Say what you will about the man, but this is a great picture. (Via Wikipedia)

So UCLA finally found their new basketball coach and it was….well…Steve Alford

Alford was hired Saturday to be the new head coach of the Men’s Basketball team at the University of California-Los Angeles (or UCLA, if you’re too cool).

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said some stuff about the hire. I guess Mr. Guerrero is happy about the, even though he couldn’t get Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens. He’s looking at the silver lining of things, which is nice.

UCLA even has comments from Alford and he sounds excited.

This will be Alford’s fourth Division I basketball coaching job. He’s also been a coach at Southwest Missouri State and Iowa. At New Mexico, Alford compiled a record of 155-54, but they never made it to the Sweet 16.

Alford takes over for Ben Howland, who was fired earlier in the week.

Of course, it sucks for New Mexico, since they kind of gave him a 10-year contract extension around the start of the tournament. Then the team lost to Harvard and everything went wrong. New Mexico fans are taking it well, I guess. Although this one guy feels betrayed. You can read more fun reactions here.

Meanwhile, the UCLA fans are…I guess chilling out on a Saturday? They have things to do, no time to react.

The USC fans, well, they’re probably out doing stuff too. I’m sure nobody will notice when Tim Floyd rejoins the Trojans (okay he won’t), but that’s a story for another time.

When we first scheduled our road trip months ago, I have to admit that the trip to SLU was sort of an afterthought. St. Louis is on the way home, and one of my closest friends lives in a ‘burb. Since it was on the way, we figured we might as well throw in one more game! Turns out, the Billikens provided one of the best college basketball experiences of the entire trip.

SLU welcomed New Mexico to Chafietz Arena on New Year’s Eve. The fact that the Lobos were newly ranked 20/23 thanks to that road win at Cincy that we just so happened to witness a few days earlier, gave the game a little more oomph. SLU hasn’t been on my radar this year, and since they are dealing with a new coach since the passing of Rick Majerus, I can’t imagine anyone expects much out of them. Well the scrappy team fed off the booming crowd and put on a performance. They jumped out early, and held on to a solid lead from start to finish.

Lobos coach Steve Alford was so frustrated that he got booted in the second half, which wasn’t going to help the struggling Lobos. When we saw New Mexico play Cincinnati, neither team really looked all that skilled. New Mexico didn’t look any better last night, but SLU displayed a lot more skills than the now #15 Cincinnati. With a halftime score of 33-13, New Mexico had a long hole to crawl out of.

Though New Mexico had a better showing in the second, it wasn’t nearly enough; the final score was an ugly 46-60.

After three straight days of driving and basketball, I was a bit tired by the end of the game, and had hoped for something a bit more enthralling. Aside from the exciting finish at Cincy, the three other games we witnessed were blowouts. As you can see from the final score, this game was no different. Luckily, the fans and the venue provided an unforgettable experience.

For one thing, I got to meet Mary from The Gold Rush, which was definitely a plus. Also, I would venture to say the arena was the most college-y that we’ve been to on our road trip. Despite the fact that it was New Year’s Eve, the stadium was pretty full. There was a band AND cheerleaders, and both were more than decent. The cheerleaders were moving around the entire game, and in the absence of male cheerleaders, the ladies did their own lifts. The band played throughout, never relying on the rap music so prevalent at the other venues. Memphis has a slight edge in the intro, but you’d expect that from a team that plays on an NBA court. SLU gave it a solid effort, and got the attentive crowd pumped.

The dancers – which we got to nickname the SLU-ts (pronounced Sloots, and yes, we’re terrible human beings), were adequate. Better than Cincy, but not as good as Memphis. Hot dog received a sad 6.5, but FINALLY I got to enjoy some real nachos. The ultimate nachos provided me with fresh multicolor chips, hot peppers, cheese, salsa, olives, beans and tomatoes. There was some chili for the carnivores, but even without that it was well worth the $8.25. To my surprise, alcohol was also available. That means that Vandy was the only stop that was dry. Unlike Cincy, SLU offered wine and margaritas, in addition to beer. We were also lucky enough to snag free parking, yet again.

I’m happy to be back in Chicago with my dog and the comforts of home, but I’m sad to close the book on our basketball road trip. I wasn’t sure we’d really make it to all those games and locations in such a short time, but I’m proud to say we did it. And, we witnessed some great games – and venues – in the process.

Tomorrow morning my partner in crime and I will embark on a basketball road trip that we have been planning for months. To reminisce about the many who didn’t understand what could possible be fun about this trip take a look at my original post.  Five cities and four NCAA basketball games in five days is what’s on the itinerary, and we can’t wait to get going.

Since planning the trip, the matchups have gotten a touch more exciting. Also during that time, various people have told the old ball and chain that I must be a saint for agreeing to go on this trip with him. He beams with pride as he informs them that the trip was actually my idea.

Here’s the schedule, and what to expect:

Dec. 27, 9PM Eastern – #10 Cincinnati vs. New Mexico

Well, this game would’ve been a tad more exciting had New Mexico won last weekend against South Dakota State, as this game would be a top 25 matchup between two undefeated teams. However, Cincy is still the No. 10 team in the country, so that’ll be neat to see. New Mexico was ranked No. 16 last week, and for some reason that one loss kicked them out of the rankings entirely. Since they will be a major underdog tomorrow, clearly I’ll be rooting for the lobos all the way.

Dec. 29, 8PM – #18/21 Butler at Vanderbilt

For our second game in Nashville, we’ll be treated to another ranked team in Butler. Normally I would root for the unranked home team so that I can fit in with the crowd, but since Illinois beat Butler earlier in the season I’m going all-out Bulldogs all the way. I will already get side-long glances for my orange and blue attire, and then I’ll be rooting for the guest. Will the crowd be wearing suits and Sunday dresses, or is that just football games?

Dec. 30, 8PM- Memphis vs. Loyola (MD)

Okay, this game isn’t any more exciting than it looked on paper months ago. Neither of us have been to Memphis, and even though the team hasn’t been the same since Calipari left it in ruins a few years back, there’s still some great basketball history in that building! And, I hope to make a stop at Graceland. At 7-3, the season is far from over for Memphis, and it will be the first stop where we’ll get to join the crowd and root for the home team.

Dec. 31, 730PM – St. Louis vs. New Mexico

Oh Lobos! There you are again. By the end of this trip we will be big fans. Again, this game was just a nice stop on the trip because it’s on the way home, and we have friends in the area. As a bonus, joining us at this game will be the Aerys Gold Rush’s own Marquette expert, Mary! And, if New Mexico manages to win at Cincy, they’ll be ranked again, and then we’ll get to watch another ranked team. Without Rick Majerus (may he RIP), this game isn’t too exciting, but it will be fun to see how many people show up for a New Year’s Eve game!

That’s the trip in a nutshell! Along the way, we’ll also get to watch an Illini basketball game in a bar in Nashville (as a cruel joke they’ll actually be playing in Chicago) and a Bears game in Memphis. Tonight we will pack as many orange t-shirts as possible, because we represent the I-L-L no matter where we are, and even if Illinois has nothing to do with the game whatsoever.

We’ll be blogging along the way to let you know who has the best fans, and who has the best nachos. You’ll get to read about the atmosphere at each place, and who is the most annoyed at our orange and blue shenanigans. See our briefer musings by following @zforthree (or my other half who is a much better tweeter, @jjhparker) or take a look at #jzroadtrip.

Basketball immersion, here we come!

Recap

Louisville vs. New Mexico

Louisville holds off New Mexico, 59-56, for a trip to the Sweet 16. The Cardinals thought they has won the game but the Lobos mounted a comeback.

Louisville led 44-29 with 13 minutes on the clock in the second half but New Mexico would not go away. The Lobos came within two points twice in the last two minutes of the game but the Cardinals were able to answer each time and held on for the win.

Drew Gordon had 21 points and 14 rebounds while Russ Smith had 17 points for New Mexico.

Kyle Kuric had 10 points for Louisville.

Louisville will play next week in Phoenix. Time and date are TBD.

Marquette vs. Murray St.

You can read a full recap on my site, The Gold Rush.

Syracuse vs. Kansas

Syracuse beats Kansas St., 75-59.

Senior Jamar Samuels was ruled ineligible to play for Kansas St. a few hours before tip-off. According to ESPN, Samuels was sent $200 from a former AAU coach.

The Wildcats never found a rhythm in this game, allowing the Orange to go on long scoring runs. They shot just 31 percent from the floor and had 13 turnovers.

Dion Waiters had a game-high 18 points and Scoop Jardine added 16 points and seven assists while James Southerland had 15 points and Kris Joseph added 11 points for Syracuse.

Rodney McGruder finished with 17 points, Jordan Henriquez had 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds and Angel Rodriguez added 12 points for Kansas State.

Syracuse will play Wisconsin on Thursday. Time is TBD.

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Round 3, Day 2 Previews

Cincinnati vs. FSU

FSU has a very good defensive team. They hold opponents to 38.1 percent from the floor and 30.9 from the 3-point line. The Seminoles force 5.2 turnovers per game. FSU has shot at least 45 percent in five of its last six games. They lack a little on the offensive side. They are shooting just 45.8 percent from the floor and 35.4 percent from the 3-point line. The ‘Noles turn the ball over 16 times per game.

FSU players to watch: Bernard James- 10.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 60.9% FG; Michael Snaer- 14.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 42.1% FG; Luke Loucks- 6.7 ppg, 4.3 apg, 3.2 rpg.

Cincinnati has a great defensive team as well. Opponents shoot just 41 percent overall and 31.8 percent from 3-point range against the Bearcats. They are lacking in the offensive department though. Their game against Texas was above average for them but it could be a problem. Cincinnati shoots 42.1 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from the 3-point line but they get beaten on the boards by opponents.

Cincinnati players to watch: Sean Kilpatrick- 14.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg; Yancy Gates- 12.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 47.2% FG; Dion Dixon- 13.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 1.6 spg.

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USF vs. Ohio

Ohio has held opponents to 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 29.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line. The Bobcats get 9.4 steals per game. D.J. Cooper is their start player. When he is hot so is the rest of the team. They are not a great shooting team and tend to get into foul trouble against physical teams.

Ohio players to watch: D.J. Cooper- 14.6 ppg, 5.7 apg, 2.4 spg; Walter Offutt- 11.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 35.2% 3s; Ivo Baltic- 9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 47.8% FG.

USF have excellent defense. They hold their opponents to 38.8 percent from the floor and 29.7 percent from behind the 3-point line. The Bulls do have trouble on offense. They shoot 43.6 percent from the floor and are 33.9 percent from 3-point range.

USF players to watch: D.J. Cooper- 14.6 ppg, 5.7 apg, 2.4 spg; Walter Offutt- 11.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 35.2% 3s; Ivo Baltic- 9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 47.8% FG.

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Georgetown vs. North Carolina St.

North Carolina St. assists on 59.3 percent of its baskets, score 73.5 points per game and out-rebound opponents by 4.4 boards per game. The Wolfpack plays a very inconsistent game and is prone to turnovers.

NC St. players to watch: Lorenzo Brown- 12.7 ppg, 6.4 apg, 4.3 rpg; C.J. Leslie- 14.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 53.2% FG; Richard Howell- 10.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 49.7% FG.

Georgetown is a great passing and rebounding team. The Hoyas also have great defense from beyond the 3-point line, holding opponents to 27.4 percent. If this becomes a close game, they may be in trouble. Georgetown shoots just 69.7 from the foul line.

Georgetown players to watch: Henry Sims- 11.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.5 apg; Jason Clark- 13.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.7 spg; Otto Porter- 9.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 51.8% FG.

Recap

Notre Dame vs Xavier

Notre Dame fell to Xavier, 67-63. The Irish blew a 10 point lead in the second half and committed a lane violation with less than 3 seconds on the clock.

For Xavier, Tu Holloway finished with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting and Dezmine Wells finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

For Notre Dame, Jack Cooley finished with 18 points on 8-for-8 shooting.

Xavier will face Lehigh in the next round.

USF vs Temple

USF beat Temple, 58-44. Neither team shot well in this game but the Bulls were able to pull it together in the second half to beat the Owls. The Bulls hit nine of their first 11 shots to start the second half, part of a 31-6 stretch in rallying from their largest deficit. Rudd gave South Florida its biggest lead with a third straight 3-pointer, putting the Bulls up 39-25 with just over 12 minutes in the second half and USF would lead for the rest of the game.

Khalif Wyatt led Temple with 19 points, and Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson had 10 points.

Victor Rudd Jr. had 17 points for USF.

USF will face Ohio on Sunday.

Cincinnati vs Texas

Cincinnati beats Texas, 65-59. The Bearcat’s played great defense against the Longhorns. Texas went through scoring droughts and poor shot choices. Cincinnati was able to take advantage of that to beat them.

Yancy Gates had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Cincinnati.

Cincinnati will face  Florida St. on Sunday.

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Round 2, Day 2

Syracuse vs. Kansas St.

After a near upset, Syracuse will face Kansas St. today at 12:15 CST on CBS.

Syracuse is without Fab Melo who has been suspended for the season but they have a deep team. The Orange have six active players that average at least 6.6 points and eight average at least two boards. Syracuse has a tough defense and allows opponents to shoot just 38.5 percent overall and 30.6 from 3-point range against them. The Orange has struggled on defense especially with the loss of Fab Melo.

Syracuse players to watch: Kris Joseph- 13.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.4 spg; Dion Waiters- 12.6 ppg, 2.6 apg, 1.9 spg; James Southerland- 6.6 ppg, 3 rpg, 31% 3s.

Kansas St. plays some solid defense. Opponents are shooting just 40.8 percent from the floor and 31.8 from 3 against the Wildcats.  They are also prone to turnovers which has hurt them in the past. The Wildcats are also not a great shooting team.

Kansas St. players to watch: Rodney McGruder- 15.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 39% 3s; Jamar Samuels- 10.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.3 apg; Jordan Henriquez- 7.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.4 bpg.

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Marquette vs. Murray St.

For a full game preview visit my site, The Gold Rush.

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Louisville vs. New Mexico

Louisville will face off against New Mexico at 8:40 pm CST on TNT.

Louisville played some great defense against Davidson, holding them to 21-of-60 overall and 4-of-19 from the 3-point line. For the season, the Cardinals hold opponents to 37.9 percent shooting from the floor and 30.5 from deep. They also average nine steals per game.

New Mexico state has been hot the last few games they’ve played. The Lobos have shot 46 percent or better from the field in five of its last six games and held opponents to 43 percent or less in five of its last six games. They also out-rebound their opponents by 6.7 per game. New Mexico is prone to turnovers and can also be out rebounded by opponents.

New Mexico players to watch: Drew Gordon- 13.4, 10.9 rpg, 53.7% FG; Kendall Williams- 12 ppg, 4.1 apg, 1.3 spg; Tony Snell- 11 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg.

After a bunch of exciting come-behind play-in games, the “second round” of the Tournament has been decidedly less exciting. Aside from an upset-alert with Syracuse down against UNC-Asheville at the half, the higher seed has triumphed for the entire afternoon.

We’re only six games into the Tournament right now, but usually by this time at least a 9 has overcome an 8. The 12/5 games have just begun, so perhaps that will bring an underdog into the forefront later today.

First up, #6 Murray State faced #11 Colorado State in Louisville to kickoff the day filled with basketball fun. Though Colorado State had a 1-point lead, 24-23 at the half, Murray State showed why they almost went undefeated this year by taking over in the second. In the end, the Racers had an easy time grabbing a 58-41 win. They’ll face Marquette on Saturday.

#9 Southern Miss stayed pretty close to #8 Kansas State in the second game of the day, but Rodney McGruder’s 30 points were too much for the Golden Eagles, who fell 70-64. There were tears on the bench for Southern Miss, and I felt bad for them until this happened. No excuse for that kind of idiocy. Kansas State will face Syracuse.

#13 Davidson gave #4 Louisville a game, and but had a hard time figuring out when to fade away at the end. Louisville was up 8 with 1:30 to go, and Davidson continued to make 2′s, and foul Louisville on the other end. With no Stephen Curry to take over, Davidson’s season ended in a 69-62 loss. Louisville will face the winner of #5 New Mexico and #12 Long Beach State.

Marquette started off opening up a can of butt kickin’ on BYU, with Big East POY Jae Crowder pulling off a double double in the first half. The 3-seed allowed the 14-seed to sneak back in at the start of the first half, but in the end the Golden Eagles had an easy time with an 88-68 victory. Stay tuned for a full recap from our own Marquette beat writer.

The Big Ten likes to make early exits in the Tournament, but No. 4 Wisconsin had a great showing against #14 Montana. The Badgers had an easy 73-49 win, and will play the winner of Harvard/Vandy, which looks to be in Vandy’s favor right now.

Last, but certainly not least, in these afternoon games, it looked like UNC-Asheville had an actual chance of upsetting Syracuse.  A No. 1 seed has never lost to a No. 16, and that record still stands. For the 7th time ever, the 16-seed was up at the half, 34-30. Syracuse struggled without Fab Melo, but they stayed calm in the stretch and powered through the scare. Though there were some questionable calls at the end, Syracuse made their free throws and continued to hustle to earn a 72-65 win.

More games are going on right now! So stay tuned for complete coverage by conference as the madness continues! Don’t forget to follow us at @Aerys_NCAA for up-to-the-minute scores and alerts.

As the NCAA Tournament kicks off, and the power teams out of eastern half of the United States plan to hold their dominance, several teams out west plan to make a run deep into March. By the looks of the matchups, several western teams will have some interesting matchups scattered throughout the two days that cut the field from 64 to 32 competitors that just could be their first step toward a national title.

There are three matchups in the round of 64 that are complete toss ups for me while selecting a bracket—all three involve a Mountain West team, and two include fellow western region teams. The MWC sent four squads to the Big Dance, and all four have intriguing opponents that should excite anyone who is really interested in the heart and soul of March Madness.

On Thursday, Colorado State, New Mexico, and UNLV have games, and on day two of the “second round” San Diego State will take the court.

To begin it all, CSU will face off with one of the most majestic teams in the country this season, 30-1 Murray State. The Racers set an incredible season mark with only one loss, while the Rams finished the regular season at 20-11. Although Murray State is a six seed and Colorado State is seeded 11^th, the Rams knocked off all three of the top 25 teams in their league over the course of the season, so they are a tough team to face in the first round. Game tips of at 12:15 pm (EST) on CBS.

There will be some exciting basketball games involving the teams from the west in the NCAA tourney

New Mexico is the next MWC team to play Thursday, as they face the incredibly talented Long Beach State 49ers. Both teams are coming off of conference tournament titles, and hope to keep their win streaks alive in tournament play. New Mexico is the fifth seed and LBSU the 12^th ranked team in the West bracket. While the Lobos won their very competitive conference, the 49ers played some extremely tough nonconference games against the nation’s best—they may have fallen short on the road, this 5-12 matchup is going to be incredibly entertaining to watch. Look for the game on TBS at 4:10pm (EST).

Concluding Thursdays 16 game opener of the Big Dance is UNLV and Colorado. The Runnin’ Rebels are ranked 23^rd in the nation and received a six seed in the tournament. Colorado has won four straight as they took the PAC-12 tournament crown. The Buffalo have incredible defense and are very well coached. UNLV should be favored to win this game, but anything can happen when a team starts winning important games in March—sometimes they just can’t stop, and CU is capable of that.

On Friday, San Diego State will play in another 6-11 seed matchup. The Aztecs will face NC State in what could be the best game of the second round. Both teams are extremely talented, and although NC State doesn’t have the most incredible record at 22-12, the Wolfpack gave the top teams in the ACC all they could handle during the conference tournament, and even during the regular season. SDSU, meanwhile, took the MWC regular season title, and is currently ranked 22^nd in the nation. You will find this thrilling matchup on truTV at 12:40pm (EST)—Friday.

While the PAC-12 was down this year, both the Mountain West and West Coast Conference had strong years. The WCC sent three teams to the tournament, and after BYU’s 26 point comeback to win the play-in game, it appears this mid-major conference is a force to be reckoned with.

The seven seed in the East region, Gonzaga will face West Virginia (10) Thursday. GU may have the higher seed, but WVU is playing an hour away from campus, while the Zags are 2,500 miles from home. Can the Bulldogs keep their Cinderella marquee intact with a critical win over the Mountaineers? (For more on this game check out http://aeryssports.com/big-dance-crashers/2012/03/15/madness-or-sadness/ ).The two teams tip of on TNT at 7:20 (EST).

After knocking off WCC perennial power Gonzaga in the conference tournament, and taking the regular season title from the Zags to put an end to the 11 year run, St. Mary’s has proven to be a tough force from the west. The Gaels didn’t have many wins over top teams, but they are a scrappy team that can drain threes from anywhere on the court. The seven seed in the mid-west bracket will face No. 10 Purdue. The Boilermakers played in arguably the toughest league in the country this year, so they earned some quality victories over top notch opponents. However, the mediocrity of their overall record may give SMC the edge they need to move on. The two play Friday at 7:27 (EST) on truTV.

It was a tough week for Missouri, who many considered to be a number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. First they lost at home to Kansas State. Then they blew a 19 point lead at Kansas on Saturday, as they lost in overtime to their heated rivals. Those two losses dropped them from third in both polls to 7th in the AP Poll and 8th in the ESPN/Coaches Poll.

The top two stayed the same as both Kentucky and Syracuse went 2-0 this past week.

Other big losers this week include Florida State and New Mexico.

» Continue reading “Missouri the Biggest Loser in Week 17 Rankings”

There wasn’t any change in the Top 5 of both the AP and ESPN/Coaches Poll that was released today. Kentucky, Syracuse, and Missouri are the top three in both polls with Kansas and Duke rounding out the top five. All five teams went undefeated last week.

The non-power conferences took a hit this week, as many moved down in the polls and some dropped out.

The West Coast Conference lost Gonzaga from the rankings after they were upset for the third year in a row at San Francisco. That loss also dropped them back into second place in the WCC standings (just a 1/2 game ahead of BYU). They will face BYU on Thursday night, who they lost to at the beginning of the month.

Saint Mary’s dropped from the AP Poll, but is still hanging on in the Coaches Poll (23rd). They have lost two in a row and three of their last four games. The two losses last week were to LMU at home and in the Bracket Buster game at Murray State. They have just two games left before the WCC Tournament.

» Continue reading “Top 5 the Same in Both Polls”