6 Hours, 4 Wrong Predictions, and 1 Overtime Later

At ten till two, I sat down on my couch, preparing for the six hours of basketball that would follow. Yesterday, I gave you my predictions for whom would win the five best games of the day. At ten till two, I was very confident with those very predictions.

Duke 82, Xavier 64

At ten after two? Not so much. Around that time, Duke was already on their way to a rout of Xavier, a complete annihilation which surprised everyone. Xavier hadn't look so out-of-sync all season; they hadn't turned over the ball so much all season. The result of these problems was expected. The Blue Devils cruised to an 18-point victory that wasn't even so close as the score may lead one to believe.

The lead was so large so late in the game that the final ten minutes were not shown on CBS. They switched their viewers to the much more dramatic Michigan State/Texas showdown, but more on that later.

This game belonged to Duke. They jumped out to an 18-1 lead on eleven points from Jon Scheyer, whom I have been waiting all year to have a breakout game like he did today. He finished the game with 23 points on a remarkable 9-for-11 on field goals and 5-for-7 on three-pointers.

The other two players that led Duke were 7-footer Brian Zoubek and the uber-athletic Gerald Henderson. Zoubek scored the first three points of the game and finished 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, and without a missed field goal or free throw. Henderson had 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting with many of his field goals coming somewhat later in the first half.

For the Musketeers, not much was going right until the second half began. They actually outscored Duke in the last twenty minutes, but the self-dug hole they were in at halftime was too much to overcome.

In that first half, Sean Miller's squad had ten turnovers, many of which led to layups at the other end courtesy of Duke. They couldn't get in a rhythm offensively and, although they held a size advantage on their opponents, their struggles with scoring on inside shots were clear as day.

Player of the Game: Jon Scheyer, Duke: 23 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals. His near-perfect shooting keyed the big 18-1 run to open the game for the Blue Devils.

Most Valuable Player: Brian Zoubek, Duke: 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks. The 7-footer's presence alone deterred and altered many shots; his stat line doesn't accurately show how important of a role he plays for Coach K's team.

Best Losing Effort: Derrick Brown, Xavier: 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists. He shot better than 50% from both the field and long range but didn't really get going until the second half.

Michigan State 67, Texas 63

A more exciting game than the Duke/Xavier one, but I only caught about eight or ten minutes of game action so I don't have a whole lot to say about it. From what I did see, however, Kalin Lucas has improved his play tremendously over the summer, and the return of Goran Suton for the Spartans spells trouble for the rest of the Big Ten.

Suton, in his second game back from an injury, pulled down only two boards but made his mark on the offensive end with a team-high 18 points. Kalin Lucas controlled the offense for Coach Izzo and proved that he has the ability to lead his team deep into March. Raymar Morgan, Michigan State's best player when he wants to be, had a rough game with only eight points and five rebounds, both below his season averages.

If you're Texas, there were a couple reasons you lost. First, A.J. Abrams couldn't score. They sent him off screen after screen and even had him handling the ball at times but to no avail. He finished with eight points on 3-for-10 shooting from the field. Second, the Longhorns need to handle the ball down the stretch. They had a few turnovers that cost them the game.

A Durrell Summers three with 19 seconds left put the Spartans ahead and in position to win, but Summers was more vital than just that huge bucket late in the game. He played tough D and finished with an impressive all-around stat line.

Player of the Game: Durrell Summers, Michigan State: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. This game was a coming-out party for the 6-4 sophomore, who is a very good shooter and terrific defender.

Most Valuable Player: Kalin Lucas, Michigan State: 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists to 1 turnover. Drew Neitzel's replacement is finally looking like a capable scorer and playmaker for the Spartans. His worth goes beyond the stat lines, and it showed in a game like today's.

Best Losing Effort: Damion James, Texas: 15 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block. The 6-7 wingman recorded his fourth double-double of the year, but it wasn't enough to secure the win for his team.

UConn 88, Gonzaga 83 (Overtime)

A.J. Price is possibly the best point guard in America. Anyone who watched him today would at least agree that he's certainly in the top three. After nailing an improbable three-pointer to send the game into overtime, Price rallied his Thabeet-less troops (the big man had fouled out 22 seconds into OT) to a victory over one of the nation's elite teams.

Gonzaga took the lead roughly two minutes into the second half and held onto it until 10 seconds were left when Price sank the aforementioned shot. So the game went to overtime where Thabeet fouled out on a controversial technical foul call. Then Micah Downs and Matt Bouldin fouled out on consecutive plays to join teammate Austin Daye on the bench, since he had fouled out at the end of regulation.

The result? The Zags couldn't score. Three of their best scorers were on the bench, and the rest of the team managed only nine points in five minutes. Downs's and Daye's absences also allowed UConn slasher (and leading scorer) Jerome Dyson to get to the hoop at ease. The Huskies outscored Mark Few's squad 14-9 and were the winners of the "Battle of Seattle."

As the announcers mentioned countless times, Gonzaga was successful when they attacked the basket. It either led to a layup or a pair of free throws or a wide-open three on the kick-out. Late in the game this started to happen less and less. They forced shots that weren't there. Part of this was also UConn's great defense, but a big part of the blame falls on the Bulldogs' shoulders.

Another reason as to why they lost was Jeremy Pargo. The senior leader for the team committed a few crucial mistakes that absolutely killed Gonzaga down the stretch. He threw an errant pass way down court one time; he over-penetrated another time. After his basket twenty seconds into the second half, Pargo only scored two more points, which came when the Huskies were playing dummy defense at the very end of overtime.

His effectiveness, or lack thereof, in the second half and overtime period was directly related to their losing control of the game. As a senior point guard, that shouldn't happen. In March, it can't happen.

Co-Players of the Game: A.J. Price, UConn: 24 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds. He controlled the game, made the right decisions, and provided clutch scoring that was essential for the #2 team in the country to remain unbeaten.

Gavin Edwards, UConn: 14 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals. Off the bench, Edwards was exactly what the Huskies needed. He posted a double-double and made some very key plays in overtime and the end of regulation to win the game for his team.

Most Valuable Player: Jerome Dyson, UConn: 21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. A great all-around stat line along with a 10-for-12 performance from the free throw line was invaluable to UConn. He pulled down rebounds, scored, and dished to the big guys down low after the Zags had lost some of their interior strength.

Co-Best Losing Efforts: Austin Daye, Gonzaga: 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals. The versatile sophomore cemented himself as one of the best in his class today. When Heytvelt was out, he made Thabeet play him all over the court. When Heytvelt was in, Daye could have been found taking advantage of the shorter defenders. My only complaint is that he sometimes gets himself into too much trouble by dribbling into traps and over-penetrating.

Steven Gray, Gonzaga: 23 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists. The 6-5 sophomore performed way above his season averages and provided scoring for his team when many of Gonzaga's leading scorers were fouling out.

Curry Watch

I missed the entire game because I was watching Gonzaga and UConn, but Steph Curry's stat line reads of only 13 points, way below his average of 32. Even worse is that he shot a horrid 5-for-26 from the field and 2-for-12 on threes. (That will put a damper on the shooting percentages.)

One must be happy with his eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals, but not so happy about his six turnovers. Are teams starting to figure him out? It's hard to say.

Purdue has really been the first team to keep him from scoring a bunch on them while also winning the game. The Wildcats didn't have a chance with the halftime lead of 23 being too much for them to come back from. The final score was 76-58.

Syracuse 72, Memphis 65

Between the overtime of the Gonzaga/UConn game and my dinner, I only saw about ten minutes of action in this one. From what I did see, though, Jonny Flynn is one of the best scoring point guards in the country, and Roburt Sallie is a damn good shooter.

I said before that this game would be about who doesn't make more turnovers, and that certainly proved to be the case since Memphis committed 20 turnovers in a loss. Tyreke Evans and Antonio Anderson, two starting Tiger guards, combined for eleven of them.

Player of the Game: Jonny Flynn, Syracuse: 24 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals. Today must be the breakout day for sophomores, because this particular sophomore point guard led the Orange down the stretch and sealed the game with a couple of free throws, something that was very difficult all day for Syracuse.

Most Valuable Player: Paul Harris, Syracuse: 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal. Whether it was a rebound the Orange needed greatly or a three as the shot clock was expiring, Harris was everything Coach Boeheim needed him to be today.

Best Losing Effort: Roburt Sallie, Memphis. This bench player made four of his six attempts from long range and kept the Tigers in the game with his timely shooting. More playing time should be headed his way.

It will be called "The Day of the Sophomores" from now on. So six hours, four wrong predictions, and one overtime later, here I am, just happy that the college basketball season is in full swing.

To contact this writer, you can email him at marchmadness14@gmail.com.

Game-Planning 2: A Six-Hour Basketball Saturday

Tomorrow is Saturday, which, for the past three months, has meant nothing but college football. Tomorrow, however, signals the start of some great college basketball action available every Saturday from the comfort of your recliner. What to watch? When to watch? I've got you covered.

Two Great Games But You'll Only See One

#22 Michigan State vs. #5 Texas

At two o'clock on CBS, most viewers in the southwest, midwest, and far west will be watching Raymar Morgan (17 points, 6 rebounds) and Michigan State take on A.J. Abrams (21 points) and Texas. The Longhorns are obviously favored but with good reason. They have impressive wins over Villanova and UCLA; their lone loss came at the hands of a very good Notre Dame squad.

Michigan State, on the other hand, lost to Maryland and North Carolina (embarrassingly) in the comfort of their home state. The Spartans' biggest win to date has been Oklahoma State. This game, on the road in Austin, seems to be a little too much for them to handle. Their best shot at winning is getting the inconsistent Morgan involved early to get him going. Kalin Lucas also needs to have a big game to offset the Texas backcourt a little bit.

Finally, Michigan State needs to win the rebounding battle. The point guard for Texas, Gary Johnson, is even averaging six per game. Damion James needs to be boxed out perfectly every single trip down the floor because anytime he isn't, he'll get the ball.

Personally, I seriously doubt Coach Izzo's somewhat-inexperienced squad can do all that in their first tough road game of the season. Texas will win this one by about ten or twelve points.

#7 Xavier vs. #6 Duke

For everyone living on the east coast, this game will be available at two o'clock as well on CBS. This particular matchup will be played in East Rutherford, New Jersey, between what should be a mixed crowd of Dukies and Musketeer fans.

Xavier has very good size in their scorers which should cause matchup problems for Duke's defense. Even more worrisome, it could lead big scorers like Kyle Singler (17 points) and Jon Scheyer (13 points) to the bench with foul trouble.

The Musketeers do not, however, have anyone that can match the size of 7-1 Brian Zoubek, who is having a very good year with averages of seven points and five rebounds per game. Xavier will also have to deal with the stingy defense of players like Nolan Smith, Greg Paulus, and Lance Thomas.

I wouldn't expect Coach K's team to put up 80 tomorrow because defense will be the key. They do not necessarily want to push the pace too much on a team that averages 72 points per game. I would expect them to slow it down a little bit and be prepared both mentally and physically after the wake-up call sent by Michigan earlier this month.

Xavier, for a mid-major, is far from untested this year despite what some may think about their 9-0 record. They have wins over the Big East's Cincinatti, the ACC's Virginia Tech, and last year's national runner-up, #12 Memphis. For those reasons along with the size on the perimeter, I'm picking Xavier to steal one from Duke.

Two More Great Games Yet Only One for Your Viewing Pleasure

After watching one of those games, don't even change the channel because coming up next will another great set of games.

#2 UConn vs. #8 Gonzaga

This game, starting at four on CBS, is a "rebound" game for the Zags, after being upset by Arizona earlier in the week. Those in the northeast and far west should get this one. Connecticut is just looking to preserve their unblemished record and get a solid win to add to their tournament resume.

The Huskies may have wins over ranked opponents such as Miami and Wisconsin, but no team will play them tougher in their non-conference schedule than Gonzaga. The "Battle in Seattle" will be played at a neutral location before a crowd that will certainly be pro-Bulldog.

UConn boasts a team with a great starting lineup and solid depth. Seniors A.J. Price (9 points, 4 assists) and Jeff Adrien (14 points, 9 rebounds) combine with juniors Jerome Dyson (15 points) and Hasheem Thabeet (15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks) to form one of the best groups of upperclassmen in the entire nation, which is nice to see amidst all the players leaving after just one year to join the NBA ranks.

Mark Few's team, however, is a mix of the young and the old. The "old" is their point guard Jeremy Pargo, wingman Matt Bouldin, do-it-all guard Micah Downs, and big man Josh Heytvelt. The "young" refers to sophomores Austin Daye and Steven Gray, who combine to average over 20 points per game for the Zags.

The home crowd along with some payback for the loss to Arizona and a good shooting day could spell trouble for UConn. I'll take Gonzaga in the upset victory.

#20 Davidson vs. #18 Purdue

For the other four o'clock CBS game, Purdue will look for a way to stop Stephen Curry with those living in the midwest and south tuning in. Much has been made about the superstar Curry, but not so much regarding his underrated supporting cast.

Andrew Lovedale (14 points, 11 rebounds) is the perfect complimentary big man to Steph, while Barr and McKillop (the son, not the coaching dad) can stroke it from deep off penetration. Junior Steve Rossiter also contributes six points and seven rebounds and is a vital role player for the Wildcats.

Purdue is a shaky team right now. They lost two straight to ranked opponents in Oklahoma and Duke and haven't played a formidable foe since then. For them to win, their defense has to step up tremendously. They gave up 87 points to Oklahoma and 76 to Duke; that cannot happen if they want to beat Davidson, a team that has scored at least 70 points in all but one game.

Coach McKillop simply needs to have a good game out of Lovedale and Curry with contributions from the rest. I can't imagine that not happening; Davidson will win, and Purdue will fall even farther in the minds of many hoops followers.

No Regional Coverage; Everyone Sees This One

At the conclusion of either the Davidson/Purdue or UConn/Gonzaga game, flip the channel to ESPN for one last game between two ranked opponents.

#11 Syracuse vs. #21 Memphis

At Memphis, the Orange will continue to play among controversy being generated by guard Eric Devendorf, who could be out of college basketball altogether by the end of January. Can they look past that and focus on the game? That remains unclear. They weren't able to do it when they were upset by Cleveland State though.

The Tigers are still rebounding from the losses of Chris Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose, and Joey Dorsey. They have yet to establish a go-to scorer at the end of games and struggle mightily to put points on the board at times. Due to this, Coach Cal has made some minor changes to his offense, making the scouting report on Memphis even more difficult.

Of the five games in this article, this could be the closest one that goes down to the wire. Each team has their obvious strengths and weaknesses so it will come down to who can execute. And, honestly, who can you trust more: the inexperienced Tigers or the more-experienced-yet-still-inexperienced Orange? I'll take Syracuse because it won't be about who makes the least mistakes, but more about who doesn't make the most.

That's all, folks. Have a nice day and enjoy your college basketball; it's the best basketball there is.

Game-Planning Record This Year: 2-1

To contact this writer, you can email him at marchmadness14@gmail.com.

5 Minutes of Basketball

Basketball is finally in full swing, but that does not limit it to the United States. Two future lottery picks, Ricky Rubio and Brandon Jennings, faced off in Barcelona this past week. Jennings is known for his decision for forego college altogether and play in Europe for a year. Ricky's team, Joventut, ultimately defeated Brandon's, Roma, 97-93 in a game that proved both players have the ability to play in the League right now. Rubio was just coming off an injury and was essentially playing with one good arm so he didn't even attempt a shot yet still had a solid game playing defense and making good decisions on offense. Jennings, on the other hand, had 12 points and two assists in 22 minutes of playing time. Ricky and Brandon currently rank one and two, respectively, at the point guard position in the 2009 draft class.

From my point of view, Jennings is a better playmaker and will create more offense than any other player in next year's draft. Rubio, however, plays a much more well-rounded game. He plays superior defense, is bigger and stronger, and is one of a few players in the draft that can boast a resume that includes Olympic play.

They also have their weaknesses. Rubio is certainly not so fast nor so quick as other point guards like Ty Lawson, Jennings, and Jrue Holiday. His jump shot needs a little work as well. Brandon needs to become a better defender, first and foremost, and needs to add some bulk in the weight room before entering the L.

In the NBA, the Cavs' 11-game win streak was put to an end while the Lakers and Celtics continue to dominate and only further stoke the thoughts of a Finals rematch. LeBron James has been averaging 27, 7, and 6 in less minutes per game than last season. But don't mistake Cleveland for a one-man team because everyone is doing their part in having one of the best offenses and defenses the League has to offer. (LeBron, Mo Williams, Big Z, and Delonte West are all averaging double figures in points.) This team could be the Celtics' toughest test in the playoffs.

I find it particularly interesting that the Lakers, who featured a prolific offensive attack last season, have taken great strides to improve their defense, while Boston, home to last year's best defense, decided to change and improve their offense this year. Boston and LA are both outscoring their opponents by more than ten points per game so the changes seem to be working. The Lake Show (21-3) and the World Champion Celtics (24-2) are set to meet on Christmas Day. Stay tuned.

In college hoops, North Carolina may be the most impressive team, but Chapel Hill is possibly no longer home to the nation's most impressive player. The reigning National Player of the Year, Tyler Hansbrough, may be averaging 23 points and seven rebounds, but three other studs are making names for themselves as well.

Blake Griffin of Oklahoma has been annihilating opponents on his way to 23 points and 15 rebounds per game. Not only can he get out and run in transition, but Griffin can also use a very good spin move to drive around the defense and dunk or hit the fadeaway jumper from ten feet. I do, however, expect his averages to dip somewhat when the Sooners begin their conference schedule in January.

Another on my list is the boy who killed every single bracket last spring, Stephen Curry of Davidson. What's scary is the thought that he actually got better since last March. Currently, he's averaging 32 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and three steals per contest. Only nine games into the season, Steph has already notched six 30+ plus scoring nights. His quick release and ability to move without the ball make him even harder to guard.

Some basketball heads would stop their lists after those two. They are forgetting one tremendous player out West when they do this though: Arizona State's James Harden. His averages of 26 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals don't do him justice if you can believe it. The Sun Devils have failed to score 65 points in a game three times this season, making his scoring even more remarkable. Add to that the fact that he attracts double teams and traps quite often, and you have one hell of an overlooked player.

So that's what's new in the world of basketball. Have a good rest of the week. I personally cannot wait for the Gonzaga/UConn game Saturday. I'm really liking some of the matchups, such as the "Senior Floor General Battle" (Pargo versus Price). Four o'clock on CBS, fellas.

Game-Planning 1: Is Blake Griffin Human?

Welcome back to another year of Game-Planning from yours truly. It will be similar to last year's but with a more in-depth analysis on fewer games. This way, you'll better understand each team's strengths and weaknesses as opposed to "kinda" getting what's going on in the biggest games of the week.

The main storyline this week will certainly be the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The obvious elite matchups (Duke/Purdue, UNC/Michigan State) are on the schedule while the not-so-obvious good, yet lesser-known, games will be there as well (Ohio State/Miami, Michigan/Maryland). So let's get to it.

#7 Duke vs. #10 Purdue

Purdue's overtime loss in the NIT Final to Oklahoma proved to be very telling for the Boilermakers. They did not get to the line nearly enough (only 5 attempts to the Sooners' 46), and will absolutely have to attack the basket against Duke and expose their lack of depth in the frontcourt. If Zoubek is out, it depends on the true freshman Plumlee to do the heavy work down low. Plumlee is averaging only two points and two rebounds in ten minutes per game. He's also shooting a sub par 1-for-4 from the line.

The Blue Devils, on the other hand, need to take advantage of their superior guards and speed. Their best plays of the season have all come in transition. It also helps that Duke is playing a lot of guys (ten averaging 10+ minutes per game) so the fresh legs may tire out Purdue in the second half.

Purdue must also protect star players E'Twaun Moore and Robbie Hummel, who fouled out at the end of regulation against Oklahoma. (One can only speculate on how overtime would have been different with him on the floor.) The duo has combined to average 31 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists in six games this season.

In the five games they have won, Purdue has allowed an average of only 58 points while Duke has been averaging 84 points of offense each game. To say it quite plainly, something has gotta give, and that something won't be Duke's offense. I'll take the Blue Devils in this one.

Southern Cal vs. #11 Oklahoma

The intriguing part about this game is the matchup between Blake Griffin, the best big man in America, versus Taj Gibson, possibly the most underrated big guy in the country. Gibson is averaging an impressive 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks for Southern Cal, a team still dealing with the loss of OJ Mayo. Gibson will have to step his play up if he wants to compete with Griffin though. The Sooners' superstar is averaging a surreal 26 points and 19 rebounds per contest.

Griffin has yet to be contained on the boards, which will be a chore for USC. In fact, he has grabbed over 20 rebounds three times this year, and the BCS-conference record for an entire season is five games (Tim Duncan currently holds it). His toppling that mark is, in a word, possible.

Other than Blake, the Trojans should keep a watchful eye on his older brother, Taylor (averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds), and Cade Davis (Oklahoma's best shooter). For Coach Capel's squad, they will have to deal with not only Gibson, who may put the Griffins in foul trouble, but also Dwight Lewis (15 points per game) and freshman sensation Demar Derozan (10 points and 5 rebounds).

Both teams are frontcourt-heavy, but USC has a better chance at getting Oklahoma's bigs in foul trouble and out of the game. It also doesn't help that if the game goes down to the wire Blake Griffin could be on the bench due to his being a free throw shooting liability. For those reasons, I'm taking Southern Cal in an upset.

#13 UCLA vs. #6 Texas

At the onset of the season, things looked promising in Westwood. Star point guard Darren Collison had decided to return for his senior year. Top recruit Jrue Holiday would be filling the shoes of NBA-bound Russell Westbrook. Even senior Alfred Aboya would be coming back after being a role player, albeit a small one, on three Final Four teams. However, Collison doesn't have the supporting cast he used to have, Holiday is no Westbrook, and Aboya can't make up for the losses of Kevin Love, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Lorenzo Mata-Real. The result? A solid top 25 team but definitely not a Final Four contender.

Texas, similarly, is dealing with the loss of DJ Augustin. The Longhorns' new best player, AJ Abrams, was forced into making the transition from sharpshooter to playmaker/scorer. So far, the transition has gone somewhat smoothly. He's averaging 17 points on 43% shooting from deep, but he's also averaging twice as many turnovers as last season. Texas, in my opinion, is no favorite to be dancing in April either.

In this particular game, Texas must focus on exploiting UCLA's weak interior. 6-7 Damion James, 6-7 Gary Johnson, and 6-10 Connor Atchley should be able to do so. For UCLA, they will be relying on Collison to make plays and find teammates for easy shots. Collison must limit his poor decisions though. Twice this year he has turned the ball over six times in one game. If he wants his team to have a chance at winning, he cannot come anywhere near six turnovers.

My opinion is simple. UCLA's perimeter defense will be able to contain Abrams but their weak frontcourt will be exposed, and the trio of James, Atchley, and Johnson will combine for a minimum of forty points. I'm taking Texas for the win.

Either way you look at it, college basketball only gets better from here. All the Duke/Presbyterian-type games are behind us and many like those mentioned in this article remain. Enjoy whatever is left of your Thanksgiving break.

The First Week of Hoops...

The feeling of waking up knowing you will be able to watch a college basketball game that night is very refreshing for all the diehard fans like myself. Even at this early point of the season, there is a good game to watch almost every night. Last night was Syracuse-Kansas with the Orange pulling out the W in overtime. The night before it was Ohio State over Bowling Green by only four points and Syracuse pulling out another victory (this time over Florida). That same night Stephen Curry had 39 points in a win over Florida Atlantic, which brings me to my first point.

Steph Curry is held to zero points for the first time in recent memory. Loyola had the "genius" idea of double-teaming Curry the entire game. No matter where he went, they went with him. Davidson, therefore, was essentially playing 4-on-3. The Wildcats won 78-48, and Stephen is still averaging a blistering 29.2 points and 7 assists per game. Not so genius after all.

Blake Griffin is the early favorite to win the National Player of the Year Award. His averages of 26 points, 20 rebounds, and 3 steals are remarkable for a 6-10 sophomore. In all four of his games, he's pulled down at least 18 boards and scored at least 20 points. It also helps that his team beat the other very-early frontrunner for the award (Curry and Davidson) and that Tyler Hansbrough hasn't been playing very much as of late.

Is it the Year of the Mid-Major? Four mid-majors (Memphis, Davidson, Xavier, and Gonzaga) are ranked in the AP Top 25 and five more received at least a dozen votes (Saint Mary's, UNLV, Siena, BYU, and UAB). There have been many big upsets and almost-upsets as well. VMI defeated Kentucky 111-106 on the road. Saint Louis upset Boston College 53-50, and Northeastern took down the Providence Friars. Both Iona and Vermont took Wisconsin and Maryland, respectively, to overtime, and the mighty Duke Blue Devils defeated Rhode Island by only three after trailing for parts of the game.

Does this mean that there is an equaling of the major and the mid-major? No, but it does mean that the gap isn't so wide as it was five years ago. Never before could Kentucky lose two straight home-openers to two unknowns. Never before could Duke be knocked out over the tournament by VCU one year and then almost get upset by Belmont the next. Let me be the first to say that there will be at least five mid-majors in the Sweet 16 and two in the Elite Eight come March.

The debate for the best point guard in the nation begins. Ty Lawson are undoubtedly the two that come to mind when the topic of college point guards is discussed. One must, however, look much deeper than that. Eric Maynor, the man made somewhat-famous by his team's win over Duke two years ago, is averaging 25 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds. Although Jeremy Pargo has had a rough shooting start to his season, he is dishing out nine assists and is pulling down six rebounds per game.

Not to be outdone, Jonny Flynn is averaging 21 points and 5 assists and is fresh off leading his team to two big wins over Florida and Kansas in the CBE Classic. Levance Fields is possibly the most underrated point guard in all of college, and he plays in the Big East! His averages of 14 points, 8 assists, and 3 rebounds tell only a small part of the story. Pitt's success depends largely on him and how efficient his is in running their offense.Currently, Fields is shooting 53% on threes, 53% on field goals, and 82% on free throws. He boasts an unbelievable 7.6 assist-to-turnover ratio as well.

Patty Mills of Saint Mary's plays a huge role in this discussion, too. He is the only college point guard in America that can say he scored 20 points and the gold-medal United States Senior Men's National Team. This season, he's putting up 20 and 5 numbers for the 3-0 Gaels. His ability to get to the rim and either score or set up a teammate for an easy shot is uncanny.

Lastly, Scottie Reynolds (13 and 5), Sherron Collins (20 and 3), and AJ Price (9, 4, 5, and 2 steals) all deserve mention for their play this season. They have kept their team in the top 25, and Collins is having to do this after losing practically everyone from last year's title team.

The Big East is as good as advertised. The conference that received so much hype coming into the season is living up to it...for now. Currently, they have eight teams in the AP Top 25, four in the top 8, and three in the top 4. It is also easy to say that Syracuse will be in the upcoming week's top 25 after their impressive run out in Kansas. West Virginia and Seton Hall are also playing well. It's not so crazy to think that they could get nine, or even ten, bids this season.

North Carolina is still the favorite to cut down the nets in April. The Heels are 5-0 with three of those games being playing without the reigning National Player of the Year, Tyler Hansbrough. Last night they beat up on Oregon, who "attempted" to do the unthinkable and run with North Carolina in an uptempo game. Individually, Danny Green and Deon Thompson (the team's top two scorers so far) have stepped up, and the true freshman Larry Drew II proves that the Heels now have three solid point guards to go along with Bobby Frasor and Lawson. Roy Williams is smiling somewhere in Maui.

A three-guard lineup is now the norm. According to Sports Illustrated, 59.2% of Division I programs are planning to start three guards this season. It isn't too surprising either. The three-point line was moved back which means teams want more shooters on the floor. Gone are the days where Roy Hibbert can spot up and nail a game-winning three. #1 North Carolina, shoots 40% from deep, scores 92 points per game, and features the 6-9 Hansbrough as their starting center. Even their 6-6 starting small forward is listed as a Guard/Forward.

So that's it. Enjoy the action from Maui and Florida and New York and every place else hosting an early-season tournament. Enjoy watching the talented group of mid-major teams and the uniqueness of players like Curry or Griffin. Enjoy that college basketball is finally back.

To contact this writer, you can email him at marchmadness14@gmail.com.

Best of the Best: The Top Seven Players from the NBA's Best Rivalry

Last season’s NBA Finals between Boston and Los Angeles rekindled a dormant rivalry which has captivated fans on both coasts for decades. From the early days of Russell and Cousy facing Baylor and West to the fierce 1980s battles between Kareem and Magic versus Bird and McHale, many great players and a strong sense of tradition shrouds this classic series with all of its hype. One must dig deep into the past, and take into account many variables, when determining the seven best players to ever play in the NBA's best rivalry...

7. John Havlicek- Havlicek was a Celtic for life, so revered that his number is now hanging retired in the rafters of an arena in which he never competed. "Hondo" was a thirteen-time All-Star, his career earning him a top-fifteen ranking on SLAM's prestigious list of the Top NBA Players of All Time. Havlicek was the epitome of a clutch player, as demonstrated by his perennial toe-to-toe battles with the Lakers’ Jerry West. Havlicek had the luxury of playing in five Lakers/Celtics finals throughout his career.
Career Stats: 20.8 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 43% FG, 78% FT

6. Wilt Chamberlain- Some would wonder why Chamberlain has been ranked so low on this list, but it is important not to forget that Wilt played far from his entire career in Los Angeles. By the time he arrived in California to suit up for the Lakers, his scoring ability had dropped off tremendously yet remained a dominant rebounder. Wilt the Stilt played in only one Lakers/Celtics finals, which took place in 1969 in an epic showdown between the Cinderella Celtics (they were a 4-seed that year) and the dominant Lakers.
Stats w/ LA (5 seasons): 19.3 ppg, 19.1 rpg, 4.3 apg, 62% FG, 47% FT (blocks were not recorded)

5. Jerry West- Mr. Clutch played against Boston in six NBA Finals appearances, yet walked away from his days as a player without a ring. He was, however, named the NBA Finals MVP in 1969 despite the losing effort put forth by the Lakers. West was a prolific scorer with a solid all-around game quite advanced for its time. He was a thirteen-time All-Star and a ten-time member of the All-NBA First-Team.
Career Stats: 27.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 6.7 apg, 47% FG, 81% FT (no 3-point line)

4. Bill Russell- One of the greatest defenders in NBA history, Russell was an eleven-time NBA Champion. Seven of his eleven titles came by defeating the Lakers in the Finals. He is a twelve-time All-Star and a five-time winner of the NBA MVP award. He is widely considered a top-ten player to ever play the game, and slots into the number-four slot on this storied and legendary list of players.
Career Stats: 15.1 ppg, 22.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 44% FG, 56% FT (blocks were not recorded)

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar- Abdul-Jabbar is commonly considered one of the best big men in NBA history and one of its top-ten all-time players. Kareem also invented the Skyhook, his signature move that no defender could get a piece of before it drained through the hoop. He was a six-time winner of the NBA MVP award and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. Abdul-Jabbar was also a symbol of longevity, playing into his early forties. His ability to remain effective for so long is remarkable for a big man. Nonetheless, it was tough to give him a nod over the top two players on this list -- the two that gave the rivalry its credibility.
Career Stats: 24.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, 56% FG, 72% FT, 2.6 bpg

2. Larry Bird- Larry Legend, as some call him, was one half of the NBA's greatest individual rivalry that was ever established. He catapulted the Lakers and Celtics to new heights. Without him, all the nostalgia which surrounded the 2008 NBA Finals (and a lot of the logic behind writing this piece) would not even exist. He was one of the best shooters ever, and Bird could rebound and pass pretty well, too. Bird was also was at his best when the game required a clutch performance, stepping up when it mattered most. All of these reasons culminated into his beating out Kareem for the number-two spot on this list.
Career Stats: 24.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.3 apg, 50% FG, 38% 3P, 1.7 spg

1. Magic Johnson- Did you really expect it to be anyone else? The leader of the Showtime Lakers and the most exciting player in the game at the time falls at the top of the list of greats from the Lakers-Celtics series. If you couldn't tell, he is the other half of that fantastic individual rivalry mentioned earlier. Every single time Magic stepped on the floor, he automatically created a mismatch. He was a point guard trapped in a big man's body which allowed him to essentially do whatever he wanted out on the court. Johnson was the definition of a human highlight reel.
Career Stats: 19.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 11.2 apg, 52% FG, 30% 3P, 1.9 spg

Honorable Mention (in no order): Bob Cousy, Elgin Baylor, James Worthy.

There it is: The seven greatest players to ever appear in the NBA’s most-storied rivalry. Most of us can only hope that Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will be competing for a place on this list five years from now. The Celtics were victorious in the most recent Finals in what is, in my opinion, a series which could easily go on for years to come. Both teams are primed to keep this legendary rivalry alive!

To contact this writer, you can email him at marchmadness14@gmail.com.

College Basketball Season Preview

With the 2008-2009 college basketball season drawing ever closer, it is time to sit down, predict, and discuss the future and what it holds for fans and players alike. Will anyone stop the dominant Tar Heels? Can Stephen Curry repeat such an extraordinary late-season performance? Is the Pac-10 still the cream of the crop when it comes to conferences? No matter what the answers are to those inquiries, one thing is for certain: This year will be as thrilling and astounding as in past seasons.

Top Five Returning Players

1. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina- No one can deny Psycho T’s work ethic and passion for the game of basketball. His decision to return to Chapel Hill catapulted North Carolina to their indisputable preseason number one spot.
Last season’s stats: 23 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, 2 steals per game

2. Stephen Curry, Davidson- Curry was everyone’s favorite player in March and hardly a soul in the country was rooting against him. He did, however, earn this type of respect and hype. Steph’s tournament run, in which he averaged 32 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, proved that this under-recruited, under-sized shooting guard from a mid-major school has the ability to play at the next level.
Last season’s stats: 26 points per game, 5 rebounds per game, 44% three-point

3. Luke Harangody, Notre Dame- The reigning Big East Player of the Year is back for another year with hopes of reaching the second weekend in the NCAA Tournament. ‘Gody can expect to see much more attention from the defenses and very few easy baskets. He is no longer a talented unknown but rather a high-profile star and will have to get his teammates involved when he is double-teamed.
Last season’s stats: 20 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, 50% field goal

4. Darren Collison, UCLA- After starting the year with an injury, Collison recovered to lead his team to a 29-4 record and a Final Four appearance last year. He was the floor general and provided experience in the backcourt when the team needed it the most. Collison’s decision to return for his senior year could place the Bruins among the nation’s elite.
Last season’s stats: 15 points per game, 4 assists per game, 53% three-point

5. Ty Lawson, North Carolina- The junior point guard will be leading the lethal Tar Heel fastbreak this year and should be getting much consideration for the Cousy Award. His unmatched quickness and speed give him an advantage over other guards and are essential for him to be effective. The UNC fans can only hope he stays healthy this season.
Last season’s stats: 13 points per game, 5 assists per game, 2 steals per game

Blake Griffin and Scottie Reynolds were very difficult to leave off the list and will undoubtedly have an impact on college basketball this year. It was, however, unjustifiable to take any one of those chosen out of the top five. It must be remembered, though, that individuals do nothing without their team. The chemistry and cohesiveness is more important than any star player. If it were the other way around, Kansas State would have been cutting down the nets last April.

Top Five Teams

1. North Carolina Tar Heels- The odds-on favorite to win the National Championship this year is Roy Williams’s squad. They have what every team wants: good coaching, depth, star power, and chemistry. The Heels lose only minor role players from last year’s Final Four team and add a very talented recruiting class.
Last season: 36-3 record, 14-2 ACC conference record, lost in Final Four

2. Connecticut Huskies- UConn is back. Returning five players with 22+ minutes per game, they have a wealth of experience and talent, enough to win a Big East championship. Jim Calhoun’s teams have been disappointing in recent seasons and need big performances from senior point guard A.J. Price.
Last season: 24-9 record, 13-5 Big East conference record, lost in first round

3. UCLA Bruins- Losing three starters will not prevent UCLA from a fourth consecutive Final Four appearance. If Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, and Jrue Holiday can bear the scoring load, they could run the table in the Pac-10 and go far in the NCAA Tournament. Lucky for the Bruins, Ben Howland has brought in yet another stellar recruiting class to replace the losses in both the backcourt and frontcourt.
Last season: 35-4 record, 16-2 Pac-10 conference record, lost in Final Four

4. Pittsburgh Panthers- Pitt returns five players who averaged 20+ minutes per game on last year’s squad. They have a high-quality coach and a plethora of depth as a result of a notable recruiting class featuring the 6-5 true freshman Nasir Robinson.
Last season: 27-10 record, 10-8 Big East conference record, lost in second round

5. Gonzaga Bulldogs- The NCAA’s best mid-major program may be ready for its best season yet. They return six players who received a good amount of playing time last season and have brought in several talented freshmen to help both the backcourt and frontcourt.
Last season: 25-8 record, 13-1 West Coast conference record, lost in first round

Many other teams will challenge these elite teams as the season progresses, and it will be a testament to the coaching, preparation, and poise under pressure if they are able to survive. As usual, the powerhouse teams—North Carolina, UConn, and UCLA—are in the preseason talk for national contenders. There are, however, also some unusual, unconventional teams being mentioned such as Notre Dame, Purdue, and Miami.

What will separate the contenders from the pretenders, so to speak? The difficulty of their non-conference schedule, the experienced seniors who emerge as leaders, and the discipline that is applied from the start of practices are just a few of the many factors that are crucial to success late in the season. Interestingly enough, Davidson, the team that annihilated everyone’s bracket yet captivated each fan’s attention, possessed the majority of those team traits last season.

For the big conference teams, however, the competition a team faces on a nightly basis determines will prove to us whom the superior teams are. But that, of course, begs the question as to which conference is the toughest? Last season, the Pac-10 and Big East seemed to be head and shoulders above the rest. This year will tell a different story though. The Pac-10 is suffering many individual losses—Ryan Anderson, Brook Lopez, OJ Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Love, and Russell Westbrook—and many of its teams will be experiencing a down year. Washington State and Stanford, two of last year’s Sweet 16 teams, will be fortunate to even make the tournament, let alone actually winning a game once they arrive.

The Atlantic Coast Conference, formerly regarded as the best conference in the nation, is making somewhat of a reemergence this year. North Carolina and Duke will be very good, both top ten teams undoubtedly, and should be the favorites to win the conference tournament in March. Clemson, who finished third in the conference last season, will be just as good despite the losses of Cliff Hammonds and James Mays. Miami returns a team with an abundance of experience and talent and could be the main contender to Duke and the Tar Heels among anyone else in the conference. Rounding out the top five in the league is Wake Forest. They return practically everybody and also have one of the best recruiting classes in the nation, headlined by Al- Farouq Aminu.

Whether North Carolina wins the championship or not, we shall be ready for an intriguing season yet again. Stephen Curry is back and the freshmen class is just as good as ever before. The Big East and ACC are both predicted to have 6+ teams in the NCAA Tournament, but can the other power conferences—the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC—send several teams as well? It remains uncertain, as do many other things in college basketball. No matter what happens though, the questions and the improbability of an upset are what keep us ever vigilant.

To contact the writer, you can email him at marchmadness14@gmail.com.