The Morning Dish – Wednesday, January 5th
Maryland Tunes Up for ACC Play: The Maryland Terrapins were the only ranked team in action last night as most college basketball teams watched the national college football championship game between Oklahoma and USC. Congratulations to USC for slaughtering Oklahoma and earning the title of BCS champion. If only the BCS had the same legitimacy as the winner of a 63-game, single-elimination, winner-takes-all tournament, but alas, we digress.
Maryland trounced Mount St. Mary’s 85-53 as junior forward Nik Caner-Medley came off the bench to help the Terrapins go on a long run to end the first half with a 22-point lead. Caner-Medley finished with 17 points, tying him with junior guard John Gilchrist for a team high. Gilchrist continues to play sensational basketball, scoring 17, dishing three assists, grabbing three rebounds and committing three steals. The Mountaineers committed 23 turnovers and shot less than 30 percent, killing any chance of a major upset, despite a game-high 20 points from junior guard Landy Thompson.
Amassing Trouble at Kansas State: Kansas State senior forward Jeremiah Massey, the team’s leading scorer, may be out for awhile after he injured his ankle at the end of a blowout victory against Division II foe Central Missouri State. With seven seconds remaining in the game, Massey missed a layup and crumpled to the floor, clutching his right ankle in obvious pain. School officials did not offer an immediate diagnosis. Massey averages 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the Wildcats, who are preparing to enter the heart of the Big XII schedule with a 10-1 record. But Kansas State has had a soft non-conference schedule and will need to prove their value with a good conference record.
Sick and Tired of Losing: The Duquesne Dukes travel to Dayton for their first Atlantic 10 conference game of the season with a 3-10 record, and they will likely play without junior guard Jack Higgins and junior forward Ryan Tricco. Higgins, the Dukes’ third leading scorer, is out with pneumonia, and Tricco, a reserve averaging 2.3 points per game, has a bad case of bronchitis and will be a game time decision.
Wood Cut Down: Akron sophomore forward Jeremiah Wood went up for an offensive rebound against Ohio and went down after being undercut by an opponent. His knee buckled, possibly blowing out his knee. Doctors completed an MRI that will determine the extent of the damage to Wood’s knee, but the initial prognosis is a torn ACL, meaning Wood’s season is done. The sophomore starter is averaging 10.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Zips. He’s an important contributor, and the Zips will need to realign their lineup to replace his productivity in the paint.
Richardson Going Back in Time: Nolan Richardson, the former Arkansas and Tulsa coach most recently known for a legal battle with his former Razorback employers, is considering a return to Tulsa. He confirmed reports that at least one booster has contacted him about the position vacated by former coach John Phillips on Christmas day. Richardson coached Tulsa for six years in the 1980s and took the team to three NCAA Tournaments and won the 1981 NIT championship. Tulsa’s current coach is Alvin “Pooh” Williamson, who has the interim tag attached to his title until school officials decide on a more permanent solution.
Horton Hears a Maybe: According to Michigan junior guard Daniel Horton, he could play tonight at Iowa in the Wolverines’ first Big Ten game. Horton sprained his knee in early December and has been rehabilitating it during the past few weeks. He leads the team in scoring with 13.8 points per game. But coach Tommy Amaker said Horton’s chances of playing are not great. Amaker wants to avoid rushing Horton into the lineup and risking further damage to the knee.
Stanford Lineup Shaken Up: Stanford redshirt freshman Tim Morris is academically ineligible to play for the Cardinal thanks to less than stellar grades. Morris is a human biology major at Stanford, one of the more challenging degrees at the school. He had recently found a niche in Stanford’s starting lineup and posted double figures in scoring in three of the past five games. In addition to the loss of Morris, sophomore forward Evan Moore announced the he’s leaving the team to concentrate on playing football. Moore played a grand total of 12 minutes in four games for the Cardinal this season.
UCLA Bench Shrinks: The UCLA Bruins learned that senior guard Janou Rubin will miss the remainder of the season because of a knee problem. Doctors discovered the undiagnosed problem in his knee after taking an MRI Monday. Rubin missed last week’s game at Oregon State because of discomfort in the knee but played in the subsequent game at Oregon. Rubin plays sparingly for the Bruins, averaging 5.8 minutes and 1.2 points per game.
Banks on the Brink of Eligibility: Cincinnati officials and freshman guard Vincent Banks anticipate a resolution concerning his eligibility by the end of this week, according to athletic director Bob Goin. Banks has practiced with the Bearcats all season but has not been available for games. He would add to the Bearcats’ depth in the backcourt and give coach Bob Huggins another weapon on the perimeter. Banks was named Georgia’s Mr. Basketball in 2002-03.
Hawkeyes Honor Their Elders: In 1980, the Iowa Hawkeyes completed a magical season by reaching the Final Four in Indianapolis. The 2004-05 version of the Hawkeyes will look to repeat the success of that team and will honor them Jan. 15 at home against Minnesota. The team and the National Iowa Varsity Club are sponsoring a reunion of the team during that game. The Hawkeyes are off to one of the more surprising starts in college basketball this season at 12-1. They promise to be a factor in the Big Ten race all season.
Member of Cinderella Squad Killed: The starting point guard for the 1982-83 Chaminade team that upset all-world center Ralph Sampson’s No. 1 Virginia team was killed Saturday in Hawaii. Mark Wells died after he was shot six times on a trail at Nakalele Point. Police had arrested Wells a few days earlier on charges of sexual assault but released him later the same day. They found a homeless man shot to death and later identified him as Wells.
He will be best remembered among basketball fans for sinking three free throws in the final minute of the 77-72 upset that may go down as the greatest upset ever. Chaminade is an 800-student NAIA school that hosts the Maui Invitational. Virginia was a powerhouse favored to contend for the national title.
Baker’s un-PC Activity: Former Providence basketball player and current trustee Allan Baker was arrested last month after a Connecticut grand jury indicted Baker and 18 others. Baker was arrested and charged with conspiracy to obtain crack cocaine with intent to distribute. The former Friar has become a successful business with the financial firm ING. He is also starting his second four-year term as a trustee at Providence. No word from school officials about Baker’s status as a trustee.
