Welcome to The Sports Bank’s third annual college basketball season preview series. Two years we looked at 99 teams in 99 days. Last year, we were slightly more aggressive and expanded to 111 teams in 111 days and will do so again as we look ahead to the 2012-2013 season. We will rank the 75 power conference teams and top 36 mid-majors in reverse power ranking order. … [Read more...] about #40 VCU Rams: College Basketball 111 in 111
VCU rams
Top Illini head coaching candidates: non Shaka Smart variety
Well, I didn't see that one coming. Shaka Smart had an offer of $2.5 million plus, doubling his salary, and a chance at a top 20 national job in what was the nation's best conference this year. And he had a chance to step up from mid-major to high-major in the Big Ten. I've been to Richmond, Virginia a couple times so I can tell you- this denial was shocking. The only way … [Read more...] about Top Illini head coaching candidates: non Shaka Smart variety
Shaka Smart to the Illini would make sense on many levels
With the Bruce Weber termination in Champaign all but official, it's time for Illini fans to start looking at who his successor will be. And there's a lot of factors pointing in the direction of VCU leader Shaka Smart. He's currently making $1.2 million per year now at Virginia Commonwealth on an eight year deal. Before his Final Four run, he made "just" $350,000 per season. He … [Read more...] about Shaka Smart to the Illini would make sense on many levels
Who Really Thought the UConn Huskies Would Get Here?
The Connecticut Huskies have quietly been the surprise of the season. Butler and VCU are the surprises of the tournament, yes, but no one expected this out of Connecticut. This season has been full of surprises, but there hasn’t been one bigger than the progression of the Connecticut Huskies. The team went through the Jim Calhoun recruiting violations and his possible … [Read more...] about Who Really Thought the UConn Huskies Would Get Here?
VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart Making Wisconsin Proud
The Wisconsin Badgers and Marquette Golden Eagles both were outed in the Sweet 16, but that doesn't mean the state isn't paying attention anymore. Shaka Smart, Head Coach of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Wisconsin native has his squad dancing to their first ever Final Four. The mastermind behind 2011's Cinderella team hails from Fitchburg (a small city … [Read more...] about VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart Making Wisconsin Proud
VCU Rams: America’s new College Basketball Sweethearts?
This NCAA Tournament second weekend features four double digit seeds, three of them within one region. The Butler Bulldogs are back in the sweet sixteen, but it's hard to actually consider them a cinderella, even though they're in a mid-major conference. The city of Richmond, Virginia (mighty metropolis, urbane, sophisticated, international, cosmopolitan mecca that it is) … [Read more...] about VCU Rams: America’s new College Basketball Sweethearts?
Purdue Gets Blown out of the Building by VCU
I guess VCU will soon become a trending term. Virginia Commonwealth University might become America's sweethearts since we have no true cinderella this march madness season, and America loves an underdog story. It's fitting that Purdue University's initials are PU, given the way they played tonight. At least on the defensive end, where they surrendered 94 points to the Rams … [Read more...] about Purdue Gets Blown out of the Building by VCU
2011 March Madness Predictions
It's crunch time. The tournament is less than 24 hours away. By now you have gone through a dozen brackets, second guessing each pick. You want to choose the upset that no one is talking about, but your sleeper is becoming everyone's sleeper. We see it every year; an upset pick that becomes so popular that it is no longer an upset, i.e. Richmond over Vanderbilt this year. At … [Read more...] about 2011 March Madness Predictions