple high post entry and baseline duck under will be successful against their zone. Even with good guards, they don’t run the floor particularly well. It’s another situation where Green Bay has the advantage outside, but we have the advantage inside.
]]>Probable Starters
John Ashworth, 6’3” Sr. 7 pts, 4 ass. 63% FG, 33% 3PFG, 100% FT.
Leroy Nobles, 6’5” Sr. 18 pts, 6 reb. 35% FG, 33% 3PFG, 80% FT.
Alex Young, 6’6” Jr. 17 pts, 8 reb, 3 ass. 52% FG, 0/5 3PFG, 78% FT
Donovan Gibbs, 6’7” Fr. 6 pts, 2 reb. 50% FG, 50% FT
Christian Siakam, 6’7” Jr. 1 pt, 6 reb. 17% FG
Off the Bench
Stephen Thomas, 6’1” Jr. 8 pts, 4 reb, 3 ass. 54% FG, 17% 3PFG, 50% FT
Sean Esposito, 6’3” So. 6 pts, 1 reb. 44% FG, 50% 3PFG
Mitchell Patton, 6’9” Fr. 6 pts, 1 reb. 50% FG, 100% FT
Coach Hunter lets his perimeter players direct the offense and make the decisions. Ashworth is content to trigger the offense, either through his penetration or the use of a high screen. When they run the high pick and roll, Nobles and Young pop out. Ashworth can finish at the basket and shoot the 3, though he won’t resort to shooting until the shot clock is running down; he’s content to pass first. Nobles is a true wing player. He can drive or hit the open jumper. If he drives and you’re able to cut him off, he doesn’t have a midrange game, at least from what I’ve seen. But he’s a very good shooter. Young is the best athlete on the team. He can run like a deer and penetrate all the way to the hoop. Young’s weakness is his jumper. He’d rather drive or crash the glass. Gibbs is a good athlete, but he, Siakam, and Patton only score when they’re the recipients of dumpoffs. When IUPUI runs pick and roll either up high or on the wing, the roll is the 4th option, not the 1st or 2nd. Thomas is a transfer from UD. He can shoot the deep ball or hit the floater when he drives to the basket. Esposito is arguably their best shooter, but he’s strictly a catch and shoot guy. 8 of his 9 attempts and all 4 of his makes are from 3.
One of the big keys Saturday will be for our guys to move their feet defensively and keep their perimeter players outside, even force their big forwards to make shots. Gonzaga did just that, only allowing 3 assists on 18 made field goals. If our guards challenge theirs man-to-man as they did with Duke and we make sure their athletes don’t fly in for rebounds, IUPUI should have a tough time scoring. Defensively, the Jags will gamble. They forced Gonzaga into 14 turnovers, but also allowed them 19 assists. Goodson and Gray had 14 assists to just 4 turnovers. We need to be more aggressive on offense and start our offense closer to the basket so our wings can get open for shots. ]]>
Probable Starters
Kyrie Irving, 6'2" Fr. 17 pts, 9 reb. 4 reb. 40% FG, 50% 3PFG, 100% FT. Lived up to the hype in the 1st game. Strong for a freshman with good body control. Dribbles the ball low to the ground when in the lane, making it harder to slap away. Has a pretty good shooting stroke for a frosh, especially from the foul line. Could be streaky from 3 because his feet don't always go toward the basket. Did I mention he's lightning quick and has great vision? Rollins will have his hands full.
Nolan Smith, 6'2" Sr. 22 pts, 6 ass, 4 reb. 67% FG, 40% 3PFG. He's played at a really high level since the midpoint of last year, growing with confidence every game. He used to be scared to score, now he's looking to score. Looks even quicker than last year. Has a deadly floater and runner. And you can't let him step into a 3. Arguably Duke's best on-ball defender. Roberts probably gets this assignment.
Kyle Singler, 6'8" Sr. 16 pts, 4 reb, 2 ass, 2 blk. 70% FG, 67% 3PFG. A nightmare to guard because if you put a smaller guy on him, he'll take you down low. If you put a 4 on him, he'll take you outside. His mid-range game is his strength, coming off curls, pulling up from 12-17 feet. If he hits 3s consistently, you can't guard him. He'll find a way to put the ball in the basket. Ballard would be our best matchup, but with him out, I'd say we start a bigger lineup so Winbush gets the assignment.
Mason Plumlee, 6'10" So. 5 pts, 4 ass, 4 reb, 2 blk. 50% FG, 1/1 FT. A stat sheet stuffer, he's long, athletic, a great post defender, and an even better passer. When he gets the ball offensively, he's looking to pass 1st, dribble 2nd, shoot 3rd. You give him the jump shot because he doesn't want to take it. If you play up on him, he'll pass over you or dribble by you. Defensively, you have to be aware of him coming over to help because he'll send anything weak into the student section. Mavunga will probably guard regardless of the lineup we play.
Miles Plumlee, 6'10" Jr. 2 pts, 2 reb. 50% FG. The older Plumlee will look to score more in the post. He especially likes to spin baseline and use his quickness to get a quick dunk or go reverse layup on you. He's not as good at drop stepping or any kind of power move because he's slower at doing so, allowing the defender to gain position and contest the shot. He's long and athletic like his brother and is a solid defender. If we go big, LeGarza would get 1st crack at him.
Off the Bench
Andre Dawkins, 6'4" So. 13 pts, 1 ass. 55% FG, 50% 3PFG. Sniper off the bench. Likes to step into transition 3s coming from the wing. Also has a runner to his arsenal if you go for his shotfake.
Ryan Kelly, 6'11" So. 4 pts, 3 reb. 33% FG, 1/1 3PFG, 50% FT. Role player who does all the little things. Can guard multiple positions. Capable of hitting the open 3, but doesn't really look for his shot.
Seth Curry, 6'2" So. 14 pts, 3 reb. 40% FG, 60% 3PFG, 100% FT. Stephen's brother can put it in the basket as well. I want to say his older brother had a little more game at this comparable point in their careers, but that doesn't take anything away from Curry's ability to shoot and score.
Josh Hairston, 6'7" Fr. 2 pts, 2 reb. Len Elmore indicated on last night's broadcast Hairston could be a future Lance Thomas, maybe a little better, and I agree. Athletic, has the potential to play the 3 and 4 once he gets a little bigger.
]]>
1st Round
12 Toledo at 5 Buffalo
Previous meeting at Toledo: Buffalo 65-59. When they played earlier, both teams were looking to gain some confidence. Toledo hadn't won a conference game and Buffalo, after starting strong, had lost 5 of their last 6. This game was close throughout, but Buffalo's experience and Toledo's self-doubt were the difference at the end of the game. Since their previous meeting, both teams have played better, Buffalo has won 6 of 8 and Toledo got their 1st conference win against Ball St. Buffalo is one of the top 3 offensive teams in the league, led by Pierce and Betts and their gambit of athletic bigs who provide a number of things. However, their defense has really fallen off, especially on the perimeter, which can keep a team like Toledo in it because the Rockets will be able to get shots. Toledo played one of their better games vs. Buffalo and still lost, at home. Toledo will have a chance to score points, but Buffalo will score more, between 10-15 more. I see the Bulls gradually pulling away in this one.
11 NIU at 6 Eastern
Previous meetings: NIU 77-69 at DeKalb, Eastern 66-60 at Ypsilanti. When these 2 teams met 10 days ago, NIU had 72 shot attempts (making 22) and Eastern had 48 FT attempts (making 26). Earlier in the year, NIU shot the ball well, but their percentages have dropped as the year's gone on. NIU is now the worst 3 point shooting team in the league at 30% and they need to make 3s to win. To make up for that, they do a great job on the boards, so it'll be important for Bowdry and Dobbins to stay out of foul trouble. The most important question may be how Eastern responds after giving away the West title Thursday night to Central on their home floor. But Eastern has won 4 of 6 with their 2 losses being in the last minute and Medlock played well in both meetings. I think he'll lead Eastern to a 5-7 point win.
10 BG at 7 Western
Previous meeting at Kalamazoo: Western 65-64. BG led by 11 late in the 2nd half, but the Broncos came back and won it on a Kool drive with 4 seconds left. These 2 teams are pretty evenly matched. Western had trouble keeping BG's guards in front of them and they don't have the bulk to match up with BG down low. On the other hand, BG doesn't have anyone who can stay in front of Western's athletes, they're not quick enough and most importantly, they don't have anyone who can stay with Kool. BG's lost 3 straight, 4 of 5 and haven't won away from the Anderson bandbox since late January. Western wins another close game.
9 OU at 8 Ball St.
Previous meeting at Athens: OU 67-66 (OT). OU led by 3 with 13 seconds left, but Ball St. scored twice to steal one at the Convo. Ball St. had a big edge on the boards, including 12 offensive rebounds. OU was without DeVaughn Washington and they missed him as Terence Watson went for 20 and 16. Ball St. wins games with defense, which is good because OU can score and make shots in bunches. You have to force OU into falling in love with perimeter shots less dribble penetration and kickouts. OU's done a better job of getting more balance in their scoring and their play has improved. Ball St. has lost 3 straight, but OU hasn't won away from home in a month. I think OU's ability to make shots and Washington's play will be enough to give OU the win, but by a basket.
Quarterfinals
9 OU vs. 1 Kent
Previous meetings: Kent 62-60 at Athens, Kent 74-67 at Kent. To beat Kent, you have to be able and willing to attack them off the dribble at every position. OU's guards have the ability to do that and they've had success in doing so while also putting pressure on Kent's guards, not making it easy for them to run their offense. But, Kent's bigs have the advantage inside because they can guard OU's pick and roll and they're better on the glass. Kent gets too many 2nd chance points and they'll win by 8-10 points, though OU will make a lot of outside shots to stay in it.
5 Buffalo vs. 4 Miami
Previous meetings: Buffalo 73-55 at Buffalo, Miami 73-62 at Oxford. Buffalo is more experienced, more athletic, more unselfish, and tougher on the boards, all things Miami has had trouble with. But, Buffalo's had trouble on the defensive end and if you can beat their initial ring of pressure, you can get any shot you want. Team defense wise, Buffalo's pretty good, especially with their athletic, tall bigs waiting to swat away any weak stuff. Where they've had trouble defensively is in the half-court on ball reversal and getting out to shooters, things Miami is good at. In each game, one team has gone on a 15 minute run to put the game out of reach. Miami must attack the dribbler on the ball screen, attack offensively, and rebound better to win. I think Miami wins by 3-5 points.
6 Eastern vs. 3 Akron
Previous meeting: Eastern 62-59 at Akron. In their 1st meeting, Eastern got hot with Antonio Green and Jay Higgins emerging from slumps and Medlock finishing it off at the end. Akron had plenty of chances, but they insisted on settling for jump shots despite getting to the foul line with regularity. Akron is at its best when they're moving the ball, getting shots from that ball movement, then hitting the glass hard to get 2nd and 3rd chance points. Unless Akron falls in love with the 3 again and Eastern gets hot, the Zips should come away victorious. Eastern has to hit 3s in order to stay with Akron and Akron's defense shouldn't allow this to happen a 2nd time. Akron by 10-12 points, though low scoring as Eastern will make it hard on Akron to score.
7 Western vs. 2 Central
Previous meetings: Western 70-61 at Kalamazoo, Central 74-66 at Mt. Pleasant. In the 1st game, Donald Lawson was the difference with 17 and 8 while Harman and Bitzer were forced into tough shots and lots of dribbling. 10 days ago, Central got better ball movement, better shots for Harman and Bitzer and Lawson was nowhere to be found. On a neutral floor, the result is usually somewhere in the middle of the home and home. Kool will get his points; Harman and Bitzer will get theirs as well. The more aggressive team will win because that will mean someone's supporting cast will have stepped up. Western has the more talented supporting cast, but Central is a good defensive team and will force Kool to try and do it all by himself. The problem is Kool can do it all by himself and he makes the game-winning play for the win in this one.
Semifinals
4 Miami vs. 1 Kent
Previous meetings: Miami 55-53 (OT) at Oxford, Kent 66-58 at Kent. Miami is another team that matches up pretty well with Kent because Hayes is willing to attack outside and Mavunga has the mismatch offensively against Greene and Parks. However, Kent likes the matchup as well because of Miami's weakness at guarding the ball and on the glass. Usually when Kent and Miami play one another in the tournament, the pace slows to a grinding halt and the affair becomes physical. Miami has sometimes shyed away from the physicality of the game while Kent normally embraces it. Since the 1st meeting, Kent's frontcourt, especially Greene and Simpson, have stepped up their play, giving Singletary some help. Miami should be able to stop their 1st shot offense, but I think Kent will get too many 2nd chances and win by 4-6 points.
7 Western vs. 3 Akron
Previous meeting: Akron 79-70 at Kalamazoo. Akron shot 53% in the 1st meeting and made 8 3s, one of their better offensive performances of the year. Western doesn't fare well against East division teams, especially in Cleveland because they usually run into Kent or Akron, teams they usually don't match up with physically. That's the case here. Kool will get his, but no one else will. Akron wins by 12-15 points. The McKnight boys are too good and too strong offensively for Kool, McLemore, Whitfield and whoever else tries to guard them.
Championship
3 Akron vs. 1 Kent
Previous meetings: Kent 87-70 at Kent, Kent 74-61 at Akron. Akron's gameplan is to isolate you on both ends of the floor and see if you're as good as us. Right now, Kent is better at every position, outside, inside, and off the bench. Once Kent got through the 1st 5 minutes Friday night and took the lead, Akron's facial expressions told the story. Kent's play Friday night was the best game by any MAC team this year that I've seen. They are the team to beat and I don't think Akron is capable of beating them. Kent beats Akron by at least 12 points. Kent's tougher matchups will be OU, Miami, or Buffalo, depending on who they see.
]]>Starters
Dwight Thorne II, 6'3" 185 Sr. 8 pts, 2 reb. 48% FG, 43% 3PFG, 93% FT
Cory Higgins, 6'5" 190 Jr. 19 pts, 4 reb, 3 ass. 50% FG, 41% 3PFG, 87% FT
Alec Burks, 6'6" 185 Fr. 16 pts, 5 reb. 55% FG, 27% 3PFG, 79% FT
Marcus Relphorde, 6'7" 220 Jr. 9 pts, 3 reb. 36% FG, 31% 3PFG, 78% FT
Austin Dufault, 6'9" 230 So. 8 pts, 4 reb. 52% FG, 37% 3PFG, 64% FT
Off the Bench
Nate Tomlinson, 6'3" 185 So. 7 pts, 4 ass. 53% FG, 48% 3PFG, 77% FT
Keegan Hornbuckle, 6'7" 205 Fr. 3 pts, 2 reb. 44% FG, 50% 3PFG, 50% FT
Casey Crawford, 6'9" 245 Jr. 3 pts, 2 reb. 37% FG, 39% 3PFG, 70% FT
Shane Harris-Tunks, 6'11" 225 Fr. 3 pts, 2 reb. 83% FG, 50% FT
I didn't get to watch a lot of Colorado and most of what I was able to watch featured Colorado playing a matchup zone defense and against a zone defense. At Air Force, Coach Bzdelik liked to spread the floor, let his guards have the freedom and space to make plays with forwards who could step out and make outside shots. This Colorado team is definitely guard-oriented with Higgins and Burks, who clearly are Colorado's 2 best players. Higgins has it all, a quick 1st step, pullup mid-range game and deep range. He's smart with the ball and is always under control. Burks is more of a slasher who's looking to get to the basket. He displays good body control and gets to the foul line frequently. Thorne and Tomlinson like to push the ball and are good shooters for lead guards. Relphorde has the potential to be a very good player. Colorado's bigs are clear weaknesses. They're slow to respond defensively and they don't play very big. The Buffs don't rebound well at either end, relying on jump shots offensively and are vulnerable to 2nd chance points defensively. When they handle the ball, as they do in Bzdelik's offense to help out the guards, that is when you have to force them away from the basket and make Colorado run their offense 35 feet away.
Which Miami team is going to show up? We should be ready to play since we haven't seen action since Dec. 23rd. But are we going to be interested or thinking ahead to conference play? On the ball defense will be vital so we don't have to help and recover. Colorado wants to move the ball and find the open shooter because all of their perimeter players can shoot the ball. If they don't have an open shot, they'll gladly make the extra pass (15 assists/game) or drive and get to the foul line where they are 1st nationally in foul shooting at 79%. Defensively, Colorado does a good job of putting pressure on the ball and forcing turnovers (16). So we have to take care of the ball, get good shots, and go after offensive rebounds though we have to be careful because of Colorado's ability to finish in transition. Colorado is 7-0 at home, but haven't been tested at home yet. And will they be looking ahead to a road trip to Kansas this weekend? This game could come down to who's the more focused team.
]]>Starters (assuming X will stay with their 4 guard lineup)
Terrell Holloway, 6' 185 So. 10 pts, 4 ass. 44% FG, 42% 3PFG, 85% FT, 3:1 assist/turnover ratio
Mark Lyons, 6'1" 195 Fr. 9 pts, 3 ass. 40% FG, 35% 3PFG, 65% FT
Jordan Crawford, 6'4" 195 So. 18 pts, 5 reb. 46% FG, 43% 3PFG, 72% FT
Dante Jackson, 6'5" 195 Jr. 6 pts, 3 reb. 43% FG, 37% 3PFG, 75% FT
Jason Love, 6'9" 265 Sr. 10 pts, 11 reb, 3 blks. 58% FG, 71% FT
Off the Bench
Brad Redford, 6' 175 So. 8 pts. 51% FG, 54% 3PFG, 83% FT
Jamel McLean, 6'8" 235 Jr. 6 pts, 6 reb. 48% FG, 60% FT
Kenny Frease, 7' 265 So. 7 pts, 4 reb. 54% FG, 45% FT
I watched Xavier in the Old Spice Classic and thought they were good, but they didn't blow me away. Then I watched Xavier against Kansas St., UC, and Butler and I thought I was watching a different team. Even in losing by 15 to Kansas St. in Manhattan, they played ok. Kansas St. is the 3rd or 4th best team in the Big 12, they're good and can match up with Xavier's guards. In the last month, Xavier appears to have found their identity: play really hard and with a lot of emotion, more emotional than any X team I can remember, relentlessly attack the basket, and let Jordan Crawford do his thing. Crawford will take a lot of shots, but most of his shots are good ones. He's quick enough to go by you, he's big enough to post you up, and he's strong enough to shoot turnarounds and fadeaways over you. He's done a better job of passing off when nothing's there, but he still forces things sometimes. But he's shooting 46%, 43% from 3, outstanding numbers for a guy who shoots so much.
Because of the attention he attracts, that leaves open shots or driving lanes for his teammates. Terrell Holloway deserves more attention, he is a great player, great shooter, makes great decisions and has a high basketball IQ. Lyons gives the Muskies another quick guard who can shoot, though as a redshirt freshman he's still learning. Jackson doesn't shoot the ball a lot, but he's good enough that when he's left open, he can bury one in your face. Because all of the guards are threats, Love usually gets 1on1 chances in the post because opponents risk an open 3 with a double team and Love's passing ability allows him to find the open perimeter shooter. Love has also slimmed down, allowing him to run the floor and become more of a factor in transition at both ends. You can't leave Redford, he's got a quick release and doesn't look to dribble much. McLean and Frease give great minutes off the bench at both ends.
Xavier doesn't run many sets, making you guard 1on1 in space, a tough thing to do for 40 minutes (and one of our weaknesses). It will be important to contain dribble penetration so we don't have to go into help and recover mode repeatedly because if we do, they'll bury 3s left and right. Xavier is 8th nationally shooting 43% from 3. When they do run sets, they'll run some triangle action, back screening to free up their guards for drives or shots. When they run, look for a lot of pick and roll for quick shots or drives to the basket. Defensively, X will play man-to-man, but not the most aggressive man defense we'll see. They don't challenge, but they're going to make you try to drive or shoot over the top. They only force 13 turnovers, but opponents are only shooting 39%. X is 31st nationally in defensive points per possession, so you need to have one of your better offensive nights if you're going to score points.
Offensively, it'll be easy to settle for jumpers tonight because that's what X wants. The ball has to go inside, then back out so we make their defense move a little bit. Defensively, we have to know the scouting report, who and where the shooters are, and each player must stay in front of his man because the help may not be there. And the help won't be there because of X's shooting threats on the perimeter. We have to do what other teams do to us, which is make them dribble north-south for 25 seconds, forcing them into a bad shot. Tough task for Miami tonight, but every MVC game has been competitive. I expect this to be no different.
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