ACC Preview: The New-Look ACC Is Stacked

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.

Duke freshman Jabari Parker is a big reason why the Blue Devils are a favorite to win the ACC. (bigstory.ap.com)

Favorite: Duke
Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pitt are entering their first season in the ACC, but it is still Duke who is projected to be at the top of the standings. The Blue Devils received 50 first-place votes from ACC media in the preseason poll in large part thanks to freshman Jabari Parker and Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood. Duke lost Seth Curry, Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly, but Quinn Cook will take over at point guard and the Blue Devils have the talent to find themselves in first in the ACC at the end of the season. Go ahead and circle the regular-season finale between UNC and Duke in Durham to possibly decide the conference.



Dark Horse: Virginia
Virginia is ranked No. 24 in the preseason AP poll, yet with the star power of the teams mentioned above, it is quite possible Virginia gets overlooked. Still, the ACC writers have the Cavaliers finishing fourth in the conference, and with four returning starters (most notably the top to scorers from last season, Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell), Virginia could improve on a 23-12 record from a year ago. Virginia gets two key games at home at the end of the season against Notre Dame and Syracuse before ending the year at Maryland. This team seems poised to pull and upset or two at the expense of the conference elite.


Player of the Year: Jabari Parker, Duke
The ACC media picked Syracuse's C.J. Fair, who last year led a very talented team in scoring with 14.5 points per game and added seven rebounds per game. Fair very well may be the best player in the ACC this year, but it's tough to pick against another freshman phenom in Jabari Parker. Remember, Parker was on the cover of Sports Illustrated being called the next LeBron before Andrew Wiggins. Obviously any comparison between LeBron James and a player who has yet to record a minute in college is absurd. Still, it would be no surprise if the 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward burst onto the scene and dominated the ACC this year.  


Coach of the Year: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
The natural instinct, after looking at who our favorite, player and newcomer of the years are, would be to select Mike Krzyzewski as coach of the year. Then we came across an interesting stat. Coach K has not won ACC Coach of the Year since 2000. That's not a knock on Krzyzewski. He's one of the greatest coaches of all time. Instead, it seems like the media like picking coaches such as Jim Larranaga of Miami and Leonard Hamilton of Florida State who have brought up surprising teams to the top of the conference. That's why if Boeheim can have Syracuse in competition for the ACC crown in the Cuse's first year in the conference, he seems like a strong pick for coach of the year. Also keep an eye on Tony Bennett from Virginia if the Cavaliers make one of those Florida State-like runs in conference play.


Newcomer of the Year:Jabari Parker, Duke
It seems like with many of our previews, the picks for conference player of the year are also newcomers. That's a credit to how strong this freshman class is, and tells you a bit about the culture of college basketball in the one-and-done era. Parker will be dangerous from all over the court and finds a way to score. His teammate, and Mississippi State transfer, Rodney Hood should also make a big impact on the Blue Devils this season and could be in the hunt for this award at the end of the year.

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BDD Alumni Bracket: Final Four

Duke, Ohio State, Kansas, and Indiana have advanced to the Final Four of the Alumni Bracket. This tournament aims to determine which college can field the greatest alumni team.

We have already seen greats fall. Who will be next?

Each round is decided on by our writers. If you've missed any of the previous editions, you can find them below.

Sweet Sixteen Part I 

Sweet Sixteen Part II 

Elite 8 



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

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

Duke: 3
Ohio State: 0

via sportsillustrated.cnn.com

______________________________________________

Kansas:
Point Guard: Aaron Miles ‘01-’05
Shooting Guard: Kirk Hinrich ‘99-’03
Small Forward: Paul Pierce ‘95-’98
Power Forward: Danny Manning ‘84-’88
Center: Wilt Chamberlain ‘56-’58

Indiana:

Point Guard: Isiah Thomas ‘80-81
Shooting Guard: Calbert Cheaney ‘90-’93
Small Forward: Scott May ‘74-’76
Power Forward: Alan Henderson ‘92-’95
Center: Don Schlundt ‘52-’55

Kansas: 3
Indiana: 0

via Hoopzone.net

 

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BDD Alumni Bracket Elite 8

See what program's alumni teams advance on to the Final Four in our BDD Alumni Bracket. (celebritynetworth.com)

After a heavily debated Sweet Sixteen, we're on to the Elite Eight.

The greatest players in college basketball history take the court one last time for their respective school. If you need to catch up check out the Sweet 16 Part I and Sweet Sixteen Part II.

Each match up is voted on by three of our writers.


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

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


Duke- 2
Louisville- 1

_______________________________________________________________

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


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

Ohio State- 3
Wichita State- 0

_________________________________________________________________

Kansas:

Point Guard: Aaron Miles ‘01-’05

Shooting Guard: Kirk Hinrich ‘99-’03

Small Forward: Paul Pierce ‘95-’98

Power Forward: Danny Manning ‘84-’88

Center: Wilt Chamberlain ‘56-’58

Florida:

Point Guard: Andrew Moten ‘84-’87

Shooting Guard: Joe Hobbs ‘55-’58

Small Forward: Ronnie Williams ‘81-’84

Power Forward: Al Horford ‘05-’07

Center: Neal Walk ‘66-’69

Kansas- 3
Florida- 0

______________________________________________________________

Indiana:

Point Guard: Isiah Thomas ‘80-81

Shooting Guard: Calbert Cheaney ‘90-’93

Small Forward: Scott May ‘74-’76

Power Forward: Alan Henderson ‘92-’95

Center: Don Schlundt ‘52-’55

Marquette:

Point Guard: Doc Rivers ‘80-’83

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade ‘02-’03

Small Forward: Don Kojis ‘58-’61

Power Forward: Maurice Lucas ‘72-’74

Center: Walter Downing ‘85-’86

Indiana- 2
Marquette- 1

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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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Friday Roundtable: Toughest Road Out of the Sweet 16

FGCU's rough road from the Sweet 16 is not safe for dancing. (via Bleacher Report)

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

This week's question: Which remaining Sweet 16 team faces the most challenging road to an NCAA championship?

Kyle:

My first instinct was to pick a team from the stacked Midwest bracket, but instead I'm going with America's favorite team it just heard of; Florida Gulf Coast.

Being a No. 15 seed Cinderella, every team the Eagles face from here on will be large favorites and more talented than the teams the Eagles see in the majority of the regular season. It doesn't help the other three teams in the region are very low seeds (No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4), FGCU has to play its bigger brother of sorts in Florida and two of these teams (Michigan and Kansas) have been ranked No. 1 in either the AP or coaches poll this year.

If the slipper continues to fit, FGCU would have to face the winner of the East, which was the only region to have all top four seeds reach the Sweet 16. Finally, it's hard to imagine either Louisville, Duke or Michigan State from the Midwest not reaching the title game. That's a major task for a team unknown to the majority of the country before a week ago. 

Alex:
Oregon. The Ducks were woefully underseeded, which made their first two games tougher than they deserved. Yet, they handled both Oklahoma State and a sweetheart St. Louis team with little trouble.

Now that the tournament's wheat has been separated from the chaff, things only get harder. The Ducks must first overcome Louisville, the No. 1 overall seed and a notoriously stingy defensive squad. From there one of two lightweights (you know, Michigan State or Duke) would be waiting in the Elite Eight before a match with either a peaking Wichita State or Ohio State's beat-'em-at-the-buzzer Buckeyes.

Picture a duck — feathers, beak and all — in a house from one of the Saw films. Those are the kinds of traps awaiting Oregon, with the ultimate one being a title game against a No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 or No. 4 seed, or a Cinderella with a groundswell of support in the stands and in the hearts of college hoops fans.


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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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Storm the Court, Duke

Security escorts Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski off the court after a loss at Maryland. (AP)

It's okay, Mike Krzyzewski. Really, it is. Your Duke Blue Devils have been court-stormed four times this season, eac after a loss on the road, and that is embarrassing. It is humbling. But it is also flattering.

Having opposing fans storm the court means that a pivotal game has just concluded — not necessarily for Duke, but for the other teams. The Blue Devils are a historically fantastic program that, thanks to stellar recruiting and coaching, have not missed an NCAA Tournament since 1995 and before that, last failed to capture a berth in 1983. They are more or less guaranteed to contend for the ACC title and make the big dance each season with expectations to make it to the second weekend of competition.

The current season is no different, with the Blue Devils holding a top-three ranking in early March and winning 15 games before falling for the first time this season, meaning none of Duke's losses have been more important than the others. The Blue Devils were on the wrong end of a 27-point thrashing by then-No. 25 Miami in January, but redeemed themselves this past weekend by eeking out a three-point home victory to a Hurricanes squad boasting a top-five ranking. North Carolina State was No. 20 when the Wolfpack dealt Duke its first loss; Maryland is underwhelming enough to miss being a bubble team, but the Terps are close to completing a rebuilding process; and Virginia is currently projected as 10-seed in the NCAA tournament.

Aside from the first Miami outlier, the Blue Devils have lost three games by a combined 15 points. Most teams would love to have such a record at this point in the spring. Only one team in the country, Gonzaga, has fewer losses and it is not like Duke is posting one of the worst verifiable seasons in college basketball history like a program a few states away.

The ACC is filled with proud programs, topped by Duke and North Carolina. Coach K's recent comments against the tradition of court storming after big wins are undoubtedly an extension of his program's pride and seem to come from a place of frustration rather than one of sourness. He has taken a level-headed approach, acknowledging opposing players and fans' right to celebrate while encouraging practices that would keep the Blue Devils — and likely any other losing programs besieged by a rush from the stands — safe in the process. After all, Krzyzewski made the comments when Virginia fans filled the court before he and the Blue Devils exited last week.

The truth is that it happened in a controlled environment and, according to Virginia officials, one in which Coach K was notified of what procedures would be taken in the event of a court storming. He was aware that a similar plan was in place at Miami before the Hurricanes throttled the Blue Devils. Despite this, an unnamed ACC athletic director is dedicated to addressing the court storming "issue" in a meeting with the conference's other AD's.

Thanks, anonymity, but you're not hiding much. Timed almost directly after Duke's fourth flustered performance of the season and Kryzezewski's criticism, the commenting AD is almost certainly housed in an office down the hall from Coach K and Duke's other coaches.

If Coach K and Co. are mad, that's fine, but the anger is probably not genuine. It is from the knowledge that they have been stormed in 100 percent of their losses this season and none of the losses were to the ACC's other traditional powerhouse. After several years of teams across the college hoops spectrum urging fans not to storm the court, the groupthink action is back. Based on competition, ranking and history, Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils just happen to be in the position most likely to find themselves in a sea of a different color.

Be upset, Coach K. Your team definitely has been, but it is still an elite program. It is your right, just as it is your opposition's right to celebrate after a big win. But don't forget to see the act of court storming for what it really is: a backhanded compliment to yourself and the Blue Devils. And maybe, just maybe, enjoy being immersed in the blue sea during Duke's next triumphant chapter.

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Miami Hurricanes Pick Perfect Time To Rise From Ashes

With the help of Jim Larranaga, no one has been able to stop the Hurricanes in 2013. (miamiherald.com)

It seems like so long ago that George Mason took down one Goliath after another in route to a Final Four appearance. Jim Larranaga's name was being talked about for coach of the year, and he was later named the Clair Bee Coach of the Year for the Final Four appearance.

The George Mason run seems so long ago that Larranaga's name began to fade again, even while his teams continued to put up successful seasons. But now he should be in consideration for a coach of the year award again this year with the job he's done at Miami.

That won't be the only honor or award that's about to flow Miami's way if the last two months are any indication of how the remainder of the season will play out. Most news coming out of the "U" has been negative of late with accusations of improper benefits and the connect of Nevin Shapiro and then-Miami coach Frank Haith. But Larranaga, in only his second season with the Hurricanes, has turned the program around faster and better than most would have imagined.

There was no room at the top of the ACC for the Hurricanes at the start of the season, with the likes of NC State, Duke and UNC claiming attention as the favorites. Then ACC play began. (Fighting off the urge to type the phrase "the storm's coming.")

Wins at UNC and against Maryland in games two and three of conference play made a great start for the Hurricanes. Then came the smashing of No.  Duke 90-63 in game five that turned heads. A one-point, grind-it-out victory at No. 19 NC State made Miami look like this was less of a fluke and then came the thrashing of UNC 87-61 Saturday, making the Hurricanes 10-0 in the ACC and by all accounts legitimate.

Miami does have a few blemishes early on the schedule (all in 2012) with three losses, and two of them considered "bad" losses. It is worth noting the first loss to Florida Gulf Coast was while leading scorer Durrand Scott was suspended and the Arizona and Indiana State losses were while center Reggie Johnson was injured. This is not to make excuses for early failures, but rather pointing out that since the Hurricanes have been healthy, no one has been able to stop them. Balanced scoring, strong defense and big plays makes this group fun to watch and hard to stop.

This is the rise-from-the-ashes success story college basketball was looking for in a year where parity is flowing throughout the game. With no perceivable "great" teams right now, this is the perfect season for a team like Miami to make this sort of unprecedented run. The Hurricanes have handled every talented ACC team thrown their way and have found their stride during conference play. Now they just have to makes sure not to play their best basketball before March.

The early losses still draw questions about whether this team is among the best in the country, but a team can evolve and grow quite a bit between November and February. Until Miami exposes a flaw and a loss as a complete unit, the Hurricanes need to be included in the discussion of the current best teams in the country and Larranaga's needs to again be in the running for national coach of the year.

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Ranking The Top 5 College Basketball States in 2012-13

Kansas and Kansas State have led the way for Kansas to be the most successful state in college basketball. (espn.com)

CBS Sports' Matt Norlander recently published a story examining the best college basketball state of the modern era. The answer may surprise you, but the argument is very much a sound one. This got me to thinking about what other great college basketball states are out there right now. This is not of all-time, but strictly this season. Only looking at the best three Div. I teams in the state (sorry Juco studs), we ranked the top five college basketball states of the 2012-13 basketball season to date. Agree with it? Thank you. Don't agree, let us know your top five.

No. 5 Florida
Florida could have been even higher on the list if Florida State would have been able to carry over the success of last season when they won the ACC Tournament. But the Seminoles have dropped off to a 10-7 record this season and can't seem to win the big games. FSU still has a meeting with Duke and two games against NC State to find a signature win. Miami has been a better surprise, working its way into the top 25 and at the top of the ACC at 4-0 (prior to the Hurricanes game against Duke Wednesday night). Still, the Florida Gators are the best of the state and a legitimate top-10 team who look to be the easy favorite to win the SEC.

State record: 37-12

No. 4 Kentucky
It still feels strange to say that the University of Kentucky is currently holding the state back in our rankings, but a defending national champion is not used to going 12-6 to start the following season. John Calipari has talent, but it's very young talent who still have a lot to learn. Louisville isn't helping matters either, dropping two straight in a talented Big East, but the Cardinals are still a Final Four contender. Murray State has also been down by last year's standards, starting 14-4. The Racers 5-1 in conference play and shouldn't lose too many more before the tournament. Last year the state of Kentucky was stronger with two Final Four teams and all three making the tournament and it should be expected for that level of play to return sooner than later. But right now the state is struggling, by it's standards, which still means two good team and a very good team.

State record: 42-13  

No. 3 North Carolina
This state had by far the most potential at the start of the year. Where Kentucky had two teams who were expected to hang out in the top 10 all year, North Carolina could have potentially had three comfortably in the top 25. Duke lived up to its end as the No. 1 team, but North Carolina's youth and inexperience has made for a tougher path than expected. Roy's boys have rebounded with two straight ACC wins after starting conference play 0-2, but five losses at this point in the season is unfamiliar territory for the Tar Heels. NC State, while still in the top 25, already has four losses and have lost two of three after upsetting Duke. These are still three dangerous tournament teams, but two have a lot yet to accomplish.

State record: 43-10  

No. 2 Indiana
Indiana is synonymous with basketball (enter Hoosier's reference here). But it's the mid-major (if you can even call them that) of the state is actually keeping this basketball powerhouse state ranked so high. Butler's 16-2 start and No. 9 ranking has them talked about the with best of college basketball. The Bulldogs already have wins over UNC, Indiana and most recently Gonzaga. The Hoosiers are one of the favorites to win the Big Ten, although the brutal conference schedule could hurt Indiana's record and ranking. Notre Dame's dismissal from the top 25 after losing three of four games is keeping Indiana from the No. 1 spot.

State record: 47-8  

No. 1 Kansas
Kansas probably wouldn't have been your first guess, right? But the Sunflower State is playing basketball better than anyone. All three Div. I teams are ranked in the top 20 and are showing no signs of slowing down. Kansas has won 16 games in a row while K-State's only loss in the last nine game came at the hands of the Jayhawks Tuesday (this includes a neutral-site win over Florida). Wichita State knocked off Creighton last weekend and is making a claim for a Missouri Valley Conference title and is tied with Creighton for the conference lead. All three teams are practically no-brainers to make the NCAA Tournament and don't be surprised if one or more makes a deep run.

State record: 49-6 

Injury Bug Crashes Down On College Hoops

Lehigh's C.J. McCollum is one of several players bitten by the injury bug this season. (draftexpress.com)

The injury bug is a fickle creature that comes and goes, leaving questions and holes in college basketball programs across the country. This week in particular has been rampant with injuries for some big-name players trying to lead their teams to conference titles as league play begins.

While no injury is a good injury, some teams have been lucky to have players only suffer minor setbacks. Florida's Erik Murphy won't play tonight due to fractured ribs, but should only be gone two weeks. Louisville's Chane Behanan will also be sidelined tonight with an ankle sprain that could keep him out up to 10 days. Both players are valued in their programs -- Murphy is the team's second leading scorer while Behanan has averaged 11.4 ppg and 7.1 rebound -- but they should be fine for the long-term race to the NCAA Tournament.

Other teams may not be so lucky. Lehigh's C.J. McCollum broke a bone in his foot and is out eight to 10 weeks. Laurence Bowers of Missouri left Tuesday's game with what could be a MCL sprain. This is more concerning to Tiger fans because Bowers spent all last year in street clothes recovering from a torn ACL in his other knee. Duke also failed to make it out of Tuesday's contest unscathed with forward Ryan Kelly injuring his right foot. As of this post's publication it's still unsure how significant these last two injuries are.

These are well-known names for college hoops fans and large contributors to their teams. All three of the could-be major injuries are important losses, but here's a breakdown of the order in which the teams are hurting most from its players being injured.

Lehigh - This Is My Nightmare
The injury to C.J. McCollum is by far the worst of the three injuries in terms of the impact on his team. This is partly because McCollum is one of the best players in the country. He's the second leading scorer in the nation at 23.9 ppg, while also ranking second on the team in rebounds (five) and assists (2.9). The Mountain Hawks also don't have the luxury of employing a group of highly-rated players to fill the void like Kentucky could. Gabe Knutson (15.7 ppg) will have to step up big for the Mountain Hawks in McCollum's absence. Plus, Bucknell (13-3) is giving Lehigh (10-4) a run for its money in the Patriot League, where the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament is huge. There's no certainty the field will have room for Lehigh if they don't win the league without McCollum.

Missouri - Oh Please Not Again
The Tigers have seen this story before, and aren't ready to relive it. Phil Pressey is getting all the national hype, but Laurence Bowers is the cog that keeps this team together. Not only does he lead the team in scoring (16.8 ppg), but with a large group of transfers making up this team's identity, Bowers provides that senior leadership to get everyone working together. Missouri has enough talent that his absence won't be as monumental as McCollum, but Tiger fans would much rather see Bowers on the court. If he is out for a significant amount of time, this will be the true test to see how good Alex Oriakhi (10.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg) can be.

Duke - Looks Like A Stinger, Could Feel Worse
An everyday national fan will see the injury to Ryan Kelly and say, "At least it's not Mason Plumlee." This is true, and there's no question that an injury to Plumlee, a National Player of the Year candidate, would be much worse. Yet Kelly provides an important role within this starting lineup that will be missed, which ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla articulated on Twitter Wednesday:

Duke has a ton of talent on this team, but the little things like interior passing and key 3-pointers could be out of whack until Kelly returns.


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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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Duke Lands No. 2 Recruit Jabari Parker

Jabari Parker announced Thursday he will play college ball at Duke. (bleacherreport.com)

Jabari Parker, the No. 2-rated recruit in the ESPN 100 and No. 3 Rivals recruit in the class of 2013, chose Duke Thursday over Michigan State, Florida, Stanford and BYU.

This is a big win for the Blue Devils, as Parker — a 6-foot-8 forward from Simeon Career Academy in Chicago — is the third ESPN 100 recruit to commit to Duke next year. Duke had already landed Matt Jones, guard and No. 36 recruit, and Semi Ojeleye, forward and No. 41.

Coach K has recruited Chicago pretty well in the past, including landing Jon Scheyer, Sean Dockery and Corey Maggette.

Parker will look to fill the shoes of senior Mason Plumlee, who is an early frontrunner for National Player of the Year. He'll have to stay healthy, as he fractured his right ankle over the summer, but if he does, Parker's ceiling is very high, especially with the way Coach K can build talent.

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Jabari Parker To Announce College Choice Dec. 20

Jabari Parker will announce his college choice on Dec. 20. (espn.com)

Jabari Parker, the No. 3 prospect on the 2013 class Rivals 150 list, will let the country know where he will play his college basketball on Dec. 20.

Five schools remain in the race for Parker - Duke, Michigan St., BYU, Florida and Stanford - but Parker's father said he believes Duke and Michigan State have the best chance to land his son. Parker never took an official visit to Stanford, and BYU fans had the most creative recruiting tactic, but this looks to be a three-horse race, with Duke and Michigan State in the lead. Don't doubt a father's instincts.

Any of these schools would love to have the 6-foot-8 Parker on their team, but with both Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly being seniors, Duke might benefit most because they are in need of another forward.

Parker had fluctuated between the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked player with fellow recruit Julius Randle until Andrew Wiggins reclassified from the 2014 class and is now No. 1 in the class of 2013. Neither Randle or Wiggins have made their college decisions.


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College Basketball's First-Semester Grades

Duke is flying into the spring semester with a high basketball GPA. (cbsnews.com)

It's finals week all across college campuses, which is why you will find very few exciting games until Saturday. So while the players are busy studying for finals (it's all about the academics, folks) let's give out some grades of our own, shall we. Granted it's still early, and we won't really get to know many of these teams until conference play, but here are three teams who have passed the first semester with ease and three who need to hit the books harder in the spring.

Honor Roll:

Duke - A 

Duke couldn't have been asked to do much more than it has already in the first month of the season. The Blue Devils have taken down three then-top-five teams (first No. 3 Kentucky, then No. 2 Louisville and finally No. 4 Ohio State), while also earning solid wins over Minnesota and VCU, who should be tournament teams in March. Duke has a few easier games to round out non-conference play before kicking off ACC games. Duke has to be the new frontrunner to win the conference, with both UNC and NC State showing some inefficiencies early.

Indiana - A

The Hoosiers schedule has not been the gauntlet Duke has faced, but Indiana has taken care of its business in the fashion of the No. 1 team in the country. The two quality wins are there - defeating a Georgetown team, which has outshined its expectations, so far by 10, and beating UNC by a definitive 24 points. Almost as impressive is how Indiana has handled the lesser non-conference opponents. Many top 25 teams has struggled to pull off close wins against teams they should easily beat. Not IU. No team other than Georgetown has finished the game less than 13 points behind the Hoosiers. The real test will be conference play, where three or four teams could win the Big Ten, but so far, Indiana has passed the test.

Illinois - A-

The Illini are off to an 11-0 start and have cracked the top 10 in John Groce's first year at Illinois. Illinois finally got the signature win of the season so far, a road victory against then No. 10 Gonzaga in Spokane, which many will say is one of the toughest home environments. But the strength of schedule has been weak, and the Illini have had a few unimpressive wins, like a one-point overtime win over Hawaii and only being up by two on Norfolk State with six minutes remaining in the team's most recent game. It hasn't all been Illinois' fault as the team made it through the Maui Invitational without having to face the favorite UNC. But some are still questioning the Illini as a legitimate top-10 team and Big Ten championship contender.


Grades Slipping:

 Kentucky - C

Kentucky is the girl you went to high school with that believes perfection is the only option. Get a B on a test and your life is over. UK's expectations are just as high and so far the team has fallen short. A 6-3 record is not acceptable for Lexington. We've talked about how this is definitely not last year's team, and these freshmen are going through growing pains. If this were Minnesota who had loses to Duke, Notre Dame and Baylor, it would still be looked at as a decent start to the season, but Kentucky doesn't lose two in a row very often. Kentucky will be fine in March, but right now this team is having trouble adjusting to college life.

UCLA - D

Another 6-3 team in UCLA, but why did they not earn a "C" like Kentucky? Would Cal Poly like to answer that? The Bruins were Cal Poly's second win of the year (the Mustangs are now 3-4) and UCLA has not gotten its talented and hyped freshmen to produce. The Bruins are 97th in the country in field goal percentage at 45.4 percent and the team's scoring has decreased since the beginning of the season. Again, part of this bad grade is considering the expectations coming into the season. This was supposed to be UCLA's climb back to the top, and the Bruins started the season ranked in the top 15. A month into the season and UCLA has struggled against every decent team they've faced, including barely beating a plummeting Texas team 65-63. Speaking of Texas ...

Texas - D

I know, I know, Myck Kabongo hasn't played all season, and I thought it would hurt Texas. Take the best player from any team and they will struggle to fill the void. Kabongo's absence is the only reason I didn't give the Longhorns an F. But still, no one thought Texas would be 5-4 with the losses coming against Chaminade (Div. II), USC (even worse than Texas), Georgetown (a formidable opponent) and UCLA (see above). Texas can't score, ranked 282nd in the country in points per game (62 ppg) and have so many problems, it's hard to know where to start. Regardless of an ineligible player, a program like Texas and coach Rick Barnes, with a great recent history of success and NBA products, should never let this happen. And how does Texas end its non-conference play? By facing Michigan State and UNC back to back. This could get uglier for the Longhorns before it gets better.


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