Unranked Temple Defeats #3 Syracuse

Unfortunately for Orangemen fans and myself Syracuse suffered a painful loss to the Owls of Temple University in the last few minutes of the game. It was an extremely competitive contest throughout the first half, but anyone watching the game could tell that Temple was hungry for a victory. As the first half came to a close the score was 40-38 with Syracuse out in front. Temple came out of the locker room fired up and ready for a big upset. Khalif Wyatt did everything he could to help out his team with 33 points, 4 assists, and went a perfect 15-15 from the free throw line. Anthony Lee also played a key role in Temples success contributing 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Temple started to take control of the game as the second half progressed. Syracuse was not even playing that poorly just their transition defense was a little shaken and the Temple Owls were just too much to handle. Of course the Orangmen fought back into the game as time was winding down. They ended up making one or two stupid mistakes which lead to fast break points for Temple and then had to foul them in desperation. Even when the game was practically over Michael Carter- Williams was still going strong taking it coast to coast for an easy layup. He finished the game with 13 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. When the final buzzers sounded the score was 83-79 giving the Temple Owls a key victory to hand Syracuse their first loss of the season. Some outstanding performances include C.J Fair from Syracuse with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and a block. Also the senior Brandon Triche had a fairly solid game where he posted 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. As a Syracuse fan I am always biased towards them, but Temple was able to outplay them both offensively and defensively and that is what lead to their victory.

Khalif Wyatt, guard for Temple


 

Recruiting Report: Andrew Wiggins

I will be spending my next few weeks writing about some of the top high school basketball recruits, and what colleges they are looking at and are committed to. These players are great young talents who will benefit the programs they play for.

Andrew Wiggins: Why not start at the top? Andrew Wiggins is the number one high school basketball recruit for the class of 2013. He is a 6 foot 7 inch, 190 pound small forward from Huntington Prep Highschool. He is an all around player who can drive the lane, dunk over larger defenders with his impressive vertical leap, and even shoot the mid range to outside jump shot. Wiggins has received offers from every school on his list such as Kentucky, Florida State, Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio State, and Syracuse. Just last week he visited Florida State, where the threw everything they had at him. FSU believes that just by being considered by Wiggins will make a difference on people's perception of the school. If he does decide to play ball there it will be one of the greatest recruiting decisions in the history of the school. The Seminoles have already been able to acquire the twenty-sixth and the number eighty recruits to their program. They are confident that they have a deep talented roster, but if Wiggins decides to join then they will most definitely be national contenders.

If he decides to go with the defending national champion, Kentucky Wildcats then they will have the number one recruiting class for sure with Andrew Harrison, and Austin Harrison from Travis High School along with James Young from Rochester High School. This young man is a great talent and definitely deserves to be the number player in the nation.

Andrew Wiggins: SF from Humington Prep High School

Top 10 Pre Season Pole Ranks

10. UCLA Bruins: The Bruins may be coming off of just an okay year, but they are ready to be a top contender after what they were able to accomplish during the off season  UCLA was able to receive commits from the #2 recruit in the nation, Shabazz Muhamed coming from Bishop Gorman Highschool, and #5 recruit, Kyle Anderson of the world renowned St Anthony Friars. With these great players heading in, UCLA has the number one recruiting class of 2012. Hopefully all of this recruiting will pay off in the long run for the Bruins.

9. Florida Gators: Florida is coming off of a solid season where they were almost able to make it to the Final Four. There team did not have the best regular season last year, but that is expected to change with their star point guard, Kenny Boynton returning for another year. The big 6-9, 249 pound junior, Patric Young will be playing down low alongside Erik Murphy. Although the gators are coming off of a depressing end to the season, I believe that this will motivate them and they will be a force to be reckoned with this season.

8. Duke Blue Devils: It was a depressing ending for Coach K and his squad last season, losing to Lehigh in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After winning gold in the Olympics  Coach K is hoping that his Blue Devils can turn things around this year. Seth Curry, entering his senior year should be a big time player and lead the team. They also have Mason Plumlee returning who will be big man on campus this year, and have a large role in the offense. I believe the Blue Devils can comeback and have a solid season.

7. Syracuse Orangemen: Syracuse did not have a terrible end to the year, making the Elite Eight and losing to the Buckeyes of Ohio State. They ended up losing three of their best players in Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters and Fab Melo. The Orangemen are most definitely not empty handed. They have returners such as Brandon Triche, Michael Carter-Williams, Rakeem Chistmas, C.J Fair and James Southerland. The recruiting staff for Syracuse also did a solid job by receiving commits from #14 recruit DaJuan Coleman and Jerami Grant. Even though they lost some star power, the Orangemen are one of the top teams heading into the regular season.

6. Ohio State Buckeyes: Due to the NBA Draft, the Ohio State Buckeyes lost their franchise player in Jared Sullinger. Even though he was the best player on the team, I have a feeling the Buckeyes will still be pretty sucesfull this season. They still have Deshaun Thomas who can score at will and rebound the basketball. He probably played better than Sullinger during the NCAA Tournament. They also have star point guard, Aaron Craft returning who is a pure shooter and can dish the rock when he pleases. The Buckeyes may have lost a big star, but they still have plenty of fire power left over for the 2012 season.

5. Kansas Jayhawks: Kansas as most college basketball fans know, fell to Kentucky in the finals of the NCAA Tournament. After working so hard to end up short, they lost Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor who were drafted. Over the offseason the Jayahwks did some heavy recruiting bringing in Jamri Taylor and Perry Ellis. Their main returner is the huge 7 foot tall Jeff Withey who has decided to stay for his senior year to mature into a premiere player in the NCAA. They are a bit short on a big time offense, but the Kansas basketball program is to good just to roll over and call it quits.

4. Michigan Wolverines: As of now Zach Lisman is rejoicing because his wolverines are back in action. They may have been beaten in the first round of the Big Dance last year but, they have Trey Burke who is supposed to be the best point guard in the nation. He is only a sophomore so he has a lot of room to grow as a player. The Wolverines were able to receive a commit from Mitch McGary who is  6-10 and Michigan hopes he can make an impact to their team. The Wolverines are back and so is Zach.

3. Kentucky Wildcats: The best team in the 2011-2012 season has lost their starting five to the NBA Draft. You may say that Kentucky has no chance of having any success this season, but you would be wrong. Kentucky had the number two recruiting class with #1 recruit Nerlens Noel, who has the shot blocking ability of Anthony Davis. They also have the 7 foot Willie Cauley-Stein. He is expected to step into the offense and be a menace to defenses around the league. The Wildcats picked up a new 6-4 guard, Archie Goodwin who is supposed to fill the shoes of Marquis Teague. It will be interesting to see how these new recruits end up playing for Kentucky.

2. Louisville Cardinals: The expectations for Louisville are through the roof this year. They have some of their star players returning such as, point guard Peyton Siva, Chane Behanan and big man Gorgui Dieng. They are also excited about freshman Montrezl Harell who is supposed to step in and play the small forward position. All of these components should make Louisville an extremely elite team and instead of losing to Kentucky this year, maybe they will take them down.

1. Indiana Hoosiers: Indiana is the number one ranked team on ESPN mostly because of the return of Cody Zeller. He is projected to be one of the best if not the best player in the nation. The Hoosier do not just only have Zeller, they also have Christian Watford, Victor Alidipo and Jordan Hulls returning which will make for an offensive power house. They were one of the two teams to beat the wildcats of Kentucky last year with the last second shot by Christian Watford. This year Kentcuky may have to be the ones on the other end of that scenario.

Nerelens Noel, #1 recruit of 2012 and forward for Kentucky.

The Orlando Magic in my opinion are a team that has lost all hope. Dwight Howard feels like he is alone and his relationship with his coach, Stan Van Gundy, is not the greatest. The Magic did not haven a very good season but they did not have an awful season. They rank 21st in points per game with 94.2, 13th in rebounds per game with 42.5 and 20th in assists per game with 20. Having there ok season they are projected to have two picks. One in the  mid dirst round and one in the mid second round. With all of the rumors of Dwight Howard leaving they should go for a big man in the first round. With there very low assists per game they should go for a guard in the second round. If I was the general manager for the Magic my first pick would be John Henson of North Carolina or trade up for Terence Jones. Henson could be a huge force for them. He is a beast standing at 6-10 and weighing in at 220 pounds. This year, in the NCAA he averaged over 13 points per game and over ten rebounds per game. If Howard stays they could be a great combo down low. For thier second pick they should try and take Kim English of Missouri or J'Covan Brown of Texas. Either of these guys could come off the bench for Jameer Nelson and do a solid job. The Magic will not be too good for a couple of years but they should really try to take advantage of this draft. Howard is alone on an island but after this draft he could have a friend.

John Henson, forward for UNC

After Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Knicks, everyone thought the Nuggets were finished for a while. They have proved all of the haters wrong by making the playoffs, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a run for there money and having some of the best overall stats as a team. They are 1st in the league in points per game with 104.1, 8th in rebounds per game with 43.1 and 1st in the league in assists per game with 24. Even though this team has had a solid year they are still projected to have three draft picks. One in the mid-late first round, the second in the early second round and the last in the mid-late second round. With these slots, I believe that the Nuggets have the most potential for this draft. They already have a bunch of young talent such as Ty Lawson, JaVale McGee and Danilo Gallinari and if they make the right picks they will be a tough team to beat. For thier first pick they should take Dion Waiters of Syracuse. He is a point guard/shooting guard who could do exactly what he did this year, make a huge impact off the bench. For thier second pick they should go big and take either JaMychal Green of Alabama or Quincy Acy of Baylor. Both of these guys are powerful forces who can score the basketball and can grab a truck load of rebounds. Either of those guys would help them out. For thier last pick they have to be looking for Tyshawn Taylor to play backup point guard. He is projected to go pretty late but if the Nuggets take him it would be a complete steal. I am not saying that any of these guys will start but all of them could make big impacts off the bench. If the Nuggets have a succesful draft, look for them to have a very sucessful season.

Dion Waiters, guard for Syracuse

I do not enjoy the Atlanta Hawks because they always beat or give the Celtics a good game. I respect them because they are a team full of hard working guys but they always seem to play thier best when they are up against the C's. They are 17th in points per game with 96.6, 23rd in rebounds per game with 41.2 and 8th in assists per game with 22.4. In this case I would have to agree with the stats that they should try to draft a big man who can leap and bring down the rebounds. They already have Josh Smith down low but they could draft a center or someone who could shadow Smith. Since they have had a solid season, they are prjected to have one pick in the late first round. There are some solid big men that could be available when they are up such as Fab Melo o Syracuse and Andrew Nicholson of Saint Bonaventure. Although they are both solid players the best route for the Hawks to go would be to trade up a few picks and try to snag Terence Jones, one of the many big men from Kentucky. Over this past season, Jones averaged 12.5 points per game and 7 rebounds per game. If Jones played for any other team he could average a double double because there are so many great players on Kentucky so it is tough to have flashy stats. He has an NBA type skill set, standing at 6-9 and weighing in at 252 pounds. He is pretty much a tank and the type of player that could make a direct impact on the NBA. If the Hawks select him they will be one of the elite teams in the league who can have a solid chance at a title run. As much as I do not enjoy them, they could be amazing if they make the right pick.

Terence Jones, forward for Kentucky

As everyone in the class knows, the Celtics are now one of the oldest teams in the NBA. Besides having young guns, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley they really are not very mobile and could use this draft to thier advantage. The Celts are 26th in the league in points per game with 91.8, last in rebounds per game with 38.8 and 2 in assists per game with 23.6. So if you were actually reading this entry which I doubt you were except for Slug, you would find that the Celtics need a young big man to come to Boston. The Celtics are projected to get one  pick in the mid-late first round. They could trade up and get Terence Jones, the big force from Kentucky or Kevin Jones from West Virginia. I believe that best pick for the Celtics is to snag the big man from Syracuse, Fab Melo. Although this man has trouble keeping uphis grades, he is a force on the boards and could really be a nice fit for the Celtics. Although he could work on his speed a little bit, he stills stands a 7 feet and weighs in at 255 pounds. I think if he hit the gym and worked on his speed and agility he could be one of the elite players in the league in a few years. This guy has a big advantage over most of the players but the only way he can be succesful if he does not do something stupid like get kicked out of the NCAA Tournament because of academic troubles.

Fab Melo, forward for Syracuse

With superstars, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul playing beside each other, this Clipper team has been very exciting to watch. With all of thier young talent and thier veterans they have not been able to really play as a team yet. A good comparisen would be the Heat last year or the Knicks, who have a bunch of talent but do not know how to come together on the court. To get Chris Paul they had to give up some draft slots so they are left at a pretty tight spot. They are projected to have one pick in the mid-late second round. Since they already have Griffin and Jordan down lown, they should probably search for a guard. Some players that they could snag are players that I have mentioned before such as Tyshawn Taylor and J'Covan Brown. Although those two are both solid guards I believe if the Clippers are lucky enough or trade up they should select Will Barton from Memphis. This guy can control the tempo of the game whenever he wants and wherever he wants. He has a nice jump shot, some explosive moves to the basket and is great at finding the big man down low for an easy two points. Barton has an advantage over some small shooting guards because he stands at 6-6 which is on the taller side for a shooting guard. This year at Memphis along with scoring over 18 points and dishing out three assists per game, he was also able to average 8 rebounds per game. Kobe Bryant, hands down the best shooting guard in league is the same height as Barton but he averages a little over 5 rebounds per game. Even though there is quite a diffeence between the NCAA and the NBA, when Barton improves on his strength and his transition to the NBA, he will be all set. This guy is the complete package and the Clipps should try and snag him.

Will Barton, guard for Memphis

The Grizzlies are a team that everyone (including Zach Lisman) thinks can make a deep run in the playoffs. They are the 4 seed in the West against the number 5 seed, Clippers. Although Memphis always plays good ball at the end of the season I personally believe that they will lose in the first round. They have some solid talent but they could use this year's draft to improve thier franchise and make a deep run in the future. They are 20th in the league in points per game with 95, 16th in rebounds per game with 42 and 24th in assits per game with 19.5. Since they have had a pretty solid season for themselves they will not have they best draft slots. If I were the Grizzlies general manager I would be looking for either a guard or a small forward that could take over Rudy Gay's slot, when his time is finished. Some prospects that they should look at are Will Barton from Memphis, Doron Lamb from Kentucky or Darius Miller from Kentucky. Although thier guards are not the best I still think they should take a small forward. With young Mike Conley at the point they should be set for a little while. The Grizz should go after Darius Miller. At a draft center like Kentucky, Miller did not get to play that much. But when he came off the bench, he made a big impact. This guy has got the size to play with the big boys, standing at 6-8 and weighing in at 225 pounds. I can not realy compare him with any of the star small forwards in the NBA because he is soo much different from all of them. With his ability he could be one of the steals in the draft and add to the Grizzlies young and talented team.

Darius Miller, forward for Kentucky

Indiana Pacers: Draft Profile

The Pacers have been one of the suprisingly good teams of this year. They have some solid young talent such as Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert and Paul George. They finished off the regular season with a record of 42-24. They are 13th overall in points per game with 97.7, 4th in rebounds per game with 43.9 and 29th in assits per game with 18.6. So as you can probably tell the Pacers should probably be looking for a guard to draft this year. They are projected to one pick in the draft, in the late first round. They could go for either a point guard or a shooting guard to understudy Paul George and Darren Collinson. Thier could still be some solid guards on the board when thier pick comes around. William Bufford of Ohio State will probably not be drafted before them. Marquis Teague might still be on the board but if you have read my past entry I am big on him heading to South Beach. I feel that the best fit for the Pacers would be to draft John Jenkins of Vanderbilt. He is a big time scorer and could definatley shadow Paul George until he is ready for the next level. This dude will make the most of his minutes where ever he goes. The Pacers are a young athletic team and they could add to that structure if they draft Jenkins. He might not have been the most amazing player in college but he is the type of player that could make a nice transition to the NBA. At 6-4, 215 pounds he has a lot of potential to make the Pacers a contending team next year.

John Jenkins, guard for Vanderbilt
  

Los Angeles Lakers: Draft Profile

Even though the Lakers are the Celtic's bitter rivals, you still have to give them some props for thier success over thelast couple of years. They have been able to take the Celts down lately with thier overall team chemistry. Do not get me wrong the Lakers do have some superstars on thier team but they are able to play well together and almost always have a solid record. The Lakers are 15th in points per game with 97.3, 2nd in rebounds per game with 46.2 and 7ht in assists per game with 22.5. The Lakers are all set down low with Gasol and Bynum so they should probably be looking for a point guard or someone who can take over for Kobe Bryant when he retires. The Lakers are actually projected to get the last pick in the draft and that is it. With that slot they will probably not be able to find the best talent at guard. The only way for the Lakers to get a soid player who could have an impact is if they trade up. If the Lakers do trade up to a mid second round they could snag someone like Kim English or J'Covan Brown. They could both come in and shadow eithr Kobe Bryant or Ramon Sessions until thier tie is over. Personally I think brown who be the better fit for the akers because he is more of a prime time scorer and he has more assists than English. Brown only stands at 6-1 but is one of the more quick guards in the NCAA. He is able to make his way to the basket and score or dish it out to one of the big men. He could be a huge factor coming off the bench. The big men in LA are already top notch but if they have one more guard that can get them the ball, the Lakers could have the steel of the draft.

J'Covan Brown, guard for Texas

Oklahoma City Thunder: Draft Profile

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the most exciting teams to watch over the past two years. They have some of the best young talents in the league such as reigning scoring champion, Kevin Durant, stud point guard, Russell Westbrook and James Harden who just got a taste of proinoiv from Meta Worldpeace. Considering that they are one of the best teams in the league you could probably tell that they are not going to have very good draft slots. OKC is projected to get one pick in the late first round. The Thunder are 3rd in points per game with 103.1, 6th in rebounds per game and 30th in assists per game with 18.5. So as you can see thier stats are pretty goood except for thier assists. There are two solutions to the situation. One Russell Westbrook could pass the basketball or they could draft a guard who can find the open man for an easy basket. If the Thunder want to improve overall as a team they should select Doron Lamb or Maquis Teague, both from Kentucky. I believe that Teague will thrive more if he heads to Miami so I think the Thunder should go for Lamb. Although Lamb was not the best passer in college, once he hits the NBA it will be more difficult to score and easier to pass. Lamb could shadow James Harden for a little while then make the jump and be an imediate impact for the Thunder. I don't think the Thunder will play him too much in his first few years because thier team is really young right now. The Thunder is another team that really does not need the draft but Lamb could only help them bring up thier assists per game.

Doron Lamb, forward for Kentucky
 

San Antonio Spurs: Draft Profile

The Spurs play as a team and that us why they have been so succesful lately. The result of thier solid team play is that they are sitting at the top of the Western Conference and are ready for the playoffs. Thier statistics for the season are. They are the second highest in points per game with 103.6, 10th in revounds per game with 42.8 and 4th in assists per game with 23.1. The Spurs are projected to only get one pick in the whole draft, late in the second round. With aging Tim Duncan in the post they should probably be looking for someone of decent size. A few years back the picked Dejaun Blair who has not been the best player but is still progressing and transitioning into the NBA. The only good player that I can possibly think they would pick is Quincy Act, the forward from Baylor. To pull that offf they will probably have to trade up beause a few teams before them might wan to snag Acy. He averaged around 12 points per game and around 8 rebounds.He could be a solid addition to thier franchise but I do not see them drafting him. There are a bunch of random tall guys who no one knows who are supposed to get drafted. If I had to base this off of sheer knowledge I say they should take a shot on Jae Crowder from Marquette, who is not supposed to get drafted. Even though the draft isn't very important for the Spurs, it would still be good if they could get a nice new prosepect in.

Quincy Acy forward for Baylor
 

Miami Heat: Draft Profile

As much as I hate to say it, the Miami Heat are one of the best ball clubs right now. The complete dominance of LeBron James has been a large help, leading thier team in points rebounds and assists per game. As a team they rank 6th in the league for points per game with 98.9 points per game, 18th in rebounding with 41.8 and 20th in assists averaging 20.1 assists. In my opinion the Heat should be looking to draft either a point guard or a big man. There would also be some reasoning behind drafting a small forward to be the apprentice of LeBron. If I was in the hot seat at the draft and these players were around I would most likely pull the trigger. Darius Miller of Kentucky to be the understudy of LeBron James until he can take over the franchise. Although this is highly unlikely, if they trade up they could have a shot at drafting point guard Dion Waiters who can also take on the role as a shooting guard. Lastly Maquis Teague. They would have to get a little lucky to be able to draft him but it is not too much of a long shot. Teague could come i thier and prove himself in training camp and maybe win the starting job if not play crucial minutes. Much like the Bulls, the Heat are projected to only get one selection. The Waiters pick is a long shot but it could happen. I personally would select Teague over Darius Miller because I think theHeat need him more than Miller. They already have Wade at the shooting guard and I am not too sure that Chalmers is going to cut it if they want to win a title. Teague has the potential to make a smooth transition to the NBA and he is a player that the Heat should take a chance on.

Marquis Teague, guard for Kentucky

Chicago Bulls: Draft Profile

Over the past two years the most dominant team in basketball is the Chicago Bulls. They have a power packed starting lineup including reigning MVP, Derrick Rose along with Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and the franchise player off the bench, Taj Gibson. Siting at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Bulls do not necesarilly need to be worrying about a draft pick but it can't hurt to bring in some young talent. This team averages 96.3 points per game, 46.5 rebounds per game and 23 assists per game. By looking at these stats you will find that the Bulls are not really lacking in any department. If they had to improve something it would probably be assists. The more assists you can get the more points you can score. Knowing that they should go after a guard for sure. The Bulls are only projected to recieve one pick in the draft, which will come in the late first round, so they will have to use it wisley. Some good guards they they could snag at thier pick are. Tyshawn Taylor the speed demon from Kansas who averages 17.3 points per game and nearly 5 assists. Kim English from Missouri who isn't much of a passer but is solid with the ball in his hands. Lastly William Bufford from Ohio State who can shoot lights out, can rebound the basketball well and find the open man in the lane for the easy bucket. Considering that these mock drafts online are filled with a bunch of tall guys that did nothing in college these are the players I would be looking at if I was the general manager for the Bulls. Drafting any of these players would hep the Bulls franchise but as of now they don't need any help.

William Bufford, guard for Ohio State
 

Whats to Come

I know when most of you read my last draft profile you were pretty relieved and excitedthat this madness was all over. Sorry to disapoint you haters out there but I have to break some noise to you. So I just did a few draft profiles on the players but now it is time to do draft profiles for the teams. This might seem a little confusing but let me explain. I will list all of the teams in the league most likely top to bottom and write an entry about who they should take in the draft. Like my other profiles these entries will include a bunch of information and statistics. As most college basketball fans know there are a lot of guys that no one has heard of that are high on the mock draft board. My suggestions will only be on players that I know. I will base my desicions on the player's college career and the potential that the player owns. You will probably read about a lot of the players that are in my draft profiles along with some good players that I did not mention in my profiles. These entries will be a nice way to keep my occupied and have some fun in the process. My mission is to leave all of you guys with at least a little bit of knowledge on basketball by the end of the year. As I am sure everyone knows, the best teams are most likely to get the worst draft picks because they don't need any extra help. On the other hand the worst teams in the league will probably get some of the best college players which will give them some good talent for the future. I really hope that my entries do not bore you all to death. I also hope the SLUDGE does not stock my blog like he always does. Sorry once again but this is something I want to do.

Kyrie Irving, first overal pick in the 2011 draft

 

Anthony Davis: Draft Profile

Along with everyone else in America besides Zach, Anthony Davis had the most dominant season out of everyone in the NCAA. This dude's ability is crazy and has the potential to become an NBA superstar. Standing at 6 feet 10 inches tall with a 7 feet 5 inch wing span this guy can block shots and prevent his shots from being blocked. Here are some interesting stats for you. Davis averaged 14.3 points per game, 10 rebounds per game and 4.7 blocks per game. I do not care what Zach man says about Thomas Robinson because overall Anthony Davis destroys him. Let me remind you of what happened in the championship game. Davis had only 6 points but helped out his team with 16 rebounds 5 assists and 6 blocked shots. If Thomas Robinson played like that, Kansas would be national champions. He is the guy you want on your team. He can dominate down low, snatch rebounds, block shots and make a uneybrow look fashionable. The Charlotte Bobcats and thier 7-55 record will most likely have the first pick in the draft. I really do not need to write this but I will. The Bobcats will select Anthony Davis first overall no matter what the circumstances are. Even if they had Klove, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge they would still select Davis just so no one else will have this force. But the Bobcats might look to trade Davis for a good player along with some draft picks. If Davis does not get drafted first overall this year I might never watch NBA basketball again. This guy is just too dominant and the cats would be stupid to pass up on a prospect like Davis.
This is the last profile I will be writing but I might start working on a mock draft with the players that I know.

Anthony Davis, forward for Kentucky

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Draft Profile

Gilchrist has been one of the best young talents in the league and it has payed off because he will be drafted pretty earrly. Coming out of highschool he was expected to be a good player that would develop into one of the best. This was not the case. Gilchrist came in and made an immeadiate impact having over ten points in his first two games and at least 7 rebouds. Even though he was not very consistent, Gilchrist still ened up averaging 11.8 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. Some of his highlight games were against Louisville in the regular season where he dropped 24 points and picked up 19 rebounds. Also against Indiana in the tournament where he had 24 points and 10 rebounds leading them to victory against a team they had lost to in the regular season. Gilchrist was not the main reason why Kentucky has such a succesful season ending with a championship but he was a pretty big part of it. If you tuned in to ESPN recently you would find that Kentucky's starting five have all declared for the draft. Gilchrist, being part of that starting five is projected to go second overal behind his teammate, Anthony Davis, who I will be writing about in the near future. Gilchrist is in NBA shape weighing in at 232 pounds and standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall. If he plays in the NBA he will probably play at the small forward position. Playing at an NBA draft center, Kentucky, Gilchrist has already had to play at small forward which might make it a more smooth transition to the NBA. Although I believe that Thomas Robinson should go second overal, I still give mad props to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, forward for Kentucky

Thomas Robinson: Draft Profile

If you use dictionary. com and look up the word Thomas Robinson you will find that the first definition is beast and the second definition is Zach Lisman. Robinson had a dominant season in college basketball and my pal Zach Lisman believes that Robinson deserved the player of the year. Of course my self and the rest of America does not agree with that. He averaged nearly 18 points per game and 11.8 rebounds per game. His highlight games of the season were against divison rival Missouri were Robinson lead them to a victory with 28 points and 12 rebounds also his game against North Dakota was worth noting when he dropped 30 points and snatched 21 rebounds. The game that I was most impressed with him was against UNC, in the Elite Eight. UNC was the one seed and Kansas was the two seed and Robinson made it so that was flipp flopped. Even though he was at a hieght disadvantage against 7 foot tall, Tyler Zeller, he was able to use his speed to get buy him and score or get fouled. The Jayhawks ended up with the victory with the help of Robinson's 18 points and 9 rebounds. This dude has got an NBA body standing at 6 feet 10 inches and 237 pounds of pure muscle. He reminds me a lot of Dwight Howard and a younger Zach Lisman. He is projected to go number 4 overall but I think any team that is mentally stable will draft him earlier whether they need a big man or not. There are teams who are likely to have high draft picks such as the Washington Wizards and the New Orleans Hornets who actually could use a little help down low or just about anywhere. I do not care what ESPN says about Michael Kidd- Gilchrist and Bradley Beal they might be great players but Thomas Robinson is a step above them.

Thomas Robinson, forward for Kansas
 

Andre Drummond: Draft Profile

The big freshman out of Uconn thinks he can take his talents to the next level. Over the season he averaged 10.2 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. He had 14 games with at least 8 rebounds and had 17 games with at least 12 points. His best game of the season was probably when he lead the Huskies to a 64-57 victory against fellow Big East team, West Virginia. Weighing at a woping 270 pounds and standing at 6 feet 10 inches, he has an NBA body. Along with my companion, Zach Lisman, Drummond should have stayed for at least another year to refine his skills. Drummond is a tremendous talent with untapped potential. If he stayed for next year he would be able to dominate most big men and work on his game for when he plays in the NBA. He is projected to be selected in the early first round to the Sacramento Kings. If he did go to the strugling Kings he could add on to the contributions of DeMarcus Cousins. I will not place my prediction because I am going to make a few entries about my NBA mock draft. The other teams that are projected to be in the hunt are teams like the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and the Portland Trail Blazers. All of those teams could use some help in pretty much all departments such as big men and guards. Drummonds season was very inconsistent but ended up doing pretty well this year. He should defineatly work on his game for one more season in the NCAA so he can be a force right away in the NBA. He is just another one of those guys who has a great skill set but could use just one more year of playing college ball.

Andre Drummond, forward for Uconn

Harrison Barnes: Draft Profile

Ever since Barnes entered the NCAA I have enjoyed watching him play at a high level. As a freshman everyone knew how good of a season Barnes had. This year might not have been quite as good but he still had solid season in 2011-2012. He averaged 17.4 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game. Barnes was one of the few leaders on UNC along with Tyler Zeller and Kendall Marshall. The Tar Heels had a great season and I believe that he will had the best season of them all. He had 27 games with at least 15 points and 21 games with at least 5 rebounds. Barnes is a great outside shooter and is dangerous when he is not double covered. He is projected to go in the early first round to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Considering that we do not know the actual draft order and we are taking estimates, I think he will go to either the Cavs or the Sacramento Kings. Last year, Cleveland drafted points guard, Kyrie Irving and he has made a smooth transition to the NBA. They could use someone like Barnes who could play at the small forward position. The Kings just need someone good in general. They have brought in some solid prospects in the past years such as, Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins. Their franchise is building up and adding Barnes would only help them. Barnes has the skill set to be a great player in the NBA standing at 6 feet 8 inches weighing in at 210 pounds and can shoot the rock effectively. Barnes has had a great two years in college and I can not wait to hear good things about him while he is in the NBA. He is a great talent with potential to do great things at the next level.

Harrison Barnes, forward for UNC

Jeremy Lamb: Draft Profile

 After leading his team to an NCAA Championship last year, Kemba Walker, guard for Uconn entered the NBA. Once he left everyone on the team knew that they would have to step up if they wanted to be a contending team. Thier was one person who had to step up the most, Jeremy Lamb, fellow guard of Kemba Walker in the 2010-2011 season. Lamb did answer the call by averaging 17.7 points and 5 rebounds per game. He had 10 games with at least 20 points including the first game against Columbia where he dropped 30 and his game against Villanova where he droped 32 points. Uconn was not one of the Elite teams in the nation this year but they were able to make the tournament. They played against the best Iowa team there is, Iowa State. Uconn ended up on the losing side of the game by a score of 77-64. Lamb had a solid effort with 19 points and 4 rebounds but no one else on the team stepped up and one player can not bring you through the tournament. He is projected to go 6th pick in the draft to the Toronto Raptors. If you read my profile about Bradley Beal you will find out that I have him going to the Raptors in the early first round. So I pretty much flip- flopped the two so I have Jeremy Lamb heading out to Portland. As I said in my earlier entries that Portland does not have any guards and could use a new prospect. He has a lot of upside to him and that is exactly what the Portland Trail Blazers need coming thier way.

Jeremy Lamb, guard for Uconn

Bradley Beal: Draft Profile

Bradley Beal is one of the most gifted athletes in the NCAA. For a year that was dominated at the power forward position, Beal at the shooting guard was still able to build up a reputation that he is an elite player in the league. Standing at just 6-3, Beal is still able to create space for himself and shoot over the larger defenders. This season he averaged 14.6 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. He had a great year and like some of the other top draft prospects he is a freshman. The NBA does look at the skills and potential of the players but they also factor in how many years that the player could stay in the league. Beal being only a freshman would have a lot of time to prove himself in the NBA. If you were able to catch any of the NCAA Tournament you would have seen that the 7 seed Florida Gators were able to make a charge to the Elite Eight with a win over a top knotch Marquette team. Beal was able to league that brigade by scoring at least 14 points and 6 rebounds in each of his games. He also had a few games with high numbers in the rebounding and assists department. As you can see from the stats he was one of the better rebounding guards in the nation which the NBA teams can take into consideration. He is projected to go 7th overall in the draft to the Portland Trail Blazers who have Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford at the guards right now. I believe that he will be selected the pick before that to the Toronto Raptors. Thier team has really been strugling and might be considered the worst team in the league. They honestly have no guards so they will need to draft either Beal or Jeremy Lamb, from Uconn. He might not be to happy up with them Raptors but truth is, that team needs him.

Bradey Beal, guard for Florida

Austin Rivers: Draft Profile

Austin Rivers is another one of those amazing freshman players who are able to contra the league. Playing for one of the most elite teams in college hoops, the Duke Blue Devils, everyone knew that Rivers should not be taken lightly. Over the season he did not have the most flashy stats with 15.4 points per game and nearly 3 assists per game but there are other reasons why this young man can develop into a NBA superstar. For starters he is 6-4 playing at the point guard position which s actually pretty tall. Rivers is also one of the quickest guards in the NCAA and can give any point guard in the nation a run for their money. He is a great shooter especially late in the game. I don't think anyone who watched college basketball could forget his buzzer beater for the win against UNC. After his impressive season in college he has opted to enter the draft and is projected to go in the early first round to the one and only, Utah Jazz. As I said in an earlier entry the Jazz could use some guards to go along with Al Jefferson and the SAP. There has also been a lot of talk about a father- son combination between Doc Rivers and his son Austin Rivers. It would be extremely cool if the Celtics where able to draft Rivers and have him shadow Rajon Rondo until he is ready to start or he could try and play shooting guard in the NBA even though he is a little undersized. Ray Allen is not getting any younger and Rivers could fill in for him. My personal prediction is that he will be drafted in the early first round to the New Orleans Hornets. They could use him to go along with Eric Gordon in the back court who missed most of this years season. The Hornets already have decent big men and should probably use their draft pick on a guard. I can really see Austin Rivers being a future NBA All Star. 

Austin Rivers, guard for Duke

Tyler Zeller: Draft Profile

On to another UNC player. Zeller was the big man on campus this year for the Tar Heels and steped up in games when they needed him most. He averaged 16.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. He has had 20 games with at least 15 points and 17 games with at leats 10 rebounds. He has had many major games including his 31 point and 10 rebound game against Appalachian State. If I had to chose his best game it would be in the tournament when UNC played Ohio with out star point guard, Kendall Marshall. Zeller was able to literally carry his team to the Elite Eight with 20 points and 22 rebounds. He is projected to go in the early/mid first round to the Trail Blazers of Portland. Although I feel that Portland is a nice fit for Zeller and I think he will go around that same time. I believe that he wi;ll be drafted to a different team that needs him more. I predict that he will be drafted in the early to mid first round but to the Detroit Pistons. Zeller standing at a towering 7 feet tall has an advantage over even most of the NBA players. The Pistons are one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference and they could use a player that could spark a new franchise for them and Zeller fits that slot. They really have no good post players for example one of thier best forwards is Jonas Jerebko. I am not saying that Zeller will be able to turn around Detroit's sinking franchise but if they continue to recieve good draft picks they could become a decent team in the far future. Zeller is a gifted athlete like most college basketball players but I think he goes above and beyond the standards of the NCAA.

Tyler Zeller, forward for UNC

Kendall Marshall: Draft Profile

First of all I would like to point out that the Zach man said that Marshall is extremely overrated. Suprisingly I would have to somewhat agree with him. I believe that he is a little overrated but not too bad. At the end of the season Marshall's averages were 7.8 points per game and 9.7 assists per game. This is the part why he is overrated, he does not have very flashy stats. The part where he is not overrated is how the North Carolina team could not function corectly when they did not have Marshall playing. for them. He broke his wrist in the tournament and UNC never looked the same again. They slipped past a 13 seed in the Sweet 16 ( who defeated Michigan), but when they hit a team that was at least half decent, they lost the game. They did play a good Kansas team but the guard matchups for UNC were awful because Kansas already had better guards before Marshall got injured. Marshall is projected to go in the mid  first round ( a pick before Jared Sullinger) to the Utah Jazz. Although he would be a good fit in Utah, I do not think he will be drafted that early, or at least he shouldn't. My prediction is that Marshall will go to the Golden State Warriors in the mid to late first round. After trading away thier stud point guard, Golden State is going to need to bring up some good prospects to be the future of thier franchise. Most of you who have seen Marshall play probably can't see him as a Warrior but I think that it is a perfect fit for him and he will be able to play decent minutes as a rookie. He is only a sophmore and I though a better desicion for him would be to develop one more year in college then enter the draft but I am sure he will do fine in the NBA.

Kendall Marshall, guard for UNC
 

Jared Sullinger: Draft Profile

At first I thoug Sullinger was just a mediocer player that was overated. As his college career carried on I found that he is completely dirty and a dominant force in the post. Earlier this year I went to watch two Sweet 16 games one featuring Sullinger and Ohio State. When I watched the game I realized that it almost too easy for him. He ended up with a double double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. It almost seemed that he didn't even have to try. At the end of the season, Sullinger ended up averaging 17.6 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. He stepped up his game in moments when his team needed him. Sullinger had 25 games with at least 15 points and 17 games with at least ten rebounds. He is predicted to go in the mid first round to the Houston Rockets. From his freshman to his sophmore year he was able to get into much better shape but he could still need a few more hours in the gym to get into NBA shape. I believe that Sullinger has had such a dominant two years in college that he should be drafted in the early to mid first round. The best fit for Sullinger would be on the Milwaukee Bucks. They were just traded star pointguard/ shooting guard, Monta Ellis. There really isn't anyone else on that team so if Sullinger goes there and develops into a true NBA player than Ellis will have someone to pass to and the Bucks will be on the right track. I have a good feeling about Sullinger going to the NBA but he will have to work very hard to be a premier player in the league.

Jared Sullinger. forward for Ohio State and Kentucky
 

Kevin Jones: Draft Profile

This guy pretty much put the team on his back and attempted to carry it. He had a terrific season but his team was not the best and ended up finsihing their season in the first round of the tournament. Back to Jones. He averaged a double double in every game he played with 20.1 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per game. He did not win the Big East player of the year but he did have one of the best seasons out of the big men. He has had 19 games with ata least 20 points and 21 games with 10 or more rebounds. Of course just by looking at that you will find that he was able to reach quite a few double doubles over the season. He is projected to go very early in the second round to the Washington Wizards. Considering that he is in NBA shape and can be a dominant force under the boards I think that he will be drafted in the late first round to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After taking the number one overall pick last year, point guard Kyrie Irving, Kevin Jones will be the man for him to get the ball to. Irving is developing into a great young player but could need someone to pass the ball to because he is pretty lonely out there in Cleveland. I believe that Jones can make a nice transition into the NBA after having for years of college ball under his belt. Kevin Jones is a great player and hopefuly goes to a team that needs him.

Kevin Jones, forward for West Virginia

Draymond Green: Draft Profile

Dr. Dray is one of my favorite players in college basketball. He lead Michigan State to a Big Ten Championship and was one of the canidates for player of the year. He has had a great senior season averaging 16.1 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. The highlight of his season was when he had his second career tournament triple double with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. He is projected to go in the early second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Being a big fan of his that kind of upsets me. The NBA scouts think that at 6-7, he is too small to be a power forward and he is to slow to be a small forward. Over the season he has had 19 games where he has scored at least 15 points and has had 25 games with at least ten rebounds. He totals out to have 22 double doubles on the season. My personal opinion is that Draymond is just so dominant that he should be selected in the mid second round. No matter when he is drafted I think that the IndIana Pacers. The Pacers are turnng into a solid team but they need a powerful force he can pull down rebounds and get to the basket. Green is one of the strongest players in college hoops and when he makes the transition to the NBA, he will be able to play at a high level. He needs to be ready to play any possition that they ask him to play because we all know that the NBA is a whole lot different than college.

Draymond Green, forward for Michigan State

Yancy Gates: Draft Profile

Big Yancy, senior on Cincinnati will be looking to bring his talents to the next level. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches and wieghing in at 290 pounds, Gates is extremely difficult to overpower in the post. Over the season he has almost averaged a double, double with 12.4 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game. Some NBA scouts may say that Yancy is not in as good shape as most of the NBA players but after training camp he might be set. Yancy lead the bearcats to the Sweet 16 where they lost to Ohio State. He had no less than 7 points and 5 rebounds over the course of the tourny. The highlight of his tournament play weas his double, double against Texas in the first round, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Over the course of the season he had 12 games with 15 or more points. He also had 23 games where he had at least 8 rebounds. Gates is projected to go in the mid to late second round to the Denver Nuggets. My prediction for him is that he will go in the middle of the second round to the Sacramento Kings. There he will be able to learn from one of the better power forwards in the league, DeMarcus Cousins. He will be a nice fit for a team that will be rising up in the next few years. The Kings are also projected to get star shooting guard from Florida, Bradley Beal. The Kings will be a team to watch out for in the next few years and Big Yancy can only help them out even more.

Yancy Gates, forward/ center for Cincinnati
 

Tyshawn Taylor: Draft Profile

Tyshawn Taylor is one of the most athletic guards in college hoops. He might not be able to put up as much assists as some other point guards but this guy can score the basketball and speed up the tempo when he pleases. Over this season, Taylor has averaged 17.3 points per game and 4.8 assists per game. During this entire season he has had 12 games where he has scored at least 20 points and has had 19 games with at least 5 assists. Tyshawn Taylor was one of the reasons for Kansa's sucess in the tournament. He was able to score 22 points in the Jayhawk's big win over the Tar Heels of North Carolina. Taylor had 19 points in the national championship game but it was not enough. Throughout the season he has been a guy they could rely on from the perimeter. He is prejected to go in the late second round to the San Antonio Spurs. I believe that Taylor deserves a better draft possition that late second round. My prediction is that Taylor will be drafted in the mid- early second round to the Portland Trail Blazers who desperatly need at guard. He is in great shape and if he increases his speed and passing a little bit more, I think he will be able to compete with guards around the league. Kansas made it to the finals this year and having Tyshawn Taylor run the point for them was a huge reason why they did so well.

Tyshawn Taylor, guard for Kansas

Quincy Acy: Draft Profile

The color of Baylor's uniforms in the NCAA Tournament was called, electric. That was what Quincy Acy was for them. Acy was an electric players who can throw it down whenever he wants. He has averaged 11.8 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game. In Quincy's last two games against Xavier and Kentucky he scored at least 20 points had 15 rebounds against Xavier and 8 against the wild cats. This guy could really spark an NBA franchise. He is pretty much the Blake Griffin of the NCAA but no one knows how he would stack up against Blake himself. Quincy has also had multiple 20 point games over the course of the season along with a handful of at least 10 rebounds. I have been looking at a web site with mock drafts and it says that Quincy Acy will go late second round to the Toronto Raptors. I believe that Acy has a little more value than late second round. He is a guy who is not too tall standing at 6-6 but he is so powerful and strong that he could still play in the post at the proffesional level. Quincy deserves to go somewhere in the middle of the second round because it is a pretty big risk to take. My prediction is that Acy will go mid second round to the Philadelphia 76ers. He will pair up nice with Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes in the front court. Like most of the rookies he will probably come off of the bench. He will be a helpful source and probably improve what ever team he is on record.

Quincy Acy, forward for Baylor

Dion Waiters: Draft Profile

If I had to chose the best player to come off the bench in the NCAA I would say, Dion Waiters, guard for Syracuse. Without Waiters, the Orangemen of Syracuse would not have been the number two team in the nation. Waiters, coming off the bench put up steller statistics such as 12.6 points per game and 2.6 assists per game. He has also been the second most clutch man on campus next to fellow guard, Scoop Jardine. Waiters has had 12 games where he has had at least 15 points. He can speed things up or slow them down when ever he wants. Over the course of the tournament, Waiters stepped up with big man Fab Melo out for the tournament on academics. There was only one game over the tournament where he scored less than ten points. From coming off the bench that is pretty impressive. I am writing about Dion first because at one of the top NBA draft web sites they have him going to Boston. If the Celtics get Waiters they could be a dominant force. They will have him coming of the bench for a few years, but once Ray Allen retires, he will be ready to fill in his shoes. Waiters has so many qualities that any team would want. My prediction for Waiters is that he will go in the late first round to the Memphis Grizzlies. It will be fun to see if he and the other good college players can keep up with the big boys.

Dion Waiters, guard for Syracuse
 

Whats to Come

I would like to give you guys a taste of a few entries to come from me. Over the next few weeks I will be examining some of the top college hoops players and seeing if they are ready for the big time. So, I will write one journal entry on the profile of the player that I am writing about. These profiles will include statistics over thier college careers, if they are physically ready for the pros and what they will bring to the table if they get drafted. Although the draft will probably be sometime over the summer, I would still enjoy to take on this challenge because this is a topic that I really enjoy writing about. I would love to see you guys comment on my profiles whether you completely agree or disagree with my statements. There will be a crazy amount of tremendous talent coming out of the NCAA this year and it is going to make the NBA more exciting to watch next year. My personal theory is that some of these guys coming out of college will be able to hang with the big boys and maybe even give them a run for thier money. I have been checking out some of the experts mock drafts and I have to say, I don't completely agree with them. It will be interesting to see how my profiles stack up with the draft experts. Wish me luck on this challenge and feel free to completely degrade me if you do not agree with my statements.

NBA Draft Photo

National Championship

Last night the number one team in America, Kentucky squared off against a Kansas team who has not played to well in the tournament except for beating UNC and Ohio State in thier last two games. Right from the start the wildcats took over. Thier defense was amzing and they were able to put the ball in the hopp often. At the end of the first half the score was 41-27 with a Kentucky lead. So as you can imagine being down by that much could make a team get down on themselves but that was not the case for Kansas. They made a solid effort to fight back into this ball game by outscoring Kentucky 32-26 in the second half. In the end there was just too much Knetucky and they won by a score of 67-59. Thomas Robinson of Kansas defineatly did his part to help Kansas with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Robinson, if he enters the draft will probably be sent to a team in the first round because of his sieze, speed and ability to take over a game. He will not be the only person in that game that will be drafted for the NBA next year. A bunch of Kentucky's players are prospects for the NBA. There is even a rumor that player of the year, Anthony Davis and forward, Michael Kidd- Gilchrist might even go number one and number two in the draft. A few more of the wildcats are being looked at such as Doron Lamb, Terence Jones, Marquis Teague and Darius Miller. Anthony Davis was named the Final Four MVP. Davis only had 6 points in the championship which makes it seem almost impossible for him to recieve that award but he also had 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 6 blocked shots. He shut down the Kansas offense and he deserved that award for sure. It is depressing that this will probably be the last college basketball entry I write but I must admit it was fun while it lasted.

Anthony Davis, forward, Player of the Year, Final Four MVP, for Kentucky

A Great Final Four

Just to be clear the Final Four is where the winners of each quadrant of the bracket play each other in two games. In the past these games have been highly competitive and very exciting to watch. This year's Final Four action was extremely simlar with one game that was closer than most people expected, and a game where two of the same seeds played but the game shocked most of America with the ending.
1. Kentucky vs.  4. Louisville
The number one team in the nation, jumped out to an early lead on the Cardinals. Louisville then fought back and at the end of the half the score was 35-28 with a Kentucky lead. In the second half Louisville battled hard but it was not enough losing to them by one point in the second half. Anthony Davis had a big game for Kentucky with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks. Although Louisville played well, there was just too much blue and Kentucky went on to win by a score of 69-61.

2. Ohio State vs.  2. Kansas
This was a great game to watch with my friend Zach. Ohio State came out with passion and at one point was doubling Kansas. They were winning by 11 points with about 6 seconds to go in the half. Ohio State comes down the floor, turns it over, and Kansas runs the fast break for a buzzer beater layup to give them some momentum going into the second half. Of course this momentum would carry over into the second half and the fought back into it to tie the game with only a few minutes left. Kansas would then take the lead with about 10 seconds left and Ohio State turned it over and that was that. Elijah Johnson had a nice game for the Jayhawks with 13 points and 10 assists. Kansas upsets a team that most people thought could beat Kentucky, by a final score of  64-62.

Elijah Johnson, guard for Kansas

Top 5 Upsets in the Tourny

By James Finneral on March 29, 2012 12:44 PM | 2 Comments

There is a reason why this tournament is called March Madness. The reason is that teams you have never heard of before take down some of the top teams in the country. As usuall this was the case in this tournament.

5. 4. Louisville over  1. Michigan State
Although Louisville is a pretty high seed, both the Michigan State Spartans and most of the country was shocked when Louisville won in the Sweet 16. Michigan State was playing some pretty good ball coming into the tournament after winning the tough Big 10 Conference Tournament. Louisville bullied them down low and shut down their whole team a except for Dr. Dray. The final score of the game was 57-44.

Peyton Siva, guard for Louisville


4. 6. Cincinnati over  3. Florida State
Some would say that Florida State was the hottest team coming into the tournament. After winning the ACC Tournament and beating teams like UNC and Duke. Cinci ran the fast break effectively and Florida State could not keep up. They were also able to take out the Seminoles star player, Michael Snair. The bear cats played clutch down the stretch and won by a final score of 62-56.

Yancy Gates, forward for Cincinnati
 

3. 11. NC State over  3. Georgetown
Georgetown failed in thier competition against the Pack. I do not have much words for this game but it was truly embarising for a team like NC State to be able to make the Sweet 16. The outcome of that game was 66-63.

Lorenzo Brown, guard for NC State
 

2. 15. Lehigh over  2. Duke
This game was a bracket buster for me. As I was watching this game I was humiliated because Lehigh simply outplayed Duke in every aspect. Duke tried to fight back but in the last minute they had to continuously foul Lehigh and they knocked down the free throws. Austin Rivers and Mason Plumlee were the only people that played for Duke and everone knows that will not win you a game evn against a bad team. The final score was 75-70.

CJ McCollum, guard for Lehigh


1.  15. Norfolk State over  2. Missouri
Of all the upsets in this tournament this was the most shocking. Even Zach had Missouri going all the way and they let him down. Missouri didn't actually play that bad, its just Norfolk State wanted it much more than them. This game came down to the final seconds and Mizzou could not pull it out of the bag. Kyle O'Quinn was able to lead the Spartans to a 86-84 victory.

Kyle O'Quinn, forward for Norfolk State
 

Final Four Preview: Kansas Jayhawks

By James Finneral on March 28, 2012 2:35 PM | 1 Comment

Kansas has been an odd team throughout this tournament. They have faced teams like Detroit, Purdue and North Carolina State and have barely won. But, they had a very clutch victory over North Carolina with their star point guard out. There's was not, Tyshawn Taylor showed up that game and dropped 22 points on the Tar Heels. They also had help from their big man, Thomas Robinson who was too fast for Tyler Zeller and was able to score 18 points with 9 rebounds. Oddly enough their largest victory in the tournament so far was the game against UNC. On Saturday they will play Ohio State which will be a difficult challenge as every Final Four game should be. Ohio State is an all around team and Kansas only has a few star players. Thomas Robinson is going to need to step up and flat out beat Jared Sullinger if they want to have a chance in this game. If Kansas plays the way they did against UNC, this game will be very entertaining to watch. The guard matchups might not work in their favor but if the big men get work done Ohio State will be on their heels. I llok forward to watching this game cause I think Kansas will step up.

Thomas Robinson, foward for Kansas
 

Final Four Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes

By James Finneral on March 28, 2012 2:19 PM | 2 Comments

The buckeyes are coming off a huge victory against Syracuse where not just their offense stood out but also their defense, which was able to hold off the high scoring Syracuse club. Ohio State is red hot coming into this next game with Jared Sullinger playing at a high level and Aaron Craft playing great defense. Ohio State does not just revolve around one player they also have William Bufford who can shoot the ball and Deshaun Thomas who can take over the game if he is playing well. In thier next game they will be playing the Jay Hawks of Kansas who have not played the best this tournament but are coming off of a victory against powerhouse North Carolina. Kansas will be a good matchup for Ohio State because Thomas Robinson vs. Jared Sullinger and Tyshawn Taylor vs. Aaaron Craft. I think the other matchups will work in Ohio State's favor even though Kansas has a few more decent players Ohio State is just more well rounded and has more talent. I believe if Kansas does not show up to play it will be all Ohio State and they will be playing in the title game.
Aaron Craft, guard for Ohio State

Final Four Preview: Kentucky Wildcats

By James Finneral on March 28, 2012 2:06 PM | 2 Comments

Kentucky has dominated the NCAA throughout the whole season. They finished the regular season with only one loss and then they lost to Vanderbilt in a fluke game in the SEC Tournament. Thier starting lineup is the most vicious in college hoops with projected number one pick, Anthony Davis along with Michael Kidd- Glichrist, big man Terence Jones and Doron Lamb. The wildcats have not faced bad teams to make it to the Final Four. They have had to move past Iowa State, Indiana who they lost to in their first meeting and Baylor who they shut down. Kentucky will face the underdog, Louisville on Saturday. Although they should not take the Cardinals lightly, I believe that if Michael Kidd- Glichrist shows up to play and Anthony Davis plays like he always does, Kentucky will win this game and be well rested to play the winner of the game from the other side of the bracket.

Anthony Davis, foward for Kentucky

Final Four Preview: Louisville Cardinalls

By James Finneral on March 27, 2012 4:52 PM | 4 Comments

Louisville is the lowest seed in the Final Four sitting as a four seed and winning the West region. Although Louisville does not have the most power packed lineup, they have been on a hot streak. Winning the Big East tournament with their victory over Cincinnati and beating teams like New Mexico, Michigan State and Florida. They have had leadership from Kyle Kuric all through out the season but  their big freshman, Cahne Behanan has stepped up in this tournament scoring over ten points in all of his games and picking up a few double, doubles here and there. They are the underdog of this years Final Four and most people think they don't have a chance against the number one team in the nation, Kentucky who they will play on Saturday. The key for the Cardinalls for their next game is their point guard, Peyton Siva who will need to step up, make shots and find the big guys down low. Kentucky will be a huge challenge for them but they don't call it March Madness for nothing.

Chane Behanan, forward for Louisville

A Very Elite Eight

By James Finneral on March 26, 2012 11:01 AM | 2 Comments

The Elite Eight is the championship game for each section of the bracket and it determines who advances to the Final Four. Every Elite Eight game is very competitive and that pattern only continued after this years action.

4. Louisville vs.  7. Florida
For most of the game Florida had the lead but the Cardinalls of Louisville destroyed them down the stretch. They outscored Florida by 12 points in the second half which was enough to take the lead and later win the game. Chane Behanan had a nice game for Louisville with 17 points and 7 rebounds. Florida's turnover late in the game cost them a chance to play in the national championship. The final score was 72-68.

1. Syracuse vs.  2. Ohio State
This was the game where the lack of Fab Melo hurt the Orangemen. Jared Sullinger dominated the post with 19 points and 7 rebounds and was able to defend the big men of Syracuse. Scoop Jardine made an effort to keep Syracuse in it but they pulled him out for the last 4 minutes. Syracuse finally exits the tournament by a score of 77-70

1. Kentucky vs.  3. Baylor
Too much blue for the bears to handle. The wildcats beat up on Baylor, at one point they were leading by over 20 points but then decided to give them some points so they would not be emotionally drained. Anthony Davis had a double, double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Kentucky post only had one problem and it was Quincy Acy who droped 22 points and 8 rebounds. Kentucky won by a final score of 82-70.

1. UNC vs.  2. Kansas
This game was fun to watch. Kansas wanted this game more than the Tar heels did and that is why they won the game. Thomas Robinson played inspired with 18 points and 9 rebounds with some suprising mid range jumpshots that fell for him. He was too quick for Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes could not get going for them. The lack of Kendall Marshall was felt in this one and that was one of the key reasons why UNC lost. Final score 80-67.

Quincy Acy, forward for Baylor
 

A Sweet First Day

By James Finneral on March 23, 2012 8:36 PM | 3 Comments

On Thursday March 22nd there were four games that took place. Two in the East region and two in the West region featuring high quality teams facing off in fierce battles with interesting and different outcomes. 

1. Syracuse vs.  4. Wisconsin 

Even without Fab Melo most people expected Syracuse to still reach the Sweet 16 but some thought that once they ran into a high caliber team they would have some trouble. Wisconsin came out firing and continued to for the whole game. There three point shooting was incredible with the help of Jordan Taylor who finshed the game with 17 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds. The game came down to a last second shot by Wisconsin that missed and sent Syracuse to the Elite Eight. Scoop Jardine was a big help for the Orange with 14 points, 4 assists and some clutch shooting down the stretch. The final score was 64-63. 

2. Ohio State vs.  6. Cincinnati 

Even after defeating the highly skilled team of Florida State, the bear cats knew it was not going to be a walk in the park against Ohio State. And it was not, Ohio State was a bigger and better team than Cinci. Deshaun Thomas had a big night for the Buckeyes with 26 points and 7 rebounds but the real story of the night was Jared Sullinger who had a double, double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Ohio State rolled on to beat Cincinnati by a score of 81-66 and move on to play Syracuse in the next round. 

1. Michigan State vs.  4. Louisville 

This might give away the next game but there were two upsets in the West region in the Sweet 16 and one was this game. Louisville outplayed Michigan State the whole game. They held Draymond Green to 13 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal which is actually somewhat of an accomplishment. Chane Behenan lead the way for the Cardinals with  15 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. The Spartans are the first one seed to be eliminated in the tournament and they leave the tournament by a final score of 57-44. 

3. Marquette vs.  7. Florida 

The Gators are the shocking team of the tournament so far. Their fast pace game is tough to keep up with and their defense is stifling, which was displayed last on Thursday. They were able to hold Marquette's beast, Jae Crowder to only 15 points on a poor shooting night. Bradley Beal was huge for Florida with his 21 points and 6 rebounds. Florida moves on by a score of 68-58 and will play the Cardinals of Louisville in the Elite Eight. 

 

Scoop Jardine, guard for Syracuse

All 1 Seeds In Sweet 16

Even though half of the two and three seeds are out of the tournament all of the number one seeds still remain alive. If you have watched any of this tournament you would have realized that none of these games come easy and are only going to become more difficult down the road.

1. Kentucky: The wildcats came inot the tournament as the best team and nothing has changed since then. They have a stacked power packed lineup with no injuries. The team consists of elite players in the NCAA such as predicted number 1 draft pick Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd Gilchrist, Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones. So far in the tourny they have had a complete breeze but its never easy to make it to the Final Four.

1. Syracuse: With their star big man Fab Melo out for the tournament on academic suspension the Orange Men face a tough road ahead. In the past two rounds they were able to defeat UNC Ashville and Kansas State. The games ahead will be much different facing Wisconsin on Thursday and down the road might play Ohio State. They have the talent to reach the Final Four but do not be suprised if they don't make it.

1. UNC: Things were going extremely well in the tournament for UNC up until the last game where they lost their superstar point guard, Kendall Marshall. Marshall has just undergone surgery on his wrist and no one is sure of how long he will be out. He could come back as early as their next game against Ohio but he also could be out for a while. If he does not play this game will be tough for UNC but they are defineatly still capable of winning. They will need the likes of Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller to step up on Friday.

1. Michigan State: I think Michigan State could be given a run for their money this Thursday against Louisville. Louisville is a strong team and is defineatly ready for their shot at the Final Four. I believe as long as the continue to play the way they have been playing they will be fine and possibly play Marquette or Florida in the Elite Eight. This Michigan State team with the leadership of Draymond Green could go a long way in this tournament.

Michael Kidd- Gilchrist

Interesting Matchups Coming Up On Thursday

After last nights action the Sweet 16 is all set. This round of the tournament includes obiously 16 teams and 8 games. The winners of the games on Thurday March 22 and Friday March 23 will move on and play in the championship for their quadrant of the bracket. There have been a few set backs for different teams which will open doors for other clubs. Here are some of the intreging matchups in the Sweet 16.

1. Michigan State vs.  4. Louisville
So far in the tournament Michigan State has not been extremely challenged by anyone unless you consider their game against St. Louis a challenge. This Louisville team could give Sparty some touble with Peyton Siva at the point guard and Kyle Kuric in the post. Although I believe this will be a real test for Michigan State I feel that Draymond Green is just to good and Michigan State will advance to the Elite Eight.

1. Syracuse vs  4. Wisconsin
This could be the game where not having Fab Melo in the lineup might hurt Syracuse at the end of the game. Wisconsin is a good defensive team and can shoot the ball with Jordan Taylor in the back court. Wisconsin has a legitimate chance of taking down the Orange Men and it should be an exciting game to watch.

2. Ohio State vs.  6. Cincinnati
After winning a nail bitter against Florida State, Cincinnati has to go up against one of the top teams in the nation in Ohio State. Ohio State is an all around basketball team with Aaron Craft and William Buford at the guards and Deshaun Thomas and the unstopable Jared Sullinger in the post it might be a rough day for the Bearcats. Cinci is going to need Yancy Gates and Sean Kilpatrick to step up if they are going to have a chance of moving to the Elite Eight.

\Jordan Taylor, guard for Wisconsin
 
 

Draymond Green Reaches an Incredible Mark

Draymond Green is the faceof the Michigan Spartans basketball team and is the reason why they are a number 1 seed in the tournament. Over this season Green has averaged a double, double with 16.1 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. Although Green does a remarkable job in the post his court vision is amazing and they way he is able to make passes to cutters in the lane is mind boggeling. Over this season he is averaging 3.6 assists per game so he is an all around player and his performance against LIU Brooklyn proved that. He single handedly dominated LIU while reaching a historic mark. After the game was over Green's stats totalled up to reach a triple double which is when you have ten or more stats and 3 different categories. The way the Green earned his was by scoring 24 points, snatching down 12 rebounds and getting his teammates the ball where they could score totalling with 10 assists. A triple double by itself is an amzing feat but doing it for the second time in the tournament in your career is an accomplishment only few have reached. Draymond Grren getting his 2 triple double in his tournament career put him on a small list with the likes of Oscar Robertson and former Spartan Magic Johnson. Robertson still holds the record with 4 but Green has tied Magic Johnson on the list. Green is a senior and this will be his last NCAA Tournament so if he wants to tie or beat Robertson's record first Michigan State will need to win more games and Green will have to step his game up.

Draymond Green, forward for Michigan State drives by Brian Conklin AKA (The STUD) forward for St Louis.