Delaware's Ross deserves new deal

MONTE ROSS was introduced as the head coach at Delaware the day after the 2006 NCAA championship game. The longtime Saint Joseph's assistant and Philly native had paid his dues. He was ready. He had been ready.

Ross was not naive. He knew he was taking over a complete rebuild. It would take time. He would need administrative support. UD was 20-41 in the two seasons before he took over. UD was 53-103 in his first five seasons, including a 5-26 in his first season and a 7-24 in his fourth. The administration hung in there, hoping that if the coach got enough time, he could make it right.

He got the time and he made it right. Over the previous three seasons Delaware went 62-38. From 2011 until now, its record in CAA regular-season games (45-21) is the best in the league. The rebuild culminated with a thrilling final-seconds victory in the 2014 CAA championship game over William & Mary, a win that does not happen without a great last-minute comeback orchestrated by a coach who was as cool as the moment was hot. Delaware finished 25-10.

As Ross' contract was up following the season after Delaware's best record in years, an extension seemed in order. It never happened and, unless something changes, it is not going to happen. Ross is going to be looking for a job and Delaware is going to be looking for a coach.

Ross declined to comment about his situation. The administration that was so patient with him is no longer there. A new athletic administration is in place. Last offseason, there was no agreement on an extension, which seemed more than a bit strange. The coach wasn't going to be judged on his recent past or even this season.

Delaware lost four starters from its championship team. Its two most experienced players missed the first seven games as the team began 0-7. Even with them back, Delaware is one of the least experienced teams in college basketball. Three of its top five scorers are freshmen. Despite all that, a 1-13 start and no vote of confidence for the coach, the team is getting better, 6-8 now in the CAA after road wins each of the last two Saturdays against two of the league's best teams, Northeastern and William & Mary. In fact, Delaware swept W & M, which is tied for first.

I will admit to being biased here as I have known Ross for a long time. I know him to be a very good coach and an even better man. If he is indeed replaced as Delaware's coach, it will be the university's loss.

Imagine a player with these stats in his first two seasons - 1.8 points in 7.7 minutes, followed by 4.2 points in 10.3 minutes. Does not exactly sound like an eventual player of the year candidate. Meet Wisconsin senior Frank Kaminsky, the most skilled and efficient offensive player in college basketball.

Last season, he got Bo Ryan's team to the Final Four with a tour de force (28 points, 11 rebounds) against Arizona in the Elite 8. This season, the 7-foot Kaminsky averages 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds in 31.7 minutes while compiling the unique 50/40/75 shooting line. He shoots 54.8 percent overall, 40 percent from three and 75.4 percent from the foul line.

How valuable is Kaminsky to the Badgers? He missed one game this season with concussion-like symptoms. Wisconsin lost at 10-16 Rutgers, its only Big Ten loss.

I don't get the sense the Sixers like these kinds of players. They seem to be putting together a team for an NBA that no longer exists - "long" athletic defenders first, shooting and skill last. I would suggest they take a very long look at Kaminsky, who is at least quite tall. Today, he would be their most skilled player, with no close second. And they are in desperate need of players who actually know how to play, understand how to move without the ball and can play inside or outside putting pressure on defenses. Kaminsky is the toughest matchup in college basketball. He plays at Penn State tonight.

Coaches and players just talk about the next play and the next game, as they should.

We can speculate as to what might happen when the Wildcats begin NCAA play on March 19 in Pittsburgh. The stories leading up to the game will focus on how the Wildcats lost last season as a No. 2 seed and have had little NCAA success since the 2009 Final Four. I suggest you ignore all those stories, focus on this team and pay close attention to the matchups.

Villanova lost to Connecticut last season because it was the worst imaginable matchup at that stage of the tournament. The Wildcats won last season by applying pressure and turning teams over. They weren't turning Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright over. Nobody else did either as UConn won the national championship.

The Wildcats' efficiency numbers are even better than last season and they were very good then. Last season, 'Nova was 24th in offensive efficiency (1.14 points per possession) and 16th in defensive efficiency (.945). This season, they are ninth in offense (1.18) and 14th in defense (.915).

Obviously, there will be pressure to reach the Sweet 16, at least. Last season's team was not playing its best in mid-March. Watch how this team finishes the regular season, plays in the Big East Tournament and then start filling out your brackets.

* Old friend Bill Herrion is performing a basketball miracle this season at New Hampshire, a school that has never had a 20-win season and has only won more than 16 games once in school history.

UNH was 8-9 on Jan. 14. Since then,its has won eight of nine to get to 16-10, 9-4 in the America East. The 7-3 January was the second best in 55 years. Nobody has ever won much there and neither had Herrion — until now. Herrion, who did such a wonderful job at Drexel, had nine consecutive losing seasons at UNH, including 6-24 last season. Now, this ...

* Temple coach Fran Dunphy told me last summer that Jaylen Bond could guard every position and his mere presence would dramatically improve the Owls defense. The coach, as usual, knew exactly what he was talking about. The Owls were historically bad on defense last season, historically good this season, right there numerically with the 2009-10 team anchored by Lavoy Allen.

* As we hit the regular-season's homestretch, four teams remain unbeaten in conference play — Kentucky (SEC), North Carolina Central (MEAC), Murray State (Ohio Valley) and Gonzaga (WCC).

* Saint Joseph's and Drexel are a combined 21-28. Their game on Nov. 17, a 52-49 Hawks' win, was borderline unwatchable. Still, the two stars are having phenomenal seasons and will be in the discussion for their conferences' Player of the Year.

SJU sophomore DeAndre' Bembry averages 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals while drawing most of the defensive attention. He is best with the ball, but can play without it.

Drexel redshirt junior Damion Lee is much more dependent on his teammates as his game is moving without the ball and getting open. He averages 20.9 points and 6.2 rebounds during a season when, in many games, he has been the only option. He has taken 179 free throws with just 21 misses and has made 19 straight over his last two games.