Game 140 - Washington at Oregon

February 28 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, OR
ESPN

Game 139 - Valparaiso at Green Bay

February 28 at Resch Center in Green Bay, WI
espn3.com

In one of the tightest games we've seen at 200 Game Season, Horizon League regular season champion Valparaiso escaped with a 70-68 victory.

There were 14 ties and an amazing 23 lead changes, four of which came in the final three minutes:

* Green Bay, who I think as a No. 4 seed has a chance to go on a bit of a run in the Horizon Tournament, got a three-point play from Jordan Fouse with 1:04 left.

* Alec Peters was fantastic for the visitors (25 points, 15 rebounds in 37 minutes) & he hit his last bucket with 44.2 seconds left, then Jamar Hurdle's lay-up 24 seconds later put Green Bay back up 68-67.

* The last lead change came on a top of the key 3-pointer from Shane Hammink with 2.2 seconds left.

Scoochie Smith All Stars

E. Victor Nickerson, redshirt senior forward, Valparaiso (new co-captain)

Game 137 - Niagara at Canisius

February 25 at Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo, NY
espn3.com

Scoochie Smith All Stars

Canisius junior guard Kiefer Douse, welcome.

Game 136 - Villanova at Xavier

February 24 at Cintas Center in Cincinnati, OH
Fox Sports 1

Information we don't need

Josh Hart - Villanova

Food I hate: mashed potatoes

Game 135 - Virginia at Miami (Fla.)

February 22 at BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, FL
ESPN

Many years ago, I took the green pill with the hippo on it and ever since I've avoided every single minute of every single halftime show. But I still occasionally get the back-from-commercial stuff & Monday I finally figured out what "Joey Brackets" means.

And that also gives us a nice list of nonsense:

1. Joe Lunardi is a "bracketologist"
2. Again, his nickname, which I think he might've given himself (?) is "Joey Brackets"
3. Just before halftime of this 64-61 Miami win, Lunardi said "we're in the bracket bunker again."

Let's quickly move on.

* Of the college analysts I've heard on ESPN, Doris Burke is one the better ones. But Doris isn't immune to the occasional "dribble drive" or this:

"If you're Miami, you want the lead going down the stretch of this one."

Thanks, Doris!

Game 134 - California at Washington State

February 21 at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman, WA
ESPNU

Sometimes you just have to turn the announcers off and instead listen to a bunch of music.

We'd done it a number of times at the baseball site, but Sunday night's 80-62 California win was our first 200 Game Season Mute Mix.


Listened to selections from the following albums:

First half

Royal Philharmonic - Beethoven Symphony No. 6
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Willie Nelson - Stardust
Dave Matthews Band - live at Yoshi's, 5/10/95
Bangles - Different Light
Alfredo Rolando Ortiz - Harp for Quiet Moments

2nd half

Prince - 1999
The Byrds - Free Flyte
Paul Simon - Graceland
Markevitch Lamoureux Orchestra - Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Deep Purple - Fireball
Rolling Stones - Aftermath
Rush - Signals

Game 133 - Notre Dame at Georgia Tech

February 20 at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA
ESPN

Game 132 - Arkansas State at Georgia State

February 20 at GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, GA

It has not been a good month of February for the defending Sun Belt tournament champions, but Georgia State put an end to a four-game losing streak with a 69-61 victory.

Great second half for the Panthers, now 14-11 and 7-9 in league play. Not only did GSU shoot 55 percent (17-of-31), but held ASU to 30 percent (8-for-26) over the final 20 minutes.

Defense hasn't been a problem for GSU - they're tied with two others for 19th nationally in scoring defense (64.1) and top-35 in field goal percentage defense (40%). Offense, on the other hand, has been a big problem (bottom 30 in scoring average).

Saturday was a bit better, thanks in large part to guard Isaiah Williams. The redshirt-sophomore was excellent, scoring 17 points, handing out six assists (with just one turnover) and adding three steals off the bench, and along with Jeremy Hollowell (18 points, 7-of-13) was a big reason why the losing spell finally ended.

The win also evened the season series for the Panthers after a nauseating, overtime loss in Jonesboro in late-January.

Game 131 - Arkansas State women at Georgia State

February 20 at GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, GA

Arkansas State is an impressive team and the Red Wolves rolled to their 16th consecutive win on Saturday.

Sun Belt Conference preseason player of the year Aundrea Gamble had 31 points (three short of a career high) and 11 assists (tied career high) as the visitors from Jonesboro moved to 16-0 league play.

Gamble is about to add a postseason POY honor to that resume and the Red Wolves, now 22-3 overall and with a margin of victory in Sun Belt play of nearly 17 points, haven't lost since last December 21.

Scoochie Smith All Stars

Our newest member is Arkansas State sophomore forward Ogo Obinabo.

Game 130 - Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder

February 19 at Chesapeake Arena in Oklahoma City, OK
ESPN

Let's play a quick game of Fun With ESPN Graphics.













Lookin' good, '85 Bears!

Game 128 - Rockdale HS boys vs. Pebblebrook HS

February 17 at Kay Jackson Gymnasium in Mableton, GA

Pretty simple formula for Pebblebrook:

1. Run the offense and defense through your three Division 1 players
2. Move on to the next round

Auburn signee Jared Harper led the way for the Falcons, scoring 21 points in the 78-61 win.

I covered Harper one summer on the AAU circuit


** PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM 200 GAME SEASON **

Don't join/follow/cover the AAU circuit. Run!

Run!


when he was in fifth grade and not again until Wednesday night. Harper was a phenomenal player when he was 11 and nothing has changed.

Collin Sexton, an unsigned junior who has a number of SEC offers, scored a game-high 25 points, while Mississippi commitment Jatrious Smith added 15.

Pebblebrook was the state runner-up in Class AAAAAA a year ago, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Cobb County, GA school made a return trip next month.

Game 127 - Rockdale HS girls vs. Douglas County

February 16 at Douglas County HS gymnasium in Douglasville, GA

Yes, Georgia Southern signee Amira Atwater (12 assists) and Amari Robinson (27 points) led Douglas County to a 72-51 win in the first round of the GHSA Class AAAAAA state playoffs, but more importantly, we got our second ball stuck between the rim and the backboard photo of the month:

Game 126 - Oklahoma State at Kansas

February 15 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS
ESPN

We've got to go over a few things from this Kansas 94-67 win. First, a little segment I like to call Please, Please, PLEASE, Calm Down.

(Please)

About 3 1/2 minutes into the game, play-by-play man Brent Musberger said this:

"(Kansas coach Bill) Self up and looking concerned for the first time tonight."

Brent: they've played 3 1/2 minutes.

Please, please, PLEASE, calm down.

* Some other Basketball Phrases/Assorted Nonsense to go over:

- Color commentator Fran Fraschilla: "He's a no-mistake guy." (Just say he doesn't make mistakes. You tried to invent the phrase 'no-mistake guy' and as far as I'm concerned you didn't get away with it.)

- "Joey brackets" was said.

I don't know what that means.

- And I've had enough of the phrases "Tobacco Road", "running through the gauntlet" and "floor burns".

- Kansas has an upcoming game at rival Kansas State. KU is 22-4 and ranked No. 2 in the country, KSU is 14-11 and 3-9 in the Big 12 through Monday's games. Musberger, speaking about Kansas: "they're going to be the favorite (pause), probably...but it's always tough in K-State."

Probably?!

Game 125 - Purdue at Michigan

February 13 at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, MI
ESPN2

Game 124 - Kent State at Eastern Michigan

February 13 at Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, MI
espn3.com

Color commentator Greg Steiner, where have you been all season?

The man is good at what he does, and what he does is shout nonsense. Let's take a look at his finest moments from Saturday's 75-70 Eastern Michigan win:

"Kent State, give them eight offensive glassers!" (don't say offensive glassers)

"He's their fifth-year bench boss!" (also, don't say bench boss)

"A big swing of events"

"The rim racker!" (I've heard rim 'rocker', but how do you rack a rim?)

"The bucket is as big as the ocean!" (yes, but which ocean, Greg? How big is this bucket?!)

"They're a little razzled!" (razzled?)

Games 121-123 - Region semifinals

February 12 at Harrison Activity Building in Winder, GA

123 - Salem HS boys vs. Gainesville HS
122 - Flowery Branch HS girls vs. Winder-Barrow HS
121 - Heritage HS boys vs. Cedar Shoals HS

Game 120 - San Jose State at UNLV

February 10 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV
espn3.com

UNLV trailed 50-39 about midway through the second half and looked headed for a loss, but the Rebels went up for good on a pair of free throws by Jerome Seagears at the 1:21 mark and escaped with a 64-61 win.

But what's really important is the first edition of What Was That, Blaine Fowler?

Blaine:

"He can throw it down any way but loose!"


* Overall, a great night for Basketball Phrases/general nonsense from both Fowler and play-by-play man Trey Bender:

"Injury bug"
"Glue guy"
"There's a teaching moment"
"Special talent"
"Muscle attitude"
"Sense of urgency" (said five times)
"Recipe for success"
"The bank is open"
"Dog fight"
"Heady play"
"Active feet"
"Heartbreak hotel for UNLV"

Game 118 - Cincinnati at Central Florida

February 9 at CFE Arena in Orlando, FL
ESPN

Some solid nonsense to go over from commentator Mark Wise during this 69-51 Cincinnati win.

Let's take a look at his top 5:

5. "Catch and shoot guys"
4. "A show and go"
3. "He's owning that high rent district"
2. "Straddling the bubble"
1. "From bonus land!" (said four times)

Game 117 - Salem HS vs. Flowery Branch HS

February 9 at Gainesville HS gymnasium in Gainesville, GA

It certainly looked as though Flowery Branch would pull the upset and keep the No. 2 seed from the state playoffs. The Falcons led 34-23 a couple minutes into the third quarter, but Salem's Brandon Smith scored 16 of his team-high 21 points in the second half and his team survived, 55-51 in the quarterfinals of the Region 8-AAAAA Tournament.

Salem secured a state tournament slot with the win, its fifth such appearance in six seasons.

Smith had to pick up a ton of slack with leading scorer Michael Green suspended for the next two games, and he did just that.

Salem went up for the first time since 2-0 when Marcell Small's put back made it a 41-39 game with six minutes to play. Smith followed with two steals, the last of which he turned into a lay-up, and later he converted an extremely-difficult fade away along the baseline for two more points.

With the game tied at 51-51, Smith hit two free throws with 25 seconds left to put Salem up for good.

Chandler Davis, a Lynchburg College (Virginia) signee in football, added 15 points for the victorious Seminoles.

* Nice night also for Flowery Branch guard John Mills, who scored a game-high 23 points. Over the final 2 1/2 minutes, Mills hit the last of his four 3-pointers and assisted on a long ball from Gabe Holston, which evened things up prior to Smith's free throws.

Game 116 - Albany at Binghamton

February 8 at Events Center in Vestal, NY
espn3.com

A really strong Albany team won its 20th game, 69-56, thanks in large part to a great effort from its bench.

Evan Singletary scored a team-high 19 points as the Albany reserves out-scored Binghamton's 34-7.

Dusan Perovic was great for Binghamton, pouring in a game-high 24 on 7-of-12 shooting, but while Perovic hit 4-of-5 on 3-pointers, his teammates were 1-of-17 from behind the arc. The Bearcats, who lost for the fourth straight time and 15th time in their last 18 games, were also just 20-of-56 from the field.

That's 12 consecutive wins in the series for Albany, which last loss to its America East rival in February, 2010.

Games 114 & 115 - Late night college hoops

114 - Wichita State at Illinois State
February 6 at Redbird Arena in Normal, IL

115 - Gonzaga at Pepperdine
February 6 at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, CA

ESPN

Game 113 - Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors

February 6 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA
ESPN

New rule: if the teams are still tied after one overtime, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry play one-on-one to....37? (49?) to determine the winner.

Even if it's not a Warriors-Thunder game, Durant & Curry are flown to your city to complete your game.


* Two things, Jeff Van Gundy:

1. When talking about a blocked shot, don't say "the long arm of the law"

2. "I couldn't ball at all!" HAS to be the title of a future Jeff Van Gundy coaching video (VHS only).

Game 112 - Furman at Chattanooga

February 6 at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, TN

Put simply, the Scoochie Smith All Stars were not a complete team, functioning as Norman Dale's one single unit until Furman sophomore Geoff Beans walked into our lives.

















"Beans is a 'difference-maker' with 'a next-level name'."

- Anonymous name scout, December, 2006












Game 111 - Wofford women at Chattanooga

February 6 at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, TN

Wofford came into this Southern Conference matinee last in the league in three-point percentage defense at about 32 percent and the host Mocs were able to exploit that on their way to a 65-48 win.

Chattanooga, now 16-7 and 7-2 in league play, hit 8-of-15 from behind the arc to win its third straight. Redshirt-junior guard Queen Alford knocked down three 3-pointers on her way to a team-high 18 points and Aryanna Gilbert and reserve Sydney Vanlandingham added two each for the Mocs.


1. Edgar Farmer Jr. is in his 12th season as Wofford head coach. After Saturday's loss, he's 97-249 and hasn't yet had a winning season. At 7-16, year 12 isn't going to be his first.

I just don't understand why Farmer is still the coach.

97-249?!

Things clearly aren't working.

Is Edgar Farmer Sr. available?

















There's Farmer in the background (arms crossed), still stuck on 97 wins.


2. At one point in the fourth quarter, the ball did that stuck between the backboard and rim thing and hilarity ensued.





















I would've preferred playing the rest of the game with the ball stuck in that spot.

Or maybe that becomes a 1/2 point basket in the future - putting an end to the weird rim-backboard-ball relationship with a wicked, wild lay-up attempt!

Game 110 - Harvard at Princeton

February 5 at Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, NJ
ESPNU

So much more to this game - an 83-62 Princeton win - than just one sentence about free throw shooting, and yet, I found it to be the best part of my viewing experience.

Mark Wise, are you available for comment?

"It's like a virus....Harvard has a free throw virus!"


* Couple other gems from Mr. Wise (Wisegems ? Nah.):

"He's an absolute basketball magnet"

"At times they can be a crooked shooting group"


!!

Games 107-109 - GA high school regular season wraps up

107 - Rockdale HS girls at Lakeside-DeKalb
February 4 at Lakeside-DeKalb High School gymnasium in Atlanta, GA

108 (g)-109 (b) - Heritage HS at Salem HS
February 5 at Salem HS gymnasium in Conyers, GA

Game 106 - Arizona State at Washington

February 3 at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, WA
ESPNU

If your last name is Andrews I just don't understand why you'd do this to your son

Game 105 - Cal State Northridge at UC Riverside

February 3 at Student Recreation Center in Riverside, CA
espn3

We've got a pair of UC Riverside players who deserve to be Scoochie Smith All Stars in freshman guard Koh Flippin & freshman center Menno Dijkstra.

Game 104 - Arkansas at Florida

February 3 at O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL
SEC Network

A couple pieces of nonsense from commentator Joe Dean Jr. in this 87-83 Gators' win:

1. "You got the Gator ball boy woppin it up."

Woppin?

2. [On a second-half dunk] "And he plays a little stuffarino!"

Joseph!

* We also added a Scoochie Smith All Star in Arkansas junior forward Moses Kingsley.

Game 103 - Colorado State at San Diego State

February 2 at Viejas Arena in San Diego, CA
ESPN2

Games 101 & 102 - Newton HS at Lakeside-DeKalb HS

February 2 at Lakeside-DeKalb HS gymnasium in Atlanta, GA
girls - 101
boys - 102

Jaquan Simms and Ashton Hagans are probably the Newton boys' top two players and the duo played like it on Tuesday.

Simms scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and Hagans, just a freshman, handed out six assists in a 53-38 win. Newton moved to 21-3 overall.

It was just a 35-31 lead for Newton early in the fourth, but Simms scored all 10 of his points and Hagans had a pair of assists during a 12-0 run that effectively put the game away.

Lakeside was the 12th Newton opponent held to 50 points or less.

Game 100 - Arizona State women at Oregon State

February 1 at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, OR
ESPN

Game 99 - N.C. State at Florida State

February 1 at Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, FL
ESPNU

Let's do a quick "basketball count" for LaPhonso Ellis, who is a solid announcer. He just says the word basketball a lot.

First half - said 7 times

Notable

"Handling the basketball"
"Before he went to shoot the basketball"

Second half - 13

"Knocking that basketball out front"
"Beasley usually takes that basketball right to the rim"
"12 has to touch the basketball"

Total - 20

Game 98 - Quinnipiac at Fairfield

February 1 at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT
espn3

Much like the Valparaisos of the past, I've always had trouble getting "Quinnipiac" right on the first try.

Earlier attempts had produced Qunnipac, Qunnipiac, Quinnipac, Quinipac, Quinipiac, a late-night crayon drawing called "Qwimpack". It was a mess.

But, I finally got it right on the first scribbling Monday night. A truly magical/tender moment for me and my pen (Debra Fanning).

QUINNIPIAC!

* Color commentator Joe DeSantis had a couple things to say.

Joseph?

"They lost 79 percent of their scoring, 70 percent of their rebounding, so it's a little bit of a rebuilding season for Quinnipiac."

A little bit?!

"Last three minutes, you want to be aware of late-game situations. You want to have your best offensive players on the floor and your best defensive players."

Thanks, Joe!