10. Clemson – Congrats, Ollie. You finally got over the hump. We’d rather you hadn’t gone out and lost to Florida State afterwards...but it’s understandable. No one should want to play this team in a single elimination tournament. No one!!! They’re tough, athletic and intimidating. If they can just keep Remy behind the arc and not try to throw one down off the vert, then they won’t leave us unsatisfied in the NCAAs. Central South Carolina Stand Up!!!!!
9. Michigan State – Let’s face it….Tom Izzo could beat up your favorite basketball coach...probably, your favorite basketball player, too. And his teams play to his likeness. February finds them at the top of the Big 10 standings and poised to make a run into late March. Just like they always do. Strenuous week ahead….at Michigan tomorrow night, followed by a trip to West Lafayette for a game against Purdue with first place on the line.
8. Duke – Uhhhhh...what the hell was that? Seriously, what was that? Just when we were beginning to believe that this Duke team was different...BAM!!!! And then you follow it up with another lackluster performance against Miami. Where has the Nov/Dec Kyle Singler gone? 5-23 from the field? Ugh. And now Greg Paulus is starting. Well, we told you way back when that Nolan Smith didn’t look to be the answer at the point. Gut-check time, fellas. Come out drowsy against Carolina and we will cut bait faster than you can say, “Those were Gaudet’s losses.”
7. Wake Forest – Ok…so here’s the thinking….Miami is a pretty good team. Tournament-caliber. Jack McClinton is a monster. You add the two “knowns” and then play them in N. Miami Beach and it’s a recipe for a loss. And that’s what you got. Wake Forest looked completely out of sorts when faced with a zone defense. Completely. They better get used to it, because that’s going to be the modus operandi for a lot of their upcoming opponents. They’re still fun to watch, though.
6. Louisville – We don’t hold grudges, although, you did embarrass us pretty bad. We had people on Facebook and elsewhere looking at that prediction. Anyway, one loss against a VERY good UConn team isn’t the end of the season. But this troubles us- why was TWill the only guy that showed up? We’re actually hoarse from complaining about Edgar Sosa, so we’ll leave that be. Luckily, there doesn’t seem to be any real challenges left on the schedule before the Big East tournament….not the way Georgetown has been playing. You guys will move up the rankings, but unless you get your backcourt straight, you’ll be disappointed in March.
5. UCLA – We really like the way the kids have been playing lately. Sure, they took their lumps early, but Howland has the new guys gelling with the old heads. And guess what…they’re scoring now. Think about that...a Ben Howland team that can actually put points on the board. Darren Collison is FINALLY shaking off the effects of what Derrick Rose did to him in San Antonio. We’ve readjusted our expectations of Jrue Holiday and he has shown that he’s a pretty damn good player. This team will be mighty dangerous when the tournament rolls around.
4. Pittsburgh – This team seems to be flying under the radar, lately. Maybe it’s the lack of a serious, big-time opponent in the last week. That changes tonight, as the Mountaineers of WVU come-a-calling. One-time Big East Player of the Year lock, Sam Young, has proven to be human, right about the time that Dejuan Blair is showing that he’s not. They’re holding steady in our Top 5, but it’s a tenuous grip. They seem to have lost “it” from earlier in the season.
3. North Carolina – They’re looking better, but still not up to the expectations that were ascribed to them earlier in the year. To be fair, they have lost three of their top nine players, which leaves them woefully short on contributing players. With the announcement that Marcus Ginyard will seek a red-shirt, that Will Graves will be suspended for the year and that Bobby Frasor is still looking for his shot, it’s make or break time for the Heels, just in time for a trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
2. Oklahoma – We keep hearing that the Big 12 is weak. We keep hearing that OU is over-rated. We even heard that Blake Griffin takes plays off and Tyler Hansbrough would never do that. True story….we really read that. Well, let us tell you what we see. We see a team that moves the ball well, from the inside-out, just like the most fundamental of fundamental coaches will tell you it should be done. We see in Griffin a kid who can spot the cutter on a double team or the open wing and deliver the pass. And we see Willie Warren playing himself into a lottery selection. Oh…..and, we see them winning....consistently.
1. Connecticut – Ok, ok….you made us eat our words. Then again, you played kind of lousy against Michigan. Regardless, you’ve definitely earned your ranking. We were skeptical about Thabeet; he seemed somewhat overrated. Not anymore. Watching Sam Sam (Samardo Samuels) completely shy away from anything resembling a post move against Thabeet was awe-inspiring. The kid is a game changer....Period. But, can UConn sustain it against Syracuse on Wednesday?
Knocking on the Door – No one seems to be talking about Memphis. We see ‘em. Moving Tyreke Evans to the PG slot was brilliant and it has really energized this team. We will say that it’s hard to get a read on this team because they play in such a non-descript conference. But, they’re playing well.
Player of the Year Watch – Not only is Blake Griffin going to win NPOY…..but, he’ll be a star in the NBA. We know what we’re talking about here, kids. Our last prediction was spot on and we made that one when he was a high school junior at Oak Hill. 3 buckets full-o-pride if you can guess who we’re talking about.
Freshman of the Year Watch – This is really one of the most non-impact-having freshman groups that we can remember. Not one single player is head and shoulders above the pack. Next year’s should be much more fun.
What You Should Check For – Carolina v. Duke. There is no better rivalry in college sports.,,maybe all of sports. Enjoy it.
