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Heading into the 2012-13 season, we know who the favorite in the MVC is. That accolades belongs to Creighton.
However, the Missouri Valley has been notorious in recent years for sending multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament, so who else will be knocking on the door come March?
Well, the usual suspects such as Northern Iowa and Wichita State should once again be in the thick of things, but the team to watch may just be that of Illinois State. Despite a new head coach, there is tons of talent heading into this season, led in large part by the production of senior forward Jackie Carmichael.
Buckle up Valley fans, there’s sure to be another wild ride within the conference again this season.
Read more at Missouri Valley: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
However, the Missouri Valley has been notorious in recent years for sending multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament, so who else will be knocking on the door come March?
Well, the usual suspects such as Northern Iowa and Wichita State should once again be in the thick of things, but the team to watch may just be that of Illinois State. Despite a new head coach, there is tons of talent heading into this season, led in large part by the production of senior forward Jackie Carmichael.
Buckle up Valley fans, there’s sure to be another wild ride within the conference again this season.
Read more at Missouri Valley: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
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Today, we look at Conference USA:
Another year of college basketball within the C-USA gives Memphis another shot at supremacy within the league. Head coach Josh Pastner features another squad loaded with potential and looking to make some noise come March.
Marshall is the other true threat atop the conference and that’s thanks in large part to the overall production of junior guard DeAndre Kane. Violations have banned Central Florida from competing in postseason play this season as the Knights prepare for their move to the Big East in 2013.
Improved squads at UTEP, Houston and Tulane should make the rest of the conference interesting to watch, while new coaches at Southern Miss, Tulane, SMU, and UAB look to build momentum and make a run within league play.
Read more at Conference USA: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
Another year of college basketball within the C-USA gives Memphis another shot at supremacy within the league. Head coach Josh Pastner features another squad loaded with potential and looking to make some noise come March.
Marshall is the other true threat atop the conference and that’s thanks in large part to the overall production of junior guard DeAndre Kane. Violations have banned Central Florida from competing in postseason play this season as the Knights prepare for their move to the Big East in 2013.
Improved squads at UTEP, Houston and Tulane should make the rest of the conference interesting to watch, while new coaches at Southern Miss, Tulane, SMU, and UAB look to build momentum and make a run within league play.
Read more at Conference USA: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
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How many bids can the A-10 get in 2012-13?
The answer is certainly multiple and the answer could end up being anywhere in the range from four to six when all is said and done. While on-the-court play and non-conference resume builders will determine who and how many teams will dance in 2013, the hype and expectations that the league is building this year is incredible.
The additions of both VCU and Butler give the A-10 two of the nation’s most notable Cinderellas in recent memory and each will have the ability to contend for a conference crown in their first season. Saint Louis and Temple once again provide consistency near the top of the league, while both St. Joseph’s and UMass will make this title race all that much more interesting.
So, can all six of the aforementioned teams make a run at March? What about Dayton, LaSalle, and an Xavier squad, who despite recent losses, are fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance? It was only a season ago when we saw St. Bonaventure make a run in the conference tournament and steal a bid into the bracket.
The parody and competition runs deep in what should certainly be an exciting year within the league.
Atlantic 10 Conference Prediction:
1. VCU
2. Butler
3. UMass
4. Saint Louis
5. Temple
6. St. Joseph’s
7. Dayton
8. LaSalle
9. Xavier
10. Richmond
11. St. Bonaventure
12. George Washington
13. Charlotte
14. Fordham
15. Rhode Island
16. Duquesne
First Team All-Atlantic 10 Prediction:
G Chaz Williams, Jr., UMass
G Kevin Dillard, Sr., Dayton
G Khalif Wyatt, Sr., Temple
F Juvonte Reddic, Jr., VCU
F C.J. Aiken, Jr., St. Joseph’s
Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Prediction:
Chaz Williams, Jr., UMass
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Brad Stevens, Butler
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Semaj Christon, Fr., Xavier
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Xavier advanced to the Sweet 16
Read more at Atlantic 10: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
The answer is certainly multiple and the answer could end up being anywhere in the range from four to six when all is said and done. While on-the-court play and non-conference resume builders will determine who and how many teams will dance in 2013, the hype and expectations that the league is building this year is incredible.
The additions of both VCU and Butler give the A-10 two of the nation’s most notable Cinderellas in recent memory and each will have the ability to contend for a conference crown in their first season. Saint Louis and Temple once again provide consistency near the top of the league, while both St. Joseph’s and UMass will make this title race all that much more interesting.
So, can all six of the aforementioned teams make a run at March? What about Dayton, LaSalle, and an Xavier squad, who despite recent losses, are fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance? It was only a season ago when we saw St. Bonaventure make a run in the conference tournament and steal a bid into the bracket.
The parody and competition runs deep in what should certainly be an exciting year within the league.
Atlantic 10 Conference Prediction:
1. VCU
2. Butler
3. UMass
4. Saint Louis
5. Temple
6. St. Joseph’s
7. Dayton
8. LaSalle
9. Xavier
10. Richmond
11. St. Bonaventure
12. George Washington
13. Charlotte
14. Fordham
15. Rhode Island
16. Duquesne
First Team All-Atlantic 10 Prediction:
G Chaz Williams, Jr., UMass
G Kevin Dillard, Sr., Dayton
G Khalif Wyatt, Sr., Temple
F Juvonte Reddic, Jr., VCU
F C.J. Aiken, Jr., St. Joseph’s
Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Prediction:
Chaz Williams, Jr., UMass
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Brad Stevens, Butler
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Semaj Christon, Fr., Xavier
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Xavier advanced to the Sweet 16
Read more at Atlantic 10: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
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Today, we look at the Mountain West Conference: The top-heavy Mountain West Conference will present a similar feel again in 2012-13. UNLV and San Diego State have more than enough firepower to be amongst the nation’s top teams throughout the season, while New Mexico and Colorado State will be chomping at the bit.
Nevada enters their first season within the MWC and once again present a squad that is capable of being competitive. Can the Wolfpack make a stab at the upper half of the league, however? That lies in the hands of lead guard Deonte Burton.
The talent level and overall power that the Mountain West provides will once again being amongst the nation’s premier non-power six threats. Buckle up MWC, 2012-13 has all the makings of another exciting year.
Mountain West Conference Predictions:
1. San Diego State
2. UNLV
3. New Mexico
4. Colorado State
5. Nevada
6. Wyoming
7. Fresno State
8. Boise State
9. Air Force
First Team All-MWC Predictions:
G Kendall Williams, Jr., New Mexico
G Deonte Burton, Jr., Nevada
G Jamaal Franklin, Jr., San Diego State
F Mike Moser, Jr., UNLV
F Anthony Bennett, Fr., UNLV
Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Prediction:
Jamaal Franklin, Jr., San Diego State
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Steve Fisher, San Diego State
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Anthony Bennett, Fr., UNLV
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- New Mexico advanced to Round of 32
Read more at Mountain West: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
Nevada enters their first season within the MWC and once again present a squad that is capable of being competitive. Can the Wolfpack make a stab at the upper half of the league, however? That lies in the hands of lead guard Deonte Burton.
The talent level and overall power that the Mountain West provides will once again being amongst the nation’s premier non-power six threats. Buckle up MWC, 2012-13 has all the makings of another exciting year.
Mountain West Conference Predictions:
1. San Diego State
2. UNLV
3. New Mexico
4. Colorado State
5. Nevada
6. Wyoming
7. Fresno State
8. Boise State
9. Air Force
First Team All-MWC Predictions:
G Kendall Williams, Jr., New Mexico
G Deonte Burton, Jr., Nevada
G Jamaal Franklin, Jr., San Diego State
F Mike Moser, Jr., UNLV
F Anthony Bennett, Fr., UNLV
Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Prediction:
Jamaal Franklin, Jr., San Diego State
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Steve Fisher, San Diego State
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Anthony Bennett, Fr., UNLV
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- New Mexico advanced to Round of 32
Read more at Mountain West: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
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After last season, it would be more than difficult to say that the Pac-12 hasn’t improved. It’s more than improved and expectations are soaring for many squads in the league.
Arizona and UCLA have each added a number of talented freshmen that have skyrocketed the hype heading into the 2012-13 season. However, Bruins’ freshman forward Shabazz Muhammad, arguably the league’s best player, has yet to be cleared by the NCAA. With that being said, UCLA should still be amongst the league’s most improved squads this year.
California, Colorado and Stanford all turn to veterans and returnees for guidance, while squads like Washington and Oregon look to battle around the middle of the league. USC may be the conference’s most interesting enigma. After a horrendous season a year ago, a number of newcomers and transfers have increased expectations. Jio Fontan is also back to lead the way in the back court.
The bottom half of the league once again faces uncertainty, as hot seats may kick in sooner than later for Washington State‘s Ken Bone and Arizona State‘s Herb Sendek.
After Washington took home the Pac-12 regular season title a season ago, the Huskies failed to make the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first power-six conference team to do so. There should be no such situation like that presenting itself in 2013 as a number of competitive squads will jostle for position and bids to the Big Dance.
Pac-12 Predictions:
1. Arizona
2. UCLA
3. Colorado
4. Stanford
5. California
6. USC
7. Washington
8. Oregon
9. Arizona State
10. Oregon State
11. Washington State
12. Utah
First Team All-Pac-12 Predictions:
G Allen Crabbe, Jr., California
G Jahii Carson, Fr., Arizona State
G Chasson Randle, So., Stanford
FBrock Motum, Sr., Washington State
F Andre Roberson, Jr., Colorado
(*** Shabazz Muhammad, Fr., UCLA if eligible ***)
Pac-12 Player of the Year Prediction:
Andre Roberson, Jr., Colorado
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Sean Miller, Arizona
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Kyle Anderson, Fr., UCLA
(*** Shabazz Muhammad, Fr., UCLA if eligible ***)
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Colorado advanced to the Round of 64
Read more at Pac-12: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
Arizona and UCLA have each added a number of talented freshmen that have skyrocketed the hype heading into the 2012-13 season. However, Bruins’ freshman forward Shabazz Muhammad, arguably the league’s best player, has yet to be cleared by the NCAA. With that being said, UCLA should still be amongst the league’s most improved squads this year.
California, Colorado and Stanford all turn to veterans and returnees for guidance, while squads like Washington and Oregon look to battle around the middle of the league. USC may be the conference’s most interesting enigma. After a horrendous season a year ago, a number of newcomers and transfers have increased expectations. Jio Fontan is also back to lead the way in the back court.
The bottom half of the league once again faces uncertainty, as hot seats may kick in sooner than later for Washington State‘s Ken Bone and Arizona State‘s Herb Sendek.
After Washington took home the Pac-12 regular season title a season ago, the Huskies failed to make the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first power-six conference team to do so. There should be no such situation like that presenting itself in 2013 as a number of competitive squads will jostle for position and bids to the Big Dance.
Pac-12 Predictions:
1. Arizona
2. UCLA
3. Colorado
4. Stanford
5. California
6. USC
7. Washington
8. Oregon
9. Arizona State
10. Oregon State
11. Washington State
12. Utah
First Team All-Pac-12 Predictions:
G Allen Crabbe, Jr., California
G Jahii Carson, Fr., Arizona State
G Chasson Randle, So., Stanford
FBrock Motum, Sr., Washington State
F Andre Roberson, Jr., Colorado
(*** Shabazz Muhammad, Fr., UCLA if eligible ***)
Pac-12 Player of the Year Prediction:
Andre Roberson, Jr., Colorado
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Sean Miller, Arizona
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Kyle Anderson, Fr., UCLA
(*** Shabazz Muhammad, Fr., UCLA if eligible ***)
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Colorado advanced to the Round of 64
Read more at Pac-12: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
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As regular season games begin this week in college basketball, it’s time to put out one last list of power rankings before the contests that matter kick off.
This season, the Big 12 conference again looks to be a powerhouse in the nation and send multiple teams to the Big Dance in March. However, the conference is undergoing a little bit of an identity change. Of course, Kansas and Baylor will find their names printed in the Associated Press biweekly, but Missouri has now left for the SEC and opened the door for a few other teams to make noise in the south.
The league has added a former Big East contender West Virginia, and a total wildcard in TCU from the Mountain West, but also has of three or four other Big 12 regulars who are looking to make some noise.
Throughout the course of this 2012-2013 college basketball season, Rant Sports CAA Correspondent Jake Fischer will be bringing you weekly Big 12 Power Rankings every Thursday. During the season, the Rankings will be determined by each team’s respective week-by-week successes and failures, along with strength of schedule.
With all that being said, it’s time to dive into the preseason power rankings. Who will be the next Big 12 champion now that Mizzou has left the conference’s den?
Read more at Big 12 Power Rankings: Preseason Edition
This season, the Big 12 conference again looks to be a powerhouse in the nation and send multiple teams to the Big Dance in March. However, the conference is undergoing a little bit of an identity change. Of course, Kansas and Baylor will find their names printed in the Associated Press biweekly, but Missouri has now left for the SEC and opened the door for a few other teams to make noise in the south.
The league has added a former Big East contender West Virginia, and a total wildcard in TCU from the Mountain West, but also has of three or four other Big 12 regulars who are looking to make some noise.
Throughout the course of this 2012-2013 college basketball season, Rant Sports CAA Correspondent Jake Fischer will be bringing you weekly Big 12 Power Rankings every Thursday. During the season, the Rankings will be determined by each team’s respective week-by-week successes and failures, along with strength of schedule.
With all that being said, it’s time to dive into the preseason power rankings. Who will be the next Big 12 champion now that Mizzou has left the conference’s den?
Read more at Big 12 Power Rankings: Preseason Edition
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Another year of college basketball is quickly approaching and in preparation, Rant Sports College Basketball Network Manager Paul Seaver will be breaking down and predicting the outcomes of each conference across the country.
Today, we look at the Big 12:
Some thought that Kansas‘ streak of consecutive Big 12 championships would end last year. It didn’t and now a run at nine in a row is on the horizon in 2012-13.
Baylor may be the team who poses the toughest threat to the Jayhawks this season, but teams like Texas and Oklahoma State are vastly improved. West Virginia enters its first season in the league with expectations of finishing within the upper half of the conference, while Rodney McGruder once again returns to lead Kansas State.
West Virginia is not the only newcomer to the league this season as TCU and head coach Trent Johnson are also ready to go. However, expectations in their first season may reside near the bottom half of the conference. The league has seen four teams depart over the course of the past two years, but their latest additions give them an even ten heading into this year.
Regardless of the numbers, the conference should once again be in for an exciting year, but will it be Kansas who once again reigns supreme?
Big 12 Predictions:
1. Baylor
2. Kansas
3. Oklahoma State
4. Texas
5. West Virginia
6. Kansas State
7. Iowa State
8. Oklahoma
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU
First Team All-Big 12 Predictions:
G Rodney McGruder, Sr., Kansas State
G Pierre Jackson, Sr., Baylor
F Le’Bryan Nash, So., Oklahoma State
F Deniz Kilicli, Sr., West Virginia
F Jeff Withey, Sr., Kansas
Big 12 Player of the Year Prediction:
Pierre Jackson, Sr., Baylor
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Scott Drew, Baylor
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Marcus Smart, Fr., Oklahoma State
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Kansas lost in National Championship game
Read more at Big 12: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Preview
Today, we look at the Big 12:
Some thought that Kansas‘ streak of consecutive Big 12 championships would end last year. It didn’t and now a run at nine in a row is on the horizon in 2012-13.
Baylor may be the team who poses the toughest threat to the Jayhawks this season, but teams like Texas and Oklahoma State are vastly improved. West Virginia enters its first season in the league with expectations of finishing within the upper half of the conference, while Rodney McGruder once again returns to lead Kansas State.
West Virginia is not the only newcomer to the league this season as TCU and head coach Trent Johnson are also ready to go. However, expectations in their first season may reside near the bottom half of the conference. The league has seen four teams depart over the course of the past two years, but their latest additions give them an even ten heading into this year.
Regardless of the numbers, the conference should once again be in for an exciting year, but will it be Kansas who once again reigns supreme?
Big 12 Predictions:
1. Baylor
2. Kansas
3. Oklahoma State
4. Texas
5. West Virginia
6. Kansas State
7. Iowa State
8. Oklahoma
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU
First Team All-Big 12 Predictions:
G Rodney McGruder, Sr., Kansas State
G Pierre Jackson, Sr., Baylor
F Le’Bryan Nash, So., Oklahoma State
F Deniz Kilicli, Sr., West Virginia
F Jeff Withey, Sr., Kansas
Big 12 Player of the Year Prediction:
Pierre Jackson, Sr., Baylor
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Scott Drew, Baylor
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Marcus Smart, Fr., Oklahoma State
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Kansas lost in National Championship game
Read more at Big 12: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Preview
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Another year of college basketball is quickly approaching and in preparation, Rant Sports College Basketball Network Manager Paul Seaver will be breaking down and predicting the outcomes of each conference across the country.
Today, we look at the Big East:
Louisville enters the 2012-13 season as the favorite within the Big East Conference, but there is no shortage of competition that can contend for a conference title.
Syracuse, Cincinnati and Notre Dame look to assert their firepower near the top of the league, while Pittsburgh looks to rebound from a disappointing campaign a year ago. Georgetown, Connecticut (banned from 2013 postseason) and Marquette all most replace their star players from the 2011-12 season, but despite the drop off, each will have their opportunities to bang within the middle of the conference pack.
As previous years has shown however, the shakeup within the Big East runs deep. Teams like St. John’s and South Florida should each have their chances at success, while DePaul, for the first time in a number of years, has a chance to climb within the league standings.
Buckle up Big East fans, another year of college basketball is on the way.
Big East Predictions:
1. Louisville
2. Syracuse
3. Cincinnati
4. Notre Dame
5. Pittsburgh
6. Georgetown
7. St. John’s
8. Connecticut
9. Marquette
10. South Florida
11. Villanova
12. DePaul
13. Rutgers
14. Seton Hall
15. Providence
First Team All-Big East Predictions:
G Peyton Siva, Sr., Louisville
G Sean Kilpatrick, Jr., Cincinnati
G D’Angelo Harrison, So., St. John’s
F Otto Porter, So., Georgetown
FGorgui Dieng, Jr., Louisville
Big East Player of the Year Prediction:
Peyton Siva, Sr., Louisville
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Mick Cronin, Cincinnati
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Steven Adams, Fr., Pittsburgh
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Louisville advanced to the Final Four
Read more at Big East: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
Today, we look at the Big East:
Louisville enters the 2012-13 season as the favorite within the Big East Conference, but there is no shortage of competition that can contend for a conference title.
Syracuse, Cincinnati and Notre Dame look to assert their firepower near the top of the league, while Pittsburgh looks to rebound from a disappointing campaign a year ago. Georgetown, Connecticut (banned from 2013 postseason) and Marquette all most replace their star players from the 2011-12 season, but despite the drop off, each will have their opportunities to bang within the middle of the conference pack.
As previous years has shown however, the shakeup within the Big East runs deep. Teams like St. John’s and South Florida should each have their chances at success, while DePaul, for the first time in a number of years, has a chance to climb within the league standings.
Buckle up Big East fans, another year of college basketball is on the way.
Big East Predictions:
1. Louisville
2. Syracuse
3. Cincinnati
4. Notre Dame
5. Pittsburgh
6. Georgetown
7. St. John’s
8. Connecticut
9. Marquette
10. South Florida
11. Villanova
12. DePaul
13. Rutgers
14. Seton Hall
15. Providence
First Team All-Big East Predictions:
G Peyton Siva, Sr., Louisville
G Sean Kilpatrick, Jr., Cincinnati
G D’Angelo Harrison, So., St. John’s
F Otto Porter, So., Georgetown
FGorgui Dieng, Jr., Louisville
Big East Player of the Year Prediction:
Peyton Siva, Sr., Louisville
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Mick Cronin, Cincinnati
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Steven Adams, Fr., Pittsburgh
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Louisville advanced to the Final Four
Read more at Big East: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
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Another year of college basketball is quickly approaching and in preparation, Rant Sports College Basketball Network Manager Paul Seaver will be breaking down and predicting the outcomes of each conference across the country.
Today, we look at the Big Ten:
Is the Big Ten Conference the nation’s best heading into the 2012-13 season?
It just might be with its top heavy threats of Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan, the Big Ten features a number of teams capable of vying for a Final Four run. Michigan State moves forward without do-it-all forward Draymond Green, but the talent level remains high, while the return of Trevor Mbakwe also has Minnesota in pursuit of a tournament bid.
Wisconsin has continuously proven that they can never be counted out despite the loss of star point guard Jordan Taylor from a year ago and the injury that current back court play maker Josh Gasser suffered heading into this season.
The middle of the pack in the league showcases a number of teams with questions surrounding them, including Northwestern, who once again faces the daunting task of qualifying for their first NCAA Tournament in school history.
While on-the-court play will ultimately determine which league is the nation’s best, there shouldn’t be much doubt to the case that the Big Ten can make in that regard.
Big Ten Predictions:
1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Wisconsin
7. Iowa
8. Illinois
9. Purdue
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska
First Team All-Big Ten Predictions:
G Aaron Craft, Jr., Ohio State
G Trey Burke, So., Michigan
F Deshaun Thomas, So., Ohio State
F Trevor Mbakwe, Sr., Minnesota
F Cody Zeller, So., Indiana
Big Ten Player of the Year Prediction:
Cody Zeller, So., Indiana
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Tom Crean, Indiana
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Gary Harris, Fr., Michigan State
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin all advanced to the Sweet 16
Read more at Big Ten: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
Today, we look at the Big Ten:
Is the Big Ten Conference the nation’s best heading into the 2012-13 season?
It just might be with its top heavy threats of Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan, the Big Ten features a number of teams capable of vying for a Final Four run. Michigan State moves forward without do-it-all forward Draymond Green, but the talent level remains high, while the return of Trevor Mbakwe also has Minnesota in pursuit of a tournament bid.
Wisconsin has continuously proven that they can never be counted out despite the loss of star point guard Jordan Taylor from a year ago and the injury that current back court play maker Josh Gasser suffered heading into this season.
The middle of the pack in the league showcases a number of teams with questions surrounding them, including Northwestern, who once again faces the daunting task of qualifying for their first NCAA Tournament in school history.
While on-the-court play will ultimately determine which league is the nation’s best, there shouldn’t be much doubt to the case that the Big Ten can make in that regard.
Big Ten Predictions:
1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Wisconsin
7. Iowa
8. Illinois
9. Purdue
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska
First Team All-Big Ten Predictions:
G Aaron Craft, Jr., Ohio State
G Trey Burke, So., Michigan
F Deshaun Thomas, So., Ohio State
F Trevor Mbakwe, Sr., Minnesota
F Cody Zeller, So., Indiana
Big Ten Player of the Year Prediction:
Cody Zeller, So., Indiana
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Tom Crean, Indiana
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Gary Harris, Fr., Michigan State
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2012- Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin all advanced to the Sweet 16
Read more at Big Ten: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews
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After a tight first half, the 15th-ranked Missouri Tigers pulled away for an 83-69 victory over the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars to open regular season play at Mizzou Arena on Saturday night.
Missouri took their first lead of the game on a three pointer by Negus Webster-Chan to make it 27-26 with 6:40 left in the first half. It was nip and tuck until the 2:16 mark, when Mizzou took lead for good on a layup by junior guard Phil Pressey.
The Tigers (1-0, 1-0 home) led by six at the break.
The Cougars (0-1, 0-1 away) pulled within three early on in the second half, but Mizzou answered with a 20-3 run to crush any chance of an SIUE comeback.
Missouri crushed SIUE on the boards, outrebounding the Cougars 48-31. Senior forward Laurence Bowers led the Tigers with 20 points and seven rebounds. Pressey dropped 19 points and nine assists.
Missouri plays Alcorn State on Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena.
NCAAB: No. 15 Mizzou Wins Debut 83-69 | fox4kc-com
Missouri took their first lead of the game on a three pointer by Negus Webster-Chan to make it 27-26 with 6:40 left in the first half. It was nip and tuck until the 2:16 mark, when Mizzou took lead for good on a layup by junior guard Phil Pressey.
The Tigers (1-0, 1-0 home) led by six at the break.
The Cougars (0-1, 0-1 away) pulled within three early on in the second half, but Mizzou answered with a 20-3 run to crush any chance of an SIUE comeback.
Missouri crushed SIUE on the boards, outrebounding the Cougars 48-31. Senior forward Laurence Bowers led the Tigers with 20 points and seven rebounds. Pressey dropped 19 points and nine assists.
Missouri plays Alcorn State on Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena.
NCAAB: No. 15 Mizzou Wins Debut 83-69 | fox4kc-com
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Cody Zeller and his teammates were not themselves Monday night.
The 7-foot center had an excuse — he was sick. His teammates looked like they caught the same bug.
Fortunately, the Hoosiers found a remedy at halftime.
Zeller, Remy Abell and Jeremy Hollowell turned the game with a second-half run that finally allowed No. 1 Indiana to pull away to an 87-61 victory over pesky North Dakota State in the first round of the Progressive Legends Classic.
"Your fundamentals, your technique, all your experiences, all those things are really, really important, but there's nothing bigger than energy and toughness. It's got to be there constantly," Indiana coach Tom Crean said. "Once we got that figured out tonight and we had some guys that figured it out from the beginning, but we didn't have a team of guys that figured it out from the beginning, and once we did, I thought we played pretty well."
It just took so long to find that winning combination. This was the kind of game that had given Indiana problems in previous seasons. Fans, and perhaps Indiana's players, figured those struggles were over since the Hoosiers (2-0) reclaimed their spot on top of the college basketball world.
But North Dakota State proved how dangerous assumptions can be.
The Bison (1-1) were content to challenge every shot Indiana shot took — regardless of the cost.
It took a toll, too.
When the Hoosiers couldn't get their up-tempo, inside-out game in sync, the offense sank. The grind-it-out style made Indiana look like, well, ordinary.
Their outside shooters were just 4 of 11 from the 3-point arc in the first half and 1 of 2 in the second half. The energy that persisted throughout Friday night's season-opening rout over Bryant was missing, too.
Crean was flummoxed.
"There's conventional, there's unconventional and then there's tonight," he said. "We need to do the same thing next Monday and Tuesday. We've got to do the same thing against Ball State and North Carolina. It makes no difference."
Crean learned that lesson the hard way against the same North Dakota State program six years ago. Back then, the Bison rolled into Milwaukee, upset No. 8 Marquette 64-60 and returned home with the Golden Eagles' tourney trophy. They haven't beaten a Top 25 team since.
So before Monday night's game, Crean warned his players not to overlook the Bison. It didn't exactly reverberate until halftime when they were holding a 42-29 lead.
"We're going to see everything from different teams this year," Zeller said after scoring 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds. "I know they're going to try different strategies, that they're going to try to outphysical me, outphysical some of our other guys, try to get us in foul trouble, so you've just got to keep your composure and keep on working."
And it was the young guys who responded.
Abell, a sophomore, made all five of his shots including three 3-pointers to finish with a career-high 14 points. Hollowell, a freshman, scored 14 points in 19 minutes, and freshman point guard Yogi Ferrell was a defensive beast.
It was exactly what Indiana needed to get things righted against a team with something to prove.
"We had some fight in us, but we expect to have fight in us," Bison coach Saul Phillips said. "It's amazing to me, they just kept coming at us in waves. Eventually, they leaned at us and a leg went out."
The Bison were led by Marshall Bjorklund with 16 points and Mike Felt with 11, and they hung around long enough to cause some consternation inside sold-out Assembly Hall.
Felt's 3-pointer with 15:55 to play cut Indiana's lead to 48-38.
That's when the Hoosiers' scoring trio turned the game.
Hollowell started the key run with a three-point play and two free throws. Abell followed that with another free throw and a layup and Zeller had added consecutive dunks.
Will Sheehey then hit a 3, Abell made two more 3s and closed out the run with a putback to give Indiana a 71-51 lead. That was all the Hoosiers needed Monday.
Crean expects more when Indiana faces Sam Houston State on Thursday night.
"If we're going to be successful, we've got to have a group of guys where there's very little drop off when we got to the bench," Crean said. "Tonight, we just played."
No. 1 Indiana fends off North Dakota St. 87-61
The 7-foot center had an excuse — he was sick. His teammates looked like they caught the same bug.
Fortunately, the Hoosiers found a remedy at halftime.
Zeller, Remy Abell and Jeremy Hollowell turned the game with a second-half run that finally allowed No. 1 Indiana to pull away to an 87-61 victory over pesky North Dakota State in the first round of the Progressive Legends Classic.
"Your fundamentals, your technique, all your experiences, all those things are really, really important, but there's nothing bigger than energy and toughness. It's got to be there constantly," Indiana coach Tom Crean said. "Once we got that figured out tonight and we had some guys that figured it out from the beginning, but we didn't have a team of guys that figured it out from the beginning, and once we did, I thought we played pretty well."
It just took so long to find that winning combination. This was the kind of game that had given Indiana problems in previous seasons. Fans, and perhaps Indiana's players, figured those struggles were over since the Hoosiers (2-0) reclaimed their spot on top of the college basketball world.
But North Dakota State proved how dangerous assumptions can be.
The Bison (1-1) were content to challenge every shot Indiana shot took — regardless of the cost.
It took a toll, too.
When the Hoosiers couldn't get their up-tempo, inside-out game in sync, the offense sank. The grind-it-out style made Indiana look like, well, ordinary.
Their outside shooters were just 4 of 11 from the 3-point arc in the first half and 1 of 2 in the second half. The energy that persisted throughout Friday night's season-opening rout over Bryant was missing, too.
Crean was flummoxed.
"There's conventional, there's unconventional and then there's tonight," he said. "We need to do the same thing next Monday and Tuesday. We've got to do the same thing against Ball State and North Carolina. It makes no difference."
Crean learned that lesson the hard way against the same North Dakota State program six years ago. Back then, the Bison rolled into Milwaukee, upset No. 8 Marquette 64-60 and returned home with the Golden Eagles' tourney trophy. They haven't beaten a Top 25 team since.
So before Monday night's game, Crean warned his players not to overlook the Bison. It didn't exactly reverberate until halftime when they were holding a 42-29 lead.
"We're going to see everything from different teams this year," Zeller said after scoring 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds. "I know they're going to try different strategies, that they're going to try to outphysical me, outphysical some of our other guys, try to get us in foul trouble, so you've just got to keep your composure and keep on working."
And it was the young guys who responded.
Abell, a sophomore, made all five of his shots including three 3-pointers to finish with a career-high 14 points. Hollowell, a freshman, scored 14 points in 19 minutes, and freshman point guard Yogi Ferrell was a defensive beast.
It was exactly what Indiana needed to get things righted against a team with something to prove.
"We had some fight in us, but we expect to have fight in us," Bison coach Saul Phillips said. "It's amazing to me, they just kept coming at us in waves. Eventually, they leaned at us and a leg went out."
The Bison were led by Marshall Bjorklund with 16 points and Mike Felt with 11, and they hung around long enough to cause some consternation inside sold-out Assembly Hall.
Felt's 3-pointer with 15:55 to play cut Indiana's lead to 48-38.
That's when the Hoosiers' scoring trio turned the game.
Hollowell started the key run with a three-point play and two free throws. Abell followed that with another free throw and a layup and Zeller had added consecutive dunks.
Will Sheehey then hit a 3, Abell made two more 3s and closed out the run with a putback to give Indiana a 71-51 lead. That was all the Hoosiers needed Monday.
Crean expects more when Indiana faces Sam Houston State on Thursday night.
"If we're going to be successful, we've got to have a group of guys where there's very little drop off when we got to the bench," Crean said. "Tonight, we just played."
No. 1 Indiana fends off North Dakota St. 87-61
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Bill Self dared Ben McLemore to be more aggressive Thursday night.
If the freshman guard hadn't heeded the challenge, seventh-ranked Kansas could have left the court inside Allen Fieldhouse with consecutive losses for the first time in ages.
McLemore wound up with 25 points and eight rebounds, and teamed with Elijah Johnson to trigger a big second-half charge, allowing the Jayhawks to escape with a 69-55 victory over Chattanooga. "I just wanted to get my teammates involved, too," said McLemore, who added three assists, all despite dislocating his finger twice in the second half. "I just came in tonight with the mindset of being aggressive, like coach wants me to be every night."
The Jayhawks (2-1), coming off a loss Tuesday night to Michigan State, got off to a sluggish start against the Mocs, and still trailed 42-30 in the opening minutes of the second half.
Jeff Withey began their comeback with a basket inside, Johnson ripped a three-pointer and McLemore slammed down the first of back-to-back highlight-reel dunks to trigger a 27-4 run over the next 12-plus minutes. Kansas merely had to go through the motions down the stretch to wrap up the win.
"Ben showed a glimpse of his athletic ability tonight," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "Defenses are going to be designed to stop Ben, and we don't know how to run offense yet. We're still trying to figure it out, and to me that was pretty impressive tonight."
Farad Cobb was just as impressive: He was 6 of 7 from beyond the arc in the first half, and added another three-pointer in the second half to finish with 31 points for Chattanooga (1-1).
"They just locked us up defensively," Chattanooga coach John Shulman said. "They came back and made some shots. Once you make a shot, it kind of changes how everything looks."
Kansas managed to extend the nation's third-longest home-court winning streak to 25 games despite having more turnovers (9) than field goals (8) in the waning minutes of the first half.
That's when things were still tenuous for the Jayhawks.
And when Cobb couldn't miss.
The freshman guard made his first three-pointer in the opening minutes, and then after a miss, connected on five consecutive to finish off the half. Two of them came on consecutive possessions just before the break that helped lift Chattanooga to a 36-28 lead.
The halftime deficit was Kansas' largest at home to a non-conference opponent since 2005.
Self, whose hallmark over the years has been gritty, in-your-shorts defense, was steaming on the sideline as he blew through just about all his timeouts trying to get Cobb to cool down.
"It's not a good feeling, period," Johnson said. "I don't really like for people to come into the Fieldhouse and have a game like that. It doesn't happen too much."
Chattanooga stayed hot early in the second half, getting three-pointers from Z Mason and Ronrico White to extend the lead to 42-30. The Mocs were 10 of 16 from beyond the arc at that point.
That's when Kansas finally buckled down on defense, let loose on offense, and gave another packed crowd inside Allen Fieldhouse a reason to jump to its feet.
McLemore's first dunk during the surge prompted a timeout by Chattanooga coach John Shulman. After the Jayhawks forced a shot-clock violation when the game resumed, McLemore hopped on his pogo stick along the baseline and skied to grab a lob by Johnson for another dunk.
"He's so explosive," Shulman said. "He hangs up there for a while."
McLemore was on the giving end on the next possession, tossing up the pass for Travis Releford to finish off a dunk, and Shulman frantically called another timeout.
Johnson's three-pointer finally gave Kansas a 44-43 lead, its first since it was 2-0. McLemore added a breakaway dunk, Naadir Tharpe buried a 3, and Johnson connected with McLemore again for an alley-oop dunk. By the time Withey took a feed from McLemore for a dunk and then added a foul shot, the Jayhawks had suddenly built a 57-46 lead.
"We just got on a roll," McLemore said, "and we took it from there."
The Jayhawks cruised down the stretch, outscoring the Mocs 41-19 in the second half. They only committed four turnovers after the break while forcing Chattanooga into 12.
"I thought the first half was the worst we've played, and the second half was the best we've played all year," Self said. "One thing that I do know, we're not good enough to play 80% or 90%. We have to play 100% every night. When we do that, we're pretty good."
Ben McLemore leads No. 7 Kansas past Chattanooga
If the freshman guard hadn't heeded the challenge, seventh-ranked Kansas could have left the court inside Allen Fieldhouse with consecutive losses for the first time in ages.
McLemore wound up with 25 points and eight rebounds, and teamed with Elijah Johnson to trigger a big second-half charge, allowing the Jayhawks to escape with a 69-55 victory over Chattanooga. "I just wanted to get my teammates involved, too," said McLemore, who added three assists, all despite dislocating his finger twice in the second half. "I just came in tonight with the mindset of being aggressive, like coach wants me to be every night."
The Jayhawks (2-1), coming off a loss Tuesday night to Michigan State, got off to a sluggish start against the Mocs, and still trailed 42-30 in the opening minutes of the second half.
Jeff Withey began their comeback with a basket inside, Johnson ripped a three-pointer and McLemore slammed down the first of back-to-back highlight-reel dunks to trigger a 27-4 run over the next 12-plus minutes. Kansas merely had to go through the motions down the stretch to wrap up the win.
"Ben showed a glimpse of his athletic ability tonight," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "Defenses are going to be designed to stop Ben, and we don't know how to run offense yet. We're still trying to figure it out, and to me that was pretty impressive tonight."
Farad Cobb was just as impressive: He was 6 of 7 from beyond the arc in the first half, and added another three-pointer in the second half to finish with 31 points for Chattanooga (1-1).
"They just locked us up defensively," Chattanooga coach John Shulman said. "They came back and made some shots. Once you make a shot, it kind of changes how everything looks."
Kansas managed to extend the nation's third-longest home-court winning streak to 25 games despite having more turnovers (9) than field goals (8) in the waning minutes of the first half.
That's when things were still tenuous for the Jayhawks.
And when Cobb couldn't miss.
The freshman guard made his first three-pointer in the opening minutes, and then after a miss, connected on five consecutive to finish off the half. Two of them came on consecutive possessions just before the break that helped lift Chattanooga to a 36-28 lead.
The halftime deficit was Kansas' largest at home to a non-conference opponent since 2005.
Self, whose hallmark over the years has been gritty, in-your-shorts defense, was steaming on the sideline as he blew through just about all his timeouts trying to get Cobb to cool down.
"It's not a good feeling, period," Johnson said. "I don't really like for people to come into the Fieldhouse and have a game like that. It doesn't happen too much."
Chattanooga stayed hot early in the second half, getting three-pointers from Z Mason and Ronrico White to extend the lead to 42-30. The Mocs were 10 of 16 from beyond the arc at that point.
That's when Kansas finally buckled down on defense, let loose on offense, and gave another packed crowd inside Allen Fieldhouse a reason to jump to its feet.
McLemore's first dunk during the surge prompted a timeout by Chattanooga coach John Shulman. After the Jayhawks forced a shot-clock violation when the game resumed, McLemore hopped on his pogo stick along the baseline and skied to grab a lob by Johnson for another dunk.
"He's so explosive," Shulman said. "He hangs up there for a while."
McLemore was on the giving end on the next possession, tossing up the pass for Travis Releford to finish off a dunk, and Shulman frantically called another timeout.
Johnson's three-pointer finally gave Kansas a 44-43 lead, its first since it was 2-0. McLemore added a breakaway dunk, Naadir Tharpe buried a 3, and Johnson connected with McLemore again for an alley-oop dunk. By the time Withey took a feed from McLemore for a dunk and then added a foul shot, the Jayhawks had suddenly built a 57-46 lead.
"We just got on a roll," McLemore said, "and we took it from there."
The Jayhawks cruised down the stretch, outscoring the Mocs 41-19 in the second half. They only committed four turnovers after the break while forcing Chattanooga into 12.
"I thought the first half was the worst we've played, and the second half was the best we've played all year," Self said. "One thing that I do know, we're not good enough to play 80% or 90%. We have to play 100% every night. When we do that, we're pretty good."
Ben McLemore leads No. 7 Kansas past Chattanooga
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Sean Kilpatrick scored a career-high 29 points on Sunday, hitting eight shots from behind the arc, and No. 24 Cincinnati dominated from the outset Sunday of a 93-39 victory over North Carolina A&T.
The Bearcats (3-0) opened with a 14-point run that featured four 3s by Kilpatrick, who got wide-open shots all around the arc. Cincinnati's lead never slipped below double digits.
Kilpatrick had 21 points in the opening half — six under his previous high — and matched his career best with six 3-pointers before the intermission. He made more shots from beyond the arc than the Aggies (1-3) did overall in the half — NC A&T was 4 of 30.
North Carolina A&T shot only 15 percent from the field (10 of 66) with 20 turnovers. Lamont Middleton led the Aggies with 11 points.
Kilpatrick had a big game all-around, getting seven rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. The junior guard has 49 points in the last two games.
Kilpatrick set a career high for scoring on his eighth 3-pointer with 10:26 left, completing a 16-0 run for a 68-24 lead. At that point, the Aggies had only seven field goals combined.
The only blemish for Cincinnati was free throw shooting. The Bearcats came in averaging 59.6 percent from the line and missed 11 of their first 14. The crowd of 5,582 cheered when Cashmere Wright made a free throw that ended a streak of seven straight misses in the second half.
NC A&T finished 9 of 23 on free throws.
The Aggies repeatedly shot air balls over outstretched arms, missing their first 10 shots overall. They didn't get their first field goal until Lamont Middleton scored at the 12:37 mark, making it 17-3. Six of their shots were swatted away in the first half.
North Carolina A&T also had trouble holding onto the ball against Cincinnati's extended man-to-man defense. The Aggies had 12 turnovers while falling behind 47-16 at halftime.
The Bearcats are using their early games to build a 10-man-deep bench for Big East play. Coach Mick Cronin used his reserves a lot during an 80-57 win over Tennessee-Martin and a 102-60 win over Mississippi Valley State, and quickly got some of his reserve in against the Aggies.
No matter who was on the floor, Cincinnati's defense was too much for the Aggies, who couldn't score more than five points in a row.
Kilpatrick's 29 leads No. 24 Cincinnati in rout
The Bearcats (3-0) opened with a 14-point run that featured four 3s by Kilpatrick, who got wide-open shots all around the arc. Cincinnati's lead never slipped below double digits.
Kilpatrick had 21 points in the opening half — six under his previous high — and matched his career best with six 3-pointers before the intermission. He made more shots from beyond the arc than the Aggies (1-3) did overall in the half — NC A&T was 4 of 30.
North Carolina A&T shot only 15 percent from the field (10 of 66) with 20 turnovers. Lamont Middleton led the Aggies with 11 points.
Kilpatrick had a big game all-around, getting seven rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. The junior guard has 49 points in the last two games.
Kilpatrick set a career high for scoring on his eighth 3-pointer with 10:26 left, completing a 16-0 run for a 68-24 lead. At that point, the Aggies had only seven field goals combined.
The only blemish for Cincinnati was free throw shooting. The Bearcats came in averaging 59.6 percent from the line and missed 11 of their first 14. The crowd of 5,582 cheered when Cashmere Wright made a free throw that ended a streak of seven straight misses in the second half.
NC A&T finished 9 of 23 on free throws.
The Aggies repeatedly shot air balls over outstretched arms, missing their first 10 shots overall. They didn't get their first field goal until Lamont Middleton scored at the 12:37 mark, making it 17-3. Six of their shots were swatted away in the first half.
North Carolina A&T also had trouble holding onto the ball against Cincinnati's extended man-to-man defense. The Aggies had 12 turnovers while falling behind 47-16 at halftime.
The Bearcats are using their early games to build a 10-man-deep bench for Big East play. Coach Mick Cronin used his reserves a lot during an 80-57 win over Tennessee-Martin and a 102-60 win over Mississippi Valley State, and quickly got some of his reserve in against the Aggies.
No matter who was on the floor, Cincinnati's defense was too much for the Aggies, who couldn't score more than five points in a row.
Kilpatrick's 29 leads No. 24 Cincinnati in rout
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Kansas learned just how effective it can be Tuesday night against Saint Louis when its best defenders also turn out to be its most efficient scorers.
Jeff Withey matched a career high with 25 points, Travis Releford added 23 and the No. 11 Jayhawks rolled to a 73-59 victory in the championship game of the CBE Classic.
Releford had 21 points in the first half, and Withey had 15 in the second, the inside-outside duo carrying the Jayhawks (4-1) despite every effort by the Billikens (2-2) and senior forward Cody Ellis to get back into the game in the waning minutes of the second half. "Travis was unbelievable the first half. They made the decision not to guard him, so he was unbelievable, made them pay," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "And the reason Jeff had the big second half is they started to guard Travis."
Releford, who had 17 points in the semifinals against Washington State, has long been regarded as the Jayhawks' best perimeter defender, while Withey emerged as one of the Big 12's top interior defenders during a breakout junior season that has set him up for a big final year.
"He worked himself in there pretty tight," Self said. "Jeff was really good at both ends."
The Jayhawks improved to 16-4 all-time at the Sprint Center, the site of this season's Big 12 tournament, and where they'll play Oregon State in a nonconference game next week.
Ellis finished with 19 points for the Billikens. Mike McCall Jr. added 13 points, Cory Remekun had 10 points and Dwayne Evans pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
"We had 10 turnovers in the first half, two in the second," Ellis said. "I think our defense definitely picked up in the second half. We have a long way to go, but it was a big step."
The Jayhawks got off to the same kind of start they had the previous night, when they buried Washington State under a 21-5 onslaught. Releford keyed it with back-to-back 3-pointers, and Elijah Johnson's only basket of the first half finished off an opening 14-4 run.
After the Billikens clawed back within four, Releford and Withey combined to score 14 straight points as Kansas established a 28-10 edge and threatened to put the game away.
"They have good players all over the place, so as soon as you plug this hole, another hole opens up," Saint Louis interim coach Jim Crews said. "That's why they're pretty good."
Saint Louis never wavered, though, even after Jordair Jett limped to the locker room late in the half, and despite playing without top scorer Kwamain Mitchell due to a broken foot.
McCall hit a long 3-pointer late in the half, and another triple by Jake Barnett — one of three he had on the night — helped get the Billikens within 39-25 at the break.
Releford was 6 of 11 from the field in the first half; Saint Louis was 6 of 23.
The Billikens also committed 10 turnovers, but despite their sloppiness on offense and their inability to slow down the Jayhawks on defense, they still were within striking distance.
McCall's 3-pointer out of halftime closed the gap to 11, but Withey converted a three-point play off a nifty feed from Kevin Young, and McLemore followed up a 3-pointer with a scooping layup, allowing the Jayhawks to restore a 47-30 cushion with about 17 minutes left in the game.
That's just about when Ellis started to heat up.
His basket with 14:25 left got the Billikens within 50-36, and he converted a three-point play with under 10 to go that made it 57-45. The senior forward from Perth, Australia, then hit back-to-back 3-pointers a couple minutes later to trim the deficit to 10 points.
Kansas kept trying to deliver the knockout blow, and the Billikens kept dodging it.
McCall answered a basket by Releford that threatened to raise the roof at the Sprint Center, which was filled with a pro-Kansas crowd, and then Ellis knocked down another off-balance 3-pointer from the wing to get Saint Louis within 65-56 with just under 4 minutes left in the game.
Withey converted a three-point play, though, and after Ellis misfired from long range, the Jayhawks' 7-footer dunked at the other end to make it 70-56 and effectively put the game away.
"Our two leading scorers are probably our two best defenders, too," Self said, "and I really think if you don't worry about scoring, scoring naturally comes, and that's what happened."
Withey leads No. 11 Jayhawks past Saint Louis
Jeff Withey matched a career high with 25 points, Travis Releford added 23 and the No. 11 Jayhawks rolled to a 73-59 victory in the championship game of the CBE Classic.
Releford had 21 points in the first half, and Withey had 15 in the second, the inside-outside duo carrying the Jayhawks (4-1) despite every effort by the Billikens (2-2) and senior forward Cody Ellis to get back into the game in the waning minutes of the second half. "Travis was unbelievable the first half. They made the decision not to guard him, so he was unbelievable, made them pay," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "And the reason Jeff had the big second half is they started to guard Travis."
Releford, who had 17 points in the semifinals against Washington State, has long been regarded as the Jayhawks' best perimeter defender, while Withey emerged as one of the Big 12's top interior defenders during a breakout junior season that has set him up for a big final year.
"He worked himself in there pretty tight," Self said. "Jeff was really good at both ends."
The Jayhawks improved to 16-4 all-time at the Sprint Center, the site of this season's Big 12 tournament, and where they'll play Oregon State in a nonconference game next week.
Ellis finished with 19 points for the Billikens. Mike McCall Jr. added 13 points, Cory Remekun had 10 points and Dwayne Evans pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
"We had 10 turnovers in the first half, two in the second," Ellis said. "I think our defense definitely picked up in the second half. We have a long way to go, but it was a big step."
The Jayhawks got off to the same kind of start they had the previous night, when they buried Washington State under a 21-5 onslaught. Releford keyed it with back-to-back 3-pointers, and Elijah Johnson's only basket of the first half finished off an opening 14-4 run.
After the Billikens clawed back within four, Releford and Withey combined to score 14 straight points as Kansas established a 28-10 edge and threatened to put the game away.
"They have good players all over the place, so as soon as you plug this hole, another hole opens up," Saint Louis interim coach Jim Crews said. "That's why they're pretty good."
Saint Louis never wavered, though, even after Jordair Jett limped to the locker room late in the half, and despite playing without top scorer Kwamain Mitchell due to a broken foot.
McCall hit a long 3-pointer late in the half, and another triple by Jake Barnett — one of three he had on the night — helped get the Billikens within 39-25 at the break.
Releford was 6 of 11 from the field in the first half; Saint Louis was 6 of 23.
The Billikens also committed 10 turnovers, but despite their sloppiness on offense and their inability to slow down the Jayhawks on defense, they still were within striking distance.
McCall's 3-pointer out of halftime closed the gap to 11, but Withey converted a three-point play off a nifty feed from Kevin Young, and McLemore followed up a 3-pointer with a scooping layup, allowing the Jayhawks to restore a 47-30 cushion with about 17 minutes left in the game.
That's just about when Ellis started to heat up.
His basket with 14:25 left got the Billikens within 50-36, and he converted a three-point play with under 10 to go that made it 57-45. The senior forward from Perth, Australia, then hit back-to-back 3-pointers a couple minutes later to trim the deficit to 10 points.
Kansas kept trying to deliver the knockout blow, and the Billikens kept dodging it.
McCall answered a basket by Releford that threatened to raise the roof at the Sprint Center, which was filled with a pro-Kansas crowd, and then Ellis knocked down another off-balance 3-pointer from the wing to get Saint Louis within 65-56 with just under 4 minutes left in the game.
Withey converted a three-point play, though, and after Ellis misfired from long range, the Jayhawks' 7-footer dunked at the other end to make it 70-56 and effectively put the game away.
"Our two leading scorers are probably our two best defenders, too," Self said, "and I really think if you don't worry about scoring, scoring naturally comes, and that's what happened."
Withey leads No. 11 Jayhawks past Saint Louis
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Taylor, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound sophomore from Black River Falls, Wis., made 27 of 71 3-point attempts, was 52 of 108 overall from the field and added seven free throws on 10 attempts in 36 minutes.
"It felt like anything I tossed up was going in," Taylor told The Associated Press.
Rio Grande's Bevo Francis held the NCAA scoring record with 113 points against Hillsdale in 1954. In 1953, Francis had 116 against Ashland Junior College. Frank Selvy is the only other player to reach triple figures, scoring 100 points for Division I Furman against Newberry in 1954. The previous Grinnell record was 89 by Griffin Lentsch last Nov. 19 against Principia. Under coach David Arseneault, the Pioneers press and shoot 3s like nobody else in the country in any level. They've led the nation in scoring for 17 of the past 19 seasons while ranking first nationally in 3-point shooting for the 15 of those past 19 years. But none of them have had a night quite like Taylor — who never saw this coming.
Taylor recently transferred to Grinnell, located about 50 miles east of Des Moines, after playing one season for Wisconsin-La Crosse. He struggled in his debut at the nearby Wartburg Tournament over the weekend by hitting only 11 of 41 shots — including only 6 of 34 3-point attempts Still, he averaged 23.5 points a game.
But Taylor started Tuesday's night game off slow — at least according to his standards. His coaches figured the best way to get him on track was for him to keep chucking, so that's what Taylor did.
"Maybe my cold shooting from the weekend was affecting me," Taylor said. "But then they started to drop."
Taylor had 58 points at halftime.
Then he got hot.
Taylor was 32 of 58 shooting — including 18 3s — in the final 20 minutes and averaged an astounding four points a minute in the second half.
"I don't think reality has set in yet," Taylor said.
Faith Baptist's David Larson also had a big game, scoring 70 points on 34-of-44 shooting.
Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks were amazed by Taylor's feat when they heard about it after their victory in New Orleans.
"I never heard of nothing like that. That's like a video game," Anthony said, an incredulous look on his face. "How can you shoot 100 times, though?"
He joked that from now on when someone asks if he's taking too many shots, he'll mention "that someone shot it 108 times."
Raymond Felton also was astounded by the 108 shots.
"His elbow has got to be sore," Felton said.
Grinnell player Jack Taylor scores 138 points, sets NCAA scoring record - NCAAB - Sporting News
"It felt like anything I tossed up was going in," Taylor told The Associated Press.
Rio Grande's Bevo Francis held the NCAA scoring record with 113 points against Hillsdale in 1954. In 1953, Francis had 116 against Ashland Junior College. Frank Selvy is the only other player to reach triple figures, scoring 100 points for Division I Furman against Newberry in 1954. The previous Grinnell record was 89 by Griffin Lentsch last Nov. 19 against Principia. Under coach David Arseneault, the Pioneers press and shoot 3s like nobody else in the country in any level. They've led the nation in scoring for 17 of the past 19 seasons while ranking first nationally in 3-point shooting for the 15 of those past 19 years. But none of them have had a night quite like Taylor — who never saw this coming.
Taylor recently transferred to Grinnell, located about 50 miles east of Des Moines, after playing one season for Wisconsin-La Crosse. He struggled in his debut at the nearby Wartburg Tournament over the weekend by hitting only 11 of 41 shots — including only 6 of 34 3-point attempts Still, he averaged 23.5 points a game.
But Taylor started Tuesday's night game off slow — at least according to his standards. His coaches figured the best way to get him on track was for him to keep chucking, so that's what Taylor did.
"Maybe my cold shooting from the weekend was affecting me," Taylor said. "But then they started to drop."
Taylor had 58 points at halftime.
Then he got hot.
Taylor was 32 of 58 shooting — including 18 3s — in the final 20 minutes and averaged an astounding four points a minute in the second half.
"I don't think reality has set in yet," Taylor said.
Faith Baptist's David Larson also had a big game, scoring 70 points on 34-of-44 shooting.
Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks were amazed by Taylor's feat when they heard about it after their victory in New Orleans.
"I never heard of nothing like that. That's like a video game," Anthony said, an incredulous look on his face. "How can you shoot 100 times, though?"
He joked that from now on when someone asks if he's taking too many shots, he'll mention "that someone shot it 108 times."
Raymond Felton also was astounded by the 108 shots.
"His elbow has got to be sore," Felton said.
Grinnell player Jack Taylor scores 138 points, sets NCAA scoring record - NCAAB - Sporting News
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Center Gorgui Dieng, a key component of Louisville's run to the 2012 Final Four, will be out of action indefinitely as he recovers from a broken wrist.
The school announced Dieng's injury late Sunday, explaining an X-ray revealed he has a fracture of the scaphoid bone in his left wrist. He will see a specialist Monday, and a timetable for his return to action might be available then. A 6-11 junior from Senegal, Dieng missed the No. 2 Cardinals' loss to Duke in the championship game Saturday of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. He injured the wrist taking a charge in the Cards' semifinal victory over Missouri.
Dieng had scored in double figures twice in three full games prior to the Missouri game. He is averaging 8.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
With Dieng missing, Louisville started sophomore Zach Price and played him 19 minutes. The Cards also played power forwards Montrezl Harrell and Chane Behanan together and gave 21 minutes of playing time to senior Stephan Van Treese. They managed to outrebound Duke, which starts two 6-11 players in its frontcourt, by a 37-31 margin. Louisville lost, though, 76-71.
Louisville's Gorgui Dieng out indefinitely with broken wrist - NCAAB - Sporting News
The school announced Dieng's injury late Sunday, explaining an X-ray revealed he has a fracture of the scaphoid bone in his left wrist. He will see a specialist Monday, and a timetable for his return to action might be available then. A 6-11 junior from Senegal, Dieng missed the No. 2 Cardinals' loss to Duke in the championship game Saturday of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. He injured the wrist taking a charge in the Cards' semifinal victory over Missouri.
Dieng had scored in double figures twice in three full games prior to the Missouri game. He is averaging 8.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
With Dieng missing, Louisville started sophomore Zach Price and played him 19 minutes. The Cards also played power forwards Montrezl Harrell and Chane Behanan together and gave 21 minutes of playing time to senior Stephan Van Treese. They managed to outrebound Duke, which starts two 6-11 players in its frontcourt, by a 37-31 margin. Louisville lost, though, 76-71.
Louisville's Gorgui Dieng out indefinitely with broken wrist - NCAAB - Sporting News
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North Carolina sophomore guard P.J. Hairston won't play at No. 1 Indiana on Tuesday night due to a knee injury.
The school has ruled out Hairston after he sprained his left knee during Sunday's practice. He missed practice Monday and won't travel with the team to face the Hoosiers.
Hairston is third on the team in scoring at 10.8 points off the bench and is shooting 35 percent from 3-point range.
His status is unclear for Saturday's home game against UAB.
The No. 13 Tar Heels' trip to Indiana in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge will be their fifth straight game away from home, including three games at last week's Maui Invitational.
No. 13 UNC guard Hairston out with knee injury
The school has ruled out Hairston after he sprained his left knee during Sunday's practice. He missed practice Monday and won't travel with the team to face the Hoosiers.
Hairston is third on the team in scoring at 10.8 points off the bench and is shooting 35 percent from 3-point range.
His status is unclear for Saturday's home game against UAB.
The No. 13 Tar Heels' trip to Indiana in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge will be their fifth straight game away from home, including three games at last week's Maui Invitational.
No. 13 UNC guard Hairston out with knee injury
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Indiana had no problems handling Ball State before its big matchup with North Carolina.
Will Sheehey scored 19 points to help the top-ranked Hoosiers defeat Ball State 101-53 on Sunday.
Jordan Hulls scored 17 points, Cody Zeller scored 15 and Christian Watford had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Hoosiers (6-0).
It was Indiana's largest victory margin in a 21-game series that began in 1934. The Hoosiers' previous largest victory margin against the Cardinals was 43 points in 1946 and 1983.
Instead of celebrating, the Hoosiers focused on parts of their game, such as allowing 34 points in the second half.
"We got after it in the first half," Sheehey said. "Dropped off a little bit in the second half, but thought overall it was a good game."
Sheehey scored his 19 points in just 19 minutes. He made 8 of 9 shots and had six rebounds.
"Took open shots, teammates found me," he said. "That's it."
It was Indiana's first game since winning the Progressive Legends Classic with victories over Georgia and Georgetown in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Now, the Hoosiers can focus on hosting the Tar Heels on Tuesday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
"We're excited about a good opponent," Hulls said. "North Carolina, we know they're a good team, so we're just going to have to go back and get after the film."
The Hoosiers already had been averaging 86 points per game before shooting 60 percent from the field against the Cardinals. Indiana scored 21 points off 18 Ball State turnovers.
"Our defensive pressure was a lot better, and we forced some turnovers," Hulls said. "That's when we're at our best is when we're running in transition and getting buckets that way."
Ball State coach Billy Taylor said his team helped Indiana too much.
"I thought a lot of it was our bad offense," he said. "We did get some good shots, but our inability to get back in transition — the game had a pretty good tempo to it. I thought we were playing pretty well. We had done some good things, but then we missed some shots, we didn't run back in transition, and most of the shots they got were in the open floor."
Majok Majok scored 18 points and Jauwan Scaife added 11 for Ball State. The Cardinals, coming off a 20-point loss to Indiana State, were outrebounded 42-29 and shot just 31 percent from the field.
Indiana's Maurice Creek scored a season-best nine points in 14 minutes. He averaged 16.4 points as a freshman in 2009-10 before suffering a season-ending broken left kneecap. Thirteen months later, he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right kneecap, ending his season again. He missed last season with a ruptured Achilles' heel.
"I'm just taking it day by day every day," Creek said. "I feel comfortable as time goes on, and I'm getting myself stronger every day. I just want to get a feel for the game again. Every game is going to be different."
The game was close early, but Indiana went on a run when Sheehey, then Creek, entered the game. A breakaway dunk by Zeller put the Hoosiers up 28-13.
The Hoosiers shot 64.7 percent in the first half to lead 50-19 at the break. Indiana missed four of its first six shots before making 20 of 28 the rest of the half.
The bench scored 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting before the break. Sheehey, a reserve, scored 11 points and Creek scored nine off the bench in the first half. Indiana held the Cardinals to 5-for-25 shooting and forced 10 turnovers before the break.
After establishing its inside game in the first half, Indiana went to the perimeter early in the second half. A 3-pointer and a free throw line jumper by Hulls bumped the lead to 64-23, and a three by Victor Oladipo pushed the lead to 44 with 14:35 to play.
A 3-point play by Austin Etherington in the final minute put the Hoosiers over the century mark, and the remaining fans gave the Hoosiers one of the loudest cheers of the night.
"I think too many times, our guys didn't really understand or appreciate the speed that the ball was going to be attacking them, and too many times we were caught with our heads down, not paying attention instead of being focused and dialed into sprinting back," Taylor said.
No. 1 Indiana handles Ball State 101-53
Will Sheehey scored 19 points to help the top-ranked Hoosiers defeat Ball State 101-53 on Sunday.
Jordan Hulls scored 17 points, Cody Zeller scored 15 and Christian Watford had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Hoosiers (6-0).
It was Indiana's largest victory margin in a 21-game series that began in 1934. The Hoosiers' previous largest victory margin against the Cardinals was 43 points in 1946 and 1983.
Instead of celebrating, the Hoosiers focused on parts of their game, such as allowing 34 points in the second half.
"We got after it in the first half," Sheehey said. "Dropped off a little bit in the second half, but thought overall it was a good game."
Sheehey scored his 19 points in just 19 minutes. He made 8 of 9 shots and had six rebounds.
"Took open shots, teammates found me," he said. "That's it."
It was Indiana's first game since winning the Progressive Legends Classic with victories over Georgia and Georgetown in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Now, the Hoosiers can focus on hosting the Tar Heels on Tuesday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
"We're excited about a good opponent," Hulls said. "North Carolina, we know they're a good team, so we're just going to have to go back and get after the film."
The Hoosiers already had been averaging 86 points per game before shooting 60 percent from the field against the Cardinals. Indiana scored 21 points off 18 Ball State turnovers.
"Our defensive pressure was a lot better, and we forced some turnovers," Hulls said. "That's when we're at our best is when we're running in transition and getting buckets that way."
Ball State coach Billy Taylor said his team helped Indiana too much.
"I thought a lot of it was our bad offense," he said. "We did get some good shots, but our inability to get back in transition — the game had a pretty good tempo to it. I thought we were playing pretty well. We had done some good things, but then we missed some shots, we didn't run back in transition, and most of the shots they got were in the open floor."
Majok Majok scored 18 points and Jauwan Scaife added 11 for Ball State. The Cardinals, coming off a 20-point loss to Indiana State, were outrebounded 42-29 and shot just 31 percent from the field.
Indiana's Maurice Creek scored a season-best nine points in 14 minutes. He averaged 16.4 points as a freshman in 2009-10 before suffering a season-ending broken left kneecap. Thirteen months later, he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right kneecap, ending his season again. He missed last season with a ruptured Achilles' heel.
"I'm just taking it day by day every day," Creek said. "I feel comfortable as time goes on, and I'm getting myself stronger every day. I just want to get a feel for the game again. Every game is going to be different."
The game was close early, but Indiana went on a run when Sheehey, then Creek, entered the game. A breakaway dunk by Zeller put the Hoosiers up 28-13.
The Hoosiers shot 64.7 percent in the first half to lead 50-19 at the break. Indiana missed four of its first six shots before making 20 of 28 the rest of the half.
The bench scored 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting before the break. Sheehey, a reserve, scored 11 points and Creek scored nine off the bench in the first half. Indiana held the Cardinals to 5-for-25 shooting and forced 10 turnovers before the break.
After establishing its inside game in the first half, Indiana went to the perimeter early in the second half. A 3-pointer and a free throw line jumper by Hulls bumped the lead to 64-23, and a three by Victor Oladipo pushed the lead to 44 with 14:35 to play.
A 3-point play by Austin Etherington in the final minute put the Hoosiers over the century mark, and the remaining fans gave the Hoosiers one of the loudest cheers of the night.
"I think too many times, our guys didn't really understand or appreciate the speed that the ball was going to be attacking them, and too many times we were caught with our heads down, not paying attention instead of being focused and dialed into sprinting back," Taylor said.
No. 1 Indiana handles Ball State 101-53
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Creighton's Doug McDermott fears what happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas.
Coming off impressive weekend wins over Wisconsin and Arizona State in Las Vegas, the 11th-ranked Bluejays never held a lead over the last 36 minutes in an 83-70 loss to Boise State on Wednesday night.
"We still have to be able to be prepared for a game like this," McDermott said. "I think we celebrated too much, those wins, and I think it got to us a little and we kind of went away from how we prepare as a team. We have to do a better job of moving on to the next game."
Derrick Marks scored a career-high 35 points, including 18 straight in the second half, to key Boise State's upset. The Broncos (5-1), who played No. 13 Michigan State within four points on the road last week, beat a ranked opponent for the first time in four seasons and on the road for the first time since March 2005.
Creighton (6-1) hadn't lost a regular-season November home game since 1989.
"Congrats to Boise State," Bluejays coach Greg McDermott said. "We didn't play poorly offensively. We just had no answer for them on the defensive end of the floor. I thought they outhustled us, I thought they communicated better than we did. If you're watching that game tonight, it was obvious who the better team was tonight, and it wasn't us."
Anthony Drmic had 17 points and Jeff Elorriaga added 12 for the Broncos.
Doug McDermott led Creighton with 21 points and Grant Gibbs added a season-high 17.
Boise State led 39-33 after shooting 64 percent from the field in the first half. The Broncos made seven straight 3-pointers and were 9 of 13 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes, with Elorriaga making 4 of 5.
Creighton got within five points in the last 3 minutes, but Drmic scored twice and Marks made four free throws to seal the Broncos' first win over a ranked opponent since they beat Utah State in February 2009.
"Coming out in the second half, we wanted to turn things around," Gibbs said. "The first 5, 10 possessions that didn't happen and that dictated the second half." The Broncos had come into the game having lost 18 of 19 on the road against ranked teams, with the lone win against Nevada in March 2005.
Marks, who had 24 points against Michigan State last week, scored 28 points in the second half to keep the Bluejays at bay.
After Drmic scored with 14:32 left, Marks took over.
He scored the next eight field goals and made a couple of free throws for the Broncos, using a mix of penetrating moves to the basket, pull-up jumpers and runners.
No one else for Boise State scored against until Drmic's basket with 4:59 left made it 73-59.
Marks was 13 of 19 for the game, 10 of 15 in the second half. His performance allowed the Broncos to keep leads of 8 to 12 points until Creighton made its late run.
Creighton came in with all six of its wins by double figures.
Boise State was better from start to finish Wednesday against the highest ranked opponent it had faced since playing No. 9 Washington State in November 2007.
Doug McDermott, who scored 30 points against Wisconsin and 29 against Arizona State, made 7 of 11 shots, including 4 of 5 3-pointers.
But Gregory Echenique, the Bluejays' strong man inside, managed only nine points and three rebounds. Ethan Wragge, who had been shooting 58 percent from 3-point range, was 1 of 5 from beyond the arc.
Every time the Bluejays looked ready to make runs in the first half, Elorriaga thwarted them with timely 3s.
Echenique's 12-foot baseline jumper as the shot clock was about to expire and Jahenns Manigat's 3 pulled the Bluejays to 27-23, but Elorriaga let fly a long shot and quieted the crowd.
McDermott's 3 and Echenique's layin off Austin Chatman's steal got the Bluejays back within four points, but Elorriaga connected again and the Broncos were on their way to building an 11-point lead before Creighton chiseled it back to six.
"They got off to that hot start early and never really looked back," Doug McDermott said. "They were on fire. We have to be able to get a hand in their face better, and we were just giving them way too many open looks. They came in and played a great ball game. Just got to move on."
Hot-handed Boise State upends No. 11 Creighton
Coming off impressive weekend wins over Wisconsin and Arizona State in Las Vegas, the 11th-ranked Bluejays never held a lead over the last 36 minutes in an 83-70 loss to Boise State on Wednesday night.
"We still have to be able to be prepared for a game like this," McDermott said. "I think we celebrated too much, those wins, and I think it got to us a little and we kind of went away from how we prepare as a team. We have to do a better job of moving on to the next game."
Derrick Marks scored a career-high 35 points, including 18 straight in the second half, to key Boise State's upset. The Broncos (5-1), who played No. 13 Michigan State within four points on the road last week, beat a ranked opponent for the first time in four seasons and on the road for the first time since March 2005.
Creighton (6-1) hadn't lost a regular-season November home game since 1989.
"Congrats to Boise State," Bluejays coach Greg McDermott said. "We didn't play poorly offensively. We just had no answer for them on the defensive end of the floor. I thought they outhustled us, I thought they communicated better than we did. If you're watching that game tonight, it was obvious who the better team was tonight, and it wasn't us."
Anthony Drmic had 17 points and Jeff Elorriaga added 12 for the Broncos.
Doug McDermott led Creighton with 21 points and Grant Gibbs added a season-high 17.
Boise State led 39-33 after shooting 64 percent from the field in the first half. The Broncos made seven straight 3-pointers and were 9 of 13 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes, with Elorriaga making 4 of 5.
Creighton got within five points in the last 3 minutes, but Drmic scored twice and Marks made four free throws to seal the Broncos' first win over a ranked opponent since they beat Utah State in February 2009.
"Coming out in the second half, we wanted to turn things around," Gibbs said. "The first 5, 10 possessions that didn't happen and that dictated the second half." The Broncos had come into the game having lost 18 of 19 on the road against ranked teams, with the lone win against Nevada in March 2005.
Marks, who had 24 points against Michigan State last week, scored 28 points in the second half to keep the Bluejays at bay.
After Drmic scored with 14:32 left, Marks took over.
He scored the next eight field goals and made a couple of free throws for the Broncos, using a mix of penetrating moves to the basket, pull-up jumpers and runners.
No one else for Boise State scored against until Drmic's basket with 4:59 left made it 73-59.
Marks was 13 of 19 for the game, 10 of 15 in the second half. His performance allowed the Broncos to keep leads of 8 to 12 points until Creighton made its late run.
Creighton came in with all six of its wins by double figures.
Boise State was better from start to finish Wednesday against the highest ranked opponent it had faced since playing No. 9 Washington State in November 2007.
Doug McDermott, who scored 30 points against Wisconsin and 29 against Arizona State, made 7 of 11 shots, including 4 of 5 3-pointers.
But Gregory Echenique, the Bluejays' strong man inside, managed only nine points and three rebounds. Ethan Wragge, who had been shooting 58 percent from 3-point range, was 1 of 5 from beyond the arc.
Every time the Bluejays looked ready to make runs in the first half, Elorriaga thwarted them with timely 3s.
Echenique's 12-foot baseline jumper as the shot clock was about to expire and Jahenns Manigat's 3 pulled the Bluejays to 27-23, but Elorriaga let fly a long shot and quieted the crowd.
McDermott's 3 and Echenique's layin off Austin Chatman's steal got the Bluejays back within four points, but Elorriaga connected again and the Broncos were on their way to building an 11-point lead before Creighton chiseled it back to six.
"They got off to that hot start early and never really looked back," Doug McDermott said. "They were on fire. We have to be able to get a hand in their face better, and we were just giving them way too many open looks. They came in and played a great ball game. Just got to move on."
Hot-handed Boise State upends No. 11 Creighton
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Butler bolted the Horizon League for a spot in the Atlantic 10 Conference this past off-season, which leaves the conference down one of its premier members.
Albeit, Detroit and Valparaiso spearhead a conference race that should certainly be interesting down the stretch. UW-Green Bay, who boasts Alec Brown, one of the more unheralded big men in the country, should also be in the mix, while Youngstown State looks for continued production on the perimeter in their efforts to improve.
Detroit guard Ray McCallum led the Titans to the NCAA Tournament a season ago and now as a junior, expectations continue to rise. Can this talented play-maker do it again in 2012-13?
Horizon League Predictions:
1. Detroit
2. Valparaiso
3. UW- Green Bay
4. Youngstown State
5. Cleveland State
6. UW-Milwaukee
7. Loyola-Chicago
8. Wright State
9. Illinois-Chicago
First Team All-Horizon League Predictions:
G Ray McCallum, Jr., Detroit
G Kendrick Perry, Jr., Youngstown State
F Ryan Broekhoff, Sr., Valparaiso
F Nick Minnerath, Sr., Detroit
C Alec Brown, Jr., UW-Green Bay
Horizon League Player of the Year Prediction:
Ray McCallum, Jr., Detroit
Coach of the Year Prediction:
Bryce Drew, Valparaiso
Newcomer of the Year Prediction:
Cully Payne, Jr., Loyola-Chicago
Last Team to Win NCAA Tournament Game:
2011- Butler (no longer league member) advanced to NCAA Championship game.
Read more at Horizon League: Rant Sports NCAAB Conference Previews