Draft Profile: Making Baskets With Otto Porter

In the run-up to the 2013 NBA Draft on June 27, the BDD staff will be profiling several projected lottery picks and other draft entrants. Next up: Otto Porter.

Otto Porter probably scored on this play. (John McDonnell/Washington Post)

Position: Small Forward
College: Georgetown
DraftExpress Prediction: No. 3 in first round, No. 3 overall to the Washington Wizards

Synopsis: Otto Porter can get into the lane at will and succinctly score when he gets there. Remember Georgetown's late surge during the regular season that locked the Hoyas into an NCAA Tournament selection? Credit Porter's activity on both ends. On the offensive side in particular, Porter's enhanced three-point acumen (from 23 percent as a sophomore to 42 percent last season) added a new dimension to his game that made his entry to the paint that much simpler for him and that much more agonizing for onlooking coaches on the opposing bench. His 16.2 points per game (19.1 per 40 minutes pace adjusted) came from an efficient 48 percent shooting while using 21.7 percent of Georgetown's possessions when on the floor.

Thanks to his size, this scoring ability should translate to NBA courts. Porter's ideal height for a small forward (6'9") could stand to fill out (he's currently 198 pounds), but his length makes him a threat on defense, as well. His 7-foot-plus wingspan helped Porter poke away 2.1 steals per game as a senior. The three-man also nabbed 22.6 percent of his team's defensive rebounds, showing he does more than hit the boards for his own put-backs.

A necessary expansion of Porter's game to make him an all-around better scorer, and thus an all-around better threat, would be the addition of creating his own shot off the dribble. This would make him more dangerous in isolation situations and as part of a pick-and-roll tandem, thus allowing Porter to create more space for his teammates and perhaps see a jump in his assist numbers (2.7 per game last season). For the weight and off-the-bounce skills he currently lacks, though, Porter has shown he can make dramatic jumps in just one offseason. There is no sure-shot lottery pick in this draft, but Porter is one of the only players able to make an immediate impact for whichever team drafts him. 

Quote to note: “It has helped. Obviously, you can get better each and every day. Obviously, we didn't play our best game my last game. I wanted to come from that, to learn from that, and get better.” - Porter on Georgetown's NCAA Tournament loss to No. 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast, via DraftExpress. 

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NCAA Tournament: Round of 64 Day 2 Recap

No. 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast had the win of the night by knocking off No.2 Georgetown. (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

This is more like it. Anyone still feeling good about your bracket? Yeah, I didn't think so. Except for maybe one of our writers, Fred, who somehow picked Harvard and La Salle. Showoff. The tournament balanced a day of blowouts and chalk Thursday with nail-biters and  Cinderella's in training Friday. So naturally the major talking point after Friday is …

Who Wants A Slipper?
Today proved upsets are still alive and well in March. For the second day, a No. 1 was tested before closing out a narrow victory as Kansas held off Western Kentucky. Kansas City didn't see a No. 16 win, but it did see two double-digit seeds pull off victories back-to-back as No. 12 Ole Miss defeated No. 5 seed Wisconsin before No. 13 La Salle blew an 18-point lead to Kansas State before coming back to win. Other notable upsets were No. 11 Minnesota over UCLA, No. 10 Iowa State crushing Notre Dame, No. 9 Temple (upset in name only). Oh and then there was …

The biggest win of the day goes to No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast, a school that wasn't founded until 1991, who outplayed No. 2 Georgetown all game to move on to the next round. This is the second consecutive year a No. 15 has defeated a No. 2 (Leheigh and Norfolk St. last year), and before that it hasn't happened since 2001 (Hampton over Iowa St). The increasing trend of No. 15 seeds winning makes a No. 16 victory seem more likely.

Hot and cold
Don't tell the A-10 it isn't a power conference. Teams from the A-10 are 5-0 (VCU, La Salle, Butler, St. Louis andTemple) and most have a good chance of advancing to the Sweet 16. No BCS conferences can show that kind of record. The Big Ten's only loss has been Wisconsin, and the ACC's was North Carolina State, but the Big XII is 2-3, Pac-12 is 2-2 and the Mountain West has been disappointing with both New Mexico and UNLV falling in the first round.

Milestone for Ol' Roy
UNC's second-round victory over Villanova earned Roy Williams 700th career victory. His reward? Having to face his former school and No. 1 seed Kansas in the third round. Roy has faced KU twice before since he left, both times being in the NCAA Tournament, and Roy is 0-2. Still, 700 wins is a incredible accomplishment for a Hall of Fame coach.

Saying Goodbye To The Big East Tournament As We Know It

The Big East is playings its final conference tournament as the conference we grew up knowing. (wikipedia.com)

For years, the Big East Tournament has been a great appetizer to the NCAA Tournament a week later. Regularly holding the title as one of the most competitive and best conferences in college basketball, the Big East has for years put on a show in the world's best basketball arena: Madison Square Garden.

The Big East Tournament as we know it will come to an end Saturday with the final championship game with a stacked lineup of contenders. The new Big East will still have solid teams, yet is an interesting group, but it won't be the same.

One of the reasons that the Big East is so popular is the great matchups that form long before the title game. Starting as early as the quarterfinal rounds, nationally ranked teams and conference rivals have to begin the brutal march to Saturday, with no cakewalks thrown in. Take this year for example, as No. 1-seed Georgetown has to face a 22-win Cincinnati team in the quarterfinals today, while No. 19 Syracuse and No. 17 Pittsburgh and No. 24 Notre Dame and No. 12 Marquette face off later in the day. By having so many talented teams playing each other in the early rounds really makes the title game wide open. Any of the teams just mentioned, not even including No. 2-seed Louisville, could win the Big East Tournament this year.

The conference tournament that gave us so many great moments (those Georgetown games in the 1980s, Kemba Walker's amazing tournament performance in 2011 to lead UCONN to the title and the Syracuse/UCONN six-overtime thriller in 2009 just to name a few) has one more chance to wow the country with great matchups and memorable performances. Let's hope the tournament give fans a high note or two to end the era on, because an underdog in the championship game, an overtime thriller or a few buzzer-beaters is what we've grown to expect from the Big East Tournament, and it would be a fitting way to say goodbye.

The motivation to win should be even higher in this final year. Whenever dealing with the breakup of a group (relationship, business, AC/DC cover band) you always want to be the one to walk out on top. There is a mountain of pride and bragging rights awaiting Saturday and the tournament's winner, who can always say it was the Big East champion in the final year of the "old" Big East. For those teams leaving for the ACC, this would be a great way to go out and a trophy to hold over the heads of those left behind. For a member of the Catholic 7, it proves your new conference will have legitimate contenders. Every team has a reason to win, and with the stakes this high, the competition should be fierce.

In the age of conference realignment, we should be used to change. Nearly every fan base in the country has been affected by it over the past three or four years. While change is natural, it is disappointing to have to say goodbye to some of the most thrilling and hyped moments of the sport, and the Big East Tournament was definitely one of those.

Villanova: NCAA Tournament's Jekell & Hyde Team

Villanova all but punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament, but which Wildcat team will show up? (nytimes.com)

The better of the two Villanova teams defeated Georgetown Tuesday and, barring a very early and ugly exit in the Big East Tournament, punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. I said one of the two because it feels like there are two Villanova teams (a Jekell & Hyde, if you will) that could show up to any game either making the team look like a Big East contender or rebuilding project.

Villanova (19-12) will most likely be on the right side of the bubble come Selection Sunday because the Wildcats have risen in big games with a handful of key victories. However, Villanova wouldn't even be on the bubble if not for inconsistent play and bad losses. The highlight wins are impressive and the worst losses are ugly. Just take a look at these:

Key wins: Louisville and Syracuse (back-to-back), Marquette, Georgetown

Key losses: Columbia, Providence (2x), at Seton Hall

The other eight losses weren't horrible because of the level of opposition, but a season with double-digit losses, while trying to get a ticket to the big dance, isn't ideal. It also doesn't help that Villanova lost the biggest non-conference games on the schedule (Alabama, at La Salle and Temple).

The Wildcats are seventh in the Big East, yet have beaten four of the six teams ahead of them in the rankings (except for Notre Dame and Pitt). It's amazing Villanova was able to knock off three teams who were ranked in the top five in the country at the time, yet can't close out games to Seton Hall and Providence.

The latest ESPN Bracketology has Villanova as a No. 14 seed and people would have to consider the Wildcats as a possible upset pick. How could you not when they've upset so many great teams who would be of equal talent level to a No. 3 seed the Wildcats would face? It also would not be shocking to anyone for Villanova to be on a plane back to Philadelphia after one game.

Villanova epitomizes how this college basketball season has unfolded. The Wildcats are impossible to figure out. Just when you think they are on the upside, another bad loss sets them back and makes you question what you thought about the team. Then as Nova looked as if it would end the regular season on a three-game losing streak, the Wildcats beat Georgetown to end on a high note and make you question once again.

Depending on which Villanova team shows up to the tournament, Jekell or Hyde, it could make for an interesting weekend for one of the last teams to make the field.

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Georgetown Finally Getting Credit It Deserves

Otto Porter and Georgetown are climbing up the ranks of the nation's best teams at the right time. (espn.com)

Blind resumes are popular in college basketball this time of year, so let's try one now. Here's one team's breakdown:

This team has a  21-4 record, 11-3 record in the conference, a RPI of 13, strength of schedule of 32 and a 3-2 record against top 25 teams.

Not bad, right? Well, if your deductive reasoning skills are sharp, then you know from the headline this team is Georgetown. Does that surprise you?

The Hoyas will move into the top 10 in the country this week and are riding a nine-game winning streak. All of a sudden a team that wasn't on anyone's radar a month ago now has an outside chance to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Saturday's 57-46 win over then-No. 8 Syracuse finally drew the national attention to Georgetown that it had been deserving for weeks. But Syracuse was not the only big-name Big East team to fall to the Hoyas during this win streak. Georgetown has defeated Notre Dame, Louisville, Marquette, Cincinnati and the before-mentioned Cuse since Jan. 21.

One of the reasons for the Hoyas' jump in rankings and popularity is the play of sophomore forward Otto Porter, who is averaging 15.9 points per game, 7.7 rebounds and came up huge with 33 points and eight rebounds in Saturday's win over Syracuse. When Porter gets going, he's as fun to watch as almost any player in the country. He takes good shots, shooting just over 50 percent from the field, and can shoot the three effectively, hitting 45 percent of them this season, which is outstanding for a 6-foot-8 forward. Markel Starks is the Hoyas second best scoring option, averaging 12.1 points per game.

Georgetown isn't the prettiest offensive team. The Hoyas only average 65 points per game and when they've lost, it's usually due to a lack of scoring. With the exception of the Indiana game, in which the final score was 82-72 in OT, the Hoyas have not been able to crack 60 points in their other three losses. But that doesn't mean Georgetown can't score. When the famous Princeton motion offense is flowing, the Hoyas are efficient enough to win games. This is mainly because of defense, which could adequately be referred to as smothering. During Georgetown's nine-game winning streak, only two teams, Rutgers and DePaul, were able to score more than 60 points.

The Hoyas deserve all of the credit being tossed their way, but what took so long? As conference play began, the Hoyas only had one loss, and it was to now and then-No. 1 Indiana in overtime, yet the buzz wasn't this strong. Granted, conference play didn't begin particularly well, but even back-to-back wins over Notre Dame and Louisville wasn't enough to get people to buy in to the Hoyas' stock after those early Big East losses. Now, after nine wins, the Hoyas bandwagon is overflowing. Coach John Thompson III has done a terrific job getting this team better over the course of the season and allowing the Hoyas to peak at the right time.

It doesn't matter if it's pretty or high-scoring, the only numbers to be concerned with are the wins and losses, and right now Georgetown's win numbers are as good as anyone in the country. And in March, that is the only number that matters.

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Battle 4 Atlantis, Maui Invitational, Legends Classic Headline Tournaments To Watch Thanksgiving Week

UNC and Texas included in field battling for the Maui Invitational title. (illinoisloyalty.com)

Thanksgiving week is synonymous with football, but if you're looking for a feast, look no further than the slate of college basketball tournaments taking place all around the continent. Here's a quick look at the tournaments you will want to keep an eye on this week.

Maui Invitational - Nov. 19-21, Maui, Hawaii

The favorite: UNC

The field: Marquette vs. Butler; Mississippi St. vs. UNC; Texas vs. Chaminade; USC vs. Illinois

Breakdown: Texas was an early favorite to give UNC a run for its money, but the status of guard Myck Kabongo is still uncertain. Without Kabongo, Texas will struggle to find enough scoring to keep up with the fast-pace scoring of UNC (through two games the Longhorns are only averaging 62 ppg). UNC is young, but has lots of talent and should be able to leave Hawaii with the trophy.

Legends Classic - Nov. 19-20, Brooklyn, NY

The favorite: Indiana

The field: Indiana vs. Georgia; UCLA vs. Georgetown

Breakdown: Indiana should have no trouble taking care of Georgia and advancing to the title game. But the UCLA/Georgetown game became much more interesting after the news that Bruins freshman Shabazz Muhammad is now eligible to play. Georgetown's only early test - against Florida on an aircraft carrier - was canceled, and it feels like this Hoyas team is still searching for its identity. Indiana vs. UCLA would make an entertaining final, where UCLA should stay competitive, but the Hoosiers may prove to have too much firepower offensively.

Battle 4 Atlantis - Nov. 22-24, Atlantis Resorts, Bahamas

The favorite: Louisville/Duke

The field: Duke, Louisville, Missouri, Memphis, Stanford, VCU, Minnesota, Northern Iowa

Breakdown: This has to be the most talent-heavy preseason tournament this year, with a good mix of blue bloods and mid-major darlings. There are no easy roads to the finals in this bracket, so the trophy is up for grabs. Duke and Louisville should both be in the running for the championship game, but don't overlook Memphis or Missouri as an upset pick. Missouri's transfers are starting to get a feel for playing together and Memphis has tons of young talent. Duke came out of the gate hot with a win over Kentucky in the Champions Classic, while Louisville has yet to be tested. The title game could be any number of matchup combinations, which makes this a must-see tournament to watch.

Others To Keep An Eye On

CBE Classic - Nov. 19-20, Kansas City, Mo.
The field: Kansas, St. Louis, Texas A&M and Washington State

Preseason NIT - Nov. 21-23, New York City
The field: Michigan, Pitt, Kansas State, Virginia, Bowling Green, Delware, Fordham, Fairfield, Cleveland St., North Texas, Lamar and Robert Morris


Old Spice Classic - Nov. 22-25, Orlando, Fl.
The field: Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Davidson, Oklahoma, Clemson, West Virginia, UTEP, Marist


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What We Learned From The First Weekend Of College Basketball

Playing on an aircraft carrier is great, if the weather cooperates. It didn't for Florida/Georgetown and Ohio State/Marquette. (usatoday.com)

Nearly every team now has a game under its belt after the opening weekend of college basketball, but the important thing to remember is we've got a long way to go before March. Now is not the time to make brash assumptions about a team after 40 minutes of play, like that Kentucky's freshman system is a failure since they nearly lost to Maryland and now they're not longer title contenders and might not make the tournament even and it's that's probably the reason for the Mayan Apocalypse. OK, that's a bit of an over exaggeration, but you get the point. Instead, we're going to be rational and patient - two approaches many in the sports industry refuse to try - while explaining this opening weekend.

Playing outdoors doesn't always go smoothly:
The near perfection that was the first Carrier Classic last year in San Diego between UNC and Michigan State sent the expectations through the roof. Then reality settled in and we realized there's a reason basketball is played in a gym. 
Syracuse and San Diego State were able to play outside Sunday, but that's only because the game, originally scheduled for Friday night, was postponed due to rain. In the two other games set on aircraft carriers Friday, One game wasn't able to finish (Florida lead Georgetown 27-23 at the half) and the other (Ohio State vs. Marquette) wasn't even allowed to start due to weather and condensation on the courts. The experience is remarkable if the conditions allow it to be, but Mother Nature doesn't always let that happen.

Freshmen are still freshmen
ESPN college basketball writer Jason King tweeted Monday morning that eight of the top-10-ranked freshmen according to ESPN played over the weekend and collectively averaged 7.6 points. Probably the freshman performance most surprising to people in a negative way was Kentucky's Nerlens Noel, who scored just four points in 26 minutes. The No. 1 player in the 2012 class did grab nine rebounds, but expectations are high for the freshman, who is assumed to be a star from his first minute on the court. But let's not forget, this was his first taste of college basketball, against a good opponent, where the play is quicker and more physical. It's going to take time. Some adjusted quickly, like Baylor's Isaiah Austin, who scored 22 points in 17 minutes against Lehigh, but there's still going to be a learning period for freshmen to get adjusted. It doesn't mean that Noel or others are suddenly a wash; they just needs time to adapt and get comfortable in a new system.

Most Impressive Win: Kevin Ollie and UCONN
Kevin Ollie didn't have the easiest first game to prepare for as a collegiate head coach. Replacing Jim Calhoun with only a seven-month contract and having basically a new team from last year, Ollie's first test was No. 14 Michigan State and a future hall-of-famer in Tom Izzo while traveling to Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Ollie had been Calhoun's pick for his replacement since his retirement, and Calhoun's judgement looks to be correct so far.
Ollie's Huskies left Germany with a 66-62 victory over the Spartans after shooting 46 percent from the field and from 3-point range. Guard Shabazz Napier is the biggest piece leftover from the Calhoun era, and he stepped up with a huge 25 points on 8-16 shooting.
UCONN was not expected to do much this season, being picked to finish ninth in the Big East, but this early win over a ranked opponent could be the kind of confidence this team needs to "overachieve" this season. Ollie just proved in his preparation that he deserves the faith his team needs to have in him, and that is a great way to spark a team starting a season.


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Five Games To Watch In College Hoops' Opening Weekend

Maryland is the first test on the schedule for Kentucky as the Wildcats look to repeat their title. (espn.com)

It's finally here. College basketball season is at our fingertips, with just four more months before March Madness. There's no easing into it either. Tough matchups are awaiting ranked teams from the start, and with a multitude of games to watch and only so many TVs in your house, here are five games (and two who nearly missed the cut) to watch this opening weekend. All times are eastern.

Maryland vs. No. 3 Kentucky - 8:30 p.m. Friday ESPN
Kentucky is the defending national champion, although most of that team isn't around to defend the title. New faces are running the show, and this is the country's first look at a Calipari team without a "can they win a title this way" question surrounding it. The Wildcats might not breeze through the season as easily as last year - that was a special team - but they will still be very talented and win a lot of games. The Cats' first test is against a Maryland squad that is on the way up. Coach Mark Turgeon's squad got some great news this week regarding transfer Dez Wells, which is a huge lift for the Terps. Maryland will give Kentucky their best shot to see what the Cats have so early in the season.


Marquette vs. No. 4 Ohio State - 7 p.m. Friday NBC Sports Network
The big names are gone for both teams as they try to find new identities. It might be easier for Ohio State, as even though the Jared Sullinger and William Buford era is over in Columbus, the Buckeyes still have plenty of firepower. Deshaun Thomas will pick up some of the scoring and the defense will always be strong as long as Aaron Craft is on the court. The Golden Eagles are looking for people to step up after losing their top two leading scorers, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. It will be interesting to see which team's role players step up early, as it could be a good sign for growth throughout the season.


No. 10 Florida vs. Georgetown - 9 p.m. Friday NBC Sports Network
Florida - along with Missouri - has been many people's best bet to compete with Kentucky for the SEC crown without star guard Bradley Beal. Kenny Boyton should have an excellent year, starting with this game against a young Georgetown team without any seniors and with little experience. But both the Hoyas and Gators will be wearing camo jerseys and playing on an aircraft carrier in honor of Veteran's Day, so that's worth checking out in itself. The Gators should walk away victorious, but a program like Georgetown is never truly down and will put up a fight.


Bryant University at No. 1 Indiana - 8 p.m. Friday Big Ten Network
The state of Indiana has been waiting for this game for months. The hype is as strong as the expectations are for the No. 1 team in the country. This should be an easy win for the Hoosiers, but it will still be fun to see everyone's preseason pick for Player of the Year in Cody Zeller and the rest of the team in action. Let's not forget how low the program was after the Kelvin Sampson sanctions a few years ago. Tom Crean has done a great job revitalizing the program, and now is the time to see how far the team can climb. 


No. 9 Syracuse vs. No. 20 San Diego State - 4 p.m. Sunday
This is probably the most evenly matched game of the weekend. The game was pushed back to Sunday afternoon due to rain on Friday on the aircraft carrier in San Diego, so now more of the country will be able to watch with fewer games to chose from on Sunday. The Orange were a National Championship contender last season, blowing through the Big East. That's the goal again this season (as it always is in Syracuse), although the talent might not be as strong as last season. And don't sleep on what Steve Fisher is doing at SDSU. They may not play in a power conference, but they have the skill and discipline to compete with Jim Boeheim's squad. We'll be seeing both of these teams in the NCAA Tournament in March.


Honorable mentions:
Indiana State at No. 13 UCLA - 11 p.m. Friday Fox Sports Net
Talented freshman Kyle Anderson has been cleared to play for UCLA, but the Bruins are still waiting on word of fellow frosh Shabazz Muhammad's eligibility. It's been a dark couple of years for this storied program, but this highly recruited and highly praised freshman class could give UCLA instant success. They've all come in with plenty of hype, now it's time to watch what they can do at the college level.

No. 14 Michigan State vs. UCONN - 5:30 p.m. Friday ESPN 
The Jim Calhoun tenure is over at UCONN, so now we get to see what Calhoun's protege Kevin Ollie can do. Even with Shabazz Napier, it will probably be a rough first season for the Huskies. On the other side, Michigan State is without Draymond Green, a Player of the Year candidate last season, but will always be skilled and well coached under Tom Izzo. The Spartans will turn around and face No. 7 Kansas on Tuesday, but they better not look too far ahead of the Huskies.


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Syracuse/SDSU Push Back Carrier Game Due To Rain

UNC and Michigan State play in the first Carrier Classic last season on board the USS Carl Vinson. (nytimes.com)

The scene will be hard to recreate. North Carolina and Michigan State playing basketball for the first time ever on an aircraft carrier (the USS Carl Vinson) in front of more than 8,000 fans and military members on Veteran's Day with the background of a red and purple sunset.

The spectacle went so well that the Carrier Classic is not only coming back for a second season - where Ohio State will take on Marquette on the USS Yorktown in Charleston, SC - but two other carrier flight decks will host games this year. Syracuse and San Diego State will play on the flight deck of the USS Midway in San Diego, while Georgetown and Florida will play on the USS Bataan in Jacksonville, Fl.

Mother Nature was not as kind to San Diego this time around, as Syracuse and SDSU are pushing the game back from Friday night to 1 p.m. Sunday due to a high chance of rain and strong winds.

This is an issue college basketball has never had to deal with, but fans should be thankful the game wasn't immediately moved indoors. It would have been the easier solution, so credit those involved who took on the extra work to keep the game outside.

This is a special experience for the teams, military personnel lucky enough to attend the game and fans across the country watching on TV, and a budding tradition that is expanding and looks like it will see more years ahead. So it's smart one of the games was not given shelter as the event continues to take off.


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If Myck Kabongo Is Ruled Ineligible, Texas Will Suffer

Texas sophomore Myck Kabongo is being investigated for receiving improper benefits from an agent. (burntorangenation.com)

Texas sophomore guard Myck Kabongo is the latest college athlete to be investigated for his involvement with an agent, and if wrong-doing is found, it will be the team that will pay the biggest price.

The NCAA is reviewing Kabongo's relationship with agent Rich Paul, who represents LeBron James, and if Paul paid for a trip to Cleveland and a workout for Kabongo last May. Kabongo has yet to be ruled ineligible and is practicing with the team.

But should the NCAA find that Kabongo received improper benefits from Paul, he could be ruled ineligible for a portion of the season. This is a punishment the Longhorns can't afford.

Kabongo is just a sophomore, but on a team with only two seniors and no juniors, Kabongo will be looked at as one of the leaders. His numbers as a freshman were good, but many expected him to blossom in his second year. He averaged 9.6 ppg last season — good for the third highest on the team — and lead the team with 5.2 assists per contest.

One of the reasons his numbers should improve is there will be more shots to go around with the departure of leading scorer J'Covan Brown. Brown averaged 20.1 ppg and in doing so took 535 shots, nearly double the amount of any other teammate.

Without Kabongo in the lineup, Texas could have trouble finding people to score, and with their non-conference scheduling, this could lead to losses. The chances are if Kabongo is suspended, it will not be for the majority of the season, which is good for Texas with Kansas and Baylor waiting early on in conference play. But Rick Barnes likes to challenge his team early in the season, and Kabongo will need to be on the floor.


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The Longhorns' December schedule looks like a murderer's row of blue-blood programs. After facing Georgetown and UCLA in a four-day span in early December, Texas has back-to-back games just two games later against North Carolina and Michigan State before Christmas. It's tough enough to survive that stretch at full strength, but without Kabongo, the Longhorns might be happy coming away with two wins.

A ruling has not yet been made, so right now this is all a worst-case scenario. But Texas fans should hope a ruling comes quickly if the decision holds Kabongo out of games. That way maybe he just misses the month of November.

Because the longer the ruling takes, and the closer it gets to that December gauntlet, the more worried Texas should be to make it into conference play without a few L's.

Nike-Sponsored Squads Set For Elite Event in 2017

Nike-sponsored schools will square off in a two-tournament event featuring college basketball's elite in 2017 (nikeblog.com)

It's not too early to look ahead to the 2012 college basketball season, which is three months away. But how about looking ahead to 2017?

Thanks to Michigan State Athletic Director Mark Hollis, the best early-season college basketball tournament won't take place in Maui or Madison Square Garden. This tournament will take place in Portland, and the star power represented by the schools is fitting given the star power of the sponsor they are celebrating. 

According to Andy Katz of ESPN, Hollis was able to receive commitments from 16 Nike-sponsored programs to play in a two-tournament event held over four days in November 2017. This is in celebration of Nike co-founder Phil Knight's 80th birthday, which is the following February.

The premise itself is enticing — having teams sponsored by the same company compete against one another — but it's the programs represented that will make college hoops fans' mouths water. 

The tournament will include a mix of blue bloods (Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, Michigan St.), as well as power-conference representatives (Florida, Ohio St., UCONN, Georgetown, Texas, Oklahoma, Stanford and Oregon), and some choice mid-majors (Xavier, Butler, Gonzaga and Portland).

Let that sink in for a moment. No matter the combination of seedings, elite programs will have a hard road to win these two tournaments. Unlike other early-season tournaments, there is no Chaminade in the quarterfinals. Even the "mid-majors" are no one to mess with. This event is loaded from top to bottom.

That's what fans want to see. Why else would this event even be a topic of conversation five years early if it wasn't big? The third game of the year against Towson isn't circled on any calendars. If you think your team is better than Duke, and the team doesn't play in the ACC, then you're excited to play the Blue Devils and find out if you're right. 

This not only is a win for fans and for the teams — this should help boost the RPI at the end of the year — but imagine what this does for Nike. It's hard to say which is more impressive:  that Nike sponsors all of these teams or that, when Hollis came calling with the idea, everyone said yes. The king of sports apparel and marketing will have its name on the biggest regular-season basketball event of the year, maybe even the decade, while every player on the court wears its equipment. 

The only downside is this won't take place for another five years. It's unlikely these teams will plummet to mediocrity during the waiting period, so if this upcoming season is any indication, college hoops fans are in for a treat in 2017.


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