Friday Roundtable: The 2013-14 Final Four

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

Poorly fitting polos and too-short ties are what the Big 12 is all about until March. (Danny Medly/USA Today Sports)

This week's question:The college basketball season kicks off today. Who will make it to the Final Four in March?

Alex:
Andrew Wiggins already set his goals of winning a national championship and going No. 1 in the NBA draft directly afterward. The truly imposing thing is, although the freshman forward is getting the lion's share of Kansas' attention, he has the supporting cast to accomplish the former. Wayne Selden and Joel Embiid are getting some secondary shine after offseason and exhibition workouts, but this Jayhawks team is still stacked with players the like of Perry Ellis and freshman Conner Frankamp, a combo guard with deep range and a reliable shooting form who is lost in the media hype surrounding a KU team that should make the Final Four.

Kentucky? As stacked as ever. The Wildcats are young, of course, and after a year off, head coach John Calipari has what is arguably his best recruiting class in recent years. Expect a deep NCAA Tournament run capped with - if nothing else - a Final Four appearance.

This next name isn't as much of a shoo-in as Kansas or Kentucky, and isn't exactly an underdog, but it still feels like a bit of an out-on-a-limb guess: Louisville. The defending national champions lost Peyton Siva (whom I championed during the draft) and interior presence Gorgui Dieng to the NBA, but head coach Rick Pitino's squad still sports lightning bolt Russ Smith as a lead guard with backcourt mates Chris Jones and Kevin Ware balancing his occasionally out-of-control play, which shouldn't be completely erased even with an expected step forward in maturity. At 6'10", freshman Mangok Mathiang is the tallest body on the Cardinals' roster, which will allow Pitino to utilize the same sets in which the 6'11" Dieng stood out last season. There's some ground to make up without Siva's ability to pick pockets, but Louisville's pressure defense will still create turnovers and quick points for the Cardinals in the newly branded American Athletic Conference and on the way to a follow-up trip to the Final Four.

The last spot is a toss-up, for me, and even though strong cases can be made for multiple teams, I'll call it for Oklahoma State. I don't believe the Cowboys can win it all in the Big 12, much less the nation, with Travis Ford coaching. The return of Marcus Smart, one of the nation's premier point guards, for a sophomore season in which he'll be surrounded by supreme athleticism from the likes of Le'Bryan Nash and Markel Brown is just enticing enough for me to be sold on the Pokes willing their way into a rather unexpected run through the NCAA Tournament and topping out just short of the title game.

Kyle:
I actually don't think it would be out of the question for the four participants in Tuesday's Champions' Classic to all be in the Final Four. That would be Kentucky, Michigan State, Duke and Kansas, who are all in the top five in the preseason poll. We would be lucky if that was the case because there are countless great matchups there from four prestigious programs. Seeing as it is called March Madness and all four of these teams could be No. 1 seeds, rarely does it work out like this. However, this year feels top-heavy and I don't know how many Cinderellas, or even 3-4 seeds, will be able to crack the Final Four. A team like VCU or Marquette has a chance, but it's too early to make a pick on them now.

That's why my Final Four, which at this point we are basically basing on potential, is going to be Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas and Arizona. A Tom Izzo player always gets to a Final Four and this is the year that happens again. Gary Harris, Keith Appling and Adreian Payne are experienced and lead an extremely talented team. For the other three teams, it's so hard to tell how freshmen will react (see Kentucky last year) but there is so much talent that can't be overlooked. Kentucky is overflowing with McDonalds All-Americans, led by No. 2 recruit Julius Randle. Arizona has the freakishly athletic Aaron Gordon and junior guard Nick Johnson could be huge for the Wildcats this season. Finally, my Kansas pick is more than just Andrew Wiggins. Wayne Selden is a probable one-and-done, the 7-footer Joel Embiid could have the highest ceiling of them all, and quiet forward Perry Ellis could still lead this team in scoring.

It's so hard to predict this early in the year, as so much could change, but just by looking at potential, these four seem to have as good a shot as anyone.

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Pac 12 Preview: Aaron Gordon, Arizona Clear Favorites

The long wait will soon be over when the first full slate of NCAA basketball games of the 2013-14 season will tip-off on Nov. 8. Some of our favorite players have moved on the ranks of professional athletes, new recruits have been polishing their games in gyms with recognizable logos on the court, and schools have switched conference allegiances. Through a series of conference previews, the BDD crew will do its best to prepare you for the next 4.5 months of collegiate hoops.

 

Arizona freshmen Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (left) and Aaron Gordon (right) look to make a splash in the Pac-12 this season. (bleacherreport.com)

Favorite: Arizona
Sean Miller's club is the clear favorite, receiving 21 of 23 first-place votes from the Pac-12 media. The Wildcats lost their top two scores from last season in Mark Lyons and Solomon Hill, but part of Arizona's perceived success lies in the arrival of hyped freshman Aaron Gordon, the No. 4-ranked player in the ESPN 100 rankings. Arizona also has another McDonald's All-American in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to compliment Gordon, as well as guard Nick Johnson, who averaged 11.5 points per game last season, and 7-foot sophomore Kaleb Tarczewski. This Wildcats team will be fairly young but loaded with talent that should be clicking by conference play.


Dark Horse Team to Watch: California
The loss of Allen Crabbe is significant, but if the Golden Bears can patch the scoring hole left by Crabbe, this could be a dangerous team. Seniors Justin Cobbs (15.1 ppg, 4.8 apg) and Richard Solomon (8.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) will look to make the most out of their senior campaign and will have the help of freshman Jabari Bird, a McDonald's All-American shooting guard and No. 23 player in the ESPN 100. Cal was picked fifth by the Pac-12 media, but the Golden Bears' potential is greater. 


Player of the Year: Aaron Gordon, Arizona
It's tough not to pick the player that has had this much hype surrounding him. He will be the most talked about player in the conference, and has the luxury of playing on what many feel is the conference's best team. Remember this dunk? Gordon has a ton of raw talent and with Lyons and Hill gone, he will have an opening to make his presence known early on.


Coach of the Year: Tad Boyle, Colorado
This was a difficult selection, as Arizona's Sean Miller is always going to be a high candidate and if Steve Alford can turn UCLA around in his first season, it would be tough not to give him the honor. But Alford also has a ton of pressure on him and changing the culture in LA may take a bit more time. That's why I like Colorado's Tad Boyle. The Buffaloes lost Andre Robinson but are returning juniors Spencer Dinwiddle and Askia Booker, who were first and second on the team in scoring with 15.3 and 12.4 ppg respectively. Boyle will have to find someone to crash the boards as well as Robinson, but overall has a talented team that has played together before. Boyle is testing his team early with non-conference games against Baylor, Kansas and Oklahoma State from the Big 12, and the Buffs could be seasoned and balanced enough by January to make a run at the Pac-12. 


Newcomer of the Year: Aaron Gordon, Arizona
I know, I know, this isn't a very original pick, but sometimes the obvious choice is the correct answer. It's difficult to find flaws in his game, and Gordon will get tested early in the season against games versus UNLV and Michigan to get some of the freshman jitters and kinks worked out. It's obviously tough to judge a player who has yet to play a game of college basketball, but Gordon's potential is that he could be a star.

NCAA Alumni Bracket: This Year's Sweet 16 All-Time Teams Part 1

We're finally getting close to figuring out who the best college basketball team of the year is as we move into the Final Four. No doubt the alumni of each team still in the tournament are anxiously watching to see how the tournament unfolds.

But what if those alumni that are feverishly watching were able to, for just one weekend, regain their youthful body and lace up their shoes just one last time to compete in the ultimate alumni bracket? Watching the greatest players duke it out one last time would make for one exciting weekend.

I've compiled some of the greatest alumni for the first half of this year's Sweet 16 teams below and have asked Alex, Kyle, and Dakota to vote on who they feel would move on for each match up. Here are the results:

Louisville:

Point Guard: LaBradford Smith ‘88-’91
Shooting Guard: Darrell Griffith ‘77-’80
Small Forward: Billy Thompson ‘83-’86
Power Forward: Pervis Ellison ‘86-’88
Center: Wes Unseld ‘65-’68 
_____________________________________________________

Oregon:

Point Guard: Aaron Brooks ‘04-’07
Shooting Guard: Ron Lee ‘73-’76
Small Forward: Luke Jackson ‘01-’04
Power Forward: Greg Ballard ‘74-’77
Center: Blair Rasmussen ‘82-’85

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Result -
Louisville: 3
Oregon: 0

Darrell Griffith (Via. uoflcardbook.com)

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Michigan State:
 

Point Guard: Magic Johnson ‘78-’79
Shooting Guard: Steve Smith ‘88-’91
Small Forward: Greg Kelser ‘76-’79
Power Forward: Johnny Green ‘56-’59
Center: Paul Davis ‘03-’06

_____________________________________________________

Duke:

Point Guard. Bobby Hurley. ‘90-’93
Shooting Guard: JJ. Redick ‘03-’06
Small Forward: Shane Battier ‘98-’01
Power Forward: Christian Laettner ‘89-’92
Center: Mike Gminski ‘77-’80

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Result -
Duke: 3
Michigan State: 0

Laettner (Via. buffalosportshalloffame.com)

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Wichita State:

Point Guard: Warren Armstrong ‘65-’68
Shooting Guard: Cleo Littleton ‘52-’55
Small Forward: Xavier McDaniel ‘82-’85
Power Forward: Cliff Levingston ‘80-’82
Center: Dave Stallworth ‘62-’65

_____________________________________________________

La Salle:

Point Guard: Larry Cannon ‘66-’69
Shooting Guard: Tom Gola ‘52-’55
Small Forward: Lionel Simmons ‘87-’90
Power Forward: Michael Brooks ‘77-’80
Center: Larry Foust ‘47-’50

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Result -
Wichita State: 2
La Salle: 1

 

Xavier McDaniel (Via. blogs.kansas.com)

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Arizona:

Point Guard: Mike Bibby ‘96-’98
Shooting Guard: Miles Simon ‘95-’98
Small Forward: Sean Elliott ‘85-’89
Power Forward: Chris Mills ‘89-’93
Center: Bob Elliott ‘74-’77

_____________________________________________________

Ohio State:

Point Guard: Robin Freeman ‘53-’56
Shooting Guard: Jim Jackson ‘90-’92
Small Forward: John Havlicek ‘60-’62
Power Forward: Gary Bradds ‘62-’64
Center: Jerry Lucas ‘60-’62

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Result -
Ohio State: 2
Arizona: 1

Havlicek (Via Ohio State Athletics)

In the coming days we will be taking a look at the other half of the Sweet 16 as we continue our mission to crown the alumni bracket champions.

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Point/Counterpoint: Reseeding the Sweet 16

Should the Sweet 16 field be reseeded, forcing Cinderellas like Florida Gulf Coast to play the region's best team? (washingtonpost.com)

A popular topic the week of the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 is whether the tournament field should be reseeded within the regions once the final 16 teams are set. Meaning, if this would take place, the highest seed, in this year's case it could be a double-digit seed, would have to play the lowest seed (usually a No. 1 or 2 seed) in the Sweet 16 instead of who is in their region. Two of our writers each took a side to lay out the points in favor of either reseeding the field of 16 or keeping the regions as they were at the start of the tournament.

Eddie — Pro-reseeding:
The NCAA Tournament has become synonymous with madness because of its 'win or go home' format. Unlike 'best of seven' or 'best of five' scenarios, the better team doesn't always have the opportunity to prove their superiority. This results in highly unpredictable results and, every once in a blue moon, a champion that everyone agrees wasn't the best team in the land. In essence, the tournament is rigged against the better teams because all it takes is one off-night for your season to be over, even if you worked far harder than the other team to succeed throughout the course of the season. Reseeding teams within their regions for the Sweet Sixteen would go a long way toward reaffirming the importance of excelling in the regular season.

To make it worse, the NCAA made it a virtual cakewalk to get into the tournament by adding four teams to the field and creating a "first round" in 2011. Doing well in the regular season simply doesn't have the value that it used to. At the beginning of March, Baylor was still considered a "bubble team"with an 18-13 record.

This year, the West region offers the best case for reseeding teams in the Sweet Sixteen. Ohio State, as a No. 2 seed, will play No. 6 seed Arizona for a place in the regional final. Meanwhile, No. 9 seed Wichita State goes up against No. 13 seed LaSalle. Ohio State finished second in the regular season standings of one of the best conferences college basketball has ever seen and just happened to win its conference tournament. And what is its reward? It gets to play a Wildcats squad that spent much of the season ranked in the top five and finished second in the Pac-12. On the other end, two mid-majors who didn't accomplish anything noteworthy in the regular season, despite playing in less competitive conferences, are playing one another. It's really a shame that either Arizona or Ohio State will be sitting at home watching either Wichita State or LaSalle play in the Elite Eight.

Opponents will say that reseeding the Sweet Sixteen will give too great an advantage to the higher seeds and "punish" the lower seeds for earning a place in the tournament's second weekend. I would contend that's the entire point.  Conceivably, if Cinderellas like Florida Gulf Coast played well enough to get into the Sweet Sixteen, they should be able to compete with any team in the tournament regardless of seeding. But it could be that they just overachieved the first weekend and aren't actually good enough to play with the big boys. Either way, the regular season should play a bigger factor in determining a team's postseason fortunes.

Kyle — Anti-reseeding:
I agree there are times when the NCAA Tournament, because of seeding or match-up, makes the regular season seem unimportant. Rarely does a committee get every team's seeding correct and sometimes the best team (in this year's case it is Louisville) gets thrown in what many feel is the most difficult bracket. This tournament doesn't always give the championship to the best or most deserving team and neither does any other sport. When the New England Patriots went undefeated into the Super Bowl and lost to the New York Giants, did anyone think the Giants were the better team up until that point or deserved it more? No, but that's the beauty of sport. The Miami Heat "should have" won a championship in 2011, but Dallas had something to say about that. The Detroit Tigers had the fewest wins for a division winner in 2012, yet made it to the World Series. While the regular season is and should be important, it doesn't always translate to the postseason. The beauty of this tournament is when the round of 64 begins, all 64 teams have a shot at a title.

Whether or not it should, I don't think reseeding will happen because of the two reasons that drive fans and money to the NCAA Tournament: upsets and brackets. People love underdogs. More than underdogs, people love brackets. Are people going to start having to only fill out brackets on Selection Sunday only up until the Sweet 16 and then fill out a new one after the reseeding has taken place? And as we've seen, momentum and match-up can make the tournament field crazy. If it is more difficult for the "Cinderellas" to advance, and more and more top seeds breeze through the tournament, the casual fans, who just want to see an underdog, will not be nearly as interested in the tournament.

Why punish teams for playing well now for those who played well months ago? Sure, Wichita State gets to play No. 13 La Salle in the Sweet 16, but that's because the Shockers defeated a No. 1 team. It is not the Shockers' fault Ole Miss or Kansas State couldn't beat La Salle, but Wichita State took care of its business and shouldn't have to face a higher seed because of what the Rebels and Wildcats failed to do. If Ohio State and Arizona are that much better and are reseeded, they would each win and meet in the Elite 8 anyway, delaying the matchup just one round. The team that deserves to move on will find a way to win, no matter the seeding.

The lower seeds are supposed to be the better teams, which is why they have earned those seedings. But at some point they need to go out and win instead of getting favors. It takes six consecutive wins to be champions for everyone and somewhere along the line a team is going to have to beat the other great teams to earn that title.

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Experience Proves Important For NCAA Tournament Run

A group of seniors, including Kenny Kadji (35) and Julian Gamble (45), have led Miami to the Sweet 16. (usatoday.com)

Even in an era of freshmen leaving for the NBA after one year of college, experience still holds an important role in the college game; it translates into deeps runs in the NCAA Tournament.

Forget about the 2012 Kentucky team. It was an anomaly that a group of freshmen and sophomores were able to gel and perform consistently at a high level without having the normal ups and downs of performance as freshmen and sophomore who are still adjusting to the college game tend to do. This year's Kentucky team proved this much and the average expectation for a team made up mostly of top-rated freshman probably falls somewhere in between the two.

This is not to say teams shouldn't take highly touted freshmen just because they may leave after one year. Many of these teams have a freshman or two starting for them. But as you will see below, what most of these teams have is upperclassmen who have been in situations like this before.

Here's a breakdown of the number of seniors (and juniors) who started in the round of 32 for each Sweet 16 team:

Miami: four

Kansas: four

Florida: three (two juniors)

Marquette: three (one junior)

Duke: three

Oregon: three

Arizona: three

Wichita State: three

Indiana: two (one junior)

Syracuse: two (one junior) 

Florida Gulf Coast: two

Michigan State: one (two juniors)

Louisville: one (two juniors)

La Salle: one (two juniors)

Ohio State: none (three juniors)

Michigan: none (one junior)

The lights are the brightest and the stage is the largest at the NCAA Tournament and both of those get even brighter and larger as the field begins to dwindle and teams advance into the second and third weekends. As great as freshmen can be, it's still unfamiliar territory and the biggest stage they've ever been on. The best of both worlds is pairing one or two of these talented freshmen with a group of upperclassmen that can make them stay focused and not get caught up in the moment, which is familiar for many of these seniors.

Michigan has the fewest upperclassmen and have also been the least consistent in the last month, going 6-6 at the end of the regular season and in the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines are extremely athletic and talented, yet the lack of experience and chemistry can be seen at the end of the season. Michigan could still easily advance to Atlanta — that's what talent can provide — but their lack of experience is definitely an outlier in the Sweet 16.

It is not a coincidence most of these teams have juniors and seniors making up more than half of their starting lineups and all but two teams remaining have a senior starting. Talent usually trumps experience, so naturally these players are also very good at the game of basketball. The advantage experience gives is these players have strong chemistry from playing together for multiple years and by now they've seen almost every situation they may face.

We'll see if this trend continues to the Final Four, but at a time where we focus on the best young players to come and leave after one year, this weekend will be a great opportunity to watch some of the best players to take advantage of their college experience and use it to reach this point.

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Breaking Down The NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast continues a historic run to the Sweet 16 and will face No. 3 Florida Friday. (nytimes.com)

It feels sweet to be a double-digit seed. Three of them have made it to the round of 16, including Florida Gulf Coast being the first No. 15 seed to ever reach this mark. We shouldn't be too surprised after watching upsets and parity all season long.

Now that 48 teams have been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, title hopes seem a little brighter, but the opposition becomes more difficult. After four days of madness, here's where the four regions stand with 16 teams remaining.

Midwest

Everyone said Oregon was better than a No. 12 seed and so far the Ducks have proven the theory correct. Oregon handled talented Oklahoma State and St. Louis teams with relative ease, but now the Ducks face the overall No. 1 seed. If there's a team that has made winning look easier than Oregon, it's Louisville. The Pac-12 has claimed it's been underrated all year. Knocking off a No. 1 seed will help its case but the Cardinals defense has been causing havoc for opposing offenses so far in March.

In the bottom half, a battle of powerhouse programs and Hall of Fame coaches can be found amongst the Cinderella finalists. No. 3 Michigan State and No. 2 Duke have been efficient so far this tournament, although Duke can't afford to get in the foul trouble it did Sunday night against Creighton. Izzo vs. Krzyzewski is a coaching battle worth watching any time and you know these two will have their teams prepared with almost a week to get ready.

West

This West region feels like it was created by ex-girlfriends and angry bosses that just want your bracket to fail. No. 2 Ohio State is the only 1-5 seed to reach the Sweet 16 and if a controversial charging call against Iowa State doesn't go in the Buckeyes favor, the West could be a complete shakeup. No. 9 Wichita State is a terrifying team to play in the NCAA Tournament because of their physicality, tenacious defense and ability to hit big shots when needed. The Shockers will face No. 13 La Salle, who would be the story of the tournament after being one of the last four teams in if it weren't for that team from Florida not named the Gators.

No. 6 Arizona, along with Oregon, continues to try and avenge the Pac-12's name and will now face the Buckeyes for a spot in the Elite 8. Ohio State came through in clutch situations against ISU, while Arizona has won both games by double figures. If this region has taught us anything thus far, it's that predicting its outcome is nearly impossible.

South

No. 1 Kansas against No. 4 Michigan is shaping up to be one of the best matchups of the tournament. Kansas gave one of its best and worst halves of the season in the same game against UNC Sunday, yet won the game more easily than the 70-58 score would suggest. Jeff Withey (16 points, 16 rebounds, five blocks) is the best defender in the country and completely takes away easy shot attempts in the paint. Kansas will have to limit turnovers against a fast-pace Wolverine team with tremendous guard play. Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glenn Robinson III will give the Jayhawk guards all they can handle and KU will need more from freshman standout Ben McLemore to advance.

Florida Gulf Coast has support from the majority of a country after a historic run being the first No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16. Yet many in its own state will not wish history to continue as now the Eagles must face the No. 3 Florida Gators in the round of 16. This FGCU team is athletic and extremely fun to watch and has more confidence than almost anyone; a deadly combination for opponents in the tourney. Florida will have its hands full as the Eagles bring momentum and the spotlight into Dallas to keep the dream allive.

East

The most predictable and chalk-filled of the regions, the East is the only region with the No. 1-4 seeds advancing to the second weekend. Yet it was not without its scares. No. 9 Temple had the advantage over No. 1 Indiana for most of the game before a 3-pointer by Victor Oladipo sealed it for the Hoosiers, and No. 2 Miami needed clutch free-throws to pull away from No. 7 Illinois.

No. 3 Marquette has only won nail-biters, becoming victorious against Butler in one of the best games of the tournament so far. Gritting out those tough wins has to give the Golden Eagles an advantage as they have proven their toughness and determination to execute in late-game situations. No. 4 Syracuse has yet to be fully tested, so it will be interesting to see how the Orange handle their first bit of adversity.

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VIDEO: High School Senior Aaron Gordon With Monster One-Handed Alley-Oop

High School sophomore Victor Dukes caught the nation's attention earlier this year by dunking over and on a defender (literally, as he used the defender's torso as a takeoff ramp).

Dukes has been overthrown by Archbishop Mitty (Calif.) senior and No. 6 Rivals 2013 recruit Aaron Gordon at the Hoopshall Classic last weekend.

What makes this play so difficult is that it started from a baseline out-of-bounds play. The 6-foot-8 Gordon received a perfect pass, grabbed the ball with one hand and threw it down, as well as the defender. Gordon showed tremendous strength absorbing the contact from the defender and finishing the play with force.

Arizona and Kentucky are among the finalists to land Gordon and must already be picturing him produce the same level of skill and power at the next level. If his stock wasn't already so high, that is the kind of play that turns heads and makes a player known.

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Friday Roundtable: What Team Will Remain Undefeated The Longest?

Will Michigan remain undefeated longer than Duke and Arizona? (mlive.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among three of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: What college basketball team will remain undefeated the longest — Duke, Michigan or Arizona?

Kyle Davis: 
Even though Arizona has the easiest schedule of the three, I think Duke will remain undefeated the longest. If they can survive an always-scrappy Davidson team on Jan. 2, the next most probable defeats would come at No. 23 NC State on Jan. 12 and then Maryland on Jan. 26. The Blue Devils have already proven themselves by beating three top-5 teams this season, so they have clearly been tested. While they probably won't make it out of conference play undefeated, it won't be the in the next four games.

Michigan is about to begin a brutal Big Ten schedule that kicks off with Northwestern and then finds the Wolverines facing No. 10 Ohio State, No. 11 Minnesota and No. 12 Illinois all on the road in a four-game span starting Jan. 13. It just doesn't seem likely Michigan can survive that brutal of a stretch without getting banged up and suffering a loss.

Arizona has the easiest schedule with no teams currently ranked in the top 25 ahead, but I still think they'll slip up somewhere. Both wins against ranked teams have been by one point, and probably games they should have lost. Colorado is a talented squad that could give the Wildcats a run for their money on Jan. 3 and Oregon and Oregon State on Jan. 10 and 12 will be tough tests.

Alex Skov:

There are blue blood programs, there are perennial second-tier squads, and there are wildcards in college basketball. Come March, the scales of competition always balance themselves. The odds that Arizona makes it to the second weekend of play are good, barring a meltdown, but even coming into the season ranked 12th in the AP poll and 11th in the coaches poll, the Wildcats are a surprising team to be undefeated at this point. They scraped by against their only two ranked opponents in one-point victories at home, and one of those ranked teams — Florida — recently fell to a Kansas State team that Michigan downed by 14 with a second-half clinic. The Pac-12 is not a basketball powerhouse, but teams like Colorado, Oregon and Oregon State won't leave Arizona's schedule without a pockmark. I would put money on CU wrecking Arizona's 2013 early.

Michigan's situation is a study of contrasts (the program had a stacked roster last season, and the shock of losing an upset to Ohio in the first round of the NCAA tourney would theoretically make them more mature and capable this year) and similarities (the Big Ten offers too many capable opponents in too quick of a succession for Michigan to survive January without a loss) when juxtaposed with Arizona's schedule. That leaves Duke. A Davidson team that beat eventual No. 2 Kansas in Lawrence last season will be no pushover, but Mike Krzyzewski will have the Blue Devils well prepared to win that contest and a road game against questionably powerful but ranked NC State. Duke has already trodden a tough road and face the fewest potential bumps, respectively. The question may not be how long will they be undefeated, but how much regular season prosperity the Blue Devils can translate into the language of postseason play.

Shawn Deegan:

I’m usually uncertain about how to answer questions like this one and this time is no exception. There are so many variables; strength of schedule, talent, playing style and coaching all come into play. If I have to pick one team, though, I’m going with the Duke Blue Devils. First of all, the Blue Devils have few true challenges left on their schedule. The ACC is still a solid conference, but normal powerhouse program North Carolina isn’t what it’s been in the past, leaving Duke as the top dog by a wide margin. There is currently only one ranked team left on Duke’s schedule in NC State, and I don’t see the Wolfpack giving Duke problems if the likes of Kentucky, Louisville and Ohio State couldn’t. I just don’t see Michigan, as good as it is, continuing this run in the dominant Big 10. There are just too many landmines in that conference to think Michigan’s run will last as we approach league play. The Pac-12 has some solid teams but, again, not the marquee school to rival Arizona. So the Wildcats have a chance to make me look like a fool. However, I think Duke has better talent than the Wildcats and more options to go to in the event of an off night by one of its studs. The final factor is, of course, coach Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K is, in my humble opinion, arguably the greatest coach in basketball. His ability to get marquee talent to play together and excel as a unit is unparalleled and he can x-an-o it with the best of them. With Krzyzewski at the helm, I think the Blue Devils have the option to keep them up and motivated in order to continue their undefeated streak through the ACC. I love what each of these teams are doing this year, but in the end, I think Duke’s got the best chance to keep this undefeated streak going.


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