Feast Week Awards!

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

The Award for the Most Valuable Player goes to: Kemba Walker, UConn

Do I really need to explain this to you? Yes? Ok, well the Huskies, who were picked 10 in the Big East, got 30.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, and 2.7 spg from Walker (who also shot an absurd 28-52 [53.8%] from the floor, 26-28 [92.9%] from the line, and 8-19 [42.5%] from three) en route to a Maui Invitational title, which included wins over top ten teams Michigan State and Kentucky. Good enough? For the record, we want to avoid making this a completely Husky-centric post, so consider them out of the running for any other award.



The Award for the Least Valuable Player goes to: JaMychal Green, Alabama

Green was a McDonald's all-american coming out of high school. Many were hoping that he could be the guy that turned around the Crimson Tide's struggling program. Things looked promising, as he averaged 14 points and 7 boards as a sophomore, but his junior year as started off anything but well. Alabama went 0-3 in the Paradise Jam, which included a 50-49 loss to a St. Peter's team that was missing star Wesley Jenkins. Green averaged a paltry 11.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg (just two defensive rebounds in the three games), and had as many turnovers (8) as he did blocks, steals, and assists combined.


The Award for the Biggest Surprise goes to: Minnesota

There were a few people that were tooting the Gopher horn before the season started, but I doubt that any of them could have predicted this. Minnesota jumped out to a 6-0 start to the season, a stretch headlined by their title in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament. They knocked off Western Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia while getting stellar play out of transfer Trevor Mbakwe, who is finally playing after sitting out last season with legal issues. Now, just imagine their front line if Royce White was still around.



The Award for the Biggest Disappointment goes to: Temple

You're right. This is an upset. UNC probably should have one this award, but since the committee (aka just me, baby!) is sick of hearing about the Tar Heels, they went another direction. The Owls headed into the Old Spice Classic with a top 20 ranking as the flag bearer of a somewhat underwhelming Atlantic 10 conference. When they left, the A-10 looked weaker than ever, as Temple sandwiched a mediocre win over Georgia with losses to Cal and Texas A&M. Temple could not get anything going offensively against Texas A&M, and looked disinterested in their opener against Cal. Juan Fernandez was particularly bad, averaging 8.7 ppg and 1.7 apg while shooting 7-32 from the floor, 2-16 from three, and committing 9 turnovers.


The Award for Most Impressive Team goes to: TIE -- Notre Dame and UNLV

Notre Dame and UNLV won the Old Spice Classic and the 76 Classic, respectively. Notre Dame had the more impressive wins (Georgia, Cal, Wisconsin), but UNLV did it in more impressive fashion. There are a couple of reasons I really like this Irish team. For starters, they are playing as much defense as they ever have this year. They held Cal to five points in the first half on Friday, then used their defense to spur a game-clinching, 26-8 surge in the final seven minutes. The second reason is that with Carleton Scott, Scott Martin, Tim Abromaitis, Tyrone Nash, and Jack Cooley on their roster, the Irish are capable of throwing out a number of different looks. They closed out the Badgers with Scott at center and Martin at the four, essentially playing a five-out offense. Lastly, Eric Atkins looks like he will be an impact player as a freshman. That addition is going to allow Ben Hansbrough time playing off the ball.


For UNLV, I was more impressed with how this team looked than any other team in the country during Feast Week (well, save Duke and the UConn Kemba Walkers). They have a lot of really talented back court players that are strong, athletic, and love to defend. Their press is going to give a lot of team fits this season. I love Chace Stanback at the four. He creates a real mismatch problem for opponents, as he is essentially a 6'8" two guard. The best part? They probably have only gotten 70-75% of the real Tre'Von Willis. There are a lot of interchangeable weapons on this team.


The Award for the Least Impressive Team goes to: Washington

Maybe this is because I am basing this off of the impression I got from this team in their 43 point win over Virginia, but I was dreadfully disappointed in the performance from the Huskies in Maui. They looked horrid offensively against Kentucky, as Isaiah Thomas choked down the stretch and their guards made bad decision after bad decision. Against Michigan State, it was more of the same. Washington, right now, has the talent to be a top 10 team, probably higher. They have the pieces. This team just doesn't seem to understand how to play basketball and what Lorenzo Romar wants them to do. If you couldn't figure it out, that is a bad thing.


The Award for the Best Game goes to: BYU 77, South Florida 75 2OT

The Bulls opened a lead as big as ten in the second half of this South Padre Island Invitational semifinal, but BYU battled back. They tied the game at 58, but with under a minute left USF's Jowanza Poland hit a three for a 61-58 lead. At the other end, Charles Abouo answered with a three of his own to force overtime. In the first extra frame, Fredette missed a leaner at the buzzer, which forced a second overtime. In the second extra period, a three from Jimmer gave BYU a 75-72 lead, but a bucket by Gus Gilchrist, a USF stop, and a free throw from Toarlyn Fitzpatrick tied the game. It set up this final possession:



The Award for the Weirdest Finish goes to: Weber State 82, Drake 81

Drake freshman Rayvonte Rice scored a layup with 20 seconds left to give the Bulldogs an 81-80 lead. At the other end, Damian Lillard drove to the rim to try and win the game, but he was called for a charge. But Aaron Hawley of Drake was given a technical foul for spiking the ball in celebration. Lillard knocked down two free throws for an 82-81 lead, which capped a 13 point second half comeback, and Drake missed two shots in the final seconds.
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11/30 - College Hoops Week in Review: Feast Week Rehashed

Maybe it is just us, but Feast Week is easily our favorite week of the season outside the month of March.

Meaningful games and twelve straight hours of basketball in November? For an entire week? Can we make this a holiday tradition? Does anyone else like the idea of gift week in mid-December?

All kidding aside, beyond the fact that this week gives us sports fans something to watch when the Lions are getting blown out on Thanksgiving day, college hoops junkies get a chance to see a number of teams that are going to be a factor come March.

(photo credit: ESPN)

Without Feast Week, would you know that Iona has the horses to compete in the competitive MAAC this season? Or that the Gaels have a seven footer named Jonathon Huffman that is a lights out three point shooter? Or that Portland will beat some good teams with their shooting, but will struggle against athletic teams that pressure on the perimeter and crash the glass?

Probably not.

Hit the jump for a recap of all the Feast Week tournaments.

Feast Week MOP: Klay Thompson, Washington State

Thompson has certified himself as the early favorite for Pac-10 player of the year. In three games in the Great Alaska Shootout, Thompson averaged 29.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.7 apg, and 2.0 apg while shooting 56.9% from the floor and going 14-24 from deep. He also spent a lot of time defending the best perimeter player on the floor and was a big reason the Cougars were able to hold San Diego's dynamic point guard Brandon Johnson to just 13 points (on 4-12 shooting) and 2 assists. What is most impressive is that Thompson is doing this while team's know that he is the only guy that is a real threat offensively in the half court. There may not be a more dangerous play in the country coming off of a screen than Thompson, who proved that fact on Saturday night. He set a Great Alaska Shootout record with 43 points against San Diego.

Klay Thompson was on fire throughout the four day tournament.
(photo credit: AP)

First Team All-Feast Week:

• Manny Harris, Michigan: Michigan lost their last two games in the Old Spice Classic, but it wasn't because Manny Harris didn't show up. In the three games in Orlando, Harris averaged 22.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.7 apg, and 2.7 spg. Evan Turner may have a challenger for most complete player in the Big Ten.
• John Shurna, Northwestern: Everyone thought Northwestern's season was a lost cause when they lost Kevin Coble, but this John Shurna kid looks pretty good. He only outplayed Luke Harangody and Craig Brackins while averaging 24 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 4.0 apg in leading Northwestern to a title in the Chicago Invitational. Not a bad introduction to the nation.
• DJ Kennedy, St. John's: Are the Johnnies back? They won the Hoop Group Classic in Philly this weekend, beating Siena and Temple (in what was basically a road game) en route to the title. Kennedy was the best player on the floor for St. John's as he averaged 19 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 3.5 apg.
• Lazar Hayward, Marquette: Hayward, along with his front court counterpart Jimmy Butler, was a huge reason that Marquette was able to make a run to the finals of the Old Spice Classic. In three games in Orlando, Hayward 22.7 ppg and 7.3 rpg, but more importantly created match-up problems all over the court.
  
• Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia: The Mountaineers won the 76 Classic in Anaheim, and Butler was the biggest reason why. Butler averaged 18.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 3.3 apg, which included a 15 point second half that carried WVU to a win against Texas A&M, while earning MVP honors.

Second Team All-Feast Week

• Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga: Bouldin didn't put up the greatest numbers out in Maui, but he consistently made the big plays that helped the Zags bring their first title back to Spokane. He averaged 15 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, and 2.0 spg.
• Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech: Delaney was borderline unstoppable during the Philly Hoop Group Classic, as he averaged 28.0 ppg in two games. That included a 32 point outburst against Temple in a game where the Hokies managed just 50 as a team.
• Jon Scheyer, Duke: Scheyer is never going to put up the best numbers playing the point for Duke, but, as Coach K said after the UConn game, Scheyer is the most important player on the Blue Devils roster. He proved it in two games in MSG this week, averaging 17.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 5.0 apg while committing just his first three turnovers of the season. If you include the two first round games from two weeks ago, Scheyer averaged 16.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 5.0 apg with a 6.7:1 assist:turnover ratio.
• Chris Singleton, Florida State: Singleton won the MVP of the Old Spice Classic as he went for 18 points and 10 boards in the final against Marquette. Not only did he give FSU a huge lift in the second half, he was a big reason that Lazar Hayward struggled to find a rhythm in the final. For the tournament, he averaged 15.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, and 3.0 spg.
• Keion Bell, Pepperdine: Bell earned a national reputation in the fall for being a dunker, but through seven games he has shown he is much more than just his vertical. In three games during the World Vision Basketball Challenge, Bell averaged 26.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.7 apg while winning tournament MVP.

TOURNAMENT RECAPS

76 Classic

• Champ: West Virginia over Portland
• MVP: Da'Sean Butler
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - UCLA's struggles continue as they lost three games in this tournament to mid-majors - Butler, Long Beach State, and Portland by 27.
  
  - Portland, a team some think may be the third best WCC, reaches the finals as they knocked off UCLA and Minnesota, a win that will look very good come Selection Sunday. The same can be said for Texas A&M, who knocked off Clemson and Minnesota.
  
  - West Virginia finally got Devin Ebanks back into uniform, and he didn't disappoint, scoring 14 points and 9 boards in his debut on Friday.

CBE Classic

• Champ: Texas over Pitt
• MVP: Damion James
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Pitt may be without Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown, and they sure are going to miss the four starters that are gone, but the Panthers are going to be able to compete with anyone simply because they play defense and they play hard.
  
  - Texas lost guard Varez Ward for the season with a torn quad muscle he suffered in warmups. Ward was much improved this season, and was a starter for Rick Barnes. The Longhorns are deep in the back court, but losing Ward could still hurt this team.
  
  - How much longer is Todd Lickliter going to be allowed to try and rebuild Iowa?
  

Chicago Invitational Challenge

• Champ: Northwestern over Iowa State
• MVP: John Shurna
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - A lot of people thought Northwestern had a chance to make to NCAA Tournament for the first time ever before Kevin Coble got hurt. With John Shurna out playing Craig Brackins and Luke Harangody, they may still have a chance.
  
  - We know about Craig Brackins, but with Lucca Staiger and Marquis Gilstrap developing into solid offensive threats, the Cyclones may be end up being able to compete in the Big XII.
  
  - Along those same lines, we know what Ben Hansbrough can provide, but will Tim Abromaitis continue to play at this level as the competition increases.
  

Great Alaska Shootout

• Champ: Washington State over San Diego
• MVP: Klay Thompson
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Klay Thompson averaged 29.7 ppg in three games. If he can keep producing anywhere near that well, Wazzu has a shot of getting a bid to the dance.
  
  - Oklahoma lost their first two games in this tournament, and won their third despite Willie Warren being held out by Jeff Capel.
  
  - San Diego picked up two wins in the tournament, including one over Oklahoma. Brandon Johnson looks like he can really play. Can the Toreros win enough games to make the tournament?
  

Legends Classic

• Champ: Florida over Rutgers
  
• MVP: Erving Walker
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - After beating Florida State and Michigan State in the span of a week, Florida should be getting the hype that Syracuse got after their run through the CvC. They won't. They won on HDNet. Syracuse won on ESPN.
  
  - How good is Mike Rosario? He scored 20 in the first half of Rutgers opener against UMass, but he scored just 16 over the rest of the two day tournament.
  
  - Against Florida, Michigan State committed 23 turnovers and made a number of silly, costly fouls down the stretch. Is this really a team coached by Tom Izzo?
  

Maui Invitational

• Champ: Gonzaga over Cincinnati
  
• MVP: Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Cincinnati has the talent, the toughness, and the size to make a run at a top three spot in the Big East. But will they be enough of a team?
  
  - Apparently, Gonzaga has some strength on the interior this season, as Robert Sacre and Elias Harris were able to hold their own against a very big Cincinnati team.
  
  - Greivis Vasquez still has yet to find his stride. He is shooting just 32.9% from the floor and 26.1% from deep on the season, and in the three games this week, he was just 13-37 from the field and 4-15 from deep. He had 11 assists and 11 turnovers.
  

NIT Season Tip-Off

• Champ: Duke over UConn
  
• MVP: Jon Scheyer
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - If Derek Glasser and Eric Boateng can perform like they against LSU, the Sun Devils may just be good enough to make the NCAA Tournament.
  
  - UConn is athletic. UConn can block shots. But UConn is not strong inside, and not a good rebounding team this season.
  
  - Duke is for real this season, as their back court is playing some great basketball right now and their front court seems to be living up to the potential.
  

Old Spice Classic

• Champ: Florida State over Marquette
• MVP: Chris Singleton
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Manny Harris, who averaged 22.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.7 apg, and 2.7 spg, looks like he may be having a good enough season to make a run at the Big 10 player of the year award.
  
  - Siena and Niagara may not be the runaway favorites in the MAAC. Iona gave Florida State all they could hand in the opener, took Baylor to OT in the second round, and yesterday knocked off Creighton.
  
  - Xavier goes as Jordan Crawford goes. In the win, he had 22 points on 8-12 from the field and 4-5 from three. In the two losses, Crawford was a combined 10-39 from the floor while averaging 12.5 ppg.
  

Match-ups of the week:

• 12/2 - 7:00 pm: Siena @ Georgia Tech
• 12/2 - 7:00 pm: Pitt @ Duquesne
• 12/2 - 8:00 pm: Northern Iowa @ Iowa State
• 12/2 - 8:00 pm: Arkansas @ Oklahoma
• 12/2 - 8:00 pm: Oklahoma State @ Tulsa
• 12/2 - 9:00 pm: UNLV @ Arizona
• 12/2 - 9:00 pm: Washington State @ Gonzaga
  
• 12/2 - 9:30 pm: Missouri @ Vanderbilt
• 12/3 - 7:00 pm: Washington @ Texas Tech
• 12/3 - 10:30 pm: Baylor @ Arizona State
• 12/5 - 12:30 pm: UNC @ Kentucky
• 12/5 - 3:30 pm: St. John's @ Duke
• 12/5 - 5:30 pm: Wake Forest @ Gonzaga
• 12/5 - 9:00 pm: Washington State @ Kansas State
  
• 12/5 - 11:00 pm: Iowa State @ Cal
• 12/6 - 1:00 pm: South Carolina @ Clemson
• 12/6 - 5:30 pm: Kansas @ UCLA
• 12/6 - 7:30 pm: Villanova @ Maryland
  

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The best ten days of the pre-March college hoops season starts tonight

For anyone that stayed up to watch all 24 plus hours of the 2009 Tip-Off Marathon, kudos. You are probably just as tired as I am right now.

But don't think, not for a second, that we are done with this season's non-conference craziness.

You see, today kicks off the best ten day stretch of the college basketball season that doesn't involve the terms "March" or "Madness". In early November, most teams are playing cupcakes, ironing out the kinks in their rotations, their offense, and their defense, and trying to find an identity. When December rolls around and finals hit, most schools tone down their scheduling. Flying cross-country the day before a exam is not the best way to keep up a GPA.

That leaves the end of November. And while much of the country will spend Turkey week watching football, if you get sick of watching the Lions or this weekend's meaningless college football schedule, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of hoops to be seen.

So without further ado, here are the 10 questions we hope will be answered by the end of Feast Week (for a full breakdown of the preseason tournaments, go here)

How will UNC play against real competition?

North Carolina is 3-0 early in the season, but they haven't exactly played the meat of the ACC schedule. They also haven't looked all that impressive in wins over FIU, North Carolina Central, and Valpo. There are two major issues for the Heels - perimeter shooting and the play of their younger guys. In their first three wins, UNC won, for the most part, because Deon Thompson, Ed Davis, and Tyler Zeller were just too strong inside. Playing against teams with similar strength inside, will the back court be capable of winning games? Larry Drew has been solid, but unspectacular, in his first three games starting at the point. Marcus Ginyard and Will Graves are smart veteran players and good defenders, but they aren't exactly Wayne Ellington offensively. Dexter Strickland, Leslie McDonald, and John Henson have been disappointing thus far. If the Heels don't find a perimeter shooter and their young back court kids don't develop in a hurry, Roy Williams may regret his team's difficult early schedule.


Will UCLA's defense pick up?

Did you watch the UCLA-Cal St. Fullerton game? The Bruins lost a double overtime snoozefest to the Titans in one of the ugliest games I have seen in a long time. Why? UCLA doesn't have a go-to guy offensively. Malcolm Lee was expected to be that guy, and while he had his moments, against CSF he showed he still has a long way to go. PG Jerime Anderson looked nervous and played without confidence throughout the game, and Drew Gordon is without an effective offensive game. Michael Roll and Nikola Dragovic, when he finds he jumper, are effective complimentary scorers, but they aren't the guys you want to rely upon for a big basket. With their injuries in the pre-season, these struggles were somewhat expected. UCLA's struggles defensively weren't. Don't be fooled by the numbers, the Bruins allowed the Titans to penetrate at will, and if CSF had been able to finish at the rim (the Titans must have missed 15 lay-ups), UCLA would have lost by 20. UCLA will get a talented Portland team in the opening round of the 76 Classic, followed by a tough match-up with either Butler or Minnesota. Their defense will be tested.


Is Gonzaga's front line really as good as they played against Michigan State?

Everyone knew about Gonzaga's back court coming into the season. Matt Bouldin, Demetri Goodson, and Steven Gray (ED. Note: Until he cuts his hair, I propose the nickname of Geico for Steven Gray. He looks just like one of the cavemen.) are as talented as any three in the back court. The question was in the front court, and Robert Sacre and Elias Harris more than proved themselves. Sacre has 17 points on an impressive variety of post moves, while Harris used his strength and athleticism to bully his way to 17 and 9. The question is was that a result of a young and depleted Spartan front line, or are Sacre and Harris really that good? With Colorado and the winner of Arizona/Wisconsin in the first two rounds of the Maui Invitational, Sacre and Harris will get a chance to prove this wasn't a fluke performance.


Will Greivis Vasquez break out of this shooting slump?

Greivis Vasquez has struggled through the first two games of the season. He is just 6-25 from the floor, 2-7 from three, and averaging a paltry 8.0 ppg. How is this possible? Everyone knows that he is one of the most talented players in the country, and by far the best player on the Maryland team.

Therein lies the problem. If the fans know it and the writers and bloggers know it, then shouldn't you expect opposing coaches to know it as well? When you are as good as Vasquez is, team's are going to key in on you. And that is precisely what has happened. The shooting numbers for Vasquez are going to come around. It is only a matter of time, and as anyone that has played basketball knows, all it takes is for one to go down and a player is right back on track. The good news is that the rest of Vasquez's game hasn't suffered. As he is drawing more attention on the offensive end, he has been great at distributing the ball. Through two games, he has 19 assists and just six turnovers. Hopefully, he can find his stroke against Chaminade in the Maui Invitational, because the Terps are going to need him against Cincinnati or Vanderbilt in the second round.


Can Cincinnati play an effective brand of basketball with Lance Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn on the court at the same time?

Two games in, and the Lance Stephenson experiment isn't exactly going perfectly. In the opener, the Bearcats struggled to run their offense against an extremely out-talented Prairie View A&M. Lance Stephenson struggled, finishing 2-10 from the floor for 7 points, while Deonta Vaughn played so poorly that he was benched for the start of the second half. Then against Toledo, the Bearcats allowed a team that starts three freshman to hang around, cutting the lead to 57-49 with 14 minutes left, and while shooting 48% from the floor for the game. Clearly, this is not a team that is firing on all cylinders right now. There seem to be two issues at hand - Stephenson is a bit too anxious early in the season (Cronin went so far as too call him a nervous wreck in the opener), and Vaughn seems to lack the leadership qualities that Cronin is looking for. Will they figure it out by the time they play Vanderbilt out in Maui?


Are Kansas State's post players good enough for the Wildcats to compete in the Big XII? Is Georgia Tech's back court good enough to make them relevant in the ACC?

Kansas State and Georgia Tech are in similar situations. The Wildcats have one of the most talented back courts in the country in Denis Clemente, Jacob Pullen, and Rodney MscGruder. But their front court, which is full of potential, is largely an unknown commodity. Is Curtis Kelly the Curtis Kelly that scored 22 in their opener, or is he the kid that couldn't get any minutes at UConn? How good will Wally Judge and Jamar Samuels end up being? We find out starting tonight as K-State takes on Boston U.

Georgia Tech is the other way around. With Zach Peacock, Gani Lawal, and Derrick Favors, the Jackets have one of the best front courts around. But will their perimeter play be enough to carry them to the top of a wide open ACC? Iman Shumpert was good at times last season, but all erratic and inconsistent. Mfon Udofia, Glen Rice Jr, and Moe Miller are talented, but unproven. The return of DeAndre Bell from a back injury should help provide leadership, but this group of youngsters has their work cut out for them. We should learn a lot from their match-up with the tough Dayton Flyers today.


Is UConn going to live up to their lofty expectations this year?

UConn is 3-0 on the season, but with the exception of the second half against Colgate, UConn has been far from impressive this season. William & Mary was down seven with the ball in the final four minutes, Colgate was down one at halftime (and outplayed the Huskies in the first half), and Hofstra was up by nine with nine minutes left before Jerome Dyson took over. The problem the Huskies have had is on the offensive end - they can't score in the half court. Where they are most effective defensively is in their 2-2-1 press, but UConn can only set up that press after a made basket. The press not only creates turnovers and offense, it takes the opposition out of there rhythm. Unless UConn can find a shooter or two (Jamal Coombs-McDaniel has been their best thus far, but Dyson can shoot with time as well), teams are going to pack in their defense, forcing the Huskies into tough drives at the rim. While Dyson and Kemba Walker excel at slashing to the basket, its a much tougher task going against a sagging 2-3 zone than a close-out in a man-to-man situation.


Can Evan Turner continue to impress playing against quality competition?

Sure, Evan Turner has great numbers right now. Can anyone really argue with 19 ppg, 17 rpg, 7 apg, and 2 spg? No, they can't. But Turner posted those numbers against less than stellar competition. His triple-double came against Alcorn State, who shut down Rotnei Clarke to the tune of 51 points later that week. The 24 point, 17 rebound performance in his second game came against James Madison, a middle of the pack team from the CAA that lost three of their top four scorers. On Thursday and Friday, Turner will be going up against North Carolina and either Syracuse or Cal. Will he continue to dominate playing the point guard spot, or were these first two games a fluke? Personally, I think his domination continues. Turner is an all-american and arguably the most versatile, well-rounded player in the country. His numbers may drop (I don't see him getting 17 boards against UNC), but that should be expected. Don't expect his value to the Buckeyes success to diminish at all, however.


Are Rider and Cornell for real?

Rider has wins on the road against Mississippi State and Lehigh. Cornell has won games at Alabama and UMass. This should have been expected from Cornell. They are a talented and experienced group that has won back-to-back Ivy League crowns. Louis Dale, the '07-'08 Ivy player of the year, is one of the best point guards you have never seen player. Two-time Ivy first-teamer Ryan Wittman is on the short list for best shooter in the country. 7'0" center Jeff Foote is the reigning defensive player of the year, and has added some offense to his game this season, averaging 13.5 ppg. Cornell has a great point guard, a big center, shooters on the wing, and a solid group of experienced role players. Isn't that the ideal situation for a mid-major?

Rider, on the other hand, was not a team a lot of people were talking about in the pre-season. They play in the MAAC, which is a conference headlined by Siena and Niagara. There is not a lot of space at the top. But what people forget is that Rider won 19 games last season, 12 in the MAAC including splits with Siena and Niagara, and returned their top five scorers, including Ryan Thompson. Rider, however, may not be able to carry this momentum like Cornell. They rely a little too much on the three ball (their top four perimeter players are a combined 25-35 from deep in two games, that's 71%), and when those stop dropping at that rate, the Broncs may come back down to earth.


How will Purdue react to the loss of Lewis Jackson?

As we talked about yesterday, this will be a big change for Purdue. Without Jackson, they do not have a true point guard on their roster. The Boilermakers were fine with Keaton Grant and E'Twaun Moore sharing point guard duties two years ago when they reached the NCAA Tournament, and given the team-oriented offense that Purdue likes to run, the Boilermakers should have enough on their roster to survive. But after spending an off-season preparing for running an offense through Jackson, it will be an adjustment getting used to Grant and Moore running the show.

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