O5 post -op on March 15

 I'm rooting big time for the Cowboys to rope the Hoosiers in during a Dance play in game today because the Big 10 doesn't deserve 9 tickets. Wyoming had an erratic finish to the season and as usual will rely heavily on Hunter Maldonado and Ike Graham.

NIT games:

 Interesting intrastate battle in Texas for teams who thought they'd be Dancing. TX ST(Sunbelt) faces NTX(CUSA). Mean Green of NTX looked lean in CUSAT so I'll roll with  the Bobcats to scratch out a win in Denton.

I'll hang with former with UMBC Head coach Odom, who may remind his Utah St Ags that he was the coach who took  down the 1 seed UVA Cavs in the Dance a few years ago. USU(MWC) 67 Oregon 65 as the Ducks descent continues.

List of HC openings in the O5: Ball St, ECU, Western Michigan, and Tulsa. I've heard rumors that Mike Anderson will leave St Johns for Tulsa but not sure at this point if anyone can get SJU back to its glory days of Chris Mullen and Walter Berry.

March 16, 2022

Maldonado had a solid night but it wasn't enough for the Cowboys. IU 76 WYO 68

In the NIT ,NTX beat TX St and Oregon beat Utah St.. Tonight  Toledo(MAC) faces Dayon(A10) and SMU(AAC) faces Nichols(Southland)

march 17, 2022

Toledo got crushed by Dayton  and SMU beat Nichols in NIT play.

I like UAB upsetting Houston, Boise St beating Memphis, and Colorado St beating Michigan in rd1 of the Dance.

March 22, 2022

O5 has Houston left in the Dance and no teams remaining in the NIT.

Tulsa(AAC) hires La Tech's HC Eric Konkol.  ECU (AAC) hired Mike Schwartz, ex Associate HC at Tennessee. In the MAC, Ball St and WMU are looking for  new head coaches.

I didn't see this coming.  SMU's Tim Jankovich retires. Well, we know the next coach won't be Larry Brown.

MARCH  26, 2022

UCLA assistant coach Michael Lewis is the new HC at Ball St (MAC). He played for Bobby Knight at Indiana and coached under Brad Stevens at Butler.

March 27, 2022

Houston lost a low scoring game to Nova 50-44 so no F4 for the Cougars

Allegations of major violations have been levied against the Memphis. They stem from the recruitment and short stint(3 games) of former top recruit James Wiseman. It looks bad but how tough has the NCAA enforcement been recently so Penny may not be dropped from coaching quickly.

March 28, 2022

SMU named Rob Lanier as HC after he took Georgia State(Sunbelt) to the Dance this season.

He was 53-30 in his three seasons at Georgia State. He took Siena(MAAC) to the Dance in 2002 and had been an assistant for Billy Donovan and Rick Barnes. I recall his Sienna team giving Loyola of Baltimore fits in his MAAC days. I'm still a bit surprised at the hire.

March 31, 2022

Talvin Hester, an ex asst at Texas Tech, is the new HC at La Tech

April. 6, 2022

Jonas Hayes, interim coach who led Xavier to its first NIT championship in 64 years, is the new Georgia State's HC.

I thought WMU(MAC)  forgot they had an opening. After 19 seasons as an assistant at Michigan State, Dwayne Stephens is the new W. Michigan HC.

April 12, 2022

Transfer portal gets nuttier: SMU Mustangs guard Kendric Davis, AAC Player of the Year, is in the portal. He played at TCU before joining SMU.

 Lofton is leaving La Tech.

April 14, 2022

Nate Oats looks toward his former conference, the MAC, and signs Former Ohio U point guard Mark Sears, who averaged nearly 20 points a game last season. Sears is from Muscle Shoals, ALA

June 2, 2022

O5 guys leaving 2022 NBA draft pool: Sasser returns to Houston U. DeAndre Williams will return to Memphis U.

June 16, 2022

While reading a list of International players and others who removed themselves from  early entry in the 2022 NBA draft , I found  Dhieu Deing, who played for UTSA(CUSA)  last season  . Wise move ! He's a 6'5 guard with this stat line from last season     PTS13.6 ,REB  5.3, AST1.5, FG% 34.5 .

June 24, 2022

AAC (2) Memphis — (2): Jalen Duren (13), Josh Minott (45) both to the Hornets

Mountain West (1) Colorado State — 1:David Roddy (23)  to the 76ers

MAC (1)        Toledo — 1:Ryan Rollins (44)--to the Hawks

Duren got traded to Knicks then Detroit. Rollins was traded to GSW.

Lewis and Clark hoops somewhat 021822

 East Coast guy catching up. Here's some older blogs:

https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2020/07/pacific-northwest-hoops-chatter-in.html

https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2020/01/p5-pigskin-on-hardwood-january-2020.html

I don't think anyone saw this quick of a turnaround for Zona(Pac12) after Tommy Lloyd was named its head coach last April after serving as an assistant coach at Gonzaga(WCC) for the last 22 seasons. Zags have remained top notch w/o Lloyd and Saint Mary trails them by 3 in the conference. 

Arizona is up by three games on USC and UCLA and by four games over Oregon ASU is 5-9 in P12action and I wonder if Hurley will be hurled out of town.

New Mexico St(11-2) remains a #WAC powerhouse, but the infusion of new teams has shaken up the top top tier. Seattle(11-2) is finally having some success, and newcomer Sam Houston (11-3) has been a revelation. Darrion Trammell leads with Seattle with a16.3 PPG, and Savion Flagg leads SHS with a 19.5 PPG. Exploration of small conferences forthcoming.

Feb 20, 2022

Bennedict Mathurin(24 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST) helped the Cats survive the Ducks AZ 84, OR 81. UCLA crushed UW 76-50

Zags beat Santa Clara to remain undefeated in WCC play, and St Mary's beat BYU, who have one more season to get in gear for a Big 12 schedule.

NMST, SHS, and Seattle won WAC games yesterday. Riley Grigsby(23 PTS, 5 REB, 1 STL) had a solid game for Seattle in 67-64 win over Cal Baptist.

In Big West action Ajay Mitchell scored 20 points for UC Santa Barbara in an 84-71 win that snapped Long Beach State's 11-game winning streak.

Feb 22, 2022

I don't know if it's good enough for the NCAA committee's NET tool but keep your eyes on San Fran in the WCC. Khalil Shabazz had 21 points as San Francisco(22-7,9-5) rolled past Pacific 104-71.

NMST beat Seattle and remains the WAC boss.

Feb 25, 2022

I tuned into the start of the Gonzaga/San Francisco, game and the Zags didn't miss a shot in the first few minutes and went on to a 89-73 win. St Mary's handled San Diego and will remain in the top 25.

In Pac 12 play Oregon upset UCLA, USC beat Oregon St, and Zona beat Utah to reach 15-1 in conference play.

Feb 27, 2022

St Mary's upset of Gonzaga kept them firmly in the bubble picture. San Fran, Santa Clara, and BYU won WCC matchups to maintain a pulse for Dance hopes.

I'm unsure what to make of Zona 's loss to Colorado, and USC survived Oregon in Pac 12 news.

Chicago St has been horrible for years, however yesterday's 61-59 win over NMST(WAC) on Brandon Betson's game-winning layup with 2.4 seconds fits into yesterday's pattern of big upsets. Some chatter about Chicago St joining the Summit Conference, which is a better geographical fit.

March 5, 2022

In the WCC, Zags and St Marys will be dancing but other teams need big wins and probably to win the WCC tourney. BYU rolled LMU and will face San Francisco while Portland beat San Diego and will face Santa Clara.

March 6, 2022

Shabazz (22 PTS 4 REB 2 AST) lead SANFRAN over BYU and faces the Zags next

Santa Clara rolled Portland 91-67 and plays St Marys

Ducks are sinking under water. They got crushed 91-71 by Wazzoo and are in a three way tie for 5th with Wazzoo and UW in the Pac 12.

March 8, 2022

WCC final at Orleans Arena in Vegas has its top two teams, Gonzaga/St Marys  which will likely mean these are its two Dance ticket teams.

March 9, 2022

Zags were ready to play last night and beat St Marys 82-69. 

Former WAC member Cal St Bakersfield beat CSU Northridge in rd1 of the Big West T. Both teams have had bad seasons. 

Cal Baptist beat UTRGV in rd1 of the WACT.

March 12, 2022

Big West: CSU Fullerton beat Hawaii and Long Beach St beat UCSB to make it the final tonight.

WAC: Well, we have an all southwest flavor to the WACT final. New Mexico St beat GC, and Abilene Christian beat Seattle last night. AC(Southland Conference) beat Texas in rd1 of the 2021 Dance , which was  the final straw for Shaka in Austin,TX, and also led to Joe Golding leaving AC for the UTEP HC job.

Pac12: Zona beat Colorado and UCLA beat USC to reach the Pac12 final. Both these teams are dancing, and USC will slide in and possibly CU, but I think the Ducks played their way out.

March 13, 2022

Before I get to tournament. title games, it appears that Grand Canyon(WAC) HC Bryce Drew is headed back to the SEC. He coached Vandy from 2016-19 and is high on the list to replace Will Wade at LSU.

Big West: E.J. Anosike scored 22 points for CSUF to escape with a 72-71 win over Long Beach in the title game.

Pac 12 : Zona beat UCLA 84-76

Big Sky: X. Bishop(19 pts, 8 assists) led Montana St to an easy 87-66 win over Northern Colorado.

March 18, 2022

WAC: I didn't pick them and good for NMST upsetting UConn. Allen NMST (37 PTS 6 REB 3 AST)

WCC: Zags  rolled Ga St. ,St Mary's crushed Indiana and  San Fran got close but fell in OT to Murray St.

Pac 12- UCLA got a scare from Akron but prevailed.

March 19, 2022

USC lost a tough one to Miami (FL). Trojans didn't have consistent go to guy on offense. Zona got a battle from Wright St before pulling away in the second half.

It didn't take long: Florida hired San Francisco's Todd Golden to be its men's basketball coach just hours after SF lost to Murray St 92-87 in OT of rd1. He was an assistant at Auburn (2014-16) 

March 20, 2022

 Tigers had no answer for Timme of Gonzaga. Arkansas contained New Mexico State's Teddy ''Buckets'' Allen and survived 53-48. NMST represented the WAC well in this Dance. UCLA beat Saint Marys 72-56 .

I forgot that Larry Brown was on the Memphis staff.

March 21, 2022

Zona survived OT and beat TCU. Two Pac 12 teams and a WCC team in the Sweet 16.

Jans leaves NMST for Miss St (SEC)

March 26, 2022

St Peters knocks out Purdue. Nine Dance tickets for the Big 10, zero spots in the E8.  ACC(3) , SEC (1), B12(1), MAAC (1), Big East(1) AAC(1)

March 29, 2022

Wazzoo(Pac12) is in the F4 of the NIT and will face TAMU(SEC) tonight, and that winner faces the Xavier(Big East)/St Bonaventure(A10) winner on Thursday.

New Mexico State(WAC) hired former Northwest Florida State coach Greg Heiar to replace Jans who took the Miss St job. Heiar led NFS to a NJCAA Division I national championship in 2021.

March 30, 2022 NIT

Xavier 84 St. Bonaventure 77

Texas A&M 72 Washington State 56

April 5, 2022

For the second year in a row, Dana Altman will need to replace one of his assistant coaches and top recruiters. Last season Stubblefield left for the Depaul HC gig. And now, Chris Crutchfield will be the next head coach at Nebraska- Omaha(Summit) after spending just one year in Eugene and recruiting Dior Johnson , a five star player, to Oregon for 2022. Johnson says he's staying with the Ducks. Hectic is a mild description of how it is to run a big time program.

April 7, 2022

I guess dusting off Fran Dunphy to take over as HC at Lasalle has started a trend. San Diego(WCC) hired  Steve Lavin who last coached at St Johns in 2015. Let's see if he can get the Toreros to compete with the Zags.

June 2, 2022

Timme pulled his name from the NBA draft pool and will be back with the Zags. Jules Bernard(UCLA) is rolling the dice  by staying in. Most folks see him in the G League. 

WAC news: Chicago St hasn't found a conference since it's WAC exit. Dixie St changed it's name to Utah Tech.

July 30, 2022

Gonzaga(WCC) will play Michigan State(Big10) on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of San Diego for Veterans Day 2022. Humidity has forced cancellations in the past for some hoops games on carriers. 

Aug 3, 2022

Kentucky(SEC) and Gonzaga(WCC) agree to home-and-home series starting in Spokane. WA in 2022.

BTW, St Marys(WCC) will play Houston in Fort Worth TX and also has games versus San Diego St, and Vandy which could help its Dance resume.

Nov 3, 2022

 Gonzaga has been transparent with the WCC about its conversations to join the Big 12.

Bill Walton hopes UCLA's move to the Big 10 is rescinded.

Nov 8, 2022

Per Dan Patrick: San Diego St is Pac 12 bound.

Nov 10, 2022

A decade after Enfield coached Florida Gulf Coast to the Sweet 16, his USC squad lost to his former team, 74-61, in LA on Monday night in the season opener for both teams. Enfield played hoops at Johns Hopkins U in Baltimore city.

Nov 11, 2022

I used to enjoy complaining about Tobacco Road hoops in North Carolina when Terps were in the ACC, now I just miss it.  Typical November FGCU loses to San Diego(WCC) after beating USC. UCLA hosts Illinois and visits MD in OOC play.

March 25, 2023

Jason Hooten joins New Mexico St after 13 seasons as the HC at Sam Houston State(WAC). He's got a tough task ahead after ex HC Heiar was fired in mid-season due to the numerous scandals on /off the court with the hoops squad. NMST and SHS will be in the CUSA in July 2023.

Circling back to Enfield, the USC HC who will soon be coaching regularly in the Big 10. He was an assistant at Maryland a long time ago.

April 8, 2023

Utah St(MWC) hires Montana State(Big Sky) HC Danny Sprinkle as Ryan Odom’s replacement.  Sprinkle led Montana State to back-to-back Big Sky tournament championships the past two seasons.

July 1, 2023

Pac12 stumbling and bumbling toward a media contract to save it's a^s has San Diego St stuck in limbo, and they will be a great addition, particularly for hoops to the Pac12. Yes, I think the Aztecs will land in the Pac12.

All the neon shining on Deion's football hopes has me wondering if Colorado basketball get some better players out of all the media attention.

Heading toward O5 conference tourney time in 2021

 Central Michigan( 7-15, 3-12 MAC) got 26 points from Caleb Huffman scored  and  then Meikkel Murray made a go-ahead put-back with 2.3 seconds left  for the 81-79 upset of Toledo(19-7, 14-4 MAC)

Buffalo(13-7, 11-5 MAC) edged Akron(14-7, 12-6 MAC) 80-78

It's looking like Memphis may be the team who could upend Houston and Wichita St in the AAC tourney. Memphis (15-6, 11-3 AAC ) defeated South Florida(8-11, 4-9 AAC) 73-52 for its sixth straight winand they'll face Houston on Sunday in the final regular season game.

March 4

Trey Wade scored a career-high 23 points on 9 of 12 shooting for Wichita State in a 78-70 AAC win over Tulane 78-70. That's 6 straight Ws for the Shockers.

In the MWC SDST got by UNLV in a so-so performance, while Colorado St  defeated  UNM and is the hottest MWC team heading into the conference tournament.

March 5

UTEP(12-11, 8-8 CUSA) accepted a call to play a game at # 13 Kansas(B12) and built an early 15 point lead before crumbling in the final 12  minutes of the game in a 67-62 loss. Bryson Williams led the Miners with 23 points and 13 rebounds. 

FAU crushed MTSU 80-50.

March 9

Michael Almonacy scored a career-high 32 points with six 3-pointers for App St in its 80-73 upset of Georgia State  to win the Sun Belt Conference championship and return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2000. The Mountaineers were in the Southern Conference and coached by Buzz Petersen during the 1999/2000 season.

March 12, 2021

MWCT: Nevada popped Boise St bubble hopes and SDST barely survived Wyoming .

MACT:  Top seeds move forward: Akron, Buffalo, Ohio, and Toldeo

AACT-  Tulane got by Tulsa, and I bet their HC, Ron Hunter, thinks he can pull off one of those miracles  that his GA St squads pulled off in the SunBeltT for years.

mARCH  14, 2021

Cincy edged Wichita St  and if they beat Houston in  AACT, a bubble team possibly SMU will feel the pain. 

Jason Preston scored 22 points for Ohio in a 84-69 victory  over Buffalo, which was trying for a record third straight MAC title.

North Texas beat WKU 61-57 in overtime on Saturday night to win the CUSAT title game and earned its first Dance ticket since winning the Sun Belt tournament in 2010.

San Diego State beat Utah St 68-57 victory  to win the MWC title and secure the league's Dance ticket.

march 15,2021

Belmont, Furman,  and two CUSA teams, Marshall and UAB, are listed as replacement teams for the NIT.

March 18 2021

 NIT: Hollingsworth (21 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST)led Western Kentucky(CUSA) to a 67-63 win over St Marys while Toledo(MAC) lost to Richmond

March 21, 2021

NIT: La Tech does the CUSA right with a win over OL Miss. Buffalo (MAC) lost to Colorado St (MWC) and Memphis (AAC) beat Dayton.

March 23

NIT down to 8 teams.  Four matchups on 3/25 including  two CUSA teams LAtech vs WKU.  Thde only game w/o an O5 team is Richmond(A10) /Miss St(SEC). Colorado St(MWC) faces NC St(ACC) and Memphis(AAC) plays BoiseSt (MWC).

I was bit surprised to see the CBIT is going on in Florida and Coastal Carolina(SunBelt) plays Stetson today.

March 25,2021

Darryl Polk Jr. had 19 points and five steals for  Pepperdine in an 84-61 romp over Coastal Carolina in the CBI final.. Pepperdine finished fourth in the WCC, which Gonzaga ruled.

March 26, 2021

NIT down to four teams: In a battle of CUSA teams Kalob Ledoux scored 20 points, making 6 of 7 3-pointers for Louisiana Tech in a 72-65 win over Western Kentucky 72-65  and will play Mississippi State, a winner over Richmond, on Saturday in Texas.

Colorado ST (MWC) got by NC St and will play Memphis(AAC), a winner over Boise St(MWC).

March 28, 2021

The NIT final is set, and it will be Memphis(AAC) vs Mississippi State(SEC) on Sunday for the title. Memphis rolled Colorado State(MWC) 90-67 and  Mississippi State rolled  Louisiana Tech(CUSA) 84-62.   Ben Howland has a decent stint at Miss St since 2015(116–81 )(.589)

La Tech will face CSU in a matchup for third place.

March 29 , 2021

It wasn't a blowout but Memphis  was in control most of the game in a 77-64 win over Miss St  for the NIT title. Boogie Ellis MEM - G (23 PTS, 4 REB, 5 AST)

La Tech  defeated  Col St 76-74 for 3rd place  on a buzzer beater by Kenneth Lofton Jr. LT - F(27 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST)

April 1, 2021

Coaching news, no foolin: MAC:Akron Zips extend head coach John Groce through 2026 season. He's had more success in the MAC with Ohio and Akron, then the seesaw years at Illinois(Big 10). Ariz St assistant Rashon Burno is on his way to NIU

MWC news: New Mexico hired Richard Pittino quickly after Minnesota fired him, but I don't see it as a good fit. UNLV promoted Kevin Kruger, Lon's son, to HC.

April 7, 2021

This happens from time to time. UTEP(CUSA) head coach Rodney Terry is stepping down and will join Beard's staff at TX. He was a Texas assistant under former head coach Rick Barnes from 2002–11.

April 8, 2021

San Jose State(MWC) replaced Jean Prioleau with  Tim Miles who had some success  at Nebraska(2012-19), a hard gig.

In the MAC Central Michigan fired Keno Davis and Eastern Michigan fired Rob Murphy .

April 13, 2021

E. Michigan(MAC) hired Stan Heath as its new men's basketball coach.

He's an an EMU alum and has previously the coach at Kent State, leading that program to the Elite Eight in 2002. He also guided Arkansas to the NCAA tournament in 2006 and 2007. And did the same at USF in 2012 when they were in the Big East.

April 15, 2021

For years I saw a concrete slab with the Marshall Thundering Herd logo on it standing  in the side yard of a house I'd walk by every two weeks, then a few months ago it was gone. Today, it was back up but in the front yard.  It looks something like this but with more color  and a bull.