Richmond coach Chris Mooney said all the right things last Monday when the Spiders moved into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in 24 years.
“It’s really a significant accomplishment, and we’ve been very open with our guys about this, that it was something that we wanted to accomplish,” Mooney told the AP.
Mooney basically sounded like any other coach who has ever been in that position. It was obvious he was excited, but he tried his hardest to keep it all in perspective.
“We’ll see if it changes anything,” he said. “We didn’t want to hide from it. We wanted to seek it, and I know that ultimately it doesn’t mean you’ve accomplished your other goals. It doesn’t give you the championship of the A-10, or it doesn’t give you an NCAA tournament berth, but it does mean something.”
In a season when Kansas and Kentucky, two of the great traditional programs, have held on to the top spots for so long, it’s sometimes easy to overlook programs at the other end of the spectrum. The Spiders joined the rankings at No. 25, making an appearance in the AP poll for the first time since January 1986. It’s just the fourth time in school history that the Spiders have been in the poll.
Mooney’s players responded as if the ranking was old hat. The Spiders (22-6, 11-2) rolled past Fordham, 84-56, and then squeezed past George Washington, 74-70 Saturday before a home crowd of 9,025 -- their largest since they played Syracuse in the 2002 NIT quarterfinals. Kevin Anderson scored 24 points as Richmond won its eighth consecutive game. That is Richmond’s longest winning streak since 1997-98.
Now Richmond is off until Sunday, when it plays Xavier in a game that might decide the Atlantic 10 regular season title. Xavier is 19-7 overall and tied with Temple (22-5) for second place in the conference at 10-2.
“We want teams’ best shot because we think it’s going to prepare us for what we’re trying to do here toward the end of the season,” Richmond’s Ryan Butler told the AP after the George Washington win.
The added significance for Richmond is that the Spiders have done this at a time when the A-10 is having perhaps its greatest season ever. In a season when mid-major programs are expected to flex their muscles in the NCAA Tournament, the A-10 is leading the way. Six of the conference’s teams could end up in the NCAA.
Entering play on Sunday, the A-10 had five teams in the top 37 of the RPI and eight among the top 98. In addition to the top three teams, Rhode Island and Dayton are among the top 37. Charlotte and Saint Louis come in at 56th and 84th in the RPI, and Duquesne is in the top 100 at 98.
There will be some terrific conference tournaments this season, but you might want to keep a close eye on the A-10. Action begins on campus sites and then moves to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., from March 12-14. Should be really good stuff.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
If James Anderson played in one the major media markets, say in the Big East Conference, everyone would know his name. Anderson tends to get overshadowed in the star-studded Big 12 but the Oklahoma State junior has an opportunity to change that with four straight games against ranked teams. The first came Saturday and Anderson matched his season high with 31 points and added 12 rebounds as the Cowboys upset Baylor, 82-75. “Big Game James” now takes aim at Texas, Kansas and Texas A&M. Earlier in the week Anderson scored 20 points in a win over Iowa State. Anderson has 40 straight double-digit scoring games, second longest in OSU history.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
For the second consecutive week we are using this space to point out that freshman Xavier Henry is becoming much more assertive for the Kansas Jayhawks. In wins over Texas A&M and Colorado, Henry scored 36 points. His 24 against Colorado was his biggest scoring game since he had 31 against LaSalle on Dec. 12. Four consecutive games in double figures now and that has to make coach Bill Self smile after Henry went five straight games without double figures.
GAMES OF THE WEEK
Monday, Feb. 22
West Virginia at Connecticut
Things tend to get rather physical when these two Big East teams get together. This time shouldn’t be any different, especially with the Huskies desperately trying to get off the bubble and the Mountaineers playing for a high seed.
Oklahoma at Kansas
The Sooners (13-13, 4-8 Big 12) have been one of the nation’s biggest disappointments this season but that doesn’t mean they won’t be up to play the No. 1 team in the nation. Kansas is closing in on a sixth consecutive Big 12 championship.
Tuesday, Feb. 23
Illinois at Michigan
The Illini need every win they can get the rest of the way. Michigan joins Oklahoma in the disappointment category.
Georgetown at Louisville
This is Georgetown’s next-to-last road game. The Hoyas, in the midst of a very difficult schedule, need to win this one or at West Virginia March 1 to keep their NCAA seed high.
Wednesday, Feb. 24
Pittsburgh at Notre Dame
This will be Notre Dame’s first game since the 91-89 loss at Louisville in overtime on Feb. 17. The Irish have really missed Luke Harangody and they might miss the NCAA Tournament again. Pitt, heating up again, knocked off Villanova Sunday.
Virginia Tech at Boston College
Tech’s Malcolm Delaney brings his high-scoring routine to Beantown.
Oklahoma State at Texas
The Cowboys, who have played their way into the NCAA tourney, and Longhorns are tied for fifth place in the Big 12, five games behind Kansas. Who could have predicted that?
Thursday, Feb. 25
South Carolina at Kentucky
Possible pre-game scouting note on the Kentucky chalkboard: Don’t lose Devan Downey.
Santa Clara at Gonzaga
Gonzaga let things slip a bit with last week’s loss to Loyola Marymount. But the Bulldogs close out the regular season with three home games.
Friday, Feb. 26
Butler at Valparaiso
Butler can close out the regular season with an 18-game win streak and the first perfect Horizon League season since 1995-96.
Saturday, Feb. 27
Missouri at Kansas State
The Tigers defeated K-State in Columbia on Jan. 9. A sweep of the Wildcats would put Missouri in the running for second place in the Big 12.
Villanova at Syracuse
Without a doubt, the most anticipated game of the Big East regular season. Will the winner head to New York with the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament?
Kentucky at Tennessee
John Wall and the Wildcats keep finding a way to win, especially on the road. Kentucky prevailed last week at Mississippi State and at Vanderbilt. Could the Vols beat Kansas and Kentucky at home in the same season?
Kansas at Oklahoma State
It’s always an emotional night when Kansas coach Bill Self returns to his alma mater. The Jayhawks will have to survive a night at Gallagher-Iba Arena if they want to finish undefeated in the Big 12.
Sunday, Feb.28
Louisville at Connecticut
Jim Calhoun’s UConn team needs victories. Louisville is in better shape but the Cardinals could help their NCAA chances with a road win.
Michigan State at Purdue
The Boilermakers are playing perhaps their best basketball of the season. This would be a real statement victory for Purdue.
Richmond at Xavier
Richmond begins the week 11-2 in the Atlantic 10. Xavier and Temple are tied for second at 10-2. The winner of this one takes a big step toward the title.
THEY SAID IT:
“Seven-of-10 from three -- I’m not taking math this semester, but that’s about 70 percent. You can’t beat that. You can’t ask for more than that.” -- Auburn’s Lucas Hargrove commenting on teammate Tay Waller’s three-point shooting percentage against Arkansas. Waller scored a season-high 29 points as Auburn won 92-83.
“It's a frustrating time for us, the most frustrating time I've ever had in coaching, there's no question about that. Some way, somehow we gotta keep trying to do the best we can do. I thought we were going to win today and get on a great run and we’d be in the NCAA Tournament. Now I gotta readjust and see if we can get it done by starting on Wednesday night.” -- North Carolina coach Roy Williams after the Tar Heels fell at Boston College, 71-67 Saturday.
“We shot the ball well. Our defense has been constant, but today was one of those days where we shot the ball … The thing I liked, we’re starting to become a second-half team.” -- Missouri coach Mike Anderson, following a 74-59 victory over Nebraska.
“I told them let’s start from the jump. That’s what we did. We put together a 40-minute game. Probably the first one of the season, to tell you the truth. It was great.” -- Connecticut guard Kemba Walker, who scored 29 points to lead the Huskies to a huge 84-75 win at Villanova.
“We won the game muddy. It’s probably a good thing for us to know that we can win when it was really a muddy, ugly -- from an offensive standpoint -- game.” -- Kansas coach Bill Self after a 59-54 win at Texas A&M.
“I’ve never been that guy. In fact, I’m usually on the [backup] team going against the starters.” -- Maryland’s Cliff Tucker on his game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer to defeat Georgia Tech, 76-74 Saturday.
NOTES:
If you were lucky enough to be in Newark, Del., Saturday you might have witnessed the incredible shooting and scoring performance by Boston University’s John Holland. His career-high 43 points led the Terriers to a 78-65 victory over Delaware. Holland’s numbers included 14-for-20 from the field, 9-for-11 from the foul line and 6-for-10 on 3-pointers. He added three steals. Holland, a 6-foot-5 junior, averages 19.8 points and had a 20-point performance against Binghamton earlier in the week.
Greivis Vasquez has definitely cemented his place in Maryland history. Vasquez scored 18 points as the Terps defeated George Tech Saturday and, in the process became the sixth player in Maryland history to reach the career 2,000-point mark. He became the first player in the history of the ACC with 2,000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds. The Terps swept Virginia, North Carolina State and Georgia Tech last week and Vasquez did his part with 74 points, 19 assists and 17 rebounds.
The press release of the season, has to be from Loyola Marymount, sent Saturday night and titled “A Crystal-Clear Overtime Win.” The release: Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Medicine and head trainer for LMU men's basketball, Keith Ellison, made a discovery during the week, LMU point guard Vernon Teel was squinting at the television. After an eye doctor appointment discovered he had 20-50 vision, he was outfitted with contacts Friday morning. Credit Ellison, a 1987 LMU alum, with an assist as the result was crystal clear. Teel led the Lions to a dramatic 77-68 win over Portland in overtime in front of 3,844 at Gersten Pavilion Saturday night in West Coast Conference action. Teel scored eight of his 24 points in the extra frame to lift LMU to their fifth win in the last seven games and to avenge a 40-point setback against the Pilots on Jan. 21.
Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich turned down the NBA last year and came back to Kansas, in part, because they want to be the first Jayhawks ever to win two national championships. It remains to be seen if they can reach that goal. But Collins has tied the record for most wins by a player in the tradition-rich Kansas program. Saturday’s victory over Colorado was No. 123 for Collins, a senior from Chicago. Technically, Brady Morningstar, who red-shirted in 2007-08, is at that number as well. Raef LaFrentz, C.B. McGrath and Billy Thomas set the mark for a four-year span from 1995-98.
The Colonial Athletic Association had so much to look forward to heading into BracketBusters weekend. Instead, the conference seemed to implode with several key losses. Old Dominion went to Northern Iowa and lost, 71-62. William & Mary lost at Iona, 69-53. Northeastern and George Mason lost home games to Louisiana Tech and College of Charleston. Old Dominion, which won at Georgetown earlier in the year, probably hurt itself the most. A win at Northern Iowa might have meant an at-large bid as a backup, but now it appears the CAA will be a one-bid league again.
Rising team: Purdue has bounced back from that three-game losing streak with a nine-game winning streak that has the Boilermakers sitting on top of the Big Ten standings with an 11-3 conference record. Victories at Ohio State and home against Illinois last week were huge. E’Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson and Robbie Hummell appear ready for the big NCAA moment. And the Boilermakers are building a very strong case for a No. 1 seed.
Falling team: It didn’t take long for the nation’s newest Cinderella to drop its slipper. South Florida captivated the Big East with four consecutive wins, including a big one at Georgetown. Now South Florida has lost three of its last four, including a painful 74-58 setback to St. John’s at home. Next up, a road trip to Villanova. The Bulls need to make some positive noise again but this one will be tough, especially with Nova coming off consecutive losses to UConn and Pitt.
