March Madness or Bust.....A CH2K8 Legacy by Bigjdotcom01

[bigjdotcom01]

The Particulars

***I have been posting this legacy over at Madden Mania (originally but it is now gone), Gamerslab.com, Digitalsportsscene.net and SimulationSports.net, but no one reads the Game Room Franchise Reports over there, so enjoy!***

This dynasty has been going since the end of 2007. I will transfer the entire legacy over here. I started at Pepperdine and I am now at Buffalo.

Well, I’ve been immersed in my NCAA Football 08 dynasty forever and I thought it would be nice to change it up a bit with March Madness on the horizon. I picked up College Hoops 2k8 the other day and I am enjoying it so I figured that I would try out an open legacy with the Pepperdine Waves out of the West Coast Conference.

Why Pepperdine, you might ask? I am now living in the Southwest and I really like the WCC. The Waves are a relatively young team with some nice outside shooting so they should be a fun team to play with.

The West Coast Conference includes the following schools: Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Portland, Santa Clara, San Diego, San Francisco, and Saint Mary’s.

The post season tournament is sort of unique. All eight schools make the tournament, but the top four teams get byes. The top two seeds get byes all the way until the semifinals with the 3rd and 4th seeds getting a bye until the quarterfinals. (This is untrue in the game. The WCC Tournament is a basic eight team event with all teams playing in the quarterfinals.)

I will once again be using mostly my assistants when it comes to recruiting as I will be making the games themselves the focus of this legacy.

The Groundwork

PLATFORM: Playstation 3
MODE: All-Conference
HALF LENGTH: 16 minutes
SLIDERS: I will be using a slightly modified version of Heelfan71’s All-Conference Sliders.
ROSTERS: RAZRr1275's PS3 Rosters
RECRUITING: I will be using the recruiting assistance with mininal input on my end. If I start pulling some outrageous recruits, we may add some rules to tone down recruiting.
RED-SHIRTING: Only true freshmen can be red-shirted.
SCHEDULING: We will go with the computer generated schedule in year one and will used customized scheduling thereafter.

The Down Low on the Waves:

Arena: Firestone Fieldhouse (Capacity: 3,104)
Rivals: Loyola Marymount
2006-07 RECORD: (8-23,4-10)
GRADES: Overall: 72, Offense: 72, Defense: 71, Team Unity: 18

[bigjdotcom01]

Team History

2007-08:
Record: 20-11,9-5
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: NR (RPI: 43)
Conference Finish: 4th
Post-Season: NCAA Tournament, First Round (L 69-66 Kansas St)
Team MVP: Ty Shelley (SF, Freshman) 17.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg (NCAA All-Freshman Team, WCC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-WCC, Freshman All-WCC)
Summary: A surprising season that saw a young bunch come together and ended up with an NCAA tournament appearance. They were near the top of the West Coact Conference most of the season before bowing out in the semifinals of the WCC Tournament. They gave Kansas State a scare before falling 69-66 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.


2008-09:
Record: 23-10, 10-4
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: NR (RPI: 45)
Conference Finish: 3rd
Post-Season: NIT Tournament (1st Round W 78-63 Winthrop, 2nd Round L 89-77 Texas Tech)
Team MVP: Ty Shelley (SF, Sophomore) 17.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg (First Team All-WCC)
Summary: A solid season that saw the Waves at or near the top of the WCC all season long. A third place finish and disappointing loss in the opening round of the WCC Tournament led to an NIT berth. The Waves made it to the second round before losing at home to Texas Tech. Rico Tucker set an NCAA record for assists in one game with 24 and finished with a school record 244 on the season.


2009-10:
Record: 21-13, 8-6
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: NR (RPI: 61)
Conference Finish: 3rd
Post-Season: NIT Tournament (1st Round W 82-65 Jackson State, 2nd Round L 59-76 Minnesota)
Team MVP: Treg Badiane (PF, Freshman) 13.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg (National Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-American, WCC Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-WCC)
Summary: An up and down season that ended with another second round exit in the NIT. The Waves started three freshmen and it showed in the inconsistency throughout the season. A third place finish in the West Coast Conference and another first round upset loss in the conference tourney cost the Waves a trip to the NCAA tournament.


2010-11:
Record: 30-6, 12-2
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: Media: 13, Coaches: 16 (RPI: 20)
Conference Finish: 1st
Post-Season: NCAA Tournament (1st Round W 94-56 Belmont, 2nd Round L 84-88 Arizona State)
Team MVP: Malcolm Thomas (C, Senior) 12.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg (WCC Player of the Year, First-Team All-WCC)
Summary: The best regular season in school history with a school record 30 wins and a conference championship. A disappointing exit in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The team was led by seniors Ty Shelley and Malcolm Thomas, but pulled in two of the top five recruits in the nation.


Awards

VANCE WALBERG, Coach
2010-11: WCC Coach of the Year

TREG BADIANE, PF
2009-10: National Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-America, Freshman All-WCC, WCC Freshman of the Year
2010-11: First-Team All-WCC

OWEN BOYD, SG
2010-11: Freshman All-WCC

GORDON GREENLEAF, PG
2009-10: First-team All-WCC, Freshman All-WCC
2010-11: First-Team All-WCC

TY SHELLEY, SF
2007-08: Freshman All-America, First-team All-WCC, Freshman All-WCC, WCC Freshman of the Year
2008-09: First-team All-WCC
2009-10: Second-Team All-WCC
2010-11: Second-Team All-WCC

MALCOLM THOMAS, PF
2007-08: Freshman All-WCC
2009-10: Second-Team All-WCC
2010-11: WCC Player of the Year, First-Team All-WCC

KEN TYLER, PF
2008-09: Freshman All-WCC

JASON WALBERG, SG
2007-08: First-team All-WCC




2011-12:
Record: 14-16, 5-11
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: NR (RPI: 204)
Conference Finish: 9th
Post-Season: None
Team MVP: Sheldon Cuffle (C, Senior)
Summary: A rough first season for Coach Walberg at Buffalo. The Bulls improved with one more conference win than 2010-11. A loss in the MAC Quarterfinals to top-seeded Akron ended the Bulls season. Marquee wins at Notre Dame and at home over 24th-ranked New Mexico highlighted the season. The addition of walk-ons Ali Mbaye and Jim Nardi and the flexibility of six scholarships means that better times are ahead.


2012-13:
Record: 14-16, 6-10
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: NR (RPI: 180)
Conference Finish: 9th
Post-Season: None
Team MVP: Jim Nardi (PF, Sophomore)
Summary: Another disappointing season for the Bulls as they finished with an identical record (14-16), but did improve by one game in the MAC (6-10). All five starters return next season so better times are likely ahead for this squad. Highlights of the season include winning the UCF Holiday Classic championship with wins over Texas-Pan American and Longwood. The Bulls also handed Ball State one of their two conference losses.


2013-14:
Record: 21-12, 12-4
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: NR (RPI: 80)
Conference Finish: 1st
Post-Season: NCAA Tournament (1st Round, L 76-85 Tennessee)
Team MVP: Bernie Warren (C, Freshman)
Summary: The Bulls won their first Mid-American Conference championship and made their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The emergence of freshman center Bernie Warren as a dominant force should set up the Bulls for great things. Close losses to 14th-ranked Syracuse and 8th-ranked Gonzaga set the team up for a successful conference slate. The Bulls started slow (6-7) then ended the season by winning 16 of their final 20 games including a romp through the MAC tournament winning all three games by double digits.

2014-15:
Record: 26-7, 14-2
Preseason Ranking: NR
Final Ranking: Media: NR, Coaches: 21 (RPI: 38)
Conference Finish: 1st
Post-Season: NCAA Tournament (1st Round, L 70-73 Pepperdine)
Team MVP: Fendi Brady (Power Forward, Junior)
Summary: After plowing through the Mid-American Conference, starting the year (13-0) in the MAC before Eastern Michigan ended their 19-game winning streak, the Bulls cruised to their second straight MAC Championship defeating Akron 90-70. The season came to a quick end though as Coach Walberg's former school Pepperdine stunned the Bulls in the first round of the NCAA tournament 73-70.

Awards

VANCE WALBERG, Coach
2014-15: MAC Coach of the Year

FENDI BRADY, PF
2014-15: First Team All-MAC

JAVE DAHI, PG
2012-13: Freshman All-MAC

DALE LARRANAGA, SF
2013-14: First Team All-MAC

BENJAMIN MA, PG
2014-15: Second Team All-MAC

GERRY MANNING, SG
2014-15: Freshman All-MAC

ALI MBAYE, SG
2011-12: Freshman All-MAC

JIM NARDI, PF
2011-12: Freshman All-MAC
2012-13: Second Team All-MAC
2013-14: First Team All-MAC

TERRY PITTMAN, SF
2012-13: Freshman All-MAC

BERNIE WARREN, C
2013-14: National Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-America, MAC Player of the Year, MAC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-MAC, Freshman All-MAC

LOU WATKINS, SG
2012-13: Freshman All-MAC
2013-14: First Team All-MAC
2014-15: First Team All-MAC



NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
2007-08: Tennessee Volunteers (33-6)
2008-09: UNLV Runnin' Rebels (31-6)
2009-10: Ohio State Buckeyes (26-10)
2010-11: Texas A&M Aggies (27-11)
2011-12: North Carolina Tar Heels (32-5)
2012-13: San Diego State (34-6)
2013-14: Louisville Cardinals (34-6)
2014-15: South Carolina Gamecocks (30-9)

NIT CHAMPIONS
2007-08: Texas Longhorns (21-15)
2008-09: Illinois Fighting Illini (24-12)
2009-10: USC Trojans (23-12)
2010-11: Virginia Commonwealth Rams (29-8)
2011-12: Utah State Aggies (28-10)
2012-13: UNLV Runnin' Rebels (23-11)
2013-14: Texas Tech Red Raiders (25-10)
2014-15: Kentucky Wildcats (20-13)

NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2007-08: Chris Lofton, SG (Tennessee, Senior)
2008-09: Kevin Love, C (UCLA, Sophomore)
2009-10: Kevin Love, C (UCLA, Junior)
2010-11: J.J. Hickson, C (NC State, Senior)
2011-12: Donnie Alvarez, PF (Marquette, Senior)
2012-13: Elvin Paul, C (Georgia, Senior)
2013-14: Ross DeLeon, PF (Vanderbilt, Senior)
2014-15: Earv Sutton, C (Oklahoma, Senior)

FINAL FOUR APPEARANCES
Arizona (1)
Arkansas (1)
California (1)
Connecticut (1)
Florida (1)
Florida State (2)
Georgetown (1)
Kansas (1)
Louisville (1)
Mississippi State (2)
North Carolina (3)
Ohio State (1)
Oregon (1)
Pittsburgh (1)
Rice (1)
San Diego State (1)
South Carolina (1)
Stanford (1)
Syracuse (2)
Tennessee (1)
Texas A&M (1)
UCLA (2)
UNLV (1)
USC (1)
Vanderbilt (1)
Virginia Tech (1)

[bigjdotcom01]

West Coast Conference History
(Beginning in 2007-08 through 2010-11)



West Coast Conference Regular Season Champions
2007-08: Santa Clara (11-3), San Francisco (11-3)
2008-09: San Diego (12-2)
2009-10: Gonzaga (12-2)
2010-11: Pepperdine (12-2)

West Coast Conference Tournament Champions
2007-08: Gonzaga 69, Santa Clara 57
2008-09: San Francisco 69, Gonzaga 64
2009-10: Santa Clara 53, Gonzaga 51
2010-11: Pepperdine 75, San Diego 73


West Coast Conference Post Season Appearances
(Since 2007-08)

Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-4)

2008 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, W 65-54 Bucknell; 2nd Round, L 94-68 Michigan State)
2009 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 84-82 George Mason)
2010 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 69-65 Louisiana Tech)
2011 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 77-54 Stony Brook, 2nd Round, W 100-85 Tennessee, 3rd Round, L 71-77 VCU)

Pepperdine Waves (3-4)

2008 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 69-66 Kansas State)
2009 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 78-63 Winthrop, 2nd Round, L 89-77 Texas Tech)
2010 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 82-65 Jackson State, 2nd Round, L 76-59 Minnesota)
2011 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, W 94-56 Belmont, 2nd Round, L 84-88 Arizona State)

Saint Mary's Gaels (0-2)

2008 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, L 68-59 TAMU-Corpus Christi)
2010 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, L 71-81 San Houston State)

San Diego Toreros (0-1)

2009 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, L 62-58 Boston University)


San Francisco Dons (1-2)

2009 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 103-63 Miami(FL))
2010 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, W 73-69 Northwestern, 2nd Round, L 83-70 Oregon)

Santa Clara Broncos (0-2)

2008 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 82-75 Austin Peay)
2010 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 76-73 South Carolina)



Mid-American Conference History
(Beginning in 2007-08)



Mid-American Conference Regular Season Champions
2007-08: Ohio (12-4), Central Michigan (12-4)
2008-09: Ohio (12-4)
2009-10: Western Michigan (12-4)
2010-11: Akron (14-2)
2011-12: Akron (16-0)
2012-13: Ball State (14-2)
2013-14: Buffalo (12-4), Central Michigan (12-4)
2014-15: Buffalo (14-2)

Mid-American Conference Tournament Champions
2007-08: Miami(OH) 65, Ohio 49
2008-09: Ohio 70, Central Michigan 69
2009-10: Bowling Green 86, Miami(OH) 70
2010-11: Miami(OH) 68, Bowling Green 63
2011-12: Akron 68, Bowling Green 63
2012-13: Akron 59, Miami(OH) 54
2013-14: Buffalo 90, Northern Illinois 77
2014-15: Buffalo 90, Akron 70


Mid-American Conference Post Season Appearances
(Since 2007-08)

Akron Zips (2-4)

2008 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 78-72 Drake; 2nd Round L 54-68 Minnesota)
2011 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 73-74 Arizona)
2012 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 61-73 Baylor)
2013 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, W 77-65 South Carolina; 2nd Round L 67-87 Georgia Tech)

Ball State Cardinals (2-2)

2012 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, L 52-61 Saint Mary's)
2013 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 86-72 Towson; 2nd Round W 85-51 Utah, 3rd Round L 73-93 UNLV)

Bowling Green Falcons (0-1)

2010 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 57-86 UCLA)


Buffalo Bulls (0-2)

2014 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 76-85 Tennessee)
2015 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 70-73 Pepperdine)

Miami(OH) Redhawks (0-2)

2008 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 56-88 Kentucky)
2011 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 52-88 Xavier)

Ohio Bobcats (5-5)

2008 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, L 70-79 Minnesota)
2009 NCAA Tournament: (1st Round, L 56-82 Florida)
2011 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 84-63 Marshall; 2nd Round L 68-78 Washington St)
2012 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, L 64-80 Alabama)
2013 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 74-58 Virginia Tech; 2nd Round W 78-68 Utah St; 3rd Round W 69-66 Florida; Semifinal W 95-65 Missouri; Final L 81-97 UNLV)

Western Michigan Broncos (2-2)

2008 NIT Tournament: (1st Round, W 70-68 Houston; 2nd Round L 65-77 Georgia)
2010 NIT Tournament: (1st Round: W 77-53 UC Santa Barbara; 2nd Round L 53-72 Samford)

[bigjdotcom01]

Since the formatting of my earlier game logs was in tables, I am only going to post from where I took over at Buffalo. Sorry.

[bigjdotcom01]

WALBERG LEAVES PEPPERDINE

4/7/11
Malibu, CA (AP) - Head Coach Vance Walberg has stepped down as the head coach at Pepperdine. The announcement comes one day after reports that Coach Walberg turned down a five-year extension offered by the University.

"I have no regrets about my time at Pepperdine," said Coach Walberg. "It has been a great four years and we accomplished a lot. I felt that it was time for me to move on. I feel as though the program is in very good shape and should be able to continue to prosper."

As for the future of Vance Walberg, well that is open to speculation. Various reports out of Buffalo are saying that the University at Buffalo will reach out to Walberg and offer him the position of head basketball coach for the Bulls as early as tomorrow.

Stay tuned.....

[bigjdotcom01]

BUFFALO HIRES WALBERG:



4/8/11
Buffalo, NY (AP) - On Friday morning the University at Buffalo held a news conference to announce the hiring of Vance Walberg as head basketball coach. Walberg, a UB alum, comes to the Bulls after five seasons at Pepperdine where he turned a floundering program around into a mid-major power almost overnight.

Walberg went 102-63 in five seasons with two NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT appearances. He led the Waves to a school record 30 wins this past season. His strengths as a coach are his recruiting ability and discipline.

The Bulls replaced Reggie Witherspoon who went 140-213 in 11 seasons with the Bulls. He did not win any Mid-American Conference titles and did not lead Buffalo to the NCAA Tournament. He had one NIT appearance.

[bigjdotcom01]

COACHING CAROUSEL:

The following are all of the coaching changes in Division I for the end of the 2010-2011 season.

[bigjdotcom01]