Bruce Ellington, South Carolina's two-sport star

You can find the rest of the features from the #BIAHRoadTrip here.

LEXINGTON, KY - Bruce Ellington was South Carolina's best player as a freshman.

The diminutive but obscenely athletic point guard led the team in minutes played, scoring and assists. He took 110 more field goals than anyone else on the roster and shot 65 more threes. He wasn't only the guy that had the ball in his hands at the end of a clock, he was the guy that had the ball in his hands, period.

That is why his decision to hit the gridiron for Steve Spurrier this season was so concerning for Darrin Horn's team. Throw in the transfers of Murphy Holloway and Ramon Galloway and the graduation of Sam Muldrow, and the Gamecocks were looking at a season with a roster stocked with youth and a star player coming off of three months worth of pounding from playing football in the SEC.

And as you might expect, there has been a bit of an adjustment period for Ellington.
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POSTERIZED: Don't Get in Ramon's Gallo-Way

We were informed of this dunk Wednesday night when it happened by a faithful twitter follower, but have been unable to actually view this dunk until now.

Ramon Galloway of South Carolina clearly doesn't like it when people get in his way,




But was it as good as one of these?:

POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Justin Tubbs, East Tennessee State
POSTERIZED - John Williams, UNC-Ashville
POSTERIZED - Kevin Smith, Richmond
POSTERIZED - Mitchell Watt, Buffalo
POSTERIZED - Chandler Parsons, Florida
POSTERIZED - Kenny Gabriel, Auburn
POSTERIZED - Paris Horne, St. John's
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Laurence Bowers, Missouri
POSTERIZED - Drew Gordon, New Mexico
POSTERIZED - Tony Mitchell, Alabama
POSTERIZED - Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt
POSTERIZED - LaMarcus Reed, UT-Arlington
POSTERIZED - Marcus Morris, Kansas
POSTERIZED - Jared Cunningham, Oregon State
POSTERIZED - Langston Morris-Walker
POSTERIZED - Chris Wright and Juwan Staten, Dayton
POSTERIZED - D.J Stephens, Memphis
POSTERIZED - Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Reeves Nelson, UCLA
POSTERIZED - Kendall Marshall and John Henson, UNC
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Joe Jackson, Memphis
POSTERIZED - Shay Shine, High Point
POSTERIZED - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
POSTERIZED - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - LeBryan Nash
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas


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Did DeMarcus Cousins punch a fan last night?

One of the rumors that has been flying around the intrawebs today is that DeMarcus Cousins, as the crowd was rushing the floor at the Colonial Like Arena last night, punched a fan twice before being removed by a member of the Kentucky staff.

Well, a radio host in South Carolina witnessed it, and this morning on his radio show, that student called in. His account of the incident:

As the students were getting ready to rush the court, I had my head down just plowing through the crowd, because you want to try and get past the girls in the yellow coats. So as I'm doing that, my head's down and all of a sudden I bump into this big body. Of course, I look up and its none other than Cousins. I'm like, great, its the biggest guy in the whole coliseum and I bump into him. Well, first he gives me a little chicken wing and then I get a cold cock in my right cheek, and it knocked me for a loop. I just looked up at him and smiled and kept going. But he gave me at least two good licks.

South Carolina fans stormed the court in style last night.
(photo credit: The State)

The host goes on to talk about how, after the incident, he saw the student that was hit and asked him if he was OK, to which the student replied "Yeah, man. It was worth it."

I don't know if this story is true. There is no video of the incident. There are no pictures. Any truth to this story rests entirely on the shoulders of a radio host and a kid that called into his show.

Not exactly the Lord's word.

That said, this isn't the first time that Cousins' temper has been an issue. If you remember, against Louisville earlier this month, he dropped an elbow on the head of Jared Swopshire just 45 seconds into the game. Some started questioning whether or not Cousins would be able to handle an entire season without snapping again.

If this is, in fact, true, I know that Cousins was wrong. You can't hit someone, especially when you are a 6'11", 260 lb behemoth that doubles as a star athlete for arguably the most popular sports team in the country.

Still, I would find it really difficult to put a lot of blame on Cousins.

There is a reason you aren't supposed to rush the court. There is a reason that the South Carolina security staff surrounded the court. There is a reason the SEC has instituted a system of fines, reaching as much as $50,000*, when students descend on to the court, or the football field, after a big win.

It is precisely to avoid incidents like this.

Remember, despite his size, Cousins is still just a 19 year old kid. 19 year old kids, when put in stressful situations (like losing the first game of your college career despite playing your best game in front of a raucous road crowd), sometimes make bad decisions. Sometimes, 19 year old kids throw punches. I know I threw a couple punches in my younger days, and I don't consider myself a bad person.

The student admitted that he ran into Cousins.

Cousins reacted.

That reaction?

To defend himself.

I'm not trying to take any of the blame away from Cousins. If he threw a punch, he should probably face some sort of disciplinary action, whether it is a suspension, a benching, or simply some extra conditioning drills after practice. He'll deserve whatever he gets.

Just like that student deserves what he got.

I enjoy a good court-storming as much as anyone, and last night's was one of the best I've seen in a long time. That said, anyone that runs on the floor, especially when your path to get there involves getting "past the girls in the yellow coats", should know that they are someplace they don't belong. And if they do something dumb in this place the don't belong - say, run into the biggest player on a basketball court - then should be prepared to pay the price.

In this case, it was a couple of shots to the face from a future lottery pick. If there was a riot and you happened to be running around in the streets, you may get tear-gassed. You may get arrested.

And you may get away unscathed with a great story.

But one thing's for sure. If you do get gassed or thrown in cuffs, you won't get any sympathy from me.

Neither will this kid.

(*South Carolina was fined $25,000 last night for allowing the students to storm the floor. It was their second violation, as they were fined $5,000 for a court-storming five years ago against, who else, Kentucky. People are already pushing for the fine to be given to Haitian relief efforts.

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Devan Downey's gunning a necessity

By now, everyone has seen them.

An and-one, 15 footer off of an inbounds play with two seconds left on the shot clock as someone was taking out his legs. A tough, lefty drive, beating two help defenders before hitting a runner off the glass. Spinning away from a ball-screen, driving right before coming back left, splitting two defenders with a little hop-step to find space in the paint for an eight-foot floater.

Given the time (three straight possessions in the final four minutes), score (South Carolina clinging to a slim lead), and opponent (No. 1 and then-undefeated Kentucky), those three buckets from Devan Downey are as tough, as gutty, and as clutch as any that you will see this season.

In fact, if you look back at Downey's night, just about all of the nine shots that he hit could have made Sportscenter.

The issue that a lot of people are going to have isn't with the shots he made.

It will be with the 20 shots he missed on the night.

Its true that Downey hit three of the biggest shots of his life down the stretch last night. Its also true that those three shots were instrumental in the Gamecock's win.

But the question that a lot of people have asked is whether or not South Carolina would have been in a position to need those three shots if Downey had been more selective earlier in the game.

The answer too that question?

No, they wouldn't have.

Because Kentucky would have been blowing out South Carolina.

For those that haven't followed the Gamecocks very closely this season, they have lost two starters, both double digit scorers. 6'7" small forward Dominique Archie was an NBA prospect and the best defender on South Carolina, in not in the SEC, before suffering a season-ending knee injury. 6'7" power forward Mike Holmes was averaging 11 points and 5 boards before being dismissed from the team.

What's left?

Some good role players. Some athletic bigs. A lot of young guys with potential. But not much scoring.

That's why Downey shoots so much. Because if he doesn't, where are the points going to come from? Brandis Raley-Ross is a good spot-up shooter, but that's about it. Sam Muldrow is an active, athletic big man, but his offense consists of dunks and putbacks. Lakeem Jackson has some potential as a slasher, but he's a freshman. Johndre Jefferson and Austin Steed are both capable big men, but are far from what one would call a scoring threat.

The bottom line?

Devan Downey is good enough that a tough, low-percentage shot going 1-on-2 or 1-on-3 is a better shot than asking the Gamecocks role players to create their own looks.

So while that 9-29 is an eyesore, and 30 points on 29 shots is not going to put you on Gasaway's or Pomeroy's all-efficiency teams, keep in mind that without Downey playing this way, South Carolina would not have beaten Kentucky.

Sometimes efficiency takes a backseat to winning.

I'm sure Gasaway and Pomeroy would both agree.

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Reactions to South Carolina's win from around the web

I don't know if you've heard, but Kentucky lost last night to South Carolina, meaning that for the second time in an many weeks, the No. 1 team in the country dropped their first game as the No. 1 team in the country.

As you might expect, quite a few people had something to say about this game. We will update this as the day goes on and more columns are posted, but here is what some of the college hoops media thinks about this upset.

Jeff Goodman of FOXSports: "No one is ready to handle the bull's-eye. A year ago, it was North Carolina and everyone else. Two years ago, there were four elite teams in a class of their own to begin the season — and the same quartet made the Final Four. In 2007, it was the defending champion Florida Gators who were considered a lock to repeat with everyone back in the fold. This year, it's wide open. All you had to do was watch the nation's final unbeaten, Kentucky, go down Tuesday night to a mediocre South Carolina team that lost to Wofford earlier this season. A South Carolina team that entered the game 11-8 overall, 2-3 in SEC play and without its second-best player, Dominique Archie. Or see Texas, which held the No. 1 ranking for one week — or more accurately, one day — get swept on the road by Kansas State and UConn. That's a Huskies team that was riding a three-game losing streak and was without its coach. Or watch Kansas, the consensus No. 1 team entering the season, go into Knoxville earlier this month and return with a loss against a Tennessee team that had just six scholarship players. It was the same Vols group that was blasted by 22 out in Los Angeles to USC."

Andy Katz of ESPN.com: "South Carolina was still dealing with Saturday's buzzer-beating loss at Florida when the Gamecocks were hit with another zinger late that night. The players and staff, albeit separately, took note of the media's breakdown of when 19-0 Kentucky would lose its first game. They knew Texas had gone down again, this time to Connecticut. They knew Kentucky had throttled Arkansas, opening up the No. 1 spot. They knew they were next for the Wildcats on Tuesday night at home. Yet, they felt like that trip to Columbia was omitted from any on-air discussion -- mostly at this network -- about when the Wildcats would lose next, with games against Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Mississippi State seen as the biggest threats."

Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com: "Of course this is as much about Kentucky as it is South Carolina. The Wildcats, who had survived by a whisper five times this season, did not play well from the opening tip. They were disjointed and sloppy. Wall finished with 19, but as the game got close and you kept expecting him to take over, it never happened. Perhaps more telling, this team of overachieving freshmen were left on an island by their upperclassmen and drowned. The Kentucky newcomers, which includes JUCO transfer Darnell Dodson, scored 57 of Kentucky's 62 points. Patrick Patterson represented the older generation with the other five. The guys with experience, the ones presumably more equipped to handle hostile gyms and the newly minted No. 1 ranking, were absentee parents, leaving the kids to figure out everything on their own."

Pat Forde of ESPN.com: "Cousins is like Downey, only in reverse. Both do things that defy their size. Downey’s ability to drive and score against players more than a foot taller is amazing. Cousins’ ability to spin, float and score at 6-foot-11, 260 pounds is similarly amazing."

Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com: "As you probably heard, President Obama called the Kentucky basketball team Tuesday to thank them for organizing a telethon that raised more than $1 million for Haiti. He referred to John Wall as "all-star" and told the team that "the way [they] were going" indicated they might end up at the White House accepting congratulations for winning a national title. President Obama then asked who Kentucky played next. John Calipari told him South Carolina, at South Carolina. "I think you should be alright," President Obama said. "But there is that tendency once you get to be No. 1 to start letting down a little bit. So you guys stay focused." Roughly nine hours later, Darnell Dodson missed an open layup in a one-possession game with a little more than five minutes to play. No focus. It seemed to foreshadow the conclusion, which was Kentucky's first loss -- a loss to a team that entered with an 11-8 record, a loss to a team that lost its second-best player (Dominique Archie) to a knee injury five games into the season."

C. Aluka Berry of TheState.com: "If he had not done so already, Downey forever stamped his name in USC's basketball annals. He may some day see his jersey No. 2 hanging in the rafters, and he may go down as the most explosive package of All-American playmaker the school has ever seen. Even if none of that happens, though, he forever will be remembered for scheming, directing and orchestrating USC's first victory in its 102-year history against a top-ranked team."

John Clay of Kentucky.com: " It can be a whole different view from the mountaintop. When you're No. 1, and you're getting pats on the back and calls from the president, the air can get a little thinner up there. Legs grow a little shaky. Head gets a little fuzzy. You can lose your focus. Example: Not quite three minutes into the second half Tuesday night of top-ranked Kentucky's 68-62 loss to South Carolina, Patrick Patterson didn't get to a 50-50 ball, and Cats Coach John Calipari pogoed off the bench and yelled for Perry Stevenson to get in the game. Stevenson stared straight ahead. Calipari screamed, "Now!!!!!!" Stevenson fumbled with the zipper of his warm-up on his way to the scorer's table. Exasperated, Calipari yelled for Daniel Orton to replace Stevenson, who had not even yet replaced Patterson. It was that kind of night."

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South Carolina's Mike Holmes kicked off team; Minnesota's Royce White coming back?

Mike Holmes has been kicked off the the South Carolina basketball team.

Holmes, who was averaging 11.0 ppg and 4.8 rpg as USC's starting power forward, was dismissed for "repeated violation of team rules."

"We have a standard and basic level of expectations for our team – both staff and players – and Mike was repeatedly unable to reach those expectations, on and off the court," South Carolina coach Darrin Horn said in a statement. "We will work with Mike to help him continue his education and basketball career."

Holmes hasn't played since Nov. 27th. South Carolina had two days off after Thanksgiving. Holmes went home for the two days, and suffered a facial fracture while "horsing around."

This is a big loss for the Gamecocks, who already are playing with Dominique Archie on the shelf with after undergoing season ending knee surgery.


Two weeks ago, Royce White quit college basketball via youtube.

Yesterday, he returned to practice with the Gophers.

Apparently, despite "quitting", White still really wants to play for the Gophers. He still needs to get his legal issues worked out, but there seems that there still may be a chance that the freshman suits up for the Gophers this season.

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Dominique Archie out indefinitely

According to Jeff Goodman at FOXSports, Darrin Horn has said that Dominique Archie is out indefinitely.

Good news for the Gamecocks.

Why?

Because Horn also said that Archie only sprained his knee. Anyone that saw his landing after a dunk last night knows that is a lucky break for Archie.

You have to feel for Archie here. He tested the waters in last year's NBA Draft, but eventually decided to return to join Devan Downey and make a run at a SEC title, hopefully boosting his NBA Draft status in the process. Instead, he will be spending a good part of his senior campaign on crutches.

Hopefully, he makes a full recovery.

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Monday's Shootaround: Miami and Villanova win Tourney's, Purdue and Tennessee advance to Finals

Villanova 79, Ole Miss 67: Villanova knocked off Ole Miss to win the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic. A dogfight throughout, the Wildcats started to pull away midway through the second half. It was an issue of effort from the Rebels, it was an issue of execution. The best teams in the country run their sets, get good shots, and score against even the toughest defenses. Ole Miss struggled with that at times.

The biggest surprise of this young season may be Villanova's Antonio Pena. Pena notched his third triple double double (h/t Kosi) of the season last night, coming up with 17 points and 16 rebounds (6 offensive) while going 8-13 from the field. With Mouphtaou Yarou and Isaiah Armwood looking largely unreliable right now, Pena (who is averaging 12.2 ppg and 11.0 rpg) turning into a force on the block would be a huge development for the Wildcats. The difference in this game was Pena (and Taylor King, who had 11 boards) controlling the glass.

Villanova won the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic.
(photo credit: AP)

The Rebels are going to be good, however. Their back court of Chris Warren and Terrico White is as good as anyone in the south this side of Kentucky. As their bigs develop and this team continues to gel (remember, White and Murphy Holloway are sophomores, and Warren and Eniel Polynice missed last season with injuries), we may be talking about the best team in the SEC West.

One other note - Scottie Reynolds still looks a bit out of sync. He isn't making great decisions, he is over dribbling, and his jumper just isn't right quite yet. He did score 21 points last night, which should tell you how highly regarded this kid is.


Miami 85, South Carolina 70: South Carolina came out playing well, jumping to a 13-4 lead early on as Miami kept turning the ball over against the Gamecock pressure. But once guys like Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott starting attacking that pressure, it opened up quite a bit for the Gamecocks on the offensive end. Dwayne Collins was a monster in the paint, finishing with 17 points and 15 boards, while James Dews torched USC with open jumpers and easy lay-ups to the tune of 22 points on 8-11 shooting.

Miami looked like a team that could make some noise in the ACC if they can solve their turnover woes. Part of the issue is inexperience, but a bigger issue is the lack of a true point guard. Durand Scott and James Dews are both better off the ball, and Malcolm Grant is a score first point guard. That said, with those three in the back court, and a front line of Collins, DeQuan Jones, and Cyrus McGowan, the Canes have a nice group this year.

Hopefully, Dominique Archie's season isn't over.
(photo credit: The State)

For South Carolina, Devon Downey looked great, scoring 20 points, while Brandis Baley-Ross and Ramon Galloway combined for 26 points on 7-16 shooting from deep. But the news coming out of Charleston was that Dominique Archie landed awkwardly on a breakaway dunk, having to be helped off the court. He was later seen on the bench with crutches and a knee brace. I'm not exactly a knee expert, but I know when a knee injury looks bad, and this one looks bad. No word yet on the injury.


Kansas State 83, Dayton 75: Kansas State got 26 points from Jacob Pullen and 21 from Denis Clemente as the Wildcats knocked off the Flyers. The play of the two guards was so important for the Wildcats, as they did not get much in the way of offense from the rest of their line-up.

The biggest issue for Dayton was their inability to slow down Pullen and Clemente. Dayton is not a great offensive team, and when they are playing someone who can compete on the glass with them, the key to their team becomes defense - can they hold the team to a low enough score to win. As Kansas State constantly got into the paint, drawing fouls and hitting free throws, they were able to take down Dayton.

A perfect example. After being down 15 points midway through the second half, Dayton cut the lead to 58-54 on a big Chris Wright tip-dunk. At the other end, however, a defensive breakdown in the Dayton zone left Pullen wide open for a three from the corner to answer. Chris Johnson responded with a three at the other end to keep it at four, but Kansas State scored on their next four possessions, going on a 8-2 run. While Dayton made a few more surges, they wasted away their most promising threat.


Purdue 85, St. Joe's 60: It took a while for the Boilermakers to wake up, but once they did, St. Joe's didn't know what hit them. Up 18-9 midway through the first half, Purdue would outscore St. Joe's 45-14 over the next 18 minutes of game time. That includes a 23-3 run in the opening eight minutes of the second half. The offense came from all over, but it was JaJuan Johnson who was the star tonight, as he posted 18 points and 10 boards in the win. Ryne Smith and MArk Wohlford combined for 26 points and 5-8 shooting from deep off the bench.


Tennessee 57, DePaul 53: I think the key to beating Tennessee is obvious - don't turn the ball over and give the Vols easy baskets, instead take your time offensively, get a good shot, and make sure you get back and set your defense. Tennessee has basically the same roster as last season, and while they are no doubt more mature and better players with an increased level of experience, they are still going to have the same problems as they did last year in the half court.

Tennessee was ahead for much of this game, opening up a 10 point lead early in the second half, but DePaul hung around as Tennessee was never able to put a run on them. Tyler Smith, who led the Vols with 14 points and 9 boards, hit two free throws with 13 seconds left for the win.


Other notable scores:

• Michigan State 90, Valpo 60: Chris Allen had 22 points, and Delvon Roe added 10 points and 17 boards as the Spartans helped Tom Izzo tie Jud Heathcoate's MSU win record.
• Georgia Tech 85, Boston U. 67: Georgia Tech got 22 points on 10-12 shooting from Zach Peacock as the Yellow Jackets blew this game open with a 16-1 run midway through the second half. Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors both had double-doubles, combining for 31 points and 24 boards.
• Louisville 90, Morgan State 81: The Cardinals got 23 points and 12 boards from Samardo Samuels as they pounded the ball inside against the smaller Bears. Louisville took just 12 threes (compared to 68 during their first two games) while holding Morgan State's Reggie Holmes to 9 points on 4-12 shooting in 16 minutes (averaging 25.3 ppg coming it).
• Penn State 59, Davidson 57: After Penn State lost to two mid-major programs, they finally put together a win against Davidson. Jeff Brooks had 12 to lead the Nittany Lions. Brendan McKillop missed a jumper in the final seconds that would have tied it.
  
• George Mason 69, Indiana 66: Cam Long scored 18 points, including the game-winning three with six seconds left. It may just be Indiana, but the win is still important for the CAA's conference RPI.
• La Salle 61, Tulane 59: Rodney Green hit four free throws down the stretch as the Explorers held off Tulane.
• Iowa State 96, Mississippi Valley State 55: Craig Brackins had 28 and 12 boards while Marqus Gilstrap added 21 in the win for the Cyclones.
• Missouri 100, Texas Pan-American 44: Kim English led the Tigers with 25 points in the rout.
• Creighton 80, Arkansas-Little Rock 65: P'Allen Stinnet led five Bluejays in double figures as Creighton used a 15-2 run to open the second half to win it.
• South Florida 74, UNC-Wilmington 66: Dominique Jones had 28 points to lead the Bulls, who used an 11-1 run to open up a 37-32 halftime lead. They never trailed after the break.
• Vermont 77, Rutgers 71: Vermont picks up a win over a Big East team in the Legends Classic as Evan Fields scores 19 points and Marqus Blakely added 17 points, 9 boards, five blocks, and four steals. Too bad Rutgers automatically makes the semi-finals of the Legends Classic.
• Austin Peay 69, Niagara 67: The Purple Eagles went cold after opening the game with seven threes in six minutes and building a 21-4 lead. Marcel Williams hit the game-winning jumper with 3.5 seconds left.
  
• Notre Dame 91, Liberty 72: Luke Harangody has 32 and 12 boards in the win.
• NC State 60, Auburn 58: Tracy Smith scored with 1.3 seconds left to give NC State and the ACC a nice win over an SEC school.
  

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John Calipari: "The SEC should get 7 or 8 teams"

The SEC had their media day today, and it was relatively uneventful.

Perhaps the biggest news came from John Calipari via his twitter (where else?).

I told the media the SEC should get 7 or 8 teams in the NCAA Tournament this year.

Some people took exception to this statement, specifically Eamonn Brennan over at The Dagger.

The Dagger is one of the best college hoops blogs out there, and I generally agree with most of what those guys say. But I have to disagree with this:

No, dude. No. If this was a coach from the Big Ten, sure. The ACC, maybe. The Big East? I'd listen. But not the SEC. Come on now... Everyone knows this is silly, right? I don't have to explain why this is silly?

Not only do I think there is a chance the SEC gets seven teams in this year, I think it is a very real possibility.

The SEC Tournament will be one of the most exciting come March.
(photo credit: NashvilleSports.com)

Why?

Because the SEC is going to be the most improved conference in the country.

Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi State (even without Renardo Sidney) are virtual locks to get a bid.

Ole Miss will return a healthy Eniel Polynice and Chris Warren, and when combined with Terrico White give the Rebels one of the best back courts in the league. I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility that Ole Miss wins 11 or 12 games in the league this year.

South Carolina barely missed the NCAA's last season, and returns Devan Downey, one of the best scorers in the country, and their entire front line.

Vanderbilt will be a sleeper in the league this year as they return everyone and add freshman John Jenkins, who may be the best shooter in the country, to the mix to fill their biggest hole last season.

Florida is overflowing with potential, and while they did lose their point guard Nick Calathes, the Gators may be better off with Kenny Boynton at the point.

Even Arkansas, a team that struggled to a 2-14 finish and may be the worst run program in the country, returns their top four scorers from a team that beat both Texas and Oklahoma early last season.

Simply put, the SEC, especially the eastern division, is going to be very good this season.
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2009-2010 Team Preview: South Carolina Gamecocks

2008-2009 Record: 21-10, 10-6 SEC East (t-1st)

Key Losses: Zam Frederick (15.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg)

Key Returners: Devan Downey (19.8 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.9 apg), Dominique Archie (10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Mike Holmes (10.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg)

Newcomers: Ramon Galloway, Lakeem Jackson, Stephen Spinella, Johndre Jefferson

Devan Downey may be just 5'9", but he is one of the best scorers in the country.
(photo credit: Gamecock Central)

Darrin Horn caught a huge break during the off-season has Dominique Archie and Devan Downey both withdrew from the NBA Draft. With those two back in the fold, South Carolina will have enough talent to make a run at the top of the SEC.

It all starts with Downey. He stands just 5'9", but Downey is one of the best scorers in the country. Lightening quick, Downey is playing at his best when he is attacking the basket. Despite being just 5'9", he is a very good finisher around the rim as he has an effective floater and is adept at using his body to draw contact and create space from a defender. He has a tendency to force the issue when he is attacking the basket, resulting in a relatively high number of turnovers. Downey is also an excellent three-point shooter (his 35% shooting from deep on the season is skewed a bit by shots he forced with the Gamecocks down late) when he isn't forcing threes. Downey is a high risk, high reward type of player. He is going to take a lot of tough shots, and when he is on, he can make them and carry the team while putting up 30. Same thing on the defensive end. Downey's quickness allows him to be a pest on the ball and in the passing lanes (2.9 spg), but he gives up easy buckets when he gambles for steals and misses.

Joining Downey in the back court will be SEC sixth man of the year Brandis Raley-Ross. Raley-Ross battled injuries all through last season, missing six games in November and December with a sprained knee. With Zam Frederick graduating, expect Raley-Ross to have an expanded role on the offensive end. Two freshman will provide depth in the Gamecock's back court. Lakeem Jackson is a hard-nosed, 6'5" wing that is known for his athleticism and toughness. Still not a great scorer at this point in his career, Jackson will get a lot of minutes this season simply because he will play defense and provide energy in Horn's uptempo, pressing system. Ramon Galloway is also a pretty athletic kid, but he is much more of an offensive presence than Jackson. He will be counted on to provide a spark off the bunch, making up some of the 15.5 ppg that graduated with Frederick.

Up front is where the Gamecocks may have some issues. Mike Holmes is their solid, if inconsistent, center. Standing just 6'7", Holmes is a handful on the block. He's an excellent rebounder, especially on the offensive end, and he looked like a potential all-SEC player during the non-conference portion of South Carolina's schedule last year. But his production tailed off a bit during SEC play, leading to some questions about how well he can handle bigger opponents. Joining Holmes in the starting front court is 6'9" Sam Muldrow. Muldrow had a slow start to last season as he was suspended for academics for the first couple of game before injuring his elbow, missing the first 15 games. Muldrow is a good shotblocker, averaging almost two per contest, and if he can develop his offensive game a little bit, he could be a nice complement to the bruising Holmes.

The first guy off the bench for the Gamecocks up front will be Evaldas Banilius. Banilius stands 6'7" and moves more like a power forward, but the Lithuanian is the best shooter on the South Carolina team, as he knocked down 48-100 3's last season. He plays the majority of his minutes as a power forward, which forces a big man to cover him on the perimeter, which, most of the time, is a mismatch. 6'8" junior Austin Steed and 6'9" JuCo transfer Johndre Jefferson will provide depth up front.

The x-factor for this team will be Dominique Archie. Archie is a very good all-around player. He is 6'7" and athletic enough to guard all five positions on the floor, which makes him so effective in the South Carolina press. Essentially, Archie is a very, very good glue guy. He plays defense (1.2 spg, 1.5 bpg), he crashes the offensive glass, he can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, he can knock down an open three. With Zam Frederick gone, Horn is going to be relying on Archie to become the second option for the Gamecocks.

Outlook: Despite sharing the SEC East title last season, the Gamecocks once again failed to make the NCAA Tournament, somewhere they haven't been since 2004. This year looks like their best chance. They have one of the best point guards in the country in Devan Downey and plenty of athletes that buy into Horn's system of pressure defense and fast-paced offense. The biggest question mark is going to be who steps up to replace the offense that was lost with Frederick's graduation. If Archie can turn into a guy you have to worry about going for 20 every night, it should take a lot of pressure off of Downey. The biggest problem the Gamecocks will face this season is how good the SEC East is - five teams have a shot a dancing. If they can put up the same record they did last year - 21 wins, 10 in conference - then they will be headed to the dance.
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South Carolina adds Malik Cooke

The Gamecocks landed a pretty talented transfer in 6'5" guard Malik Cooke. Cooke averaged 9.6 ppg and 6.2 rpg while starting all 34 games at Nevada last season.

Cooke will not be eligible to play this season, but his addition will be huge for Darrin Horn come '10-'11. The Gamecocks will be losing a lot to graduation after the season, especially in their back court where Devan Downey, Dominique Archie, and Brandis Raley-Ross are all seniors.

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Tyler Smith and Dominique Archie returning to school

TYLER SMITH HEADED BACK TO TENNESSEE: On Thursday afternoon, Volunteer forward Tyler Smith announced at a press conference his intentions to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school.

Smith probably was not going to be picked in the first round, and after flirting with the idea of heading to Europe, Smith made the (correct, in our opinion) decision to return to Knoxville for his senior season.

Tennessee has a chance to be very, very good. They return everyone that matters from the 2008-09 team that won a share of the SEC East title, which means that (once again) they are going to be a team loaded with size, length, and athleticism on the perimeter. The problem is that while they bring back a ton of talent, they don't add anything into the mix, which means that more than likely the Vols are not going to be filling the holes in their roster.

And there were plenty of holes on that team last season. After Bobby Maze, who is a talented but inconsistent point guard, the Vols do not really have a viable option as a back-up. That role landed on guys like Josh Tabb, Cam Tatum, JP Prince, and even Tyler Smith. The Vols also had a problem with three-point shooting - Bruce Pearl encourages his guys to fire away, which would be great if any of them understood a) what a good shot is and b) that being encouraged to shoot when you are open does not a Stephen Curry make.

Their only signed recruit is 6'8" power forward Kenny Hall, a top 100 recruit that will bolster their front court depth.

In terms of raw ability, Tennessee is going to be a top 10-15 team, which is probably where they will be ranked in most pre-season polls. But unless they have a couple guys develop a three-point stroke, the Vols are going to be in danger of underachieving again next season.


SOUTH CAROLINA GETS DOMINIQUE ARCHIE BACK, STILL WAITING ON DEVAN DOWNEY: Darrin Horn and the Gamecocks get a big boost as Archie pulls his name out of the draft. Not really a surprise here, as all along Archie had said that he was only looking to get feedback from the NBA people and was planning on returning.

A 6'7" swingman, Archie averaged 10.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, and 1.2 bpg last season. More than anything, his experience and leadership will be important for South Carolina (Archie is a fifth year senior).

Now the Gamecocks turn their attention to Downey. Downey was one of the best scorers in the country this past season, averaging just under 20 ppg. He is projected to be, at best, a late second round pick this year. But there have already been rumors that Downey plans on staying in the draft and heading to Europe if he isn't picked.

If Downey returns, it probably would put the Gamecocks in position to make a run at an NCAA tournament berth even with the loss of senior Zam Frederick.

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Wednesday Morning Shootaround

Florida beat South Carolina 97-93 as the Gators got revenge for a last second loss from earlier in the season. Nick Calathes led six players in double figures with 22 points while adding 6 boards and 5 assists as Florida took over sole possession of first place in the SEC East. Devan Downey had 33 to lead the Gamecocks.

Both of these teams love to push the ball and run the floor, and as a result this game was played at an absurd pace. The key to this game for Florida was that Calathes and Erving Walker were able to break the Gamecock press fairly easily throughout the game. South Carolina can score and can get up and down with the best of them, but if their press isn't slowing a team down (especially one with two point guards as good as Calathes and Walker), then they are not going to beat too many teams.

This is really the first time I've had a chance to see South Carolina play an entire game, and I wasn't all that impressed by them. Downey and Zam Frederick can put up points. There is no question about that. They also have a couple big guys that are athletic and can run the floor. But the biggest issue with this team is that they are too much of a 1-on-1 team. For example, last night they had 36 field goals and just 9 assists while turning the ball over 17 times.

The rest of the night's action:

• Ohio State 80, Purdue 72 OT: The Buckeyes got 26, 12 boards, and 7 assists from Evan Turner as they knocked off the Boilermakers in OT. Purdue was playing without Robbie Hummell, who sat out the game with back spasms. William Buford gave OSU a huge boost in the second half, as he caught fire and knocked down six or seven jumpers in a row. BJ Mullens had 17 and 8 boards. He has really been playing well of late, scoring in double figures in eight of the last nine games.
• UNC 108, Maryland 91: Wayne Ellington scored 34 points and hit seven of the Tar Heels 16 three's as UNC ran all over Maryland. Ty Lawson had 21 and 6 dimes and Hansbrough added 24.
• Marquette 76, DePaul 61: Jerel McNeal stuffed the stat sheet again. Look at this line: 26 points, 4 boards, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 4 blocks.
• Mississippi State 66, Kentucky 57: Jarvis Varnado had 6 points, 12 boards, and 7 blocks and MSU used a four guard line-up to throw Kentucky out of rhythm offensively. Jodie Meeks finished with just 15 points.
• Georgetown 57, Rutgers 47: Jessie Sapp led the Hoyas with 11 points as Georgetown ended a five game losing streak.
• NC State 87, North Carolina Central 59
• George Mason 78, Hofstra 54
• Kansas State 65, Iowa State 50
• Northern Iowa 61, Bradley 58
• San Diego State 68, UNLV 66 OT
  

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Tuesday Lay-up Lines

The biggest game of the night will be taking place in Gainesville as the South Carolina Gamecocks (16-4, 5-2) take on the Gators (18-4, 5-2). South Carolina is all of a sudden looking like they may be the favorite to take the SEC crown. They are currently tied for second in the conference (with Florida and Kentucky), but are on a four game winning streak in which they have beaten both Florida and Kentucky (at Rupp) on last second shots. They also own a non-conference win at Baylor, and their only two conference losses are on the road to Tennessee and LSU, which aren't terrible losses by any stretch of the imagination. If USC can pull out this win at Florida, then they will be (at least in this man's opinion) the favorite to win the SEC East.

The rest of Tuesday's college hoops games:

• 7:00 PM: Purdue (17-4, 6-2) @ Ohio State (15-5, 5-4): Purdue, despite being beat up of late, is starting to really find a groove. The Boilermakers have won six in a row after dropping their first two in conference play. On the other hand, Ohio State looks to have righted the ship as they have won their last two. The Buckeyes could really use this win, not just as a resume booster but as a confidence booster as well. OSU has some really good perimeter play, and BJ Mullens and Dallas Lauderdale form a good frontline that should give the smaller, weaker Boilermakers some trouble, but with a suspect PG play the Buckeyes get, I see them having a ton of trouble scoring on Purdue's defense.
• 7:00 PM: Rutgers (10-12, 1-8) @ Georgetown (12-8, 3-6): I'll be at this game. Looking forward to getting a chance to see Rutgers freshman Mike Rosario play.
• 7:00 PM: Mississippi State (14-7, 4-2) @ Kentucky (16-6, 5-2): Both of these teams have been sputtering recently. MSU just lost to Ole Miss, while Kentucky is coming off of back-to-back losses after to Ole Miss and South Carolina after finally cracking the top 25. Clearly, the key to this game is going to be how well the Bulldogs control Jodie Meeks. There should a fun match-up to watch inside between Jarvis Varnado and Patrick Patterson.
  
• 8:00 PM: Maryland (14-7, 3-4) @ UNC (19-2, 5-2): If the Heels decide to play, the Terps have no shot of keeping with them. They have no one that can slow down Lawson, and with their smaller front line, look for Hansbrough/Thompson/Davis to put up numbers.
  
• 8:00 PM: BYU (16-5, 4-3) @ Air Force (9-11, 0-7)
• 8:00 PM: Iowa State (12-9, 1-5) @ Kansas State (14-7, 3-4)
• 8:05 PM: Northern Iowa (15-6, 10-1) @ Bradley (13-9, 7-4)
• 9:00 PM: Marquette (19-2, 8-0) @ DePaul (8-14, 0-9): Wouldn't it be ironic if the last winless team in the Big East beat the last undefeated team?
• 9:00 PM: San Diego State (15-5, 5-2) @ UNLV (17-4, 5-2)
  

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Saturday Roundup

Maybe the SEC isn't as bad as everyone is saying they are. On Tuesday, Arkansas upset #4 Oklahoma. Then last night, South Carolina went into Waco and knocked off Baylor 85-84. The Gamecocks were down 10 early in the second half, but Devan Downey led them back. He finished with 19 points in the second half (23 overall), but was also the orchestrator for his team as he had eight assists to just one turnover. South Carolina eventually built a lead as big as 10, but Baylor was able to make a run. Kevin Rogers hit a lay-up with 32.5 seconds left to cut the lead to one, and after a South Carolina turnover, LaceDarius Dunn was fouled after getting an offensive rebound. He would hit both free throws, giving Baylor an 84-83 lead. But on the next possession, Zam Frederick was able to get open at the rim and made the game-winning lay-up.

Frederick finished the game with 19 points as South Carolina put five players in double figures. Baylor was led by 22, 10 assists, and 6 boards from Curtis Jerrells, 14 and 13 boards from Kevin Rogers, and 18 points from Tweety Carter.

I have been really high on Baylor all season, but it has been more based off of their potential than off of their actual performance. Yes, they beat Pac-10 teams Arizona State and Washington State (which is looking less impressive as time passes) and their one loss prior to SC was to Wake Forest, which is far from a bad loss. But they have struggled at times this season with lesser opponents (beating Jacksonville by eight, beating Texas-Arlington by three). So is this a wake-up call for the Bears? Are they really the team that knocked off Arizona State in Anaheim? Maybe South Carolina is just better than I expected and Baylor caught them on the wrong night. Regardless, this was the last non-conference game for Baylor, so we will get a chance to see who they truly are as Big XII play heats up.

The rest of the college hoops action from Friday night:

• Texas 78, Appalachain State 43: The Longhorns battled foul trouble in the first half, but woke up once they realized no one could stop Dexter Pittman. The big fella finished with 21 and 11, but more importantly scored 13 straight points (the last seven of the first half and the first six of the second half) during a 19-2 run that gave Texas control of the game.
• Syracuse 59, South Florida 54: The Orange scored the last 11 points of the first half to take a commanding 35-19 lead at the break, but struggled to score down the stretch as the Bulls slowly came back, cutting the lead to as low as three. But a Jonny Flynn jumper and two Eric Devendorf free throws sealed the win down the stretch. One of the biggest reasons this game was as close as it ended up being was that the Orange (specifically Arinze Onuaku) could not hit free throws. They finished the game 7-18, and Onuaku was just 1-9. Andy Rautins led the Orange with 14, while Onuaku added 13 and 10 despite his foul line struggles.
• UCLA 69, Oregon State 46: Michael Roll and Darren Collison each scored 16 to lead the Bruins in a game that was never close. Just a thought - Josh Shipp injured his thumb a few games ago, which thrust Roll into the starting line-up. Shipp is back and healthy now, but the injury might have been the most important event in the Bruin's season to date. In his last five games (which coincide with the Shipp injury), Roll is averaging 14.8 ppg and shooting a ridiculous 18-24, or 75%, from deep.
• Arizona State 90, Stanford 60: The Sun Devils shot 59% from the field and held Stanford to 38% shooting as they rolled over the Cardinal in both teams Pac-10 openers. Jeff Pendergraph led ASU with 31, 11 boards, and 3 blocks, and James Harden added 17, 10 dimes, and 6 boards.
• USC 83, Oregon 62: The Trojans were down 36-34 after Oregon made the first basket of the second half, but proceed to go on a 12-2 run and never looked back. Dwight Lewis finished with 26 points and Demar Derozan added 14 and 12 boards as USC won the Pac-10 opener for both teams.
• Dayton 77, Toledo 63: Marcus Johnson scored 21 to lead the Flyers.
• Cal 69, Arizona 55: Maybe the Golden Bears are for real this year? Patrick Christopher scored 23 points and held Chase Budinger to nine on just 4-16 shooting. Jerome Randle had 14 points, 5 boards, and 4 assists for Cal. Jordan Hill had 18 and 11 and Nic Wise added 16 points. Arizona's big three (Budinger, Hill, and Wise) are as good as just about any three in the country, but with the Wildcats severe lack of depth, they are not going to win too many games if one of them has an off night.
• St. Mary's 80, Cal. St. Bakersfield 74: Patty Mills scored 21 and Omar Samhan added 20 and 14 as the Gaels improved to 13-1. This team isn't getting a lot of attention this year, but keep an eye on them. They have a few pretty solid wins (Providence, @ Kent State, San Diego State, @ Oregon, @ Southern Illinois) and Mills proved during the Olympics he is as good as any PG in the country.
  

Here is what we are looking at on Saturday as conference play is coming into full swing. Let's start by looking at what is in store in the Big East:

• 12:00 PM: Pitt (13-0, 1-0) @ Georgetown (10-1, 1-0): After Georgetown's beat down of UConn on Monday night, this is shaping up as a match-up of the two best teams in the Big East (and I'll be at the Verizon Center for this one). While Pitt has some decent wins this year, they have yet to play someone as good as the Hoyas. If you like smash mouth, physical, defensive basketball, be sure to tune into this one as we will be lucky if these two teams combine to reach 100. The key to this game is going to be how Georgetown handles the defensive glass. The Hoyas have struggled a bit this year on the boards, giving up too many offensive rebounds, and that is what Pitt does best. They average 16 o-boards per game (with 5.5 of those coming from DeJuan Blair). At this point in the season, Pitt's offense is not all that great as they do not really have a scorer outside of Sam Young. Their best offense is to go get easy buckets off of their defense, and to get easy buckets off of their rebounding. While Georgetown will have a height advantage on this inside, they can come no where near matching up with Pitt in terms of girth and strength. I'm interested to see what the Hoyas will do defensively. They struggle on the glass when they go zone (see the Memphis game, and even against UConn, when they played a match-up zone, the Huskies got the rebound on 14 of their 27 misses), but I don't think the Hoyas can match-up with the Panthers in man. Can Greg Monroe or DaJuan Summers match-up with Blair? Or Austin Freeman with Young? I think the Hoyas best bet is to play the match-up zone they did against the Huskies, pack it in (the Panthers don't have a ton of shooters), and then crash the glass hard. If they can hold their own on the boards, I think the Hoyas pull this one out at home.
• 2:00 PM: Notre Dame (10-2, 1-0) @ St. John's (9-4, 0-1): After starting the season out 9-1, the Johnnies have now lost three in a row after dropping their Big East opener to Providence. It doesn't get any easier for them either as after ND, they get Pitt, UConn, and Villanova (that's the Big East for you). Home, away, neutral court, wherever these two teams play, I don't see St. John's being able to handle Luke Harangody on the block.
• 4:00 PM: West Virginia (10-2) @ Seton Hall (9-4, 0-1): The Pirates started off the season on such a promising note, but they have lost three of their last four, including getting spanked by Syracuse in their Big East opener. There is no question the Pirates have some talent on their roster, but they are not deep enough to handle the Big East this year. Truck Bryant has been really solid for WVU filling in for the injured Joe Mazzulla (the freshman plays just like Levance Fields did as a freshman, not a bad guy to be compared to), and with Alex Ruoff back, I would expect the Mountaineers to roll.
• 7:00 PM: Rutgers (9-5, 0-1) @ UConn (11-1, 0-1): The Scarlett Knights gave Pitt all they could handle earlier this week, leading at halftime and shooting 61.5% in the first half as Pitt tried to play them man. When the Panthers switched to zone, Rutgers went cold. I don't know if Jim Calhoun even knows what a zone is. Regardless, UConn should not have a problem with Rutgers as long as they play with energy and emotion (like they did when they came back from 11 down against Gonzaga). If they don't, they could lose to anyone in the Big East on any night.
• 7:00 PM: DePaul (8-6, 0-1) @ Providence (9-4, 1-0): Both of these teams had fairly high hopes coming into the season, but neither has played all that well. If Providence has any hopes of reaching the NCAA tournament, they need to go at the very least 9-9 in the Big East, which will only happen if they beat the teams they are supposed to beat at home.
  

There is a lot of good basketball on today outside of the Big East as well:

• 12:00 PM: Ohio State (10-1, 1-0) @ Minnesota (12-1, 0-1): The way that these two teams have played this season is a major reason why the Big Ten is considered to be much better than people expected. Ohio State's Evan Turner is one of the best players in the country you don't hear a lot about. He is a smooth slasher that can get to the rim on just about anyone, and his length (6'7") makes it very difficult to defend the shots he gets around the rim. Minnesota is a very balanced team offensively, with no one averaging more than 12.8 ppg. They are also very tough on the defensive end, which could cause a short handed Ohio State team (David Lighty is hurt, Anthony Crater has left the team) to have a lot of problems offensively. I think Minnesota wins this one at home.
• 1:00 PM: Missouri (11-2) @ Georgia (9-4): Georgia has struggled this season and Missouri has one of the best presses in the country. I don't see how Georgia's guards will be able to handle that defensive pressure.
• 1:00 PM: North Carolina Central (0-15) @ Miami FL (9-3)
• 1:30 PM: Coppin State (2-10) @ Oklahoma (12-1)
• 2:00 PM: Akron (8-4) @ Rhode Island (9-3)
• 2:00 PM: Xavier (10-2) @ Virginia (6-4)
• 2:00 PM: Penn State (12-2, 1-0) @ Wisconsin (10-3, 1-0): The Nittany Lions are off to a great start to their season, but have yet to really be tested. While Wisconsin looks like they are down a bit this year, they are still the Badgers. If Penn State can pull out the win, it is a really good sign for where their season and program could be headed.
• 2:00 PM: Samford (5-5, 0-1) @ Davidson (9-2, 2-0)
• 2:00 PM: Tennessee (9-2) @ Kansas (9-3): The first bit of news for this game is that Wayne Chism is, in fact, ok after a scary fall on Monday night where he left the court on a stretcher (he bruised his elbow and spine, but has practiced this week and may suit up for the game). If he doesn't, it will be a huge loss for the Vols because it means they have one less big body to slow down Kansas center Cole Aldrich. Chism is probably their best match-up with Aldrich. The Kansas big man is a true center and has some height on Chism, meaning that he has an advantage on the block. But Chism can knock down three's, and if Aldrich (an excellent shot blocker) is forced to come out and guard him, it opens up the paint for Tennessee penetration. This is going to be a fun one to watch. Both teams could really use the win to boost their resume, and Phog Allen Field House should be rocking for this one.
  
• 4:00 PM: Texas A&M CC (6-7) @ Florida State (12-2)
• 4:00 PM: North Carolina State (9-2) @ Florida (11-2): I haven't had a chance to see the Wolfpack play yet this year, but they are 9-2 with both of their losses (to Davidson and Marquette) coming down the the final minutes. They could be a sleeper in the ACC. They get a good test today against Florida.
  
• 4:00 PM: Charlotte (5-6) @ Maryland (10-2)
• 4:00 PM: East Carolina (8-4) @ Clemson (13-0)
• 4:00 PM: Wyoming (11-3) @ Utah (8-5)
• 4:00 PM: Houston (8-2) @ Mississippi State (8-5)
• 5:00 PM: Vanderbilt (10-3) @ UMass (5-7)
• 6:00 PM: Washington (9-3) @ Washington State (8-4): The Pac-10 opener for both teams. Interesting contrast of styles in this match-up. UW has a bunch of athletes that like to get out and run, while Wazzu wants to slow to a snail's pace and grind you out on both ends of the floor.
• 7:00 PM: Michigan State (10-2) @ Northwestern (8-3)
• 7:00 PM: UNC-Wilmington (3-10, 0-1) @ George Mason (8-3, 1-0)
• 8:00 PM: Southeastern Louisiana (6-6) @ LSU (11-1)
• 8:00 PM: Lamar (9-3) @ Memphis (9-3)
• 8:00 PM: Wake Forest (12-0) @ BYU (11-1): BYU is a good team this year, but they do not have any wins that can prove it (they were about a tenth of a second away from beating Arizona State on a tip-in). Wake does have to travel across the country to play this game, but I don't see BYU having enough athletes to match-up with the Deacs. If you are an NBA fan, however, be sure to tune in. Lee Cummard has a chance to play in the league, and this game could be a good gauge of how well he will do because he will be facing guys that are long and athletic. It should be fun to see him go toe-to-toe with the likes of James Johnson, Al-Farouq Aminu, and (most likely the one to cover him) LD Williams.
• 8:05 PM: Creighton (12-2, 2-0) @ Illinois State (13-0, 2-0): It looks like these are going to be the two best teams in the MVC this year. Illinois State is currently undefeated, but their only impressive win came their last time out against Evansville (who they beat by 20). Creighton, on the other hand, has some pretty solid wins (Dayton, @ St. Joe's) and maybe the most improved player in the country in Booker Woodfox. It should be a good one to watch.
• 9:00 PM: McNeese State (5-6) @ Texas A&M (12-1)
• 10:30 PM: New Mexico (8-5) @ UNLV (12-2)
  

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