ESPN ONTO ODU!!!

THE SHRINK · Nov 15, 2005

Updated: Nov. 14, 2005, 3:55 PM ET

Mids to keep an eye on this season

By ESPN.com experts




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</td></tr><tr><td width=2></td><td width=372><font face="arial" size="-2" color="#666666">-->Who has the best chance of become this season's Wisconsin-Milwaukee? Our experts provide three mid-majors to watch:

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Jay Bilas | Fran Fraschilla | Doug Gottlieb | Andy Katz

<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=530 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=5><CENTER>Bilas' three mid-majors</CENTER></TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="100%">

1. Western Kentucky
With a tough opening slate, the Hilltoppers have an opportunity to gain some attention early -- and the talent to win their way into the NCAA Tournament late. WKU has Anthony Winchester, who can really shoot it and is a good guard rebounder; Tennessee transfer Elgrace Wilborn, who is an athletic shot-blocker and rebounder; and athletic Courtney Lee.

2. Old Dominion
There is little discussion over the best team in the Colonial this season. Hands down, it is Blaine Taylor's experienced and talented squad at ODU. The Monarchs have five of the best players in the league, including Alex Loughton, the Colonial Player of the Year. ODU showed it was capable of competing with any big shot in the country last year, and this year, Taylor's veterans should feel more comfortable thinking bigger.

3. Ohio
Tim O'Shea's stars were young last year, but he still guided the Bobcats to the NCAA Tournament. Now, with more experience and seasoning, Ohio should be even better. Leon Williams is productive and fearless; Jeremy Fears can run a team and score; Sonny Troutman is a threat; and Mychal Green can shoot it. However, being better in the MAC is not enough -- Ohio has to be tougher, too.
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MadCapper · Nov 15, 2005

Beautiful!!! They listen to THE $HRINK!

wantitall4moi · Nov 15, 2005

Will make letting Shrink and the sheep betting them into oblivion and taking the other side very profitable in conference games I guess :mutley

JJGOLD · Nov 15, 2005

If Shrink bets ODU the value can be on the other side only because line is going to get inflated.

colhoopsman · Nov 15, 2005

the cats out of the bag

THE SHRINK · Nov 15, 2005

And FOX SPORTS HAS ODU RANKED AS THE #1 MID MAJOR THIS YEAR!!!

And FOX SPORTS HAS ODU RANKED AS THE #1 MID MAJOR THIS YEAR!!!

<TABLE class=bdy cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=770 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><b>Old Dominion tops among mid-majors </b>

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=440 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Yoni Cohen / Special to FOXSports.com
<SCRIPT> // front-end hack to remove postedTime from Rumors page until a better way can be determined if (document.URL.indexOf("/name/FS/rumors") != -1) document.getElementById("postedTime").style.display = 'none'; </SCRIPT> </TD><TD width=10> </TD><TD align=right><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=bdy cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=770 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=5></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=bdy cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=770 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=10></TD><TD width=440><SCRIPT> if(fanid.length > 0 && typeof(nflDefaultLeague)!= "undefined") { leagueId = nflDefaultLeague; //find teamId of default league (if exists) for(var i=0; i < teamsInfo.length; i++){ if(teamsInfo[4] == leagueId){ defaultTeamId = teamsInfo[0]; } } var fantasyLeaguePlayerJsPath = 'http://msnfantasy.foxsports.com' + '/nugget/200002_' + leagueId + '|||' + fanid; document.write('<scr' + 'ipt language="JavaScript1.2" src="' + fantasyLeaguePlayerJsPath + '" type="text/javascript"></scr' + 'ipt>'); } </SCRIPT>Thirty years later, coaches, fans, players, and pundits still can't agree on the definition of a "mid-major."

Employed since at least the mid-1970's, the term has become increasingly popular over the last decade. But does "mid-major" describe a school, a conference or both?

Gonzaga and Memphis — both among the dozen best college basketball teams in the country according to the preseason coaches' poll — play in conferences assured neither a BCS bid in football nor multiple NCAA Tournament invites in basketball. Yet the 'Zags have over the past seven seasons won more games, 10, during March Madness than the overwhelming majority of ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC squads. This year's Tigers look to be better than last year's edition. But is Memphis suddenly a "mid-major" thanks to conference realignment? John Calipari and the members of his Top 10 recruiting class beg to differ.
The safest definition therefore echoes Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart; I know a "mid-major" when I see it. Ditto for the Top 10 "mid-majors." Come March, more than one of the teams below will play David to a highly seeded Goliath.

1. Old Dominion

<b>The Monarchs return four starters and all but one letterman from last year's 28-win squad. The secret to Blaine Taylor's success? Teaching his players to commit fewer and cause more turnovers than hundreds of Division I clubs. Reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year Alex Loughton (14.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg), a versatile and hot-shooting 6-foot-9 Australian forward, will anchor ODU's balanced attack. After a summer with the Australian National Team, Loughton this fall returned to campus with six percent less body fat.

Valdas Vasylius (9.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg), last season as solid a sixth man as any, should this year start and pack additional punch. Look for Vasylius, a rugged 6-foot-7 Lithuanian forward, to be among the CAA's most improved players. Completing the Monarch's international frontline is Arnaud Dahi (10.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg), a well-rounded 6-7 Ivorian forward and the CAA's most accurate shot.
Senior guard Isiah Hunter (10.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) keeps defenses honest from outside while junior point

Drew Williamson (6.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg) puts up an assist-to-turnover ratio, 4.0, that makes Texas' Daniel Gibson jealous. Though offensive production suffers when coach Taylor goes to his bench, three lettermen return after last year averaging more than 10 minutes a game. Further, Sam Harris (1.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg), a 7-foot-3 Australian center, is after a productive summer ready to help neutralize major-conference frontlines.

Sling and Stone: Experience. Old Dominion will start two seniors and three juniors. After last year defeating TCU and St. Joseph's and nearly upending Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament, the Monarchs are unlikely to bow down before elite competition. A four game December stretch against DePaul, Richmond, UAB, and Virginia Tech may knock ODU out of the Top 25 ranking it should by then occupy, but will also prepare Loughton & Co. for March Madness. </b>

2. Northern Iowa

How do I like the Panthers? Let me count the ways. First, coach Greg McDermott returns all five starters from last year's NCAA Tournament squad. Second, Wooden Award nominee Ben Jacobson (17.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg) shoots nearly five percent better from behind the arc than does Duke's J.J. Redick. Third, Northern Iowa sports three additional double-digit contributors, guard Erik Crawford (13.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg), center Eric Coleman (10.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg), and forward Grant Stout (11.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg). Fourth, the Panthers play in a deep and talented conference and should be battle-tested come postseason play. The Missouri Valley last year sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament and two more to the NIT.
Need more evidence UNI will be ready for the postseason? Consider the Panthers' games against Iowa State, Iowa, LSU, and Western Michigan. Concerned about UNI's bench? You and me both. But better questions about the second five than the first.
Sling and Stone: Coaching. Greg McDermott will soon be offered a one-way ticket out of Cedar Falls. How do I know? (Apart from his ever increasing win totals?) McDermott has for two seasons running gotten his Panthers to be both among the NCAA's 25 best defensive and 25 worst offensive rebounding clubs. Why is such an interesting observation significant? Because it provides evidence that Greg has a method to his madness — and a system his players embrace.

3. Creighton

Recall Kyle Korver leading the Bluejays to 29 wins and a 26 RPI rating in his final season? No? You're in luck. Seniors Nate Funk (17.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Johnny Mathies (11.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg) should this year help Creighton approach if not replicate a similar stunt. Though the Bluejays lost invaluable point guard Tyler McKinney, seven of Dana Altman's top nine contributors return. Gonzaga's Mark Few gets all the publicity for eschewing major-conference money. But Altman could also have left for greener pastures long ago.
The frontcourt should this year be much-improved now that both starters, 6-foot-8 Dane Watts (6.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg) and 6-foot-8 Antony Tolliver (3.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg), have a year of significant experience under their belt. Better rebounding is a must; Creighton last year grabbed four rebounds fewer a game than did its opponents. How did the BlueJays compensate? By scoring more points per possession than all but 18 other Division I clubs.
Sling and Stone: Nate Funk. Creighton's guard is a contradiction in terms; for an outside shooter, Nate doesn't get in many cold-handed funks. Rather, the Bluejays' prolific guard is rock-solid reliable. Equally as important, he remains a work in progress. In each of the past two seasons, Nate's bettered his previous year's totals by an average of about seven points and two rebounds a game. How so? In part by annually becoming more accurate from the charity stripe and long range.

4. Ohio

Experienced? Check. The Bobcats return their top four scorers. Resilient? Check. Ohio rallied from 19 down to last year to defeat Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship. Deep? Check. In addition to four starters, Tim O'Shea returns a key reserve and welcomes several impact recruits. Clutch? Check. Of the Bobcats final 13 victories last season, 11 were by single digits.
No academic slouch, Mychal Green (15.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) is a versatile senior guard sure to give opposing teams fits. His partner in crime, point Jeremy Fears (11.0 ppg, 3.7 apg) looks to be much improved in his sophomore season. Forwards Sonnny Troutman (12.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and Leon Williams (11.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg) balance the Bobcats attack.
Sling and Stone: Free throws. The Bobcats know how to 'manufacture' points. Last year all five starters made at least 100 trips to the free throw line, enabling Ohio to generate more points from the charity stripe than all but seven NCAA clubs. Come postseason play, the ability to accumulate freebies will again prove invaluable.

5. Oral Roberts

Second to Illinois, the Golden Eagles won more games, 14, away from home than any other Division I club. Thanks to the return of Caleb Green (19.4 ppg, 9.3 rpg) and Ken Tuff (17.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Scott Sutton's club is again well positioned to dominate the Mid-Continent Conference. ORU's lone loss of consequence, all-time assists leader Luke Spencer-Gardner, may turn out to be easily replaceable. Jonathan Bluitt (7.5 ppg, 5.4 apg) last year capably spelled Spencer-Gardner when necessary.
Sling and Stone: Motivation. After last year losing to Oakland in the Mid-Con Tournament Finals, the Golden Eagles will this year keep their eyes on the prize. Don't expect Sutton's club to in March settle for anything less than the NCAA Tournament.

6. Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Coach Bruce Pearl and leading scorer Ed McCants are gone. But experienced Bo Ryan disciple Rob Jeter has arrived ready to lead the four returning starters back into the NCAA Tournament. Forward Joah Tucker (16.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg), the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year, is likely to build upon his NCAA Tournament outburst. In wins over Alabama and Boston College and a loss to Illinois, Tucker averaged 25.1 points.
Likewise a threat to replace McCants' production, senior guard Boo Davis (10.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg) is an accurate outside shot sure to complement Adrian Tigert's (9.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg) slowly maturing inside game. Think Bruce left Jeter a pearl earring? Think again. Chances are last year's Cinderella won't stay long at this year's dance; Wisconsin-Milwaukee on November 15 travels to Memphis for the first round of the Preseason NIT.
Sling and Stone: Joah Tucker. The Panthers' wing is both confident and good. After dropping 21 on Alabama during March Madness, Tucker opined that he had "expected" to upset the Crimson Tide and added that the victory came as no surprise. Think he'll back down during any game this season? Think again.

7. Bucknell

Not content to merely shock Holy Cross in Worcester in the Patriot League Tournament Championship, Pat Flannery & Co. felt it necessary to bust many a bracket by upsetting Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. Led by Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Chris McNaughton (12.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg), a 6-foot-11 German center, the Bison return all five starters for another stampede.
Two guard Kevin Bettencourt (12.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and swingman Charles Lee (12.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg) provide the outside complement to McNaughton's inside game. Defensive specialist Abe Badmus last season helped the Bison upset Pittsburgh by blocking Carl Krauser's breakaway layup in the final seconds and will this year again frustrate many an opposing point guard.
Sling and Stone: Confidence. An old adage says "you can't coach height." Ditto for experience. Returning the same five starters who defeated Kansas, St. Joseph's, Pittsburgh, and Holy Cross in Worcester, the Bison will this season enter every game under the impression they can win. It says here prophecies are often self-fulfilling.

8. Winthrop

Five starters return for last year's Big South Champion. The best of the bunch is Torrell Martin (13.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg), a quick two guard with a flair for both team play and theater. Nicknamed "Denzel" by his teammates, Martin is currently starring in a Winthrop documentary about the beating of Rodney King. Senior James Shuler (12.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) is due a big year after becoming a double-double machine at season's end. Look for Shuler to dominate Big South play.
Sling and Stone: Rebounding. Though a "mid-major," the Eagles clean the defensive glass with the best of 'em. Greg Marshall's club last year grabbed a higher percentage of missed shots than all but 12 NCAA clubs.

9. Akron

Four starters return for the Zips, last year 4-2 against RPI Top 50 competition. Forward Romeo Travis (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) is the team leader, but gets plenty of help from forward Jeremiah Wood (10.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg). Point guard Dru Joyce III (7.3 ppg, 4.3 apg) knows his role and is disciplined enough to distribute first and shoot second. Senior forward Darryl Peterson (12.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg) rounds out a balanced attack.
Sling and Stone: Toughness. After double-digit scorer Jeremiah Wood went down in January, the Zips lost two straight. But rather than call it a season, Akron rebounded with five wins. Here's thinking they'll do the same this year as they work their way through a deep Mid-American Conference schedule.

10. Davidson

Forgive me for being a bit soft on the Wildcats. Davidson last year went a perfect 16-0 in the Southern Conference but missed out an NCAA bid after being upset in postseason play. No matter. Bob McKillip's club made the most of a bad situation, defeating Virginia Commonwealth and Missouri State before losing to Maryland in the NIT.
Led by versatile forward Brendan Winters (16.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg), senior point guard Kenny Grant (7.2 ppg, 5.5 apg), and super sixth-man Jason Morton (10.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg), Davidson is well prepared to build on if not repeat last year's success.
Sling and Stone: Perimeter play. The Wildcats last season limited foes' production from long range even as they themselves connected early and often. Yoni Cohen writes about college basketball daily on his blog,
www.yocohoops.com.
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coconutman · Nov 15, 2005

Oral Roberts... what a name.

ESPN ONTO ODU!!!

THE SHRINK

1

MadCapper

Head <in> Moderation

wantitall4moi

2

JJGOLD

1

colhoopsman

2

THE SHRINK

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coconutman

2