Many of you will be lying around this weekend with nothing to do. You'll be feeling sorry for yourself even though you have absolutely no control over what weekends will feature football. This weekend, sadly, does not. On the flip side, that gives you all the more reason to watch college basketball (or you could try some other ideas that Mac thought of). So here are the games that you should check out...
1st Quarter- Gonzaga at Memphis
Winner: Memphis
Why They'll Win: I'm predicting a Tiger win to keep the undefeated season alive. This is really their last tough game before the big showdown against the highly-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. Memphis is led by Chris Douglas-Roberts (17 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast), Derrick Rose (14 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast), and Joey Dorsey (7 pts, 10 reb). They are currently ranked #1 in both polls and they've only been in one game that they won by less than ten points. The Tigers are a scoring machine as they have scored at least 90 points on five occasions and average 81 points per game. They shoot 36% from deep and 47% from the field. Now, I've said it all year long and I'll say it again: free throw shooting will be the death of this team. They shoot a terrible 59% from the charity stripe. Concerning Gonzaga, they're led by Matt Bouldin (15 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast), Josh Heytvelt (12 pts, 5 reb), and Jeremy Pargo (11 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast). The Bulldogs were ranked at the beginning of the season but have fallen out of the top 25 due to their four losses to Texas Tech, Washington State, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. They, too, average a good amount of points per game with an average of 76. I expect this game to be highly competitive and very high scoring.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 26th at noon eastern time on ESPN.
2nd Quarter- Doubleheader
Game 1: UConn at Indiana
Winner: Indiana
Why They'll Win: The Hoosiers are ranked #7 and the Huskies are unranked, but don't think that means this game will be easy for Indiana. We've already seen UConn give Memphis, Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Marquette trouble. They even posted a nice victory over Cincinatti. They're led by Jeff Adrien (14 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast), A.J. Price (14 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast), and Hasheem Thabeet (11 pts, 8 reb). Indiana is led by the inside-outside tandem of D.J. White (17 pts, 10 reb) and Eric Gordon (22 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast) and will be the two that UConn needs to keep in check. If they dont, the Huskies have no shot at winning this one.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 26th at 1pm eastern time on CBS.
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Game 2: Washington at Arizona
Winner: Arizona
Why They'll Win: The 11-7 Huskies will travel to Arizona to face the 12-6 Wildcats in what should be a very good game. I'm picking Arizona for two reasons in this game and it doesn't have much to do with team talent because they're too close to choose. Washington is 1-2 on the road and Arizona is 7-2 at home. Therefore, my winner will be the team that plays well at home. Nonetheless, Washington's leader is Jon Brockman (19 pts, 12 reb), who I think is one of the more underrated big men in the nation this year. Arizona is led by a trio of players in Jerryd Bayless (19 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast), Chase Budinger (17 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast), and Jordan Hill (14 pts, 8 reb).
When To Watch: Saturday, January 26th at 3pm eastern time on FSN.
Halftime Thoughts-
CollegeHoops.Net's Hot Topic of the Week: Mississippi State's winning streak is what has everyone buzzing right now. I'll be honest and admit that I don't know a whole lot about this team; I did, however, decide to do some research. The Bulldogs are 4-0 in the SEC and have won all of their past eight games. Their best player is probably Jamont Gordon, who averages 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Mississippi State is not a very good three-point shooting team though (33%) and are an even worse free throw shooting team (60%). I don't see this team getting all that far in March but this is definitely a team to watch.
3rd Quarter- Texas Tech at Texas
Winner: Texas
Why They'll Win: Quite frankly, the Longhorns aren't as good as I thought they were. Yes, D.J. Augustin (21 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast) and A.J. Abrams (18 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast) are very, very talented in the backcourt, BUT Connor Atchley, their big guy, is somewhat reminiscent of Mehmet Okur in the way he prefers to stand out by the three-point line and shoot from there, which could be the main reason he only averages 6 rebounds per game. Nonetheless, Texas has won their last two games by two points each time over Oklahoma State and Colorado. They are a surprising 3-1 against ranked teams while the Red Raiders are 2-2 against those ranked in the top 25. Bobby Knight's team is led by Martin Zeno (17 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast), Alan Voskuil (13 pts, 4 reb), and John Roberson (12 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast). The bad news about these three is that they are all guards. That is the reason Texas will win this game. The Longhorns don't really have a solid post presence but neither does Texas Tech.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 26th at 8pm eastern time on SNY.
4th Quarter- Duke at Maryland
Winner: Duke
Why They'll Win: I know my choice may seem like a homer pick but it really isn't. The last time I picked a team that gave UNC trouble to beat Duke I was wrong (see Duke-Clemson), and I've learned from my mistakes. The difficulty in picking this game is very great though. You don't know which Maryland team will come to play on any given day. Will it be the team that knocked off #1 North Carolina? Or will it be the team that lost to Virginia Commonwealth, Ohio, and American University? Thoughts aside, the Terrapins are led by Greivis Vasquez (17 pts, 5 reb, 6 ast) and James Gist (15 pts, 8 reb). As for Duke, they will suffocate the Maryland guards on defense and they won't stop attacking when on offense. Look for the Blue Devils to get Gist in foul trouble very early on. This will negate any frontcourt advantage Maryland had coming into the game. Duke is led by DeMarcus Nelson (14 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast), Kyle Singler (13 pts, 6 reb), and Gerald Henderson (13 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast). This should be one of the better games of the weekend.
When To Watch: Sunday, January 27th at 6:30pm eastern time on FSN.
Overtime- Villanova at Pitt
Winner: Villanova
Why They'll Win: I am not impressed by this Pitt team at all and apparently neither are other coaches. The Panthers are ranked 17th in the Coaches' Poll and have lost both Levance Fields and Mike Cook to injury. They are now led by freshman DeJuan Blair (12 pts, 9 reb) and Sam Young (19 pts, 7 reb). Due to the injuries I mentioned a sentence or two ago, Pitt is without a playmaker on offense. Ronald Ramon is the only other possible option for that position. If 'Nova actually won this game, it would be considered an upset according to the polls, but not an upset in my mind. Yes, they have three conference losses already, but they've posted nice wins over Pitt earlier in the year and Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. The Wildcats are led by the super sophomore, Scottie Reynolds (17 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast), and the junior, Dante Cunningham (11 pts, 7 reb). Those two form one of the better inside-outside tandems in the country along with Neitzel-Morgan of MSU and Gordon-White of Indiana.
When To Watch: Wednesday, January 30th at 7pm eastern time on ESPNU.
Double Overtime- Texas at Texas A&M
Winner: Texas A&M
Why They'll Win: I already explained the Longhorns earlier in this post so I'll spend most of this blog space writing about the Aggies of Texas A&M. Simply put, A&M will win if they get DeAndre Jordan the ball inside and Joseph Jones has a decent game because, as I mentioned before, Texas lacks a solid interior player. My main concern is that Turgeon's squad has lost each of their last three games to Baylor, Kansas State, and Texas Tech. My question is when will we see the A&M team that won 15 of their first 16 games of the season with wins over Ohio State and Washington? Finally, they are led by Josh Carter (14 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast), Joseph Jones (11 pts, 5 reb), and DeAndre Jordan (10 pts, 7 reb).
When To Watch: Wednesday, January 30th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN2.
That would be the end of this week's edition of Game-Planning. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Here's a video to pass the time between now and the Gonzaga/Memphis game...
Have a good weekend, everyone!
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Showing posts with label Pitt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pitt. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Game-Planning 8: Midterm Edition
I know that a lot of the people reading this blog are current students so I will not disappoint and will aptly name this the Midterm Edition of Game-Planning. Yeah, I know all of you nerds (shout out to chrono) are exempt but I don't want to hear it. After you're done reading this blog, you should go hit the books. Admit it, you are amidst the wonderful procrastination stage of your studying for exams. Anyways, I don't want to get in the way of the process so I'll just start the part of the blog people like to read.
1st Quarter- NC State at North Carolina
Winner: North Carolina
Why They'll Win: The favorite will win this game, but not by as big a margin as many are predicting. This will be a very close game. The Wolfpack are 11-3 currently and are led by freshman J.J. Hickson (17 pts, 8 reb), senior Gavin Grant (14 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast), and sophomore Brandon Costner (11 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast). They defeated a tough Villanova team on the road and took down mid-major Davidson by one point at home. Embarrassing are their losses to New Orleans and East Carolina. NC State shoots a below average 30% from deep, 71% from the charity stripe, and 46% from the field. Being led by a freshman to go up against the #1 team in the country doesn't sound all that good to me, which is why I chose UNC to win this one. The Tar Heels are an undefeated 16-0 (coincidence with the Patriots record, I swear) and are #1 in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls. They're led by Tyler Hansbrough (22 pts, 10 reb), Wayne Ellington (18 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast), and Ty Lawson (14 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast). Sadly (or joyously for Duke fans), they've been stumbling as of late. After leaving the state of South Carolina with a not-so-convincing victory over Clemson, UNC proceeded to defeat North Carolina-Asheville...by only twelve points.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 12th on ESPN at noon eastern time.
2nd Quarter- Washington St. at UCLA
Winner: UCLA
Why They'll Win: Washington State, in my opinion, is the most overrated team in the top ten and this game will prove that. I'm saying the Bruins will take this game by a minimum of 12 points. The Cougars are led by Derrick Low (13 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast), Kyle Weaver (12 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast), and Aron Baynes (12 pts, 7 reb). Their "big" notable win? That would be their win over Gonzaga. They've had close games with Air Force, Baylor, and Washington. Washington State shoots 34% from long range, 77% from the free throw line, and 50% from the field. UCLA, however, is one of the better teams in the country and is poised to make a deep run come tourney time. They're led by freshman sensation Kevin Love (17 pts, 10 reb, 2 ast), Josh Shipp (15 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast), and Darren Collison (12 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast). They have impressive wins over Stanford, Davidson, Michigan State, and Maryland. Their only loss came at the hands of Texas on a last second lay-up.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 12th on FSN at 2:30pm eastern time.
Halftime Thoughts-
In the new power rankings by Luke Winn of SI.com, he put Memphis first, North Carolina second, and Kansas third. For RIGHT NOW, there couldn't be a more perfect top three. He definitely hit the nail on the head. However, I do think he has Tennessee a bit too high at number four, but I digress...
CollegeHoops.net's Hot Topic of the Week: The top fifteen in the nation is what has this particular message board buzzing as if it's a bee's nest in the summer. The person who posted had Kansas first, UCLA second, Memphis third, and UNC fourth. Some other interesting choices were Xavier at 9 and West Virginia at 15, both of which I think are too high for them as of now. I would like to hear your opinion on it.
My next topic of discussion has absolutely nothing to do with today's college basketball. Instead, we're going back a few years to talk about the greatest in history. (Author's Note: Special thanks to Andy Katz for helping me with this topic.) I will attempt to countdown the top three. This is very tough to try and put these in any order but here goes:
3. Lew Alcindor, UCLA, 66-67; 29 ppg on way to 30-0 record.
2. Pete Maravich, LSU, 69-70; 44.5 ppg while shattering scoring record.
1. Oscar Robertson, Cincy, 57-58; 35.1 ppg and 15.2 rpg made this year remarkable.
3rd Quarter- Georgetown at Pitt
Winner: Georgetown
Why They'll Win: You may know me to be not the biggest fan of the Hoyas this season if you've read any of my previous posts. However, they're facing a Pitt team that has lost two of their last four games after losing players to injuries. G'Town is 12-1 right now and are led by Roy Hibbert (12 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast), DaJuan Summers (12 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast), and Jonathan Wallace (11 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast). The Hoyas do not have really a big win on their schedule (in fact, they don't have a win against an opponent that is currently ranked) and this is their best opportunity. The Panthers shoot 35% from deep, 71% from the line, and 47% from the field. They're led by Sam Young (18 pts, 7 reb) and DaJuan Blair (12 pts, 10 reb), and they've lost Levance Fields and Mike Cook to injuries. Prior to that though, they had an impressive win over the Duke Blue Devils. Nonetheless, I don't see Georgetown losing this game.
When To Watch: Monday, January 14th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
4th Quarter- Ohio State at Michigan State
Winner: Michigan State
Why They'll Win: Both teams are undefeated in conference play, yet I'm definitely giving the edge to the Spartans in this one. They rely on the play of Raymar Morgan (18 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast) and Drew Neitzel (13 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast). Their only loss to date is their 5-point defeat at the hands of UCLA. Michigan State has posted wins over NC State, BYU, and Texas. They shoot 36% from behind the three-point line, 75% from the stripe, and 50% from the field. If you stop the inside-outside tandem of Neitzel and Morgan, you stop this team. However, it's easier said than done. The 12-3 Buckeyes will have their hands full in this one and will make it interesting. The fabulous freshman, Kosta Koufos, leads the frontcourt with his 15 points and 7 rebounds per game. Jamar Butler (14 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) has also been vital for this young Ohio State team. They have six players averaging 22+ minutes per game. Their three losses came to Texas A&M, North Carolina, and Butler (all ranked), but they can boast their wins over Syracuse and Florida.
When To Watch: Tuesday, January 15th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
Yes, I know this post is coming a little late so I decided to give you a link to recaps of the past games on Thursday night that you may have missed if you've been living under a rock.
A) West Virginia at Louisville
B) Illinois at Wisconsin
C) Washington State at USC
And here's a video for the road. It's the top ten NBA plays of the year 2007. Enjoy.
That ends this edition of Game-Planning. I hope you liked it, but don't spend too much time in front of the tube this weekend. You need to study!
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1st Quarter- NC State at North Carolina
Winner: North Carolina
Why They'll Win: The favorite will win this game, but not by as big a margin as many are predicting. This will be a very close game. The Wolfpack are 11-3 currently and are led by freshman J.J. Hickson (17 pts, 8 reb), senior Gavin Grant (14 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast), and sophomore Brandon Costner (11 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast). They defeated a tough Villanova team on the road and took down mid-major Davidson by one point at home. Embarrassing are their losses to New Orleans and East Carolina. NC State shoots a below average 30% from deep, 71% from the charity stripe, and 46% from the field. Being led by a freshman to go up against the #1 team in the country doesn't sound all that good to me, which is why I chose UNC to win this one. The Tar Heels are an undefeated 16-0 (coincidence with the Patriots record, I swear) and are #1 in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls. They're led by Tyler Hansbrough (22 pts, 10 reb), Wayne Ellington (18 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast), and Ty Lawson (14 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast). Sadly (or joyously for Duke fans), they've been stumbling as of late. After leaving the state of South Carolina with a not-so-convincing victory over Clemson, UNC proceeded to defeat North Carolina-Asheville...by only twelve points.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 12th on ESPN at noon eastern time.
2nd Quarter- Washington St. at UCLA
Winner: UCLA
Why They'll Win: Washington State, in my opinion, is the most overrated team in the top ten and this game will prove that. I'm saying the Bruins will take this game by a minimum of 12 points. The Cougars are led by Derrick Low (13 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast), Kyle Weaver (12 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast), and Aron Baynes (12 pts, 7 reb). Their "big" notable win? That would be their win over Gonzaga. They've had close games with Air Force, Baylor, and Washington. Washington State shoots 34% from long range, 77% from the free throw line, and 50% from the field. UCLA, however, is one of the better teams in the country and is poised to make a deep run come tourney time. They're led by freshman sensation Kevin Love (17 pts, 10 reb, 2 ast), Josh Shipp (15 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast), and Darren Collison (12 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast). They have impressive wins over Stanford, Davidson, Michigan State, and Maryland. Their only loss came at the hands of Texas on a last second lay-up.
When To Watch: Saturday, January 12th on FSN at 2:30pm eastern time.
Halftime Thoughts-
In the new power rankings by Luke Winn of SI.com, he put Memphis first, North Carolina second, and Kansas third. For RIGHT NOW, there couldn't be a more perfect top three. He definitely hit the nail on the head. However, I do think he has Tennessee a bit too high at number four, but I digress...
CollegeHoops.net's Hot Topic of the Week: The top fifteen in the nation is what has this particular message board buzzing as if it's a bee's nest in the summer. The person who posted had Kansas first, UCLA second, Memphis third, and UNC fourth. Some other interesting choices were Xavier at 9 and West Virginia at 15, both of which I think are too high for them as of now. I would like to hear your opinion on it.
My next topic of discussion has absolutely nothing to do with today's college basketball. Instead, we're going back a few years to talk about the greatest in history. (Author's Note: Special thanks to Andy Katz for helping me with this topic.) I will attempt to countdown the top three. This is very tough to try and put these in any order but here goes:
3. Lew Alcindor, UCLA, 66-67; 29 ppg on way to 30-0 record.
2. Pete Maravich, LSU, 69-70; 44.5 ppg while shattering scoring record.
1. Oscar Robertson, Cincy, 57-58; 35.1 ppg and 15.2 rpg made this year remarkable.
3rd Quarter- Georgetown at Pitt
Winner: Georgetown
Why They'll Win: You may know me to be not the biggest fan of the Hoyas this season if you've read any of my previous posts. However, they're facing a Pitt team that has lost two of their last four games after losing players to injuries. G'Town is 12-1 right now and are led by Roy Hibbert (12 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast), DaJuan Summers (12 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast), and Jonathan Wallace (11 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast). The Hoyas do not have really a big win on their schedule (in fact, they don't have a win against an opponent that is currently ranked) and this is their best opportunity. The Panthers shoot 35% from deep, 71% from the line, and 47% from the field. They're led by Sam Young (18 pts, 7 reb) and DaJuan Blair (12 pts, 10 reb), and they've lost Levance Fields and Mike Cook to injuries. Prior to that though, they had an impressive win over the Duke Blue Devils. Nonetheless, I don't see Georgetown losing this game.
When To Watch: Monday, January 14th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
4th Quarter- Ohio State at Michigan State
Winner: Michigan State
Why They'll Win: Both teams are undefeated in conference play, yet I'm definitely giving the edge to the Spartans in this one. They rely on the play of Raymar Morgan (18 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast) and Drew Neitzel (13 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast). Their only loss to date is their 5-point defeat at the hands of UCLA. Michigan State has posted wins over NC State, BYU, and Texas. They shoot 36% from behind the three-point line, 75% from the stripe, and 50% from the field. If you stop the inside-outside tandem of Neitzel and Morgan, you stop this team. However, it's easier said than done. The 12-3 Buckeyes will have their hands full in this one and will make it interesting. The fabulous freshman, Kosta Koufos, leads the frontcourt with his 15 points and 7 rebounds per game. Jamar Butler (14 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) has also been vital for this young Ohio State team. They have six players averaging 22+ minutes per game. Their three losses came to Texas A&M, North Carolina, and Butler (all ranked), but they can boast their wins over Syracuse and Florida.
When To Watch: Tuesday, January 15th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
Yes, I know this post is coming a little late so I decided to give you a link to recaps of the past games on Thursday night that you may have missed if you've been living under a rock.
A) West Virginia at Louisville
B) Illinois at Wisconsin
C) Washington State at USC
And here's a video for the road. It's the top ten NBA plays of the year 2007. Enjoy.
That ends this edition of Game-Planning. I hope you liked it, but don't spend too much time in front of the tube this weekend. You need to study!
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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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Thursday, December 13, 2007
Game-Planning 5
College basketball is starting to heat up. For all of you not paying attention, you should start...now! The games this week? Ehh, they're okay. Not the greatest week but a week of basketball nonetheless. Highlighting this week will be a top ten matchup, a game you should watch but probably don't know much about, and (for all you East Coasters) a game far, far away that is worthy of attention.
1st Quarter- Kansas at Georgia Tech
Winner: Kansas
Why They'll Win: Yes, I know picking the number 3-ranked team in the nation to beat an unranked team, but it should be a decent game. The Jayhawks are led by Darrell Arthur (14 pts, 5 reb), Mario Chalmers (12 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast), and Darnell Jackson (11 pts, 7 reb), who has emerged as the leading rebounder for Kansas. Interesting for Kansas is their depth. They have eight guys averaging 18+ minutes per game and another player getting a solid 13 minutes each game. The Jayhawks' biggest win to date has been over USC, which they won by four points. Currently, they sit at 9-0. Georgia Tech is 4-4. A lousy record, yes, but they aren't too shabby. They only lost to #15 Indiana by four points and have posted a win over Notre Dame. The Yellow Jackets are headed by Anthony Morrow (16 pts, 6 reb), Lewis Clinch (14 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast), and Jeremis Smith (10 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast).
When To Watch: Tuesday, December 18th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
2nd Quarter- Arizona at UNLV
Winner: Arizona
Why They'll Win: Yes yes, I understand. Another lousy matchup, but maybe not as lousy as some would presume. The Runnin' Rebels are 7-2 and unranked but have a good core of players. I am referring to Curtis Terry (14 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast), Wink Adams (13 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast), and Joe Darger (13 pts, 6 reb). Sadly, they will lose because they just can't compete with the big schools. They played #6-ranked Louisville and were completely demolished in the 20-point loss. Six days later? They were upset by UC-Santa Barbara. The Wildcats, however, are ranked 21st in the AP poll and have already defeated Texas A&M to help their 6-2 record. Arizona also played Kansas, a game in which they lost by four points. The fabulous freshman, Jerryd Bayless, shoulders the scoring load with his 20 points per game to go along with 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Also, helping out are sophomores Chase Budinger (17 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and Jordan Hill (13 pts, 6 reb).
When To Watch: Wednesday, December 19th at 10pm eastern time on CSTV.
Halftime Thoughts-
As many of you already know, David Arseneault set the record for most assists in a single game recently. He had 34 dishes in that game. Very astounding. But what's more astounding is the team he plays for. That team, Grinnell College, often shoots more than 50 threes a game. Grinnell was 23 for 86 on 3-pointers off Arseneault's passses ONLY! He also had 22 points in the game. Also making noise were the two scorers of the game. John Grotberg had 49 points on his 14-28 shooting from deep, and Keith Chamberlain had 39 points and 14 rebounds (ironic, huh?).
Rotoworld.com Hot Topic: The forum is buzzing with topics of all sorts but the biggest one had to have been about Derrick Rose. The topic starter claimed he was the next big thing because of his amazing debut game. Call it what you will, this kid can flat-out play. He has everything it takes to succeed at any level of basketball he plays at. I can only hope he stays at Memphis for a few more years. In the thread, someone also mentioned OJ Mayo. Mayo is a headcase and a legal problem waiting to happen. He has also been complained to take too many shots and has been on the receiving end of many a "ballhog" chants.
I recently found an article seeding the NCAA tournament already. I must say, I agree completely with the number one seeds of Memphis, Kansas, North Carolina, and Texas. The two seeds are good for the most part as well. However, I am not yet sold on Pitt being a 3 seed nor am I sold on Clemson being a 3 seed. I think Texas A&M (4), Louisville (6), and Ohio State (9) will all be moved up come March.
3rd Quarter- Gonzaga vs. Oklahoma
Winner: Gonzaga
Why They'll Win: The Sooners are unranked yet sit fairly well with a 7-3 record. They lost to Memphis but only by ten points, and they lost to USC by eleven points. If Oklahoma didn't have a game between Stephen F. Austin and the Zags I would probably have them winning this one. But, sadly, they do not and I don't think they'll win. Oklahoma is led by Blake Griffin (13 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast) and Longar Longar (12 pts, 7 reb) but won't be able to overcome Gonzaga's Austin Daye (12 pts, 5 reb). No contest though, the Bulldogs have the edge in the backcourt. Jeremy Pargo (12 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) is part of a long line of good, solid Gonzaga point guards. Matt Bouldin (13 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast) also helps out Pargo in the backcourt.
When To Watch: Thursday, December 20th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN2.
4th Quarter- Pitt vs. Duke
Winner: Duke
Why They'll Win: As I mentioned earlier, I really don't think Pitt is as good as everyone claims. The Panthers are led by Sam Young (18 pts, 8 reb), DeJuan Blair (11 pts, 9 reb), and Levance Fields (10 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast). To the contrary, Pitt hasn't played a team worth mentioning in this blog. Duke is their first real test of the season and I think that will be tough for an team without much big game experience. Moving on...Duke is led by Kyle Singler (14 pts, 7 reb), DeMarcus Nelson (12 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast), and Jon Sheyer (11 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast). Let me start off by saying that this year's Blue Devils are NOTHING like last year's Blue Devils. Already, they claimed wins over #13 Marquette and #20 Wisconsin, not to mention a tough win over mid-major Davidson.
When To Watch: Thursday, December 20th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
There ya have it. That wraps up this week's edition of Game-Planning. I hope you enjoyed reading it and next week's will be a Christmas Special, but won't come out until Friday. Have a good weekend, everyone.
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1st Quarter- Kansas at Georgia Tech
Winner: Kansas
Why They'll Win: Yes, I know picking the number 3-ranked team in the nation to beat an unranked team, but it should be a decent game. The Jayhawks are led by Darrell Arthur (14 pts, 5 reb), Mario Chalmers (12 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast), and Darnell Jackson (11 pts, 7 reb), who has emerged as the leading rebounder for Kansas. Interesting for Kansas is their depth. They have eight guys averaging 18+ minutes per game and another player getting a solid 13 minutes each game. The Jayhawks' biggest win to date has been over USC, which they won by four points. Currently, they sit at 9-0. Georgia Tech is 4-4. A lousy record, yes, but they aren't too shabby. They only lost to #15 Indiana by four points and have posted a win over Notre Dame. The Yellow Jackets are headed by Anthony Morrow (16 pts, 6 reb), Lewis Clinch (14 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast), and Jeremis Smith (10 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast).
When To Watch: Tuesday, December 18th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
2nd Quarter- Arizona at UNLV
Winner: Arizona
Why They'll Win: Yes yes, I understand. Another lousy matchup, but maybe not as lousy as some would presume. The Runnin' Rebels are 7-2 and unranked but have a good core of players. I am referring to Curtis Terry (14 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast), Wink Adams (13 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast), and Joe Darger (13 pts, 6 reb). Sadly, they will lose because they just can't compete with the big schools. They played #6-ranked Louisville and were completely demolished in the 20-point loss. Six days later? They were upset by UC-Santa Barbara. The Wildcats, however, are ranked 21st in the AP poll and have already defeated Texas A&M to help their 6-2 record. Arizona also played Kansas, a game in which they lost by four points. The fabulous freshman, Jerryd Bayless, shoulders the scoring load with his 20 points per game to go along with 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Also, helping out are sophomores Chase Budinger (17 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and Jordan Hill (13 pts, 6 reb).
When To Watch: Wednesday, December 19th at 10pm eastern time on CSTV.
Halftime Thoughts-
As many of you already know, David Arseneault set the record for most assists in a single game recently. He had 34 dishes in that game. Very astounding. But what's more astounding is the team he plays for. That team, Grinnell College, often shoots more than 50 threes a game. Grinnell was 23 for 86 on 3-pointers off Arseneault's passses ONLY! He also had 22 points in the game. Also making noise were the two scorers of the game. John Grotberg had 49 points on his 14-28 shooting from deep, and Keith Chamberlain had 39 points and 14 rebounds (ironic, huh?).
Rotoworld.com Hot Topic: The forum is buzzing with topics of all sorts but the biggest one had to have been about Derrick Rose. The topic starter claimed he was the next big thing because of his amazing debut game. Call it what you will, this kid can flat-out play. He has everything it takes to succeed at any level of basketball he plays at. I can only hope he stays at Memphis for a few more years. In the thread, someone also mentioned OJ Mayo. Mayo is a headcase and a legal problem waiting to happen. He has also been complained to take too many shots and has been on the receiving end of many a "ballhog" chants.
I recently found an article seeding the NCAA tournament already. I must say, I agree completely with the number one seeds of Memphis, Kansas, North Carolina, and Texas. The two seeds are good for the most part as well. However, I am not yet sold on Pitt being a 3 seed nor am I sold on Clemson being a 3 seed. I think Texas A&M (4), Louisville (6), and Ohio State (9) will all be moved up come March.
3rd Quarter- Gonzaga vs. Oklahoma
Winner: Gonzaga
Why They'll Win: The Sooners are unranked yet sit fairly well with a 7-3 record. They lost to Memphis but only by ten points, and they lost to USC by eleven points. If Oklahoma didn't have a game between Stephen F. Austin and the Zags I would probably have them winning this one. But, sadly, they do not and I don't think they'll win. Oklahoma is led by Blake Griffin (13 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast) and Longar Longar (12 pts, 7 reb) but won't be able to overcome Gonzaga's Austin Daye (12 pts, 5 reb). No contest though, the Bulldogs have the edge in the backcourt. Jeremy Pargo (12 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) is part of a long line of good, solid Gonzaga point guards. Matt Bouldin (13 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast) also helps out Pargo in the backcourt.
When To Watch: Thursday, December 20th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN2.
4th Quarter- Pitt vs. Duke
Winner: Duke
Why They'll Win: As I mentioned earlier, I really don't think Pitt is as good as everyone claims. The Panthers are led by Sam Young (18 pts, 8 reb), DeJuan Blair (11 pts, 9 reb), and Levance Fields (10 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast). To the contrary, Pitt hasn't played a team worth mentioning in this blog. Duke is their first real test of the season and I think that will be tough for an team without much big game experience. Moving on...Duke is led by Kyle Singler (14 pts, 7 reb), DeMarcus Nelson (12 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast), and Jon Sheyer (11 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast). Let me start off by saying that this year's Blue Devils are NOTHING like last year's Blue Devils. Already, they claimed wins over #13 Marquette and #20 Wisconsin, not to mention a tough win over mid-major Davidson.
When To Watch: Thursday, December 20th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.
There ya have it. That wraps up this week's edition of Game-Planning. I hope you enjoyed reading it and next week's will be a Christmas Special, but won't come out until Friday. Have a good weekend, everyone.
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