Michigan at Illinois (Illinois 9.5 favorite)
This game is huge for these two bubble teams, as they both come in needing to win to help improve their stock for the NCAA Tournament. Michigan comes in on a hot streak, having won five of their last six games, while the Illini have lost six of their last nine, including Sunday's game against Purdue, a game they led at halftime by 15.
Unlike other teams fighting for a tournament bid, three of the Wolverines top four players are either freshmen or sophomores. Guard Darius Morris leads the team in both points and assists with 15.4 and seven. Tim Hardaway Jr., sun of legend Tim Hardaway, is having quite the debut season, putting up 13 ppg and pulling down four boards. Zack Novak is scoring 9.3 points and a game and leads the team with six boards a game, while Jordan Morgan is getting nine and four.
Illinois needs to straighten up the ship now, because their time is running out. The main key is getting Demetri McCamey interested in playing basketball again. He seems to disappear in games and that's not what a team is looking for from its senior. Some good things for the Illini is that Brandon Paul, Jereme Richmond, Meyers Leonard and D.J. Richardson are now playing better and the future does look bright. After scoring in double digits only five times in the teams' first 17 games, Paul has now exploded by scoring in double digits in five of the last eight games, including three 20+ point outings. Prediction: Michigan pulls out a 78-75 road win
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
St. John's vs. Marquette
St. John's has put together one heck of a tournament resume in their first year under Steve Lavin. They're one of the few teams that have defeated four top-15 teams, three of which came in blowouts.
The Red Storm is led by three seniors who average double figures in scoring. Dwight Hardy leads the team in scoring at 16.6 ppg and also hauls down three boards a game and dishes out two dimes. Justin Brownlee is scoring at a 12.6 point per game clip and is tied for second with five boards per game. D.J. Kennedy is the last senior in double digits throwing in 10 ppg and leads the team in rebounding with over five and a half per contest.
Marquette is ending an extremely tough stretch of its schedule, facing eight ranked teams in their last 10 contests. They've won four of those, but are led by four upperclassmen so it should help them in the future. Darius Johnson-Odom leads the team with over 16 points per game and is also pulling down three rebounds. Jimmy Butler is pouring in 15 points a game and second in rebounds with 6.3, while Jae Crowder is putting up 13 ppg and leads the team in rebounding with 6.6 a game. Dwight Buycks is averaging 10 ppg and leads the team in assists, dishing out four dimes a game. Prediction: Red Storm wins straight up 75-70
The Red Storm is led by three seniors who average double figures in scoring. Dwight Hardy leads the team in scoring at 16.6 ppg and also hauls down three boards a game and dishes out two dimes. Justin Brownlee is scoring at a 12.6 point per game clip and is tied for second with five boards per game. D.J. Kennedy is the last senior in double digits throwing in 10 ppg and leads the team in rebounding with over five and a half per contest.
Marquette is ending an extremely tough stretch of its schedule, facing eight ranked teams in their last 10 contests. They've won four of those, but are led by four upperclassmen so it should help them in the future. Darius Johnson-Odom leads the team with over 16 points per game and is also pulling down three rebounds. Jimmy Butler is pouring in 15 points a game and second in rebounds with 6.3, while Jae Crowder is putting up 13 ppg and leads the team in rebounding with 6.6 a game. Dwight Buycks is averaging 10 ppg and leads the team in assists, dishing out four dimes a game. Prediction: Red Storm wins straight up 75-70
Michigan State vs, Ohio State
Raise your hand if at the beginning of the season you thought Michigan State would have a 6-6 conference record and only a 14-10 record overall. Ok, you're a liar so put your hand down, but that has been the craziness of this years' college basketball season. Michigan State has been struggling like nobody's business the last seven games, losing five of them and eeking out a one-point overtime win at Indiana. The Spartans were expected to challenge the Buckeyes for the conference crown, if not win it themselves.
Michigan State is led by three players who are averaging double digits this year. Kalin Lucas leads the team with 16 ppg and is averaging 3.5 assists per game. Durrell Summers is putting up 13 ppg and over four rebounds per game. Draymond Green is averaging 13 points per game and leads the team in rebounding, with just over eight per contest.
Ohio State is coming off of its first loss of the season, a road loss at Wisconsin. The dreams of recreating what the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers did -- the most recent Division I-A team to go through a season unbeaten -- were vaporized by the Badgers' scalding shooting in the second half.
The Buckeyes are led by stud freshman Jared Sullinger, who has probably exceeded everyone's expectations, maybe even his own. He leads the squad with 18 ppg and over 10 boards per game. But he is not the only OSU player putting up big numbers. Three others (David Lighty, William Buford and Jon Diebler) also average double figures, but none like Sullinger. Buford puts up nearly 14 ppg, Lighty with 12 and Diebler, 11. Prediction: Buckeyes win big 80-65
Michigan State is led by three players who are averaging double digits this year. Kalin Lucas leads the team with 16 ppg and is averaging 3.5 assists per game. Durrell Summers is putting up 13 ppg and over four rebounds per game. Draymond Green is averaging 13 points per game and leads the team in rebounding, with just over eight per contest.
Ohio State is coming off of its first loss of the season, a road loss at Wisconsin. The dreams of recreating what the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers did -- the most recent Division I-A team to go through a season unbeaten -- were vaporized by the Badgers' scalding shooting in the second half.
The Buckeyes are led by stud freshman Jared Sullinger, who has probably exceeded everyone's expectations, maybe even his own. He leads the squad with 18 ppg and over 10 boards per game. But he is not the only OSU player putting up big numbers. Three others (David Lighty, William Buford and Jon Diebler) also average double figures, but none like Sullinger. Buford puts up nearly 14 ppg, Lighty with 12 and Diebler, 11. Prediction: Buckeyes win big 80-65
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Illinois vs.Minnesota
This is a crucial game for Illinois. Losing five of their last seven is putting them at great risk of not making the NCAA Tournament, a far cry from lofty expectations the team received early in the season. It's been a variety of things that has worked out for the Illini, including inconsistent play from its senior leaders, notably Demetri McCamey. Yes, he leads the team in scoring with over 14 per game, but in three of those five losses, he has not managed to score more than 10 points, twice finishing with five or six points, respectively. But the struggles don't all fall on his shoulders. D.J. Richardson, last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year has struggled as well and of the highly regarded recruiting class, Jereme Richmond is the only one getting a lot of playing time and that has started recently, after Bruce Weber inserted him into the lineup.
The Illini still have a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament, but they will have to start playing up to the expectations placed upon them at the beginning of the season. Of their eight remaining games, four are at home and four on the road. Unfortunately, the toughest games (MSU, Minnesota, OSU, Purdue) are the four road games. They will need to lean on the experience of the seniors (McCamey, Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis). Davis and Tisdale will be especially crucial, because many of the remaining teams on the schedule have good big men, including this Minnesota team. Davis is second on the team with 12 ppg and is getting 6.7 boards per game. Tisdale is averaging nearly 10 ppg and 6.8 rpg.
Minnesota has been on a tough stretch as well, losing their last three games, two of which were on the road. Good news for the Gophers is that point guard Blake Hoffarber will play against Illinois. He had been struggling with a sore knee. He leads the team in three catehories, including points, assists and three-point field goal percentage. The Gophers' next top players are their two big men, Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III. Mbakwe is averaging a double-double at 13 ppg and 10 rpg, while Sampson pours in 11 and grabs five boards.
The Illini still have a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament, but they will have to start playing up to the expectations placed upon them at the beginning of the season. Of their eight remaining games, four are at home and four on the road. Unfortunately, the toughest games (MSU, Minnesota, OSU, Purdue) are the four road games. They will need to lean on the experience of the seniors (McCamey, Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis). Davis and Tisdale will be especially crucial, because many of the remaining teams on the schedule have good big men, including this Minnesota team. Davis is second on the team with 12 ppg and is getting 6.7 boards per game. Tisdale is averaging nearly 10 ppg and 6.8 rpg.
Minnesota has been on a tough stretch as well, losing their last three games, two of which were on the road. Good news for the Gophers is that point guard Blake Hoffarber will play against Illinois. He had been struggling with a sore knee. He leads the team in three catehories, including points, assists and three-point field goal percentage. The Gophers' next top players are their two big men, Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III. Mbakwe is averaging a double-double at 13 ppg and 10 rpg, while Sampson pours in 11 and grabs five boards.
Michigan State vs. Penn State
Raise your hand if at the beginning of the season you thought Penn State and Michigan State would have identical 5-6 conference records and MSU with only one more win overall. Ok, you're a liar so put your hand down, but that has been the craziness of this year's college basketball season. Michigan State has been struggling like nobody's business the last six games, losing five of them and eeking out a one-point overtime win at Indiana.
Michigan State is led by three players who are averaging double digits this year. Kalin Lucas leads the team with 16 ppg and is averaging 3.5 assists per game. Durrell Summers is putting up 13.4 ppg and over four rebounds per game. Draymond Green is averaging 13 points per game and leads the team in rebounding, with just over eight per contest.
Penn State has been the definition of a cardiac-kid. It seems like almost every game they play is within 3-7 points. This game starts a stretch of games which could decide whether or not the Lions make the NCAA Tournament. After MSU, Penn State still has to Wisconsin, Northwestern and Minnesota, while hosting Northwestern, Minnesota and Ohio State. It seems as though the two teams in this preview might be ready for an exciting stretch run.
Penn State is led by Mr. Do-Everything Talor Battle, who seems to have been around for 10 years now. Battle is averaging 20.5 points a game, seven more than the next teammate, five rebounds and three assists. Jeff Brooks is pouring in 13.5 points a game and leads the team with seven boards a game. David Jackson rounds out the three double digit scorers with 10.5 ppg and almost five rebounds per game.
Michigan State is led by three players who are averaging double digits this year. Kalin Lucas leads the team with 16 ppg and is averaging 3.5 assists per game. Durrell Summers is putting up 13.4 ppg and over four rebounds per game. Draymond Green is averaging 13 points per game and leads the team in rebounding, with just over eight per contest.
Penn State has been the definition of a cardiac-kid. It seems like almost every game they play is within 3-7 points. This game starts a stretch of games which could decide whether or not the Lions make the NCAA Tournament. After MSU, Penn State still has to Wisconsin, Northwestern and Minnesota, while hosting Northwestern, Minnesota and Ohio State. It seems as though the two teams in this preview might be ready for an exciting stretch run.
Penn State is led by Mr. Do-Everything Talor Battle, who seems to have been around for 10 years now. Battle is averaging 20.5 points a game, seven more than the next teammate, five rebounds and three assists. Jeff Brooks is pouring in 13.5 points a game and leads the team with seven boards a game. David Jackson rounds out the three double digit scorers with 10.5 ppg and almost five rebounds per game.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Indiana vs. Purdue
The 14th-ranked Boilermakers look to remain undefeated at Mackey Arena and extend the Hoosiers' road losing streak to 14 on Tuesday night.
Allowing 58.0 points per game while going 12-0 at Mackey Arena, Purdue has won three straight at home versus Indiana by an average of 15.4 points. The Hoosiers last won in West Lafayette, 70-59 on March 1, 2006.
The Boilermakers have been on a bit of a skid lately, dropping four of their last seven. JaJuan Johnson continues to be a beast for them inside, averaging nearl 21 ppg and eight rebounds per game. Johnson has scored 20 points or more in his last seven games. He is supported by guard E'Twaun Moore, who is averaging 18 ppg. No other Purdue player is averaging over six points per game.
The Hoosiers, however, have not been playing like a team tied for last place. Over the last four games, Indiana beat then-No. 20 Illinois and then-No. 18 Minnesota at home and fell in overtime at previously ranked Michigan State before failing to secure a 10-point lead in Saturday's 64-63 home loss to Iowa.
The Hoosiers have stepped up on the defensive end during that four-game span, holding opponents to 63.5 points on 39.5 percent shooting.
Coach Tom Crean hopes his squad can remain stingy while trying to snap a 23-game road losing streak against Top 25 opponents since a 77-66 win over No. 13 Iowa on Jan. 13, 2002.
The Hoosiers are playing without their best player, Christian Watford, who is out after having wrist surgery. Watford was leading the team ins coring and rebounding at the time of his injury. Two players, Verdell Jones III and Jordan Hulls have stepped up. Jones is averaging 12.4 points per game, while Hulls is coming off of a game where he had a season-high 24 points.
Allowing 58.0 points per game while going 12-0 at Mackey Arena, Purdue has won three straight at home versus Indiana by an average of 15.4 points. The Hoosiers last won in West Lafayette, 70-59 on March 1, 2006.
The Boilermakers have been on a bit of a skid lately, dropping four of their last seven. JaJuan Johnson continues to be a beast for them inside, averaging nearl 21 ppg and eight rebounds per game. Johnson has scored 20 points or more in his last seven games. He is supported by guard E'Twaun Moore, who is averaging 18 ppg. No other Purdue player is averaging over six points per game.
The Hoosiers, however, have not been playing like a team tied for last place. Over the last four games, Indiana beat then-No. 20 Illinois and then-No. 18 Minnesota at home and fell in overtime at previously ranked Michigan State before failing to secure a 10-point lead in Saturday's 64-63 home loss to Iowa.
The Hoosiers have stepped up on the defensive end during that four-game span, holding opponents to 63.5 points on 39.5 percent shooting.
Coach Tom Crean hopes his squad can remain stingy while trying to snap a 23-game road losing streak against Top 25 opponents since a 77-66 win over No. 13 Iowa on Jan. 13, 2002.
The Hoosiers are playing without their best player, Christian Watford, who is out after having wrist surgery. Watford was leading the team ins coring and rebounding at the time of his injury. Two players, Verdell Jones III and Jordan Hulls have stepped up. Jones is averaging 12.4 points per game, while Hulls is coming off of a game where he had a season-high 24 points.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Signing Day
For college football knuckleheads, Signing Day is like Christmas. And that's been seen by not only the around the clock coverage on things like ESPN, but also sites like rivals and scout, which rank the players starting in their freshman years of high school. Now I admit, I look at those sites constantly, so I'm not really one to talk but giving out these "stars" is ridiculous.
The stars and rankings given to these kids are what going to ruin the high school sports world, if it hasn't already. But what is truly sad about it all, is whether it is the kids, the "experts,", coaches or PARENTS that are doing the "pimping out" of the student-athletes.
To be on one of those sites, someone needs to send in a video of the athlete, so he can be "evaluated" and then given a ranking or star. A five-star ranking means you are one of the top kids in the nation, a three-star means you are pretty much an average player, while anything lower usually means you are a fringe player. If a parent or athlete sees they are "only" s three-star and want to get better scholarship offers, which might mean doing anything going from extra lessons from professionals to possibly doing steroids. The extra push, however, can also burn out the kid.
The one thing the coaches, parents or kids seem not to realize is that all these stars, rankings and such are all other people's OPINIONS. There are time where the different sites disagree with how good of a kid is. I'll give you the example of Missouri, since it's my alma mater and a school that has been known for getting lesser rated kids and getting them to play better than those rankings. Let's look at the Tigers' last three first round draft picks, Jeremy Maclin, Sean Weatherspoon and Ziggy Hood. Sean Weatherspoon came to Mizzou as a two-star safety prospect and left as the third-highest tackler in school history with 413 tackles and a two-time All-American. Maclin was the highest rated of the three, garnering four stars from rivals and three from scout, but was rated the 70th best wideout by scout. All he did was leave as the school's all-time leader in all-purpose yards, third in career receiving yards and fourth in career receptions. All in two years. Hood is now a starter on the Super Bowl-bound Pittsburgh Steelers.
Of the 62 athletes that were given five stars by scout, 11 made it to the NFL or lived up to expectations. That's 17 percent. Now that may seem a lot, but let's not forget these were cream of the crop kids who people expect to come in and have a big effect on their teams. Well that wasn't the case for 52 of them. In a smaller sample size of 26 five stars, the 2006 class also had 11 players that made an impact of play(ed) in the NFL.
Now don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate and respect what all of the analysts who go out all across the country all year. But my problem is that everyone takes too much stock into these stinking rankings. Sure, most of the time it turns out to be right, as you see the Alabama's USC's, Florida's, etc. always getting top classes and succeeding. But what about the schools like TCU or Boise State and up to this year, Oregon? The rankings are good and all, but they're mainly there to make all the fans and those associated with the program go crazy. As long as a school gets players they need, that fit their system and those who they feel are perfect for the, who says they won't succeed?
The stars and rankings given to these kids are what going to ruin the high school sports world, if it hasn't already. But what is truly sad about it all, is whether it is the kids, the "experts,", coaches or PARENTS that are doing the "pimping out" of the student-athletes.
To be on one of those sites, someone needs to send in a video of the athlete, so he can be "evaluated" and then given a ranking or star. A five-star ranking means you are one of the top kids in the nation, a three-star means you are pretty much an average player, while anything lower usually means you are a fringe player. If a parent or athlete sees they are "only" s three-star and want to get better scholarship offers, which might mean doing anything going from extra lessons from professionals to possibly doing steroids. The extra push, however, can also burn out the kid.
The one thing the coaches, parents or kids seem not to realize is that all these stars, rankings and such are all other people's OPINIONS. There are time where the different sites disagree with how good of a kid is. I'll give you the example of Missouri, since it's my alma mater and a school that has been known for getting lesser rated kids and getting them to play better than those rankings. Let's look at the Tigers' last three first round draft picks, Jeremy Maclin, Sean Weatherspoon and Ziggy Hood. Sean Weatherspoon came to Mizzou as a two-star safety prospect and left as the third-highest tackler in school history with 413 tackles and a two-time All-American. Maclin was the highest rated of the three, garnering four stars from rivals and three from scout, but was rated the 70th best wideout by scout. All he did was leave as the school's all-time leader in all-purpose yards, third in career receiving yards and fourth in career receptions. All in two years. Hood is now a starter on the Super Bowl-bound Pittsburgh Steelers.
Of the 62 athletes that were given five stars by scout, 11 made it to the NFL or lived up to expectations. That's 17 percent. Now that may seem a lot, but let's not forget these were cream of the crop kids who people expect to come in and have a big effect on their teams. Well that wasn't the case for 52 of them. In a smaller sample size of 26 five stars, the 2006 class also had 11 players that made an impact of play(ed) in the NFL.
Now don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate and respect what all of the analysts who go out all across the country all year. But my problem is that everyone takes too much stock into these stinking rankings. Sure, most of the time it turns out to be right, as you see the Alabama's USC's, Florida's, etc. always getting top classes and succeeding. But what about the schools like TCU or Boise State and up to this year, Oregon? The rankings are good and all, but they're mainly there to make all the fans and those associated with the program go crazy. As long as a school gets players they need, that fit their system and those who they feel are perfect for the, who says they won't succeed?
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