Wednesday's Shootaround: 1st day of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Loyola Marymount 75, No. 25 St. Louis 68: Fresh off of getting climbing their way into the top 25, the Billikens blew a 12 point first half lead as the Lions used a 20-6 run that spanned both halves to take a 36-34 lead early in the second half. LMU slowly gained control of the game down the stretch as they earned their second win over a ranked opponent on the season. LaRon Armstead led the way with 22 points off the bench while Anthony Ireland and Jarrod DuBois went for 17 and 16, respectively. Most impressive? The Lions were without second-leading scorer Ashley Hamilton and have yet to get a minute of playing time for their best player, Drew Viney.

Its easy to write this game off as the Billikens being over-rated after a hot start to the season, but consider this: St. Louis, who is 6-1 on the season, are now on their sixth day on the west coast after playing in the 76 Classic. They've played five of their first seven games away from home -- with one of those home games being a whooping of Washington -- and dropped a competitive game on the road to a team with talent that is better than people think. No loss is a good loss, but losing this game is far from terrible for St. Louis.


Arizona 83, New Mexico State 76: This is a good win for Arizona. New Mexico State is a talented team that will compete for the WAC title and tough to beat at home. More impressive? The Wildcats got this victory despite NMSU's two best players -- forwards Wendell McKines (28 points, 10 boards) and Hamidu Rahman (13 points, eight boards) -- going off against Arizona's young front line. Nick Johnson was terrific, scoring 19 points and making a number of big plays down the stretch, while Jesse Perry had 15 points and 12 boards. Solomon Hill went for 12 points, seven assists and six boards while Josiah Turner had 12 points and three assists, but three turnovers as well.

No. 8 Baylor 90, Prairie View A&M 54: I think its safe to say that Perry Jones has made his entrance into the 2011-2012 season. Prairie View opened up a 11-2 lead in the first four minutes, but that's when Jones woke up. He finished the evening with 27 points on 10-14 shooting, a performance that included a couple of high-flying dunks. Of note: Pierre Jackson had 17 points and six assists.

No. 3 Syracuse 84, Eastern Michigan 48: There were all kinds of story lines heading into this game. It was the first game that the Orange had played since the latest news cycle on Bernie Fine went public and the longtime Syracuse assistant coach was fired. It was also the first time that former assistant Rob Murphy, now the head coach at Eastern Michigan, had returned to his old Carrier Dome stomping grounds. What happened in this game didn't matter to, well, anyone, but the postgame press conference had some fireworks.


ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Yeah, I went 6-0 on Day 1. And yeah, I'm going to brag about it.

Ohio State 85, Duke 63: See here.

Virginia 70, No. 15 Michigan 58: Well, it looks like Mike Scott has healed from his ankle injury. Virginia's star forward had 18 points and 11 boards, taking over for a stretch in the second half that spurred a 19-2 run from Virginia to gain control of this game. Michigan was stifled by Virginia's pack line defense, their offense that was so beautifully run in Maui stifled. Joe Harris added 18 for the 'Hoos.

Illinois 71, Maryland 62: Terrell Stoglin scored 25 points while James Padgett added 16 as the Terps put up an impressive fight against the Illini, but in the end Sam Maniscalco was too much. The Bradley transfer hit three big threes in the second half and knocked down the game-clinching free throws. He finished with 24 points and Brandon Paul added 17.

Purdue 76, Miami FL 65: Robbie Hummel had 17 points and five boards while Lewis Jackson added 15 points as the Boilermakers countered Miami's small lineup by pounding the ball inside. They went 22-31 from two-point range. Of note: the Johnsons -- Anthony and Terone -- combined for 21 points and a number of key plays late in the game.

Clemson 71, Iowa 55: Andre Young had 19 points, TJ Sapp added 13 off the bench and Tanner Smith had seven points, eight assists and 14 boards as Clemson rolled their hosts.

Northwestern 76, Georgia Tech 60: The Wildcats got 25 points and eight boards from John Shurna as they jumped on Georgia Tech at the start of both halves.


Other notable games:

- Texas 73, North Texas 57
- LSU 59, Houston 58
- Providence 82, Holy Cross 77
- Cincinnati 56, Miami OH 47
- Oregon 64, UTEP 59


Top performers

Gerard Coleman and Vincent Council, Providence: Council had 19 points, 11 assists and seven boards and Coleman added 18 points, eight boards, six assists and three steals as Providence knocked off Holy Cross 82-77.

Chris Gaston, Fordham: Gaston has 15 points and 11 boards as Fordham knocked off Colgate. Gaston scored the 1,000th point of his college career.

Emil Jones, Troy: Jones was a fantasy all-star as they knocked off ETSU, finishing with 14 points, eight boards, five assists and five steals.

Perry Jones, Baylor: In his first game back from suspension, Jones went for 27 points on 10-14 shooting as the Bears knocked off Prairie View A&M.

Jonathon Loyd, Oregon: Loyd had 24 points and hit 6-7 from three as the Ducks outlasted UTEP 64-59.

John Shurna, Northwestern: Shurna went for 25 points, eight boards, three steals and three blocks to lead the Wildcats past Georgia Tech for the second straight year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
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LMU kicks off the season with an upset of UCLA

UCLA once again entered the season with a fair amount of hype and expectations, but as we have become accustomed to since UCLA's last Final Four in 2008, the Bruins disappointed.

Ben Howland's club collapsed against a hot-shooting Loyola Marymount team, losing 69-58 to a team that was missing their most talented player. Drew Viney, a forward that averaged 17.2 ppg last season, is out until December with a foot injury.

But before I get into the game, we need to address the Josh Smith situation.

UCLA's big-boned big man managed just five points on 2-4 shooting and four rebound in 16 minutes. After the game, he tweeted out "Just lost to some straight bums lol...". He's since deleted the tweet, but I captured it in all its glory for you right here.


This isn't the first time that we've discussed Smith's maturity issues, but it is becoming abundantly clear that he didn't grow up during the offseason. He looks even bigger than he was last year, making a UCLA jersey that's baggy on the rest of his teammates look like Under Armour. He's also in poorer shape. The ironic part about Smith calling an opponent a "bum" is that, until he decides to shed the 30 or 40 extra pounds he's carrying, the rest of the country will be referring to him as a "bum".

Well, maybe "bum" is the wrong word. How about a colossal waste of god-given ability? Even as arguably the fattest player in college basketball, Smith is nimble, he's quick, he's powerful and he showcases good footwork. Now imagine if he was able to jump over a phone book and last more than three trips up and down the court. His affinity for fatty foods is the reason he's not an all-american and a lottery pick.

Back to the game, there are a couple notes that need to be taken into consideration. UCLA was playing without Jerime Anderson, meaning that they didn't have another option at the point to spell a struggling Laz Jones (he finished 1-11 from the floor with three turnovers). LMU was also unconscious from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of their 15 threes. The game also wasn't played at Pauley Pavilion, which is under renovations. It was played at something called the Sports Arena.

But that's no excuse. The Bruins were atrocious offensively, scoring just 58 points on 67 possessions. 37 of those points (and 21 rebounds) came from Reeves Nelson and the Wear twins. Beyond that, the Bruins had no offensive attack whatsoever. They shot a dismal 2-15 from beyond the arc and just looked out of sorts on that end of the floor. As bad as the numbers are, they don't do just how ugly UCLA's offense was justice.

We also need to give credit where credit is due: Loyola played a heck of a game last night, and they did it without their most talented front court player. I'm very high on the Lions this season. I was high on them last year, too. They struggled to just 11 wins and a 2-12 finish in the WCC, but chemistry and injury issues plagued them throughout the season. The only player they lost from that team was Vernon Teel, which may have actually been addition by subtraction.

Once they get Viney back and get to full strength, this is a team to be reckoned with. Sophomore point guard Anthony Ireland (my WCC breakout star!) picked up where he left off last season, finishing with 21 points, five assists and five boards, while swingman Ashley Hamilton led the way with 23 points, hitting a number of big threes late in the game to help the Lions pull away.

Gonzaga is probably the WCC's favorite this year, with St. Mary's, BYU and San Francisco in the mix.

Don't count out this group, however. If anything, LMU proved tonight just how much fun the WCC race is going to be this season.
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West Coast basketball hits Hollywood (sorta)

The west coast is where people go to become famous. The shimmering lights of Hollywood inspire people to do crazy things.

West coast basketball is about as down as it's ever been. Consider this: the marquee match-up of the year on the west coast features a mormon school in Utah and a school whose claim to fame is being the alma mater of Marshall Faulk.

So it makes sense that players are going out of their way to get some "face-time".

UC-Santa Barbara senior Justin Joyner may be one of these people.

You see, Joyner may never be recognized for his basketball abillities ever again. But I can guarantee you that somebody will approach him and ask him to "do the Old Spice Guy imitation".



Joyner is a Communications Studies major, which probably has something to do with reason for making this video. I've seen many-an-Old-Spice-spoof before and this is definitely one of the best. Clearly the budget handcuffed the video's creativity. After all, you'd need to be related to George Lucas to pull off something like this.

I'm not sure how long Joyner's spotlight will shine for, but at least it's shinning, which can't be said about every budding thespian.

But Joyner isn't the only west coast basketball player with acting talents. In fact, Joyner's video is the third spoof we've seen this season. The Long Beach State team got the creative juices flowing with this hilarious spoof titled "No Sick Days":





For a month or so, the 49ers were the college hoops kings of youtube. But it wasn't long before other teams caught on. Loyola Marymount was next on the scene, as they spoofed one of the greatest commercials of all times:



If we have to endure another sub-par season of west coast basketball in order to see more hilarious spoofs acted out by college basketball players, I'm fine with that.

Because if the NCAA has taught us anything, it's that there are over 360,000 NCAA D-I student athletes, and about all of them are going to go pro in something other than sports.
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2010-2011 Season Preview Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 50-46

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country.

For a complete listing of our season previews, click here.

To browse through the rest of our Top 50 Countdown, click here.


50. Northwestern

• Last Season: 20-14, 7-11 (Big Ten)


• Head Coach: Bill Carmody


• Key Losses: Kevin Coble, Jeremy Nash


• New Additions: JerShon Cobb


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Michael Thompson, Sr.
• G: Alex Marcotullio, So.
  
• F: Drew Crawford, So.
  
• F: John Shurna, Jr.
  
• C: Luka Mirkovic, Jr.
• Bench: JerShon Cobb, Fr.; David Curletti, Jr.
  

• Outlook: The Wildcats caught a bad break when Kevin Coble decided he wasn't going to return for his final season with Northwestern. But that doesn't mean that the Wildcats are dead in the water. Northwestern brings back five of their top six scorers from a team that won 20 games and was in bubble consideration until the end of February. One of those five is John Shurna, a combo-forward that averaged 18 and 6 in Coble's stead. They also bring back Michael Thompson, one of the most underrated guards in the conference. Drew Crawford was selected as the Big Ten freshman of the year. Luka Mirkovic and Alex Marcotullio also return, while freshman JerShon Cobb, a top 100 recruit, should be able to fill in Jeremy Nash's shoes. This is the same Northwestern team, just a year older. Why can't they compete this year? Northwestern has never made an NCAA Tournament. Could that change this season?

49. Loyola Marymount

• Last Season: 18-16, 7-7 (WCC)
  


• Head Coach: Max Good
  


• Key Losses: Kevin Young, Given Kalipende
  


• New Additions: Anthony Ireland, Godwin Okonji, Ayodeji Egbeyemi


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Vernon Teel, Sr.
• G: Jarred DuBois, Jr.
  
• F: Drew Viney, Jr.
  
• F: Ashley Hamilton, So.
  
• C: Edgar Garibay, So.
• Bench: Anthony Ireland, Fr.; Larry Davis, Jr.; Tim Diederichs, Jr.; LaRon Armstead, Jr.
  

• Outlook: Just two years ago, this Loyola Marymount program was in shambles. Prior to the 2009-2010 season, they had won just eight games the previous two seasons. But thanks to the addition of some talented transfers and the development of a couple of their own players, the Lions won 18 games and went 7-7 in the league. Those two records could have been much better had Loyola not been battling injuries all season. The best news? Essentially everyone is back (the notable exception is 6'8" Kevin Young, who transferred). Loyola may be one of the few teams in the WCC that can actually match up with Gonzaga inside. 6'8" Oregon transfer Drew Viney, who averaged 16.7 ppg and 7.1 rpg, is back. His perimeter ability makes Viney a tough matchup in the WCC, and he also is a solid defender. Edgar Garibay, who was granted a medical redshirt due to a torn acl he suffered, is a 6'10" center that started four games before his injury. All-freshman team member Ashley Hamilton, an athletic 6'7" forward that averaged 8.6 ppg and 4.5 rpg, will also return and could turn into a real threat inside. On the perimeter, the Lions are led by all-conference performer Vernon Teel, a stat-sheet stuffing combo-guard (he averaged 15 points, 5 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, and shot 40% from three) that could blossom into one of the best players on the west coast this season. Jared DuBois, who is a solid spot-up shooter, will be a nice complement to Teel on the perimeter, while Larry Davis, a Seton Hall transfer that has been plagued by injuries (he didn't travel with the team to Europe this summer), will provide a shot of athleticism on the perimeter when healthy. Also expect point guard Anthony Ireland to see some time in the back court as well. This is a very good basketball team, the question will be whether or not they can handle being marked this season. The Lions won't be sneaking up on anybody.

48. Murray State

• Last Season: 31-5, 17-1 (OVC)


• Head Coach: Bill Kennedy


• Key Losses: Danero Thomas, Tony Easely


• New Additions: Chris Griffin, Shawn Jackson


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Isaiah Canaan, So.
• G: BJ Jenkins, Sr.
  
• G: Isacc Miles, Sr.
  
• F: Jeffery McClain, Sr.
  
• F: Ivan Aska, Jr.
• Bench: Jewaun Long, Jr.; Donte Poole, Jr.; Shawn Jackson, Fr.; Edward Daniel, So.
  

• Outlook: Everything about this Murray State team screams balance. They had ten players average at least ten minutes last season. They had six guys averaging between 9.7 ppg and 10.6 ppg. They not only were the best offensive team in the OVC last year, they were hands down the best defensive team as well. This is a unit that works very well together, and while they are losing two key pieces in Danero Thomas and Tony Easley, there is more than enough on this roster to make up for it. The back court of Isaiah Canaan, BJ Jenkins, and Isacc Miles is as good as anyone. They put tremendous pressure on the ball defensively and can all knock down a jumper or create off the dribble. Donte Poole, a 6'3" junior, is other guy that will see time on the perimeter. Up front, it will be tough to replace a guy like Easley, but there are pieces here. Ivan Aska is a solid front court presence, while guys like Jeffery McClain, Edward Daniel, and the three newcomers will be looking to make a name for themselves and earn some playing time. Is wasn't a fluke that Murray State won 31 games last season or that they came a few possessions from knocking off Butler in the second round. This is a well-coached, balanced, and talented basketball team that will throw a scare into any of the big boys they face this season.

47. Texas A&M

• Last Season: 24-10, 11-5 (Big XII)


• Head Coach: Mark Turgeon


• Key Losses: Brian Davis, Derrick Roland, Donald Sloan


• New Additions: Kourtney Roberson, Daniel Alexander, Keith Davis


• Projected Lineup:


• G: BJ Holmes, Sr.
• G: Dash Harris, Jr.
  
• F: Naji Hibbert, So.
  
• F: Nathan Walkup, Sr.
  
• C: David Loubeau, Jr.
• Bench: Daniel Alexander, Fr.; Keith Davis, Fr.; Khris Middleton, So.; Ray Turner, So.
  

• Outlook: It was a rough year to be an Aggie, between Derrick Roland's leg, Tobi Oyedeji's unfortunate passing, and the graduation of Brian Davis and Donald Sloan. The cupboard is far from bare, however. BJ Holmes and Dash Harris both looked like they could develop into above-average players in the Big XII, especially with the amount of minutes opening up in the Aggie back court. Expect sophomore Naji Hibbert to see an increased role on the perimeter as well. Up front, A&M has a fairly solid rotation. David Loubeau may be primed for a break out season, as he looked very impressive last year at time. With Khris Middleton, Ray Turner, and Nathan Walkup returning and three freshman coming into the program at 6'8" or taller, the Aggies once again look like they are going to be a physical defensive team. Mark Turgeon's clubs have never been flashy. They grind you out and win games through execution and defense. This team is not loaded with offensive firepower, but if a couple of guys develop and this group continues to play the way Turgeon wants them to, this group should be, at the least, in the bubble conversation come February.

46. Richmond

• Last Season: 26-9, 13-3 (A-10)


• Head Coach: Chris Mooney


• Key Losses: David Gonzalvez, Ryan Butler


• New Additions: Cedrick Lindsay, Derrick Williams, Wayne Sparrow


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Kevin Anderson, Sr.
• G: Kevin Smith, Sr.
  
• F: Frances Cedric-Martel, Jr.
  
• F: Justin Harper, Sr.
  
• C: Dan Geriot, Sr.
• Bench: Cedrick Lindsay, Fr.; Darrius Garrett, Jr.; Josh Duinker, Jr; Darien Brothers, So.
  

• Outlook: While the Spiders lose David Gonzalvez to graduation, the good news is that reigning A-10 player of the year Kevin Anderson returns. A 17.8 ppg scorer last season, Anderson is a lightening quick 6' guard that can get into the paint against just about anyone. Shouldering more of the load this season without Gonzalvez, he could very well become a 20 ppg scorer. The question is going to be who steps up in the back court to replace Gonzalvez. The best answer may one of Chris Mooney's two freshmen guards, Cedrick Lindsay and Wayne Sparrow. Junior Frances-Cedric Martel and senior Kevin Smith may end up starting as a result of their experience, while Darien Brothers should see some minutes as well. Richmond's achilles heel last season was in the paint, as evidenced by the pounding they took from Omar Samhan in the NCAA Tournament. And, by and large, this will be the same group as last season. Much will be expected of Justin Harper, a 6'10" forward with a nice perimeter touch. He averaged 10.6 ppg last season, but with his excellent play down the stretch, he will be counted on to pick up some of the scoring slack. Also returning is Dan Geriot, who is already a 1,000 point scorer, but struggled to regain the form of his sophomore year (when he averaged 14 and 7) after tearing his acl and missing the 2008-2009 season. Darius Garrett also returns, a slender 6'9" forward. You know what you are going to get out of Anderson, and if some of his teammates can pick up the slack and make up for the loss of Gonzalvez's production, this is a team that will compete for a tournament berth.

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Conference Tournament Preview: The WCC

Where: Orleans Arena -- Las Vegas, NV

When: Friday, March 5th - Monday, March 8th

Championship: 3/8 - 9:00 pm: ESPN


The Favorite: #1 Gonzaga

Its the WCC. This league is Gonzaga's to lose until, well, they lose. Despite the gaudy records, the Zags don't have the same aura of invincibility that they normally do around this time. Losses to San Francisco and Loyola Marymount will do that to you. What is for sure is that Gonzaga is the most talented team in the conference. Matt Bouldin was the league's POY, and Elias Harris was voted newcomer of the year and played his way into the brains of every NBA GM. Steven Gray is as underrated as anyone in the country, Robert Sacre is a high-major caliber seven-footer, and the Zags have a bevy of capable subs. Its tough to get a gauge on how good Gonzaga is nationally, but its safe to say that they are the favorite in this tournament.

Elias Harris is as athletic as anyone in the WCC.
(photo credit: ESPN)

And if they lose?: St. Mary's

Matt Bouldin may have won the conference player of the year award, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's the best player in the league. If you haven't seen Omar Samhan play, you are missing out. He may look like Shrek and be built like an 12 year old overeater, but Samhan has a great touch around the rim, deceivingly quick feet, and a great understanding of the game. He is pretty much a lock for 20 and 10 on any given night. The problem for the Gaels is what they get from the guys around him. Gone are Patty Mills and Diamon Simpson. In are Mickey McConnell, Matthew Dellavedova, and Ben Allen. How well those three play will determine how well St. Mary's does in the WCC. With wins over San Diego State and Utah State, but not much else, the Gaels probably need to earn the auto-bid in the don't want sweat out Selection Sunday.


Don't discount: Portland

If you remember, early in the season the Pilots were the team every was talking about. They had beaten Minnesota and UCLA and earned a trip to the finals of the 76 Classic. But a couple bad losses, a less than stellar performance in the WCC regular season, and the loss of leading scorer has led to Portland being written off by some. But this is a team with size, shooters, and a very good point guard.


Sleeper: Loyola Marymount

The Lions have been injured throughout much of the season. When they are healthy, they are quite talented. Wins at USC, at Notre Dame, and against Gonzaga prove that. The Lions have won five of their last seven games heading into the WCC tournament, which includes the Gonzaga win and a win over Portland.


Names you need to know:

• Vernon Teel, Loyola Marymount: I'll let the Slipper Still Fits explain:

  The up and coming Lions of Loyola Marymount have been bolstered by the outstanding play of their junior guard from Jamaica, New York. Teel has grown into a complete package in the WCC. He's averaging nearly 15 points a game and leads the conference in assists per game with almost six. Forward Drew Viney has gotten most of the attention this season at LMU but don't sleep on Teel.

• Dior Lawhorn, San Francisco: The Texas Tech transfer has put up impressive numbers since his move to the WCC, but the Dons have never made a splash in the postseason. Lawhorn is a senior and his last chance. Is this the year?


• Keion Bell, Pepperdine: The Waves are not all that good this year, but Bell may be the most fun player in the country to watch. He is a high flying scoring guard that has the ability to single-handedly take over a game. Pepperdien nearly upset Gonzaga last month, and Bell has 34 of his 37 points in the second half.
  

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Conference Tournament Preview: Six teams that can steal a bid

Everyone loves the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Four straight days jam-packed with 12 hours of do-or-die college hoops is more than most people can handle.

But for junkies like us, the next 13 days are just as good, for it is when the true Madness takes place. Over the course of these two weeks, we whittle some 347 teams down to 30 conference champions (the Ivy doesn't have a tournament). Auto-bids will be won. Bubbles will be burst. Buzzers will be beaten. And most importantly, a 65 team bracket will be made.

In any tournament setting, one of the things that people enjoy watching the most is an upset. Some of the most memorable NCAA tournament moments are a direct result of David beating a Goliath. It is what makes the NCAA tournament so special and why so many people tune in.

Upsets in the conference tournaments are just as much fun to root for, unless you're a bubble team. If you are one of the schools on the cut line of the at-large pool, an upset in a conference tournament could be the difference between an NCAA trip and a bubble bursting. Ask St. Mary's, who lost out on a bid when Mississippi State made a run to the SEC tournament title last year.

Here are six teams that could steal a bid this season:


Loyola Marymount Lions: 16-14, 7-7 WCC

All season long, the talk in the WCC has been about 1) Gonzaga, 2) St. Mary's, and 3) Portland, especially in the early season. These days, the only time you expect to people bring up Loyola Marymount basketball is when they are talking about the late Hank Gathers. And while the Lions did post a marked improvement from last season, when they finished the year with just three wins, but a 7-7 team in the WCC shouldn't strike fear into the hearts of anyone.


That said, this is a team that has dealt with injuries all season long. Edgar Garibay has been out since early in the season with an ACL tear. Starters Ashley Hamilton and Jared Dubois have missed significant time, as have reserves Larry Davis and Given Kalipinde. Hell, even leading scorer Drew Viney missed back-to-back games earlier in the season. The good news is that when they are healthy, the Lions can play with anyone. They beat USC on the road, Notre Dame in South Bend, and most recently knocked off WCC champion Gonzaga in mid-February. The other good news? LMU is healthy now. They'll have their work cut out for them, as the five seed needs to win four straight games in the WCC.


St. Louis Billikens: 19-10, 10-5 A-10

There are six teams still on the bubble in the A-10, but despite being in fourth place in the league standings, the Billikens are not one of those teams. But if there is anything that St. Louis has taught us this season, its that they can play with any of the other teams in the conference. They've beaten physical teams like Dayton and Duquesne. They've beaten teams that want to spread the floor a bit more like URI and Xavier. Before losing two of three to Temple and Xavier (both were dogfights, no shame in either of those losses), the Billikens had won six in a row. They have a talented lead guard, a couple capable bodies inside, and a coach that knows what it take to advance in a tournament.


Missouri Valley

Thanks to the poor play of a number of bubble teams, Northern Iowa is all but a lock to make the tournament despite struggling down the stretch. But this is Arch Madness, where anything can happen, which means that the Panthers are by no means a lock to win the MVC tournament. There are three teams I can see with the potential to make a run through St. Louis. Wichita State all season long has been the second best team in the conference. They've struggled a bit of late, but this is a team with a legitimate scoring threat in the post and a couple quality back court players. Illinois State is dangerous because they have the best player in the league. Osiris Eldridge is good enough to take over a game (does anyone remember when he scored 21 after halftime in last year's final?), and Dinma Odiakosa and Lloyd Philips are both talented role players. The Redbirds are also playing their best basketball of the season, having won six in a row before dropping their season finale to Northern Iowa. Also keep an eye on Missouri State. They are the best offensive team in the conference, beat Tulsa and Nevada at home, won at St. Louis, and of their 11 losses, only one came by more than 11 points (18 points at Bradley).


VCU Rams: 20-8, 11-7

Like the MVC, the CAA is a quality conference with just one team that is deserving of an at-large bid (Old Dominion). So who can make a run to the CAA title? Northeastern finished second in the league, is a good defensive team, and has as good of a back court as you will find at this level. William & Mary has already knocked off Maryland, Richmond, and Wake Forest. They run a modified Princeton offense, spreading the floor and attacking gaps, which creates a lot of three point opportunities. If they get hot, they can make a run. But I like VCU.


The Rams may have lost Eric Maynor, but it doesn't mean this is a team devoid of talent. Larry Sanders is as long and athletic as anyone you will find in the country, and has been slowly developing into a star inside. Joey Rodriguez is a talented point guard, and Shaka Smart has a wealth of quality role players. The Rams will have their work cut out for them, as they have to win two games before getting a shot at ODU in the semi's. But keep this in mind while watching the CAA Tournament. VCU is 15-1 at home this season, with wins over Oklahoma, Nevada, URI, Richmond, and Old Dominion. VCU is in Richmond. The CAA Tournament is played in Richmond. Advantage Rams?


Arizona State Sun Devils: 20-9, 10-6 Pac-10

It feels weird saying this about a team that plays in a power conference, but lets remember that this year's Pac-10 is not a normal power conference. And let's face it - Cal is going to the tournament so long as they take care of business against Stanford and whoever they get in the first round of the Pac-10 tournament. But Arizona State can play. They are running less of a Princeton offense and more of a motion style system that allows Herb Sendek to better utilize his talented perimeter players. They have a big bodied center and an underrated point guard. They have won six of their last eight overall and five of the last seven games they have played on the road. While the balance in the Pac-10 makes it obvious that any team can get hot and make a run through the tournament, I think Arizona State has the best chance.


New Mexico State Aggies: 19-9, 11-3 19-10, 11-4 WAC

New Mexico State likes to score. They push the ball, they spread the floor, and they allow their two talented scoring guards, Jahmar Young and Jonathon Gibson that average a combined 39.3 ppg, the freedom to score and create. The problem for the Aggies is that they don't have much depth and they don't play much defense, which makes them susceptible. New Mexico State has shown flashes, however. They have beaten both UTEP and Utah State this season, and they have won seven of their last eight games nine games (while writing this post, the Aggies lost to Nevada).
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