Today’s Menu:The Morning Dish – Thursday, November 24, 2016--Hoopville
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We incorrectly wrote yesterday that the MGM Grand Main Event final between BYU and Valparaiso was to be played yesterday; indeed, that game actually takes place tonight, as the teams received a day off after their semifinal games. It’s Mormons vs. Lutherans for the title in a matchup of two schools with strong affiliations to their respective churches. Watching Alec Peters against BYU’s talented core should be fun.
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Finally, the good ol’ Great Alaska Shootout tips off its 39th annual event with a pair of quarterfinals, with Buffalo taking on the host Alaska-Anchorage and Oakland meeting Nevada in a good matchup.
Side Dishes
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The Great Alaska Shootout opened with the NCAA Division II host school Alaska-Anchorage giving a Division I team a fit, as usual, before falling to Buffalo 85-79. The second game was also a dandy, as Nevada rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to upend Oakland 82-78.
Valparaiso defeated BYU for the second time in less than eight months to win the MGM Grand Main Event in a 92-89 shootout. The Crusaders weathered the Cougars’ hot start to rally and win, and doing so with offense, outscoring the potent BYU lineup. Alec Peters was terrific-26 points, 12 rebounds-and so was Shane Hammink with 23 points.
#1 Kentucky Wildcats trounce Cleveland State Vikings 101-70--NEO Sports Insiders
Edwards Scores Career-High 28 in Setback at #1 Kentucky--csuvikings.com
Women’s Basketball Falls To Niagara, 67-49--csuvikings.com
College hoops: Detroit Mercy, CMU take losses on Thanksgiving Eve--Detroit Free Press
Wednesday's basketball: Eastern cruises past Madonna--Detroit News
More state men@DetroitMBB Host Manhattan On Saturday--detroittitans.com
(At) New Hampshire 86, Detroit Mercy 70: Tanner Leissner scored 18 of his career-high 31 points in the second half and Jaleen Smith had a double-double to lead New Hampshire.
Detroit Mercy trailed by 11 midway through the first half and closed within 33-30 on a DeShawndre Black jumper at the 3:19 mark before Leissner’s 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a 44-36 lead at the half.
New Hampshire quickly pushed its advantage to 13 in the second half before the Titans got within seven. Then Smith hit a 3 and followed Leissner’s layup with a jumper to make the difference 56-42 with 14:38 to go and Detroit Mercy never got it inside 10 again.
Smith had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Daniel Dion had 14 points for the Wildcats (3-2), who shot 56.5 in the second half despite making just 1 of 7 behind the arc.
Jaleel Hogan had 18 points, Black 14 and Josh McFolley 13 for the Titans (1-4).
Women's Basketball Opens CSUN Thanksgiving Classic on Friday--detroittitans.com
Wednesday recap: Big comebacks by Nevada and Utah Valley, Wichita State dominance and more--Mid-Major Madness
Nevada’s record-setting comebackEx-OU player Bellin's Brussels attack survival story on '48 Hours'--Detroit Free Press
Oakland friends, you know we love you. The Grizzlies built a 16-point half time lead, but Nevada started the second half on a 12-2 run and eventually pulled off the biggest comeback in Great Alaska Shootout history. It can’t feel good now, but the Grizzlies won’t face two players as talented as Cameron Oliver (22 points) and Marcus Marshall (25 points) at the same time the rest of the season, save for their game against Michigan State. Oakland should fatten up and roll into a two-game swing against the Spartans and Georgia at 9-1.
As for Nevada, the Wolfpack have responded to the season-opening loss at St. Mary’s with solid wins against Oregon State, Iona and Oakland. Oliver does seem to have fallen into the trap of trying to show scouts he can shoot. After 60 three-point attempts all last season, he’s already got 17. But he’s hit 10 of them, so there isn’t much to complain about right now. Marshall has been as advertised, and Lindsey Drew has been solid at the point. This is a team to watch.
Thursday’s basketball: Nevada rallies, tops Oakland--Detroit News
NEVADA RALLIES IN 2ND HALF TO UPEND OAKLAND, 82-78--goldengrizzlies.com
UIC downed by Elon in first game of Thanksgiving Classic--The Catch and Shoot
UIC falls to Elon 91-80--Chicago Tribune
Growing pains--Whoosh! Net
Late Surge Can't Carry UIC Past Elon--uicflames.com
Panthers score big to take down UW-Madison--UWM Post
Women’s Basketball Starts TD Bank Classic Friday--mkepanthers.com
Valparaiso outlasts BYU in Vegas to win title--Mid-Major Madness
John Calipari’s reaction to Kentucky’s win over Cleveland State--A Sea Of Blue
“But like I said, we’ve got a ways to go. Again, Tennessee-Martin had Mississippi beat, lost by three. They won every other game. They’ve beaten all the teams here. They press, they trap, they drive the ball at every chance, and so we have that game. Then you go to the following week and you think about who we're about to face, bam, bam, bam. And it's going to be a tough road.Valparaiso downs BYU in championship game of Las Vegas tournament--Chicago Tribune
“I think that Valpo just beat Alabama by eight. Valparaiso has a center that they tell me is an NBA player. 6'9", 250, absolutely a lock for the NBA. Big kid. Scoring 25 a game right now. So we have - look, we are where we are. Now, each game forward is going to get better and better. It's exactly what you need before you get into league play.“
JIM PETERS: Lottich wants VU to be Region's hoops team--NWI Times
Crusaders bring home the belt from Las Vegas--NWI Times
Crusaders Defeat BYU, Bring Home Championship Belt--valpoathletics.com
@NKUNorseWBB returns home to host ETSU--nkunorse.com
Davis is Unwavering on the Court--wsuraiders.com
Women Fall to Georgetown at San Juan Shootout--wsuraiders.com
#HLMBB Recaps Nov. 24--The Horizon League
Thanksgiving weekend brings plenty of hardwood action--The Horizon League
Women's Basketball Recaps - Nov. 23--The Horizon League
#HLWBB Recap, Nov. 24--The Horizon League
