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2006-07 Big Ten Basketball Thread

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jwinslow

jwinslow

A MAN OF BETRAYED JUSTICE
Staff member
Tourney Pick'em Champ
Michigan's superstar 07 recruit, Alex Legion, has decommitted from Michigan and opened his recruitment back up (and is on his way to Oak Hill).

The humorous twist to this story is that a michigan fan started a joke about this on april fools day, and it came true :lol:

GBW (Crisler Corner)

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Vaden leaving IU, White also?

http://wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=4745695

There were rumblings recently that Vaden & White told Sampson they would not be back. I would say it's a matter of time before it becomes public that White is following Davis to UAB.
 
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bucknuts44820 said:
Legion is a great prospect, that is a huge loss if he goes elsewhere....
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I think UCLA is the front runner here.

Too bad for our fellow rivals up North.

I have not looked into it too much, but who is everyone expecting to compete with us for the title.

MSU loses Davis, Ager, and Brown could turn pro.

Illinois loses Brown and Augustine.

IU is looking to have quite a few transfers.

Iowa was senior heavy I believe.

PSU should be solid, but they won't have the overall talent to hang with us.

Looking like a down year in the big ten, especially with no big name recruits really coming in besides to tOSU.
 
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And lets not forget that no matter how good we think our team is going to be, they haven't played a single college game together yet. I think we have a great shot to win the B10 and more, but there are NO foregone conclusions until games are played. Wisconsin should be good, and will be a real test.

Oden and Co. have a great opportunity though. Can't deny that fact.
 
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Worst to 1st? Boilers say they?ll bring it

Team wants to improve dramatically, contend.

A column by Pete DiPrimio

[email protected]

WEST LAFAYETTE ? Purdue looks to boldly go where Indiana once went and Ohio State nearly did. It seeks to wipe away recent Big Ten basketball misery with a conference-rocking turnaround.
Are you ready? The Boilers are. Do you want to see? You?ll have to wait.
Midnight Madness or Midnight Mania or Hoops Hysteria or whatever you want to call the annual practice-opening events showcased at some universities on Friday night (ESPNU will broadcast events at North Carolina, Indiana and George Mason) isn?t part of the Purdue plan.
Saturday?s practice debut will be private and, if second-year coach Matt Painter has his way, productive.
?It?s great for the fans,? Painter says about Midnight Madness events, ?but we want to get our fans excited at the end of the year.?
This is a tougher Painter, an edgier Painter, a Painter driven to return the Boilers to Big Ten relevance this year. Last season?s 3-13 last-place finish burns at him. He didn?t replace Gene Keady for that kind of result. He didn?t give up a good job at Southern Illinois to endure a repeat.
Now that Painter has ? at the moment ? a healthy roster, now that veterans Carl Landry and David Teague are ready to return to all-conference form after being sidelined with knee surgeries, now that talented newcomers such as Tarrance Crump (matured after last year?s suspension) and Gordon Watt (healthy after his own knee issues) and even freshmen Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant are ready for impact, it?s time to make a huge jump.
With this qualifier:
?For us to go from last to the top of the league,? Painter says, ?we have to stay healthy and Carl and David have to be all-conference guys for us. If those things happen, we have a chance.?
Last to first? Is that possible?
The last Big Ten team to do it was Indiana, which finished last in 1966 with a 4-10 record, then shared the conference title with Michigan State at 10-4 in 1967.
Ohio State went from last to second from 1998 to 1999. Illinois went from last to fourth from 1999 to 2000.
?We have great chemistry,? Painter says. ?Our guys have put a lot of time in to get ready. We?ve tried to make them understand that to make a huge jump, you have to pay attention to details and do all the little things.?
Beyond that, Purdue needs what Painter calls ?surprises.?
?A guy like Crump has a chance to be a very good player,? he says. ?Watt can bring that intensity. Both of those guys can help us with quickness. Our freshmen have to gain that experience in non-conference play. A combination of all that either will or will not put us in position to do something special.?
Logic suggests that Wisconsin and Ohio State will battle for Big Ten supremacy, Wisconsin because of its returning talent (four starters) and Ohio State because of its super freshman class (assuming Greg Oden recovers from wrist surgery).
But faith offers hope that after half a decade of bad luck, the Boilers are ready to make a move, and if it doesn?t get them to the Big Ten mountaintop, it could get them NCAA tourney achievement.
?Hopefully our seniors will act as coaches and they?ll enforce things when the coaches aren?t around,? Painter says, ?so we can have a NCAA-caliber team.?
Such enthusiasm is shared by Boiler fans. Season ticket sales have jumped from 9,488 last year to nearly 11,000 now. Painter credits some of that improvement to last season?s late performance. Purdue lost games, but not intensity or fan appreciation.
?Our guys gave a good effort,? Painter says. ?That?s the one thing about Purdue fans, you?re dealing mainly with people who graduated from Purdue who want to see us play hard.?
Figure you?ll see plenty of hard Boiler play this season.
Just not Friday night.
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Sampson gets started with Hoosiers


BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- When Kelvin Sampson coached at Oklahoma, basketball became a hot topic once the season started. He's finding out it's different in Indiana. Whatever the season, wherever the locale, the conversations and questions are inescapable: It's all basketball for the new Hoosiers coach.
"From Fort Wayne to Evansville, everybody's excited about it all the time," Sampson said. "Everybody talks about the tradition, and that's great. They're always talking basketball."

Sampson spent much of the past six months making plans, getting acclimated to his new environment and crisscrossing the state to meet the die-hard fans who helped establish Indiana's reputation as a basketball school. Friday night, he'll meet the masses again at his first Midnight Madness.
He understood it would be this way before accepting the job in March.
But after spending his career coaching at lower-profile basketball schools like Washington State and Montana Tech and even Oklahoma, which is considered to be primarily a football school, it didn't take long for Sampson to get his first taste of Indiana's favorite pastime.
"I know how passionate everybody is about basketball here," he said. "I like to coach basketball, and I love this group of kids."
But Hoosiers also thrive on winning.
IU missed the postseason three years ago. Then fans complained when the Hoosiers earned a NIT bid in 2005. Last year's second-round exit in the NCAA tournament wouldn't suffice, either, and even a run to the 2002 national championship game couldn't save Mike Davis' job.
Davis announced his resignation in February.
Welcome to Indiana basketball, coach, where national championships are considered more a rite of passage than celebration.
Another tradition is Midnight Madness, which is expected to draw more than 10,000 fans.
More coaches have recently decided to get rid of the slam dunk and 3-point contests, opting instead for a more rigorous workout. Sampson couldn't do that in Bloomington.
"Most coaches like to just start practice, but this is Indiana basketball," he said. "Basketball is a passion for a lot of people here, and I'm not going to be Mr. Scrooge and say let's not have it. This is their game and this is their university. So if they want it, we'll have it."
On the court, Sampson seems to fit in.
His relentless workouts, emphasis on defense and rebounding and quest to be tough are what Indiana fans have come to expect since the days of Bob Knight.
The players, even those who threatened to leave with Davis, now accept Sampson as their new leader.
"I like his intensity, his enthusiasm about the game," said forward D.J. White, a former Big Ten freshman of the year. "There's an energy with everything we do, and everything we do is at the highest level."
Off the court, Sampson has had to contend with uneasy issues.
Last spring, he testified in front of an NCAA panel investigating rules violations at Oklahoma, then had to answer questions about his role and the subsequent penalties that prevented him from calling recruits or making in-home visits.
In August, he became the first coach ever punished by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Still, players think fans will be impressed by what they see from their coach Friday night.
"What people are going to see is his demeanor," sophomore forward Ben Allen said. "I think fans are really going to get into the game."
What else will they notice?
A new schedule. There will be an autograph session and slam dunk and 3-point shooting contests for the men's team. The women's team will be introduced, hold a 3-point shooting contest and run drills.
Sampson will speak to the crowd at about 11:30 p.m.
"I can't wait," Sampson said. "I looked up, though, and started getting cold sweats because we've got an exhibition game on Nov. 5 and we don't even have an out-of-bounds play yet."
It's a good bet that will be rectified quickly.
But, for now, Sampson is primarily concerned with getting the Hoosiers ready to play his brand of basketball, a style he believes the passionate fans around this basketball-crazed state will embrace. "You know, this is my 24th year in college basketball, so it's hard for me to approach it any differently," he said. "I'm excited about the first day of practice. ... Every kid is new to me and everything we do is new to them. But it's still basketball."
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USAToday.com

Coach's Corner: Illinois' Bruce Weber on his squad, tourney expansion and more

Illinois head coach Bruce Weber, the national coach of the year in 2004-05 when he led his team to an NCAA record-tying 37 victories and a runner-up finish to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament, is certainy ready to get the 2006-07 season underway. Last year, his Fighting Illini squad reached the second round of the tourney before falling short against Washington. The coach recently talked with USA TODAY's Tim Gardner as his team gets ready to ring in the season with Midnight Madness on Friday night.
Q: Who gets more excited for Midnight Madness, the players or the fans?
A: Well everyone has been looking forward to it for many months, since the end of last season. And it's just that kickoff ? that start of the basketball season ? and I think if you're at a place where basketball is successful, obviously the fans know it's just around the corner when the games will get going.
Q: Looking over the numbers, you have 89 victories in your first three seasons at Illinois, the most ever by a Big Ten coach in his first three years. There are a lot of good names that have flowed through the Big Ten ? how does it feel to be mentioned with, and even above, some of those coaches?
A: Well I just feel very fortunate. We've had a great run and we've had some quality players and we've stayed away from some injuries. I think I have a good staff that is very supportive and just to be included in the history of the best Big Ten coaches is truly an honor.
Q: Going a bit further, in the last five years you trail only Mike Krzyzewski at Duke in victories with 141 (Coach K has 150). That's another big name to be mentioned with, no?
A: Yea, I'd say he's one of the tops of all-time. You know, and it's not only him, but just their program. When you talk college basketball in the last 20-25 years, definitely Duke is one of the top two or three programs you're going to mention. So if we're right on his heels, I think we're doing something pretty special.
Q: Last year, your guys had another pretty good run but you lose two leaders from that team in Dee Brown and James Augustine. Who do you see on your team now that can step into those leadership roles?
A: Well I think that's a big thing, the leadership. When you look at the national championship game two years ago, all five of our starters are on NBA rosters right now. So you lost good players that were experienced guys. They had great leadership and now we have to, you know, find some guys that will step up. I think Brian Randle started to step up last year and became a little more confident after having the injury the year before. He kind of got his feet wet as the season went on and played a bigger and bigger role for us. Jamar Smith had a great freshman year, and I think those two guys are your talented guys, but you also have to rely on your seniors in Marcus Arnold, Warren Carter and Rich McBride. And I always tell our guys we're no better than our seniors. If they have the best years of their career, usually we're going to have a pretty good season.
Q: You mentioned Brian Randle as a go-to guy this season. But at certain times, a player might be younger or isn't sure if it's his time to step up. Is there a way coaches nudge him a little bit to let them know that it's their time to shine?
A: Well there's no doubt he was in the shadows of some pretty good guys. And then he had the injury and, even last year, he was kind of the third or fourth guy in our rotation in the quality of players we had. And now he's starting to understand that he's our leader, that he's going to have to be our go-to guy, and he's going to have to be consistent. We've done it verbally, but we even talk about doing it in practice. And we're going to have to be more demanding of him. He's going to have to make sure that his teams win in practice, and he performs consistently and has that killer instinct. If we're going to have a chance, we're going to need somebody ? a Brian Randle, one of the seniors or Jamar Smith ? somebody has to step up and be that guy that gives us the leadership and that go-to guy that makes the big basket when we need it.
Q: Another staple of your teams is that they always seem to be very fundamentally sound on the defensive end of the floor. How do you get an offensive-minded player or a player that doesn't necessarily understand the system to buy into what you're teaching defensively?
A: For one, we really pressure. And all of our guys have a goal of being an NBA player and we talk a lot about not giving the NBA teams an excuse for you not making it. And part of the complete package is not only being a great offensive player but also being a good defensive player, too. That might be the difference in whether a player makes it or not. So I try to use that as a motivator and, along with that, good teams that are champions usually have to play great defense. I think our guys got sold on it and it's carried over from one group to the next. And our staff does a great job of emphasizing it. You know, if I'm working on offense, I've got one or two coaches on the side trying to make sure our guys play good defense so they are consistent and take a lot of pride in it.
Q: Playing in the Big Ten, you're in a one heck of a group of coaches with Kelvin Sampson joining the conference. And you've got Tom Izzo, Steve Alford ? the list goes on. Is there a certain coach that you enjoy facing the most?
A: I always enjoy going against Tom Izzo. He's a longtime friend, and, of course, the relationship started when we were both assistants. I was at Purdue and he was at Michigan State and our bosses, Jud Heathcote and Gene Keady, were good friends and good rivals, and I think we started a nice rivalry there that has continued on now with both of us taking over, myself at Illinois and Tom at Michigan State. And when you talk about the top programs in the country, what Tom has done at Michigan State is just amazing with four Final Fours, the Big Ten championships, the NBA prospects. He's just had a great run. So year in and year out, the Spartans are going to be up there along with Wisconsin. And if you can beat the Tom Izzos or the Bo Ryans, then you have a chance to be in that race.
Q: You mentioned Coach Gene Keady and you were on his staff for quite a few years at Purdue. What are some of the core values you learned under him?
A: I think besides teaching you about winning basketball ? he came through the Eddie Sutton tree of coaching and of defense and good shot selection, things like that ? Coach Keady is so great with the players and he was known to get the most out of their talent, get them to play hard all the time and get them to play great defense and play their role. That's what I think I learned more than anything. Beyond that, just the life skills that you can share as a coach with the players. I think if kids see that you truly care about them more than just as a basketball player, then you're going to get them do to some things on the court and be more successful as a person, a student and a player.
Q: Is there a certain arena or venue that you like going to where the crowd gets on you, whether it's mean or not? Is there a place that you just can't wait to walk out of the tunnel?
A: Well, obviously, our place is pretty good, but they're cheering for us. We've had great success there. I think it's the best in the country over the last three years and also over the last six years for a home record. But I think on the road, you have to go to Michigan State. You've got Izzo and the students are great. And the fun thing about those fans there is that they will be yelling at you, talking about your mother and anything they can find that you might have wrong with you. But after the game, those same guys will come up and say, 'Can I take a picture with you, coach?' and 'We love watching your team and competing.' They have fun and they get after you, but at the same time, you know, they're great sports and enjoy college basketball.
I think I have to throw in Wisconsin, too. I'm from Wisconsin and to go into the Kohl Center and win ? we stopped their big win streak a couple years ago ? and their fans and coach Bo Ryan do a great job. Those are two neat places to go.
I always remember my first year, a guy came in my huddle ? I thought it was one of my buddies or something ? and he gave me some words of advice. I looked, and at first I was mad, and then I just started laughing. He had a Packers hat on and I thought, 'Man, if he had enough guts to come in here you have to laugh.'
Q: In the offseason, with George Mason making the Final Four, there was a lot of talk about mid-majors and whether they belonged in the tournament. That sparked talk of expansion. What are your thoughts on expanding the NCAA Tournament?
A: Well I think we need to expand to keep up with the number of teams that are now in Division I. If you really study it closely ? and we've looked at it at our NABC meetings this summer and also at the Final Four ? the number of teams has expanded that can't play in the tournament but we have not kept up with the percentage of teams that get in. And I think there's always going to be somebody unhappy. Our group made a pass for 128 teams, and I think that's a little high, but I think we need another handful of teams to keep up with the percentage of those getting in. The other part we bring up is in football ? half the Division I-A teams get into bowl games and we're nowhere near that percentage. I'm hoping the NCAA will strongly look at adding some teams in the next couple of years.
Q: You said that 128 teams was high. What kind of a number would you recommend?
A: Like I said, now you have the one play-in game. How about having four play-in games? And every No. 1 seed will play a play-in winner so you have some equality there. And you can have one site ? Dayton (Ohio) has been a great site for those first-round games so maybe you could have all those teams go there. And then the mid-major ? or even the high-major that gets left out ? it might save a coach's job. We're always looking out for the coaches and it might make a big difference in the program. I know I sat on the bubble for several years at Southern Illinois and it's not a fun feeling to wait that 10 days to see if you would get in or not.
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