Big Day In Big Est Action

The Big East has shown throughout this season that they are the best conference again, assuming you are not being hard headed and believe that either the Big 10 or ACC has been a stronger conference over the past few years at least. So with that being an assumed consensus, the best conference is having one of their best days of the year this weekend, with multiple match ups that are going to be fun games to watch.

12 p.m. Georgetown at Villanova

Villanova had a week last week that many teams would accept, going on the road to two top 10 teams, and coming away with a record of 1-1, with an 11 point win at Syracuse. They started off this week in a way that most would not, giving Providence only their second Big East win in 19 games.

Georgetown, who was once near the top 10 in the rankings, finds themselves barely cracking the top 10 of the Big East standings currently. They are in no danger at this point of not making the tournament, but this is a big game in terms of their seeding, and where they can finish in the standings before the Big East Tournament, if they are able to give a top tier team another loss, bringing them pack to the pack.

For Villanova to win they have to shut down the Hoyas on the outside, something that their guards can do, though Freeman and Wright are extremely talented. Wayns and Fisher are two of the best defensive guards in the conference, and if you take away the head of the Hoyas then they are in trouble. Georgetown needs to make sure that they can get Hollis Thompson going, because if they can get that fourth scorer to play well then that opens things up for Freeman, Wright and Clark.

Prediction: Villanova 75 Georgetown 73

12 p.m. Louisville at Connecticut

Louisville has seen their early success turn into a rough go of things lately, going 3-2 in their last five, with two of the wins being of the one point variety against teams that are not ranked. Connecticut has seen the opposite, after a great start, followed by a minor lull, they have come back strong with wins over two current top 10 teams.

For Louisville to win this game they will need to shift their pressure defense towards Kemba Walker, and really try to make the other players move the ball against it. Their pressure defense is their best asset, and the more they are able to influence the other players to make plays, though they are growing quickly and very well, the better chance the Cardinals have.

Connecticut will need their defense to focus in on Preston Knowles, much like the pressure Walker will see. Knowles is a deadly outside shooter, and you can just ask Marquette what he can do to you if he gets hot. If they force the other shooters to knock down shots then they will be a lot more comfortable. Secondly, let Alex Oriakhi go after Gorgui Dieng and get him in foul trouble, then they will be able to really dominate the paint.

Prediction: Connecticut 73 Louisville 65

3 p.m. Syracuse at Marquette

To see an extensive look at this game go to the home page.

8 p.m. West Virginia at Cincinnati

This is a game that if it were in about a month it would almost be pegged as an elimination game, given these teams continue their current play. The Big East has been rumored to get anywhere from 8-11 teams in this year's NCAA Tournament, these are two of the teams that will be in those positions that will make or break that number.

West Virginia needs to use their athletes to win this game, and go down low to guys like Kevin Jones and John Flowers, who should be able to use their quickness in order to score on the Bearcat bigs. If Jones is able to get going, and nail his face up jumpers, then Truck Bryant will be able to get some open looks on the outside, and find more lanes to drive the ball.

The Bearcats have to then return the favor and take advantage of Yancy Gates down low, and use their advantage to get points in the paint and then cut off of the big man. Deniz Kilicli and Cam Thoroughman are good defenders, but if Gates can get Kilicli in foul trouble, like he tends to get into, then Thoroughman is not the offensive player that the other Mountaineer big men are.

Prediction: West Virginia 62 Cincinnati 59

8 p.m. Pittsburgh at Rutgers

Pittsburgh is coming off a rare loss at home, and Rutgers is coming off a loss after winning two league games in a row. At this point these two teams are going in different directions, Pittsburgh is looking for a national championship while Rutgers would like just some sort of postseason tournament berth. Though I think Mike Rice is a good hire, and going to have Rutgers moving in the right direction, this is a tough one.

Pittsburgh just needs to play their game, at this points they have better players, more experience, and the cohesiveness that Rutgers should not really be able to handle.

Rutgers has two things they have to do, number one is play defense. Pittsburgh is going to play defense, and make it hard for the Scarlet Knights to score. If they are able to play defense, and get turnovers, then Rutgers will be able to stay in the game and make an upset bid. They have to keep the score low, because they are a team at this point that needs to win a low scoring game, similar to Pittsburgh's loss to Notre Dame, though I am not expecting them to try the "burn" offense. The second thing they need, is for the magic of the RAC to step up and claim another victim.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 78 Rutgers 60

Western Conference All Star Starters, How Worthy?

While the Eastern Conference had no problems with their selections, all more than worthy and deserving of being a starter, can the Western starters be looked at under the same light?

Chris Paul- Maybe a dark horse for MVP, with his team streaking again and in the fifth spot of the Western Conference, because in large part of Paul's efforts, he is worthy of the accolades. He is averaging 16.4 points, 9.7 assists, and 2.6 steals a game, more than worthy numbers with a near double-double average. Definitely worthy of a start.

Kobe Bryant-The Los Angeles Lakers are once again among the Western Conference and NBA elite, in search of their third straight title, and they are once again doing it behind the leadership of Kobe. Leading the team in both points and assists, Bryant is also bringing in five rebounds a game, doing a little bit of everything for the Lakers. He was once again the top vote getter for the game, so you can not deny the fans feelings for him. Definitely worthy of a start.

Kevin Durant- Now when you are talking about short list of MVP candidates, unstoppable scorers, or freaks of science then you have to be adding Kevin Durant's name in there. He is proving to be worthy of the preseason hype, playing at an MVP type form for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Just the other night he tied Blake Griffin for the most points in a single game this year with 47, while grabbing a career high 18 rebounds. That just added to his league leading 28.6 points per game, and the aura that is Durant. Definitely Worthy of a start.

Carmelo Anthony- I am one of the biggest fans that Carmelo has, but at this point this season this one is a questionable start. He has been talked about in trades all season long, has had a few of his worst games in his career so far this season, and his scoring average (his main claim to fame). Though Carmelo has picked it up as of late, and since trade rumors have quieted a bit he has been back on track. He also leads the team in scoring still, as well as rebounds with eight per game, on a team that is currently sixth in the west. The questioning also only comes into play because of the depth in the west, but is Carmelo an All-Star talent, obviously yes. Worthy of a start yeah I think so, but more worthy than others, that is where you could have an argument for no.

Yao Ming- Now when Yao is healthy and playing his best he is without a doubt, in my mind, worthy of being the starting center on the West All-Stars. With that being said, this is a joke. Yao has only played in four games this year. Four. Now while I know he has been injured over the years, and his fans from back home in China are the ones giving him all these votes, it is ridiculous that he has been voted in as a starter again. Yao unfortunately can not get healthy lately, and that should not punish someone else who should be voted in as a starter for the west. Definitely not worthy of a start.

Now the Western Conference was not really over the top out of control, three of the players should definitely be starting, with Carmelo worthy but maybe just not the best option. Yao is a mistake to be starting, but given that eight of the 10 players voted in collectively were the absolute right choices, you have to say that the fans did a good job for the most part.

Undefeated Watch, Does Purdue Make It 1?

Ohio State went to Illinois this past weekend and found themselves in a hole, one they were not used to this year. They ended up winning that game by five. Just like they have all year, in close games against Iowa and Penn State, they have always come out with the victory. They are number one in the nation for a reason, they just keep on winning and make it hard to think they wont continue that trend in their next game.

Tonight though they match up with Purdue, another team that has found itself in the top 10, and is coming off a win in primetime with ESPN's Gameday present. They have their share of players that are going to get talked about as Conference and National Player of the Year. That is probably where this game will be won, in which team's player of the year candidate plays better.

The meeting up top, where the big guys hang around, the veteran who has been getting better and better each year at Purdue, against the freshman phenom who seemingly can not be stopped as he averages a double-double. JaJuan Johnson against Jared Sullinger. So which team wins?

Both teams have their role players, the guys that will hit open shots and three's, the guys that will get in the lane and rebound, and those that will play defense. Now while the game very well could be decided by those two big guys, it also could be there extremely talented number two's who tilt the balance in either team's direction.

For Purdue it is E'Twaun Moore, and for Ohio St. it is David Lighty. Moore averages more than Sullinger for Ohio St. as Purdue relies heavily on their top two guys, and the way he shoots the ball will really make of break Purdue's gameplan. Against West Virginia Moore had an off shooting day and they found themselves in a game that they eventually lost. Lighty is third on the team in scoring but he is a complete player, fourth in rebound, second in assists and steals, and shoots over 45% from behind the arc. The way these two players perform will most likely determine tonight's winner.

The Buckeyes are a team that has more players than Purdue, as Purdue has more role players compared to Ohio State's team that has roles for their players, but they tend to be able to branch out and help in other areas besides that "role" they have been cast in. They should be able to control the boards, and while they might even battle to a stand still with the match ups previously mentioned, Ohio St. would then still have William Buford who can at times take over a game. In the end it should be Ohio St. coming out with another win.

Prediction: Ohio St. 68 Purdue 63

My Top 25 Rankings

I usually have at least a gripe or two with the rankings that come out on Monday for the college basketball world, and this week I am sure will be no different. So instead of waiting and watching and being annoyed, here is the way that the rankings should look.

1. Ohio State: They still have not been beat, and they proved they can take the pressure, and go on the road against another top 25 team and win. They have this top spot until they lose.

2. Pittsburgh: They are undefeated in the Big East almost halfway through, and this week they had an impressive win at home against then number three Syracuse. They might be the most balanced team in the nation.

3. San Diego State: They have not lost yet, and deserve some respect for that. They have not played top tier competition but are beating good teams, and everyone put in front of them. We'll see their legitimacy this week against BYU.

4. Kansas: So they lost their first game, and it was at home. That hurts. The thing is it was to a top 10 team that is growing and getting better. They still have all the spots on the court covered with skill and this was not a bad loss.

5. Duke: They only have that one blemish, and Florida State is starting to look like a better loss than originally believed. They will not be tested much in the ACC and you still have to question their strength of schedule(worst in RPI top 10).

6. Connecticut: This team has not lost out of conference, and it beat two teams in the top 10. They are on a roll and growing as a team, while still having the Player of the Year as of now in Kemba Walker.

7. Texas: They are on a roll, and if they had held onto that game against Connecticut they would be a top five team easy. Jordan Hamilton is not getting the national recognition he deserves, and watch out for these freshman, they are going to be better and better.

8. Villanova: They lost a tough game on the road to Connecticut, and then went to the Carrier Dome and shot absolutely lights out in the first half, and held on in the second to win going away. They have two losses and a number of impressive wins. The Coreys are starting to heat up and players roles are being defined.

9. Syracuse: They were undefeated going into the week and lost two games. Drop them out of the top 10 right? Well one loss was at the new number two team without their leading scorer. The second less attractive at home by 11, but that was also to the number seven team in the nation. You can not punish a team too much for losing to two top 10 teams.

10. BYU: They just keep on winning, and Jimmer Fredette just keeps on scoring. They have one of the best backcourts in the nation, and they are better than people will give them credit. Their spot in top 10 will be earned or lost Wednesday against San Diego St.

11. Purdue
12. Notre Dame
13. Missouri
14. Texas A&M
15. Minnesota
16. Wisconsin
17. Kentucky
18. Washington
19. Georgetown
20. Saint Mary's
21. Illinois
22. Michigan State
23. Louisville
24. West Virginia
25. Florida State

Will Top Two Fall?

Ohio State and Kansas both remain undefeated coming into today, they both also have what might be their toughest match ups today. This could be the day where one of them, if not both of them, fall out of the unbeaten world like Syracuse did on Monday.

Ohio St. will travel out of Ohio and find themselves in the great state of Illinois, as they visit the Fighting Illini'. Illinois finds themselves back in the top 25, and are coming off of a win against the Spartans of Michigan St. 71-62. Ohio St. is visiting Illinois after one of their more dominant wins of the season, beating Iowa at home 70-48, where they had five players with nine or more points.

Ohio St. though has won three of four games at Illinois, and swept the regular season series last year between the two. Ohio St. has had its struggles on the road though this year, as can be seen in their first meeting with that same Iowa team where they won in a squeaker 73-68.

I think that the tough road game, easily their toughest of the year, catches up with the Buckeyes and they find themselves with a loss coming into next week's rankings, and out of the top spot. Prediction: Illinois 74 Ohio St 70.

Kansas has an advantage over Ohio St. in that they have a home game today, though they do have the tougher of the two teams to face. The Texas Longhorns come into the Phog ranked number 11, and ready to have a statement win, and a Big 12 controlling win, against the Jayhawks.

Texas is coming in at the right time for them though, coming off what was probably their best win and game of the season. They were able to win a rivalry game against #10 Texas A&M on Wednesday, blowing them out 81-60. They were able to end the Aggies 13 game winning streak behind the double digit scoring effort of three starters, led by Jordan Hamilton who dropped 27 points hitting on 10 of 14 shot attempts.

Kansas has yet to lose a game this year, and despite their close calls, many believe them to be the most talented and well rounded team in the nation. The fact that they are playing at home is not small thing either, as they have now won 68 straight at home. Which is currently the longest streak in the nation as well.
When you look at the match ups that Kansas can present on the scoring big men that Texas can throw out there that is where it would appear that Kansas will win, on the defensive end. With the ability to put a Morris twin on Hamilton, they will be able to guard him both inside and out, or if they even wanted to put a Josh Selby on him, and athletic guard that can stick with him all over the court.

Then they will have the advantage out on the perimeter with guard play, and their guards will be able to get into the lane and make plays. Whether they drive looking to finish themselves, drop it off to the big guys, or kick it out for an open look, they should have success.

I think that with the home court advantage that Kansas possesses at The Phog, and their ability to defend the primary scorers for Texas I think gives Kansas the edge. Then on the offensive side of the ball their guard play will help them to score in the familiar confines of home. Prediction: Kansas 82 Texas 71.

When this weekend is all said and done, I think you will be seeing Kansas in the top spot, and Ohio St. falling to number four. That's because with their win over Syracuse on Monday Pittsburgh will find themselves at number two, followed by Syracuse bouncing back with a big top 10 win at home against Villanova.

Blake Griffin for MVP? Why Not?

So this year you are hearing the usual names thrown out there for the MVP, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, among others. What has a lot of the buzz of this first half the season been about though? Blake Griffin. He has taken the league by storm, and his highlight reel has everyone from fans to the players themselves just in awe.

When you hear the talk about Griffin though it has to do with Rookie of the Year, which many believe that he has just run away with at this point, and no talk of MVP. I ask you though, if the Clippers get back to .500, sniffing or even into the playoffs (currently seven games back of the eight spot), how do you not give him the MVP?

Last night Griffin had 20 points and 18 rebounds, missed another 20-20 game by two rebounds. That is his 11th game this season that he has scored 20 or more points while grabbing 15 or more rebounds. Unbelievable. He just had his 27 game double-double streak ended, yes that is 27 in the forward loaded Western Conference. He is averaging 22.6 points per game, to go along with 12.8 rebounds per game.

When you look at the highlights, when you take in the fact that he had that streak of double-doubles, and one game later already with another 20 points 18 rebound game, his averaging a double-double, has the most points scored in a single game this year at 47, and there is no end in sight, he has the numbers. Now if he can get the Clippers to win games, like they have in the past month, then I would have no problem putting together a Blake Griffin for MVP campaign.

How Does Duke Become A Top One Loss Team?

With full disclosure I am a Duke hater, and I have many reasons for it, that is a completely different blog post to be made at a later time. This post is not about my disdain for the Blue Devils, but rather for their position these days, days that are not really pertinent to where teams will be come late February. At this point it is just the audacity of their positioning, the idea of their stature being put in places that just do not seem right that has gotten me to write this post.

There is no denying the fact that Duke was worthy and deserving of their preseason number one ranking. Then there is no denying that they should remain in the top 10 with their loss, it was a tough game on the road. Top eight though? Top 6? Top 4? I do not know if those points are as clear cut as people want to make them.

There are two teams that have a gripe to keep Duke out of the top five, Syracuse and San Diego State, assuming that everyone agrees the top three, in some order, are Ohio State, Kansas and Pittsburgh. One of them with one loss similar to Duke, and the other without a loss.

So there sits San Diego State, 20 wins and zero losses. They have not dropped a game yet. This is not the BCS, it is a poll, why is a team that has a record of 20-0 not right there with the other undefeated teams. I would argue that Pittsburgh should be behind them as well, though that is not as much of an issue given their recent play, and win over previously undefeated Syracuse. That is just ridiculous, and the argument of competition is not valid, because their conference has a one loss team in the top 10 as well. It just does not make sense to me.

Then there is Syracuse, a team that it is not an issue of ranking at this point, and probably will not be, given that Saturday the Orange will be playing number seven Villanova, and that game will probably result in Syracuse being either ahead of, or behind Duke. If with a win Syracuse falls behind Duke in the polls then that is just absurd and almost that much more of an issue.

No, the issue with Syracuse, and again this is an issue in which the result does not matter at this point, it is not going to be this way by season's end, but the perception of it currently. It lies in Joe Lunardi's Bracketology and Duke having a number one seed ahead of the Orange, which is mind boggling to me, and just another frustration by what I can only understand as Duke bias.

Syracuse and Duke each have one loss, Duke at Florida State and Syracuse at Pittsburgh. You tell me, not even considering the home court advantage that Pittsburgh enjoys (one of the best in the nation, especially against top five teams, where they have never lost to one there). Compare the loss of Duke to the loss of Syracuse and tell me that one is not lightyears more understandable, acceptable, and for lack of a another term better than the other one.

Then you can look at the fact that Syracuse has the number two RPI, compared to Duke who falls in at number 11. They have a strength of schedule of 30 at Syracuse, Duke's strength of schedule falls in their at number 80. Duke has a non-conference strength of schedule of 179, but oh Syracuse has one that is 129. Finally in Joe Lunardi's own preferred RPI formula Syracuse comes in at number two ( that team they lost to, Pittsburgh, they were number one), and Duke is there at four.

Now I know both teams will probably lose again, they will go up and down in the rankings together, and fall out of those bracketology seeds they have now. But at this point in time, this frame of time, it is just extremely annoying, frustrating and typical for everything that happens with Duke. When does Syracuse get their respect? Their resume and year has been better than Duke's, period. And then there is that team who has not lost yet, yeah they have a gripe too.

Maybe The Heat Don't Have It All Figured Out

How many people watched the Miami Heat go 21-1 in that 22 game stretch and said, 'Here we go, told you they were going to be unbeatable. They will almost never lose the rest of the year. NBA champs!' Yeah, I am sure every basketball fan knows at least one person who said that. Well that might not be the case, believe it or not you can't hand them the trophy just yet.

Last night the Heat lost to the Atlanta Hawks in overtime, at home no less, and it was their fourth straight loss. Yeah, four straight. That means 21-5 in their last 26, and gives them a 30-13 record overall (that means the Chicago Bulls 72 wins record is safe from the Heat this year). Last night's game, along with the previous three losses, have brought up some kinks in that armor as well.

This team without the big three playing together is suspect. The last three losses came with LeBron James missing the first two, and Chris Bosh missing last night's game. So while not having all of your players that this team is really pieced together around, more so than maybe any other team in the NBA, then you will struggle a little. Not being able to get a win without one of them though is tough to accept.

What was learned from last night's game, Chris Bosh is more valuable to this team than was originally believed. In last night's game the Heat as a team attempted 30 three pointers, the most in a game this season. Not only did the team take more threes, but James himself took 10, and he took 30 shots altogether by himself. Wade then took 20 shots as well, that is 50 shots between the two, out of the teams 77 shots. Not quite the balance you would want, perhaps a reason that they lost.

Another reason they lost, and a trend that is starting to be seen, is the lack of being able to close out games by the Heat. In games decided by five points or less they find themselves at 1-7. Not only below .500, but only winning one of those eight games. That is a problem, a glaring one for a team that is not going to just blow everyone away, especially come playoff time.

A part of that inability to close is their late game decision making. Just using last night's game as a starting point, they had shots in regulation and overtime in the closing seconds. What did they get? LeBron taking 28 foot three pointers that were at the very least mildly contested. Those are not winning shots, those are not shots that you want to rely on in close games. The Boston Celtics, they give it to Paul Pierce at the top of the key. The Chicago Bulls, they give it to Derrick Rose and let him create. The Heat almost looked like they did not know who was going to shot, where, or when, and just sort of panicked into two deep heaves.

This team is struggling right now so it is easy to pick on them. They are injured and losing so some of their deficiencies are more apparent, just ask the Dallas Mavericks. These issues will not go away with healing injuries though, they have to learn to win more than one out of eight close games, and who is going to create for that last shot when it comes time.

How Do You Rank the Big East Now?

Big Monday last night was a benchmark night for the Big East. You had four teams in the top 10 going at it, and probably the four best teams in the Big East, no matter the rankings and records, playing against one another. So after watching that action, how do you rank them?

The number one team has to be the Pittsburgh Panthers after last night's showing, and a lot of people may have thought that going in. They were able to flex their muscles early against Syracuse getting out to that 19-0 lead, and then were able to take control late as well. They took the number three team in the country and did not trail in the game, and ended up winning going away, 74-66.

That brings the Panthers record to 18-1, 6-0 in the Big East, and surely into a top three ranking given they do not lose to bottom dweller DePaul on Saturday. A very well balanced team, they have seven players averaging over six points per game, and three in double figures, led by Ashton Gibbs with 16. They lead the nation in rebounding, and can go 10 players deep and feel confident. They have a great coach in Jamie Dixon, who has a career record of 206-55, and are 6-0 in the Big East. Right now they are definitely leading the pack.

Following close behind though, and reinforced by last night's match up without their leading scorer in Kris Joseph, would have to be Syracuse. With a loss of only eight points to a top three team on their home court where they almost never lose, without Joseph, and getting out to a 19 point deficit, I think the Orange proved something. They can play with the best even though they might not be playing their best.

They have two experienced guards leading their vaunted 2-3 zone out top, and a double-double machine down low in Rick Jackson. Jackson has to be in the conversation, though a short one with the way Kemba Walker is playing, for Big East Player of the Year. Speaking of the 2-3 zone, going into last night's game the Orange were hold teams to an average of under 60 points a game, and shooting only 37% from the field. They have been winning games because of their defense, which is where championships are said to be won.

Last night also showed that despite things not going their way they can play with anyone. Also taken from that game was the growth, and potential of freshman Dion Waiters and CJ Fair, along with sophomore James Southerland. After losing Wes Johnson and Andy Rautins the question was where would those minutes, points, rebounds and defense come from, these three have stepped right in. Syracuse is number two behind Pittsburgh, but they are not going to stop fighting for that top spot.

The next team has to be Connecticut. Coming into the year without high expectations Kemba Walker took this team on his back early to lead them into the top 10, and now as the season goes along the other players are starting to step up and help him, making them that much more dangerous.

Kemba Walker right now is hands down the National Player of the Year in my opinion, he has been unstoppable. He is second in the nation in scoring, and has three game winning shots after yesterday's with 2.5 seconds left against Villanova. He has done anything and everything for this team, and he puts them in the top four all by himself.

The reason they are third today is because his supporting cast is starting to grow and really play to a high level. Alex Oriakhi has been his number two all year, really coming out strong in the Maui Invitational and being that rock down low, with games like at Texas when he had 21 big rebounds in the come from behind win. Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb are two freshman that are starting to play more like sophomores or juniors,and the Huskies are now becoming a team. They are going to be that much more dangerous come March, I do not think you are going to want to see Kemba and crew in your bracket.

Finally, Villanova comes in at number four. The Wildcats lost a tough one, in a tough environment yesterday, and that drops them below the Huskies. They weren't able to hold onto the lead they had built on the road, and Kemba came back to bite them in the end. That was only the second loss of the season, and first in the Big East for Villanova. But more so than the record, it is the way they have played in games this year, the wins they have struggled to get, that puts them at the bottom of this top tier in the Big East.

They have all the necessities to make it to Houston though, because they have great guard play and their front line has depth. Cory Fisher is one of the best guards in the Big East, and he can shoot and score with anyone in the country, just yesterday he had 28 points in that loss to Kemba and UCONN. Villanova fans are excited though because his running mate Maalik Wayns is playing great basketball as a starting sophomore, and Corey Stokes is one of the best shooters in the Big East, and absolutely deadly from behind the arc.

The big guys are what will make Villanova dangerous to a lot of teams tough. While you are concerning yourself with those three out top, Mouphtaou Yarou and Antonio Pena are able to get big rebounds and have both really improved their offensive games from last year. Yarou has become reliable on that low block, and Pena gives them the ability to step out with a bigger guy on him and shoot the face up 15 foot jumper. The balance they get from their bigs is vital to their success.

The Big East is loaded this year, with possibly as many as 11 of the teams having a chance to go to the Big Dance. These four teams have seemed to separate themselves from the Georgetown's, Louisville's and Notre Dame's at this point. By years end all of these schools have the talent to remain in the top 10, and each gain the respect and aura of this year's best team in the Big East. Only time will tell.

A Great Day of Basketball, to Honor a Great Man

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., on this the 25th anniversary of the inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Day, ESPN has a day of basketball games that rivals any other lineup. With the headliner being #4 Syracuse at #5 Pittsburgh (as per last weeks rankings) the lineup is not limited to that.

Chicago Bulls at Memphis Grizzlies 1 p.m.

The Bulls travel to Memphis to take on the reeling Grizzles to lead the day off with a game from the professionals. The Bulls have won 17 out of their last 22 games and have risen to third in the East standings, and making a push towards that top spot, coming off a win against the number one Miami Heat on Saturday.

Derrick Rose is an early MVP candidate and since Carlos Boozer has come off of injury their whole team has begun to have a better chemistry. Today however Boozer is unlikely to play, after injuring his left ankle during the Heat game, and he was seen in a boot. Despite the loss of Boozer the Bulls learned how to play without him early in the year and should be able to take this one of the road.

Villanova Wildcats at Connecticut Huskies 3:30 p.m.

In a top 10 matchup between two other Big East powerhouses Villanova heads into Connecticut off a big come from behind win against the Terrapins from Maryland and the ACC. They were down 12 with about nine minutes left on Saturday before a 19-0 run gave them the lead and control of the game en route to a big victory at home.

UCONN on the other hand handled bottom-dweller DePaul easily, but more importantly got Kemba Walker back on track with a 31 point outing despite only playing just a little over 30 minutes. This game should be a close one throughout though, with both teams having big men with tough names to pronounce in Mouphtaou Yarou of 'Nova and Alex Oriakhi of UCONN. Then the strenght of both teams comes in their guards with Walker (favorite for player of the year at this point) and very talented Shabbazz Napier.

This one should be very entertaining and fast paced as both teams like to run with their guards, and athletic bigs. Don't be surprised if this one is played in the high 70's-80's.

Kansas St Wildcats at Missouri Tigers 5:30 p.m.

In a pivotal Big 12 match up these two teams come in struggling, and not where either expected to be. Both ranked high in the preseason Kansas St. is on the brink of falling out of the top 25, as Missouri lost a big game this weekend in overtime. This is a game where both teams have really talented players on the offensive end, and the styles of play match each other well.

Jacob Pullen leads the Wildcats, a preseason player of the year candidate he will have to control the game for them to win, and get more consistent on his outside shot. He will be seeing a lot of pressure from the Tigers press that tries to speed the other team up into an uncomfortable flow. They should have some success with the ball handlers besides Pullen. Curtis Kelly is back in action and he will have to go up against a big front line that will be focused on speeding Kelly and the other big men up as well, and make him work for his buckets, and try to get him into foul trouble.

Expect another shootout, and a game that the winner will need if they are going to try and challenge top dog Kansas in the Big 12.

Syracuse Orange at Pittsburgh Panthers 7:30 p.m.

Look to the Lead post on the blog for a complete preview of this game: http://www.4sportscorners.blogspot.com/

Kansas Jayhawks at Baylor Bears 9:30 p.m.

Kansas is coming in with a couple of close calls but still undefeated, while Baylor will be looking for a signature win to make their way back into the top 25. The Jayhawks almost lost their NCAA leading home winning streak to Nebraska over the weekend, before gutting it out at the end, and now they enter Baylor's tough home environment to try and slow down a very offensive minded bunch.

Freshman Josh Selby will be called on to really handle pressure from the Bears and step up in his biggest road game yet in his first year. He will be seeing a lot of the Bears star LaceDarius Dunn, who is on his way to being the all-time Big 12 leading scorer. This guard battle is the highlight of the game, but much like Villanova at UCONN the big men will have their say too. The Morris Twins will be battling a front line in Baylor that loves to run, rebound, and block shots. The Morris twins thrive on their athleticism, but this is a game where that will be matched by the opponent. Parry Jones will see probably his toughest defensive match up though in the twins.

This is a great end to the day of great basketball with wonderful match ups. The basketball fans will be happy but looking for more by 11:30 tonight. I anticipate it myself.

Who Should be Number One?

Now that the Duke Blue Devils have lost their first game there are four undefeated teams remaining, three of them were following behind Duke in this week's polls. With this situation at hand the question is now raised, who should take over that number one spot? The obvious choice is Ohio State, just move them from number one to two and be done with it. Kansas and Syracuse might have gripes with that, believing themselves to be worthy. Let's take a look at who really should be the top team by the numbers.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes have been number two behind Duke almost every step of the way this year after preseason top tier teams Michigan State and Kansas State have dropped deep into the top 25. They have a very good team, full of experience, guys that can defend, scorers that can attack from the inside, outside, and above the rim. Not to mention Jared Sullinger, maybe the Player of the Year, definitely the front runner for Freshman of the Year.

Ohio State has also played a tough schedule that has included out of conference games against that same Florida State, Florida, and South Carolina, winning all of them by double digits. Sullinger also gives them a player that can take over a game, that even as a freshman can put the team on his back and lead them to a victory.

The knock on Ohio State being number one could be made, because in their last four games since conference play started with a big win they have been on the brink a few times. They have won all four obviously against Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State, but struggled. They have won those four by only a combined 15 points. A cause for concern, but maybe a making a point that they are number one because of their ability to win close ones against familiar opponents.

Kansas

The Kansas Jayhawks are considered the most balanced, deepest, and talented team in the NCAA with the injury to Kyrie Irving of Duke. Most would say that should make them the number one team. They have athletic big men in the Morris twins, a dynamic freshman in Josh Selby, great shooters, and multiple ball handlers to go along with a good bench.

When you look at the numbers they are in the top 10 in the nation in assist to turnover ratio, and in points per game. They are able to defend, take care of the ball, and score, all necessary aspects to have as the number one team. They have played a decent schedule to this point, with out of conference wins over Arizona, USC, UCLA, Memphis, California and Michigan. Sharing a common opponent with both Ohio State and the other team up for the number one spot Syracuse in Michigan, they won by the largest margin (though it took overtime).

Kansas though has struggled as well lately, and are they really the number one team right now, or are they the potentially best team? they are averaging winning their last three games by only five points a game, and they had to go to overtime to win one of them, all against sub-par competition, though two of the three were on the road. Though not being able to win a tough game on the road is why Duke has lost and we are having any conversation.

Syracuse

The Orange have been able to overcome slow starts, bad finishes, and everything in between to make it to 18-0 and into the number one spot conversation. They have a team that is able to score in a variety of ways, and are one of the more dangerous teams in America when they get on the break. They have a big man in Rick Jackson that has been averaging a double-double this year, while leading the Big East in rebounding. Scoop Jardine is a premier ball handler and they have an athletic wing player with NBA lottery ability in Kris Joseph. Not to mention very good outside shooters in Brandon Triche, James Southerland and Dion Waiters.

The Orange have played a good schedule thus far, with wins over Michigan State on a neutral court, as well as Georgia Tech and Michigan to win their preseason tournament. In their conference play against the Big East, the toughest conference this year again, they have started 5-0 with wins over Providence, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, Saint John's and Cincinnati. They seem to have the intangibles to be considered the number one team, and having Jim Boeheim does not hurt the cause.

Syracuse has struggled though with teams that they should not have throughout the year, most recently Seton Hall who was missing their best player. They have the tendency to play down the their competition, though also up to it, and that has made some games closer than they probably should have been. Syracuse though will have their chance to prove themselves, if they are not number one for this week's polls, but are still undefeated after facing number five Pittsburgh on the road and then home to number seven Villanova, then it will be tough to say they should not be in that top spot.

Given all of the factors, I would have to go against the grain of simply bumping everyone up, and at this point I think the team that is most deserving, and should be number one come tomorrow, is the Kansas Jayhawks. But it could all be different come this time next week. And as it is, it is only January, being number one now does not really mean what it does in a month.

Which Undefeated is in the Most Trouble Today?

With Duke losing at Florida St. there is now less than a handful of unbeatens in college basketball, three of which are in a power six conference. All are in action today, so who is in the most danger of a loss? Number two Ohio St. is at home to face Penn St., Kansas welcomes Nebraska into the Phog, Syracuse is at home in the dome to host Cincinnati, and San Diego State is the only one of the four to travel, heading to New Mexico.

Let's discuss them in order of most likely to lose:

1. San Diego State is the most likely of the four to lose today, and that is not a bias opinion against a mid-major, but rather looking at a team who is for the most part a surprise, and a team that is going on the road. First things first, New Mexico is a tough place to play, the Lobos have only lost once at The Pit in the last two seasons, including 8-0 this year.

Going on the road is a tough thing to do, especially in conference (just ask Duke), so this should be a tough game against the two-time defending Mountain West champions. Also, in the last three games the margin of victory for the Aztecs has been a steady decrease from 12 to nine and finally only a six point win against a talented UNLV team. So while the Aztecs will probably win this game, the location and level of competition does put them as the most vulnerable team to lose today.

2. As much as I hate to say it, without being a complete homer, the Syracuse Orange would have to be the second most likely undefeated to fall today. Though they are at the dome, they are playing probably the best team of the day amongst the undefeated opponents. Cincinnati has only one loss to their credit, no matter how you slice it, and they are a long and athletic team that could slow the Orange attack. Not to mention that over the years, Syracuse does tend to struggle with weekend games that start at noon.

Also, Syracuse has a huge, and I mean HUGE, game coming up on Monday where they travel to play at Pittsburgh. It would not be a shock if there was a little bit of anticipation for this game, a slight chance that they may be caught looking ahead to that potentially Big East changing game on Martin Luther King Day.

Syracuse should hold steady and win this game, the 2-3 zone should take control and shut down the Bearcats who will struggle trying to shoot over the top. ESPN and the fans certainly hope so, setting up that big game in front of the Oakland Zoo.

3. Ohio St. has to be next, simply because at home or not, Penn St. has two wins over teams that are in the top 25 and were picked to finish in the upper half of the Big 10 this year. Penn St. has the ability to play defense and slow the game down, really control the tempo, and Ohio St. has to be able to adapt and play through Jared Sullinger, which they certainly have no problem doing.

If this game were at Penn St. it would probably be at the top of the list, simply because the success that the Nittany Lions have seen thus far at home. It does come ahead of Kansas however, because they have had close games lately in conference against Iowa and then Michigan, But that being said, Ohio St. may not win this game by a lot, or even double digits, but they should have no problems entering Sunday morning still with an unblemished record.

4. Finally, Kansas rounds out the list, with a very winnable game against Nebraska at The Phog. Nebraska has not won at Kansas in this millennium, and it would seem highly unlikely that it would start now. Nebraska is however 13-3 and coming off of a good showing at top 15 team Missouri. Kansas is another story though, with the Morris twins both playing at an extremely high level right now, and both coming off of double-doubles in a win at Iowa State.

Kansas should go into Allen Fieldhouse undefeated, and leave there the same way.

With all this being said, it should make for an interesting Monday to see where all of these teams will end up in the rankings. Who will be number 1? Ohio St? Kansas? It will all sort itself out today.

Oregon, Making A Push on the Court As Well

So Oregon lost in Monday's BCS National Championship for football on a game ending field goal, but that is not all the news from Eugene this week. No, the men's basketball squad also had a big week when they opened up their new arena last night, and you thought the Ducks were big time with their football jerseys? Well check out the new Matthew Knight Arena:

The $227 million dollar project was opened last night with a win against conference foe USC, as the Ducks took it 68-62. The new court might be a welcomed restart for the Ducks, as it gave them their first conference win, and brought them to within one game of .500. While the Ducks have some improving to do on their record, the court will certainly bring a welcomed new energy to the players and fans.

Rivaling most NBA facilities the arena is breathtakingly spectacular, but one of the most talked about aspects of the arena is not the size, the beauty, or the amenities. No, they are talking about the actual visual appearance of the court, which is one-of-a-kind. And would Oregon do it any differently? The court itself has the appearance of trees almost outlining the sidelines and baselines, with a phrase beneath the large 'O' in the middle of the court, that reads. "Deep in the Woods."

While it remains to be seen whether outlandish courts like this are the wave of the future, or simply something to be unique to the Ducks, it is certainly something to behold. The hopes are to bring in talent and players that can rival that of Oregon's football program, who has made strides when it comes to their football field, as well as drawing awe and admiration from many on their football jerseys. Several professional football players commenting on their jerseys from Monday night's football game alone, such as Arizona Cardinals standout defensive lineman Darnell Dockett who tweeted, "YOOOO I didn't go to oregon I went to FSU but, I want me a 90 oregon jersey!"

Oregon is reaching out to the youth and trying to reel them in with the best facilities and intangibles that money can buy. The field and jerseys worked for the football team, and now this arena and court are going to see what it can do for the basketball squad. They have already got a class of four freshman coming in next year, highlighted by five star shooting guard Jabari Brown, so maybe Oregon basketball will be back in the tournament before you know it.