International Business Times

Rutgers Brings Back Favorite Son Eddie Jordan; Will His Return Bring Favorable Results?

jack.kerwin — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:52:23 GMT

It reads well: aging favorite son returns with the fire and desire to lead a return to greatness, or create a path to a greatness that never quite really existed in the first place. His coming-back party is embraced by all who remember him, by those who have been informed about him by those who remember him, and by just about anyone linked to the equation who hopes for a better future than the recent past.

Mich-Again

Davis McGregor — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:06:12 GMT

A Michigan repeat wouldn’t be the craziest thing to happen in next year’s tournament. Or at least it wouldn’t have been had star point guard Trey Burke decided to stay with his team. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the sophomore’s not gonna be in blue and maize next year, but that isn’t head coach John Beilein's only worry.

Stay Or Go? College Hoops Players Have To Decide What Is Smart For Them

jack.kerwin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:25:55 GMT

Perhaps you’re basking in the afterglow of the recently completed NCAA tournament, or swimming through the sludge of the Rutgers University coach-by-abuse fiasco. Maybe you’ve stepped away from college basketball altogether until next fall, opting to focus on baseball or spring football.

Regardless, the fact remains … the game, as it does with all big-time sports, goes on – day after day, month after month, year-round.

Who Will Be The Next NCAA Basketball Champion in 2014?

Ryan Pastrana — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:12:54 GMT

The NCAA tournament ended with a lot of heart-warming storylines and Cinderella stories, as well as heartache and shock. The Wichita State Shockers literally shocked the basketball world, making it to the Final Four before bowing out to eventual champion Louisville. The Cardinals had some inspiration along the way when they lost a key member of their team, Kevin Ware, to a grotesque season-ending knee injury. Andy Enfield put Florida Gulf Coast on the map, which later led to USC luring Enfield away for a larger paycheck and a much more competitive conference.

Louisville, Marshall, Manipulation And Bad Officiating Headline Mid-Week Madness Finale

jack.kerwin — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:08:09 GMT

With the culmination of the 2012-13 college basketball season, signed, sealed and delivered with Louisville’s Peyton Siva-sparked “speed kills” act Monday night in Atlanta leaving Michigan on the wrong side of an 82-76 score, we, alas, must bid adieu to this campaign’s Mid-Week Madness.

NCAA Men’s College Basketball: The Final Four: Overcoming Styles, Games Of A Lifetime And Bad Breaks Utilizing The Ingredients Necessary To Win A Championship.

andre.mccarter — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:36:22 GMT

While men’s college basketball is in a state of parity, in some measures do to the lack of consistent execution of the fundamentals and style of play, credit is to be given to the four teams who have made it to the NCAA “Final Four”. Louisville, Syracuse, Michigan and Wichita State have endured all adversaries, taken on all comers and positioned themselves as one the four best of the rest with the hope of ultimately wearing the crown of the best of the best, NCAA national champions.

Big East In The News - Unfortunately It's Not Syracuse Or Louisville, But Rutgers

jack.kerwin — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 01:35:16 GMT

The problem goes beyond Mike Rice and existed long before him.

In sports, in society as a whole, we often embrace the bully – not only by failing to stand up to him, but by making excuses for him and his behavior, by hailing him for showing “tough love,” and, worst of all, by continuing to put him in positions of power … because we’re just too damn scared to take a stand, or too damn screwed up to realize we even need to take a stand.

Clemson Football: Who Are Some Potential Breakout Players For The Tigers In 2013?

donovan.lanham — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:48:56 GMT

In 2011, Clemson's breakout player was quarterback Tajh Boyd and then All-American freshman receiver Sammy Watkins. Last season, it was DeAndre 'Nuk' Hopkins, the unquestioned No. 1 receiver who made opposing defensive backs pay week after week. By the end of the season, Hopkins had racked up 1,405 yards with 18 touchdowns.

But who will break out for Clemson in 2013?

March Madness Final Four and National Championship Prediction

Greg Wattley — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 03:58:52 GMT

The Final Four is set—Atlanta here they come!

This year’s Final Four will be played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday April 6, with the NCAA National Championship Game being played on Monday April 8.

NCAA Tournament: Mid-Major Mania Takes Backseat To BCS Muscle

jack.kerwin — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 22:02:52 GMT

With March Madness in high gear heading into the Sweet Sixteen, Mid-Week Madness remains on a mini-hiatus. Even with that, though, some mid-week observations about the Madness seem worthwhile.

That being the case, enjoy or despise at your leisure …

NCAA Men’s College Basketball News: March Madness & The NIT Begins: Will The Lack Of The Execution Of The Fundamentals Be The Execution Of The College Game?:

andre.mccarter — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:08:55 GMT

March Madness has begun as the four “Play In” games and Thursday’s games are in the record books. The NCAA field is in motion some teams are on the way home. The NIT started with a major upset as little Robert Morris and their home crowd of 3,500 fans beat the defending national champions Kentucky Wildcats 59-57 which should send the NIT into a tailspin as teams vie for an NIT title. Where are the fundamentals?

Does 7 (Catholics) Plus 3 (Mid-Majors) Really Add Up?

jack.kerwin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:06:22 GMT

Well, it’s official. Butler, Creighton and Xavier will join the new, Catholic 7-run Big East, just as expected. The moves, announced Wednesday, will be lauded, praised and explained as the “right ones” for all involved, and, really, there is nothing wrong with them.

NCAA Tournament: An Elite-ish Eight Take On Things As The Dance Approaches

jack.kerwin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:48:18 GMT

With apologies to the two or three Mid-Week Madness followers out there, we’re going to deviate from the norm the next couple of weeks until all this Big Dance stuff sorts out itself.

That being noted, we present a few things to watch as the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament unfolds, starting tonight and tomorrow night in Dayton, Ohio, with doubleheader play-in games – otherwise known as the first round.

Clemson Football: Running Backs the Biggest Concern On Offense Heading Into 2013

donovan.lanham — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:57:46 GMT

The Clemson Tigers have always had a pretty goo dplan for its running backs, and the fans have generally had a pretty good idea of who was going to carry the load.

After James Davis departed in 2008, everyone knew CJ Spiller would keep the ground game alive. and when Spiller left, everyone knew Jamie Harper and Andre Ellington could get the job done. And even when Harper departed a year early, everyone knew Andre Ellington would be better as the main feature back in this offense.

NCAA Tournament: Storm Warning For 68-Team Field

jack.kerwin — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:50:34 GMT

It’s getting to be a little mid-major mania when it comes to March Madness anymore. For the second year in a row, the non-power conference lot has been bestowed 11 of the available 37 at-large berths for the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

The Mountain West and Atlantic Ten head that list, grabbing four apiece. The bigger deal, really, is seeing the West Coast (Saint Mary’s), Sun Belt (Middle Tennessee State) and Missouri Valley (Wichita State) conferences squeeze an extra place beyond their automatic qualifiers.

College Basketball March Madness is in full effect

Greg Wattley — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:24:30 GMT

March Madness is the best sporting event in America. While many sport fans may not agree with my opinion, I maintain—not Super bowl weekend, NBA All-Star weekend, nor the pageantry of the Kentucky Derby can be compared to March Madness.

The gruesome three-week long, “win-or-go-home tourney” is in full effect.

March Madness is the greatest spectacle in sports because the players are fully-vested; they don’t play with egos, contracts, or shoe deals but for the pure love of the game of basketball and the school logos on their jerseys.

Selection Sunday: Who Deserves Top Slots For This Dance?

jack.kerwin — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:58:26 GMT

Call it a pre-emptive strike. Call it craziness. Call it whatever you like.

It doesn’t really matter, because here it comes regardless – an alternative take to what is sure to be conventional-wisdom seeding on Selection Sunday.

Specifically, the focus here will be on the No. 1s that will be announced for this season’s NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

All of us know what they’ll be before a single tip-off takes place in the ACC, A-10, Big Ten and SEC postseason finales. We’re looking at top-ranked Gonzaga, Duke, Indiana and Louisville. Bank on it.

NCAA Men’s College Basketball News: The PAC-12 Tournament In Las Vegas Provides A New Venue And A Practice Run For A Team Who Has Its Eye On An NCAA Championship Title Run:

andre.mccarter — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:54:45 GMT

Mid-Week Madness: Last Call For 'Real' Big East

jack.kerwin — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 05:22:25 GMT

Stacked up against the other big-boy leagues of college basketball, it always was going to be viewed as the little brother, the new kid on the block, the intruder on a set stage.

Forever the neophyte due to its youth compared to the likes of the Big Ten, the Pacific 12, the SEC and the ACC, the Big East seemed to be in a constant state of having to prove itself – to those other circuits, to fans, to media, maybe even to itself.

Did it?

Why College Basketball Should Do Away with Conference Tournaments

joe.halverson — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:53:40 GMT

It seems to happen a few times every single year: a team juggernauts its way through the league schedule, only to suffer a stunning upset in the end-of-season league tournament and consequently lose out on an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in favor of a lesser team.

UCLA Bruins Basketball News: Walk The Walk Or Do Not Talk The Talk: What The Four Letters Mean Today Is A Historical Disconnect

andre.mccarter — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:49:06 GMT

On Sunday, November 25^th, 2012, UCLA’s men’s’ basketball team lost to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 70-68 on Neil & John Wooden court in the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion. Would you repeat that! No I cannot! Nothing against Cal Poly. It was great win but they were not the eleventh ranked team in the nation, nor were their last recruiting class unheralded. Despite the matchups it is best to play the games. Clearly, the UCLA Bruin’s men’s basketball program is not walking the walk.

South Dakota State's Early Season Struggles Could Keep Them From the NCAA College Basketball Tournament

Nathan Giese — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:30:47 GMT

Entering the season with high expectations, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits have struggled early in the season.