SelectionSunday
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What's happened and what's ahead in the world of college basketball. Coolhand & I will make this a cooperative effort, this week starting his weekly musings.
NCAA Resume Enhancers
1. Arizona State 59, San Diego State 52 -- Sun Devils grind out a gritty win at Cox Arena.
2. Illinois 69, Vandy 63 -- This road win could look awfully nice in mid-March.
3. Michigan 55, UCLA 52 -- Days of Big Blue being underachiever are over with John Beilein in charge.
4. Mizzou 83, USC 72 -- Tigers log the Big 12's first significant win.
5. Oklahoma 82, Davidson 78 -- Griffin + Curry = great early-season theater.
6. Rhode Island 92, VCU 86 -- Rams look like they'll be a factor in the A-10.
7. Seton Hall 63, USC 61 & Seton Hall 77, Virginia Tech 73 -- Embattled Bobby Gonzalez shows he's not going to give up his job without a fight.
8. UAB 72, Arizona 71 -- Blazers gladly accept Wildcats' late-game boneheadedness.
9. Xavier 63, Virginia Tech 62 & Xavier 63, Memphis 58 -- We should have known the X would keep on truckin' despite substantial graduation hits.
Tracking My Preseason Final Four
1. Duke (6-0, #14 RPI)
2. Arizona State (3-0, #70)
3. Louisville (2-0, #151)
4. North Carolina (3-0, #153)
BCS Conferences Head to Head
1. Big 12 (1-0)
T2. ACC (4-2)
T2. Big 10 (2-1)
4. Big East (3-2)
5. SEC (0-2)
6. Pac 10 (0-3)
Big 10 Power Ratings (through 11/23)
1. Wisconsin (3-0, 9, 3.0)
2. Michigan (2-1, 8.5, 2.833)
3. Michigan State (2-0, 4.75, 2.375)
4. GOPHERS (3-0, 6.75, 2.25)
5. Illinois (4-0, 8, 2.0)
6. Northwestern (3-0, 5.75, 1.916)
7. Purdue (4-0, 7, 1.75)
8. Iowa (4-0, 6.75, 1.687)
9. Penn State (4-0, 6, 1.5)
10. Indiana (2-0, 3, 1.5)
11. Ohio State (1-0, 1, 1.0)
Gophers in the RPI
#28, right behind Ohio U, just ahead of Temple.
Tracking the Gophers' Nonconference Foes
1. Virginia (3-0, #7)
2. Cornell (1-2, #100)
3. Bowling Green (1-1, #137)
4. Louisville (2-0, #151)
5. High Point (0-2, #152)
6. Colorado State (2-1, #163)
7. Eastern Washington (2-1, #185)
8. Georgia State (0-3, #309)
9. South Dakota State (0-3, #324)
10. Southeastern Louisiana (0-2, #330)
11. North Dakota State (0-1, #338)
What to Watch This Week
1. Bowling Green at Ohio State (M) -- How will BGSU fare in Columbus?
2. Connecticut vs. Wisconsin (M) -- Paradise Jam title game offers a juicy Big East/Big 10 clash of styles.
3. Florida vs. Syracuse (M) -- Power programs that want no part of another NIT appearance.
4. Idaho at Eastern Washington (M) -- EWU's tune-up for Gophers.
5. Indiana vs. Notre Dame (M) -- Tom Crean's first real test at IU.
6. Creighton at Arkansas-Little Rock (T) -- Pair of mids off to 3-0 starts.
7. Northwestern at Butler (W) -- Wildcats hit the road for Hinkle Fieldhouse.
8. Notre Dame vs. Texas (W) ???? -- Maui semifinal if both win their openers.
9. Oklahoma vs. UAB (W) -- NIT Season Tip-Off semifinal offers Blazers another opportunity for resume-building win.
10. Baylor vs. Providence (Th) -- Best quarterfinal matchup at the Anaheim Classic.
11. Gonzaga vs. Oklahoma State (Th) -- Zags should be careful in this Old Spice quarterfinal.
12. Siena vs. Tennessee (Th) -- Will the Saints go marching in to the Old Spice semis?
13. Illinois vs. Kent State (F) -- South Padre Island semifinal winner will enhance its resume.
14. Iowa vs. West Virginia (F) -- Hawkeyes' first test comes at Las Vegas Invitational.
15. Mississippi State vs. Wazzu (F) -- Winner likely gets Pitt in Legends Classic title game.
16. Penn State vs. Rhode Island (F) -- Nitts need to show they're for real, beating URI at the Philly Classic would qualify.
17. Creighton at Nebraska (Sat) -- In-state rivals are both undefeated.
18. Dayton vs. Marquette (Sat) -- Buzz Williams' first true exam as Warriors' head coach comes at the Chicago Challenge.
19. Cornell at Indiana (Sun) -- Gopher fans should pay attention to this score.
20. Old Spice Title Game (Sun) -- My crystal ball sees a Georgetown-Sparty finale.
The Big Lefty
Glad to see my favorite referee, the big left-hander Steve Welmer, is back for another season of college hoops officiating. The season's first Welmer sighting came at the Nov. 20 Tulsa-Oklahoma State tilt. Conversely, I have not seen Mike "the whistle-happy wienie" Sanzere as of yet. That is a good thing.
Spencer Behind the Mike
Rookie Big Ten Network analyst Spencer Tollackson did a solid job serving as color man for Sunday's New Hampshire-Penn State game. Though a little nervous, Spencer let some of his personality show. One thing for the former Gopher forward to work on. ... cutting down on the "you knows" and "ums". He'll get the hang of it, he's an articulate kid.
"Cool(hand) Musings" from Peru
**You may have heard that one of the leading candidates for most hated player in college basketball (Greg Paulus) is no longer the starting point guard for Duke, having been supplanted by Nolan Smith. While it's unusual to see, what's particularly noteworthy is how the senior not only is coming off the bench, but coming off the bench somewhat sparingly. Against Rhode Island, Paulus played only 11 minutes. We hear all the time about how Duke is different than the rest of college basketball. It'll be interesting to see how readily a three-year starter at point guard accepts being an afterthought for the Dukies during his senior campaign, if his minutes remain at their current clip.
**Purdue's Matt Painter is easing his way through the soft part of the nonconference schedule by taking it easy on his players, surely building for the rigors of the Big Ten. With his eight-man rotation set, the leading player in minutes (Keaton Grant) is averaging 25.8 minutes per game while the eighth player in the rotation (Nemanja Calasan) averages 19 minutes per game, with six others falling somewhere between. Outside of this week's games at the NIT Season Tip-Off and versus Duke and Davidson in December, the nonconference schedule appears to be a relatively easy path for the Boilermakers. They appear to be pacing themselves before conference play commences.
Quote of the Week
Tom Izzo, after his Spartans struggled to beat IPFW 70-59, on why it's so difficult to win on the road.
"What happens when you go on the road, every shot they make becomes bigger for them and more depressing for us and that's why it's hard to play these games on the road."
Tubby Smith & the Gophers would second that motion after their hard-fought 72-71 win over a much improved Colorado State squad in Fort Collins.
Team of the Week
Easy choice. Xavier wins the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with wins over two BCS schools (Mizzou & Virginia Tech) and last season's national runner-up (Memphis). The 63-62 thriller over Virginia Tech provided the season's first buzzer-beater, when a half-court prayer was answered.
SS Mailbag
Dear Selection Sunday,
Whew, there sure appear to be a lot of creampuffs on the Gophers' nonconference schedule this year. Do the Gophers have the worst nonconference schedule of all major-conference teams this season?
-- G. Mason, Twin Cities --
G. Mason,
Yes, there are too many creampuffs on the Gophers' schedule, PARTICULARLY AT HOME, but no, they do not have the softest nonconference schedule (that's not saying much) among the major conferences (ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10 & SEC). That dubious distinction goes to Oregon State & President-elect Obama's brother-in-law Craig Robinson. I present you the Beavers' non-league slate, which would even make a certain former Gophers football coach blush.
at Howard
at Nevada
Yale
Montana State
at Fresno State
at Iowa State
Nebraska
Seattle Pacific
Howard
Seattle
It's going to be a long season for Mr. Robinson. The Beavers are off to a 0-2 start, starting with an unsightly loss to perennial MEAC doormat Howard. The good news is OSU gets another crack at Howard, not to mention very soon Robinson will have direct access to the President of the United States! As a sidebar. ... I hope & pray President-elect Obama isn't in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament field.
NCAA Resume Enhancers
1. Arizona State 59, San Diego State 52 -- Sun Devils grind out a gritty win at Cox Arena.
2. Illinois 69, Vandy 63 -- This road win could look awfully nice in mid-March.
3. Michigan 55, UCLA 52 -- Days of Big Blue being underachiever are over with John Beilein in charge.
4. Mizzou 83, USC 72 -- Tigers log the Big 12's first significant win.
5. Oklahoma 82, Davidson 78 -- Griffin + Curry = great early-season theater.
6. Rhode Island 92, VCU 86 -- Rams look like they'll be a factor in the A-10.
7. Seton Hall 63, USC 61 & Seton Hall 77, Virginia Tech 73 -- Embattled Bobby Gonzalez shows he's not going to give up his job without a fight.
8. UAB 72, Arizona 71 -- Blazers gladly accept Wildcats' late-game boneheadedness.
9. Xavier 63, Virginia Tech 62 & Xavier 63, Memphis 58 -- We should have known the X would keep on truckin' despite substantial graduation hits.
Tracking My Preseason Final Four
1. Duke (6-0, #14 RPI)
2. Arizona State (3-0, #70)
3. Louisville (2-0, #151)
4. North Carolina (3-0, #153)
BCS Conferences Head to Head
1. Big 12 (1-0)
T2. ACC (4-2)
T2. Big 10 (2-1)
4. Big East (3-2)
5. SEC (0-2)
6. Pac 10 (0-3)
Big 10 Power Ratings (through 11/23)
1. Wisconsin (3-0, 9, 3.0)
2. Michigan (2-1, 8.5, 2.833)
3. Michigan State (2-0, 4.75, 2.375)
4. GOPHERS (3-0, 6.75, 2.25)
5. Illinois (4-0, 8, 2.0)
6. Northwestern (3-0, 5.75, 1.916)
7. Purdue (4-0, 7, 1.75)
8. Iowa (4-0, 6.75, 1.687)
9. Penn State (4-0, 6, 1.5)
10. Indiana (2-0, 3, 1.5)
11. Ohio State (1-0, 1, 1.0)
Gophers in the RPI
#28, right behind Ohio U, just ahead of Temple.
Tracking the Gophers' Nonconference Foes
1. Virginia (3-0, #7)
2. Cornell (1-2, #100)
3. Bowling Green (1-1, #137)
4. Louisville (2-0, #151)
5. High Point (0-2, #152)
6. Colorado State (2-1, #163)
7. Eastern Washington (2-1, #185)
8. Georgia State (0-3, #309)
9. South Dakota State (0-3, #324)
10. Southeastern Louisiana (0-2, #330)
11. North Dakota State (0-1, #338)
What to Watch This Week
1. Bowling Green at Ohio State (M) -- How will BGSU fare in Columbus?
2. Connecticut vs. Wisconsin (M) -- Paradise Jam title game offers a juicy Big East/Big 10 clash of styles.
3. Florida vs. Syracuse (M) -- Power programs that want no part of another NIT appearance.
4. Idaho at Eastern Washington (M) -- EWU's tune-up for Gophers.
5. Indiana vs. Notre Dame (M) -- Tom Crean's first real test at IU.
6. Creighton at Arkansas-Little Rock (T) -- Pair of mids off to 3-0 starts.
7. Northwestern at Butler (W) -- Wildcats hit the road for Hinkle Fieldhouse.
8. Notre Dame vs. Texas (W) ???? -- Maui semifinal if both win their openers.
9. Oklahoma vs. UAB (W) -- NIT Season Tip-Off semifinal offers Blazers another opportunity for resume-building win.
10. Baylor vs. Providence (Th) -- Best quarterfinal matchup at the Anaheim Classic.
11. Gonzaga vs. Oklahoma State (Th) -- Zags should be careful in this Old Spice quarterfinal.
12. Siena vs. Tennessee (Th) -- Will the Saints go marching in to the Old Spice semis?
13. Illinois vs. Kent State (F) -- South Padre Island semifinal winner will enhance its resume.
14. Iowa vs. West Virginia (F) -- Hawkeyes' first test comes at Las Vegas Invitational.
15. Mississippi State vs. Wazzu (F) -- Winner likely gets Pitt in Legends Classic title game.
16. Penn State vs. Rhode Island (F) -- Nitts need to show they're for real, beating URI at the Philly Classic would qualify.
17. Creighton at Nebraska (Sat) -- In-state rivals are both undefeated.
18. Dayton vs. Marquette (Sat) -- Buzz Williams' first true exam as Warriors' head coach comes at the Chicago Challenge.
19. Cornell at Indiana (Sun) -- Gopher fans should pay attention to this score.
20. Old Spice Title Game (Sun) -- My crystal ball sees a Georgetown-Sparty finale.
The Big Lefty
Glad to see my favorite referee, the big left-hander Steve Welmer, is back for another season of college hoops officiating. The season's first Welmer sighting came at the Nov. 20 Tulsa-Oklahoma State tilt. Conversely, I have not seen Mike "the whistle-happy wienie" Sanzere as of yet. That is a good thing.
Spencer Behind the Mike
Rookie Big Ten Network analyst Spencer Tollackson did a solid job serving as color man for Sunday's New Hampshire-Penn State game. Though a little nervous, Spencer let some of his personality show. One thing for the former Gopher forward to work on. ... cutting down on the "you knows" and "ums". He'll get the hang of it, he's an articulate kid.
"Cool(hand) Musings" from Peru
**You may have heard that one of the leading candidates for most hated player in college basketball (Greg Paulus) is no longer the starting point guard for Duke, having been supplanted by Nolan Smith. While it's unusual to see, what's particularly noteworthy is how the senior not only is coming off the bench, but coming off the bench somewhat sparingly. Against Rhode Island, Paulus played only 11 minutes. We hear all the time about how Duke is different than the rest of college basketball. It'll be interesting to see how readily a three-year starter at point guard accepts being an afterthought for the Dukies during his senior campaign, if his minutes remain at their current clip.
**Purdue's Matt Painter is easing his way through the soft part of the nonconference schedule by taking it easy on his players, surely building for the rigors of the Big Ten. With his eight-man rotation set, the leading player in minutes (Keaton Grant) is averaging 25.8 minutes per game while the eighth player in the rotation (Nemanja Calasan) averages 19 minutes per game, with six others falling somewhere between. Outside of this week's games at the NIT Season Tip-Off and versus Duke and Davidson in December, the nonconference schedule appears to be a relatively easy path for the Boilermakers. They appear to be pacing themselves before conference play commences.
Quote of the Week
Tom Izzo, after his Spartans struggled to beat IPFW 70-59, on why it's so difficult to win on the road.
"What happens when you go on the road, every shot they make becomes bigger for them and more depressing for us and that's why it's hard to play these games on the road."
Tubby Smith & the Gophers would second that motion after their hard-fought 72-71 win over a much improved Colorado State squad in Fort Collins.
Team of the Week
Easy choice. Xavier wins the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with wins over two BCS schools (Mizzou & Virginia Tech) and last season's national runner-up (Memphis). The 63-62 thriller over Virginia Tech provided the season's first buzzer-beater, when a half-court prayer was answered.
SS Mailbag
Dear Selection Sunday,
Whew, there sure appear to be a lot of creampuffs on the Gophers' nonconference schedule this year. Do the Gophers have the worst nonconference schedule of all major-conference teams this season?
-- G. Mason, Twin Cities --
G. Mason,
Yes, there are too many creampuffs on the Gophers' schedule, PARTICULARLY AT HOME, but no, they do not have the softest nonconference schedule (that's not saying much) among the major conferences (ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10 & SEC). That dubious distinction goes to Oregon State & President-elect Obama's brother-in-law Craig Robinson. I present you the Beavers' non-league slate, which would even make a certain former Gophers football coach blush.
at Howard
at Nevada
Yale
Montana State
at Fresno State
at Iowa State
Nebraska
Seattle Pacific
Howard
Seattle
It's going to be a long season for Mr. Robinson. The Beavers are off to a 0-2 start, starting with an unsightly loss to perennial MEAC doormat Howard. The good news is OSU gets another crack at Howard, not to mention very soon Robinson will have direct access to the President of the United States! As a sidebar. ... I hope & pray President-elect Obama isn't in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament field.