Beyond the Arc

Missouri's practicing, sleeping at the gym

2009-11-06T23:39:00Z

There are dedicated college basketball players, and then there’s Kim English.

Missouri’s sophomore guard is taking the “practice makes perfect” cliché to another level by spending all of his free time at the gym. In fact, he rarely makes it home to bed.

From the Kansas City Star:

No Missouri basketball player has likely ever spent as much time practicing his game. A year ago English frequently slept at Mizzou Arena, so as to be able to shoot after practice and before class the next day.

The practice has been catching. A lot of players are doing the same thing now.

(It’ll be interesting to see if English’s extra work pays off. He hit just 40 percent of his field-goal attempts last season, and shot almost 38 percent from beyond the arc. Tempo free nuggets: 51.5 TS% and a 101.0 ORtg.)

English has shown this kind of dedication for some time. But perhaps everyone else is following his lead so they can stick to their detractors.

For the second straight season – and despite a 31-7 season that ended in the Elite Eight – Missouri was picked to finish 7^th in the Big 12. That’s not sitting well with the Tigers.

Then again, if these guys are sleeping at the gym to fit in some extra practice, maybe we shouldn’t doubt quotes like this from coach Mike Anderson.

"I think we've got some guys who can put it in the hole," Anderson said. "We've got to be that team that is going to be tenacious, scrapping and clawing."

I bet. Sleeping at the gym will do that to you.

(H/T: The Dagger)

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Hey look! Evan Turner has a blog!

2009-11-06T23:15:00Z

Blogging must come easily to Ohio State basketball players.

Last year, Club Trillion, a blog started by three Ohio State bench players – Mark Titus, Kyle Madsen and Danny Peters – became a minor Web sensation thanks to Titus’ funny bits riffing on life on the Buckeye bench.

So what’s life like as an Ohio State starter? Maybe Evan Turner can fill us in.

Turner, the Buckeyes’ 6-7 do-everything junior, posted his first entry to “Evan Turner’s blog” over at NBADraft.net Thursday. It wasn’t much – five grafs, mostly as an introduction to NBADraft.net readers – but it did confirm he’s starting the season at point guard. Last I’d read, Ohio State Thad Matta would only say he plans on using Turner “just about everywhere” and not just at point.

I doubt Turner’s blog will have Titus’ flavor – it behooves Turner to be general for his future NBA career – but it’s worth checking out every now and then. Even if it’s bland, there’s going to be information in there that isn’t found in other spots, mostly because it’s more than 140 characters …

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Friday the 13th won't be dire for one school

2009-11-05T21:42:00Z

The nation’s No. 1 recruit could make Friday the 13^th awfully lucky for one school.

Harrison Barnes, a 6-6 swingman from Ames, Iowa, is trying to settle on announcement date where he’ll announce where he’ll play hoops next season. Six schools are in the mix: North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, UCLA, Oklahoma and Iowa State. Much of the Internet chatter has focused on the Heels and Devils, but it’s really anyone’s guess.

When Barnes – who’s making his last unofficial visit to Iowa State this week – decides, the school settle on a date and method of announcement, likely on some version of ESPN.

“We’re still working out the details,” Judge Johnston, the Ames (Iowa) High School activities director, told Adam Zagoria. “There’s a lot of stuff going on out there in the Internet world.”

The season kicks off next week and the top prospect may decide his future? I love this time of year.

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

It can only get better for Isiah

2009-11-05T21:27:00Z

Losing to an NAIA school does have one benefit for Isiah Thomas’s Florida International squad.

Monday can hardly be any worse.

That’s Thomas’ actual coaching debut – Wednesday was an exhibition – and it comes against defending champion North Carolina, replete with McDonald’s All-American and future NBA players. Yes, the Heels lost most of their players and are fine-tuning a new offense. But it’s still UNC. It’ll give the Panthers an up-close look at what Thomas aspires for the program.

"We're starting from the bottom. We want to go to the top," Thomas said. "And the journey, the ride along the way, is the most important thing. ... The journey, to me, that's the most enjoyable part. This is the fun part. It starts now."

Give Thomas credit. He’s aware of FIU’s issues – the school didn’t want to play Carolina when the game was announced – and isn’t expecting instant success. But he’s optimistic things can turn around.

He spent the summer hitting the recruting trail, nabbing players FIU normally wouldn’t even sniff. The school’s gotten more media attention than ever before, which also helps. The school’s only produced two NBA players and hasn’t been to the Big Dance in ages. If there’s a place in need of hoops success, it’s FIU.

So they’ll take their lumps and try to push on through.

"By the time January, February gets here, I hope we're a pretty solid unit," Thomas said. "If we're a good unit going into conference play, then we'll take our chances with the four games in March. And if we win the four games in March, then it's a good year."

That’s the spirit! After all, even schools rich in hoops history suffer embarassing losses in November.

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Dollar banking on area talent at Seattle U

2009-11-05T05:52:00Z

Just last spring Cameron Dollar was touted as one of the country’s top assistants.

So what’s he doing as the head coach of Seattle University? The Redhawks aren’t eligible for the NCAA tournament until 2013 and don’t belong to any conference. They’re still making the transition back to D-I status. Sounds like a thankless, under-the-radar job.

After all, it’s been a long time since Elgin Baylor tore it up at Seattle U. The guy averaged 30 and 20 in two seasons and took Seattle U to the 1958 NCAA tournament title game.

Dollar doesn’t see it that way. He spent the last seven years at Washington recruiting the area’s massive talent base and tells the Seattle Times he couldn’t be more excited.

"One of the things that make this really, really special is that there is no ceiling," Dollar said. "Being in Seattle, one of only two D-I schools in this area and the talent of the kids in this area, playing at KeyArena [where Seattle U will play all of its home games] — you have the potential to develop and grow outside the box."

It’s not new that the Seattle-Tacoma area produces a fair share of elite players, but it would be new for a small school like Seattle U to snag one.

In the last five years, guys like Terrence Williams, Jon Brockman, Brandon Roy, Marvin Williams, Nate Robinson, Terrence Williams and Aaron Brooks hailed from the area. Current players like Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Abdul Gaddy and coveted prospects like Josh Smith and Tony Wroten are all garnering plenty of attention.

And that’s just the stars. There’s even more talent when it comes to supporting players. It’s a similar tact to what Florida International and South Florida have tried in football. The state produces more than enough D-I players than Florida, Florida State and Miami can handle.

All it’ll take is one star or a couple three-star prospects for Dollar to make his mark. It’s a longshot, but one worth taking.

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

ESPN wants to bid for March Madness?

2009-11-05T04:31:00Z

File this one under unlikely, but interesting enough to talk about.

ESPN says it’d be open in bidding for the rights to March Madness if the NCAA opts out of its 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS this July.

"We do 1,100 college basketball games a year and they all lead to one thing and that's the NCAA tournament," Burke Magnus, the network’s senior vice president of college sports programming told USA TODAY. "If it were to become available, and fit the definition of a business decision for us, I'm quite certain we'd be interested."

So that’s out there. But it seems unlikely for this reason: Money.

CBS’ contract runs through 2013. By opting out, the NCAA would forego about $2.2 billion. That’s a lotta dimp. And I’m not business expert, but leaving that much money on the table in a recession is risky. I’m sure CBS and ESPN would offer good packages, but would it be in the $2.2 billion range?

(whistles)

Seems smarter to wait until 2013 when the economy is whistling along again and the price tag would be even higher. Hell, the tourney may up to 124 teams by then. Think what the NCAA could charge for that number of games…

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

6 superb (or some superlative) defenders

2009-11-05T01:27:00Z

This is the last of the lists.

Our rundown of the various college basketball preseason topics (top conferences, high fliers, new coaches, etc.) covered all the necessary reading for your needs entering 2009-10. Well, now it does.

And I suppose highlighting the best defenders last should come as no surprise. These guys never get any respect.

Jim Lytle/AP

Jarvis Varnado blocks a shot by South Carolina's Mike Holmes.

(Well, that’s not true. They get some respect. Maybe more than some. A lot. I mean, there are awards for defensive player of the year most conferences have all-defensive teams. Sure, highlights are usually reserved for guys like Stephen Curry or Tyler Hansbrough, but a big-time shot blocker is gonna get some SportsCenter airtime.)

ANYWAY, here are the star defenders for this season. Apologies to guys like Cole Aldrich and Devin Ebanks. They’re superb defenders, but they’ve gotten plenty of pub thus far. I’m all about sharing the love.

Marcus Ginyard, North Carolina
It speaks volumes about UNC’s offensive ability last season that it won the NCAA title with Ginyard on the bench. Roy Williams’ best teams usually feature a lock-down defender (David Noel, Jarod Hasse), which is a good sign that Ginyard is fully recovered from foot surgery. He’s a little too big (6-5, 220) to handle the game’s quickest guards, but that’s about it. He’ll guard everyone else, and do it well.

Chris Kramer, Purdue
A former Big Ten defensive player of the year, Kramer has led the league in steals the last two years. He’s big, strong and uses his hands well, though sometimes opponents complain he’s using them too well. If the Boilermakers ever break through for a Final Four run, Kramer’s defense will be crucial, much like Travis Walton was to Michigan State last season.

Larry Sanders, VCU
If you’re driving to the hoops against the Rams, know where Sanders is. He’s 6-10, athletic and his freakishly long arms (7-foot-7 wingspan) make him a threat to block any shot at any time. He might not even have to try too hard if you’re short. Small wonder the junior was the Colonial League’s defensive player of the year – and that was after his %Blocks (how many shots he swatted while on the floor) went down from his freshman to sophomore seasons. Opponents stayed away.

JT Tiller, Missouri
Not many players who average 8.4 ppg, 3.6 apg and 1.8 spg can nab a spot on the preseason Wooden Watch list. But hey, when you D up like Tiller, you earn some plaudits. At 6-3, he has the size to handle bigger shooting guards, and is quick enough to stay in front of (most) point guards. Tiller’s just as good off the ball. Missouri’s pressing defense encourages him to get into passing lanes and disrupt opponents, and was a driving factor behind his co-Big 12 defensive player of the year honor.

Venoy Overton, Washington
If there’s anyone more disruptive – or annoying – as an on-ball defender than Tiller, it’s Overton. Washington’s 5-11 pest is quick, aggressive and impossible to ignore. Or maybe that’s his mouth. Seattleites see a little Gary Payton in Overton, both in his quick hands and constant trash talk. But that’s a necessity for any good defensive player since there’s more than one way to throw an opponent off his game.

Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
A no-brainer. The 6-9 senior will become the NCAA’s all-time blocks leader this season and is a two-time All-SEC defensive player. If the résumé lines don’t impress you, consider some tempo-free numbers: His %blocks (how many shots he swatted while on the floor) was tops among all players last season and the best of his career. Varnado’s always been a natural shot blocker, but he’s gotten better each season at help defense and his timing.

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Miss St.'s Sidney may be eligible after all

2009-11-04T21:40:00Z

Any day now, Mississippi State could get some really good news. At least, that’s what Renardo Sidney’s lawyer thinks.

The 6-10 forward is one of the nation’s top freshmen, but he’s been in NCAA eligibility limbo because of amateurism issues rising from his family’s two-year stay in the Los Angeles area. Basically, rumors flew that they couldn’t afford that house they were living in, so someone else was paying. The family says it’s hogwash.

After a long investigation into the matter, Sidney’s lawyer says the NCAA will come to the same conclusion and clear Sidney to play.

"We expect it could happen as soon as tomorrow or in the next week," Alabama-based attorney Don Jackson told FOXSports.com. "Frankly, there's no reason he shouldn't have already been cleared," Jackson said. "If he's done something wrong, someone needs to say something. If not, the family needs to be left alone."

Most of the Sidney background can be found here and here, but this is what’s most important if Sidney is cleared: Miss State will be really, really good.

He makes the Bulldogs a Top 10 team and gives them perhaps the nation’s top frontcourt. He’s a skilled power forward who can play the post or away from the basket. Playing alongside Jarvis Varnado or John Riek will give any team massive matchup headaches.

Did I say really good news? I meant great news.

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Tar Heels fine-tuning a new offense?

2009-11-04T04:37:00Z

The last time North Carolina won an NCAA title and lost most of its players, it needed Tyler Hansbrough to do the yeoman’s work to ensure it remained among the NCAA’s elite.

This time, the Heels are trying something different.

Gerry Broome/AP

Don't expect North Carolina to just dump the ball to Deon Thompson in the low post this season.

Tar Heel Fan has extensive details from an observer who watched them practice at length a few weeks ago – length being the key word. Unlike the 2005-06 season, UNC is loaded with tall, athletic players. Shooting could be an issue, but rebounding and defense won’t be mostly because of fleet forwards like Ed Davis, Deon Thompson, Tyler Zeller and freshman John Henson.

And Roy Williams is going to put those forwards to use in a revamped offense. The days of dumping the ball into Hansbrough are over. These guys are going to run.

Roy and his staff figure the best way to do that is to play to the strength of its post players. Without question, the greatest strength of this group is their ability to handle the basketball. So, when you have good ball-handling post guys what do you do? You let them handle the ball. And that’s exactly what Roy is going to do with the new offense. Instead of trying to slam the ball in to the post to players that aren’t able to finish with defenders draped all over them, he’s going to bring those big guys out away from the basket. In the new offense – which is still driven by Carolina ’s age-old motion offense principles – the post guys will start at the foul line extended. The three perimeter players will be in roughly the same places they have been. The goal is to open up the lane to allow cutters and drivers. This should create fantastic passing opportunities for UNC’s big folks.

There’s much, much more on Tar Heel Fan and here (including early player analysis), but that’s the juicy stuff. Provided those guys can hit mid-range jumpers – Thompson’s specialty – it’s going to be a an offense that spreads out defenses and lets those big guys and point guard Larry Drew penetrate, kick and shoot.

They won’t be shooting 3-pointers, though. UNC doesn’t have any reliable long-range options, which leads me to believe teams will use lots of zone and collapse on any Tar Heel occupying the lane or low post. That can be solved with quick passing, but it’ll be an issue at the start of the season. After all, don’t expect UNC to be proficient in the new offense right away.

But it’s an exciting prospect to see Williams’ teams possibly get even more wide-open and up-tempo. They’ll still run the secondary break – always a headache for opponents because it’s so hard to keep in check – and are supposed to be great on defense. (You know, because of all those tall, speedy forwards? Though I suppose having a healthy Marcus Ginyard helps, too.)

Will it work? Get the Heels back to the Final Four? Who knows? I’m just excited to see in action.

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Syracuse gets an exhibition wake-up call

2009-11-04T03:08:00Z

Anyone who thought Syracuse wouldn’t miss a beat after losing Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris from last season’s 28-10 squad (I’m staring at you, coaches’ poll), was served a nice, cold glass of reality Tuesday.

Le Moyne College 82, Syracuse 79.

It was only an exhibition game, but still. Le Moyne is a D-II school of about 2,800 kids located in Syracuse. That’s gonna be a brutal one to for the local TV, paper and radio.

Le Moyne coach Steve Evans enjoyed the win, but it sounds like he's already dreading what Syracuse is going to go through.

“I feel bad that the story tomorrow will be, ’What’s wrong with Syracuse basketball?’ I don’t think there’s anything wrong,” he said. “They’ve got tremendous players. It’s an exhibition game. They’re young. They’re going to be terrific."

As one commenter remarked on Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician:

It was a typical SU game. Uninspired play, got outhustled, bricked open shots, etc. Thankfully it doesn’t count, but the damage is done. That was pathetic and really puts a damper on this team going into the year.

Ouch. Still, there are some silver linings.

This kind of thing happens a lot, most recently to Michigan State and Ohio State. Transfer Wesley Johnson, who led all scorers with 34 points, looks like he can carry the scoring load. And this is just the kind of thing that Jim Boeheim relishes – a focal point for his team to build off of and not believe any preseason hype.

In fact, he's already laying the groundwork.

“Le Moyne really outplayed us from the beginning of the game to the end,” Boeheim said. “They (the Orange) are very, very young mentally. They really have got to grow up. We couldn’t stop them on the dribble. That’s something we’ve been looking at in practice.”

Now if only that defense can improve ...

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.