Jon Scheyer's prankee speaks

In the moments after Duke had won the national title, Jon Scheyer seemingly got a bit carried away with the moment. He tweeted "Holler at me" and what was believed to be his cell phone number. When he asked fans to stop texting him 20 minutes later, it made it seem all the more likely that he had tweeted out his own number. (Full disclosure: I absolutely called the number after the national title game.)

Of course, we found out later that the number wasn't actually Scheyer's, it was the number of a high school friend of his. Hilarious, right?

Anyway, the point I'm getting at is that Asylum.com finally caught up with Scheyer's buddy. His name is Zach Kelly and he plays basketball for Washington University in St. Louis.

The high-school teammates are apparently still close. "Jon and I are good friends, and he's a prankster pulling stuff all the time," Kelly said.

Zach and some of his friends were hanging out at a hotel when his phone starting to ring. "From that point on my phone was just inundated with calls and texts from people that I guess follow him on Twitter," Kelly said. "It was anyone from die-hard fans, to people saying congratulations and some University of Maryland fans."

People really despise those Duke Blue Devils sometimes. Did anyone go overboard?

"There was some vulgar stuff, but nothing too crazy," Kelly explained. "People being idiots and thought it was funny to take advantage of it. Regular fan stuff. It was just really annoying for me. For my friends it was funny, but for me it was annoying since I couldn't use my phone for a while since it was so backed up."

Hate Jon Scheyer if you want, but that was a damn good prank.

Continue reading...

12/21 - College Hoops Week in Review: Slow week capped off by a wild Saturday

What we learned this week: UNC may have three losses on the season, but it is not time for Heel fans to panic just yet. UNC has played as brutal of a schedule as you can play this early in the season - Texas, Michigan State, Syracuse, and Kentucky are all bonafide title contenders, and that list doesn't include Ohio State, who UNC played prior to Evan Turner's injury. Going 2-3 against that group is nothing to be ashamed of.

At some point, people are going to start talking about Jacob Pullen. All he has done in his last two games is averaged 29 ppg, shooting 13-19 from three, and lead Kansas State to double digit wins at UNLV and at Alabama. If he isn't the leader for Big XII POY right now, he has to be right there in the conversation. Kansas State is probably not going to contend for the Big XII regular season title - Kansas and Texas are just too good - but this is a team you aren't going to want to face in March.

No semester addition had a bigger impact than Mike Gerrity at USC. The point guard, who ended up at USC via Charlotte and Pepperdine had 12 points and 10 assists in their blow out win over Tennessee. But don't expect that to mean that Gerrity is the savior of the Trojans or to see them make a run to get into the tournament. Remember, this is a team without any depth that has already lost to Texas, Georgia Tech, Loyola Marymount, and Nebraska. But the Trojans were missing a steady hand to run the point, so with Gerrity this team could feasibly make a run through the Pac-10 to finish some where in or around the top four or five. Considering their non-conference slate and the fact that they play in the Pac-10, will that be enough?


GAME OF THE WEEK: Butler 69, Xavier 68

We've already gone over the controversial ending to this game in detail, and after read multiple different view points, we still believe the refs made the correct decision based on the current rules.

Here's the video:



The sad part is that this was actually a great game. Butler went up big early before allowing the Musketeers back into the game. Xavier took control in the second half before Butler regained the lead. A back and forth last three minutes led to a wild final 30 seconds.

The point I haven't seen made yet is that while is obviously sucks losing a game this way, it probably would have sucked just as much if they lost after missing a heave from half court (which is, in all likelihood, what would have happened).

Also good this week:

• West Virginia 80, Cleveland State 78: Cleveland State over came a big deficit by zoning and pressing the Mountaineers, but after the Vikings finally tied the game with 13 seconds left, Kevin Jones found a streaking Da'Sean Butler for a layup with 1.2 seconds left to give West Virginia the win.
• UMass 73, Memphis 72: Memphis overcame a seven point deficit midway through the second half to take a 72-71 lead late, setting up this ending in the battle of schools Coach Cal cost a Final Four:

• Georgia 70, Illinois 67: Believe it or not, the Bulldogs were in control for most of this game, but a late run by Illinois, capped by an and-one bucket from Demetri McCamey, gave the Illini the lead. But Tre Thompkins responded with four late free throws, and McCamey missed a desperation three at the buzzer.
• Ole Miss 91, UTEP 81: The Rebels over came a late 70-58 deficit to force overtime, and in the OT Chris Warren took over, scoring 11 points as the Rebels spoiled a 15-15 game from Derrick Caracter.
  

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jon Scheyer, Duke

Scheyer has been playing as well as anyone in the country this season, and this week was no different. In a week where the Blue Devils won two games by an average of 40 points, Jon Scheyer was a huge reason why. He had 20 points, 8 assists, and 5 boards in a blow out win over Gonzaga in MSG, and on the week averaged a pedestrian 28.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 8.5 apg while shooting 64% from the floor and 9-13 from three.

Jon Scheyer may be the most valuable Dukie this season.
(photo credit: SI)

To get an idea of how well Scheyer has played this season, keep this in mind: he had 17 assists and 5 turnovers this week. That is a 3.4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and actually lowered his season total from 8.4:1 to 5.9:1. While Scheyer is posting all-american numbers, his importance to the Blue Devils cannot be understated. Duke has won when Kyle Singler struggled (UConn, Gonzaga) and lost when he played great (Wisconsin), but Duke's two worst performances on the season came in Scheyer's two worst games.

Also good this week:

• Solomon Alabi, Florida State: Florida State went 3-0 this week, including a win over Auburn and on the road against Georgia Tech in their ACC opener. Alabi was the best player for the Seminoles. He twice scored 22 points, but his best performance came against the Yellow Jackets when he had 12 boards and 4 blocks as he helped hold the two-headed monster Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal to 12 points and 16 boards combined. For the week, Alabi averaged 17.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 4.3 bpg.
• Darington Hobson, New Mexico: The Lobos are still undefeated this season, and a large reason is Hobson. The 6'7" wing has become one of the best all-around perimeter players out west, and he proved it with a 22 points, 16 rebound, and 6 assists performance against Creighton in a game that saw the Lobos struggle mightily for every basket.
• Jacob Pullen, Kansas State: Pullen had his second straight excellent performance in Kansas State's second straight big time road win. This week, it was a 30 points performance in a blowout win in Alabama. Pullen also added 6 threes, 4 assists, and 3 steals.
• Chris Warren, Ole Miss: Warren scored 17 first half points against UTEP, then scored two big baskets down the stretch as the Rebels overcame a 12 point deficit in the final five minutes. He scored 11 in overtime to seal the win, finishing with 32 points on the game. Warren scored 9 points in a 108-64 win over Centenary.
• Derrick Caracter, UTEP: Caracter had two double-doubles this week, his first week playing basketball since March 2008. Hard not to root for this kid to turn it around.
  

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Texas Longhorns

Texas played two games this week, but the one game that mattered was a convincing win over UNC (the other was a 104-42 win over UT-Pan American). Coming into the weekend, Texas had yet to be tested this season, but proved themselves to definitively be a contender for a national title by beating up on a team that supposedly had the best front court in the country, out running a team that loves to get up and down the court, and by showcasing their balance - Damion James, Dexter Pittman, Avery Bradley, and J'Covan Brown all scored 20 points.

Dexter Pittman and Damion James outplayed UNC's front line.
(photo credit: Scout)

Until Texas plays, and beats, a team with a great back court (Michigan State on Tuesday may solve that), any talk of the Longhorns being the best team in the country should be tempered. What can't be argued is that Bradley and Brown, both freshmen, proved that they have the maturity and the ability to handle playing in the national spotlight. It also seems that Texas, and not UNC, has the best front line in the country. Dexter Pittman had 23 points and 15 boards (12 offensive). Damion James had 25 and 15. As a team, Texas outrebounded UNC 60-41, which doesn't begin to describe their dominance inside. From John Gasaway:

The 60-41 advantage on the boards posted by Texas, as impressive as it may look, in fact doesn’t begin to capture the degree of abject domination that the ‘Horns inflicted on their opponent. Keep in mind North Carolina actually shot pretty well, and, more to the point, they shot significantly better than Texas. Which means there were fewer opportunities for the ‘Horns to haul down defensive boards. So for this team to get 19 more rebounds anyway means their work on the glass had to be absolutely absurd. Indeed it was: the Longhorns got to fully half of their own misses and rebounded 72 percent of Carolina’s missed shots.

Also good this week:

• USC: The Trojans played just one game, but in that one game they knocked off Tennessee 77-55. It was the first time all season that a team from the Pac-10 beat a ranked opponent. More importantly, USC got big time performances from Alex Stephenson (19 and 15) and Nikola Vucevic (15 and 10) in the paint and a huge boost from Mike Gerrity, a point guard transfer from Charlotte, via Pepperdine, who had 12 points and 10 assists.
  
• Wichita State: The Shockers have been one of the bigger surprises of this young season. Just a year removed from a 17-17 campaign in which they finished below .500 in the MVC, Gregg Marshall's club is now 10-1 on the season after beating Texas Tech 85-83 on Saturday. It was the Red Raiders first loss of the season. Clevin Hannah had 24 points, 5 assists, and 4 boards in the win while JT Turley had 20 points and 10 boards.
  

MATCH-UPS OF THE WEEK

• 12/21 - 6:30 pm: UTEP vs. Oklahoma
• 12/22 - 7:00 pm: Michigan State @ Texas
• 12/22 - 7:00 pm: Butler @ UAB
• 12/22 - 9:00 pm: Cal @ Kansas
• 12/23 - 7:30 pm: Ole Miss @ West Virginia
• 12/23 - 9:30 pm: Illinois @ Missouri
• 12/26 - 3:30 pm: West Virginia @ Seton Hall

Continue reading...

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
  

Continue reading...

11/23 - College Hoops Week in Review

What we learned this week: We'll get to Syracuse and their performance, and we have already touched on the Big East's success early in the season, so lets talk about the Pac-10?

Coming into the season, no one was saying that the Pac-10 was going to be the best league in the country. Outside of Cal and Washington, it seemed like everyone was in the midst of a rebuilding year, with the the term "re"-building (as opposed to simply building) being used loosely.

The Pac-10 conference has struggled early in the season.
(photo credit: Pac-10)

Just take a look at the numbers. The league has just four unbeaten teams (the Arizona schools and the Washington schools), and the overall record is 23-10, just a .697 winning percentage. That's far less than any other power conference (the lowest is the Big Ten, believe it or not, with a 27-9 record and a .750 winning percentage), and just a fraction better than the A-10, which is 26-12 with a .684 winning percentage.

And it isn't like the Pac-10 is losing to good teams, either. Stanford, who is 2-2, has lost to San Diego and Oral Roberts. UCLA lost to Cal St. Fullerton. USC was beaten by Loyola Marymount. Oregon State has already lost three games, to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas Tech, and Sacramento State, a team coming off of a two win season.

At least Oregon (at Portland) and Cal (Syracuse and Ohio State in MSG) lost to potential tournament teams.

You don't even want to ask about their best win. Arizona State over TCU? Oregon over Colorado State? Cal over Murray State? The way things are going, it won't be long until you start to hear serious talk of the Pac-10 getting just one team (Washington) into the tournament. With so many bad losses, and so few good wins, in out of conference play, the Pac-10's RPI will be in the toilet in this keeps up.

Is it too late for the Pac-10?

Not yet. Arizona State still has a trip to MSG for the Pre-season NIT, Arizona will be in Maui starting tomorrow to play in the Maui Invitational, and there is still the Pac-10-Big XII challenge. With a good performance in those three events, and a couple of wins in marquee out of conference match-ups (Washington vs. Georgetown, Washington State vs. Gonzaga, Oregon vs. St. Mary's, UCLA and Cal vs. Kansas), and maybe some doubters will be silenced.

Until then, expect the Pac-10 to be compared to last year's SEC.


GAME OF THE WEEK: Villanova 69, George Mason 68

George Mason asserted their control on this game early. Pressuring Villanova's guards all over the court, the Patriots were able to open up a 13 point first half lead. The Wildcats made a couple runs during the first 20 minutes, but Mason eventually went into the half up 37-28. A 15-5 run by the Wildcats early in the second half tied the game, and set off an exciting 13 minutes of basketball down the stretch.

Mason would build the lead back up to five on multiple occasions before Villanova finally came all the way back, going up 56-54 on a Scottie Reynolds lay-up. After back-to-back Patriot buckets, Taylor King buried a three with four and a half minutes left to give the Wildcats the lead. Once again, Mason would go on a run, scoring six straight point to build a 64-59 lead. But the Patriots couldn't seal this one as they hit just four of eight free throws down the stretch, leaving the door open for Villanova. Down 67-63 with under a minute left, freshman Maalik Wayns buried a three. After Sherrod Wright hit 1-2 from the line, another freshman, Isaiah Armwood, hit the first shot of his career, a three with just 17 seconds left on the clock. It ended up being the game-winner, as the Patriots couldn't get a shot off at the end of the game.



Also good this week:

• Louisiana-Monroe 74, Morehead State 73: Kenneth Faried had 24 points and 12 boards, but Tony Hooper hit a jumper at the buzzer to end an exciting back-and-forth game.
• Michigan State 75, Gonzaga 71: The Zags were up big in the first half, but a second half rally, sparked by the hot shooting of Durrell Summers, carried the Spartans to the four point win.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jon Scheyer, Duke

Scheyer has played as well as anyone in the country during the first two weeks of the season. In a 3-0 week for Duke, Scheyer averaged 16.0 ppg and 5.7 apg, while hitting 9-16 from deep. Impressive numbers, yes, but the most impressive stat is that Scheyer did not have a turnover in the three games. In fact, Scheyer has played 131 minutes in four games this season (32.8 mpg), and has yet to turn the basketball over. With the limited depth in Duke's back court, being able to rely on Scheyer to play well for a lot of minutes will be a key to the Blue Devil's success this season.

Also good this week:

• Shelvin Mack, Butler: Butler had a 2-0 week, winning both games on the road, and Mack's performance was a huge reason why. He averaged 16.0 ppg, 5.5 apg, and 4.0 rpg in the two wins.
• James Anderson, Oklahoma State: Could Anderson be better than he was last season? In two games last week, he averaged 27.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg while hitting 20-37 shots from the field in two Cowboy wins.
• Quincy Pondexter, Washington: Pondexter came into the week averaging 22 ppg and 11 rpg, but he had his best game of the season on Friday as he posted 30 points (on 10-18 from the field) and 15 boards.
  

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Syracuse Orange

I mean, was there any other choice? The Orange looked like a team that may not reach the tournament after losing an exhibition game to Le Moyne. But after taking MSG by storm this week, the Orange are a trendy pick to make it to the Final Four. Syracuse ran roughshod over Cal and UNC on Thursday and Friday. Against Cal, it was a big first half run that opened up an insurrmountable lead. In the UNC game, the Orange used a 22-1 run to open the second half to put that game away. And while Syracuse is making these big runs and putting up impressive offensive numbers, the reason the Orange are so good this season is their defense. Their length creates turnovers, while the talent in their backcourt and the willingness of their front line to run the floor creates points off of those turnovers.

As good as Andy Rautins has been, as promising as their front line has played on both ends, and and as much of a stud as Wesley Johnson is, the most impressive part of this team has been the play of Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche. Jardine and Triche are two different styles of point guards. Both are excellent defenders that can get into the passing lanes, but Triche seems to be a better player in the half court offensively, while Jardine is more of a dynamic, open court player that can score in transition. Excellent complimentary players, it has been their stellar early season play that has been the most pleasant surprise for the Orange.

Also good this week:

• Villanova Wildcats: Villanova improved to 5-0 while winning the Puerto Rico Tip-off this week. They knocked off George Mason, Dayton, and Ole Miss along the way. While the Wildcats are still trying to find their stride and a while away from being at full strength (Reggie Redding, Mouphtaou Yarou), this was a talented field that Jay Wright's club just ran through.
• Tennessee Volunteers: The Vols went 3-0 on the week, including two games where they git triple figures. While Bruce Pearl's club did struggle a bit with DePaul, when the athlete the Vols have get going in the full court, they are a tough team to slow down.
  
• Virginia Commonwealth Rams: The Rams were just 1-1 on the week, but the win came in impressive fashion against Oklahoma.
  

For match-ups of the week, check back for the daily Pregame Beat's, as most of the big games this week come during tournament play.
Continue reading...

No. 11: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Duke Blue Devils

2008-2009 Record: 30-7, 11-5 ACC (t-2nd)

Key Losses: Gerald Henderson (16.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Elliot Williams (4.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg), Greg Paulus (4.9 ppg)

Key Returners: Kyle Singler (16.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg), Jon Scheyer (14.9 ppg, 2.8 apg), Miles Plumlee (1.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg), Nolan Smith (8.4 ppg)

Newcomers: Andre Dawkins, Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly

Kyle Singler may end up being the ACC player of the year.
(photo credit: Duke Basketball Forever)

The last few seasons, Duke has been notorious for two things - relying on the three-ball to score and their pressuring, over-playing, man-to-man defense. But as the Blue Devils lose so much from their perimeter - Gerald Henderson, Elliot Williams, and Greg Paulus - we are going to be seeing a much different Duke team.

The biggest reason is that the Devils are going to be loaded on the interior this season. It starts with seniors Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas. Zoubek had some fairly high expectations coming out of high school, but has never really found the consistency to be a real factor in ACC play. He isn't strong enough to battle down low and he isn't quick enough to really be a threat on the offensive end. Thomas has been a solid role player in this three years. An excellent athlete with a great motor, Thomas, who may end up coming off the bench, will provide Duke with defense and hustle.

The fact that two seniors may be relegated to the bench should tell you about the potential of this Duke front line. The crown jewels are the Plumlee brothers. Miles, a sophomore, had trouble earning a spot in the rotation last season. He struggled a bit offensively and seemed to get lost at times on the defensive end, but there is no denying his potential. At 6'10", 240 lb, Miles has the build to be an excellent shot blocker but he also has the skills and the athleticism to be a dangerous player on the offensive end. The question is will he put it all together?

Mason, a freshman, might have even more potential. He is a better athlete and more skilled offensively, and while Miles will be stronger in the paint this season after a summer in the weight room, Mason seems to be more of a face-up player. Mason will wreak havoc on the defensive end with his length and should be very dangerous in the open floor.

The other freshman big man is Ryan Kelly. Kelly should be able to fit in at Duke immediately. A lot of scouting reports you read about him are going to say that he plays a "European style". What that means is that the 6'10" Kelly has an offensive game based on the perimeter. He is an excellent shooter with range out to the college three, but he is also a decent ball handler and an excellent passer. Kelly may need a year to become an ACC caliber player on the defensive end, but he definitely will be contributing to the Devils right away.

And then there is Kyle Singler. What can I say about Singler that hasn't already been said? He is one of the best forwards in the country, and will get a chance to prove his ability playing almost exclusively as a three this season. He can shoot, he can get to the rim, he will defend, he can pass, he can rebound. The kid is simply a basketball player, and one of the best in the country. ACC player of the year and first team all-american? Its very possible.

As I said, the back court is where the issues will be this year. Duke only has three guards on the roster - Nolan Smith, Jon Scheyer, and Andre Dawkins. Smith is the guy a lot of people are saying will be the x-factor of this team. He is going to be starting at the point, and Duke is going to need to him to live up to the hype he had coming out of high school. An excellent defender and athlete for the point guard spot, Smith's offensive ability has been a bit inconsistent in his first two seasons. While he has shown flashes, he hasn't been the all-around scorer and playmaker he was expected to be.

You know what you are going to get out of Jon Scheyer. He's a heady scorer with a knack for hitting tough shots in the mid-range. An under-appreciated defender, Scheyer is a kid who was looked over a bit from a national perspective. The biggest issue for Scheyer is that he struggles when he has to play off the ball. Not because he doesn't have the ability, but because he is unable to take advantage of his size and strength against bigger defenders. Scheyer played his best basketball last season when Elliot Williams was moved into the starting line-up. All of a sudden, the big, strong, and athletic ACC two-guards were defending Williams, and Scheyer was able to go against the smaller point guards, taking advantage of his superior size and strength.

Which is why the signing and development of Andre Dawkins will be so important. Dawkins, who decided to enroll at Duke early instead of attend a fifth year of high school, is an extremely athletic 6'4" wing. He can score, he can defend, and he can get to the rim and finish. But will he be able to compete in the ACC as an 18 year old? If yes, than that will allow Scheyer to play a lot of minutes on the ball. If not, than Dawkins is still going to be playing a lot of minutes. Duke has no one else.

Outlook: The Blue Devils have a lot of potential on this team, and it is too early to peg them right now. I can see this team putting it all together and winning the ACC en route to a Final Four trip. But I can also see their bigs struggling inside, Nolan Smith unable to carry the torch, and the Dukies ending up outside the top 25 most of the year. With their size, length, and athleticism across the front line, and thanks to Coach K's time spent this summer with Jim Boeheim, Duke will be playing more zone than in years past. Will these guys learn to be effective in it? My prediction: 11-12 ACC wins, 24 or 25 wins on the year, and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen as a 4 or 5 seed.
Continue reading...

Duke Travels ... A Lot

First, it was Elliot Williams last Sunday against Wake:



Yesterday, it was Jon Scheyer. This one mattered too, as Va Tech had just cut the lead to three with under a minute left.

Continue reading...

Maryland Fans Sure Are The Best: Operation Scheyerface 2.0

When watching the game, look behind the basket in the second half. The plan? Each student is to print out one of the following pictures and hold it up while Duke is shooting free throws.

What are the pictures of? Have a look after the jump.

That isn't the funniest part of what Terps fans did in preparation for the Duke game. Over at the Terpcenter message boards, Maryland fans posted the address and phone number for the hotel that Duke was staying at. While the following transcript cannot be verified, it has been confirmed that Duke players were in fact getting called. Damn journalistic integrity, I'm posting this because it is pretty funny:

"Hello, this is ****** with the Washington Times, sorry to bother you at this hour Mr. Paulus, but we are running a small piece tomorrow and I was hoping to take 2 minutes and ask you a question?"

Him: "Uhhh, sure"

"If you had to choose between Deron Washington, Danny Green, and Dwayne Collins, who's nuts would you say tasted the best?"

Him: ...click.

I really hope it is true. Jason Davis, the moderator over at Duke Basketball Report, also gave the hotel a call:

Holy %!%!%, it is true. I figured there was no way it was true so I called the hotel and asked for Chris Collins' room. The hotel operator connected me right away-- no questions asked. I was shocked. I told Coach Collins that I was a Duke fan and that a Maryland fan bulletin board had gotten info about their hotel. I warned him that many fans were planning to call their rooms late tonight. I suggested that he call the front desk and tell them to not put through calls to the Duke rooms. He said, "thanks man," though I am not sure he really cared. Maybe what I did was really uncool, but I think it is worth warning the team as I bet they would have gotten a few late night calls when they were sleeping.

And some pictures from two years ago, also known as Operation Scheyerface 1.0:







Hilarious. Continue reading...

Wednesday Morning Shootaround

Duke 97, Georgia Southern 54: Kyle Singler once again led the way for Duke with 19 and 8 and Nolan Smith added 13 (including 3-4 from distance) as Duke advanced to the semifinals of the CvC where they will face the winner of SIU-UMass in MSG. A couple things of note from this game: Coach K didn't play the Devil's three freshman (Elliot Williams, Olek Czyz, Miles Plumlee) in the first half; the Devils may want to spend some time in practice this week on free throws as they were 25-49 against Georgia Southern; quote of the night goes to Coach K:

Our guys just hustled, and they made some great hustle plays, and all of a sudden, it was like a pinball machine -- boom, boom, boom. Double bonuses. The lights were going on, and, 'Holy mackerel, we're up by a lot of points.'

As Duke has been the only top 25 team playing the last two days, I've found myself thinking a lot about the make up of their roster. Putting Nolan Smith into the starting line up is going to make a big difference for this team. He is cut from the same cloth as the Chris Duhon's and the Sean Dockery's - a quick PG that will dog the opposing point guard for 94 feet. Nothing against Paulus - he can do a lot of things well - but he is not a good defender. Smith will set the tone for an improved defense. I think the additions of Plumlee and Czyz will be key as well. Plumlee looks like he has spent a lot of time in the weight room, because he has really filled out and looks every bit the 230 lb he is listed at. He will provide Duke with a defensive presence in the paint that they didn't have last year (and don't even think the name Brian Zoubek - he fouled out in seven minutes against Presbyterian). Czyz should be a solid energy guy off the bench, providing some of the toughness they lost with DeMarcus Nelson.

As far as I can tell, the one thing the Devils are missing is a go-to scorer. Kyle Singler is a very good player, but he is more of a guy that makes a living off of mismatches as opposed to someone you can give the ball to and say "go get me a basket". Henderson? Great athlete, still not much more. Paulus? Shooter. If the Devils really want to push the Heels in the ACC, they will need Jon Scheyer to turn into a go-to scorer. Don't get me wrong, the kid is a good player at this level. He's very smart with a high basketball IQ and he showed flashes of being a great scorer last year, but couldn't sustain it for the season. Scheyer can do a lot of things offensively - shoot, penetrate, pass - and I believe he has the ability to be a 15-17 ppg guy, the question is whether or not he has the mental make up to be one. He may just be too much of a team player.

Southern Illinois 66, California PA 52
Michigan 77, Michigan Tech 55
UMass 90, Arkansas Monticello 71: All three losers here were D2 schools, so it is a bit difficult to analyze these games. SIU seemed to struggle a bit with Cal-PA, as they were tied at the half, but I think that is more of a result of the style that the Saluki's play - they aren't going to be blowing a lot of teams out this year as much as they will slowly suffocate them defensively. The back court looked good, as BJ Mullins and Kevin Dillard (off the bench) combined for 16 points and 17 assists.

UMass seems like they will be pretty successful, at least offensively, in new coach Derek Kellogg's dribble-motion system. Ricky Harris had 22, Chris Lowe had 18 and 11 dimes, and Tony Gaffney added 16 points and 13 boards. The Minutemen were 12-27 from deep.

Manny Harris picked up where he left off for the Wolverines, dropping a career-high 30 on Michigan Tech. 

Northeastern 73, IUPUI 60: Northeastern jumped out to an early lead, and IUPUI never cut it to less than six. Northeastern got a balanced effort as they put four guys in double figures. The Wolverines need to watch out against this Huskies team. A 22 point win over a D2 opponent is not too impressive, and NEU will be coming out fired up with a chance to head to MSG. Continue reading...