Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Advanced news and notes for the opening line for the remainder of the week are on JoeDuffy.net
CBB
Kentucky-South Carolina
Cincinnati Post
UK (14-3, 3-0 SEC) has won 10 consecutive games while the Gamecocks (10-5, 0-2) have averaged just 53.3 points per game in three straight double-digit losses. In three SEC games, the Wildcats have held teams to an average of 58.3 ppg, second in the league behind reigning NCAA champion and top-ranked Florida, which allowed its first three SEC opponents an average of 57.7 ppg. When the Wildcats play the Gamecocks, who won the post-season NIT for the second straight year last season, they will be facing senior Tre Kelley, one of the best point guards in the league when healthy and still the most productive player on the team.Kelley isn’t at full strength since hurting his left knee during the Gamecocks’ victory against Jacksonville on Dec. 29 and missed the first game of his career against Western Carolina on Jan. 3. Since returning to the team three games ago, Kelley has averaged 14.3 points and 3.0 assists and had 24 points in 39 minutes during the team’s loss to the Gators on Saturday. He leads the team in scoring (16.3 ppg) and assists (4.8 pg), and is third with 3.4 rebounds per game while averaging 35.1 minutes per game. Kelley is logging more minutes than Odom would like, but at this point the head coach doesn’t have many other options.
UAB-Memphis
Press Notes
UAB Battles Rival Memphis On National Television The UAB men’s basketball team will be playing its third road Conference USA game in four games this season when it travels to Memphis. The Blazers will be looking for their first win at Memphis since a 91-83 victory on Jan. 2, 1999, a span of seven games. The game marks the 33rd meeting between the two teams, with the Tigers holding a 22-10 advantage in the series. However, UAB has won three of the last five overall between the two teams. Memphis enters Monday night’s contest sporting a 13-3 overall record on the season, and are 3-0 in C-USA play. The Tigers are coming off a hard-fought 75-62 win at Southern Miss last Saturday. The victory marked Memphis’ fifth consecutive win, and seventh win over its last eight contests. UAB will enter its contest at Memphis with an overall record of 10-7, and a 2-1 mark in league play. The Blazers are coming off their first road league victory of the season, a 67-60 win at Tulane last Saturday.
Maryland-Virginia
Press Notes
The Terps carry a mark of 15-3 into the contest, while Virginia is 9-6. The Terrapins posted a 92-87 victory over Clemson in their last game. Virginia suffered a 78-73 defeat at Boston College. The Terrapins have won each of the last six meetings and have claimed nine of the last 11 against Virginia. Maryland has displayed a balanced offensive attack this season. The Terps boast the third-highest scoring average in the league (81.1 ppg), and have four players averaging double figures. Maryland has outscored its opponents by an average of 17.2 points per game this season. That is the second best scoring margin in the ACC behind North Carolina (22.1). Maryland knocked off the nation’s last remaining unbeaten team as the Terrapins defeated Clemson, 92-87, on Saturday (Jan. 13). The Terps shot a season-high 63-percent from the field on 32-of-51 shooting. The Terps have made a renewed commitment to defense in 2006-07. Maryland has forced its opponents into an average of 18.2 turnovers per game this season. The Terps are yielding just 29.3 points in the first half and limiting the opposition to 36 percent shooting from the field. Maryland’s opponents are shooting just 29 percent (106-of-366) from three-point range.
Iowa-Indiana
Press Notes
Iowa (10-7 2-1) plays the first of two straight road games when the Hawkeyes travel to Indiana (12-4, 3-1) Tuesday. The Hoosiers have won nine of the last 12 meetings against Iowa in Assembly Hall. Four of the last five games in Bloomington have been decided by three points or less, with the Hoosiers winning in one overtime in 2003 and Iowa winning in double overtime in 2004. Iowa, with wins there in 2004 and 2006. Four of Iowa’s last seven meetings with Indiana have come down to a final shot, with two of the four going into overtime.
Air Force-Utah
Press Notes
The Runnin’ Utes (5-12, 0-4 MWC) open a two-game home stand against the Air Force Falcons (16-1, 3-0 MWC. Utah has dropped seven of its last eight games, including six in a row. The Runnin’ Utes lost a pair of road games last week, falling to Colorado State, 73-57, on Tuesday and New Mexico, 86-82 in overtime, on Saturday. Utah is 4-4 at home this season. In the latest NCAA statistical rankings released on Jan. 12, Utah ranked third in 3-point percentage (44.4), 18th in field goal percentage (49.4), 58th in 3-pointers made per game (7.9), 43rd in free throw percentage (73.0), 63rd in turnovers per game (13.8), 60th in rebound margin (+4.7 rpg) and 95th in personal fouls per game (17.6). Seven of the 13 Utes who have seen action this season are first-year players. Six of those players are freshmen. The nine freshmen and sophomores who have played have accounted for 70.1 percent of Utah’s points, 84.5 percent of its rebounds, 61.9 percent of its assists and 66.9 percent of its minutes. Eight of Utah’s 12 losses have come by a combined 19 points. The Utes have lost three games by one point, four by three points and one by four points. Three of Utah’s losses have been in overtime.
Toledo-Eastern Michigan
Press Notes
Following an 80-68 triumph over Western Michigan in its Mid-American Conference home opener, Toledo (7-8, 3-0 MAC) heads back out on the road to face Eastern Michigan (7-9, 2-1 MAC). The Rockets have taken an early lead in the MAC’s West Division and are the only team in the MAC that is unbeaten in league play. UT holds a one-game lead over the Eagles and Central Michigan (7-8, 2-1 MAC) in the West Division. Keying the Rockets’ unblemished start in conference play has been a strong defense. UT is leading the MAC in field-goal percentage defense (39.4) in conference games only, is second in 3PTFG% defense (25.0) and tied for third in scoring defense (62.7 ppg). Eastern Michigan has won its last two games after dropping a 74-68 decision to CMU at home in its MAC opener. Since beginning the season with a 1-7 ledger, the Eagles have won six of their last eight games. Toledo has won its last three matchups vs. Eastern Michigan and holds a 6-2 all-time record in EMU’s Convocation Center.
Wyoming-BYU
Press Notes
Tuesday’s Wyoming vs. Brigham Young game will feature a matchup of two teams tied for second place in the Mountain West Conference. Both Wyoming and BYU will enter Tuesday’s game with 2-1 records in Mountain West Conference play. Wyoming has defeated defending MWC Champion and preseason favorite San Diego State on the road (66-65), won an overtime game over UNLV (86-76) in Laramie and lost by two points (56-58) on a last-second shot to league leader Air Force, marking Wyoming’s first home loss of the 2006-07 season. BYU defeated SDSU in Provo (80-58), also won a home game against TCU (89-65) and lost in their first conference road game at UNLV (75-83) last Saturday. After winning their 2007 Mountain West Conference opener on the road at defending MWC Champion San Diego State by a score of 66-65, the Wyoming Cowboys return to the road this Tuesday to take on the Brigham Young Cougars. Wyoming is 2-2 (.500) on the road this season. BYU is 11-0 (1.000) at home for the 2006-07 season. When the Wyoming Cowboys take the court at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday night they will not only be hoping to record their second conference road win of the 2006-07 season, but they will be looking for their second road win at BYU in the past three seasons.
Connecticut-Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
When Connecticut (13-3, 2-2) plays No. 6 Pitt (16-2, 4-0) at 7 tonight at Petersen Events Center, it will look nothing like the recent UConn squads. The Huskies, with two national championships and five Big East regular-season titles in the past nine seasons, start three sophomores and two freshmen. The only senior on the roster is a walk-on who has played eight minutes this season. When the NBA draft plucked all five starters from last season, including a record four first rounders, it left Calhoun with his youngest team in 21 seasons in Storrs, Conn. Connecticut, picked fifth in the Big East preseason poll despite the exodus to the NBA, is trying to rebuild on the run. The Huskies beat St. John’s on Saturday after a 1-2 start in the Big East. But Calhoun, whose team played its first 11 games at home against a cupcake schedule, admits “we haven’t beaten anybody of note yet.” Connecticut is 80th in the RPI and 188th in strength of schedule. (Pitt is third and sixth, respectively). UConn, which has lost three of its past five games, is tied for seventh in the Big East. When the Associated Press poll on Monday didn’t include Connecticut, it marked the first time in 67 polls—nearly four years—the Huskies weren’t among the top 25.
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