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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Friday Roundtable: Final Four Team Most Likely To Repeat Next Season

Can the Louisville Cardinals, or any of the other three Final Four teams, return next year? (yahoo.com)

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 Final Four team is most likely to return to the Final Four next season?

Kyle:

I actually would be surprised if any of the teams in this year's Final Four returned next year. Every team is losing key talent and the one-and-done rule evens out the playing field on a yearly basis (except for Kentucky this year, who needed a dreadful season by their standards to return some players to Lexington to mix with this insane recruiting class and be stacked). The fact that this is Louisville's second straight Final Four is impressive.

But I won't take the easy way out and say none.  The question was which is most likely, and while I would love to say Wichita State, because that would make a tremendous storyline, the team is Louisville. If this happens, Louisville would be the second team in quite a while (UCLA 2006-08) with three straight Final Four appearances. Peyton Siva will graduate and even if Russ Smith and Gorgui Dieng go pro, both are juniors, the Cardinals have Chane Behanan, Wayne Blackshear, and Luke Hancock most likely back. Couple this talent with the No. 8 recruiting class coming in, according to ESPN, and a Hall of Fame coach in Rick Pitino and Louisville should still find plenty of success in 2013-14.

Alex:
Michigan. Trey Burke is heading for the NBA, in all likelihood, but the Wolverines' run to the Final Four has showcased a rebuilt program ready to compete as a whole rather than as a vehicle for one star.

Replacing Burke is essential, but the other core players like Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Glenn Robinson III (presuming they don't declare for the NBA draft) and a supporting cast with Mitch McGary and Nick Stauskaus will make the transition easier. After McGary's freshman year, though, things are only going to get tougher for opposing teams, in tournaments and otherwise.

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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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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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Adidas Reveals Questionable Uniform Choices

Adidas' latest uniform design for its college basketball teams has not gotten great results so far. (darrenrovell's twitter account)

Adidas unveiled its new uniforms for a few of its college basketball-sponsored programs, which are Louisvile, UCLA, Baylor, Notre Dame, Kansas and Cincinnati. So far, the response has not been good. For Louisville, UCLA and Baylor, those are not undershirts you are seeing on the arms of the players, but rather the uniforms were actually designed with sleeves.

ESPN Sports Business reporter Darren Rovell tweeted out a picture of the uniforms and then tweeted this after receiving negative reviews from fans:

The colleges have final say in whether the uniforms will actually make an appearance in a game, so it will be interesting to see how many schools jump on board with the Adidas design. The other talking point with the picture circling through the Internet and social media is how much the shorts resemble those of the brand Zubaz.

Let us know your reaction to the uniforms by leaving a comment in the comment section.

Weekend Feast: Michigan Vs. Indiana And Poor Tom Crean

Tom Crean will lead his No. 3 Indiana squad against No. 1 Michigan Saturday night (bleacherreport.com)

Poor Tom Crean. He is about to be a victim of horrible timing.
 
Crean's No. 3 Indiana team will host No. 1 Michigan in prime time Saturday night. It also happens to be the night before his wife's brothers, JIM AND JOHN HARBAUGH, face off as opposing coaches in the biggest single sporting event of the year; the Super Bowl. (Given how big of a storyline this is being played as, I felt it would be rude not to refer to the HARBAUGH BROTHERS in all caps.)

I can only imagine how many questions at his pregame interview will be about the HARBOUGHS. Which HARBOUGH does he like best? Who does he think will win (the Super Bowl, that is)? Who does his wife think will win? Will his wife even be at the game or will she be in New Orleans? Even if his team beats the No. 1 team in the country, it won't be the biggest story in his household this weekend.

But we'll get to that game later. First, here's some other matchups to keep an eye on this weekend.

Free Falling

No. 25 Marquette vs. No. 12 Louisville
In the past two weeks, Louisville has gone from "how can they be stopped" to "what the $*%# is going on" and a three-point win over Pitt at home Monday hasn't done much to ease those worries.

Especially since the Cardinals now face a Marquette team that looks to be finding its identity after a slow start to the season (they feel your pain, Gonzaga. Butler got the Golden Eagles on a buzzer-beater, too). Granted, the past five games haven't been the most challenging of the season, but going 4-1 with only a two-point loss to Cincinnati shows the team is playing some of its best ball.

This Louisville team is known for defense, but the offense will have to be present Saturday as the Cardinals need this win to get back on course.

ACC Powers?

No. 14 Miami vs. No. 19 NC State
This game is a get-together for the We Beat Duke Club. No one except Boston College (go figure) has gotten close to beating Miami recently and if you had Miami starting 7-0 in the ACC, well, I hope you were in Vegas for that pick because you, sir or ma'am, have a gift. Jim Larranaga has to be in the conversation for national coach of the year for what he's done with this program, and it's not the first time he's made this magic (2006 George Mason). Balanced scoring with four players in double figures each game has made the Hurricanes very dangerous as we look ahead to March.

NC State was thought to possibly be in Miami's position, but instead have been on a roller coaster in conference play; defeat Duke, lose to Wake Forest, beat UNC, lose the next one to Virginia. Make up your mind, Wolfpack! What team are you going to be? This matchup with the Hurricanes is followed by a rematch with Duke, so this is the perfect stretch for NC State to find some consistency, whichever way — winning or losing — that means.


The Big Show

No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 Indiana
The game of the week honor is a runaway favorite for Michigan vs. Indiana. College Gameday will be in one of the best college gyms in the country as the No. 1 team comes to town. And of course, we will hear the storyline that this is the first time Michigan has been No. 1 since the Fab Five in 1992, seeing as one of those five, Jalen Rose, is part of the Gameday crew.

The Big Ten is starting to break into a more natural hierarchy of teams, compared to the seven-teams-could-win-it-free-for-all the conference was at the beginning of January, and Michigan and Indiana have pushed their way to the top of the pyramid. Assembly Hall will be rockin' as these two very even teams square off in what will hopefully be a wire-to-wire battle. Both teams are 7-1 in the conference and sporting four-game winning streaks since suffering their only conference losses. Trey Burke and Cody Zeller are the headliners of big-talent and big-name squads ready for primetime. It just doesn't feel like there's any way this game is a letdown.

As great of a game as this could be, again, I can't help feeling for Tom Crean, who even with a win can't outdo the HARBAUGH BOWL in his own house. Secretly, he's got to be hoping for a tie in the Super Bowl, right?

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Villanova's Amazing Week Could Turn Season Around, But There's More Work To Do

After knocking off No. 5 Louisville and No. 3 Syracuse in back-to-back games, Villanova is looking more like a NCAA Tournament team than it did a week ago. (ncaa.com)

Last week wasn’t just a good week for Villanova basketball. It was one of the best weeks they could have asked for in a time when a chance at the NCAA Tournament was falling out of reach.

This was the type of week that can turn around a season. At 11-7 and facing three straight Big East losses, Villanova was sinking to the bottom fast. On Jan. 22 Nova found new life with a 73-64 upset of No. 5 Louisville, whom many have picked to win a national title this year. It was a huge win for the resume, but still in the season as a whole, looked more like luck than what was meant to happen.

Then Saturday came with another matchup with a top-five team in No. 3 Syracuse. It took a little bit of magic in a game-tying 3-pointer by Ryan Arcidacono to send the game into overtime, but again Villanova found a way to win 75-71.

Not many teams even get the chance to play top-five opponents in back-to-back games, let alone come away with two victories. The feat is so impressive many are now asking if the team that lost to Columbia by nearly 20 points earlier this year could now be in the NCAA Tournament.

Coach Jay Wright has won his share of big games with Nova, so it’s a little less surprising to see this happen with him as the coach. He deserves much of the credit for getting his team prepared for such formidable opponents. This is a very young team who might finally be finding its identity. But the work is not over yet.

Last week was the momentum shift, but this week will prove what kind of team Villanova really is. The Wildcats still have 11 Big East games remaining, where they could either spring off this confidence boost or fall back into the losing pattern of the first half of the season. The next test is Wednesday, when Nova travels to No. 24 Notre Dame.

Both of the top-five wins were at home, and the Wildcats have struggled on the road (4-3) thus far. It’s easy to point at those signature wins as evidence, but those will only help if Nova continues to win. Only two currently ranked teams remain on Villanova’s schedule, so the Wildcats can’t afford any bad losses.

It’s a great story if Nova can write it; a young team struggles early, postseason dreams seemingly out of reach before turning it around midway through the season and reaching the NCAA Tournament. But wins over Louisville and Syracuse won’t get the Wildcats to their goal alone.

A road win at Notre Dame would sure help in making this great week evolve into a season Nova fans didn’t think would be possible a week ago.

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 

Saturday Proved College Basketball Excitement Starts Long Before March Madness

Hinkle Fieldhouse erupted as Butler defeated Gonzaga on a buzzer-beater Saturday night. (themonitor.com)

It's a common misconception that the college basketball season doesn't really get exciting until tournament time.

Saturday helped disprove this notion with a full day of drama. Out of the 13 games featuring a top-25 team, nine of those games were decided by single digits and seven of those games were decided by five points or less. The NCAA Tournament is one of the most dramatic and exciting postseasons in all of sports, but the great games start long before March, as Saturday showed. Saturday afternoon was like a three-course meal with each course better than the last.

Appetizer
Texas had Kansas on the ropes midway through the second half with an 11-point lead. Texas had a similar lead against West Virginia last week, but was unable to hang on. Saturday was deja vu for the Longhorns. KU continued to chip away at the lead until finally going ahead 54-53 with 4:29 remaining. It was a one-point game for the next three minutes until KU broke free for good with a huge dunk by Ben McLemore to extend the lead to five with 1:14 left. Texas' youth showed through in the end as the momentum continued to swing in the Jayhawks favor, but the Longhorns were clearly not intimidated by the No. 4 next to the Kansas name.

Main Course
Remote controls were getting a work out. With about a minute of game time between them, Wichita State was trying to hold on to a home win against No. 12 Creighton while No. 6 Syracuse was giving No. 1 Louisville all they could handle at the Yum! Center in Louisville. WSU superbly defended National Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott, who was unable to convert on the final Creighton possessions as the Shockers held on to win 67-64.

At the same time, Louisville saw its lead slip away with a steal and emphatic dunk by Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams gave the Orange a lead they would not give up with 23 second left.

That highlight will be shown in March, but wasn't even the best play of the day. That was fittingly saved for primetime. Leading up to the final game on the night, Oregon hung on to knock off UCLA in Pauley Pavilion and Michigan State closed out a 59-56 nail-biter against Ohio State.

Dessert
Like most great meals, you are already full and content entering the dessert round. Saturday would have been one of the best college basketball days of the season after Ohio State, Michigan State, but the best was still to come.

The matchup was set for a great finish. No. 8 Gonzaga versus No. 13 Butler in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. The battle of mid-major juggernauts battling on the court where the Hoosiers once captivated the world. The atmosphere could have been a Final Four, and the caliber of teams was just as strong as the surroundings.

After a back-and-forth battle, Gonzaga looked to have the game wrapped up. Kelly Olynyk hit two big free throws to take a 63-62 lead in the final 10 seconds. Butler was then called for traveling on the next possession, with 3.5 seconds left, nearly sealing their fate. But then the "magic" of Hinkle Fieldhouse, which looked very real Saturday, began to work. On the inbounds play, a miscommunication between Gonzaga's David Stockton, who was inbounding the ball, and Olynyk led to a steal by Butler's Roosevelt Jones. What happens next was scripted for March.

Fans had to be exhausted after seven hours of lead changes, nail-biters and plays that will live on highlight reels long after this.

March is supposed to be the exciting time of year for college basketball. But take a look at the games this month and realize the drama begins long before the tournament. We can only hope March is as exciting as Saturday was.

Saturday Feast: Breaking Down The Five Matchups Between Top-25 Teams

No. 6 Syracuse vs. No. 1 Louisville is one of five matchups between top-25 teams Saturday. (usatoday.com)

Conference play is in full force, which means no November games where Duke plays a local junior college team with no player taller than 6-foot-6. Conference play means rivals and legitimate match-ups. Saturday is giving us five games between top-25 teams that are sure to produce exciting moments. This will probably end up being a weekly feature, so don't worry about the brilliant analysis only being limited to five games. Here's the breakdown:

No. 6 Syracuse vs. No. 1 Louisville

This Syracuse team isn't the same without James Southerland (Fab Melo 2.0), who is ruled ineligible for academic reasons, which means guys like Brandon Triche and Michael Carter-Williams will have to carry even more of the load. Louisville is proving to have one of the top defenses in the country and it will be put to the test against Syracuse's scorers. What makes this more exciting is the coaching match-up. Jim Boeheim has more than 900 wins and Rick Pitino has a white suit, and, you know, is also a great, future hall-of-fame coach.

L'Ville's Russ Smith (18.9 ppg) has proven his great play is less fluke and more Wooden Award candidate and is living up to the nickname Pitino gave him, "Russdiculous." So to sum up the game in Pitino speak: Russdiculous will have to play great against Boeheim's Zonediculous defense while Pitino yells from the sideline hopefully wearing his Whitediculous suit. Should be fun — I mean, ridiculous.

No. 8 Gonzaga vs No. 13 Butler
Cinderella fans are about to explode with excitement over this one. Smart move by ESPN starting the College Gameday series at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse as darling Butler takes on the original mid-major darling Gonzaga. And it's a battle of the Bulldogs. What else do you need?

It was almost perfect. ESPN officials were beaming with pride at this scheduling. The only downside, and it's a fairly large one, is Butler will be without top scorer Rotnei Clarke, who suffered a neck injury against Dayton last Saturday. (Dayton just ruined its chance of getting any games on ESPN this year.) The loss of Clarke is probably too much for Butler to overcome. Scoring could be tough to come by with the absence of his 16.3 ppg average and Gonzaga has too many weapons. But don't count out the magic of Hinkle (oh, hey Indiana) and coach Brad Stevens. Butler won't give up without a fight.

No. 17 Missouri vs No. 10 Florida

I know Missouri well from growing up as a fan of the Big Eight-turned-Big 12 and living within a close proximity of part of their fan base. The feeling I got from them at the beginning of the season (once Kentucky started losing) was Florida was good, but they had a legitimate shot at a SEC title. This is still the case, if Mizzou stops losing to teams like Ole Miss. I know, I know, Mizzou didn't have Laurence Bowers, and that's looking to be a big blow, but you still can't score only 49 points against a team like the Rebels who hadn't played a ranked team all year.

Florida not only has the home-court advantage, but they can score in bunches. The Gators are averaging 77 ppg in their last four games. Bowers being out does hurt the Tigers, especially from a scoring aspect. Mizzou is still looking for that signature win to announce its welcome into the SEC, in football and basketball, and this is the type of win that would send a big message to the conference.

No. 11 Ohio State vs. No. 18 Michigan State
Coming off a big home upset of then-No. 2 Michigan on Sunday, Ohio State can't afford a let-down against rival Michigan State. But will they again rise to the challenge? Who knows. The Big Ten might as well be a lottery drawing. Just when we think we've kind of got the conference sorted out, Bo Ryan and Wisconsin come in and destroy everything we once thought. Maybe Illinois is what we originally thought and isn't a title contender? Maybe Michigan runs away with the title? Maybe Iowa wins 12 straight conference games and shocks everyone? Maybe we find out Aaron Craft's red cheeks give him superpowers that suddenly stop working in big games? Truly anything could happen with this conference.

All I know is Michigan State really needs a big conference win for the resume and this is the time to get one. The Buckeyes have been unstable and unable to play a complete game. Now is Michigan State's chance to strike and get a signature win to start a brutal conference stretch.

No. 21 Oregon vs. No. 24 UCLA
Oregon has been a great rebuilding story that reached its height with an upset win over then-undefeated Arizona last Thursday. UCLA has a coach, Ben Howland, on the hot seat and a group of freshmen still learning to play together. Both the Ducks and Bruins come into this game undefeated in conference play, both trying to convince the public that the hype (UCLA's came at the beginning of the season, Oregon's is now) is deserving.

UCLA has more big-name stars in Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson, but don't overlook the balance of Oregon. UCLA gets the advantage playing at Pauley Pavilion, so it just depends which Bruins team shows up: the one that scored 97 against Missouri or the one that scored 57 against Utah.

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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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