Double dribble: Men
By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published February 19, 2005
MID-MAJORS SMILE FOR ESPN
Northern Iowa coach Greg McDermott absolutely loves ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday, a lineup of nationally televised showdowns between mid-major programs.
It gives his Panthers, the defending Missouri Valley tournament champions, a shot to enhance their resume for NCAA Tournament at-large consideration. The entire selection committee can be watching on ESPN2.
That's something that doesn't happen often for this team.
"This will be the first regular-season game that will ever be broadcast from our campus on national television, so I know our students are excited about it," he said. "I think our community will get behind us. We get to show off a first-class facility in the UNI-Dome. What it does for our institution and the help it will provide us from a recruiting standpoint just to get our name out there a little more is all a positive."
Last year, Western Michigan was viewed as a "bubble team," and coach Steve Hawkins said its Bracket Buster game against College of Charleston was critical. The Broncos won in overtime. (They went on to win the Mid-American tournament to grab an automatic bid to the NCAAs.)
"This year, obviously, we're not in that position; it's a little different for us," he said, referring to a 16-9 record and an RPI at 80, according to collegerpi.com.
His team's chance for an NCAA invite, win or lose today, depends on winning the league tournament. Still, the exposure, the chance to face tough nonconference opponents as a prelude to the league tournament as well as easing the always difficult scheduling process leaves little not to love.
"We really have a tough time scheduling," Hawkins said. "We've called all of the Missouri Valley Conference. We've called all of the Horizon (league). We can't get a home and home schedule started. For ourselves, it's mandatory. We're going to go play Northern Iowa and we know that Northern Iowa is coming back to our place next year in November and that's invaluable."
EAST MEETS WESTToday is a first for the SEC. Since the league expanded to 12 teams and split into divisions, the six teams from the East have never met the six from the West on the same day. Until today.
The matchups, reading from east to west, are Florida at LSU, South Carolina at Alabama, Georgia hosts Auburn, Tennessee at Mississippi, Vanderbilt hosts Arkansas and Kentucky hosts Mississippi State in a nationally televised culmination of the day (ESPN at 9 p.m.). ESPN's new College GameDay will air from Lexington, Ky.
"The SEC East-West Challenge showcases the competitive balance of our league and helps create inter-divisional rivalries within the conference," commissioner Mike Slive said. "I'm hopeful that we can build on this showcase in years to come and make it a staple of our regular-season schedule."
MORE MUST-SEE TVUTEP at No.19 Pacific, midnight, today, ESPN. The last game of the Bracket Buster might be the best. UTEP is one of the better-kept secrets and Pacific is one of the better teams around.
No.5 Wake Forest at No.7 Duke, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sun Sports. The red-hot Demon Deacons won the first meeting, a shootout at home, 92-89. The Blue Devils can beat anybody if they don't get into foul trouble.
OFF THE RIMDespite being ranked No.14, the Utah Utes haven't been on national television much, which has kept star 7-foot forward/center Andrew Bogut flying somewhat under the radar.
But the school struck upon a way to help raise the profile of Bogut, "the Awesome Aussie" and starter for the 2004 Australian Olympic team who has blossomed as a sophomore.
Utah made 850 boomerangs - yes, boomerangs - out of high-quality, stock paper that has vital information, key stats, a glowing testimonial and a Web address (www.utahutes.com/andrewbogut) for updates.
Not exactly high tech, but more unique than a postcard or e-mail. Fitting for someone who is unique.
Bogut, a sophomore, leads the nation with 17 double doubles and averages 20.5 points and a nation-best 11.9 rebounds entering today's game at Air Force. His passing ability and court awareness have been equally crucial for the Utes.
"I've never seen a post player who can make other players around him so much better," first-year Utah coach Ray Giacoletti said. "Point guards, obviously, make their teammates better. We have a post player that makes his teammates better."
The NBA has noticed. As many as 22 scouts have been to a game and Bogut could go No.1. But if it takes a boomerang to get the word out to the rest of us, so be it. Just one complaint. We tried hurling it and it doesn't come back.