O5 UPSET chance vs P5 in weeks 0-1

 Does Chip Kelly have UCLA(Pac12) going  up or can Hawaii(MWC) sneak in to the Rose Bowl for an early upset? UCLA nearly upset Oregon in November 2020. Hawaii beat Houston  in the New Mexico Bowl, then lost its HC to Wash St. Todd Graham , who's bounced around the football map, is the Rainbows HC.

Houston (AAC) could make a big noise in Texas by upsetting Texas Tech (B12) in its home season opener.

Charlotte (CUSA) is a program that showed some promise in Will Healy first season in 2019 but has slipped a little. It has a solid chance at an upset in its home opener against Duke.

There are plenty of other O5/P5 matchups, but these caught my attention.

July 6, 2021

It's a game USC and Coach Helton better not lose. San Jose St(MWC) , who had a great 2020 season( 7-1 Overall | 6-0 MWC - 1st) travels to LA to face USC. USC is 4-0 in this series.

July 13, 2021

Speaking of being Leach-less. Washington St had a terrible, brief 2020 season and they open hosting Utah St(MWC) who has a new HC, former Arkansas State HC Blake Anderson . Nick Rolovich didn't fare well in first WSU season after leaving Hawaii. This game is so hard to guess so I'll say the Ags stumble at the end in Pullman, WA.

aug 7, 2021

Rich Rodriguez takes over as interim HC at ULM(Sunbelt) while  HC Terry Bowden leaves team to be with his dying father, Bobby Bowden. The Warhawks opener is at Kentucky on Sept 4.

aug 19, 2021

Here's a tough one to pick of two top  O5 teams . Boise St is on the road at UCF in a game with some Auburn flavor. Harsin left Boise St for Auburn to replace Malzahn who  moved on to UCF. A lot of hype about Boise St O vs UCF D, but I'm taking UCF in a 33-30 home win.

Aug 29, 2021

Hawaii never had a shot as UCLA rolled over them from the jump in a 44-10 win.

He!! of a day for UTEP QB to WR connection, Hardison  (11-16, 249 YDS, 1 TD)to Cowing(5 REC, 158 YDS, 1 TD) ,in a 30-3 win over New Mexico St.

Aug 31, 2021

 Tulane(AAC)  will be the designated as the home team and retain all net proceeds from ticket sales in a matchup against OK that will be played in Norman, OK due to Hurricane Ida. This is the second in a three game series and would have been the one Tulane hosted. 

Could the Boise St/UCF game be a matchup of two future Big 12 members?

Sept 2, 2021

Last season  ULL took down Iowa St as the Sunbelt beat three B12 teams on Sept 12. My hunch TX beats ULL by 10 on Saturday.

https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2020/09/will-sunbelt-shine-against-b12-on-sept.html

Sept 3, 2021

I got close on the score(33-30) and UCF made a comeback from a 14-0 first half deficit to beat BSU 36-31 . Dillon Gabriel threw for 318 YDS and  4 TDs for UCF.

Some tough O5 losses to AA teams. Tulsa lost to UC Davis and UNLV lost to Eastern Washington

Sept 4, 2021

How about Charlotte(CUSA) knocking off Duke(ACC) 31-28 . Some big stat numbers.

Chris Reynolds CHARLOTTE  19-30, 324 YDS, 3 TD

Mataeo Durant DUKE               29 CAR, 255 YDS, 3 TD

Sept 5,2021

I was wrong on Houston who got blanked in the second half and lost 38-21  to TT.

Noteworthy O5 items:  Tulane(AAC)  outscored OK 21-3 in the second half but lost 40-35. NIU(MAC) beat Ga Tech. MWC vs Pac12: Nevada beat Cal and Utah St beat Wash St ,while Fresno St gave Oregon  a scare and SJST crumbled against USC.

In the CUSA Marshall crushed Navy. UTSA shocked Illinois(B10) and La Tech gave Miss  St(SEC) a huge scare

O5 players in 2021 NFL draft

 Two AAC guys were drafted in round 1. #ZavenCollins, ILB from Tulsa went at 17 to the Cardinals , and #PaytonTurner, a DE from Houston U, went at 28 to the Saints. Both guys have good skills but neither played for stellar defenses last season. I'm glad to see my Saints focusing on D.

April 30, 2021

Day 2: More D players from an AAC schools with a weak defenses were drafted. Richie Grant , a safety from UCF, went to Atlanta in rd2, and his secondary partner Aaron Robinson went to the Giants in rd3. Ravens grabbed Brandon Stephens a CB from SMU in RD3. 

Seattle took Dwayne Eskridge, a short, fast WR from Western Michigan(MAC) in rd 2, and the Raiders took Malcom Koonce an OLB from Buffalo(MAC) in rd3.

The CUSA got on the board when Philly took Milton Williams, a DT from Louisiana Tech.

Sunbelt and MWC haven't had a player drafted yet

May 1, 2021

The first MWC player , Darren Hall , a CB from San Diego St , went to Atlanta early in round 4.

The first Sunbelt player taken ,Shemar Jean-Charles, a CB from App St, went to Green bay  in round 5. I'm surprised that Tarron Jackson, a DE from Coastal Carolina who went to Philly, and Elijah Mitchell , an RB from ULL who went to SF, lasted until rd6

Josh Ball, an efficient run blocker from Marshall, went to Dallas in rd 4

 Grant Stuard, a OLB from Houston (AAC), was Mr Irrelevant.

May 5, 2021

Interesting post -draft FA signing by the Skins: Jaret Patterson , a slash type  runner rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of the last three seasons at Buffalo U. He rushed for  409 yards and 8 TDs in a 70-41 victory over Kent St on 11/28/20.

May 11, 2021

I found a few more interesting post draft O5 FA signings.

Shane Buechele, SMU QB Signing with the Chiefs,

Trey Ragas, Louisiana-Lafayette RB Signing with the Raiders

Wide receivers: Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State : Signing with the Lions

Tim Jones, Southern Mississippi  Signing with the Jaguars

Isaiah McKoy, Kent State  and Rico Bussey, Hawaii  Signing with the Steelers

May 20, 2021

Ravens  signed Jake Verity, FA kicker from ECU,  but I doubt if he'll unseat Justin Tucker.

June 20, 2021

#AntonioPhillips , an all MAC DB from Ball St, who went undrafted due to surgery this spring, is in the Bengals' camp. I'm guessing he'll make the squad.

june 26, 2021

#Jacob Harris, a 6' 5", 211 lbs  hybrid TE/WR from UCF drafted 2021: Rd 4, Pk 141 (LAR), is impressing folks in Rams' Camp

July 27, 2021

 I've been reading positive notes on Richie Grant's (UCF)  camp with the Falcons. Maybe he'll be the starting safety?

August 19, 2021

Dolphins  are happy with #GerridDoaks,  a bruising RB and seventh round pick from Cincy U.

sept 16, 2021

Catching up: Jaret Patterson(Buffalo U) got a few carries for the Skins last Sunday.

Antonio Phillips(Ball St) landed in Houston for gm1 then was released today.

Oct 30, 2021

I've noticed that Darren Hall (SDST) and Richie Grant(UCF) have been getting some playing time with the Falcons. Shouting out to Atlanta folks on how they're doing.

Jan 25, 2022

Obviously, Elijah Mitchell, Niners, rd6 pick, had the biggest impact in the NFL this season. Slight nod to Jaret Patterson, who got some December time with the Redskins. If I missed any O5 draftees who had solid NFL rookie seasons, let me know.

Sept 26, 2022

Richie Grant has become a solid NFL DB. He made some solid plays against Seattle yesterday.

Jan 9, 2023

 I was watching snippets of Cowboys/Skins game on the red zone and saw Jaret Patterson has persevered. He carried the ball 17 times for 78 yards for the Skins in their blowout of Dallas. BTW, Josh Ball from Marshall is still on the Boys' roster.

 

O5 off-season: Hoops and Pigskin

   Calling BS on Coastal Carolina's DeVante' Jones, Sun Belt PoY, using this in his goodbye ,a coach advancing his career by taking a job at a different institution. Why, because it wasn't Head Coach #CliffEllis who left CCU. Assistant coaches are often looking  to become head coaches.  Jones is in  the transfer portal and hoping to be drafted by the NBA this year.

  #TonyBarbee  left Calipari staff at UK for the HC gig at C. Michigan. So I mentioned two former Auburn Head coaches , Barbee and Ellis. in one blog.

april 25, 2021

 Colorado(Pac12) and Colorado State(MWC) have agreed to play each other six more times in a new deal  for the  Rocky Mountain Showdown rivalry that will kick off in 2029. I'm uncertain as to why there's such a gap in years in the intrastate rivalry. The existing deal resumes in 2023 in Boulder, followed in 2024 by the Buffaloes’ first visit to Fort Collins since 1996.

april 27, 2021

I missed this move: Marshall U(CUSA) grad transfer Jarrod West , a 5-11 point guard who averaged 12.5 points and 6 rebounds this season ,  committed to Louisville .

april 28, 2021

Georgia transfer D'Wan Mathis wins Temple (AAC) quarterback competition . Late April is an early time to make that decision.

april 29,2021

I missed this one. Utah State(MWC) hired  head coach Ryan Odom  away from  UMBC,  a school a few minutes southwest of Baltimore City. Odom is best known for coaching the 16th-seeded Retrievers to an upset of 1 seed Virginia in the 2018 Dance. It will  be interesting to see how he recruits out west.

april 30, 2021

Buffalo U football gets raided by Kansas again . In 2006 Kansas hired Turner Gill and today they hired Lance Leipold .

May 5, 2021

DeVante' Jones leaves CCU for Michigan hoops.

May 9, 2021

Buffalo U hired Michigan co-DC Maurice Linguist, who just joined MU's staff in January, to replace Leopold. He coached Buffalo U's defensive backs in 2012 and 2013.

May 18, 2021

There are so many transfers occurring that I take notice of a young man who re-considered a move. #jeremy Singleton decided to return to the Houston Cougars in 2021. His stat line is 55 receptions for 761 yards and five TDs, and he has two years of eligibility remaining.

May 21, 2021

Cain Madden ,a former #herd walk-on and a second-team OL AP All-American in 2020, is using the "super senior" clause to transfer.

May 29, 2021

#artieHenry , a 6-foot-1 wideout who was featured in the Thundering Herd's receiver rotation in each of the last three years, totaling 45 receptions for 517 yards and six touchdowns over his career, is transferring.

June 2, 2021

Buffalo U rewards AD Mark Alnutt with 5-year contract extension before he exits. They lost Football HC Lance Leipold to Kansas a month ago. In 2019, they lost hoops HC Nate Oats to Alabama.

June 3 2021

Kent St(MAC) extends contract for hoops coach Senderoff who has a 196-129 in 10 seasons . He’s also been an assistant at Indiana, Towson, Yale and Fordham. He's recovered nicely from a 2007 NCAA 30-month show-cause penalty for his role in the Kelvin Sampson Hoosiers' scandal.

June 6, 2021

Cool #herd games on CBSSN TV schedule. @ Navy on Sept 4. Hosting UAB on Nov 13

June 12, 2021

#RontaviusGroves , former UNC receiver heads to Texas State (Sun Belt) for his final year of eligibility as a graduate transfer. His best season in Chapel Hill came in 2019 when he caught 27 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown. Good move!

June 15, 2021

Luke McCaffrey transfer: Ex-Louisville, Nebraska quarterback lands at Rice(CUSA). He left Louisville after a few weeks because he wouldn't be the starting QB. These kids are allowed huge shopping privileges.

Cain Madden leaves the #herd for Notre Dame.

june 18, 2021

I missed this move from last Xmas: #grantGunnell , a 6'6 qb who entered the transfer portal after Arizona fired coach Kevin Sumlin, will have a good chance to start at QB for Memphis(AAC). Brady White , last year's starting Memphis QB, was a transfer from Arizona St in 2018, and attended the Titans (NFL) 2021 rookie mini camp.

June 30, 2021

Guess who's coming back? Larry Brown, who got into some trouble while raising SMU (AAC) level of play a few years ago. Memphis (AAC) men's basketball coach Penny Hardaway is likely to hire Larry Brown as an assistant coach.

July 14 2021

frank solich is retiring from Ohio u due to health issues. Solid football career (Nebraska and ohio) . Oc Tim Albin has been promoted to HC, having already agreed to a new four-year contract.

July 16 2021

Cisse, a five-star recruit and AAC RoY after a freshman season in which he averaged 6.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, is transferring from Memphis to Ok St.(B12). I'm not sure how those stats qualified him for any awards.

July 23, 2021

Even kickers make the news. Brooks Buce, a backup kicker for Georgia(SEC) is transferring to Troy(Sunbelt).

July 28, 2021

I guess the service academies have changed their commitment status. Jamale Carothers who was productive during his last two seasons with Navy(AAC), rushing for 1.092 yards and 16 touchdowns, transferred to Western Kentucky(CUSA).

July 29, 2021

Big 12 sent a desist letter alleging ESPN conspired to damage the league by luring Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC . Commissioner Bowlsby claimed that ESPN has actively engaged the (AAC) to pursue "3-5" Big 12 members join the league, suggesting it would be rewarded with future television proceeds. OK and TX could leave earlier with less penalty payments if the B12 were to weaken or collapse

The AAC has an eleven year deal with ESPN. B12 has a split deal with ESPN and Fox Sports.

I tend to rarely believe ESPN on any topic.

August 12, 2021

Coastal Carolina and ULL , both from the Sunbelt, are in some pre-season Top 25 polls

August 26, 2021

Well Penny will have no excuses if Memphis (AAC) doesn't have a great season? He just signed Emoni Bates, No. 3 in ESPN 100 for 2021, to play hoops this season.

aug 30, 2021

Oklahoma transfer #TannerMordecai beat out highly recruited freshman Preston Stone for the SMU starting QB job. Garrett Riley, Lincoln's(OU HC) brother is SMU's QB coach.

Tough start for O5 at the 2021 Dance

Wichita St (AAC) couldn't take advantage of scoring lulls by Drake(MVC) and lost 53-52.

 #AppSt (Sunbelt) couldn't convert late  and lost to Norfolk St(MEAC) in a tale of two halves:  J Forrest lead Appy with 18 Points                                        

March 20, 2021

I thought NTX(CUSA) would crumble after they couldn't seal the deal in regulation, but they outscored Purdue 17-8 in OT for a 78-69 victory. Javion Hamlet was stellar for the Mean Green providing 24 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST. Too bad I didn't have enough faith to pick them in rd1.

MWC had a rough day :SDST lost to Cuse and Utah St lost to Texas Tech.

Houston (AAC) rolled Clev St.

March 21, 2021

B. Vander Plas(17pts 5reb 4assists) led Ohio(MAC) to a 62-58 upset of  UVA(ACC) .

Ohio has won its last three NCAA first-round Dance games - beating Georgetown in 2010 and Michigan in 2012.

March 23, 2021

Ohio's O ran out of steam against Creighton yesterday. Dwight Wilson III was the top Bobcat scorer with 12 points in a 72-58 loss to Creighton. Nova crushed NTX(CUSA) on Sunday so the only O5 team to reach the Sweet 16 is Houston(AAC). Q. Grimes (22 PTS, 9 REB, 1 AST) led the Cougars to a 63-60 win over Rutgers on Sunday and they face Cuse in the next round.

March 28, 2021

Houston's D led by Dejon Jarreau   held Buddy Boeheim to 12 points on 3-for-13 shooting, including 1 for 9 from 3-point range in a 62-46 win over Cuse.

March 30, 2021

Dejon Jarreau had another stellar night playing D for Houston. This time he held  Ethan Thompson, the Oregon St forward, who was named the most outstanding player of the Midwest Region, to  11 points on 3-for-12 shooting, in the Cougars 67-61 victory.

April 4, 2021

LAST O5 team falls. Marcus Sasser had 20 points for Houston is a 78-59  F4 loss to Baylor, whose tough D made the difference.

While Mick Cronin's, the former Cincy HC, UCLA squad  played the Zags tough  but lost in the other F4 matchup, his replacement at Cincy , John Brannen, was given paid leave as the school looks for  a way to complete a for-cause dismissal.  Only four scholarship players are slated to return and six have entered the transfer portal.  Is the rift between Brannen the players real or are these kids spoiled brats?

April 10, 2021

Brannen  is owed a 5M buyout and he and his lawyers are not getting nasty in public about his dismissal from Cincy.. One strong guess for his replacement is UCLA assistant Darren Savino, who was a longtime assistant under Mick Cronin at Cincinnati.

April 15, 2021

Cincinnati(AAC)  hired Wes Miller, who has been at UNCG for 10 seasons, as its next men's basketball head coach. Over the past five seasons, he has led the Spartans to three regular-season championships and two Dances. He was an assistant at High Point and at Elon, each located in North Carolina, before becoming HC at North Carolina-Greensboro of the Southern Conference. Let's see how he does in the Rust Belt.

april 20, 2021

CUSA news: Joe Golding has been named the new coach at UTEP after a decade at Abilene Christian which included the upset over Texas in the first round of this season's Dance.

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. 

Wacky WAC blog lands in 2021

 The WAC grabbed my attention in the early 90's, however it started in 1962 with these six-teams. Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.  It's most well known recent star is #PascalSiakham,  former #NMST player and budding NBA star with the Toronto Raptors. Grand Canyon  has moved to the top of the league this season, and new coach Bryce Drew has been a big reason  for their success. ASBJORN MIDTGAARD leads the team with a 14.6 ppg. Meanwhile  New Mexico St, the perennial league leader, has fallen to the middle of the pack.

https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2019/11/wac-hoops-201920-hunches.html

https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2018/11/wac-hoops-201819-hunches.html

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

march 7, 2021

 Tarleton (10-10, 5-7 WAC) has won its last three games but Coach Billy Gillispsie's squad will not get a chance to vie for a Dance ticket  WACT left Tarleton and Dixie St out because they are transitioning to 1A, and are ineligible for the Dance, but is moving forward with a six team tournament in Las Vegas.  Chicago State canceled their season. 

MARCH 12, 2021

Seattle beat Cal Baptist 83-66 and will face Grand Canyon while NMST beat UTRGV to face UVU. NMST. 3 seed NMST doesn't want to lose their annual hold on the WAC dance ticket.

March 14, 2021

Grand Canyon beat NMST in the WACT to make it to its first Dance and on the 23rd anniversary(3/13/98) of  their head coach, Bryce Drew, hitting a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for Valparaiso to beat 10th-ranked Mississippi in the Dance.

March 16, 2021

Grand Canyon faces Iowa in rd1 and have ASBJORN MIDTGAARD , a 7' center, but I don't know if he can handle Garza.

March 21, 2021

Both centers had solid games, but the Hawkeyes shot better as a team in 86-74 win over GC

A. Midtgaard GC(18 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST)

L. Garza IOWA(24 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST)

March 25, 2021

I missed this story in February. Lew Hill, the head men’s basketball coach at UTRGV(WAC), died at the age of 56,  after suffering through a variety of medical difficulties. He was an assistant on the Oklahoma staff that reached the F4 in 2016. They haven't hired a permanent replacement.

April 8, 2021

 #MattFigger, who compiled a 76-51 (.598) in four seasons at Austin Peay (OVC) ,is  the new men's basketball head coach at #UTRGV. For my buddies in Alabama he was an assistant at South Alabama (2003-07)

May 18, 2021

#WAC travel (Texas to Seattle ,WA) will get longer in 2022 with the addition of  four teams, Sam Houston, Abilene Christian, and Stephen F. Austin from the Southland Conference, and Southern Utah from the Big Sky. 

July 9, 2021

#FardawsAimaq ,the 6-11 Utah Valley(WAC) center who, averaged a double-double (13.9 ppg, 15.0 rpg) last season,  withdrew from the NBA Draft and will return to UVU for the 2021-22 season. Smart move!

July 10, 2021

Jeff Hurd, who helped bring Lamar University and three other Texas schools into the WAC for 2022, will step down as Commissioner at the end of this year. He joined the WAC in 1985 as Director of Conference Relations, then worked various jobs before taking over as commissioner in 2012. That 's a long stint in one conference.

Aug 8, 2021

Coach Billy Gillispsie's Tarleton St squad visits Kansas on Nov 9. The last time  he coached against KU was during the 2011/12  Big 12 season when he was HC at Texas Tech. Last year's matchup was canceled.  

WAC Officially Welcomes ‘Texas Four’ to Conference .  

Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University  

Aug 9

it doesn't  appear that WAC  football will be 1a soon , but they just formed a schedule  alliance with the ASUN . 

 New Mexico State, a WAC member competes as an FBS 1A football independent, IS WATCHING THIS CLOSELY.

 The invitations of membership stated that during the first year of  WAC membership, “football-playing institutions will commit to an analysis of all implications of a move to FBS.” 

 Oct 6, 2021

New Mexico St , whose favored by many to win the WAC despite Grand Canyon winning the WAC 2021 title has a nicer travel schedule with the new Texas teams in the conference this season.

 Jan. 13: vs. Tarleton

Jan. 15: vs. Abilene Christian

Jan. 20: @ Sam Houston State

Jan. 22: @ Stephen F. Austin

In OOC play they face  Washington St  of the Pac 12  this season. 

Chicago hoops, weak Depaul and more

 I've had a long distance interest in Chicago-area hoops since the Mark Aguirre/Ray Meyer days of the late 1970s when they were an Independent program.  In 1991 they joined the  Great Midwestern Conference then moved on to the CUSA from 1995 until to 2005 when they joined the Big East, and became basically cellar dwellers . Their last NCAA Dance appearance was in 2004 as a member of the CUSA.

Obviously most of the great Chicago city player have not chosen  to stay at home and play at DePaul, and what probably hurts a little more is that Loyola of Chicago (MVC) has become media darlings in the last few years.

Last night  LoC edged Valparaiso to stay in first in the MVC with Drake who beat UNI 77-69.

DePaul(3-10, 1-10 Big East) lost to Seton Hall 60-52.Pauly Paulicap had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the slumping Blue Deacons.

Some earlier blogs on the Chicago area hoops scene: https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2019/12/chi-town-area-pre-xmas-2019-hoops.html    https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2019/01/chi-town-area-saturday-jan-13-hoops.html

Feb 19, 2021

Depaul/Marquette rivalry goes back over 100 hundred years when both were usually Independents. BTW, McGuire owned Ray Meyer. from 1970-76.  Since the late 1990s  they've been in the same conference most of the time. Dwayne Wade played for Marquette when they were in the CUSA in the early 2000s.

Feb 27. 2021

 Loyola Chicago(20-4, 15-2 MVC) moves closer to a dance ticket with a 60-52 win over Southern Illinois

(11-12, 5-12 MVC). Regardless of what happens in the MVC tourney, I think they're in.

March, 8, 2021

Loyola of Chicago fed their big man Cameron Krutwig(20 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AS), and punched their Dance ticket with a 75-65 win over Drake in the MVCT final.

One of their starting forwards, ABAHER UGUAK, is from Edmonton, AB

March 11, 2021

Javon Freeman-Liberty and Charlie Moore each scored 21 points for  DePaul in a 70-62 upset of Providence in the Big East tournament. Next up UConn.

March 16, 2021

For the second time in this century Leitao is out at DePaul. He left there for UVA in 2005 and was fired yesterday.

MVC news: Loyola of Chicago faces a hot Ga Tech squad in rd1 of the Dance. Drake got an at large bid and has a play-in against Wichita St.

March 20, 2021

MVC is on a nice roll. Drake  beat the Shockers in the play-in game and LoC beat Georgia Tech in rd1 with Lucas Williamson providing 21 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST.

March 23, 2021

LoC handled with Illinois with smart, aggressive play and a solid O  so at this point I'm not writing them off against Oregon St.(Pac12)

March 28,2021

Beavers found a way to handle the LoC. Defense! Oreg St 65 LoC 58. It was the second meeting in their histories. Loyola won 31-19 in Chicago on Dec. 31, 1927

April 1, 2021

DePaul hired longtime Oregon assistant Tony Stubblefield. I don't see any clear Chicago connections in his past.

He was also Cincinnati's recruiting coordinator from 2006 to 2010 under Mick Cronin, who has UCLA in the F4.

April 5, 2021

I'm mildly surprised:  Moser leaves LoC for the job to coach the Oklahoma Sooners. I thought he would stay in the Midwest if he took another job. It looks like Loyola will promote Drew Valentine to fill the spot.

May 13, 2021

Milwaukee is about 90 miles from Chicago, and 5 star basketball recruit Patrick Baldwin Jr. will join his father Patrick Baldwin Sr., the Panthers' head coach since 2017 at the U of Milwaukee of the Horizon League.

July 20, 2021

Just when I thought Chicago St (WAC) was going to toss in the towel on hoops, they hired Samford assistant Gerald Gillion  to be the men’s basketball head coach, Samford , a member of the Southern Conference, hasn't had much hoop success lately. Gillion is known as a great recruiter.

Nov 15, 2021

I'm getting prepped for college hoops and found this name, JAVON FREEMAN-LIBERTY, a PG for DePaul. He's had solid games against C.Michigan(MAC), and Coppin St, a Baltimore school in the MEAC. The kid must've legally changed his last name.

Dec 4, 2021

Coach Moser is at OK, but Loyola (Chicago) handed DePaul its first loss of the season.

This not a mistype: Chicago St(WAC) beat Tennessee St(Ohio Valley) 59-49 on Saturday.

Dec 11, 2021

DePaul recovered and roared back to beat Louisville last night 62-55. Loyola of Chicago beat Vandy, coached by Jerry Stackhouse and featuring Pippen Jr.

Jan 8, 2022

I'm reading a story on Murray St leaving the OVC for MVC and discover Loyola Chicago is leaving the MVC for the Atlantic 10 in July 2022. The A10 has been a solid hoops conference for a long time. St Louis will have at least one close conference game now.

Feb 6, 2022

Courvoisier McCauley scored 21 points and Jalen Terry had 13 as short-handed DePaul upset # 21 Xavier by a score of 69-65. I was surfing from game to game and stopped on this one to see if Depaul could retain a small lead in the final minutes. With about a minute to go, Xavier had the press on to close a four point gap, and looked like they might cause a 10 second violation when they opted to foul a Blue Demon. The announcers were praising the analytics, and I was shouting it's too soon and very stupid.

Feb 10, 2022

DePaul won its second in a row. This time they beat GTown who is winless in the Big East. David Jones had led DePaul with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assist in a 82-74 win.

Feb 15, 2022

Damaria Franklin and Jace Carter scored 12 points each in Illinois-Chicago 57-54 win over IUPUI, but they still trail Cleveland St by a few games in the Horizon League.

Robert Morris is near the cellar again in its second season since leaving the NEC in most sports.

Feb 16, 2022

 DePaul fell 73-71 to Butler. Simas Lukosius hit a 3-pointer with six seconds remaining for Butler. 

Domask (25 PTS 3 REB) led SIU to a 65-57 win over Bradley in MVC play.

Feb 23, 2022

Huge Huskies win over Nova last night, but they still trail Nova by a game and Providence by 3 games with three to go in the regular season. They finish with Creighton, Depaul,, and GTown.