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man i cant imagine how good theyd be with pat and lil weezy in the backcourt
The College Basketball Post
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by allen3xis,
- Start date
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Washington can shoot the 3, don't underestimate him there
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- Apr 18, 2005
Originally Posted by TheZephyr777
And you barely win when you out rebound them that bad....
Says something about that Uconn.
*slap.
WVU getting rebounded that bad is the norm for them.
Like I said, Arkansas should have been on the fringe of the top 25 before this Texas game. Sucks it took them beating 2 top 10 teams in a week to get thatshine.
And I'ma have to sit out this betting pool. Kinda hard to make your picks from the bing when there ain't no computers for me to get on or no TV towatch games
Yes, somebody gettin' shanked as soon as I walk up in that #$!$*
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- Nov 15, 2007
Cake and Malta y'all really too ({}) to play???
My man Storyputting his NCAA eligibility on the line, he bout to have that outside the lines special on him.
Jus' %!*%$#@ wit yall
.
But how are we doing the money thing??? Are we each putting in an amount, say 50 bucks for the whole season and whoever comes out with the best record getsthe loot?
Jus' %!*%$#@ wit yall
But how are we doing the money thing??? Are we each putting in an amount, say 50 bucks for the whole season and whoever comes out with the best record getsthe loot?
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WVU getting rebounded that bad is the norm for them.
Offensively on the glass they're elite. Defensively average.
So all in all I was surprised to see them out rebounded like that.
And I'ma have to sit out this betting pool. Kinda hard to make your picks from the bing when there ain't no computers for me to get on or no TV to watch games
Yes, somebody gettin' shanked as soon as I walk up in that #$!$*
Wait, what?
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Fam, what did you not understand in my explanation?Originally Posted by worldbeefreeg
Cake and Malta y'all really too ({}) to play???My man Story putting his NCAA eligibility on the line, he bout to have that outside the lines special on him.
Jus' %!*%$#@ wit yall.
But how are we doing the money thing??? Are we each putting in an amount, say 50 bucks for the whole season and whoever comes out with the best record gets the loot?
And this dude Malik....you had to have been joking right? Do you even understand how many people read NT? I guarantee your $!*# would leak quicker than abusted faucet.
Damn knucklehead.
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Originally Posted by Ricardo Malta
Fam, what did you not understand in my explanation?Originally Posted by worldbeefreeg
Cake and Malta y'all really too ({}) to play???My man Story putting his NCAA eligibility on the line, he bout to have that outside the lines special on him.
Jus' %!*%$#@ wit yall.
But how are we doing the money thing??? Are we each putting in an amount, say 50 bucks for the whole season and whoever comes out with the best record gets the loot?I'm doing 6 months in county in 2 weeks. I won't have access to a computer or a TV. I couldn't participate if I wanted to.
And this dude Malik....you had to have been joking right? Do you even understand how many people read NT? I guarantee your $!*# would leak quicker than a busted faucet.
Damn knucklehead.
I was just f'n wit you Kerlew all games. But damn, you really doing a bid???
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god damn...stay up, kerlew.
dacomeup
Supporter
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Has anyone seen Jamychal Green play this year and how has he been doing? Just saw that Clemson-'Bama highlight and it made me think of him? I thought thisdude was going to put in work this year?
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malta say it ain't so man...
take care of yourself in there bud. We'll get you caught up on what you missed, no fears there.
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Yo Craftsy get me in on this brother
[email protected]
The Edited out letters are N T K L in that order. i would use my regular email but i dont want the spam
[email protected]
The Edited out letters are N T K L in that order. i would use my regular email but i dont want the spam
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I am glad that Nova pulled the win out in OT, I didnt want them losing and coming down to Louisville on Saturday all pissed lol Should be a good one onsaturday between UL and Nova.
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Damn Kerlew, not the black lost and found
Just tell me it wasn't snow bunny related G
Just tell me it wasn't snow bunny related G
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Nah, nothin' like that famOriginally Posted by Seymore CAKE
Damn Kerlew, not the black lost and found
Just tell me it wasn't snow bunny related G
I feel for you fam, I assume you serving in Connecticut though?
Yea, I'll be in Bergin up by UConn (go figure right?). Thing is, I don't even live in CT anymore but all those trips back home is whatgot me.
god damn...stay up, kerlew.
You know it. Good looks.
malta say it ain't so man...take care of yourself in there bud. We'll get you caught up on what you missed, no fears there.
You better believe the first thing I'm checkin' for when I get out is the end of this thread and the post season thread. I seriously mayjust discontinue reading the newspaper while I'm in there and DV-R the entire tournament and watch it this summer like nothing happened
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Wait, wait, wait, wait....
What the %##* Kerlew?
You're about to do a stretch? I though you was a Country Club, Gated Community type _.
Lemme find out they got you for insider trading or some %#+$. My son got Martha Stewart'ed
Prolly going to jail for Drunk Driving or some %+*@..
You spent to much time in the Bull son, it rubbed of on you
Be Easy and I got $15 on your books/commissary
What the %##* Kerlew?
You're about to do a stretch? I though you was a Country Club, Gated Community type _.
Lemme find out they got you for insider trading or some %#+$. My son got Martha Stewart'ed
Prolly going to jail for Drunk Driving or some %+*@..
You spent to much time in the Bull son, it rubbed of on you
Be Easy and I got $15 on your books/commissary
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Kerlew, stay up. What'd you do? Someone let me know. I would never be able to do a stretch. damn.
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tonight will be a good night in basketball..i want steph to drop 50 but i want duke to win..
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My word thats the 1st thing that came to mind when I intially read that.
Like "damn we start at a disadvantage and this _ has paperwork from 2 highly respected accredited institutions... What The
Haiti I told my girl that exact statement... 50 for Stef with a W for Duke
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I hope that we get this win tonight. SJU beat ND and my cards have not been playing good basketball so we can go down to SF the same way ND went down. I hopesosa can put it together becasue we have our first game Big East game tonight and we need to win.
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yikes! i hate that we have to open SEC play against this arkansas team at bud walton this saturday. i have a feeling it could get ugly.
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The tanking numbers on the NASDAQ got you down? Tired of seeing your 401(k) turn into a 201(k)? Had enough of that bald guy in the vest on CNN speakingabout a financial panic?
Fear not, my fellow Hoopheads. There is one element of the U.S. economy that is absolutely recession-proof. It is called college basketball.
With the games as exciting as ever, with parity and megaconferences the order of the day, with the titillating specter of a postseason playoff justtwo-and-a-half months away, the college basketball stock market is more bullish than ever. As conference season gets underway it is once again time for yourresident analyst to offer my annual Hoop Thoughts Stock Report for your reading -- and shopping -- pleasure.
Veteran HTSR readers know the drill. I have selected 30 teams and assigned them a rating of Buy, Sell or Hold. I arrived at those ratings by comparing whereeach team is now to where I believe it is heading. A team's current value is a reflection of its won-loss record, its ranking in this week's AP Poll,and that all-important, ever-subjective criterion called "buzz."
In the twisted logic of the HTSR, the better a team is, the more likely its stock will be rated a Sell, because it has that much more room to fall.Conversely, there are a few teams out there that are not even ranked but warrant a Buy because I expect them to enter the rankings soon. So before you get allin a lather because I rated your favorite team a Sell and your no-good brother-in-law's favorite team a Buy, that does not mean I believe he will have thelast word over you in March.
In parentheses besides each team, I have listed their record as of January 5 and standing in this week's AP Poll. Happy shopping, Hoopheads.
ARIZONA (9-5, NR) SELL
I wanted to believe the Wildcats were turning the corner after they walloped Kansas by 17 points, but following their losses at Cal and Stanford lastweekend, it's apparent to me that this group is still not ready for prime time. (That is to say, win on the road.) Arizona did not make a singlethree-pointer against Stanford, but instead of locking down on defense to make up for it, the Wildcats allowed the Cardinal to shoot 45 percent from the floorand score 76 points. Arizona also attempted just seven free throws against Cal. Without defense, toughness or depth, it's hard to get to the NCAAtournament, much less win games once you're there.
ARIZONA STATE (12-2, No. 20) SELL
ASU's ranking is modest, but I still think people's expectations of the Sun Devils are higher than what they're prepared to deliver. Yes,James Harden is terrific, but beyond him and 6-foot-9 senior forward Jeff Pendergraph, there's no one who strikes fear inthe hearts of opponents. Thus, I expect we'll see quite a few games like the one the Sun Devils played at Cal on Sunday night, when Harden scored 26points, Pendergraph scored 16 and they still lost by 10 because nobody else stepped up. The hardest thing about playing ASU may not be Harden, but rather theirunconventional zone defense. However, a unique system will only get you so far. There are simply too many other good teams out there.
CLEMSON (14-0, No. 12) BUY
I'm warning you, folks, I'm developing a serious man-crush on Clemson. In past seasons I've been skeptical about the Tigers' undefeatedstarts, and I've usually been proven correct. This year it's my optimism that will be proven correct. Clemson earned impressive road wins at Illinoisand at Miami (by 19 points). The Tigers could have wilted after falling behind 14-3 at South Carolina last week, but behind their withering full-court pressurethey rallied to win by 11 behind Terrence Oglesby's 25 points. South Carolina knocked off No. 23 Baylor in its next game, makingClemson's comeback seem all the more impressive.
CONNECTICUT (12-1, No. 5) BUY
We take for granted that Jim Calhoun's teams will play tough defense, but this team is still developing that identity. Let's notoverreact to one bad game against Georgetown. We know UConn's defense will get better, especially since Calhoun promoted 6-9 junior forward StanleyRobinson into the starting lineup after the loss to the Hoyas. There are other ways this team is set to improve as well; A.J. Priceis still figuring out just how to run the team from the point and Jerome Dyson needs to learn to stay in control. But the pieces are clearlyin place for a run at the championship. Another nice piece could join the team if Australian native Ater Majok gets cleared by the NCAA in thenext few weeks.
DUKE (12-1, No. 2) BUY
To rate the Blue Devils a Buy, I'd have to believe they are not going to fade down the stretch like they have the last two years and that they willchallenge for the title. That's exactly what I believe. Brian Zoubek isn't going to make anyone forget HakeemOlajuwon (or Dudley Bradley for that matter), but the 7-1 junior center is the perfect antidote to the Blue Devils' past problemsinside. This team is actually ranked third in the nation in rebound margin (+10.5), fifth in defensive efficiency and 12th in offensive efficiency. Andthey've done it without being a great three-point shooting team (32.1 percent, down from 37.7 percent last season). Duke's one hiccup at Michigan camenot just because the Blue Devils shot poorly but because they were too reliant on jump shots. Best of all, they don't have any freshmen among their topeight players, so they are flush with NCAA tournament experience.
FLORIDA (12-2, NR) SELL
The Gators haven't been ranked for several weeks, but I get the feeling people see those uniforms, they see Billy Donovan on thesidelines, and they expect that big things are going to happen eventually. I don't. Nick Calathes is a very good individual talent, butI'm not sure he has total trust in his teammates when it comes to running this offense. More fatally, the Gators are painfully thin on the interior, whichis why they're ranked 11th in the SEC in rebound margin (+1.9). If you're a Florida fan, you should consider it a successful season if your squad getsinto the NCAA tournament. Anything after that is gravy.
GEORGETOWN (10-3, No. 9) BUY
Welcome to life in the Big East. After pulling off a major statement win at UConn on Dec. 29, the Hoyas have dropped two straight to Pitt and Notre Dame.Well, so what? Lots of teams are going to lose to Pitt and Notre Dame, just like lots of teams will continue to lose to Georgetown. The good news for this teamis twofold: Freshman center Greg Monroe is even better than advertised, and the Hoyas' starting five is as tough and talented as justabout any team in the nation. The bad news is Georgetown is getting no production out of its bench. I fear that is going to take its toll over the sadisticgrind of the Big East season, but you may not get a chance to buy this stock after a two-game losing streak again, so I'd recommend you scoop it up,because I am sticking by my preseason prediction that by the time the NCAA tournament rolls around, this Georgetown team will be better than last year'sgroup that earned a No. 2 seed but lost to Davidson in the second round.
GONZAGA (8-4, NR) HOLD
The Zags are in quite the freefall right now. They've dropped four out of their last five games to fall out of the rankings for the first time allseason, and that could very easily be five out of six by the time they leave Knoxville on Wednesday night. I guess all that talk about this being MarkFew's best team ever can be put on the shelf for a while. Gonzaga is victim to a brutal nonconference schedule, even beyond the recognizableheavyweights. (A true road game at Utah? Insane.) Still, I must say it's been disheartening to see them get so deflated following that overtime loss toUConn. Didn't these guys realize it was only December? I rated Gonzaga as a Hold because with conference play coming up, it's hard to see thingsgetting much worse, even if the Zags lose to Tennessee. But I can't rate them a Buy until I'm convinced they have the psychological mettle to battletheir way through adversity.
ILLINOIS (13-2, NR) BUY
I had the Illini at No. 25 on my AP ballot this week, and though they remain unranked I have a feeling my fellow voters will be catching on soon. Before itlost at Michigan on Sunday, Illinois' only other defeat came at home by two points to a very tough Clemson squad, and last week the Illini pulled off animpressive road victory at Purdue. Point guard play was a question mark last year, but Chester Frazier, who leads the Big Ten in assists (6.5per game) and is third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.94-to-1), has matured into a first-rate floor leader. Moreover, this is an excellent passing team;Illinois is second in the nation in assists with 19.9 per game. Inside, sophomore forward Mike Davis is one of the surprise stories of theseason. Once Kentucky transfer Alex Legion, a 6-5 guard who became eligible in December, gets into the groove the Illini will have as deep andtalented a guard rotation as you'll find anywhere.
KANSAS (10-3, NR) BUY
The Jayhawks are one of the youngest teams in the country, they just scored their biggest win of the season at home over Tennessee, and they're stillunranked? Sounds like a bargain to me. Sherron Collins demonstrated in the win over the Vols why he is the best player in the Big 12 not namedBlake Griffin, and though the Jayhawks' newcomers are a long way from clicking, they have each shown flashes of potential (especiallyTyshawn Taylor). Also keep in mind that juco transfer Mario Little, a 6-5 guard who was voted Big 12 preseason Newcomer ofthe Year, played for the first time on Saturday after missing the first 12 games with hand and leg injuries. There's a lot of room for improvementhere.
KENTUCKY (11-4, NR) BUY
Maybe I should be giving up on a team that has just one win over a squad ranked in the top 65 of the RPI, but I see no reason why the Wildcats can'tonce again rally for an NCAA bid. Well, I can see a reason -- they're ranked 324th in all of Division I in turnovers per game (18.3). You can blame pointguard Michael Porter all you want, but Jodie Meeks is committing even more turnovers than Porter is, and Porter's backup,6-6 freshman DeAndre Liggins, is averaging a team-high 3.4 turnovers in just 19.9 minutes. My faith in Kentucky resides mainly in the overallweakness of the SEC and the fact that Billy Gillispie's teams have always scrapped and clawed to the bitter end. If this team can find away to take better care of the ball, it should find itself right back in the NCAAs.
LOUISVILLE (9-3, No. 23) HOLD
I was leaning towards rating the Cardinals a Sell, but now that they've dropped to 23rd in the AP poll (after starting out No. 3 in the preseason), Ithink they're closer to where they deserve to be. Lost amidst the elation following their great escape over Kentucky is the fact that a) they blew aseven-point lead in the last six minutes, and b) they needed a 25-foot pullup jumper by Edgar Sosa to win. That shot looked like fools'gold to me. Sosa is probably unfairly criticized (including by me) for being something that he's not, which is a pass-first, playmaking point guard. Yet,that is what Louisville needs him to be, if only because the Cardinals don't have anyone else with the requisite skill set. Sosa may have played his bestgame of the season against Kentucky (a season-high 18 points), but I fear that his success at scoring, most notably on the game-winner, will encourage him toshoot even more. Also, have you noticed that when Samardo Samuels goes up against a player who is as big and strong as he is, he tends todisappear?
MARQUETTE (13-2, No. 1
BUY
I love watching this team play. They have some obvious deficiencies, most notably a lack of size, but there aren't too many teams who do a better jobgetting the most out of what they have. Dominic James, the Eagles' 5-11 (cough, cough) senior point guard, has really grown in hisunderstanding of how to run a team. His longtime running mates, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews, get after teams defensivelyand are constantly attacking the rim. Best of all, those three guys are shooting three-pointers better than they have the last two years. This Marquette teamis a slightly less talented version of the Randy Foye-Kyle Lowry-led Villanova squad that reached the Elite Eight three yearsago. They'll lose at some point in the NCAA tournament, but it won't be because they didn't compete hard or play smart.
MEMPHIS (10-3, NR) HOLD
Good news for the Tigers: They're about to enter the conference portion of their schedule. I don't expect Memphis to go undefeated again inConference USA, but I still don't see any team capable of really challenging them for the league title. Meanwhile, if you run into JohnCalipari, don't give him your cell number, because he might call and try to convince you to play point guard. Calipari has tried everyone butPriscilla Presley at the spot -- first Willie Kemp, then Tyreke Evans, then WesleyWitherspoon, now Antonio Anderson. Nobody has worked. Moreover, the guy who Calipari said could be one of the top 10 players in thecountry, 6-9 senior forward Robert Dozier, has not even been one of the top 10 players in his own league. If they roll through C-USA again,the Tigers will probably climb back into the rankings and earn a decent seed in the NCAA tournament, but unless things change it's hard to envision themsticking around for long.
MICHIGAN STATE (11-2, No.
BUY
As my devoted readers know well, I have been bullish on the Spartans from Day 1. Yes, they were embarrassed in those losses to Maryland and North Carolina,but now they are again looking like the class of the Big Ten. Senior center Goran Suton is back in the lineup, and freshman forwardDelvon Roe will continue his ascent once he recovers from his sprained ankle. As predicted, sophomore point guard KalinLucas, who scored a career-high 24 points in last week's road win at Minnesota, is starting to become a scoring threat. This team can score easierand in more ways with Lucas at the point than it could when Drew Neitzel was running the show. The Spartans will only get better as they gethealthier and more experienced. And remember, the Final Four will be played in Detroit.
MINNESOTA (13-1, No. 22) SELL
You've got to be impressed with the job Tubby Smith is doing, but that sound you hear is the Gophers' rubber hitting the Big Tenroad. Minnesota has played a very weak nonconference schedule while sailing to 13-0, with its best win coming on a neutral court against a strugglingLouisville team that had played less than 48 hours earlier. When Minnesota had a chance to prove itself in a home game against a good team, it fell flatagainst Michigan State and lost by 12. Sophomore point guard Al Nolen has been a pleasant surprise; he's ranked third in the Big Ten inassists (6.1) and steals (2.21) and is fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.7-to-1). But it isn't hard to compile those kinds of numbersagainst inferior competition.
NORTH CAROLINA (13-1, No. 3) BUY
I know you're too smart to panic and sell the Heels just because they played one bad game. Newsflash: Teams lose. If North Carolina's players hadforgotten that, then the loss to Boston College should be a helpful (if unwelcome) reminder. The bigger concern moving forward is North Carolina's defense(again). BC coach Al Skinner did a masterful job exploiting this weakness by forcing the Heels to guard his intricate flex offense for 30seconds or more each possession. North Carolina should improve in this area as senior forward Marcus Ginyard, who has only played three gamessince returning from a broken foot, gets into shape. Make no mistake, North Carolina remains the team to beat, and the Heels will be even harder to beat nowthat they've embarrassed at home.
NOTRE DAME (11-3, No. 13) BUY
If the entire NCAA tournament were played in the Joyce Center, I'd pick the Irish to win the whole thing. When it beat Georgetown on Monday night, NotreDame extended its nation's-best home-court win streak to 44 games. Yes, the Irish still have to figure out how to win when they're not making threes(witness their pratfall at St. John's last Saturday while shooting 4-for-17 from behind the arc). But as the saying goes, that's a high-class problemto have. Sure, they can be beaten when they don't shoot it well, but when they do shoot it well (which is most of the time) they're nearly impossibleto beat. The Irish are smart enough to know they have to get better on defense, and they have a pretty good Big East schedule for once, with just one meetingwith Georgetown, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.
OHIO STATE (10-2, NR) SELL
I was not as high on the Buckeyes as other folks even after they beat Miami and Notre Dame to enter the rankings. Now that they've dropped two of three(including that embarrassing 28-point loss to West Virginia in Columbus), have to play at Michigan State tonight and are another six weeks from getting theirmost experienced player, David Lighty, back from a foot injury, it's clearly time to put OSU on the block. The potential of 7-1 freshmanB.J. Mullens is obvious, but it astounds me how people can talk about him as a first-round draft pick when he can't even start for his ownteam. As Mullens and fellow freshman William Buford improve, the Buckeyes will become harder to beat, so you may want to scoop them back up inlate February. For now, however, I foresee a pretty tough few weeks in Columbus.
OKLAHOMA (14-1, No. 6) HOLD
With this record and ranking, you might think the Sooners are begging to be sold. I'm not so sure. They still have the best player in the country inBlake Griffin, and they have two guards (6-4 freshman Willie Warren and 6-6 junior Tony Crocker) who havelots of room for improvement. (Crocker's inconsistency from three-point range continues to be maddening, but when he's hot, he's really hot.) Themain concern I have about Oklahoma is its lack of depth, but the Sooners have a pretty favorable Big 12 schedule. They only play Kansas once (in Norman), andthey don't play road games at Baylor and Texas until mid-February. I've got to believe this stock is going to stay pretty valuable for at least anothermonth.
PITTSBURGH (14-0, No. 1) BUY
I still have some nagging suspicions about the Panthers' ability to score quickly and easily enough to win a national championship, but their 16-pointwin over Georgetown left no doubt that when it comes to intelligence and toughness, they are as good as they come. Levance Fields has somephysical limitations, but no point guard in America does a better job of distributing the ball to the right people in the right places. (Fields leads the BigEast in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.) I generally prefer teams that are more prolific from three-point range, but I also like that this team is notdependent on threes.
PURDUE (11-3, No. 14) SELL
I figured the Boilermakers might struggle with the elevated preseason expectations, but I've been a little surprised at how poorly they've performedin big games. Of the four important games they've played, they lost three (Oklahoma, Duke and Illinois) and won one (Davidson). All the other wins havecome at home against patsies. Purdue still plays tenacious, grind-it-out D, but on offense tenacity is not enough. Sophomore guard E'TwaunMoore has been putting up 14.6 points a game, but his three-point shooting has plummeted from 43.4 percent last season to 32.3 percent this year.That's what happens when you get more attention from defenses. As a team, Purdue is ranked 10th in the Big Ten in field goal (44.1 percent) and three-pointshooting (33.2 percent). If those numbers don't climb, Purdue will ever so slowly head south.
SYRACUSE (14-1, No. 11) BUY
The Orange's buzz-meter might be even higher if Cleveland State's Cedric Jackson hadn't sunk that three-quarter-court bomb tobeat the Orange in the Carrier Dome on Dec. 15. That aside, Syracuse has won every other game and is looking like a Final Four team. We knew they would benefitfrom Eric Devendorf's return from last season's injury, but Andy Rautins has also had a great impact after missing ayear with a torn ACL. And if Jonny Flynn isn't the best point guard in the country, I don't know who is. It will be interesting to seethe Orange go through their epically brutal stretch later this month, when they play Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Louisville all in a row. (Two ofthose games are on the road.) If they can go 2-2 over that stretch, they'll be in great shape.
TENNESSEE (9-3, No. 15) BUY
My bullish rating can be boiled down to three letters: S-E-C. This league is as down as it's been in a long, long time, so Tennessee's shortcomings(inexperience on the perimeter, uninspired defense) won't be as costly. Those wins over Georgetown and Marquette look even better now, and you'd haveto anticipate the Vols will bounce back well from Saturday's loss at Kansas when they host Gonzaga this week. Juco transfer Bobby Maze isdoing a serviceable job running the point, but Bruce Pearl is having a hard time settling on a consistent lineup with his wings. That shouldcome in time, and Pearl being Pearl, you can also expect the Vols to tighten up on D.
TEXAS (11-2, No. 7) SELL
There's a lot to like about the Longhorns, which is why they're ranked where they are. They're tough, they defend, and they have a superlativescorer in A.J. Abrams. But they also lack two things: a consistent second scorer and, more fatally, a dependable point guard. RickBarnes has been playing Justin Mason at that spot by necessity, and I sense he'd like to give Turkish native DogusBalbay more minutes if the kid would stop throwing the ball all over the gym. Texas could very well win the Big 12 and it's hard to see themgetting upset by a team with inferior talent, but sooner or later in the NCAA tournament you run up against a hot team that can score points in a hurry. Whenthat happens, Texas' deficiencies will catch up with them.
UCLA (12-2, No. 10) HOLD
The Bruins haven't made a whole lot of noise while winning eight straight, but that's to be expected considering those victories have come againstweak competition. Still, I'm not sure UCLA is as good as its ranking. Darren Collison has been fabulous as usual (15.0 ppg, 5.4 apg, 50percent three-point shooting), but much of the expectations for this team centered around its freshman class, and that group has been disappointing. The onlynewcomer making any kind of steady contribution has been 6-3 guard Jrue Holiday, but he does not seem to be playing with much confidence.(Holiday is averaging 10.3 points, but he's making just 29.5 percent from three.) Drew Gordon, a 6-8 forward, is starting to get moreminutes off the bench, but UCLA's other young big man, J'Mison Morgan, has been a non-factor, and 6-5 guard MalcolmLee is currently out with an injured knee. I suppose there is some good news in this, because you'd have to expect the newbies will get better asthe season wears on. The other good news is the Pac-10 is so down that UCLA could very well win it by default.
USC (10-4, NR) BUY
Talk about getting a stock when it's dirt cheap. After the Trojans lost at Oregon State on Sunday night, they were instantly scuttled to the discountrack. Well, color me cardinal red, but I see a lot of potential on this team. The main thing that has to happen for the Trojans to validate my rating is forfreshman forward DeMar DeRozan to continue maturing. After getting off to a slow start, DeRozan had averaged 18 points in the four contestsprior to the Oregon State game, but he went invisible again while scoring 10 points in the loss. USC will also benefit from the emergence of MarcusJohnson, a 6-6 transfer from UConn who has only been eligible for three games. The lack of depth is the Trojans' biggest concern (four startersplayed 40-plus minutes against the Beavers), but they have a great chance to right the ship next week when they get UCLA, Arizona State and Arizona athome.
VILLANOVA (12-2, No. 1 SELL
Even though I voted the Wildcats 19th on my AP ballot this week, it's hard to see what they've done enough to merit their ranking. Yes, they'vebeaten teams they were supposed to, but in the two occasions when Villanova needed to prove itself, it came up empty -- against Texas in Madison Square Gardenand last Saturday at Marquette. It's encouraging to see Corey Fisher assert himself more as a scorer, but when you look around the BigEast, you have to ask yourself, is this team really in the same class as UConn, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Pittsburgh? For now, the answer appears tobe no. With Villanova's ranking so high, and with the heart of Big East play coming up, this is a perfect time to sell this stock.
WAKE FOREST (13-0, No. 4) SELL
I love the Deacs but let's face it, this team has nowhere to go but down. Even if they're able to knock off North Carolina on Sunday, at some pointWake's youth is going to catch up. The Deacs have just one senior in their rotation; their top three scorers are two sophomores and a freshman. I'm abig believer in experience when it comes to the NCAA tournament because I've seen too many freshmen who made great progress during the season suddenly playlike freshmen again when thrown into the crucible of a one-and-done situation. I'd love to be proven wrong, though, because this team is great fun towatch.
XAVIER (11-2, No. 16) SELL
Maybe I'm overreacting to the way Xavier got shellacked by Duke, but this strikes me as one of those teams that will beat a lot of opponents whoaren't particularly good but will have trouble against the elite teams. Xavier's main problem is it doesn't score easily enough. (How do you onlyput up 65 points at home against Butler?) The Musketeers needed a half-court buzzer-beater to knock off a mediocre Virginia Tech team, and their best win cameon Nov. 23 against a Memphis squad that is having its own struggles right now. The good news for Xavier is that the Atlantic 10 is weak once again, so theyshould sail pretty easily to the regular season title. Keep your eye on that Jan. 24 game at LSU. The Tigers aren't exactly world beaters themselves, but awin in Baton Rouge would be.
[h3]Five sleeper stocks[/h3]
UNLV (13-2): The Rebels' won at Louisville on New Year's Eve without their best player, Wink Adams. For what it's worth, theyalso routed Arizona at home.
Saint Mary's (13-1): Let's see how many times I can call the Gaels this year's Davidson before it catches on. They've played most of theirgames away from home and Patrick Mills is averaging a Curryesque 19 points per game.
Dayton (13-1): The Flyers beat Marquette and their only loss was at Creighton. If their offense ever catches up to their defense, they'll bedangerous.
UTEP (8-5): Three of the Miners' five losses were to UNLV, Wake Forest and Arizona State. Catch Stefon Jackson on the tube if you can.You'll thank me later.
[h3]Five to dump (if you haven't already)[/h3]
Portland State (12-4): Spurred by mighty mite point guard Jeremiah Dominguez, the Vikings have won six of their last seven
Indiana (5-
: The Hoosiers lost at home last month to Northeastern and Lipscomb. Double yikes! There's no doubt Tom Crean will getthis program where it belongs, but they're three years from even thinking about contending for a Big Ten title.
Loyola Marymount (1-15): Where have you gone, Bo Kimble? The Lions, who finally picked up their first win last weekend, are without coachBill Bayno, who took a leave of absence for undisclosed medical reasons on Nov. 23.
Colorado (7-5): The Buffaloes' five losses include a 25-point pasting at Vermont and home defeats to Montana State and TCU.
Georgia (9-5): Thanks partly to losses to Loyola of Chicago and Texas A&M Corpus Christi, the Bulldogs are ranked 217th in the RPI.
NJIT (0-14): The Highlanders have become national punch line while losing 47-consecutive games.
Seth Davis' book, When March Went Mad: Magic, Bird and the Game That Transformed Basketball, will be published by Times Books in March, 2009.
Fear not, my fellow Hoopheads. There is one element of the U.S. economy that is absolutely recession-proof. It is called college basketball.
With the games as exciting as ever, with parity and megaconferences the order of the day, with the titillating specter of a postseason playoff justtwo-and-a-half months away, the college basketball stock market is more bullish than ever. As conference season gets underway it is once again time for yourresident analyst to offer my annual Hoop Thoughts Stock Report for your reading -- and shopping -- pleasure.
Veteran HTSR readers know the drill. I have selected 30 teams and assigned them a rating of Buy, Sell or Hold. I arrived at those ratings by comparing whereeach team is now to where I believe it is heading. A team's current value is a reflection of its won-loss record, its ranking in this week's AP Poll,and that all-important, ever-subjective criterion called "buzz."
In the twisted logic of the HTSR, the better a team is, the more likely its stock will be rated a Sell, because it has that much more room to fall.Conversely, there are a few teams out there that are not even ranked but warrant a Buy because I expect them to enter the rankings soon. So before you get allin a lather because I rated your favorite team a Sell and your no-good brother-in-law's favorite team a Buy, that does not mean I believe he will have thelast word over you in March.
In parentheses besides each team, I have listed their record as of January 5 and standing in this week's AP Poll. Happy shopping, Hoopheads.
ARIZONA (9-5, NR) SELL
I wanted to believe the Wildcats were turning the corner after they walloped Kansas by 17 points, but following their losses at Cal and Stanford lastweekend, it's apparent to me that this group is still not ready for prime time. (That is to say, win on the road.) Arizona did not make a singlethree-pointer against Stanford, but instead of locking down on defense to make up for it, the Wildcats allowed the Cardinal to shoot 45 percent from the floorand score 76 points. Arizona also attempted just seven free throws against Cal. Without defense, toughness or depth, it's hard to get to the NCAAtournament, much less win games once you're there.
ARIZONA STATE (12-2, No. 20) SELL
ASU's ranking is modest, but I still think people's expectations of the Sun Devils are higher than what they're prepared to deliver. Yes,James Harden is terrific, but beyond him and 6-foot-9 senior forward Jeff Pendergraph, there's no one who strikes fear inthe hearts of opponents. Thus, I expect we'll see quite a few games like the one the Sun Devils played at Cal on Sunday night, when Harden scored 26points, Pendergraph scored 16 and they still lost by 10 because nobody else stepped up. The hardest thing about playing ASU may not be Harden, but rather theirunconventional zone defense. However, a unique system will only get you so far. There are simply too many other good teams out there.
CLEMSON (14-0, No. 12) BUY
I'm warning you, folks, I'm developing a serious man-crush on Clemson. In past seasons I've been skeptical about the Tigers' undefeatedstarts, and I've usually been proven correct. This year it's my optimism that will be proven correct. Clemson earned impressive road wins at Illinoisand at Miami (by 19 points). The Tigers could have wilted after falling behind 14-3 at South Carolina last week, but behind their withering full-court pressurethey rallied to win by 11 behind Terrence Oglesby's 25 points. South Carolina knocked off No. 23 Baylor in its next game, makingClemson's comeback seem all the more impressive.
CONNECTICUT (12-1, No. 5) BUY
We take for granted that Jim Calhoun's teams will play tough defense, but this team is still developing that identity. Let's notoverreact to one bad game against Georgetown. We know UConn's defense will get better, especially since Calhoun promoted 6-9 junior forward StanleyRobinson into the starting lineup after the loss to the Hoyas. There are other ways this team is set to improve as well; A.J. Priceis still figuring out just how to run the team from the point and Jerome Dyson needs to learn to stay in control. But the pieces are clearlyin place for a run at the championship. Another nice piece could join the team if Australian native Ater Majok gets cleared by the NCAA in thenext few weeks.
DUKE (12-1, No. 2) BUY
To rate the Blue Devils a Buy, I'd have to believe they are not going to fade down the stretch like they have the last two years and that they willchallenge for the title. That's exactly what I believe. Brian Zoubek isn't going to make anyone forget HakeemOlajuwon (or Dudley Bradley for that matter), but the 7-1 junior center is the perfect antidote to the Blue Devils' past problemsinside. This team is actually ranked third in the nation in rebound margin (+10.5), fifth in defensive efficiency and 12th in offensive efficiency. Andthey've done it without being a great three-point shooting team (32.1 percent, down from 37.7 percent last season). Duke's one hiccup at Michigan camenot just because the Blue Devils shot poorly but because they were too reliant on jump shots. Best of all, they don't have any freshmen among their topeight players, so they are flush with NCAA tournament experience.
FLORIDA (12-2, NR) SELL
The Gators haven't been ranked for several weeks, but I get the feeling people see those uniforms, they see Billy Donovan on thesidelines, and they expect that big things are going to happen eventually. I don't. Nick Calathes is a very good individual talent, butI'm not sure he has total trust in his teammates when it comes to running this offense. More fatally, the Gators are painfully thin on the interior, whichis why they're ranked 11th in the SEC in rebound margin (+1.9). If you're a Florida fan, you should consider it a successful season if your squad getsinto the NCAA tournament. Anything after that is gravy.
GEORGETOWN (10-3, No. 9) BUY
Welcome to life in the Big East. After pulling off a major statement win at UConn on Dec. 29, the Hoyas have dropped two straight to Pitt and Notre Dame.Well, so what? Lots of teams are going to lose to Pitt and Notre Dame, just like lots of teams will continue to lose to Georgetown. The good news for this teamis twofold: Freshman center Greg Monroe is even better than advertised, and the Hoyas' starting five is as tough and talented as justabout any team in the nation. The bad news is Georgetown is getting no production out of its bench. I fear that is going to take its toll over the sadisticgrind of the Big East season, but you may not get a chance to buy this stock after a two-game losing streak again, so I'd recommend you scoop it up,because I am sticking by my preseason prediction that by the time the NCAA tournament rolls around, this Georgetown team will be better than last year'sgroup that earned a No. 2 seed but lost to Davidson in the second round.
GONZAGA (8-4, NR) HOLD
The Zags are in quite the freefall right now. They've dropped four out of their last five games to fall out of the rankings for the first time allseason, and that could very easily be five out of six by the time they leave Knoxville on Wednesday night. I guess all that talk about this being MarkFew's best team ever can be put on the shelf for a while. Gonzaga is victim to a brutal nonconference schedule, even beyond the recognizableheavyweights. (A true road game at Utah? Insane.) Still, I must say it's been disheartening to see them get so deflated following that overtime loss toUConn. Didn't these guys realize it was only December? I rated Gonzaga as a Hold because with conference play coming up, it's hard to see thingsgetting much worse, even if the Zags lose to Tennessee. But I can't rate them a Buy until I'm convinced they have the psychological mettle to battletheir way through adversity.
ILLINOIS (13-2, NR) BUY
I had the Illini at No. 25 on my AP ballot this week, and though they remain unranked I have a feeling my fellow voters will be catching on soon. Before itlost at Michigan on Sunday, Illinois' only other defeat came at home by two points to a very tough Clemson squad, and last week the Illini pulled off animpressive road victory at Purdue. Point guard play was a question mark last year, but Chester Frazier, who leads the Big Ten in assists (6.5per game) and is third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.94-to-1), has matured into a first-rate floor leader. Moreover, this is an excellent passing team;Illinois is second in the nation in assists with 19.9 per game. Inside, sophomore forward Mike Davis is one of the surprise stories of theseason. Once Kentucky transfer Alex Legion, a 6-5 guard who became eligible in December, gets into the groove the Illini will have as deep andtalented a guard rotation as you'll find anywhere.
KANSAS (10-3, NR) BUY
The Jayhawks are one of the youngest teams in the country, they just scored their biggest win of the season at home over Tennessee, and they're stillunranked? Sounds like a bargain to me. Sherron Collins demonstrated in the win over the Vols why he is the best player in the Big 12 not namedBlake Griffin, and though the Jayhawks' newcomers are a long way from clicking, they have each shown flashes of potential (especiallyTyshawn Taylor). Also keep in mind that juco transfer Mario Little, a 6-5 guard who was voted Big 12 preseason Newcomer ofthe Year, played for the first time on Saturday after missing the first 12 games with hand and leg injuries. There's a lot of room for improvementhere.
KENTUCKY (11-4, NR) BUY
Maybe I should be giving up on a team that has just one win over a squad ranked in the top 65 of the RPI, but I see no reason why the Wildcats can'tonce again rally for an NCAA bid. Well, I can see a reason -- they're ranked 324th in all of Division I in turnovers per game (18.3). You can blame pointguard Michael Porter all you want, but Jodie Meeks is committing even more turnovers than Porter is, and Porter's backup,6-6 freshman DeAndre Liggins, is averaging a team-high 3.4 turnovers in just 19.9 minutes. My faith in Kentucky resides mainly in the overallweakness of the SEC and the fact that Billy Gillispie's teams have always scrapped and clawed to the bitter end. If this team can find away to take better care of the ball, it should find itself right back in the NCAAs.
LOUISVILLE (9-3, No. 23) HOLD
I was leaning towards rating the Cardinals a Sell, but now that they've dropped to 23rd in the AP poll (after starting out No. 3 in the preseason), Ithink they're closer to where they deserve to be. Lost amidst the elation following their great escape over Kentucky is the fact that a) they blew aseven-point lead in the last six minutes, and b) they needed a 25-foot pullup jumper by Edgar Sosa to win. That shot looked like fools'gold to me. Sosa is probably unfairly criticized (including by me) for being something that he's not, which is a pass-first, playmaking point guard. Yet,that is what Louisville needs him to be, if only because the Cardinals don't have anyone else with the requisite skill set. Sosa may have played his bestgame of the season against Kentucky (a season-high 18 points), but I fear that his success at scoring, most notably on the game-winner, will encourage him toshoot even more. Also, have you noticed that when Samardo Samuels goes up against a player who is as big and strong as he is, he tends todisappear?
MARQUETTE (13-2, No. 1
BUYI love watching this team play. They have some obvious deficiencies, most notably a lack of size, but there aren't too many teams who do a better jobgetting the most out of what they have. Dominic James, the Eagles' 5-11 (cough, cough) senior point guard, has really grown in hisunderstanding of how to run a team. His longtime running mates, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews, get after teams defensivelyand are constantly attacking the rim. Best of all, those three guys are shooting three-pointers better than they have the last two years. This Marquette teamis a slightly less talented version of the Randy Foye-Kyle Lowry-led Villanova squad that reached the Elite Eight three yearsago. They'll lose at some point in the NCAA tournament, but it won't be because they didn't compete hard or play smart.
MEMPHIS (10-3, NR) HOLD
Good news for the Tigers: They're about to enter the conference portion of their schedule. I don't expect Memphis to go undefeated again inConference USA, but I still don't see any team capable of really challenging them for the league title. Meanwhile, if you run into JohnCalipari, don't give him your cell number, because he might call and try to convince you to play point guard. Calipari has tried everyone butPriscilla Presley at the spot -- first Willie Kemp, then Tyreke Evans, then WesleyWitherspoon, now Antonio Anderson. Nobody has worked. Moreover, the guy who Calipari said could be one of the top 10 players in thecountry, 6-9 senior forward Robert Dozier, has not even been one of the top 10 players in his own league. If they roll through C-USA again,the Tigers will probably climb back into the rankings and earn a decent seed in the NCAA tournament, but unless things change it's hard to envision themsticking around for long.
MICHIGAN STATE (11-2, No.
As my devoted readers know well, I have been bullish on the Spartans from Day 1. Yes, they were embarrassed in those losses to Maryland and North Carolina,but now they are again looking like the class of the Big Ten. Senior center Goran Suton is back in the lineup, and freshman forwardDelvon Roe will continue his ascent once he recovers from his sprained ankle. As predicted, sophomore point guard KalinLucas, who scored a career-high 24 points in last week's road win at Minnesota, is starting to become a scoring threat. This team can score easierand in more ways with Lucas at the point than it could when Drew Neitzel was running the show. The Spartans will only get better as they gethealthier and more experienced. And remember, the Final Four will be played in Detroit.
MINNESOTA (13-1, No. 22) SELL
You've got to be impressed with the job Tubby Smith is doing, but that sound you hear is the Gophers' rubber hitting the Big Tenroad. Minnesota has played a very weak nonconference schedule while sailing to 13-0, with its best win coming on a neutral court against a strugglingLouisville team that had played less than 48 hours earlier. When Minnesota had a chance to prove itself in a home game against a good team, it fell flatagainst Michigan State and lost by 12. Sophomore point guard Al Nolen has been a pleasant surprise; he's ranked third in the Big Ten inassists (6.1) and steals (2.21) and is fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.7-to-1). But it isn't hard to compile those kinds of numbersagainst inferior competition.
NORTH CAROLINA (13-1, No. 3) BUY
I know you're too smart to panic and sell the Heels just because they played one bad game. Newsflash: Teams lose. If North Carolina's players hadforgotten that, then the loss to Boston College should be a helpful (if unwelcome) reminder. The bigger concern moving forward is North Carolina's defense(again). BC coach Al Skinner did a masterful job exploiting this weakness by forcing the Heels to guard his intricate flex offense for 30seconds or more each possession. North Carolina should improve in this area as senior forward Marcus Ginyard, who has only played three gamessince returning from a broken foot, gets into shape. Make no mistake, North Carolina remains the team to beat, and the Heels will be even harder to beat nowthat they've embarrassed at home.
NOTRE DAME (11-3, No. 13) BUY
If the entire NCAA tournament were played in the Joyce Center, I'd pick the Irish to win the whole thing. When it beat Georgetown on Monday night, NotreDame extended its nation's-best home-court win streak to 44 games. Yes, the Irish still have to figure out how to win when they're not making threes(witness their pratfall at St. John's last Saturday while shooting 4-for-17 from behind the arc). But as the saying goes, that's a high-class problemto have. Sure, they can be beaten when they don't shoot it well, but when they do shoot it well (which is most of the time) they're nearly impossibleto beat. The Irish are smart enough to know they have to get better on defense, and they have a pretty good Big East schedule for once, with just one meetingwith Georgetown, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.
OHIO STATE (10-2, NR) SELL
I was not as high on the Buckeyes as other folks even after they beat Miami and Notre Dame to enter the rankings. Now that they've dropped two of three(including that embarrassing 28-point loss to West Virginia in Columbus), have to play at Michigan State tonight and are another six weeks from getting theirmost experienced player, David Lighty, back from a foot injury, it's clearly time to put OSU on the block. The potential of 7-1 freshmanB.J. Mullens is obvious, but it astounds me how people can talk about him as a first-round draft pick when he can't even start for his ownteam. As Mullens and fellow freshman William Buford improve, the Buckeyes will become harder to beat, so you may want to scoop them back up inlate February. For now, however, I foresee a pretty tough few weeks in Columbus.
OKLAHOMA (14-1, No. 6) HOLD
With this record and ranking, you might think the Sooners are begging to be sold. I'm not so sure. They still have the best player in the country inBlake Griffin, and they have two guards (6-4 freshman Willie Warren and 6-6 junior Tony Crocker) who havelots of room for improvement. (Crocker's inconsistency from three-point range continues to be maddening, but when he's hot, he's really hot.) Themain concern I have about Oklahoma is its lack of depth, but the Sooners have a pretty favorable Big 12 schedule. They only play Kansas once (in Norman), andthey don't play road games at Baylor and Texas until mid-February. I've got to believe this stock is going to stay pretty valuable for at least anothermonth.
PITTSBURGH (14-0, No. 1) BUY
I still have some nagging suspicions about the Panthers' ability to score quickly and easily enough to win a national championship, but their 16-pointwin over Georgetown left no doubt that when it comes to intelligence and toughness, they are as good as they come. Levance Fields has somephysical limitations, but no point guard in America does a better job of distributing the ball to the right people in the right places. (Fields leads the BigEast in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.) I generally prefer teams that are more prolific from three-point range, but I also like that this team is notdependent on threes.
PURDUE (11-3, No. 14) SELL
I figured the Boilermakers might struggle with the elevated preseason expectations, but I've been a little surprised at how poorly they've performedin big games. Of the four important games they've played, they lost three (Oklahoma, Duke and Illinois) and won one (Davidson). All the other wins havecome at home against patsies. Purdue still plays tenacious, grind-it-out D, but on offense tenacity is not enough. Sophomore guard E'TwaunMoore has been putting up 14.6 points a game, but his three-point shooting has plummeted from 43.4 percent last season to 32.3 percent this year.That's what happens when you get more attention from defenses. As a team, Purdue is ranked 10th in the Big Ten in field goal (44.1 percent) and three-pointshooting (33.2 percent). If those numbers don't climb, Purdue will ever so slowly head south.
SYRACUSE (14-1, No. 11) BUY
The Orange's buzz-meter might be even higher if Cleveland State's Cedric Jackson hadn't sunk that three-quarter-court bomb tobeat the Orange in the Carrier Dome on Dec. 15. That aside, Syracuse has won every other game and is looking like a Final Four team. We knew they would benefitfrom Eric Devendorf's return from last season's injury, but Andy Rautins has also had a great impact after missing ayear with a torn ACL. And if Jonny Flynn isn't the best point guard in the country, I don't know who is. It will be interesting to seethe Orange go through their epically brutal stretch later this month, when they play Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Louisville all in a row. (Two ofthose games are on the road.) If they can go 2-2 over that stretch, they'll be in great shape.
TENNESSEE (9-3, No. 15) BUY
My bullish rating can be boiled down to three letters: S-E-C. This league is as down as it's been in a long, long time, so Tennessee's shortcomings(inexperience on the perimeter, uninspired defense) won't be as costly. Those wins over Georgetown and Marquette look even better now, and you'd haveto anticipate the Vols will bounce back well from Saturday's loss at Kansas when they host Gonzaga this week. Juco transfer Bobby Maze isdoing a serviceable job running the point, but Bruce Pearl is having a hard time settling on a consistent lineup with his wings. That shouldcome in time, and Pearl being Pearl, you can also expect the Vols to tighten up on D.
TEXAS (11-2, No. 7) SELL
There's a lot to like about the Longhorns, which is why they're ranked where they are. They're tough, they defend, and they have a superlativescorer in A.J. Abrams. But they also lack two things: a consistent second scorer and, more fatally, a dependable point guard. RickBarnes has been playing Justin Mason at that spot by necessity, and I sense he'd like to give Turkish native DogusBalbay more minutes if the kid would stop throwing the ball all over the gym. Texas could very well win the Big 12 and it's hard to see themgetting upset by a team with inferior talent, but sooner or later in the NCAA tournament you run up against a hot team that can score points in a hurry. Whenthat happens, Texas' deficiencies will catch up with them.
UCLA (12-2, No. 10) HOLD
The Bruins haven't made a whole lot of noise while winning eight straight, but that's to be expected considering those victories have come againstweak competition. Still, I'm not sure UCLA is as good as its ranking. Darren Collison has been fabulous as usual (15.0 ppg, 5.4 apg, 50percent three-point shooting), but much of the expectations for this team centered around its freshman class, and that group has been disappointing. The onlynewcomer making any kind of steady contribution has been 6-3 guard Jrue Holiday, but he does not seem to be playing with much confidence.(Holiday is averaging 10.3 points, but he's making just 29.5 percent from three.) Drew Gordon, a 6-8 forward, is starting to get moreminutes off the bench, but UCLA's other young big man, J'Mison Morgan, has been a non-factor, and 6-5 guard MalcolmLee is currently out with an injured knee. I suppose there is some good news in this, because you'd have to expect the newbies will get better asthe season wears on. The other good news is the Pac-10 is so down that UCLA could very well win it by default.
USC (10-4, NR) BUY
Talk about getting a stock when it's dirt cheap. After the Trojans lost at Oregon State on Sunday night, they were instantly scuttled to the discountrack. Well, color me cardinal red, but I see a lot of potential on this team. The main thing that has to happen for the Trojans to validate my rating is forfreshman forward DeMar DeRozan to continue maturing. After getting off to a slow start, DeRozan had averaged 18 points in the four contestsprior to the Oregon State game, but he went invisible again while scoring 10 points in the loss. USC will also benefit from the emergence of MarcusJohnson, a 6-6 transfer from UConn who has only been eligible for three games. The lack of depth is the Trojans' biggest concern (four startersplayed 40-plus minutes against the Beavers), but they have a great chance to right the ship next week when they get UCLA, Arizona State and Arizona athome.
VILLANOVA (12-2, No. 1
SELLEven though I voted the Wildcats 19th on my AP ballot this week, it's hard to see what they've done enough to merit their ranking. Yes, they'vebeaten teams they were supposed to, but in the two occasions when Villanova needed to prove itself, it came up empty -- against Texas in Madison Square Gardenand last Saturday at Marquette. It's encouraging to see Corey Fisher assert himself more as a scorer, but when you look around the BigEast, you have to ask yourself, is this team really in the same class as UConn, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Pittsburgh? For now, the answer appears tobe no. With Villanova's ranking so high, and with the heart of Big East play coming up, this is a perfect time to sell this stock.
WAKE FOREST (13-0, No. 4) SELL
I love the Deacs but let's face it, this team has nowhere to go but down. Even if they're able to knock off North Carolina on Sunday, at some pointWake's youth is going to catch up. The Deacs have just one senior in their rotation; their top three scorers are two sophomores and a freshman. I'm abig believer in experience when it comes to the NCAA tournament because I've seen too many freshmen who made great progress during the season suddenly playlike freshmen again when thrown into the crucible of a one-and-done situation. I'd love to be proven wrong, though, because this team is great fun towatch.
XAVIER (11-2, No. 16) SELL
Maybe I'm overreacting to the way Xavier got shellacked by Duke, but this strikes me as one of those teams that will beat a lot of opponents whoaren't particularly good but will have trouble against the elite teams. Xavier's main problem is it doesn't score easily enough. (How do you onlyput up 65 points at home against Butler?) The Musketeers needed a half-court buzzer-beater to knock off a mediocre Virginia Tech team, and their best win cameon Nov. 23 against a Memphis squad that is having its own struggles right now. The good news for Xavier is that the Atlantic 10 is weak once again, so theyshould sail pretty easily to the regular season title. Keep your eye on that Jan. 24 game at LSU. The Tigers aren't exactly world beaters themselves, but awin in Baton Rouge would be.
[h3]Five sleeper stocks[/h3]
UNLV (13-2): The Rebels' won at Louisville on New Year's Eve without their best player, Wink Adams. For what it's worth, theyalso routed Arizona at home.
Saint Mary's (13-1): Let's see how many times I can call the Gaels this year's Davidson before it catches on. They've played most of theirgames away from home and Patrick Mills is averaging a Curryesque 19 points per game.
Dayton (13-1): The Flyers beat Marquette and their only loss was at Creighton. If their offense ever catches up to their defense, they'll bedangerous.
UTEP (8-5): Three of the Miners' five losses were to UNLV, Wake Forest and Arizona State. Catch Stefon Jackson on the tube if you can.You'll thank me later.
[h3]Five to dump (if you haven't already)[/h3]
Portland State (12-4): Spurred by mighty mite point guard Jeremiah Dominguez, the Vikings have won six of their last seven
Indiana (5-
Loyola Marymount (1-15): Where have you gone, Bo Kimble? The Lions, who finally picked up their first win last weekend, are without coachBill Bayno, who took a leave of absence for undisclosed medical reasons on Nov. 23.
Colorado (7-5): The Buffaloes' five losses include a 25-point pasting at Vermont and home defeats to Montana State and TCU.
Georgia (9-5): Thanks partly to losses to Loyola of Chicago and Texas A&M Corpus Christi, the Bulldogs are ranked 217th in the RPI.
NJIT (0-14): The Highlanders have become national punch line while losing 47-consecutive games.
Seth Davis' book, When March Went Mad: Magic, Bird and the Game That Transformed Basketball, will be published by Times Books in March, 2009.
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You're about to do a stretch? I though you was a Country Club, Gated Community type _.
Lemme find out they got you for insider trading or some %#+$. My son got Martha Stewart'ed
Prolly going to jail for Drunk Driving or some %+*@..
You spent to much time in the Bull son, it rubbed of on you
Dude ran up on my chick. I had a few words. He swung and connected. I reacted in self defense. He got sent to the ICU. I get the bid (on topof violation of probation for a prior DUI). He sippin' red kool-aid and mashed potatoes through a straw for 2 months.
My word thats the 1st thing that came to mind when I intially read that.
Like "damn we start at a disadvantage and this _ has paperwork from 2 highly respected accredited institutions... What The... He was winning..."
It is what it is. I'm still a hot tempered Jamaican from Granby St in Hartford. That %%%% will never change.
And I'm still winning, just got complacent in the 3rd quarter. It's nothing I can't shake off. Ain't a felony and it's only 6 months. I'm still wavy and Mike I'ma #$@% you up when I get to Cali
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more then one person post under his nameOriginally Posted by Ricardo Malta
And this dude Malik....you had to have been joking right? Do you even understand how many people read NT? I guarantee your $!*# would leak quicker than a busted faucet.
Damn knucklehead.
