March Madness All Season

Nov. 21 News and Notes: Sanders out 2-4 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:52:00 +0000

According to tweets by ESPN.com’s Andy Katz and FOXSports.com’s Jeff Goodman, Boston College junior swingman Rakim Sanders will be out 2-4 weeks with a right ankle sprain. Sanders returned to the starting lineup for the Eagles after a two-game suspension but left after four minutes due to the injury. He averaged 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season.

UCLA’s Dragovic arrested and suspended

UCLA’s leading returning scorer from last season, forward Nikola Dragovic, was suspended for last night’s game against Cal State Bakersfield after his arrest for felony assault. The arrest stems from an incident last month at a concert in Hollywood. “This is an unfortunate situation for Nikola,” Coach Ben Howland said. “Our staff and players will do what we can to help him during this time. He made us aware of the incident when it occurred, but until this morning, we did not know charges would be filed.” Dragovic opened this season with five points and 14 rebounds in a loss to Cal State Fullerton.

Robertson out indefinitely with sore foot

California has lost back-to-back games in the 2K Sports Classic in New York, and much of it has to do with the absence of Theo Robertson. The senior forward has missed the past two games with a sore foot, and his return has yet to be determined. Seth Davis of SI.com reported on Twitter that Robertson could be out several weeks. Robertson was averaging 18.0 points per game prior to the injury.

Ebanks’ return undetermined

West Virginia sophomore forward Devin Ebanks has not played or practiced with the team since being suspended by head coach Bob Huggins prior to the season-opener against Loyola (Md.). When asked after that game, Huggins only said that Ebanks was out with “personal issues.” On Friday, Huggins claimed he was unsure of Ebanks’ timetable for a return. “I don’t know,” he said. Ebanks was expected to have a breakout season this year after averaging 10.5 points and 7.8 rebounds during his freshman campaign.

Hofstra’s Jenkins injured in win

According to the game recap on Hofstra’s website, junior guard Charles Jenkins left the Pride’s win over Farmingdale State with 6:20 left in the first half after landing hard on the floor. He did not play in the second half, but did return to the bench after going to the locker room. He had been averaging 21.7 points per game in the first three games of the season.

Saturday, Nov. 21 Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Prediction Record: 24-4 (ATS: 16-11)

Radford at Duke: Prediction: Duke 78, Radford 63
Oklahoma at VCU (+4): Prediction: Oklahoma 71, VCU 64
Oregon at Portland (-1): Prediction: Oregon 84, Portland 75
Southern Illinois at UNLV (-7.5): Prediction: UNLV 66, Southern Illinois 58
Houston at Nevada (-2.5): Prediction: Nevada 77, Houston 69

Friday, Nov. 20 Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Prediction Record: 16-3 (ATS: 11-7)

Dayton vs. Villanova (-5): Prediction: Villanova 72, Dayton 68
Ohio State vs. California (+3.5): Prediction: Ohio State 75, California 70
North Carolina vs. Syracuse (Pick): Prediction: Syracuse 81, North Carolina 78
Seton Hall at Cornell (-2.5): Prediction: Cornell 66, Seton Hall 57
Troy at Florida (-16.5): Prediction: Florida 84, Troy 70
Providence at Alabama (-5.5): Prediction: Alabama 71, Providence 64
Kansas State vs. Mississippi (Pick): Prediction: Mississippi 76, Kansas State 69
South Carolina vs. South Florida (+5): Prediction: South Carolina 70, South Florida 63
Vanderbilt at Saint Mary's (-4.5): Prediction: Saint Mary's 73, Vanderbilt 69

National Prep Showcase

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:19:00 +0000

I'm heading up to Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Conn. on Friday to watch the National Prep Showcase, easily the best prep tournament of the high school season. It features nine of the top 10 teams in the ESPN Prep Rankings, and at least 100 Division-I recruits in the 20 games. Here's a link to the match-ups: National Prep Showcase.

I will be posting noteworthy updates gathered from the Showcase, and I will also be still keeping up with the latest in college basketball news. My predictions will be back Friday as well.

Wednesday, Nov. 18 Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:56:00 +0000

Prediction Record: 13-2 (ATS: 9-6)

Oakland at Wisconsin (OFF): Prediction: Wisconsin 66, Oakland 56

Utah State at Utah (-3): Prediction: Utah State 74, Utah 69

Butler at Northwestern (+5): Prediction: Butler 63, Northwestern 54

Nevada at UNLV (-6.5): Prediction: UNLV 76, Nevada 70

Remember to check BetUS.com for the latest college basketball odds and NCAA basketball point spreads.

Pinkston postponing decision

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Jayvaughn Pinkston, the top player in New York City this year, was expected to make his college decision at 4 p.m. today.

However, it turns out that he will be waiting until the spring.

“Jayvaughn will not be making his announcement today,” Kimani Young, Pinkston’s AAU director, said in a text message. “He’s not 100% sure where he wants to go to school so he’ll wait until the spring to make his decision.”

A report in the New York Daily News on Tuesday stated that Pinkston was prepared to commit to Tennessee, although Young debunked that rumor.

One has to wonder, though, if this decision to postpone the announcement has anything to do with Tobias Harris’ trip to Tennessee late last night. Harris, a five-star recruit in the class of 2010, will make his decision on Thursday – and Tennessee is the rumored favorite in that race.

“No,” Young said. “Jay is concerned with his recruitment and his recruitment only.”

Despite that, signs point to the idea that Pinkston was prepared to commit to Tennessee, but had second thoughts once Harris took his last-minute trip to Knoxville – and likely cemented the fact that Harris will indeed sign with the Volunteers.

Purdue's Jackson out indefinitely

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:16:00 +0000

No. 7 Purdue could be without its starting point guard for the entire 2009-10 season, as Lewis Jackson is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a broken foot he suffered last week in practice.

“Hopefully, he can come back at the end of the Big Ten season, but it’s going to take some time,” head coach Matt Painter told the Journal and Courier (West Lafayette, Ind.). “He will be out for a while. He could be a redshirt candidate, because he hasn’t played this year. It would be February at the earliest. We hope it’s not season ending, but it could be.”

Jackson started 30 games for the Boilermakers last season, averaging 5.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. In the season-opening win over Cal State Northridge, Painter used guards Keaton Grant, Chris Kramer and E’Twaun Moore in the starting lineup, and D.J. Byrd and Ryne Smith for 19 minutes each off the bench.

Report: Pinkston to Tennessee

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:07:00 +0000

According to the New York Daily News, unsigned senior Jayvaughn Pinkston is expected to commit to Tennessee when he announces his decision tomorrow afternoon.

However, Kimani Young, the director of Pinkston’s AAU team, said that the report is not true.

“Not confirmed. Daily News is speculating,” Young said in a text message.

When asked if Pinkston was leaning towards the Volunteers, Young responded: “He will make his college decision tomorrow at 4 p.m.”

The 6-5 Pinkston is a tough, physical forward and arguably the best player in New York City in the class of 2010. His finalists are Tennessee, Villanova, St. John’s, Marquette and Seton Hall.

Tuesday, Nov. 17 Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Prediction Record: 0-0 (ATS: 0-0)

With ESPN kicking off its college basketball coverage with a 24-hour marathon of college hoops coverage, I've decided it's time to get started with my daily game predictions. As I did last year, I will be predicting games with the spread, and will post my prediction record, both straight up and ATS. If my score seems close to the spread, it's purely coincidence -- I type in my predictions, then add the spread at the end.

Note: For tonight, I will predicting each game in the ESPN marathon; normally, I select the top games of the night to predict.

Cal State Fullerton at UCLA (-15): Prediction: UCLA 76, Cal State Fullerton 64
San Diego State at Saint Mary’s (-6.5): Prediction: Saint Mary’s 77, San Diego State 70
Northern Colorado at Hawaii (-5.5): Prediction: Hawaii 67, Northern Colorado 55
Monmouth at St. Peter’s (-9.5): Prediction: St. Peter’s 58, Monmouth 49
Drexel at Niagara (-9.5): Prediction: Niagara 75, Drexel 63
Clemson at Liberty (+10): Prediction: Clemson 81, Liberty 61
Northeastern at Siena (-8.5): Prediction: Siena 73, Northeastern 64
Arkansas-Little Rock at Tulsa (-16.5): Prediction: Tulsa 80, Arkansas Little-Rock 59
Temple at Georgetown (-9): Prediction: Georgetown 77, Temple 69
Binghamton at Pittsburgh (OFF): Prediction: Pittsburgh 67, Binghamton 51
Arkansas vs. Louisville (-10): Prediction: Louisville 84, Arkansas 73
Gonzaga at Michigan State (-11): Prediction: Michigan State 78, Gonzaga 71
Northern Illinois at Illinois (-21): Prediction: Illinois 71, Northern Illinois 53
Duquesne at Iowa (+1.5): Prediction: Duquesne 66, Iowa 63
Memphis vs. Kansas (-11): Prediction: Kansas 84, Memphis 70

Parrom injured, Black to Memphis

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:31:00 +0000

An Arizona team that could struggle with depth this season will be even thinner for the next month or two, as freshman swingman Kevin Parrom will miss four-to-eight weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot.

"Nobody needs to practice more, and nobody needs to learn more lessons than a newcomer," head coach Sean Miller told the Arizona Daily Star. "Kevin's very talented."

"It's frustrating right now, but I'll be all right," Parrom added. "Things happen for a reason."

The 6-6 Parrom was a highly-touted newcomer from New York who averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in the two exhibition games for the Wildcats.

Black adds to Memphis’ class

Memphis has overtaken Ohio State for the top recruiting class heading into next season, as power forward Tarik Black committed to the Tigers earlier today.

The 6-7 Black chose Memphis over Marquette, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida.

He adds to a Memphis recruiting class that includes three five-star prospects in guards Will Barton and Joe Jackson, and forward Jelan Kendrick. Chris Crawford, Antonio Baron and Hippolyte Tsafack are also in the class.

Pankey to Maryland

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:39:00 +0000

The first of two New Heights players to announce their commitment this week has popped to an ACC school, as Ashton Pankey chose Maryland on Monday afternoon.

"Ashton to Maryland," New Heights director Kimani Young said in a text message.

Pankey went on SNY to announce his decision.

“I’ll be attending the University of Maryland,” said Pankey, a 6-9 power forward from the Bronx who plays for Bob Hurley at St. Anthony (N.J.). “I felt comfortable with the coaches. Coach [Gary] Williams is a great coach. The players, I got along with them really well. And my mom enjoyed it, too, and she thinks it would be a good place for me to attend.”

Pankey chose Maryland over Houston, while also receiving offers from Rice, Drexel and Hofstra.

Pinkston to decide Wednesday; Pankey choosing today

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Jayvaughn Pinkston, the top 2010 prospect in New York City, will make his college decision this week.

"Jayvaughn Pinkston will make his announcement on Wednesday at Bishop Loughlin HS," New Heights director Kimani Young said in a text message.

Additional details, including a time for the announcement, are forthcoming.

Pankey picking school today

According to Young, another New Heights player will also make his decision public this week.

"Ashton [Pankey] will make his commitment today at 3 p.m.," Young said in a text message.

Pankey is reportedly likely to choose between Maryland and Houston.

Friday, Nov. 13 Observations

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

The first jam-packed day of the college basketball season was last night, and it was filled with interesting developments, trends and statistics. Here's a look at some of them:

- Maryland’s freshmen big man duo of Jordan Williams and James Padgett combined for 22 points and 17 rebounds. The Terrapins could be an ACC contender if they continue to get that sort of production from their bigs.

- Al-Farouq Aminu began his ascent into an All-American with 25 points and 13 rebounds against Oral Roberts. However, the Demon Deacons still had more turnovers than assists and received zero three-pointers from their guards.

- Without Corey Raji, Rakim Sanders and Courtney Dunn, Boston College’s Tyler Roche stepped up, scoring 30 points to help lead the Eagles to an easy win over Dartmouth. Tyrese Rice’s replacement, Biko Paris, had seven assists but six turnovers.

- One of the more surprising statistics I noticed was that Virginia freshman Tristan Spurlock played just three minutes and didn’t score a point. I was under the impression he would be a key secondary option to Sylven Landesberg, but apparently not.

- Look at the lineup Duke started against UNC-Greensboro: 6-5 Jon Scheyer, 6-7 Olek Czyz, 6-8 Kyle Singler, 6-8 Lance Thomas and 6-10 Miles Plumlee. It’s no surprise the Blue Devils dominated the backboards, 44-20. However, it’s obvious they need Nolan Smith back.

- Clemson forced 26 turnovers and took 30 three-pointers. Yup, some things never change.

- Vermont lost to Loyola (Md.), but not because of Marquis Blakely. He had 26 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals and five blocks. Try to find a better all-around stat line; I doubt it will happen.

- Best performance of the first week? Has to go to Arkansas’ Rotnei Clarke, who scored 51 points and made 13 three-pointers. Looks like my ranking of him as the 8^th best three-point shooter was too low

- Kentucky cruised to an easy win over Morehead State, but the Wildcats shot 4-19 from three and turned the ball over 24 times. Moreover, they only forced 12 turnovers. Those numbers will change as the players get more accustomed to John Calipari’s system.

- Tennessee got inconsistent point guard play last season – and it looks like it hasn’t changed. Bobby Maze had two points and five turnovers in the opener.

- If Mississippi can get anywhere close to 38 points and 17 rebounds from DeAundre Cranston and Murphy Holloway every night, they are going to be awfully tough to beat.

- South Carolina will be on the wrong side of the bubble again if it doesn’t improve its assist-to-turnover ratio. It was 12:15 against Alabama A&M.

- The biggest surprise of the early-going was Rider defeating Mississippi State – by 14. At home. Sure, Renardo Sidney didn’t play, but there’s no guarantee that he will ever suit up for the Bulldogs. Rider shot 51 percent from the field, 63 percent from three-point range and only turned the ball over six times.

- One injury to watch will be the rolled ankle of Niagara’s Tyrone Lewis. He hurt it midway through the first half against Auburn and didn’t return. Lewis averaged 16.2 points per game last season.

- Siena just plugs people in and keeps it going. Kenny Hasbrouck’s replacement, Clarence Jackson, hit four threes and scored 24 points in his first start of the season.

- It didn’t take long for the Big East to show that it’s down. Seton Hall needed a 28-footer at the buzzer by Eugene Harvey to beat St. Peter’s; Pittsburgh had to overcome a 13-point second-half deficit to beat Wofford; and Villanova was down late in the first half before turning it on against Fairleigh Dickinson.

- Jerome Dyson is clearly recovered from injury. He had 27 points, eight assists and four steals against William & Mary.

- Marquette’s rebuilding season got off to a great start, with an 85-62 win over Centenary. Jimmy Butler had 27 points and 13 rebounds, and the Golden Eagles got 30 bench points from Darius Johnson-Odom, Jeronne Maymon and Maurice Acker.

- Don’t overlook South Florida’s win on the road over SMU. Behind Paul McCoy, the Mustangs could be a sleeper in Conference-USA, but USF got 23 and nine from Augustus Gilchrist en route to victory.

- Xavier struggled with turnovers, but their new-look lineup easily got past Youngstown State. Not surprisingly, the Musketeers were tremendously balanced, with five guys scoring between 10 and 14 points.

- UAB’s transfer trio of Elijah Millsap, Kenny Cooper and George Drake combined for 33 points and 22 rebounds.

- Based on its first-half performance against St. Mary’s (the one in Texas, not California), Tulsa is not ready to take over the Conference-USA throne. However, the Golden Hurricane dominated the second half for an easy win. Jerome Jordan needs to take more than four shots, though.

- Memphis only used seven players for double-figure minutes – these aren’t the 10-deep Tigers of the past few seasons.

- Missouri Valley favorite Northern Iowa certainly did not look like a potential bracket buster come March. They had six assists against 13 turnovers, and only beat Denver (a solid Sun Belt club, mind you) by six.

- Utah State went into Weber State and came out with a six-point win, while Idaho went to Utah and beat the Utes by seven. At the other end of the ledger, New Mexico State faced a Patty Mills and Diamon Simpson-less Saint Mary’s team – and got ran out of the building, by 32. The WAC pecking order has been established early.

- Apparently Oregon State is still a few players away from being a sleeper in the Pac-10. The Beavers lost by 24 at home to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. They turned the ball over 25 times, were outrebounded, shot less than 32 percent from the field and 46 percent from the free-throw line. They need freshman Roberto Nelson to be cleared ASAP.

- Arizona State knew it would defeat Western Illinois, but the Sun Devils had several bright spots, including Ruslan Pateev and Erik Boateng each scoring nine points and nine rebounds.

- Stanford is very likely to finish last in the Pac-10, but losing by 13 to San Diego was still somewhat surprising. Not the loss, but the margin.

- Would Washington State have scored 94 points in the Tony Bennett era?

- Isaiah Thomas scored 30 points for Washington, but Quincy Pondexter was the only other Husky in double-figures. Highly-touted freshman Abdul Gaddy had just five points and one assist in his debut. They nearly gave away an 18-point lead against Wright State, but still won by five.

- Interesting stat: four Big 12 teams scored exactly 88 points on Friday, and the seven Big 12 teams in action won by an average of 28 points.

- One eye-popping statistic I noticed was South Dakota’s assist-to-turnover ratio against Texas Tech: they had three assists to go with 30 turnovers. Yes, 1:10.

- If Curtis Kelly puts together more performances like he did against Loyola (Chicago) on Friday, look out Big 12. He had 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen have to shoot better than a combined 6-for-24, though.

- Baylor’s LaceDrius Dunn is clearly ready to take on more of a role; he had 32 points in the opener.

- Impressive debut for freshman Xavier Henry: he had 27 points on five three-pointers in an easy win for Kansas.

- One player who made the most of his minutes was Texas A&M’s David Loubeau. He played 20 minutes, but had 20 points and nine rebounds in that time.

- Best free-throw shooting performance? Hard to top Colorado’s Cory Higgins going 16-16 from the charity stripe.

- Other noteworthy efforts: Mercer’s James Florence dropping 33 on Bucknell; Duquesne forward Damian Saunders going for 17 points, 19 rebounds, five assists and four steals; Georgia’s Howard Thompkins getting 25 and 12 off the bench; Art Parakhouski of Radford finishing with 20 and 13; North Texas’ George Odufuwa grabbing 24 rebounds; TCU’s Zvonko Buljan going for 22 and 16; Carl Montgomery of Chicago State finishing with 22 and 17; and Coastal Carolina’s Joseph Harris getting 21 and 17 in a surprising win over Charleston..

- A very nice head-to-head battle was witnessed in the Yale-Sacred Heart game. Yale’s Alex Zampier had 35 points and six rebounds, but Sacred Heart’s Corey Hassan had 30 points, nine rebounds and five assists – and got the win.

- In Northwestern’s first game without Kevin Coble, the Wildcats looked….eh. Sure, they beat Northern Illinois by 22, but they shot less than 40 percent from the field and 24 percent from three-point range.

- Many people pegged Durrell Summers for a breakout season, and he didn’t disappoint, scoring 17 points in a win over Florida Gulf Coast.

- Penn State might not be good as a season ago, but don’t tell that to Talor Battle. He had 27 points, 10 rebounds and four assists against in-state rival Pennsylvania.

- Minnesota needs a go-to scorer. I don’t think Lawrence Westbrook is going to score 22 every night. Without Royce White, they don’t have many explosive offensive options.

- Indiana started two freshmen in Maurice Creek and Christian Watford, and they combined for an impressive 31 points and 13 rebounds.

- Illinois returns several pieces from last season, but the Fighting Illini’s top two scorers were both freshmen – Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson. If they can continue to provide offense, Illinois could be a Big Ten contender.

- There’s not one top-25 match-up throughout the entire first week. It’s a disappointing way to start the season – marquee match-ups get everyone excited, and there’s not a single one on the docket.

Early Signing Period Coverage

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:36:00 +0000

Over the past few days, I've been providing up-to-the-minute updates about many of the top Big East recruits and targets over at NBE Basketball Report. Here is a recap:

J.J. Moore to Pitt

J.J. Moore burst onto the recruiting scene in a major way over the past several months, and he has decided to end his recruitment on the first day of the early signing period.

Not surprisingly, he is on his way to the Big East. The 6-5 swingman chose Pittsburgh over fellow conference programs Louisville and St. John’s.

“Yes he did,” Gary Charles, Moore’s AAU coach with the New York Panthers, confirmed to the NBE Basketball Report early Wednesday afternoon.

Moore is originally from Brentwood (N.Y.) and transferred to South Kent Prep (Conn.) for this season.

“Not only did they show him they wanted him, but they also showed that they needed him,” Charles said. “Plus, they showed his mother a lot of love and Jamie Dixon recruited him. He wanted to go away but not too far.”

Moore joins fellow Pitt recruits Cameron Wright and Isaiah Epps in the Panthers’ 2010 recruiting class.

“He will sign in the next couple of days,” Charles said.

Day One Recap

- Chip Smith, the AAU coach of the Tennessee Tigers, said that Michael Bradley signed with Connecticuttoday. “Mike was scheduled to sign at 10 this morning,” Smith said. “As far as I know, all went well.”

- Cameron Wright’s high school coach at Benedictine (Oh.), Rob Stircula, confirmed that Wright did indeed sign withPittsburgh this morning.

- Syracuse won’t have to wait very long for its prime recruit to sign. “Fab Melo will sign this weekend,” Sagemont (Fla.) head coach Adam Ross said.

- Jeremy Lamb confirmed that he signed his letter-of-intent to attend Connecticut earlier today.

- According to press releases from Marquette SID Scott Kuykendall, the Golden Eagles received official signatures from both Vander Blue and Jamail Jones.

- New Heights coach Adam Berkowitz said that Devon Collier will sign his papers to attend Oregon State next week because he is at school this week. There was some speculation recently that Collier would verbally commit but wait to sign until the spring.

- Jimmy Salmon, who runs the Playaz AAU program, said that Fuquan Edwin’s signature for Seton Hall is coming soon. “He’s signing tomorrow at Paterson Catholic HS,” Salmon said.

- Salmon added that Pittsburgh commit Isaiah Epps will also sign in the coming days. “Don’t know the date but it’s definite,” he said.

- Waverly Austin confirmed to me that both he and Lavonte Dority signed their papers for South Florida today. “South Fla. bound,” he said in a text message.

- Seton Hall will not be getting an official signature from Jesse Morgan just yet, according to a source close to the program. “Morgan has a few issues that must be straightened out before he signs,” the source said.

- Jerian Grant, son of former NBA veteran Harvey Grant, informed NBE Basketball Report that he, Eric Atkinsand Alex Dragicevich had all signed their letters of intent to attend Notre Dame.

- Rutgers did not get its lone commitment to sign on the dotted line today, but not to worry – Austin Carroll will still be a Scarlet Knight. “Tomorrow,” Carroll said.

- New Heights director Kimani Young said that Jayvaughn Pinkston might sign during the early signing period. “Yes,” Young said. “There is a chance he signs within the next week.” He also said that Pinkston’s finalists are Tennessee, St. John’s, Villanova, Marquette and Seton Hall.

- There is no update on what Ronald Roberts plans on doing. “Not that I’m aware of,” Salmon said.

Day Two Recap

- Fuquan Edwin informed the NBE Basketball Report late last night that he had signed his papers to attend Seton Hall.

- Cory Joseph’s recruitment is likely headed to the spring. “At this time, he does not intend on signing early,” Findlay Prep head coach Michael Peck said. Added Ro Russell, Joseph’s AAU coach with Grassroots Canada, when asked if Joseph would sign early: “Unlikely.”

- Tarik Black hopes to make a decision during the early signing period. “I’m actually planning on it,” Black said. He added that his finalists are Marquette, Memphis, Tennessee, Florida and Alabama. Black does not have a favorite, but he will make up his mind very soon. “I’m gonna have one real soon,” he said.

- Former 2010 prospect and Shaquille Thomas is now officially a member of the 2011 class. “I’m definitely in the 2011 now,” Thomas said in a text message Thursday. Thomas, who at one time tried to commit toSyracuse, is still considering the Orange, in addition to Virginia Tech and West Virginia. “At this point, I’m wide-open,” he said.

- Torrel Harris, the father of Tobias Harris, confirmed that his son will be making a final decision during the early signing period.

- Another player who will be reclassifying to 2011 is Kadeem Jack, who also informed the NBE Basketball Report that he will attending South Kent Prep (Conn.) next year. He also has a long list of schools that he is considering.

“Tennessee, Connecticut, Pitt, Seton Hall, Miami, Georgia, Arkansas, Rutgers, St. John’s, DePaul,Syracuse,” Jack said. “The new schools are because I said I was reclassing.” He added that Georgia, Seton Hall, Miami, Tennessee, Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Syracuse were his favorites.

- K.C. Moss Miller has no plans to make a commitment during the early signing period. “No, he’s going to sign late,” said his father, Tim Miller, also his coach at God’s Academy (Tex.). “January, February, March – that’s when he’ll sign. He won’t draw it out until April, though.”

Miller said his son has taken an official visit to Nevada and an unofficial visit to Baylor. Ross-Miller also plans on visiting Texas A&M and UCLA soon, as well as Big East schools Cincinnati, Marquette and Georgetown. “He’s looking for the best situation for him,” Miller said. “He’s wants a chance to win, a chance to get to postseason tournaments.”

- Albany City Rocks coach Jim Hart confirmed to NBE Basketball Report in an e-mail that Hippolyte Tsafacksigned a letter-of-intent to attend Memphis.

- Another former class of 2010 prospect who is now in the class of 2011, Durand Johnson, has plenty of suitors on his tail. “Right now I’m considering Pitt, Marquette, Florida State, Connecticut, Virginia Tech, Maryland,Georgetown,” Johnson said. “They are my tops right now.”

He added that he plans on visiting Marquette and Florida State soon, and has already taken trips toPittsburghh and Virginia Tech.

- Johnson’s teammate at Lake Clifton (Md.), Josh Selby, is one of the biggest targets still left on the recruiting scene. He is considering Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, Miami (Fl.) and Indiana. However, Selby has no timetable for a decision. “I’m not sure,” Johnson said. “We talk all the time, though. I’m not sure.”

- Pe’Shon Howard, a native of California who now plays at Oak Hill Academy (Va.), has no plans to sign in the early period. “Nah, I’m gonna wait until late,” he said. In addition to South Florida, he is now also considering Northwestern and Massachusetts.

Day Three Recap

- DePaul expects to announce its signees on Monday – if they are all signed by then. “The plan is to announce the class at the same time on Monday,” Greg Greenwell, the director of media relations, said. “I haven’t heard from our compliance folks yet if anyone has their stuff in.” The Blue Demons received verbal commitments from Walter Pitchford, Moses Morgan and Brandon Young.

- According to an e-mailed press release from Villanova Director of Media Relations Mike Sheridan, both Markus Kennedy and James Bell have signed their letters-of-intent. “These are two outstanding young players we are excited to add to our Villanova basketball family,” head coach Jay Wright said in a statement.

- Bryan Messerly, the sports information director at West Virginia, confirmed via e-mail that Noah Cottrill has sent in his papers to become a Mountaineer. “We are excited to have Noah Cottrill join our basketball program,” head coach Bob Huggins said in a statement. “Noah is an outstanding shooter, has terrific ball-handling skills and has a tremendous ability to score. It is great to be able to sign one of our own, and Noah is excited to represent this great state on and off the court.”

- Georgetown has verbals from Nate Lubick and Markel Starks, but the Hoyas are not prepared to announce their signings just yet. "If we have a signing release, we will send it to everyone," Bill Shapland, the senior sports communication director at Georgetown, said in an e-mail.

- Syracuse has one of the top recruiting classes in the country, with verbals from Fab Melo, Dion Waiters, Baye Moussa-Keita and C.J. Fair. However, the Orange have not received any official papers from the recruits. "We have not received any NLI's yet," said Pete Moore, the director of athletic communications at Syracuse. Sagemont coach Adam Ross informed NBE Basketball Report earlier in the week that Melo would be signing this weekend.

- According to a release by the Providence athletic department, all three of the Friars’ recruits have signed letters-of-intent. Gerard Coleman, Ron Giplaye and Joseph Young all sent in their papers on the first day of the signing period. "We are looking forward to having Gerard, Ron and Joe join our squad next season," head coach Keno Davis said. "All three of these student-athletes come from highly successful high school and AAU programs. They should help us continue our quest to make our program one of the elite in the Big East."

- The final letter-of-intent NBE Basketball Report was looking to confirm was that of Justin Jackson, heading to Cincinnati. Well, according to Associate Athletic Director Mike Harris, Jackson has indeed signed his papers. "Yes we have [received his letter-of-intent]," Harris said in an e-mail.

Day One Thoughts and Observations

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:55:00 +0000

After watching all four of the games on the first night of the college basketball season, I came up with several thoughts and observations for each game -- and each of the four major-conference teams that were playing.

North Carolina

- I can’t see Will Graves starting at the small forward position for North Carolina all season. John Henson is too talented to keep off the floor, and even Dexter Strickland could start and move Marcus Ginyard to the three.

- Ed Davis will be a beast on the glass, but his offensive game is still not a dominant part of his game. Most of his points were scored off of offensive rebounds and put-backs. If he is going to be a top-five draft pick, his back-to-the-basket game will need to develop.

- Every time Larry Drew caught the ball and starting dribbling, I got the feeling he was traveling or carrying the ball – he was called for it just once, but he didn’t really instill confidence. Freshman Dexter Strickland wasn’t much better; he was timid and uncertain with the ball – aside from his buzzer shot at the end of the first half.

- Overall, the Tar Heels committed 26 turnovers, a number that clearly has to improve, especially when they face more talented teams that will take better advantage of miscues.

- Someone’s going to have to knock down outside shots for the Tar Heels. If the aforementioned Graves isn’t starting, there’s no one in the starting lineup that can consistently hit three-pointers. However, Ginyard and Drew looked like they did improve their jumpers. Overall, though, the Tar Heels hit just four three-pointers.

- It’s unbelievable how big of a lineup North Carolina can put on the floor at one time – it will be interesting to see how it works out against smaller and potentially quicker teams. Davis, Deon Thompson, Henson and Tyler Zeller are all potential first-round picks, though.

- Thompson is a force down low; he’s got a nice face-up jumper and can run the floor very well. He will likely be the Tar Heels’ go-to-guy for the time being.

- North Carolina might not be as good of a full-court team as last season without Ty Lawson, but I think the Tar Heels’ half-court defense will be better with the return of Ginyard and all the size they have up front.

- Roy Williams seems to be leaning on experience early on – Graves got a start, and Justin Watts was one of the first guys off the bench.

Ohio State

- If Ohio State’s Evan Turner can continue to make the transition from all-around wing to point guard, the Buckeyes are going to be awfully tough to beat. He had 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists against Alcorn State – looks like he will be just fine.

- The Buckeyes are tough to match-up with. Turner and David Lighty are both versatile and can play multiple positions, and wings Jon Diebler and William Buford are also very talented starters. There might not be a better quartet of wings in the country. Jeremie Simmons also looked solid, and Walater Offutt is improved.

- Big men Kyle Madsen and Zisis Sarikopulos need to provide Ohio State with some sort of production down low. They combined for nine points and eight rebounds against Alcorn State – I’m not sure if that will be enough against better teams. When Dallas Lauderdale returns from injury, he will help though.

- Ohio State is going to play some of the fastest basketball in the Big Ten – this team looks to run at all opportunities, and they have plenty of finishers.

- I love William Buford’s game – he can shoot from deep, drive to the hole, handle the ball, pass it to teammates, etc. I think he’s going to have a monster year for the Buckeyes.

- Despite not having a true point guard in the starting lineup, the Buckeyes didn’t have any trouble with ball distribution. They had 13 assists on their first 15 baskets in the first half.

- At the six-minute mark of the first half, Ohio State was outrebounding Alcorn State 22-5 – size might not be much of a problem, either, especially in a Big Ten that is not filled with dominant big guys.

- Alcorn State tried to zone Ohio State at times; what exactly is the point of that? The Buckeyes are filled with perimeter players and guys that can knock down outside shots. Granted, it was a 3-2 zone, but it was entirely ineffective.

Syracuse

- Syracuse has some serious length and athleticism on the back-line of its defense. Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku are a dominant duo on the boards, but Wesley Johnson adds a whole new element with his wingspan and versatility.

- Jonny Flynn is obviously going to be tough to replace, but eight turnovers in the first eight minutes, and 13 in the first half, against Albany made it even more obvious. Freshman Brandon Triche needs to develop in a hurry, and Scoop Jardine has to take control as well.

- However, Jardine seemed much more aggressive than Triche, and his ability to take the ball to the hole bodes well for the Orange. Triche picking up three first-half fouls didn’t help his cause, either. They did co-exist in the backcourt at times, though.

- Syracuse’s zone defense looked very active, forcing 19 first-half turnovers and making life very difficult for the Great Danes.

- The Orange looked to run at nearly every opportunity, but poor decisions in the fast-break and ill-advised passes slowed down the momentum that they constantly tried to build.

- I liked the full-court pressure that Syracuse threw at Albany every once in awhile; it kept them active and energetic, and helped build an insurmountable lead for the Orange. It really helped them take advantage of their edge in length and athletic ability.

- Without Flynn and Eric Devendorf’s penetration ability, Andy Rautins was having much more difficulty getting open looks from the perimeter, finishing with 0 points. If the Orange are going to be successful, he needs to knock down shots from deep. His twisted ankle could be a concern, too.

- Mookie Jones was trying way too hard to make an impact; he missed four consecutive jumpers in a five-possession span in the first half, and then committed an unnecessary foul.

- The Orange will need more production from their bench as the season goes on. Outside of Jardine (who is more or less a part-time starter) and Kris Joseph, no bench players scored until late in the second half. James Southerland, who scored 20 points in an exhibition game, was scoreless.

California

- Jamal Boykin is going to have to be a key factor for the Golden Bears. The former Duke transfer is going to have to find a way to take some of the pressure off of the loaded Cal perimeter group. He had a few nice face-up drives to the basket against Murray State, and showed he could finish. I was impressed with his play throughout, and he seemed like a go-to-guy down the stretch.

- JC transfer Markhuri Sanders-Frison is also going to need to make an immediate impact. Despite not adding much on the offensive end, he looked solid defensively, and is basically going to have to hold down the fort in the paint. He showed surprising athleticism early on when switching after a pick-and-roll and then diving for a loose ball near halfcourt.

- Cal went to a zone for a bit fairly early in the first half, which wouldn’t bode well if the Golden Bears have to use it often in the Pac-10. They don’t have a lot of size in the first place and the zone makes it difficult to find players to box out for the defensive team. They’re going to have to defend teams with activity and quickness, not a slow-rotating zone.

- Cal’s three-point ability makes them so difficult to beat – unless the Golden Bears are off for a night. However, they were knocking them down against Murray State in the first half, and every time Murray State had some momentum, someone would knock down a three for Cal. They only hit five threes total, which is fewer than normal, but they still shot nearly 42 percent from deep.

- Murray State had a lot of quickness, and Cal – a team with plenty of quickness in its own right – had trouble with it. The Golden Bears had some turnovers and got beat defensively on more than one occasion.

- Murray State was also able to get a lot of open looks inside the paint; the Racers weren’t settling for outside shots, they were attacking.

- Jorge Gutierrez is a dynamite defender. His aggressiveness and ability to stay in front of his man will be imperative when Cal faces the likes of Isaiah Thomas and Abdul Gaddy of Washington.

- Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher were non-existent for much of the early going – neither scored until Randle hit two free-throws with 6:15 left in the first half. Christopher followed that up with a big dunk on the next possession. Randle only shot 4-for-12 from the field on the game, but he was 10-of-11 from the free-throw line and hit a tough lay-up with 1:20 left to ice the game.

- Cal’s bench was huge for the Golden Bears in the first half. I already mentioned Gutierrez’s defense, but he also knocked down a three; Brandon Smith had a nice basket; Omondi Amoke got to the foul-line and D.J. Seeley made things happen.

Preseason Bracket Breakdown

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

2009-2010 Preseason Bracket (expand bracket picture if necessary)

Breakdown by Conference

ACC (7): North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Maryland, Wake Forest, Florida State
Big East (7): Villanova, West Virginia, Connecticut, Louisville, Syracuse, Georgetown, Cincinnati
Big Ten (7): Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Big 12 (6): Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M
Pac-10 (3): California, Washington, UCLA
SEC (6): Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss
Atlantic-10 (2): Dayton, Xavier
Conference-USA (2): Tulsa, Memphis
Mountain West (2): BYU, San Diego State
WAC (2): Utah State, Nevada

One-Bid Conferences (21): America East (Boston University); Atlantic Sun (Jacksonville); Big Sky (Weber State); Big South (Radford); Big West (Long Beach State); Colonial (VCU); Horizon (Butler); Ivy (Cornell); MAC (Akron); MAAC (Siena); MEAC (Morgan State); Missouri Valley (Northern Iowa); Northeast (Mount St. Mary's); Ohio Valley (Morehead State); Patriot (Holy Cross); Southern (College of Charleston); Southland (Sam Houston State); Summit (Oakland); Sun Belt (Western Kentucky); SWAC (Jackson State); West Coast (Gonzaga)

Last Four In: Nevada, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, San Diego State
Last Four Out: South Carolina, Creighton, Pittsburgh, Boston College
Next Four Out: Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Arizona, Richmond

NCAA TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS

National Champion: Kansas
National Runner-up: Texas

Final Four: Kentucky
Final Four: West Virginia

Elite Eight: Purdue
Elite Eight: Washington
Elite Eight: North Carolina
Elite Eight: Villanova

Cinderella: Northern Iowa
Bust: Tennessee

Preseason All-Americans and Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 20009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

Player of the Year: Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Freshman of the Year: John Wall, Kentucky

First Team All-America:
G- Sherron Collins, Kansas
G/F- Evan Turner, Ohio State
F- Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
F- Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
C- Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Second Team All-America:
G- John Wall, Kentucky
G- Willie Warren, Oklahoma
G- Kalin Lucas, Michigan State
F- Kyle Singler, Duke
F- Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

Third Team All-America:
G- Greivis Vasquez, Maryland
G- Avery Bradley, Texas
F- Tyler Smith, Tennessee
F- Robbie Hummel, Purdue
F- Craig Brackins, Iowa State

Just Missed: Manny Harris, Michigan; Ed Davis, North Carolina; Jerome Randle, California; Scottie Reynolds, Villanova; James Anderson, Oklahoma state; Isaiah Thomas, Washington

All-Freshman Team:
G- Avery Bradley, Texas
G- Kenny Boynton, Florida
G- John Wall, Kentucky
F- DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky
F- Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

Second Team:
G- Abdul Gaddy, Washington
G- Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati
G/F- Xavier Henry, Kansas
F- Jordan Hamilton, Texas
C- Tiny Gallon, Oklahoma

Third Team:
G- Michael Snaer, Florida State
G- John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
F- Dante Taylor, Pittsburgh
F- Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State
C- Alex Oriakhi, Connecticut

Just Missed: John Henson, North Carolina; Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova; Aaric Murray, La Salle; Milton Jennings, Clemson

Preseason Top 25

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:15:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

1. Kansas
2. Texas
3. Kentucky
4. Purdue
5. Michigan State
6. Villanova
7. North Carolina
8. West Virginia
9. Duke
10. California
11. Butler
12. Connecticut
13. Tennessee
14. Michigan
15. Washington
16. Dayton
17. Siena
18. Ohio State
19. Georgia Tech
20. Oklahoma
21. Louisville
22. Florida
23. Mississippi State
24. Illinois
25. Syracuse

Just Missed: Clemson, Maryland, Georgetown, Minnesota, Tulsa

Big 12 Conference Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

When a league has the top teams in the country, it is difficult to argue with them as being the number one conference in the nation. Kansas and Texas have arguably the most talent of any two teams, and will be battling for national and conference supremacy all season long. After those two, there are several quality teams in the league, led by Oklahoma. Kansas State has a chance to step up and make a leap forward in the standings, while Oklahoma State and Texas A&M are also threats. Missouri will take a step back, but don't count them out. A team in the bottom half to watch could be Iowa State, home to Craig Brackins and several quality perimeter players. What sets this league apart from the rest of the country -- aside from Kansas and Texas -- is the individual talent. Just look at the first-team all-conference squad; that could easily be an All-American team. This league will be more than just Kansas and Texas this season -- it will be the best conference in America.

Player of the Year: Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas

Newcomer of the Year: Avery Bradley, G, Texas

All-Conference Team:
G- Sherron Collins, Kansas
G- Willie Warren, Oklahoma
G/F- James Anderson, Oklahoma State
F- Craig Brackins, Iowa State
C- Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Second Team:
G- Avery Bradley, Texas
G- Denis Clemente, Kansas State
G- Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas
G- Xavier Henry, Kansas
F- Damion James, Texas

Third Team:
G- Cory Higgins, Colorado
F- Mike Singletary, Texas Tech
F- Jordan Hamilton, Texas
F- Bryan Davis, Texas A&M
C- Dexter Pittman, Texas

Projected Order of Finish

1. Kansas: The preseason No. 1 team in the country, the Jayhawks have all the pieces necessary to win the title. If their off-court problems aren't a distraction during the season, there should not be anything stopping them. Prediction: NCAA
2. Texas: The Longhorns might be the deepest and most talented team in the country. They have weapons everywhere, and have one of the best benches around. The one thing that could hinder them is outside shooting. Prediction: NCAA
3. Oklahoma: Despite the loss of Blake Griffin, the Sooners are going to be a threat in the Big 12. Willie Warren returns, and freshmen Tommy Mason-Griffin and Tiny Gallon are a dynamite inside-outside duo. Prediction: NCAA
4. Kansas State: The Wildcats are hungry to get back to the NCAA Tournament, and have the backcourt in Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente. Freshman Wally Judge and UConn transfer Curtis Kelly are keys up front. Prediction: NCAA
5. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys run-and-gun style is back and will be a problem for opponents. James Anderson and Obi Muonelo form a an outstanding wing tandem, and Marshall Moses anchors the frontcourt. Prediction: NCAA
6. Texas A&M: The losses of Josh Carter and Chinemelu Elonu will hurt, but Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis will help lead the Aggies back to the NCAA Tournament. Role players will need to step up and provide support. Prediction: NCAA
7. Missouri: Last year's surprise Elite Eight team, the Tigers won't be as good as a season ago, but J.T. Tiller and Zaire Taylor are the best defensive backcourt in the country. They need help up front, though. Prediction: NIT
8. Baylor: The Bears always seem to have perimeter talent, and this year is no different with LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter, and freshman Nolan Dennis. Transfer Ekpe Udoh will make an impact up front. Prediction: NIT
9. Iowa State: Craig Brackins is one of the best players in the country, and he can carry the Cyclones on his back. JC transfer Marquis Gilstrap will help him up front, and Diante Garrett leads the backcourt. Prediction: CBI/CIT
10. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders have solid building blocks in assist-man extraordinaire John Roberson and forward Mike Singletary, but they don't have many other options to compete in the conference. Prediction: No Postseason
11. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers return no one who averaged more than eight points per game last season, but they have 12 players who did not see time last season coming into the program. Prediction: No Postseason
12. Colorado: The Buffaloes won just one Big 12 game last season, and they don't figure to be that much better. However, guard Cory Higgins gives fans a reason to watch them -- despite the struggles. Prediction: No Postseason

Big Ten Conference Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:15:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

The Big Ten is often looked at as one of the bottom leagues in the "Big Six" conferences. They play an unattractive brand of basketball for the most part, and they have a reputation of struggling when it counts. This year will be different. The Big Ten has a chance to be the best conference in the country. They have two Final Four contenders in Purdue and Michigan State, two others that could be top-15 teams in Michigan and Ohio State, two more top-25 caliber clubs in Illinois and Minnesota and two teams fighting for NCAA bids in Wisconsin and Northwestern. Even Penn State has Talor Battle and Indiana will be improved. The league isn't chalk-full of hyped newcomers like most other conferences, but they have some of the best returning talent in the country. This could be a banner season in the Big Ten.

Player of the Year: Evan Turner, G/F, Ohio State

Newcomer of the Year: Royce White, F, Minnesota

All-Conference Team:
G- Kalin Lucas, Michigan State
G- Manny Harris, Michigan
G- Talor Battle, Penn State
G/F- Evan Turner, Ohio State
F- Robbie Hummel, Purdue

Second Team:
G- E'Twaun Moore, Purdue
F- Kevin Coble, Northwestern
F- DeShawn Sims, Michigan
F- Mike Davis Illinois
C- JaJuan Johnson, Purdue

Third Team:
G- Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin
G- Demetri McCamey
G- William Buford, Ohio State
G/F- Durrell Summers, Michigan State
F- Raymar Morgan, Michigan State

Projected Order of Finish

1. Purdue: Although Michigan State is likely the consensus favorite, if Robbie Hummel is healthy, the Boilermakers have the pieces to make a deep run in March. E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson also return. Prediction: NCAA
2. Michigan State: The defending national runners-up, the Spartans have one of the best point guards in the country in Kalin Lucas and plenty of scoring options. The only question mark is in the post -- who will step up? Prediction: NCAA
3. Michigan: With the return of the outstanding duo of Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims, coach John Beilein has solid building blocks. Throw in plenty of supporting talent and Beilein's system, and this team is tough. Prediction: NCAA
4. Ohio State: There might not be a better group of wing talent in the country than in Columbus. The Buckeyes have Evan Turner, William Buford, David Lighty and Jon Diebler -- and they all could play at the same time. Prediction: NCAA
5. Illinois: The Fighting Illini have a defense that gives opponents fits, and the offense should be improved this season behind the inside duo of Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, and combo guard Demetri McCamey. Prediction: NCAA
6. Minnesota: The Golden Gophers return all five starters and nine rotation players from a team that reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago -- and they add heralded freshman Royce White, who will be a force. Prediction: NCAA
7. Wisconsin: Always a team in the mix, the Badgers have a very solid backcourt tandem in Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon, but they need help in the frontcourt. Look for Jon Leuer to increase his production. Prediction: NCAA
8. Northwestern: The Wildcats were in the at-large mix until late in the season, and that could be the case again this year. Kevin Coble is one of the best players that the rest of the nation has never heard of -- yet. Prediction: NIT
9. Penn State: As long as Talor Battle is still on the roster, the Nittany Lions have a chance against anyone. He can single-handedly carry this team to a victory on any given night. He loses his secondary options, though. Prediction: NIT
10. Indiana: The Hoosiers will undoubtedly be better than last season, when they went 1-17 in Big Ten play. Tom Crean brings in a deep and talented recruiting class to go with the return of their top three scorers. Prediction: No Postseason
11. Iowa: The Hawkeyes have a solid backcourt duo in Matt Gatens and Anthony Tucker, but there is little-to-no production returning in the frontcourt. Todd Lickliter will have his hands full this season. Prediction: No Postseason

ACC Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:30:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

The Atlantic Coast Conference had an exciting campaign last season, starting with the fact that it was home to the national champions, North Carolina. The conference as a whole received seven bids to the NCAA Tournament, and two more that just missed and were relegated to the NIT. After the Tar Heels, eight teams finished within four games of each other for second place, leading to an exciting finish to the season. This year, UNC and Duke are likely to be atop the league, but after that, it's wide-open. There are really no guarantees this year, and there will be up to 10 teams fighting for bids to the NCAA Tournament come March. One of the reasons for that is that the ACC might have lost more talent than any other league -- from North Carolina's stars and Wake Forest's duo to Florida State's Toney Douglas and Miami's Jack McClinton. A team to watch will be Georgia Tech, which could be one of the most improved teams in the country, and might have the most talent in the league. The league pecking order won't be decided until early March, which bodes well for the conference.

Player of the Year: Kyle Singler, F, Duke

Newcomer of the Year: Derrick Favors, F, Georgia Tech

All-Conference Team:
G- Greivis Vasquez, Maryland
G- Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech
F- Ed Davis, F, North Carolina
F- Kyle Singler, Duke
F- Trevor Booker, Clemson

Second Team:
G- Jon Scheyer, Duke
G- Sylven Landesberg, Virginia
F- Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
F- Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
F- Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

Third Team:
G- Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech
G- Michael Snaer, Florida State
F- Deon Thompson, North Carolina
F- Jeff Allen, Virginia Tech
C- Solomon Alabi, Florida State

Projected Order of Finish

1. North Carolina: The defending national champions lose four starters and three first-round draft picks, but they still have the deepest and most talented frontcourt in the country. Point guard is the big question. Prediction: NCAA
2. Duke: The Blue Devils lack backcourt depth and a go-to post player, but Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler are experienced and form one of the best tandems around. Nolan Smith has to step up as a scorer. Prediction: NCAA
3. Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets are poised to make an enormous leap from last place behind the arrival of freshmen Derrick Favors and Mfon Udofia, and the return of Gani Lawal and Iman Shumpert. Prediction: NCAA
4. Clemson: The Tigers are looking to take the next step and advance in the NCAA Tournament. Big man Trevor Booker is a load down low, but several role players need to step up and become productive. Prediction: NCAA
5. Maryland: The Terrapins finished last season on a high note, and will carry that momentum over to this season. Greivis Vasquez is an all-around star at guard, and two newcomers will try to solve the post problem. Prediction: NCAA
6. Wake Forest: With the loss of draft picks Jeff Teague and James Johnson, the Demon Deacons will take a step back in the ACC. However, Al-Farouq Aminu returns, and he is poised to become a star. Prediction: NCAA
7. Florida State: The Seminoles lose do-everything guard Toney Douglas, but freshman Michael Snaer will replace him. Frontcourt playears Solomon Alabi and Chris Singleton are ready for breakout seasons. Prediction: NCAA
8. Boston College: Never count the Eagles out, even when they lose a talent such as Tyrese Rice. Joe Trapani leads a solid crop of returnees, including wings Rakim Sanders and Corey Raji. Prediction: NIT
9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies have one of the best inside-outside combos in the country in Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen, but they couldn't make the Big Dance with those two and scorer A.D. Vassallo. Prediction: NIT
10. Miami (Fl.): At times last season, Jack McClinton was the only option for the Hurricanes. Now that he is gone, who will provide scoring? Freshman Durand Scott is solid, but someone else needs to step up. Prediction: CBI/CIT
11. Virginia: New head coach Tony Bennett is ready to bring his slow-down style to the ACC, and he has a spectacular scorer in Sylven Landesberg to help ease him in. Tristan Spurlock is an impact frosh. Prediction: No Postseason
12. North Carolina State: The Wolfpack finishing last is the only guarantee I will make for this wide-open league. They lose their top three scorers from last season, and will undoubtedly struggle. Prediction: No Postseason

Big East Conference Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

For more on each of the Big East teams, click on each team name for in-depth previews I wrote for NBE Basketball Report, complete with quotes from the top players and coaches in the conference.

The Big East had one of the best seasons a conference could have asked for last season, as up to nine teams were ranked in the polls last season. Two teams, Connecticut and Villanova, reached the Final Four, and another two made it to the Elite Eight in Pittsburgh and Louisville. Overall, 12 teams reached the postseason. This season will certainly not be the same. The conference will be down slightly, as there are only two teams with a legitimate shot at reaching Indianapolis, maybe three with Connecticut, but the rest of the league is a crapshoot. Several of the league's marquee programs of the past few seasons will be down, as Pittsburgh and Marquette lose a ton from last year, while Seton Hall and Cincinnati could be ready to take the next step forward. There is a lot of talent across the board in the league, but not as much as a season ago. With 16 teams, though, there will be a war on a nightly basis in the Big East. Expect another excellent season.

Player of the Year: Luke Harangody, F, Notre Dame

Newcomer of the Year: Lance Stephenson, G, Cincinnati

All-Conference Team:
G- Scottie Reynolds, Villanova
F- Devin Ebanks, West Virginia
F- Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia
F- Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
C- Greg Monroe, Georgetown

Second Team:
G- Dominique Jones, South Florida
G- Kemba Walker, Connecticut
G- Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati
F- Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
F- Lazar Hayward, Marquette

Third Team:
G- Corey Fisher, Villanova
G- Jerome Dyson, Connecticut
G- Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall
F- Stanley Robinson, Connecticut
F- Samardo Samuels, Louisville

Projected Order of Finish

1. Viilanova: Coming off of a Final Four appearance, the Wildcats are anxious to get back. Three frontcourt players are gone, but senior Scottie Reynolds leads a deep and talented perimeter group. Prediction: NCAA
2. West Virginia: Bob Huggins has this team on the cusp of greatness. Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks form one of the best forward tandems in the country, and JC transfer Casey Mitchell can shoot. Prediction: NCAA
3. Connecticut: Despite the loss of four starters, the Huskies have the talent to contend. Kemba Walker and Jerome Dyson are a quick backcourt, and Stanley Robinson is looking ready for a breakout. Prediction: NCAA
4. Louisville: If the Cardinals can get consistent point guard play from Edgar Sosa, they have the pieces to be a threat. Big man Samardo Samuels should live up to the billing he came into school with last year. Prediction: NCAA
5. Syracuse: The Orange will need to replace three starters, but Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson has a lot of hype, and Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson are a formidable inside duo for the Orange. Prediction: NCAA

6. Georgetown: One of last season's biggest disappointments, the Hoyas are anxious to avoid a repeat. Greg Monroe is a talented big man, and Chris Wright and Austin Freeman are a solid perimeter duo. Prediction: NCAA

7. Cincinnati: The arrival of Lance Stephenson could put this team over the top. The Bearcats already have one of the league's best tandems in guard Deonta Vaughn and big man Yancy Gates. Prediction: NCAA
8. Pittsburgh: No one loses more than the Panthers, but coach Jamie Dixon always has this team in the mix. Several freshmen will have to step up, as will returnees who were role players a year ago. Prediction: NIT
9. Notre Dame: The loss of transfer Scott Martin to injury will hurt, but Luke Harangody is back, and Tory Jackson is an all-around stud at the point. Transfer Ben Hansbrough brings shooting to the wing. Prediction: NIT
10. Seton Hall: The Pirates have some of the best offensive talent in the conference, and if it all comes together, look out. Jeremy Hazell and Robert Mitchell can score, and transfers Keon Lawrence and Herb Pope will be key. Prediction: NIT

11. St. John's: The Red Storm suffered through an injury-riddled season a year ago, but they might be able to take a step forward this season. This is a big year for coach Norm Roberts' future. Prediction: CBI/CIT
12. Marquette: The perimeter trio of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews were enormously important, but now they are all gone. Lazar Hayward leads a group that has more newcomers than returnees. Prediction: No Postseason
13. South Florida: The Bulls could finally have the talent necessary to compete every night. Dominique Jones is a big-time scorer, and JC transfer Jarrid Famous will make an immediate impact. Prediction: No Postseason
14. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights need to start taking strides forward. Guard Mike Rosario is one of the best scorers in the Big East, and Greg Echenique is a double-double threat down low. Prediction: No Postseason
15. Providence: The Friars have only three returnees who saw significant time last season, but a deep recruiting class will bring an influx of talent. PC will struggle immensely with size. Prediction: No Postseason
16. DePaul: The Blue Demons were winless last season, and don't figure to be much better this year. Mac Koshwal and Will Walker form a solid inside-outside duo, but there's not much else. Prediction: No Postseason

SEC Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:15:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

The SEC is going to be one of the most interesting conferences in the country this season. They have some of the top freshmen in the country in John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins of Kentucky, Kenny Boynton of Florida and Mississippi State's Renardo Sidney. They made plenty of big-name coaching hires in the offseason, with John Calipari going to Kentucky, Anthony Grant to Alabama and Mark Fox to Georgia. Furthermore, they have a ton of returning talent and potential All-Americans in Kentucky's Patrick Patterson, Tennessee's Tyler Smith and South Carolina's Devan Downey. The SEC East figures to be a dominant division, with five teams in the mix for an NCAA Tournament bid. More likely than not, one of them will have to be left out. The West is going to be the weaker division, but there is a lot of young talent, and Mississippi State and Ole Miss will be contenders. Get ready for a wild season in the SEC.

Player of the Year: Patrick Patterson, F, Kentucky

Newcomer of the Year: John Wall, G, Kentucky

All-Conference Team:
G- Devan Downey, South Carolina
G- John Wall, Kentucky
F- Tyler Smith, Tennessee
F- Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
C- Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State

Second Team:
G- Terrico White, Ole Miss
G- Chris Warren, Ole Miss
F- Tasmin Mitchell, LSU
F- Michael Washington, Arkansas
C- A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt

Third Team:
G- Kenny Boynton, Florida
G- Courtney Fortson, Arkansas
F- Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt
F- Wayne Chism, Tennessee
C- DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

Projected Order of Finish
East
1. Kentucky: With the arrival of new head coach John Calipari and the best recruiting class in the country, the Wildcats are a Final Four favorite behind freshman John Wall and junior Patrick Patterson. Prediction: NCAA
2. Tennessee: The Volunteers return everyone from last season, including forwards Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith. However, they need more consistent perimeter play in order to reach their full potential. Prediction: NCAA
3. Florida: The Gators are poised to get back to the Big Dance after settling for the NIT last season. Freshman guard Kenny Boynton and a talented and deep frontcourt will make sure of that. Prediction: NCAA
4. Vanderbilt: The Commodores are ready to make noise after going .500 in the SEC last year. Four double-figure scorers return, including A.J. Ogilvy, and frosh shooter John Jenkins will make an impact. Prediction: NCAA
5. South Carolina: The Gamecocks have the talent to get to the NCAA Tournament, but they will struggle to repeat their division title of a year ago. Devan Downey is an All-American at the point guard spot. Prediction: NIT
6. Georgia: Far and away the worst team in the SEC, the Bulldogs have a lot of work to do in order to make strides in the conference. Trey Thompkins is a bright spot at the forward position. Prediction: No Postseason

West
1. Mississippi State: If freshman Renardo Sidney is eligible, look out. The Bulldogs return five starters, including Jarvis Varnado, and have the talent and depth to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Prediction: NCAA
2. Ole Miss: The Rebels are now healthy and will be a force to be reckoned with in the SEC. Chris Warren and Terrico White form one of the best backcourt duos in the country. They need inside help. Prediction: NCAA
3. Arkansas: The Razorbacks want to erase their memories of last season's 2-14 SEC campaign. They have plenty of talent across the board, including Courtney Fortson and Michael Washington. Prediction: NIT
4. Alabama: New head coach Anthony Grant hopes to continue the success he had at VCU with the Crimson Tide. JaMychal Green is capable of being a dominant big man, and there is perimeter talent. Prediction: CBI/CIT
5. Auburn: The Tigers won 24 games last season, but they lose three starters from that group. The backcourt of DeWayne Reed and Tay Waller will try to help them stay competitive, though. Prediction: No Postseason
6. LSU: The biggest slide in the conference will belong to the Tigers, who won the division title and got to the second round last season. Tasmin Mitchell is one of the country's best small forwards. Prediction: No Postseason

Pac-10 Conference Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:30:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

After a season in which the Pac-10 sent six teams to the NCAA Tournament, including five that won at least one game in the Big Dance, the conference is undoubtedly headed for a down year. While Washington and California are the clear-cut favorites, even they are not serious national title contenders yet. After them, the conference is going to be wide-open. UCLA and Arizona are reloading, while USC and Arizona State are headed for a major fall this season after losing key cogs. With that said, there is room for a couple of teams, namely Oregon and Oregon State, to make strides forward in the league standings. It is a surprise to see only three teams projected to reach the NCAA Tournament, but it is very difficult to place another team as solidly in the Big Dance. We will have to wait and see to see if any team can step up and nab an extra bid.

Player of the Year: Jerome Randle, G, California

Newcomer of the Year: Abdul, Gaddy, G, Washington

All-Conference Team:
G- Isaiah Thomas, Washington
G- Jerome Randle, California
G- Patrick Christopher, California
G- Nic Wise, Arizona
F- Quincy Pondexter, Washington

Second Team:
G- Dwight Lewis, USC
G- Klay Thompson, Washington State
G- Abdul Gaddy, Washington
F- Landry Fields, Stanford
C- Roeland Schafternaar, Oregon State

Third Team:
G- Calvin Haynes, Oregon State
G- Tajuan Porter, Oregon
G- Malcolm Lee, UCLA
F- Theo Robertson, California
F- Nikola Dragovic, UCLA

Projected Order of Finish

1. California: The Golden Bears have the league's best backcourt in Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher, and Theo Robertson is a gunner on the wing. They need someone to step up down low, though. Prediction: NCAA
2. Washington: If Abdul Gaddy makes the impact that is expected of him, he and Isaiah Thomas will form a dynamite guard tandem. Quincy Pondexter is poised for a breakout season in the frontcourt. Prediction: NCAA
3. UCLA: Although the Bruins are young, they are still very talented and still have Ben Howland at the helm. Sophomore Malcolm Lee will be a scorer in the backcourt and Nikola Dragovic can shoot the three. Prediction: NCAA
4. Arizona: This could be the year that the Wildcats' streak of 25 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances comes to an end. Nic Wise and a crop of newcomers need to step up early and often. Prediction: NIT
5. Oregon State: The inside-outside duo of Calvin Haynes and Roelanad Schafternaar is an underrated tandem, and freshman Roberto Nelson is expected to make an impact in the backcourt. Prediction: NIT
6. Oregon: The Ducks are going to try to run-and-gun their way to a postseason berth. Tajuan Porter is still around in the backcourt, and sophomore Michael Dunigan has plenty of potential down low. Prediction: CBI/CIT
7. Washington State: The young (13 freshman or sophomores) Cougars lose head coach Tony Bennett, but they have a budding sophomore tandem in Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto. Prediction: CBI/CIT
8. Arizona State: Without James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph, the Sun Devils will struggle. However, Derek Glasser and Rihards Kuksiks played key roles in their 25-win season a year ago. Prediction: No Postseason
9. USC: The Trojans had a tumultuous offseason, and will try to stay out of the Pac-10 cellar this season. Dwight Lewis and UNC transfer Alex Stepheson will have to carry the load. Prediction: No Postseason
10. Stanford: The Cardinal finished next-to-last a year ago, but they might not get that high this season. Landry Fields is one of the Pac-10's best players, but they don't have much else. Prediction: No Postseason

Atlantic-10 Conference Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON, CLICK HERE

The Atlantic-10 Conference featured a very exciting conference race last season, despite Xavier never falling more than a half-game out of the league race. The Musketeers won the title by one game, with three teams tying for second place behind them: Dayton, Rhode Island and Temple. A quartet of teams finished at 9-7 and Saint Louis was 8-8. Temple made a run in the conference tournament and won the automatic bid, while Xavier and Dayton received at-large bids. Once there, Temple was knocked off in the first round, but Dayton and Xavier each advanced, with the Musketeers getting to the Sweet Sixteen. Rhode Island and Duquesne went to the NIT and Richmond was sent to the CBI. This season, Xavier might fall back a notch, and there are several teams looking to take its place.

1. Dayton: The Flyers are ready to take the next step and win the conference title this season, behind high-flying Chris Wright, Marcus Johnson and plenty of role players. Prediction: NCAA
2. Xavier: The Musketeers lose their top three scorers from last season, but get Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford and return several guys looking to have breakout seasons. Prediction: NCAA
3. Richmond: The Spiders could be a contender in the A-10 this season; guards Kevin Anderson and David Gonzalvez form an outstanding backcourt, and Dan Geriot is also back. Prediction: NIT
4. La Salle: This is a team poised for its best season in almost two decades. Rodney Green leads four double-figure scorers, and freshman Aaric Murray will make an impact down low. Prediction: NIT
5. Duquesne: The Dukes lose do-everything guard Aaron Jackson, but all-around forward Damian Saunders, Bill Clark and Melquan Bolding form a solid core trio. Prediction: NIT
6. Temple: Without Dionte Christmas, the Owls will have to rely on guards Ryan Brooks and Juan Fernandez, and big man Lavoy Allen, a double-double threat. Prediction: CBI/CIT
7. Charlotte: The arrival of Boston College transfer Shamari Spears will help the frontcourt, and assist-man extraordinaire DiJuan Harris anchors the backcourt. Prediction: No Postseason
8. Rhode Island: The Rams are very likely to take a step back from last season because of the loss of Jimmy Baron and Kaheim Seawright, but they still have talent. Prediction: No Postseason
9. Massachusetts: Ricky Harris and Anthony Gurley return in the backcourt, but freshman Terrell Vinson and Memphis transfer Hashim Bailey have to make an impact. Prediction: No Postseason
10. St. Bonaventure: Behind the return of center Andrew Nicholson and two double-figure scorers on the perimeter, the Bonnies are ready to take some steps forward. Prediction: No Postseason
11. Saint Joseph's: The Hawks are undoubtedly going to fall in the league, as they lose Ahmad Nivins and Tasheed Carr. Darrin Govens will have to be the go-to-guy. Prediction: No Postseason
12. Saint Louis: Guard Kwamain Mitchell is a potential all-conference guard, but he is going to need some support from the role players if the Billikens are going anywhere. Prediction: No Postseason
13. George Washington: The Colonials finished next-to-last a year ago, and lose forward Rob Diggs. All-conferene forward Damian Hollis has to carry the load. Prediction: No Postseason
14. Fordham: The Rams were just 3-25 last season, and Mike Moore and Trey Blue transferred. Jio Fontan is back, though, and he has a chance to lead the league in scoring. Prediction: No Postseason

Player of the Year: Chris Wright, F, Dayton

All-Conference Team:
G- Rodney Green, La Salle
G- Ricky Harris, Massachusetts
G- Kevin Anderson, Richmond
F- Chris Wright, Dayton
F- Lavoy Allen, Temple

Second Team:
G- David Gonzalvez, Richmond
G- Jordan Crawford, Xavier
G- Marcus Johnson, Dayton
F- Damian Saunders, Duquesne
C- Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

Third Team:
G- Jio Fontan, Fordham
F- Shamari Spears, Charlotte
F- Damian Hollis, George Washington
F- Dan Geriot, Richmond
C- Jason Love, Xavier