The Calm Before the Storm: March Madness

Selection Sunday is a little over a month away. It’s by far my favorite event of the year since I really enjoy watching college basketball. The atmosphere is crazy in the arenas, it’s fun seeing the upsets, and of course the most important thing for a lot of people during this time is the bracket. We all want to be expert bracketologists but March Madness is one of the best sporting events of the year. There are always different storylines and just like any other year, this year is no different. Who will be the Cinderella this year? Well we all know what the first storyline will be. Kentucky’s pursuit of perfection. They are filled with McDonalds All-American players so it will be interesting to see who takes the last shot in crunch time. Besides Kentucky’s pursuit of perfection here are some other teams to keep an eye on.

NBA Draft Preview: The Future is Within Sight

Alright ladies and gents, the 2014 NBA Draft is now just a couple of days away.  Many basketball fans have been waiting, waiting, then the All-Star break happened, and then there was more waiting, the trade dead line, waiting and...well you get the picture.  For several team's fans, the only result that mattered was the number in the loss column.  As you know, this was the case for most if not all 76er fans in the 2013-2014 season.  And because of that, we have a Sixers' fan (me!) preview before the actual preview.  You may recognize this one: 

Under Further Review No. 4: Josh Verlin

What started as a growing love for college hoops at the University of Pittsburgh then moved to across the state to Temple University has now grown into the posts, pages and profiles of City of Basketball Love. Josh Verlin is the driving force behind it all, and there's no stopping him. He has an unbridled love for college basketball and the sports journalism knowledge to keep building the already impressive site.

Under Further Review No. 2: Aaron Bracy

Philadelphia is known for its passionate sports fan base, and right up their in the long line of sporting tradition in the city is college hoops. With the Palestra oozing with basketball lore and the historic Big 5 -- and Drexel constantly trying to nudge their way in to make it the City 6 -- Philadelphia makes a convincing case as the most exciting college basketball city in America.

Under Further Review: The Good and Bad of the NCAA Tournament Opening Weekend

The first four days of the NCAA tournament are basically the sports equivalent to four straight days of Christmas. And I mean Thursday through Sunday; the "first four" doesn't count. Each day featured 12 or so straight hours of nonstop madness, and luckily thanks to Ohio State's first round flop, we could all enjoy the rest of the day without worrying about our bracket being perfect. Those 48 hours were put on the national television stage by CBS and Turner (TNT, TBS, and TruTV), and, as expected, there were One Shining Moments and there were Chris Webber Timeouts.

Under Further Review: March Media Madness

You're probably still sitting around thinking up the wildest conspiracy theories for True Detective, but remember that this is the only one that matters: the show was placed to run from the Sunday after the BCS National Championship Game to the the Sunday before Selection Sunday. I know. I'm just sayin'. As you get caught up in filling out brackets and wrapping your mind around the upsets, it can be easy to lose track of how big of a media event March Madness has become. Fear not; here are the most important media facts for you to remember as the NCAA men's basketball tournament approaches.

Shocked by the Shockers

by: Micah Sokolsky

In college basketball, a new team seems to surprise the country each year.  People tend to consistently look at major college basketball conferences for top teams:  ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, SEC, and the Big East/American.  Currently, the ACC has four teams in the top 15 in the nation and the new American Athletic Conference has five in the top 25.  Because of all the conference realignment, schools that used to play in smaller conferences and were considered “surprise” teams are now accepting invitations to the major conferences.  However, some of the mid-major schools are continuing to have success in college basketball, but how come they are rarely, if ever, the top ranked college program in the nation?

Guard the Post: Why this College Basketball season will be the best ever

 

The 2013-2014 College Basketball season promises to be one of the best ever. National Letters of Intent combo-commitments, upsets,  growth of the mid-major, the best season-opening tournament in the history of season-opening tournaments, and the most highly anticipated Final Four ever. Sure, we have no idea what teams will make it there, but we do know, based on what we have seen through week 1, that it will be a crazy ride.

The Closer: Recap of "Schooled: The Price of College Sports"

As a Drexel student, it is hard to imagine Beaver Stadium on a Saturday, or the Carrier Dome when Notre Dame comes to play Syacuse. Yesterday, myself, along with anyone else that attends or works at a modest university with moderate athletic facilities, were reminded how "the other half" lives; boy were our eyes opened.

The Closer: Preview of Schooled: The Price of College Sports

 

Tonight, Tuesday, October 8th, 2013, a specialty, one-of-a-kind documentary is premiering in New York City. Schooled: The Price of College Sports, an EPIX Original Documentary, is a "comprehensive look at the business, history and culture of big-time college football and basketball in America."

The Closer: Rutgers Makes Questionable Hire in Replacing Rice

In last week's "Sports Biz Report" (found here), I mentioned why Rutgers found itself in the news yet again. Eddie Jordan, the new head basketball coach for the Big 10 bound Scarlett Knights, does not have a college degree. Yes, it is not unprecedented for a D-I coach to not have a college degree, but why shouldn't he?

The Sports Complex: The Insane Trends in March Madness

Amongst the madness of March each year (as fellow contributor Kevin Murray discussed yesterday), it’s easy for the big business of the Big Dance to go unnoticed. High-level sponsors and multibillion dollar broadcast deals make the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament one of the biggest draws in sport. Here are some trends that affect the future of the Big Dance:

The Closer: The Tournament Effect...

The "madness" has struck, and man, has it been wild.

Everyone knows how much money is earned by the conferences that compete in the NCAA tournament, but what is rarely spoken about is the other things it can bring to the schools and conferences that succeed.

The Man Advantage: Our First Look at March Madness

Lately I’ve been hearing a sound. It’s been quiet, but there’s no question what it is. It’s about that time of year again. Have you heard it too?

What am I talking about, you ask?

One Shining Moment.

How The Big East Fairs For The Future

The Big East has always been synonymous with a basketball-focused conference since 1982 when they tried to bring in major football partners and failed. That decision has always been a handicap for a conference who has provided nationally recognized and prestigious basketball programs since its’ inception. When this basketball season concludes, only five founding members will remain from a conference that has been home to 20 different schools for basketball since 1979.

Basketball: Formerly a Team Sport in the NBA

Today, an avid basketball fan prefers watching an NCAA Division 1 basketball game rather than an NBA game. The reasons for this are always the same – the teams are more focused on defense and the strategies to winning are based off of team basketball. Prior to the 2000s, this was the opposite. The NBA was more focused on team basketball rather than one-on-one play. This resulted in more fans actually enjoying watching the games. I wonder if team basketball and playing defense is more effective to winning and enjoyable to watch compared to the one-on-one style that has seemed to take stage in the NBA. I believe that team basketball and defense achieves both of the above.

The Man Advantage: Feasting!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before from me:

I love college basketball.

There isn’t another sport that fills me with such happiness and excitement. The pageantry, the rivalries, the fans, the spirit of hope that even the smallest school has a shot at championship glory... couple it with my favorite holiday (Thanksgiving) and Feast Week is without question one of the best things on the planet (disregarding March Madness of course).

While other people were spending their "Feast Week" on “food, family, and FOOOTBAAAAALLLL,” I enjoyed a cornucopia of great college basketball games. From Tuesday to Saturday, I probably watched 15-20 games (with bits and pieces of several others thrown in). Here’s some tidbits that stuck out to me:

  

Drexel guard Frantz Massenet

    1.)    Dragons Fizzle: Is there a bigger early season disappointment than our own Drexel Dragons (Maybe Memphis)? Picked to run train through a depleted CAA, the Dragons have looked remarkably unremarkable through six games. The non-conference schedule, with games against Illinois State, St. Mary’s, and Xavier already, is much improved from last year--unfortunately this team, which returned all notable pieces from last year’s 29 win squad except do-it-all forward Samme Givens, hasn’t earned the pre-season hype. The injury bug has hit frequently, limiting Damion Lee and likely ending Chris Fouch’s Drexel career. Junior guard Frantz Massenet, the preseason CAA Player of the Year, has been sloppy and forwards Dartaye Ruffin and Daryl McCoy have struggled to be consistent presences in the post-Givens era. Fortunately, Drexel started the season very similarly last season before turning it around and winning 25 of 26 games on their way to the CAA Tournament finals: the next few games are very winnable. Unfortunately, however, the Dragons close out 2012 with home games against cross-city foe St. Joseph’s and…

    2.)    Davidson Roars: The Davidson Wildcats, the team that may have impressed me the most this past week. While their 3-3 record so far this season might not seem noteworthy, anyone who saw their victories over Vanderbilt and West Virginia in the Old Spice Classic saw a bracket buster in the making. Their only loss came in the tournament finals against a Gonzaga program that is arguably a top-10 team this season. Keep an eye on these Tigers—this is an experienced team that can do some damage in March.

    3.)    Atlantis Rocks: Was there a better Thanksgiving tournament than the Battle 4 Atlantis? How many tournaments in November can boast four top-20 squads, along with two dangerous mid-majors and two quality major conference teams? The field was something to see, and while three of the four semi-finals teams make my stomach turn with revulsion (I was unable to watch the first semi-final at a risk of losing my Thanksgiving leftovers), the games were fantastic. For the basketball fan who just wants to see a good game, the Louisville-Missouri semi-final was just fun to watch, even as a born-and-raised Kentucky Wildcats fan. The tempo and intensity from both teams reminds us of what we love about March…. In November.

Did you catch much college basketball over the break? What jumped out to you? Answer in the comments!

CAA Tournament Preview

  It’s that time of year again; March, which means only one thing to me: March Madness! Last year was particularly mad, as Northern Iowa, St. Mary’s, Cornell, and the CAA’s own Old Dominion made names for themselves on the largest stage in college basketball.

This year, the Colonial Athletic Conference has been as strong as it’s ever been. Early in nonconference, VCU took down Wake Forest and UCLA, while Old Dominion handled Clemson and Xavier at the Paradise Jam tournament, then defeated two more A-10 team in Richmond and Dayton. When our Drexel Dragons went down to Loserv—ahem, Louisville—and handed the Cardinals their first loss in the new KFC Yum Center, 52-46, the hype was on. Just recently, the CAA went 7-5, including a spectacular 4-1 record on national television, in ESPN Bracketbusters.

For the first time since 2007 (and only the fourth time ever), the CAA looks like they can get multiple bids to the Big Dance. ODU and George Mason ought to be locks to make the field of 68, and if another team can pull the upset in this weekend’s CAA Tournament in Richmond, the CAA could have three bids for the first time ever.

The tournament starts Friday at noon at the Richmond Coliseum. Here is my $0.02 on the first round games for Friday:

(8) UNCW—13-17 ( 7-11) v. (9) Georgia State—11-18 (6-12)                        12:00pm

This should be an interesting game. UNCW’s been lead by the Chad Tomko-Keith Rendleman duo this year; they’re 1-2 in minutes per game, points per game, rebounds per game, and steals per game for the young Seahawks. Since Feb 12, Tomko was held under 20 points only once: the season finale at Northeastern (where he ONLY scored 19). If Buzz Peterson’s squad has a chance, it’ll be on Tomko’s 5’11” shoulders.

On the other bench, head coach Rod Barnes was fired this weekend after losing on senior day to George Mason, the fourth straight loss for the Panthers. Assistant Paul Graham will be coaching this game. Nine players are averaging more than 15 minutes per game, with not a single one averaging more than Erik Buckner’s 9.2 points a game. The Panthers win when they find a way to outrebound their opponents. The propensity to throw fresh legs on the court helps in that regard. That being said, this team struggles without a go-to scorer. If Buckner can take over the game, GSU has a shot. UNCW is not a great rebounding team.

Prediction: Buzz Peterson gets his young team ready to prove their worth. It goes down to the wire, but Tomko makes a big play late and the Seahawks pull off the win, 61-59, and take on George Mason.

(5) Drexel—20-9 (11-7) v. Towson—4-25 (0-18)                                           2:30pm

In the third meeting (and the second in less than a week), the Dragons and Tigers face off. The 0-18 Tigers will come into the game, looking to end the season of futility with a win. This has all the makings of a trap game for the Dragons, who have lost on Friday in Richmond three straight years. Isaiah Philmore gives the Tigers a consistent threat both inside and out. The Tigers have shot well from beyond the arc against Drexel this season, going 13-25 (52%) in two games. On Senior Night, guard Josh Brown finished with 21 points.

Drexel, one of the early picks for a NCAA Tournament dark horse, started strong, then lost some steam at the season’s midpoint. With big wins at Louisville, at home against VCU, ODU, and Kent State during Bracketbusters, Drexel looks strong based on strong team defense. They are 9^th in the nation for rebounds per game, with 40.4. Lead by senior Gerald Colds (9.9 ppg), redshirt sophomore Chris Fouch (14.7 ppg), and junior forward Samme Givens (11.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg), this young Drexel team was able to pull together a very strong season under Bruiser Flint, going 6-2 in the month of February. If they play strong defense and dig deep, this team could make a run.

Prediction: Senior captain Gerald Colds has never played in the postseason—potentially the only player to play for Flint for four years and hold that distinction. Friday, he and his teammates will take another step towards changing that, dropping the Tigers for a third time this season, 56-50.

(7) Delaware—13-16 (8-10) v. (10) Northeastern—11-19 (6-12)                    6:00pm

Delaware won both games against Northeasternthis season, lead by the fearsome Jawan Carter (15.7 ppg, good for 5^th in the CAA this season). Nine players average 15 minutes or more for the Hens this season. Freshman Devon Saddler is second on the team with 13.4 points per game, while sophomore Jamelle Hagins lead the CAA with 3.0 blocks a game. Delaware limped down the stretch after a five game losing streak to the top half of the CAA.

Senior everything-man Chase Allen lead the young Huskies in minutes per game (37.1), points (16.8 per game, the 4^th highest in the CAA), rebounds (6.0 per game), assists (3.8), and steals (2.1). Sophomores Joel Smith (12.3 ppg) and Jonathan Lee (11.6 ppg) round out the major offensive threats for  Bill Coen’s squad. After a nine game losing streak, ending with a 72-58 defeat at the DAC, the Huskies went 7-4 down the stretch. During a 4-game winning streak in the CAA, Northeastern defeated VCU 91-80 at home.

Prediction: This will be a tight game, but try as they might, the experience of Delaware’s five seniors will be too much for Chase Allen and the Huskies, 59-56. Old Dominion looms.

(6) James Madison 21-10 (10-8) v. (11) William & Mary—9-21 (4-14)             8:30pm

In the nightcap, a very scary William & Mary team takes on the James Madison Dukes, lead by potential first team All-CAA selection, Denzel Bowles. Bowles (arguably the most dominant player I saw live this season, along with Charles Jenkins), ranks second in the CAA in scoring (18.2 ppg) and third in rebounding (9.0 per game).

Another likely All-CAA player leads the young Tribe. Junior wing Quinn McDowell leads his team in scoring at 15.2 a game (good for 7^th in the CAA), a close second in rebounding (5.4 per game), tied for third in assists (2.1, one of four players averaging more than 2 per game), and first with 1.2 steals a game. Better yet, he’s been at his best in big games: in their 73-68 victory at JMU, McDowell scored 23 points and pulled down 8 rebounds for W&M. Joined by senior forward Marcus Kitts, McDowell is the face of a very young team who will return six of their seven major contributors next season.

Prediction: I’ve been going back and forth on this one, but have a gut feeling the Tribe will pull it out. This is the third straight year the Tribe has faced the Dukes in their first game of the CAA. The game will come down to rebounding—if JMU can’t dominate the boards, W&M has a shot. McDowell’s going to come up huge, especially from three. W&M 66, JMU 61.

---
By: Ryan Pratt