Stetson signs 2 Aussies for 2009-10

DeLand, Fla. – Head Coach Derek Waugh is proud to announce the signing of three student/athletes for the 2009 freshman class. Joel Naburgs and Liam McInerney out of Victoria, Australia, as well as Tyshawn Patterson from Orlando, Florida will join the Hatters next season.

"We are obviously losing a very good and productive senior class, but I believe that this recruiting class will help us stay at a very competitive level in and out of our league," said Waugh.

Naburgs is a 6-3, 200 lb shooting guard who attended Box Hill Senior College and played for the Kilsyth Cobras in the Victorian Youth League (Big V) in Melbourne, Victoria. He averaged 23.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game and earned League MVP honors with the Cobras. Naburgs led his school team to an Eastern Zone Championship in 2008. He scored 46 and 47 points in back to back games.

"Joel was the MVP of the Melbourne Youth League which is quite an accomplishment. He can obviously score but I also think that he will be a very good defender for us. He has been very well coached and I think he will be able to step in and contribute quickly," said Waugh.

McInerney is a 6-8 forward/center who attended Ballarat & Clarendon College and played in the Big V Youth League for the Ballarat Nuggets. He averaged 19.5 points and 17 rebounds per game this past season. He was his team's MVP, the league's leading rebounder and a league all-star selection. He was named All Victoria Country State and All-Australian in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

"Liam is a very intelligent player with a very good skill set," said Waugh. "As we move forward, I am very confident that he and Graeme Radford will do a nice job in the middle for us. Liam also has a great feel for the game. With added strength, he should be able to step in and play a very important role for us offensively, defensively and on the boards."

Patterson is set to graduate from Orlando Christian Preparatory and then join the Hatters this summer. He is a 6-1, 165 lb guard who led his team to a 27-2 record and a 1A State Championship last season. He was named to the All-Tournament team and Second Team All-State. He averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.0 steals as a junior.

"Tyshawn has a lot of ability and has obviously been very successful at the high school level," said Waugh. "While I really like all of his skills, the most important thing he brings is great energy. He plays harder than his opponent night in and night out and we cannot wait to have him a part of the program."

The Outlook on UConn's Ater Majok

by Mark Brown (AussieHoopsAmerica.com contributor)

With UCONN incoming freshman Ater Majok now stateside and waiting for final clearance by the NCAA, I thought I would share some of my thoughts on the Australian (via Sudan) big man.

I recently sat down Ater and his coach Edward Smith on their previous trip to the states. That exclusive interview along with exclusive private workout video will be available soon in the form of TV and web content.

Here are some of the things I can tell you:

Off the court:

This is a confident, driven young man. His goals are as clear as they are sky high.

His selection of UCONN was well considered and speaks to his desire to be challenged.

Though he is somewhat understated, there is a smoldering intensity not far below the surface.

I was struck by his fiercely competitive attitude.

On the court:

He is a unique talent blending of size, skill and agility.

He’s a legit 6’10 and like most young players will need to put on muscle for the challenges ahead.

His offensive skills are very good and versatile. He can operate in the post as well as face-up. His perimeter skills are also very good.

Good shooting form and range to 3pt land. He can put the ball on the floor and handle comfortably on top or the wing. With the size of center, he projects to play both the power and wing forward offensively.

Defensively, he projects as more of a center and power forward. Shot-blocking should be a big part of his game.

Though he moves very well for a big man, it is still a question whether he has the lateral quickness to guard well enough in space versus wing players.

Outlook:

Assuming he is cleared by the NCAA and can join the team by mid-December here is what he is facing.

No matter how good, or great Majok may be, we have to remember he’ll be joining the #2 team in the nation at mid-season just as they are embarking on their Big East Conference schedule.

He has had zero exposure to this level of competition let alone the preseason conditioning program and offensive and defensive systems of Calhoun.

His biggest obstacle will be conditioning. No matter how tough his workouts have been until now, game shape (particularly Calhoun game shape) will take time to develop.

Finding the right way to deploy Majok while fitting him into the current rotation and competing for a Big East and National Title will test even a Hall of Fame Coach.

Whatever happens the remainder of this season, it’s important to remember that next season will be a much truer test of just how good Ater Majok will be.

Read the AussieHoopsAmerica.com Report and see video on Majok

Luke Nevill Named MWC Player Of The Week

 Nov. 24, 2008

DENVER, Colo. - University of Utah senior center Luke Nevill has been named the Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, announced the league office Monday. Among his accomplishments this week, Nevill was named the MVP of the Glenn Wilkes Classic following Utah's 3-0 performance in the tournament.

"Luke is competing harder and he's taking coaching very well," said Utah head coach Jim Boylen at his weekly press conference. "He's been very coachable and has embraced his teammates more this year. He has stepped outside of himself and has played more for his team and his teammates than he did last year. He has just recommitted to playing for his teammates, while trying to learn and grow. He's let me coach him more this year and I'm proud of him for doing that."

Nevill began the week with a double-double in Utah's 79-60 home victory over Green Bay, scoring 20 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He also got it done on the defensive end, blocking three shots. In the Utes' next action, Nevill posted his second double-double of the week and his third in as many games, scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in Utah's 83-72 neutral-court victory against Ole Miss of the Southeastern Conference. He also added three assists in the contest.

Utah wrapped up the week by shutting down Morgan State, 66-37, completing a three-game Glenn Wilkes Classic sweep and being named the tournament champions. In that victory, Nevill led the Utes with 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, while recording three more blocks.

Nevill, named a Preseason All-MWC selection and a second-team All-MWC choice last year, is leading the conference in total rebounding (11.0 rpg), offensive rebounds (4.5 per game), defensive rebounds (6.5 per game) and blocked shots (2.25 bpg). He is also ranked third in scoring (18.5 ppg) and his field goal percentage (.644) is ranked ninth.

Mills' 24 points lifts Gaels over Providence

Anaheim, CA – The Saint Mary's men's basketball team held off the Providence Friars in the final game of the 76 Classic, posting an 81-75 win on Sunday from the Anaheim Convention Center. SMC had four players score in double figures, as Patrick Mills led the way with 24 points.

The Gaels held a 20-point lead at halftime, and led by as much as 21 points in the second half before Providence cut the SMC lead to six points late in the game. Four of the five starters for SMC scored in double figures, and accounted for 75 of the 81 points

SMC's leading scorer, Mills, was 8-for-15 from the floor and connected on 3-of-7 3-pointers. His biggest three came with just under four minutes remaining, giving the Gaels some breathing room and a 9-point (75-66) lead.

Diamon Simpson had a season-high 18 points against a very tough and physical Big East opponent. Simpson was 5-of-07 from the floor, and had a big game from the free throw line, connecting on 8-of-10 shots from the stripe. He had just five rebounds, but tied his career-high with four assists and added three steals. His final steal prevented the Friars from cutting the SMC lead to four, and resulted in the Mills three to give SMC a nine-point lead.

Ian O'Leary had his best game of the season, as he scored a season-high 13 points and added a team-high eight rebounds. He was 4-for-5 from the floor, had threes assists, one block and one steal in 22 minutes. Omar Samhan scored in double figures once again, adding 16 points and eight rebounds in a season-high 34 minutes.

Saint Mary's got off to a quick start, opening the game with a 10-0 run following threes by O'Leary and Hughes, a dunk by Simpson, and a pull-up jumper by Mills. After the Friars cut the SMC lead to three (21-18) at the 10:28 mark, the Gaels used a 6-0 burst over the next 1:28 to extend the lead back to nine.

With the Gaels leading 30-24 at the 6:46 mark, SMC went on an 18-4 run to close the half to take a 20-point (48-28) lead at the break. The run was highlighted by 10 points from Mills, which included two threes. Saint Mary's also got four points from O'Leary and two from Simpson and Ben Allen.

Mills finished the half with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor, while Simpson and O'Leary added 11 and nine respectively. The Gaels shot 57.1 percent from the floor, the best first half percentage of the young season, while shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point land, which was also the best first half 3-point shooting performance of the season.  SMC forced 13 Providence turnovers with five first half steals.

With 15:10 remaining in the game, the Gaels held a 60-39 advantage following a basket by Samhan. Following the Samhan bucket, the Gaels went cold from the floor for the next four minutes, allowing the Friars to use a 10-0 run to cut the SMC lead to 11 points with 11:53 left on the clock. The scoring drought for SMC ended when Mills hit an 18-foot jumper with 11 minutes left on the clock.

After the Mills basket, Providence continued to chip away at the Saint Mary's lead. With 9:32 left to play, the Friars cut the deficit to single digits, when Marshon Brooks hit 2-of-3 free throws. Providence cut the lead to six (70-64) following a pair of made free throws by Jonathan Kale at the 5:58 mark.

With SMC leading 72-66, Simpson made a big steal under the basket which was followed by a transition three from the right corner by Mills, giving the Gaels a nine-point advantage with four minutes remaining.

Saint Mary's will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 4 with a road game at Kent State. The game between the Gaels and the Golden Flashes will tip-off at 4 p.m. Pacific Time from the 6,327-seat MAC Center on the Kent State campus (Friday 11am AEDT) .

 

 

Ogilvy Tourney MVP

CANCUN - Vanderbilt sophomore A.J. Ogilvy scored 25 points to lead four Commodore players in double figures in route to a 71-66 win over VCU in the finals of the Cancun Challenge at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico. Ogilvy was named the tournament's MVP, and junior guard Jermaine Beal was named to the Cancun Challenge All-Tournament team.

Sunday's win marked the second consecutive Thanksgiving tournament title for the Commodores. Vanderbilt captured the South Padre Island Invitational in 2007 with wins over Utah State and Bradley.

The Commodores led for most of the contest, but VCU made the game interesting in the second half behind their frenzied defense and clutch shooting Ram guard Eric Maynor, who ended the game with 31 points, 23 of those in the second half. Vanderbilt, who saw its lead balloon to as many as 18 early in the second half, struggled with the quickness of the VCU guards in the period, and had its lead cut to one, 48-47, with 11:11 to play in the game. VU responded and pushed its lead back up to seven, but once again VCU came back, this time cutting the deficit to two points with 1:19 to play in regulation.

Free throw shooting, a strong point for the Commodores in the tournament, came through again in the waning moments, as Beal knocked down two shots and sophomore forward Darshawn McClellan made one-of-two with 30 seconds remaining to give VU the winning margin of 71-66. On the night, Vanderbilt was 26-for-30 from the charity stripe (86.7%).

Ogilvy ended the night with 25 points and seven rebounds, and included in his total were two three-point shots from the top of the key. Ogilvy played 30 minutes and was 11-for-16 from the floor overall. Beal scored 14 points and added six assists, while freshman Brad Tinsley continued his double-digit streak with 13 points in 37 minutes of action. Freshman forward Jeffery Taylor also added double figures with 10 points.

VCU's Maynor led all scorers with 31 points. Ram forward Larry Sanders was the only other VCU scorer in double figures with 10.

Vanderbilt returns home for a game with the UIC Flames Wednesday night at Memorial Gym. Tip time is set for 7 p.m.  (Thurs 11am AEDT).

 

 

 

Aron Baynes & WSU Hit Road for Legends Classic

WSU will take on Mississippi State Friday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

COUGARS HIT ROAD FOR LEGENDS CLASSIC: The Washington State University men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season as it heads across the country to Newark, N.J. to compete in the 2008 Legends Classic held at the Prudential Center. The Cougars will face Mississippi State in the semifinals, Sat. Nov. 29th (9:30am AEDT). Depending on the outcome of that game, WSU will face either No. 4 Pittsburgh or Texas Tech on Sunday.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE COUGS:
• The Cougars defeated Canisius, 67-41, Tuesday (Nov. 25) evening at Pullman's Friel Court.
• The Cougars trailed early in the game, marking the second-straight game the Cougs have trailed and just the second time this season. • Senior Taylor Rochestie led the team with 17 points.
• Freshman Klay Thompson had the best shooting night of his career with 15 points while shooting .500 from the field.
• The Cougars kept Canisius' leading rebounder Chris Gadley (9.7 rpg coming in) off the boards as he didn't grab a single rebound. .
• Daven Harmeling, Taylor Rochestie and Klay Thompson have scored in double figures the last two games...they are the first Cougars to record back-to-back double figure scoring games this season. .
• For the second-straight game, six freshmen saw action, two redshirt freshmen (Abe Lodwick, Charlie Enquist) and four true freshmen (Marcus Capers, DeAngelo Casto, Klay Thompson, Nick Witherill). .

WSU AGAINST THE SEC:.
• The Cougars are 3-7 all-time against current members of the Southeastern Conference. .
• WSU has never faced Mississippi State, nor has it faced Auburn, Florida, Mississippi, or South Carolina. .
• The Cougars' last meeting against an SEC opponent was in the 2007 NCAA Tournament when WSU fell to Vanderbilt, 78-74 ,in double overtime. .
• There are two SEC teams on the Cougs' schedule this season as they will head to Baton Rouge to take on LSU on Dec. 28. .
• The only two teams WSU has faced more than once from the SEC are Alabama (1-2) and LSU (1-1). .

LOOKING AHEAD:.
• Depending on Friday's outcomes, WSU could face No. 4 Pittsburgh or Texas Tech Saturday. .
• WSU has never faced Pitt. .
• The Cougars and Red Raiders met once in the 1995 NIT with WSU prevailing, 94-82 in Pullman. .
• Both TTU and WSU have head coaches who took over for their fathers at their current programs (Knight and Bennett). .

KEEPING THE NONCONFERENCE STREAK ALIVE:.
• The Cougars have won 20-straight regular season nonconference games dating back to the last four nonconference regular season games of the 2006-07 season. .
• The 20-game streak is second-longest in school history passing the 19-straight regular season nonconference games winning streak during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons. .
• WSU's record streak stands at 23 games set during the 1931-32, 1932-33 and 1933-34 seasons. .

NEARLY PERFECT IN NOVEMBER:.
• WSU is 33-0 all-time in the month of November at Friel Court and has won 30-straight November games in Pullman and is 34-1. .
• The Cougars' only loss in Pullman in November was 77-47 to Colorado State, Nov. 30, 1963. .
• WSU is a perfect 18-0 in the month of November under third-year head coach Tony Bennett. .
• The Cougars have started the season 4-0 in all three of Tony Bennett's season at the helm. .

WSU FRESHMEN AMONG TOPS IN PAC-10:.
• Four different Cougar freshmen rank in the top-three amongst freshmen in the top-10 in seven different categories (as of Nov. 24). .
• Klay Thompson leads all Pac-10 freshmen in 3-point field goals made (fifth overall), is third amongst freshmen in scoring (23rd overall) and is tied with WSU redshirt freshman Charlie Enquist for third amongst freshmen for blocks per game (tied for fifth overall).
• Marcus Capers leads the conference freshmen in assist/turnover ratio (10th overall) and is tied for first in assists (tied for 12th overall). • DeAngelo Casto leads the Pac-10 freshmen in blocks per game while ranking third in the league. .

THOMPSON OFFERS `FRESH' START:.
• With his start against MVSU Nov. 15, Klay Thompson became the first Cougar freshman to start a season opener since Kyle Weaver started against Montana State, Nov. 19, 2004.
• He also became the first WSU freshman to start a game since Nikola Koprivica started against San Diego State, Dec. 21, 2006. .
• A total of six freshmen saw action in the season opener for the Cougs (Marcus Capers, DeAngelo Casto, Charlie Enquist, Abe Lodwick, Klay Thompson, Nick Witherill).
• Four of the freshmen are true freshman (Capers, Casto, Thompson, Witherill). The last time four true freshman played in the season opener was in 2004 (Josh Akognon, Robbie Cowgill, Daven Harmeling, Kyle Weaver). .
• Six freshmen have seen action in three of WSU's four games, while five freshmen saw action in the other game. .
• Last season just two freshmen played for the Cougars, making a total of 20 appearances (one true freshman, one redshirt freshman). • This year seven WSU freshmen have combined for 23 appearances in the first four games. .
• Thompson currently leads the team in scoring with 12.3 points per game. The last freshman to end the season with 12 or more points was Mark Hendrickson with a 12.6 average in 1993. (Second-best mark in WSU's freshmen record books.) .

FRESHMEN LEADING BLOCK PARTY:.
• Freshman DeAngelo Casto's four blocks against Mississippi Valley State Nov. 15 tied him for the third most by a freshman in a game. .
• Carlos Daniel had the best freshman debut blocks-wise with five against Eastern Washington, Nov. 29, 1994...Aron Baynes also had five blocks as a freshman at San Diego State, Dec. 10, 2005. .
• Casto followed with a two-block performance against Fairleigh Dickinson...he's averaging 2.3 blocks per game and has had a block in every game of his career. .
• In the second game of the season, freshman Klay Thompson led the Cougs in blocks with three...he's tied for second on the team with 1.0 blocks a game. .
• Redshirt freshman Charlie Enquist also has four blocks on the season, tying with Thompson for third on the team with 1.0 blocks per game. .

WINNING BY 20-PLUS:.
• This season the Cougars have won all four games by margins of victory greater than 20 points. .
• WSU's final two wins of the 2007-08 season were also by 20 or more points (61-41 over Notre Dame-3/22; 71-40 over Winthrop-3/20). .
• The Cougars have had a margin of victory of 20 or more points in each of their last six wins, dating back to last season. .

SENIOR CITIZENS:.
• Despite a roster with just five seniors (including walk-on Ryan Bailey), the majority of WSU's points came from the senior class in the opening game. .
• The seniors accounted for 43 of WSU's 76 points (57 percent), including the game's only two double-digit scorers in Aron Baynes (14 points) and Caleb Forrest (13 points). .
• An upper classman has led the Cougs in scoring in every game this season (freshman Klay Thompson tied Taylor Rochestie for game-high honors in the third game of the season). .
• The upperclassmen have outscored the freshmen, 177-92 this season, 149 of those points scored by seniors. (one junior has played, no sophomores). .

ROCHESTIE PLAYS 100TH GAME:
• WSU's Nov. 21 game against Sacramento State marked the 100th game of redshirt senior Taylor Rochestie's career. • He's now played in 101 games. .
• Rochestie played 28 games as a freshman at Tulane and has played 73 games at WSU. .
• The point guard has started 69 of his 101 games thus far, including 44 starts at WSU. .

BAYNES EYEING 1,000 POINTS:.
• Senior center Aron Baynes is looking to become the 30th player in Washington State history to score 1,000 points in his WSU career. .
• Now with 686 career points, Baynes needs a total of 314 more points this season to reach the milestone. .
• The Australian-native tallied 365 last season averaging 10.4 per game. .

ROCHESTIE CLOSING IN TOO:.
• Redshirt senior guard Taylor Rochestie is also closing in on the 1,000-point mark for his career. .
• Between his freshman season at Tulane University and the last two years at WSU, Rochestie has amassed 873 points. .
• After a junior season in which he tied Baynes for third on the team in scoring with 365 points, Rochestie will need 477 total points this season to get to 1,000 as a Cougar. .
• Rochestie has 569 points as a Cougar after scoring 304 at Tulane. .

COUGARS RECEIVING VOTES:.
• Although the Cougars haven't been ranked this season, they still continue to receive votes in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Polls. .
• WSU has 13 votes in the AP Poll and 15 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. .
• Three of WSU's opponents this season are ranked, as is Pittsburgh, a possible opponent for the Cougars in the Legends Classic. • Pittsburgh (4), Gonzaga (9/10), UCLA (13/11) and Arizona State (14)are all ranked. .
• On top of that, four of the Cougars' opponents are receiving votes (Baylor-both, LSU-AP, USC -both, Washington-ESPN/USA Today). .

COUGS AMONG YOUNGEST TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY:.
• With nine total freshman, WSU is tied with three other schools for the most freshmen on a roster in the country. The Cougs are tied with Presbyterian, High Point and The Citadel. .
• The Cougars' group of seven true freshmen is tied for the fourth most true freshmen on an NCAA Division I roster in the nation. Duquesne, Saint Louis and Iona each have eight true freshmen on their rosters. .
• WSU's seven scholarship freshmen also ties them for third in the country for most scholarship freshmen. Duquesne and Saint Louis each have eight scholarship freshmen. .
• Although freshmen-heavy, the Cougars older players make up for it. Among the youngest teams by average age, the Cougars rank 10th in the country with an average age of 19.87 years old. Arizona State (19.81 years old) ranks directly ahead of the Cougs, while Oregon (19.93 years old) is right behind WSU at 11th. .

ABOUT THE LEGENDS CLASSIC:.
• The 2008 Legends Classic is a 12-team tournament featuring teams from 12 different conferences. .
• Four teams from four top conferences start the tournament with opening round games on their home courts. .
• Those four teams will advance to the championship round of the tournament at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Nov. 28-29 (Pittsburgh, Mississippi State, Texas Tech, WSU). .
• The Cougars defeated Fairleigh Dickinson, 55-33, in the Pullman Regional of the Tournament. .

St. Mary's opens Tourney in Anaheim

THIS WEEK IN SAINT MARY’S BASKETBALL
The Gaels will look to remain unbeaten when they travel to Anaheim, CA to compete in the 2008 76 Classic, hosted by the Big West Conference and ESPN. The Gaels will open the tournament against the UTEP Miners on Thursday, Nov. 27. The game on Thanksgiving Day will tip-off at 11 a.m. from the Anaheim Convention Center. All three games of the tournament will be televised on the ESPN family of networks, with games on ESPNU and ESPN2. The first and second round games for SMC will be televised on ESPNU, while the third round game will be televised on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. Saint Mary’s will play three games in the tournament, which begins on Thursday and ends on Sunday. The Gaels will play either No. 19/24 Wake Forest or Cal State Fullerton on Friday. After a day off on Saturday, SMC will close the tournament against either No. 14/14 Arizona State, Baylor, Providence, or Charlotte on Sunday. Saint Mary’s enters the eight-team 76 Classic tournament with a 3-0 record following an 86-54 win over Vanguard University on Sunday night. The Gaels opened the year with an 86-55 win over Division II Seattle Pacific, then improved to 2-0 with a 99-85 win over Fresno State. SMC’s first round opponent, UTEP, enters the game with a 2-1 record following a 67-80 loss at home to UNLV on Monday night.

RADIO AND TELEVISION
The Saint Mary’s versus UTEP game will be televised on ESPNU. The Saint Mary’s radio broadcast will be available on the internet through www.SMCGaels.com with Mike Bouve calling the action courtside. The game will not have a commercial radio broadcast on KDIA AM 1640. Gael fans can access the audio broadcast by logging onto the Gael Vision service for a subscription fee of $6.95 per month or 49.95 for the full 2008-09 athletic season.

PATRICK MILLS NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Patrick Mills was named the WCC Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Nov. 24, for the fourth time in his career. Mills averaged 21.5 points in wins over Fresno State (99-85) and Vanguard (86-54). He was 16-of-31 from the floor, including 5-of-12 from 3-point land, and averaged 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals. The sophomore scored a game-high 27 points against Fresno State, while dishing out five assists and making six steals. Against Vanguard, he scored a game-high 16 points while leading SMC to a 32-point win over the Lions.

SMC IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT RECORD
Saint Mary’s has a 67-73 (.496) overall record in 64 in-season tournaments. The Gaels have won 12 tournament titles, including three during the 2007-08 season. Last season, SMC went 2-0 in the Shamrock Invitational, 3-0 in the Rainbow Classic, and 2-0 in the Shamrock Office Solutions Classic. In its last eight in-season tournaments, Saint Mary’s has a 17-1 record and seven tournament titles.

SCOUTING THE UTEP MINERS
The UTEP Miners enter the 76 Classic with a 2-1 record following a 67-80 loss to the UNLV Rebels on Monday night. The Miners opened the season with a 69-63 win over Texas Southern on Nov. 14, then posted a 96-79 win over Georgia Southern on Nov. 18. As a team, the Miners are averaging 77.3 points per game, are shooting 45.9 percent from the floor, 34.9 percent from 3-point land, and 64.2 percent from the free throw line. UTEP opponents are averaging 74.0 points per game, while shooting 43.6 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from 3-point land, and 67.3 percent from the foul line. The Miners hold a 39.0 to 37.7 advantage on the glass. The Miners have two players that average over 20 points per game in Randy Culpepper and Stefon Jackson. Culpepper leads the team with 20.7 points per game, which includes a 35-point game against Georgia Southern. Culpepper leads the team with seven made 3-pointers this season. Jackson, who was a First Team Conference USA selection last year, averages 20.3 points per outing. He led the Miners with 20 points in the loss to UNLV on Monday. Also averaging in double figures is Julyan Stone with 10.7 points per game. Stone also leads the team in assists (20) and steals (8). The team’s leading rebounder is Arnett Moultrie as the 6-11 forward averages 7.7 rebounds per game. Tony Barbee is in his third year as the head coach at UTEP. Barbee guided the Miners to 14 and 19 wins in his first two seasons, and currently has a 35-32 overall record in El Paso. Barbee took the reins of the UTEP program on Aug. 14, 2006 as the 17th head coach in school history. Barbee took over the job at UTEP after spending six seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis.

SMC VERSUS UTEP: THE SERIES
Thursday’s game between SMC and UTEP will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams in men’s basketball.MILLS RECORDS 10TH CAREER 20-POINT GAMEIn the win over Fresno State, Patrick Mills scored 27 points to lead all players. The 20-point performance marked the 10th in the career for the sophomore guard. Mills first 20-point game ended with a career-high 37 points against Oregon, setting a SMC freshman record.

BENNETT SMC WINS LEADER
With a 3-0 record this season, head coach Randy Bennett has 130 career victories and is the winningest coach at Saint Mary’s. He became the all-time winningest coach at SMC following an 89-65 win over East Tennessee State on Dec. 21, 2007 in the Rainbow Classic. James Weaver (1955-62) held the record for 45 years with 110 wins in seven seasons. Bennett and Weaver are the only two coaches in school history to record 100 or more victories.

GAELS HAVE NATION’S ONLY OLYMPIAN
Saint Mary’s point guard Patrick Mills was the only collegiate basketball player to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Mills played for his home country of Australia, and helped the Boomers post a 3-3 record in the tournament. While playing as a reserve in all six games, he averaged a team-leading 14.2 points per game. He scored a team-high 22 points against Argentina and 20 against the United States in the quarterfinals. Additionally, he averaged 23 minutes, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game.

SMC IN AP AND COACHES POLLS
Saint Mary’s received 43 votes and is currently ranked 27th in the country in this week’s ESPN/USA Today’s Coaches Poll. In the Associated Press Poll, Saint Mary’s received 111 votes and is ranked 28th overall. SMC has received votes in all three weeks this season. Last season the Gaels were ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll eight weeks, and were ranked in the top-25 five consecutive weeks. SMC was ranked a school record six weeks in AP poll, and the five consecutive weeks in the poll from Jan. 28 to Feb. 25 is also a school record. Last season Saint Mary’s received votes in both polls for 17 straight weeks.2007-08

RECORD WHEN RANKED
Last season SMC spent eight weeks as a top-25 team in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. In those eight weeks, SMC played a total of 14 games and posted a 9-5 record. In the six weeks when ranked in the Associated Press Poll, Saint Mary’s played 11 games and posted a 7-4 record.

LAST NATIONAL RANKING PRIOR TO 07-08 SEASON
Prior to the 2007-08 season, SMC was last ranked in the top-25 in the 1988-89 campaign. SMC was ranked for three straight weeks and entered the poll with a No. 19 ranking the last week of February. After jumping up to No. 17 in the poll the next week, SMC dropped to No. 20 overall in the final poll of the year.

GAELS 3RD IN MID-MAJOR POLL
Saint Mary’s opened the season ranked third in the 2008-09 CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll. The Gaels received 697 total votes. Ahead of the Gaels are No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Davidson. Saint Mary’s closed the 2007-08 season ranked seventh in the mid-major poll.

GAELS AMONG NATION’S BEST IN BLOCKS
For the third straight year, Saint Mary’s is ranked in the top-25 in blocks per game. The Gaels have blocked 25 shots in three games and average 8.3 blocks per outing. The 8.3 blocks per game currently ranks ninth in the country. Mississippi State averages 13.8 blocks per game to lead the nation. In 2007-08, SMC averaged 5.3 blocks per game to leads the WCC and rank 21st overall in the country.

SAMHAN IN TOP-25 IN THE COUNTRY IN BLOCKS
Through three games, Omar Samhan has a team-high nine blocks to average 3.0 rejections per game. His 3.0 blocks per game leads the West Coast Conference and ranks 18th overall nationally.SAMHAN CLOSING IN ON 500 REBOUNDSIn 67 career games, Omar Samhan had collected 433 rebounds. He is 67 boards shy of becoming the school’s 26th player to eclipse the 500-rebound mark. For his career, Samhan is averaging 6.5 rebounds per game.

HUGHES AMONG NATION’S BEST IN STEALS
Following a seven steal effort against Vanguard, senior guard Carlin Hughes leads the team and the WCC with 12 steals to average 4.0 per game. His 12 total steals ranks 12th in the country while his 4.0 steals per game currently ranks fifth in the country.

THE AUSSIE FIVE
This season Saint Mary’s has five Australian players available to play, the most in any year for Saint Mary’s. Currently, the Aussie contingent as averaging a combined 45.5 points per game, with Patrick Mills scoring a team-leading 21.0 points per outing. The 43.7 points per game is 48.4 percent of the scoring for the team this season.

GAELS 12TH IN COUNTRY IN SCORING
Through three games, Saint Mary’s is averaging 90.3 points per game, and nearly broke the 100-point mark with 99 points against Fresno State. After finishing 50th in the country last season (75.7 ppg), the Gaels are currently ranked 12th in the country in scoring this season. SMC has a scoring margin of +25.7

SMC’S 70-POINT SHOW
Last season Saint Mary’s scored more than 70 points 20 times, over 80 points 12 times, hit the 90-point mark four times, and reached 100 points once. When the Gaels scored 70 or more points, SMC was 19-1 last season. SMC has scored over 70 in all three games this season, and has a 3-0 record. SMC as posted a 33-6 record in the last 39 games when scoring 70 or more points.

GAELS DIG THE LONG BALL
Last season SMC made 254 3-pointers and averaged 7.9 made threes per game to lead the West Coast Conference. This season the Gaels have hit 24 3-pointers in through the first three games, to average 8.0 3-pointers made per game. The Gaels have taken 68 threes and the average of 22.6 3-point attempts per outing.

SAMHAN THIRD IN CAREER BLOCKS
Entering the season Omar Samhan had 90 career blocks. He set a SMC freshman record with 47 blocks in 2006-07 and added 43 in the sophomore season. He has a team-high nine blocks this season and now has 99 rejections for his career. He passed both Peter Thibeaux and Chase Poole to move into sole possession of third place behind Brad Millard (153) and Diamon Simpson (183).

GAELS MAKE ONE THREE IN 477 STRAIGHT GAMES
After making six 3-pointers against Vanguard on Sunday night, the Gaels have hit at least one 3-pointer in 477 straight games. Saint Mary’s kept a 16-year streak alive of making at least one 3-pointer. The last time SMC failed to make a three in a game was on Feb. 6, 1992 when the Gaels were 0-for-5 against Gonzaga.

GAELS TO APPEAR ON TV 20 TIMES
The Gaels will appear on television at least 20 times in 29 scheduled games this season. Included in the 20 television games are nine appearances on the ESPN family of networks, nine games are on Comcast Sports Net, and two games on Fox Sports Net. All 14 West Coast Conference games for SMC will be on television. In addition to the regular season games, SMC could appear on television two more times in the WCC Tournament, as the semifinals and final games will be on ESPN.

SMC SIGNS FOUR PLAYERS IN EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
With the early signing period past, Saint Mary’s inked four players for the 2009-10 season. The new class will include three players from Australia and one player from San Jose. The three Aussies coming from the Australian Institute of Sport are Jorden Page, Matt Dellavedova, and Mitchell Young. Guards Page and Dellavedova averaged 14.4 points and 3.7 assists and 15.2 points and 4.8 rebounds, respectively, for AIS in 2008 and forward Young added 9.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 24 games. The fourth player in the class is Tim Harris from Valley Christian High School. Harris averaged 16.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game and was an Honorable Mention West Valley League selection as a junior.

NEXT WEEK IN GAELS HOOPS
Following the 2008 76 Classic, Saint Mary’s will travel to Kent, Ohio to compete in its first true road game of the season. The Gaels will take on the Kent State Golden Flashes on Thursday, Dec. 4. The game against Kent State is the return game from last season’s ESPNU BracketBusters game, in which KSU defeated the Gaels 65-57 in Moraga. The game will tip off at 4 p.m. Pacific Time from the MAC Center.

Ogivly 10 pts & 8 rebs in Vandy win over Central Arkansas

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Jeffery Taylor scored 16 points to lead Vanderbilt to an 83-62 victory over Central Arkansas on Wednesday night.

Vanderbilt (3-1) made its first six field-goal attempts and never trailed. The Commodores led by as many as 25 points in the first half and took a 48-29 halftime lead.

"We built a nice lead in the first half and kept our turnovers down," Kevin Stallings, VU head coach, said, "but this wasn't the performance that I was hoping for."

Central Arkansas (2-2) opened the second half with an 18-6 run, including five straight points by Mike Pouncy, but could draw no closer than 12 points with 12:31 remaining.

"We didn't play so well in the second half because we lost patience and they held on to the ball," Stallings added. "We didn't play well with a big lead but this is the first time this season that we've been in that situation."

Taylor made 7-of-10 field goal attempts, including a pair of first-half dunks, and matched his career high while scoring in double figures for his fourth straight game.

George Drake scored 14 points and Festus Ezeli added 11, both career highs.

"Both of them got good looks in the game," remarked Stallings. "George played aggressively and made some nice plays. It was good to see him do well because he's been banged up."

Marcus Pillow made five 3-pointers for the Bears for a game-high 17 points. Mitch Rueter added 16 and Pouncy and Chris Brown each had 12. Chris Meriwether also saw the first minutes of his Vanderbilt career in VU's win. A.J. Ogilvy contributed 10 points and 8 boards. Ogilvy is averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 rebounds through 4 games.

Ogilvy double-double in Vandy win over Middle Tennesee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A.J. Ogilvy and Jeffery Taylor each had double-doubles as Vanderbilt defeated Middle Tennessee State 65-57 on Monday night.

"I'm a bit more comfortable," Taylor said. "The nervousness before the game is almost gone now. We're a lot more comfortable out there now. I think we're showing that right now we had a great game tonight."

Ogilvy had a game-high 19 points with 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Taylor had 13 points and 11 rebounds in his third career game.

Vanderbilt outrebounded MTSU 40-28.

"It's something we focused on all week in practice and watching film from our last game," remarked Ogilvy, "and we came out with the mentality that we were going to own that tonight. I think we did a really good job on the boards."

Jermaine Beal scored the first five points of the game for the Commodores (2-1), who never trailed. They held the Blue Raiders (2-2) scoreless for seven minutes of the first half and stretched a two-point lead to 25-11.

Beal finished with 12 points and four assists.

MTSU closed to 41-35 on Montarrio Haddock's two free throws with 11:25 to play, but Vanderbilt scored the next six points, capped by Taylor's layup.

Demetrius Green led MTSU with 15 points and seven rebounds. Nigel Johnson added 12 points.

"I'm really proud of our team," Kevin Stallings, VU head coach, stated. "I thought they played really hard with a lot more purpose and effort than we had on Thursday night (against Illinois).

"I thought out defensive and rebounding efforts were stellar."

 

St. Mary's cruises after slow start

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Patrick Mills scored 16 points, Diamon Simpson had 13 points and seven rebounds and Saint Mary's overcame a shaky start to beat Vanguard, 86-54, on Sunday afternoon.

Ben Allen added 10 points and six rebounds for the Gaels, who trailed midway through the first half before storming back to get the easy win.

Gregory Scott had 15 points to pace Vanguard (1-4), an NAIA school from Southern California.

Saint Mary's had four players in double figures, committed only 10 turnovers and used a 19-5 run in the second half to put the game away. The 32-point win was the Gaels' largest of the season.

It almost came at a big price.

Simpson, the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year last season, was going for a breakaway dunk with 16:24 left in the game when he was fouled by Mitch Boyce. Simpson missed the dunk and fell hard to the floor, slamming his back and head.

The senior forward lay on the ground as trainers, teammates and Boyce rushed to his aid. Simpson eventually left the court under his own power and was replaced by Yusef Smith, who sank two free throws in Simpson's place after Boyce was called for an intentional foul. Simpson later returned but scored only one point after getting hurt.

The Gaels led 58-48 with 10:26 remaining when Wayne Hunter scored on a fastbreak layup and followed it up with a 3-pointer to ignite a 19-5 run to put the game away. Mills scored seven of his points during the burst, which left St. Mary's with a 77-53 lead.

The Gaels shot 51 percent in the first half and committed only four turnovers but had trouble shaking the pesky Lions, who made six of their first nine 3-pointers and led 21-18 with 9:38 left. Vanguard made seven 3's before the break, including Elvis Whitelow's trey just before the buzzer.

But Saint Mary's eventually wore the smaller, slower Lions down and ended the first half on a 13-5 run to take a 41-32 lead. Omar Samhan scored four of his points during the spurt while Hunter added five for the Gaels.

The Gaels will return to action on Thanksgiving Day in the 2008 76 Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center.  Saint Mary's will open the three-game, four-day tournament against UTEP at 11 am on Thursday morning (6am Friday AEDT). The game will be televised live on ESPNHD Australia (6am AEDT & delay at 7pm AEDT) and on delay on ESPN Australia (Friday at 9am and 8pm AEDT).  The Gaels will play either Wake Forest or Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, before the final day of the tournament on Monday.

 

Uconn filled with potential, questions

Talented UConn has questions but should rise By NEILL OSTROUT Staff writer   It's hard to imagine a group with more potential than this year's UConn men's basketball team. Of course, it's also hard to imagine a team with more question marks than the one ranked No. 2 in the preseason national polls. "We're not even the best team in the league starting off," UConn coach Jim Calhoun admits. "I would hope that we would be the best team." The questions facing Calhoun's team as he prepares for his 23rd year at UConn are evident.   - Will center Hasheem Thabeet's on-court play finally match his NBA draft projections? - Will point guard A.J. Price return from offseason knee surgery as the same dominant player he was last season? - Will junior forward Stanley Robinson return in December and will he quickly return to top form? - Will freshman forward Ater Majok arrive in December and will he quickly mesh with his new teammates? - Will junior guard Jerome Dyson once again be a big-time scorer, avoiding the off-court problems and offensive fouls that have occasionally stunted his growth?   If the answer to all of these questions is yes, the Huskies may not lose to anyone, including a litany of dangerous foes in the talent-rich Big East. If the answer to all of the questions is no, the Huskies may be hard-pressed to win a single game in the talent-rich Big East. And if, as is most likely, they go something like 4 for 5, it's going to be a wildly entertaining season in Storrs. "We've got at least four or five teams from our league that can get to a Final Four," Calhoun said. "The problem is who catches a bad break? Who catches a couple tough losses? Injuries, all of the things that happen during a season." The Huskies caught a few of the toughest breaks possible last season. Price's collapse in the first round of the NCAA tournament was preceded by the ill-timed suspensions of Dyson and Doug Wiggins. UConn enters the 2008-09 season hoping that it ran over its allotment of speed bumps last year. The regular season begins Friday with a game against Western Carolina and continues with a Monday night tilt against Hartford. The Huskies also have a trip to the Virgin Islands just ahead of them with two or three challenging games there. But the Huskies' season will likely be separated neatly into parts: B.C. and A.D. That would be Before Christmas and After December. Or is that Ater December? Majok is awaiting approval of his Australian high school transcript by the NCAA. Robinson is waiting for UConn's first semester to end so that he can re-enroll. Until Robinson and Majok arrive near the holidays, the Huskies will be using a three-guard lineup. After that, it's anyone's guess how the pieces will fit together. "The things we do early, we won't be doing later," Calhoun said. "Hopefully, by mid-January, this team will mesh." The problems of having too many talented players is one Calhoun doesn't mind. If Majok can't adjust to a new level of play during his first season in Storrs, the Huskies will adjust. If someone like Craig Austrie, of Stanford, is playing too well to allow Robinson back into the starting lineup, it won't necessarily be a bad thing. "Everybody is making a case for themselves without realizing it," Calhoun said of the preseason and pre-conference schedule. "It's important those guys understand that." The Dyson question will probably be answered quickly. His suspension appears to be in the past, but Calhoun wants his on-court play to resemble what it was before the incident. "We've got to get Jerome back to being aggressive," Calhoun said. "I think last year when he got knocked out for those nine games and didn't play, he never got his swagger back." The coach has also asked forward Jeff Adrien to pick up his play, asking the senior to exhibit a little more desire. "I expect him to be more hungry," Calhoun said. "Because of the league we're in, where everybody is good enough to beat you, we're going to have to play hungry every night." Price appears to be playing without pain, but his role may change this season even if his knee is perfect. Although Majok and even Nate Miles probably received more attention, perhaps no incoming Husky is more suited to the program than freshman point guard Kemba Walker. The speedy New Yorker's style and emotion have already changed the team. "The last freshman who brought that -- he's a whole different kind of player -- is Khalid (El-Amin)," Calhoun said. "Khalid brought that kind of enthusiasm. You can't put a price tag on that." It appears Walker will begin the season as Price's backup, but he'll enter the lineup alongside Price many times and allow the senior to slide over to the wing. "He's got that other gear," Price said. "When he comes into the game, you better be prepared to stop the ball early or he can take it all the way to the paint. The speed of the game definitely does pick up." Walker isn't an accomplished shooter and won't likely have any 30-point games. He will, however, help the Huskies as they try to revive a full-court press. "Kemba will have a bad game or two; he's a freshman," Calhoun said. "But he's going to provide a spark. He's going to provide some quickness." UConn actually might not get out of the gate very quickly. Many of these same players were part of a hot start two years ago that fizzled when league play began. UConn might perform something of a reverse this time. "We're not the No. 1 team as we start out," Calhoun said. No, they just have the potential to be No. 1 when the calendar reads 2009 A.D.   1HASH MARKS -- If center Hasheem Thabeet has improved as much as his coach thinks he has, or even as much as he thinks he has, the Huskies are in for a big season. Watch Thabeet's performances early in the season against perimeter-oriented teams like Western Carolina and Hartford, as well as his first few tests against bigger teams. How about a matchup with Miami? The Hurricanes have a 316-pound freshman center. 2MURDERER'S ROW -- Even before the ball drops and it becomes 2009, the Huskies will begin Big East play. With it comes a minefield of talented teams, each of which feels it can make the NCAA tournament and perhaps half of which have designs on an Final Four. 3DECEMBER 20 -- If Stanley Robinson and Ater Majok arrive as scheduled, a Dec. 20 date with Gonzaga will be the first test of the new-look Huskies. Robinson probably won't have much difficulty, but how the freshman from the Sudan via Australia performs on this Seattle stage might be a good indicator. 4TAN LINES -- The Huskies are headed to the Virgin Islands next week for three key games and perhaps a couple early season tests. If they concentrate on basketball and not the sandy beaches, the Huskies could take a major step forward. 5PRESSURE COOKER -- He hints at it nearly every season, but coach Jim Calhoun appears committed to employing full-court pressure on a regular basis. The three-guard lineup he'll use for the first part of the season lends itself to more pressing. So does his one-man shot-blocking machine. -- NEILL OSTROUT   http://www.connpost.com/ci_10967266?source=most_viewed

Nicholls overpowers New Orleans to win season opener

Ryan Bathie and Fred Hunter poured in 19 points apiece for the Colonels

 

THIBODAUX, La. - The Colonels took a 41-26 lead to the locker room at halftime and never looked back, running to a 79-62 win over New Orleans in the season opener Wednesday night in Stopher Gym.

"I'm thrilled about what we got out of our guys," stated J.P. Piper, head coach of the Colonels. "Hopefully we'll continue to improve each time out. The toughness that we've had in practice and the intensity that we've had each day in the gym carried out onto the floor tonight and that led to this win."

Senior Ryan Bathie (Melton, Australia/Mowbray) and freshman Fred Hunter (Denton, Texas/Denton) each poured in 19 points to lead the Colonels. Hunter led Nicholls on the glass with six rebounds, including four on the offensive end.

Hunter went 8-for-15 from the floor, part of a team 51.7% (30-58) shooting percentage. 

Sophomore Anatoly Bose scored 11 second-half points, helping the Colonels to their second-straight win over UNO.

Nicholls (1-0) trailed early in the opening half, falling behind by as many as eight points (10-2), before a three pointer from sophomore Dominic Friend (Geelong, Australia/St. Joseph's) put the Colonels ahead for good (22-21).

Friend and senior Justin Payne (Opelousas, La./Opelousas) each dished out four assists on the night.

The Colonels led by double digits through much of the second half, paced by Hunter, who had 10 second-half points, and sophomore Anatoly Bose (Sydney, Australia/Waverley), who poured in 11 after the break. Bose tallied 13 points, thanks in part to a 5-for-7 performance from the line.

New Orleans (0-2) pulled close near the six minute mark, using a 7-1 run to bring the score to 59-56, propelled by 22 second-half points from Darrian McKinstry. McKinstry finished with a game-high 28 points, adding five rebounds.

"There were definitely some sloppy parts for us in the game tonight," Piper noted, "but all-in-all, it was definitely a positive win. We knew McKinstry would be dangerous and, even though he got us a little more than we would have liked, I thought we did a remarkable job holding him back in the first half."

Bathie and freshman Kyle Ford (Whitehouse, Texas/Whitehouse) each sank three treys, as Ford finished with 11 points, while Bathie knocked down three blocks in the second half.

"We're excited about our freshmen and the performances they had," added Piper. "They fit into our system really well - sometimes I have to remind myself they are freshmen. They're ahead of the game and have a chance to be really special for us."

The victory is the Colonels second-straight over the Privateers after claiming a 75-60 win in New Orleans last season.

Prior to Wednesday night's game, Nicholls had not won a season opener since the 1999-00 season, when the Colonels defeated Centenary 55-52 in Stopher Gym, marking the last time Nicholls opened the season at home.

The Colonels will travel to Tulane on Saturday, facing the Green Wave for a 2 p.m. tip at Fogelman Arena (Sunday 8am AEDT).

 

Nevill dominant for Utes in first win of season

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Luke Nevill scored 10 of his 20 points in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the second half to lead Utah to a 79-60 victory over Wisconsin-Green Bay in the first round of the Glenn Wilkes Classic on Tuesday night.

It was the first win of the season for the Utes (1-1), following their embarrassing opening loss to Division II Southwest Baptist.

The 7-foot-2 Nevill sat out much of the first half with foul trouble but had no problem dominating the smaller Phoenix (0-1) after halftime. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked three shots as the Utes outscored the Phoenix 19-6 over a nine-minute span to take control.

Terry Evans led the Phoenix with 15 points, while Chop Tang added 12.

Luka Drca recorded 16 points and Carlon Brown 13 for the Utes, while Kim Tillie had eight points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.

 

 

Mills leads Gaels in big win over Fresno State

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) -Patrick Mills scored 27 points and added six steals and five assists, and Saint Mary's made a statement for breaking into the Top 25 with a 99-85 victory over Fresno State in a game that ended early Tuesday morning.

The matchup was one of 14 games being played as part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-off Marathon and started at 11 p.m. local time. The student section rocked at McKeon Pavilion for the nationally televised contest, and new West Coast Conference commissioner Jamie Zaninovich was in attendance despite the late hour.

Omar Samhan added 18 points, including six during a 12-2 spurt to start the second half, and added 13 rebounds. Diamon Simpson had 10 points, 10 boards and three blocks for the Gaels, picked to place second in the WCC behind eight-time defending regular-season champion Gonzaga. They received 108 votes in this week's poll, released Monday.

Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett has one of his deepest rosters ever and returns four starters from a team that lost to Miami in the first round of last season's NCAA tournament.

Paul George had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Mychal Ladd added 13 for scrappy Fresno State, a young team featuring eight newcomers and just one senior in Dwight O'Neil. O'Neil had 12 points and nine assists and was whistled for a flagrant foul for taking Mills down hard on a breakaway with 8:04 to play. Sylvester Seay added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Both teams came out running and established their transition games early, with Saint Mary's capitalizing on Fresno State's eight first-half turnovers.

Mills scored nine points during a 13-2 run late in the first half that put Saint Mary's ahead 45-28. Mickey McConnell's 3-pointer 3:05 before halftime gave the Gaels a 20-point cushion.

Mills, a speedy sophomore guard, shot 9-for-21 with four 3s and is clearly more confident this season coming off a successful Olympics with the Australian national team in Beijing.

Saint Mary's shot 49 percent in the first half and hit 7 of 14 3-pointers on the way to a 55-42 lead at the break.

The Gaels lead the all-time series 19-16, and this marked the Bulldogs' first game in Moraga since 1997. Saint Mary's won 77-68 in a meeting last season at Fresno State.

A moment of silence was held before the national anthem for Hall of Fame basketball coach Pete Newell, who died Monday at age 93. He coached in the Bay Area at both California and San Francisco.

 

Game Notes Saint Mary's vs. Fresno State

• Both Omar Samhan and Diamon Simpson posted double-doubles.  Samhan finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for his ninth career double-double, while Simpson posted his 21st career double-double.
• The Gaels continue their streak of at least one three a game to 476 games, hitting 9 three's against Fresno State.
• Randy Bennett continues a successful carrier at home, winning 55 of the last 67 games played in McKeon Pavilion.
• In their last 21 games when scoring over 70 points, the Gaels are 20-1.
  
• Saint Mary's once again showed its depth, playing 12 players, 11 with significant minutes and contributions.
• As with the last meeting between the Gaels and the Bulldogs four or more SMC players scored in double digits. 
• The last time Saint Mary's had five players score in double digits was when they had six against Pepperdine last season.
• Mills posted his ninth career 20-point game as a Gael.
• Yusef Smith scored 10 points for his sixth career game in double figures.
• Ben Allen scored a career-high 10 points.  

 

Opacic 12 points in Furman loss

Charleston, S.C. - Jamarco Warren scored a game-high 28 points and Omar Carter added 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead Charleston Southern to a 75-64 victory over Furman in men's basketball action Monday evening at CSU Field House.

The Buccaneers used a 15-2 first half run to erase a seven-point deficit and take a 35-30 lead into the halftime break. Warren buried six treys on the night to lead the Buccaneers who converted on 44.4% of their attempts beyond the arc and 50.9% from the field.

Charleston Southern (1-1) opened the second half on a 13-4 run behind a pair of Warren treys to open up a 48-34 advantage. Furman (1-1) answered with a 23-6 spurt to pull within three at 57-54 on Darryl Evans three-pointer with under eight minutes remaining, but the Buccaneers converted on 6-of-8 trips to the foul line in the final five minutes to pull away for the double digit victory.

Jordan Miller led four Paladins in double figures with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field. Alex Opacic (Sydney) tallied 12 points and eight boards while Justin Dehm and Evans each totaled 11 points. Furman shot 41.0% (25-61) from the floor and 37.5% (9-24) from the three-point line, including Miller's 4-for-5 effort beyond the arc.

Charleston Southern held a 38-31 edge on the boards and forced 11 Furman turnovers while committing just 10. Kelvin Martin joined Warren and Carter in double figures with 11 points.

Furman continues its four-game road trip on Sunday when it visits Atlantic-10 member Duquesne in Pittsburgh, Pa. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. (Monday 6am AEDT).

 

Christian Salecich Signs to Play for Billikens

 St. Louis - Saint Louis University head men's basketball coach Rick Majerus today announced that 6-foot-4 guard Christian Salecich (Gold Coast, Australia/Institute of Sport) has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University and play basketball for the Billikens. Salecich will have four years of eligibility beginning with the 2009-10 academic year.

"Christian is truly Aussie-tough," Majerus said. "Like all `Boomers', he has a passion and a competitive streak to rival that of Australians like (former Utah and current NBA player) Andrew Bogut, who I was fortunate to coach, and (former NBA and Australian pro) Shane Heal. Christian has played on three continents against men. Every coach and every competitor talks first and foremost about his toughness and passion. He is coming 6,000 miles from home to play basketball. That should give our fans some indication about his love of the game."

"Like Jon Smith and Cory Remekun, Christian is a sensational student," Majerus said. "This is an honor roll class in the academic arena as well as the basketball arena. But in the area that matters the most, all of these young men have exceptional families who visited with them and got to meet and see for themselves first hand the best part of Saint Louis University - the faculty, education and the current players on the team. Christian, Cory and Jon were player favorites on their recruiting visits. Our current class really felt that their attitude and commitment to the game coincided with theirs."

Salecich is the top-ranked off guard in the 2009 class in Australia. He played the last two seasons for the Australian Institute of Sport, the elite prep school in Canberra, Australia, which has produced more than 20 Division I players, including Andrew Bogut who played at Utah under Majerus.

"Christian's Junior National Coach, Marty Clarke, is a teacher extraordinaire, therefore, Christian has a real command of the fundamentals," Majerus said.

Last season, Salecich averaged 12 points per game while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the free-throw line. Christian helped A.I.S. advance to the 2008 Southeast Australian Basketball League finals. Salecich is a member of the Junior Australian National team which will compete at the 2009 U-19 World Championships. He won the silver medal with Team Australia at the 2007 Junior Oceania Tournament, and he participated in the 2007 Adidas Nations Camp in New Orleans, when he played against current Billiken Ruben Cotto, and each remembered the other for his tenacity. Salecich scored 15 points and had four assists and helped Australia win the bronze medal game at the 2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament with a victory over the USA. Salecich is an athletic guard who possesses deep 3-point range, and he is considered a premier defender. Last season, Salecich averaged 12 points per game while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the free-throw line. Christian helped A.I.S. advance to the 2008 Southeast Australian Basketball League finals. Salecich is a member of the Junior Australian National team which will compete at the 2009 U-19 World Championships. He won the silver medal with Team Australia at the 2007 Junior Oceania Tournament, and he participated in the 2007 Adidas Nations Camp in New Orleans, when he played against current Billiken Ruben Cotto, and each remembered the other for his tenacity. Salecich scored 15 points and had four assists and helped Australia win the bronze medal game at the 2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament with a victory over the USA. Salecich is an athletic guard who possesses deep 3-point range, and he is considered a premier defender.

 

 

Witt plays big off bench in Valpo win

VALPARAISO, Ind. -- Michael Rogers scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half Saturday night, leading Valparaiso to an 87-56 exhibition victory over Marian.

Marian, an NAIA school in Indianapolis, stayed close early in the game, but Erik Buggs had 4 points during an 11-0 run that put the game out of reach.

The Crusaders built a 28-11 lead to 43-21 at halftime and continued pulling away in the second period.

Cameron Witt (Launceston) added 16 points in his collegiate debut and Buggs finished with 13 for Valpo. Marian, which gave up 35 points on 23 turnovers, was led by Alex Sylvester with 16.

Duinker performs as Richmond wins opener

RICHMOND -- Kevin Anderson scored 17 points to lead Richmond to an easy 81-57 win over Randolph-Macon Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.

Six Spiders scored during a 17-2 spurt early in the first half. Richmond also went on a 14-6 run for a 45-28 halftime lead.

The Spiders led by as many as 28 points in the second half as the Yellow Jackets never got within 14. Richmond was 30 of 65 from the field while holding Randolph-Macon to 20-of-60 shooting.

Josh Duinker (Hornsby, NSW) added 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds in his collegiate debut for the Spiders, while Ryan Butler chipped in 12 points and David Gonzalves 11.

Justin Short led the Yellow Jackets with 16 points.

Nevill 28 & 14 but Utes lose to D2 SW Baptist

SALT LAKE CITY -- Tomas Brock scored 16 points to lead five Southwest Baptist players in double-figures as the Division II Bearcats beat Utah 80-79 in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

The Bearcats made 16 three-pointers and led most of the game, while the Utes missed 11 free throws.

The Utes trailed by one after Brock missed a shot with 10 seconds remaining. With no timeouts remaining, Utah's Lawrence Borha missed a wild runner with about three seconds left.

It was believed to be the Bearcats' first victory over a Division I team.

Utah's Luke Nevill (Perth) scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and made two free throws with 11.1 seconds left to pull the Utes to within one. But he also missed six foul shots.

D'ante Harris and Brandon Clemons added 15 points for the Bearcats, and Nick Kovacevich had 14. Matt Rogers had 12 points and five rebounds, but fouled out in just 17 minutes.

Nate Tomlinson impresses in first collegiate game

BOULDER, CO — Sophomore Casey Crawford and freshman Austin Dufault scored 14 and 13 points, respectively leading the University of Colorado men's basketball team to a 76-56 season opening victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Friday night.

"It was what I hoped would happen," said CU head coach Jeff Bzdelik. "This team is unselfish; you just have to look at the box score and see that four players were in double digits."

"They are passionate and they are coachable. They are extremely young and we are going to be all over the map this year. I think that we need to rebound better and make more free throws, but those things are all correctable and we will continue to work on them."

With 10 underclassmen on its roster — five freshmen and five sophomores — Colorado headed into the season with one of the youngest teams in school history, and youth figured prominently in the Buffaloes strong start.

Nate Tomlinson (Sydney), part of a starting lineup that included two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior, added 12 points in his first college game. Cory Higgins also had 12 points and a team-high six assists for CU, which opened a 40-20 halftime lead.

Colorado outscored the Golden Lions 19-5 over the final 7:07 of the first session with Tomlinson, Higgins and Crawford all hitting 3's during the run.

Lebaron Weathers led Arkansas-Pine Bluff with game-high 22 points. Tavaris Washington added 18 points despite fouling out with 4:27 remaining.

CU shot 50% from the field in both halves (51.9% for the game). The Buffaloes made 10 three-pointers from the new NCAA 3-point line of 20'9", one of the new NCAA rule changes instituted for the 2008-09 season.

The ten three-pointers are the most for the CU team since making ten against Oklahoma State Feb. 3, 2007. CU also added 18 assists to their 27 field goals made for the game.

The Buffaloes (1-0) continue their homestead throughout the month of November, hosting Big Sky Conference opponent Montana State Tuesday November 22 at the Coors Events Center. Tip is set for 7 p.m. (Wednesday at 1pm AEDT).

Opacic contributes 14 in Furman win

Greenville, S.C. - Jordan Miller poured in a game-high 22 points and Alex Opacic added 14 to lead Furman past NCAA Division III Emory University 67-51 in the season opener Friday evening at Carolina First Court at Timmons Arena.

With the game knotted at 32-32 and just over two minutes remaining in the first half, Furman began a 13-2 run highlighted by seven points from Miller to open up a 45-34 lead with 15:38 to go in the game. The Paladins outscored the Eagles 31-19 over the final 20 minutes while holding Emory to 28.0% (7-25) shooting from the floor in the second half.

"It was a good game for us, especially defensively and on the boards," said Furman coach Jeff Jackson. "We've got to do a better job taking care of the ball. I thought we were probably trying too hard early -- a little too anxious, but overall okay for the season opener."

Furman managed a 37-23 edge in rebounding and shot 54.5% (24-44) from the field and 72.2% (13-18) from the foul line for the night. Miller added six rebounds and four assists to go with his 22 points while Opacic snatched a game-high seven rebounds.

Emory, who shot just 34.6% from the floor, was led by Dan Curtin's 18 points on 4-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc. Forward Anthony Fernandez chipped in with 11 points for the Eagles.

Furman begins a four-game road trip on Monday when it visits Charleston Southern for a 7:30 p.m. game at the CSU Fieldhouse.