Basketball Page 902 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

And On Saturday, The First Fan Became Joe Six-Pack
What an action-packed and important day it's been for Barack Obama. He sat courtside at Duke-Georgetown (oh shush, all of you), told Clark Kellogg he was gunning for his job and his administration wants to finally pass reform that matters....

It's Great To Have You With Us: Your College Hoops Open Thread
Mike Patrick's so excited, and he just can't hide it. Join him and yourselves for some basketball! Duke-Georgetown's at 1; six freshmen, including young sensation John Wall, will play in Vanderbilt-Kentucky at 4; Kansas battles Kansas State at 7. [ESPN]...

So You Think NU Can Dance, Weeks 4 & 5: We Are America's Team!
A weekly feature in which author Benoit Denizet-Lewis follows the fortunes of the only BCS school to have sucked so consistently and spectacularly that it has never made the NCAA tournament, Northwestern. Record: 14-6. Tournament prospects: Stranger things have happened....

Last Night's Winner: Devan Downey
In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like South Carolina's Devan Downey, who out-Walled John Wall and continued to make it dangerous to be the No. 1-ranked team. Cocks....

The Ballad Of Peanut Butter Kid: A Firsthand Account
Some fans cover themselves in body paint. Others just spill food on themselves over the course of the game. Then there's UGA's Peanut Butter Kid, who made yesterday's upset over Tennessee just about as unpleasant as possible for everyone involved....

This Is A Thing That Happened: Digger Phelps Dancing With A Clemson Cheerleader, And Not Badly
H/T reader Joseph A. [YouTube]...

Open Thread: Texas-UConn, Arkansas-Kentucky, Oklahoma State-KSU, Duke-Clemson, Etc.
Last one of the day. Suggested topic for discussion: the incredible fact that West Georgia's athletics program used 119 ineligible athletes from 2004-09. Someone get these guys in Conference USA....

Open Thread: Ohio State-WVU, Kansas-Iowa State, Marquette-'Cuse, Longwood-Savannah State, Etc.
Possible topics for discussion: Evan Turner's 19-10-6 line, whether Andy Katz's prose reads like a Swedish-to-English Babelfish translation, Tyshawn Taylor's Facebook profile, the shock of learning that Lawrence Moten is the Big East's all-time leading scorer, the Morrill Land-Grant Acts....

Open Thread: Michigan State-Minnesota, 'Nova-St. John's, Rutgers-G'Town, Etc.
We'll do another of these at 2 p.m. and again at 4 p.m. Possible topic for discussion: the new Spartans logo that looks more or less like the old one but has made people very angry nonetheless....

Last Night's Winner: Non-Number One Teams
In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like Kentucky, who will soon be number one thanks to Kansas State, who took care of the last number one. Everyone comes out ahead! (Except Texas.)...

So You Think NU Can Dance, Week 3: A Star Emerges From The Loins Of An NBA Ref
A weekly feature in which author Benoit Denizet-Lewis follows the fortunes of the only BCS school to have sucked so consistently and spectacularly that it has never made the NCAA tournament, Northwestern. Current record: 12-4. Tournament prospects: Still goodish? Maybe?...

Division III Coach Also Accused Of Going Crazy On Players
It isn't just coaches in the pressure packed world of D-I football who occasionally fly off the handle and maybe challenge their players to a fight. Even coaching at tiny UMass-Dartmouth can try a man's soul....

Rutgers Basketball Is Frying Up A "Steak Of Turmoil"
Former Scarlet Knight J.R. Inman played three years for Rutgers coach Fred Hill, but recently published a long Facebook diatribe where he advocated a strong pro-"punching Fred Hill in the face" stance. Why so much hate?...

The Jayhawks' New Game Plan Is Undefendable (Too Bad They Didn't Use It Today)
Looking for a way around the half-court press, practicing Kansas players jacked up a half-court shot. Then another. Then another. And so on and so forth....

Your College Hoops Open Thread
UConn-G'Town, Purdue-Wisconsin, Duke-Georgia Tech, Georgia-John Wall, NJIT-Yale, Jeff Jordan's left hand-Indiana. Discuss....

So You Think NU Can Dance, Week 2: Lurch Dunks On Our Heads
A weekly feature in which author Benoit Denizet-Lewis follows the fortunes of the only BCS school to have sucked so consistently and spectacularly that it has never made the NCAA tournament, Northwestern. Current record: 11-3. Tournament prospects: Goodish....

Bruce Pearls Sticks Gun Foot In Mouth
Four players suspended after being caught with handguns? No problem, says Pearl. "We still have got weapons." [Kentucky Sports Radio]...

Masochist USC Punishes Self For Mayo Shenanigans
Ah, January, when the talk turns from NCAA football sanctions to NCAA basketball sanctions. First up: USC. It's as predictable as the changing of the seasons....

Four Vols Basketball Players Arrested By Police, Suspended By Frequently-Shirtless Coach
Gilbert Arenas isn't the only athlete having gun troubles these days. Four members of the Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team have been charged with weapon and drug-related offenses stemming from a traffic stop near their campus yesterday....

So You Think NU Can Dance: Will College Basketball's Sorriest Program Make The Tournament? Week 1
A weekly feature in which author Benoit Denizet-Lewis follows the fortunes of the only BCS school to have sucked so consistently and spectacularly that it has never made the NCAA tournament, Northwestern. Current record: 10-1. Tournament prospects: Good....