Pac-10 Review

Arizona: Considering the mess that Lute Olson and Kevin O'Neill left behind, Russ Pennell has done an outstanding job with the Wildcats. While Arizona may be tempted to try to reel in a big-name coach to take over for Pennell at the end of the season, the administration would be wise to give Pennell a look. Unlike recent Wildcats' squads, Pennell's club is playing something resembling hard-nosed basketball. And he has the Wildcats poised for a NCAA berth, despite their nonexistent bench. While Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill get all the attention, Nic Wise is equally important. The 5-10 junior point guard is Zona's on-court leader and averages an impressive 14.8 points and 4.7 assists per contests. Expect one of the country's hottest teams to end up with between a six and eight seed.

Arizona State: It is absolutely ridiculous that James Harden isn't getting more consideration for national player of the year. And while Harden has been sensational, his supporting cast has been much better than advertised. Look for the Sun Devils to end up with around a five seed, but don't expect this team to make a deep run in the tourney. They simply have no post depth to speak of. Someone needs to put out a missing person report for Eric Boateng. The junior big man, a former Duke Blue Devil and McDonald's All-American, has been a complete no-show this year (averaging just 2 points and 2 boards per game).

California: Like so many teams in the Pac-10, Cal's thin bench will likely doom the Golden Bears' chances of making a deep tourney run. However, this team has an extremely talented starting lineup and one of the best perimeter threesomes in the country. Point guard Jerome Randle leads the Bears in points and assists per contest. Physically imposing wings Patrick Christopher (6-5 215) and Theo Robertson (6-6 225) can fill it up – 40% and 54% from behind the arc respectively. Curiously, Cal swept Pac-10 leader Washington but was swept by perennial conference doormat Oregon State (though the Beavers are much improved). I expect the Bears to pick up a six or seven seed.

Oregon: Disastrous season in Eugene. In a Pac-10 that is not nearly as competitive as it was last year, the Ducks have managed a single conference win. After watching Oregon beat Kansas State in early December, I never would have managed how poorly this team would play going forward. Yes, the Ducks lost a ton of talent from last year's team, but Oregon's roster is hardly devoid of skilled athletes. Ernie Kent has had some nice seasons at Oregon, but this year's campaign, which includes a 14-game losing streak, may have been the proverbial last straw. On the bright side, Michael Dunigan, the Ducks' 6-10 freshman McDonald's All-American, has a ton of talent. If he stays in school and develops, he could be special. Oh, and Joevan Catron is the homeless man's DeJuan Blair.

Oregon State: That the Beavers are competitive for the first time in recent memory is a testament to first-year Oregon State coach Craig Robinson, who happens to be President Barack Obama's brother-in-law. In fact, the Beavers rise from the trash heap has been so unexpected that I am (seriously) tempted to believe this is all part of some grand conspiracy to make it look as if anything and everything associated with President Obama turns to gold. And I can't imagine the whole “I hang with Barack” thing hurts with the recruits. Things really may be turning around at Gary Payton University.

Stanford: It seems like the college basketball world has eagerly been awaiting Johnny Dawkins' coaching debut for years. The conventional wisdom was that Coach K's long-time assistant was destined for success. Well, I guess this is what we've been waiting for – ninth place in the Pac-10, the only team in the conference that has lost to Oregon, and seriously in jeopardy of finishing .500 on the season. And the record doesn't even tell the whole story, since the Cardinal racked up a 11-0 record against an embarrassingly soft non-conference schedule. Dawkins' defenders may be tempted to argue that, with the Lopez twins early departure to the Association, the cupboard was bare. Hardly. Anthony Goods, Lawrence Hill, Landry Fields, Josh Owens, and Micah Johnson are all solid players. The Dawkins era in Palo Alto is still young, but year one has been a major disappointment.

UCLA: Last year's Bruins squad was a thing of beauty to watch. Russell Westbrook was perhaps the nation's premiere perimeter defender. Kevin Love's arsenal of post moves brought to mind the great Kevin McHale. And the team chemistry displayed by Ben Howland's club was nothing short of amazing. This year's Bruins – not so much. Despite what some experts have said, they still defend the perimeter extremely well. And they might actually be more dangerous from outside. Unfortunately, though, UCLA has no post presence. Sure, Alfred Aboya plays hard, but the next post move he executes will be his first. The Bruins brought in five highly-touted freshmen, and the reviews have been mixed. Jrue Holiday has been solid but not spectacular. Malcom Lee and Jerime Anderson have largely been non-factors on a Bruins team with an excess of perimeter talent. Center J'Mison Morgan has been especially disappointing, as his services in the post are needed in the worst way. And while I think Holiday will end up being the best of the bunch, I really like Drew Gordon's game. His numbers haven't been extraordinary, but he's a fluid athlete with a great feel for the game. While I wouldn't be surprised if Howland's team makes some noise in March, look for the Bruins' streak of three straight trips to the Final Four to come to an end.

USC: When Tim Floyd was at Iowa State, I considered him one of the most underrated talents in the country. Now, I don't know what to think. Are we supposed to take Tim Floyd's program seriously? O.J. Mayo was an incredible talent, but he pretty much highjacked the Trojans program for a season, using it as his personal audition for the Association. This year, Floyd brings in Percy Miller. Who is Percy Miller you ask? Percy Miller is rapper Lil' Romeo, Master P's son. Are you kidding me? Despite the ridiculous circumstances surrounding this program, I have to say that I really like USC's top six players. Dwight Lewis is a scorer. DeMar DeRozan started out slowly, but he's showing signs of what made him one of the nation's hottest recruits. Taj Gibson is an enforcer that leaves his heart on the court every night. And I might like Daniel Hackett the most of all. The 6-5 205-pound junior point guard has a big body, is selfless (almost to a fault), and is a fantastic leader (despite his recent post-game confrontation with Lewis). If he can cut down on his turnovers, he has a nice chance of contributing at the next level. Ultimately, I think the Trojans are going to be playing in the NIT, which is a shame because they should be dancing.

Washington: One of Lorenzo Romar's better coaching jobs. He's gotten a lot out of a moderately talented team. Freshman point guard Isaiah Thomas is a winner. Quincy Pondexter and Justin Dentmon are not pretty to watch, but they get the job done. Depending on what the Huskies do in the conference tournament, a four seed is a real possibility (although a five seed may be more realistic).

Washington State: There's not a lot of talent on the Cougars' roster, but this season has still been a little disappointing for Tony Bennett's senior-laden squad. While Taylor Rochestie, Aron Baynes, Caleb Forrest, and Daven Harmeling will be lost to graduation, Wazzu has some talented youngsters on its roster and will add a recruiting class the likes of which the good folks of Pullman have never seen.

Player of the Year: James Harden, Arizona State
Runner-up: Jordan Hill, Arizona
With my apologies to Kentucky's Jodie Meeks, Harden gets my vote for best two-guard in the country. On offense, he's virtually unstoppable. He's not quite on Meeks' level as a shooter, but his expansive offensive repertoire is unparalleled. He also knows how to fill up a stat sheet – 21.2 points, 4.2 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per contest. The only knock on Harden is that, on occasion, he will take a play off on the defensive end. Hill is a beast. Averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game, Hill looks like a can't miss prospect. His impact on the often lackadaisical Wildcats cannot be overstated.

Coach of the Year: Mike Montgomery, California
Runner-up: Lorenzo Romar, Washington
Montgomery, Romar, Russ Pennell, and Craig Robinson have all turned in very impressive coaching jobs this year. Montgomery has to be in the conversation for national coach of the year. If Arizona played as well as they have in the Pac-10 during the non-conference schedule, Pennell may have taken the prize. I can find nothing wrong with Robinson's efforts, but I'm not a fan of rewarding a .500 season, regardless of how dismal the last decade has been in Corvallis.

Freshman of the Year: Isaiah Thomas, Washington
Runner-up: Klay Thompson, Washington State
Thomas wins in a landslide. While Memphis' Tyreke Evans and Oklahoma's Willie Warren are the top two freshmen in the country, Washington's 5-8 170-pound point guard is making a case for the three spot. The fact that he hasn't gotten more attention is just further evidence of East Coast bias. Runner-up could just as easily have gone to Jrue Holiday (having trouble scoring lately) or DeMar DeRozan (having trouble playing basketball early on), but Thompson, son of former NBAer Mychal Thompson, has been consistently effective throughout the year.

Defensive Player of the Year: Taj Gibson, USC
Runner-up: Darren Collison, UCLA
While Gibson may not be in the same league as Hasheem Thabeet or Jarvis Varnado in terms of altering shots or dissuading would-be penetrators from entering the paint, he's an excellent shot blocker in his own right (2.7 swats per game). Playing on a USC team that doesn't exactly exert maximum effort on the less glamorous end of the floor, you can see the frustration on the hardworking Gibson's face. The Trojans' pivot would be a perfect fit in the Big Ten. Collison is the ringleader of the Bruins' defense, and there may not be a peskier defender in the country.

1st Team All-Pac-10
Jerome Randle, California
Darren Collison, UCLA
James Harden, Arizona State
Chase Budinger, Arizona
Jordan Hill, Arizona
Budinger may not play hard-nosed basketball, but it's just impossible to ignore his athletic ability. The guy can create his own shot at will. He may be the most impressive white athlete I've seen at the college level. Last year everybody went crazy for West Virginia's Joe “Vanilla Sky” Alexander for being the white guy that can dunk. Then, Alexander wowed everyone with his “athletic ability” at the NBA combine. Budinger may not be able bench press nearly as much as Alexander and his vertical, while impressive, may not be quite Vanilla Sky-esque, but Budinger is the superior athlete. There is a fluidity (and a coordination) to his game that Alexander could never hope to emulate. That being said, watching Budinger can be infuriating, as he seems to coast on far too many possessions. And for that reason, it pains me to give Budinger the first team nod over workhorse Jon Brockman.

2nd Team All-Pac-10
Isaiah Thomas, Washington
Nic Wise, Arizona
Calvin Haynes, Oregon State
Jon Brockman, Washington
Taj Gibson, USC
OK, let me be the first to admit that I am not at all comfortable having three Arizona Wildcats on the all-conference teams. That being said, this just goes to show how important these three players are to the team's success. Wise edges out UCLA's Josh Shipp, Stanford's Anthony Goods, and USC's Dwight Lewis. After all of his injury issues, it's nice to see that Shipp will close out his career playing at a high level. Brockman, Washington's senior power forward, has put together a great career but has been largely ignored for his efforts. He's quietly averaged a double-double the last two seasons (and was 0.4 rebounds per game away from averaging a double-double during his sophomore campaign). With Blake Griffin, Tyler Hansbrough, DeJuan Blair, Luke Harangody, Jordan Hill, and Patrick Patterson hogging the headlines, the 6-7 255-pound Brockman has toiled in relative obscurity for the conference-leading Huskies.

All-Pac-10 Defensive Team
Darren Collison, UCLA
Seth Tarver, Oregon State
Jon Brockman, Washington
Jordan Hill, Arizona
Taj Gibson, USC
While it has improved over the past decade, the defense is still lacking in the Pac-10. The team numbers may look better with the Ben Howlands and Tony Bennetts of the world slowing things down and cranking up the defensive intensity, but offense is still king out west. Tarver just edges out UCLA freshman Jrue Holiday for the last spot on the team. The beefy Brockman isn't going to block many shots, but his position defense is impeccable (and no one is going to outmuscle him on the blocks).

Boo Radley Loves Greg Monroe's Upside, Hates Sunlight

I'm usually not a fan of Seth Davis' writing. But his latest contribution to SI includes a fascinating compilation of multiple scouts' assessments of this year's crop of NBA prospects. Due to the apparently clandestine nature of the scouting profession, Davis uses the pseudonym "Finch," as in Scout Finch, to refer to his undisclosed sources. While I don't agree with all of the evaluations, the article should make for good conversation at the very least.

Field of 65--Version 6

1) Pittsburgh (25-2); Connecticut (25-2); Oklahoma (25-2); North Carolina (24-3)
After watching UConn fall to Pitt, it's apparent that losing Jerome Dyson for the season is really going to hurt the Huskies. Dyson was the Huskies' best perimeter scoring threat, and his loss effectively turns UConn's eight-man rotation into a seven-man rotation.
2) Memphis (24-3); Marquette (23-4); Clemson (22-4); Louisville (21-5)
If Memphis receives a two seed, the haters will be in full force come Selection Sunday. However, I wonder just how many of the critics have seen John Calipari's club play in conference. And more importantly, how many have watched the Tigers play since moving Tyreke Evans to the point?
3) Kansas (22-5); Missouri (23-4); Duke (22-5); Wake Forest (20-5)
I'm fully aware that I am giving the defending champion Jayhawks more respect than the average bracketologist. But let me defend Kansas' seeding. Bill Self's squad has won 11 of its last 12. The Jayhawks' last five victories have been by double digits. And they're 11-1 in the Big 12.
4) Michigan State (21-5); Purdue (21-6); Villanova (22-5); Arizona State (21-5)
It's time for people to realize that Arizona State is not simply a one-man show. While James Harden is no doubt a singular talent, the Sun Devils' supporting cast has stepped up this year. Jeff Pendergraph provides scoring in the post. Sophomore Rihards Kuksiks is a deadly three-point shooter (.474 from behind the arc). Point guard Derek Glasser, a high school teammate of Harden's, protects the ball and can hit from three as well (.414 three-point percentage). Unfortunately, the Sun Devils' lack of post depth may be their undoing.
5) Washington (20-7); LSU (23-4); Florida State (21-6); UCLA (20-7)
LSU has compiled a 23-4 record (11-1 in the SEC) but has flown under the radar due to the Tigers' soft non-conference schedule and a down year in the SEC. Well, this is the week we find out what the Bayou Bengals are made of. On Tuesday, LSU welcomes Florida to Baton Rouge, and, on Saturday, LSU travels to Lexington to face Kentucky. If LSU emerges from those games unscathed, the country will have to take notice.
6) Gonzaga (21-5); Xavier (22-5); California (20-7); Dayton (23-4)
I had my doubts about Gonzaga earlier in the season. And they have yet to prove that they can win a physical street fight-type game, but it's impossible to deny the level of talent on Mark Few's roster. Unlike past Gonzaga squads, this one is as athletic and physically imposing as the BCS conference teams (if not more so). While his numbers may be a little down this year, at 6-2 220, Jeremy Pargo still has the ability to impose his will on the floor. Mop-headed junior wing Matt Bouldin provides scoring punch from the perimeter, and, at 6-5 224, he has no trouble getting his shot off. At 6-5 208, sophomore two-guard Steven Gray has a sweet shooting stroke and gives the Bulldogs yet another athletic perimeter option. Amazingly, Gonzaga may be even more talented in the post. Josh Heytvelt (6-11 260) and Austin Daye (6-11 200) have NBA upside but are as soft as butter. The Bulldogs also boast perhaps the most talented bench that Mark Few has assembled during his tenure. To put things in perspective, Micah Downs, a former McDonald's All-American is the team's sixth man. Is this the year Gonzaga puts it all together and makes a run to the Final Four?
7) Butler (23-4); Illinois (22-6); South Carolina (19-6); Texas (18-8)
After praising the Longhorns in last week's Field of 65 for bouncing back from a three-game losing streak, Texas opened the week with a 15-point loss to Texas A&M. However, the week ended on a high note for Rick Barnes' club. Even with Blake Griffin on the bench with an apparent concussion, Saturday's Oklahoma-Texas matchup was one of the season's best games. The Longhorns ultimately prevailed and, despite Griffin's absence, may have gained some much-needed confidence. It's not too late for the extremely talented Horns to turn things around.
8) Syracuse (19-8); West Virginia (19-8); Florida (21-6); Utah (19-7)
After its home loss to Villanova on Sunday, Syracuse fell to .500 in the Big East. With non-conference wins against Florida, Kansas, and Memphis, I don't think Jim Boeheim's club is on the bubble...yet. But look closer at Syracuse's conference performance. While they have beaten Notre Dame and Georgetown, they only have one win against a Big East team projected to make the tournament -- West Virginia.
9) Ohio State (17-8); Utah State (25-3); Minnesota (20-7); Kentucky (19-8)
A week ago Ohio State looked like a Top 25 team. After losses to Northwestern and Illinois, the Buckeyes take a big slide this week. Thad Matta's team has fallen to .500 in Big Ten play, and they've lost twice to both Michigan State and Illinois.
10) Boston College (19-9); Arizona (18-9); Wisconsin (17-10); Penn State (19-8)
Penn State beat Illinois 38-33 this week. And no, that's not a typo. Neither team scored 40 points. And, yes, that's the second time the 22-6 Fighting Illini have failed to score 40 in the past month.
11) Creighton (23-6); UNLV (20-7); Tennessee (16-10); Saint Mary's (22-5)
The halcyon days of the Missouri Valley Conference may be a thing of the (recent) past, but Creighton is a nice team on an eight-game winning streak.
12) Davidson (22-6); BYU (20-6); Maryland (17-9); Temple (17-9)
Like Wisconsin last week and Arizona the week before, Maryland has returned from the grave. The Terrapins pulled off an improbable overtime victory over North Carolina to pull even at 6-6 in the ACC. Maryland still has dates with Duke and Wake Forest on its schedule, but the Terps have an outside chance at an at-large bid. On a related note, they don't make them much more annoying than Greivis Vasquez.
13) VCU (19-9); Siena (22-6); Western Kentucky (19-8); North Dakota State (21-6)
VCU senior point guard Eric Maynor, averaging just over 23 points and 6 assists per game, is quite possibly the nation's best kept secret.
14) Buffalo (17-8); American U (19-7); Weber State (18-8); Stephen F. Austin (17-7)
Buffalo drops a line after losing to Bowling Green and Vermont in the Bulls' BracketBuster matchup this past week.
15) Tennessee-Martin (19-7); Binghamton (19-8); Cornell (18-8); Robert Morris (19-10)
March Madness would certainly be more interesting with Tennessee-Martin in the field. Senior guard Lester Hudson, the nation's second leading scorer, is a NBA-level talent. Sophomore guard Marquis Weddle and junior post player Olajide Hay, a native of the wonderful town of Henderson, Kentucky, support the OVC's finest.
16) Morgan State (18-10); Radford (17-10); Jacksonville (15-11); Alabama State (15-8); Long Beach State (13-12)
Jacksonville maintains the lead in the Atlantic Sun race, but traditional conference power Belmont is on the Dolphins' heels. Dolphins do have heels, don't they?

Big 12 Review

Baylor: Possibly the most disappointing team in the country. As I've stated in previous posts, one would be hard-pressed to find a more impressive group of guards than the Bears' foursome of Curtis Jerrells, LaceDarius Dunn, Henry Dugat, and Tweety Carter. Kevin Rogers has a world of talent and plays hard, but he never took that next step to becoming a truly great college player. With five games remaining on the Bears' schedule, they still have an outside chance of sneaking into the dance, but things aren't looking good. Despite this season's shortcomings, I like where this program is headed, and one can't say enough about the job Scott Drew has done at a program that looked hopeless just a few years ago.

Colorado: This is not a good basketball team. In fact, it's probably a toss-up between Colorado and DePaul for the title of worst team from the BCS conferences. Still, thing aren't all bad for Colorado basketball fans (if there are any) going forward. Sophomore Cory Higgins is a stat-stuffer (17.9 points, 5.8 boards, and 2 steals per game) with a ton of potential. Moreover, Colorado will return their top four scorers next season, and a pretty nice recruiting class is headed to Boulder.

Iowa State: It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that Iowa State was an annual contender in the Big 12. Unfortunately for Cyclones' fans, it could be a while before those days return. Sophomore star-in-the-making Craig Brackins has been a bright spot, but he may be tempted to get paid for his efforts next year. On the bright side, if Brackins does stay (and he should), the Cyclones will return their top three scorers and add a decent recruiting class.

Kansas: While they may not defend their title, it's hard not to be impressed with Bill Self's youthful Kansas squad. With only two current Jayhawks having played significant minutes last year (and Cole Aldrich averaged less than 10 minutes per contest), Bill Self has his inexperienced team playing at an extremely high level. Perhaps most astonishing is how intelligently this group of underclassmen play. With nine capable players on the roster, I think Kansas has an outside shot at a return to the Final Four.

Kansas State: The Wildcats are making a case for a tourney bid. While I think think they will ultimately come up short, K-State has a favorable string of games to close out the season. If K-State ends up 9-7 in conference (a very real possibility) and maintains fifth place or better in the conference standings, the selection committee may feel pressure to put a fifth Big 12 team in the tournament field. While this has been a fairly successful season for the Wildcats, I think the real story out of tiny Manhattan, Kansas, is the fact that this program does not appear to be returning to irrelevancy, as I predicted after Bob Huggins left for West Virginia. In fact, K-State will return a number of talented players next year and has lined up an impressive recruiting class.

Missouri: When Missouri hired Mike Anderson away from UAB, I expected the Tigers to quickly become one of the best defensive teams in the country. What I didn't expect was that, in just Anderson's third year at the helm, the Tigers would have one of the country's highest scoring offenses. Anderson, a Nolan Richardson disciple, has the Tigers poised to pick up a 3 or 4 seed. The Tigers' boast perhaps the most talented post tandem in the country in DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons. While the senior big men excel in the transition game, they can also play with their backs to the basket. Most importantly, both are perfect fits for Anderson's full-court pressure defense.

Nebraska: I feel bad for Nebraska fans. Last year, the Cornhuskers won 20 games and weren't even on the bubble radar. Star Aleks Maric graduated, and it looked like the program had missed its chance. This year, Nebraska is putting together yet another solid season, but it looks like the Huskers will come up short yet again. To add insult to injury, Nebraska's two most talented players, Steve Harley and Ade Dagunduro, are seniors. While the cupboard isn't completely bare, I can't imagine Nebraska will be winning anywhere near 20 games next year. Still, Doc Sadler appears to have this long-struggling program headed in the right direction.

Oklahoma: While the Sooners aren't getting the attention that the Big East and ACC powers are enjoying, it's hard to argue with the numbers. The only 1-loss team in the country. A 13-game win-streak. Undefeated in what is probably the fourth best conference in the country. The best player in the country. Arguably the best freshman in the country. And a national coach of the year candidate. Oh, and a guy that plays in long sleeves. What's not to like?

Oklahoma State: OK, so I wasn't exactly blown away by the Travis Ford hire. But despite the Cowboys' 5-6 conference record and their slim chances of dancing in March, I have been impressed with Ford's performance. The end of the short-lived Sean Sutton era wasn't pretty, and this program seemingly had a long road back to normalcy. Well, Ford appears to have hastened that process. There are still mental lapses, and the Cowboys continue to have problems closing out opponents. But overall, things are improving. Four Cowboys are averaging at least 14 points per game, and eight are providing meaningful contributions. If the Cowboys could just get some help in the paint, they could be dancing this March.

Texas: After Baylor, the Longhorns are the second most disappointing team in the conference. Just when Rick Barnes was starting to convince me that he knows his X's and O's, Texas falters. A.J. Abrams has been inconsistent, as teams have dedicated their efforts to preventing the diminutive guard from getting open looks. Damion James has failed to replace D.J. Augustin as “the man” in Austin. While his numbers are up, sophomore Gary Johnson disappears too often. Despite his hard work, Dexter Pittman has not shown that he is capable of playing extended minutes. Justin Mason failed to make the transition to point guard, and Dogus Balbay is, at this point in his career, a backup at best. Oh, and Connor Atchley appears to have lost all confidence in his game. Despite these failures, the Longhorns will be the fourth (and quite possibly the last) Big 12 team to make the tournament and, depending on their draw, will have a chance to win a couple games. Still, this preseason Top 10 team looks like a 5 seed at best (and that's assuming they get their act together down the stretch and on into the Big 12 tournament) and more like a 7 or 8 seed.

Texas A&M: Another disappointing team. While the Aggies didn't have the expectations of Texas or Baylor, they have the talent to make the tourney, especially in a largely underachieving Big 12. Still, with Texas Tech, Nebraska, Iowa State, and Colorado up next, the Aggies have a chance to right the ship. The Aggies out-of-conference schedule was pretty weak, but they did manage wins over Arizona and LSU. While I believe that the Aggies will ultimately come up short, don't be shocked if the Aggies slip in the backdoor. Chinemelu Elonu, the Aggies' 6-10, 235-pound junior center is the homeless man's Elton Brand. Senior Josh Carter has failed to diversify his game during his four-year stay in College Station. He has gone from intriguing 6-7 wing with range to uninspiring senior who hasn't developed his body, doesn't play defense, and refuses to hit the boards. Junior guard Donald Sloan is a solid college basketball player -- a real glue guy.

Texas Tech: Pat Knight is a joke. And judging by his storming (and then re-storming) the court against Nebraska, the apple did not fall far from the tree. There are few bright spots for the Red Raiders, and the powers-that-be in Lubbock should do their fans a favor and get rid of Knight at the end of the season.

Player of the Year: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Runner-up: Sherron Collins, Kansas
Blake Griffin has been phenomenal this year. He simply overwhelms the competition with his explosive athletic ability. And he plays with tremendous effort to boot. No clear runner-up here, but Sherron Collins gets the nod. The Kansas guard started off the season a little slowly, but his leadership is the main reason the young Jayhawks are playing well enough to have a chance at a deep tourney run.

Coach of the Year: Mike Anderson, Missouri
Runner-up: Jeff Capel, Oklahoma
There have been three top-notch coaching performances in the Big 12 this year -- Mike Anderson, Jeff Capel, and Bill Self. I'm a big fan of Mike Anderson, and he has certainly straightened out a flailing program -- both in terms of its play on the court and from a discipline standpoint. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jeff Capel win National Coach of the Year honors. While Capel has been terrific, I take issue with his failure to develop his bench to a greater degree. Plus, that Blake Griffin guy is pretty good and has to take some pressure off the head coach. But now I'm just nitpicking. Bill Self also deserves some credit. I have doubted Self for some time now (attributing last year's national championship to a tremendously talented group of upperclassmen), but I have to admit that Self has done an excellent job with a very inexperienced squad this year. The level of improvement from the start of the year to now is apparent.

Freshman of the Year: Willie Warren, Oklahoma
Runner-up: Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas
Willie Warren wins by a landslide. Without Warren, I'm not sure the Sooners are that much better than the squad that unceremoniously fell to Louisville in the second round of the tournament last year. Warren is more of a combo guard than a traditional two-guard. His offensive game is already very mature, and his defense isn't too shabby. All told, I rank Warren as the nation's second best freshman after Memphis' Tyreke Evans. Tyshawn Taylor doesn't have great numbers, but he's a heady basketball player who brings a ton of intangibles to the table. He's played a major role in the Jayhawks' success this season.

Defensive Player of the Year: Cole Aldrich, Kansas
Runner-up: Byron Eaton, Oklahoma State
While not nearly the shot-altering force as Hasheem Thabeet or Jarvis Varnado, Kansas' Cole Aldrich is a very talented shot-blocker in his own right. Averaging an impressive 2.5 blocks per contest, Aldrich has good timing and moves his feet well. On top of that, he's an excellent rebounder (10.3 rebounds per game), isn't afraid to bang in the paint, plays superb position defense, and does a great job of meeting penetrators without fouling (hasn't fouled out of a game). The 5-11, 215-pound (more like 230-pound) Byron Eaton is averaging 2.2 steals per game. That makes three of four seasons in Stillwater in which Eaton has averaged at least 2 steals per contest, and he's never averaged less than 1.5 thefts per game. While the numbers are impressive in themselves, they don't tell the whole story. Eaton is as disruptive a perimeter defender as there is in the country. And he gives Purdue's Chris Kramer a run for his money for title of the country's most physical perimeter defender.

1st Team All-Big 12
Sherron Collins, Kansas
Damion James, Texas
DeMarre Carroll, Missouri
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Cole Aldrich, Kansas
DeMarre Caroll is one of the nation's more underrated talents. The Missouri power forward is a perfect fit in Mike Anderson's “40 minutes of hell” system. He runs the floor extremely well for a big, and he can play defense in the open court. In the tradition of Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin, I thought this was going to be Damion James' breakout season. While he's played well, it's hard to say he's improved much from last season (and his draft stock has dropped significantly).

2nd Team All-Big 12
Curtis Jerrells, Baylor
A.J. Abrams, Texas
Willie Warren, Oklahoma
James Anderson, Oklahoma State
Craig Brackins, Iowa State
Curtis Jerrells' numbers are solid (16.4 ppg, 5.2 apg, 4.4 rpg) and I really like his game, but his senior year has been disappointing. It's not that I thought he'd put up huge numbers. (The Bears have too many talented guards for any one of them to consistently fill up the stat sheet.) But Jerrells hasn't displayed that knack for putting his teammates on his shoulders and willing them to victory the way he has in the past. Not many people are familiar with Craig Brackins' game, and they may not get the chance, as I expect the Iowa State star to test the draft waters. The sophomore's defensive game is lacking, but he's an athletic 6-10, 230-pounder, averging 19 and 9, who put up 42 points on Kansas and Cole Aldrich. (And I should note -- it's amazing enough when a perimeter player scores 40 in a college game, but it's even more incredible when it's a post player in the guard-dominated world of college basketball.) James Anderson is a tremendous athlete. He's long, fast, and can get up. He and Obi Muonelo are perhaps the nation's most athletic wing tandem. Muonelo, averaging 14.1 points and an impressive 8.3 rebounds per game, just misses the cut, as do Kansas State's Denis Clemente, who dropped 44 on Texas, and Cory Higgins, Colorado's do-it-all sophomore standout.

All-Big 12 Defensive Team
Byron Eaton, Oklahoma State
J.T. Tiller, Missouri
Damion James, Texas
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Cole Aldrich, Kansas
Blake Griffin makes the team off athletic ability and effort. His defensive technique is a tad suspect, and I look for him to have some trouble on that end of the court early in his NBA career. But he overwhelms the college competition with his physical play and constant motor. Texas A&M's Bryan Davis and Derrick Roland just miss the cut. Davis is an effort guy who plays excellent position defense. He's strong on the boards, is rarely out of position, and knows how to help out his teammates. Roland is strong on the perimeter and frustrates his opponents. While I don't think stats tell anywhere close to the whole story on the defensive end, Roland's are simply too anemic (0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per contest) for inclusion on the all-conference defensive team.

College All-Stars

Freshman hazing might be a phrase soon lost on the current generation of college basketball stars. Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, and OJ Mayo established a new rule book for college basketball. Degree planning has become an afterthought for the star college basketball player. But if the current influx of freshman superstars is going to rid us of anything, my vote is for the NCAA Senior Dunk Contest and Three Point Shootout. Watching Andre Emmet win a dunk contest was a low point in my life. Senior college players are somewhat of a rarity in the current climate of college basketball. Even more rare is a senior with athletic ability worthy of drawing a crowd.
Rather, the NCAA should create an event featuring college stars from the top six conferences. The event should resemble the NBA All-Star Weekend, condensed into one day. The top six RPI conferences are included. This would create the opportunity for mid-majors to be represented. Each conference sends a dunker, a shooter, and a five-man team. The hosting conference chooses a band and set of cheerleaders to entertain at the event and sells tickets.
Luckily, the SEC just moved into 6th place of the Conference RPI so I was able to speculate from this year’s players who would be sent from each conference.
Dunkers

• ACC: Trevor Booker
• Big East: Sam Young
• Big Ten: Marcus Landry
• Big 12: Blake Griffin
• Pac 10: Demar DeRozan
• SEC: Senario Hillman

DeRozan gets the nod for youtube videos, alone. No one other than Pac 10 students have seen him play in a real game, but everyone wants to see what Gerald Green With a Freshman Year of Education can do in a dunk contest.
The Big Ten gives us Marcus Landry, but no one is happy about it. If there is a better choice, even Landry would appreciate being replaced.
Senario Hillman represents the SEC based on name alone. He beats out some athletes from LSU and teammate Alonzo Gee. Hillman stands at only 6 feet tall, but gets high and hangs in the air well.
There are plenty of big time dunkers in the Big 12 this year, and since so close in name, the committee would look away if Landry was to be replaced by a second dunker from the Big 12 due to injury. Teammates Willie Warren and Juan Patillo may both be better dunkers than Griffin. Damion James would also be fun to watch. But Griffin gets the chance to improve on his soon to be award studded sophomore year.
Terrence Williams could have just as easily replaced Sam Young as the Big East’s best dunker, but the senior gets his chance to shine in the 5 on 5 game where he can showcase his skill set to some NBA scouts. Sam Young is as explosive of a player as there is in the Big East. Though Billy Packer said it best, “He’s an acrobat.”
Good choices in the ACC, as well. Gerald Henderson and Trevor Booker are the top two athletic dunkers in the conference. Both are also two of the top players overall in the conference, but Booker has had better dunks this season and gets the invitation. It’s a bonus that he likes to dunk on Dukies.

Three-Point Contest

• ACC: Jack McClinton
• Big East: Kyle McAlarney
• Big Ten: Craig Moore
• Big 12: AJ Abrams
• SEC: Jodie Meeks
• Pac 10: Rihards Kuksiks

Each of these guys has somewhat distinguished himself from the other great shooters in their respective conferences. They all shoot above 40% and have completely gone off at points this season. Meeks and McAlarney are the favorites, but in this setting McAlarney might have an edge. McAlarney seems to shoot from the corners a lot more as a spot up shooter. Meeks often needs that rhythm dribble or to make a violent cut before he starts to fill it up.
Though, one would have to admit the three-point contest doesn’t seem fulfilling without Stephon Curry. But this fantasy event will not make compromises for mid-major conference players.

Five v. Five

• ACC: Jeff Teague, Tyrese Rice, Gerald Henderson, Tyler Hansbrough, Trevor Booker
• Big East: Jonny Flynn, Jerel McNeal, Terrence Williams, Luke Harangody, DaJuan Blair
• Big Ten: Talor Battle, Robbie Hummel, Manny Harris, Kevin Coble, Evan Turner
• Big 12: Sherron Collins, James Anderson, Damion James, Blake Griffin, Craig Brackins
• Pac 10: Jerome Randel, James Harden, Chase Budinger, Jon Brockman, Jordan Hill
• SEC: Nick Calethes, Jodie Meeks, Tyler Smith, Patrick Patterson, Jarvis Varnado

The 5 v. 5 tournament is admittedly the most ambitious idea in this projected fantasy event. The games would have to be played like a pickup game of basketball. Pickup basketball, Chris, is basketball without free throws, inbounds plays, or time keeping. The teams would play to 11. Seeding would be based upon conference RPI. Money is on the Big 12 or ACC.

The format would set up with the 5 v. 5 tournament getting under way in the early afternoon. The championship, however, is saved until after the Dunk Contest.
The Three-Point Contest begins in the early evening. The first round eliminates three shooters. The second decides the champion. (That is until Stephon Curry parachutes in to challenge McAlarney.)
The Dunk Contest works the same way – two rounds to decide the winner. Each player gets two dunks per round, scored on a scale of 100. (I’ve always had a problem with a scale of 50 because there isn’t enough distinction in scores.)
The night concludes with the championship game. There will be a much greater potential to see classic individual match-ups. Hansbrough, Griffin, Blair, Harangody. These are the type of match-ups that create the marketing campaign for the NBA regular season. It would be fun, draw a crowd, but still have an edge of excitement. With the players are representing their respective conferences, the competition between teams and players would make for a really exciting event.

Field of 65--Version 5

1) Connecticut (24-1); Oklahoma (25-1); North Carolina (23-2); Pittsburgh (23-2)
I'm starting to come around to the idea that Oklahoma might be for real. While the Sooners' bench is a little thin, they have a well-rounded starting five. Wiry senior Austin Johnson and bullish freshman Willie Warren compliment each other nicely in the backcourt. Tony Crocker provides outside shooting from the wing. And the Griffin brothers are tremendous in the paint. Now, with the emergence of the explosive Juan Pattillo, Jeff Capel's team is poised to make a deep tournament run.
2) Michigan State (20-4); Memphis (22-3); Marquette (21-4); Clemson (20-4)
Beyond Michigan State, it's not really clear who should be on the two line. In fact, the teams spanning from Memphis to Duke are pretty much interchangeable.
3) Louisville (19-5); Kansas (20-5); Wake Forest (19-4); Missouri (22-4)
So, Louisville lost to Notre Dame by 33 on Thursday, but still came out plus-12 on the week after beating DePaul by 45 on Sunday. Louisville fans may be tempted to view the Irish loss as a hiccup in light of their team's dominant performance against the Blue Demons. However, I believe the 33-point loss suggests that, while the Cardinals may have a Final Four run in them, a National Championship is not in the Cards. I hate to be the one to doubt a Rick Pitino-coached team, but UConn, UNC, and Pitt aren't going to lose to anyone by 33 -- let alone an NIT team that doesn't play defense.
4) Washington (19-6); Duke (20-5); Purdue (19-6); Villanova (20-5)
Bad week for the Blue Devils. Duke really didn't play poorly against North Carolina. In fact, they stayed with the Tar Heels for about three-fourths of their matchup. Unfortunately, the Blue Devils were incapable of guarding Ty Lawson. The Boston College game was just flat-out disappointing. On the bright side, Kyle Singler is playing excellent basketball (22 points and 6 boards against UNC and 25 points and 8 boards against BC).
5) Xavier (21-4); Arizona State (20-5); Illinois (21-5); UCLA (19-6)
The Bruins have now lost their last three conference road games. UCLA gets the Washington schools at Pauley Pavilion this week, but a road trip to northern California to play Stanford and California is on the horizon.
6) Ohio State (17-6); California (19-6); LSU (21-4); Butler (22-3)
LSU is 9-1 in the SEC, and Trent Johnson has his team playing at a very high level. So, maybe it's time we give the Tigers some respect. But why the delay? Well, LSU's best non-conference win is Washington State. The Tigers' second best -- probably Troy. Moreover, while they did beat Tennessee, they have yet to play Kentucky or Florida. Oh, and they also lost by 30 to Utah
7) Gonzaga (19-5); Dayton (23-3); Florida State (19-6); Syracuse (19-7)
With Dayton's 13-point victory over Xavier, the Flyers take control of the Atlantic-10. The rematch between the A-10 powers takes place on March 5 in Cincinnati.
8) Texas (17-7); Minnesota (19-6); Utah State (24-2); South Carolina (18-5)
After a three-game losing streak, Texas bounced back this week with wins over Oklahoma State and Colorado. Plus, A.J. Abrams appears to be emerging from his shooting slump. The downside -- lowly Colorado took the Longhorns to overtime.
9) Kentucky (18-7); West Virginia (17-8); Boston College (19-8); Tennessee (16-8)
If Boston College stumbles down the stretch, the Eagles are going to be an interesting case for the selection committee. They have losses to Saint Louis and Harvard, but they have wins against North Carolina and now Duke. If the Eagles get in to the tourney, this should go down as Al Skinner's best coaching job. BC has no business dancing this year, considering how deep the ACC is.
10) Davidson (22-4); Florida (19-6); Arizona (18-8); Utah (18-7)
Despite my earlier doubts, Arizona is officially back. They've now racked up seven straight wins. That streak includes wins against conference leader Washington and UCLA. Is there any chance Russ Pennel stays on as the Wildcats' head coach?
11) UNLV (19-6); Virginia Tech (16-8); Wisconsin (16-9); San Diego State (18-6)
Much like Arizona last week, Wisconsin is back from the dead. The Badgers are 7-6 in conference play, are riding a four-game winning streak, and still have two games against Indiana left on their schedule.
12) Penn State (18-8); Saint Mary's (20-5); Providence (16-9); Northern Iowa (18-8)
The last two at-large teams in are Saint Mary's and Providence. Saint Mary's is just ahead of Providence, based in large part on the Gaels' 81-75 win over the Friars earlier in the season. However, the Gaels missed a golden opportunity this week, falling by two to Gonzaga without injured star Patrick Mills. If Mills doesn't make it back on the floor soon, the Gaels may slip out of the tourney field. Providence just edges out Kansas State for the last spot in the Field of 65. The Friars are 8-5 in the Big East, but they've feasted on the Big East bottom-feeders. While K-State has played well in conference, the Wildcats have zero quality non-conference wins and lost to extremely weak Iowa and Oregon teams.
13) Siena (20-6); Buffalo (17-6); North Dakota State (19-6); Arkansas-Little Rock (19-6)
Those that follow the mid-majors closely love Siena. And while I'm not sold on the Saints, they do have wins over Boise State, Cornell, Buffalo, St. Joseph's, and Niagara.
14) Northeastern (16-9); Vermont (20-7); Weber State (17-8); Robert Morris (19-8)
Colonial Athletic Association leader Northeastern holds on to the conference's automatic bid, due to their head-to-head victory over VCU (and despite the fact that the Huskies lost to Drexel and George Mason this past week).
15) American U (17-7); Morehead State (16-11); Cornell (17-7); Sam Houston State (14-9)
Sam Houston State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christie have identical conference records, but the Bearkats own two head-to-head wins over the Islanders.
16) Morgan State (15-10); Jacksonville (14-10); Radford (15-10); Cal State Northridge (12-10); Alabama State (14-8)
Radford replaces VMI in the Field after the Keydets fell 100-97 to Coastal Carolina. Radford and VMI clash on Saturday with Big South supremacy likely at stake.

Big Ten Review

Illinois: The Illini's eight-man rotation isn't pretty, but, more often than not, it gets the job done. A team of interchangeable parts if there ever was one. Chester Frazier and sophomore Demetri McCamey constitute a talented backcourt and set the tempo in terms of working the ball around and finding good shots (both average 5 assists per game). Few teams play more unselfishly than Illinois. I (incorrectly) thought this team was at least a year away from being competitive in the Big Ten. While their non-conference resume isn't great (though they do have a 20 point win over Missouri that is looking better and better), I predict the Fighting Illini garner betwteen a 4 and 6 seed come March on the strength of their conference play.

Indiana: Not much to say here. Indiana plays incredibly hard and is very easy to root for, but the Hoosiers are under-manned. Probably the least talented team from the six BCS conferences (though I think the Hoosiers are better than Virginia, DePaul, Colorado, Oregon, and Georgia). On the bright side, a nice recruiting class has gained a year of valuable experience, and Tom Crean has a very talented recruiting class set to contribute next year.

Iowa: The Todd Lickliter hire does not appear to be working out. It's still early, as this is only Lickliter's second year at the helm, but I don't see how he recruits against the other coaches in this league. Tom Izzo, Tubby Smith, Thad Matta, Tom Crean, Bruce Weber, John Beilein, Bo Ryan, Matt Painter -- and Todd Lickliter? With the lack of talent on the Hawkeyes roster, Iowa looks like it could be in the Big Ten cellar for the foreseeable future.

Michigan: It's hard to imagine how Tommy Amaker's tenure could have been any more destructive to Wolverine basketball. Players didn't develop, and the team didn't win (though they were the team to beat in the NIT). While Michigan will likely be on the wrong side of the bubble debate when it's all said and done, Beilein has the Michigan program headed in the right direction.

Michigan State: The Spartans look like the class of a highly competitive Big Ten. Still, there's room for improvement. Junior Raymar Morgan has played well but nowhere close to the type of break out year that some predicted. Plus, he's dealing with walking pneumonia. Senior Goran Suton is averaging only 0.1 points per game more than he did during his sophomore campaign. And highly-touted freshman Delvon Roe is just rounding into form coming off two knee surgeries. The wild card here may be the continued development of sophomore Durrell Summers. The wiry 6-4 sophomore has shown signs of his offensive potential as of late. In three of his last six games, Summers topped 20 points (26 at Ohio State, 21 at Iowa, and 21 against a defensive-minded Minnesota club). If Summers can become more consistent, the Spartans have a chance at the Final Four.

Minnesota: During the two years preceding Tubby Smith's arrival, the Golden Gophers went 16-15 and 9-22. In Tubby's first year, Minnesota went 20-14 overall and 8-10 in the Big Ten, which equaled the total number of conference wins for the Gophers during the two preceding seasons combined. Simply put, Smith has done a masterful job, and the future looks bright in Minneapolis. Smith added a talented freshman class to his roster this year, and another stellar recruiting class has been lined up for next year. Still, the current Gophers are nothing to sneeze at. Al Nolen and Devoe Joseph give the Gophers two solid point guards. Lawrence Westbrook provides the scoring, Blake Hoffarber the shooting, talented freshmen Ralph Sampson III and Colton Iverson solid play in the post, and forward Damian Johnson is a lockdown defender. However, Minnesota has been a little erratic as of late. After beating Illinois 59-36 two weeks ago (yes, that's right Minnesota held a tournament team to 36 points), the Gophers got whipped by Michigan State 76-47. Smith's squad will need to be more consistent down the stretch, but look for the Gophers to end up with around a 7 to 9 seed come March.

Northwestern: A very unorthodox team but interesting to watch. Wins against Florida State and at Michigan State have been the highlights of a very nice season for Northwestern. Quite the turnaround for a team that went 8-22 last season. Unfortunately, the Wildcats' heartbreaking 60-59 home loss to Illinois may have sealed their NIT fate. Still, things are looking up for the first time in a long time in Evanston.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes are flying under the radar, despite putting together quite a resume. Thad Matta's club has knocked off Miami, Notre Dame, Butler, Purdue, and Minnesota. The Buckeyes are young and talented, and Evan Turner appears to be ready to become the go-to scorer the Buckeyes need down the stretch. Standing at 17-5 overall and 7-4 in conference, expect the Buckeyes to end up with between a 5 and 6 seed in March.

Penn State: After a three-game losing streak, the surprisingly competitive Nittany Lions' hopes for NCAA tournament glory were on life support heading into Saturday's contest with Minnesota. With the Nittany Lions upset of the Gophers, however, a .500 finish in a strong conference is a real possibility. But will it be enough? Probably not, as Penn State's best non-conference win is over Georgia Tech. If the perennial conference doormats come up short, it will be a missed opportunity, as star sophomore Talor Battle will be losing the services of talented seniors Jamelle Cornley and Stanley Pringle.

Purdue: It's hard to get a read on just how good Purdue really is. The Boilermakers have won seven of their last nine (or one of their last three). Three of their six total losses have occurred with Robbie Hummel on the bench. While Purdue may have been slightly overrated to begin the season, Matt Painter's Baby Boilers are a year older and could make a run come tourney time (but they need Hummel healthy). The similarities between the defense played at Purdue and Duke are interesting to examine. Purdue isn't quite as good on the perimeter as Duke (though Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant are excellent defenders). But the Boilermakers have a true shot-blocker (JaJuan Johnson), which the Blue Devils lack. However, despite both teams' obvious defensive talents, they both lack a true bruiser to provide a physical presence in the paint. In the end, this deficiency will likely be both teams' undoing. Which brings us to the story no one is talking about -- Purdue really misses the services of power forward Scott Martin who transferred to Notre Dame. Martin probably got the least amount of attention of Painter's Baby Boilers (Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, Johnson, and Martin), but he added toughness in the post. While not exactly a bruiser, Martin was a scrapper who wasn't afraid to mix it up.

Wisconsin: It's hard to believe, but Bo Ryan is sort of on the hot seat. Wisconsin fans have grown accustomed to winning, especially on their home floor, and the Badgers have already lost nine games, including a six-game conference losing streak (sandwiched between two three-game conference winning streaks). Additionally, Ryan's team has dropped four games within the usually friendly confines of the Kohl Center. Despite these disappointments, the Badgers still have a chance at the tourney. They're sitting at .500 in Big Ten play and still have two games against Indiana on the schedule. If the Badgers can sneak into the tourney, the meat grinder that is the Wisconsin offense will likely cause trouble for out-of-conference opponents.

Player of the Year: Manny Harris, Michigan
Runner-up: Evan Turner, Ohio State
The Big Ten may be deep in terms of competitive teams, but the conference pool is shallow in terms of individual talent. While Michigan has struggled in conference play, Harris' all-around game speaks for itself. The Wolverines' stat-stuffer is averaging 17.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per contest. With his height and athleticism the Michigan sophomore is a matchup nightmare. Evan Turner, the Buckeyes' 6-7 sophomore swingman, leads his team in points (17.0), rebounds (7.5), assists (3.3), and steals (2.0) per game. He's turned into quite the pro prospect, and, if the Buckeyes make a run in the tourney, look for Turner to be a lottery pick. If the Wolverines continue their slide, Turner may take Smith's title as conference player of the year. Robbie Hummel deserves consideration as well. While he's missed games due to injury and his conference numbers have been disappointing, the intangibles Hummel brings to the table, coupled with his diverse skill set, cannot be ignored.

Coach of the Year: Bruce Weber, Illinois
Runner-up: Tubby Smith, Minnesota
Similar stories here. Overachieving, star-less teams that compete on a nightly basis with hard-nosed, intelligent basketball. Tubby Smith is getting the media attention because of the rescue job he's done in just his second season at Minnesota. But Bruce Weber gets the nod. And yes I realize Minnesota beat Illinois 59-36. But we have to remember that Illinois actually had a losing record last year and now sits in second place in the Big Ten (while Minnesota won 20 games last year and now sits in fifth place).

Freshman of the Year: William Buford, Ohio State
Runner-up: Matt Gatens, Iowa
Not exactly a bumper crop of freshman talent in the Big Ten. Buford is the Buckeyes' second leading scorer (11.8 points per game) and has a nice offensive game. Still, the talented freshman wouldn't even be the runner-up in any of the other BCS conferences. Who is Matt Gatens? Well, the Iowa freshman leads his team in scoring (11.2 points per game) and has been one of the only bright spots in the Hawkeyes' dismal 2008-09 campaign. Indiana's Nick Williams received serious consideration for the runner-up spot, but he hasn't been that much more impressive than fellow Hoosier freshmen Tom Pritchard and Verdell Jones III. Ohio State's B.J. Mullens, who, according to some recruiting experts, was the top incoming freshman in the country, is starting to show signs of life. By the end of the season, he may be the conference's top freshman, but I'm surprised he isn't blocking more shots.

Defensive Player of the Year: Damian Johnson, Minnesota
Runner-up: Chris Kramer, Purdue
These are two of the best defenders in the nation. Damian Johnson is arguably the nation's most underrated defender. Equally effective on the perimeter or in the post, the long junior averages 2.2 blocks and 1.9 steals per contest. He's a perfect fit for Tubby Smith's half-court defense. Last year's conference Defensive Player of the Year, Chris Kramer has averaged two steals per game in all three of his seasons in West Lafayette. The tough-as-nails defender is as physical on the perimeter as anyone in the country. He also excels at getting in the passing lanes and generally frustrating the opposition.

1st Team All-Big Ten
Kalin Lucas, Michigan State
Talor Battle, Penn State
Manny Harris, Michigan
Evan Turner, Ohio State
Robbie Hummel, Purdue
While his stats may not be all-world, Kalin Lucas is the engine in the Spartans' offense. With his size, athleticism, and body control, Evan Turner has tremendous potential. He just needs to become more assertive.

2nd Team All-Big Ten
E'Twaun Moore, Purdue
Demetri McCamey, Illinois
Kevin Coble, Northwestern
Damian Johnson, Minnesota
DeShawn Simms, Michigan
DeShawn Simms is the other half of one of the best inside-outside combos in the nation. Averaging 15 points and 7.4 boards per contest, he's extremely under-appreciated and just missed the cut for the first team. If only Smith and Simms had a little help in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines would be really dangerous. Kevin Coble is a special player. He's crafty on the offensive end and has an extremely high basketball I.Q. E'Twaun Moore is becoming more assertive in his second year running the Boilermakers' offense, but, for Purdue to reach its potential, Moore has to become even more of a scoring threat. Wisconsin's Marcus Landry is the conference's eleventh man.

All-Big Ten Defensive Team
Manny Harris, Michigan
Chris Kramer, Purdue
Damian Johnson, Minnesota
Marcus Landry, Wisconsin
JaJuan Johnson, Purdue
Chris Kramer and JaJuan Johnson get the ink, but Keaton Grant is an excellent defender in his own right. It's crazy that Michigan State has no representatives on the all-conference defensive team. The Spartans have the best defense in a conference full of talented defenses.

Field of 65--Version 4

1) Connecticut (22-1); Oklahoma (23-1); North Carolina (21-2); Pittsburgh (21-2)
The Sooners are an under-the-radar 23-1. And while I don't think Jeff Capel's squad is truly the second best team in the country, it's hard to find fault with their performance. Blake Griffin is the best player in the country. Willie Warren is arguably the top freshman. And the Sooners have a stellar starting five. But where's the bench?
2) Louisville (18-4); Marquette (20-3); Michigan State (19-4); Wake Forest (18-3)
After losing three of four, Wake Forest bounced back with a 17-point win against Boston College. And despite the Demon Deacons recent struggles, their deep roster has the talent to make a Final Four run.
3) Clemson (19-3); UCLA (19-4); Duke (20-3); Memphis (20-3)
If the Tigers 18-point win over Gonzaga in Spokane is any indication, Memphis may be rounding into form. Tyreke Evans gets my vote as the top freshman in the nation -- my apologies to Willie Warren and Greg Monroe.
4) Xavier (20-3); Kansas (19-4); Villanova (19-4); Washington (17-6)
I didn't expect much from Lorenzo Romar's Washington squad this year, but the Huskies are playing excellent basketball. Justin Dentmon and Quincy Pondexter are nice off the bounce. And Jon Brockman is a walking double-double (11 of them to be exact). But it's 5-8 freshman point guard Isaiah Thomas (named after the Isiah Thomas when his father lost a bet) who has had the biggest impact on the Huskies. He leads the team in scoring and assists has had a huge influence on Washington's win column.
5) Butler (21-2); Ohio State (17-5); Purdue (17-6); Arizona State (18-5)
Four of Arizona State's seven conference wins have come against the Oregon schools. This week they will be tested at home against USC and UCLA. While James Harden may be the most talented offensive player in the country, he needs some help if the Sun Devils hope to be special.
6) Missouri (20-4); Syracuse (18-6); Florida State (18-5); Illinois (19-5)
Mike Anderson was a great hire for Mizzou. His UAB teams were active on defense and opportunistic on the offensive end. However, for his Missouri squad to become truly dangerous, the Tigers need some scoring help from their guards.
7) Utah State (23-1); Florida (19-4); Minnesota (18-5); California (18-6)
After losing on the road against UCLA and USC last week, Cal bounced back, sweeping the Washington schools at home. With a home game against Stanford on tap for this week followed by a road trip to play the Oregon schools, Mike Montgomery's team looks poised to all but wrap up an at-large bid. Cal's three-guard attack, featuring Jerome Randle (18.5 ppg and 5 apg), Patrick Christopher (14.3 ppg), and Theo Robertson (12.5 ppg and .550 from behind the arc), may be the nation's most underrated perimeter trio.
8) Texas (15-7); LSU (19-4); Gonzaga (17-5); West Virginia (16-7)
What's happened to the Longhorns? They've lost their last three, and they're getting no help from the bench. Adjustments have to be made, especially on the offensive end. A.J. Abrams appears to be pressing, and Damion James has to play a bigger role in the offense.
9) Dayton (21-3); South Carolina (17-5); Kentucky (16-7); Davidson (20-4)
Dayton slides a couple spots after losing to lowly Charlotte. Still, you have to think the Flyers' 14-point neutral court win against Marquette is going to go a long way with the selection committee.
10) Boston College (18-7); Tennessee (14-8); San Diego State (17-5); Mississippi State (16-7)
Preseason, I thought Tennessee was one of the top ten teams in the country. At this point, it wouldn't surprise me if they missed the dance. The Vols are playing undisciplined basketball, and their pressure defense hasn't been as effective as in years past. Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism aren't getting much help.
11) Saint Mary's (19-4); Virginia Tech (15-7); USC (15-7); Penn State (17-7)
The Nittany Lions have lost their last two by a combined total of 30 points. And while Penn State may not be dancing in March, they have a nice trio of scorers in senior power forward Jamelle Cornley (15.7 ppg) and backcourt mates Talor Battle (18.5 ppg) and Stanley Pringle (13.6 ppg).
12) UNLV (17-6); Arizona (16-8); Michigan (15-9); Western Kentucky (17-7)
Arizona returns to the Field of 65 (even if only temporarily). The Wilcats have reeled off five straight with USC and UCLA up next. While Jordan Hill (18.3 ppg and 11.5 rbg) and Chase Budinger (17.7 ppg) continue to put up excellent numbers, Arizona has absolutely no bench. The Cats are NIT-bound.
13) Northern Iowa (17-7); Siena (18-6); Buffalo (16-5); Northeastern (16-7)
The Bulls of Buffalo have been impressive in the MAC. And don't forget they only lost by four to UConn in early December. Oh, and if you're not paying attention to the MAC standings, it's interesting to note that, while all of the teams in the MAC East have winning records (conference and overall) and are respectable, the MAC West teams all have overall losing records, and only one (David Letterman University) has a winning record in conference.
14) North Dakota State (18-5); VMI (19-4); Weber State (15-8); East Tennessee State (17-6)
While Radford has pulled even with VMI in the Big South, the Keydets maintain the conference's automatic bid, since they own a head-to-head victory over the Highlanders.
15) Robert Morris (17-8); Boston U (14-9); Morehead State (14-11); Sam Houston State (13-8)
Boston U takes the America East bid from Vermont, but the Terriers' presence could be short-lived, as they travel to Burlington on Wednesday to take on the second-place Catamounts.
16) Long Beach State (12-10); Morgan State (13-10); Holy Cross (12-11); Alabama State (12-8); Princeton (9-8)
Holy Cross and American U have identical conference records, and the Crusaders have a better overall record. But the Crusaders take the Patriot League automatic bid on the strength of their head-to-head victory over the Eagles.

American's Best Mid-Major Program

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Duke is obviously not as good as their champions proclaim, but they also aren’t nearly as bad as their detractors suggest. Duke is simply the best mid-major team in the country. That’s why they’re a tough matchup for most teams, and not a true match for the best teams in the country. I know, that sounds absurd, considering the bevy of McDonald’s All-Americans that litter Coach K’s disgusting Aryan roster, but hear me out. Duke is built on sharp-shooters, an unquestioned dedication to its coach’s philosophy, and one X-factor athlete who threatens to move its offensive system into two-dimensions. That’s the blueprint of nearly every mid-major that makes noise in the tournament.

Just for me, the next time you watch Duke play in their accursed little gym, pretend that they’re all wearing Xavier or Wichita State jerseys. Notice the shooting, the scrappiness, the lack of top-flight athleticism, and team-oriented nature of the players on the floor. And year in, year out, Duke would normally be the best mid-major team in the country. Does that mean anything? I think it means that on the average they’re about the 10^th most dangerous team in the tournament, which is very respectable, but not in line with the national media attention the program receives.

Duke has outstanding shooters every season, and you really can’t undermine how much respect Coach K gets from his players. While we’ve witnessed Deandre Liggins refuse his coach’s request to enter a game, Duke’s players follow Coach K’s commands like weak-minded fools subjected to the mastery of a Jedi mind trick. That’s the only way you can explain that Greg Paulus, Jon Scheyer, and the rest of those honkies can actually play adequate team defense. Nonetheless, there is a ceiling when you build most of your team on un-athletic drones. Duke’s best teams always have an athletic slasher that can take over the game. Grant Hill made man-to-man defense a tall task. Shane Battier was not as athletic as Hill, but he was very heady, and got the benefit of the doubt whenever he drove, so he normally got to the line, even if he really wasn’t that great off the dribble. Jason Williams was a great three-point shooter, but his real strength was that he was so quick and powerful going to the hoop.

Gerald Henderson represents this year’s version of the athletic slasher, but he’s not as coachable as his teammates, so this Duke team is destined for more March shortcomings. Henderson is also a headcase. He’s been the most talented player on Duke’s roster for three seasons and only started playing at a high level this year. He also broke Hansbrough’s face, which means he’s playing on borrowed time, and Psycho T will exact revenge sooner than later. The Dick Vitales of the world heap praise on Henderson and overlook how uncoachable he is because a head case on a Duke squad is basically unheard of. Gerald Henderson wearing a Duke jersey reminds me of when my pa used to tell me about how you could put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.

In Henderson’s defense, Duke’s current roster is also uncharacteristically thin in the frontcourt. Coach K has had a longstanding preference for high-post big men like Laettner, Cherokee Parks, Chris Burgess, Josh McBob, and Shavlik Randolph. Those guys can be more than adequate (no argument with the success that came with Laettner), but those Duke shooters really need a big man that demands collapsing defense to create open looks (Brand, Boozer, Shelden, etc.). This Duke team has its high post guy in Singler, but nothing in the low post, so Duke basically needs Henderson to be their best slasher and low post player, which is a pretty tall task. Two details in the preseason made me positive that Duke would have nothing good close to the basket. First, was when I heard that they expected a 6’10” string bean named “Miles Plumlee” to bring toughness to their frontline. Miles Plumlee? That sounds more like one of Andy Bernard’s fellow members of “Here Comes Treble” than an intimidating glass eater. Second, I read that Kyle Singler said at the end of last season his body was exhausted and he wasn’t physically strong enough to compete at a high level. What did he do about it? He took off like a whole month from doing any physical conditioning or weight lifting. Let me know how that works out in March, Kyle.

It’s hard to understand how Coach K gets his pick of players, but he keeps bringing in the same guys that can’t get the job done. If your roster is built on shooters, it’s just going to be really difficult to go six straight games against tournament teams without a bad shooting night. Athletes can learn to rebound and play outstanding defense every night, then your team is built on something that isn’t streaky. That’s what Ben Howland and Tom Izzo do, and everyone acts surprised when their teams go deeper than anticipated in March. Coach K could do that, but he doesn’t. He keeps his roster heavy on one-dimensional shooters, and light on game-changing athletes. That makes Duke a talented, but somewhat gimmicky program that can be beaten by any disciplined team of athletes. The beatdown Clemson put on Duke really doesn’t validate Clemson in any way, it just shows exactly how limited Duke is due to their lack of athleticism.