I hear Dwight Tarwater, a 6-6 forward and Division II-A Mr. Basketball from Webb School of Knoxville, is still firmly committed to Cornell University, despite the Big Red losing coach Steve Donahue to Boston College.
But he does still have a very strong interest in the successor to Donahue.
Columbia sophomore guard Noruwa Agho gained a spot on the All-Metropolitan Area third team, it was announced today by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Hofstra’s Charles Jenkins was named Metropolitan Player of the Year and Fordham’s Chris Gaston earned Metropolitan Rookie of the Week accolades.
In any case, if you hopped on the Cornell bandwagon a little late and wanted to see some of the team’s early season highlights, this montage is for you. It’s probably best to enjoy now, because repeating this season will be a tall task in 2010-11. Last year’s was a senior-laden team — Wittman, Foote, and guard Louis Dale are all graduating this spring, along with six other members of the team — and with coach Steve Donahue leaving the school to take on a rebuilding project at Boston College in the wake of Al Skinner’s departure, Cornell basketball might soon fade into its own transitional period. Remember 2010 well, Cornell fans. It was an awfully good one, and it might be a while before it happens again.
The search for the next head coach of Dartmouth men’s basketball ended Wednesday when acting Director of Athletics Bob Ceplikas ’78 announced the hiring of Golden State Warriors scout Paul Cormier. This will be Cormier’s second stint as Dartmouth head coach — as Cormier previously led the Big Green from 1984-1991, going 87-95 for a .478 winning percentage.
On his first day on the job, new [Penn] assistant coach Dan Leibovitz was at work at 7 a.m., conditioning with the men’s basketball team on the track. After 14 hours in his new position, he said “Today was good.”
The Daily Pennsylvanian’s Ivy Hoops Notebook comments on the weekend performance of Princeton, Cornell, and Brown.
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The Columbia Spectator profiles Columbia’s Noruwa Agho, spotlighting his work ethic and describing his non-basketball interests.
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The Columbia Spectator’s Max Zach Glubiak thinks Agho’s points must come from motion of offense in order for Columbia to win.
He had a career-high 30 points against Yale on Saturday night. Columbia lost by double figures. The night before, he had 18 against Brown, and the Lions won by 11. The difference?
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The Cornell Daily Sun’s Meredith Bennett-Smith is excited about the success of Cornell basketball. It provides something to do on weekend nights in Ithaca, for one.
Harvard sports blog The Back Page talks to coach Tommy Amaker about this weekend’s upcoming games against Yale and Brown. They discuss Harvard’s depleted front line and the anticipated challenge that will be presented by Brown star Matt Mullery.
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The Albany Times Union includes a brief mention of Yale’s Alex Zampier, an Albany native, congratulating him for reaching a career milestone:
Mark for Zampier
Senior Alex Zampier of East Greenbush (Columbia) became the 23rd player in Yale men’s basketball history to reach 1,000 points in a career. The 6-foot-3 guard needed 11 points and scored 18 in a 79-64 victory over Columbia last Saturday.
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Dick Jerardi speculates on what teams would be included if Selection Sunday were today. Cornell represents the Ivy league:
Ivy (1)
Cornell
This should be the season Steve Donahue’s team either wins a game or is right there for a win. The team is more experienced. And the seed will be much better.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Ivy League ruled in Penn’sfavor yesterday after reviewing the controversial ending of Penn @ Brown.
“The final determination of the outcome of the game rests with the game officials and their approval of the final score,” the league office said in a statement. Without a monitor to check a replay, “it is the direct knowledge and judgment of the officials that prevails.”
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Syracuse student paper The Daily Orange profiles Columbia’s Noruwa Agho.
The 6-foot-3 sophomore shooting guard does not play in one of Division I’s powerhouse conferences, but his name sits among the likes of Maurice Acker, Austin Freeman and Tim Abromaitis when it comes to 3-point percentage.
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The Albany Times Union congratulates Yale’s Alex Zampier, an Albany NY native, for an upcoming milestone:
Zampier one away
Yalesenior Alex Zampier of East Greenwich (Columbia) has 10 games remaining in the regular season and needs just one steal to become the all-time leader in that department for the men’s basketball team.
Zampier picked up four steals last weekend as the Bulldogs beat Penn but lost to Princeton. He has 49 steals this season and 157 for his career to share top honors with Daniel Okonkwo (1997). Zampier needs just six more steals to break Okonkwo’s one-season mark of 54.
Zampier, the team captain, leads Yale in scoring (17.8).
The TigerBlog doesn’t think the Ivy League needs a postseason tournament.
How many great games has Princeton played on Ivy League weekends that have shaped races? How many years did Princeton play with one eye on the Penn score from a different site, or vice versa?
The great drama of the regular season would be lost completely if there was an Ivy League tournament. And for what? To get one game on ESPN?
… Cornell will graduate the class that put it on the map after this season, and though much talent remains, more than half the league is loading up to seize the first opportunity in three years.
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The New York Post mentions Cornell’s Steve Donahue among those who should be considered as a replacement coach for the struggling St. John’s team:
Whatever you may feel about the Ivy League, it’s impossible to see what Steve Donahue has done at Cornell and not understand that someone is going to soon give him the chance to see if that transfers to a power conference
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The WVBR Sports Blog reminds Cornellians that although hockey and basketball get the most attention, lacrosse and wrestling are ranked too.
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Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News wonders which teams (including Princeton) will remain unbeaten in league play and whether Cornell could be a Sweet 16 team.
1. Of all the D-I teams still undefeated in league play, which ones do you think will end that way?
DeCourcy: It’s not surprising to discover there were only nine teams unbeaten against conference opponents heading into Wednesday night. I’m not sure Princeton should get a ton of credit for that, at least not yet — the Tigers have only played two Ivy League games.
2. Could Cornell be a Sweet 16 team?
DeCourcy: The Big Red are built for success against big-time teams. They’ve got size, an excellent point guard in Louis Dale and an elite shooter in Ryan Wittman.
A lot of this is going to depend on how the Big Red are seeded and in whose bracket they are placed. There are many instances of extraordinary mid-major teams playing just well enough to be buried in 8/9 games — such as Murray State at 29-3 in 1998, or Western Kentucky at 28-3 in 2002. It’s better to be slapped in the face with a 12 seed than to be “respected” like the Racers and Hilltoppers were.
SI’s Seth Davis thinks he should have picked Harvard’s Jeremy Lin over Cornell’s Ryan Wittman as a big time player in a non-BCS school:
I like your list of big time players outside of the big BCS schools, but what about Jeremy Lin of Harvard? Isn’t there NBA talk surrounding this player?
– David White, Ottawa, Canada
.. The more glaring oversight probably was Lin. I have to admit, when I was doping out the Harvard-Cornell game for my Pickoff column last Friday (naturally I picked the game correctly), I was looking at the respective numbers for Lin and Wittman and realized I should have had Lin ahead of Wittman. Not only is Lin ranked in the top three in the Ivy League in points (17.1), assists (4.8) and steals (2.94), he is also ranked fourth in blocks (1.31).
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The Daily Pennsylvanian profiles Penn senior Drew Godwin, who made the move from junior varsity to varsity this season.
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The Daily Pennsylvanian discussesPenn coach Jerome Allen’s pending commencement. Allen never graduated from Penn and plans to do so this year.
Storming The Floor lists theHarvard-Cornell game on their autobid watch:
22. Ivy League: Cornell and Harvard (2-0) The first BIG GAME of this season is Saturday, and true to Ivy form, both teams play on back-to-back nights. Harvard has the tougher assignment, traveling to Columbia on Friday and then up to Cornell for the (hopeful) matchup of league unbeatens. Cornell will sleep in their own beds after playing Dartmouth on Friday night before welcoming the Crimson the next morning.
Brian Delaney of the Ithaca Journal warns that Cornell must be on guard in its Ivy men’s basketball opener tomorrow:
Steve Donahue has heard his good friend, Columbia coach Joe Jones, speak with near-fascination about the work ethic of Noruwa Agho.
Donahue, now in his 10th season as Cornell men’s basketball coach, has seen Agho enough live and on film to know this: the 6-foot-3 sophomore guard is headed for great things in the Ivy League.
“Just amazing,” Donahue said, “the progression he’s had.”
Whether the banged up duo of Patrick Foley and Brian Grimes take the Newman Arena court today or not — both will be game-time decisions — Cornell’s No. 1 concern will be defending the man wearing No. 1… (more)
The Ithaca Journal also scouts Columbia and concludes:
Outlook: In its last six games against Columbia, spanning three seasons, Cornell has consistently shot poorly from the arc (just 29.9 percent) against the Lions. … and won each time. As well as Columbia knows Cornell’s offensive system, the Big Red has always had the answer: defense and inside-out balance.
Last year, Alex Tyler produced 30 points and 14 rebounds in the two victories, while Cornell had more double-digit scorers (9) than Columbia (3).
The health of Foley and Grimes matter greatly. Foley is strong in transition, he’s experienced and can defend. Grimes gives the Lions a consistent inside scoring and rebounding threat. With those two on the floor, Agho becomes a much more dangerous component.
Cornell has a 15-game league win streak at Newman Arena, and won last year’s seven home games by an average of 18.4 points. Moreso, it’s eight-man senior class is determined to parlay its strong start into a historic finish, complete with automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.
History suggests Columbia will test the Big Red. Expect Cornell to pass by pulling away down the stretch.
The Daily Pennsylvanian writes an article about Carson Sullivan leaving Penn team and a new senior, Drew Godwin (formerly junior varsity), joining the team. The DP Buzz also has a post on this.
“It had nothing to do with the coaching staff or anything like that,” Sullivan explained. “It was more a personal decision as far as finding a better situation for me closer to home where I can hopefully play more and contribute.”
Daily News College Hoops Blog includes a short note by Fran Dunphy about his matchup with Jerome Allen in tomorrow’s Penn-Temple game.
Columbia’sNoruwa Agho is mentioned on NorthJersey.com, a North Jersey local news site. Agho spent a year at the Peddie School in Hightstown NJ before going to Columbia.
The Harvard Gazette recaps the Harvard-Dartmouth game.
The New York Times has published a great feature on arguably the best 3 point shooter in the country, Columbia’s Noruwa Agho. It describes his dedicated practice, his NBA ambitions, and how he almost went to Yale. The introduction:
There was a garbage can playing the part of a defender along the right part of the 3-point stripe. Noruwa Agho crouched over, the basketball in his hands. He made a quick dart to his left and released a rainbow from beyond the arc that swished through the net.
This snapshot of Agho working on his game came Monday night inside Columbia’s Levien Gymnasium. This was more than a half-hour after the Lions defeated American, 56-51. This was after he had poured 33 minutes of sweat into the victory and 21 points through the net. Agho nailed all three of his 3-point attempts.
The top 3-point percentage shooter in Division I, for those with at least 2.5 made per game, plays for Columbia, and that is Agho, a 6-foot-3 sophomore shooting guard. There is a reason for his fabulous 59 percent accuracy, for 36 of his 61 3-point attempts to have hit the target in the Lions’ 6-7 start.
“He has the best work ethic of any kid I’ve been around,” Columbia Coach Joe Jones said. “He just lives in the gym.”
The only reason K. J. Matsui did not finish among the official leaders two seasons ago was because he did not reach the N.C.A.A.’s minimum standard of 2.5 made per game.
But Matsui, a 6-foot-2 Tokyo native who was then a junior, finished at 49 percent, nailing 50 of his 102 attempts. Jaycee Carroll of Utah State led Division I that season at 49.8 percent, attempting 229 and making 114.
Check team sites on game day to find
previews and game notes containing links to listening or viewing options. (Always check channelsurfing.net at game time to see if free streaming video is available.)
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Intro by Bill Bradley.