The Season That Was

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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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.

Game-Planning 4

Welcome to this edition of Game-Planning. We've got some good games on the schedule that you need to watch this week. But you don't want to watch them with no prior knowledge of the teams so here ya go.

1st Quarter- Michigan St. at BYU

Winner: BYU

Why They'll Win: Upset alert. The Brigham Young Cougars are a very, good team this year. They had an impressive game against North Carolina in which two players for BYU made very big impressions on me. One was Trent Plaisted, whose name will forever remained etched in my memory from that night alone. The big man scored 24 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, outdoing All-American Tyler Hansbrough. Prior to that game, he led his team to an upset of Louisville, a game that he had 21 points and 12 rebounds. Currently, he's averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds, just shy of a double-double. The second player I was surprised by was a sophomore sharpshooter by the name of Jonathan Tavernari. In the UNC game, he had 18 points on 6 threes. He also had a good showing against Pitino's squad when he scored 29 points (5 threes). Ben Murdock leads the team in assists (5 a game) for the 20th-ranked Cougars. Regarding Michigan State, I am worried with their play recently. The Spartans defeated Bradley by...six? Terrible for such a highly-ranked team. They are led by sophomore Raymar Morgan (18 pts, 8 reb) and senior Drew Neitzel (14 pts, 5 ast). Honestly though, I don't think Morgan will do very well against Plaisted underneath. Besides the two previously mentioned, no other Michigan State player is averaged double figures in points. Their leading rebounder is Goran Suton (9 per game). Michigan State is currently ranked ninth in the AP Poll.

When To Watch: Saturday, December 8th at 4pm eastern time on Versus.


2nd Quarter- Marquette at Wisconsin

Winner: Marquette

Why They'll Win: Coming off a big win over UW-Milwaukee, the Golden Eagles are led by Jerel McNeal (16 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and Dominic James (15 pts, 3 ast). Marquette's leading rebounder is Lazar Hayward (6 a night). Also worth mentioning is that they have five players averaging 23+ minutes per game. They'll be going up against an Alando Tucker-less Wisconsin led by Trevon Hughes (17 pts, 5 reb) and Brian Butch (13 pts, 9 reb). Other than that, the Badgers don't have much to go to. Marcus Landry and Michael Flowers are both giving them a little bit averaging 9 points per contest. The Golden Eagles have a good inside-outside duo, but Wisconsin doesn't have a true point guard. No one is averaging more than three assists per game. I've seen Marquette and Wisconsin both play against Duke and it's safe to say that the former looked a lot better. This could be closer than some think though.

When To Watch: Saturday, December 8th on ESPN2 at 6pm eastern time.


Halftime Thoughts-

I would like to take the time to mention Arizona's 6'3" guard, Jerryd Bayless. I've mentioned him a couple of times but never really told you much about him. He's a freshman and deserves to have his name up there with guys like Singler of Duke, Gordon of Indiana, and Love of UCLA. In the last two games, he's averaged 24 points and 4 assists. He put up 26 on one of the best teams in the country in Texas A&M. His team is 5-2, thanks in large part to his 20 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds he's averaging each game. Interestingly enough in the Wildcats' two losses, Bayless is averaging 20 points. Anyways, you should definitely keep an eye on this guy.

Author's Note: Starting this edition, every Game-Planning blog will feature the Rotoworld.com Hot Topic.

Rotoworld.com Hot Topic: Hitting all over the message boards is freshman Eric Gordon. (It seems I only talk about freshman as of late.) Up until a few days ago, Gordon hadn't scored less than 20 points in a collegiate game; Tennessee State put an end to that. He's averaging 24 points per game and is shooting 50% from deep. Also take notice of his 84% average from the line and 54% average on field goals. This guy is off to a fantastic start and is must-see TV right now.

Who's the nation's number 1 team? North Carolina? Memphis? Maybe even Kansas? In my opinion, it's Memphis. They play a brand of basketball that seems nearly impossible to defend. The ony flaw in their system is that they're vulnerable if they have an off-shooting night (as a team; it doesn't happen very often). However, the leadership of Rose, Douglas-Roberts, and Dorsey will help them in key games. Derrick Rose is already playing like an experience-laden senior. Douglas-Roberts has proved to be the go-to-guy when the Tigers need a bucket down the stretch. And, finally, Dorsey is the man coming up with key rebounds and blocks, the little stuff a team needs to win.


3rd Quarter- Boston College at Maryland

Winner: Maryland

Why They'll Win: The talk this year is all about the freshman, yet it's important to remember last year's fabulous freshmen as well. One of them, you may remember, was Greivis Vasquez. He was pretty good then, but he's even better now. This year, he's scoring 16 points, dishing out 6 assists, and grabbing 5 rebounds per game. Vasquez is 6'5", and he'll be matched up against the 6'1" Tyrese Rice (20 pts, 6 ast, 4 reb). I think this one easily goes to Vasquez because of his height and quickness which will wreak havoc against the much shorter Rice. The Terrapins also have James Gist (14 pts, 7 reb) and Eric Hayes (12 pts, 6 ast, 4 reb). Boston College hasn't faced a ranked opponent yet and that will hurt them in this game. Their team is very young. They only have three upperclassmen on the team. Three of the starters are freshman as well. All of this doesn't bode well against Maryland. The Eagles' leading rebounder is Shamari Spears (10 per game).

When To Watch: Sunday, December 9th at 8pm eastern time on FSN.


Sadly, there isn't another good game this week so your college basketball viewing may be a little slow for the next few days. Don't worry; there will be plenty of matchups for the next edition of Game-Planning. To make it up to you, I thought I would find some good videos from YouTube for you to enjoy.





I know you may not want to hear it, but I'll remind you of it again. The V Foundation, started by the late Jimmy Valvano, is raising money for cancer research so that one day we will be saved from this disease. If you would like to donate money, please click here. Have a good weekend!


Poll Results: In the latest poll, I questioned readers on who the best team in college basketball was. Memphis got 28% of the vote and UCLA had 14% of it but the winner was, in fact, Other with 57% of the vote. I must have forgot a team or something. haha


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Game-Planning 2

Well, for the second edition of Game-Planning I will be doing individual games which should be the norm for a while.


1st Quarter- Arizona at Kansas

Winner: Kansas

Why They'll Win: The Jayhawks look great this year. They are poised to take the Big 12 crown this year and early season tests such as Arizona are good for them. However, I still don't think Arizona will win. They've got Chase Budinger and Jerryd Bayless back but not much else. Kansas has everything and everyone back except Julian Wright. They're 4-0 right now and haven't scored less than 85 points in a game. Sherron Collins is scoring 16 points a game while adding a team-high 5 assists. Four other players are also averaging double-figures. Now, the Wildcats are sitting at 3-1. They suffered their first loss to Virginia by three points. Since then they've been killing their opponents but I guess that doesn't mean much when they've only played UMKC and Adams State in that time. Bayless (18 pts, 5 reb, 6 ast) and Budinger (17 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast) are the lead men for this team. Knowing this, I got Kansas.

When To Watch: Sunday, November 25th at 8pm eastern time on ESPN.


2nd Quarter- Wisconsin at Duke

Winner: Duke

Why They'll Win: The Blue Devils are 5-0 and fresh off a Maui Invitational championship. They're looking great out there and Wisconsin shouldn't be much of a problem. The freshman sensation Kyle Singler is averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds. Six players are averaging 20+ minutes per game. Now, the Badgers are 4-0 and, to me, seem underrated. Yes, they lost Alando Tucker, but that doesn't mean they're a bad team. Trevon Hughes is scoring 20 points while grabbing 5 boards and dishing out 3 assists. Down low, Brian Butch is putting up 16 points while grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds per contest. Also, don't discount Derrick Rose's high school and AAU teammate, Michael Flowers. He's averaging 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists as a freshman. In the end though, Wisconsin just doesn't stack up against the big bad Blue Devils.

When To Watch: Tuesday, November 27th on ESPN at 9pm eastern time.


Halftime Thoughts-

Michael Beasley. I honestly can't believe it. It seems we have this year's Kevin Durant. Beasley is averaging 30 points and 18 rebounds while leading his team to a 3-1 start. My only gripe? His shooting 69% from the line. Of course, I guess he makes up for it by 63% from the field and 44% from deep.

The Tennessee Volunteers are 4-0 right now and Chris Lofton ISN'T the main reason. He's averaging a paltry 12 points per game and hasn't taken more than 13 in a game. This tells me a couple of things. First, Lofton isn't forcing shots because most defenses are keying in on him. Second, his teammates must be stepping up somewhat to make up for his struggles. Now I wondered, "who is that teammate(s) stepping up?" Well, JaJuan Smith is scoring 17 points a game. The other two Smiths are both averaging 12 per contest. I guess for Coach Pearl it doesn't really matter who's scoring just as long as someone putting the ball in the hoop.

Gonzaga will be facing their first real test of the season tonight against Texas Tech. The Bulldogs are ranked 14th with a record of 4-0 thanks in large part to Austin Daye (16 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast), Jeremy Pargo (14 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast), and Matt Bouldin (12 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast). They have impressed me so far and will need to keep up with other improving mid-majors such as Davidson and George Mason.


3rd Quarter- NC State at Michigan St.

Winner: Michigan St.

Why They'll Win: I know this isn't what you'd call a "marquee" matchup but the early season isn't very good and this will have to do. Anyways, NC State, fresh off a win over South Carolina, is somewhat strong this year. They are predicted by some to finish as high as third in the ACC. But let's not forget how they surprised everyone late in the season last year. They'll probably give MSU a game (within 10 points) but they won't be able to pull it off. Tom Izzo knows how to get his team to play hard out there and win when the going gets tough. They are a top two team in the Big Ten and are led by senior Drew Neitzel who's putting up a solid 15 points and 4 rebounds.

When To Watch: Wednesday, November 28th at 7pm eastern time on ESPN.


4th Quarter- North Carolina at Ohio State

Winner: North Carolina

Why They'll Win: This game doesn't really bode well for the Buckeyes. I mean, Tyler Hansbrough (22 pts, 10 reb) will match up well with Kosta Koufos (20 pts, 8 reb) and I really haven't seen Koufos go up against a really good big man yet--although I will tonight. Also, Jamar Butler (16 pts, 6 ast) is overmatched by Ty Lawson (10 pts, 6 ast) at the point. Then you have to consider the Tar Heels' depth and how great it is. They have eight players logging 15 minutes or more each game. But one guy UNC must watch out for is Jon Diebler. He's a freshman and has a beautiful tough from deep. He's had a rough start to the season but should pick it up eventually. As a side note, he was Ohio's Mr. Basketball last year.

When To Watch: Wednesday, November 28th at 9pm eastern time on ESPN.


Overtime- Oregon at Kansas State

Winner: Kansas State

Why They'll Win: To me, this game is very, very intriguing. The Ducks are a top team with a lot of experience and Kansas State is completely led by freshman. As I mentioned earlier, Michael Beasley is averaging 30 points and 18 rebounds. However, another freshman by the name of Bill Walker is no slouch either. He's contributing a solid 12 points and 5 rebounds for the Wildcats. But after those two there really isn't anyone that will hurt the Ducks (trust me, it's enough). Now, Oregon is still regrouping from their disappointing loss to St. Mary's...who? They are led by Malik Hairston (20 pts, 5 reb) and Maarty Leunen (16 pts, 11 reb). As a team they are shooting 51% from the field and are averaging 90 points a game. It will be interesting to see how this game plays out.

When To Watch: Thursday, November 29th on ESPN2 at 9pm eastern time.


In addition, I think you should check out this video about the most exciting team in the entire nation, the Memphis Tigers.