Sorry for the lack of posts lately for my dedicated reader(s) of the blog, I just started a new job and have not had much free time lately. Now, I have spent said free time watching as much college basketball as I could and have some thoughts on the slate of preseason tournaments that wrapped up last weekend.
CBE Classic:
UCLA gutted out a big win over Michigan State. Once they get Darren Collison back, this team will vie with Memphis for being the best in the land.
Even though they blew a golden opportunity, Michigan State proved they can compete with a quality team on a neutral court. Once freshmen Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen and Durrell Summers mature, they will team with Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan to form an athletic unit capable of dominating Big Ten teams.
Maui:
Folks, Duke would be back among the elite teams in the country. Coach K has finally brought in some time big time athletes to Durham like Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler, and the Blue Devils have the pieces to compete in the ACC and on the national stage.
Despite a thin frontcourt, Marquette looks to be the type of veteran team capable of making major noise in the Big East and the NCAA Tournament. The vast improvement of sophomores Lazar Hayward and David Cubillan combined with the talents of the renowned James, McNeal, and Matthews should lead to big things.
Illinois will compete every night, but trouble will arise whenever a team with multiple athletes on the perimeter pops up on the schedule. Also, their frontcourt of Brian Randle and Shaun Pruitt could be in for many games of foul trouble. Look out for Rodney Alexander, a wing athlete that could give many slower Big Ten teams lots of problems.
Arizona State really settled in after the opening blowout loss to Illinois and will surprise some teams in the Pac 10. They would be a middle of the pack team in most major conferences, but the Pac 10's depth will likely have them competing to stay out of the basement.
Despite a roster filled with decorated recruits, Oklahoma State looks to be awful. Freshman wing James Anderson will provide a few glimmers of hope, but this team needs to get some organization fast if they want to avoid a potential train wreck of a season
Preseason NIT:
Boy does Texas A&M look good. Their frontcourt of Josh Carter, Joseph Jones and DeAndre Jordan may be the best in America. If Dominique Kirk, Donald Sloan and Derrick Roland provide solid guard play, this group of Aggies could eclipse last season's accomplishments with Acie Law and Billy Gillispie on board.
Their youth will lead to inconsistency, but I expect Ohio State and Syracuse to be dangerous come March. In most years players like Kosta Koufus and Donte Greene would be freshman of the year contenders. This season, they would be mere members to the most impressive group of freshman to grace the college game in a long time.
Virgin Islands:
I may have been a year early in predicting Baylor's breakout. Wins over potential tourney teams like Notre Dame and Winthrop on a neutral court should catapult Scott Drew's club into serious contention for postseason play and maybe even an at large bid. The backcourt group of Curtis Jerrells, Aaron Bruce, Henry Dugat, Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn could compete with just about anyone and the emergence of players like Penny Thiam and Josh Lomers upfront will help the Bears restore pride to the Waco campus.
Speaking of Notre Dame, losing two key tests on a neutral court to Baylor and Georgia Tech really puts a chink in their hopes for making the NCAA Tournament. Their lack of significant non-conference tests combined with these losses make a standout Big East season a must.
Puerto Rico:
In a field containing quality teams like Providence, Arkansas, VCU and Houston, the Miami Hurricanes emerged victorious and could be this season's Clemson. Frank Haith's club has plenty of experience with Jack McClinton and Brian Asbury in the backcourt and Anthony King upfront. Freshmen Edwin Rios and James Dews provide a spark, and could help lead Miami back to the NCAA Tournament.
Even with the loss to Miami, Providence came away from this tourney successfully considering that Sharaud Curry would be out with a foot injury. A win over a quality Arkansas team on a neutral court would be the type of building block an NCAA Tournament resume could really use.
After knocking off Houston in the first round, VCU failed to get another win in hopes of aiding their at large efforts. While losses to Miami and Arkansas would be far from embarrassing, a team from the Colonial needs a quality non-conference win or two to hang their hats on come March.
Las Vegas Invitational:
Louisville has had some awful luck with the injuries to Juan Palacios and now David Padgett. Suddenly, their season may hinge on the talented yet problematic Derrick Caracter. Caracter and Earl Clark form a very nice starting frontcourt, but the Cards badly need Palacios back to provide a third option capable of playing with either guy upfront (and Caracter to stay in shape and in Rick Pitino's good graces).
I'm really not that impressed with North Carolina. On sheer talent alone they will win many games, but I do not have the championship feel about them that I do with a Memphis or UCLA. Losing Brandan Wright has really hurt their frontcourt, and they could really use another athlete to complement Wayne Ellington on the wing.
BYU should be a handful in March, but their lack of perimeter firepower limits their potential. That said, Trent Plaisted can really play and Lee Cummard would be a very heady wing player.
Old Spice Classic:
Michael Beasley may be a stud, but Kansas State will go nowhere this season unless their guard play gets a whole lot better. Jacob Pullen would be best served playing off the ball and there would be no legitimate perimeter shooter to help take the pressure off of Beasley and Bill Walker.
After a shocking loss to New Orleans, N.C. State got right back on track in winning this tournament with a talented field. Their finals win over Villanova should be a big one come NCAA Tournament time. The frontcourt of Brandon Costner and J.J. Hickson will give ACC teams nightmares.
Speaking of Villanova, a solid win over George Mason in the semis makes this a successful trip for them. As Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes keep getting acclimated to Jay Wright's system, the Cats should develop into a very good team.
George Mason again made noise on the national stage, beating major conference teams in K State and South Carolina. With Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas leading the way after playing on the Final Four team two years ago, the Patriots should return to the NCAA Tournament with the potential for doing some more damage.
Chicago Invitational:
A huge win for Xavier over Indiana, as the Musketeers notch a major win for themselves and the Atlantic 10. Stanley Burrell finally kept the phenomenal freshman Eric Gordon somewhat in check, and Manhattan transfer C.J. Anderson led the potent Xavier offense. This type of win should ensure that the Musketeers will be in line for at large bid if they need one, and could help them climb out of the dreaded 8-9 game in March.
Anaheim Classic:
Over the process of three days, USC developed into a juggernaut that looks to be ready for take off. The presence of athletic forward Davon Jefferson to complement Taj Gibson in the frontcourt and Daniel Hackett leading the way in the backcourt make this team one of the best in the West. If O.J. Mayo can continue to buy into the Trojans system, they have the potential to eclipse last season's Sweet 16 run.
While Southern Illinois got smoked by SC in the finals, the Salukis still had a solid performance in Anaheim with a double digit win over a solid Mississippi State team. They will need either Josh Bone or Brandon Wood to step up and provide scoring from the wing in order to be a dangerous NCAA Tournament team, but Randal Falker and Bryan Mullins should ensure of another excellent regular season.
Also, props go out to Miami-Ohio, who beat Mississippi State in the third place game and gave USC a run for the money in the semis. The Redhawks would be quietly building a nice little resume (that win over Xavier looks mighty impressive now) and could have the ability to earn an at large bid if they can keep this play up.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Conference Previews-Pac 10
As opposing fans petition for Steve Lavin to return to Westwood, UCLA has resumed their role as the conference's powerhouse. With the combo of speedy guard Darren Collison and skilled big man Kevin Love, the Bruins should reign supreme over a deep group of challengers. I look for this season to set precedents for the Pac 10 in the conference receiving seven NCAA tourney bids and a .500 team in conference getting an at large berth.
Conference Favorite-UCLA: After struggling against bigger teams like Florida the past few seasons, the Bruins bring in superstar freshman Kevin Love to fortify the post. Love brings a myriad of skills to the table, as he can start the fast break with his outlet passes, overpower opponents down low, and step out and hit the perimeter jumper. Love, not O.J. Mayo, will be the freshman who controls the Pac 10 and wins conference player of the year honors. Of course, Love's teammate Darren Collison could have something to say about it. The speedy point guard thrived in taking over for Jordan Farmar and made the Bruins offense more dynamic. While he's noted for his ability to jet to the basket, Collison has an underrated perimeter jumper (he hit 45% of his attempted 3's last season). Wing Josh Shipp nicely complements Collison, as he uses his strength to get to the basket along with hitting the occasional perimeter shot. Speedy combo guard Russell Westbrook, sharpshooter Michael Roll, and freshman wing Chace Stanback round out the Bruins perimeter rotation. The Bruins look for a breakout year from versatile forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who they will play on the wing more this season. Mbah a Moute has improved his perimeter game, and his size and athleticism will give wing players trouble trying to guard him. Joining Love and Mbah a Moute upfront would be defensive specialist Alfred Aboya and hardworking Lorenzo Mata-Real. While the Bruins could ideally use another solid guard to team with Collison and Shipp, they have the players ready to compete for another spot in the Final Four (maybe even a national title) and a defense of their Pac 10 crown.
Breakout Team-Washington: While they may not make a major climb in the Pac 10 standings, the Huskies will be much improved this season and should squeak out an NCAA Tournament bid. After struggling to run the offense last season, Justin Dentmon will be allowed to move off the ball thanks to the presence of freshman Venoy Overton. Dentmon likes taking it to the basket, and can hit the perimeter jumper if given room. Overton would be more of a pure point guard, and his vision will be key in leading the Huskies transition game. Also, Overton's quickness on the defensive end could give guys like Collison and Washington State's Derrick Low major trouble. Versatile guard Joel Smith returns from a medical redshirt, and will team with Overton and Dentmon in the backcourt. Quality depth would be provided by sophomore Adrian Oliver and Stanford transfer Tim Morris, and sharpshooter Ryan Appelby will be a nice bench weapon when he returns from a broken thumb. Down low, undersized warrior Jon Brockman returns. While he's just 6-7, Brockman competes with much taller players in the post and overpowers out a lot of them with his strength and continuing motor. Athletic forward Quincy Pondexter teams with Brockman on the frontline, and they both fit nicely in the Huskies up tempo attack. Freshmen Justin Holliday and Matthew Bryan-Amaning, and sophomore Joe Wolfinger will provide solid minutes off the bench as Lorenzo Romar likes to play a deep rotation. While the arrival of NBA big man Spencer Hawes created high hopes last season, this year's Huskies squad may be better suited for Romar's run and gun style that won many games in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Team on the Decline-The Pac 10 would be the one conference I previewed where every program would be on the upswing, with only Oregon State outmatched from night to night. However, the Beavers decline started well before 2007.
Projected Standings (bold equals NCAA Tournament team, italics NIT team):
1. UCLA
2. Washington State
3. Stanford
4. Arizona
5. Oregon
6. USC
7. Washington
8. California
9. Arizona State
10. Oregon State
All-Conference Team:
G Darren Collison, UCLA
G Derrick Low, Washington State
G Bryce Taylor, Oregon
F Chase Budinger, Arizona
F Taj Gibson, USC
C Kevin Love, UCLA
Player of the Year: Love
Newcomer of the Year: Love
Conference Favorite-UCLA: After struggling against bigger teams like Florida the past few seasons, the Bruins bring in superstar freshman Kevin Love to fortify the post. Love brings a myriad of skills to the table, as he can start the fast break with his outlet passes, overpower opponents down low, and step out and hit the perimeter jumper. Love, not O.J. Mayo, will be the freshman who controls the Pac 10 and wins conference player of the year honors. Of course, Love's teammate Darren Collison could have something to say about it. The speedy point guard thrived in taking over for Jordan Farmar and made the Bruins offense more dynamic. While he's noted for his ability to jet to the basket, Collison has an underrated perimeter jumper (he hit 45% of his attempted 3's last season). Wing Josh Shipp nicely complements Collison, as he uses his strength to get to the basket along with hitting the occasional perimeter shot. Speedy combo guard Russell Westbrook, sharpshooter Michael Roll, and freshman wing Chace Stanback round out the Bruins perimeter rotation. The Bruins look for a breakout year from versatile forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who they will play on the wing more this season. Mbah a Moute has improved his perimeter game, and his size and athleticism will give wing players trouble trying to guard him. Joining Love and Mbah a Moute upfront would be defensive specialist Alfred Aboya and hardworking Lorenzo Mata-Real. While the Bruins could ideally use another solid guard to team with Collison and Shipp, they have the players ready to compete for another spot in the Final Four (maybe even a national title) and a defense of their Pac 10 crown.
Breakout Team-Washington: While they may not make a major climb in the Pac 10 standings, the Huskies will be much improved this season and should squeak out an NCAA Tournament bid. After struggling to run the offense last season, Justin Dentmon will be allowed to move off the ball thanks to the presence of freshman Venoy Overton. Dentmon likes taking it to the basket, and can hit the perimeter jumper if given room. Overton would be more of a pure point guard, and his vision will be key in leading the Huskies transition game. Also, Overton's quickness on the defensive end could give guys like Collison and Washington State's Derrick Low major trouble. Versatile guard Joel Smith returns from a medical redshirt, and will team with Overton and Dentmon in the backcourt. Quality depth would be provided by sophomore Adrian Oliver and Stanford transfer Tim Morris, and sharpshooter Ryan Appelby will be a nice bench weapon when he returns from a broken thumb. Down low, undersized warrior Jon Brockman returns. While he's just 6-7, Brockman competes with much taller players in the post and overpowers out a lot of them with his strength and continuing motor. Athletic forward Quincy Pondexter teams with Brockman on the frontline, and they both fit nicely in the Huskies up tempo attack. Freshmen Justin Holliday and Matthew Bryan-Amaning, and sophomore Joe Wolfinger will provide solid minutes off the bench as Lorenzo Romar likes to play a deep rotation. While the arrival of NBA big man Spencer Hawes created high hopes last season, this year's Huskies squad may be better suited for Romar's run and gun style that won many games in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Team on the Decline-The Pac 10 would be the one conference I previewed where every program would be on the upswing, with only Oregon State outmatched from night to night. However, the Beavers decline started well before 2007.
Projected Standings (bold equals NCAA Tournament team, italics NIT team):
1. UCLA
2. Washington State
3. Stanford
4. Arizona
5. Oregon
6. USC
7. Washington
8. California
9. Arizona State
10. Oregon State
All-Conference Team:
G Darren Collison, UCLA
G Derrick Low, Washington State
G Bryce Taylor, Oregon
F Chase Budinger, Arizona
F Taj Gibson, USC
C Kevin Love, UCLA
Player of the Year: Love
Newcomer of the Year: Love
Conference Previews-Missouri Valley
After 2006's incredible season with the league earning four bids, 2007 saw Southern Illinois defend their way to a Sweet 16 run and a close loss to Kansas. While the Salukis lost starting guards Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young, they return a strong frontline in Randal Falker and Matt Shaw along with super efficient guard Bryan Mullins. Also, despite their lack of experience, I expect Creighton and Dana Altman to surprise people and get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Favorite-Southern Illinois: After taking the reigns from Bruce Weber and Matt Painter, Chris Lowery has brought the Salukis to an even higher level and established them as a consistent top 25 team. Even with the losses of Tatum and Young, the Salukis will continue their winning ways and give some team hell in March. Randal Falker uses his athleticism to block shots on defense and get past slower opponents in the post. Matt Shaw nicely complements him with his face up skills and ability to hit the outside shot. Point guard Bryan Mullins locks down opposing defenders and does an excellent job of running the offense. Look for Mullins to score more this season as he has an excellent touch from the perimeter. Wesley Clemmons should fill Young's role of defending the opponent's top wing player, and Joshua Bone will assume Tatum's scoring load. Freshmen Carlton Fay and Brandon Wood will provide offense of the bench, and both guys have the potential to be future leaders of the Salukis program. For even more good news, the Salukis have an awesome 2008 recruiting class on the way with top 100 forward Anthony Booker and strong guards Kevin Dillard and Torres Roundtree on the way.
Breakout Team-Bradley: After losing talented big man Patrick O'Bryant, the Braves took a step back from 2006's Sweet 16 run, finishing fourth in the conference and missing the NCAA Tournament. Led by senior guards Daniel Ruffin and Jeremy Crouch, I think that Bradley competes for an NCAA Tournament berth and finishes strong in the MVC. Ruffin really stepped up as a junior, leading the Braves in assists and finishing tied with Crouch for second in scoring. Crouch shot 50% from three last season, and opponents cannot give him an inch from the perimeter. If the Braves can have guys like Theron Wilson, Sam Singh and Andrew Warren step up to complement Ruffin and Crouch, they should make a return trip to the Big Dance.
Team on the Decline-Wichita State: Former Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall has his work cut out from him in trying to rebuild a Shockers program that fell apart the second half of last season. Talented forward Kyle Wilson graduated and starting guard Sean Ogirri transfered to Wyoming, so Marshall will be searching for players to team with senior wing P.J. Couisnard. Sophomore guard Gal Mekel came with a lot of hype from Israel, but failed to make much of an impact as a freshman. Former coach Mark Turgeon took heralded big man recruit Denzel Bowles with him to Texas A&M. Senior guard Matt Braeuer and forward Phillip Thomasson would be better served as role players complementing more talented playmakers. Unless someone surprisingly becomes an impact player, the Shockers will be destined for a second division MVC finish in Marshall's first season in Wichita.
Projected Standings (Bold equals NCAA Tournament team, italics NIT team):
1. Southern Illinois
2. Creighton
3. Bradley
4. Northern Iowa
5. Missouri State
6. Illinois State
7. Wichita State
8. Indiana State
9. Drake
10. Evansville
All-Conference Team:
G Daniel Ruffin, Bradley
G Jeremy Crouch, Bradley
F Randal Falker, Southern Illinois
F Eric Coleman, Northern Iowa
F Dane Watts, Creighton
Player of the Year: Falker
Newcomer of the Year: P'Allen Stinnett, Creighton
Favorite-Southern Illinois: After taking the reigns from Bruce Weber and Matt Painter, Chris Lowery has brought the Salukis to an even higher level and established them as a consistent top 25 team. Even with the losses of Tatum and Young, the Salukis will continue their winning ways and give some team hell in March. Randal Falker uses his athleticism to block shots on defense and get past slower opponents in the post. Matt Shaw nicely complements him with his face up skills and ability to hit the outside shot. Point guard Bryan Mullins locks down opposing defenders and does an excellent job of running the offense. Look for Mullins to score more this season as he has an excellent touch from the perimeter. Wesley Clemmons should fill Young's role of defending the opponent's top wing player, and Joshua Bone will assume Tatum's scoring load. Freshmen Carlton Fay and Brandon Wood will provide offense of the bench, and both guys have the potential to be future leaders of the Salukis program. For even more good news, the Salukis have an awesome 2008 recruiting class on the way with top 100 forward Anthony Booker and strong guards Kevin Dillard and Torres Roundtree on the way.
Breakout Team-Bradley: After losing talented big man Patrick O'Bryant, the Braves took a step back from 2006's Sweet 16 run, finishing fourth in the conference and missing the NCAA Tournament. Led by senior guards Daniel Ruffin and Jeremy Crouch, I think that Bradley competes for an NCAA Tournament berth and finishes strong in the MVC. Ruffin really stepped up as a junior, leading the Braves in assists and finishing tied with Crouch for second in scoring. Crouch shot 50% from three last season, and opponents cannot give him an inch from the perimeter. If the Braves can have guys like Theron Wilson, Sam Singh and Andrew Warren step up to complement Ruffin and Crouch, they should make a return trip to the Big Dance.
Team on the Decline-Wichita State: Former Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall has his work cut out from him in trying to rebuild a Shockers program that fell apart the second half of last season. Talented forward Kyle Wilson graduated and starting guard Sean Ogirri transfered to Wyoming, so Marshall will be searching for players to team with senior wing P.J. Couisnard. Sophomore guard Gal Mekel came with a lot of hype from Israel, but failed to make much of an impact as a freshman. Former coach Mark Turgeon took heralded big man recruit Denzel Bowles with him to Texas A&M. Senior guard Matt Braeuer and forward Phillip Thomasson would be better served as role players complementing more talented playmakers. Unless someone surprisingly becomes an impact player, the Shockers will be destined for a second division MVC finish in Marshall's first season in Wichita.
Projected Standings (Bold equals NCAA Tournament team, italics NIT team):
1. Southern Illinois
2. Creighton
3. Bradley
4. Northern Iowa
5. Missouri State
6. Illinois State
7. Wichita State
8. Indiana State
9. Drake
10. Evansville
All-Conference Team:
G Daniel Ruffin, Bradley
G Jeremy Crouch, Bradley
F Randal Falker, Southern Illinois
F Eric Coleman, Northern Iowa
F Dane Watts, Creighton
Player of the Year: Falker
Newcomer of the Year: P'Allen Stinnett, Creighton
Hoops From Warmer Climates
Action would be underway in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with the Maui Invitational starting on Monday. Providence, without leading scorer Sharaud Curry, has made the finals of the Puerto Rico Classic and will face a surprising Miami Hurricanes squad. Canes guard Jack McClinton has the potential to light up the Friars zone defense, while PC wing Geoff McDermott could give a smaller Miami line-up fits.
In the Virgin Islands, you have an intriguing semi-final game with Baylor and Notre Dame. This would be a big opportunity for Scott Drew and his Bears to get a program defining win they need to put Baylor hoops on the map (for positive reasons).
Chris Lofton's surprising struggles in the Pan-Am tryouts have seeped into the regular season. Through three games against weaker competition, Lofton has hit just 6 of his 28 shots from the field, 3 of his 17 three pointers. I would expect Lofton to turn things around quickly, but every so often you will see a heralded player like him shocking fall off the map.
Memphis passed a nice test in defeating a feisty UConn squad last night. Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts can get to the basket whenever they want to, and the Tigers could be unstoppable if Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp hit perimeter jumpers. A major positive for UConn fans would be that A.J. Price has finally resembled the heavily hyped player he entered the program as before health and legal troubles.
Continuing the theme of awesome freshman, Syracuse's Donte Greene had 25 points and 9 rebounds in a win over Fordham last night. NC State's J.J. Hickson had 31 points (on a perfect 12-12 from the field) and 7 rebounds in his Wolfpack debut Thursday night. This class of freshmen would be the deepest group of impact newcomers to come into college basketball in a long time.
In the Virgin Islands, you have an intriguing semi-final game with Baylor and Notre Dame. This would be a big opportunity for Scott Drew and his Bears to get a program defining win they need to put Baylor hoops on the map (for positive reasons).
Chris Lofton's surprising struggles in the Pan-Am tryouts have seeped into the regular season. Through three games against weaker competition, Lofton has hit just 6 of his 28 shots from the field, 3 of his 17 three pointers. I would expect Lofton to turn things around quickly, but every so often you will see a heralded player like him shocking fall off the map.
Memphis passed a nice test in defeating a feisty UConn squad last night. Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts can get to the basket whenever they want to, and the Tigers could be unstoppable if Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp hit perimeter jumpers. A major positive for UConn fans would be that A.J. Price has finally resembled the heavily hyped player he entered the program as before health and legal troubles.
Continuing the theme of awesome freshman, Syracuse's Donte Greene had 25 points and 9 rebounds in a win over Fordham last night. NC State's J.J. Hickson had 31 points (on a perfect 12-12 from the field) and 7 rebounds in his Wolfpack debut Thursday night. This class of freshmen would be the deepest group of impact newcomers to come into college basketball in a long time.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Teams You Don't Want to See in March: Davidson
Like Winthrop last season, teams will not exactly be lining up to play Davidson in the NCAA Tournament. While Stephen Curry receives a ton of hype, having experienced players like Jason Richards, Thomas Sander and Boris Meno will give younger teams fits and help Davidson win a game or two in the Big Dance.
While I'm not sure if either team will do much this season, Washington and Utah played an extremely entertaining game last night. Watch out for Washington freshman point guard Venoy Overton, as he should develop into a really good college player in Seattle. Also, I think we can crown Jon Brockman the hardest working player in America.
In an early morning game today, VCU picked up a big win over Houston. Both teams should be in serious contention for an at large bid, and winning a game over a similar team on a neutral court could pay dividends in a few months.
While I'm not sure if either team will do much this season, Washington and Utah played an extremely entertaining game last night. Watch out for Washington freshman point guard Venoy Overton, as he should develop into a really good college player in Seattle. Also, I think we can crown Jon Brockman the hardest working player in America.
In an early morning game today, VCU picked up a big win over Houston. Both teams should be in serious contention for an at large bid, and winning a game over a similar team on a neutral court could pay dividends in a few months.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Big Win for Syracuse
After struggling to pick a quality out of conference win last season (a main reason why they got shafted from last year's NCAA Tournament), the Orange won a key game over St. Joseph's tonight. Jim Boeheim's young bunch held on late to win 72-69 over a very good Hawks squad. After scoring 28 points in his Syracuse debut, Jonny Flynn made his only field goal count tonight, hitting the game winning three with less than ten seconds left.
The other game of note of the night saw Miami-Ohio beat Xavier 59-57. A big win for the Redhawks in the hopes of a MAC team building an at-large profile (the conference has received an at large bid since 1999).
Victorious top 25 teams tonight included UCLA, Washington State, Michigan State, Gonzaga, Texas A&M and Arizona.
The other game of note of the night saw Miami-Ohio beat Xavier 59-57. A big win for the Redhawks in the hopes of a MAC team building an at-large profile (the conference has received an at large bid since 1999).
Victorious top 25 teams tonight included UCLA, Washington State, Michigan State, Gonzaga, Texas A&M and Arizona.
Conference Previews-Big 12
The conference lost its two best players in Kevin Durant and Acie Law IV, but still returns some noted talent. Much of that talent would reside in Lawrence, Kansas, where Bill Self has built another strong team. Even with the losses of Durant and Law, Texas and Texas A&M should battle Kansas for the top spot in the Big 12 and be solid NCAA Tournament teams. Thanks to the presence of Michael Beasley, Kansas State should join the Texas schools and Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. After these four teams, there would be a steep drop off as the Big 12 will likely receive only four tourney bids this season.
Favorite-Kansas: With Brandon Rush recovering from reconstructive knee surgery in May and Sherron Collins recently having foot surgery, the Jayhawks may need time to gel before they develop into the team everyone expects them to. As long as Collins and Rush come back healthy, this will be an extremely dangerous team in March. Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers should hold down the fort in the backcourt while Rush and Collins rehab their injuries. They both play excellent defense, with the two of them leading the Big 12 steals in last season. Robinson does a good job of running the team at the point, while Chalmers brings a nice mix of perimeter shooting and driving ability to the table. Look for freshman sharpshooter Tyrel Reed and wing Rodrick Stewart (a USC transfer) to receive more minutes because of Collins's foot injury. Upfront, the trio of Darrell Arthur, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson gives Kansas a strong rebounding team capable of quality scoring from the post. Arthur replaces Julian Wright, and would be a more traditional post player at the power forward. Jackson and Kaun have been solid producers for three years and quietly go about their business in efficiently producing down low. Freshman Cole Aldrich provides quality frontcourt depth and should be a strong starter in time.
Breakthrough Team-Kansas State: To be perfectly honest, this team has two strong factors going against it: the lack of a quality point guard and an inexperienced head coach in Frank Martin. However, the dominating performances of Michael Beasley make up for these ills and make Kansas State a tough opponent for Big 12 teams. A strong force in the paint who can step out and hit the perimeter jump shot, Beasley would be a match-up nightmare for teams. If he can remain motivated and keep playing at an incredibly high level, Kansas State should win upwards of 25 games. Likewise, if wing Bill Walker can stay healthy and play within team concepts, he will be another strong offensive option who teams will struggle to successfully defend. The Wildcats hope that talented wing Dominique Sutton will be with team for the second semester to provide another solid scoring option. Senior wing David Hoskins should also be a solid contributor once he recovers from nagging injuries. Even with this talent on the wing, the Wildcats will need guards Clent Stewart, Blake Young and Jacob Pullen to play smart basketball and get the ball to their talented frontcourt players. This team could finish anywhere from second to seventh in the conference, but I think they find a way to finish strong and solidly make the NCAA Tournament.
Team on the Decline-Iowa State: Two years ago, the Cyclones won an NCAA Tournament game. This season, they may be lucky to hit double digit victories, as Greg McDermott tries to rebuild the mess that Wayne Morgan left him. McDermott dismissed last season's leading scorer Mike Taylor in the offseason, and will look for touted freshman Craig Brackins and Diante Garrett to help rebuild this once proud program. Brackins should develop into a versatile post player capable of playing on the perimeter and in the post. Garrett could become a nice point guard, and has the size at 6-4 to play multiple backcourt spots. Along with Brackins and Garrett, sophomore forward Wesley Johnson will be an excellent building block. Johnson averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds per game as a freshman and should get plenty of opportunities to put up big numbers this season. However, the talent really slides off after these three players and will have Iowa State battling with Nebraska and Colorado to stay out of the Big 12 basement. If McDermott can keep bringing in players like Garrett and Brackins, Iowa State could turn things around. Unfortunately for Cyclone fans, this will not happen overnight.
Projected Standings (Bold equals NCAA Tournament team, italics NIT team)
1. Kansas
2. Texas A&M
3. Texas
4. Kansas State
5. Oklahoma
6. Missouri
7. Oklahoma State
8. Baylor
9. Texas Tech
10. Iowa State
11. Nebraska
12. Colorado
All-Conference Team:
G Mario Chalmers, Kansas
G D.J. Augustin, Texas
F Darrell Arthur, Kansas
F Michael Beasley, Kansas State
F Joseph Jones, Texas A&M
Player of the Year: Augustin
Newcomer of the Year: Beasley
Favorite-Kansas: With Brandon Rush recovering from reconstructive knee surgery in May and Sherron Collins recently having foot surgery, the Jayhawks may need time to gel before they develop into the team everyone expects them to. As long as Collins and Rush come back healthy, this will be an extremely dangerous team in March. Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers should hold down the fort in the backcourt while Rush and Collins rehab their injuries. They both play excellent defense, with the two of them leading the Big 12 steals in last season. Robinson does a good job of running the team at the point, while Chalmers brings a nice mix of perimeter shooting and driving ability to the table. Look for freshman sharpshooter Tyrel Reed and wing Rodrick Stewart (a USC transfer) to receive more minutes because of Collins's foot injury. Upfront, the trio of Darrell Arthur, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson gives Kansas a strong rebounding team capable of quality scoring from the post. Arthur replaces Julian Wright, and would be a more traditional post player at the power forward. Jackson and Kaun have been solid producers for three years and quietly go about their business in efficiently producing down low. Freshman Cole Aldrich provides quality frontcourt depth and should be a strong starter in time.
Breakthrough Team-Kansas State: To be perfectly honest, this team has two strong factors going against it: the lack of a quality point guard and an inexperienced head coach in Frank Martin. However, the dominating performances of Michael Beasley make up for these ills and make Kansas State a tough opponent for Big 12 teams. A strong force in the paint who can step out and hit the perimeter jump shot, Beasley would be a match-up nightmare for teams. If he can remain motivated and keep playing at an incredibly high level, Kansas State should win upwards of 25 games. Likewise, if wing Bill Walker can stay healthy and play within team concepts, he will be another strong offensive option who teams will struggle to successfully defend. The Wildcats hope that talented wing Dominique Sutton will be with team for the second semester to provide another solid scoring option. Senior wing David Hoskins should also be a solid contributor once he recovers from nagging injuries. Even with this talent on the wing, the Wildcats will need guards Clent Stewart, Blake Young and Jacob Pullen to play smart basketball and get the ball to their talented frontcourt players. This team could finish anywhere from second to seventh in the conference, but I think they find a way to finish strong and solidly make the NCAA Tournament.
Team on the Decline-Iowa State: Two years ago, the Cyclones won an NCAA Tournament game. This season, they may be lucky to hit double digit victories, as Greg McDermott tries to rebuild the mess that Wayne Morgan left him. McDermott dismissed last season's leading scorer Mike Taylor in the offseason, and will look for touted freshman Craig Brackins and Diante Garrett to help rebuild this once proud program. Brackins should develop into a versatile post player capable of playing on the perimeter and in the post. Garrett could become a nice point guard, and has the size at 6-4 to play multiple backcourt spots. Along with Brackins and Garrett, sophomore forward Wesley Johnson will be an excellent building block. Johnson averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds per game as a freshman and should get plenty of opportunities to put up big numbers this season. However, the talent really slides off after these three players and will have Iowa State battling with Nebraska and Colorado to stay out of the Big 12 basement. If McDermott can keep bringing in players like Garrett and Brackins, Iowa State could turn things around. Unfortunately for Cyclone fans, this will not happen overnight.
Projected Standings (Bold equals NCAA Tournament team, italics NIT team)
1. Kansas
2. Texas A&M
3. Texas
4. Kansas State
5. Oklahoma
6. Missouri
7. Oklahoma State
8. Baylor
9. Texas Tech
10. Iowa State
11. Nebraska
12. Colorado
All-Conference Team:
G Mario Chalmers, Kansas
G D.J. Augustin, Texas
F Darrell Arthur, Kansas
F Michael Beasley, Kansas State
F Joseph Jones, Texas A&M
Player of the Year: Augustin
Newcomer of the Year: Beasley
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