2013-14 Conference Honors & Awards

All-AAC
Nic Moore, Southern Methodist
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut
Russ Smith, Louisville
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati
Montrezl Harrell, Louisville

Player of the Year: Russ Smith, Louisville
Top Defender: Russ Smith, Louisville
Best Freshman: Austin Nichols, Memphis
Coach of the Year: Rick Pitino, Louisville

All-ACC
Lamar Patterson, Pittsburgh
T.J. Warren, North Carolina State
K.J. McDaniels, Clemson
Jabari Parker, Duke
C.J. Fair, Syracuse

Player of the Year: Jabari Parker, Duke
Top Defender: K.J. McDaniels, Clemson
Best Freshman: Jabari Parker, Duke
Coach of the Year: Tony Bennett, Virginia

All-Big East
Bryce Cotton, Providence
D'Angelo Harrison, St. John's
Semaj Christon, Xavier
James Bell, Villanova
Doug McDermott, Creighton

Player of the Year: Doug McDermott, Creighton
Top Defender: Fuquan Edwin, Seton Hall
Best Freshman: Billy Garrett, DePaul
Coach of the Year: Jay Wright, Villanova

All-Big Ten
Nik Stauskas, Michigan
Gary Harris, Michigan State
Terran Petteway, Nebraska
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
Adreian Payne, Michigan State

Player of the Year: Nik Stauskas, Michigan
Top Defender: Aaron Craft, Ohio State
Best Freshman: Noah Vonleh, Indiana
Coach of the Year: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin

All-Big 12
DeAndre Kane, Iowa State
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State
Andrew Wiggins, Kansas
Melvin Ejim, Iowa State
Georges Niang, Iowa State

Player of the Year: DeAndre Kane, Iowa State
Top Defender: Joel Embiid, Kansas
Best Freshman: Andrew Wiggins, Kansas
Coach of the Year: Bill Self, Kansas

All-Pac-12
Jahii Carson, Arizona State
Nick Johnson, Arizona
Jordan Adams, UCLA
Kyle Anderson, UCLA
Aaron Gordon, Arizona

Player of the Year: Nick Johnson, Arizona
Top Defender: Jordan Bachynski, Arizona State
Best Freshman: Aaron Gordon, Arizona
Coach of the Year: Sean Miller, Arizona

All-SEC
Scottie Wilbekin, Florida
Casey Prather, Florida
Jordan Clarkson, Missouri
Jordan McRae, Tennessee
Julius Randle, Kentucky

Player of the Year: Casey Prather, Florida
Top Defender: Scottie Wilbekin, Florida
Best Freshman: Julius Randle, Kentucky
Coach of the Year: Billy Donovan, Florida

2013-14 RBP Preaseason Rankings

1) Louisville

2) Michigan State 

3) Kentucky

4) Kansas

5) Duke

6) Ohio State

7) Arizona

8) Oklahoma State

9) Michigan

10) Florida

11) Georgetown

12) VCU

13) Creighton

14) Connecticut

15) Syracuse

16) Notre Dame

17) North Carolina

18) New Mexico

19) Wisconsin

20) Tennessee

21) Memphis

22) Marquette

23) Gonzaga

24) UCLA

25) Colorado

Field of 68 Bracket

Midwest (Indianapolis, IN)
1 Indiana
16 LIU Brooklyn/Southern
8 California
9 San Diego State
5 Saint Louis
12 Villanova
4 Oklahoma State
13 Bucknell
6 Creighton
11 LaSalle
3 Miami
14 Valparaiso
7 Oregon
10 Temple
2 Georgetown
15 Florida Gulf Coast

West (Los Angeles, CA)
1 Gonzaga
16 Vermont
8 Missouri
9 North Carolina State
5 Pittsburgh
12 Boise State/Minnesota
4 Arizona
13 Stephen F. Austin
6 Notre Dame
11 Wichita State
3 Ohio State
14 South Dakota State
7 UNLV
10 Colorado
2 Kansas
15 Iona

East (Washington, DC)
1 Duke
16 Florida International/Liberty
8 Memphis
9 Cincinnati
5 Wisconsin
12 Louisiana Tech
4 Florida
13 Akron
6 Butler
11 Oklahoma
3 Marquette
14 Long Beach State
7 Colorado State
10 Virginia
2 Michigan State
15 Northeastern

South (Arlington, TX)
1 Louisville
16 Norfolk State
8 North Carolina
9 Iowa State
5 UCLA
12 Illinois/Tennessee
4 New Mexico
13 Davidson
6 Syracuse
11 Belmont
3 Kansas State
14 Montana
7 VCU
10 Saint Mary's
2 Michigan
15 Harvard

Notes: Louisville at Kentucky

1. What I'm getting ready to write is being written by pretty much everyone covering college basketball in the aftermath of the Cards-Cats contest. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is playing like a first team All-American. Anthony Davis has received more hype (which he's actually lived up to in large part), but Kidd-Gilchrist deserves the same amount of attention for the way he is playing. I'm not sure what's been more impressive about MKG's play - the effort he brings every single game on every single possession or the fact that he scores as much as he does without dominating the ball.

2. MKG's 24 and 19 was spectacular, and his play of late has been just about flawless. Still, I think Anthony Davis is the most important Wildcat. After foul trouble sidelined him for much of the first half, Davis finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Put simply, Davis is a singular talent. There are no substitutes for his shot-blocking and ability to play above the rim.

3. Kentucky got the better of the Cards on Saturday and is the better team. But Louisville fans need not fret. Rick Pitino's squad held one of the four best teams in the country to 29.8% shooting from the field on its home court. If the Cards can develop any semblance of effectiveness in their halfcourt offense to go along with one of the nation's premiere defenses, they are going to be very difficult to beat.

4. Louisville's level of talent has been much-maligned in recent weeks as a result of the Cardinals' undefeated start and the inevitable comparisons to the heavyweights of the 2011-12 campaign - Syracuse, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Ohio State. While the Cards' talent level pales in comparison to the talent possessed by the top 4 teams in the country, I like their roster compared to just about everyone else, save perhaps Connecticut. Peyton Siva is a steady hand at point guard, and Kyle Kuric is a well-rounded player who can knock down the three and finish on the break. That much we knew coming into the season. Additionally, Chase Behanan, despite a number of bone-headed mistakes against the Cats, has lived up to his billing as one of the Big East's top freshmen. The surprises have come in the form of the emergence of sophomores Gorgui Dieng, one of the nation's most improved players and best shot blockers, and Russ Smith, quickly becoming a source of instant offense off the bench and a player who can create his own shot. The Cards also have a number of injured players who are working themselves back into the rotation or should be returning in the near future.

5. Terrence Jones is costing himself a lot of money with his play thus far this season. He was a likely lottery pick had he left after his freshman season, but he's not playing like a first round pick right now. He collected 11 rebounds and 3 steals, so it's not as if he was a non-factor on Saturday. That being said, 2 points in 30 minutes is just not enough production from a preseason first-team All-American - even one nursing an injured finger. Needless to say this is not the type of season Jones hoped for when he decided to return to Lexington.