The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Survive & Advance!! Good luck in the Elite 8.

That's always the plan!

Sweet Sixteen Results

Although the intrigue in the March Tournament seemed slow to build, it finally looks to be in full swing as the top teams in the country face off in the Tournament's second week. Some traditional powers advanced handily, while others fell far too quickly at the hands of some new blood. Looking for an underdog to root for? There are plenty of good bandwagon seats still available. Although power conferences ruled the day like they have ruled the tournament, it "top" team was not necessarily always the one advancing. Without further ado, here are the teams that will be squaring off for a spot in the Final Four.

Eastern Regional
#1 Florida 90 #5 Boston College 59
#3 Providence 70 #10 Marquette 90

In most of the regionals, you'll get exactly this kind of match up: four top shelf programs squaring off in games that are anybody's for the taking. Well, almost. Florida crushed Boston College in a game that was never competitive, and the Gators are looking like the favorite to win the whole tournament. Coach Billy Donovan is pushing all of the right buttons. Meanwhile, Marquette defeated Providence for the second time this season in a Big East grudge match -- except that this time the Golden Eagles won by 20 instead of 3. The Friars got into foul trouble early and ran out of bodies while Marquette continue to attack the basket. But even with Marquette having another unusually good shooting night, but it probably won't be enough for them to make it past an even hotter Gator squad.

West Regional
#1 LSU 66 #5 Texas Tech 88
#6 Drexel 83 #2 Ohio State 74

The Wild West? The Wacky West? The Who Wants It West? A regional that was thought to be relatively top heavy has officially been turned upside-down by two teams that were not expected to make it out of the first weekend. Texas Tech continues to show that it saved its best ball for Coach Pat Knight for March. The Red Raiders managed to put the clamps on LSU's star center/monster Daniel Wadood, and the Tigers were unable to keep up with Texas Tech's barrage of outside shots as they pulled away in a big way in the 2nd half. They'll face the Drexel Dragons, who have probably had the one of the toughest roads to the Elite 8 of any team in the Tournament. Yet depending on who you ask their win over Ohio State might not have been as big of an upset as their victory over Texas last week. The Dragons bullied the Buckeyes for almost the entire game, and while Ohio State is hardly soft they could never get into their game flow. Both Texas Tech and Drexel have had outstanding tournaments, and its anyone's guess who will advance.

South Regional
#1 Connecticut 75 #5 Kentucky 96
#3 UCLA 74 #2 Cincinnati 76

So long to another #1 seed. Kentucky continues to impress with its manhandling of Connecticut. Although most thought any of the top 5 seeds could emerge from the South, it looks like Kentucky is the team to beat. They have been firing on all cylinders. And how about the Bearcats once again advancing by the skin of their teeth? This is their third straight Tournament victory by two points, and this time they defeated a superior (talent wise) UCLA team that has had an off-and-on Tournament. Not in this game though, both the Bruins and Cincinnati poured everything they had into this one. Do the Bearcats have enough left in the tank for the next round? A lot of people are going to pick Kentucky, but Cincinnati keeps finding ways to win at crunch time.

Midwest Regional
#9 West Virginia 72 #4 Houston 82
#6 Duke 73 #2 Arizona State 78

If the other three regionals saved their upheaval for the second week of the tournament, the Midwest seems to be looking to restore order. Houston continues its push through the tournament by dispatching a West Virgina team that seemed to lose last weekends lightning in a bottle after the layoff. The Mountaineers just were not able to put up the same kind of effort that helped them upset Tennessee. Of course, this may have more to do with Houston matching up better against the Mountaineers around the perimeter. On the other hand, both Arizona State and Duke brought their "A" game. But to paraphrase the saying, "Two Devils enter, one Devil leaves." Neither team led by more than 9 throughout the game, and the Sun Devils only managed their first 5 point lead on a pair of free throws to put the game out of reach. Coach Todd Bozeman (formerly of Morgan State) has Houston flying high, but don't expect them to overcome Coach Herb Sendek's Arizona State squad. The talent gap is just too wide.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Who Do You Choose?

It looks like neither the Dragons nor the Red Raiders are getting the match up they expected in the West Regional Final. Neither team has made any noise in recent years, but both Coach Guy West and Coach Pat Knight seemed to have found the right buttons to push to get their teams to reach new heights this season. The line for this game currently stands at EVEN. Critics and fans seem to have gained respect for two of the hottest teams of March, but there is no consensus on who will the top squad come Sunday.

Question for the Readers: Who do you pick to advance from the West Regional to the Final Four? #6 Drexel or #5 Texas Tech?

Drexel at a Glance: By reading this legacy you should have had a chance to get familiar with the Dragons. Their bread-and-butter is getting the ball inside to their bigs. Once they have established that presence they will move the ball around the defense to find open jump shots or threes. Drexel primarily plays a 1-3-1 zone, likes to play tight perimeter defense, and tries to run the fast break whenever possible. To get here, Drexel defeated #11 Valparaiso, #3 Texas, and #2 Ohio State. The Dragons won the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament.

Texas Tech at a Glance: The Red Raiders are a balanced scoring team with most key players clumped in the 10-13 PPG range. Their guards can hit the three and are fast -- their SG Brendan Radenovic is especially dangerous. Their bigs are physical and more defensive minded but could also be considered opportunistic scorers. The Red Raiders like to run fast and hard while usually looking for a good shot instead of working in a set offense. They primarily play man to man, but will switch to the 2-3 when necessary as their guards are fast enough to defend the outside. To get here, Texas Tech defeated #12 Florida State, #13 Long Beach State, and #1 LSU. The Red Raiders won the Big 12 Tournament.

[crques]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Florida, Drexel, Kentucky, and Houston......that's who I'm going with for the Final Four.

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Gotta go Drexel. Tougher road, before LSU Texas Tech hasn't played a strong opponent since the Big XII Tournament.

Drexel, Florida, Kentucky, Arizona State in the Final Four.

[Deuce2223]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the Elite 8 run. I think you will pull off a win to move to the Final 4, but #1 Florida looks like they could be tough. I am cheering for ASU and Cincy with ASU beating Cincy to find a way to the Championship game.

[HNIC1995]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Well I just read this Dynasty from page one and all I can say is WOW. Great work man and good luck against Texas Tech.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2014 Tournament: Elite Eight

It's a beautiful day in Anaheim for a game on the hardwood. But it's not just any other day. The Buckeyes have been sent packing. The Tigers are out of the picture. Yes, we're in what is certainly the most unlikely Regional Final of any in this tournament. Texas Tech and Drexel have both been hot throughout the Tournament, with both teams winning by margins big and small. But one of them is going to have to go home tonight. Who wants it more? Who has what it takes? Two things are for certain: the Red Raiders look nothing like the team that finished 8th in the Big 12, and Drexel looks nothing like an overwhelmed mid-major.

Drexel Keys to the Game

1) Defend the Perimeter: The Dragons have shown this tournament that they can defend the three point line and stop teams from getting open jump shots. With defenders like Richard and Payton, Drexel has done a great job of putting the clamps on their opponents big scorers. If they can stop the Red Raiders' outside game, they'll go a long way to playing games in April.
2) Which McCarthy Will We See?: During the first weekend Perry McCarthy answered the critics and led the Dragons to victory over what many called unfavorable match ups. However, he struggled mightily against Ohio State both to get his shot and to distribute the ball effectively. His long wind up for his shots might work in the CAA, but faster players have plenty of time to disrupt it. And he'll need to make better decisions in tonight's game.
3) Can They be the Favorite?: All tournament long, no one expected much from the Dragons -- a team who has done nothing for practically the past decade. But after big time victories over two recent National Champions, it looks like the rest of the country has taken notice. It's one thing to win against a double digit seed in the first round. Can Drexel handle the pressure of being the favorite to advance to the Final Four -- or have they relied too much on being the underdog this whole tournament?

Texas Tech Keys to the Game

1) Make the 3-Ball Count: The Red Raiders have made it this far by shooting far better from the three point line than they have the entire season. And it isn't just individual performers like Javarez Wilis or Brendan Radenovic. No, the team as a whole has got their stroke working. To beat the Dragons, they'll need to take advantage of their opportunities.
2) Need for Speed: The Red Raiders like to play fast. They will run, they will gun, and they will put up shots even if 30 seconds are left on the shot clock. Although Drexel is a team that is used to running, they have struggled this season against teams that can match their tempo. The Red Raiders need to take some pages out of Norfolk State and UCLA's game plans and adapt it to their strengths.
3) Clog the Lane: So far this tournament only Texas has been able to match up with Drexel's inside. Both Valpo and Ohio State were crushed under their big three of Ramsey, Sow, and Cottrill. The pressure is going to fall squarely on Sophomore big man Larry Stoudamire. He's going to need to come up big in tonight's game and avoid foul trouble -- because there's not much behind him on the bench except for warm bodies.

It's going to be another match up of style-vs-style, but expect this game to go at a blistering pace with lots of points. Looks like some good, entertaining basketball is in the works. The Dragons are favored by 2 going into this one, but with everything on the line it's going to come down to young Guy West matching wits with Pat Knight. Can Knight step out of his father's shadow and forge his own legacy, or will West show why he's one of the top young coaches in the game today?

#6 Drexel vs #5 Texas Tech

The fans got what they came for, that's for sure. Texas Tech and Drexel had been playing flawless basketball for nearly the whole game, and with less than a minute to go the Red Raiders took their final time out with the score tied 90-90. Both teams were pouring everything they had into the game, and players like Duncan Sow and Matt Gogerty had already poured their way to the bench after fouling out. But when a game that comes down to the wire, it's always the little things that build up to a swell. In a game that had been back and forth throughout, not team seemed to be able to get any separation from the other from the first whistle.

"We're executing, they're executing," said Coach Knight at the half, "we're just fortunate to be executing a little better."

Coach West had a similar sentiment despite being down 7 at the half, "They're really bringing it to us, but we've still got our hay-maker. Our uppercut. It's still anybody's game."

It's not right to say the Dragons and Red Raiders threw the kitchen sink at each other. No, think of the whole kitchen itself. But neither team tried any gadgetry or gimmickry, instead each squad stuck to what got them there. The Red Raiders started cold from beyond the arc but stuck with it and started finding open shots. Meanwhile, the Dragons had trouble buying a bucket from almost anywhere, but it did not matter because Sow and Ramsey were keeping pace inside. Both were able to assert their will in the paint, but the Red Raiders managed to answer blow for blow.

Meanwhile, Texas Tech had an unlikely hero of their own. After all of the highlights and big shots of Brendan Radenovic throughout the tournament, it was time for someone else to get hot. That man was Javarez Willis -- who completely over matched Perry McCarthy. Of course, Willis got help with some brilliant play calling by Knight that forced the far smaller McCarthy to try and chase Willis through screens. His shots were wide open and they were true.

Unfortunately for the Dragons, McCarthy's shooting woes continued. But fortunately he found other ways to contribute to the tune of 14 assists. When McCarthy could not shoot, he found the open shooter. And although Joshua Payton could not keep his blistering 3 point pace, he still managed to contribute with three buckets from beyond the arc. The inside-out game was still working, especially with the inside portion.

Femi Ramsey started strong and played tough throughout the game while avoiding foul trouble. However, Texas Tech's Stoudamire raised his game tremendously, constantly fighting Ramsey for boards and even managing to emphatically swat one of Ramsey's near automatic post-up fade-aways deep into the stands. It was apparent from the start that the Red Raiders were willing to let Ramsey get his as long as they could put the clamps on the other Dragons -- and to an extent Ramsey was contained.

However, the match up that gave the Red Raiders the most trouble was Duncan Sow. When he was on the floor he was a nightmare playing the game of his life. His defense in the paint in the 1-3-1 prevented Texas Tech from doing any kind of drive penetration, and on offense he proved to be too much for NBA Dark Horse Matt Gogerty. The Red Raiders could not even contain him when they switched to a 2-3 and bulked up the middle. Unfortunately for Sow, the constant drives at him came with a price. He'd pick up a foul, then another, then another...and when he was not on the floor it showed. McLaughlin and Cottril both had effective, efficient games. But the Dragons were a different team with Sow on the floor. A better team. An aggressive team. Sow gave everything he could before fouling out with 3 minutes left.

And when the Red Raiders and Dragons broke their time out huddles with less than a minute to go, everyone knew the national spotlight was hot on the Honda Center. Who would get their shining moment? Who would get to cut down the nets and wear the I-don't-care-if-it's-cheap hats?

Willis brought up the ball with confidence. The Red Raiders had been in the exact same situation in the Big 12 tournament and and their experience showed. The clock wound down, but the Red Raiders stayed patient. Then a swing pass to Radenovic, who was met by Payton immediately. The cogs kept moving. The post was denied by both Ramsey and Cottrill. And although the Red Raiders only needed a two, they went for the home run with 25 seconds left on the clock. Willis popped out of a double screen behind three point line. McCarthy gave chase and both he and Richard were there to meet him as he got the ball. Willis didn't seem to notice. With ice pouring out of his veins and slowly melting into sweat as it reached his skin, he rose and hoisted the shot of his life.

And nailed it with 20 seconds left. Willis' 7th three pointer of the game.

The Dragons took their final time out. Coach West, with the world watching looked over his team as they came to the bench. They looked like they had just been slapped in the face, but there was no time to wallow. With their season on the brink, West only asked his team, "Who's it going to be?" He then went to work on the white board his, his team unified with a singular purpose.

West put his three squad on the floor: Perry McCarthy, Joshua Payton, Duncan Richard, and Dallas Marsh. Ramsey could not bail them out of a 3 point deficit this late in the game. Someone else would have to emerge.

The Dragons came up the floor with the Red Raiders sitting back waiting to pick up the man-to-man assignments. McCarthy held onto the ball, but for a moment seemed to pause. He had a long shot if he wanted it, but there was too much time on the clock -- no, now only 12 seconds on the clock. Payton began doing what he does best. Starting from the left wing, he ran under the basket and past screens by Richard and Ramsey. But when he made it to the three point line on the other side, he received the ball and was enveloped by defenders.

As the hot hand in the tournament, everyone in the arena had to be expecting the ball to go to Payton. And as the defense collapsed on him he stepped forward. To draw a foul? To go for two? No, to pass the ball back to McCarthy -- except Willis, Radenovic, and L.F. Holt had all stayed disciplined on defense. There was no pass open to McCarthy, and he wouldn't have a shot even if he got the ball. Richard was on the other side of the court, and it would only be feasible to get him the ball through the point.

That left one person, true freshman Dallas Marsh, as the sole hope for keeping Drexel's hopes of a first ever Final Four berth alive.

Tick...tick...tick...

Marsh was the forgotten man. The Dragons had run this set in isolation plenty throughout the season, where the small forward, Marsh, would do a quick on ball screen to free up the shooting guard, Payton, and then pop over to the corner. The defense had collapsed on Payton after the screen, but Holt had not over extended himself. He recovered when Peyton kicked the ball out to Marsh on the corner.

But Holt was not quick enough. Marsh got the ball just as he set his feet behind the line. And up went the biggest shot of his life. For the tie.

The horn sounded. The ball hung in the air as silence weighed down on the arena.

All eyes were trained on the ball. All except two. Replays of the end of the game showed that Dallas Marsh knew what was coming as he sunk to the floor.

Front rim. The Texas Tech Red Raiders survive a thriller with a final score of 93-90.

Coach West and his players stayed on the court to watch the Red Raiders cut down the nets and celebrate their first ever trip to the Final Four. As for the Dragons? Maybe next year.

Mar 26, 2014 - DREX at TTU
TEAM	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#6 Drexel (32-5)	42	48	90
#5 Texas Tech (25-11)	49	44	93

Drexel
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
P. McCarthy	21	1-7	0-2	0-0	0	14	1	0	4	2
J. Payton	25	3-6	3-6	0-0	2	3	2	1	0	9
D. Richard	15	2-6	0-0	0-0	4	0	0	0	0	4
D. Sow	20	10-13	0-0	4-5	14	3	1	2	4	24
F. Ramsey	25	13-24	0-0	4-4	6	2	0	4	4	30
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
T. Cottrill	19	4-8	0-0	0-0	3	3	2	0	1	8
D. Marsh	11	3-6	1-2	0-0	1	7	0	0	0	7
G. McLaughlin	9	3-4	0-0	0-0	5	0	0	1	0	6
S. Manojlovic	4	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0	0	0	0
J. Learner	-- DID NOT PLAY --
R. Burnette	-- DID NOT PLAY --
A. Quick	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		39-74	4-10	8-9	35	33	6	8	13	90

Texas Tech (87 OVR RPI: 30)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Willis	28	12-18	7-10	2-2	1	8	4	1	3	33
B. Radenovic	25	7-15	1-5	4-4	0	5	3	1	1	19
L. Holt	28	5-9	1-3	2-2	9	5	2	0	2	13
M. Gogerty	18	0-4	0-0	1-2	4	0	0	1	0	1
L. Stoudamire	24	4-11	0-1	6-10	10	1	1	3	0	14
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
T. Mulligan	11	1-9	1-5	2-2	0	3	1	0	0	5
F. Harper	6	2-5	1-2	0-0	2	0	0	2	0	5
Z. Jones	10	1-2	1-2	0-0	1	3	1	0	0	3
J. Outler	-- DID NOT PLAY --
G. Edwin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
J. Crockett	-- DID NOT PLAY --
M. Henderson	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		32-73	12-28	17-22	27	25	12	8	6	93

Coach West: You don't know how many times you're going to get an opportunity like this. You don't know if you'll ever make it back to this stage again. But I just want to say that I'm proud of my guys and I stand by them. They've played their best ball of the entire season this tournament, and most all of them will be back next year knowing how close we got to breaking the threshold. Yes, it's a tough loss to an incredible Texas Tech team. A tough loss. But we know what our goal is next year, and we've got the guys to do it.

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Wow. What a tough loss. I had to hide the rest of the story at the bottom of the screen to stop myself from reading ahead. Let's hope that miss fuels Marsh in the future.

Congratulations on a great season.

[VandyRedskins21]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Man that loss definitely hurts. Maybe next year will be the year. Good luck. Dang that sucks...

[Pitfighter87]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

+1 fan

Great job on this man it really is a great read.Ive been playin the gm and readin your dynasty as i let an ABL gm or two playout.Tough loss hopefully youll have some of the pieces back that got ya there.Now with you out heres hopen the cats bring home another one lol cant wait for the update

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2014 Tournament Summary

Although this whole tournament has been light on upsets, it has been heavy on on drama. With some late round surprises and many of the favorites going into the tournament getting knocked off, it looks like it's going to be a match up of Florida vs. Everyone Else. However, with the way Tennessee, LSU, and UCONN all unceremoniously fell, picking the field might be the safer choice.

But speculation aside, who's on their way to Reliant Stadium? Will it be...Houston? Could they become the first team since UCLA in 1972 to play in a final four in their home city? And who's to say who will emerge from Texas Tech-Drexel and Kentucky-Cincinnati? What surprises are in store once we land in the Texas? It's going to be a wild finish, that's for sure!

Elite Eight / Regional Finals

East Regional Final
#1 Florida 77 #10 Marquette 65

The Golden Eagles came to play, but at the end of the day Billy Donovan and the Gators were able to pull away. Marquette has leaned on their talented starting five all tournament, but by the end they just ran out of gas. The Gators flexed their muscle and clamped down on defense in the closing minutes, but it was their stars that carried them to the Final Four.

West Regional Final
#5 Texas Tech 93 #6 Drexel 90

Oh what a match up. Both of these teams can play, and it's a shame only one of them gets to move on to the next round. The game was a physical shoot-out. Don't let the score line fool you, both teams played hard D. They just run and run and run. But the final minutes were decided by players who were able to elevate their game. Texas Tech had theirs, but Drexel could not hit a three at the buzzer to force overtime. Looks like some fans will be happy to make the long drive from Lubbock to support their squad.

South Regional Final
#5 Kentucky 76 #2 Cincinnati 75

And if fans thought they weekend could not get any better, Cincinnati played another nail biter. The four games the Bearcats have been involved in this Tournament have been decided by a total of 7 points. But today it was Kentucky that would carry the day. The Wildcats had not been challenged in the tournament until this game, and it took them awhile to figure out how to deal with the Bearcat's superior size. But in the end, Kentucky was able to neutralize size by getting to the line more consistently in the 2nd half. A little physical contact didn't hurt anyone...much? Well, another last second miss by Cincinnati was all she wrote. The Wildcats get to punch their ticket to Houston.

Midwest Regional Final
#4 Houston 67 #2 Arizona State 72

Which leads to fans in Houston, who have to be disappointed. Maybe if there was more time on the clock they could have finished the come back. But the Sun Devils jumped out to an early lead that swelled to as much as 17 before the half. But once desperation replaced nerves, the Cougars made game out of it and pushed Arizona State to the limit. Fortunately for Coach Sendek's squad, they get to avenge last year's Elite Eight loss to move on the the Final Four.

Final Four

Hopefully this weekend's games can live up to the close games that preceded them. As the sole remaining #1, Florida has to be the favorite going in. They got everything they could handle from Marquette, who were giant killers in their own rights en route to the Elite Eight. But the Gators have been able to handle any challenge that comes their way. The same might be said for #5 Kentucky. Do not let the seeding fool you, this squad is stacked with NBA ready talent and poses significant match up problems for Arizona State. The Wildcats are very quick and love to wreck havoc in the passing lanes, and they could very well disrupt Arizona State's passing oriented offense. That said, Arizona State is no pushover match up, and they are the only remaining team who can say they have faced elite competition in every round of the tournament (despite Gonzaga's disappointing record). Meanwhile, Texas Tech had the benefit of a slate of mid majors and power conference also-rans. But they also have the home crowd on their side. That could be the difference.

#1 Florida 72 #5 Texas Tech 75

Am I seeing double? Are we still in March and are the Red Raiders winning by the sole margin of a last second three pointer? The answer is no, then no, then a resounding YES. Florida had the muscle, the skills, and the star power. But Pat Knight's squad was not intimidated. In fact, they seemed to feed off of the Gators' bravado to stick together and keep pace for the entire game. If there is a game that is a testament of the importance of getting "hot" at the right time, this one is it. The crowd in Reliant Stadium erupted when Brendan Radenovic's last second three went through the net to the point that the US Geologic Survey in nearby Shenandoah, Texas was able to pick up seismic activity. And so did the rest of the college basketball world. Eighth in the Big 12? Try playing for the National Title one month later.

#5 Kentucky 84 #2 Arizona State 80

Not to be outdone, Arizona and Kentucky went blow to blow for the whole stretch of the game. Each team stuck to its game plan and did what they did best, but any time the Sun Devils looked like they were able to take control Kentucky rained in threes or quick buckets to get back into the picture. They crept and crept, and eventually the Wildcats were able to take control late in game on some uncharacteristic miscues by the highly disciplined Arizona State seniors. Kentucky proved once again that they can win close just as well as they can win by a wide margin. And now they get to carry their victory on to the National Final against #5 Texas Tech.

National Final

Home crowd vs. Road Crowd. Unexpected underdog vs. Under-seeded traditional power. Fortunate breaks in the bracket vs. an onslaught of tough opponents. #5 vs #5 for the hoops crown. Both teams have proven they belong, but in the end only one will be champion.

#5 Texas Tech 77 #5 Kentucky 94

This was a coronation. A big "you screwed up and we'll show you" game. Kentucky came out angry from the start, and the magic that had flowed through the Red Raiders for months just seemed to wilt away and disappear. For as close as the games had been up to this point, the National Championship was a dud -- unless you're a Kentucky fan. But oh what a thunderous, entertaining dud it was. The Red Raiders tried to run, but the Wildcats shut down their fast break early and never let them recover. Instead, they ran their own break. Not a fast break. A surgical break. Every shot was going in. Each pass was a clear slice to the basket. And before the game could materialize, it was not competitive. But the score margin is not what matters at the end of the day. No, instead it's one indisputable fact: the Kentucky Wildcats are your 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball National Champion.

[Pitfighter87]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

WAHOOOOOO!!!!lol Dynasty is great already but it got even betterCant wait to see how the offseason plays out Coach West is on a roll. The power conf are gonna be ringin the phone off the wall to try and reel in the the up and comin West

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

End of Season Update

Drexel started out this season as a team of nobodies. They were not relevant even to their own area of Philadelphia, much less in the national spotlight. And their new head Coach? Ran out of town after being unable to shake rumors of insubordination and incompetence. But after a fantastic run to the Elite Eight that nobody saw coming, the Dragons finish the far better off than where they started. And people have started to notice -- certainly notice enough to vote them into the final Top 25 poll of the season.

NCAA Hoops Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Apr 9, 2014
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	RECORD
1	1	Florida	30-7
2	2	Connecticut	28-6
3	3	Ohio State	27-6
4	4	LSU	28-8
5	5	Tennessee	26-8
6	6	Missouri	27-8
7	7	Cincinnati	29-7
8	8	Louisville	26-8
9	9	UCLA	27-8
10	11	Texas	26-9
11	10	Memphis	25-7
12	13	Arizona State	29-9
13	12	Providence	28-9
14	14	Houston	29-7
15	15	Alabama	24-11
16	16	Wisconsin	22-11
17	18	Kentucky	28-10
18	17	Boston College	21-10
19	19	Duke	24-14
20	22	Texas Tech	27-12
21	20	Saint Louis	22-8
22	NR	Drexel	32-6
23	24	Kansas	21-12
24	21	Stanford	24-11
25	23	NC State	23-9

But there will be more of an update on the national picture later in this post. First, it's time to take a closer look at developments on the home front.

Coach Guy West
(numbers in parentheses are from current season)
Total Legacy Points: 31943 (10206)
Coaching Record: 108-31 (32-6)

Legacy Goals Achieved
(1 Point On Holdover)
Advance to Sweet Sixteen
Get Ranked in the Top 25
Recruit the Mr. Basketball of Your State (PA)
Coach an All-American

West's Coaching Attributes Changes
Overall: B
Offense: B+ (+1)
Defense: C (+1)
Teaching: A (+3)
Scouting: C-
Charisma: A+
Discipline: B-

That's right, Coach West has notched up his first ever collegiate All-American this season (or All-American of any kind for that matter). However, probably the most significant development from this season is how West seemed to thrive under the freedom and lack of pressure he received from Drexel's athletics department. They wanted him to succeed, but knew that he had previously been handled with kid's gloves at Norfolk State. As a result, West has grown into the job significantly and has made great strides in his ability to translate his innate teaching ability to the basketball court.

Team Statistics

Drexel Dragons Stats - 2014
Player	GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TPG	FPG
F. Ramsey	38	19.8	20.3	7.7	1.4	0.7	2.7	1.6	2.2
D. Sow	38	19.1	12.9	9.6	1.3	0.9	1.7	1.0	2.5
T. Cottrill	25	18.8	12.3	4.4	0.9	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.7
J. Payton	38	22.4	9.8	4.2	1.9	0.8	0.2	1.6	1.1
P. McCarthy	30	21.2	7.7	0.6	8.2	1.1	0.0	2.2	1.6
D. Richard	38	18.3	7.3	3.3	1.6	0.8	0.1	1.3	1.5
G. McLaughlin	37	11.9	6.7	5.1	0.7	0.5	1.1	1.0	1.4
D. Marsh	38	15.1	5.5	0.8	3.7	0.5	0.0	0.9	1.1
S. Manoljovic	36	9.1	3.2	1.1	1.5	0.4	0.0	0.6	0.6
J. Learner	35	6.5	1.9	0.3	1.6	0.4	0.0	0.7	0.5
K. Edelin	13	4.8	1.8	2.1	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.5
A. Quick	26	3.1	1.0	0.7	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.3
R. Burnette	31	3.7	0.7	0.2	0.9	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.5

There are no huge surprises on the statistical front. However, one wonders how much more Cottrill could have contributed if he had not been knocked out by injury so early in the season. Just the same, he showed he was at full strength by the time Tournament time rolled around.

CAA Statistical Leaders - Updated: Apr 9, 2014
Points Per Game	PPG	Rebounds Per Game	RPG
1. F. Ramsey (DREX)	20.3	1. D. Sow (DREX)	9.6
2. R. Richardson (GAST)	20.0	2. S. Ryan (DEL)	8.8
3. E. Scalzo (UNCW)	19.0	3. B. Frisby (DEL)	8.4
4. A. Harris (NE)	18.7	4. F. Ramsey (DREX)	7.7
5. D. Haley (VCU)	18.2	5. Two Players Tied	7.6
Assists Per Game	APG	Steals Per Game	SPG
1. P. McCarthy (DREX)	8.2	1. B. Braxston (ODU)	1.7
2. T. Chapman (TOW)	5.3	2. J. Jeffers (HOF)	1.6
3. A. Allen (UNCW)	5.0	3. J. Larson (UNCW)	1.6
4. J. Larson (UNCW)	5.0	4. C. Hogan (DEL)	1.5
5. Two Players Tied	4.8	5. Two Players Tied	1.4
Blocks Per Game	BPG
1. F. Ramsey (DREX)	2.7	1.
2. T. Barber (GAST)	2.3	2.
3. B. Frisby (DEL)	2.2	3.
4. E. Scalzo (UNCW)	2.2	4.
5. C. Garrett (NE)	2.1	5.

New Assistant

After having a very good and very successful year, Paris Marks had to leave the coaching staff for personal reasons. He has been replaced by Tim Rickert, who has many of the same strengths and is a better teach, but he is also a worse recruiter.

Tim Rickert
Ovr: B-
Off B-
Def B-
Tea B
Sco B+
Cha F
Dis C
Amb B+

2014 Coaching Carousel Summary

Although there is already rampant speculation about what program West will be turning around next, the fact remains that it is far too early for him to leave Drexel. Just the same, a 22 win increase and an Elite 8 berth has teams from power conferneces across the country salivating at bringing Weset into the fold. This is especially true since it has come to light that rumors about his inability to work with others at Norfolk State were considerably overblown.

Still, 2014 had some considerable shake ups at the top of the basketball world.

Virginia fires B. Williams, hires S. Sutton (Fairfield)
St. John’s fires I. Thomas, hires C. MURR (MURR)
Massachusetts fires D. Kellogg, hires C. Harriman (BU)
Tulane fires T. Amaker, hires B. Noel (UTM)
Air Force fires J. Reynolds, hires S. Nagy (SDS)
Fairfield loses S. Sutton, hires G. Grensing (LIU)
TCU Fires R. McKay, hires D. Marsh (IDST)

End of Season Awards

National Champion: Kentucky
NIT Champion: Georgetown
NCAA Player of the Year: Cameron Clark (Oklahoma)
NCAA Mid-Major Player of the Year: Ray McCallum (Detroit)
NCAA Coach of the Year: Billy Donovan (Florida)
NCAA Defensive Player of the Year: Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers)
NCAA Big Man of the Year: Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers)
NCAA Freshman of the Year: Duncan Sow (Drexel)

Sow very deservedly wins the Freshman of the Year Award (which, strangely, is not one of the 2K awards for coach goal purposes). He was statistically superior to the other players in contention, and more importantly he played a significant role in Drexel's amazing tournament run. Once again, more national recognition = great. But it's also nice to see a three star recruit beat out a bunch of 4 and 5 stars.

First Team All-American
PG: Brandon Young (DePaul) (2nd Year in a row)
SG: Billy Baron (Rhode Island)
SF: Cameron Clark (Oklahoma)
PF: Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers)
C: Adrian Payne (Michigan State)

Second Team All-American
PG: Ray McCallum (Detroit)
SG: Taran Buie (PSU) (no longer with team IRL)
SF: Nate Lubick (Georgetown)
PF: Kyle Cain (Arizona State)
C: Shawn Sarchet (Richmond)

Freshman All American
PG: Kris Cunningham (Georgia Tech)
SG: Wesley Gill (Marquette) (87 ovr)
SF: Donell Ibikunle (Notre Dame)
PF: Winsome Homan (Eastern Michigan)
C: Duncan Sow (Drexel)

Isn't it fitting that West's first ever All-American is a three star guy from Detroit, MI that he managed to pick up at the very end of the recruiting window. No one else considered him or kept interest. Fitting for the team as a whole. All West needed was an opportunity. All Sow needed was an opportunity. And everyone else around the Country gets to have egg on their faces.

CAA Champions: Drexel
CAA Coach of the Year: Guy West (Drexel)
CAA Player of the Year: Femi Ramsey (Drexel)
CAA Freshman of the Year: Duncan Sow (Drexel)

First Team All-CAA
PG: Alex Harris (Northeastern)
SG: Rashaad Richardson (Georgia State)
SF: Bronski Avery (George Mason)
PF: Eugene Scalzo (UNC Wilmington)
C: Femi Ramsey (Drexel)

Second Team All-CAA
PG: Perry McCarthy (Drexel)
SG: Rob Brandenburg (VCU) (only 12 starts?!?!)
SF: Joshua Payton (Drexel)
PF: Brody Frisby (Delaware)
C: Duncan Sow (Drexel)

Freshman All-CAA
PG: Loy Mikulas (Delaware)
SG: Donovan Barlett (Hofstra)
SF: Rhett Andres (Northeastern)
PF: Tracey Cottrill (Drexel)
C: Duncan Sow (Drexel)

So another award studded year for Coach West, and it looks like he has been able to grow into his talents at his new post with Drexel. However, there's another long offseason ahead, including filling out the one remaining scholarship available and attempting to schedule some games against tougher opponents. Next season has a lot of possibilities, but the question remains: will Drexel reach even newer, higher heights or will they fall back to Earth?

[VandyRedskins21]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

You took over the CAA like no one's business.. Great year and I can't wait to see who that All-American is that you recruited!

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

You took over the CAA like no one's business.. Great year and I can't wait to see who that All-American is that you recruited!

Oops. Didn't realize I had made the wording ambiguous. I coached an All-American, not recruited. Edited.

Hopefully this coming season I'll be able to recruit some All-Americans though, especially considering I have a whopping 5 scholarships to give out and all of my PGs are seniors.