Wednesday, January 24, 2007
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Tulsa-SMU
Press Notes
The SMU Mustangs (11-7, 0-4 Conference USA) host the Tulane Green Wave (8-8, 1-3 C-USA). The Mustangs and Green Wave have each won nine times in series history. The Mustangs fell 59-56 at Fogelman Arena in New Orleans on Feb. 1, 2006. The Mustangs are 7-3 at home this season and are looking for their first league win this year. The two home losses in conference have been examples of the thin line between victory and defeat. The Ponies fell to Southern Miss 57-56 on Jan. 10, as Derrick Roberts left-elbow jumper at the buzzer was just long. SMU stormed back from 21 down in the second half to take a one-point lead before falling. Against UTEP on Jan. 20, Donatas Rackauskas had a game-tying three-point attempt with 17 seconds remining. The Mustangs lead Conference USA in 3-point percentage defense (.304) and rebounding defense (28.8) and rank second in rebound margin (+8.0) and scoring defense (61.3). Nationally, the team is ninth in rebound margin, 40th in blocked shots, and 42nd in scoring defense.
GA Tech-Maryland
Press Notes
Georgia Tech goes in search of its first road victory of the season when it visits Maryland. Tech, 13-5 overall, 2-3 in the ACC, is coming off a 77-61 loss to No. 4 North Carolina Saturday night, which snapped a two-game winning streak for the Jackets. Maryland, 15-5 overall and 1-4 in the ACC, dropped both its games last week on the road at Virginia (103-91) and Virginia Tech (67-64 in overtime). The Jackets have dropped 15 straight games on opponents’ home courts, including 12 ACC losses, and has not won a true road game since Feb. 26, 2005, a 76-72 victory at Miami. But the Yellow Jackets have had several close calls, including three one-point defeats. One of those close calls was an 87-84 overtime loss to the Terps last year at the Comcast Center. Tech is concluding a five-game stretch, beginning with its Jan. 6 game against Clemson, against teams with an average current RPI of 14.6. They have a combined record of 77-16. Maryland has won nine of the last 14, including both regular-season meetings in 2005-06. Tech is 4-8 against Maryland under head coach Paul Hewitt, 1-5 at College Park. Tech is 16-20 vs. Gary Williams-coached Maryland teams. Seven of the 12 games between Tech and Maryland since Paul Hewitt became the head coach have been decided by 10 points or fewer.
Kansas-Baylor
Press Notes
Kansas (16-3, 3-1) continues its short tour of the Lone Star state when it travels to Baylor (11-7, 1-4) Wednesday. The Jayhawks and Bears look to bounce back from road losses Saturday. KU fell at Texas Tech 69-64, while Baylor lost at Oklahoma 91-51. Kansas’ loss snapped a 10-game winning streak. Baylor has lost two straight heading into the Kansas contest. No. 8/8 Kansas (16-3, 3-1) plays its second of four games in nine days at Baylor. The Jayhawks had a 10-game winning streak snapped at Texas Tech 69-64 Saturday. KU is scoring 76.5 points per game and giving up 59.7. The Jayhawks have held every opponent to under 50 percent shooting this season and are making 48.4 percent to their opponents’ 37.6 percent from the floor. Kansas forces 17.6 turnovers per game and averages 7.3 blocked shots per contest. Baylor (11-7, 1-4) is looking to snap a two game losing skid after Oklahoma handed the Bears a 91-51 loss at Norman Saturday. BU has lost four of its last five games with three of those on the road. Additionally, three of the four losses have been by 10 points or less. Baylor is scoring 75.8 points per game and giving up 69.3. Kansas has won 11 of the 12 meetings with Baylor and has won five straight in the series. Baylor’s lone win versus Kansas came in 2001 when it defeated the then-No. 5 Jayhawks 85-77 in Waco. Since the inception of the Big 12, Kansas is 9-1 against Baylor.
Penn State-Iowa
Press Notes
Iowa (10-9, 2-3) plays the first of two home games when it hosts Penn State (10-8, 1-4) Wednesday, Jan. 24. Iowa lost to Ohio State 82-63 in Columbus Saturday evening. Penn State lost to Michigan State 91-64 Saturday in State College. With the 60-49 win over Minnesota, Iowa improved its home winning streak in Big Ten Conference games to 11 straight. The Hawkeyes have won the last six meetings, 10 of the last 12, 11 of the last 14 and 13 of the last 17. Iowa won both meetings last season, defeating the Nittany Lions 80-76 in State College and 59-44 in Iowa City. Iowa also won single games in both 2004 and 2005. Iowa holds a 9-3 advantage in games played in Iowa City, with all 12 meetings taking place in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes have won seven of the last eight meetings in Iowa City.
Tennessee-Mississippi
Associated Press
Chris Lofton’s sprained right ankle likely will keep Tennessee’s star guard out of Wednesday night’s game at Mississippi. Lofton, who leads the Southeastern Conference in scoring at 21.5 points per games, sprained the ankle in the second half of Saturday’s 64-61 victory over South Carolina.
Press Notes
The Vols are in a stretch where they are playing five of six games on the road. The stretch began with three consecutive road games (at Vanderbilt, at Ohio State and at Auburn) before UT returned home to play South Carolina Saturday, Jan. 20. The Mississippi game begins a two-game road trip that will continue at Kentucky Sunday, Jan. 28. Each of Tennessee’s last four games has been decided by one possession. The four games have been decided by a combined total of nine points. Vanderbilt scored on a tip-in as time expired to take an 82-81 win in Nashville Jan. 10 and then Ohio State needed a 3-pointer with 11.2 seconds left for a 68-66 victory in Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 13. Auburn took an 83-80 win Jan. 17 and then UT defeated South Carolina 64-61 on Jan. 20. Tennessee is leading the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation with 83.2 points per game. The Vols will be without the services of All-America guard Chris Lofton Wednesday night. Lofton, who is leading the SEC in scoring with 21.5 points per game, suffered an injury to his right ankle Saturday, Jan. 20. X-rays performed Monday were negative and his status remains out indefinitely.
Dayton-Duquesne
Press Notes
Duquesne (5-11, 1-4), coming off a 101-87 loss at Massachusetts on Sunday, returns to Pittsburgh to open a three-game homestand against Dayton (13-5, 3-2) on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 7:00 p.m. The Dukes, who are looking to snap a three-game losing streak - and five-game home losing skid - are 2-5 at the Palumbo Center this season. Dayton, which is 12-0 at UD Arena, is looking for its first road victory (0-5). UD has won 18 of the past 19 meetings, including eight in a row at the Palumbo Center . Duquesne, which began the season with seven scholarship players, is currently competing with eight of the 10 total players on the current active roster, just one is over 6-6 (6-10 junior Kieron Achara)
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