May 20, 2013

March Madness through Wine & Gold glasses

March 31, 2013 by 3 Comments
Kyrie once dropped 28 in a Tournament game.

Kyrie once dropped 28 in a Tournament game.

While I love the NCAA tournament (I mean, who doesn’t love all-day basketball?), I’m always looking out for NBA prospects. NBA is my first love and I just can’t help but filter my college hoops through an NBA lens. This has been especially true in the post-LeBron era, where the Cavs’ crappy records gives them a great shot at selecting the cream of the college crop at the top of the NBA draft.

I’m a huge proponent in the Cavs building through the draft. The Cavs have drafted players like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving (and Brad Daugherty, Terrell Brandon, Ron Harper and Mark Price) while they’ve added guys like Larry Hughes, CJ Miles and Anthony Parker through free agency. The lesson I’ve taken away is that if I want the Cavs to add All-Star talent, it’s (unfortunately) going to have to be through the draft. 1

Now, one of the things I’ve learned over the years is that you can’t necessarily equate a good/great tournament performance into a good NBA player 2 . Some guys like Mateen Cleaves are just great college players. That’s fine. A good tournament run does not an NBA career make.

But what about going the other way? Do NBA All-Stars have crappy NCAA tournament games? A guy like Cody Zeller drops a stink bomb against Syracuse and I’m wondering if that should be a giant red flag or if I should focus more on his complete body of work. It’s the flip side of falling in love with a Big Game performance from someone like Derrick Williams 3 .

The Cavs’ current record 22-49 places them at third-worst in the NBA, giving them the third-best chance at landing that coveted top pick. And since I want the Cavs to draft another All-Star, I’m going to take a look at how the 2013 All-Stars fared in their respective NCAA Tournaments and see if many (or any) of them played poorly.    [Read more...]

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  1. the last All-Star that the Cavs have traded for was Mo Williams (and let’s be honest….). Before that it was Shawn Kemp. Before that, it was Larry Nance. [back]
  2. or we’d still be marveling at the NBA career of Trevor Huffman [back]
  3. let’s take this time to thank anything holy that Chris Grant didn’t put too much stock into Williams’ 2011 tournament performance [back]

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WFNY Stats & Info: Easiest roads to the Final Four

March 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

With Ohio State’s dramatic win over Arizona last night, I’m certain many of you are asking this question: Who else has played only 6 seeds or worse en route to a possible Final Four? As usual, I have the statistical research for the answer today.

Dating back to the start of the 64-team bracket style in 1985, there have been 116 regions including this year. Out of those 116 regional winners that then advanced to the Final Four, Ohio State would be the 11th winner that didn’t play a top-5 seed. Thus, on average, it occurs about every three years. Here’s the list thus far:

Year Region Seed Team W #1 W #2 W #3 W #4 Result?
1986 E. Rutherford 1 Duke 16 8 12 7 Runner-up
1990 Oakland 1 UNLV 16 8 12 11 Champion
1990 Dallas 4 Arkansas 13 12 8 10 Final 4
1991 E. Rutherford 1 N. Carolina 16 9 12 10 Final 4
1993 Seattle 1 Michigan 16 9 12 7 Runner-up
1999 E. Rutherford 1 Duke 16 9 12 6 Runner-up
2001 Atlanta 1 Mich. State 16 9 12 11 Final 4
2004 Phoenix 2 Connecticut 15 7 6 8 Champion
2008 Detroit 1 Kansas 16 8 12 10 Champion

 

I had previously tweeted that Kansas in 2008 was the last such team to accomplish this feat. Their most difficult opponent was a No. 8 seed in the second round, then won in the all 1-seed Final Four. Two other teams — 1991 North Carolina and 2001 Michigan State — didn’t play any teams ranked better than No. 9.

Oddly enough, these teams then went 7-3 in the national semifinals, followed by 3-4 in the championship game. Those numbers obviously are slightly better than just average.

Of course, many high-ranked seeds lost to low seeds en route to their hopeful Final Fours. So these are just the 10 success stories against easy schedules in the first 28 years of the 64-team bracket style.

Ohio State still has one difficult task en route to their second straight Final Four — that’s No. 9 Wichita State, the same one that took down No. 1 Gonzaga last weekend. The Shockers are now ranked #20 in Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency rankings and already had impressive wins over VCU and Creighton during the regular season.

[Related: LaQuintessential! Ross Sends Bucks To Elite 8 on Second Straight GW Shot]

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The Diff: NCAA tournament Sweet 16 odds

March 27, 2013 by 2 Comments

Over the month of March, The Diff has been all about college basketball. First, it was the bubble odds, then an update of said bubble odds, and most recently, initial tournament odds. With the Buckeyes tipping off in the Sweet 16 tomorrow night in Los Angeles, I’m back with another round of updates today.

The Diff

On one side of the argument, it was an exciting weekend for upsets and the average college basketball fan. 15 Florida Gulf Coast shocked the world and their jump into the spotlight almost seems like it has to be a Hollywood script. The success of 9 Wichita State, 12 Oregon and 13 La Salle also has been a fun surprise for many, even if their brackets were busted. Which then brings me to the other side of the argument — the success of stat predictions. I warned last week that I’ve never been very good at brackets. And thus far, the stats have been way off. [Read more...]

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WFNY Stats & Info: Elite 8 of NCAA tournament facts

March 25, 2013 by 4 Comments

There truly is no better time of the year than March Madness, right? Exactly. And that’s why today, after my spree of statistical #tournyhistory tweets @udjrosen last night, I’m here today at WFNY to share some notable facts as we enter the Sweet 16. Here you go with my Elite 8 of neat facts:

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No. 1: The 2 Ohio State-6 Arizona matchup will be the 27th between a 2-seed and a 6-seed since the tournament expanded to the 64-team format in 1985. In the previous 26 matchups, 2-seeds have a 20-6 record. This includes Ohio State’s victory over 6-seed Cincinnati in 2012.

No. 2: The 2013 tournament is the first ever with three 12-or-lower seeds to make the Sweet 16. (h/t @SportsCenter) In fact, a total of 15 teams seeded 9 or lower have made the Sweet 16 in the last four seasons. In the previous six, only 13 such teams had made the Sweet 16. Parity, eh?

No. 3: With three sub-12 seeds making the Sweet 16, I thought it’d be appropriate to rehash how these teams have done in this round: 1-25 (4%) all-time. Yikes. (More on this one win in a moment) It’s then significantly better for 10-11 seeds: 12-48 (20%). Logically, this would be because 12′s or 13′s historically are faced with a more daunting schedule in the regional semifinals.

No. 4: Now, the story of the tournament: the amazing 15-seed Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. They’re obviously the first-ever 15-seed to make the Sweet 16. All-time, since 1985, 15-seeds now have a 7-109 (6%) record in the first round. They’re now 1-6 (14%) in the second round.

No. 5: Keeping with FGCU: Surprisingly, per ESPN, 0.95% of brackets submitted to their website had the Eagles in the Sweet 16. As crazy high as that may seem, it might actually be about right. Out of 116 regions, this is the first 15-seed to make the Sweet 16. So 1/100 is approximately about right. Good job, America.

No. 6: Also a first in 2013: Our first ever matchup between a 9-13. The 9-seed Wichita State Shockers will play the 13-seed La Salle Explorers in Los Angeles for an Elite 8 berth. Lowest-ever seed to make an Elite 8? That would be a 12-seed, once: 2002 Missouri. With an easier than normal matchup, La Salle could break that record.

No. 7: Speaking of La Salle, they became the second First Four team to advance all the way to the Sweet 16. Of course, 11-seed VCU also accomplished that feat in 2011 all the way to the Final Four. Also including 12-seed South Florida’s first-round upset in 2012, that makes First Four winners a combined 7-5 in three seasons (thus far).

No. 8: Finally, a nod to the only 1-seed that bowed out over the weekend: Gonzaga. The ‘Zags have actually made it to 15 consecutive NCAA tournaments, but only appeared in one Elite 8. Their record by round: 13-2 in Round of 64; 5-8 in Round of 32; 1-4 in Sweet 16; 0-1 in Elite 8. As my friend Nate pointed out too, that lone Elite 8 was actually the first of these 15 years as a 10-seed in 1999.

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[Related: The Diff: Ohio State’s March Madness odds]

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NCAA Tournament: Statement on Ohio State-Iowa State charge

March 24, 2013 by 7 Comments

The NCAA has released an official statement on the controversial charge call from the end of today’s Ohio State-Iowa State third round game in Dayton.

Here is the response from John Adams, NCAA National Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating, that was sent out to the media this afternoon:

“I spoke with the official, and he determined the defender established legal guarding position outside the restricted area prior to the offensive player leaving the floor to start his shot. When asked, the official said he did not see the defender’s foot over the restricted area line. By rule, this is not a reviewable play.”

Moments after this supposed charge was taken by Aaron Craft, he nailed a three-pointer that sent the Buckeyes to the Sweet 16 in Los Angeles. Our friends at SB Nation have an excellent review as well of the detailed nuances behind this NCAA decision.

[Related: Animated: Aaron Craft sends Ohio State to the Sweet 16]

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While We’re Waiting… A conversation with Mark Shapiro

March 24, 2013 by 2 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

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Our friends at The DiaTribe had a neat opportunity of a sit-down with Mark Shapiro. Here is Shapiro’s first quote: “‘Yeah, if you define active by spending money. This is my 22nd season with the team, and there’s never been anything of this magnitude. It’s clearly both a statement and effort by ownership. This isn’t just a front office effort. We identify players, make recommendations and provide alternative plans and they ultimately make the decisions. With both Swisher and Bourn, Paul Dolan was extremely involved and assertive in our efforts to get those players.’” [Al Ciammaichella] [Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting… 20 years since Indians tragedy

March 23, 2013 by 2 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

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20 years ago yesterday. Nice story from our friends at DTTWBL: “Whenever a loved one is lost, the memory of that moment seems endless. It’s hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that the Olin, Crews and Cleveland Indians families all lost people that they loved.” [Steve Eby/Did The Tribe Win Last Night?] [Read more...]

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The Diff: Ohio State’s March Madness odds

March 20, 2013 by 7 Comments

As a reminder, The Diff is your weekly Wednesday look into the world of sports statistics. This week’s edition is already my 10th such post at WFNY. In last week’s edition, I shared some updates about the Cavs, Indians, NFL Draft and March Madness. Now, with the bracket set, I’m back again this week to discuss what it all means for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Diff

Some of you may know that I have a bit of a history with NCAA tournament projections. No, it doesn’t only go back to as far as my version of The Diff two weeks ago about NCAA tournament math. Nor does it merely go back to my days writing at my own blog called The Sports Report and featuring lots of college basketball content. In actuality, it goes back to as early as March 2007 and David Lee Morgan Jr.’s article about me in the Akron Beacon Journal. To make a long story short, however, for being a statistically minded person, I’m actually ended up being pretty awful at bracket predictions. [Read more...]

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Final Four: Enter WFNY’s NCAA Tournament Challenge

March 19, 2013 by 15 Comments

We had hoped of getting this to the masses earlier this week, but better late than never.

final-four-logo-2013-ncaa-tournament-atlanta

The details are as follows:

  1. You’ll want to go here — Yahoo! Sports Tournament Pick’em
  2. If there are issues, the group number is 173147; the password is wfny
  3. Winner will get a slew of WFNY swag thrown their way. We have shirts, stickers, stuff…we’ll take care of you. We always do.
  4. Use your commenter handle where appropriate — it’s always nice to relate.
  5. Tell your friends. The more the merrier!

Good luck, kids. Go Buckeyes.

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While We’re Waiting…Trading Asdrubal, and the emergence of Shannon Scott

March 16, 2013 by 2 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

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“The thought of trading Cabrera was mentioned several times in the offseason, especially after the Indians signed Mike Aviles. His name came up in talks with the Cardinals and the Phillies and Chris Antonetti no doubt fielded calls from a couple other teams, most likely the Red Sox because they’ve had a black hole at short since Nomar Garciaparra was traded.

The front office has to stay on the move, maximizing potential and selling high. And in keeping Cabrera this long they might have already missed that chance on a guy who wasn’t even all that heralded out of the minors for much besides his glove. The best time to trade him would have been after the 2011 season: His stock was through the roof after he’d hit 25 homers with a .792 OPS. His on-base numbers have been fading a bit, from a .361 peak in 2009 down to .338 last season, but that’s more than average and he’s had an OPS+ over 110 every year save 2010 when he broke his arm.” [Rohlfing/Wahoo's on First]

[Read more...]

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The Diff: Cavs, Indians, NFL Draft and March Madness

March 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Last week, I was all excited about the NCAA tournament and breaking down the bubble picture. I’ll have a little bit more March Madness today, but also wanted to share a few other stats-related sports thoughts about the Cavs, Indians and Browns. Hope you enjoy.

The Diff

– The Cavs’ much improved turnover ratio

While I’ve written about this topic several times already in the last month (here on 2/20, here on 2/26 and here on 3/2), I don’t think it’s still that clear to the average fan: The biggest in-season improvement for the Cavaliers has been in lowering their turnover rate. [Read more...]

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WFNY Stats & Info: NCAA tournament bubble update – March 11

March 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment

On Wednesday this past week, my latest edition of The Diff covered some aggregate math for NCAA tournament bracket and bubble predictions. I’ve been keeping track all week — and posting occasional thoughts on Twitter @udjrosen — so I thought I’d share a brief weekend update on bubble teams for today.

Overall, things went fairly ho-hum for the general bubble outlook since last Wednesday. Bubble teams were happy with Belmont‘s Saturday victory in the Ohio Valley Championship. The Bears would have been a potentially fearsome bubble team with a very solid strength of schedule for a mid-major.

Then, the expected tournament championship matchups again fell into place for the Missouri Valley and West Coast conferences, the two conferences many expect to have exactly 2 teams in the tournament: Creighton-Wichita State (won by the Jays on Sunday) and Gonzaga-St. Mary’s (to take place Monday). Such chalk movement was again a helpful break for resident bubble teams, as both teams were practical tournament locks already.

But then, there was finally some unexpected movement in the bubble race on Sunday evening: heavy conference favorite Middle Tennessee lost in the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament. The Blue Raiders were an automatic qualifier and 11 or 12-seed in all five brackets I sampled as of Saturday evening, theoretically placing them right in the thick of the bubble race. They now join the bubble fold while Florida International moves on in the Sun Belt tourny.

Thus, without further narratives, here’s the table with a new approach of looking at the bubble. These aggregate bracket projections are as of Saturday evening. At the moment, these bubble teams (plus now Middle Tennessee) are fighting for the final 8 spots:

# Team Conf. Lunardi Stevens Palm Nolan Bracketville
1 Saint Mary’s WCC IN IN IN IN Last 5 In
2 Temple A-10 Last 4 In  IN IN IN IN
3 Villanova Big East IN IN IN Last 4 In  IN
4 La Salle A-10 IN IN Last 4 In  IN Last 5 In
5 Boise State MWC Last 4 In  Last 4 In  IN Last 4 In  IN
6 Iowa State Big 12 IN Last 4 In  Last 4 In  Last 4 In  Last 5 In
7 Tennessee SEC Last 4 In  Last 4 In  Last 4 In  First 4 Out  Last 5 In
8 Virginia ACC Last 4 In  First 4 Out  OUT IN Last 5 In
9 Kentucky SEC Next 4 Out Last 4 In  Last 4 In  Last 4 In  First 5 Out
10 Ole Miss SEC First 4 Out  First 4 Out  First 4 Out  First 4 Out  First 5 Out
11 Alabama SEC First 4 Out  First 4 Out  First 4 Out  OUT First 5 Out
12 Massachusetts A-10 OUT First 4 Out  First 4 Out  OUT First 5 Out

 

As one can quickly tell, each of the top 6 teams in this outlook all made the tournament as at-large teams each time. Then, the true debate comes into play with the next three teams — Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky — who went back-and-forth with tournament entry in the proverbial final two slots. Middle Tennessee likely will be right in this final mix too.

With very few of these teams — only St. Mary’s tonight in the West Coast championship — in action until Wednesday, I’ll share another update by then to discuss how these teams did this past weekend, what they might need to still do in order to push the committee’s hand a bit more and additional peripheral games to keep an eye on as it relates to the bubble. I thought it would just be helpful for the WFNY readership again today to see my math and line of thinking for the NCAA tournament bubble picture.

[Related: The Diff: NCAA tournament bracket math]

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The Diff: NCAA tournament bracket math

March 6, 2013 by 11 Comments

Hope you had fun reading through an abbreviated version of my thesis research on baseball attendance last week. I could talk about projected Cleveland Indians attendance numbers all day, especially with an Akron Aeros tie-in. Now, this week, we’re heading over to college basketball.

The Diff

March means madness. It’s one of the most fun sports times of the year. I’m personally a huge basketball fan, but when it’s do-or-die in the NCAA tournament, it’s perfect for any fan. But yet, I have an issue with the way bracket predictions are portrayed in the media. So I’ll cover today. And closest to home here in Northeast Ohio, we have the Akron Zips. In order to follow up on my Sunday article about their success, I’ll have a more thorough look at their NCAA odds today. Hope you enjoy. [Read more...]

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Despite loss, Akron Zips still an NCAA tournament threat

March 3, 2013 by 3 Comments

keith dambrotAll good things must come to an end eventually. And for the Mid-American Conference’s Akron Zips, that had to mean its 19-game winning streak, the longest of the 2012-13 college basketball season.

The run ended Saturday night at Buffalo, a tough setting in the past for Keith Dambrot’s teams. The Bulls built an early lead and expanded it in the second half, but unlike every game since Dec. 25, there was no miraculous last-minute run for 23-5 UA. The final scoreboard read 81-67 for the Bulls.

For many, the loss was half-disappointing and half-celebration-worthy. Obviously, the streak elevated the national stature of the Zips. They were ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll last week, the first ranked team in school history. Nearly every major sports outlet was writing about them too — from Sporting News to the front page of USA Today even to ESPN’s Dickie V.

But in a way, the loss was cleansing. There is now no more pressure. The unsung team gets a completely clean slate. And all that matters again are those NCAA tournament hopes. [Read more...]

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College Basketball: Akron listed among 10 likely Cinderellas

February 24, 2013 by 11 Comments

Owning the longest winning streak in the nation, it’s about time the University of Akron Zips earned some national recognition.

Just before the Zips won their 18th straight game (tied for longest in men’s basketball this season) in Friday night’s unfortunate home BracketBuster matchup with North Dakota State, ESPN’s Jordan Brenner listed the team as the 10th most likely Cinderella candidate for March Madness. Brenner’s ranking utilized ESPN’s noted Giant Killer formula which hopes to emphasize key characteristics of mid-major schools that make them likely to upset some major-conference opponent in March.

Akron is now 22-4 overall and a perfect 12-0 in MAC play. Led by senior center Zeke Marshall (12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 65.5% shooting), the team is hoping to make its third NCAA Tournament appearance in five years. They previously lost their first tournament games 77-64 to 4-seed Gonzaga in 2009 and 69-56 to 2-seed Notre Dame in 2011.

Keith Dambrot’s team also could find its way into the tournament as an at-large team. The only way it would be possible is if Akron wins its remaining four regular-season games, advances to the MAC finals (they’ve already clinched a bye until the semifinals), lose in a championship heart-breaker (again, a la 2007, 2010 and 2012), then receive some extraordinary outside help. As of Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology update, the Zips are listed as 13 seed yet only one team outside of the at-large demarcation line.

Next up on UA’s schedule: A rematch in Athens against defending MAC champion Ohio (20-7, 11-1). Akron won 86-72 in the first season matchup at the JAR on Feb. 2. The Bobcats were the clear-cut conference favorite, and only have that one conference loss, yet just got beat badly 81-62 at Belmont in a BracketBuster matchup on Saturday.

[Related: While We're Waiting... Keith Dambrot's sensational story]

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Cleveland and Columbus awarded March Madness rounds in 2015

November 12, 2012 by 5 Comments

Cleveland, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio are two of the 25 cities awarded as preliminary round sites for the 2014 and 2015 Division I men’s basketball tournament, endeared to many as “March Madness.”

Tradition will continue on as Dayton, Ohio will host the “First Four” during both tournaments with the games being played at UD Arena. Cleveland and Columbus will host games during the 2015 tournament with Columbus playing host to the second and third rounds at Nationwide Arena, and Cleveland — represented by the Mid-American Conference — playing host to the Midwest Regional. These games will take place at Quicken Loans Arena. The other three regional sites will be Los Angeles, Houston and Syracuse.

“The bid process was as competitive as ever, with 53 cities expressing the desire to be a part of one of the world’s premier sporting events,” NCAA vice president of men’s basketball Dan Gavitt said via press release. “We are thrilled for our hosts for the ’14 and ’15 tournaments, as they include a mix of cities that have proven over the course of several decades how to stage this great event, as well as cities that have come on to the scene in recent years and have embraced the tournament.”

[Related:  Buckeyes Must Look To Defense, Team Effort To Contend For Title]

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Kent State One Win Away from Super Regionals

June 3, 2012 by 3 Comments

A surprising story continues to unfold over in Gary, Ind. The Kent State Golden Flashes, the No. 3 seed in the region, played in a historic 21-inning game in their first matchup. The Flashes won that battle 7-6 over No. 2 seed Kentucky to advance to the winner’s side.

From there, KSU just defeated No. 1 Purdue to bring its winning streak to 19 games. Here’s more from the Plain Dealer’s Elton Alexander:

A five-run second inning was the catalyst for Kent (43-17). The rally started with a two-out, two-strike single from Alex Miklos and did not end until after KSU had brought nine players to the plate.

“It was just one of those nights,” Purdue coach Doug Schreiber said. “They bunched hits together with two outs. Give them credit. They’re definitely a good offensive team.” Kent finished the game with 13 hits and three walks, while limiting strikeouts to just five.

Later today, KSU will play the winner of Kentucky and Purdue. Kent State will have the advantage of just needing to win one out of a possible two games, because of the usual double elimination format, in order to advance to the 16-team Super Regionals. The eight winners of best-of-three Super Regional series then advance to the College World Series in Omaha.

The Flashes are the only Ohio team remaining in NCAA contention. The Dayton Flyers, a No. 4 out in College Station, Texas, were eliminated with a 28-12 loss yesterday to TCU.

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Kent State’s NCAA Tournament Win Sets Record

June 2, 2012 by 2 Comments

The local Kent State Golden Flashes won their NCAA tournament game last night against the University of Kentucky. But that’s not just the notable bit from their opening game, as KSU defeated UK by the score of 7-6 in 21 innings. That’s not a misprint. Let’s head over to Elton Alexander and the Cleveland Plain Dealer to see how this one broke down:

Lefty Michael Clark got the strikeout he needed with two on and two out in the 21st inning to give Kent State a marathon 7-6 victory in the opening game of Gary Regional of the NCAA Baseball Tournament. It was the 18th straight win for Kent, and the second-longest game in NCAA Tournament history on a snappy cool afternoon under gray skies at U.S. Steel Yard Stadium.

Wow. The game’s box score even made SportsCenter last night, not too long after they recapped the Miami-Boston game, Johan Santana’s no-hitter and the no-hitter by a Florida player in the NCAA tournament. Kudos to the Flashes, and we’ll keep you updated a bit as they continue their hopeful run to Omaha as a No. 3 seed in the Gary, Ind., region.

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Deshaun Thomas Announces Return to Ohio State Basketball Team

April 6, 2012 by 3 Comments

The Ohio State University formally announced today that forward Deshaun Thomas will return next year for his junior season for the men’s basketball team. Thomas, a 6-foot-7 starter, blossomed in February and March for the Buckeyes on the team’s path to the Final Four. He is expected to be a key offensive option for head coach Thad Matta next year after sophomore forward Jared Sullinger announced his departure for the NBA earlier this week.

Thomas averaged 15.9 points on 52 percent shooting with 5.4 rebounds in starting all 39 games this past season. He averaged 19.2 and 7.4 during the final 13 games of the season. However, he struggled with just 9 points and 4 rebounds in OSU’s national semifinal loss to Kansas on March 31, his first single-digit scoring game since a Feb. 11 loss to Michigan State.

Senior guard William Buford is the other notable departure from this year’s team. Also returning next season will be two other starters, guards Aaron Craft and Lenzelle Smith Jr. The Buckeyes are expected to begin the season ranked in the top 25, but likely not in the top 5.

Source: [Ohio State athletics]

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Canton’s CJ McCollum Discusses MAC Scholarship Snubs

March 18, 2012 by 3 Comments

Canton GlenOak’s CJ McCollum is the face of all things March Madness following Lehigh’s upset of Duke earlier this weekend. Now garnering national attention, McCollum — he of the top-five in NCAA Division I scoring — has turned the tables in a recent discussion about the local Ohio schools that chose a different path when it came to handing out scholarship offers.

Per Yahoo!’s Derek Samson:

It’s not about McCollum, who went to GlenOak High in Plain Township, Ohio, being snubbed by the local Big Ten bullies, either. It’s about not being good enough for the MAC.

Akron was interested.

“They obviously only had one scholarship offer. They gave it to [7-foot center] Zeke Marshall,” McCollum said.

Fun stat: Marshall averaged 10.4 points per game this season.

Kent State gave him a look.

“But they offered it to [guard] Randal Holt.”

Fun stat: Holt averaged 12.7 points per game this season.

Miami (Ohio) recruited him a bit.

“But they didn’t offer me.”

Really fun stat: The RedHawks finished 9-21 this season.

So, McCollum settled for Lehigh and the Patriot League. Think the MAC schools might regret that one?

Obviously a scorer, the Lehigh standout is a shooting guard in a point guard’s body. McCollum admits that he was undersized and “a bit chubby” in high school and throughout the AAU circuit, but the 6-foot-3-inch guard has since had a bit of a growth spurt.

Two seasons ago, McCollum put up a Herculean effort in a NCAA Tournament loss to Kansas. This time around, his efforts bared fruit as he is a Sunday win away from the Sweet 16 — just not for a representative from the MAC.

[Related: Craft Elevates His Game, Buckeyes Advance To Sweet 16]

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