Get ready to get Jimmered.
The nation’s top offensive weapon (28.5 ppg), and BYU’s scorer for the ages (2,501 points) will make a Front Range encore performance in Denver this week.
Fredette already has tormented Air Force and Colorado State on four career trips to each school. Every team in the Mountain West Conference has played against him at least eight times. No one has figured out a way to stop the deadly pull-up jumper. It hasn’t been for lack of switching defenders.
“I just think it’s his footwork, more than anything,” New Mexico’s Mountain West freshman of the year Kendall Williams said after Fredette’s milestone 52 points in the MWC semifinal.
The pride of Glens Falls, N.Y., has captured the nation as an everyman gymrat who struck it big. He’ll be at the Pepsi Center next year in an NBA uniform.
“I’ve always said the only person who can stop Jimmer is Tonya Harding,” CSU coach Tim Miles said, referring to the former skater who had her rival Nancy Kerrigan whacked in the kneecap.
Southwest Regional
No. 5 Vanderbilt
23-10 overall, 9-7 in Southeastern; 76.2 points averaged, 67.6 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Festive Festus.
Festus Ezeli is a 6-foot-11 native of Nigeria and didn’t play basketball until his family moved to California in 2004. His 7-6 wingspan has him on NBA radar.
Indoor turf toe.
Sophomore shooting guard John Jenkins, the SEC’s scoring leader, sat out the first round of the SEC Tournament with a toe injury, then had 29 points vs. Mississippi State in the quarterfinals.
Prized pedigree.
Commodores coach Kevin Stallings learned the trade as an assistant for Gene Keady at Purdue after he finished his playing career. Then he left for Kansas when Roy Williams ran the Jayhawks.
VS.
No. 12 Richmond
27-7 overall, 13-3 in Atlantic 10; 70.2 points averaged, 61.0 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Ultimate bracket busters.
Although Richmond was upset by No. 10 seed Saint Mary’s in last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Spiders have won as a No. 12, 13, 14 and 15 seed.
Long and short.
The Spiders are led by 6-foot-10 forward Justin Harper (averaging 18.1 points) and 6-0 guard Kevin Anderson (16.0).
He looks familiar.
In addition to coach Chris Mooney getting his start at Air Force, the Spiders have Kevin McGeehan, who was an AFA assistant, and director of basketball operations Marcus Jenkins, who is an AFA graduate and served a three-year active duty commitment.
***
No. 4 Louisville
25-9 overall, 12-6 in Big East; 75.4 points averaged, 64.6 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Bench hopping.
Coach Rick Pitino has taken Providence, Kentucky and Louisville to the NCAA Tournament. Louisville opened the 2009 tournament with a win over Morehead State.
Key sub.
Sophomore Mike Marra, recognizable by arm tattoos, came off the bench to score 22 points in the Big East quarterfinal win over Marquette.
Tom’s return.
Former Colorado State athletic director Tom Jurich left Fort Collins in 1997 and has steered Louisville, a former Conference-USA school, into the Big East. Jurich hired Pitino to return Louisville to glory.
VS.
No. 13 Morehead St.
24-9 overall, 13-5 in Ohio Valley; 69.8 points averaged, 61.7 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Getting board.
Kenneth Faried, who leads the country in rebounding and has been called the next Dennis Rodman, averages 14.5 rebounds and 17.6 points.
Remember when.
Colorado State lost at Morehead State in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational last season. Faried had 29 points and 15 rebounds in that game.
Owning the OVC.
The Eagles played in their third straight Ohio Valley Conference Tournament final. Donnie Tyndall is one of the underrated coaches in the NCAA field.
Southeast Regional
No. 6 St. John’s
21-11 overall, 12-6 in Big East; 70.1 points averaged, 66.4 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Welcome back.
An NCAA Tournament regular under legendary coach Lou Carnesecca and his trademark sweaters, this is St. John’s first appearance in the bracket since 2002.
Lou’s luck.
A Carnesecca-coached St. John’s team featuring Chris Mullin advanced to the 1985 Final Four through the West Regional in Denver.
Good start.
First-year coach Steve Lavin is 11-6 in six NCAA appearances as UCLA’s coach. The Red Storm has won 10 of its last 13 games and is 4-2 against ranked teams.
VS.
No. 11 Gonzaga
24-9 overall, 11-3 in West Coast; 76.9 points averaged, 65.1 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Yes, that Stockton.
Redshirt freshman David Stockton is the son of former NBA star John Stockton. The 5-foot-11, 152-pound guard averages 15.8 minutes and 4.4 points a game off the Bulldogs’ bench.
Future rivals.
If Gonzaga upsets St. John’s and BYU advances, a BYU- Gonzaga game will be a preview of the West Coast Conference’s biggest rivalry in years to come. BYU moves to the WCC next season. The question is, will the WCC grow to a regular two-NCAA bid league?
No sweat.
Gonzaga is making its 13th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. While most expect to see the Bulldogs in the bracket annually, it wasn’t a foregone conclusion this time because of 23-9 record going into the WCC Tournament final.
***
No. 3 BYU
30-4 overall, 14-2 in Mountain West; 81.6 points averaged, 67.5 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Remember Phi Slama Jama?
BYU coach Dave Rose does. He was co-captain of the 1982-83 Houston team (featuring Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler) that lost the national championship game on a buzzer-beater to North Carolina State.
Moving along.
Rose’s name is in circulation to replace his good friend Jim Boylen at Utah. Boylen was fired almost as soon as he returned to Salt Lake City from the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
Also starring.
The most overshadowed player in America might be senior guard Jackson Emery, the MWC defensive player of the year. Emery, who has the Cougars’ career steals record, averages 2.8 thefts a game.
VS.
No. 14 Wofford
21-12 overall, 14-4 in Southern; 73.7 points averaged, 67.9 allowed
Know these facts, look smart:
Behind the numbers.
Wofford lost 12 games, including a 72-66 overtime home loss to Air Force. The biggest nonleague win was over George Mason, also in overtime.
Top dog.
Senior forward Noah Dahlman averages 20 points, his third straight season in double figures.
