Originally published Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Bud Withers
National Basketball Notebook | From Big East might to New Jersey Tech blight
Without a real opening date, college basketball comes almost unannounced in mid-November. Then, for weeks until the New Year, it rains a...
![]() |
Seattle Times colleges reporter
Without a real opening date, college basketball comes almost unannounced in mid-November. Then, for weeks until the New Year, it rains a torrent of games that tend to go unnoticed amid BCS controversies, NFL playoff possibilities, holidays, Washington football coaching searches and the response by FEMA, uh, the city, to snow-slicked streets.
So, as conference play begins, we offer a synopsis of what you might have missed in college hoops:
The Big East is not only big, it's beastly.
The league has nine teams ranked in the top 25 this week, and could break its own NCAA-tournament record of eight entries.
With UCLA appearing less than murderous, the Big East might provide a No. 1 seed in the West. And if it doesn't, the ACC — where Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest are ranked Nos. 2-4 this week — probably will.
It's a good year for players with names starting with "H."
Most figure the front-runner for national player of the year is North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, who averages 22.8 points. Or it's Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (24.1, 12.4 rebounds). Or, for a dark horse, Arizona State's James Harden, a 23.4-scorer with some arresting all-around numbers.
But your list has to include Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin. All he does is average 22.1 points and 14 rebounds and shoot 66 percent.
Minnesota and Baylor, ranked 22-23 this week, have put scandals behind them.
It was 10 years ago that the NCAA was beginning to pull the sash on one of history's grimiest academic messes at Minnesota under Clem Haskins. Two coaches later, Kentucky expatriate Tubby Smith has a deep, defensive-minded 13-1 team that has held 25 straight opponents to less than 50-percent shooting.
Baylor is 12-2 and coach Scott Drew has a guard-driven program that is climaxing one of the game's great turnarounds from the 2003 shooting death of Patrick Dennehy by a teammate and a seamy attempt by ex-coach Dave Bliss to cast Dennehy as a drug dealer.
Beware Arkansas.
![]()
After the Hogs lost all five starters from an NCAA-tournament team in 2008, not a lot was expected. Instead, behind forward Michael Washington and dreadlocked freshman point guard Courtney Fortson, Arkansas (12-1) has won 10 straight. Now if John Pelfrey, the second-year coach, would just mothball that awful fire-engine red coat.
Texas Southern finally unpacked suitcases.
The Houston-based Tigers began their season Nov. 14 at UTEP. Forty-three days later, they finally played their first home game after barnstorming to nine states. It's great for the bank account, not so good for the won-lost record (1-14).
Butler isn't going anywhere.
Which is to say, it's maintaining just swell after losing four of its top five scorers from a 30-win team. The 21st-ranked Bulldogs (12-1, with only a three-point loss at Ohio State) are very close to the breed in Spokane for sustained success off the beaten track of a major conference.
New Jersey Tech is still searching for an identity.
Well, actually, it has one. The Highlanders are 0-15, following their 0-29 season a year ago.
And what's more ...
• Wake Forest's victory at BYU snapped a 53-game home win streak and displaced that honor to Notre Dame (44).
Given the Big East schedule, that's a worthy distinction.
One reason the Irish have kept that going: They have an off-the-charts team assist-turnover ratio of 2.04.
• You've heard of high-school football seniors graduating early to get a jump on college academics and spring practice? Hollis Thompson, a 6-foot-6 forward from renowned De La Salle High in the Bay Area, was due to enroll Wednesday at Georgetown, where coach John Thompson III says he will practice but not play this season.
• A key reason Michigan State is 11-2 and eighth-ranked: Sophomore guard Kalin Lucas has an 84-17 assist-turnover ratio.
• No wonder Washington State coaches made a strong run at 5-11 guard Paul McCoy last winter when he was a senior at Grant High in Portland. McCoy leads SMU (5-7) in scoring, and his 32 points in a win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was the most by a Mustangs freshman in 28 years.
Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
bwithers@seattletimes.com | 206-464-8281
Bud Withers: WSU star Klay Thompson shows serious lack of judgment, leadership
Bud Withers: NCAA tournament might be the Jimmer Fredette show
Bud Withers: Might be a slim one, but WSU, Cal, USC all have shot at NCAA tournament

nwautos
Are you one of the many hanging onto their old beater? Or do you just love that new-car smell? When did you last purchase a vehicle? Take our poll or....
Post a comment
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
434 - Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming
346 - Sheriff's office unhappy with 911 dispatcher in caseworker's call
282 - 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
235 - Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement
205 - Oregon live game thread
152 - Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game
140 - Lakewood cop accused of taking donations for slain officers' families
114 - Department of Justice owes the Seattle Police Department an apology
87 - Thursday morning links --- and a video!!!
72
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Here it is: The secret to stir-fried chicken | Taste
- Local aerospace suppliers say they feel squeezed by Boeing
- Dicks channeled federal money to Puget Sound project his son ran
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
- Buttoned Up: Nine immutable laws of time management
- Happy Hour: French-accented charm at Gainsbourg
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature








