College Basketball Capsules: Louisville's Freedom Hall ready for final bow
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When Louisville coach Rick Pitino looked at the schedule and saw the Cardinals would close Freedom Hall against Syracuse, he didn't exactly argue.
Sure, Pitino would have preferred to send out the venerable gym against longtime rival Cincinnati, whose 44 trips to the oddly configured arena are the most by any opponent. Yet Pitino was fine with the Cardinals bidding farewell against the Orange.
Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
"It was fine because they were picked like sixth or seventh in the league," Pitino said. "Now we have the No. 1 team in the country coming in and they're just burying people."
While Pitino doesn't exactly welcome the challenge, he appreciates the circumstances.
Perhaps it's only right that one of college basketball's palaces — a place that has hosted six national championship games, a handful of NCAA tournament regional finals and 683 Louisville victories — goes out in a game with so much on the line.
The Cardinals (19-11, 10-7 Big East) likely need a victory to assure themselves a berth in the NCAA tournament. The Orange (28-2, 15-2) can cap a remarkable regular season turnaround — remember, they lost to Division II LeMoyne in November — by putting a damper on Louisville's going away party.
"It's a fitting close to a great place," Pitino said. "I think the two greatest places in college basketball are Allen Fieldhouse, where Kansas plays, and Freedom Hall. It's Wrigley field. It's Fenway Park. It's the most charming, cozy place in basketball."
The Cardinals will move to a sparkling new downtown facility next fall, one with all the modern amenities and luxury suites but none of the nostalgia.
"There isn't a bad seat in the place," said former Louisville coach Denny Crum, who led the Cardinals to two national titles and whose name adorns the court. "The atmosphere, there's nothing like it."
Crum would know. He first came to Freedom Hall as an assistant coach under UCLA's John Wooden in 1969, helping the Bruins beat Purdue for the NCAA title.
For all of its dowdy surroundings — the arena is placed in the middle of the state fairgrounds and sandwiched between two massive wings that house everything from motorcycle conventions to tractor pulls and animal shows — Freedom Hall has never lost its ability to create magic.
Pitino stamped himself as one of the game's top young coaches in 1987 when he led Providence to an upset of Georgetown in the NCAA tournament regional final at the Hall. He's led Louisville back to prominence on the same floor, including the Big East regular season and tournament titles a year ago.
Saturday, however, is no time to get nostalgic.
Save that for the introduction of the 1980 and '86 national championship teams and the bevy of All-Americans and stars who will make one final bow during pregame and postgame ceremonies.
For Pitino and the Cardinals there is only the precious present. They were able to revive their season with an unlikely 66-60 win at the Carrier Dome on Valentine's Day, only to follow it up with three more weeks of roller coaster play.
They lost to Georgetown at home by 10 before knocking off Connecticut on the road, only to follow it up with a 21-point loss at Marquette on Tuesday. The game was so discouraging Pitino didn't even bother making his team relive it through video.
"I wanted to say in a good mood," he said with a laugh.
It may be difficult against the Orange, who have a habit of frustrating opponents with their 2-3 zone and their ability to get out in transition.
It's a puzzle the Cardinals solved at the Carrier Dome, holding star Wesley Johnson to 14 points on 5-of-20 shooting while keeping the Orange to their second-lowest total of the season.
If the Cardinals can do it again, they're almost assured of heading back to the NCAAs, no small feat considering Louisville's early losses to Charlotte and Western Carolina.
"We know if we win this game we'll be in the tournament," said senior forward Reggie Delk, one of four seniors playing their final home game. "It gives us advantage because we know we can beat them. At the same time we need to go out there and play the same way."
It'll mean providing consistent effort, something that's been difficult this year. Pitino is done trying to figure the Cardinals out.
"I don't have concrete answers to this basketball team," he said.
He's hoping to find a few on Saturday, when Louisville will attempt to provide one more lasting memory in a gym full of them.
"It will be very nostalgic," he said. "It will be a great memory for all of us to say we were a part of."
Duke's Scheyer looks for 1st home win against UNC
DURHAM, N.C. — Jon Scheyer doesn't know what it feels like to beat North Carolina on his home court.
The Duke senior better figure out how to do it — and soon — or else the fourth-ranked Blue Devils (25-5, 12-3) probably can forget about winning the Atlantic Coast Conference's regular-season title.
Speaking about his 0-3 career record against the Tar Heels (16-14, 5-10) at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Scheyer said Friday that "there's no doubt we want to turn that tide" in Saturday night's matchup.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski downplayed that bit of recent history because "we have something bigger at stake" — namely, bouncing back from a loss at Maryland and claiming at least a share of the regular-season championship. For the third straight year, the Blue Devils enter their finale with a chance to grab at least part of the title.
"It's more about, we've just come off of a really tough loss, and we want to end our regular season at the highest level," Krzyzewski said. "You can only do that if you win."
Lately, Duke has been unbeatable at Cameron — except when North Carolina makes the eight-mile trip up Tobacco Road to renew college basketball's fiercest rivalry. The Blue Devils are one win away from their 15th perfect finish at home and would set a school record with their 17th home victory.
That's only if they get that last win, which will have to come against the one team that has figured out how to silence the Cameron Crazies.
Duke hasn't beaten the Tar Heels in Durham since 2005 — before North Carolina fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard arrived along with eventual national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough in 2005-06.
"There's no question that it's something that we're very proud of," Ginyard said. "But again, you've just got to get back to remembering why we were so successful there."
The biggest reason, of course, was personnel.
North Carolina had two constants during its four-game winning streak from 2006-09: Hansbrough and Danny Green, two of the only four players to beat Coach K four straight times on the court that now bears his name.
Those seniors — plus standout guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington — departed after winning a national title, and the players who stuck around have spent a difficult season absorbing their share of lumps, though they have won two straight to stay above .500.
But Duke's players insisted that the Tar Heels' struggles haven't taken any of the luster off the rivalry.
"A win against Carolina is a win against Carolina," center Brian Zoubek said. "Just because they're struggling doesn't mean it's going to be any easier of a game. They circle this on their schedule, and we do, too."
Maybe, but there's no question Duke has a lot more on the line. A win by the Blue Devils, who hold the tiebreaker advantage with Maryland, would give them their 12th regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in next week's ACC tournament. The Terrapins face Virginia, which is one game out of the ACC's cellar, in their finale.
It's also the final game at Cameron for Scheyer, Zoubek and Lance Thomas, a senior class that has won 105 games.
"I told (Scheyer), 'I'm going to play like it's my senior game,'" Duke junior Nolan Smith said with a smile, emphasizing that he'll be back for his final season. "I'm definitely going to do that, because I want this for him. ... I know this is his last game, and try to rub that off on the young guys, the freshmen, the sophomores, so that they're not looking ahead to, 'Oh, I have three more years, two more years.'"
Both teams are dealing with the bumps and bruises that generally mark March basketball.
Zoubek, who dislocated his left index finger at Maryland, had gauze wrapped around it on Friday, but both Krzyzewski and the 7-foot-1 center were emphatic that he will play.
North Carolina forward Deon Thompson is battling sore back muscles, an injury coach Roy Williams said was "the biggest question mark" and the 21-year-old Thompson jokingly referred to as "just age, man." Also, swingman Will Graves has been in a boot and has "continually sprained his ankle either every game or in every practice for the last two weeks," Williams said.
Williams expects both to play, and that will make it the 146th game of Thompson's career — breaking Green's 1-year-old school record.
"I'm feeling that they will (play)," Williams said. "I'm not trying to paint a picture — 'Oh, we're not going to have them.' I really think they will, but it's hard to be as effective if you're as limited as they are with what they can do."
-- Joedy McCreary
Arkansas seeks SEC tournament bye
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — With its SEC West title hopes now gone, Arkansas is focusing on less lofty goals heading into its regular-season finale.
With a win over Mississippi on Saturday, the Razorbacks would finish with a .500 conference record, break an ugly four-game losing streak and earn a first-round bye in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
"It's a big game from a couple standpoints," Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said. "I think we all understand what it means in regard to seeding. ... Also, it's Senior Night."
Even after losing five of six, Arkansas (14-16, 7-8 SEC) can pull even with Ole Miss (20-9, 8-7) for second place in the division, and since the Razorbacks beat the Rebels earlier in the season, they'd earn the SEC West's No. 2 seed in the league tournament with a sweep of Ole Miss.
This is an Arkansas team, remember, that won only two league games last season and began 2009-10 amid turmoil and suspensions after a rape allegation that resulted in no charges.
Still, no matter how much Arkansas has improved, this latest stretch has been a disappointment. The Razorbacks are less than a month removed from a five-game winning streak, and now they've taken a step backward. If Arkansas had merely beaten lowly LSU last week, it would still have a chance to draw even with Mississippi State atop the division. Instead, they lost that game and then were blown out at home by Vanderbilt.
After showing signs of life in an 80-73 loss at Tennessee on Wednesday night, Arkansas takes on the Rebels in Fayetteville. It's the final scheduled home game for seniors Mike Washington, Stefan Welsh and Stephen Cox.
"Up to a week ago, we put ourselves in position to compete for the Western Division championship. That's good. That's positive," Pelphrey said. "Obviously, we haven't played very well and certainly haven't been able to win these last few games. We've got some opportunities still out there ahead of us."
The 6-foot-9 Washington came back to school this season after considering an early jump to the NBA, and he's had to fight through injury troubles. He's only fourth on the team in scoring but has earned praise from Pelphrey for his perseverance.
"He's tough. He doesn't like missing practice," Pelphrey said. "He's got one of the highest IQs of anybody I've ever coached. He understands the game, offensively and defensively."
Welsh has received significant playing time since he was a freshman but hasn't started a game in 2009-10. His shooting is still erratic, but he's taken fewer shots this season and provided an occasional spark defensively.
"I think he has really grown over the last two seasons and become more of a leader, finding value of things off the court," Pelphrey said.
One of Arkansas' biggest wins this year — and perhaps in Pelphrey's entire three-season tenure with the Hogs — was an 80-73 victory at Ole Miss in January. The Rebels were ranked No. 18 at the time, but the Razorbacks held guards Chris Warren and Terrico White to 9-of-29 shooting.
That began a stretch of five losses in six games for Ole Miss, but the Rebels have bounced back with three straight victories. They beat LSU 72-59 on Thursday night and will Arkansas less than 48 hours later.
Ole Miss has won 20 games for the third time in four seasons.
"We'll have to be at an all-time high defensively," Pelphrey said. "Ole Miss is playing some good ball right now."
-- Noah Trister
No. 25 Xavier on verge of 4th straight title
CINCINNATI — Jason Love keeps mementos from his college years stored in a box in his room. The collection includes several strands of nylon basketball net, reminders of his three straight championship seasons.
Xavier's lone senior hopes to add a fourth white strand to the box on Saturday.
The 25th-ranked Musketeers will clinch their fourth straight Atlantic 10 regular-season title and cut down the nets again if they beat St. Bonaventure at the Cintas Center on Saturday afternoon. Another title would put Xavier (22-7, 13-2) in exclusive company — only Massachusetts has won four straight A-10 titles — and give its senior another keepsake.
"I keep them stashed away so I can one day show my kids what I did," Love said. "I've got a box in my room of all the stuff I've collected over the years — papers, writings, clip art, letters I've gotten from people. I'm just saving it. It's something to look at when you're up in age, just to reminisce, I guess you could say."
This one might be the sweetest of them all.
Xavier lost three starters off the team that won it all last season, then had coach Sean Miller leave for Arizona. Chris Mack, his top assistant, got the job, and the three-time defending champions got overlooked in the buildup to this season. Dayton was picked to win the conference.
The Musketeers remind themselves of it every day in the locker room. Above Jordan Crawford's locker is a framed copy of a publication that picked Xavier to finish seventh in the Atlantic 10. Next to Kenny Frease's locker is the Sports Illustrated preseason NCAA bracket projection, which doesn't include the Musketeers.
"That's been a motivating factor all season long for me, for our staff, for our players," Mack said. "Like I've said many times, there's a lot of pride in our program."
The young Musketeers struggled early in the season, going 5-3 with close losses to Marquette and Baylor. They've grown as the season has gone along, winning 10 of their last 11 games, including a 76-64 win at Florida. They're tied with No. 20 Temple at 13-2 in the conference.
The Owls play George Washington at home on Saturday. If both teams win, they would share the regular-season title. Temple would get the No. 1 seed in the A-10 tournament because of its 77-72 win over Xavier in Philadelphia on Jan. 20. The teams played only once under the A-10's unbalanced scheduling format.
Xavier has won 23 consecutive home games, tied for the third-longest active streak in Division I. The Musketeers haven't lost an Atlantic 10 game at home since the end of the 2005-06 season, winning their last 31 in a row — three shy of Temple's league record.
It's the first time in school history that Xavier has won 20 games with less than two seniors on the roster. Love will be the focus of Xavier's "senior day" pregame festivities, leaving the Musketeers emotional at the start of their most important game.
"I think any time you're in a situation like this, you have to have some concerns," junior guard Dante Jackson said. "Not to mention that St. Bonaventure (14-14, 7-8) is a good team. They've won their last four, and they're playing really well right now. I think we're a mature enough team that the festivities before the game won't affect us as far as being ready. We've been there and done that through the years."
They hope it ends with another familiar, emotional ritual. If they win, they'll bring out the stepladder and take turns snipping off pieces of net.
"This one for me is definitely going to be something special, being the only senior and it's kind of the last go-around for me," Love said. "So this fourth championship will definitely be something special. I'll always probably remember it more than the first three.
"Not to downplay those three, but I'll definitely cherish this one the most."
-- Joe Kay
NCAA: Miss. St.'s Sidney must repay $11K, sit out
STARKVILLE, Miss. — The NCAA has ruled Mississippi State forward Renardo Sidney will have to repay $11,800 in improper benefits and sit out the remainder of this season and nine games next season if he wants to play for the Bulldogs.
Sidney, a highly regarded recruit who grew up in Jackson, Miss., and played at a Los Angeles high school, received preferential treatment and improper benefits because of his talent, an NCAA statement Friday. The statement also said he violated ethics rules by providing false or misleading statements.
"Our members have made it crystal clear that student-athletes who receive impermissible benefits, either directly or indirectly, and who lie to the NCAA must be held accountable," said Kevin Lennon, vice president for academic and membership affairs.
The 6-foot-10 freshman forward has been with Mississippi State all season, but has only been allowed to practice while the school and NCAA conducted an often contentious investigation.
Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury said the school will appeal the penalty.
"Sid is a great kid and I'm glad we finally have a decision," Stansbury said. "Now we can move forward with the appeal process."
Sidney attorney Don Jackson said the NCAA failed to nail the player on major accusations that his family received free housing and a loan based on Sidney's future earnings potential, so they accused him of lying to cover up wrongdoing. Jackson said the accusation hinges on Sidney's memory lapses of a single trip he took as a ninth-grader five years ago.
The NCAA did not give specifics on the violations.
"It's like charging someone with murder, then when you can't convict them of murder, you turn around and convict them of speeding and charge them with perjury for saying they didn't commit murder," Jackson told The Associated Press.
Jackson also disputes the repayment figure. The NCAA said the investigation found Sidney and his family benefited from money from a nonprofit organization — an AAU basketball team — for personal gain, including free travel and accommodations, athletic gear and training.
Jackson says if Renardo Sidney Sr. took money and used it to buy food for the team's players, but didn't keep proof, the NCAA simply added that to the bill.
"They were basically amounts that (the Sidneys) could not prove how they had been used," Jackson said. "But (the NCAA) could not prove they were being used improperly."
Mississippi State released a statement from Sidney on Friday night.
"I am glad the process is over with," Sidney said. "I can go to sleep knowing I can play next year. I just want everybody to know I'm coming back next year."
Mississippi State athletic director Greg Byrne said in the news release the school will continue to support Sidney.
"We felt from the beginning Renardo deserves the opportunity to be both a student and athlete at Mississippi State, and this is still our belief today," Byrne said.
Women
Hopeless hoops? Youngstown State women are 0-28
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Macey Nortey is a ball of pure energy on the court, zigzagging through defenders with a nice, fluid dribbling style before squeaking to a halt and zipping the ball to an open teammate.
When Youngstown State's point guard took the floor to face Wisconsin-Green Bay on Thursday night, she was a full eight inches shorter than the player who was guarding her.
Working hard, but simply not measuring up — that's the story of the season for Youngstown State.
The misery keeps piling up for the Penguins, who fell to 0-28 after Thursday's 84-45 loss. And if they don't win their regular-season finale at Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Saturday or a first-round game in the Horizon League tournament, they'll become the ninth women's team to go winless for a season in the past 10 years, according to STATS LLC.
"They have a lot of spirit and energy still, for the season that they're going through," Green Bay forward Kayla Tetschlag said. "And I definitely respect that. I just wish them luck. They seem down, but I think they're still trying. They're still going to finish out the season the right way."
Green Bay players said they couldn't imagine what it would be like to face a potentially winless season, and no wonder. With Thursday night's win, the Phoenix clinched a share of their 12th consecutive regular-season league title.
With his team leading 50-15 at halftime, Green Bay coach Matt Bollant didn't talk to his players about on-court strategy adjustments. Instead, he reminded them to be respectful of their opponents; he emptied his bench early in the second half, and Green Bay's backups didn't appear to be trying to run up the score.
"I feel for her," Bollant said of Penguins coach Cindy Martin. "It's a hard situation. Youngstown's not an easy place to recruit to, I'm sure. And I hope they give her an opportunity to get things turned around."
Martin declined an interview request from The Associated Press, and she and her players were not available to reporters after Thursday night's loss.
But Tennessee State coach Tracee Wells can describe what they're going through. Wells' team went 0-27 in the 2005-06 season, but three years later went 18-13 and won a game in their conference tournament.
Wells said she planned to reach out to Martin this week. Her message: Hang in there, because things can turn around.
"It is possible," Wells said. "It takes hard, hard work — and as a coach, you have to be an eternal optimist."
Wells remembers trying to remain positive during her team's winless season. She said she de-emphasized statistics and the importance of reviewing mistakes on game film that year, instead creating highlight clips that showed players doing the right things on the court.
Sure, there were games she knew her team didn't really have a chance of winning. But she only had those conversations behind closed doors with her assistant coaches.
"Every game, we felt like, 'Today is the day,'" Wells said.
But that day never came.
"Once we actually finished the season without a win, the last team meeting, players were asking me, 'Why did we have to go through that? Why would God let that happen?'" Wells said.
Her answer?
"It's going to be greater later," Wells said. "I just kept telling them that."
And it was. They won seven games the following season, 13 in the next. Then came their breakout 2008-09, which included a 13-5 record in conference play and a victory in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
Wells said her players were disappointed after losing in the second round, somehow expecting a Hollywood ending after enduring so many losses.
"When they look back, they don't have to hang their heads at all," Wells said. "Yes, they were the team that didn't win a game. But they also were the team that won a game in the tournament."
With Martin keeping mum, it's unclear how she's handling her team's snowballing losses. She didn't show many outward signs of frustration during Thursday's game, and sporadic posts on her Twitter account seem upbeat.
"Just finished shoot-around, we had a great one!" she posted on Feb. 11. "The ladies are in great spirits and we are excited to play tonight!"
They went on to lose at Butler that night, 82-36.
It's been a rough two-year stretch at Youngstown State for Martin, who was 70-23 in three seasons at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Martin didn't inherit much experience last year, and the Penguins went 3-27. She brought in some players — freshman Brandi Brown has 13 double-doubles and came into Thursday's game leading the Horizon League in rebounding — but injuries have set the team back this season; they dressed only eight players Thursday night.
Still, Martin never stopped coaching.
With 1:54 remaining and the Penguins trailing 82-41, Martin called Nortey over to the bench to diagram a play for the next possession.
"It's difficult to put ourselves in their shoes, definitely," said Green Bay forward Tetschlag. "It takes a very strong person to want to come to practice every day and to want to travel still and play the games. I mean, that's a tough team. Honestly, they are tough girls to want to continue this season and play as hard as they do despite what they're going through. I just respect them very much."
Bollant offered encouragement to Martin after the game, recalling Green Bay's victory in a relatively competitive game at Youngstown State back in January.
"We played them at their place, they played great," Bollant said. "They were up 28-22, their kids were intense and into it. And obviously, the grind of the year can be hard. But I really thought the way they played at their place, they're going to get some wins at home. Unfortunately, that didn't transfer to other games. I just said, 'Hang in there, and good luck on Saturday.' I hope they can get that one."
-- Chris Jenkins
UConn's Charles tabbed Big East player of the year
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut center Tina Charles was selected the Big East's player of the year Friday and gave a lot of the credit to teammate Maya Moore, the reigning national player of the year.
"I know you always wanted to put an emphasis on helping make your teammates better, and that's what you did with me," Charles told Moore during her acceptance speech.
The award was one of several presented between sessions of the first round of the conference tournament.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma shared coach of the year honors with West Virginia's Mike Carey. Georgetown's Sugar Rodgers is the conference's freshman of the year.
The win for Charles, who is averaging more than 18 points and eight rebounds per game, is the third straight for UConn, and the 16th in program history. Moore, who is also averaging more than 18 points a game, took home the last two.
"The difference is that the two years previous, Maya just overwhelmed the league and everybody," said Auriemma, who led the Huskies to a 30-0 record and an 18th regular-season conference championship. "And I think this year, Tina took over that role, and that didn't have anything to do with what Maya didn't do."
A win in Sunday's quarterfinals would give the Huskies 70 consecutive wins, tying the longest streak in women's Division I history.
Moore, who was selected as the conference's scholar-athlete of the year, said neither she nor Charles cares which of them gets the postseason honors.
"We are sisters," Moore said. "And even after we graduate we will always be family and I will always be proud of Tina Charles."
Carey has guided the No. 7 Mountaineers to a 26-4 record and 13 conference wins, the most in team history.
Rodgers, who is averaging more than 18 points per game, is the first Hoya to win the freshman award since Rebekkah Brunson in 2001. She has led the Hoyas to a 25-5 record and a No. 12 record.
"I hope this is just the beginning for the Georgetown program," she said.
-- Pat Eaton-Robb
UNK women's basketball coach stepping down
KEARNEY, Neb. — The head women's basketball coach at Nebraska-Kearney has announced she's stepping down.
A statement from Carol Russell indicates her departure is a mutual decision between her and the school. She says she'll pursue other coaching opportunities.
Russell went 163-79 in her eight years with the Lopers. Under her leadership, the UNK women won two Rockey Mountain Athletic Conference titles and made five appearances in the NCAA tournament.
In 2007, Russell was hailed for her dedication after coaching from the bench five hours after giving birth to her first child.
Prior to coaching at UNK, Russell was an assistant coach at Nebraska, Bradley, Texas-Pan American and Truman State.
