College Basketball Daily

NCAA Tourney Update: 2nd round results

South Region

4 Purdue 63
5 Texas A&M 61 OT
Purdue was extended to overtime. Chris Kramer's layup with 4 seconds left proved to be the margin of victory.

1 Duke 68
8 California 53
Nolan Smith scored 20 for the Blue Devils, who advance to the 3rd round to face Purdue.

West Region

6 Xavier 71
3 Pittsburgh 68
Jordan Crawford's 27 points and 6 rebounds helped Xavier escape to the regional semi-final, downing Pitt, the sixth of eight Big East teams to depart in the first two rounds. The Musketeers advance to face Kansas State.

NCAA Conference Scoreboard (through games of March 21)

Conference W-L
ACC (5-5)
Atlantic-10 (2-2)
Big East (6-6)
Big Ten (7-2)
Big 12 (7-4)
Conference-USA (0-2)
Mountain West (2-4)
PAC-10 (3-1)
SEC (4-2)
West Coast (3-1)
Western Athletic (0-2)
Other (9-16)

*Conferences with only one tournament team listed as "Other."

Labels: Duke Blue Devils, Purdue Boilermakers, Xavier Musketeers

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, March 19, 2010

When the Purdue Boilermakers took the court against Sienna in their opening round game Friday night, they were well aware of two things: Sienna was a dangerous team that had produced upsets in each of their last three NCAA appearances, and that Purdue would have to find a way to win without Robbie Hummel, one of their best players.

Pudue found resolve in their defense and lane domination from senior center JaJuan Johnson, who posted 23 points and tied his career high with 15 rebounds in the 72-64 triumph. Johnson kept the Saints out of the paint with his imposing 6'10" frame and long wingspan, blocking 3 shots officially, but intimidating and changing quite a few forays toward the rim.

Johnson and his Boilermaker teammates will attempt to advance to the regional semi-final when they face the Texas A&M Aggies Sunday afternoon in round two.

Labels: JaJuan Johnson, Purdue Boilermakers

NCAA Tourney Results: 1st round

East Region

10 Missouri 86
7 Clemson 78
In a literal battle of Tigers, Missouri broke open a close game with pressure defense and sharp floor skills. Keith english missed time due to foul issues, but returned to spark a second half run and join teammate Keith Ramsey with 20 points. Missouri advances to play West Virginia, with the winner advancing to the regional semi-final.

13 Wofford 49
4 Wisconsin 53
Bo Ryan's Badgers survived a serious scare from little Wofford, making its first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament. Jon Leuer came up big late, scoring the final four points for Wisconsin, on a short jumper and a pair of free throws. Leuer finished with 20 points and 8 boards. Teammate Treveon Hughes scored 19. The Badgers face Missouri next.

South Region

13 Siena 64
4 Purdue 72
Purdue roared out of the intermission and turned a 3-point half time deficit into a 15-point lead in short order, then held on as Sienna eventually cut the lead to 5 points late in the contest. The Boilermakers were paced by JaJuan Johnson, who led in both points and rebounds, with 23 and 15, respectively.

12 Utah St. 53
5 Texas A&M 69
Texas A&M won the battle of Aggies, knocking off Utah State handily. Freshman Khris Middleton led all scorers with 19 points in 25 minutes of action. A&M took control early and was never seriously threatened.

Labels: Missouri Tigers, Purdue Boilermakers, Wisconsin Badgers

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, February 25, 2010

Avenging their only loss of the season, the #2 Kentucky Wildcats cruised past SEC leading-scorer Devan Downey and his South Carolina teammates for an 82-61 win, boosting their gaudy record to 27-1 and 12-1 in the conference.

The Gamecocks had no answers for Kentucky's powerful front line, as DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson ruled the lane on both ends of the floor. Cousins finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, his 18th double-double of the season. Patterson provided a team-high 23 points, 8 boards and 4 blocked shots.

Kentucky leads Vanderbilt by 2 games in the SC East, with 3 to play, though their remaining games are against Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, among the best in the league, though the Wildcats have already beaten each of them. The Tennessee and Georgia games are on the road. Kentucky finishes their regular season at home, hosting Florida.

Notable: In the midst of one of the best seasons in school history, the Purdue Boilermakers suffered a devastating blow as star forward Robbie Hummel has been ruled out of the season with a torn ACL. The injury took place in Purdue's 59-58 win over Minnesota Wednesday night.

With just three games left in the regular season, the Boilermakers lead the Big Ten at 10-3, though they face a tough test Sunday when they host Michigan State. A loss by Purdue opens the door for both the Spartans and Ohio State to capture the conference title. Purdue was ranked #3 - their highest ranking of the season - and has won 10 straight Big Ten games after dropping their first three.

The blow to the Boilermakers will be significant. Hummel was second on the squad in minutes, scoring and rebounding. He was CBD's Player of the Day three times this season.

Labels: DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky Wildcats, Patrick Patterson, Purdue Boilermakers, Robbie Hummel

College Hoops Player of the Day for DAY, Month, 2010

Tthe race for first place in the Big Ten conference is now down to three teams - Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan State. After Saturday's 75-65 victory over Illinois, it now appears that the Boilermakers have the upper hand heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.

Robbie Hummel posted his sixth double-double of the season, scoring 22 points and snatching 12 rebounds for Purdue, which won for the 9th straight time, including wins over conference rivals Wisconsin, Michigan St. and Ohio State. At 11-3, the Boilermakers are tied with the Spartans, a game ahead of the Buckeyes (10-4) and two games better than Wisconsin (9-5).

With just four games remaining on their slate, the only obstacles between Purdue and the Big Ten regular season championship are their next two games: at Minnesota on Wednesday and home for a rematch with Michigan State on Sunday, Feb. 28. Should they manage to win both of those games, the championship would likely belong to them, along with a possible #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Purdue has not won the regular season title since 1996, when they won their third straight, then under coach Gene Keady.

That was before the conference installed a post-season tournament. The Boilermakers won that last season under head coach Matt Painter, and look to win both the regular season and tournament titles this time around.

Labels: Purdue Boilermakers, Robbie Hummel

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, January 12, 2010

After missing 6 games due to injury, Evan Turner entered his third game back as the Ohio State Buckeyes traveled to face Purdue in a key Big Ten tilt. But even he couldn't have expected Robbie Hummel to score 29 first half points, hitting 8 of 10 3-pointers, before going on to a game-high 35. Hummel's eight 3's in a half tied a Purdue record set by Cuonzo Martin in a 1994 Sweet 16 win over Kansas, but the second half belonged to Turner and the Buckeyes, who scrapped back and eventually tied the game at 62 on a Turner trey and went on to win, 70-66, handing the Boilermakers their second loss of the season. For the Buckeyes, the game was their first road win of the season, and second conference win in five tries. Turner, who scored 23 in the second half, finished with 32, plus 9 rebounds and 3 assists.

Hummel scored 18 straight points heading into the half before E'Twaun Moore's layup with 5 seconds left put Purdue up, 41-29, at the break, but was stymied in the second, scoring four points within the first two minutes, but then being held scoreless by Ohio State's best defender, David Lighty, until he canned a pair of free throws with 22 second left in the game and Ohio State already ahead. Hummel dislocated a finger on his non-shooting hand late in the game and missed some key court time. He had ten rebounds.

The scoring outbursts by Hummel and Turner were both personal season highs, Turner's a career best.

Labels: Evan Turner, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers, Robbie Hummel

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Robbie Hummel, Purdue's 6'8" junior forward, has been hailed as one of the best players in college basketball ever since he took the floor as a true freshman two years ago. Now, with the Boilermakers a perfect 14-0 after grounding Minnesota's Golden Gophers, 79-60, Hummel is being mentioned prominently in player of the year discussions.

Scoring in double figures for the 13th time in 14 games (he had 9 points in an 85-60 win at St. Joseph's back in November), Hummel and teammate E'Twaun Moore each scored a game-high 18 points as the Boilermakers shot 52% from the field while holding Minnesota to an ugly 31% shooting. Hummel also ripped down 11 boards, along with 3 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocked shots.

Purdue took a 35-28 lead into the break and then blistered the Gophers in the second stanza, shooting 65% from the floor. The 14 wins to open the season matched Purdue's 1993-94 start when Glenn Robinson led the Boilermakers to the first of three straight Big Ten championships and a finish in the Elite eight of the NCAA tournament under coach Gene Keady.

Last season, Purdue won the Big Ten tournament and reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA's, finishing the season with a 27-10 record.

NOTABLE:Plagued by foul trouble, Texas forward Damion James still managed to put up 20 points with 9 rebounds in just 17 minutes to help the #2 Longhorns pull away late from a determined Arkansas squad, 96-85. Dexter Pittman had 21 points as the Longhorns won their 14th game without a loss.

On the other side of the coin, #15 New Mexico suffered tis second loss of the season (14-2), dropping a 74-64 decision to conference foe San Diego State (12-3). It was the Lobos' second loss in their last four games and raises questions about their ability to endure over the long haul, especially against the expected challenge in the Mountain West from teams such as BYU, UNLV and Air Force, not to mention the Aztecs, who got 18 points and 15 rebounds from Malcolm Thomas in Tuesday's win.

Labels: Purdue Boilermakers, Robbie Hummel

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, December 31, 2009

Don't think twice about the Wisconsin Badgers reaching the top of the Big Ten and doing some serious damage in March - this team can play with anybody, and, usually, beat them.

The Badgers opened Big Ten play hosting Ohio State on the last day of 2009, and left the Buckeyes feeling like they'd rather leave memories of that year behind them. Wisconsin, playing tenacious defense and turning take-aways into points, built and early lead and pulled away late for the lopsided 65-43 win. By holding Ohio State to their worst shooting performance of the season, 14-of-43 (33%), Wisconsin established themselves as one of the top defensive teams in the conference, maybe the country.

Trevon Hughes led the scoring with 16 points, hitting 5 of 10 shots overall, but making 3 of 5 from 3-point range. The Badgers shot 10-for-21 from beyond the arc. Hughes, a 6-foot senior guard, also snatched 7 rebounds, a category in which the Badgers beat the Buckeyes, 34-25.

Wisconsin improved to 11-2, their losses coming on the road at Gonzaga and an 88-84 overtime loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay. However, the Badgers can look to quality wins over Arizona, Duke, Marquette, and now, Ohio State, for positive reinforcement that they are one of the best in the nation.

Ranked #23 coming into the Ohio State game, the Badgers are likely to move up in the polls, though they face a tough stretch with four tough games just ahead: at Penn St. January 3, at Michigan St. Jan. 6, Purdue Jan. 9, at Northwestern Jan 13.

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College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, January 1, 2010

...And then there were five.

The Purdue Boilermakers knocked West Virginia out of the ranks of the undefeated, opening the new year with a 77-62 thumping of the Mountaineers, leaving the 13-0 Boilermakers - along with Kansas, Texas, Kentucky and Syracuse - as the only unbeaten teams in Division 1.

Led by 6'10" center JaJuan Johnson's 25 points and 10 rebounds, the Boilermakers expanded a 5-point half time lead to as many as 26 in the second frame, turning a Top 10 showdown into a one-sided blowout. Johnson's season-high point tally came on 8-for-14 shooting, mostly on dunks and shots from inside the paint, and a 9-for-11 performance on the free throw line.

Purdue is tied with four other teams at 1-0 in the Big Ten after having beaten Iowa, 67-56, on Tuesday, to open conference play. They were ranked #4 coming in, with West Virginia #6. The Mountaineers will surely drop a few spots in the polls, but Purdue should stay put behind Kansas, Texas and Kentucky.

Labels: JaJuan Johnson, Purdue Boilermakers, Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin Badgers

Purdue 65, Ohio State 61

After a 40-40 second half tie, Purdue used a 12-3 run to establish a solid lead and went on to capture the Big Ten tournament championship, besting a game Ohio State squad in the final.

The Buckeyes had knocked off two of the best in the conference - Wisconsin and Michigan State - to reach the final, but found Purdue too much to handle down the stretch. At 22-11, the Buckeyes look like a good bet to reach the field of 65.

E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson led the Boilermakers with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Purdue gets the automatic bid from the selection committee and should fall into a 4-5 seed.

With conference tournaments wrapped up, the field will be announced at 6:00 pm, live on CBS.

Labels: Big Ten, Purdue Boilermakers

Ohio State 82, Michigan State 70

Ohio State figured they needed to make a good showing in the Big Ten tourney and by knocking off Michigan State, their message has been sent. Ohio state shot 52% for the game, took a lead early on and kept the Spartans at bay the rest of the game. Michigan State shot just 38% and hit just 3 of 28 3-pointers. Ohio State took their first lead just 6 1/2 minutes into the game and never gave it back, stretching it to as many as 16 points in the second half.

By reaching the finals tomorrow against Purdue, Ohio State has virtually assured themselves a spot in the NCAA field.

Purdue 66, Illinois 56

Purdue shot just 38%, but Illinois shot only 35%, and the Boilermakers used a 20-point half time edge to coast to a semifinal win in the Big Ten tourney. JaJuan Johnson scored 20 and Robbie Hummel had 19 to lead Purdue, who will face upset-minded Ohio State Sunday in the tournament final.

Labels: Big Ten, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers

#18 LSU 73, Kentucky 70

Tasmin Mitchell's 3-pointer with 9.3 seconds left provided the winning margin for LSU's 10th consecutive victory, as they won at Kentucky for the first time in 20 years, leaving no doubt that they are a team to be reckoned with in the post-season.

The Tigers led by as many as 12 points in the first half, only to see Kentucky to come back to lead by 10 in the second half.

As the two SEC foes battled through a memorable contest, Bo Spencer's 3-pointer at 1:18 gave the Tigers a 69-66 lead. After the teams traded free throws, Darius Miller hit a clutch three for Kentucky to tie the game at 70, but then Mitchell hit the biggest shot of the game, his only 3-point make of the game, with 9.7 left.

Marcus Thornton led the Tigers with 23 points to go with 6 rebounds; Michell had 21 and 8 boards. Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks had 28 and 24 points, respectively, for Kentucky.

LSU has already wrapped up the SEC West and is assured an NCAA bid, but Kentucky lost for the third time in four games and is on the tournament fringe, at 8-6 and 19-10 overall.


#16 Purdue 75, Ohio State 50

In a team effeort, Purdue shot 55%, put five players in double figures, and seriously damaged Ohio State's chances of getting a NCAA invite.

The Boilermakers sent the Buckeyes to an 8-8 record in the conference and 18-9 overall. The Buckeyes need to win their remaining Big 10 games - March 3, at Iowa and March 8, against Northwestern - in order to keep their hopes alive as they have lost 4 of their last 5.

Labels: Big 10, LSU Tigers, Purdue Boilermakers, SEC

DeShawn Sims poured in 29 points and Manny Harris contributed 27, as the Mihigan Spartans upset #16 Purdue, 87-78.

#20 Illinois won at Minnesota, 52-41, holding the Gophers to 32% shooting.

#5 Memphis won their 324,678th straight Conference-USA game, extending the nation's longest win streak to in a 71-60 win over UAB. The Tigers look like the most solid #2 NCAA seed ever.

Labels: Big 10, Illinois Fighting Illini, Memphis Tigers, Purdue Boilermakers

Robbie Hummel's game isn't back to where it should be, but the Boilermakers keep winning, thanks Monday night to a #6 Michigan State team which shot just 33% for the game. #19 Purdue took care of business and the Spartans by a 73-54 tally.

Hummel scored just two points in his last outing at Iowa, and improved to 11 points against the Spartans, but all but two of his points came early. Hummel scored just two points in the second half on a pair of late free throws.

The win was Purdue's third straight following a pair of road losses, putting the 9-4 Boilermakers just a game back of 10-3 Michigan State in the Big 10. Purdue is now 20-6. Michiagan State is 20-5 overall.

Purdue took over the game early in the second half, opening up a double-digit lead on the Spartans, which stretched to as many as 22 points as the Boilermakers laid it on their conference foes.

JaJuan Johnson led the scoring with 17 points on 5 of 7 shooting and 7 of 8 from the foul line.

Labels: Big 10, Michigan State Spartans, Purdue Boilermakers