UConn Basketball: Huskies Lose Appeal on Postseason Ban for 2013
The 2012-13 season just took a turn for the worse for the UConn men’s basketball team, who will be ineligible for postseason play next year due to prior academic performance.
The university had appealed the decision, but the NCAA held up the ban.
From UConnHuskies.com:
The University of Connecticut has been informed by the NCAA’s Committee on Academic Performance (CAP) that it has denied the school’s final appeal of a postseason ban on its men’s basketball team for the 2012-13 season because of the team’s past cumulative Academic Performance Rate (APR) scores.
Here’s some more information on the APR scores that caused the ban, from ESPN:
Under the NCAA’s new rules, a school must have a two-year average score of 930 or a four-year average of 900 on the NCAA’s annual APR, which measures the academic performance of student-athletes.
Connecticut men’s basketball scored 826 on the APR for 2009-10. School officials have said it will come in at just above 975 for 2010-11. The scores are expected to be higher in 2011-12.
The Huskies will also be banned from participating in the Big East tournament, another huge blow for the program which is now the first to face such a punishment for academic reasons.
The implications for the team run deep as well. It remains to be seen if or how this will affect recruiting, if players will consider transferring and if it will push Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond to declare for this year’s NBA draft.
Plus, Jim Calhoun isn’t getting younger. After dealing with health issues in recent years (along with this incident), retirement isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
The months ahead should be very interesting indeed for the UConn men’s basketball program. The implications of this postseason ban may last beyond one year.
Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets will remain Linsane in tribute.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
Washington Huskies Basketball: Tony Wroten and Terrence Ross Entering NBA Draft
The Washington Huskies men’s basketball team’s top two scorers, Tony Wroten and Terrence Ross, will be entering the 2012 NBA draft.
This brings up the question of how this will play out for this year’s regular season Pac-12 championship team.
Sophomore Terrence Ross led the Huskies this year with 16.4 points per game, closely followed by freshman Tony Wroten with 16 points per game. Both are predicted to go in the first round of the NBA draft on June 28.
With these two players gone, the Huskies may have to rely on sophomore C.J. Wilcox to lead the team. Despite missing some play due to injuries this season, Wilcox averaged 14.2 points per game.
In addition to Tony Wroten, there were eight other freshmen on the Huskies’ squad this season, so it was a young team.
Other than Wilcox, the Huskies will have Scott Suggs (Suggs redshirted his senior season this year) and Abdul Gaddy for the guard position next season. However, with Tony Wroten, Terrence Ross and graduating Darnell Grant all leaving, that opens up three scholarship positions at Washington.
On the recruiting front, the Huskies haven’t landed any 2012 commits yet. Washington is on the list of five schools being considered by ESPN’s No. 7-ranked Anthony Bennett. Bennett is also considering Oregon, UNLV, Kentucky and Florida. He recently told Oregon Live that he plans to visit all five and make his decision by May.
Adam Zagoria listed Washington as a potential school for Connecticut’s Alex Oriakhi to transfer to after Oriakhi received clearance to transfer from Connecticut. Whether Washington is even a school Oriakhi is considering has yet to be confirmed.
Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten entering the NBA draft this season was to be expected. Washington Coach Lorenzo Romar has been trying to recruit some top players to replace his top two scorers all season, however at this point, it is uncertain if any of his efforts will payoff.
After ending the season as regular season Pac-12 champions and failing to get an NCAA tournament bid, the Huskies will be determined to get into the Big Dance next season. Whether they’ll be able to land some top recruits or if current Washington players will be able to fill Ross’ and Wroten’s shoes remains to be seen.
You can read more about Tony Wroten’s decision to enter the 2012 NBA Draft in detail by clicking here.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NIT 2012: An End to a Disappointing Season for the Huskies
It’s going to be a tough few months for the Washington Huskies.
After an overtime loss to the Minnesota Gophers in the semifinals of the NIT tournament tonight, the Huskies were sent packing. Washington just couldn’t break the lead that Minnesota had kept all game. A late comeback kept them alive as the game was sent to overtime tied at 61 apiece.
The end result can symbolically sum up the whole season.
Washington became the first team in NCAA history to win the regular season in a power conference and not be invited to the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies failed to win games against tougher opponents, finishing the season without a win against a top-50 team and a notable 19-point loss to South Dakota State at home.
“That’s the most disappointing of the whole thing,” coach Romar Lorenzo said. “We were in position to control the whole thing and we allowed someone else to take control.”
The lack of performance has been widely attributed to their poor defense, which basically finished dead last overall in the Pac-12.
Let’s be hopeful for a better season next year.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
2012 NBA Draft: Scouting Report on UConn Huskies PF Andre Drummond
Now that the season is over for the UConn Huskies, it’s time to breakdown one of their pro prospects in Andre Drummond. The 18-year-old may only be a true freshman and has several years of eligibility left, he is projected to be a high draft pick in next year’s NBA draft if he decides to come out early.
Let’s break down Drummond and see why scouts love him so much, and why he should even possibly consider staying another year in Connecticut.
Position: Power Forward/Center
Size/Weight: 6’11″, 270 pounds
School: UConn
Pros
The first thing you notice about Drummond is his size. This guy already has the NBA body, which scouts absolutely love because he’d be able to contribute right away with the big boys. He doesn’t need to bulk up like many guys his age have to when they make the switch to the next level.
He’s also only 18 years old, which means he’ll likely be well over seven feet tall by the time he’s done growing.
Another thing to like about him is the fact that he runs the floor extremely well for somebody his size. He also has a huge wingspan at seven feet, rebounds well and has tremendous leaping ability that allows him to contest every shot in the paint.
Cons
I love Drummond’s upside, but one thing that I absolutely don’t like is the fact he doesn’t maximize his potential. I wonder if he even knows how good he can be.
He struggles on the defensive end, doesn’t box out well and didn’t dominate his first year in college like you’d think somebody with his size and athleticism would have. Averaging 10 points and seven rebounds was just the tip of the iceberg for what he’s capable of.
He’s absolutely terrible from the free-throw line, as he shot 29 percent this season. He’s also still raw on the offensive end and his post game needs work.
Other than that, the only negatives I see is the fact he didn’t dominate the collegiate level. I need to see a killer instinct, somebody who cares about the game. Is he one of those guys who will let his god-given abilities do all the work, or will he actually put the work in to become one of the greats?
Player Comparison: Andrew Bynum
Both players were the same age when they entered the draft and had eerily similar traits. Both were extremely athletic, had extraordinary leaping ability, were raw on offense, needed work on defense and really lacked energy to the floor.
Many considered Bynum a project when he entered the draft and whoever drafts Drummond will have to be up to the same task.
Bynum also went 10th overall in the 2005 draft. That’s in the same ballpark for Drummond if he was to enter the draft this season.
Outlook
Overall, I love Drummond as a prospect, but for the right price. There simply aren’t a lot of players that enter the draft with the kind of athleticism and size Drummond has. Questions about his work ethic and passion for the game are not to be ignored.
Drummond has the potential to be the next Dwight Howard, but could also turn out to be the next Kwame Brown if he doesn’t continue to work on his game.
I think he should stay another year in college to answer some of these issues, but if he enters the draft, he’ll be a top-10 pick. If he was to stay in college for another season and expand his game, he would likely be the No. 1 pick overall in the 2013 draft.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NIT Bracket 2012: Las Vegas Odds Correct to Favor Washington Huskies in Tourney
The Washington Huskies enter the NIT Tournament as the only No. 1 seed in the Final Four, and are considered to be the favorites for good reason.
After beating the University of Texas at Arlington, No. 4 Northwestern and a very close match with No. 4 and archrival University of Oregon, the Huskies have been playing hot ball since barely missing the bubble and not entering the 2012 NCAA March Madness Tournament.
The season could largely be considered a bust for Washington because they are “not in tournament” after having a much more successful season last year. Under Lorenzo Romar, the Huskies won the Pac-12 and finished with an impressive 24-11 record. They were a No. 7 seed in the tournament, and made it to the second round. They were ranked No. 23 in the nation, and were led by a young star named Isaiah Thomas Jr.
In 2009 to 2010, the Washington Huskies made it to the Sweet Sixteen and lost to No. 2 West Virginia.
Now that they’re in the NIT, however, it would be even more disappointing to lose now. While the tournament acts as a constellation prize and Washington can be considered a “basketball school” for all intents and purposes, the Huskies are undeniably the best team left in the NIT.
With Thomas now in the NBA on the Sacramento Kings, sophomore Terrence Ross and freshman Tony Wroten lead the Huskies.
With Vegas odds in their favor at plus-200, the next closest team to give Washington a run for their (and potentially your) money is Pac-12 rival, Stanford. In their previous meeting with Stanford, Washington decidedly won by a total of 76-63. In the game, Wroten dropped 21 and Ross scored 18. Wroten and Ross are each averaging 16 PPG on the season, and Abdul Gaddy led the team in assists with 5.2 apg.
On the other side of the ball, Aziz N’Diaye led Washington with 7.3 rpg. He also averaged a block per game.
Now, the Washington Huskies travel back to New York City and will play in Madison Square Garden to close out the end of this tournament. The last time that freshman Tony Wroten played at Madison Square Garden, he scored 24 points in an 86-80 loss to Duke.
In his most recent game, Wrotten scored 22 points against the Oregon Ducks and broke Isaiah Thomas’s scoring record of 541 points. Wrotten now has 551 points on the season.
On Tuesday, the Huskies will play No. 6 University of Minnesota on ESPN. As the best team in the tournament, now is not the time for them to mail in the rest of the season but rather man up and chalk this up as a moral victory and learning experience for a young and up-and-coming team.
Click here to Follow @BryanKalbrosky.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NIT 2012: Washingtion Huskies Will Bring Pac-12 Party to MSG
The Washington Huskies have business to do, and that is precisely why they will ignite Madison Square Garden for the NIT championship.
The Huskies would mush rather be playing in a different Final Four, one that will play south in New Orleans. There is no hiding the fact that they nearly placed in the NCAA tournament and instead were given an NIT blow.
There are two types of teams that play in the greatest consolation prize in college basketball. There are those that mope to a quick failure, further exacerbating a tumultuous season; and then there are those that embrace their lot and try their best to prove they are indeed a college basketball team of note.
That is precisely what Washington is doing as they head further to the main prize, the chance to call themselves champions, proving the detractors wrong.
Washington has regrouped since losing to Oregon State and has imposed their spirited backcourt against the NIT field.
Terrence Ross has dominated, averaging 26.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The offense comes through this high-flying guard who is not done playing basketball this season.
His partner in crime has been Tony Wroten. The team leader in points during the regular season was quiet through the first round and then burst onto the scene against Oregon in the second round.
Against the Ducks, Wroten dropped 22 points and grabbed seven boards, illustrating the Huskies as having the most dominant tandem left in the NIT.
It takes more than talent to win it all, and the Huskies tout an unwavering hunger to their list of attributes heading to Madison Square Garden.
Ross put it as simply as you can, via ESPN.
We’re still upset that we get a (NCAA) bid and could have, but we all forgot about it and focused on this championship that we’re after.
Washington still has a ways to go. they have Minnesota next and then the winner of Stanford vs. UMass to contend with, but they have the form, talent and mindset to see it through.
The Huskies are out to prove themselves to the nation, and that makes them the most dangerous team left in the NIT.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NIT 2012 Scores: Washington Huskies Winning Back Reputation with Title Run
It’s better late than never for the Washington Huskies, who are rolling through the NIT on their way to the championship—a prize that will serve to bring back a modicum of respect for the program.
With a backcourt that would have delighted in the madness of March, the Huskies have cruised through the initial rounds of the NIT tournament and just took down the Oregon Ducks, 90-86.
They dispatched of Texas-Arlington to open the tourney and then cruised by Northwestern. Then came what would be the biggest test for the Huskies.
If Washington was going to win it all, they had to get passed a dangerous Oregon Ducks team that has proved prolific in the past.
The same formula was used to get over on the Oregon Ducks and keep the dream of redemption alive. The Huskies once again relied on Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten, who proved they were just as hungry as if they were playing deep into the NCAA Tournament.
It doesn’t pay to mope or even ponder what could have been because there is only one thing the Huskies can still guarantee, and that is hoisting a title at the end of an up and down season.
The Huskies were left for dead before coming on strong to close out the season. Losing out on the Pac-12 bid left a bitter taste in the mouths of some very good players, and you can tell that Ross and Wroten are dying to make some good of their efforts.
Ross has 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting while Wroten chipped in with 22 points on 6-for-15 from the field. The Huskies were not about to be turned away, not again.
The NCAA snub is still fresh in the air, but those feelings are certainly being extinguished. Tony Wroten said as much, per ESPN.
“Once the NIT selection was done coach was telling us that, `I know you don’t want to be here but if you keep winning it’s going to get more and more exciting.’”
If you want to know what this team is looking for now, it’s really quite simple. Terrence Ross spells it out after another exciting win, via ESPN.
“We’re still upset that we get a (NCAA) bid and could have, but we all forgot about it and focused on this championship that we’re after.”
It’s as deep as ripping back redemption and as simple as hoisting some hardware after a trying season. Either way, the Huskies are finally starting to have fun.
When you are as talented as this team is, combining passion and frivolity is a dangerous combination for the rest of the field.
A full breakdown of the NIT Bracket including scores can be found at the CBS Sports website.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NIT 2012: Washington Huskies Fighting for Respect After NCAA Tournament Snub
As one of the bubble teams that didn’t make it into the NCAA tournament, the Washington Huskies are fighting for more than a NIT 2012 championship.
They are fighting for respect.
The Huskies didn’t hear their names called on Selection Sunday. When you sport players like point guard Tony Wroten and shooting guard Terrence Ross, that can be a bit much to take.
But the Huskies, led by Wroten and Ross, are making it known that they aren’t going to just wither away in a tournament that goes largely unnoticed during March Madness. No, they are going to make the most of their season, and if that means doing it in the NIT tournament, then so be it.
In two NIT tournament games, Ross has averaged 27.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. He scored a career-high 32 points against Northwestern in the second round. Wroten has collected 15 assists in those two games.
Asked how he would stop Ross, Lorenzo Romar, Washington’s head coach, said, via ESPN, “Probably low-bridge him.”
But it hasn’t just been Ross and Wroten. Center Aziz N’Diaye posted 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals against Northwestern. Sophomore guard C.J. Wilcox came off the bench to score 20 points in that game. And in Washington’s game against Texas-Arlington, senior forward Darnell Gant posted 13 points and 10 rebounds.
This is a team playing like it was owed something…say, an NCAA tournament berth. That’s a dangerous team.
One thing’s for sure: Don’t expect the Huskies to slow down. They are on a mission for respect.
Follow me on Twitter. We can talk about the NIT tournament.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
UConn Huskies Basketball: Offseason to-Do List to Improve 2012-13 Season
Now that UConn fans have had a few days to get over an extremely disappointing loss in the NCAA tournament to Iowa State, it’s time to look ahead to what next season has to offer.
This offseason will be very important to this program moving forward. Not only is their fate in the hands of the NCAA, but there are questions about their Hall of Fame coach, players may end up leaving early for the next level and with many key members of the Big East leaving for the ACC, UConn has many questions to answer.
The Huskies have a ways to go before they are at the top of college basketball once again, and it will all start with a busy offseason.
Here are five things that are on the to-do list, in order for the Huskies to see better days next year.
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NIT 2012: Washington Huskies’ Disappointing Season Sure to Continue
After getting their NCAA bubble burst at the 11th hour and barely missing the big dance, the Washington Huskies’ disappointing season will only continue in the 2012 NIT.
It’s rare that a conference winner doesn’t make it into the NCAA tournament, and the Huskies are upset about it, to say the least.
They are favored by most to win the NIT as a consolation.
Not by me, though.
I’m predicting that Washington will easily win their opening-round matchup against Texas-Arlington, but they will run into trouble when they face Northwestern in the second round of the NIT.
Though Northwestern finished the year with a record of 18-13, they didn’t play as badly as it may seem.
Colin Becht of the New York Times summed this up nicely in a recent column:
After an 18-13 season highlighted by an 81-74 upset of then-No. 6 Michigan State – the Spartans earned a No. 1 seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament – Northwestern’s penchant for close losses proved to be the downfall in its hopes for receiving a tournament bid. The Wildcats lost seven games by fewer than 6 points or in overtime, leaving them with just a 1-10 record against the top 50 of the Rating Percentage Index.
Washington won’t stand a chance against these Wildcats. They feature a couple of deadly scorers, John Shurna and Drew Crawford, who have played in five NIT tournaments already between them.
The youth and inexperience of the Huskies will hurt them, and in the end, they’ll fall to the more battle-tested team.
Terrance Ross and Tony Wroten, while fantastic young players, will whither under the bright lights and lose their shooting touch.
Northwestern will put up more of a fight than Washington will be able to handle, and they will find themselves once again dispatched rather quickly from another tournament.
Perhaps next season will be more kind to Washington.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
