The Road To The NCAA Final Four....& March Madness!

[EagerBeaver]

kenf,

The UConn men indeed failed to make postseason tournament play for the first time in 20 years (since the 1986-87 season they have been in postseason play every year). They had 8 freshmen and 5 sophomoresand no scholarship upperclassmen. Although they ranked second nationally in FG% defense and led the nation in blocked shots, they struggled terribly all season on offense. They were near the bottom of the Big East in every major offensive category, and it was painful to watch them play on offense, most of the season. Everyone on the team returns next season, unless there are transfers. They need improved play from their young point guards who were terrible this year, and production from the small forward tandem of sophomore Marcus Johnson and freshman Stanley Robinson, who between the two of them gave UConn nothing, although both are great athletes with a lot of potential.

The UConn women's team is a #1 seed in the women's tournament. They have a talented team with great balance (all 5 starters averaged in double figures scoring) and play exceptional team defense. They potentially could go all the way, although it should be noted they are young (no seniors) and not very deep, and their bracket is brutal with a potential sweet 16 game vs. red hot NC State which handed Duke its only loss, a potential Elite 8 game vs. Stanford in Fresno, California (not really fair if you ask me), then if they get to the Final 4, a possible national semifinal against Duke, which appears to be the team to beat. That is a major gauntlet of teams to have to beat.

 

[jippprock]

Oral Roberts University

What about those Golden Eagles. Who names their kid Oral. I would have sued my parents for damages if that ever happened. Maybe they should call themselves the Swallows. The Joke will be on us if they even go as far as the Sweet 16.

 

[EagerBeaver]

What about those Golden Eagles. Who names their kid Oral. I would have sued my parents for damages if that ever happened. Maybe they should call themselves the Swallows. The Joke will be on us if they even go as far as the Sweet 16.

Looking at their bracket, they have the best shot of any of the #14 seeds of making the sweet 16.

 

[jippprock]

You are right Mr. Beaver. They are not a bad team. They are in the tournament because they won their conference. They are not there because they are a Wild Card. They may not be in the strongest conference but it's not nmthat weak either.

Maybe Their women's team could be called the Lady Swallows.

 

[K Douglas]

Apparently there are 4 Québécois participating in this year's March Madness tournament, including 2 playing for Davidson.

http://www2.davidson.edu/athletics/prog_mv/mvbsk/mbskseasons/2006-07/0607mbskroster.asp

There are actually 6 from Quebec as follows:
William Archembault DAVIDSON
Max Paulhus Gosselin DAVIDSON
Maurice Joseph MICHIGAN ST.
Joel Anthony UNLV
P.M. Altides-Cespedes GONZAGA
Greg Noel NIAGARA
All but Noel log significant minutes with their respective teams.

 

[EagerBeaver]

K Douglas,

The lists compiled are inaccurate and incomplete. You both omitted Sheray Thomas of Montreal, Quebec who plays for the University of Kentucky, who played high school ball at Riverdale Baptist HS. Here is a link to the Kentucky roster with the hometowns of each player:

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/teams/kaf/roster

BTW anyone know where Riverdale Baptist HS is? Please note Sheray is averaging 18.9 minutes per game and is part of UK's regular 8 man rotation.

I believe that there are other Quebec players you have not named as well. Not sure where you guys are getting your info.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Here is the Sheray Thomas bio/profile from the University of Kentucky Athletics website. He was born in Montreal, and attended high school in Maryland at Riverdale Baptist:

http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=10285

Says in there he played for the Canadian Young Men's National Team in 2004. As a sophomore he did play high school ball in Canada at some place called LaSalle Catholic. Anyone know where LaSalle Catholic is?

 

[spin]

Anyone know where LaSalle Catholic is?

Hey Mr.Beaver, Lasalle Catholic is in Lasalle (no I'm not trying to be a smartass) - Lasalle is on the island of Montreal to the west fo Verdun and east of Lachine, the Mercier Bridge starts (or finishes depending on your direction of travel) in Lasalle.

I'm not a big basketball guy but I do enjoy the NCAA tournement, I'll be cheering for the Gators (with any luck we'll be able to watch them pound Ohio State - I hate Ohio State)

 

[EagerBeaver]

Spin,

I know where Lasalle is and I have been there. I did not assume that Lasalle Catholic is located there, as it could be located anywhere. There are probably other high schools and streets named after Lasalle elsewhere in Quebec. But thanks for this info.

My guess is when Sheray Thomas was scoring 30 ppg as a sophomore at Lasalle Catholic, someone took him aside and said, "son, you got a future in basketball and it ain't here. Go play high school ball in the USA because you can play big time college ball in the USA." He then played his junior and senior years at Riverdale Baptist in Maryland - which looks like a basketball prep school.

 

[spin]

EagerBeaver,

I didn't want to sound like a jackass when I answered you - I simply wanted to give you an answer - By the way you are right not to assume it would be in Lasalle (right now I'm in Quebec City and there happens to be a "Lasalle" street here too).

Lasalle Catholic just happens to actually be located in Lasalle.

I'm curious EB, is there a big uproar down in your neck of the woods due to UCONN not making the tournement? I kind of imagine it being like the Habs not making the playoffs...

Someone should give some love to the Athletic Director at Florida (Basketball & Football National Champions) These guys come under some pretty intense heat when there respective schools aren't doing very well but never seem to get any credit when they win.

Looks like I'll finally be back in Montreal this weekend Its been way way too long - Anyone going to the parade on Sunday?

 

[EagerBeaver]

I'm curious EB, is there a big uproar down in your neck of the woods due to UCONN not making the tournement? I kind of imagine it being like the Habs not making the playoffs...

Spin,

There was a huge uproar here about the UConn men not making tournament, which is only somewhat assuaged by the UConn women being a #1 seed in the women's tournament.

As I posted above, in respone to kenf's inquiry, the UConn men had a roster of 8 freshmen and 5 sophomores as their 13 scholarship players, the youngest team in UConn history. It was expected to be a rebuilding year, but things went far worse than expected as the team had major problems on offense. It's the first time in 20 years they are not in postseason play. Try to imagine the Canadiens making the NHL playoffs 20 straight years and then not making it one year, and you will know how UConn fans feel.

They can only get better next year!

 

[kenf]

EB,
Talking about the uconn women. A couple of year's ago they had 2 sisters the Valley girls. I know them very well they have some interesting insights on coach A. One of the best ever to play women's basketball Tarossi (sp) was a spectacular player on those teams.

The real show still remains the men's tournament.

 

[EagerBeaver]

kenf,

I recall the Valley sisters well, both came from Vermont. Morgan Valley was the older and more highly touted of the two sisters but her career was plagued by foot injuries (plantar fascitis, I believe) and she became a role player. Ashley Valley was an adequate 3 point shooter but she never was more than a role player on the team as a backup guard.

Diana Taurasi is the best player in the history of women's college basketball. She won 3 consecutive NCAA national championships while at UConn, and UConn would have won all 4 of Taurasi's years at UConn had Shea Ralph and Svet Abrosomova not gotten hurt prior to the 2001 NCAA tournament. A lot of people at UConn feel that 2001 team, which lost to eventual champion Notre Dame in the Final 4, was better than UConn's 5 national championship teams in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

 

[Joe.t]

Ohio State to win it all!!!

 

[EagerBeaver]

Another Canadian-bred player that K Douglas left off their lists is Syracuse sophomore guard Andy Rautins, the son of legendary former Syracuse player Leo Rautins. Here is Andy's player profile, which indicates Andy played on the Canadian U-21 national team in 2005 and the senior national team in 2006:

http://www.suathletics.com/roster.asp?playerid=1968&sport=176&roster=194&path=mbasket

Andy is in action tonight with the Syracuse team which is currently losing 54-50 to South Alabama.

It's really a shame that basketball is so far off the radar in Canada that you guys cannot even identify players from your own national team who are playing in the NCAA.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Another Montreal Native in the NCAA

Another Montreal native left off the list of Quebec players in the NCAA is Max Boudreau of Buffalo. A link to the Buffalo roster:

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/teams/baz/roster

 

[spin]

It's really a shame that basketball is so far off the radar in Canada that you guys cannot even identify players from your own national team who are playing in the NCAA.

EB,

That would be kind of like asking the average student from Duke or UNC to name members of the US National Under 21 Hockey Team...

Basketball in Canada is much like Hockey in the US. Especially when it comes to our National Team, if I'm not mistaken we don't even make it to the Olympics and the 1 star we have (Steve Nash) doesn't even play.

Canadian kids playing NCAA ball get no press up here EB and for the most part there is not much interest either.

 

[EagerBeaver]

VCU 79, Duke 77

Congratulations to Colonial Athletic Association Champ VCU on their stunning and exciting upset win over Duke tonight. VCU used its press and scrappy play to wear down the bigger, slower Blue Devils. One and done for Duke!

Eric Maynor, you were money at the end of this game! Great job!

 

[jippprock]

Goodbye ORU

and it's all over for Oral Roberts University. That was quick. No Sweet 16 for them Mr. Beaver. I am glad about VCU. What a game!!!!

 

[EagerBeaver]

Winthrop Stuns Notre Dame!

(11) Winthrop 74, (6) Notre Dame 64

By GREGG BELL, AP Sports Writer
March 16, 2007

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- When Craig Bradshaw arrived at tiny Winthrop four years ago, fellow freshman Torrell Martin told his New Zealander teammate he needed a lesson.

"I told him this was America. Get a little swagger," Martin said, laughing.

The Winthrop guys all have it now. They beat Notre Dame.

Bradshaw scored 24 points and Martin added 20 and a career-high 11 rebounds as previously hollow Winthrop beat the hallowed Irish 74-64 Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The 11th-seeded Eagles, who had been 0-6 in previous tournament tries, blew all of their 20-point lead in the second half before surging in the final two minutes to end Notre Dame's first NCAA appearance since 2003.

"We've been trying to get this for the last three years," Bradshaw said in his Kiwi accent.

Winthrop (29-4), the little school from Rock Hill, S.C., and the unheralded Big South Conference, lost in the final seconds to Tennessee last year in the tournament. The Eagles came from that defeat -- and a frenetic Irish rally in this game -- to advance in the Midwest Regional.

When this win finally came, Winthrop players leaped up-and-down as if on pogo sticks. They pounded their chests toward their hundred or so delirious fans seated across from their bench.

The rest of the crowd roared for the not-so-little men finally breaking through. Winthrop's only losses this season are to North Carolina and fellow ranked, tournament teams Wisconsin (in overtime), Maryland and Texas A&M.

"I'm still in awe," Martin said, about 30 minutes after the game. "I'm on Cloud 10."

On the bus ride to the arena, Martin had told his teammates in an impassioned, impromptu speech: "We as Winthrop cannot lose again and be considered a good, mid-major team. We'd be a fluke team that can only win its weak conference."

No flukes. No more.

The win wasn't so much an upset as a long-awaited next step in the maturation of coach Gregg Marshall's nine-year basketball revival at the school of 6,600 students.

Last June, Marshall accepted the College of Charleston's offer to become its head coach -- for almost twice his Winthrop salary of about $500,000. But 24 hours later, he said "No, thanks," and stayed on course with his below-the-radar Eagles.

Good move. Charleston is home. Never even made it into the tournament after a 22-11 season. And Marshall is one win from the NCAA regional semifinals with a team starting three seniors and two juniors.

"It's huge for me personally," Marshall said, while his players fielded congratulatory phone calls and text messages in the locker room. "It's huge for these players. It's huge for our league, huge for the state of South Carolina.

"It's nine years of putting your heart and soul into something and being close in the past."

The Irish, led by 14 points from Colin Falls, stormed back from 54-34 down to take a 63-62 lead with 2:21 left. But then it was all Winthrop.

"My season is over. My career is over. We're done," an angry, stone-faced Russell Carter said inside the Irish locker room, where words were as hard to come by as consolation smiles.

Notre Dame (24-8) won its most games since 1974.

Carter, an All-Big East player and the Irish's leading scorer, shot just 6-for-15 -- including 0-for-6 from 3-point range.

Coach Mike Brey lamented a 37-10 run by Winthrop from the end of the first half into the second that erased Notre Dame's 24-17 lead.

In that span, Bradshaw -- at 6-foot-10 taller than any Notre Dame player -- moved wherever he pleased inside. Many of his 24 points came within eight feet of the basket.

Bradshaw, who said he sent his game tapes as a high schooler far away to Winthrop just because, is often a 3-point shooter.

"We were back on our heels," Brey said. "We looked young. They looked old."

But Winthrop made just three free throws over eight minutes, and the Irish closed to within 57-56 on a putback by Carter off an airballed 3.

Notre Dame took the lead on Luke Harangody's turnaround. He was fouled on the play, but missed the ensuing free throw.

Then the Eagles soared again, scoring eight of the next 10 points. Bradshaw's shot inside and Chris Gaynor's second 3-pointer in three tries put the Eagles up 67-63 with 1:30 to go.

After Irish freshman point guard Tory Jackson made one of two free throws, Michael Jenkins pushed the ball to Bradshaw for a sprinting dunk and one of his 11 assists. That gave the Eagles a 70-64 lead with 35 seconds left and essentially ended Notre Dame's season.

The Eagles scored the first 10 points of the second half, five by Martin. After his 3-pointer that put Winthrop up 39-28 and forced a time out by Notre Dame with 18:27 left, Martin tapped both temples and flew his hands in the air.

Two minutes later, Gaynor, a 5-foot-10 guard, blocked a putback try by Notre Dame's 6-9 rebounding leader Rob Kurz. Jenkins finished the break the other way with a deft bounce pass behind his back that found Martin in stride for a dazzling layup. The arena erupted with ooohhs and cheers, and Winthrop had erupted for a 46-30 lead with 16 minutes remaining.