Kansas.com: Basketball

Lifetime of hard work led to Pastner's ascension

TERESA M. WALKER — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

Josh Pastner has ''Gratefulness'' posted above his office door. He gets his kicks coaching, doesn't need any additives to enjoy life.

The new Memphis coach has never sipped alcohol, smoked a cigarette, tried caffeine or drunk a soda. He's no goody two-shoes, he's just the coaching equivalent of a gym rat.

' 'I know how grateful that I am to be able to be in this opportunity and how grateful we are to be able to do what we do,'' Pastner said.

VCU never trails in beating OU

Associated Press — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:08 CST

Jay Gavin scored 20 points, Larry Sanders 17, and Virginia Commonwealth never trailed in an 82-69 upset of No. 17 Oklahoma on Saturday night in Richmond, Va.

The victory spoiled the return of Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel, who used to coach the Rams.

Leading by one early on, the Rams (2-1) used a 20-8 spurt to take control of the game. VCU hit six straight 3-pointers during the run, including two by Gavin.

Second half run lifts Syracuse by Tar Heels

Associated Press — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:08 CST

Jim Boeheim has always made a point of telling the media not to get too caught up in runs because basketball, especially on the college level, is a game of runs.

He could only smile as he was asked about Syracuse's 22-1 run to open the second half of an 87-71 victory over No. 6 North Carolina on Friday night in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic in New York.

"That's about as good as it gets," he said, "and it was against North Carolina, and it was here."

Pitino keeping it simple

WILL GRAVES — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —Rick Pitino is arguably one of the most meticulous strategists in college basketball, bombarding his Louisville players with offensive sets.

It could overwhelm even the most experienced of teams, but Pitino believed it was a necessary process to prepare the Cardinals for Big East play. But it also led to some pretty ugly basketball, particularly in November.

"My teams are very tough to watch the first few games of the season," Pitino admitted.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

State College Men

Okla. Wesleyan 93, Friends 71

OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN: Daniels 0-1 0-0 0, James 3-3 0-0 6, Crowley 2-5 0-0 5, Ogletree 1-1 0-0 2, Briggs 8-14 6-7 25, McNeil 2-6 3-4 7, Harlan 4-8 0-1 9, Weaver 2-2 0-0 6, Jewitt 0-1 0-0 0, Rojas 7-15 5-10 21, Donnell 2-3 1-1 6, Shaw 2-2 0-0 4, Mooney 0-1 0- 0 0, Jordan 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 34-63 15-23 93.

Thursday's state college box scores

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:12 CST

State College Men

Fort Hays 85, Central Christian 66

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN: Bergstrom 3, Gavin 11, Francois 9, High 42, Ford 1. Totals 17-51 24-24 66.

Freshman hits game-winner for 'Nova

Associated Press — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

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Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Juco Men

Butler 89, St. Mary JV 46

ST. MARY JV: Fischer 10, Crutchfield 8, Meyer 0, Brailsford 7, Weatherly 12, White 5, Shaake 4. Totals 18-61 7-12 46.

KSU loses in OT

Eagle staff — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Ebonie Jefferson scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made three steals to lift Arkansas State to an 80-79 overtime victory over Kansas State in Manhattan on Monday night.

After falling to Indiana State in its opener, Kansas State drops to 0-2.

The Wildcats had four players in double figures, led by Brittany Chambers with 20 points. Kansans Ashley Sweat added 16, and Kari Kincaid had 15. Jalana Childs had 10 points.

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

State College Men

Washburn 71, Peru State 41

PERU STATE: Burks 10, Williams 8, Drommond 1, Santo 3, Blaylock 4, Hitch 7, Birchmeier 2, Schaben 1, Cole 1, Schwartz 2, Fuentes 2. Totals 16-51 7-13 41.

Fifth-ranked Kentucky survives Miami scare

Associated Press — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Kentucky freshman John Wall scored 19 points — including the game-winning jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining — to lift the fourth-ranked Wildcats to a 72-70 win over Miami of Ohio on Monday night in Lexington, Ky.

After Miami's Kenny Hayes hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 70 with six seconds left, Wall raced down the floor and scored the game-winner.

Patrick Patterson had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and DeMarcus Cousins had 10 points and 10 boards for the Wildcats (2-0).

Shockers blown out at Colorado State

Eagle staff — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Despite an 18-point showing by Haleigh Lankster, Wichita State lost its season opener to Colorado State 85-60 Sunday in Fort Collins, Colo.

The Shockers shot 30.6 percent from the field in the first half and 35.1 in the second half for a 32.9 percentage for the game.

Marisah Henderson and Jessica Diamond scored 11 each for WSU.

Texas relies on seniors to win opener

Associated Press — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

When the freshmen looked nervous, No. 3 Texas had the luxury of a strong senior class to take control and lead the way.

Damion James had 21 points and 15 rebounds and Dexter Pittman scored 21 to lead the Longhorns to a season-opening 89-42 victory over UC-Irvine on Sunday in Austin.

Those two had flirted with going to the NBA after last season, but returned to play with one of the nation's top freshman classes.

K-State women fall by 4

Eagle staff and news services — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:07 CST

Indiana State defeated the Kansas State women's basketball team 77-73 in the season-opener for both teams Saturday in Manhattan.

A poor-shooting first half put the Wildcats in a hole. K-State made 6 of 29 field goal attempts in the first half and trailed 35-21 at the break.

"I was wondering when we were going to bring something effective to the offensive end of the floor for pretty much three quarters of the first half," K-State coach Deb Patterson said. "It took us way too long for us to get on track offensively. I am not sure we ever really put it together compared to the level of the first two exhibition games."

Dayton rallies in second half to beat Creighton

Associated Press — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Chris Johnson had a double-double, and Chris Wright led a second-half surge that carried host No. 21 Dayton to a 90-80 victory Saturday over Creighton in an opening matchup of teams that won 27 games apiece last season.

Dayton, ranked in the preseason poll for the first time since 1967, overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half and regrouped, pulling away in the closing minutes. The Flyers won their 21st in a row on their home floor, tying the school record.

Johnson scored 18 points and had a career-high 15 rebounds. Wright scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting, and snapped the Flyers out of their lethargy in the second half with emphatic plays around the basket.

Villanova surges in second half

Associated Press — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Corey Stokes scored 20 points, Corey Fisher added 13 and No. 5 Villanova overcame a sloppy first half for an 84-61 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday night.

Fairleigh Dickinson will face Wichita State on Sunday at Koch Arena.

Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds managed eight points on 2-of-10 shooting for the Wildcats (1-0), who are coming off a trip to the Final Four. Reynolds had only two points in the first half as Villanova built a 35-34 lead at intermission.

Iowa star chooses Tar Heels

LUKE MEREDITH — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:07 CST

AMES, Iowa — As the college basketball world waited breathlessly, Iowa prep phenom Harrison Barnes dialed into a video conference with his future coach.

No one but Barnes, his mother and his little sister knew who would be on the other line Friday — until beaming North Carolina coach Roy Williams appeared on a screen positioned next to a hastily assembled podium.

"All right!" Williams said.

Tar Heels cruise in opener

Associated Press — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:04 CST

Deon Thompson scored 20 points to help No. 6 North Carolina spoil Isiah Thomas' college coaching debut and beat Florida International 88-72 on Monday night in the 2K Sports Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Ed Davis added 13 points for the defending national champion Tar Heels (1-0), who had little trouble with the undersized Golden Panthers. North Carolina shot 56 percent and led by double digits much of the way to kick off its centennial season against Thomas, the Hall of Fame player and former NBA coach who took over the long-struggling program in April.

His debut came on the same day his 86-year-old mother, Mary, had open-heart surgery in Chicago. He spent Sunday with her, then arrived in Chapel Hill early Monday for the Golden Panthers' shootaround at the Smith Center. He said before the game that he expected to return to Chicago on Tuesday.

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:07 CST

College Men

McPherson 90, Haskell 71

MCPHERSON: Grossman 2, Dominique 17, Frazier 7, Darden 5, Lamb 14, Moore II 9, Thomas 9, Stevenson 2, Reece 23, Hewitt 2. Totals 24-72 20-27 90.

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:07 CST

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