POSTERIZED: Archie Goodwin Pilots over Portland

Kentucky freshman Archie Goodwin is really starting to emerge as the high profile scoring option for the Wildcats early on in the season. Many pundits draw the comparison to Tyreke Evans, one of John Calipari's dynamic guard at Memphis.

But to compare Goodwin to Evans in terms of #POSTERIZED-worthy skills would be unjust, because Goodwin is on a totally different level.



This isn't Goodwin's first #POSTERIZED rodeo. While his dunk against Lafayette didn't count for two points, ball don't lie.

A #POSTERIZED is still a #POSTERIZED even if a charge is called.

But was it as good as these:
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. Florida State, 11/27
Week In Review - Feast Week, 11/18 - 11/25
Tarik Black - Memphis vs. Minnesota, 11/23
Ben McLemore - Kansas vs. Washington State - 11/20
Andre Roberson - Colorado vs. Murray State, 11/18
Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. Drake, 11/17
Archie Goodwin - Kentucky vs. Lafayette, 11/16
John Brown - High Point vs. Appalachian State, 11/13
Stefan Jankovic - Missouri vs. Alcorn State, 11/14
Cole Dickerson - San Francisco vs. Cal State-East Bay, 11/13
Clancy Rugg - Vermont vs. UConn, 11/13
Jamari Traylor - Kansas vs. Michigan State, 11/13
Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. St. John's, 11/13
Kris Brewer - Kent State vs. Temple, 11/13
Rakeem Christmas - Syracuse vs. San Diego State, 11/11
Deandre Daniels - UConn vs. Michigan State, 11/9
Ben McLemore - Kansas vs. Emporia State, 10/31
Keion Bell - Missouri vs. Northwest Missouri, 10/31

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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 win a game in the NCAA's

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.

To kick off our preview of the conference tournaments, lets take a look at six teams that aren't going to be getting an at-large berth, but are capable of winning a game in March.


Siena Saints: 24-6, 17-1 MAAC

We've written this before, but Siena reminds me a lot of the Davidson team from 2008 that made that miraculous run to the Elite 8. After winning a game in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments, Siena had quite a bit of expectation coming into this season. But like Davidson in 2008, Siena lost all of their marquee games this season. Their best win? Northeastern, who finished in second place in the CAA. But rest assured, which ever four or five seed draws the Saints in the first round of the NCAA's will know what they are in for.

Ronald Moore doesn't score a lot, but he is probably Siena's MVP.
(photo credit: Albany Times-Union)

There are quite a few things to like about this Siena team. With Ryan Rossiter and Edwin Ubiles, they have the size and athleticism that many low- and mid-major teams lack, while Alex Franklin is your prototypical mid-major post -- undersized, but scrappy and productive. Throw Clarence Jackson in the mix, and they have four guys that are capable of going for 20 on a given night. They have arguably the most underrated point guard in the country in Ronald Moore. But most of all, this is a team that has already experienced wins in the tournament. They aren't going to be fazed by the bright lights of March.


Murray State Racers: 27-4, 17-1 OVC

Murray State rolled through OVC play, winning their first 16 games before losing to preseason favorite Morehead State on the road. Of their 17 league wins, 12 came by double digits. You would be hard-pressed to find a more balanced team in the country than the Racers. Ten players average at least 10 mpg, with no one playing more than 26.5 mpg. In one of the oddest statistics that you will see, Murray State has five players that average between 10.2 and 10.7 ppg. Murray State pressures the ball, forcing turnovers and bad shots as well as any team in the country. On the offensive end of the floor, they take smart shots and hit the offensive glass. Murray State has a number of talented players that can beat you in a variety of ways.


Portland Pilots: 19-9, 10-4 WCC

Portland made a lot of noise early in the season as they beat both Minnesota and UCLA en route to the finals of the 76 Classic back in November. They even managed to work their way into the top 25 for a week. That ranking went by the wayside as the Pilots proceeded to lose three straight and five of seven after beating the Gophers. As a result, the college basketball-watching public essentially forgot about the Pilots. But this is a team built for an upset. They are experienced -- their top seven scorers are all juniors or seniors. Luke Sikma and Robin Smuelders give them size and a couple scoring threats in the paint. They have an experienced and talented point guard in TJ Campbell that can beat you as a scorer or a playmaker. They are fourth in the country at shooting threes, led by the deadly Jared Stohl. It would be an upset for Portland to actually make the tournament, especially when you consider leading scorer Nik Raivio will be out for the WCC tourney, but if they can get there this is a team that may be able to shoot their way into the second round.


Cornell Big Red: 25-4, 11-1 Ivy

Cornell is all but a lock to make the tournament, so long as they can beat either Brown or Yale this weekend. When they do get there, don't expect Cornell to be much more than a 13 or 14 seed. That said, this is a team that can play with anyone in the country. Just ask Kansas, who trailed for most of the second half against Cornell playing in the Phog.

There are not many guys out there that can shoot it better than Ryan Wittman.
(photo credit: Syracuse.com)

There are three guys that make this team go -- point guard Louis Dale, sharp-shooter Ryan Wittman, and aptly named seven-foot center Jeff Foote. The Big Red are not a very athletic team and will struggle to defend against high-majors, but they execute with precision on the offensive end, shoot the heck out of the ball from three, and don't take many bad shots. If they get hot, look out.


Oakland Grizzlies: 23-8, 17-1 Summit

Oakland got smoked early on in the season. Wisconsin, Kansas, Memphis, Michigan State, and Syracuse all had their way with the Grizzlies before the conference regular season started. But since Summit League play began, all Oakland has done is win. It hasn't always been pretty. In fact, of Oakland's 17 wins in the Summit League, only two were blowouts of more than 14 points. This is a team that has been tested during the regular season, and as you know, "winning" is a learned skill. The Grizzlies have as good of a 1-2 punch as you are going to find at this level. 6'11" Keith Benson is an NBA prospect. Benson does not have a great back-to-the-basket game yet, he is capable on the block. But his best attribute is his ability to knock down shots from the perimeter. By forcing an opponent's center to guard him, it opens up space for Johnanthon Jones. Jones' number are a bit down from last season, when he was the nation's leader in assists, but the 5'11" point guard is still a nightmare to keep in front and one of the best playmakers in the country.


Radford Highlanders: 19-11, 13-5 Big South

Radford didn't even win their conference regular season title. With 11 losses on the season and a second place finish in a low-major league, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Highlanders are going to be getting a pretty low seed if they do happen to make it to the dance. That said, I still think Radford could spring an upset thanks to their presence in the paint. Artsiom Parakhouski, a 6'11 Belarusian that averages 21 ppg and 13 rpg, is a load to handle no matter what level of basketball you are playing. He's joined up front by two 6'8" forwards in Lazar Trifunovic and Joey Lynch-Flohr, who both also average double figures. Radford is good defensively and excellent on the glass, which you probably would expect with that front line. Combined with a couple of talented wings and point guard Amir Johnson (a 5'9" senior that averaged 13 ppg as a sophomore, but has since taken over role of playmaker), the Highlanders will put a scare into a first round opponent if they can get there.
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Injury notes: Harangody, Raivio, Freeman, Brown

Luke Harangody may be done for the season, at least according to Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey.

"There's a chance he would not come back this season. There's a chance he could. I think we're week to week," coach Mike Brey said Monday.

The injury that Harangody has is a bone bruise which, as Rush the Court explains, is exactly what it sounds like:

When talking about a bone bruise of the knee, you're usually talking about a force that goes through the joint, meaning along the length of the bone. In other words, there's been a downward, compressive force that has caused the femur (the big bone in the thigh) to press down on the tibia (the biggest of the two lower leg bones). When that happens, vessels break along the tough, thick outer covering of the bone, leaking blood and other fluid into the bone space. Because of that thick outer covering, that inflammatory fluid tends to build up and stay in that part of the bone — and that's what causes the pain.

The issue is that this kind of injury takes time to heal, and Brey has admitted that part of the reason he is holding Harangody out is to protect the senior's potential as a pro. (Side Note: How many coaches would a) do that, risking a trip to the tournament, and b) admit it to the media?) With how well Carleton Scott and Jack Cooley have been playing, the Irish have bought themselves some time.

Personally, I hope Harangody can get back on the court. Hate him or love him, you have to agree that Harangody has been one of the best players in Big East history. Before getting injured, he was on pace to set the Big East scoring record. It would be a shame to see him end this career on the sidelines.


Portland's Nik Raivio has been out of the line-up since mid-January with an achilles strain. Yesterday, news came down that Raivio, who is the younger brother of former Gonzaga star Derek Raivio and was the leading scorer for the Pilots at the time of his injury, will not be available for the the conference tournament.

Its a big blow for Portland. If you remember back in November, Portland played their way into the top 25 as they made a run to the finals of the 76 Classic out in Anaheim. The Pilots have since come back to earth, finishing third in the WCC, but this was still a team that had the parts to make a run through the WCC and win a game in the tournament. That may still be true without Raivio (they did beat St. Mary's without him in the line-up), it will be a more difficult task.


And last night, Austin Freeman missed Georgetown's game against West Virginia with the same stomach virus that slowed him against Notre Dame, while J'Covan Brown was in the line-up for Texas against Oklahoma.
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Morning Shootaround: West Virginia, Florida State with the 76, Old Spice Classics

Old Spice Classic

• Florida State 57, Marquette 56: Great game in the final, as FSU came back from a 40-24 second half deficit to pick up the win. The Seminoles really turned up their defensive pressure during the second half, using a 15-4 run to get the lead down to 44-39. FSU kept creeping closer in this one before finally taking a 53-52 lead on a Derwin Kitchen three. It was their first lead since 2-0. Mo Acker responded by coming off of a ball screen and getting to the rim for a lay-up. At the other end, the Noles threw the ball in to Solomon Alabi, who hadn't finished a post move all night, used a powerful righty jump hook to take the lead back.
  
  
  Florida State won the Old Spice Classic on a couple post moves from Solomon Alabi.
  (photo credit: TBO)
  
  
  Lazar Hayward gave Marquette its last lead of the night at 56-55 on a 17 foot jumper from the top of the key, but on the next possession the Noles threw the ball back in to Alabi. Alabi, who had tried about six right-handed jump hooks while only making the one, gave a little fake to the left, then hit a turn around over his right should to give Florida State the win. Darius Johnson-Odom threw away a pass with 2.9 seconds to cement things. Chris Singleton, who was named Tourney MVP, had 18 points and 10 boards. Hayward had 19 points for the Golden Eagles, who were done in by poor free throw shooting (Jimmy Butlers was 4-12 on the night, missing four straight big ones late).

• Alabama 68, Michigan 66: Alabama played great defensively, holding the Wolverines to just 38% shooting and 6-25 from deep. But it was the play of JaMychal Green inside that really helped the Crimson Tide to overcome another sterling performance from Manny Harris (26, 10 boards, 4 assists). Green had 20 points and 7 boards, which included a tip-dunk with five seconds left to break a 66-66 tie. At the other end, freshman Darius Morris went coast-to-coast but had his shot thrown into the stands by Green to seal the win. Mikhail Torrance had 11 points, 8 assists, and 6 boards for the Tide.
• Baylor 69, Xavier 64: Tweety Carter had 27 points and six assists to lead the Bears to a win in the fifth place game. Carter's sixth three gave Baylor a 61-57 lead late in the second half, and the Bears sealed the game by hitting eight straight free throws. Epke Udoh, the Michigan State transfer, had 15 points, 9 boards, and 6 blocks, looking like he could one day be a star in the Big XII. Jordan Crawford played two horrible games down in Orlando, both Musketeer losses. Last night, Crawford was just 6-19 from the floor.
• Iona 63, Creighton 55: Tied at 47, Iona went on a 10-1 spurt to build a 57-48 with just four minutes left. Kenny Lawson Jr had 18 points to lead the Gaels, while Kyle Smith added 14 points. Iona had a very strong showing in Orlando, almost knocking off Florida State and taking Baylor to OT before losing. They should be more than competitive in the MAAC this season.
  

76 Classic

• West Virginia 84, Portland 66: The Pilots dream run came to an end on Sunday as they were just too small to deal with the Mountaineers inside. WVU pounded the offensive glass in the first half and used a stretch of four straight three pointers to open up a lead that swelled to as much as 22. Da'Sean Butler had 26 and 6 boards to lead the Mountaineers while Kevin Jones added 17 and 6 boards. Portland just could never find the range offensively as they went 5-24 from deep and struggled in the half court against WU's strong, athletic, and aggressive perimeter defense.

West Virginia was too physical inside for Portland.
(photo credit: AP)

• Clemson 70, Butler 69: In what may have been the game of the night, Clemson rallied from a 12 points deficit to hand Butler their second loss of the tournament. The Tigers made their run when they dropped back from their full court press into a trapping half court defense. Down 67-62, Clemson hit back-to-back three to take the lead, the second of which was made by Andre Young from deep in the corner with just 1:32 to play. A Matt Howard tip-in gave Butler the lead back, and after both teams missed a shot, Demontez Stitt penetrated and drew a foul with 3.3 seconds left, hitting both free throws. His 19 points led the Tigers. Trevor Booker blocked a Shelvin Mack three pointer and then broke up the ensuing in bounds to seal the game. He finished with 12 points and 12 boards and Willie Veasley did an excellent job on him defensively. Mack finished the game with 15, 8 boards, and 4 assists, while Gordon Hayward had 20 and 12 boards for the Bulldogs.
• Texas A&M 66, Minnesota 65: Down 66-59 late, the Aggies nearly blew this one as they missed six straight free throws late. First Paul Carter scored an acrobatic and-1 lay-in, then Al Nolen added a lay-up of his own. With under 30 seconds left, the Gophers forced a turnover and Carter drew another foul. After hitting his first free throw, Carter missed the second and the Aggies were able to hold on for the win. Derrick Roland led the way with 19 for the Aggies, while Colton Iverson had 14 and 12 boards to pace the Gophers.
  
• Long Beach State 79, UCLA 68: The Bruins are in serious trouble this year. They went 0-3 in this tournament, and are now just 2-4 on the year with all four losses coming to mid-major opponents. UCLA simply does not have the talent this season despite having a number of top 50 recruits the past two years. TJ Robinson had 25 and 13 to lead the 49ers.
  

UNC 70, Nevada 63: The Tar Heels came up big down the stretch to win their first close game of the season. Down 64-62 with just over seven minutes left, the Heels went on a 12-3 run to open up a seven point lead and hit their free throws down the stretch. Once again, UNC flexed their muscles inside. Deon Thompson had a career high 23 points while Ed Davis added 16 points, 15 boards, and 2 big blocks late. Larry Drew and 12 points, 10 assists, and just one turnover in the win. Armon Johnson had 20 for the Wolfpack, while Luke Babbitt added 15 points and 11 boards, but was just 5-18 from the field.

Washington 63, Montana 59: Venoy Overton knocked down two late free throws, and then blocked what would have been a game-tying three as U-Dub held on against a pesky Grizzlies team. Isaiah Thomas had 13 despite going 1-9 from the floor for the Huskies, who were down 12 and shooting just 31% from the field before making their comeback.

Other notable scores:

• Texas 77, Rice 59: The Owls just had no answer inside for Dexter Pittman, who finished the day with 21 points on 7-8 shooting. Rice made a run in the second half, but the Horns were just too big inside.
• Cal 81, Princeton 60: Jamal Boykin had 22 points and 7 boards while Jerome Randle went for 22 and 9 dimes as the Bears battled injuries and illnesses Sunday.
• Duquesne 71, Radford 63: BJ Monteiro had 21 points while Damian Saunders added 14 points, 16 boards, 6 blocks, 4 steals, and 3 assists as the Dukes hung on to the Radford.
• NC State 69, New Orleans 52: Tracy Smith went for 20 points and 8 boards in the Wolfpack win.
• Cornell 61, Drexel 54: Ryan Wittman had 18 points and Jeff Foote added 15 as the Big Red extended their winning streak to three games.
• South Alabama 74, Arkansas 61: Already depleted due to suspension, the Razorbacks played without Michael Washington, who aggravated a back injury in warm-ups, taking their fourth loss of the year. Arkansas hit just six field goals in the second half.
  
• Ole Miss 73, Texas A&M-CC 58: Terrico White and Chris Warren each scored 19 points in the win.
• Nebraska 51, USC 48: Eshaunte Jones hit a three with just 11.7 seconds left, and Marcus Johnson air-balled a three at the end of the game as the Pac-10 lost another game to a major conference team.
• Stanford 83, Portland State 64: Landry Fields scored 25 points to lead the Cardinal to a win over the Vikings.
  

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Top 10 (plus one) Sleeper Teams

In 2007-2008, Michigan won 10 games in John Beilein's first season at the helm. But last year, the Wolverines improved by 12 wins, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Likewise, LSU was just 13-18 and 6-10 in the weak SEC West two seasons ago. But in Trent Johnson's first season, the Tigers went 27-8 en route to an SEC regular season title and a trip to the second round of the tournament.

Each and every season, there are teams that seemingly come out of nowhere to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Who will be this season's sleepers? (Ed. Note: We are only considering teams not listed here as potential sleepers.)

Boston College: Yes, the Eagles did win 22 games last season, earning a seven seed in the Big Dance. But they also lost Tyrese Rice, their best player and leading scorer. But don't be fooled, the Eagles return a ton of talent. Joe Trapani is a fundamentally sound combo forward that will impress a lot of people this year, and Rakim Sanders is a mega-athlete that has the ability to be an all-league player. Throw Corey Raji and Reggie Jackson in the mix, and the Eagles should have no problem replacing the scoring they lost with Rice. If someone can step up and replace Rice's playmaking ability, BC should make a second consecutive trip to the dance.

Rakim Sanders will be one of the best players in the ACC this year.
(photo credit: Hoops Report)

Seton Hall: The Pirates return their top four scorers from last season, including arguably the best scorer in the Big East in Jeremy Hazell. Robert Mitchell and Eugene Harvery also return on the perimeter, as does big man John Garcia. But the key to the Pirates season will be the addition of three transfers - Keon Lawrence, Herb Pope, and Jamel Jackson. Bobby Gonzalez has a team that will be able to score with anyone in the country, the question is going to be will they be able to defend well enough to win some more games?

Texas A&M: Losing Josh Carter and Chinemolu Elonu will hurt, but the Aggies do return three starters and their best scorer off the bench. Seniors Donald Sloan and Brian Davis seem like they have been around forever, but they are quality experienced players that are primed to lead this team. Add to the mix four top 150 recruits, and Texas A&M has the horses to be a player in the Big XII.

Kansas State: K-State won 22 games last year, but missed out on the dance due to too few quality wins. They return one of the best starting back courts in the conference with Jacob Pullen and the electric Denis Clemente, which is good enough to win quite a few games on their own. Add to that getting a stellar incoming class, including UConn transfer Curtis Kelly and freshman Wally Judge, the Wildcats are going to have a lot of talent on their roster. There will be some inexperience, but this is a team that no one will want to play late in the season.

Denis Clemente will be one of the most dynamic scorers in the country.
(photo credit: Bleacher Report)

Oregon State: The Beavers surprised a lot of people by winning seven games last year in the Pac-10. When seven wins is a surprise, that should tell you about the state of basketball in Corvallis. The best news? Obama's brother-in-law, head coach Craig Robinson, returns seven of his top eight scorers and brings in a good recruiting class, headlined by Roberto Nelson. The Pac-10 may be down this season, but the Beavers have enough talent that they can compete for the third spot behind Cal and Washington. If Nelson can live up to the hype, he will combine with Calvin Haynes and Roeland Schaftenaar to form one of the best inside-outside combos out west.

Niagara: People are going to be talking about Siena coming out of the MAAC, but don't count out the Purple Eagles. This is a team that won 26 games last year (14 in the MAAC, including a split with Siena) and returns four of their five starters from a season ago. With a couple talented freshman joining the fray, Niagara will have the talent to win the league and earn a trip to the NCAA's. Be sure to mark Jan. 9th and Feb. 12th on your calenders - you won't want to miss the Niagara-Siena games this year.

BYU: True, the Cougars lose Lee Cummard, who was one of the best players out west last season. But they also return Jonathan Tavernari and Jimmer Fredette, which will be the best 1-2 in the MWC this season. All told, BYU returns four starters and six of their top seven players. The MWC is consistently one of the best basketball leagues outside of the BCS conferences, and BYU should be the cream of the crop this season.

Jimmer Fredette is a name you are going to hear a lot this season.
(photo credit: Utah Daily Herald)

Oakland: The Golden Grizzlies have two of the keys you need to be dangerous come tourney time - and excellent point guard in Johnathon Jones and a post presence in 6'11" Keith Benson. Losing the perimeter shooting of Erik Kangas is going to hurt, but expect sophomores Drew Maynard and Blake Cushingberry to more than make up for it.

Idaho: Harold Arceneaux. Stephen Curry. All you need in the NCAA Tournament is one unstoppable player and a mid-major has a chance to spring an upset. This year, that player may very well be Idaho's Mac Hopson. As a junior, Hopson averaged a stellar 16.4 ppg, 5.9 apg, and 5.0 rpg. Idaho will need some role players to step up around him to get there, but if the Vandals get into the dance, no coach is going to enjoy game-planning for this kid.

La Salle: Rodney Green could very well be the guy that steals the A-10 player of the year award from away from front runners Jordan Crawford and Chris Wright. Green is a talented scorer and play maker, but he is far from the only player that the Explorers bring back. Kimani Barrett and Ruben Guillandeaux will help carry the back court load, while Yves Mekongo Mbala will pick up the slack inside for the departed Vernon Goodridge. And remember, John Giannini landed Aaric Murray, a 6'10", 250 lb center that most recruitniks believed was top 10 at his position in the class of '09.

Rodney Green may be the best player in the A-10.
(photo credit: Atlantic 10)

Portland: Gonzaga and St.Mary's have had a strangle hold on the top two spots in the West Coast Conference over the past decade. But Eric Reveno brings back a veteran group that many believe could win the WCC this year. The Pilots will be led by 6'5" Nik Raivio, a strong scoring guard that averaged 16.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Add into the mix sharp shooter Jared Stohl (45.6% 3's) and point guard TJ Campbell, and Portland has a roster loaded with shooters. If this team gets hot, they will be able to run with just about anyone in the country.

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