Here is the first installment of our Bracketology version.
March Madness Seeds (3/03/10)
#1: Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, Duke
#2: Purdue, Villanova, West Virginia, Kansas State
#3: Vanderbilt, New Mexico, Ohio State, Pittsburgh
#4: Tennessee, Michigan State, Gonzaga, BYU
#5: Temple, Wisconsin, Maryland, Georgetown
#6: Butler, Xavier, Texas, Missouri
#7: Texas A&M, UNLV, Baylor, Richmond
#8: Northern Iowa, California, UTEP, Wake Forest
#9: Marquette, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Florida State
#10- Georgia Tech, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Florida
#11- UConn, Old Dominion, Siena, Illinois
#12- Dayton, Cornell, UAB, St. Mary’s
#13- Kent State, San Diego State, Murray State, Utah State
#14- Sam Houston, Weber State, Charleston, Oakland
#15- Morgan State, Coastal Carolina, UC Santa Barbara, North Texas
#16- Campbell, Robert Morris, Bucknell
Play-in-Game: Jackson State, Stony Brook
Last 4 In: UAB, St. Mary’s, Dayton, San Diego State
Last 4 Out: Mississippi State, Rhode Island, Notre Dame, Minnesota
Conference Breakdown (Multiple Bids)
Big East (8) – Syracuse (1), Villanova (2), West Virginia (2), Pittsburgh (3), Georgetown (5), Marquette (9), Louisville (10), UConn (11)
Big 12 (7) – Kansas (1), Kansas State (2), Texas (6), Missouri (6), Texas A&M (7), Baylor (7), Oklahoma State (10)
ACC (7) – Duke (1), Maryland (5), Wake Forest (8), Florida State (9), Virginia Tech (9), Clemson (9), Georgia Tech (10)
Big Ten (5) – Purdue (2), Ohio State (3), Michigan State (4), Wisconsin (5), Illinois (11)
Atlantic 10 (4) – Temple (5), Xavier (6), Richmond (7), Dayton (12)
Mountain West (4) – New Mexico (3), BYU (4), UNLV (7), San Diego State (13)
SEC (3) – Kentucky (1), Vanderbilt (3), Tennessee (4)
West Coast Conference (2) – Gonzaga (4), St. Mary’s (12)
Conference USA (2) – UTEP (8), UAB (12)
Showing posts with label College Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label College Basketball. Show all posts
2010/03/03
2009/12/26
Pitt Panthers All-Decade Basketball Team
In keeping with our all-decade teams, I figured I should not only make ones for all the Philadelphia sports teams, but also the Pitt Panthers basketball and football teams. It shouldn't be too hard considering I spent 4 years this decade at Pitt.
This list was harder than I thought, as 3 solid point guards spread out the decade at Pitt, with Brandin Knight, Carl Krauser, and Levance Fields. It was also close at center between Chris Taft, and Aaron Gray. For team MVP, I really was torn between Brandin Knight and Sam Young, but went with Knight because Knight brought Pitt basketball to prominence early in the decade, and got the Oakland Zoo excited about Pitt basketball Pitt has made the tournament 8 straight seasons now, and Brandin Knight was the leader of that first team.
Check out the all-decade team below--
PG: Brandin Knight
SG: Julius Page
SF: Sam Young
PF: DeJuan Blair
C: Chris Taft
6th Man: Levance Fields
Coach: Jamie Dixon
MVP: Brandin Knight
Close Calls: Carl Krauser, Aaron Gray
2009/04/07
Pitt Panthers - Looking Ahead to Next Season
The college basketball season came to an end yesterday, so I wanted to address what my Pittsburgh Panthers lineup might look like for next season. The Panthers finally made it past the Sweet 16 this season, however lost to Villanova in the Elite 8 in what might have been the best game on the tournament…. or worst from my prospective.
The team coming back for Pitt next season will not be as highly touted or ranked to start the season as this year’s team. We lose Sam Young, Levance Fields, and Tyrell Biggs. Young and Fields are virtually impossible to replace, and thus next season may be a down season for the Panthers. The good thing is that Pitt has established themselves as a solid basketball program, and right now, a “down” season would mean being around 20th in the nation, and 4th or 5th in the Big East, and still making the tournament. It is tough to hang year-in, year-out with the big dogs in the Big East, Syracuse, UConn, Georgetown, Louisville, and Villanova, who consistently get the best high school players in the nation.
That being said, Pitt has its first McDonalds All-American since the 1980s coming in next season in the form of Dante Taylor. Taylor is a 6’10” power forward from Maryland, who had 15 points and 6 boards in the McDonalds All-American game. Joining Taylor are 2 other elite prospects, small forward Lamar Patterson, and center Talib Zanna. Pitt also figures to get a contribution from point guard Travon Woodall, who played at the beginning of the season, then sat out to redshirt.
The biggest question mark for next season will be whether or not All-American DeJuan Blair returns to the team. If Blair is projected to be a lottery pick, as much as it pains me to say it, he should enter the draft. But most mock draft’s I have seen have him going in the 13-23 range of the draft. That makes for a tough decision. First round picks are guaranteed, so it may be the right thing for Blair to enter the draft; however he could also come back next season, be a beast, and improve his draft stock. Blair is actually from Pittsburgh, and he wants to bring this Pitt team a championship. Blair will most likely test the waters, go to some pre-draft workouts, and see how he does. I want nothing but the best for Blair in his professional career, but as a die hard Pitt fan, I want DeJuan Blair back with the Panthers next season.
If DeJuan Blair is back with the Panthers next season, the lineup should look something like this—
PG: Travon Woodall may very well get the start here. He is the only true point guard on the roster, but doesn’t have much experience. Whether he starts on not, Woodall is still a guy who Pitt expects a lot out of, he was an elite product out of high school. The Panthers could also start Dixon here if they wanted Wanamaker to start at SG, or start Gibbs here, who is also more of a SG. I expect the first game starter at PG to be Gibbs. Remember the name Isaiah Epps, who is a top 10 PG coming to Pitt in 2010.
SG: Jermaine Dixon will be the starter here next season, and will be the lone senior in the starting lineup. Dixon has shown the ability to shoot well, and score double digits, but was terrible in the tournament. Dixon will need to elevate him game, both on his three-point shooting, and on driving the ball to the hole. Gibbs, and Wanamaker can both play this position also.
SF: This will be the toughest spot to fill as it is vacated by All-American Sam Young. Gilbert Brown will be the starter here next season, and Brown was probably the best bench player for the Panthers this past season. Brown is extremely athletic, has an improving shot, and a tremendous upside. He will also be counted on to start scoring in the double digits.
PF: If Blair returns, he will shift over to his more natural power forward position. This may be a good thing for him, as scouts will get to see him at the position he will play in the pros. Okay, maybe I’m grasping, but please come back DeJuan! We all know Blair is a beast, and we will be getting a double-double out of him almost every night. If he comes back, he may be one of the favorites for player of the year, and could average around 20 and 12 a game.
C: Dante Taylor, who is also more of a power forward will start immediately at center, as he is 3 inches taller than Blair. Taylor is one of the top incoming freshman this season, and if Blair comes back, look for Pitt to go into the paint a lot, where Blair and Taylor should be able to do some damage.
Bench: Brad Wanamaker improved a lot this past season, but in my opinion is not a starter. He still makes way too many mistakes, and can’t handle the ball well. He is good in transition, and is a good guy coming off the bench. Ashton Gibbs may get the start at PG, but if he doesn’t, he will be a good guy coming off the bench to give instant offense, as he is the best three-point shooter on the team. Nasir Robinson will look to have his role increased, and with Gilbert Brown stepping into the Sam Young role, Robinson should step into the Gilbert Brown role. Increased playing time, and hopefully Robinson will look more comfortable out there. Also coming off the bench will be big man Gary McGhee, freshman big man Talib Zanna, and freshman small forward Lamar Patterson.
If DeJuan Blair does not come back next season, which is a definite possibility, the lineup could look something like this—
PG: Remains Woodall, Gibbs, possibly Dixon.
SG: Dixon, with Gibbs, Wanamaker in the mix
SF: Brown
PF: This may be a position you have to go small at. You could insert Gilbert Brown here, and even though he isn’t a PF, play 3 guards among Woodall, Wanamaker, Gibbs, Dixon, and then Brown at the PF spot. This probably isn’t the best idea. This should be freshman Dante Taylor.
C: Could be another freshman here, Talib Zanna, or could be Gary McGhee if he improves in the offseason.
Bottom line – We need to hope Blair returns to Pitt next season. Maybe if I say this enough, he will come back. I can hope.
All in all, with an established program, Pitt should be in the tournament for a 9th straight season next year, and should compete with the best in the Big East, even if they are not as good as this season. As we saw from Villanova, it is all about getting hot at the right time. I want to thank Sam Young, and Levance Fields for their great four years with the program, and wish them nothing but the best going forward. Again, next season relies significantly on DeJuan Blair coming back, which as I stated before, I am not too confident about. So in what will be a common theme of Pitt fans this offseason – Please come back DeJuan!!!!!!!
The team coming back for Pitt next season will not be as highly touted or ranked to start the season as this year’s team. We lose Sam Young, Levance Fields, and Tyrell Biggs. Young and Fields are virtually impossible to replace, and thus next season may be a down season for the Panthers. The good thing is that Pitt has established themselves as a solid basketball program, and right now, a “down” season would mean being around 20th in the nation, and 4th or 5th in the Big East, and still making the tournament. It is tough to hang year-in, year-out with the big dogs in the Big East, Syracuse, UConn, Georgetown, Louisville, and Villanova, who consistently get the best high school players in the nation.
That being said, Pitt has its first McDonalds All-American since the 1980s coming in next season in the form of Dante Taylor. Taylor is a 6’10” power forward from Maryland, who had 15 points and 6 boards in the McDonalds All-American game. Joining Taylor are 2 other elite prospects, small forward Lamar Patterson, and center Talib Zanna. Pitt also figures to get a contribution from point guard Travon Woodall, who played at the beginning of the season, then sat out to redshirt.
The biggest question mark for next season will be whether or not All-American DeJuan Blair returns to the team. If Blair is projected to be a lottery pick, as much as it pains me to say it, he should enter the draft. But most mock draft’s I have seen have him going in the 13-23 range of the draft. That makes for a tough decision. First round picks are guaranteed, so it may be the right thing for Blair to enter the draft; however he could also come back next season, be a beast, and improve his draft stock. Blair is actually from Pittsburgh, and he wants to bring this Pitt team a championship. Blair will most likely test the waters, go to some pre-draft workouts, and see how he does. I want nothing but the best for Blair in his professional career, but as a die hard Pitt fan, I want DeJuan Blair back with the Panthers next season.
If DeJuan Blair is back with the Panthers next season, the lineup should look something like this—
PG: Travon Woodall may very well get the start here. He is the only true point guard on the roster, but doesn’t have much experience. Whether he starts on not, Woodall is still a guy who Pitt expects a lot out of, he was an elite product out of high school. The Panthers could also start Dixon here if they wanted Wanamaker to start at SG, or start Gibbs here, who is also more of a SG. I expect the first game starter at PG to be Gibbs. Remember the name Isaiah Epps, who is a top 10 PG coming to Pitt in 2010.
SG: Jermaine Dixon will be the starter here next season, and will be the lone senior in the starting lineup. Dixon has shown the ability to shoot well, and score double digits, but was terrible in the tournament. Dixon will need to elevate him game, both on his three-point shooting, and on driving the ball to the hole. Gibbs, and Wanamaker can both play this position also.
SF: This will be the toughest spot to fill as it is vacated by All-American Sam Young. Gilbert Brown will be the starter here next season, and Brown was probably the best bench player for the Panthers this past season. Brown is extremely athletic, has an improving shot, and a tremendous upside. He will also be counted on to start scoring in the double digits.
PF: If Blair returns, he will shift over to his more natural power forward position. This may be a good thing for him, as scouts will get to see him at the position he will play in the pros. Okay, maybe I’m grasping, but please come back DeJuan! We all know Blair is a beast, and we will be getting a double-double out of him almost every night. If he comes back, he may be one of the favorites for player of the year, and could average around 20 and 12 a game.
C: Dante Taylor, who is also more of a power forward will start immediately at center, as he is 3 inches taller than Blair. Taylor is one of the top incoming freshman this season, and if Blair comes back, look for Pitt to go into the paint a lot, where Blair and Taylor should be able to do some damage.
Bench: Brad Wanamaker improved a lot this past season, but in my opinion is not a starter. He still makes way too many mistakes, and can’t handle the ball well. He is good in transition, and is a good guy coming off the bench. Ashton Gibbs may get the start at PG, but if he doesn’t, he will be a good guy coming off the bench to give instant offense, as he is the best three-point shooter on the team. Nasir Robinson will look to have his role increased, and with Gilbert Brown stepping into the Sam Young role, Robinson should step into the Gilbert Brown role. Increased playing time, and hopefully Robinson will look more comfortable out there. Also coming off the bench will be big man Gary McGhee, freshman big man Talib Zanna, and freshman small forward Lamar Patterson.
If DeJuan Blair does not come back next season, which is a definite possibility, the lineup could look something like this—
PG: Remains Woodall, Gibbs, possibly Dixon.
SG: Dixon, with Gibbs, Wanamaker in the mix
SF: Brown
PF: This may be a position you have to go small at. You could insert Gilbert Brown here, and even though he isn’t a PF, play 3 guards among Woodall, Wanamaker, Gibbs, Dixon, and then Brown at the PF spot. This probably isn’t the best idea. This should be freshman Dante Taylor.
C: Could be another freshman here, Talib Zanna, or could be Gary McGhee if he improves in the offseason.
Bottom line – We need to hope Blair returns to Pitt next season. Maybe if I say this enough, he will come back. I can hope.
All in all, with an established program, Pitt should be in the tournament for a 9th straight season next year, and should compete with the best in the Big East, even if they are not as good as this season. As we saw from Villanova, it is all about getting hot at the right time. I want to thank Sam Young, and Levance Fields for their great four years with the program, and wish them nothing but the best going forward. Again, next season relies significantly on DeJuan Blair coming back, which as I stated before, I am not too confident about. So in what will be a common theme of Pitt fans this offseason – Please come back DeJuan!!!!!!!
2009/03/19
March Madness Preview
March Madness kicks off in a little over an hour, and these next few days and weeks ahead should be exciting. These next two days mark the two most unproductive work days of the year, and everyone is watching games on the Internet, or checking scores, or just flat out not working.
There are always first round upsets, it is just a matter of picking the right ones, and hoping your teams are able to advance. It's never good when one of your final four teams is coming down the the wire against a 14 seed in the first round. No #1 seed has ever lost in the first round to a #16 seed, but there have been some close calls, and it has to eventually happen at some point.
Looking at the regions, I feel like the West region with UConn as the #1 seed is the hardest region. There are a lot of teams that are capable of coming out of the West. The West has some very strong teams who all play extremely well when they are playing at their best, but are inconsistent. Memphis, Missouri, Washington, and Purdue can all come out of this region, along with UConn.
I see the South as the easiest region, with UNC as the #1 seed in that region. Gonzaga, and Illinois are fairly weak matchups in the Sweet 16 for UNC, that is if either of them even make it there. Oklahoma has been playing poorly as of late, and might not even be able to make it to the elite 8 to face UNC. UNC probably has the easiest road to get to the final four.
In the Midwest, with Louisville as the #1 overall seed, there is some competition in this bracket. Although Izzo and Michigan State always seem to do pretty well in the tournament, Michigan State is fairly weak as a #2 seed. Kansas, West Virginia, and Wake Forest are all capable of going deep in this tourney.
In the East, with Pitt as the #1 seed, they will have to beat some good teams to get to the Final Four. Pitt has the toughest potential 2nd round matchup in Tennessee or Oklahoma State, both of whom can play at a very high level. Florida State would also be a tough match in the Sweet 16, along with either Villanova or Duke in the Elite 8.
All in all, it should be a great tournament. Kotite's Corner is endorsing the Pittsburgh Panthers are the 2009 College Basketball Champions. With Sam Young, Levance Fields, and DeJuan Blair, the Panthers have 3 of the best players in the nation at their position at the SF, PG, and C position, and if the officiating lets teams play, Pitt will win this tournament.
2009/03/16
Let the Madness Begin
Every year when March approaches, you know a couple things. Warm weather is right around the corner, and college basketball kicks into full gear with March Madness. Some say March Madness is the greatest tournament/game/playoff system in all of sports. I’d say besides maybe the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl, that may be true.
March Madness is so great that it makes college football’s bowl system look like an absolute joke.... probably because the bowl system is an absolute joke. College basketball actually decides the champion on the court in the greatest tournament you can possibly have. When you put 65 teams into a bracket style tournament, madness is sure to ensue.
This year’s tournament seems to be fairly top heavy, but is also very wide open. All the #1 seeds this year have been in the top 10 all season, with Pittsburgh, UConn, and UNC barely leaving the top 5 all season. Other teams such as #2 seeds Oklahoma, Duke, and Michigan State have been in the top 10 pretty much all year also. After these top teams, the rest of the field is wide open. And even the top teams have lost games to some other these other teams comprising the “rest of the field.” This really is anyone’s tournament, and should make some great basketball. The conference tournaments were crazy, we have already seen a lot of upsets, and multi-overtime games. If this continues, we are in for some great games come this March Madness.
Check back for the annual Kotite’s Corner Tournament Link to be posted shortly.
March Madness is so great that it makes college football’s bowl system look like an absolute joke.... probably because the bowl system is an absolute joke. College basketball actually decides the champion on the court in the greatest tournament you can possibly have. When you put 65 teams into a bracket style tournament, madness is sure to ensue.
This year’s tournament seems to be fairly top heavy, but is also very wide open. All the #1 seeds this year have been in the top 10 all season, with Pittsburgh, UConn, and UNC barely leaving the top 5 all season. Other teams such as #2 seeds Oklahoma, Duke, and Michigan State have been in the top 10 pretty much all year also. After these top teams, the rest of the field is wide open. And even the top teams have lost games to some other these other teams comprising the “rest of the field.” This really is anyone’s tournament, and should make some great basketball. The conference tournaments were crazy, we have already seen a lot of upsets, and multi-overtime games. If this continues, we are in for some great games come this March Madness.
Check back for the annual Kotite’s Corner Tournament Link to be posted shortly.
2009/03/12
March Madness Bracket (3/12/09)
Not much new in the bracket today. Robert Morris and Portland State both were two points winners, and locked up automatic bids, and Providence played themselves back to being close to being in the tournament by beating DePaul. A little shuffling around for today's bracket, there should be many more changes coming as the major conferences get into the bulk of their conference tourneys.
#1: Pittsburgh, UNC, UConn, Oklahoma
#2: Louisville, Memphis, Michigan State, Kansas
#3: Duke, Wake Forest, Villanova, Washington
#4: Gonzaga, UCLA, Missouri, Clemson
#5: Xavier, Purdue, Florida State, Illinois
#6: LSU, Arizona State, Marquette, Syracuse
#7: Butler, West Virginia, California, Utah
#8: Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma State, BYU
#9: Siena, Wisconsin, Boston College, Dayton
#10- Wisconsin, South Carolina, Ohio State, Texas A&M
#11- New Mexico, VCU, Michigan, Arizona
#12- Creighton, Utah State, Western Kentucky, UNLV
#13- North Dakota State, Cleveland State, Northern Iowa, East Tennessee State
#14- American, Binghamton, Morgan State, Robert Morris
#15- Cornell, Bowling Green, Portland State, Radford
#16- Morehead State, Stephen F. Austin, Alabama State
Play-in-Game: Cal State Northridge, Chattanooga
Last 4 In: Creghton, UNLV, New Mexico, Michigan
Last 4 Out: Penn State, Florida, Saint Marys, San Diego State
Conference Breakdown (Multiple Bids)
Big East (7) – Pittsburgh (1), UConn (1), Louisville (2), Villanova (3), Syracuse (6), Marquette (6), West Virginia (7)
ACC (6) – UNC (1), Duke (3), Wake Forest (3), Clemson (4), Florida State (5), Boston College (9)
Big 12 (6) – Oklahoma (1), Kansas (2), Missouri (4), Texas (8), Oklahoma State (8), Texas A&M (10)
Big Ten (6) – Michigan State (2), Purdue (5), Illinois (5), Wisconsin (9), Ohio State (10), Michigan (11)
Pac-10 (5) – Washington (3), UCLA (4), Arizona State (6), California (7), Arizona (11)
Mountain West (4) – Utah (7), BYU (8), New Mexico (11), UNLV (12)
SEC (3) – LSU (6), Tennessee (8), South Carolina (10)
Atlantic 10 (2) – Xavier (5), Dayton (9)
Horizon (2) – Butler (7), Cleveland State (13)
Missouri Valley (2) – Creighton (12), Northern Iowa (13)
#1: Pittsburgh, UNC, UConn, Oklahoma
#2: Louisville, Memphis, Michigan State, Kansas
#3: Duke, Wake Forest, Villanova, Washington
#4: Gonzaga, UCLA, Missouri, Clemson
#5: Xavier, Purdue, Florida State, Illinois
#6: LSU, Arizona State, Marquette, Syracuse
#7: Butler, West Virginia, California, Utah
#8: Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma State, BYU
#9: Siena, Wisconsin, Boston College, Dayton
#10- Wisconsin, South Carolina, Ohio State, Texas A&M
#11- New Mexico, VCU, Michigan, Arizona
#12- Creighton, Utah State, Western Kentucky, UNLV
#13- North Dakota State, Cleveland State, Northern Iowa, East Tennessee State
#14- American, Binghamton, Morgan State, Robert Morris
#15- Cornell, Bowling Green, Portland State, Radford
#16- Morehead State, Stephen F. Austin, Alabama State
Play-in-Game: Cal State Northridge, Chattanooga
Last 4 In: Creghton, UNLV, New Mexico, Michigan
Last 4 Out: Penn State, Florida, Saint Marys, San Diego State
Conference Breakdown (Multiple Bids)
Big East (7) – Pittsburgh (1), UConn (1), Louisville (2), Villanova (3), Syracuse (6), Marquette (6), West Virginia (7)
ACC (6) – UNC (1), Duke (3), Wake Forest (3), Clemson (4), Florida State (5), Boston College (9)
Big 12 (6) – Oklahoma (1), Kansas (2), Missouri (4), Texas (8), Oklahoma State (8), Texas A&M (10)
Big Ten (6) – Michigan State (2), Purdue (5), Illinois (5), Wisconsin (9), Ohio State (10), Michigan (11)
Pac-10 (5) – Washington (3), UCLA (4), Arizona State (6), California (7), Arizona (11)
Mountain West (4) – Utah (7), BYU (8), New Mexico (11), UNLV (12)
SEC (3) – LSU (6), Tennessee (8), South Carolina (10)
Atlantic 10 (2) – Xavier (5), Dayton (9)
Horizon (2) – Butler (7), Cleveland State (13)
Missouri Valley (2) – Creighton (12), Northern Iowa (13)
2009/03/11
March Madness Bracket (3/11/09)
Championship week is just kicking into gear. Lots of teams have clinched automatic bids already, and we have seen teams like Cleveland State knock a team from off the bubble. It only looks to get more exciting this coming weekend when the major conferences start playing. Here are the updated seeds as of the morning of 03/11/09.
#1: Pittsburgh, UNC, UConn, Oklahoma
#2: Louisville, Memphis, Michigan State, Kansas
#3: Duke, Wake Forest, Villanova, Washington
#4: Gonzaga, UCLA, Missouri, Clemson
#5: Xavier, Purdue, Florida State, Illinois
#6: LSU, Arizona State, Butler, Syracuse
#7: Marquette, West Virginia, California, Utah
#8: Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma State, BYU
#9: Siena, Wisconsin, Boston College, Dayton
#10- Wisconsin, South Carolina, Ohio State, Texas A&M
#11- UNLV, VCU, Michigan, Utah State
#12- Saint Marys, Arizona, Western Kentucky, New Mexico
#13- North Dakota State, Cleveland State, Northern Iowa, East Tennessee State
#14- American, Binghamton, Morgan State, Robert Morris
#15- Cornell, Bowling Green, Portland State, Radford
#16- Morehead State, Stephen F. Austin, Alabama State
Play-in-Game: Cal State Northridge, Chattanooga
Last 4 In: Saint Marys, Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan
Last 4 Out: Florida, Penn State, Minnesota, Creighton
Conference Breakdown (Multiple Bids)
Big East (7) – Pittsburgh (1), UConn (1), Louisville (2), Villanova (3), Syracuse (6), West Virginia (7), Marquette (7)
ACC (6) – UNC (1), Duke (3), Wake Forest (3), Clemson (4), Florida State (5), Boston College (9)
Big 12 (6) – Oklahoma (1), Kansas (2), Missouri (4), Texas (8), Oklahoma State (8), Texas A&M (10)
Big Ten (6) – Michigan State (2), Purdue (5), Illinois (5), Wisconsin (9), Ohio State (10), Michigan (11)
Pac-10 (5) – Washington (3), UCLA (4), Arizona State (6), California (7), Arizona (12)
Mountain West (4) – Utah (7), BYU (8), UNLV (11), New Mexico (12)
SEC (3) – LSU (6), Tennessee (8), South Carolina (10)
Atlantic 10 (2) – Xavier (5), Dayton (9)
West Coast (2) – Gonzaga (4), Saint Marys (12)
Horizon (2) – Butler (6), Cleveland State (13)
#1: Pittsburgh, UNC, UConn, Oklahoma
#2: Louisville, Memphis, Michigan State, Kansas
#3: Duke, Wake Forest, Villanova, Washington
#4: Gonzaga, UCLA, Missouri, Clemson
#5: Xavier, Purdue, Florida State, Illinois
#6: LSU, Arizona State, Butler, Syracuse
#7: Marquette, West Virginia, California, Utah
#8: Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma State, BYU
#9: Siena, Wisconsin, Boston College, Dayton
#10- Wisconsin, South Carolina, Ohio State, Texas A&M
#11- UNLV, VCU, Michigan, Utah State
#12- Saint Marys, Arizona, Western Kentucky, New Mexico
#13- North Dakota State, Cleveland State, Northern Iowa, East Tennessee State
#14- American, Binghamton, Morgan State, Robert Morris
#15- Cornell, Bowling Green, Portland State, Radford
#16- Morehead State, Stephen F. Austin, Alabama State
Play-in-Game: Cal State Northridge, Chattanooga
Last 4 In: Saint Marys, Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan
Last 4 Out: Florida, Penn State, Minnesota, Creighton
Conference Breakdown (Multiple Bids)
Big East (7) – Pittsburgh (1), UConn (1), Louisville (2), Villanova (3), Syracuse (6), West Virginia (7), Marquette (7)
ACC (6) – UNC (1), Duke (3), Wake Forest (3), Clemson (4), Florida State (5), Boston College (9)
Big 12 (6) – Oklahoma (1), Kansas (2), Missouri (4), Texas (8), Oklahoma State (8), Texas A&M (10)
Big Ten (6) – Michigan State (2), Purdue (5), Illinois (5), Wisconsin (9), Ohio State (10), Michigan (11)
Pac-10 (5) – Washington (3), UCLA (4), Arizona State (6), California (7), Arizona (12)
Mountain West (4) – Utah (7), BYU (8), UNLV (11), New Mexico (12)
SEC (3) – LSU (6), Tennessee (8), South Carolina (10)
Atlantic 10 (2) – Xavier (5), Dayton (9)
West Coast (2) – Gonzaga (4), Saint Marys (12)
Horizon (2) – Butler (6), Cleveland State (13)
2009/03/04
March Madness Bracket (3/04/09)
With March Madness quickly approaching, I wanted to give our version of bracketology. Below you will find the 65 teams we are projecting to make the tournament, and their projected seeds.
#1: UConn, Pittsburgh, UNC, Oklahoma
#2: Louisville, Memphis, Kansas, Duke
#3: Michigan State, Wake Forest, LSU, Missouri
#4: Villanova, Washington, Gonzaga, Marquette
#5: UCLA, Xavier, Clemson, Purdue
#6: Arizona State, Illinois, Butler, Syracuse
#7: West Virginia, Tennessee, Utah, Florida State
#8: Texas, Dayton, BYU, California
#9: Saint Marys, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Boston College
#10- Ohio State, Kentucky, Utah State, Creighton
#11- Davidson, Siena, Virginia Tech, UNLV
#12- Providence, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma State
#13- North Dakota State, Western Kentucky, VCU, Rhode Island
#14- American, Vermont, Morgan State, Weber State
#15- Cornell, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Robert Morris
#16- UT Martin, Radford, Stephen F. Austin
Play-in-Game: Cal State Northridge, Alabama State
Last 4 In: Providence, Rhode Island, Florida, Arizona
Last 4 Out: Penn State, Minnesota, San Diego State, Cincinnati
Conference Breakdown (Multiple Bids)
Big East (8) – UConn (1), Pittsburgh (1), Louisville (2), Villanova (4), Marquette (4), Syracuse (6), West Virginia (7), Providence (12)
ACC (7) – UNC (1), Duke (2), Wake Forest (3), Clemson (5), Florida State (7), Boston College (9), Virginia Tech (11)
Big 12 (5) – Oklahoma (1), Kansas (2), Missouri (3), Texas (8), Oklahoma State (12)
Big Ten (5) – Michigan State (3), Purdue (5), Illinois (6), Wisconsin (9), Ohio State (10)
SEC (5) – LSU (3), Tennessee (7), South Carolina (9), Kentucky (10), Florida (12)
Pac-10 (5) – Washington (4), UCLA (5), Arizona State (6), California (8), Arizona (12)
Atlantic 10 (3) – Xavier (5), Dayton (8), Rhode Island (13)
Mountain West (3) – Utah (7), BYU (8), UNLV (11)
West Coast (2) – Gonzaga (4), Saint Marys (9)
#1: UConn, Pittsburgh, UNC, Oklahoma
#2: Louisville, Memphis, Kansas, Duke
#3: Michigan State, Wake Forest, LSU, Missouri
#4: Villanova, Washington, Gonzaga, Marquette
#5: UCLA, Xavier, Clemson, Purdue
#6: Arizona State, Illinois, Butler, Syracuse
#7: West Virginia, Tennessee, Utah, Florida State
#8: Texas, Dayton, BYU, California
#9: Saint Marys, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Boston College
#10- Ohio State, Kentucky, Utah State, Creighton
#11- Davidson, Siena, Virginia Tech, UNLV
#12- Providence, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma State
#13- North Dakota State, Western Kentucky, VCU, Rhode Island
#14- American, Vermont, Morgan State, Weber State
#15- Cornell, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Robert Morris
#16- UT Martin, Radford, Stephen F. Austin
Play-in-Game: Cal State Northridge, Alabama State
Last 4 In: Providence, Rhode Island, Florida, Arizona
Last 4 Out: Penn State, Minnesota, San Diego State, Cincinnati
Conference Breakdown (Multiple Bids)
Big East (8) – UConn (1), Pittsburgh (1), Louisville (2), Villanova (4), Marquette (4), Syracuse (6), West Virginia (7), Providence (12)
ACC (7) – UNC (1), Duke (2), Wake Forest (3), Clemson (5), Florida State (7), Boston College (9), Virginia Tech (11)
Big 12 (5) – Oklahoma (1), Kansas (2), Missouri (3), Texas (8), Oklahoma State (12)
Big Ten (5) – Michigan State (3), Purdue (5), Illinois (6), Wisconsin (9), Ohio State (10)
SEC (5) – LSU (3), Tennessee (7), South Carolina (9), Kentucky (10), Florida (12)
Pac-10 (5) – Washington (4), UCLA (5), Arizona State (6), California (8), Arizona (12)
Atlantic 10 (3) – Xavier (5), Dayton (8), Rhode Island (13)
Mountain West (3) – Utah (7), BYU (8), UNLV (11)
West Coast (2) – Gonzaga (4), Saint Marys (9)
2008/12/20
Pitt Beats Duke on Buzzer Beater
One year ago today, we witnessed one of the best college basketball games of the 2007-2008 season. Here is a recap of what happened--
2008/11/12
Pittsburgh Panthers College Basketball Preview
The Pittsburgh Panthers open the 2008-2009 season on Friday, against Farleigh Dickinson. After a disappointing end to the 2007-2008 season that ended with a loss in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament against Michigan State, the Panthers look to bounce back with a team that should be able to compete with the best in the country this season.
Pitt returns their top 3 scorers from last season in Sam Young, Levance Fields, and DeJuan Blair. All three players averaged double digits last season. Young and Fields are back for their senior seasons, and both have been solid contributors since they were freshman. Blair burst onto the scene last season as one of the top freshman in the nation, and one of the better centers in the Big East, despite being undersized. The Panthers also return another solid freshman from last season, Gilbert Brown, who will be in the starting lineup this year, and just like Sam Young, is one of the most athletic players in the country.
Aside from the great core the Panthers have returning to the team, Pitt had a very good recruiting class, and should have some freshman join the mix this season, as we usually do. Nasir Robinson, from Chester High School leads the Pitt newcomers this season, and should see significant time at the 2 and 3. Travon Woodall will be the backup at point guard to start the season, and looks to continue to tradition of great points guards in the recent past for Pitt, following Brandin Knight, Carl Krauser, and Fields. Also joining the mix are Ashton Gibbs, and highly touted junior college transfer, Jermaine Dixon… no relation to coach Jamie.
As good as the Panthers look heading into this season, they will need to fill the shoes of the players who are gone. The Panthers will need to find some players who can hit a 3-point shot, as their most consistent 3-point threat from the past four seasons, Ronald Ramon, is no longer on the team. Neither is Keith Benjamin, who could knock down an open shot as well. Both of those players will be missed and will need to be replaced in the lineup by some of the young talent coming in.
The Panthers have some interesting non-conference games this year, playing some very good under the radar teams, but the bulk of the Panthers schedule will come into play this season once the Big East schedule gets under way in January. The Big East will continue to be the best conference in college basketball, and consistently has 6-8 teams ranked in the top 25 in college basketball. It’s never easy playing Georgetown, Louisville, Uconn, Villanova, Syracuse, and Marquette….. back to back to back to back.
This is our best chance to advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time in a while, as we currently have all the tools in place to do so. The Panthers start the season ranked #5 in the AP Poll, and #6 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. There are definitely high hopes from all us Panthers fans, and the Oakland Zoo will be going crazy this season.
HAIL TO PITT!!!!!
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