09 Nov16 - Certificate Of Participation

Volume XIV, No. 2 - 09 Nov 16 - [] Top 25 Ballot

Certificate Of Participation

Nothing major took place in the first week, with the big preseason tournaments still in their warmup rounds. (Jim Boeheim had his 800th career win in Syracuse's opener: @75-43 over visiting Albany.)
    Once again, however, the SEC got off to a stumbling start. Mississippi State fell at home, @74-88, to Rider (despite 22p14r7b from cJarvis Varnado). Meanwhile, Anthony Grant's debut at Alabama was a bust, as veteran Cornell surprised its hosts, 71-@67, behind 23p from gRyan Wittman. Last year, the Crimson Tide lost early at home to Mercer while Kentucky was losing at home to VMI. And who can forget two year's ago, Gardner-Webb's shocker in Rupp Arena over the Wildcats. Those losses ultimately led to the dismissal of coaches Mark Gottfried and Billy Gillispie; but coach Rick Stansbury still figures to have a strong year at MSU and you can't fault Grant too much his first time out.
    That Gardner-Webb win two years ago sent the Bulldogs to New York for the semis of the COACHES VS CANCER CLASSIC (spoiling the road trip plans of the Wildcat Nation). Nowadays, while such a result might still be possible, the marquee-spoiling outcome isn't. More and more of the preseason "tournaments" (CVC included) have moved away from pure knockout-bracket formats towards opening-round warmups followed by pre-set big-name semifinals and designated consolation brackets at alternate sites. (For example, Texas-San Antonio beat Iowa 62-@50 in the warmup round of the CBE CLASSIC, but that win won't get them to Kansas City. The KC "semifinal" will still be Texas-Iowa, while TXSA will be playing round-robin games in Richmond, KY against Fairleigh Dickinson, UC-Irvine and Eastern Kentucky.) So much for open competition, eh? "Give the people what they want to see" (regardless of fairness).
    CVC, CBE and the LEGENDS CLASSIC (all run by the same promoters) have expanded to a 4-horse/8-scrub format with two 4-team consolation sites.
    The SOUTH PADRE ISLAND INVITATIONAL, CANCUN CHALLENGE, CHICAGO INVITATIONAL, LAS VEGAS (THANKSGIVING) INVITATIONAL and LAS VEGAS (CHRISTMAS) CLASSIC all remain in the old "2x4" format (two groups of four teams play round-robin games among themselves plus one cross-group final round pairing each team against its corresponding place finisher) [and the GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT has reduced from an 8-team bracket to a "2x3" format this year]. You can still generally "declare a winner" (especially when only one team goes undefeated).
    The "closed" round-robin format events (where everyone plays everyone) give you some sense of certainty as well: DUEL IN THE DESERT, WV INVITATIONAL(RHODE ISLAND), WV CLASSIC(NEW MEXICO), HISPANIC FUND(OHIO), RICE CHALLENGE, MONTANA, BT INVITATIONALS(OREGON and UTAH), AIA and, this year, the RAINBOW CLASSIC will all give some sense of a definitive winner (but sometimes teams tie for first with one loss).
    Worse still are the newer "open" round-robin format events (with so many teams that not every gets to play each other) -- GLENN WILKES (10 teams play 4 games each), HALL OF FAME SHOWCASE (10 play 4) and PHILLY (6 play 3) -- where multiple teams can finish undefeated. How do you declare a winner then? (I know: "Winning isn't important. It's participating that counts.") "Look, Ma! We participated!!!"
    Yikes. Give me the old single-elimination full bragging rights format: the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (which has renamed its semifinalists "THE FIRST FOUR" -- Ugh) will end with one 4-0 team among 16 contestants; PUERTO RICO (8), PARADISE JAM (8), the MAUI (8), CHARLESTON (8), OS CLASSIC (8), ANAHEIM (8) and the new DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC (8) will have only one team left standing at the end.

The superfrosh were mostly disappointing this first week. Only a couple debuted in the lead role for the teams. fXavier Henry(27p5r;5/8 3s) led Kansas over Hofstra @101-65. gEric Bledsoe(24p4a7r7to) headlined Kentucky's @75-59 win over OVC-favorite Morehead State.
    Meanwhile, old reliables tEvan Turner(Ohio State) and tManny Harris(Michigan) had triple-doubles -- tET:(14p17r10a against Alcorn State) and tMH:(18p13r10a against {Northern Michigan}. Poor Alcorn State -- later they watched pRotnei Clarke make 13-of-17 three-pointers on the way to a 51p5a peformance in Arkansas' @130-68 win over ASU. Coach Isiah Thomas went 0-3 at Florida International (including a 72-@88 loss at North Carolina in his debut). Meanwhile, pIsaiah Thomas went 3-0 at Washington (including 30p1a against Wright State).

In the 4-play-3 round-robin showcase events, all of the host teams came away victorious: Washington(AIA), Texas Tech(DUEL IN THE DESERT), Providence(WV INVITATIONAL-RI), Oregon(BT INVITATIONAL-OR), Rice(RICE), Kent State(HISPANIC FUND-OH) and Montana(MONTANA).
    The inauguaral CONNECTICUT 6 CLASSIC debuted as a triple-header event among Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Central Connecticut State, Hartford and Yale. It may eventually evolve into a full specialty league like Philadelphia's Big 5. (For the moment, Connecticut is too big and {Bryant} is too small, I suppose.)

Dayton held off visiting Creighton, @90-80, behind fChris Wright(25p8r) and cChris Johnson(18p15r). BYU struck the first blow for the Mountain West in the MVC/MWC CHALLENGE with its @70-60 win over Bradley of the Missouri Valley, thanks to 25p4a5r from bJimmer Fredette.

Once again, the elite teams are spread pretty thin among the preseason events. This week's North Carolina-Ohio State CVC semifinal is about as good as it will get. We should get Duke-UConn to finish the NIT TIP-OFF and Purdue-Tennessee to end PARADISE JAM; and any matchup of West Virginia-Butler-Minnesota in ANAHEIM will be great. Top 10 meetings might be few and far between, though (unless you count UNC-MichSt, which headlines this year's ACC/BIG 10 CHALLENGE).

• RAINBOW CLASSIC (RndRob4: Nov 16 at Honolulu HI): 4-team closed RR finishes with @Hawaii-Northern Colorado, Southern Utah-McNeese State.
• HALL OF FAME SHOWCASE (RndRob; DblHdr: Nov 17 at St. Louis MO): Kansas-Memphis and Louisville-Arkansas on Tuesday.
• COACHES VS CANCER CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 19-20 at New York NY /MSG/): The North Carolina-Ohio State semi may overshadow California-@Syracuse and make the final anti-climactic.
• PUERTO RICO SHOOTOUT (Qtrs: Nov 19-22 at San Juan PR): Villanova, Dayton, Georgia Tech and Mississippi all have major talent.
• CHARLESTON CLASSIC (Qtrs: Nov 19-22 at Charleston SC): South Carolina, Penn State and Miami(Florida) headline.
• GLENN WILKES CLASSIC (RndRob4: Nov 20-22 at Orlando FL): N.C. State and Auburn headline 10 teams.
• PARADISE JAM (Qtrs: Nov 20-23 at St. Thomas VI): Purdue, Tennessee and Northern Iowa top the list.
• MVC/MWC CHALLENGE (Nov 20-Dec 23 on-campus): Creighton-@New Mexico, @Northern Iowa-Wyoming, @UNLV-Southern Illinois, San Diego State-@Drake, Illinois State-@Utah highlight the matchups. (Evansville doesn't play.)
• CBE CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 23-24 at Kansas City MO): Pre-set semis: Texas-Iowa, Pittsburgh-Wichita State.
• MAUI INVITATIONAL (Qtrs: Nov 23-25 at Lahaina HI): Gonzaga, Arizona-Wisconsin, Vanderbilt-Cincinnati, and Maryland.
• NIT SEASON TIP-OFF "FIRST FOUR" (Semis: Nov 25-27 at New York NY /MSG/): Duke, Connecticut, Western Kentucky/LSU and Arizona State should earn their way there.
• CANCUN CHALLENGE (2x4 Semis: Nov 24-25 at Cancun MEXICO): Kentucky, Virginia, Rider, Cleveland State, Sam Houston State.
• GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT (2x3: Nov 25-28 at Anchorage AK): Oklahoma, Houston, San Diego and Washington State.
• OS CLASSIC (Qtrs: Nov 26-29 at Orlando FL): Michigan-Creighton, Marquette-Xavier, Florida State, Baylor-Alabama.
• ANAHEIM CLASSIC (Qtrs: Nov 26-29 at Anaheim CA): West Virginia-Long Beach State, Clemson-Texas A&M, Butler-Minnesota, UCLA-Portland.
• LEGENDS CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 27-28 at Atlantic City NJ): Pre-set semis: Michigan State-Florida, Rutgers-Massachusetts.
• CHICAGO INVITATIONAL CHALLENGE (2x4 Semis: Nov 27-28 at Chicago IL): Notre Dame, Iowa State, St. Louis and Northwestern.
• PHILLY CLASSIC (RndRob3: Nov 27-28 at Philadelphia PA /Palestra/): Siena, Virginia Tech, St. John's, Temple and 2 others.
• LAS VEGAS-THANKSGIVING INVITATIONAL (2x4 Semis: Nov 27-28 at Las Vegas NV /OHA/): Oklahoma State, Illinois, Utah, Bradley.
• SOUTH PADRE ISLAND INVITATIONAL (2x4 Semis: Nov 27-28 at South Padre Island TX): Mississippi State, Old Dominion, Richmond, Missouri, Longwood.
• BIG 12/PAC-10 HARDWOOD SERIES (Nov 29-Dec 22 on-campus): @UCLA-Kansas, @Texas-USC, @Oklahoma-Arizona, @California-IowaState, @Stanford-OklahomaState, @TexasTech-Washington, @Washington-TexasA&M, @ArizonaState-Baylor, @KansasState-WashingtonState, @OregonState-Colorado, @Missouri-Oregon and @USC-Nebraska. (USC and Washington play twice.)
• ACC/BIG 10 CHALLENGE (Nov 30-Dec 2 on-campus): The Big 10 has a good shot at winning this year: @NorthCarolina-MichiganState, @Purdue-WakeForest, @Wisconsin-Duke, @Michigan-BostonCollege, @OhioState-FloridaState, @Miami(Florida)-Minnesota, @Clemson-Illinois, @Virginia-PennState, @Idniana-Maryland and @Iowa-VirginiaTech. (Georgia Tech doesn't play.)
• BIG EAST/SEC INVITATIONAL (DblHdrs: Dec 9,10 at New York NY /MSG/, Tampa FL): @Connecticut-Kentucky, @St. John's-Georgia; @Mississippi State-DePaul, @Florida-Syracuse.
• SUN BELT CLASSIC (DblHdr: Dec 11 at Nashville TN): @Tennessee-@Middle Tennessee, @Vanderbilt-Western Kentucky.
• LAS VEGAS-CHRISTMAS CLASSIC (2x4 Semis: Dec 22-23 at Las Vegas NV /OHA/): BYU, Tulsa, Nevada, Nebraska, Jackson State.
• DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC (Qtrs: Dec 22-25 at Honolulu HI): Northeastern-St. Mary's, USC, UNLV, @Hawaii-College Of Charleston.

ESPN's 2nd-annual COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF MARATHON begins MONDAY OVERNIGHT (12:01AM Tuesday) and runs ALL-DAY TUESDAY featuring Kansas, Michigan State, Duke, Siena, Illinois, Louisville, Gonzaga, Memphis, Tulsa, Northeastern, Georgetown, Arkansas, Clemson, UCLA, Pittsburgh and San Diego State among others.

-- Ron

Key games this week:

Monday:

@Villanova-Penn(PhiladelphiaPA/BIG5),
RAINBOW CLASSIC RndRob @ Honolulu HI
- (@Hawaii-NoColorado, SoUtah-McNeeseSt),

Monday-Tuesday; Monday week-Tuesday week; Wednesday week, Friday week:

NIT SEASON TIP-OFF on-campus; Cons @ TBA; Semis @ New York NY /MSG/
- (@Duke-CoCarolina, @Charlotte-@Elon(NC);
   @Connecticut-Colgate, Hofstra-@Yale;
   WeKentucky-WIMilwaukee, @LSU-IndianaSt;
   @ArizonaSt-TexasSt, TCU-CalStNorthridge),

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Mon 30 Nov:

HALL OF FAME SHOWCASE RndRob on-campus, DblHdr @ St. Louis,MO
- (A: Kansas-Memphis; CArkansas, Oakland, TennesseeTech;
   B:Louisville-Arkansas; AppalachianSt, ETennesseeSt, MorganSt),

Tuesday:

@Drake-IowaSt(IA),
*ESPN COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF MARATHON* (24-hours beginning MONDAY OVERNIGHT)
- (12Aet): @UCLA-CalStFullerton(CA),
- (2Aet): @StMarys-SanDiegoSt(CA),
- (4Aet): @Hawaii-NoColorado (RAINBOW CLASSIC RndRob3/3),
- (6Aet): @StPeters-Monmouth(NJ),
- (8Aet): @Niagara-Drexel,
- (10Aet): @Liberty-Clemson,
- (12Net): @Siena-Northeastern,
- (2Pet): @Tulsa-ARLittleRock,
- (4Pet): @Georgetown-Temple,
- (5:30Pet): @Pittsburgh-SUNYB (CBE CLASSIC Warmup1/2),
- (6Pet): @(1e)Duke/CoCarolina-@(8e)Charlotte/@Elon (NIT SEASON TIP-OFF Qtr),
- (7:30Pet): @Louisville-@Arkansas (HALL OF FAME SHOWCASE RndRob1/4 @ St. Louis, MO),
- (8Pet): @MichiganSt-Gonzaga,
- (8Pet): @Illinois-NoIllinois(IL),
- (9Pet): @Iowa-Duquesne,
- (10Pet): @Kansas-Memphis (HALL OF FAME SHOWCASE RndRob1/4 @ St. Louis, MO),
- (11:30Pet): @(4w)ArizonaSt/TexasSt-(7w)TCU/CalStNorthridge (NIT SEASON TIP-OFF Qtr),

Tuesday, Friday-Sunday:

GLENN WILKES CLASSIC RndRob on-campus, @ Daytona Beach,FL
- (NCState, Auburn, Drake, @CFlorida, Niagara, GeorgiaSt, AustinPeay, IUPUI, Akron, Howard),

Tuesday-Thursday; Monday-Wednesday week:

CBE CLASSIC Warmup on-campus; 3rd/Cons RndRob @ CullowheeNC, RichmondKY; 3rd/Semis @ Kansas City,MO
- (A: @Texas, @Iowa;
   A Cons: Duquesne, SUNYB, @WeCarolina, {ARMonticello};
   B: @Pittsburgh, @WichitaSt;
   B Cons: FairleighDickinson, UCIrvine, @EaKentucky, TXSanAntonio),

Tuesday-Tuesday week; Friday week-Saturday week:

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND INVITATIONAL RndRob on-campus; 3rd/Semis @ South Padre Island,TX
- (A: @MississippiSt, @Richmond, Longwood, BethuneCookman;
   B: @OldDominion, @Missouri, Chattanooga, @TXPanAmerican),

Wednesday:

@UNLV-Nevada(NV), @Utah-UtahSt(UT),

Wednesday-Saturday; Tuesday week-Wednesday week:

CANCUN CHALLENGE on-campus; @ Cancun,MEXICO
- (A:Kentucky, ClevelandSt, Rider, SamHoustonSt;
   (B:Virginia, Stanford, OralRoberts, FloridaA&M),

Wednesday-Tuesday week; Friday week-Saturday week:

LAS VEGAS-THANKSGIVING INVITATIONAL RndRob on-campus; 3rd/Semis @ Las Vegas,NV /OHA/
- (A:OklahomaSt, Utah, Southern, {Seattle};
   B:Illinois, Bradley, Wofford, {Presbyterian}),

Wednesday-Sunday; Friday week-Saturday week; Friday week-Sunday week:

LEGENDS CLASSIC RndRob on-campus; 3rd/Semis @ Atlantic CityNJ; 2nd/Cons @ PhiladelphiaPA, StatesboroGA
- (A:MichiganSt, Florida;
   A Cons: Valparaiso, Troy, @GeorgiaSo, {ARFtSmith};
   B: Rutgers, Massachusetts;
   B Cons: Toledo, @Drexel, Vermont, Cornell),

Thursday:

@NotreDame-LongBeachSt,

Thursday-Sunday:

PUERTO RICO SHOOTOUT Qtrs @ San Juan PR
- (Villanova-GeoMason, Dayton-GeorgiaTech, Mississippi-Indiana, KansasSt-BostonU),
CHARLESTON CLASSIC Qtrs @ Charleston SC
- (@SCarolina-LaSalle, SFlorida-Davidson, MiamiFL-Tulane, PennSt-UNCWilmington),

Thursday-Monday week:

COACHES VS CANCER CLASSIC 3rd/Cons @ AlbanyNY, MiamiFL; 3rd/Semis @ New York,NY /MSG/
- (Semis: NCarolina-OhioSt, California-@Syracuse;
   A Cons: JamesMadison, @FLInternational, MurraySt, {NCCentral};
   B Cons: Detroit, @Albany, RobertMorris, AlcornSt),

Friday-Monday week:

PARADISE JAM Qtrs @ St. Thomas VI
- (Purdue-SDState, BostonCol-StJosephs, Tennessee-ECarolina, NoIowa-DePaul),

Friday-Tuesday week, Friday week-Saturday week:

PHILLY CLASSIC RndRob on-campus, @ Philadelphia PA /Palestra/
- (Siena, VirginiaTech, StJohns, @Temple),

Friday-Wed 23 Dec:

MVC/MWC CHALLENGE on-campus; (Evansville doesn't play); MWC leads 1-0
- (Fri: @IndianaSt-ColoradoSt;
   Sat: @UNLV-SoIllinois;
   Sat 5 Dec: @MissouriSt-AirForce;
   Sat 12 Dec: @WichitaSt-TCU;
   Sat 19 Dec: @NewMexico-Creighton, @Utah-IllinoisSt;
   Tue 22 Dec: @Drake-SanDiegoSt;
   Wed 23 Dec: @NoIowa-Wyoming),

Saturday:

@Duke-Radford,

Sunday-Tuesday week; Friday week-Saturday week:

CHICAGO INVITATIONAL CHALLENGE RndRob on-campus, 3rd/Semis @ Chicago IL
- (A: NotreDame, @Northwestern, Liberty, KennesawSt;
   B: IowaSt, StLouis, TennesseeSt, MSValley).

---

Top 25 - 09 Nov 16 - [] Column

1. Kansas
2. Kentucky
3. North Carolina
4. Texas
5. Villanova
6. Michigan State
7. Purdue
8. Duke
9. Connecticut
10. Tennessee
11. Notre Dame
12. Michigan
13. Ohio State
14. West Virginia
15. Louisville
16. Butler
17. Siena
18. Dayton
19. Oklahoma
20. Oklahoma State
21. California
22. Minnesota
23. Illinois
24. Western Kentucky
25. Northern Iowa

Honorable Mention:

Rider, Cornell.