What happens if the Big Ten goes to 16 teams?
Indianapolis - Yes, we are attending the Super Bowl of college basketball and tonight the story lines abound: Duke will go for its fourth national championship and its first since 2001, under Coach K against Butler. Rated rival North Carolina has cut down the nets twice (2005, 2009) since their hated rival won a title. Coach Mike Krzyzewski is in his 11th Final Four, which ties Carolina's Dean Smith. One more for K and he passes the Dean for No. 2 on the all-time list.
Butler is playing six miles from its campus. Their playing facility, Hinkle Fieldhouse, was where the championship game in "Hoosiers" was filmed. CBS must be tempted to bring in Gene Hackman and let him walk onto the floor and measure the baskets like he did in the movie that is beloved by all hoopsters.
Understand this about Butler. This isn't tiny Milan taking on Muncie Central for the Indiana state high school championship in 1954. Butler is really good and is well coached by a guy who looks like he should be a study hall monitor instead of a coach with an 89-14 record. They can beat Duke if they are healthy and the Blue Devils are little cold from behind the arc. We're expecting another crowd of over 70,000 at Lucas Oil Field.
But enough about hoops. That's tonight. I'm here today to tell you what's going on behind the scenes of tonight's national championship game. I am not big into hyperbole, but you need to know that two things are being discussed that could, in the next six months, could radically change the college athletics landscape as we know it.
The first, of course, is the potential expansion of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament field from 65 to 96 teams. The NCAA floated that trial balloon on Thursday and for the first time gave details about how it could work. That effort was met with criticism that turned into downright derision from fans and media. Why take one of the best sporting events in the world and risk hurting it by trying to shoe-horn another round of games into the same three-week calendar?
You already know the answer. It's about the money. It's always been about the money. The NCAA has three more years on its current 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS but has the option to opt out of those years and put the tournament back up for bid. Needless to say there are other suitors, like ESPN or NBC/Comcast who might want to step up to the plate. Given the realities of the economy, all schools need more money.
Here is my prediction and that's all it is: The tournament goes to 96 team out of pure financial necessity. The 32 team NIT, which the NCAA also controls, will go always and those teams will be folded into the big tournament. CBS retains the rights to the tournament and finds a cable partner to share in the costs and the distribution. Don't be surprised if it's Turner Broadcasting. Then the NCAA will have to do a lot of selling to a skeptical public and press and convince them that the event that they love so much will not be watered down with first round games that include a 9 vs. 24 seed.
I spoke to several commissioners of smaller conferences who are convinced that the vast majority of this money is not going to trickle down to them because most of those 32 extra slots in the tournament will go to teams in the BCS conferences.
The NCAA insists this is not a done deal but my conversations this week tell me the train is at the station and getting ready to move out. Everybody just needs to jump on board.
The other big topic here has a chance to completely change college football as we know it. I've spoken to a number of athletics directors and commissioners who are convinced that the Big Ten is positioning itself to seriously consider becoming college football first super conference by expanding to as many as 16 teams.
The Big Ten is looking at three plans: Stand pat with 11 teams, add one team (hopefully Notre Dame) or make a blockbuster move and go to 16.
"If they go to 16 and one of them is Notre Dame then we've got an entirely new ball game," a conference commissioner told me confidentially.
There is pretty serious speculation that The Big Ten would look to the Big East in its big master plan. Now I don't know which teams are involved, but Just for fun, let's say the Big Ten asks Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers to join. If they said yes, the Big East would be out of the football business. I think the Catholic schools (Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's, Marquette, Seton Hall, DePaul, Providence) in the league move on and form their own basketball conference.
What would happen to the other football playing schools in the Big East: West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida? Does the ACC take them in order to match the Big 16?
What would happened to Notre Dame? Would they be invited to join the Catholic conference for basketball? What about their other sports?
And what does the SEC do if the Big Ten throws down this gauntlet? The conference has its 15-year, $3 billion television contract in place. Does the SEC have to react to the new marketplace that has been created? The SEC and Big Ten have separated themselves financially from the rest of Division I. If the SEC stood pat would it risk watching the Big Ten with the additional dollars that would come in, pull away from the SEC?
Does the SEC get aggressive and pick up the phone call Texas? That's the one school that would move the financial needle to improve the great deal the SEC already has. And if you take Texas, you have to take Texas A&M because of the politics. Does the SEC take another look at Florida State and Miami and see if those schools would be interested in leaving the ACC for a better financial deal?
I have been saying this for years: The dominoes of expansion will start tumbling when the Big Ten makes its move. If it only adds one team, even if it's Notre Dame, then relatively little will change. But if commissioner Jim Delany wants to make a splash and go to 16, then absolutely anything is possible. If members of the Big East want to leave, they must remain in the conference for an additional 27 months after they declare. So if the Big Ten wants to take some Big East teams, they must make a decision soon in order for those teams to be in place for the 2012 football season.
Understand that there is a lot of smoke here. None of this could happen. Or all of it could. So stay tuned.
(c) 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Butler following behind Gonzaga, Xavier
In a sport where teams are often judged by the conference that they play in, the term "mid-major" has drawn distinct debate over the past decade.
Two non-BCS programs that are largely responsible for igniting that controversy are West Coast Conference power Gonzaga and Atlantic 10 heavyweight Xavier.
Now, Butler is joining the discussion when it takes on No. 2 seed Kansas State Saturday in the West Regional final.
"I look at Butler as a Top 25 program," former Xavier coach Sean Miller said in a telephone interview Friday. "It's one of the elite programs in college basketball."
Ironically enough, the fifth-seeded Bulldogs are in the Elite Eight.
And although it's the farthest they have ever advanced in the Big Dance to this point, there still remains an opportunity to play in the Final Four — something neither Gonzaga nor Xavier have been able to do — next week as the hometown favorite
"That's the benchmark," Miller continued. "That's what's never been done."
Four years ago, George Mason shocked the country as a No. 11 seed by knocking off Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut to reach the Final Four.
But the Patriots have not been able to sustain the kind of success that either Gonzaga or Xavier has had.
The 'Zags, for one, have been to the NCAA tournament all 11 years under Mark Few and have advanced to the Sweet 16 on four occasions.
The Musketeers, meanwhile, are just one of two teams to have reached the Sweet 16 the last three years while also making it to the Elite Eight twice in the last six years.
Slowly but surely, though, Butler has started to develop that same consistency under third-year coach Brad Stevens.
"They've entered that new level," added Miller, who guided Xavier to the NCAA tournament four straight years before leaving after last season to take over at Arizona.
For the record, the Bulldogs are making their fourth consecutive appearance in the Big Dance after running the table in the Horizon League and playing as tough of a non-conference schedule as any BCS school this season.
Stevens' players, however, don't see themselves as any trend setters.
"We don't think of ourselves as paving the way for any other non-BCS schools," junior forward Matt Howard said. "People are going to say that we've been on the national scene.
"It's just going to be outside opinion, and we realize that's how it is."
For Howard and his teammates, the "mid-major" talk is just something that they've come to accept as part of their identity for now.
"I think you embrace it a little bit coming from a smaller school and not getting the respect we often think we deserve throughout the season," said Gordon Hayward, a 6-foot-9 sophomore who can play on the perimeter as well as on the interior.
"We just think we're a basketball team, mid-major or not."
After all, with talented, top-notch recruits like point guard Shelvin Mack, Hayward and Howard, the Bulldogs are becoming that one other household name which doesn't sit in one of the six power conferences.
"You have three guys there in Shelvin Mack, Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard who can play against anybody in college basketball," Miller explained. "And they're doing it as sophomores and juniors — not seniors."
That may be the icing on the cake for Stevens, who remains one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game today.
"You got to find your niche and find the right guys to fit your niche," Stevens said. "As you can see, mid-major, major, low major, whatever the case may be, we've got pretty darn good basketball players here."
Sure, you probably won't find them filling up the television highlight reels every night, but they know how to play the game the right way and that's ultimately what has got them this far.
"We're not the flashiest team obviously," Howard confessed. "That's not how we play."
For that reason alone, it's been even more difficult for Butler to shed that "mid-major" label that it often carries with it into March.
But as Butler has shown, come tourney time, those classifications don't mean much.
"That all gets thrown out the door," Howard added.
Because at this point, the Bulldogs really don't have much to lose.
So with the door still open for Butler to return home next week and play on college basketball's biggest stage, Stevens and his players can take comfort in the fact that they truly are in elite company.
"Not a lot of other mid-majors can say they have done that," said senior Willie Veasley, whose 3-pointer against No. 1 seed Syracuse on Thursday night helped Butler finally get over the Sweet 16 plateau.
"It's something special."
Gonzaga and Xavier would agree.
(c)2010 Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC
College Basketball Betting Picks and Predictions for March 22nd 2010Free Pick: Virginia Tech -4
Two teams headed in different directions. UCONN is lucky to even have won their first game whereas VA Tech looks motivated to prove they were snubbed from the big dance. UCONN is 0-5 ATS the L5 not looking good in any of those games. VA Tech is 3-1 ATS and straight up in L4 including two wins verse quality ACC competition. As an added bonus the BIG East has been taking a beating in the post season whereas the ACC has looked better than originally thought. UCONN is looking for spring break and VA Tech is pointed to Madison Square Garden next week. Easy cover
Free Pick: Princeton +6
Iupui is 25-10 this year. Forward Robert Glenn scores 19.9 points and 6.4 rebounds a game. Forward Alex Young scores 18.4 points a game while shooting 39% from behind the arc. Guard Leroy Nobles scores 13.2 points a game while shooting 42% from behind the line the Jaguars score 74.7 points a game. Iupui 2-6 ATS off an ATS win. Princeton is 21-8 this year. Guard Douglas Davis scores 12.9 points a game while shooting 43% from behind the arc. Guard Dan Mavraides scores 11.4 points a game while shooting 36% from behind the arc. Forward Ian Hummer scores 6.6 points a game. The Tigers score 60 points a game. Princeton is 21-7 ATS their last 28 games overall and they are 20-6 ATS their last road games. PLAY ON PRINCETON +6
Copyright (c) 2010 Bleacher Report, Inc
California vs. Washington College Basketball Odds
The California Golden Bears and the Washington Huskies will square off this evening in the final game of the PAC 10 tournament. These two were widely thought to be the best two teams in the league before the season, so it is fitting that they will square off in the finals. Washington is still on the bubble and probably at least needs a good showing in this game, while California is in the tournament with their body of work from the season.
The teams split their regular season meetings, with each winning on their home floor. Jerome Randle has been playing some tremendous basketball for Cal of late. Randle has scored more than 20 points in both of their tournament wins and he is definitely shooting the three ball well. The Golden Bears are great from the free throw line and have a high powered offensive attack, but they do struggle defensively at times. Washington is actually the highest scoring team in the conference at 80 points per game. The one weakness in their offensive game is their three point shooting. As a team they shoot only 32.3% from behind the arc.
The NCAA Basketball odds page shows California as a 2 point favorite to win today. The posted total is set at 152. The Golden Bears are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 against Washington. I fully expect this to be a close game that goes right down to the buzzer.
Copyright (c) 2003 - 2010 BetFirms.com
SEC showdown pits Gators against Wildcats
The third-ranked Kentucky Wildcats close out the regular season this afternoon with an SEC clash against the Florida Gators, who need a victory to help their NCAA Tournament prospects.
Losses in the last two games have dropped Florida to 20-10 overall and 9-6 in conference, and the club is considered "on the bubble" as the SEC Tournament approaches. The two losses during the current slide have come by a total of six points, including a 64-60 setback at home to Vanderbilt on Tuesday. There is no question that a win over Kentucky on the road this afternoon would do wonders for the Gators' resume'.
The Wildcats clinched at least a share of their 44th SEC title with an 80-68 victory over Georgia on Wednesday, and they earned the outright title by virtue of Vanderbilt's loss yesterday. At 28-2 overall, including 13-2 versus league foes, it seems that Kentucky is a lock to receive a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The squad has dominated the SEC Tournament over the years and will be the favorite to win that event for sure.
Kentucky beat Florida by a 77-89 final on January 12th, and the Wildcats own a commanding 87-32 series advantage over the Gators.
Florida is generating 71.7 ppg this season while allowing 64.7 ppg to opponents. There are five double-digit scorers in the fold, and Kenny Boynton leads the way with 13.5 ppg despite his 36.8 percent shooting. Erving Walker, the team's second-leading scorer, provides 12.7 ppg despite his abysmal 34.8 percent field goal efficiency. On a positive note, Walker has dished out 151 assists, more than double his turnover total, and he tops the club with 45 steals as well. Chandler Parsons (12.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Alex Tyus (11.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Vernon Macklin (10.7 ppg) are solid contributors as well. Macklin posted 21 points and nine rebounds from his center position against Vanderbilt on Tuesday, but he was the only Gator to reach double figures in scoring. Florida shot just 36.5 percent from the field and went ice cold down the stretch.
Not only are John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins two of the best players in all of college basketball, but the freshmen may be the top two picks in the next NBA Draft if they decide to leave Kentucky after only one season. Wall is a dynamic point guard who is averaging 17.0 ppg to go along with 6.2 apg, 4.1 rpg and 54 steals. Cousins, a beast on the low block, brings 15.9 ppg and 10.1 rpg to the mix to complement his team-high 54 blocked shots. While Cousins is shooting 54.5 percent from the floor, Patrick Patterson (15.0 ppg, 10.1 rpg) is even more efficient at 58.8 percent. Rounding out a foursome of double- digit scorers is Eric Bledsoe with 10.3 ppg. The Wildcats are netting 79.9 ppg while holding opponents to 65.6 ppg on 38.2 percent shooting. Against Georgia on Wednesday, Wall scored 24 points and handed out six assists. Patterson tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Darnell Dodson posted 11 points. The Wildcats shot 54.5 percent from the field in that clash and overcame a 38-28 rebounding deficit.
Copyright 2010 Miami Herald Media Co
A-10 tourney coin toss eliminates La Salle
The Atlantic Ten Conference's regular season in women's basketball ended yesterday with several ties in the standings.
Tiebreakers involved all but three schools to set the pairings for the 12-team tournament, which begins Friday in Upper Marlboro, Md.
For La Salle (7-22, 2-12 A-10), it came down to a coin toss, and the Explorers lost. They finished in a three-way tie for 12th with Fordham (8-21, 2-12) and Rhode Island (9-20, 2-12).
The Explorers lost a coin toss with Fordham for the last berth and will miss the A-10 tournament for the third straight year. Rhode Island was eliminated in head-to-head competition.
"Just waiting to learn the result brings more anxiety than coaching a game," La Salle's Tom Lochner said last night. "But you have a 50-50 chance and we didn't come out on top."
St. Joseph's (16-3, 9-5) finished in a four-way tie for fourth with Duquesne (19-10, 9-5), Charlotte (16-12, 9-5) and St. Bonaventure (21-8, 9-5).
The Hawks got the fifth seed and will open vs. Fordham on Friday at 2:30 p.m.
St. Joseph's finished the regular season yesterday by beating Duquesne, 69-58, as Mariame Djouara scored 17 points and Brittany Ford 11 at Hagan Arena.
Keri Pryor scored 21 points for the Dukes.
"This is where these seniors started the tournament as freshmen," coach Cindy Griffin said of the Hawks' seeding, "and we advanced to the title game. So we know it can be done."
The Hawks honored their 1984-85 team, headed by Debbie Black, at the game. It was the school's first to go to the NCAA women's tournament.
Also yesterday, fifth-ranked Xavier (24-3, 14-0) finished with its first perfect record in A-10 play by beating Fordham, 74-59, as Ta'Shia Phillips scored 25 points.
George Washington (6-21, 3-11) placed 11th after Saturday's loss at Temple (22-7, 11-3), which tied for second with Dayton (23-6, 11-3).
The Owls, who have a bye, are seeded third because they lost to the Flyers.
Temple will meet either Duquesne or George Washington Saturday at 8 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
UNC-Wilmington 60, Drexel 58 - Jasmina Rosseel scored 19 points, but the Dragons (17-11, 11-6) fell to the Seahawks (11-16, 6-11) in a Colonial Athletic Association game at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Gabriela Maginean scored 16 points in her final home game for Drexel.
Towson 56, Delaware 45 - Tesia Harrison scored 11 points for the Blue Hens (18-10, 10-7 CAA) in a conference loss to the host Tigers (14-14, 8-9).
Elena Delle Donne missed her second straight game with an ankle sprain.
Indiana 77, Penn State 68 - Alex Bentley scored 17 points for the Nittany Lions (16-12, 8-10 Big Ten) in a loss to the host Hoosiers (14-15, 7-11).
philly.com
Howland remains optimistic
The man has led UCLA to three Final Fours in four years, yet they still question his ability. He's led three teams to the NCAA Tournament, yet they still question his resolve. The man has led the Bruins to 152 wins in 211 games, a winning percentage of 72.3 percent, yet they still question his expertise.
The buck stops at Bruins coach Ben Howland, and he accepts that responsibility, the bearer of the burden that is 11 national championships. But mired in the program's worst season in six years, the UCLA head coach rarely has opened up about the difficulties this season has provided.
UCLA beat writer Jon Gold sat with Howland and discussed the close wins and tough losses, the largest disappointments and biggest triumphs. Through it all, Howland has maintained his stance that with seven games left in a tight Pac-10 race, anything can happen.
To Howland, there is no question about it: The Bruins still are in this thing.
JON GOLD: In a word, describe this season for you.
BEN HOWLAND: I don't know that I could describe a season in one word. One word? I can't paint this season in one word. This season has been a real tough one. The fact that we started out really poorly, got off to a slow start just in terms of how we were playing. We were very young. It's been a tough year. If you had to say a word ... tough.
JG: When did you first sense that this season might not go the way you want?
BH: We knew this was going to be a transition year, especially losing the group that we lost a year ago - those three seniors had been involved with some very good teams during their tenure - but also the fact we lost Jrue. I knew when Holiday was going to go pro that it was going to be much more difficult. He was a kid who, had he returned, it would've been much better for us and in the long run would've helped him, even though he's starting right now for Philadelphia. I just think he would've been drafted a lot higher coming out this year and that would've helped him. And also, the experience. You see, for example, Darren Collison, who stayed for four years, how much that's enhanced his year this year. He's been great. That being said, we knew it was going to be a transition year. Going into this year I knew it wasn't an automatic that Drew Gordon was going to be able to have the kind of year I expected him to have. There were a number of question marks going into the season.
JG: At what point during the season did you realize things weren't going to end up like the last few years?
BH: You keep saying it like I've given up on the season. You're talking about it like the season is over, and I'm not looking at it like that.
JG: OK, then talk about the optimism you still have left.
BH: We have seven games left in the regular season, a stretch with five of those seven on the road. You never quit. You're never going to give up. I'm hoping we can continue to improve. We had won four of our last five into Saturday's game, and we lost to the first-place team. A senior-laden group. We're in a tough point right now, going into the road swing, but one thing you've seen in the Pac-10 this year, anything can happen. Anything's possible. I'm not looking right now, I'm not at a point of reflection, looking back at what's happened. I'm still looking forward.
JG: How have you changed as a coach this season?
BH: The biggest example is we've gone to the zone. That's not something I want to do, I just think it's best for our current team, personnel, the youth. Even in the zone, we make plenty of mistakes, but it's made us a team that can play players longer. Yesterday we worked a lot on our man-to-man because we're going to have to be using it more. Long term, that's what I want to be able to get back to, playing man-to-man.
JG: Speaking of manpower, this current group has a lot of top recruits. Is it about building into those expectations? And as a coach, is it kind of hard to wait on those guys?
BH: I don't put a lot of stock in other people's predictions of recruits. I don't remember seeing Darren Collison as the 11th-rated guy. He wasn't even in the top 100 coming out of high school and it didn't mean anything to me one way or another. The fact that our sophomore class, when it first came in, was ranked the No. 1 class in the country - I even said that then: You have to prove it. Either way, someone picks you low or picks you high, it doesn't mean that much. It's kids going out and developing and earning their respect.
JG: Looking at the Pac-10 conference standings ...
BH: Well, I said going into the year that I thought that Cal and Washington had the best chance, just based on the amount of experience they returned. Arizona has a real opportunity now, being that they've played well being a young team.
JG: During the season, basketball is 24/7 for you. In a season like this, have you wanted to escape?
BH: I don't get to fish that much, believe me. I got to fish five times last year. It's not a lot of time away. I enjoy this. I enjoy the competition. I'm really excited about the young players who are developing.
Copyright (c)2008 Los Angeles Newspaper group
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