Nov. 27 Notebook

Upcoming Schedule For Participating Teams

(All times listed are central)

Friday, Nov. 27 – Niceville, Fla.
Alabama State vs. Chattanooga, 11 a.m.
Chicago State vs. Jacksonville State, 1:30 p.m.
Virginia Tech vs. Iowa State, 6 p.m. CBS Sports Network
Illinois vs. UAB, 8:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Saturday, Nov. 28 – Niceville, Fla.
Loser of Ala. State/Chatt. vs. Loser of Chicago State/Jacksonville St., 10:30 a.m.
Winner of Ala. State/Chatt. vs. Winner of Chicago State/Jacksonville St., 1 p.m.
Loser of Va.Tech/Iowa State vs. Loser of UAB/Illinois, 3:30 p.m.
WInner of Va.Tech/Iowa State vs. Winner of UAB/Illinois, 6 p.m, CBS Sports Network

IOWA STATE RANKED: Iowa State enters the Emerald Coast Classic ranked No. 4 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25, the highest ranking for the school since the 1996-97 season. Iowa State, off to a 3-0 start, climbed three spots and into the top five of this week’s poll. It is the 40th consecutive week in the top 25 for the Cyclones, which is a school record.

LOOKING AHEAD: Travis Hines of the Ames Tribune writes that don’t be surprised if the Iowa State Cyclones look ahead to a possible Saturday matchup with UAB.

The fourth-ranked Iowa State men’s basketball team’s next game is against Virginia Tech. It will be played at 6 p.m. central standard time at The Arena at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla. as part of the Emerald Coast Classic.

That is not in dispute. It’s also not particularly interesting or sexy. The Hokies have already lost to Alabama State at home and haven’t really gotten going in the Buzz Williams era to this point.

What is interesting, though, is what could happen the day after Iowa State plays Virginia Tech. The Cyclones could be squaring off against UAB, the same team that upended ISU in the round of 64 in last year’s NCAA tournament, derailing a team with Final Four aspirations before anything could get started.

UAB NOT LOOKING AT POTENTIAL REMATCH: Sportswriter Drew Champin says that UAB guard Robert Brown has good reason to look ahead to Saturday’s UAB opponent in the Emerald Coast Classic.

It will either be No. 4 Iowa State – the team UAB beat last year in its first NCAA Tournament game – or Virginia Tech, where Brown started his career and played two seasons before transferring to UAB.
UAB (3-1) plays Illinois (2-3) in the first game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla., on Friday at 8:30 p.m. CBS Sports Network will televise the game.
“Either one of those games, I’ll be happy with,” Brown said, with a wry smile. “We’re not overlooking anybody. Coach (Jerod) Haase likes to preach to respect every opponent. We’re going into Illinois first and we’re going to concentrate on that.”

GROCE UP IN ARMS ABOUT DEFENSE: In 1965, the year after Dick Butkus completed his Illini career, college football moved to the two-platoon system. With few exceptions, defensive players ceased to be used on offense and vice versa.
What works on the gridiron is being tested, as best he can, by Illinois coach John Groce on the basketball court. In Monday’s squeaky 82-79 win against Chicago State, Groce subbed wildly down the stretch in an attempt to bolster a shabby defense with specialists Alex Austin and D.J. Williams while removing some of his better point producers like Michael Finke and Mike Thorne Jr. in defensive situations.

Generally speaking, the back-and-forth movement of the game is too rapid for this to be successful, although late-game stoppages allowed Groce multiple opportunities in the stretch.

WILLIAMS HONORS RETIRING LEGEND: Wanting to pay respect to a fellow Hokies coach, Virginia Tech basketball coach Buzz Williams ditched his typical work clothes for a long-sleeved shirt that honored Frank Beamer.

After 29 seasons on the sidelines at Virginia Tech, Beamer is retiring at the end of the campaign. Saturday’s 30-27 loss to North Carolina was the final home game of the 69-year-old football coach’s career.
Williams’ Hokies hosted VMI on Saturday, which gave the second-year Virginia Tech basketball coach a chance to pay tribute to his counterpart. Williams ditched the shirt and tie and rocked a Nike shirt that featured Beamer’s face.

ALABAMA STATE
Nov. 26 Hornets Arrive in Florida