UC Irvine vs. Texas CWS Game Preview

Tomorrow afternoon at 2pm CST, the UC Irvine Anteaters (40-23, 15-9 Big West) take on the Texas Longhorns (43-19, 13-11 Big 12) in the opening game of the 2014 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.  The Anteaters earned a trip to Omaha by besting Oklahoma State two games to none in the best-of-three series in the Super Regionals last weekend.  Strong pitching has carried Irvine this season, as they have a team ERA of 2.76.  Andrew Morales is the ace of the staff and he will get the start tomorrow afternoon for the 'Eaters.  He pitched a complete game shutout in the series-clinching game in Stillwater last weekend.  Morales has a team-best ERA of 1.53 among starting pitchers.  He also has a team high 11 wins.  Connor Spencer leads UC Irvine in batting average with a .370 mark.  Taylor Sparks and Kris Paulino are tied for the team lead in homeruns with 5, and Spencer leads the team with 44 RBI on the season.  Texas was rewarded with another trip to the CWS after sweeping Houston 2-0 in its Super Regional series last weekend.  The Longhorns also have a strong pitching staff that has been their bread and butter this year.  Senior Nathan Thornhill has an ERA of 1.57 to lead pitchers with a minimum of 10 starts, and he will get the start tomorrow on the hill for the 'Horns.  He also has a team-best 8 wins on the season for legendary coach Augie Garrido.  Madison Carter has a batting average of .347, tops for the team.  Ben Johnson leads the team with 6 homeruns, and Mark Payton has a team best 38 RBI.  This should be a great game, and I think runs will be at a premium with two great starting pitchers taking the hill.  I think Morales will continue his hot streak on the mound for the Anteaters, and I look for UC Irvine to manufacture some runs and come out with an opening round win.

Newman Catholic vs. Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran WIAA Division 5 Sectional Final Game Preview

Tomorrow afternoon at 2pm at Pulaski High School, the Newman Catholic Cardinals (20-6, 10-4 Marawood - South) take on the Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran Blazers (25-1, 14-0 Packerland) in a WIAA Division 5 Sectional Final. The Cardinals earned the trip to Pulaski by coming from behind to beat Columbus Catholic on Thursday night 39-34. Newman came back from a 22-9 halftime deficit to capture the win. Senior Marcus Gabriel had a game-high 15 points (all in the second half) for the Cardinals, who outscored the Dons 13-0 in the third quarter. Gabriel, a St. Cloud State Football recruit, leads the team with 11.9 points per game this season. N.E.W. clinched a spot in the sectional championship by finding a way past Wausaukee 63-58. The Blazers held a four point halftime lead and outscored the Rangers by one in the second half on their way to the victory. Senior Dakota Zinser, a UW-Whitewater Basketball recruit, led the team with 13 points. Zinser also leads the team in points per game this season, averaging 19.2. I think this will be a battle of the guards in Gabriel and Zinser. I also think the Blazers' speed and size will give them the sectional championship and their fourth trip to the State Tournament in Madison in five years.

WBY Shootout All-Tourney Team

I watched some or all of 14 out a possible 18 games throughout two days at the WBY Shootout held at Concordia University in Mequon over December 26-27. I have compiled an all-tournament team made up of five first-team players with five honorable mention players. Here they are:

First-Team

1. (MVP) Henry Ellenson - 6-9, Rice Lake

Ellenson went up against the best junior in the country, Diamond Stone, and handled him easily as the Warriors beat Dominican by double digits.  Ellenson, who has offers from both Wisconsin and Marquette, impressed me so much by his ball-handling skills for a big man and his ability to rebound and shoot a terrific jumpshot, especially from beyond the three-point arc.

2. Chandler Diekvoss - 6-6, West De Pere

Diekvoss had two impressive games against D1 teams, as the Phantoms beat Racine Case on Day 1 and Milwaukee Washington on Day 2. Diekvoss had 18 points against Washington and can bring the ball up the court if needed with his impressive ball-handling skills. The Richmond recruit and wing impressed me by his smooth three-point shot as well as his underrated passes into tight spaces for assists.

3. Matt Heldt - 6-10, Neenah

Heldt transferred to the Rockets his sophomore year after playing at Appleton West as a freshman. This junior is such a sleeper in the state because of his ability to run the floor as a 6-10 big man in the post, and that ability leads to layups and dunks on the other end.  His rebounding and blocking ability are his strengths, but Heldt must get stronger and bigger if he wants to be an elite player in the future.  

4. Lamonte Bearden - 6-2, Germantown

The catalyst of the undefeated Warhawks is clearly Bearden.  I loved watching his defensive pressure as he was a defender who moved his feet, had his arms out wide, and followed his assignment in the Warhawks' press. Bearden's size as a point guard can't be overlooked, and the Buffalo recruit's ability to get to the basket impressed me as he had two dunks in the first quarter. His athleticism is his best asset.

5. Nathan Toenjes - 6-7, Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran

Toenjes had an impressive one-handed follow-up dunk on Day 1. He runs the floor well for a big man and can easily grab offensive rebounds and put them back up for easy points. Also a great defender who can block shots and grab boards with no trouble.  The Concordia Nebraska recruit leads the Blazers, who have not lost a Packerland Conference game since January 27, 2012.

Honorable Mention

Diamond Stone - 6-9, Dominican

The enormous junior had eye-popping dunks in this shootout. Outplayed by Ellenson on Day 1, Stone has a sweet-looking mid-range jumpshot and can grab rebounds from anybody with ease.  

Nathan Neveau - 5-10, Oshkosh North

Not only is Neveau an outstanding quarterback on the football field, he is also a floor general on the basketball court. Though he is rather small, Neveau makes up for it with his determination and ability. The Hillsdale recruit could make just about every pass imaginable and is deadly from behind the arc. His exceptional man-to-man defense wreaked havoc on opponents and his quickness allowed him to get to the rim for an easy layup with ease.

C.J. Polk - 6-0, Wisconsin Lutheran

The Minnesota State-Moorhead recruit is a fast and electric guard who drives hard to the basket and finishes easy shots. A great defender on the Vikings' press as he comes up with steals because of his quickness. Also, he has a pretty-looking three-point shot that is highly accurate.  

Joe Sherburne - 6-6, Whitefish Bay

A long, athletic wing who could deflect passes on defense because of his length. Could also handle the ball for a tall athlete and could stroke the three-ball at will.  

Ethan Bublitz - 6-1, Kettle Moraine Lutheran

This underrated prospect positively surprised me by his passing abilities and his shooting. Had multiple assists to wide open teammates and also shot the mid-range jumper and three-pointer extremely well. Went off for 25 points in the Chargers' Day 1 victory over Brookfield Academy.

Bears at Eagles Game Preview

Tonight at 7:30PM CST on NBC, the Chicago Bears (8-6) visit Lincoln Financial Field to take on the Philadelphia Eagles (8-6). Chicago comes into this pivotal Sunday Night Contest after defeating the Cleveland Browns on the road last week in come-from-behind fashion 38-31. They outscored the Browns 21-7 in the final period to secure a crucial win. Matt Forte rushed for 127 yards to lead the Bears. He also leads the team in rushing this season with 1,200 yards and 7 touchdowns. Jay Cutler has thrown for 2,173 yards this season and 16 touchdowns for Chicago. Their leading receiver is Alshon Jeffery, who has 1,265 yards this season to go along with 7 touchdowns. Brandon Marshall is the team leader for receivers with touchdowns, as he has 10 on the year. Philadelphia can clinch the NFC East with a win and a Dallas loss today. That is possible because Dallas lost at home to Green Bay last week. The Eagles lost 48-30 in Minnesota, but Green Bay's win kept Philly at the top of the East division. Quarterback Nick Foles threw for 428 yards and 3 touchdowns in a losing cause. Foles also leads the team with 2,398 passing yards on the season and 23 touchdowns. He filled in at starting QB halfway through the year due to Michael Vick's injury, shutting him down for the remainder of the season. LeSean McCoy leads the Eagles' rushing attack with 1,343 yards and 7 touchdowns. He is the only player with over 1,000 rushing yards this season. DeSean Jackson has 1,275 receiving this yards and 9 touchdowns, as he is the only receiver over the 1,000 yard barrier this year. This should be a great game as both teams need this win to stay in contention for their respective division titles and a home playoff game. I think the Eagles, being at home, will win this game with their passing attack and move one step closer to a playoff berth.

20 Creighton vs. Arizona State Game Preview

Tonight at 10pm CST, the 20 Creighton Bluejays (4-0, 0-0 Big East) take on the Arizona State Sun Devils (6-0, 0-0 Pac-12) in a quarterfinal of the Wooden Legacy at Titan Gym on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. The Jays come into the first round of this tournament after defeating Tulsa 82-72 at home on Saturday night. National Player of the Year candidate, Doug McDermott, scored a team-high 33 points to lead Creighton. McDermott, coached by his father, Greg, leads the team with an average of 27.5 points per game. He also paces the Jays with 8 rebounds a game. Arizona State enters this game after squeaking out a 79-77 win at home against 25 Marquette on Monday night. Sophomore sensation Jahii Carson had 23 to lead State to the upset win. Carson is averaging 23 points per game, good to lead the team. Jordan Bachynski has an average of 11.8 rebounds per game to lead the Sun Devils, and he also has 29 blocks through six games. This should be a shootout as McDermott and Carson, two of the best scorers in the country, due. Look for the depth of Creighton as well as the red-hot shooting of McDermott to hold off Carson and the Sun Devils in the second half and earn a résumé-building win.

Oral Roberts at 12 Wisconsin Game Preview

Tonight at 7:30pm on the Big Ten Network, the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (2-0, 0-0 Southland) visit the Kohl Center in Madison to take on the 12 Wisconsin Badgers (5-0, 0-0 Big Ten) as part of the Cancun Challenge. Oral Roberts enters this game after being defeated at Saint Louis 72-55 in their opening game of the Cancun Challenge on Thursday night. ORU took a 31-28 lead into halftime, but was outscored 44-24 in the second half en route to a blowout loss. Shawn Glover led the team with 18 points. Obi Emegano leads the team with an average of 19 points per game, and Korey Billbury is the team leader in rebounds with 8.5 per game. Wisconsin enters this contest after starting the season 5-0, with their latest triumph being an 88-64 decision over Bowling Green on Thursday night in their opening game of the Cancun Challenge. Ben Brust led the team with 19 points, as the Badgers scored 44 points in each half on their way to the victory. After scoring a Wisconsin single-game record with 43 points on Tuesday night in a win at home against North Dakota, and a strong follow-up performance on Thursday night, Frank Kaminsky leads the Badgers with 16.6 points per game, as Brust leads the team with 6 rebounds a game. This should be an exciting game, as the Golden Eagles give up on average 69 points per game, while the Badgers score to the tune of 81 points per game. Look for Wisconsin's offense to test the ORU's defense. Even though they are known for their methodical offense under Bo Ryan, I think that the Badgers will continue to score at a blistering pace and win this game easily at home.

1 Prairie Farm vs. 1 Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran WIAA 8-Man Football State Championship

Tomorrow at 7pm at D.C. Everest High School, the 1 Prairie Farm Panthers (8-0, 8-0 Lakeland) take on the 1 Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran Blazers (9-0, 6-0 Great 8) in the 8-Man Football State Championship. Prairie Farm comes into this game well-rested, as they had a forfeit win over Winter two weeks ago. Their last game was a 52-0 win over Bruce on Homecoming three weeks ago. Coach Steve Schaaf and the Panthers have not lost an 8-man game yet, as they won the championship last season and are undefeated heading into the championship game this season. Quarterback Josh Seibert has thrown for 599 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season. Seibert also leads the team in rushing yards with 659 yards and 14 touchdowns. Nathan Moen has caught five passes for 186 yards and four touchdowns this season, while Denver Moen has caught six passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns. N.E.W. Lutheran won the Great 8 Conference after beating Gibraltar 55-44 in the conference championship game two weeks ago. Coach Dick Hasseler led the Blazers to their first undefeated regular season in school history this past season, and are looking for their first state championship. Quarterback Noah Gosse led the team with 418 passing yards this season and 8 touchdowns. Running back Brett Patzke had 681 rushing yards to lead the team, while Gosse had 11 rushing touchdowns, the most on the team. Receiver Nathan Toenjes had 14 catches for 293 yards and 8 touchdowns to lead the Blazers. This should be a great game to end the 2013 8-man football season. Look for the speed of both the offense and the defense to carry N.E.W. to their first state championship.