Rest of O5 bowl picks

 I continue to circle the drain with Bowl Mania picks and am as bad with O5 as with Power 5 picks but here goes.

Iowa State(Big 12) vs. Memphis(AAC) | Liberty Bowl |  Memphis has decent offense, but it may not excel against the Cyclones . ISU 27 MEM 17

No. 23 Liberty(CUSA) vs. No. 8 Oregon(PAC12) | Fiesta Bowl |  Flames will stay it in for three quarters until they flicker out. and can't contain Bo Nix.  Quentin Cooley may reach 100 yards rushing for LU. Oregon 41 LU 27

Wyoming(MWC) vs. Toledo(MAC) | Arizona Bowl |  Cowboys have been erratic. I'll ride with the Rockets. Toledo 31 WYO 24 

Dec 30 2023

Wrong on this one. Iowa St never recovered from going down 19-0 early and lost to Memphis 36-26. 

Both QBs put on a show. MEM S. Henigan 24-34, 364 YDS, 4 TD,

ISU: R. Becht 22-38, 446 YDS, 3 TD

Dec 31,2023

Well, I picked Toledo, but nice way for Bohl, the Wyoming HC, to retire. Glad CW televised it. No time on the clock as the Cowboys hit the game winning FG fora 16-15 win.

Jan 2, 2023

No surprise Oregon rolled LU yesterday. They kept it close in the first half. I t was cool to hear the story of a Flames' lineman who worked hard to rehab from an injury and play in the game. One of the announcers voiced surprise that the kid chose to use his eligibility to play. The other announcer reminded him- it's an NY6 game. I've searched and can't find his name.

Jan 9, 2024

Frank Solich Named to College Football Hall of Fame. Props to him.

22 seasons as a head coach, record of 173-101. 58-19 record in six seasons as Nebraska's head coach from 1998 to 2003. 115 wins as the head coach at Ohio University(MAC).

April 19, 2024

Scouts watched some MAC games. These two getting some notice for rd1 or 2: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo, Marshawn Kneeland Edge W Michigan

rd3 possibles: Malachi Corley WKU WR, Michael Pratt Tulane QB, Luke McCaffrey Rice WR

Javon Solomon, EDGE, Troy (6-1, 246) may sneak into rd3 of NFL draft.

April 25, 2024

Maybe my Saints reach for X'ZAUVEA GADLIN OT from Liberty U in rd6 or 7.

April 26, 2024

At least Philly scouts watched more than P5 games. 22.Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo(MAC)

Luke McCaffrey(Rice-AAC) WR goes to Skins to end rd3. No surprises for non P5 kids.

Corley went to the Jets. Kneeland to the Cowboys . And a Yale kid went to the Chicago Bears: Kiran Amegadjie, OT.

April 28, 2024

#herd:  Ravens got RB Ali in rd5, and Colts got Micah Abraham, CB in rd6. Tyrice Knight, LB, UTEP rd5 to Seattle. Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane went to Packers in rd7.

April 30, 2024

UDFA QB signings: Reed (WKU) to Bears. SJSU Chevan Cordeiro to Seahawks. UTEP QB Gavin Hardison to Dolphins. Troy QB Gunnar Watson to Bills.

I see Rocky Lombardi, NIU signed with the Bengals. He was a Sparty starting QB. Also, Bengals signed Tulane CB Lane Robinson. 

Jax signed UTSA WR Joshua Cephus, first team all Conference-American. Surprised he went undrafted.

June 16, 2024

Broncos RB Blake Watson, a UDFA RB from Memphis U, could win the "Kamara" role in  Sean Payton’s offense.

Not sure why Colorado State(MWC) TE Dallin Holker wasn't drafted, but my Saints are glad to have him  in camp.

 Buccaneers are pleased with UDFA CB, Tyrek Funderburk (Appalachian State)

Aug 2, 2024

CB Reddy Steward ,a UDFA from Troy U, has a good shot of making the Chicago Bears final roster.

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.

Going out West for some hoops---why?

 #PAC12 hasn't received much respect this season and after watching parts of UW's ,the top team in the league with an 11-1 record, narrow win over a pesky WSU (3-9) squad, I get it. Utah(8-5) looked  as if it was ready for a good run , but they lost to ASU(8-5). Stephen Thompson Jr. had 22 points and Oregon State (8-4) swept the Civil War series against Oregon(6-6). UCLA(6-7), who may be worse since firing Coach Alford, was blown out by Stanford(7-6) 104-80. USC (7-6) beat Cal(0-13). Maybe four teams  , UW, , OSU,ASU, and UTAH get Dance tickets.
In the WCC, Gonzaga(12-0) is gong Dancing regardless of how they do in the conference tournament #byu (18-10, 10-3), who defeated Loyola-Marymount yesterday, may be in line for an at large ticket, but they haven't fared well against big name OOc teams with losses to Houston and Miss St, but they beat intra-state rival Utah. San Francisco and St Mary's have to win the WCCT for a dance ticket.

feb 18

Tough times in the desert:  Colorado (16-9, 7-6 Pac-12) sends Arizona (14-12, 5-8 Pac-12) to its 7th straight loss, 67-60.

feb 21

Then Colorado(7-7) turned around and lost to WSU(4-9) 76-74. Utah(8-6) scored only 18 points in the second half of a 62-45 loss to UW(12-1). ASU(9-5) got 16 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST from Rob edwards in a 80-62 win over Stanford (7-7)

feb22

Is it Pac 12 parity or mediocrity? UCLA(7-7) edged Oregon St(8-5), USC(8-6) blew out OU Ducks(6-7), and Zona(6-8) kept Cali winless in P12 play. Top 3 remains at UW, ASU, and Oregon St.
In the WCC Zaga rolled Pepperdine.  BYU(10-4) lost to San Fran (9-4). St Mary's (9-4)  won while holding Pacific(3-10) to 32 points.San Diego(6-7) kept Portland winless in WCC play

feb 24

 Matisse Thybulle had 17 points, six steals and five blocked shots  for UW(13-1) in its win over Colorado(7-8). Beavers (9-5)  beat the Trojans. Utah (9-6) beat WSU, and UCLA beat Oregon.
In the WCC BYU's 34 point lost to Zaga probably means they need to win the WCCT to get an at large ticket . St Mary's beat San Diego to  move to 10-4 in WCC play while  San Fran fell to 9-5 with a loss to Santa Clara.

march 1

This can't help the Pac 12 get more dance tickets.  Darius McNeill scored 19 points and Connor Vanover had 18 to help the California(1-15) snap a 23-game losing streak in Pac-12  play by beating No. 25 (overall) Washington(13-2) 76-73 on Thursday night. Oregon St (9-6) lost at the buzzer to Zona(8-8)  while ASU (10-6) lost 79-51 to Oregon (7-8). That's a rough night for the top 3 Pac12 teams. UCLA (9-7) beat USC(8-8) and Stanfords (8-8) crushed WSU(4-11)
IN the WCC the Zags beat Pacific while Saint Mary's(20-10, 11-4 WCC)kept it's thin Dance chances alive with a 65-48 win over Portland

march 3

Jordan Ford had decent numbers for St Mary's, 19 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, but the Gaels wilted in the secod half of a 69-55 WCC loss to Gonzaga.  More goofiness from the P12 .Cali beat WSU for it's second win in a row. Zona follow up a solid win over Oreg. St with a 73-47 loss to Oregon , while Utah's descent continued with a 71-63 loss to Colorado. What a mess after UW (13-2).  see blog

Arizona State	10-6		19-9
Oregon State	9-6		17-10
UCLA	9-7		16-13
Utah	9-7		15-13
Colorado	8-8		17-11
Oregon	8-8		17-12
Stanford	8-8		15-13
USC	8-8		15-14
Arizona