Perspective and Insight

2010 CrossFit Games champion Kristan Clever has her own interpretation of the “scale as needed” rider for WODs: attempt them at the RX’d weight without considering whether it’s intended for men or women. For Clever, who dominated the 2010 Games, the next challenge is to use the RX’d weight or the men’s weight whenever it’s given.

Challenges are something an elite performer like Clever must find and face to develop her performance further, and after discovering CrossFit, working out alone just wasn’t challenging enough for the SoCal athlete. According to Clever, “I don’t think you push as hard on your own as much as you try to, as much as you want to. As much as you imagine there’s people there next to you, it’s not the same.”

After joining an affiliate, she progressed by working out alongside other athletes at Valley CrossFit. Find out how Clever motivates herself through competition and just how hard each workout is—even for the Games winner.

5min 44sec

Additional audio: CrossFit Radio Episode 131 by Justin Judkins, originally aired Aug. 5, 2010.

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Postmortem: How do Hokies break through on offense? Very quietly.

A season in review.

Virginia Tech's steady success through its first six years in the ACC was synonymous with nasty, unflappable defense, and the relationship generally hasn't been subject to the usual cycles of personnel and attrition. Even in a season when defensive coordinator Bud Foster welcomed back fewer than half the number of returning starters (four) as the Hokie offense (nine), the game plan didn't figure to change: The offense would look to pound away between the tackles about two-thirds of the time, confident the defense and special would keep the score within reach. The results of that philosophy – six straight 10-win seasons with three conference championships despite consistently dreadful offenses – speak for themselves.

There was no change in philosophy in 2010 – the Hokies ran on a little over 62 percent of their offensive snaps – or in the results: They won nine straight ACC games en route to the conference title and their third Orange Bowl bid in four years, finishing off the first perfect ACC record since eventual BCS champ Florida State went 8-0 in 1999. Yet again, Tech finished as the highest-ranked team in the conference in the final polls, for the seventh season in a row.

The balance of the latest run, though, was a little off, beginning with the rebuilding defense, by any measure the worst Foster unit since Virginia Tech defected to the ACC in 2004. The Hokies yielded more points (20.6 per game) on more yards (361.5) than at any point since they joined the conference and finished seventh against the run in the ACC alone, its usual perch in the national rankings. Boise State dropped 33 points on Tech to open the season, Stanford unloaded for 40 to close the season, and much of the ACC seemed to find the Hokie D uncharacteristically manageable in between.

In the meantime, the veteran offense was as advertised, in form and function. It remained a run-first affair, as always, with four different players – quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running backs Darren Evans, Ryan Williams and David Wilson – combining for 2,600 yards and 30 touchdowns on almost 40 carries per game, good for the No. 2 ground game in the ACC behind only the triple-option extremists at Georgia Tech. But the attack really blossomed with Taylor's underrated efficiency in the play-action game: He led the conference in passer rating, yards per attempt, yards per completion and completions covering at least 25 yards, cruising to Offensive Player of the Year honors as the captain of the highest-scoring offense in the league.

If that impact can boiled down to two sentences, it's this: Over six years from 2004-09, the Hokies won a grand total of seven games (and lost 15) in which they allowed at least 20 points. In 2010 alone, they won six games when opponents scored twenty. Somehow, Taylor flew under the national for failing to create a singed imprint of Michael Vick's face in the turf on a long, winding touchdown run or something, but he leaves Blacksburg with the five-star hype sufficiently fulfilled.

That leaves a gaping question mark for 2011, considering towering, 6-6/240-pound successor Logan Thomas has barely played and both Evans and Williams are on their way to the draft with two years of eligibility remaining apiece. You can almost hear entire sections of the playbook going back under lock and key from here. If you have to say goodbye to your best offense in a decade, though, at least there's a championship to ease the sting.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Isaiah Thomas dazzles Arizona with one highlight after another

If there's a silver lining to the season-ending knee injury Washington's Abdul Gaddy suffered earlier this month, it's the impact the sophomore point guard's absence has had on one of his backcourt mates.

Isaiah Thomas has thrived since returning to the lead guard role, picking the right times to look for his own shot, to set up a teammate, to attack off the dribble and to pull it back out. That improved decision-making was on display again Thursday night when Thomas shredded Arizona's defense for 22 points, 10 assists and one turnover in a 85-68 Washington victory.

"Isaiah Thomas, it's not even close, there's not one player in the country who's more disrespected across the nation than him. Not one. It's not even close," Arizona coach Sean Miller told reporters after the game. "If he's not one of the top four or five point guards in the country, then I'm going to tell you I want to invite these guys who vote to come and watch film."

The success Thomas has enjoyed at point guard is crucial to the junior's hopes of one day playing in the NBA. There aren't many 5-foot-9 shooting guards on NBA rosters, so Thomas had to prove to scouts he could run an offense and get his teammates involved in order to even be considered a borderline pro prospect.

In the five games since Gaddy tore up his knee in practice earlier this month, Thomas has played like one of the best point guards in the nation. He's averaged 20.1 points, 9.4 assists and 2.8 turnovers, numbers that rival the production of national player of the year front runners Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette during that same stretch.

Every facet of Thomas' skill set was sharp Thursday night in a matchup of the Pac-10's top two teams.  

He attacked Arizona's slower guards off the dribble and showed off an array of acrobatic finishes at the rim. He found Venoy Overton and Matthew Bryan-Amaning with feathery alley-oop passes. And for good measure, he even made the hustle play of the night midway through the second half as the Huskies were trying to put away the victory.

When Darnell Gant blocked Kevin Parrom's layup attempt toward the corner, Thomas sprinted after it and saved it to a teammate with a no-look behind-the-back pass, his momentum sending him sliding halfway down the tunnel no less. Seconds later, Thomas' got back into the play and fed Gant for an open left-wing 3-pointer.

The performance from Thomas ought to be enough to vault him into consideration for the Pac-10's player of the year award along with Arizona's Derrick Williams and Washington State's Klay Thompson. Williams certainly did nothing to harm his candidacy against the Huskies, shaking off a slow start to match Thomas' 22 points and chip in 11 rebounds.

But this night belonged to Thomas.

For the past few weeks, Thomas has tried to launch a movement to bring back "raising the roof," pumping his palms in the air after big plays and encouraging teammates and friends on other teams to do it as well. It's too soon to tell whether it will catch on like he hopes, but at least on Thursday, he made enough highlight-worthy plays to get plenty of airtime in support of it. 

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Shades of 2008-09 Davidson in Butler's struggles this year

Watching Butler's once-promising season buckle under the weight of a flurry of unexpected losses is reminiscent of a previous feel-good college basketball story that also turned sour.

Fresh off a memorable NCAA tournament run in 2008 that fell just a few buckets shy of a Final Four berth, Stephen Curry's final Davidson team began the following season as America's mid-major darlings and a popular pick to play deep into March. Instead, the Wildcats didn't even make the NCAA tournament, personnel losses from the previous season taking just enough of a toll to relegate them to the NIT.

There's still time for Butler to avoid the same fate and give us the sequel we all want to see, but the Bulldogs' margin for error for at-large consideration is dwindling with each loss. Their 86-80 overtime loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Sunday was their third defeat in nine Horizon League games this season, equalling their total from the previous two seasons combined.

Defeating Florida State and Washington State to win last month's Diamondhead Classic elevates Butler's profile somewhat, but the Bulldogs don't have any other marquee nonconference victories. Thus, they likely can't afford to lose more than one game at most in their final nine if they don't want to depend on winning the Horizon League tournament to make it back to March Madness.

Whereas Davidson faded the year after its Elite Eight run because the graduation of Curry's supporting cast forced him to carry too much of the scoring burden, the cause of Butler's struggles this season are more difficult to pinpoint. 

Some of it has been defensive erosion caused by the early departure of Gordon Hayward and the graduation of Willie Veasley, two versatile defenders who guarded multiple positions and neutralized stronger or more athletic players. Butler's inability to replace those two has contributed to the Bulldogs going from an elite defensive team last season to a flawed one this year that has surrendered over 55 percent shooting in two of their three league losses.

Butler misses Hayward's ability to create offense as well, but Shelvin Mack's inefficiency and Zach Hahn's lack of progress have both been issues. Mack is shooting under 40 percent from the field this season, while Hahn's 29.4 percent shooting and 30.8 percent 3-point shooting are both huge downgrades from last year.

The goal for Butler the remainder of the season should be winning the Horizon League regular-season title so it can host the conference tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Win that conference tournament, and all of this will be moot. Lose, and Selection Sunday may be a nerve-wracking day at Butler depending on how the next six weeks turn out.

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The Five Most Disappointing College Basketball Teams So Far in the 2010-2011 Season

We’ve now had a month or more of conference action to evaluate teams. Some early favorites to contend for a high tournament seed have turned into duds. Let’s take a look at the most disappointing teams of 2011 so far. All of these teams have had recent tournament success and were generally ranked heading into [...]

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Saturday Six-Pack: Marquette-Cuse, Mizzou-Texas lead the way

If you're trying to weed through the mass amount of games on Saturday's college hoops slate, here are six worthy of your consideration ...

No. 9 Syracuse at Marquette — 3 p.m. EST

Both teams need this one, but the host Golden Eagles need it badly. Their 4-4 Big East record could easily look much better, but in the last two weeks, they've let late leads over UConn, Notre Dame and Louisville all turn into losses. After this game, Marquette heads on the road for its next three. As for the Orange, since winning 18 straight to open up the season, they've dropped three in a row, with the latest setback being a humiliating 90-68 home loss to Seton Hall on Tuesday night. This is the start of a 3-game road swing for Syracuse, who is at UConn on Wednesday. If a return trip to the NCAA tourney is what Marquette wants, winning this game might be a necessity.

No. 9 BYU at New Mexico — 4 p.m. EST

Do the Cougars have an emotional hangover looming after Wednesday's monster home triumph over No. 4 San Diego State? After their last big win — Jan. 5 at UNLV, when they snapped an 8-game drought in Las Vegas against the Rebels — they then squeaked by Air Force, 76-66, at home three days later. This one promises to be much tougher, as New Mexico is flat-out desperate for a marquee win. The Lobos are just 2-4 in the Mountain West after winning at least a share of the league's regular season crown each of the last two years. If they want any chance at getting back into the at-large picture, winning this game is a must. Despite the team's struggles, The Pit will be electric.

Georgia at No. 14 Kentucky — 4 p.m. EST

Georgia is basically the SEC's version of Marquette, having dropped wrenching home games against Tennessee last week and on Tuesday to Florida, thanks to late-game heroics on the other sides. The Bulldogs are 4-1 on the road this year, and have already beaten Kentucky, doing so at home on Jan. 8, 77-70.

No. 17 Wisconsin at Penn State — 4 p.m. EST

This game likely doesn't have any NCAA tournament implications, but Penn State is a live underdog anytime it's hosting a ranked Big Ten foe in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions have already knocked off Michigan State and Illinois on their home floor, and are 3-1 in league play so far at the Bryce Jordan Center. Plus, you can't go wrong tuning in to watch Talor Battle. A win here for Wisconsin would be very impressive.

Kansas State at No. 6 Kansas — 4 p.m. EST

K-State finally found a pulse on Monday night, out-slugging Baylor at home, 69-61. But the Wildcats are still just 2-4 in the Big 12, and will be catching an emotionally charged opponent in the first regular season meeting with rival Kansas. The Jayhawks not only had their 69-game home win streak snapped last Saturday by Texas, but they also made a trip late in the week to Washington, D.C., to support sophomore forward Thomas Robinson at his mother's funeral. These two typically play close games, though Frank Martin is 0-3 in his career at Allen Fieldhouse.

No. 11 Missouri at No. 7 Texas — 9 p.m. EST

This should be the day's best game. It's a brief stop back home for Texas, who in the last week knocked off both Kansas and Oklahoma State on the road, then will have a Big Monday showdown with Texas A&M in College Station 48 hours after this one. Since losing by two at A&M on Jan. 15, the Tigers have slugged Kansas State and Iowa State by a combined margin of 49 points. Both teams are gunning for high tourney seeds, and if Missouri pulls off the upset, the Tigers are right back in the thick of the Big 12 title picture.

A few others worth keeping tabs on: No. 13 Texas A&M at Nebraska (2 p.m. EST); No. 21 Georgetown at No. 8 Villanova (12 p.m. EST); Xavier at Richmond (12 p.m. EST); No. 23 Louisville at No. 5 UConn (12 p.m. EST); No. 16 Minnesota at No. 12 Purdue (1 p.m. EST); Colorado at Baylor (1:45 p.m. EST); Butler at Valparaiso (2 p.m. EST); West Virginia at Cincinnati (8 p.m. EST).

Ryan Greene covers UNLV and the Mountain West Conference for the Las Vegas Sun. Read his Rebels coverage and follow him on Twitter.

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Miami's new coaches are telling Jacory Harris there's still a chance

This time last year, there seemed to be no denying Jacory Harris' potential at Miami. The home-grown quarterback wasn't the highest-rated player of the 'Canes hyped recruiting class of 2008, but his ascension to the starting job at the end of his true freshman year and sizzling start as a sophomore quickly made him the face of an ascendent outfit under coach Randy Shannon. In 2009, that was a good thing: Harris was firmly entrenched as an up-and-coming leader of a top-20 team with the chance to take the offense to another level as an upperclassman.

By the end of 2010, being the face of the Shannon regime didn't carry so much cache. Miami was blown out of its biggest games against Ohio State and Florida State, Harris was knocked out of the lineup for almost a month in a sobering loss at Virginia, attendance dwindled, the turnover margin soared and Shannon was fired immediately following a season-ending flop with Harris back in the saddle against South Florida. With three interceptions in 13 snaps in the 'Canes' Sun Bowl embarrassment against Notre Dame, Harris was pulled for the new up-and-comer, true freshman Stephen Morris, and it seemed as likely as not that Harris would spend his senior season on the bench, a brooding symbol of blown potential.

Which, frankly, may still be the case come September. But if it is, it won't be because of any preconceived notions of Harris as damaged goods, according to incoming offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, who told a local radio station Tuesday that Harris and Morris will both get a fair shake to win the starting job:

"What he needs to know is this: I have all of the confidence in the world in him, as I do Stephen [Morris]," Fisch told Joe Rose in an interview on WQAM-560 Wednesday morning, “Because I don’t know any better right now. I’m not going to stare at a piece of paper and see what his statistics told me or what a report told me about a guy. I want to see it in person.

"And what he needs to understand, what they both do, is we're going to try to coach swagger, confidence, intelligence, knowledge of the game and passion. We're going to evaluate them on all of it."

For Harris' sake, let's hope the "swagger" and "confidence" sections of the test count more than the statistics – pound for pound, Harris is the swaggeringest quarterback in the history of The U. On paper, not so much: As a sophomore, Harris was picked off 17 times, all but one other quarterback nationally, and served up another 15 interceptions last year despite sitting out three full games with a concussion in November. His 15.8 pass efficiency rating in the bowl game was about as low as it gets by any standard.

Not that Morris set the world on fire – he threw nine picks himself in just five appearances and barely completed half of his passes. That's slightly more forgivable, though, in an 18-year-old who didn't expect to see the field at all as a true freshman until just before halftime of the seventh game. Morris took his first step toward winning over the fans there with a pair of touchdown passes and a touchdown run in a failed fourth-quarter rally at Virginia, and took the offense on a game-winning touchdown march to beat Maryland in his first start. After an initial pick off the bench that helped seal the 'Canes' fate in the bowl game, he delivered a relatively rousing second half.

Faint praise, maybe, but Morris was the only remotely positive aspect of that debacle, and in the spirit of progress, he seems like the obvious favorite entering the competition. On the other hand, the new administration may give Harris the fresh start he needs to fulfill his promise. And if it comes down to swagger, well, no one in this generation of 'Canes is going to beat him out on that front.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Recurring Offseason Themes: Stop calling it the 'Pac-10,' etc.

What you'll be reading about for the next seven months.

Last summer, college football teetered on the brink of the most radical earthquake in the history of the sport: Within a matter of weeks, we were faced with the possible extinction of the Big East, the capitulation of Notre Dame's independence, the expansion of the Big Ten and Pac-10 into continent-straddling colossuses and the startling death of the Big 12, just 15 years after its formation. The combined forces of the Big Ten Network and the Pac-16 seemed destined to rip the landscape apart into unpredictable and wholly unrecognizable fiefdoms.

What we were left with instead was a series of smaller shifts – Nebraska from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, Colorado and Utah from the Big 12 and Mountain West, respectively, to the new Pac-12, Boise State from the WAC to the Mountain West, BYU from the Mountain West to independence – that shuffled the prevailing order at the fringes without fundamentally altering the balance of power or (with the exception of the beleaguered WAC, thanks in large part to its own misguided aggression) threatening anyone's existence.

In the short term, in fact, the change has meant little more so far than rearranging and reprinting a few schedules, making plans for a pair of new conference championship games and attempting to aesthetically alienate an entire fan base. On the field, realignment figures to be felt in even more subtle ways:

• The first Big Ten Championship Game is Ohio State's chance for redemption. That cuts two ways. Even if they stumble without suspended quarterback Terrelle Pryor and three other key offensive starters in the Big Ten opener against Michigan State, the Buckeyes will still be the runaway favorite to beat Wisconsin (the Badgers come to Columbus on Oct. 29) for the top spot in the "Leaders" Division, and then to punch their ticket to the Rose Bowl with the lineup at full strength in the conference title game.

That is, if they're not punching their ticket to New Orleans for the BCS Championship Game, with or without an early stumble: A 13th regular season game against a quality opponent (Michigan State and Nebraska are the early favorites in the "Legends" Division) would also dramatically enhance Ohio State's resumé as a one-loss contender at the top of the polls, especially if that one loss came prior to Pryor and Co.'s return in October. At any rate, OSU will definitely not have to endure any more of the vagaries of a three-way tie.

• The first Pac-12 Championship Game is kind of redundant. Oregon and Stanford finished this season as the only Pac-10 teams in the final polls, and based on the early returns, they're likely to be the only two teams there as the curtain rises on the new Pac-12. Just like last year, the regular season collision between the Ducks and Cardinal should decide the conference championship, and possibly which team goes on to play for the national championship. But as fellow members of the Pac-12 North, they won't be seeing one another in the inaugural conference championship game.

In fact, the most obvious threat from the South Division, USC, remains ineligible for the title game (pending appeal of NCAA sanctions barring the Trojans from the postseason), leaving newcomer Utah and ... wait for it ... Arizona State as the early frontrunners to serve as sacrificial lamb to the Oregon-Stanford winner in December.

• The Mountain West leaves Boise State's championship window open for one more year. Last year, it was the Broncos were dropped into the championship dice cup by an absurd bounty of veteran talent, thanks to 21 returning starters from the undefeated, Fiesta Bowl-winning campaign of 2009-10. Some of that talent remains – notably quarterback Kellen Moore and four starting offensive linemen – but any buzz about the Broncos' 2011 championship hopes will focus on their one and only date with their new elite conference mate, TCU, which will open in the top 10 again to close out its seven-year run in the MWC. With Georgia on tap to open the season in Atlanta, Boise has another heavy hitter to add to its ever-expanding graveyard of high-profile victims, and – unlike in the WAC – a high-profile conference rival down the stretch to thwart the charge of a "one-game season."

But that window won't be open long: Moore is a senior and TCU is off to the Big East in 2012, at which point the MWC basically becomes the WAC 2.0, and Boise is right back where it started in the national landscape. It may be decades before the Broncos get a shot at more impressive run to 12-0.

• The Big 12 is going to be just fine, thanks. For a few days last June, the Big 12 was dead meat, and only exists now because of an 11th-hour financial pledge that may or not pay off in the long run. Competitively, though, the top half of the slimmed-down, 10-team edition of the Big 12 figures to give the conference three teams in the top 10 going into the year, including the overwhelming preseason favorite nationally, and not including Texas, which could come roaring back from last year's 5-7 debacle.

With the addition of a ninth conference game in the regular season negating the perfunctory conference championship game at the end, the realignment also ends a solid decade of South Division dominance over the North. Even if Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M dominate the Big 12 for the foreseeable future – and it looks they will, for 2011, at least – they can claim their success for the entire conference, and not just the Southern half of it. And considering how often national championship ambitions have met their grisly end in the Big 12 Championship Game, they may not miss it very much.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Manhattan picks up rare win on 55-foot prayer as time expires

In a weekend in which half college basketball's top 25 has lost and the nation's No. 1 team needed a late free throw to remain undefeated, there also have been a pair of half-court buzzer beaters worthy of attention.

First came a 40-footer from Weber State guard Scott Bamforth on Saturday night to upend Big Sky-leading Northern Colorado. Then Manhattan guard Michael Alvarado one-upped Bamforth with an even better shot, sinking a 55-foot prayer from beyond mid-court as time expired to lift the Jaspers over Marist 60-59 on Sunday.

About the only way the matchup between Manhattan and Marist could possibly have been nationally relevant was a game-winning shot the likes of the one Alvarado hit.

Marist has improved only slightly after last year's one-win season, entering Sunday's game with a 4-18 overall record but three wins in MAAC play. Manhattan notched its second league win of the season on Sunday, but the Jaspers are still just 4-18 overall.

It's a bit of a surprise that Alvarado hit the game winner since he was shooting just 22 percent from 3-point range and 31.8 percent overall from the field. Perhaps the problem was Alvarado just needs to shoot from further away?

(Thanks, @JeffBorzello)

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Was upsetting Illinois worthy of this celebration from Tom Crean?

Never has the coach of a storied program celebrated a 2-6 record in conference play quite so enthusiastically as Indiana's Tom Crean.

As hundreds of success-starved Indiana fans savored Thursday night's 52-49 upset victory over 21st-ranked Illinois, Crean joined them in the south lobby of Assembly Hall not long after the final buzzer. The third-year coach high-fived revelers, clapped and pumped his fists before leading the frenzied crowd in the school's traditional chant of "Hoo-Hoo-Hoo Hoosiers."

It's a testament to what Indiana has endured the past few years that a home win over good-but-not-great Illinois inspired a court storming and a postgame party once reserved for wins that clinched conference titles and Final Four berths.

A wave of defections in the wake of Kelvin Sampson's firing left scandal-tainted Indiana with only two returning players when Crean took over the bombed-out program entering the 2008-09 season. The Hoosiers went 6-25 in his first season and 10-21 last year, dropping 19 straight games against ranked opponents prior to Thursday's victory over the Illini.  

In spite of Indiana's recent woes, however, there are probably fans who would prefer Crean behave in a manner more befitting a program with five national championships, third-most of any Division I school.

It's rare for any coach to let loose like that after any regular-season victory, especially one that didn't exactly signal a return to national relevancy. The Hoosiers (11-10, 2-6) had lost eight of nine games entering Thursday night and remain in ninth place in the Big Ten even after the victory.

Whether you're among those who believe Crean's over-the-top show of emotion was a much-needed energy boost or premature and ridiculously excessive, there's one thing on which we all can agree.

If Indiana wins a game under Crean that truly signals a return to national prominence, the afterparty in Bloomington is one nobody should miss. 

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Jimmer Fredette could be national POY; will he be MWC POY?

Jimmer Fredette is a very real contender entering February for National Player of the Year honors, and the recognition is completely deserved.

The BYU senior guard has it all — a top 10 team, the nation's highest scoring average (26.7 ppg) and the innocent, baby-faced assassin appearance that America just cannot help but love (Could he even pry the moniker away from Steph Curry?).

But will he be the Mountain West Conference's Player of the Year?

The only other name in that conversation right now is San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard. The 6-foot-7 Aztec sophomore is the best player on the nation's fourth-ranked team and the toughest match-up not named Jimmer for opposing league coaches.

So, if you had to build a team from scratch and could pick only one of the two to start with, which direction would you go in?

I posed the question to Colorado State's Tim Miles, who on top of having one of the MWC's sharpest basketball minds, has had to plan for both several times in recent years.

"Wow, I'm pleading the fifth," he said with a laugh before pausing for seven seconds.

"You're splitting hairs on that one," Miles continued. "Both guys have such intangibles. I'm really impressed with Kawhi the way he's improved his skill level. I would have originally said Jimmer, because he's a ball-in-hand guard, a guy who can get his own like that. You can go a long way with it at the end of a game or end of the clock when the team needs something, where Kawhi was more of a wing, but he's improved a lot with his skill level."

(another pause …)

"Kawhi's going be a higher draft pick …"

(one last moment for thought …)

"… but I'm taking Jimmer because he's going to stay four years."

Well played.

Yes, both Leonard and Fredette appear on their way to lengthy pro careers after this season, and 24 NBA scouts are expected to attend the first of their two regular season meetings on Wednesday night in Provo.

But, again, who is the MWC's POY to this point?

Here's the lay of the land statistically …

• In five league games — all wins — Fredette is averaging a ludicrous 34.2 points per game. His four rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in that stretch are modest point guard numbers, but the Cougars make it no secret that he's there to be a scorer, first and foremost. The hot start in league play includes two 40-plus-point performances and a 39-spot in a huge road win at UNLV to open it up. His 21.4 shot attempts per game in that run suggests that he's a chucker, but that's not the case when you're shooting at a 47.7 percent clip and none of your shots come easy (oh, he's also firing away at 50 percent from deep).

• How about Leonard's numbers? It's tough to compare the stats side by side since their roles are so vastly different, but Kawhi's importance to SDSU's success is clear. He's one rebound away in a 71-62 in at Utah from having five double-doubles in five conference games — also, all wins. In MWC play, he's averaging 15.6 points and 12.4 boards a game. The kicker is that in those games, he's pulled down just a shade over four offensive rebounds per contest. What makes his rebounding so impressive is his natural 'Go get the ball' instinct. Few big men have it, and even fewer can hone it so well.

Advantage: Push 

So stats won't pick a winner for us. We'll go with the intangibles to reach a verdict …

Athleticism — Fredette never gets credit for being as good of an athlete as he is. People often forget that he was recruited by high major D-I football programs as a wide receiver out of high school, and he was oh so close to. Next time you watch him, watch how high in the air he gets to use that quick shot release of his from anywhere out to 30 feet. Fredette's jumper is all but impossible to block. Leonard, however, might be the best athlete at 6-foot-7 in the country. When you want a good example for reference after hearing the term 'NBA body,' look no further than here. He's a freak. Advantage: Leonard.

Leadership — From what I've heard in two years of covering the Mountain West, these guys are two of the hardest workers you'll ever come across. Neither is brutally vocal, though, on the floor. Both are demonstrative when they're out to prove a point or in the heat of a major battle, and both lead by example. Advantage: Push.

Killer Instinct — Leonard wants the ball in big situations and won't back down from a challenge, but after witnessing up close the show that Fredette put on in Las Vegas in early January, in a building he'd never beaten UNLV in and after Tre'Von Willis called him 'supposedly the best player in the league,' it's impossible not to give him the nod here. Willis woke up a monster, one which clapped in his face and jawed at both him and the hostile crowd after several of his amazing scores. Some of the stuff I saw that night I'm convinced I might never see again. If Jimmer wants to rip your heart out, he will … because he can. Advantage: Fredette.

OK, tied again. So we move on to sudden death …

Who is more important to his team? — Here's where the MWC POY race will be decided, no matter who you think the best player really is. Take Kawhi Leonard away, and the Aztecs still have two senior big men — Malcolm Thomas and Billy White — who are beasts and will be playing pro ball somewhere a year from now. They also have a host of capable perimeter scorers. Take Fredette away from BYU, and the Cougars would be in much more trouble than the Aztecs sans Leonard. Even with a deeper roster a year ago, BYU was not even close to the same team while Fredette battled mono for a solid chunk of the conference season. As for the strong numbers being put up now by the likes of senior guard Jackson Emery and rising sophomore forward Brandon Davies, they're aided a good amount by how much attention opponents have to put on Fredette. Losing him this year would cripple Dave Rose's club.

It can be argued that it's impossible to decide who is the better player. But the better player doesn't always earn the league's highest honor. Last season, Fredette was the MWC's best player, but New Mexico's Darington Hobson won the award. Why? Well, not only did Hobson's Lobos beat BYU twice (the win in Provo did come while Jimmer was sick), but what he did for them carried well beyond the box score, and it's apparent with New Mexico's struggles this season how much he meant.

Hobson, on top of his high-level production, was more valuable.

So right now, it's Fredette, but Leonard is much closer than you think.

Ryan Greene covers UNLV and the Mountain West Conference for the Las Vegas Sun. Follow him on Twitter.

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Even in the heat of the Chi Omega Woodser, even with some flat-assed designer jean-wearing 1983...

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thurs, jan 13, 2011

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USC has one final plea to the NCAA. In the meantime, full speed ahead to signing day.

If you're one of the many fans whose first reaction to the heavy-handed NCAA sanctions handed down against USC last summer as punishment for the assorted crimes and misdemeanors of ex-Trojan star Reggie Bush in 2004-05 was "That's not fair," this is the weekend you've been waiting for: USC officials will be in Indianapolis over the weekend for a last-gasp appearance in front of the Infractions Appeals Committee, which will hear the university's argument to lift the second year of a two-year bowl ban (the Trojans have already served the first year) and scale back scholarship restrictions by half, from 10 fewer schollies per year over the next three years to five fewer per year.

Athletic director Pat Haden isn't getting his hopes up, given the roughly 10 percent success rate of appeals, but some smart outsiders are more optimistic about the Trojans' chances. Based on the committee's usual timeline, there won't be a verdict either way for 4-6 weeks.

In the meantime, coach Lane Kiffin has a recruiting class to finalize, and sanctions haven't had any discernible effect on the quality: As usual, every major outlet ranks the Trojans' 2011 class among the top five incoming classes in the country based on these standing list of verbal commitments and early enrollees, which this year includes seven players ranked among Rivals' top 100 overall prospects in the country. Among that group, the Trojans have commitments from two of the top five overall players, local headliners George Farmer and De'Anthony Thomas, and two of the top three "pro-style" quarterbacks, early enrollees Max Wittek and Cody Kessler. Typical.

Even with sanctions pending, though, the quantity is also typical. At the moment, the incoming class is 25 members strong, eight of whom have already signed and enrolled, counting against the (unrestricted) 2010 scholarship cap. That leaves 17 likely signees already in the fold, with three more expected by signing day on Feb. 2. If he wanted, Kiffin could theoretically ink a full, 25-man class on signing day to round out the roster to a full 85 scholarship players – the maximum allowable under NCAA rules.

Those numbers are possible despite the mandated scholarship reductions, according to NCAA spokesman Stacy Osburn's statement to the Orange County Register, because "generally speaking, when a school is appealing a penalty, that penalty is staid until a decision by the Infractions Appeals Committee is rendered." In other words, because USC won't know the result of its appeal on Feb. 2, it can essentially proceed as if it's going to win. In this case, that probably means a 20-man class, in anticipation of the penalty being slashed from 10 lost scholarships per year (limiting the Trojans to 15 signees) to five per year (limiting them to twenty).

Of course, if the Trojans lose the appeal when the verdict comes down in March or April, they face either a significant roster purge or an even stricter cap in 2012, when they could theoretically be reduced to signing a mere ten players to make up for this year's (apparent) overage. But it looks like the plan is to forge ahead and jump that ditch when they come to it.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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While I'm here, quick Sunday sports blogging | Michael Tomasky

Since I'm sitting at the computer and logged in to the system, I might as well fire off a quick sports post while I'm here.

I'm sure some of you noticed the mighty Mountaineers' miraculous victory over Georgetown yesterday, right here in little old Washington. Your correspondent was in attendance. We looked great. I mean, I think G'town tied it up once down the stretch, but the Mounties really stood firm, forcing four straight turnovers down the stretch. I now see clearly why Casey Mitchell's indefinite suspension was brought to an end (28 points, that's why!).

How about those Jets? That was sweet. And I never in a million years thought the Seahawks had a chance in hell.

It is, arguably, the best American sports weekend of the whole year, wild-card weekend. The games are usually terrific and outcomes are often surprising. And it's all the more fun if snow is involved, which may be the case in Kansas City today, though probably not Philly.

Predictions:
Kansas City 20, Baltimore 14.
Green Bay 35, Philadelphia 31.

Mind you I'd rather see the Iggles win. My gut just tells me otherwise. What think youse folks?

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Michael Tomasky

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Husky Kansas Fan Thinks Erin Andrews Is Hot

Upon first viewing I thought that kid had a neck beard, but nope, that’s a chin shadow. Eagerly awaiting the Christine Brennan column blaming her for the unwanted attention. �Should’ve worn more severe shoulder pads. [HT to Busted Coverage]

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tues, jan 18, 2011

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Super Bowl fight left wide open after weekend of upsets in the play-offs

? New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons both eliminated
? Bears will face Packers, Steelers will play Jets

One of the most unpredictable NFL seasons in years is no closer to providing a clear favourite after another extraordinary round of play-offs saw the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons both eliminated.

One week after last season's two Super Bowl finalists bowed out of contention, the No1 seeded teams from each of the conferences were knocked out by the two lowest-ranked wild cards in the play-offs. The Patriots, the popular pick to win the Super Bowl after finishing as the top team in the AFC, were beaten 28-21 at home by the New York Jets, while the Falcons, the top seed in the NFC, were thrashed 48-21 at home by the Green Bay Packers.

The Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers, both seeded second, will now host next weekend's conference championships with the two winners advancing to meet in the Super Bowl at Dallas on 6 February. Chicago will face the Packers after beating the Seattle Seahawks 35-24 while the Steelers tackle the high-flying Jets after overcoming the Baltimore Ravens 31-24.

The Bears and Steelers were both impressive in their wins but have their work cut out after a play-off series where the home-field advantage has counted for little.

The Patriots had not lost a home game all season and were overwhelming favourites to extend their winning streak against the Jets after beating them 45-3 last month. But they were outplayed by a team that only snuck into the divisional play-offs after a last-gasp 17-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts last weekend.

The Jets, inspired by their trash-talking coach Rex Ryan, won the major battles on both offence and defence. They succeeded in shutting down the New England quarterback Tom Brady, sacking him five times, while scoring four touchdowns of their own. "I knew if we applied ourselves and played the way we were capable of playing, we would win," Ryan said.

It was a weekend to savour for quarterbacks with Aaron Rodgers delivering a masterful performance for the Packers, who have hit their peak at the perfect time. Rodgers threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for a score. He completed 31 of 36 passes to give the coach, Mike McCarthy, real cause for optimism. "We are a championship calibre football team," he said.

Jay Cutler made a spectacular play-off debut by throwing for two touchdowns and running for two others as the Bears ended Seattle's unlikely charge. The Seahawks won their division despite a 7-9 record during the regular season. After upsetting the defending champions New Orleans Saints in the opening round, they collapsed against the Bears, who led 28-0 early in the second half before easing off the throttle.

Their game against the Packers promises to be a classic encounter between two neighbours with a long and bitter rivalry. "We don't like them and they don't like us," offered the Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

The Steelers took advantage of a second-half meltdown by the Ravens to reach the AFC title game for the second time in three years. The Ravens led 21-7 at half-time but three costly turnovers in the third quarter allowed the Steelers to gain control of the game. "We got behind but the guys didn't blink," the Pittsburgh coach, Mike Tomlin, said. "It was signature Steeler football."

Schedule of championship games in the NFL play-offs

Sunday 23 January (NFC championship) - Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (2000 GMT)

Sunday 23 January (AFC championship) - New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers (2330)

Sunday 6 February (Super Bowl) - at Dallas, Texas (2330)

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Move over, Miley: Ohio State trio takes on pop hit

We'll put it this way: Ohio State's Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft and Jon Diebler are brave souls.

Why? Well, it takes guts to know that you're going to be attached to an, um, off-key rendition of Miley Cyrus's pop smash 'Party in the U.S.A.' for the rest of time.

Ladies and gentlemen, here are three key pieces of your top-ranked college hoops squad in the land …

The video is part of a series of shorts airing during TV timeouts this season on the video board at Value City Arena.

Really, what you saw is pretty self-explanatory and doesn't need much more commentary here.

Diebler yells, while Craft's falsetto is admirable.

The MVP of this clip has to be Sullinger, who simply steals the show in a 40-second solo run to close it out that is nothing short of glorious.

Ryan Greene covers UNLV and the Mountain West Conference for the Las Vegas Sun. Read his Rebels coverage and follow him on Twitter.

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Of course there's an 'insane' Lego replica of Ohio State's Horseshoe

Certain Ohio State stars may have been willing to part with mementos of school pride, but at least the Buckeye spirit endures in the School of Biomedical Science: Meet Paul Janssen, Netherlands native and associate professor in OSU's Department of Physiology and Cell Biology. He recently completed two years of obsessive work on an intricately detailed, 1:100-scale replica of Ohio Stadium, featuring 1 million Legos, 1,000 man-hours and no cutting, gluing or painting. From the Columbus Dispatch:

The 42-year-old began plotting his work in 2005, three years after he was hired as an associate professor of physiology and cell biology. [...]

Construction began in May 2009, when Janssen assembled 450,000 pieces for the model's base. The stadium itself can be divided into 10 pieces, each weighing up to 50 pounds.

Building to scale was often a challenge, given that Janssen couldn't re-size Legos to fit his calculations. He spent 15 hours constructing the east side of the stadium before deciding to dismantle it, unhappy with the steepness of the stands.

"I would have been disappointed forever if I built it like that," he said.

Even Janssen's friends in the Central Ohio Lego Train Club (yes, it's real) considered his project "flat-out insane," but the Lego madness in his basement could be put to good use: Janssen hopes to display the replica on campus and possibly use it to raise money for his research on heart failure and muscular dystrophy. The model can seat 6,000 Lego fans, he said, each of whom could represent a donor.

For a full understanding of the craftsmanship and/or obsessive-compulsiveness that went into this, please see the Dispatch's slideshow of Janssen's baby, complete with two-inch replica of OSU president E. Gordon Gee. Indeed, the offseason has arrived. In force.

- - -
Photo hat tip: Columbus Dispatch, via CFT.
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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During his weekly radio show Monday night, North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams confirmed...

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Chicago Bears ravage Brett Favre and Vikings to clinch NFC North

? Favre forced off with head injury in possibly his final game
? Win for Chicago secures their place in the play-offs

The Chicago Bears roughed up the Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre before clinching the NFC North Division with a 40-14 rout of the Vikings in a chilly Monday Night Football clash. The Bears (10-4) ignored the steady snowfall to dominate every phase of the game at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium to book their ticket into the play-offs.

Favre, who made a surprise start one week after his NFL record of 297 consecutive starts was snapped, was knocked out of the game in the second quarter after being slammed head-first into the frozen turf. He did not return to the contest but was healthy enough to address reporters after the game.

"That was one of the few times in my career I kind of went blank," Favre said after completing five of seven passes with one touchdown and one interception. "I knew it would be my last home game. I don't regret the decision [to play]."

Chicago's Jay Cutler threw two of his three touchdown passes in the first half and Devin Hester scored on a 64-yard punt return that gave him an NFL record 14 career kick-off or punt return touchdowns. Hester's big play gave Chicago a 27-7 advantage in the third quarter en route to their sixth win in seven games.

"It feels great. It's a big load off my back and my team-mates," said an emotional Hester of his record. "They want it as bad as I do. I really love those guys. All the glory goes [to them]."

Already eliminated from the play-offs, Minnesota (5-9) played without their leading rusher Adrian Peterson, who missed the game with a thigh injury. The Vikings had to turn to the rookie third-string quarterback Joe Webb, who ran for one score but tossed two interceptions in the loss.

The game was played at the TCF Bank Stadium after the inflatable roof at the Vikings' regular home, the Metrodome, collapsed during a snowstorm.

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sat, jan 1, 2011

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Tale of the Tape: The strange send-offs of the Forcier clan

Confirming months of speculation, former starting quarterback Tate Forcier formally announced his departure from Michigan just after midnight this morning in a series of tweets that amounted to a full press release. On both fronts, he was fulfilling something of a family tradition: Before Tate, his older brother, Jason, transferred from Ann Arbor after being passed for the starting job by true freshman Chad Henne in 2004, and his other brother, Chris, announced his exit from UCLA in 2009 in one of the most bizarre press releases of the last decade, issued through the Forcier family website, www.QBForce.com.

In fact, though Tate's "Dear John" letter to Michigan is shorter, cleaner and mercifully free of the blow-by-blow recap of recruiting accolades that cluttered up his brother's farewell to UCLA, the two efforts are remarkably similar in . Which Forcier parting shot sent its author off with the most aplomb, or least lack thereof? Let's go to the tape…

• Awkward rhetorical flourish.
Chris: Instead of conventional paragraphs, delivered statement as a succession of "Facts," with each new graf preceded by the word "FACT," even for such non-falsifiable statements as, "I believe my UCLA teammates respect me."
Tate: Opened statement with the rhetorical question, "Why do we all wait until we are at our lowest point to seek God’s help?"
Advantage: Chris. How can you trust anything that's not introduced right up front as fact?

• Melodramatic description of routine adversity.
Chris: "Fact: New QB Coach Norm Chow and New Head Coach Rick Neuheisel have brought in and played since day (1) their own guys (Quarterbacks) i.e. Kevin Craft. … Fact: In late February New QB Coach Norm Chow told me that the younger guys would get most of the QB reps in Spring Ball."
Tate: "I’ve been kicked, pushed, knocked down, publicly berated, belittled, emasculated and more."
Advantage: Tate. Everyone faces competition for their job, but few are forced to go through a regimen of actual physical torture.

• Positioning oneself as a victim in the process of denying victimhood.
Chris: "Fact: This is a pattern nationally. When New Coaches come in, they recruit their own guys, especially at the quarterback position. It's just like the corporate world, New Owners bring in New Management. With that being said, I do not fault them."
Tate: "There are plenty of legitimate reasons to give up or feel the victim. The humility of it all is indescribable and that is exactly my point. I had to reach rock bottom in order to see the light, and for that, I am thankful. It was not until then, I realized that it was my lack of accountability and maturity and not to pass blame."
Advantage: Chris. Corporate analogies and Random Capitalization are the Secret Keys of driving home any Argument.

• Example of hard work and commitment.
Chris: "Fact: I've always worked hard in the classroom as a student athlete where I've been recognized as a UCLA Honor Roll student. … Fact: I've competed hard in games and on the practice field, in film and meetings where I've always come prepared, attentive, always taking notes."
Tate: "I can proudly state, "I worked hard on the practice field, in the film room and at meetings" after all, football is my passion."
Advantage: Chris. For at least mentioning the "student" part.

• Example of sacrifice for the team.
Chris: "Fact: I've always been a 'team player' and have done what has been asked of me. Including but not limited to practicing WR in this years spring ball. Not to be confused with moving permanently to the position as it was again inaccurately reported."
Tate: "I even competed hard while injured as a true freshman through the last (8) games in 2009, but I always played the game giving it my all."
Advantage: Tate. Again, he was hurt, man.

• Fondest memory.
Chris: "Fact: I was practice player of the week as a freshman multiple times."
Tate: "I had fun celebrating with the fans."
Advantage: Tate. You talkin' about practice, Chris?

• Expression of ultimate, enduring love for the university.
Chris: "Fact: I'm a life long UCLA Fan. I love UCLA Football. Most Bruin fans have been very supportive/good people."
Tate: "I am proud to have been part of Michigan Football history and will always cherish the memory. […] Tate Forcier #5 - A Michigan Man Forever - Go Blue."
Advantage: Chris. He's talking straight to the people, man, cuz he's one of them.

• Fleeting glimpse of festering grievance at the core of the entire exercise.
Chris: "In 2007, I was (1) of the top (7) Quarterbacks in the country. However, none of that matters unless there is true opportunity to compete afforded."
Tate: "The last few weeks I worked extremely hard to catch back up. I really wanted to stay. I was not giving up on Michigan, but in the end, it was made clear they had given up on me."
Advantage: Chris. It always helps to back up arguments with statistics.

• Parting shot.
Chris: "Fact: I have reached my decision 'Furman University' Greenville, South Carolina. … Fact: I like and believe in Head Coach Bobby Lamb's system and style. I am looking forward to the challenges at Furman University. … Fact: I would like to wear #7 as I did in High School at Saint Augustine in San Diego, California. … Fact: I want to be part of the 'Greatness of Fuhman University' academic's."
Tate: "With that being said, its time for me to go. I promise the Michigan family and fans I will make you proud again."
Advantage: Tate. Obviously.

Verdict: The older brother comes out slightly ahead, but in fairness to Tate, it may be another generation before anyone in any family tops the tour du Forcier Chris dropped on the college football world two years ago. There are no losers here.

Well, except the English teachers who attempted to teach these guys how to write and the copy editors who had to print their statements verbatim. What this family really needs is someone with a P.R. degree.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Section of 'The Pit' Collapses in New Mexico Upset Win

Filed under: Campus, Fans

The Pit, nickname of New Mexico's home arena, is famous for being a dangerous destination for visiting teams. As it turned out, it was also dangerous for home fans Saturday night.

After the Lobos' 86-77 win over No. 9 BYU, officials discovered that seven rows of bleachers had collapsed. The seats were used by students, who typically stand throughout the game. No injuries were reported.

The collapse was apparently due to students jumping on the seats.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

 

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THE CURIOUS INDEX, 1/25/2011

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No. 17 Wisconsin Outbattled by Penn State

Filed under: Penn State, Wisconsin, Big Ten

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Talor Battle scored 20 of his 22 points after halftime and Penn State turned up the defensive pressure in the second half to upset No. 17 Wisconsin 56-52 on Saturday.

Jeff Brooks had 12 points and Andrew Jones grabbed 14 rebounds to the help the Nittany Lions (12-8, 5-4 Big Ten) overcome a 13-point deficit in the first half to beat the Badgers for the first time since 2003.

Jon Leuer had 18 points to lead Wisconsin (15-5, 5-3), and Jordan Taylor had 16 before fouling out.

Go-to guy Battle led the offensive charge - as usual. His 3-pointer off an inbounds pass with 10:51 left gave Penn State its first lead of the game.

Then with 1:16 left Battle drove the lane before feeding Jones for a layup for a 50-44 lead. Battle finished it off by going 5 of 6 from the line over the final 25 seconds.

It was Penn State's third straight win at home over a ranked Big Ten opponent.

With four senior starters led by Battle and Brooks, coach Ed DeChellis' crew hopes his team is making enough waves to make its first NCAA tournament since 2001.

Things looked bleak after the Nittany Lions fell behind 22-9 at 7:39 of the first half off Taylor's 3 with about 3 seconds left on the shot clock. The Badgers boast the best defense in the league, allowing just 59 points a game entering Saturday.

But that defense still wasn't enough against Penn State.

Battle, Penn State's gritty 6-foot senior, finished 7 of 16 shooting after a 1-for-5 start in the first half. His open 3-pointer off the inbounds riled up the 14,200-plus at the Jordan Center, the biggest crowd of the season.

But Battle wasn't done.

With Wisconsin threatening to regain the momentum by slowing the game down to a comfortably methodical pace, Battle's 3 from about 30 feet put the Nittany Lions up for good, 43-42 with 4:51 left, and Brooks followed with another trey about 30 seconds later to force the Badgers to call timeout with a four-point deficit.

Defensively, Penn State had Wisconsin rushing shots that often missed the hoop. The Badgers shot just 32 percent in the second half after hitting 54 percent in the first. The few open looks that Leuer and Taylor did have after halftime rimmed in and out the basket.

DeChellis and his staff wore white sneakers and headbands in honor of Coaches vs. Cancer Day, while Wisconsin counterpart Bo Ryan sported styling bright red sneakers.

But it was Battle, Brooks and Jones who made the biggest statements on the court.

 

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Villanova Latest Big East Team to Hit Skid

Filed under: Villanova, Big East

PHILADELPHIA -- Big East coaches try their best not to fret in public over a conference loss, considering how inevitable they are against even the comparatively lowly members. And lately, there's nothing lowly about No. 21 Georgetown, now on a four-game Big East winning streak after the most impressive of the wins, 69-66 over eighth-ranked Villanova on the road Saturday afternoon.

But Villanova coach Jay Wright couldn't help it. The Wildcats, just two weeks after an impressive non-conference come-from-behind win over Maryland, have now lost three of their last four games, and two in a row. Losing to the 21st-ranked Hoyas, even in front of a home crowd at Wells Fargo Center, with a shot at sending it to overtime on the final possession, is hardly a reason to panic. Coupling it with a defeat three days earlier on the road to a Providence team with one Big East win? Maybe not panic, but something related to it.

"Up in Providence, we weren't even in the game,'' Wright recalled after the Georgetown loss Saturday. "We got hammered up there. We're not happy about it ... (But) it's all of our responsibilities, our team, our staff -- we can't get into these funks. In this league, it can go for a while.''

Georgetown (16-5, 5-4), loser of four of its first five Big East games, knows the feeling, but the Hoyas are now over .500 in the conference for the first time this season. They got a masterful performance from Austin Freeman, whose game-high 30 points only scratch the surface of how vital he was to the narrow win.

He scored 10 of Georgetown's final 12 points over the final 4:59, including three spectacular plays that gave the Hoyas just enough cushion: a putback of his own miss in the lane with 1:41 left, a long jumper from in front of his bench with the shot clock winding down and 40.9 seconds left and a near-blind pass out of a trap near midcourt to Nate Lubick for a dunk with 24.9 seconds left. Each came with Villanova trailing by one point.

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More Coverage: Freeman Carries Georgetown Past Villanova

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