Roundball Chatter | Dec. 9, 2005
Each Friday during the season, I'll have thoughts on the game I love …
• Wow, what a weekend ahead as Duke battles Texas in the Meadowlands and Kentucky meets Indiana at the RCA Dome! That's what I love about college basketball: marquee matchups with great intensity! You don't see that as often in college football because one loss can be costly.
• For Villanova to have great success this season, coach Jay Wright needs some balance. He has utilized four guards often, and needs help up front from Jason Fraser, the young man has worked so hard and fought through so many injuries. He is Captain Courageous in college hoops … Speaking of the Wildcats, I believe Curtis Sumpter will take a redshirt year recovering from knee surgery. I look for Sumpter to be back as a fifth-year senior next season.
• I've said it before and I will say it again, Cincinnati will see its streak of consecutive NCAA appearances end at 14 … With the Bearcats looking for a full-time coach, one name that would make sense is Peter Gillen. The former Xavier coach was popular in the region and he would do a great job with academics, an area that the new administration expressed concern.
• As I said during the Indiana-Duke game, petty jealousy should be put aside and Indiana's Assembly Hall should be renamed to honor the General, Robert Montgomery Knight. He has earned it with his contributions to basketball in the state, simply incomparable!
• Washington finally ended a seven-game losing streak vs. Gonzaga It was a scintillating 99-95 thriller. Adam Morrison scored 43 points, just as he did against Michigan State. He continues to state his case for National Player of the Year as it should be a battle between him and Duke's J.J. Redick.
• Speaking of Duke, what a finish in beating Virginia Tech as Seth Greenberg's kids played with so much emotion and intensity. A 40-foot shot by Sean Dockery ended the dream of a beautiful ride back to Blacksburg … The Dukies followed up that close call with a win over Penn Wednesday night.
• I keep waiting for former Rice high school superstar Russell Robinson to break out for the Jayhawks. He came in with a big-time reputation, contributed early last season and then fell into non-factor status the second half of the season. Will he finally regain his confidence to give coach Bill Self some consistency on the perimeter?
• It was great to see Kansas broadcaster Max Falkenstien on Tuesday night at the Jimmy V. Classic. He is in his 60th and final season doing Jayhawk games and has meant so much to Kansas basketball. It is incredible to think about all of the great players he has watched over the years … I wish him all the best in his retirement.
• Keep an eye out for some of the dangerous mid-majors such as Bucknell, Oral Roberts and Winthrop. The Eagles recently gave Alabama a scare in Tuscaloosa. Guard play and the three-point shot are the great equalizers.
• Hard to believe that Eddie Sutton's Cowboys lost their second non-conference home game in 16 years when Northwestern State won at Stillwater Monday night 68-64. Clifton Lee scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Demons … Northwestern State also knocked off Mississippi State earlier this season.
• It has been the season of surprising scores … Some more from this week include: Indiana State over Indiana, Northern Iowa over Iowa, Louisiana Tech wins at Texas Tech, Davidson over Missouri. How many players from Indiana State were recruited by Indiana?
• How about a salute to assistant coaches all over America? I don't think fans realize how much work goes into being an assistant coach. They are evaluating players, recruiting, watching tape, preparing scouting reports, helping run practices. These guys deserve a lot more love, baby!
• The University of Houston made an interesting move by shifting its home game against North Texas to Denton (making it a Mean Green home game) to accommodate fans attending the Cougars' Fort Worth Bowl appearance … Tom Penders has done a great job revitalizing the Houston program, as shown by wins over LSU and Arizona ...
• Kelvin Sampson has always done an incredible job blending in junior college transfers with his veteran players and diaper dandies. These players are thankful to be in Division I and appreciate the beautiful facilities in Norman. There are many CEOs of huge companies that don't have as nice as office as Sampson does!
• When will Bill Coen get his chance as a head coach? He is not a household name, though people in basketball circles are well aware of his capabilities. Coen has done a phenomenal job as the associate head coach for Al Skinner at Boston College. Look at his recruiting success, with the likes of Californians Craig Smith and Jared Dudley, plus Tyrese Rice, a diaper dandy out of Richmond.
Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question for Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.
