SelectionSunday
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What's happened and what's ahead in the world of college basketball.
A Baker's Dozen (Building Resume, Will Travel)
These 13 squads weren't ranked to start the season, but early-season results indicate we might be paying attention to them come mid-March.
1. Arkansas-Little Rock (5-0): Trojans have two road wins and, more impressively, a 71-69 home win over Missouri Valley Conference favorite Creighton. Up next: at Missouri State (Wednesday).
2. Baylor (5-1): Bears earned neutral-site wins over Arizona State and Providence while finishing second at the Anaheim Classic. Up next: at Washington State (Saturday).
3. Dayton (6-0): Flyers picked up wins over Auburn and Marquette while winning the Chicago Challenge. Up next: Troy (Tuesday).
4. Florida State (7-0): Leonard Hamilton is handling the hot seat just fine. The Seminoles are winning close games (four by 4 points or less). Neutral-site wins over Cal and Cincinnati are encouraging. Up next: at Northwestern (Wednesday).
5. Illinois (6-0): Neutral-site wins over Kent State and Tulsa + a win at Vandy should look OK on the Illini's resume when at-large bids are doled out. Up next: Clemson (Tuesday).
6. Illinois State (7-0): Redbirds have four wins away from home but none of the eye-opening variety. Redbirds could get bitten by nonconference schedule if they don't perform exceedingly well in the MVC. Up next: Bowling Green (Saturday).
7. Michigan (4-1): OT win over Savannah State shows that Wolverines still have a ways to go, but nevertheless Big Blue is showing signs of life with win over UCLA. Up next: at Maryland (Wednesday).
8. Nebraska (5-0): Win over in-state rival Creighton is a feather in the cap, but we'll know more about the 'Huskers after their visit to Arizona State on Sunday. Up next: Alabama State (Wednesday).
9. Rhode Island (5-2): Wins over Penn State and VCU are decent and losses to Duke (82-79 in Cameron Indoor) and Villanova (78-65) are nothing to be ashamed of. Up next: at Northeastern (Wednesday).
10. Seton Hall (5-1): Being under-manned didn't stop the Pirates from beating both USC and Virginia Tech, but will they run out of gas? Up next: Monmouth (Tuesday).
11. Syracuse (5-0): Three of the Orangemen's wins have come vs. BCS schools. ... Florida, Kansas and Virginia. Up next: Colgate (tonight).
12. Utah (4-0): Utes beat Ole Miss and have a decent road win at Missouri State, but what about that unsightly loss to a non-Division I school to open the season? Up next: Oregon (Wednesday).
13. Xavier (6-0): X has a chance to be undefeated heading into its Dec. 20 showdown vs. Duke. Up next: Auburn (Wednesday).
Tracking My Preseason Final Four
1. Duke (7-0, #15 RPI)
2. North Carolina (6-0, #18)
3. Arizona State (5-1, #82)
4. Louisville (2-1, #250)
BCS Conferences Head to Head
1. ACC (10-5, 66.7%)
2. Big East (13-7, 65%)
3. Big 12 (7-8, 46.7%)
4. Big 10 (5-6, 45.5%)
5. SEC (4-6, 40%)
6. Pac 10 (3-10, 23.1%)
The Big 10 in the RPI (through Nov. 30)
6. Illinois
16. Michigan
20. Northwestern
24. Michigan State
28. Wisconsin
32. GOPHERS
62. Purdue
76. Ohio State
79. Iowa
147. Penn State
149. Indiana
Tracking the Gophers' Nonconference Foes in the RPI
52. Eastern Washington (4-2)
75. Virginia (3-2)
92. Bowling Green (1-2)
133. Colorado State (3-2)
172. Cornell (3-3)
192. North Dakota State (1-2)
206. High Point (0-3)
250. Louisville (2-1)
299. Georgia State (0-4)
312. Southeastern Louisiana (0-3)
315. South Dakota State (1-4)
What to Watch This Week
Is this the year the Big 10 finally wins its annual challenge with the ACC? It says here at least eight of the 11 games will be decided by 10 points or less, but again it will be the ACC coming out on top. The challenge will be tied at 3 apiece heading into Wednesday's final day before the ACC takes command for a 7-4 victory. I see Big 10 victories coming from Wisconsin, Purdue, the Gophers and Michigan.
Woodside/NDSU sighting in March?
Wasn't able to attend the Gophers-NDSU game, but from what I could see on the tube (and from what I've seen in the past) Bison guard Ben Woodside is a keeper. Woodside could get significant minutes on any team in the Big 10, bar none. He's a very good Division I guard with the ability to shoot long-range and slice his way to the basket. Still a long ways to go, but the College Hoops Notebook predicts NDSU will be the Summit League's representative in the NCAA Tournament.
We Interrupt This Game For A 2-Hour Infomercial
Tuned in to the Big Ten Network's Gophers-NDSU game Saturday expecting to get play-by-play and analysis of the game. Instead, all I got was a 2-hour ode waxing poetic about the virutes of our head coach. Hey, I love Tubby just as much as the next guy, I'm absolutely thrilled he's the Gophers' coach, but we're now in Year 2 of his regime. Let's turn the page. At some point the announcers need to describe the action taking place on the court, not turn the broadcast into a Tubby Smith infomercial. The play-by-play guy was awful. I still think Spencer will be OK once he gets his feet wet, but at this point I would suggest the BTN let Spencer cut his teeth serving as analyst for games not involving the Gophers.
"Cool(hand) Musings" from Peru
** My nomination for top patsy of the early season goes to the Jacksonville Dolphins of the Atlantic Sun conference. Artis Gilmore's alma mater checks in at 0-5, but consider the competition the Dolphins have faced. ... Florida State, Georgetown, American, Baylor and Georgia Tech. The Dolphins have kept the margin of loss in each game within 10 points, with a couple real squeakers vs. Florida State and Georgia Tech. I would not be surprised to see Jacksonville bounce back during conference play, earn the automatic tourney berth and present real problems for someone come NCAA tournament time.
** I want to recognize another lightly regarded team with a famous basketball alum. Seattle University, Elgin Baylor's school, has returned to D-1 ball this year after having dropped down to NAIA in 1980. As you can see across the fine print of the college basketball landscape, the leap to D-1 ball can be a brutal leap, especially during the first few years of the transition. At the Great Alaska Shootout, Seattle celebrated its first win over a D-1 opponent since 1980 when it defeated Louisiana Tech. Seattle was led by another famous name, forward Austen Powers, who scored 16 points in the victory.
** UNLV demonstrated how NOT to host a tournament, losing its two games at home this past weekend to California and Cincinnati. For a team many considered of top-25 caliber stepping into the season, losing to teams expected to be middling in their respective conferences does not help the NCAA resume if the Rebels fail to garner the Mountain West's automatic bid.
** Demar DeRozan brought as much hype as any freshman into this season, projected by many to be a one-and-done talent who would be better for the Trojans than O.J. Mayo was (specifically stated by Gary Parrish at CBSSports.com). It may still happen, but DeRozan's start has been rather pedestrian. Hovering around 10 ppg, DeRozan virtually disappeared in losses to Seton Hall and Missouri, scoring 11 points total over the two games.
** The freshman leading college basketball in scoring has a familiar surname. Liberty's Seth Curry is Stephen's little brother and has averaged 22 ppg through five games, including 26 in an upset win at Virginia. Like his brother, he's a guard with a thin frame who can dial it up from long distance (37% from 3-point range). His early success begs the question. ... after seeing what his overlooked older brother has accomplished at Davidson, why didn't a program from a major conference take a flyer on the little brother?
Quote of the Week (Part I)
Tubby Smith, after being asked by sideline reporter Leslie Hill what the key ingredient was to his team's 5-0 start.
"Scheduling."
Quote of the Week (Part II)
Bobby Knight's thoughts about Minnesota-native and Kansas Jayhawk Cole Aldrich after watching Aldrich dominate the Washington Huskies.
"I would have loved to be the coach at Minnesota when he was in high school. I never would have let him get out of the state."
Team of the Week
Florida State (Global Sports Classic), Gonzaga (Old Spice Classic), Kentucky (Las Vegas Invitational) and Wake Forest (Anaheim 76 Classic) all deserve mention for winning their tournaments, but I'm going with the tough-as-nails Pitt Panthers. Jamie Dixon's squad beat Texas Tech and an underrated Wazzu squad to win the Legends Classic.
The SS Mailbag
Dear Selection Sunday,
I know your specialty is college hoops, not NBA basketball, but if you were a NBA GM with the first pick in the NBA draft next June, who would you take?
-- Kevvy from Hibbing --
Kevvy,
I think Tyler Hansbrough is a wonderful college basketball player and he'll undoubtedly have a lengthy NBA career, but I don't ever see him being a "superstar" in a league that emphasizes individuals more than teams. To answer your question, I think the GM with the 1st choice would be an absolute fool not to select Oklahoma's Blake Griffin. This guy's body and game is built for the NBA. College hoops fans should take time to enjoy his final season in the college game. I know I will.
A Baker's Dozen (Building Resume, Will Travel)
These 13 squads weren't ranked to start the season, but early-season results indicate we might be paying attention to them come mid-March.
1. Arkansas-Little Rock (5-0): Trojans have two road wins and, more impressively, a 71-69 home win over Missouri Valley Conference favorite Creighton. Up next: at Missouri State (Wednesday).
2. Baylor (5-1): Bears earned neutral-site wins over Arizona State and Providence while finishing second at the Anaheim Classic. Up next: at Washington State (Saturday).
3. Dayton (6-0): Flyers picked up wins over Auburn and Marquette while winning the Chicago Challenge. Up next: Troy (Tuesday).
4. Florida State (7-0): Leonard Hamilton is handling the hot seat just fine. The Seminoles are winning close games (four by 4 points or less). Neutral-site wins over Cal and Cincinnati are encouraging. Up next: at Northwestern (Wednesday).
5. Illinois (6-0): Neutral-site wins over Kent State and Tulsa + a win at Vandy should look OK on the Illini's resume when at-large bids are doled out. Up next: Clemson (Tuesday).
6. Illinois State (7-0): Redbirds have four wins away from home but none of the eye-opening variety. Redbirds could get bitten by nonconference schedule if they don't perform exceedingly well in the MVC. Up next: Bowling Green (Saturday).
7. Michigan (4-1): OT win over Savannah State shows that Wolverines still have a ways to go, but nevertheless Big Blue is showing signs of life with win over UCLA. Up next: at Maryland (Wednesday).
8. Nebraska (5-0): Win over in-state rival Creighton is a feather in the cap, but we'll know more about the 'Huskers after their visit to Arizona State on Sunday. Up next: Alabama State (Wednesday).
9. Rhode Island (5-2): Wins over Penn State and VCU are decent and losses to Duke (82-79 in Cameron Indoor) and Villanova (78-65) are nothing to be ashamed of. Up next: at Northeastern (Wednesday).
10. Seton Hall (5-1): Being under-manned didn't stop the Pirates from beating both USC and Virginia Tech, but will they run out of gas? Up next: Monmouth (Tuesday).
11. Syracuse (5-0): Three of the Orangemen's wins have come vs. BCS schools. ... Florida, Kansas and Virginia. Up next: Colgate (tonight).
12. Utah (4-0): Utes beat Ole Miss and have a decent road win at Missouri State, but what about that unsightly loss to a non-Division I school to open the season? Up next: Oregon (Wednesday).
13. Xavier (6-0): X has a chance to be undefeated heading into its Dec. 20 showdown vs. Duke. Up next: Auburn (Wednesday).
Tracking My Preseason Final Four
1. Duke (7-0, #15 RPI)
2. North Carolina (6-0, #18)
3. Arizona State (5-1, #82)
4. Louisville (2-1, #250)
BCS Conferences Head to Head
1. ACC (10-5, 66.7%)
2. Big East (13-7, 65%)
3. Big 12 (7-8, 46.7%)
4. Big 10 (5-6, 45.5%)
5. SEC (4-6, 40%)
6. Pac 10 (3-10, 23.1%)
The Big 10 in the RPI (through Nov. 30)
6. Illinois
16. Michigan
20. Northwestern
24. Michigan State
28. Wisconsin
32. GOPHERS
62. Purdue
76. Ohio State
79. Iowa
147. Penn State
149. Indiana
Tracking the Gophers' Nonconference Foes in the RPI
52. Eastern Washington (4-2)
75. Virginia (3-2)
92. Bowling Green (1-2)
133. Colorado State (3-2)
172. Cornell (3-3)
192. North Dakota State (1-2)
206. High Point (0-3)
250. Louisville (2-1)
299. Georgia State (0-4)
312. Southeastern Louisiana (0-3)
315. South Dakota State (1-4)
What to Watch This Week
Is this the year the Big 10 finally wins its annual challenge with the ACC? It says here at least eight of the 11 games will be decided by 10 points or less, but again it will be the ACC coming out on top. The challenge will be tied at 3 apiece heading into Wednesday's final day before the ACC takes command for a 7-4 victory. I see Big 10 victories coming from Wisconsin, Purdue, the Gophers and Michigan.
Woodside/NDSU sighting in March?
Wasn't able to attend the Gophers-NDSU game, but from what I could see on the tube (and from what I've seen in the past) Bison guard Ben Woodside is a keeper. Woodside could get significant minutes on any team in the Big 10, bar none. He's a very good Division I guard with the ability to shoot long-range and slice his way to the basket. Still a long ways to go, but the College Hoops Notebook predicts NDSU will be the Summit League's representative in the NCAA Tournament.
We Interrupt This Game For A 2-Hour Infomercial
Tuned in to the Big Ten Network's Gophers-NDSU game Saturday expecting to get play-by-play and analysis of the game. Instead, all I got was a 2-hour ode waxing poetic about the virutes of our head coach. Hey, I love Tubby just as much as the next guy, I'm absolutely thrilled he's the Gophers' coach, but we're now in Year 2 of his regime. Let's turn the page. At some point the announcers need to describe the action taking place on the court, not turn the broadcast into a Tubby Smith infomercial. The play-by-play guy was awful. I still think Spencer will be OK once he gets his feet wet, but at this point I would suggest the BTN let Spencer cut his teeth serving as analyst for games not involving the Gophers.
"Cool(hand) Musings" from Peru
** My nomination for top patsy of the early season goes to the Jacksonville Dolphins of the Atlantic Sun conference. Artis Gilmore's alma mater checks in at 0-5, but consider the competition the Dolphins have faced. ... Florida State, Georgetown, American, Baylor and Georgia Tech. The Dolphins have kept the margin of loss in each game within 10 points, with a couple real squeakers vs. Florida State and Georgia Tech. I would not be surprised to see Jacksonville bounce back during conference play, earn the automatic tourney berth and present real problems for someone come NCAA tournament time.
** I want to recognize another lightly regarded team with a famous basketball alum. Seattle University, Elgin Baylor's school, has returned to D-1 ball this year after having dropped down to NAIA in 1980. As you can see across the fine print of the college basketball landscape, the leap to D-1 ball can be a brutal leap, especially during the first few years of the transition. At the Great Alaska Shootout, Seattle celebrated its first win over a D-1 opponent since 1980 when it defeated Louisiana Tech. Seattle was led by another famous name, forward Austen Powers, who scored 16 points in the victory.
** UNLV demonstrated how NOT to host a tournament, losing its two games at home this past weekend to California and Cincinnati. For a team many considered of top-25 caliber stepping into the season, losing to teams expected to be middling in their respective conferences does not help the NCAA resume if the Rebels fail to garner the Mountain West's automatic bid.
** Demar DeRozan brought as much hype as any freshman into this season, projected by many to be a one-and-done talent who would be better for the Trojans than O.J. Mayo was (specifically stated by Gary Parrish at CBSSports.com). It may still happen, but DeRozan's start has been rather pedestrian. Hovering around 10 ppg, DeRozan virtually disappeared in losses to Seton Hall and Missouri, scoring 11 points total over the two games.
** The freshman leading college basketball in scoring has a familiar surname. Liberty's Seth Curry is Stephen's little brother and has averaged 22 ppg through five games, including 26 in an upset win at Virginia. Like his brother, he's a guard with a thin frame who can dial it up from long distance (37% from 3-point range). His early success begs the question. ... after seeing what his overlooked older brother has accomplished at Davidson, why didn't a program from a major conference take a flyer on the little brother?
Quote of the Week (Part I)
Tubby Smith, after being asked by sideline reporter Leslie Hill what the key ingredient was to his team's 5-0 start.
"Scheduling."
Quote of the Week (Part II)
Bobby Knight's thoughts about Minnesota-native and Kansas Jayhawk Cole Aldrich after watching Aldrich dominate the Washington Huskies.
"I would have loved to be the coach at Minnesota when he was in high school. I never would have let him get out of the state."
Team of the Week
Florida State (Global Sports Classic), Gonzaga (Old Spice Classic), Kentucky (Las Vegas Invitational) and Wake Forest (Anaheim 76 Classic) all deserve mention for winning their tournaments, but I'm going with the tough-as-nails Pitt Panthers. Jamie Dixon's squad beat Texas Tech and an underrated Wazzu squad to win the Legends Classic.
The SS Mailbag
Dear Selection Sunday,
I know your specialty is college hoops, not NBA basketball, but if you were a NBA GM with the first pick in the NBA draft next June, who would you take?
-- Kevvy from Hibbing --
Kevvy,
I think Tyler Hansbrough is a wonderful college basketball player and he'll undoubtedly have a lengthy NBA career, but I don't ever see him being a "superstar" in a league that emphasizes individuals more than teams. To answer your question, I think the GM with the 1st choice would be an absolute fool not to select Oklahoma's Blake Griffin. This guy's body and game is built for the NBA. College hoops fans should take time to enjoy his final season in the college game. I know I will.
