Hawks loaded up; coaching for dollars

Another close game but yet another Kansas victory as the second-ranked Jayhawks fought off the young talent of fifteenth-ranked Texas, 88-84, in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament, helping the Jayhawks to earn that expected top seed out in the west regional.

Yes, KU gave up 37 points to Kevin Durant and 84 overall but it was with defense that it again won, holding those rowdy boys from UT to 38 percent shooting.

The Jayhawks also got the balanced scoring necessary to win the big games, as four players finished in double figures, led by freshman guard-in-a-running back's-body Sherron Collins' 20 points. Brandon Rush looked like the NBA talent he is with a dominant 19 points and seven rebounds and Julian Wright provided the frontcourt presence and hammer with 19 points and eight boards. Mario Chalmers scored 17 more from the backcourt.

BGT: KU coach Bill Self called Durant the "best he's ever seen." Cancel the visit to the eye doctor, his sight is perfectly fine. 20-20. That man-child can score on anyone in the college game. Cutthroat competitor, too.

The Jayhawks are notorious for early-round flame-outs in March but this team, which looked dumbfounded earlier this season with its' inconsistency, has the makings of a postseason monster. Time will tell.

UT could race all the way into the championship game with its' talent or get knocked off early due to youth and defensive indiscretions.

Big party is the big test for coaches

Getting your school to the NCAA Tournament gets back slaps, but slaps if you're lucky but its' what you do when you get there that earns you respect and more bills stuffed into your pants.

And for coaches at non-traditional heavyweights its' when you get to show you are worthy of a better gig. It's market power and financial negotiation on the courts.

And maybe one of these guys will overwhelm Colorado to the point they will be a the clear-cut choice to replace Ricardo Patton.

Yes, it will be interesting to follow KU out west, UT and Texas Tech in the east but more so, it will the fun wondering who the Buffs are interested in from the upstarts.

Maybe these schools bear watching

Butler
Old Dominion
Winthrop
UNLV
Virginia Tech
Southern Illiniois
VCU
Wright State
New Mexico State
Vanderbilt
George Washington
Oral Roberts
Nevada

Punch-drunk points

Vanderbilt's Kevin Stallings is a winner and that school is well respected academically. Would Stallings be interested in leaving the SEC for Boulder? Who knows, but he's a name that bears watching, now and especially if his Commodores can beat George Washington and the winner of Washington State and Oral Roberts.

Ditto for GW's Karl Hobbs, a guy who is gaining national respect in recent years.

If New Mexico State upsets Texas in round 1, watch for Reggie Theus to get some calls.

If Mark Fox's Nevada Wolf Pack can top Creighton in its' first game and then shock Memphis, a likely winner over North Texas, he will be begged to leave Reno.

Seth Greenberg can make some cash if Virginia Tech can win two reasonable games -- Illinois and the winner of Holy Cross and Southern Illinois. Of course, if Chris Lowery's Salukis win a couple he is sure to leave his alma mater for brighter lights and significantly more green paper.

Anthony Grant is a hot, young name right now and if his VCU team can take advantage of a vulnerable Duke team, he is going to beat prospective employers off with a stick.

Lon Kruger could get his name back in the rumor hopper if his Runnin' Rebels of UNLV topple talented but overrated Georgia Tech.

Gregg Marshall can become big time if his Winthrop team smacks down Mike Brey's Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and then beats the winner of the UNLV/Georgia Tech contest.

And Butler and Old Dominion each get a great shot of winning two games because they play each other in the first round then the winner of Maryland and Davidson. If they bag two, Todd Lickliter and Blaine Taylor will be chased down the halls by men with lots of money.

Big 12 notes

Have to say, no surprise that Oklahoma State is going to the NIT. Won over 20 games in Sean Sutton's first season as coach but was one of the biggest disappoints in the conference with the late season slacking. If his dad had such a failure fans would be saying he's over the hill.

Disappointed Kansas State didn't make the NCAA's as they were, it says here, a deserving team, a school that could have won a game once they got there.

CU? Let's just hope they make connections with a coach who can get them into the party.

Don't feel bad Ricardo

Colorado is looking for a new basketball coach because Ricardo Patton couldn't convince CU to extend his contract. Patton had a pile of accomplishments but that pile simply wasn't high enough to warrant another term and more money.

He's not alone.

Consider the case of a coach with three 20-plus win seasons and a few NIT berths over the last six years and many are calling for his head too.

Read this story and see the striking similarities between Patton and his double and between this program and the one at CU.

Gillispie will be marked man

Could Texas A & M coach Billy Gillispie be on his way out at Texas A & M?

It's certainly a possibility if the right college job opens up, say maybe a Kentucky.

Gillispie is and will be a hot commodity and despite him being a native Texan and being revered as a king in College Station, he is going to be lustily pursued by other schools and you never know how apt he might be to being seduced.

Ben Howland once had a good gig at Pitt before jetting cross country to UCLA. Bill Self was doing just fine, thank you, at Illinois until the Kansas job opened up.