Friday Tourney Hoops

[billiam2005]

A decent day yesterday at 3-1. This came with covers by George Washington, SMU, and Boston College. And the lonely loss came with my sorry Pitt Panthers who can't cover any spread.

Here is who I have for today and tonight...

Florida -2
Memphis +5.5
Central Michigan -5
Boston College +8 (Should be close game, but Pitt can't cover)
Connecticut +1
Oklahoma -7
Cal Irvine +1.5 (Don't think I have lost a game on these guys yet)

Good luck tonight on whoever you shall choose. Lots of good games on the schedule for tonight and the rest of the weekend, should be interesting.

I will be back later with some game notes.

 

[billiam2005]

L-S-U (20-9) vs. (7) Florida (24-6)

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 14th, 3:15 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Louisiana Superdome (26,949) -- New Orleans, Louisiana.
Television: Local. Home Record: LSU 16-2, Florida 15-1. Away Record: LSU 2-6,
Florida 7-3. Neutral Record: LSU 2-1, Florida 2-2. Conference Record: LSU 8-8,
Florida 12-4. Series Record: LSU leads, 55-35.

GAME NOTES: The nation's seventh-ranked team begins its quest for the 2003 SEC
Tournament championship, as the Florida Gators take on the LSU Tigers in
quarterfinal-round action this afternoon. Awaiting the winner of this contest
will be a semifinal matchup with either Ole Miss or Mississippi State
tomorrow. LSU was completely dominant yesterday in an 85-56 victory over
Arkansas in the opening round. The Tigers earned the West's third seed after
splitting its 16 league games during the regular season, and they are
currently riding the wave of a six-game winning streak. LSU is 37-42 in SEC
Tournament play and captured its only title 23 years ago. As for Florida, it
carries a sensational 24-6 record into this tournament, including a 12-4 mark
against SEC opponents during the regular season. The 24 regular season wins
were the most in school history, surpassing the 23 amassed by the 1993-94 and
1999-00 teams, both of which went to the Final Four. It was only the eighth
time in school history that the Gators reached 20 regular season wins, and
they set another school record for non-conference wins with 12 along the way.
The news is not all positive, however, as they dropped their final two games
against national powers in Kentucky and Georgia by a total of three points.
Florida has never won a SEC title and owns a lackluster 20-37 record in
tournament games. Although LSU owns a commanding 55-35 lead in the all-time
series between these two teams, Florida has won the last six meetings.

LSU made it clear from the opening tip against Arkansas yesterday that it was
on a mission. The Tigers shot 55.6 percent from the floor in the first half,
including 8-of-15 from three-point range, and held the Razorbacks to 26.7
percent en route to a 45-19 lead at intermission. Although LSU struggled a bit
at the line, it still outscored Arkansas 23-4 from the charity stripe. Several
players put forth solid efforts in the victory, and Collis Temple III led the
way with 18 points. Torris Bright chipped in 17 points on 4-of-7 shooting from
three-point range, and Ronald Dupree finished with 14 points and 10 boards.
The Tigers entered the tilt averaging a healthy 73.5 ppg while shooting a
league-leading 48.7 percent of the time. Considering that they also entered
allowing only 62.8 ppg, it is a bit surprising that they finished only 8-8 in
the league.

There is no shortage of big-name players on Florida's roster, as the team is
never forced to rely on the talents of only one. Senior Matt Bonner was named
to the First-Team All-SEC squad after earning Third-Team honors as a sophomore
and Second-Team as a junior. Bonner is averaging 15.8 ppg to lead the Gators,
and he is netting a stellar 20.2 ppg over his last nine contests. He is also
pulling down 6.1 rpg and shooting a staggering 48.3 percent from three-point
range. Anthony Roberson was selected the SEC's Freshman of the Year, as he
adds 12.8 ppg to the lineup. Fellow freshman Matt Walsh is also contributing
12.8 ppg, and he has dished out 93 assists to date. Rounding out the double-
digit scorers for Florida is David Lee, who is grabbing a team-high 7.1 rpg to
go along with his 10.8 ppg on 64.1 percent shooting from the floor. The Gators
are averaging 76.4 ppg at the offensive end this season and surrendering only
64.7 ppg to opponents.

The 24 wins posted by the Gators during the regular season set a school
record, and they possess as much talent as any team in the nation. With an
outstanding mix of experienced veterans and talented freshman, Florida has a
legitimate shot at winning this tournament for the first time in program
history.




LSU
Lsu are 5-0-0 ATS in their last 5 home games
After a win are 6-4
After playing Alabama are 2-1
When playing on Friday are 2-1


Florida
Florida are 6-1-0 ATS in their last 7 home games
Florida are 1-10-0 OU in their last 11 games
Florida are 1-4-0 OU in their last 5 at home
After a loss are 7-2
After playing Kentucky are 2-0
When playing on Friday are 4-3

 

[billiam2005]

(20) Louisville (22-6) vs. (16) Memphis (23-5)

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 14th, 5:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Freedom Hall (18,865) -- Louisville, Kentucky
Television: ESPN+. Home Record: Louisville 14-2, Memphis 14-2. Away Record:
Louisville 8-3, Memphis 7-3. Neutral Record: Louisville 0-1, Memphis
2-0. Conference Record: Louisville 11-5, Memphis 13-3. Series Record:
Louisville leads, 47-32.

GAME NOTES: The 20th-ranked Louisville Cardinals face off against the 16th-
ranked Memphis Tigers in the semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament, with
the winner earning a berth in the Championship game on Saturday. The Cardinals
have a distinct advantage in the tournament, as it is taking place on their
home court. However, Louisville is the third seed in the tournament and was
matched up against the sixth-seeded Tulane Green Wave in the quarterfinals on
Thursday. In that game, the Cardinals were clearly the better conditioned team
as they wore down the Green Wave and pulled away for an 82-66 victory. It was
the second consecutive victory for Louisville, which improved to 14-2 at
Freedom Hall this season. As for Memphis, it has never won a Conference
Championship like Louisville, but put itself in good position by finishing
13-3 in the league, earning the second seed in the tournament. The Tigers
finished the regular season with 11 straight victories and made it 12 in a row
by defeating the 10th-seeded South Florida Bulls, 62-56 in Thursday's
quarterfinal contest. Louisville has a 47-32 all-time series advantage over
Memphis, but was defeated, 80-73 in Kentucky earlier this year.

Louisville continued to play tenacious defense, forcing Tulane into 25
turnovers, which was the difference in the Cardinals' 82-66 victory. The Green
Wave shot well from the field, knocking in 53.1 percent, but the Cards were
able to convert the high number of giveaways into 28 points. Louisville
connected on 43.3 percent of its field goal attempts, while both squads pulled
down 33 rebounds. The Cardinals were just dismal from behind the arc, knocking
in just 8-of-28, while the Green Wave hit on 9-of-16. However, Louisville
outdid Tulane at the free-throw line, converting 15-of-18 to just 5-of-9 from
the Green Wave. Reece Gaines and Francisco Garcia scored 15 points apiece to
lead the Cardinals. Garcia ended the game connecting on 7-of-14 from the
field, while Gaines knocked in 4-of-9 from the floor to go with three steals.
Otis George turned in 14 points coming off the bench and Taquan Dean added 12
points on 4-of-9 shooting from long range. Luke Whitehead turned in a solid
all-around performance in the win, with a double-double that consisted of 11
points and 11 boards. UofL once again played without third-leading scorer and
second-leading rebounder Marvin Stone, who sat out for the third time in the
last four games do to an NCAA investigation regarding him taking illegal
benefits earlier in his career.

Chris Massie recorded his 15th double-double of the season with 18 points and
11 rebounds to lead Memphis over South Florida, 62-56. Massie finished the
game 6-of-12 from both the field and the foul line, while Rodney Carney also
chipped in 18 points on a 5-of-10 shooting effort. The Tigers were able to win
the game despite knocking in only 35.8 percent of their total field goal
attempts and turning the ball over 15 times. Memphis learned a thing or two
from watching South Florida defeat DePaul, as it held the Bulls to a dismal 1-
of-15 shooting effort from three-point land. The Bulls knocked in 11-of-24
from long range against DePaul, but were completely shut down by the Tigers.
Memphis also held them to 35.6 percent from the floor in addition to owning a
43-38 rebounding advantage. Neither squad shot particularly well from the
free-throw line, with the Tigers converting just 17-of-27 and South Florida
13-of-26.

Louisville lost a few games to end the season which raised questions about how
good the team really was, but with a convincing win in the quarterfinals it
may have silenced some of its critics. Memphis on the other hand entered the
tournament with the longest winning streak in the conference and extended it
with a quarterfinal win. The Cardinals are playing the game on their home
court even though the Tigers are the higher seed, and that will make the
difference in a narrow win tonight.




Louisville
After a win are 7-3
After playing Charlotte are 2-0
When playing on Friday are 4-1


Memphis
Memphis are 5-1-0 ATS in their last 6 games
Memphis are 4-2-0 OU in their last 6 games
Memphis are 1-4-0 OU in their last 5 at home
After a win are 10-0
After playing Uab are 2-1
When playing on Friday are 2-4

 

[billiam2005]

Northern Illinois (17-13) vs. Central Michigan (22-6)

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 14th, 6:30 p.m. (et).


FACTS & STATS: Site: United Center (21,711) -- Chicago, Illinois.
Television: Local. Home Record: NIU 7-7, CMU 12-1. Away Record: NIU 8-6, CMU
9-5. Neutral Record: NIU 2-0, CMU 1-0. Conference Record: NIU 11-7, CMU 14-4.
Series Record: Northern Illinois leads, 45-33.

GAME NOTES: The top-seeded Central Michigan Chippewas and fourth-seeded
Northern Illinois Huskies are just one victory away from playing for the Mid-
American Conference Championship, as they meet in semifinal-round action from
the United Center in Chicago. Northern Illinois advanced to this matchup by
defeating fifth-seeded Western Michigan, 75-63 last night. The Huskies have
now won two games in a row and improved to a perfect 2-0 in neutral-site
contests. If Northern Illinois can pull out a victory tonight, it would mark
its first appearance in the MAC Championship game since 1982. The Chippewas
just keep ripping right through their opponents, as they defeated ninth-seeded
Bowling Green, 87-70 in the quarterfinals last night. The MAC regular season
champions have now won 10 of their last 11 games and improved to an impressive
22-6 overall. Central Michigan is trying to win its second MAC title in
history, as it was last crowned the winners of the conference tourney back in
1987. Tonight marks the 79th meeting all-time between these two schools on the
hardwood, with the Huskies holding a 45-33 series edge. Despite trailing in
the series, the Chippewas have won eight of the last 12 meetings and swept the
season series with Northern Illinois this year, including a 73-57 victory on
March 5th.

P.J. Smith has been amazing for the Huskies in this tournament and led them to
victory again in the win over Western Michigan, netting a game-high 33 points
on 13-of-19 shooting from the field. Smith was averaging just 14.1 ppg coming
into the contest, but was unstoppable and also finished the game 4-of-5 from
long range. He also led the team in the first round victory over Buffalo,
scoring a game-high 22 points in that game. Jay Bates chipped in 12 points and
a team-high five assists against Western Michigan, while Marcus Smallwood
registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. The Huskies shot 51.1
percent from the field and a blistering 66.7 percent from three-point range,
while shooting 21-of-27 from the foul line. They also won the battle on the
boards 32-24, helping them overcome 18 turnovers and 45.7 percent shooting
from the field for Western Michigan. Robby Collum had been averaging 13.5 ppg
for the Broncos, but the Northern Illinois defense held him to just two points
on 0-of-4 shooting from the floor.

Chris Kaman was phenomenal once again in the win over Bowling Green, leading
Central Michigan with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the charity stripe.
Kaman, the MAC Player of the Year, finished with a double-double as he ripped
down a game-high 14 boards. J.R. Wallace chipped in 19 points on a perfect 6-
of-6 shooting from the foul line, while Mike Manciel finished with 15 points
on a perfect 7-of-7 effort from the field. Tony Bowne was the fourth Chippewa
in double digits, knocking in 12 points and dishing out a team-high seven
assists. Central Michigan was able to shoot 54.7 percent from the floor and
connected on 36.4 percent of its three-point attempts, while also winning the
rebounding battle, 36-31. It did allow Bowling Green to shoot 47.4 percent
from three-point territory, but held the Falcons to only 39.6 percent shooting
from the floor and forced them into 19 costly turnovers. The Chippewas are now
one victory away from tying the school record for wins in a season, as they
racked up 23 victories in 1966-67.

Central Michigan, and specifically Kaman, are dominating teams right now and
should do so again tonight. Northern Illinois has gotten strong back-to-back
efforts from Smith and has showed its impressive offensive capabilities, but
it won't be as effective against the tough Chippewa defense.

 

[billiam2005]

(5) Pittsburgh (24-4) vs. Boston College (18-10)

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 14th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Madison Square Garden (19,763) -- New York, New York.
Television: ESPN. Home Record: Pittsburgh 16-0, Boston College 9-5. Away
Record: Pittsburgh 7-4, Boston College 8-4. Neutral Record: Pittsburgh 1-0,
Boston College 1-1. Conference Record: Pittsburgh 13-3, Boston College 10-6.
Series Record: Pittsburgh leads, 25-17.

GAME NOTES: Fresh off narrow victories in their respective quarterfinal games,
the fifth-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers and the Boston College Eagles are set to
square off in the semifinal round of the Big East Tournament. The winner of
this game will earn a spot in Saturday's championship against either
Connecticut or Syracuse. Pittsburgh is seeded second in the West and earned
a first-round bye after posting a 13-3 record against conference foes during
the regular season. Although the squad was not dominant in its matchup with
Providence yesterday, it did manage to escape with a 67-59 victory. The
Panthers are attempting to avenge their loss in the championship game of this
event last season to Connecticut. They are one of six teams in the field to
have never won the Big East Tournament, and they own an 11-20 record in
tourney games all-time. As for Boston College, it caught fire down the stretch
with six victories in its final seven regular season games and secured the top
seed in the East Division. The Eagles continued their strong play yesterday,
as they knocked off a dangerous St. John's squad by a score of 82-75 in
overtime. They have two Big East Tournament titles to their credit, the most
recent of which coming two years ago. Tonight's game marks the first meeting
between these two teams this season, and Pittsburgh holds a 25-17 lead in the
overall series with Boston College.

Boston College freshman forward Craig Smith entered the St. John's game with
the reputation of being one of the nation's top rookie frontcourt players, as
he was averaging 19.6 ppg and 8.0 rpg. Smith put forth a memorable effort
against the Red Storm, as he racked up 33 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the
floor to go along with 11 rebounds. Smith was outstanding at the foul line as
well, as he connected on 9-of-11 free throws. His effort overshadowed another
outstanding effort by Troy Bell, as he finished with 18 points, six assists,
and five rebounds. Bell was named Big East Player of the Year earlier in the
week, as he averaged 27.8 ppg against league opponents during the regular
season on 43.1 percent shooting from behind the arc. The Eagles outscored St.
John's 20-10 from the foul line in the tilt and finished with an impressive
total of 21 assists.

Pittsburgh has played tremendous team defense and gotten unparalleled balance
at the offensive end all season, and those two factors proved to be true
against Providence yesterday. Donatas Zavackas scored 16 points on 3-of-5
shooting from three-point range to lead the way for the Panthers, and he hit
six straight free throws in the final 24 seconds to seal the victory. Brandin
Knight finished with 15 points despite a shaky shooting performance, and Jaron
Brown added 13 points. Pittsburgh shot 9-of-20 from three-point range and 16-
of-20 from the charity stripe in the tilt, two major factors that contributed
to the victory. Defensively, the Panthers managed to limit the Friars to 35.2
percent shooting from the floor and forced them into 18 costly turnovers. One
area of concern from the game for Pittsburgh is that it suffered a 38-27
rebounding disadvantage, including a 16-8 deficit on the offensive glass.

The Eagles are a difficult team to figure out, as they can look indestructible
one night and hopeless the next. Bell has a chance to shine in his last Big
East Tournament, and he may be able to lead his squad to an upset victory
tonight with some help from Smith on the inside.



Pittsburgh
After a win are 7-3
After playing Villanova are 1-0
When playing on Friday are 5-0


Boston College
After a loss are 6-4
After playing Connecticut are 2-1
When playing on Friday are 1-1

 

[billiam2005]

Sorry... double post.

 

[billiam2005]

Connecticut (20-8) vs. (11) Syracuse (24-4)

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 14th, 9:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Madison Square Garden (19,763) -- New York, New York.
Television: ESPN. Home Record: Connecticut 14-2, Syracuse 17-0. Away Record:
Connecticut 5-6, Syracuse 6-3. Neutral Record: Connecticut 1-0, Syracuse 1-1.
Conference Record: Connecticut 10-6, Syracuse 13-3. Series Record: Syracuse
leads, 43-26.

GAME NOTES: Big East powers collide in the semifinal round of the conference
tournament tonight as the Connecticut Huskies take on the 11th-ranked Syracuse
Orangemen. Up next for the winner of this game is a matchup with either
Pittsburgh or Boston College in the championship game. The Huskies posted an
impressive 83-70 victory over a tough Seton Hall squad in the quarterfinals
yesterday. They earned the second seed and a first-round bye this year after
posting a 10-6 record in league games. Connecticut defeated Pittsburgh in the
championship game of the Big East Tournament last season by a score of 74-65
in double overtime. The Huskies have won the title five times, second to the
six crowns won by Georgetown, including three times in the past five seasons.
As for Syracuse, it entered the postseason on a seven-game winning streak, and
it clinched the top seed in the tournament with an 83-74 victory over Rutgers
in the finale. The Orangemen had their hands full with Georgetown yesterday,
but they found a way to escape with a hard-fought 74-69 victory. They now own
a 34-20 record in Big East Tournament games and have won this event three
times, although the most recent came 11 years ago. Although Syracuse owns a
43-26 lead in the all-time series with Connecticut, the Huskies recorded a
75-61 victory over the Orangemen during the regular season.

UConn's Ben Gordon is an explosive scorer who netted 19.9 ppg on the strength
of 41.3 percent shooting from three-point range during the regular season.
Emeka Okafor, the team's sensational center and Big East Player of the Year,
averaged 16.1 ppg and 11 rpg through 27 games to go along with 130 blocked
shots. That dynamic duo was instrumental once again in the Huskies' 13-point
victory over Seton Hall yesterday. Gordon came through with a game-high 25
points on 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc, and he also posted six boards
and five assists. Okafor posted his 20th double-double of the season with 11
points and 18 rebounds. Tony Robertson (14 points) and Mike Hayes (13 points)
scored in double figures as well for Connecticut, which held a 50-35
rebounding advantage on the night, including a 16-8 edge on the offensive
glass. The Huskies also outscored the Pirates 16-8 from the foul line.

Syracuse's Carmelo Anthony, the National Freshman of the Year, possesses a
complete game at a young age. He averaged 22.5 ppg and 10 rpg during the
regular season, and his ability to pass the ball and defend make him a
force at all times. Anthony shined once again for the Orangemen in the victory
over Georgetown yesterday, as he tallied a team-high 21 points. Kueth Duany
added 16 points in the win, and Hakim Warrick tallied 14 points. Although
Syracuse suffered a 35-28 rebounding disadvantage on the night, the team shot
a solid 53 percent from the floor while holding the Hoyas to only 41 percent.
The Orangemen also scored 20 points from the line, as they knocked off the
Hoyas for the third time this season. With the victory, they stretched their
current winning streak to eight games.

Because Anthony is likely to be a top three pick in the next NBA Draft, the
chances of him returning to Syracuse next season seem to be slim. As for now,
however, he has an opportunity to add to his legend for the storied New York
program. Okafor and Gordon are outstanding, but give a slight edge to the
surging Orangemen.




Connecticut
After a win are 5-5
After playing Boston College are 2-1
When playing on Friday are 4-1

Syracuse
Syracuse are 6-1-0 ATS in their last 7 games
Syracuse are 6-1-0 ATS in their last 7 home games
Syracuse are 1-5-0 OU in their last 6 games
Syracuse are 2-5-0 OU in their last 7 at home
After a win are 8-2
After playing Rutgers are 3-0
When playing on Friday are 3-0

 

[billiam2005]

Colorado (20-10) vs. (6) Oklahoma (21-6)

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 14th, 9:20 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: American Airlines Center (19,100) -- Dallas, Texas.
Television: ESPN+. Home Record: Colorado 14-1, Oklahoma 15-1. Away Record:
Colorado 3-9, Oklahoma 5-3. Neutral Record: Colorado 3-0, Oklahoma 1-2.
Conference Record: Colorado 9-7, Oklahoma 12-4. Series Record: Oklahoma leads,
82-45.

GAME NOTES: The two-time defending Big 12 Tournament champion Oklahoma Sooners
begin their quest for the three-peat when they tangle with the Colorado
Buffaloes in quarterfinal-round action from Dallas tonight. Colorado won for
the fourth straight time by slipping past Kansas State, 77-76, in yesterday's
opening round. The Buffaloes finished the Big 12 slate 9-7, earning them a tie
for fifth place, but wound up with the sixth seed based on tie-breakers. CU is
now 4-6 all-time in Big 12 Tournament contests and is a perfect 3-0 in
neutral-site affairs this year. As for the Sooners, they are currently ranked
sixth in the nation and own the No. 3 seed in this tournament. They will be
trying to get back on the winning track after suffering a 76-71 loss at home
to then-fourth-ranked Texas in the regular season finale last Saturday. Prior
to that, OU had won five of its previous six games and finished the campaign
with a solid 12-4 mark against Big 12 opponents. Oklahoma owns an 82-45 lead
in the all-time series with Colorado, getting to that point by winning each of
the last three meetings, including a 69-54 victory in Norman back on January
11th. The winner of this contest will face either Texas Tech or Texas in the
semifinals tomorrow.

In a nip-and-tuck battle, Colorado got a buzzer-beating three-pointer to
prevail over Kansas State yesterday, 77-76. David Harrison led all scorers
with 21 points, while Michel Morandais added 14, but struggled in hitting just
3-of-10 from the field. James Wright tallied 11 points, including the game-
winning triple, while Lamar Harris chipped in 10 points. Harris and Stephane
Pelle both grabbed 11 rebounds, as CU claimed a 44-36 rebounding advantage in
the contest. Neither team shot particularly well from the floor, as CU hit
just 41.9 percent of its total shots and K-State only 42.1 percent. The best
season for Colorado since 1996-97 continues, as the Buffs are certainly headed
to either the NIT or NCAA Tournament, the latter being the obvious choice,
regardless of what happens tonight or even over the weekend if fortunate
enough to get past the Sooners. In order to do so, Harrison will have to
dominate the low blocks, while the Colorado guards will need to play over
their heads in an effort to neutralize one of the best backcourts in the
nation, that of course belonging to Oklahoma.

The Big 12's top defensive team, at least with respect to average points
allowed, takes the floor for the first time in the 2003 version of the
conference tournament, as Oklahoma seeks its third straight tourney title. The
Sooners yield only 60.7 ppg as their foes have found the going rough when
shooting both from the field (.407). OU owns a +11.3 scoring margin to rank
second in the conference, its 39.0 percent effort from three-point range has
the team at the top of the league. Oklahoma also allows the fewest rebounds in
the Big 12 at just 32.8 per game, while owning the league's second-best
assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.24. Coach Kelvin Sampson's squad relies heavily
on the play of its guards, most notably Hollis Price, Ebi Ere and Quannas
White. Price leads the team and ranks second in the conference in scoring with
an average of 19.4 ppg on the strength of a solid 45.0 percent effort from
three-point land. Ere is next with 13.6 ppg, but has struggled of late and has
been replaced in the starting lineup by freshman De'Angelo Alexander, who has
scored in double figures in four of the last five games. White chips in just
8.4 ppg but serves as the team's primary playmaker with 4.1 apg. Up front,
All-Big 12 Freshman Team member Kevin Bookout has turned in a nice rookie
season, netting 9.4 ppg to go with his team-high 6.0 rpg.

While Colorado is sure to be fired up for this one, the Buffaloes simply lack
the killer instinct needed to topple a team as solid from top to bottom as
Oklahoma. The Sooners will need to play well in close to the basket, but when
you've got the kind of backcourt players OU has, you'll come out on top far
more often than not.

 

[billiam2005]

Utah State (22-8) vs. UC-Irvine (20-8)

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 14th, 11:30 p.m. (et).


FACTS & STATS: Site: Anaheim Convention Center (7,734) -- Anaheim, California
Television: Local. Home Record: Utah St. 12-2, UC-Irvine 11-2. Away Record:
Utah St. 7-6, UC-Irvine 8-5. Neutral Record: Utah St. 3-0, UC-Irvine 1-1.
Conference Record: Utah St. 12-6, UC-Irvine 13-5. Series Record: UC-Irvine
leads, 26-25.

GAME NOTES: The third-seeded Utah State Aggies try to make their fourth
consecutive appearance in the Big West Conference Tournament Championship
Game, when they do battle with the second-seeded UC-Irvine Anteaters in the
semifinals from the Anaheim Convention Center in California tonight. The
Aggies have been a dominant force in the Big West Tournament over the last
several years, winning three of the last five championships, but were edged
out by UC-Santa Barbara in last year's title tilt. The Aggies finished the
2002-03 regular season with a 12-6 mark in the BWC, earning the third-seed and
a quarterfinal matchup against the sixth-seed Fullerton State Titans on
Thursday. The game went back and forth with the Aggies pulling out an 89-83
victory and ending the Titans' season. It was the third straight victory for
Utah State, which improved to 22-8 on the season and 3-0 in neutral-site
games. As for UC-Irvine, it has never won the BWC title and is trying to make
its first appearance in the championship game since 1994. The Anteaters took
the first step by defeating the seventh-seeded CS-Northridge Matadors, 70-64
in Thursday's quarterfinal match. The Anteaters have now won nine of their
last 10 games in improving to 20-8 overall. UC-Irvine swept the season series
from Utah State this year, and in doing so took a 26-25 all-time series
advantage.

Utah State shot a scorching 58.5 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from
three-point range, as it outlasted Fullerton State, 89-83. The Titans knocked
in a respectable 45.0 percent from the floor and an even better 47.6 percent
from behind the arc, while both teams pulled down 31 boards. Each squad also
paid frequent visits to the free-throw line, with the Aggies converting 21-
of-28 and the Titans going 19-of-25. The game was relatively mistake-free, as
Fullerton State turned the ball over just seven times and Utah State only nine
times. Cardell Butler led Utah State with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting from
the field and 3-of-5 from long range. Mark Brown recorded a double-double with
18 points and 12 assists, while converting a perfect 10-of-10 from the charity
stripe. Desmond Penigar added 17 points and seven boards, while Spencer Nelson
turned 16 points and eight rebounds coming off the bench in the winning
effort.

UC-Irvine used a 10-of-22 shooting effort from three-point land to hold off
CS-Northridge for a 70-64 victory. Neither squad shot particularly well in the
game, with the Anteaters knocking in 38.6 percent from the floor and the
Matadors just 33.9 percent. CSN was even worse from behind the arc in
connecting on a dismal 27.8 percent, but converted a solid 19-of-21 from the
free-throw line. UCI was just awful from the charity stripe, hitting on just
16-of-33, which almost cost it the game. The Anteaters held a slight 38-36
advantage in rebounds, while both teams committed 13 turnovers. Mike Hood led
the Anteaters with 16 points on 4-of-9 shooting from three-point land. Hood
also pulled down five boards and dished out five assists, while Adam Parada
added 14 points and eight rebounds. Jeff Gloger hit on 5-of-10 from the field
on his way to a 12-point, eight-rebound performance, while Jordan Harris
chipped in 11 points on only 3-of-9 shooting from the field.

Utah State has been in this position before and has been successful, but this
time it enters the game in an underdog role. UC-Irvine has been the hottest
team in the BWC over the second half of the season and used that momentum in
winning its first game. The Aggies were finally able to produce some offense
last game and if they can duplicate that performance should be able to slip
into its fourth consecutive championship game.