Marc Trasolini wants to leave SCU on top

Santa Clara hangs a banner in the Leavey Center to honor Steve Nash, who was the man on campus the last time the Broncos consistently went to the NCAA tournament.

Coach Kerry Keating refers to another Canadian as the current "poster child" for the program he is trying to build.

Marc Trasolini, the team's leader in rebounds, blocked shots and grade-point average, is set to become the first player Keating will have guided as a head coach from recruiting until graduation.

And as the Broncos begin their preseason tour of Trasolini's native Vancouver with a game Tuesday night, the team's lone scholarship senior has hopes of leaving an NCAA tournament legacy of his own.

"It's a wide-open conference," Trasolini said. "Anything can happen.

"We're going to finish first. That's where we expect to be and where we want to be. Saying that, it's not going to be easy."

Santa Clara will be tested in the West Coast Conference, with Gonzaga having won or shared the past 11 straight regular-season titles and defending Mountain West Conference champion BYU joining the league.

"It's a challenge that's waiting for us at the end of December," Keating said. "Our goal is to win the conference."

Keating was awarded a contract extension after his fourth season as coach resulted in the Broncos winning 24 games on their way to the CIT championship. They return their top three scorers in backcourt duo Kevin Foster and Evan Roquemore along with Trasolini, who averaged 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds.

The gangly 6-foot-9 Trasolini said he put on weight in the offseason so he can better match up with the big men in the conference and also with the hopes that he can play professionally. If the pro career doesn't work out, the finance major does carry a 3.55 grade-point average.

Trasolini's academics was the message that Keating emphasized while speaking to students at the player’s high school, where the team held its shoot-around.

Trasolini said he expected hundreds of his friends to come and support the Broncos during the team's four-game slate in the Vancouver area. Keating said the school reached out to Nash, but it's unclear whether the Phoenix Suns star will be paying the team a visit even if he is nearby practicing soccer with the Vancouver Whitecaps MLS team he co-owns.

Either way, it should be a memorable trip for Trasolini, who said he was taking on more of a leadership role and wanted to show his teammates where he was raised. Keating is hoping they're listening carefully.

"That's the model," he said.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/34983/marc-trasolini-wants-to-leave-scu-on-top

Terrell’s departure latest blow to Wake’s hoops program

Whatever Wake Forest did to anger the basketball gods, it better find a way to appease them before the season begins. Or it might just be another miserable year.

Freshman J.T. Terrell announced Monday that he is leaving the program following his arrest Saturday for driving while impaired.

The 6-3 sophomore played in all 32 games, started 18, was second on the team in scoring (11.1 per outing) and accounted for more possessions used and shots than anyone else. When Terrell dropped 32 points on Iowa in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, it was the most points by an ACC freshman last season.

He was one of the cornerstones of coach Jeff Bzdelik’s rebuilding project that will undoubtedly take even longer now.

“Due to circumstances surrounding his arrest, along with other recent indicators, it is obvious to J.T. and his family that J.T. suffers from a serious medical condition that requires immediate attention,” Terrell’s attorney, Mike Grace, said in a statement released by the Wake Forest sports media relations department.

Terrell’s departure is the latest in a series of rough times for Wake. The historically awful ACC season was followed by allegations of a sexual assault by former players, which didn’t help the school’s image. Frontcourt players Melvin Tabb and Ty Walker were suspended indefinitely in July for a violation of departmental rules. (Not to mention this horrific incident.)

At some point, the Deacons will enjoy better moments. It just won’t be soon. Not with the lack of overall returning talent and middling incoming players. (The 2012 class looks promising.)

For now, Bzdelik is just trying to work with what he has. And that won’t include Terrell.

“We wish JT well as he seeks to turn his life around,” Bzdelik said in the release.  “He is at an important crossroads in his life and needs to devote his full attention to recovering.”

Related stories:

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.

Source: http://beyondthearc.nbcsports.com/2011/09/05/yet-another-blow-to-wake-forests-hoops-program/

Arc: How does one become the unluckiest D-I team?

Every fan knows their team is always the unluckiest around. A turnover here, a bad call there, a missed shot and before you know it, your team lost the game.

OK, it’s rarely that bad. Unless you’re Holy Cross.

The Crusaders have gone 3-20 during the last two seasons in games decided by five points or less, by far the luckiest D-I team according to Kenpom.com metrics. (They’re a 17-43 overall in that span.) How can this be? Lucky for us, Andy Glockner (mostly) has answers in this story.

It comes down to: coaching changes, different playing styles and an occasional bad decision. If that sounds nebulous, it is. Coach Milan Brown isn’t sure what to make of the Crusaders bad luck, which makes sense. It didn’t happen only under him, and similar teams haven’t had the same unlucky results.

What else can you say? Sometimes it’s just bad luck.

But give Brown credit. He and his guys aren’t backing down from this. From Glockner’s story:

“We haven’t run from the thing as far as the luck factor, but we said, ‘We did this, this is all our fault,’ he said. “The great thing about it being all our fault is we can change every nook and cranny of it, so let’s go create some better luck for ourselves.”

And, hey, if all else fails, the new block/charge circles being painted on the court for this season are in the shape of horseshoes. Maybe having an extra pair in the building will recharge the Crusaders’ mojo?

Brown smiled at the idea, but he wasn’t buying it.

“I don’t know if ours will be more powerful than anyone else’s,” he said.

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.

Source: http://beyondthearc.nbcsports.com/2011/09/01/how-does-one-become-the-unluckiest-d-i-team-anyway/related

Full-Court Press, April 24: Oregon has its coach

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Oregon has finally found a head coach.

Creighton head coach Dana Altman has been offered the Ducks’ job, and will agree to it as early as tonight or tomorrow, sources tell Goodman.

“[Former Oregon athletic director] Pat [Kilkenny] continues to speak with multiple coaches about the Oregon job,” Oregon senior associate athletic director Joe Giansante said. “But every step of the way, Dana Altman's name has come up in the coaching fraternity. He's talked to a lot of people and without question, he's considered one of the best coaches in the country.”

Since Ernie Kent stepped down in March, Oregon has gone after big names, missing out on each one of them. The search has lasted 37 days thus far.

Altman has spent 16 season at Creighton, going to seven NCAA Tournaments and winning at least 20 games in 11 straight seasons prior to this past campaign.

Joseph ends recruitment

Cory Joseph, the top unsigned senior in the country, has made a decision.

The 6-3 point guard from Canada chose Texas on Friday, picking the Longhorns over Connecticut, Villanova, Minnesota and UNLV.

“Coach [Rick] Barnes and the staff, we have a good relationship,” Joseph told Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. “The style of play, they go up and down. I really feel like it can excel my game to the next level there. It was the best fit for me.”

At Texas, he will join Tristan Thompson, who was a teammate of Joseph on his high school team at Findlay Prep and his AAU team, Grassroots Canada.

Joseph has played his recruitment very close to the vest. His older brother, Devoe, plays for Minnesota, while many thought that Villanova could be the leader for his services.

“There’s no seconds or thirds or fourths or fifths,” Joseph said. “The five schools were great schools. It was a very hard decision. They all have great coaches. I got to talk to the coaches, and I just felt where I could fit best was Texas.”

Other tidbits

- 2011 forward Jaylen Bond committed to Pittsburgh on Friday, after visiting the Panthers and West Virginia last weekend.

- According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, former Iowa sophomore forward Aaron Fuller has transferred to USC.

- Senior forward Jason Carter chose Alabama over Ole Miss on Friday. The Texas native also had offers from Arkansas and Oklahoma State.

- As reported by Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com via Twitter, former UCLA sophomore center J'Mison Morgan has transferred to Baylor.

Source: http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/blog/marchmadness/2010/04/full-court-press-april-24-oregon-has.html

Michigan's new seats, revamped arena

Ah, new facilities. They're all the rage these days, aren't they? It seems that every offseason, four or five schools -- and that's probably underestimating things a bit -- find themselves building massive practice gyms and all-access weight rooms in the hopes of outpacing the competition for the attention of of talented recruits. Not everyone has T. Boone Pickens flow, and so not everyone can have a $4 million basketball locker room. But everyone does the best they can.

Michigan is no different. Crisler Arena has long needed a major facelift to improve the gym's drab, cavernous interior. It got a portion of said facelift this offseason. The early renovations included what Michigan's release called the "highest priority infrastructure needs such as repairs to the roof, electrical, plumbing and air handling systems." Which is good, because you can't have a leaky roof when you're trying to play basketball. But fans are more likely to notice the new seats in Crisler's lower bowl and the arena's new high-definition video scoreboards, which replaced the old school Jumbotron you'll see here. Oh, and there's also a new court, too. Not too shabby.

On Tuesday, John Beilein's team got its first tour of the new gym. If Beilein and senior forward Zack Novak are to be believed, the arena improvements won't just be aesthetically pleasing -- they'll also be advantageous:

"It just seems like more of a home-court advantage," Beilein said. "It looks like the fans are really on us. I love the look of it. The floor looks tremendous. I love the feel right now and I can tell by looking at the players faces that they feel the same way."

"I think is it going to be a much better experience for the fans," Novak said. "I think they're going to be much more engaged in the game, especially the students because we've got them sitting right on top of the court now.

Of course, the final judgement on any renovation must come from the fans. But if Novak and Beilein are right, then Michigan deserves some serious credit. It's easy for a renovation to focus on the superficial -- glittering scoreboards, cushy seat covers, a shiny floor, a place to dock your iPad. (OK, maybe not that last one. But give it a few years. We'll get there.)

But if a renovation can actually make the fan experience better by getting fans, especially students, closer to the floor, then that's a win-win for everyone. When Michigan opens its new practice facility called the Player Development Center this fall and finally finishes its Phase Two renovations next year, it will be well on its way to catching up with those pesky facilities Joneses. In the meantime, hey, better seats! Like I said: not too shabby.

(Hat tip: UMHoops)

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/34988/michigan-unveils-new-seats-revamped-arena

How does one become the unluckiest D-I team, anyway?

Every fan knows their team is always the unluckiest around. A turnover here, a bad call there, a missed shot and before you know it, your team lost the game.

OK, it’s rarely that bad. Unless you’re Holy Cross.

The Crusaders have gone 3-20 during the last two seasons in games decided by five points or less, by far the luckiest D-I team according to Kenpom.com metrics. (They’re a 17-43 overall in that span.) How can this be? Lucky for us, Andy Glockner (mostly) has answers in this story.

It comes down to: coaching changes, different playing styles and an occasional bad decision. If that sounds nebulous, it is. Coach Milan Brown isn’t sure what to make of the Crusaders bad luck, which makes sense. It didn’t happen only under him, and similar teams haven’t had the same unlucky results.

What else can you say? Sometimes it’s just bad luck.

But give Brown credit. He and his guys aren’t backing down from this. From Glockner’s story:

“We haven’t run from the thing as far as the luck factor, but we said, ‘We did this, this is all our fault,’ he said. “The great thing about it being all our fault is we can change every nook and cranny of it, so let’s go create some better luck for ourselves.”

And, hey, if all else fails, the new block/charge circles being painted on the court for this season are in the shape of horseshoes. Maybe having an extra pair in the building will recharge the Crusaders’ mojo?

Brown smiled at the idea, but he wasn’t buying it.

“I don’t know if ours will be more powerful than anyone else’s,” he said.

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.

Source: http://beyondthearc.nbcsports.com/2011/09/01/how-does-one-become-the-unluckiest-d-i-team-anyway/

2011 RTC Class Schedule: North Carolina Tar Heels

Zach Hayes is an editor, contributor and bracketologist for Rush the Court.

The most anticipated season in North Carolina basketball history is approaching.

More than those Frank McGuire-coached teams in the 1950s. More than any of the best from the storied Dean Smith era, including the unforgettable Jordan/Perkins/Worthy triumvirate. Even more than when Roy Williams couldn’t resist the call of his alma mater or when Tyler Hansbrough returned for another go-round with Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington.

When two lottery picks join forces with two other first-round picks, a foundation of complimentary pieces and a typically loaded recruiting class, unadulterated glee in Chapel Hill seems rather appropriate.

Navigating an unimpressive ACC this season, a far cry from its heyday as the premiere basketball league in America, renders the trek significantly less treacherous. Although he couldn’t have foreseen Harrison Barnes remaining in college more than one season, Williams knew 2011-12 would be special and challenged his team adequately in the non-conference.

Team Outlook: Last November, it was arch-rival Duke topping the preseason rankings with Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith as seniors. One year later, the Tar Heels take their turn. Carolina’s journey from NIT to Elite Eight was aided markedly by the freshman duo of Barnes/Kendall Marshall plus the development and maturation of John Henson and Tyler Zeller.  Carolina returns their entire starting lineup of Marshall, Strickland, Barnes, Zeller and Henson, adds two potential impact rookies in James McAdoo and P.J. Hairston and features enviable depth off the bench. The lesson here: rebuilding projects at renowned power programs don’t last very long. A third national title for Williams next April doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

Non-Conference Schedule Rank: 8. Only five non-conference contests away from Chapel Hill, but three of the five will pose sizable challenges for the Tar Heels. The season-opening bash on an aircraft carrier in San Diego pits Carolina against a Michigan State team that, contrary to last season, we may be seriously underestimating. Tom Izzo will rely heavily on the versatile Draymond Green, rising star Keith Appling and Valparaiso transfer Brandon Wood. A Las Vegas tournament is also on the docket with a likely win vs. South Carolina preceding a possible final against UNLV in a true road game. The Rebels are pegged by most as the second-best team in the Mountain West under new coach Dave Rice behind their guard duo of Oscar Bellfield and Anthony Marshall. UNC draws rebuilding Texas and Jordan Taylor’s Wisconsin Badgers to the Dean Dome. We’d be surprised if Carolina stumbled once at home this season. Of course, the December 3 showdown with Kentucky in Lexington is the highlight of Carolina’s schedule and could be the most anticipated non-conference game in recent memory.

Cupcake City: Don’t think Williams skipped out on the buy games just because of their lofty status. Carolina faces off with UNC-Asheville, Mississippi Valley State and Tennessee State prior to their Las Vegas trip and are granted a long reprieve after the Wisconsin/Kentucky back-to-back with nine consecutive home games December 6 to January 10. Texas and two ACC duels with Boston College and Miami are mixed in with a number of cupcakes, including Nicholls State, Elon and Monmouth.

Toughest Early Season Test: Prepare yourself, North Carolina vs. Kentucky is going to receive an unprecedented amount of hype for a game in early December. That was made possible when Terrence Jones and Harrison Barnes simultaneously stunned the college basketball world and returned for their sophomore seasons. Other important cogs fell into place, and the recruiting-savvy coaching staffs securing loaded freshmen classes only exacerbated the potential. We just don’t envision a trap for either school that would deny fans a #1 vs. #2 showdown at Rupp Arena. As many as six first-round picks will lace up the sneakers in this one.

Hardest ACC Stretch: Although the ACC lacks depth with so many programs in a transitional period, Carolina will have an enormous target on their collective back every time out. Their last four games – at NC State, at Virginia, Maryland, at Duke — are in no form or fashion a cakewalk, with the hardest game on the docket outside of Kentucky undoubtedly their visit up the road to Durham on March 3. Despite significant departures, there’s tremendous talent on the roster (headlined by incoming freshman Austin Rivers) and knocking off the supposedly fearsome Tar Heels would put a bow on their season. On February 21 and 25, the Heels visit NC State and Virginia. With C.J. Leslie, Scott Wood and Lorenzo Brown back in tow, the Wolfpack won’t fold. Neither will a Virginia program clearly trending upward under Tony Bennett.

Easiest ACC Stretch: A four-game stretch in late January to early February should provide UNC ample opportunity to work out any lingering kinks before their first showdown with Duke. It’s going to take an unbelievable effort to knock off the Heels on their home floor this season given their talent and preferred style of play. Neither NC State nor rebuilding Georgia Tech  have much of a prayer. That’s followed by a two-game road swing at feeble Wake Forest and at a Maryland squad with a gutted roster in Mark Turgeon’s debut season at the helm.

Best Individual Matchup: Rival Duke needs to settle their point guard situation, but they boast a number of talented wings that can do major damage, from the freshman Rivers to sharpshooter Andre Dawkins. If Duke’s recent performance in China can give us any indication, Coach K’s experiment with Seth Curry at the point is paying major dividends with the Liberty transfer averaging 13.5 PPG and scoring in double figures during each of Duke’s exhibitions. Carolina’s ace perimeter defender Dexter Strickland will act as Williams’ Darrelle Revis against whoever has the hot hand for the Blue Devils. Strickland was especially outstanding in last year’s NCAA Tournament run, locking up both Washington’s Isaiah Thomas, Marquette’s Darius Johnson-Odom and Kentucky’s Brandon Knight.

Most Challenging Road Test: If any team in college basketball can go toe-to-toe with Carolina at every position on the floor talent-wise, it’s Kentucky. How the Wildcats trio of hyped freshmen – Marquis Teague, Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist – adjust to the collegiate game in just a month’s time of game action could prove the difference on December 3. Even though the game is in Lexington, Carolina’s experience gives them an edge.

Most Anticipated Home Date: There truly has to be an unprecedented set of circumstances for the most anticipated home game at Chapel Hill to not feature rival Duke. Losing Singler, Smith and #1 overall pick Kyrie Irving stings, but Duke is accustomed to reloading and they’ll still feature a top ten team. By the time February rolls around, Coach K will have a much better idea of whether Curry is the answer at point, which freshmen deserve minutes outside of Rivers and whether the Plumlee brothers are assets in the post.

Upset Watch: It took Harrison Barnes’ late-game heroics to down Florida State last season in Tallahassee and #1 Duke wasn’t as fortunate during their visit down South. Although ace defender Chris Singleton is off to the NBA riches, Florida State peaked in March last year without the services of a healthy Singleton. Bernard James is a monster on the boards and ready to emerge. Okaro White has the length to defend quality wings. Talented scorer Michael Snaer can fill it up. If the Seminoles can get their point guard situation squared away and their #1-ranked defense of 2010-11 remains impenetrable, this has upset written all over it.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 9:15 am and is filed under 2011-12 Season Preview, rtc class schedule. Tagged: dexter strickland, duke, florida state, harrison barnes, john henson, kendall marshall, kentucky, north carolina, roy williams, seth curry, tyler zeller. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://rushthecourt.net/2011/09/06/2011-rtc-class-schedule-north-carolina-tar-heels/