This is the time of year when every diehard college basketball fan is suddenly saddened. He is forced to watch the NBA, which he considers second-rate basketball viewing. Every Saturday, he misses the sound of Dickie V and Digger arguing about whom will win on that particular day. I am one of those people. I thrive on the game of college basketball. It's a necessity in my life. I guess I'll have to pay attention to my Suns now, but I'd much rather watch Duke or Memphis play.
The purpose of this blog is to recap the memories of this season. It is also to list what I believe to be some of the best players and teams in the country. But, first, I'd like to say how enjoyable this season was. Great freshmen, a lot of elite teams, and a nice cinderfella run in March. The upsets weren't as plentiful as some would hope but it was still a good tournament.
This year was chalk full of games between closely matched teams. We had the pleasure of watching #2 Duke take down #3 North Carolina. We also saw one of the most hyped regular season games ever in #1 Memphis versus #2 Tennessee. Quite recently, we watched games such as #10-seeded Davidson lose a close one to eventual champion, Kansas. But what topped them all? The National Championship game in San Antonio. The Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Memphis Tigers in a thrilling overtime event.
I am aware that many of you reading this blog also read my thirteen Game-Planning blogs I posted throughout the year. In those, I previewed 63 games. My record was 39-24 and went undefeated only one week. My bright spots had to have been picking Vanderbilt over Tennessee and Texas over the heavily-favored UCLA Bruins.
To start the lists, I will give you my Top Twenty Players from the 2007-08 college basketball season. Before you jump into that, however, check out a Bruce Pearl pregame speech...
20. Russell Westbrook, UCLA Soph. Guard. This breakout star has been possibly the biggest reason the Bruins had such a successful year. He was a stat stuffer who helped on both ends of the floor in any way he could. To not put him on this list would be wrong as he had as good a year as any of these guys save the top five or so.
Stats: 13 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl
19. A.J. Abrams, Texas Jr. Guard. He was the shooter that thrived off Augustin's penetration. Their weave offense was effective partly because of this guy and that is why he makes the list. He had two games with 30+ points and fourteen games in which he reached the 20-point mark.
Stats: 17 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 spg, 2 apg
18. Darrell Arthur, Kansas Soph. Forward. Last year, Arthur was playing behind a couple different big guys. This year, however, he has flourished into a top big man in the country. In the National Championship, he got Joey Dorsey in foul trouble and proceeded to dominate the game finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He would have been higher if he had stayed more consistent throughout the year.
Stats: 13 ppg, 6 rpg, 1 bpg
17. Brook Lopez, Stanford Soph. Forward. The highlight of the season for Brook almost had to be the effort he put forth in the NCAA Tournament against Marquette. He put up 30 points, which included the game-winning shot. He is a very talented player but probably needs to average more rebounds per game with his kind of height. If he does, the Pac-10 better watch out.
Stats: 19 ppg, 8 rpg, 2 bpg, 79% FT%
16. Scottie Reynolds, Villanova Soph. Guard. The Virginia native was a huge factor for the Wildcats on both ends of the floor. He had eleven games with 20+ points and seven games with 3+ steals. Without him, I doubt they would have made it out of the first round of the tournament. He had a very solid game against Clemson with 21 points.
Stats: 16 ppg, 3 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg
15. D.J. White, Indiana Sr. Forward. He was the force inside for the roller coaster ride that was the Indiana Hoosiers basketball season. White averaged a double-double per game and was possibly more valuable to the team than the fabulous freshman, Eric Gordon. The difference between the two was consistency in which the senior had the edge.
Stats: 17 ppg, 10 rpg, 2 bpg, 61% FG%
14. Ty Lawson, North Carolina Soph. Guard. The leader of one of the best fastbreaks in the nation and a key contributor to a team that made it to the Final Four before losing to the champion Jayhawks. In games that Lawson had at least five assists, the Tar Heels were undefeated. To leave him off this list would be an injustice. He deserves it and had a fantastic season. I can only hope he doesn't turn pro and stays a few more years.
Stats: 13 ppg, 5 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg
13. Chris Lofton, Tennessee Sr. Guard. What started as a year full of Player of the Year consideration ended as a disappointment. Tennessee lost in the Sweet 16 and Lofton struggled during the beginning of the year. Nonetheless, he had a good finish to the year save the NCAA Tournament in which he averaged a paltry 10 points per game.
Stats: 16 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 apg, 38% 3p%
12. Mario Chalmers, Kansas Jr. Guard. The Final Four Most Outstanding Player comes in at #12 on my list. Some would disagree but I believe it's about right. I mean, he did have eight games in which he was held to single digits in scoring. In the tournament though, he really stepped up his game. Chalmers averaged 15 points, 3 steals, and 3 assists on the road to a National Championship.
Stats: 13 ppg, 4 apg, 3 rpg, 3 spg, 47% 3p%
11. Shan Foster, Vanderbilt Sr. Guard/Forward. Most guys who average 20 points in a tough conference will make this list. Foster was huge at times for the Commodores. He scored 20+ point in his last six regular season games including outbursts of 42 against Mississippi State and 32 against Tennessee, both tournament teams.
Stats: 20 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 apg, 47% 3p%
10. Darren Collison, UCLA Jr. Guard. After missing a couple games early in the year, he returned to lead the Bruins to a 29-4 record when he took the floor. His high point came when he hit the game-winning runner against Texas A&M in the tournament. He finished the game with 19 points. Also, Collison scored 20+ points on six occasions, all of which were victories.
Stats: 15 ppg, 4 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg, 53% 3p%
9. Eric Gordon, Indiana Fr. Guard. He was probably one of the top five most prolific scorers in college basketball this past season but really looked like an inexperienced freshman at times and that is why he is relatively low at #9. When he was healthy, Gordon was held to single digits in scoring only once.
Stats: 21 ppg, 3 rpg, 83% FT%
8. Derrick Rose, Memphis Fr. Guard. This guy is one of the fastest and most exciting players to watch and I have had the pleasure of watching him throughout the season. His averages are extremely good for someone that young in basketball and showed poise at times during the NCAA Tournament. #8 is a good spot for him.
Stats: 15 ppg, 5 apg, 5 rpg, 47% FG%
7. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis Jr. Guard. CDR was the best scorer to reach the Final Four, in my opinion. He averaged a remarkable 28 points per game in the tournament and really stepped it up when it counted. He even drew a couple box-and-ones against him which allowed his teammates to get open and score. Memphis better hope CDR stays for next season.
Stats: 18 ppg, 4 rpg, 41% 3p%, 54% FG%
6. Kevin Love, UCLA Fr. Center. Love has led the Bruins to the Final Four and has averaged a double-double along the way. Without him, I doubt UCLA makes it past the Sweet 16. Not only did he score and rebound, but he also drew double teams that opened it up for other players on his team.
Stats: 18 ppg, 11 rpg, 60% FG%, 35% 3p%
5. Luke Harangody, Notre Dame Soph. Forward. It's ironic that one of the best player in the country had his best game of the year in a losing effort. I am, of course, referring to when Gody had 40 points and 12 rebounds against Louisville. However, it should be noted that he scored in double figures every game except one this season.
Stats: 20 ppg, 11 rpg, 50% FG%
4. D.J. Augustin, Texas Soph. Guard. This player is the best point guard in college basketball. He is my choice for the Cousy Award and has reached 10 assists in a game four times this year. D.J. can also boast the fourteen times he has scored at least 20 points in a game this past season.
Stats: 19 ppg, 6 apg, 3 rpg, 38% 3p%
3. Stephen Curry, Davidson, Soph. Guard. The best scorer in the country comes in at #3. He has scored in double digits every single game and had a 7-game streak of 20+ points. Curry has also scored 35+ points in six games. His run in the NCAA Tournament was nothing short of spectacular and an argument could be made for him to appear higher on this list.
Stats: 26 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg, 44% 3p%
2. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina Jr. Forward. Possibly the hardest worker in the country is #2 because of how important he was to North Carolina's deep tournament run this season. He scored in double figures for points every single game he played in this season and grabbed 15+ rebounds in three games. In my opinion, Psycho T could have easily been number one on this list. It was almost a toss-up.
Stats: 23 ppg, 10 rpg, 2 spg, 81% FT%
1. Michael Beasley, Kansas State Fr. Forward. Believe it or not, this freshman's campaign was even more impressive than that of Kevin Durant last year. He scored in double digits every game except one in a loss to Xavier. Beasley even pulled down double digits in rebounding in all but four games. It's too bad he can't stay a couple more years on a college campus.
Stats: 26 ppg, 12 rpg, 2 bpg, 38% 3p%, 53% FG%
Now is the time for me to hand out the 2008 College Basketball Awards. Enjoy...
The Petey Sessoms Award: Every year, this award is presented to the relatively unknown player coming from a small conference that plays extremely well against the big schools in the NCAA Tournament. I would like to give credit to fellow FanNation member, Agganis Lives, for the idea of this award. So without any further delay, the award goes to Stephen Curry of Davidson. He averaged 32 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in his four tournament games. The runner-ups for this award were Tyrone Brazelton and Courtney Lee, both of Western Kentucky.
The Bob Cousy Award: This is an annual award given to the best college point guard in the country. My pick, which is the same as the Basketball Hall of Fame's pick, is D.J. Augustin of Texas. I ranked him as the fourth best player in college earlier in this blog. He averaged 19 points and 6 assists this season. The runner-ups for this award are UCLA's Darren Collison, North Carolina's Ty Lawson, Memphis's Derrick Rose, and Davidson's Jason Richards.
The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award: This particular award goes to the most dominant big man in college basketball each year. There was a lot of competition for it this year but it rightfully is awarded to Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina. He averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game this season and was never held to less than 12 points in a game. The runner-ups for this award were UCLA's Kevin Love, Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, and Indiana's D.J. White.
The Pistol Pete Award: Each year, I give this to the best scorer in college basketball. It does not necessarily go to the player with the best average though. The winner is Kansas State's Michael Beasley. He averaged 26 points per game and had thirteen games in which he scored 30 or more points. The runner-ups were Lester Hudson of UT-Martin and Stephen Curry of Davidson.
The Oscar Robertson Award: This final award goes to that player who led his team in every way possible: scoring, rebounding, passing, playing defense, etc. The winner of the Robertson Award goes to Memphis's Derrick Rose. He is the second freshman to receive an award (the other was Beasley). Rose gets this one due to his all-around good averages of 15 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. The runner-ups for this award were Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook of UCLA, Mario Chalmers of Kansas, and Scottie Reynolds of Villanova.
For the final part of this blog, I give to you the Top Ten Teams of the college basketball season...
10. Xavier (30-7)- The Musketeers are tenth in my rankings after falling to UCLA in the Elite Eight. They were led by Josh Duncan (12 pts, 5 reb) and Drew Lavender (11 pts, 5 ast). I doubt they will make it this far next season due to the losses of both Duncan and Lavender. Nonetheless, they had a very good run this year and had impressive wins over Indiana, Virginia, and Dayton (twice).
9. Wisconsin (31-5) - After claiming the Big Ten Championship, the Badgers proceeded to advance to the Sweet 16 before falling to Davidson. In my opinion, they had the best team in the conference and, despite not having the most talent, won games that got them such a successful season. They were led by Brian Butch (12 pts, 7 reb), Trevon Hughes (11 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast), and Marcus Landry (11 pts, 6 reb).
8. Tennessee (31-5) - Most teams would look upon being the best team in their conference and making it to the Sweet 16 as an accomplishment. Sadly, for the Vols, this year was full of expectation and they failed to meet most of it. They were led by Chris Lofton (16 pts), Tyler Smith (14 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast), and Wayne Chism (10 pts, 6 reb).
7. Louisville (27-9) - The Cardinals, after a extremely slow start, finished the season strong and proved to be the team everyone had expected entering the year. They finished 12-3 after their sixth loss at UConn. Some of those twelve wins included Marquette, Georgetown, Pitt, Notre Dame, and Tennessee. They were led by a plethora of players including Padgett (11 pts, 5 reb), Clark (11 pts, 8 reb), Williams (11 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast), Smith (11 pts, 4 reb), and Caracter (8 pts, 5 reb).
6. Davidson (29-7) - The Wildcats had a very impressive season for one of the smallest schools in Division I. After getting ripped off and been given a 10 seed, they rallied behind sharpshooter, Stephen Curry (26 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast), and senior leader, Jason Richards (13 pts, 8 ast, 3 reb), to advance all the way to the Elite Eight before falling at the hands of eventual champion, Kansas. They finished with a perfect conference record of 20-0.
5. Texas (31-7) - The Longhorns lost their conference championship and lost their regional final. However, their season was nothing short of remarkable for what was considered to be a down year following the loss of superstar Kevin Durant. They were a guard-heavy team led by D.J. Augustin (19 pts, 6 ast), A.J. Abrams (17 pts), and Damion James (13 pts, 10 reb).
4. North Carolina (36-3) - After clinching a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels proceeded to demolish their opponents until the Final Four was reached. They then were routed by the champion Jayhawks. They were led by Tyler Hansbrough (23 pts, 10 reb), Ty Lawson (13 pts, 5 ast, 3 reb), and Wayne Ellington (17 pts, 5 reb). North Carolina were the ACC Tournament Champions and the Charlotte Regional Champions.
3. UCLA (35-4) - Yes, I'll admit it. I picked this very team to win the NCAA Tournament. They had a good run, too, before falling short in the Final Four for the third straight year. Nonetheless, they were regional and conference champions and claimed a #1 seed in the tourney. They were led by Kevin Love (18 pts, 11 reb), Darren Collison (15 pts, 4 ast, 3 reb), Russell Westbrook (13 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast), and Josh Shipp (12 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast).
2. Memphis (38-2) - The Tigers had the most wins for a college team in history yet they didn't quite get what they wanted as they lost to Kansas in the National Championship. The Achilles' heel of this team took 39 games before it caught up to them as they gave away the game on free throws. Memphis was led by Chris Douglas-Roberts (18 pts, 4 reb), Derrick Rose (15 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast), and Joey Dorsey (7 pts, 10 reb).
1. Kansas (37-3) - National Champions. I'm pretty sure that sums up the entire season for these guys. Nothing is more gratifying than winning it all before leaving the school for either the NBA or the working world. They beat the best of the best in defeating two #1s in the tournament. They were led by Mario Chalmers (13 pts, 4 ast, 3 reb), Brandon Rush (13 pts, 5 reb), and Darrell Arthur (13 pts, 6 reb). Congratulations, Kansas.
Now, I could write a couple thousand words describing how fantastic March Madness was and recapping all the entertaining games and plays that occured. However, I think that one simple video from YouTube would bring it all together very nicely. Enjoy and have a great week!
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Showing posts with label Louisville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Louisville. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
A Wild Tournament Weekend
For the first time in six years, three double-digit seeds have made the Sweet 16. 99% of all brackets are busted by now. In fact, of the 3.2 million people that submitted brackets on ESPN.com, a whole TWO of them have all sixteen teams correct for the third round of play. The past four days have been hectic so say the least, but isn't that why you love to watch?
Biggest Upset: It had to be #10 Davidson over #2 Georgetown. The undersized players from the small school in North Carolina took down one of the biggest teams the NCAA has ever featured. It truly was a David vs. Goliath upset. Stephen Curry was absolutely magnificent in the game as he dropped 25 of his 30 points in the second half, including his free throws to seal the victory for his team.
Best Game: Western Kentucky versus Drake was one of the most entertaining basketball games I have watched all season. It had everything you could ask for in a March Madness game: an overtime game that reached the 100s in scoring ending with a buzzer-beater that wins the game for the underdog. The shot was one hell of a shot (25-foot shot) but the pass to set it up was remarkable. The point guard for WKU set up his teammate with the game-winning shot beautifully.
Most Outstanding Player: Stephen Curry, no contest. He is averaging 35 points per game and 28 points IN THE SECOND HALF! He has truly stepped up big and his team is riding the nation's longest winning streak at 24 games. Curry hit big shot after big shot in both the Georgetown game and the Gonzaga game, and proved he could finish games as well. He hit 5 of his 6 free throws in the waning moments of the game against the Hoyas.
All-Tournament Team: Obviously, Curry (35 ppg, 4 ast, 4 stl) would be on there. Helping him out in the backcourt would be Scottie Reynolds of Villanova (23 ppg, 6 reb, 4 ast) and Alex Ruoff of West Virginia (19 ppg, 5 reb, 7-12 3pt). Down low would be Kansas State's Michael Beasley (23 pts, 12 reb, 15-17 FT) and North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (19 ppg, 8 reb, 2 stl).
Biggest Cinderfellas: Western Kentucky. I want everyone who had WKU in the Sweet 16 to raise their hand. I'm pretty sure not many people gave this team a chance. After taking down 5th-seeded Drake in the first round, they responded by knocking out San Diego. Personally, I had Drake in the Sweet 16. But my bracket is pretty screwed up.
Best Sweet 16 Upset Possibility: In my opinion, there are two, but the biggest would be of the two would be Davidson over Wisconsin. You can't deny how great Davidson has been playing as of late. The only problem is if Stephen Curry has a bad game, they have a very slim chance of winning the game. Another upset that could happen is West Virginia over Xavier.
#1 Seed's Easiest Road to Final Four: No question it is UCLA. They get 12th-seeded Western Kentucky in the Sweet 16 and face the winner of Xavier/WVU. Also worth mentioning is that all of these games will be played in Phoenix, where the Bruins could draw quite a few fans. Anything less than a trip to San Antonio will be a disappointment for this team.
#1 Seed's Hardest Road to the Final Four: North Carolina. Their bracket is the only one that has the first four seeds still playing. They face off against a tough Washington State team before getting the winner of Louisville/Tennessee. All I can say is good luck to the Tar Heels. Their only advantage? Not leaving the state of North Carolina.
Most Intriguing Sweet 16 Matchup: For me, there are two. The first would be Louisville/Tennessee. Both are playing fantastic ball right now and both have a good chance at getting to the Final Four. The winner of this game is my pick to upset UNC in the Elite 8. The other game I am referring to is Stanford/Texas. The Cardinals rely on their two big guys, Brook and Robin Lopez, while the Longhorns depend on their two guards, DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams. A contrast of styles is always interesting.
Pick To Cut Down the Nets: UCLA. This team just played a great game against Texas A&M and have the easiest road to San Antonio. They will gear up and most likely get the winner of Texas and Memphis from the Houston Regional. Darren Collison and Kevin Love are both playing great, and that is why they are both currently in my list of the top 15 players in the country. (That list will be published after the tournament.)
Okay, that is all. I hope you enjoy the rest of the tournament and, for the very few of you who still have a somewhat decent bracket, good luck to you. Have a nice week and I'm sure some will be enjoying their Spring Break. I, sadly, go back to school tomorrow.
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Poll Results- I asked which team will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. 83% of voters think it will be the Lakers, while 16% believe the Hornets will make it.
Biggest Upset: It had to be #10 Davidson over #2 Georgetown. The undersized players from the small school in North Carolina took down one of the biggest teams the NCAA has ever featured. It truly was a David vs. Goliath upset. Stephen Curry was absolutely magnificent in the game as he dropped 25 of his 30 points in the second half, including his free throws to seal the victory for his team.
Best Game: Western Kentucky versus Drake was one of the most entertaining basketball games I have watched all season. It had everything you could ask for in a March Madness game: an overtime game that reached the 100s in scoring ending with a buzzer-beater that wins the game for the underdog. The shot was one hell of a shot (25-foot shot) but the pass to set it up was remarkable. The point guard for WKU set up his teammate with the game-winning shot beautifully.
Most Outstanding Player: Stephen Curry, no contest. He is averaging 35 points per game and 28 points IN THE SECOND HALF! He has truly stepped up big and his team is riding the nation's longest winning streak at 24 games. Curry hit big shot after big shot in both the Georgetown game and the Gonzaga game, and proved he could finish games as well. He hit 5 of his 6 free throws in the waning moments of the game against the Hoyas.
All-Tournament Team: Obviously, Curry (35 ppg, 4 ast, 4 stl) would be on there. Helping him out in the backcourt would be Scottie Reynolds of Villanova (23 ppg, 6 reb, 4 ast) and Alex Ruoff of West Virginia (19 ppg, 5 reb, 7-12 3pt). Down low would be Kansas State's Michael Beasley (23 pts, 12 reb, 15-17 FT) and North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (19 ppg, 8 reb, 2 stl).
Biggest Cinderfellas: Western Kentucky. I want everyone who had WKU in the Sweet 16 to raise their hand. I'm pretty sure not many people gave this team a chance. After taking down 5th-seeded Drake in the first round, they responded by knocking out San Diego. Personally, I had Drake in the Sweet 16. But my bracket is pretty screwed up.
Best Sweet 16 Upset Possibility: In my opinion, there are two, but the biggest would be of the two would be Davidson over Wisconsin. You can't deny how great Davidson has been playing as of late. The only problem is if Stephen Curry has a bad game, they have a very slim chance of winning the game. Another upset that could happen is West Virginia over Xavier.
#1 Seed's Easiest Road to Final Four: No question it is UCLA. They get 12th-seeded Western Kentucky in the Sweet 16 and face the winner of Xavier/WVU. Also worth mentioning is that all of these games will be played in Phoenix, where the Bruins could draw quite a few fans. Anything less than a trip to San Antonio will be a disappointment for this team.
#1 Seed's Hardest Road to the Final Four: North Carolina. Their bracket is the only one that has the first four seeds still playing. They face off against a tough Washington State team before getting the winner of Louisville/Tennessee. All I can say is good luck to the Tar Heels. Their only advantage? Not leaving the state of North Carolina.
Most Intriguing Sweet 16 Matchup: For me, there are two. The first would be Louisville/Tennessee. Both are playing fantastic ball right now and both have a good chance at getting to the Final Four. The winner of this game is my pick to upset UNC in the Elite 8. The other game I am referring to is Stanford/Texas. The Cardinals rely on their two big guys, Brook and Robin Lopez, while the Longhorns depend on their two guards, DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams. A contrast of styles is always interesting.
Pick To Cut Down the Nets: UCLA. This team just played a great game against Texas A&M and have the easiest road to San Antonio. They will gear up and most likely get the winner of Texas and Memphis from the Houston Regional. Darren Collison and Kevin Love are both playing great, and that is why they are both currently in my list of the top 15 players in the country. (That list will be published after the tournament.)
Okay, that is all. I hope you enjoy the rest of the tournament and, for the very few of you who still have a somewhat decent bracket, good luck to you. Have a nice week and I'm sure some will be enjoying their Spring Break. I, sadly, go back to school tomorrow.
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Poll Results- I asked which team will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. 83% of voters think it will be the Lakers, while 16% believe the Hornets will make it.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
I'm Sure...
For the NCAA Tournament, I've decided to try out something new. Here are a few things I'm sure of heading into the tournament and things that you should pay attention to when filling out your bracket in hopes of finally winning the office pool this year.
...all four #1 seeds will make the Elite Eight. The toughest competition faced by any #1 seed this year will be by North Carolina. They would be facing the winner of Indiana/Arkansas and possibly Winthrop, Notre Dame, or Washington State. Nonetheless, there is a very slim chance that they will lose to any of those teams. In your bracket, I suggest placing every team seeded #1 in the quarterfinals.
...there will be more 6-11 upsets than there will be 5-12 upsets. Surprisingly, for the first time ever, I did not pick one 12 seed to advance past the first round. Led by Luke Harangody, Notre Dame is a fairly safe bet to advance past George Mason. Villanova doesn't have much of a chance against Clemson, in my opinion, either. The Tigers are more like a 4 seed than a 5 to me. In the next, Michigan State has an experienced coach who knows how to win in March. Finally, underrated Drake is playing a not-so-talented team in Western Kentucky.
On the other hand, the 6-11 upsets are plentiful this year. In the East, I'm picking St. Joe's, a team that just upset #3-seeded Xavier, over Oklahoma. In the Midwest, I'll take Kansas State over USC any day. Michael Beasley will get at least one NCAA tournament victory before the NBA. Lastly, in the West I took Baylor over Purdue. The Bears have been very streaky this year and I think they have this one against the Boilermakers.
...neither Washington State nor Vanderbilt will make it to the Sweet 16. WSU is usually a tough matchup for teams who cannot adapt to their style of play. Their first round opponent, Winthrop, plays a similar style and will have no trouble giving them a run for their money. Suppose they do pull out a win over Winthrop, Wazzou State will then most likely face Notre Dame. Two tough games in three days? I doubt they win both.
Next, I am confused as to why people think Vanderbilt will do well in the tournament. Look at all their marquee wins and everything; it was all done at home. They CANNOT win on the road. Yes, they are 19-0 at home. However, they are 5-7 on the road. Memorial Gym is obviously quite the advantage for the Commodores. Too bad they can't play their tournament games there.
...neither Duke nor North Carolina will make the National Championship game. I have both teams bowing out in the Elite Eight, but neither will even make it to the title game for a couple reasons. For the Blue Devils, they rely too heavily on the three-point shot. The Clemson game proved they won't win if they don't shoot well from deep. "Live by the three; die by the three." UNC, however, has too much hype and is in an extremely tough bracket. Games against Indiana, Winthrop/Notre Dame, and Louisville/Tennessee make it nearly impossible for the Heels to survive it all.
...Big East teams will contribute to AT LEAST 1/4 of all the teams in the Sweet 16. In my bracket, I have Louisville, Georgetown, Pitt, and Marquette making it to the second weekend of play. Some would argue having Notre Dame or UConn in there as well. My advice is this: if you're filling out a bracket, make sure you have at least 4 Big East teams in the Sweet 16. It will happen. Mark my words.
...the Pac-10 will not have more than one team represented in the Sweet 16. That one team I am referring to is UCLA. Washington State, USC, Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona will all get knocked out in the first two rounds. Of those five teams, I only have Stanford and Oregon winning in the first round. The Pac-10 is strong, but the matchups they got for the tournament weren't the best. All five of those teams excluding Stanford have tough first round opponents.
...UCLA will win the West. In the weakest region, the best team in the tournament will win it. Their second round game may be their toughest as they play a resilient BYU squad that gave North Carolina a good game earlier in the year. However, after that the Bruins face either Drake or UConn and either Xavier or Duke. I don't see any of those teams winning against them. Add to all of that the fact that they won't have to leave their home state of California until the Final Four and it seems as if you can't pick against them.
Anyway, I think I've had enough of making predictions that will undoubtedly help you win the pool so I'll move on to MY bracket.
Elite Eight Picks-
East: #2 Tennessee over #1 North Carolina
Midwest: #3 Wisconsin over #1 Kansas
South: #1 Memphis over #2 Texas
West: #1 UCLA over #2 Duke
Final Four Picks-
#2 Tennessee over #3 Wisconsin
#1 UCLA over #1 Memphis
National Championship Pick-
UCLA 67, Tennessee 60
There you have it. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog and I hope that it helps you when you're filling out your bracket. Also, it helps to not be a homer at all. If you're not, it only betters your chance of taking home the big money. Have a good time watching the games tomorrow!
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...all four #1 seeds will make the Elite Eight. The toughest competition faced by any #1 seed this year will be by North Carolina. They would be facing the winner of Indiana/Arkansas and possibly Winthrop, Notre Dame, or Washington State. Nonetheless, there is a very slim chance that they will lose to any of those teams. In your bracket, I suggest placing every team seeded #1 in the quarterfinals.
...there will be more 6-11 upsets than there will be 5-12 upsets. Surprisingly, for the first time ever, I did not pick one 12 seed to advance past the first round. Led by Luke Harangody, Notre Dame is a fairly safe bet to advance past George Mason. Villanova doesn't have much of a chance against Clemson, in my opinion, either. The Tigers are more like a 4 seed than a 5 to me. In the next, Michigan State has an experienced coach who knows how to win in March. Finally, underrated Drake is playing a not-so-talented team in Western Kentucky.
On the other hand, the 6-11 upsets are plentiful this year. In the East, I'm picking St. Joe's, a team that just upset #3-seeded Xavier, over Oklahoma. In the Midwest, I'll take Kansas State over USC any day. Michael Beasley will get at least one NCAA tournament victory before the NBA. Lastly, in the West I took Baylor over Purdue. The Bears have been very streaky this year and I think they have this one against the Boilermakers.
...neither Washington State nor Vanderbilt will make it to the Sweet 16. WSU is usually a tough matchup for teams who cannot adapt to their style of play. Their first round opponent, Winthrop, plays a similar style and will have no trouble giving them a run for their money. Suppose they do pull out a win over Winthrop, Wazzou State will then most likely face Notre Dame. Two tough games in three days? I doubt they win both.
Next, I am confused as to why people think Vanderbilt will do well in the tournament. Look at all their marquee wins and everything; it was all done at home. They CANNOT win on the road. Yes, they are 19-0 at home. However, they are 5-7 on the road. Memorial Gym is obviously quite the advantage for the Commodores. Too bad they can't play their tournament games there.
...neither Duke nor North Carolina will make the National Championship game. I have both teams bowing out in the Elite Eight, but neither will even make it to the title game for a couple reasons. For the Blue Devils, they rely too heavily on the three-point shot. The Clemson game proved they won't win if they don't shoot well from deep. "Live by the three; die by the three." UNC, however, has too much hype and is in an extremely tough bracket. Games against Indiana, Winthrop/Notre Dame, and Louisville/Tennessee make it nearly impossible for the Heels to survive it all.
...Big East teams will contribute to AT LEAST 1/4 of all the teams in the Sweet 16. In my bracket, I have Louisville, Georgetown, Pitt, and Marquette making it to the second weekend of play. Some would argue having Notre Dame or UConn in there as well. My advice is this: if you're filling out a bracket, make sure you have at least 4 Big East teams in the Sweet 16. It will happen. Mark my words.
...the Pac-10 will not have more than one team represented in the Sweet 16. That one team I am referring to is UCLA. Washington State, USC, Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona will all get knocked out in the first two rounds. Of those five teams, I only have Stanford and Oregon winning in the first round. The Pac-10 is strong, but the matchups they got for the tournament weren't the best. All five of those teams excluding Stanford have tough first round opponents.
...UCLA will win the West. In the weakest region, the best team in the tournament will win it. Their second round game may be their toughest as they play a resilient BYU squad that gave North Carolina a good game earlier in the year. However, after that the Bruins face either Drake or UConn and either Xavier or Duke. I don't see any of those teams winning against them. Add to all of that the fact that they won't have to leave their home state of California until the Final Four and it seems as if you can't pick against them.
Anyway, I think I've had enough of making predictions that will undoubtedly help you win the pool so I'll move on to MY bracket.
Elite Eight Picks-
East: #2 Tennessee over #1 North Carolina
Midwest: #3 Wisconsin over #1 Kansas
South: #1 Memphis over #2 Texas
West: #1 UCLA over #2 Duke
Final Four Picks-
#2 Tennessee over #3 Wisconsin
#1 UCLA over #1 Memphis
National Championship Pick-
UCLA 67, Tennessee 60
There you have it. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog and I hope that it helps you when you're filling out your bracket. Also, it helps to not be a homer at all. If you're not, it only betters your chance of taking home the big money. Have a good time watching the games tomorrow!
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Thursday, January 31, 2008
Game-Planning 11: Early Edition
After a one-week hiatus, the Game-Planning blog is back. I decided to forego writing it due to being very busy this past week with school, and I also considered that not many people would care about much outside of the Super Bowl.
Now, I guess it depends on how you interpret matters such as this, but to me this would be an early edition of Game-Planning, right? Or are you considering this late from last week? Nonetheless, it's here and I have some great game to break down for you. But first, I would like to tell you have I have fared with my predictions so far this season. I will say that I'm pretty sure I did better than Dan's Ravens-Eagles SB prediction. Overall, I have posted a solid 33-16 record on my predictions. I have had a winning record in all but two weeks and have made beautiful upset calls such as Texas beating UCLA, Villanova over Pitt, and West Virginia over Marquette to name a few.
However, I have been wrong on more than a few occasions as well. Most notably, I was dead wrong in thinking Indiana would defeat UConn and I admit it was a terrible predictions. (There ya go, Tracy) I was also wrong in picking Clemson to upset my favorite team, Duke. This in no way means that I will stop being wrong though as that is what makes bloggers like myself so popular. Anyway, without any furthur adieu (that's how it's spelled; not ado, Nomarfan)...
1st Quarter- #2 Duke at #3 North Carolina
I thought I would start this edition of Game-Planning off with a bang heading down Tobacco Road to the greatest rivalry in all of college basketball. You have no right calling yourself a basketball fan unless you tune in to watch this game. In my opinion, Duke has no choice but to shut down Tyler Hansbrough or they lose this game. That is much easier said than done though as the Blue Devils have not featured a solid big man all year. Look for the Tar Heels to get Lance Thomas in foul trouble very early similar to what Maryland did.
Both of these teams love to get out and run so expect to see a score in the 80s by the end of this one. Duke is led by DeMarcus Nelson (15 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast), Gerald Henderson (14 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast), and Greg Paulus (10 pts, 2 reb, 4 ast). UNC, on the other hand, is led by Hansbrough (22 pts, 10 reb, 1 ast), Wayne Ellington (17 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast), and Ty Lawson (14 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast).
The big matchup that I want to watch in this game is Paulus against Lawson. These two are both fantastic players coming off great games. Lawson had 16 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals the other night against Boston College. Paulus is averaging 19 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in his last two games against NC State and Miami.
By 11:30 on Wednesday night we will know the winner of this game. I am picking the North Carolina Tar Heels. Duke's lack of a good interior presence will doom them in this one. Make sure you tune in on Wednesday, February 6th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
2nd Quarter- #11 Indiana at Illinois
You may be asking yourself what the big deal is with this game, right? Let me explain. Eric Gordon, the Hoosiers' star, committed to home-state Illinois before backing out and deciding to play for rival Indiana. Last time these teams met, the Hoosiers got the better of the Fighting Illini by four points at home. This time, however, they will be going on the road into Illinois where Gordon will most likely be verbally abused by the student body in Champaign.
Indiana is led by Gordon (21 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast) and D.J. White (17 pts, 11 reb, 1 ast) who, as I mentioned before in my blogs, combine to form one of the better inside-outside tandems in the entire nation. Trying to stop them will be Illinois, who is led by Shaun Pruitt (13 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast), Trent Meacham (11 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast), and Brian Randle (10 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast).
The key to this game will be how Gordon responds to all the despise among the home crowd and whether the Illini will be able to keep White off the boards. All that pressure is tough for a freshman and Pruitt, with the help of his teammates, is more than capable of stopping White. I say Illinois takes the W in this one. Make sure you tune in to watch Thursday, February 7 at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
The Halftime Show
During this segment of The Halftime Show, I will be talking about the Final Four. As I see it now, Memphis, Kansas, North Carolina, and UCLA are all near the top of my list of the best teams in the nation this year. However, Texas, Duke, Tennessee, and Michigan State are not far behind. After that, you have the sleeper teams such as Texas A&M, Baylor, Kansas State, and Xavier that could always make a nice tournament run come March.
Anyway, my midseason Final Four choices are North Carolina, Memphis, Michigan State, and either Kansas State or Xavier. I'm not quite sure on the last pick. I'm thinking it will be one of those last four teams though. I like Xavier's chances just because they have a fantastic ball handler to rely on late in games in Drew Lavender. I also chose the Spartans because of the dynamic inside-outside duo they feature in Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan that many, many teams will have trouble matching up with. Tom Izzo definitely has the experience to know what he's doing.
Memphis and UNC were fairly easy picks. Both are having great seasons and have very good chances at #1 seeds, especially the Tigers. The other four teams rounding out the Elite Eight will be Duke, Texas, UCLA, and once again either Xavier or Kansas State. Nonetheless, we still have over a month of basketball to play before the regular season wraps up and the seedings for the tournaments are announced. Enjoy watching all the great basketball until then.
3rd Quarter- USC at #17 Washington State
Washington State, in my humble opinion, is one of the most overrated teams in college basketball. It was one of my easier predictions in calling their loss to UCLA earlier this year. They are led by Derrick Low (14 pts, 1 reb, 2 ast), Kyle Weaver (12 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast), and Aron Baynes (11 pts, 6 reb, 0 ast). The Cougars will be facing the Bruins yet again on Thursday and expect the same result.
USC, on the other hand, is led by freshman OJ Mayo (20 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast), who I have already spent time writing about why I am not a fan, and Davon Jefferson (13 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast). This is a team that lost their first game of the season to Mercer by FIFTEEN points! They have come a long way since then though with impressive wins over Southern Illinois, Oklahoma, and Washington and close losses to Kansas and Memphis by four.
The last time these two teams met Wazzou won by 15 points. In that game, the Trojans shot from the free throw line only four times compared to the Cougars' eighteen attempts. USC also had thirteen turnovers to WSU's 7. (If it matters, five of those thirteen were supplied by Mayo.) In conclusion, USC can win this game if they limit their turnovers and get to the line early and often.
Do I see that happening against a very disciplined team such as Wazzou? No. That's the exact reason as to why I'm picking Washington State in this one. Make sure you tune in Saturday, February 9th at 3:30pm eastern time on ABC.
4th Quarter- #6 Georgetown at Louisville
If you're a fan of my posts you'll now that I don't think the Hoyas are as great as everyone is chalking them up to be. Roy Hibbert is vastly overrated as he was shut down and held to only six rebounds against the undersized Memphis frontcourt not too long ago. They are led by Hibbert (13 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast), DaJuan Summers (11 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast), and Jessie Sapp (10 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast). They are currently 8-1 in Big East play.
Louisville is one of favorite teams to do very well in the Big East and NCAA tournaments. They are peaking at just the right time with back-to-back wins over Rutgers by 37 and Marquette by 14. The Cardinals are headed by many players as they have five players averaging at least ten points per game but none averaging more than thirteen. They have a balanced attack under Coach Rick Pitino who, like many of his past teams, loves to play with pressure defense on the opponent.
Honestly, I think G'Town will lose this one to the surging Cards of Louisville. The score in this game will probably get up in the 70s or 80s so it should be fun to watch. The game will be shown Saturday, February 9th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
Overtime- Clemson at #3 North Carolina
I focused much of the First Quarter segment on the Tar Heels so Overtime will be used to talk about Clemson and the last time these two teams met. The Tigers are led by K.C. Rivers (15 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast), who is one of five players on Clemson's roster that averages 11 or more points per game. The other key player for them will be Trevor Booker. He, along with the rest of the frontcourt, will have the job of stopping arguably the best big man in the nation, Tyler Hansbrough.
The last time these teams played it was a hard fought battle in the Littlejohn Coliseum. Clemson ended up losing by two but if not for a defensive lapse at the end, Wayne Ellington doesn't get such a good game-winning shot. Another reason the Tigers lost that game was their free throw shooting. I just read an article in my local paper this week about the poor free throw shooting going around nowadays. Where has it gone? Clemson shot 14-27 against UNC last time while the Heels were 24-30 that game.
I'm going with the upset in this one. After defeating Duke on Wednesday, North Carolina will let their guard down just long enough for Clemson to sneak in and take the victory in Chapel Hill. This game can be seen Sunday, February 10th at 6:30pm eastern time on FSN.
Double Overtime- #4 Kansas at #12 Texas
After predicting the Longhorns' upset of UCLA, I seriously considered making them my pick to win it all. Since then, however, it has been a roller coaster ride for Texas. They dropped two straight and three out of five games to Michigan State by six, Wisconsin by one, and Mizzou by thirteen. Texas then followed it up by winning their next three games before getting their asses handed to them by Texas A&M. I do believe they are on the up again, and their handling Baylor very nicely on the second of February proves it. (Baylor is my dark horse pick for the NCAA Tournament.) In that game, D.J. Augustin didn't play that well. I think that shows that this team relies on more than just their one playmaker.
Texas is led by Augustin (20 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast) and A.J. Abrams (17 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast). They also receive much-needed contributions from Damion James (13 pts, 11 reb) and Connor Atchley (11 pts, 6 reb) down low. They will be going up against the 22-1 Kansas Jayhawks, who are spearheaded by Darrell Arthur (13 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast), Brandon Rush (13 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast), Darnell Jackson (13 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast), and Mario Chalmers (12 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast).
Kansas has a very tough game against Baylor on Saturday before having to travel to Austin to play this game. I do not see the Jayhawks winning both games. That is why I'll be picking the Texas Longhorns to win this game. Kansas won't be able to shut down all of Texas's weapons and it will cost them. Make sure you tune in to watch Monday, February 11th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
The Postgame Video Vault
That's it for this week's Early Edition of Game-Planning. I will be back with more next week. Enjoy your day!
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Poll Result- Which team is currently the best in the NBA? 50% of voters thought it was the L.A. Lakers while 25% agreed on it being the Boston Celtics. The Suns and Hornets also drew 12% of the vote each.
Now, I guess it depends on how you interpret matters such as this, but to me this would be an early edition of Game-Planning, right? Or are you considering this late from last week? Nonetheless, it's here and I have some great game to break down for you. But first, I would like to tell you have I have fared with my predictions so far this season. I will say that I'm pretty sure I did better than Dan's Ravens-Eagles SB prediction. Overall, I have posted a solid 33-16 record on my predictions. I have had a winning record in all but two weeks and have made beautiful upset calls such as Texas beating UCLA, Villanova over Pitt, and West Virginia over Marquette to name a few.
However, I have been wrong on more than a few occasions as well. Most notably, I was dead wrong in thinking Indiana would defeat UConn and I admit it was a terrible predictions. (There ya go, Tracy) I was also wrong in picking Clemson to upset my favorite team, Duke. This in no way means that I will stop being wrong though as that is what makes bloggers like myself so popular. Anyway, without any furthur adieu (that's how it's spelled; not ado, Nomarfan)...
1st Quarter- #2 Duke at #3 North Carolina
I thought I would start this edition of Game-Planning off with a bang heading down Tobacco Road to the greatest rivalry in all of college basketball. You have no right calling yourself a basketball fan unless you tune in to watch this game. In my opinion, Duke has no choice but to shut down Tyler Hansbrough or they lose this game. That is much easier said than done though as the Blue Devils have not featured a solid big man all year. Look for the Tar Heels to get Lance Thomas in foul trouble very early similar to what Maryland did.
Both of these teams love to get out and run so expect to see a score in the 80s by the end of this one. Duke is led by DeMarcus Nelson (15 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast), Gerald Henderson (14 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast), and Greg Paulus (10 pts, 2 reb, 4 ast). UNC, on the other hand, is led by Hansbrough (22 pts, 10 reb, 1 ast), Wayne Ellington (17 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast), and Ty Lawson (14 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast).
The big matchup that I want to watch in this game is Paulus against Lawson. These two are both fantastic players coming off great games. Lawson had 16 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals the other night against Boston College. Paulus is averaging 19 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in his last two games against NC State and Miami.
By 11:30 on Wednesday night we will know the winner of this game. I am picking the North Carolina Tar Heels. Duke's lack of a good interior presence will doom them in this one. Make sure you tune in on Wednesday, February 6th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
2nd Quarter- #11 Indiana at Illinois
You may be asking yourself what the big deal is with this game, right? Let me explain. Eric Gordon, the Hoosiers' star, committed to home-state Illinois before backing out and deciding to play for rival Indiana. Last time these teams met, the Hoosiers got the better of the Fighting Illini by four points at home. This time, however, they will be going on the road into Illinois where Gordon will most likely be verbally abused by the student body in Champaign.
Indiana is led by Gordon (21 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast) and D.J. White (17 pts, 11 reb, 1 ast) who, as I mentioned before in my blogs, combine to form one of the better inside-outside tandems in the entire nation. Trying to stop them will be Illinois, who is led by Shaun Pruitt (13 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast), Trent Meacham (11 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast), and Brian Randle (10 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast).
The key to this game will be how Gordon responds to all the despise among the home crowd and whether the Illini will be able to keep White off the boards. All that pressure is tough for a freshman and Pruitt, with the help of his teammates, is more than capable of stopping White. I say Illinois takes the W in this one. Make sure you tune in to watch Thursday, February 7 at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
The Halftime Show
During this segment of The Halftime Show, I will be talking about the Final Four. As I see it now, Memphis, Kansas, North Carolina, and UCLA are all near the top of my list of the best teams in the nation this year. However, Texas, Duke, Tennessee, and Michigan State are not far behind. After that, you have the sleeper teams such as Texas A&M, Baylor, Kansas State, and Xavier that could always make a nice tournament run come March.
Anyway, my midseason Final Four choices are North Carolina, Memphis, Michigan State, and either Kansas State or Xavier. I'm not quite sure on the last pick. I'm thinking it will be one of those last four teams though. I like Xavier's chances just because they have a fantastic ball handler to rely on late in games in Drew Lavender. I also chose the Spartans because of the dynamic inside-outside duo they feature in Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan that many, many teams will have trouble matching up with. Tom Izzo definitely has the experience to know what he's doing.
Memphis and UNC were fairly easy picks. Both are having great seasons and have very good chances at #1 seeds, especially the Tigers. The other four teams rounding out the Elite Eight will be Duke, Texas, UCLA, and once again either Xavier or Kansas State. Nonetheless, we still have over a month of basketball to play before the regular season wraps up and the seedings for the tournaments are announced. Enjoy watching all the great basketball until then.
3rd Quarter- USC at #17 Washington State
Washington State, in my humble opinion, is one of the most overrated teams in college basketball. It was one of my easier predictions in calling their loss to UCLA earlier this year. They are led by Derrick Low (14 pts, 1 reb, 2 ast), Kyle Weaver (12 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast), and Aron Baynes (11 pts, 6 reb, 0 ast). The Cougars will be facing the Bruins yet again on Thursday and expect the same result.
USC, on the other hand, is led by freshman OJ Mayo (20 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast), who I have already spent time writing about why I am not a fan, and Davon Jefferson (13 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast). This is a team that lost their first game of the season to Mercer by FIFTEEN points! They have come a long way since then though with impressive wins over Southern Illinois, Oklahoma, and Washington and close losses to Kansas and Memphis by four.
The last time these two teams met Wazzou won by 15 points. In that game, the Trojans shot from the free throw line only four times compared to the Cougars' eighteen attempts. USC also had thirteen turnovers to WSU's 7. (If it matters, five of those thirteen were supplied by Mayo.) In conclusion, USC can win this game if they limit their turnovers and get to the line early and often.
Do I see that happening against a very disciplined team such as Wazzou? No. That's the exact reason as to why I'm picking Washington State in this one. Make sure you tune in Saturday, February 9th at 3:30pm eastern time on ABC.
4th Quarter- #6 Georgetown at Louisville
If you're a fan of my posts you'll now that I don't think the Hoyas are as great as everyone is chalking them up to be. Roy Hibbert is vastly overrated as he was shut down and held to only six rebounds against the undersized Memphis frontcourt not too long ago. They are led by Hibbert (13 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast), DaJuan Summers (11 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast), and Jessie Sapp (10 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast). They are currently 8-1 in Big East play.
Louisville is one of favorite teams to do very well in the Big East and NCAA tournaments. They are peaking at just the right time with back-to-back wins over Rutgers by 37 and Marquette by 14. The Cardinals are headed by many players as they have five players averaging at least ten points per game but none averaging more than thirteen. They have a balanced attack under Coach Rick Pitino who, like many of his past teams, loves to play with pressure defense on the opponent.
Honestly, I think G'Town will lose this one to the surging Cards of Louisville. The score in this game will probably get up in the 70s or 80s so it should be fun to watch. The game will be shown Saturday, February 9th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
Overtime- Clemson at #3 North Carolina
I focused much of the First Quarter segment on the Tar Heels so Overtime will be used to talk about Clemson and the last time these two teams met. The Tigers are led by K.C. Rivers (15 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast), who is one of five players on Clemson's roster that averages 11 or more points per game. The other key player for them will be Trevor Booker. He, along with the rest of the frontcourt, will have the job of stopping arguably the best big man in the nation, Tyler Hansbrough.
The last time these teams played it was a hard fought battle in the Littlejohn Coliseum. Clemson ended up losing by two but if not for a defensive lapse at the end, Wayne Ellington doesn't get such a good game-winning shot. Another reason the Tigers lost that game was their free throw shooting. I just read an article in my local paper this week about the poor free throw shooting going around nowadays. Where has it gone? Clemson shot 14-27 against UNC last time while the Heels were 24-30 that game.
I'm going with the upset in this one. After defeating Duke on Wednesday, North Carolina will let their guard down just long enough for Clemson to sneak in and take the victory in Chapel Hill. This game can be seen Sunday, February 10th at 6:30pm eastern time on FSN.
Double Overtime- #4 Kansas at #12 Texas
After predicting the Longhorns' upset of UCLA, I seriously considered making them my pick to win it all. Since then, however, it has been a roller coaster ride for Texas. They dropped two straight and three out of five games to Michigan State by six, Wisconsin by one, and Mizzou by thirteen. Texas then followed it up by winning their next three games before getting their asses handed to them by Texas A&M. I do believe they are on the up again, and their handling Baylor very nicely on the second of February proves it. (Baylor is my dark horse pick for the NCAA Tournament.) In that game, D.J. Augustin didn't play that well. I think that shows that this team relies on more than just their one playmaker.
Texas is led by Augustin (20 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast) and A.J. Abrams (17 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast). They also receive much-needed contributions from Damion James (13 pts, 11 reb) and Connor Atchley (11 pts, 6 reb) down low. They will be going up against the 22-1 Kansas Jayhawks, who are spearheaded by Darrell Arthur (13 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast), Brandon Rush (13 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast), Darnell Jackson (13 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast), and Mario Chalmers (12 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast).
Kansas has a very tough game against Baylor on Saturday before having to travel to Austin to play this game. I do not see the Jayhawks winning both games. That is why I'll be picking the Texas Longhorns to win this game. Kansas won't be able to shut down all of Texas's weapons and it will cost them. Make sure you tune in to watch Monday, February 11th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.
The Postgame Video Vault
That's it for this week's Early Edition of Game-Planning. I will be back with more next week. Enjoy your day!
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Poll Result- Which team is currently the best in the NBA? 50% of voters thought it was the L.A. Lakers while 25% agreed on it being the Boston Celtics. The Suns and Hornets also drew 12% of the vote each.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Game-Planning 7
Hey everyone, I hope you had a happy and safe New Year's Eve. It's been awhile since I've made a post; I was pretty busy over the break. Nonetheless, I'm back now and I'm ready to feed you with some college hoops information. This is the time of the year when it starts to heat up. Conference games begin. Some tough non-conference games are scheduled. So without further adieu...
1st Quarter- Kansas at Boston College
Winner: Kansas
Why They'll Win: The Eagles are 8-1 at home this season with their lone home loss coming to Providence by nine points. They're led by Tyrese Rice (20 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) and Shamari Spears (12 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast). BC doesn't have much down low as they only have one starter over 6'6". The Kansas Jayhawks, however, have THREE starters over 6'6". I think size will be the difference-maker in this one, and Boston College will be handed their third loss of the season on Saturday. Kansas is led by Darrell Arthur (13 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast), Mario Chalmers (12 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast), and Darnell Jackson (12 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast). They run a nice hi-lo motion offense that should spell trouble for BC if Kansas has a decent shooting night.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 5th at noon eastern time on ESPN.
2nd Quarter- Louisville at Kentucky
Winner: Louisville
Why They'll Win: Isn't this game always a treat to watch? Rick Pitino goes back to his old college to coach against for their arch rival. Well, things aren't very perfect for either team this year. Pitino and Louisville were a highly-ranked team to start the season but have faltered somewhat with losses to BYU, Dayton, Purdue, and Cincinatti. Kentucky brought in a new coach, Billy Gillispie, that was supposedly the coach who would turn around the program. However, they've put up a paltry 6-6 record with losses to Gardner-Webb, UAB, and San Diego to name a few. Anyways, the Wildcats are led by Patrick Patterson (18 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast) and Joe Crawford (16 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast). The Cardinals are headed by a group of guys that it is near impossible to only choose a few. They have EIGHT players averaging at least 16 minutes per game so they have quite the depth on their roster. I think Louisville will pull out the win against against a rival school in a hostile environment.
When To Watch: Saturday, December 5th at 4pm eastern time on CBS.
Halftime Thoughts-
As of now it looks as if six, maybe seven, conference will draw at least three bids in the NCAA Tournament when March rolls around. Of course, it's a long season and anything can happen. Not surprising are the conference such as the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Pac-10, and Big Ten. Surprising is the Atlantic-10. On a side note, it's interesting that the SEC has a good chance at having less teams dancing come tourney time than the A-10!
CollegeHoopsNet.com's Hot Topic of the Week: Mid-Season All-American talk is buzzing through the online forums as you read this. Making the CollegeHoopsNet's list were DJ Augustin, Eric Gordon, Shan Foster, Michael Beasley, and Kevin Love. Interesting that there is not even one ACC or Big East player on there, and three freshman made the list. I could, however, see putting Trent Plaisted of BYU in there over Love. Plaisted is having a phenomenal season and I'm very impressed with his play.
Can the Memphis Tigers go into the regular season undefeated? Quite frankly, it's probably too early to call, but I'll try anyways. They still have Gonzaga, Houston, and Tennessee left on their schedule. I can't really imagine them losing to anyone else on their schedule, but you never know. Houston will be an interesting matchups because BOTH teams absolutely love to get the ball up the floor as fast as possible. We'll just have to wait this one out.
3rd Quarter- Pittsburgh at Villanova
Winner: Villanova
Why They'll Win: I worry about the Panthers. They've lost both Mike Cook and Levance Fields, and they suffered a loss to Dayton. Also worth mentioning is that they were down at halftime in their last game...against Lafayette. I can't see Pitt pulling out a W on Saturday. Everything seems to be against them. They have no momentum whatsoever and are struggling with every team they play. Villanova, on the other hand, has been led by Scottie Reynolds (17 pts, 5 ast, 3 reb) to not only a 10-2 record but also a #17 ranking in the AP poll. They are fresh off a loss to DePaul, a conference foe, and it's only natural that they'll come out with a chip on their shoulder next game. Coming into that game, they were riding a nice 6-game winning streak. Jay Wright will have his players focused, and Pitt is in trouble.
When To Watch: Sunday, December 6th at noon eastern time on MSG.
4th Quarter- Marquette at West Virginia
Winner: West Virginia
Why They'll Win: Some of you may be thinking why I even have this matchup in my blog. Well, the Golden Eagles are ranked 10th, and the Mountaineers are one of the more dangerous teams in the Big East, in my opinion. They are a solid 10-3 and are led by Alex Ruoff (16 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast) and Joe Alexander (15 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast). Coach Huggins' squad has had a couple tough losses so far such as a 2-point loss to Tennessee and a 6-point loss to Oklahoma. They didn't come to mess around, and Huggins will have these kids ready to not lose their THIRD game in a row. West Virginia is in the middle of a tough stretch of games right now that started with Oklahoma and will end with Syracuse on January 13th. It's important for them to regain focus or they could fall tremendously in the next couple weeks.
When To Watch: Sunday, December 6th at 2pm eastern time on MSG.
That is the end of this edition of Game-Planning. Come back next week for another set of game that you won't want to miss. I hope you have a good weekend, but don't spend too much time in front of the television.
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1st Quarter- Kansas at Boston College
Winner: Kansas
Why They'll Win: The Eagles are 8-1 at home this season with their lone home loss coming to Providence by nine points. They're led by Tyrese Rice (20 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) and Shamari Spears (12 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast). BC doesn't have much down low as they only have one starter over 6'6". The Kansas Jayhawks, however, have THREE starters over 6'6". I think size will be the difference-maker in this one, and Boston College will be handed their third loss of the season on Saturday. Kansas is led by Darrell Arthur (13 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast), Mario Chalmers (12 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast), and Darnell Jackson (12 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast). They run a nice hi-lo motion offense that should spell trouble for BC if Kansas has a decent shooting night.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 5th at noon eastern time on ESPN.
2nd Quarter- Louisville at Kentucky
Winner: Louisville
Why They'll Win: Isn't this game always a treat to watch? Rick Pitino goes back to his old college to coach against for their arch rival. Well, things aren't very perfect for either team this year. Pitino and Louisville were a highly-ranked team to start the season but have faltered somewhat with losses to BYU, Dayton, Purdue, and Cincinatti. Kentucky brought in a new coach, Billy Gillispie, that was supposedly the coach who would turn around the program. However, they've put up a paltry 6-6 record with losses to Gardner-Webb, UAB, and San Diego to name a few. Anyways, the Wildcats are led by Patrick Patterson (18 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast) and Joe Crawford (16 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast). The Cardinals are headed by a group of guys that it is near impossible to only choose a few. They have EIGHT players averaging at least 16 minutes per game so they have quite the depth on their roster. I think Louisville will pull out the win against against a rival school in a hostile environment.
When To Watch: Saturday, December 5th at 4pm eastern time on CBS.
Halftime Thoughts-
As of now it looks as if six, maybe seven, conference will draw at least three bids in the NCAA Tournament when March rolls around. Of course, it's a long season and anything can happen. Not surprising are the conference such as the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Pac-10, and Big Ten. Surprising is the Atlantic-10. On a side note, it's interesting that the SEC has a good chance at having less teams dancing come tourney time than the A-10!
CollegeHoopsNet.com's Hot Topic of the Week: Mid-Season All-American talk is buzzing through the online forums as you read this. Making the CollegeHoopsNet's list were DJ Augustin, Eric Gordon, Shan Foster, Michael Beasley, and Kevin Love. Interesting that there is not even one ACC or Big East player on there, and three freshman made the list. I could, however, see putting Trent Plaisted of BYU in there over Love. Plaisted is having a phenomenal season and I'm very impressed with his play.
Can the Memphis Tigers go into the regular season undefeated? Quite frankly, it's probably too early to call, but I'll try anyways. They still have Gonzaga, Houston, and Tennessee left on their schedule. I can't really imagine them losing to anyone else on their schedule, but you never know. Houston will be an interesting matchups because BOTH teams absolutely love to get the ball up the floor as fast as possible. We'll just have to wait this one out.
3rd Quarter- Pittsburgh at Villanova
Winner: Villanova
Why They'll Win: I worry about the Panthers. They've lost both Mike Cook and Levance Fields, and they suffered a loss to Dayton. Also worth mentioning is that they were down at halftime in their last game...against Lafayette. I can't see Pitt pulling out a W on Saturday. Everything seems to be against them. They have no momentum whatsoever and are struggling with every team they play. Villanova, on the other hand, has been led by Scottie Reynolds (17 pts, 5 ast, 3 reb) to not only a 10-2 record but also a #17 ranking in the AP poll. They are fresh off a loss to DePaul, a conference foe, and it's only natural that they'll come out with a chip on their shoulder next game. Coming into that game, they were riding a nice 6-game winning streak. Jay Wright will have his players focused, and Pitt is in trouble.
When To Watch: Sunday, December 6th at noon eastern time on MSG.
4th Quarter- Marquette at West Virginia
Winner: West Virginia
Why They'll Win: Some of you may be thinking why I even have this matchup in my blog. Well, the Golden Eagles are ranked 10th, and the Mountaineers are one of the more dangerous teams in the Big East, in my opinion. They are a solid 10-3 and are led by Alex Ruoff (16 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast) and Joe Alexander (15 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast). Coach Huggins' squad has had a couple tough losses so far such as a 2-point loss to Tennessee and a 6-point loss to Oklahoma. They didn't come to mess around, and Huggins will have these kids ready to not lose their THIRD game in a row. West Virginia is in the middle of a tough stretch of games right now that started with Oklahoma and will end with Syracuse on January 13th. It's important for them to regain focus or they could fall tremendously in the next couple weeks.
When To Watch: Sunday, December 6th at 2pm eastern time on MSG.
That is the end of this edition of Game-Planning. Come back next week for another set of game that you won't want to miss. I hope you have a good weekend, but don't spend too much time in front of the television.
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Friday, November 16, 2007
Game-Planning 1: Weekend Kickoff Edition
This will be a weekly segment I will do and it will usually be posted Thursday night but I thought I would kick it off on a weekend where most people have nothing better to do other than read brand new blogs. Anyways, the idea of this will be for me to make 5 predictions for college basketball games in the upcoming week. (Note: For this festive occasion I will be doing SIX preseason tournaments instead of five individual games.) As time goes on I will develop a record and everyone will see how good--or bad--I am at picking winners. Enjoy...
1st Quarter- CBE Classic
Winner: UCLA
Runner-Up: Michigan State
Breakdown: #2 UCLA has everything clicking this year. They return four starters from last year in Collison, Shipp, Mbah a Moute, and Mata-Real. And, how could you forget, they have one of the best freshman in the country this year in Kevin Love. He averaged 34 points and 17 rebounds playing high school ball last year. I think the Bruins have a good mix of experience, talent, and great coaching. That being said, Michigan State is definitely no pushover. They return the second-best senior in the country (Drew Neitzel; behind Tennessee's Chris Lofton) and the other four starters from last season. The problem with them, however, is they don't have a ton of talent after Neitzel.
When To Watch: The championship will be November 20th. But first the Bruins must beat Maryland and the Spartans must beat Missouri.
2nd Quarter- Preseason NIT
Winner: Texas A&M
Runner-Up: Syracuse
Breakdown: I made two very difficult decisions. The one was picking the Orange over Ohio State and the other was picking the Aggies to upset Syracuse in front of, virtually, a home crowd. However, I really don't think Syracuse will be able to hold it together for two games in a row and will most likely let down their guard in the championship after a tough OSU game. A&M, losing senior leader Acie Law IV, has a new coach and a new star player. Josh Carter will have to become the go-to-guy for Turgeon's men this year. To help him out are two of last year's starters in Dominique Kirk and Joseph Jones. Syracuse is led by a stellar recruiting class this year but definitely don't have much experience. I doubt the freshman will be able to be the main production for a team in their first BIG game at Madison Square Garden (more will come, I'm sure).
When To Watch: The championship is November 23rd. Both teams need to advance past the semifinals which will be held this Wednesday, the 21st.
Halftime Thoughts-
I am NOT sold on OJ Mayo. Quite frankly, he's a ball hog and only thinks about himself out on the court. To top it off, he has off-the-court issues which have been nagging him since early high school. On the bright side, he had 32 points in his collegiate debut. Of course, he shot 12 for 27 from the field and committed 8 turnovers. Also, he dished out only 4 assists and seemed out of control most of the game.
Huge fan of Memphis frosh Derrick Rose right here. He's averaging 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in 28 minutes a game. He hasn't shot more than 16 field goals compared to Mayo (see above). He'll have quite the challenge tonight against UConn though. It will be interesting to see how he fares.
Enough of the freshmen, I want to talk about the interesting North Carolina vs. Davidson game that was played two nights ago. UNC barely pulled one out in their 72-68 victory over an elite mid-major school (take note of the oxymoron). Interestingly enough, I wasn't as surprised with the Tar Heels' struggles as I was Davidson's success against the number one team in the country. Specifically, I was thoroughly impressed with their guards, Curry and Richards, who made names for themselves on national television. Curry was doing the scoring (24 pts) and Richards was getting his teammates easy buckets (8 ast).
3rd Quarter- Great Alaska Shootout
Winner: Michigan
Runner-Up: Gonzaga
Breakdown: This is going to be one hell of an upset. Gonzaga (#16) vs. Michigan is going to be a coaching battle. The best innovator in college basketball, John Beilein, will be taking on the best mid-major coach right now, Mark Few. Michigan has a new offense (5-Out) and are poised to disrupt at least a few top teams this year. Why not start now? Gonzaga is led by Jeremy Pargo who averaged 12 points and 5 assists last season while playing behind Derek Raivio. They also have Heytvelt, Bouldin, and Pendergraft that will definitely be playing roles on both ends of the floor. I'm still taking the underdog with a crazy-good coach when they're playing with nothing to lose.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship date but the tournament has not yet started.
4th Quarter- Legends Classic
Winner: Tennessee
Runner-Up: Texas
Breakdown: Bruce Pearl's squad will live up to their lofty ranking in this one while taking down a talented, yet Kevin Durant-less, Texas team. The Volunteers are led by Chris Lofton (POY favorite) and are backed by returning starters in Ramar Smith, Jajuan Smith, and Wayne Chism. They have a very good transfer in Tyler Smith as well. The 'Horns can hardly contend with such a great group of players which is why I have them falling short. The interesting thing about them is that they return all their starters EXCEPT Durant. The big question mark on this team is whether or not they'll be able to make up for the scoring and rebounding that KD took with him to the pros. Their best bet is relying on sophomore D.J. Augustin who averaged 14 points last season.
When To Watch: The championship is November 24th and the semifinals are the night before.
Overtime- Maui Invitational
Winner: Duke
Runner-Up: Marquette
Breakdown: The fascinating thing about this preseason tournament is that every year they have amazing games yet lack a deep field of teams. This year the only top 25 teams are the ones I have matching up in the final game. Duke is led by their two upperclassmen, DeMarcus Nelson and Greg Paulus, and also receive much-needed contributions from Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler. Now, the Golden Eagles of Marquette are somewhat overrated in my opinion. They have a good group of guards but I wonder if their frontcourt will hurt them. Plus, they've had a complete joke of a schedule leading up to this. They've played IUPUI (which they only won by 8) and Utah Valley State. Who? Coach K will have his guys ready. End of story.
When To Watch: The championship game will be November 21st but you might want to check out the semifinal matchups as well (Nov. 20th). A couple years ago they featured Michigan State and Gonzaga which took three overtimes to decide a winner.
2nd Overtime- Las Vegas Invitational
Winner: North Carolina
Runner-Up: Louisville
Breakdown: Okay, so this tournament typically isn't very good but this year it features two GREAT teams. I honestly think that the Tar Heels will come back very strong after their letdown against Davidson. They are led by their three returning starters: Hansbrough, Ellington, and Lawson. Most likely all three will be first round draft picks when they decide to go. Louisville won't go down without a fight though. They are one of the deepest teams in all of college basketball this year and have a great coach to help them work together. Edgar Sosa seemingly wants some redemption from last March's heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Texas A&M.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship day on the Strip and this game is a can't-miss event. I really don't see either of these teams losing in the semifinals either.
Poll Results- In a recent poll about who will have the best record in the Wester Conference, 80% of the voters chose the Phoenix Suns while the other 20% thought Dallas would have the best record for the second year in a row.
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1st Quarter- CBE Classic
Winner: UCLA
Runner-Up: Michigan State
Breakdown: #2 UCLA has everything clicking this year. They return four starters from last year in Collison, Shipp, Mbah a Moute, and Mata-Real. And, how could you forget, they have one of the best freshman in the country this year in Kevin Love. He averaged 34 points and 17 rebounds playing high school ball last year. I think the Bruins have a good mix of experience, talent, and great coaching. That being said, Michigan State is definitely no pushover. They return the second-best senior in the country (Drew Neitzel; behind Tennessee's Chris Lofton) and the other four starters from last season. The problem with them, however, is they don't have a ton of talent after Neitzel.
When To Watch: The championship will be November 20th. But first the Bruins must beat Maryland and the Spartans must beat Missouri.
2nd Quarter- Preseason NIT
Winner: Texas A&M
Runner-Up: Syracuse
Breakdown: I made two very difficult decisions. The one was picking the Orange over Ohio State and the other was picking the Aggies to upset Syracuse in front of, virtually, a home crowd. However, I really don't think Syracuse will be able to hold it together for two games in a row and will most likely let down their guard in the championship after a tough OSU game. A&M, losing senior leader Acie Law IV, has a new coach and a new star player. Josh Carter will have to become the go-to-guy for Turgeon's men this year. To help him out are two of last year's starters in Dominique Kirk and Joseph Jones. Syracuse is led by a stellar recruiting class this year but definitely don't have much experience. I doubt the freshman will be able to be the main production for a team in their first BIG game at Madison Square Garden (more will come, I'm sure).
When To Watch: The championship is November 23rd. Both teams need to advance past the semifinals which will be held this Wednesday, the 21st.
Halftime Thoughts-
I am NOT sold on OJ Mayo. Quite frankly, he's a ball hog and only thinks about himself out on the court. To top it off, he has off-the-court issues which have been nagging him since early high school. On the bright side, he had 32 points in his collegiate debut. Of course, he shot 12 for 27 from the field and committed 8 turnovers. Also, he dished out only 4 assists and seemed out of control most of the game.
Huge fan of Memphis frosh Derrick Rose right here. He's averaging 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in 28 minutes a game. He hasn't shot more than 16 field goals compared to Mayo (see above). He'll have quite the challenge tonight against UConn though. It will be interesting to see how he fares.
Enough of the freshmen, I want to talk about the interesting North Carolina vs. Davidson game that was played two nights ago. UNC barely pulled one out in their 72-68 victory over an elite mid-major school (take note of the oxymoron). Interestingly enough, I wasn't as surprised with the Tar Heels' struggles as I was Davidson's success against the number one team in the country. Specifically, I was thoroughly impressed with their guards, Curry and Richards, who made names for themselves on national television. Curry was doing the scoring (24 pts) and Richards was getting his teammates easy buckets (8 ast).
3rd Quarter- Great Alaska Shootout
Winner: Michigan
Runner-Up: Gonzaga
Breakdown: This is going to be one hell of an upset. Gonzaga (#16) vs. Michigan is going to be a coaching battle. The best innovator in college basketball, John Beilein, will be taking on the best mid-major coach right now, Mark Few. Michigan has a new offense (5-Out) and are poised to disrupt at least a few top teams this year. Why not start now? Gonzaga is led by Jeremy Pargo who averaged 12 points and 5 assists last season while playing behind Derek Raivio. They also have Heytvelt, Bouldin, and Pendergraft that will definitely be playing roles on both ends of the floor. I'm still taking the underdog with a crazy-good coach when they're playing with nothing to lose.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship date but the tournament has not yet started.
4th Quarter- Legends Classic
Winner: Tennessee
Runner-Up: Texas
Breakdown: Bruce Pearl's squad will live up to their lofty ranking in this one while taking down a talented, yet Kevin Durant-less, Texas team. The Volunteers are led by Chris Lofton (POY favorite) and are backed by returning starters in Ramar Smith, Jajuan Smith, and Wayne Chism. They have a very good transfer in Tyler Smith as well. The 'Horns can hardly contend with such a great group of players which is why I have them falling short. The interesting thing about them is that they return all their starters EXCEPT Durant. The big question mark on this team is whether or not they'll be able to make up for the scoring and rebounding that KD took with him to the pros. Their best bet is relying on sophomore D.J. Augustin who averaged 14 points last season.
When To Watch: The championship is November 24th and the semifinals are the night before.
Overtime- Maui Invitational
Winner: Duke
Runner-Up: Marquette
Breakdown: The fascinating thing about this preseason tournament is that every year they have amazing games yet lack a deep field of teams. This year the only top 25 teams are the ones I have matching up in the final game. Duke is led by their two upperclassmen, DeMarcus Nelson and Greg Paulus, and also receive much-needed contributions from Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler. Now, the Golden Eagles of Marquette are somewhat overrated in my opinion. They have a good group of guards but I wonder if their frontcourt will hurt them. Plus, they've had a complete joke of a schedule leading up to this. They've played IUPUI (which they only won by 8) and Utah Valley State. Who? Coach K will have his guys ready. End of story.
When To Watch: The championship game will be November 21st but you might want to check out the semifinal matchups as well (Nov. 20th). A couple years ago they featured Michigan State and Gonzaga which took three overtimes to decide a winner.
2nd Overtime- Las Vegas Invitational
Winner: North Carolina
Runner-Up: Louisville
Breakdown: Okay, so this tournament typically isn't very good but this year it features two GREAT teams. I honestly think that the Tar Heels will come back very strong after their letdown against Davidson. They are led by their three returning starters: Hansbrough, Ellington, and Lawson. Most likely all three will be first round draft picks when they decide to go. Louisville won't go down without a fight though. They are one of the deepest teams in all of college basketball this year and have a great coach to help them work together. Edgar Sosa seemingly wants some redemption from last March's heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Texas A&M.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship day on the Strip and this game is a can't-miss event. I really don't see either of these teams losing in the semifinals either.
Poll Results- In a recent poll about who will have the best record in the Wester Conference, 80% of the voters chose the Phoenix Suns while the other 20% thought Dallas would have the best record for the second year in a row.
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