EARLY Top 5
1. Kansas- They return every significant player from last year’s team and bring in top prospect Xavier Henry. Henry may not play a huge role on the Jayhawks this year with Collins and Aldrich stealing the show, but he can definitely contribute. Another player to watch on this team is rising sophomore Tyshawn Taylor, who had his moments of glory at times during last season and should continue to improve over the years.
2. Texas- Sure, the Longhorns lose their #1 scorer in AJ Abrams, but that’s not to say that other players can come in and fill the void. Texas has one of the top recruiting classes in the nation with two-guard Avery Bradley along with the top ranked small forward, Jordan Hamilton. Wingman Damion James and Dexter Pittman also return, giving them a nice balance between youth and experience.
3. Michigan State- The losses of Goran Suton and Travis Walton are going to hurt the Spartans more than they think. They have a decent group of freshmen coming in, but nothing special and always seem to be battling injuries in critical junctures throughout the season. Kalin Lucas has to step up big time and Roe, Summers, and Morgan will be there to help.
4. Villanova- The return of rising senior Scottie Reynolds made all the difference in Villanova’s 2009-10 season. They bring back Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, and Reggie Redding as well to form a nice core group of players. The loss of Dante Cunningham will show at times, but having one of the best recruiting classes in the nation certainly won’t hurt. Look for freshman Mouphtaou Yarou to see big time minutes and shoulder a heavy load this year.
5. Purdue- The Boilermakers literally return every contributing player from last year including the three-headed monster of Hummel, Johnson, and Moore. As long as Hummel and Chris Kramer can stay injury free, Purdue should see a lot of time at the top of the polls. This team has grown over the years and they are only getting better under Matt Painter’s coaching.
Just Missed:
Kentucky- Too young and unproven, despite the addition of the top incoming class. They lose a lot of leadership without Jodie Meeks.
UNC- Similar situation to Kentucky. They will need to prove that they can play without Hansbrough, Ellington, Lawson, and Green.
West Virginia- This will be an interesting season. It all lies on the improvement of Ebanks and Butler.
PS: No, I’m not dead.
Seth Curry to Transfer
Just heard the news and that REALLY hurts Liberty. Although he hasn’t announced where he will be attending, Seth Curry, Stephen’s younger brother, will certainly be looking for a bigger, more well known program. I’ll have more on it when his decision is announced.
News Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4012928
The Year of Near Upsets…
This tournament hasn’t exactly had a cinderella story. There have been no magical runs with the exception of a few first round underdogs and it is certainly lacking a “Davidson”. But come to think of it, there have been so many CLOSE upsets where the lower seeded team was in control and blew it. Siena led by 4 with under 8 minutes to play, Utah State was in front of Marquette and slipped up, Western Kentucky had Gonzaga right where they wanted them and couldn’t get that final stop. It’s been rather disappointing, not because I don’t appreciate close games, but because there hasn’t been an underdog to root for. However, that sets up for one thing: a powerhouse bloodbath. All of these top seeds are on track to collide and make for some amazing basketball, which is something I can’t possibly complain about. And with only one true mid-major left (Xavier), I can still find ways to be excited when the sweet 16 kicks off this Thursday.
But before that day comes, we have the NIT to watch. After tonight’s Davidson-St. Mary’s game, the field has been narrowed to 8 teams, with the quarterfinals being played out Tuesday and Wednesday. And if we want to talk mid-majors, San Diego State is still alive and will take on the winner of tonight’s 11:30 game. Earlier, Creighton suffered a TOUGH loss to Kentucky, a game in which they led for a good portion and lost in the closing seconds by two. The Blue jays’ star, Booker Woodfox, missed the game winning three-pointer and ended his collegiate career on a rather disappointing note, but there was no better player to take that shot.
So while this season winds down, just take a minute to appreciate all the great basketball we have seen this season and all the more to come, not only this year, but next season as well.
*As I stated in a previous post, I don’t know where this site is headed. It may continue next year or it may not, but if there are any loyal readers out there who would be interested in writing for and/or owning this site, please give me a shout at Jckund@optonline.net
Siena, Cleveland State Fall Short
The last of my “Bracket Busters” have been eliminated, and everything is just about over. There truly were no cinderellas this year. It’s been somewhat of a disappointment. But when lower seeds go down early, it only sets up for big time clashes. So as Siena and Cleveland State both lost in heart breakers, it looks like we are all out of cinderella teams. Arizona doesn’t exactly qualify although they are a 12 seed, and sure, I guess, Xavier if you want to stretch it a bit.
The Siena Saints have had one of the greatest seasons in the program’s history and they actually led Louisville by 4 with under 8 minutes to play. But they just couldn’t get stops when they needed it the most. It was a hard fought game and definitely brought a ton of attention to Siena’s program. And with only Hasbrouck leaving next season, I’m sure the remaining starters will be able to carry them into the postseason again.
As for Cleveland State, they had Arizona, a team stacked up with NBA talent, and were just outplayed. They went out and did the best they could, but the Wildcats were just flat out better. Another tough ending to a ridiculously successful season, and one with an unexpected tournament berth and win!
So, as we near closer to the end of the tournament (16 seeds left), this site will begin to ware down as well. CBS/ESPN covers everything now, and I just cannot find enough to talk about. Everybody is writing about the same exact things, which makes it tough to write interesting articles. I can say that this won’t be my last one, but I’m not exactly sure where this site is headed next year. There will be more on that later.
And we still have the NIT to discuss! Creighton will take on Kentucky tomorrow at 7pm et on ESPN with a Davidson-St. Mary’s clash on ESPN2 at 11pm. I hate to mention it, but it could be the last time we see Stephen Curry in a Davidson uniform. I’m not saying I think he will leave for the pros, but you never know. Then there’s still San Diego State, the top ranked team, waiting to face the winner of Davidson-St. Mary’s. So, while there are no NCAA tournament games until Thursday, we still have the NIT as well as the CBI and CIT, two tournaments that get little attention and are rather pointless.
Down to 32!
Thirty-two teams left. That’s all that remain. Some went home unexpectedly whereas others are lucky to be playing for one more game. And today, eight more teams will be sent home, seasons ended, dreams crushed. But we, as fans, should be grateful of last night. There are signs of a few cinderellas lurking out there, ones from unknown conferences looking to make a run. Today, that team is Western Kentucky, who also advanced to the second round last year, yet this time, they are playing for a sweet 16 berth. Gonzaga will not be an easy task by any means, but the opportunity is there.
And then Sunday, Cleveland State, the most “surprising” team who DESTROYED Wake Forest last night, will take on 12 seeded Arizona, which provides for a good chance at making the sweet 16 and taking on the winner of Louisville-Siena. Speaking of Siena, how about that effort last night?? Some HUGE 3-balls down the stretch put the Saints over the hump in double overtime. But things don’t get any easier for them, as they will face top ranked Louisville in the next round. All eyes will be on Siena to see if they can pull off one monstrous upset.
Lastly is Dayton, who will take on a Kansas team that sent Ben Woodside and North Dakota St home early. Our only choice is to pray and hope that at least one of these teams advances for yet another game and the opportunity to keep moving forward.
*Cinderella: a low-seeded (usually 9 or below) mid-major school.
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About Me
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My name is Justin and I started this blog out of pure passion for college hoops. I tend to write about mid-majors and cinderellas, but occasionally write articles about the bigger schools as well. Anyways, I hope you enjoy my blog, and if you have any questions feel free to contact me at Jckund@optonline.net.
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