18 Dec 3 - Sister Kissing

Volume XXIII, No. 5 - 18 Dec 3 - [] Top 25 Ballot

Sister Kissing

The BIG 10/ACC CHALLENGE ended in a 7-7 tie (leaving the ACC well ahead all-time 12-5;3). Unheralded Louisville surprised Michigan State in overtime (@82-78[OT] sinking 30-for-41 free throws). Syracuse got its season turned back in the right direction with a road win at Ohio State (72-@62). Penn State bounced back to edge Virginia Tech (@63-62). Virginia edged on the road at surprising Maryland (76-@71 only committing 2 turnovers). Wisconsin edged North Carolina State (@79-75). Michigan turned in another impressive rout of a quality team, thumping North Carolina (@84-67). Duke dumped Indiana (@90-69 led by fZion Williamson[25p6r]). Florida State edged Purdue (@73-72). Clemson tripped at home against Nebraska (@66-68). Boston College beat Minnesota (@68-56). Iowa edged improved Pittsburgh (@69-68). In all, nine (out of 14) games were endplays versus four road wins and two home routs. That's much closer to parity head-to-head than mismatches individually.
     The MISSOURI VALLEY/MOUNTAIN WEST CHALLENGE also split (5-5; leaving the MWC ahead all-time 3-1;4), but individually the results were much more wildly lopsided -- (two road-routs, four road wins and two home routs versus no endplays). In the marquee game, Nevada paid back its loss in last year's Sweet 16 with a road win over Loyola(Illinois) (79-@65). Bradley fell at home to New Mexico (@75-85). San Diego State won at Illinois State; Valparaiso won at UNLV while Southern Illinois road-routed Colorado State as did Indiana State at San Jose State.
     In Day Two of the NCAA warm-up STADIUM CLASSIC at US BANK in Minneapolis, two MVC and SUMMIT teams split 1-1. In particular, South Dakota State dumped Northern Iowa (82-50).

In grudge matches, Gonzaga claimed a road win at Creighton (103-@92 as vBrandon Clarke[27p10r] and bZach Norvell Jr.[28p5r] outdueled 27p5a from pTy-Shon Alexander) in the JESUIT CLASSIC. "Big Brother" UCLA dumped "Little Brother" Loyola Marymount (@82-58) in an all-L.A. clash. Likewise, "Big Brother" Pittsburgh dumped "Little Brother" Duquesne (@74-@53) in the CITY GAME. Texas-Rio Grande Valley beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (@68-59) to complete the sweep in this year's home-and-home SOUTH TEXAS SHOWDOWN.
     In specialty events, the quadruple-header HALL OF FAME-MIAMI INVITATIONAL nearly followed form. Yale surprised host Miami(Florida) (77-@73 as fMiye Oni[29p6r] starred); St. John's edged Georgia Tech (76-73 on bShamorie Ponds[37p5r]'s star turn); North Carolina State dumped Vanderbilt (80-65); Texas Tech beat disappointing Memphis (78-67). In Day One of the STADIUM CLASSIC, "host" Minnesota beat Oklahoma State (@83-76 as cJordan Murphy[24p16r] starred).
     In tournaments, Buffalo claimed the HALL OF FAME-BELFAST CLASSIC, thumping Milwaukee (96-77) and edging San Francisco (85-81). In the round-robin COMMODORE CLASSIC, host Vanderbilt, Consolation host Liberty and Kent State all went 2-1 to share the crown.

Elsewhere, Marquette took down Kansas State (@83-71 on 5-11 Markus Howard[45p5to;19/21ft]'s star turn). Radford surprised Texas, edging on the road (62-@59). Oregon dropped two: tripping at home to lowly Texas Southern (@84-89 despite 32p11r from xBol Bol) and on the road at Houston (61-@65).
     Belmont's fantastic preseason hit a speed bump as the Bruins fell at Green Bay (92-@100 despite 31p12r from xDylan Windler). UCF opened the week beating disappointing Alabama (@70-64) but tripped in overtime at Missouri (62-@64[OT]). Abilene Christian fell back to Earth, tanking at Pepperdine (62-@77). Same for North Texas, falling at Oklahoma (57-@63). As well for UC-Irvine, tanking against streaking Utah State (@65-89). And twice as much for Georgia Southern, who tripped at home against solid East Tennessee State (@64-69) and tanked at Arizona (70-@100). Kentucky's home rout over a good UNC-Greensboro team (@78-61 as the Wildcats controlled the boards 46-30) was a good sign for UK, who still hasn't looked the part of a GC-led juggernaut just yet. Marshall continued to disappoint as a team, tanking at unheralded Ohio University (84-@101 as cJason Carter[25p12r] dueled 26p5a6to from pJon Elmore).

- - - - - -

The new 20-game schedule may not be enough to separate all the quality teams in this year's BIG 10 Wars. Impressive Wisconsin won on the road at Iowa (72-@66 despite 19p15r4a from xTyler Cook). Impressive Michigan dumped Purdue (@76-57). Surprising Maryland beat disappointing Penn State (@66-59). Surprising Ohio State dumped overachieving Minnesota (@79-59 posting six double-figure scorers as the Golden Gophers shot 0-for-13 from three).

- - - - - -

Gonzaga has a big week ahead: hosting state-rival Washington (Wednesday) and meeting Tennessee at the new JERRY COLANGELO CLASSIC (Sunday). We don't often get Top-10 match-ups between two Western powers; but that's on tap when Nevada and Arizona State meet in the feature pairing of the HALL OF FAME-LOS ANGELES CLASSIC triple-header (Friday). Nebraska hosts Creighton (Saturday) in one of the highest profile matches in their State Title series.
     Maryland hosts pumpkin Loyola(Illinois) in Baltimore (Saturday). Indiana hosts Louisville (Saturday) in this year's COUNTDOWN CLASSIC. Both Mississippi State and Clemson could use a quality win when they meet (Saturday) as part of the NEVER FORGET TRIBUTE CLASSIC. Texas hosts Purdue (Sunday). Two of this year's top individual performers clash when Marquette(gMarkus Howard) hosts Wisconsin(cEthan Happ) in this year's high-profile State Title game (Saturday). Disappointing Florida needs a big win against visiting Michigan State (Saturday).
     When have both teams in the BATTLE OF THE BOULEVARD been higher rated than anyone in the JIMMY V CLASSIC? Can't imagine that's ever happened, but this year both Belmont and Lipscomb are playing better than West Virginia, Florida, Notre Dame or Oklahoma ... WOW! (Compare and contrast on Tuesday.)

The BIG 10 Wars are only just getting started: Michigan State hosts Iowa (Monday); Purdue hosts Maryland (Thursday); Penn State hosts Indiana (Tuesday).

-- Ron

P.S. Don't forget: the deadline for this year's Pigskin Pool Party (Ron's free College Football Bowl Season Pool) is SATURDAY, 15-DECEMBER (12Net).

Key games this week:

Monday:

@MichiganSt-Iowa, @CoppinSt-MDBaltimoreCo(BaltimoreMD),

Tuesday:

@Syracuse-Northeastern, @PennSt-Indiana, @Alabama-GeorgiaSt, @Memphis-SDState, @NewMexicoSt-NewMexico(NM),
BATTLE OF THE BOULEVARD HomeAway on-campus
-(@Lipscomb-Belmont[NashvilleTN];
   Tue: @Belmont-Lipscomb[NashvilleTN]),
NYC-E JIMMY V CLASSIC DblHdr @ New YorkNY/MSG/
-(WVirginia-Florida, NotreDame-Oklahoma),

Tuesday, Thursday:

(new)BATTLE IN THE BLUE RIDGE CoolDown1 on-campus
-(EaIllinois, ArkansasSt, @UNCWilmington, @GardnerWebb),

Wednesday:

@Gonzaga-Washington(WA), @Duke-Hartford, @Villanova-Temple(PhildadelphiaPA)(BIG5), Nebraska-@Minnesota, @SMU-TCU(Dallas/FtWorthTX), @SanDiegoSt-SanDiego(SanDiegoCA), @BYU-UtahSt(UT), @PortlandSt-Portland(PortlandOR),
CHICAGO-B BIG 10 TUNE-UP 1Off @ ChicagoIL/UNITED/
-(OhioSt-@Illinois),

Wednesday-Thu 20 Dec:

(new)WAC[0-0]/SUMMIT[0-0] CHALLENGE on-campus - - WAC leads 4-2
-(@SDState-GrandCanyon, @NewMexicoSt-NDState;
   @OralRoberts-{CalBaptist};
   @UTValley-Denver, @SDakota-CalStBakersfield, @PurdueFW-MOKansasCity;
   Wed: @TXRGValley-NDakota;
   Thu: @Seattle-Omaha;
   Thu 20 Dec: @WeIllinois-ChicagoSt),

Thursday:

@Purdue-Maryland,
CY-HAWK SERIES 1Off on-campus
-(@Iowa-IowaSt[IA][BIG4]),

Friday:

HALL OF FAME-A-LOS ANGELES CLASSIC TrplHdr @ LosAngelesCA/STAPLES/
-(Nevada-ArizonaSt, @USC-TCU, StMarys-NewMexico),
ELGIN BAYLOR CLASSIC CoolDown1 on-campus< -(@Seattle, Fairfield, Longwood, Denver),

Saturday:

Wisconsin-@Marquette(WI), Buffalo-@StBonaventure(NY)(BIG4), Houston-@OklahomaSt, @Nebraska-Creighton(NE), @Florida-MichiganSt, @Maryland-LoyolaIL(@BaltimoreMD), @UCF-GramblingSt, @Northwestern-DePaul(ChicagoIL), @Arkansas-WeKentucky, @Marshall-Toledo, @AirForce-ArmyWP(MIL), @LaSalle-Penn(PhiladelphiaPA)(BIG5), @LittleRock-CArkansas(AR), @Towson-@MorganSt(BaltimoreMD), @UCIrvine-Montana,
JAYHAWK SHOOTOUT 1Off @ KansasCityMO/SPRINT/
-(@Kansas-New MexicoSt),
NYC-A C/HOOPS CLASSIC 1Off @ NewYorkNY/MSG/
-(@Kentucky-@SetonHall),
THE HOLY WAR 1Off on-campus
-(@Villanova-StJosephs[PhildadelphiaPA][BIG5]),
NEVER FORGET TRIBUTE CLASSIC DblHdr @ NewarkNJ/PRUDENTIAL/
-(FloridaSt-Connecticut, MississippiSt-Clemson),
COUNTDOWN CLASSIC 1Off on-campus
-(Louisville-@Indiana[BG]),
BACKYARD BRAWL 1Off on-campus
-(@WVirginia-Pittsburgh),
CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT 1Off on-campus
-(@Cincinnati-Xavier[CincinnatiOH]),
ALL COLLEGE CLASSIC 1Off @ OklahomaCityOK
-(@Oklahoma-WichitaSt),
BEEHIVE CLASSIC DblHdr @ SaltLakeCityUT/Utah/
-(@Utah-@BYU[UT], @UtahSt-@WeberSt[UT]),

Saturday-Sat 22 Dec:

(new)BIG SKY[0-0]/SUMMIT[0-0] CHALLENGE on-campus - - BIG SKY leads 2-1
[Idaho State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Sacramento State, Southern Utah and Weber State all do not play;
  Denver, Oral Roberts, Purdue-Ft. Wayne, South Dakota and Western Illinois all do not play.]
-(@Omaha-MontanaSt;
   @MontanaSt-NDakota;
   @NDakota-Idaho;
   Sat: @NDState-EaWashington;
   Sat week: @Idaho-Omaha;
   Mon 17 Dec: @Montana-NDState;
   Tue 18 Dec: @EaWashington-SDState;
   Sat 22 Dec: @SDState-Montana),

Sunday:

@Texas-Purdue, @Washington-Seattle(SeattleWA), @Evansville-BallSt(IN),
(new)JERRY COLANGELO CLASSIC DblHdr @ PhoenixAZ/TALKING STICK/
-(Gonzaga-Tennessee, Nevada-@GrandCanyon),
NYC-C-HOLIDAY FESTIVAL DblHdr @ New YorkNY/MSG/
-(@StJohns-Princeton, @Columbia-@Iona[NY]),

Sunday-Sun 23 Dec:

LAS VEGAS-E-CHRISTMAS CLASSIC 2x4 3rd/Semis @ LasVegasNV/ORLEANS/; RndRob2 on-campus
-(A: WashingtonSt, SanDiego; SIUEdwardsville, CalStNorthrige;
   B: Drake, NewMexicoSt; NoColorado, Rider),

- - - - - -

Monday week:

(None).

---

Top 25 - 18 Dec 3 - [] Column

1. Gonzaga (8-0) [v3:MAUI] (@JESUIT)
   
2. Kansas (6-0) (@@CHAMPS) [2v2:NIT.T-O]
   
3. Virginia (7-0) [v3:ATLANTIS] (@BIG10)
   
4. Duke (7-1) (@@CHAMPS) (vBIG10)
   
5. Michigan (8-0) (@BIG.E) [2v2:HOF-CT TO] (vACC)
   
6. Nevada (7-0) [2v2:LV-HOLDAY] (@MVC)
   
7. Wisconsin (7-1) (@BIG.E) (vACC)
   
8. Arizona State (7-0) [2v2:LV-MAIN]
   
9. Buffalo (7-0) [2v2:HOF-BELFAST]
   
10. Kentucky (7-1) [4rrvOHIO.VAL]
    
11. Furman (5-0)
    
12. Iowa (6-1) [2v2:2K.EMPIRE] (vACC)
    
13. Houston (6-0)
    
14. St. John's (7-0) (@BIG10) [2v2vLEGENDS] (:HOF-MIAMI)
    
15. Texas Tech (7-0) [2v2:CBE] (:HOF-MIAMI)
    
16. Villanova (6-2) [v3:A/ORLANDO]
    
17. Florida State (6-1) (vFL) (vBIG10)
    
18. Syracuse (5-2) (@BIG10)
    
19. Ohio State (7-1) [4rrvOS/BUCKEYE]
    
20. Virginia Tech (6-1) [3:CHARLESTON]
    
21. Louisville (5-2) (vBIG10)
    
22. Radford (4-1) [.3 4rr@GOTHAM]
    
23. Nebraska (7-1) (@ACC)
    
24. Auburn (5-1)
    
25. Tennessee (5-1)
    

Honorable Mention:

Marquette (6-2), Penn State (4-3) (vACC), Texas Southern (2-5),

Vanderbilt (5-2)/Liberty (5-1)/Kent State (6-1) [4rrV/COMMODORE].