Friday, March 19, 2010
Second Round Bound: Syracuse, Ohio State, Cal, Maryland
NCAA Tourney Results: 1st round
Midwest Region
15 UC-Santa Barbara 51
2 Ohio St. 68
Jon Diebler drained 7 of 12 three-pointers, allowing Ohio State to coast to an opening round win over the gauchos. The Buckeyes meet Georgia Tech in the second round.
13 Houston 77
4 Maryland 89
Aubrey Coleman, the nation's leading scorer, has a game-high , but the Maryland attack was more balanced. Jordan Williams scored 21 points and snatched 15 rebounds to spearhead the effort which sent the Terrapins to a second round match-up with Michigan State.
South Region
9 Louisville 62
8 California 77
Cal opened the game with a 12-0 run and it was 22-4 before Louisville ever got involved. The Cardinals eventually cut Cals' lead to 4 in the second half, but then were shut out for nearly four minutes as the Golden Bears secured the win. Jerome Randle and Theo Robinson each tallied 21 for Cal, who will face Duke in the next round.
West Region
1 Syracuse 79
16 Vermont 56
Wesley Johnson scored 18 points to lead five Syracuse players in double figures over Vermont. The Orange face Gonzaga in the second round Sunday in Buffalo.
NCAA Conference Scoreboard (includes all 1st round games)
Conference W-L
ACC (4-2)
Atlantic-10 (1-2)
Big East (4-4)
Big Ten (4-1)
Big 12 (5-2)
Conference-USA (0-2)
PAC-10 (2-0)
SEC (2-2)
West Coast (2-0)
Western Athletic (0-2)
Other (6-13)
*Conferences with only one tournament team listed as "Other."
Midwest Region
15 UC-Santa Barbara 512 Ohio St. 68
Jon Diebler drained 7 of 12 three-pointers, allowing Ohio State to coast to an opening round win over the gauchos. The Buckeyes meet Georgia Tech in the second round.
13 Houston 77
4 Maryland 89
Aubrey Coleman, the nation's leading scorer, has a game-high , but the Maryland attack was more balanced. Jordan Williams scored 21 points and snatched 15 rebounds to spearhead the effort which sent the Terrapins to a second round match-up with Michigan State.
South Region
9 Louisville 62
8 California 77
Cal opened the game with a 12-0 run and it was 22-4 before Louisville ever got involved. The Cardinals eventually cut Cals' lead to 4 in the second half, but then were shut out for nearly four minutes as the Golden Bears secured the win. Jerome Randle and Theo Robinson each tallied 21 for Cal, who will face Duke in the next round.
West Region
1 Syracuse 79
16 Vermont 56
Wesley Johnson scored 18 points to lead five Syracuse players in double figures over Vermont. The Orange face Gonzaga in the second round Sunday in Buffalo.
NCAA Conference Scoreboard (includes all 1st round games)
Conference W-L
ACC (4-2)
Atlantic-10 (1-2)
Big East (4-4)
Big Ten (4-1)
Big 12 (5-2)
Conference-USA (0-2)
PAC-10 (2-0)
SEC (2-2)
West Coast (2-0)
Western Athletic (0-2)
Other (6-13)
*Conferences with only one tournament team listed as "Other."
Labels: Cal Golden Bears, Maryland Terrapins, Ohio State Buckeyes, Syracuse Orangemen
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Maryland Is All About Greivis
College Hoops Player of the Day for DAY, Month, 2010
One of the flashiest and most-outspoken players in college hoops, Greivis Vasquez - third all-time scorer for the Maryland Terrapins behind Len Bias and Juan Dixon - could easily just let his play do the talking, but that's not his style.
In Wednesday's showdown for the ACC top spot with Duke, Vasquez took the Comcast Center crowd along for a wondrous ride, continually exhorting the fans to make more noise as the Terps downed Duke, 79-72. Vasquez led the Terps in scoring with 20 hard-earned points, the biggest a running one-hander as he drove across and past the lane with 37 seconds left which gave Maryland a 73-69 lead that Duke could not overcome. In addition to scoring and cheerleading, Vasquez added 5 rebounds and 4 assists, putting Maryland in position to at least tie for the ACC championship.
Both teams are expected to win their final games this Saturday. Duke hosts North Carolina and Maryland travels to Virginia.
Notable: The Kentucky Wildcats secured at least a tie in the SEC East with an 80-68 win at Georgia, improving to 13-2 in the conference, a game ahead of 12-3 Vanderbilt, whom they have beaten twice. In their final regular season game against Florida on Saturday, the Wildcats can clinch the title outright with a win.
In the Big 12, Kansas locked up the championship with an 82-65 win over Kansas St. The Jayhawks are 14-1 with just Missouri left on the schedule, but they're 3 games ahead of 11-3 K-State. The win also gives Kansas a #1 seed in the conference tourney and a likely #1 seed in one of the NCAA regions.
One of the flashiest and most-outspoken players in college hoops, Greivis Vasquez - third all-time scorer for the Maryland Terrapins behind Len Bias and Juan Dixon - could easily just let his play do the talking, but that's not his style.In Wednesday's showdown for the ACC top spot with Duke, Vasquez took the Comcast Center crowd along for a wondrous ride, continually exhorting the fans to make more noise as the Terps downed Duke, 79-72. Vasquez led the Terps in scoring with 20 hard-earned points, the biggest a running one-hander as he drove across and past the lane with 37 seconds left which gave Maryland a 73-69 lead that Duke could not overcome. In addition to scoring and cheerleading, Vasquez added 5 rebounds and 4 assists, putting Maryland in position to at least tie for the ACC championship.
Both teams are expected to win their final games this Saturday. Duke hosts North Carolina and Maryland travels to Virginia.
Notable: The Kentucky Wildcats secured at least a tie in the SEC East with an 80-68 win at Georgia, improving to 13-2 in the conference, a game ahead of 12-3 Vanderbilt, whom they have beaten twice. In their final regular season game against Florida on Saturday, the Wildcats can clinch the title outright with a win.
In the Big 12, Kansas locked up the championship with an 82-65 win over Kansas St. The Jayhawks are 14-1 with just Missouri left on the schedule, but they're 3 games ahead of 11-3 K-State. The win also gives Kansas a #1 seed in the conference tourney and a likely #1 seed in one of the NCAA regions.
Labels: Greivis Vasquez, Maryland Terrapins
Monday, February 08, 2010
Terps Stomp Tar Heels; Carolina 2-6 in ACC Play
College Hoops Player of the Day for DAY, Month, 2010
Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on winning Super Bowl XLIV, 31-17, over the Indianapolis Colts. But, while the pre-game festivities were taking place in South Florida, some developments on the basketball court were noteworthy.
#3 Syracuse (sure to move up in this week's poll) turned a close game into a rout with a late, second half run, dumping the Cincinnati Bearcats, 71-54. The 'Cuse now has the best record in the nation, at an impressive 23-1, and is 1/2 game to the good over Villanova in the Big East standings. The 9-1 Wildcats suffered their first conference loss of the season Saturday at Georgetown. SU is 10-1 in the conference.
With the Big East looking to send 7 or 8 teams to the NCAA tournament, one of the ACC standard-bearers has fallen on very lean times. On Sunday, the North Carolina Tar Heels suffered their 6th loss in 8 conference games, this time to a heady bunch from Maryland, who whipped North Carolina, 92-71. The 21-point margin was the worst of the season for the Tar Heels, but should propel Maryland (16-6, 6-2) - encamped in second place in the ACC - into the ranks of the Top 25.
The Terps took a 7-6 lead early in the game and never again trailed, widening their lead at various points of the game. Greivis Vasquez, who had 35 against the Tar Heels when the Terps beat them last season, proved Heel-killer again, scoring 26 points, including 6 of 11 3-pointers, and dished 11 assists. A talented senior guard who should be playing pro ball this time next year, Vasquez leads the Terrapins in both scoring and assists.
Currently, the ACC only shows two teams in the Top 25: #10 Duke and #21 Georgia Tech, but, while the Blue Devils lead the ACC at 7-2, the Yellow Jackets are tied for 6th place in the conference at 5-4.
As for the Tar Heels, don't look for them in the NCAA Tournament this year. The Maryland loss was their 10th of the season, against just 13 wins, and other teams in the conference are hungry to get at them. Having dominated the conference for so long, this Tar Heel squad enters conference games with targets on their backs. Other teams know their weaknesses - particularly on defense, and aren't opposed to exploiting them. North Carolina simply don't guard well individually and don't work well together, a recipe for disaster in any competitive environment.
Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on winning Super Bowl XLIV, 31-17, over the Indianapolis Colts. But, while the pre-game festivities were taking place in South Florida, some developments on the basketball court were noteworthy.#3 Syracuse (sure to move up in this week's poll) turned a close game into a rout with a late, second half run, dumping the Cincinnati Bearcats, 71-54. The 'Cuse now has the best record in the nation, at an impressive 23-1, and is 1/2 game to the good over Villanova in the Big East standings. The 9-1 Wildcats suffered their first conference loss of the season Saturday at Georgetown. SU is 10-1 in the conference.
With the Big East looking to send 7 or 8 teams to the NCAA tournament, one of the ACC standard-bearers has fallen on very lean times. On Sunday, the North Carolina Tar Heels suffered their 6th loss in 8 conference games, this time to a heady bunch from Maryland, who whipped North Carolina, 92-71. The 21-point margin was the worst of the season for the Tar Heels, but should propel Maryland (16-6, 6-2) - encamped in second place in the ACC - into the ranks of the Top 25.
The Terps took a 7-6 lead early in the game and never again trailed, widening their lead at various points of the game. Greivis Vasquez, who had 35 against the Tar Heels when the Terps beat them last season, proved Heel-killer again, scoring 26 points, including 6 of 11 3-pointers, and dished 11 assists. A talented senior guard who should be playing pro ball this time next year, Vasquez leads the Terrapins in both scoring and assists.
Currently, the ACC only shows two teams in the Top 25: #10 Duke and #21 Georgia Tech, but, while the Blue Devils lead the ACC at 7-2, the Yellow Jackets are tied for 6th place in the conference at 5-4.
As for the Tar Heels, don't look for them in the NCAA Tournament this year. The Maryland loss was their 10th of the season, against just 13 wins, and other teams in the conference are hungry to get at them. Having dominated the conference for so long, this Tar Heel squad enters conference games with targets on their backs. Other teams know their weaknesses - particularly on defense, and aren't opposed to exploiting them. North Carolina simply don't guard well individually and don't work well together, a recipe for disaster in any competitive environment.
Labels: Greivis Vasquez, Maryland Terrapins
Saturday, February 21, 2009
ACC: Vasquez Goes for 35 as Terrapins Upset Tar Heels
Maryland's Greivis Vasquez went for a season-high 35 points, as the Maryland Terrapins ended North Carolina's 10-game win streak, 88-85 on Saturday afternoon at the Comcast Center in Maryland.
The Terps struggled through a 32%-shooting first half, but rallied to close to within two points with a minute left when Eric Hayes scored on a driving layup. Then, following an empty Carolina possession, Vasquez tied the game with 11 seconds left on a running hook shot, sending the battle into overtime at 76-76.
In the extra period, Maryland grabbed a 3-point lead on a Vasquez triple, but Ty Lawson retied the game with a long-range bomb of his own, 81-81, half way through the OT.
But, it was Vasquez who responded with a big three with 1:15 left. After Ty Lawson hit a pair of free throws with 35.3 left, the Tar Heels knew they had to foul, a dangerous call against the 77% free throw shooting Terrapins. Carolina let time run down to 11.3 before fouling Hayes, who stepped up and made a pair for an 86-83 lead.
Up three, Maryland chose to foul Wayne Ellington, who dropped in two freebies at 5.9, making it a one-point game.
Vasquez was fouled on the inbounds pass at 5.4, but the ACC free throw leader calmly knocked down another two, for his game high 35 points. Carolina could not get a shot off as time ran out.
Vasquez, who had 16 in the first half, finished with 13-24 shooting, 5-10 from 3-point land, while also dishing 10 assists and grabbing 11 rebounds for the rare triple double.
The Terps struggled through a 32%-shooting first half, but rallied to close to within two points with a minute left when Eric Hayes scored on a driving layup. Then, following an empty Carolina possession, Vasquez tied the game with 11 seconds left on a running hook shot, sending the battle into overtime at 76-76.
In the extra period, Maryland grabbed a 3-point lead on a Vasquez triple, but Ty Lawson retied the game with a long-range bomb of his own, 81-81, half way through the OT.
But, it was Vasquez who responded with a big three with 1:15 left. After Ty Lawson hit a pair of free throws with 35.3 left, the Tar Heels knew they had to foul, a dangerous call against the 77% free throw shooting Terrapins. Carolina let time run down to 11.3 before fouling Hayes, who stepped up and made a pair for an 86-83 lead.
Up three, Maryland chose to foul Wayne Ellington, who dropped in two freebies at 5.9, making it a one-point game.
Vasquez was fouled on the inbounds pass at 5.4, but the ACC free throw leader calmly knocked down another two, for his game high 35 points. Carolina could not get a shot off as time ran out.
Vasquez, who had 16 in the first half, finished with 13-24 shooting, 5-10 from 3-point land, while also dishing 10 assists and grabbing 11 rebounds for the rare triple double.
Labels: ACC, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina Tar Heels
