Sportandfashion-news's Championship Week Guide

In beautiful Sportandfashion-news fashion, I get my predictions, player to watch, team to watch for the conference tournaments a little late, but let's be honest, most of the games today do not matter. Thursday and Friday are so sneaky great. 

Big East
TV: FOX Sports 1  

Player to watch: Doug McDermott - This is sort of a mailed in answer here, but I am curious how Dougie McBuckets handles New York City and the bright lights of the Big East Tournament even if it is not what it was in years past. McDermott also made the cover of Sports Illustrated emulating Larry Bird's SI cover and McDermott getting compared to Larry Bird is perfect. FOX would love for McDermott to go off until Saturday night.    

Team to watch: Winner of Providence and St. John's - This is probably the best game of the tournament in the early goings. Both teams are squarely on the bubble, and it is a 'Loser Go Home' matchup for these teams. Whomever will win this game gets Villanova meaning they get a legitimate shot at fully sealing their chances for the tournament.  

Winner: Villanova - I think I have taken Nova lightly for the entire year. This team has three losses, and for some reason, I do not think they will run into their kryptonite in Creighton whose beat them twice this season meaning they will probably get a walk into the conference championship which includes a one seed in the NCAA Tournament.*

*** Yes I would love to wax poetically about Marquette finding some mojo in New York City, but I really do not see much from the squad right now. They lost two straight, play an Xavier team they have beat, but then take on Creighton if Golden Eagles were to win. It would be classic Marquette if they got to the final only to lose then just to tease me.

B1G 
TV: CBS, ESPN Networks, Big Ten Network

Player to watch: Keith Appling - We have seen glimmers of Appling returning to form in the last couple games, but since his injury, he really has not been the same player. Michigan State is under a great deal of criticism, and if this team wants to make a March run like everyone expected in November, Appling needs to be a factor on both ends of the court.  

Team to watch: Indiana Hoosiers - This might be a ridiculous prediction, but here me out for Indiana. They play Illinois whose playing better of late but can easily beat them in the first round. Then Hoosiers get a 1-8 matchup with Michigan, a team they beat and only lost to four last Saturday plus they could get Nebraska in the semifinal.  With Michigan State and Wisconsin in the lower bracket, I think it is easier to make a run in the top half.

Winner: Wisconsin Badgers - They always seem to play well in Indianapolis for the tournament. I do not think they will see both Michigan and Michigan State plus their first game against Minnesota or Penn State will be less taxing than Sparty facing probably Iowa. Badgers seem like the most logical answer.

Big 12 
TV: ESPN Networks

Player to watch: Andrew Wiggins - I am curious to see whether Wiggins' 41 performance on Saturday will carry over to the Big 12 Tournament especially with Joel Embiid being out with a back injury. Wiggins could be blasting Aloe Blacc through his headphones and become the man of this team.      

Team to watch: Baylor Bears - Something I think people have not been paying attention to is Baylor found a way to rite the ship in the past month. The lower half of the bracket is far less daunting than the top with Baylor getting Oklahoma in the second round, a team that swept them yet it is still winnable. If Baylor gets past them, it is either Texas or West Virginia in the semifinals which once again the Bears could win.

Winner: Iowa State Cyclones - I like the makeup of this team probably more than I should. We are heading for a NCAA Tournament where I take Iowa State until the Elite Eight and get burned. Kansas State is a tough draw to start, but getting Kansas after Oklahoma State or if the Cowboys knock them off could definitely help the Cyclones. It should be a fun as hell tournament here.

ACC 
TV: ESPN Networks

Player to watch: T.J. Warren - If there is one player that could single-handily carry his team through the ACC Tournament, it is Warren. He won ACC Player of the Year and has been on a complete tear in the last month. Warren is lethal enough to beat a team like Syracuse in the quarterfinals, but climbing from the five and under will be difficult in this conference tournament.

Team to watch: Virginia Cavaliers - Unlike a lot of these paragraphs, I am interested to see how the Cavaliers handle themselves against the top ACC teams. Out of the top seven ACC teams, Virginia played all of them only once this season meaning there is a lot of uncertainty that this team could run the table against their ACC opponents.

Winner: North Carolina Tar Heels - I love how they played in the last month. Despite a loss to Duke, North Carolina should be able to make some noise here with getting either Pittsburgh or Florida State then move on to a revenge game against Virginia possibly.  I cannot see Duke and Syracuse winning as both teams will beat each other up in the semifinals.

American  
TV: ESPN Networks

Player to watch: Russ Smith - There are so many great individual players in this tournament especially with the likes of Smith, Shabazz Napier, Shaq Goodwin, Nic Moore and others. Smith though, is the type of player that could absolutely electrify this conference tournament.  He might be one of the more underrated players in college basketball which is unbelievable to think about truthfully.  

Team to watch: Memphis Tigers - They get a homecourt advantage. While that has not played to Memphis' strengths throughout the season, it has helped in the past during the Conference USA days. They have a tough road seeing UConn, Cincinnati and SMU/Louisville yet having a rabid fan base plus sleeping in your own bed only helps things.

Winner: SMU Mustangs - This is like everyone's sleeper that is going to become too popular, but they have a solid team that plays both strong offense and defense. SMU filled with scorers like Moore, and they have beaten all the top teams this season. Like the Ponies to make a run.    

Pac-12
TV: ESPN Networks, Pac-12 Network

Player to watch: Aaron Gordon - For most of the year, Gordon really never reached Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins level. We have seen players take their games to something we have not seen when mid-March rolls on. Derrick Williams was a nobody before he took the Cats on a run to the Elite Eight. Gordon could make his presence known which means we all in big trouble.    

Team to watch: UCLA Bruins - Yes they are the two seed, but did anyone notice Washington State beat the doors off them last Saturday night?  Maybe it is just a blip on the radar, but I do not know how good this UCLA team is meaning the seed could be a little high for them.

Winner: Oregon Ducks - QUACK IS BACK JACK.  They are red-hot right now and somehow the seventh seed in this tournament. Oregon beat Arizona, UCLA sans their two best players and Arizona State in the last month, they are the top three seeds of this tournament. I do not want to see Oregon right now, and I think the Ducks find a way to do it to Arizona again.  

A-10   
TV: CBS, NBC Sports Network

Player to watch: Jordair Jett - While this might be an obvious answer, I am a little concerned about the health of Jett moving forward this week. Saint Louis could play up to three games in three days wearing out the knee of Jett's so do I think we should keep an eye on him.

Team to watch: St. Joesph's or Dayton - Both of these teams are squarely on the bubble. Let's say Dayton runs through whomever wins the 12/13 matchup meaning these two teams play each other in a 'Loser Goes Home' in the quarterfinals then getting Saint Louis in the semifinals. Don't be surprised if one of these teams end up in the final.

Winner: VCU Rams - Here's the thing about the Havoc defense, it could be completely exhausting when you have already played a couple games versus seeing it after a week off.   While they have struggled with Saint Louis in the past outside of Richmond, I think they could have a good tournament.

Mountain West  
TV: CBS Networks

Player to watch:  Deonte Burton - Not the one from Marquette, but the big dunker from Nevada whom can put anyone on a poster. Wolfpack lurk in the third position, and Burton's high energy could make some noise for this tournament.

Team to watch: UNLV Runnin' Rebels - If there was one team besides San Diego State or New Mexico to do damage, it could be UNLV.  While they are coming in losing the last two of the season, they have the talent to beat anyone in the Mountain West.

Winner: San Diego State Aztecs - At the end of the day, let's not kid ourselves with a pretender making waves here. San Diego State or New Mexico is likely winning this thing. I will take the Aztecs only because Xavier Thames' ability to take over basketball games could be major in the third game of this rivalry.    

 

SEC 
TV: ABC, ESPN Networks

Player to watch: Pick a Kentucky freshman - Wildcats are one of the most interesting teams to watch, and this might be a cop out with my answer yet all of the players fascinate me. They could probably see LSU in the quarterfinal, a team that gives them all sorts of trouble.  

Team to watch: Arkansas or Tennessee winner - Let's say Arkansas wins its first game meaning they take on Tennessee in a 'Loser Go Home' matchup with both teams lying on the bubble. They could then get Florida in the semifinals in a desperation game. To be honest, I am more interested in Arkansas than Tennessee but that's just me.

Winner: Florida Gators - They are the best team in basketball, and while they might not care about this tournament, they are head and shoulders above everyone else in the SEC.

Charlie.

Marquette Shows Its True Colors in Villanova Defeat

The faith in Marquette taking down Villanova on Sunday afternoon was the same faith that one might have in seeing Will Ferrell get an Academy Award... Very little. For the entire year, Marquette failed to step up when the lights shined the brightest and once again, it held true as Golden Eagles fell to eighth-ranked Villanova, 73-56 in a dominating performance. For what seems like the 10th time this year, Marquette could not grab a marquee win. Buzz Williams technical, Jamil Wilson's disappearance, free throw shooting and Derrick Wilson plagued this team on Sunday.

There has been much discussion about the Big East officials in the past couple of weeks probably too much, but Buzz apparently had enough yesterday. He received a technical after Jake Thomas appeared to get a timeout on the sideline yet the officials did not grant him one. Williams could not have picked a worst time for him to get teed up late in the first half. Villanova had an eight to 10 point lead for a majority of the first 20 minutes. Marquette started to gain some steam pulling the lead down to six before Williams drew a technical. Villanova would make the two free throws and Darrun Hillard hits a three to put Nova up eleven as they hit halftime.

Marquette did not get closer than six points for the rest of the game. While it is totally understandable to see Williams' frustration with the call, his technical changed the direction of the game. If he is a first or second year coach, we could excuse the outburst, but not Williams whose been there for awhile. Coaches are not perfect nor should anyone expect them to be, but there needs to be something to just pump the breaks. Marquette might have had the same outcome if Williams did not get the technical, but Golden Eagles needed a perfect game which getting technicals are not a part of it.  

Another thing hindering Marquette from playing perfect was Jamil Wilson pulling a disappearing act. Wilson has been great for almost the entire month of February minus the St. John's performance and then he completely crumbled in a game that should have benefited him. Villanova does not have a player that can play with Wilson on the perimeter with the same size yet he could not take advantage. Wilson's stat line looked like the fourth player off the bench with five points, only made shot on four attempts and only playing 21 minutes. The last part could have been his coach realizing Wilson did not have it on Sunday afternoon. It is hard to believe the senior 'leader' of this team failed to show up in the biggest game. 

While in the grand scheme of things this probably did not make a difference, but Marquette was below or near their average for the fourth straight game. Three of the four featured the Golden Eagles dipping well below their average of 70.8 percent including yesterday's game where Marquette went 64 percent from the field. This is sort of bizarre after the team went 54/61 in two straight games against Seton Hall and Xavier before falling apart on the line. This could likely be blamed on the usual inconsistency of this whole Marquette team throughout the year.  

Derrick Wilson had a great February, but his March looked like November from him. It felt like the game was too big for him which should not happen as he is a senior whose played in big games, but that's what it looked like with Wilson. He played tentative and forced some shots that were not there plus his defensive was subpar to say the least. With seniors you would like to see them close out strong and Wilson did not get off on the right foot of his last month of college basketball.  

My buddy Coach asked me 'What are Marquette's chances of the NCAA Tournament without a Big East Conf. Champ win?'  I said five percent. There are still chances for some craziness, but Marquette looks completely on the outside. Truthfully, the last thing this team deserves is an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Charlie.  

CBB Picks: Bubble, Bubble, Bubble Watch

With all over sports done, I need to make some picks so we do it with college basketball. Let's have some fun with it and see what happens. I should probably record my record, but I will say this is the hardest sport to pick without question.

FIRST TIER
3. Florida at 14. Kentucky 8:00 pm ESPN - Only one of two SEC games that mean a damn. People are hyping up the Gators right now, but this will be the game where we could say 'They are legit' versus them racking up wins against inferior opponents. The matchup of day will be the Harrison Twins versus Scottie Wilbekin and Michael Frazier II. Both teams have strong forward play, but the guards playing well can make these teams that much better. Julius Randle versus Patric Young should be bar fight. I have a feeling the Wildcats get up for the game, and win this game with a big performance from Andrew Harrison plus a couple great Randle moments. UK 73-67

6. Villanova at 18. Creighton (Played Sunday) 4:00 pm FOX Sports 1 - Revenge game for the road team as Creighton shot lights out from three when they last played. Odds are it will not happen again, but Nova needs to do a better job guarding the perimeter. Doug McDermott has been out of mind of late, and he tends to step up in the big moments. Nova's balanced attack could give the Jays a ton of problems especially since they do not really play much defense I will take Dougie McBuckets at home. CREIG 75-72

21. Wisconsin at 15. Michigan (Played Sunday) 12:00 pm CBS  - Another revenge game for the road team. Wisconsin seems to have figured it out a bit in the last couple of games. They continue to get great effort out of Nigel Hayes and Ben Brust had a big scoring day against Minnesota. Michigan picked up a key road win Tuesday with a big Derrick Walton Jr. performance. Nik Stauskas got going again as well which is important to Michigan's success. While Badgers have looked better as of late, Michigan is a tough team to beat at home plus their balance should give Wisconsin problems. MICH 73-64

SECOND TIER 
20. Memphis at 24. UConn 11:00 am ESPN - Great guard matchup here with Joe Jackson and Michael Dixon versus Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright.  I feel like all four of these players could equal everyone out meaning it will come down to big men. This could mean a big game from Shaq Goodwin whose been known for a big game here or there. Or for UConn, DeAndre Daniels could come big for the Huskies. I will take UConn at home. I do not trust Memphis to go into a hostile environment to win a big game.
UCONN 69-63

VCU at 12. St. Louis 1:00 pm ESPN2 - This game will be all about pace. If St. Louis is able to slow down 'Havoc', they should win this game. But if VCU makes the Bilikens run a bit, it favors the Rams in a major way. Both teams are red hot as St. Louis has won 16 straight games and VCU won seven of their last eight games. I am going out on a limb and taking the Rams. They seem to be rounding into form, and I feel like they could catch St. Louis on the road with their frenetic offense.  VCU 82-73

25. Pittsburgh at North Carolina 12:00 pm CBS - People might not know this but North Carolina has won their last five games slowly gaining momentum. Tar Heels are not playing the greatest ACC teams, but it could make a splash here with win against Pitt. Panthers are reeling after a buzzer-beater defeat to Syracuse, and they need to respond quickly. Talib Zanna and James Michael McAdoo should be a fun matchup in the middle. I do not think Pittsburgh has a good enough answers for Marcus Paige, and he goes off for a big game to keep Carolina rolling. UNC 65-61

2. Arizona at Arizona State 8:00 pm (Played Friday) ESPN - Sun Devils are warming up with winning five of their last six games. This one will be huge for their NCAA resume. If they could get a win against rival Arizona, it will do wonders for them. I am curious to see whom the Wildcats put on Jahii Carson because I do not know if they have an answer. The battle in the middle between Kaleb Tarczewski and Jordan Bachynski. I am tempted to ride with the Sun Devils, but Wildcats with a Nick Johnson game-winner are the difference. ARIZ 68-67

THIRD TIER 
West Virginia at 19. Texas 7:00 pm Longhorn Network - Don't sleep on the Mountaineers as they have won their last four of five with their only loss being at Allen Fieldhouse. They blew the doors down against Iowa State hitting 13 threes and going 53 percent from the field. I expect a close game. I think these two teams match up well, but it seems like Texas always has one guy go off for 20+ points whether it be Javan Felix, Johnathan Holmes or anyone else. Too many weapons for the Horns take down West Virginia.
TEXAS 76-68

Maryland at 8. Duke 5:00 pm ESPN - Remember when this game mattered in the large scope of things? This will I believe be the last meeting for the Terrapins heading to Cameron Indoor. Duke will likely send them off the right way. I do not not really believe this will be a close game in any facet. Jabari Parker will have a big time game for the Dukies. DUKE 82-65

NC State at 1. Syracuse 3:00 pm ESPN3 - With how soft the bubble is this year, NC State still has a legitimate chance to get into the NCAA Tournament. They could bolster their resume with a win at the Carrier Dome. T.J. Warren has been great in the last couple games, but I think the zone suffocates him leading to yet another Orange victory. CUSE 62-57

16. Iowa at Penn State 12:00 pm ESPNU - I need to make an upset pick as I have been on fire the last couple weeks. I nearly went with Arizona State, but here it is from Happy Valley. Penn State had an amazing comeback win on Wednesday night at Indiana, and I think they will ride the momentum to take down Iowa. Just feels like a trap game for the Hawkeyes as they have a big week upcoming with a road trip to Indiana and home against Wisconsin. PSU 68-62

The Marquette Guard Problem

If Marquette wanted to make a run at the bubble, it probably meant getting a marquee win against number four ranked Villanova on Saturday afternoon. Marquette had won 20 straight conference games at home, and Bradley Center figured to be rocking following the Golden Eagles big overtime victory on Monday night at Georgetown. After a spirited Marquette comeback to somehow force overtime, Villanova pulled away in the extra period winning the game, 94-85 dealing the Golden Eagles yet another defeat against an upper echelon team.

This is a classic game where the Wildcats had an answer for Marquette every time they tried to make it close whether it be a big three or Nova getting a key offensive rebound leading to them finding a way to separate themselves. Marquette tying the game at the end of regulation was the closest it had been since 22-21 favoring Villanova. Simply put, this game is a stellar example of why Marquette is an average basketball team compared to be an above average tournament-worthy team, and how Buzz Williams' mismanagement of this roster cost the team another win.

In the last couple years, Williams did a great job making the most of a marginal roster at times finding the right combinations of players to be great together. This year, Williams deals with injuries to Duane Wilson and others as well as Jameel McKay's transfer right before the season. Williams continues to play Jake Thomas and Derrick Wilson despite the evidence on the court showing these two players are eighth and ninth guys on tournament rosters while on a deep team, they are probably playing garbage time. Rasheed Wallace once said 'Ball don't lie', but apparently, Williams does not buy into that theory. 

Villanova always has a talented array of guards with the likes of Scottie Reynolds, Randy Foye, Allen Ray and others. They are good, but in no way are they good enough to outscore Thomas and Wilson by 64 points as James Bell had 30 points, Ryan Arcidiacono and Darrun Hillard II both had 20 points giving them 70 for the game. If you add Todd Mayo as Marquette's third guard, they still get outscored 70-24. That is completely inexcusable, and hopefully, the wake up call Williams needs to see the Golden Eagles need to do something else because this clearly is not working. Worst part of it all might be Thomas did not have a shot attempt until five minutes left in the game. Think about that for a second given what his role is on this basketball team. 

I would love to hear Williams explain why Jajuan Johnson, Deonte Burton, Mayo (Smaller scale) and John Dawson could do any worse. The more infuriating thing was Dawson played his ass off on Monday and keyed the comeback for Marquette yet he only played eight minutes on Saturday. Johnson did not even sniff the court while Burton's time continued to decrease as he only played five minutes. In the last four games, Burton is averaging 5.25 minutes a game while between December 1st-January 9th, Burton averaged 17.77 minutes a game. Did he pooped in the refrigerator at practice or what? None of this really makes sense. 

There is really no reason why Marquette could not basically just have a 'ride the hot hand' situation at guard. It does not matter who starts honestly, but rather, if a player is feeling it, keep them out there versus relying on Thomas and Wilson to make things happen on their own. Relying on those two is like hoping a seven-year battery will be able to start in a polar vortex... Doubtful.

Marquette faces an emerging Providence team on Thursday night whose guard play is one of the better in the Big East. Maybe it is not the players on the court rather the man whom patrols the sidelines that needs to be figure out a way to make these guards come alive because right now, it is not working.

Charlie.  

CBB Picks: B1G Showdown, Ghost of Michael Snaer

Since college football and basically National Football League is done, we have been making picks for college basketball. Let's have some fun with it and see what happens. I should probably record my record, but I will say this is the hardest sport to pick without question.

First Tier Games 
21. Michigan at 3. Michigan State 6:00 pm ESPN - Crazy to think the first time ever, two teams are 6-0 facing off each other in the Big Ten against each other. John Beilein deserves to be Coach of the Year thus far, and Nik Stauskas is red hot right now. Michigan seems to be getting a team effort versus two guys like Mitch McGary and Trey Burke carrying the team like they did last night. They faced rival Michigan State, and they are hurting right now. Sparty will be without Branden Dawson as he broke his hand in frustration and Adreian Payne will also be missing in this one. Gary Harris needs to put himself on the map in this one, and I am not sure he is ready for the moment. I am riding the Wolverines' hot streak. MICH 74-68

4. Villanova at Marquette 1:00 pm FOX Sports 1 - Hmm. The homer in me wants to believe Marquette will play like they did at the end of the second half led by unsung heroes John Dawson and Steve Taylor Jr. The realist in me says this team has not proven they made the turn just yet, and need to be a team like Villanova, who is probably a little overrated given their ranking. Marquette needs to be better at guarding the perimeter as Villanova has four players shooting over 35 percent from 3-point land. My worry about Marquette in this one is James Bell and Darrun Hillard will go off against Marquette's guards, but I do think they can contain JayVaughn Pinkston. I am taking the Wildcats. I don't want to, but until Marquette can beat a high quality opponent, I cannot pick them. NOVA 69-64

Florida State at 15. Duke 11:00 am ESPN - In recent years, Seminoles have been a throne in Duke's side whether it be at home or in Cameron Indoor. Leonard Hamilton does a great job with this team getting them prepared to deal with the Duke environment. This Florida State team nearly beat Michigan and Florida in the non-conference meaning they can compete with this Duke team. I do think Blue Devils figured it out a bit in the last couple of games especially Jabari Parker as he went for 17 and 15 against Miami. He will need to be a factor in this one. I think Florida State's size keeps them in this game, and Duke escapes with a last-second three. DUKE 73-71

Second Tier Games 
Texas at 24. Baylor 12:30 pm ESPN3 - Texas deserves all the credit in the world this season. Rick Barnes' job is saved because Longhorns' head honchos have to see what he is doing without having any seniors, and no matter the result in this one, Texas deserves to be ranked. I do think Texas is running into a buzzsaw. Baylor lost their last three games plus another one to boot in the Big 12. This is a must-win for them, and I fail to see how Baylor does not capitalize at home in this one. BAY 73-64

9. Wisconsin at Purdue 4:00 pm Big Ten Network - You could look at this game two ways if you are Purdue... One, you are playing a Wisconsin team that cannot play defense, and maybe Purdue's offensive woes can be fixed playing them. Two, you are playing a pissed off Wisconsin team that is ready to break their losing streak. Purdue is not a bad team, but they are not a good team either. I would be shocked if they beat Wisconsin. Badgers score enough points, and the defensive holds strong. UW 74-61

20. Pittsburgh at Maryland 5:00 pm ESPN2 - What's up lookahead game?  This has all the makings of Pittsburgh laying an egg. Terrapins are not a good team, but at the same point, they have talented players like Dez Wells who can win them basketball games. Pittsburgh knows they are welcoming Duke on Monday night in a much anticipated game meaning their head might not be there for this one. I would put some chips on Maryland winning this one at the always tough College Park. MARY 64-57

Third Tier Games 
2. Syracuse at Miami 12:00 pm CBS - An old Big East matchup that is now an ACC matchup. Whenever a team is undefeated this late in the season, a bulls-eye developed on the team. Miami would love nothing more than to end the Orange's unbeaten streak. But at the same time, this Hurricane team likely cannot handle a full 40 minutes of the suffocating 2-3 zone, they need to play a perfect game. It is not happening. CUSE 65-53

Utah at 1. Arizona (Played on Sunday) 7:00 pm FOX Sports 1- Improved year for Utah as they are playing well and beating some good teams in the process yet they have not seen a great team like Arizona. Wildcats will have no issues in this game. ARIZ 77-63

Tennessee at 6. Florida 3:00 pm ESPN - This used to be a high-profile SEC game, and now it is just sort of there. I think people have forgotten about Florida due to the SEC being a mediocre conference besides the Gators and Kentucky. Tennessee does have the size to compete with Florida as Jarnell Stokes and Jerrone Maymon can both be factors if they stay out of foul trouble. It is the guard play I am unsure about, and what probably gets the Gators the win. FLA 72-68

Charlie.

CBB Stock Market: January 4-5th

Looking for something else on Sports News on Tap, I found a gem called 'CBB Stock Market' which highlighted what happened on the weekend of college hoops. It was a pretty decent weekend for college basketball with a couple unbeatens going down along with a couple teams losing at home that probably should not have on Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes I will use this space for a longer form recap, but mostly, it will be a subheading. 

BUY BUY BUY 

Ohio State Buckeyes - Why is no one talking about this team? They are unbeaten and might be the best 'team' right now in college basketball. When I say 'team' I might just them as a unit versus the best players out on the court. They have a balanced scoring attack with Lenzelle Smith Jr. and LaQuinton Ross being the two top scorers for this team. While Smith and Ross are the only two averaging double-digits, they have six more averaging at least five points a game. Efficient team who has big games against Michigan State and Iowa. Excited to see how they handle both teams. 

San Diego State Aztecs - When Marquette lost to San Diego State, I felt like this could be a bad loss moving forward. Aztecs seemed like a team playing above their head, but now, I have to think this team is a legitimate contender this season. Hyperbole or not, but teams do not just go into Phog Allen Fieldhouse and win a basketball game. They made Kansas played at their pace, and on defense, they forced a ton of 3-pointers as Kansas shot 16 threes in the game only making four of them. Judging by this team's resume, it is not out of the question for them to be a top three seed if they play well in the Mountain West.  

Villanova Wildcats - Hands down, Big East favorite at least at the beginning of the year. They went into Butler earlier this week and took care of the Bulldogs in a tough overtime. Sure, Butler is not what they used to be, but that's a tough environment to win a basketball game especially coming off a road loss against Syracuse where they were outclassed in the second half. And on Sunday, they boat raced a supposedly better Providence team by 30 points at home putting up 90+ points. This is the Big East favorite until a couple teams can beat them. 

HOLD HOLD HOLD

North Carolina Tar Heels - What a confusing team. North Carolina loses their fourth game against an unranked team. This was an uninspired effort from the Tar Heels with them not getting to the line very often (7/11) and convincing themselves they could make threes when they were not falling at all.  They also had 17 turnovers. I am standing by what I said in November that North Carolina is going to be a five or sixth seed and find themselves at least in the Elite Eight or they lose in the first round. No in-between.

Jabari Parker - From a scoring standpoint, the last two games have been a struggle for the heralded freshman, but this had to be expected right?  Parker could not just fly through the season like Superman. It is just not possible. He struggled to score against Elon only having 12 points (It should not be forgotten he had 10 rebounds which is equally important), and a season-low seven against Notre Dame, a team not really known for their defense this season. There is a book on Parker, and he needs to make adjustments to his game to find more scoring.

Kansas Jayhawks - I am not ready to bury this team. Big 12 is a really good conference with the play of Baylor, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Kansas State meaning Kansas needs to figure out their freshman-led team quicker than usual yet at some point, it will come together. They are too good for it not to happen. Even if Kansas goes into the tournament at a three or four seed,  Jayhawks would be completely lethal. Soon enough, they will find a way to win one of these close games. Kansas has a massive four-game stretch starting on January 11th.

SELL SELL SELL 

Memphis Tigers - Oh Memphis. I wanted to believe in this team. I saw them against Florida and then they beat Oklahoma State the second time around, it seemed like a different team. They really should put paper in front of their nickname. They got their asses kicked at home to a good yet beatable Cincinnati team. I have no idea why their guards kept trying to throw things at Justin Jackson only to get blocked. Josh Pastner's seat moved from lukewarm to suddenly warmer in the last couple days. 

Fran McCaffery - If you missed it yesterday, Iowa's head coach lost his shit costing his team the game against Wisconsin. Iowa was up 41-39 before the double technical foul on McCaffery and after it, Iowa never led after it. Four points is all it took for Wisconsin to win this game which was equally the two technical fouls. Nothing is wrong being a fiery coach, but if you do, it needs to be controlled and not screaming at officials like a drill sargent. My assumption is he will miss two or three games for bumping an official meaning he could miss games against Northwestern, Ohio State and Minnesota.

GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK 
Tuesday: 7. Baylor at 9. Iowa State 6:00 pm ESPN2,  3. Ohio State at 5. Michigan State 8:00 pm
Wednesday: 23. Illinois at 4. Wisconsin 8:00 pm Big Ten Network
Thursday: 24. Memphis at 12. Louisville 6:00 pm ESPN,  1. Arizona at UCLA 8:00 pm ESPN

Charlie. 

13 Thoughts About College Basketball Thus Far

It has been awhile since we have talked about college basketball here. I will start writing more in the coming weeks as we have conference games coming up after Christmas. I will probably do something Monday and Friday for college basketball plus whenever Marquette plays I will have a recap the following night. If you are wondering about Wisconsin, the door has been wide open for someone to start writing about them, but no one seized the opportunity. Yes this is a blogger's version of a subtweet.

The off-base Kansas and Andrew Wiggins' criticism - No one expected Kansas to lose three games in the first month or so of the season. It really comes down to this is still a young team, and they are not going to be perfect right of the gate. Big 12 is off to a fast start with good non-conference wins meaning this could be a better conference than expected.  Andrew Wiggins has took some heat because he does not have the one 'Holy shit, that's why he's Andrew Wiggins' yet averaging 15 points, five rebounds and assists per game is not a bad stat line for a freshman, but people act like he's going to be a bust. Wiggins, Joel Embiid and the boys will round perfectly into form. If they are not a one or two seed, I will be shocked.

Kentucky finishing 37-3 apparently - Kentucky's fan base believed this team could go unbeaten. Even though they were freshman for the most part, people wanted to live the dream with their loaded class featuring Julius Randle, Harrison Twins and others. Sadly for Wildcats fan base is everyone expects all their freshman classes to be in the 2011 squad forgetting they had guys like Darius Miller and Doran Lamb who were both experienced leaders. 2011 is not walking through that door.  Kentucky fell to North Carolina, Baylor and Michigan State this season. They have one more difficult non-conference game against Louisville, but then the SEC should be a breeze other than Florida/Missouri matchups. Kentucky will be fine even if their fan base wants to fire John Calipari.

Arizona is a true number one - In college basketball, it is nice to see the number one whom deserves their ranking at this time of year. Sometimes that can be hard to achieve yet Arizona is the real deal. Who cares Aaron Gordon is not having the best freshman start. They have the likes of Nick Johnson whose off to a great start as well as new transfer T.J. McConnell running the point. Besides Johnson, Gabe York is playing at a high level as well. The fact of the matter is Arizona lucked into a big freshman not having a great year in 2012 meaning almost all of them stayed combining classes making them a true threat for the National Championship.  It really looks like Arizona could be number one by the time they play UCLA on the road in mid-January.

B1G is far and away the best conference - It is pretty easy to say this team won the non-conference belt for conferences. Three of the top five are Big Ten teams. Iowa and Illinois will be rated in and around the top 25 all season. Minnesota is not that shabby either with young coach Richard Pitno. Indiana will be better in January when their freshman start to get cooking. Not to mention, Michigan who has four losses already should be better in conference play. I do not expect a one seed out of the Big Ten honestly. I could see them getting two 2 seeds, but that might be generous. It is not a knock to the B1G, in fact it is a compliment because everyone is going to beat up each other.

Joel Embiid is the college basketball hipster favorite freshman - A part of me thinks by March, he will be right up there with Wiggins and Parker in terms of the best players in college basketball that casual and NBA fans are talking about. ESPN Chad Ford already has him in his top three which means Embiid does not need to do much more for the expects. It will be interesting to see if casual fans will end up buying into him. When a player is getting compared to Hakeem Olajuwon at age 19, you know he could be really great

Jury is still out on Marquette - It probably is time where I talk about Marquette. I would love to say Marquette solved all their problems with wins against IUPUI and Ball State yet they could really use a marquee win this weekend against New Mexico. They looked good with a trap/press defense plus they have found their balance scoring yet it is still concerning who will be the go-to scorer with four minutes left to go in a tight game. Duane Wilson might be coming back this Saturday from an injury. Freshman Deonte Burton and Jajuan Johnson are looking more confident with each game. But I am not ready to be sold on this team until they can do it against solid competition.

I cannot figure out North Carolina - What a bizarre team. They are undefeated against ranked teams and they are 4-3 against unranked teams this year. I have no idea what to think about this squad. Marcus Paige looks like an All-American, but other than that, there is not much there to feel confident in. Leslie McDonald did come back this week in a loss against Texas and the P.J. Hairston decision should come down before the end of the week. This has all the makings of a sixth seed that ends up in the Final Four.

Jabari Parker and Duke are must-watch - People hate Duke all the time. It is the fun thing to do, but is this the most likable Blue Devils team in the last 10 years?  I would say it is damn near close. They do not have the one hateable guy that everyone can rally behind. Jabari Parker is fun as hell to watch because he can shoot six threes or bang it down in the post. At least right now, he is more fun to watch than Wiggins. They have a top three player in the country along with other key contributors. If Duke wants to be more disliked, we need to get Marshall Plumleee some more time

How did people forget about Shabazz Napier? - Naturally, he did not play well last night against Stanford at home, but Napier seemed to be the lost soul in the 'Player of the Year' talk.  I am not saying he will take home the award, but rather, he deserves to be mentioned as one of the best 10 players in the college basketball. I think the reason why Napier did not get the same amount love besides freshman is UConn plays in the AAC versus heading to ACC or you know the Big East.

Not ready for Wisconsin to be this good - As a Marquette fan, I made mention earlier this year about the weirdness of this rivalry but I cannot deal with Wisconsin being a top five team right now. This looks like their best year to get to the Final Four. Sam Dekker will be right up there for Big Ten Player of the Year, and the jury is still out whether Evan Anderson will take J.P. Gavinski's title of 'Best B1G Towel Waver.'  I expect we will see much more Bronson Koenig in conference play.  

Could Wichita State get a top three seed? - This is a honest question with Wichita State sitting at number eleven in the polls, and they are unbeaten for the non-conference. Missouri Valley Conference is missing two games with Creighton meaning Wichita State might have the ability to damn near run the table in that conference. If they do, I would not be surprised if the Shockers get a top 16 seed given their Final Four run last season. I feel like that gives them a little more respect than other mid-majors.

Villanova is not the best team in the Big East, right? - To be frank, it has not been the best start for the new Big East. Villanova clearly has the best win against Kansas in late November, but none of the teams are off to quick starts besides Nova. Is it fair to call Nova the favorites? Probably not. I would say it is wide open, and teams will round into form. Villanova is rated eighth due to beating Kansas and Iowa in one weekend after that, they have played virtually no one. It should be fun to see them against Syracuse next Saturday.

It will never be easier to make the NCAA Tournament - Look at how many teams have three or four losses already and I think it will be very easy for people to get into the tournament. It is not because there is parity in college basketball rather there are more good programs than ever before. This means there will be more upsets leading to a couple eleven or maybe 12 loss program gets into the tournament. I may or may not be saying this to ensure Marquette finds a way in, I don't know.

Charlie.