The Emery Board: Featuring Chane Benhanan

This weekly column is in honor of BYU's Jackson Emery, who, for two straight seasons, claimed his squad would go undefeated and win the National Championship. Unfortunate for Jackson, his statements never really panned out. In 2009-2010, BYU went 30-6 and lost to Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In 2010-2011, they finished 32-5, and lost to Florida in the Sweet-16. So, in those two years, BYU lost 11 games compared to Emery's projected total of zero, won zero National Championships, and in fact, didn't even win the the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

We were going to put the Emery Board to sleep this season. But thanks to Louisville freshman Chane Behanhan, this post has been giving new life.

If you remember correctly, about a week ago, the freshman forward stated that the Cardinals would not lose a single game this season, and that his team is the best in the country.

College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team that went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March.

The Emery Board: 5th Edition
Marquette dropped off the Emery Board thanks to a shaky performance at LSU. Louisville barely made it through the week undefeated, as they were given stern tests from Charleston and Western Kentucky. As conference play heats up, the Emery Board will get smaller and smaller. This week is loaded with a couple of very important games featuring undefeated teams. Will any of them suffer from the post-Holiday hangover?

No.1 Syracuse (13-0)
Next game: 12/28 vs. Seton Hall (11-1)
First realistic loss: 12/28 vs. Seton Hall (11-1)

Syracuse continues to play steady ball, easily handling Bucknell and Tulane this past week. Their game against Seton Hall should be a dandy. The Pirates have played much better than anybody expected, and have been flying way below the radar. The match-up between Herb Pope and whoever the Orange throw at him will be very interesting. I can see Fab Melo, James Southerland and Rakeem Christmas all taking shots at Pope, but I'm not sure which of the group will be able to shut him down. That being said, the Pirates don't have nearly as many weapons as the Orange, so conventional wisdom suggests that the 'Cuse should win. But this is a Big East game, so you never know what may happen.



No.4 Louisville (10-0)
Next game: 12/28 vs. No.12 Georgetown (10-1)
First realistic loss: 12/28 vs. No.12 Georgetown (10-1)

If anybody on Louisville going to make a bonehead statement, it makes sense that it was the freshman Benhanan. After all, he has yet to play a single Big East conference game. And wouldn't you know, the Cardinals get a top-15 opponent in their first conference game of the year. See Chane, this is what the Big East is like, and if your team struggled with Charleston and Western Kentucky, Georgetown might be the team to make you eat your words. But lets say Louisville does beat Georgetown, which they more then capable of doing, they get No.3 Kentucky on New Year's Ever in the only rivalry game in the country as tumultuous as the Crosstown Shootout. With what we saw from Louisville last week, I just can't put a lot of faith in them to enter the New Year with a "goose egg" in the loss column.



No.6 Baylor (12-0)
Next game: 12/28 vs. No.14 Mississippi State (12-1)
First realistic loss: 12/28 vs. No.14 Mississippi State (12-1)

The Bears are in the toughest portion of their non-conference schedule. They haven't looked uber-dominant, but they were able to beat a game BYU team in Provo, and beat Saint Mary's and West Virginia on a neutral court. Now comes their toughest test of the season: No.14 Mississippi State. The Bulldogs feature a front-court with enough size to give the bears some struggles, and back-court play could be the difference-maker in this game. If Pierre Jackson can come up large, as he did against BYU (game-clinching block) and WVU (game-winning shot), the Bears should squeak by with a victory.



No.8 Missouri (12-0)
Next game: 12/30 at Old Dominion (6-6)
First realistic loss: 12/30 at Old Dominion (6-6)

Realistically, Missouri should run through Old Dominion on New Year's Eve. But Blaine Taylor's squad is seasoned and tested. The Monarchs aren't nearly as good as they were two years ago, but this setting has all the makings of a trap game. The Tigers just defeated their "Border War" rivals Illinois last week, they had the holiday weekend off, and they start Big-XII play next week. If there was ever a time to catch Mizzou sleeping, it would be now. But let's say Missouri wins, which I expect them to do. It's possible that the Tigers are the last undefeated team standing. They start Big-XII play against Oklahoma, Kansas State, Iowa State and Texas. While that's not exactly an easy start, it's not a murder's row either. This team has showed very few weaknesses thus far, and I could totally see the Tigers being undefeated heading in to their 12/21 showdown with Baylor in Waco.



No.13 Indiana (12-0)
Next game: 12/28 at No.17 Michigan State (11-2)
First realistic loss: 12/28 at No.17 Michigan State (11-2)

The Hoosier's had cupcakes for Christmas, as they faced Howard (4-9) and UMBC (1-10). Indiana waxed the east coast teams by a combined score of 196-97. But the non-conference schedule is over, and the Hoosiers begin Big-Ten play with a murder's row: at No.17 Michigan State, No.2 Ohio State on New Year's Eve, and No.16 Michigan. The Hoosiers have been a pleasant surprise thus far, but I'm 100% confident that they will lose one of their next three games.



No.22 Murray State (13-0)
Next game: 12/30 at Eastern Illinois (6-5)
First realistic loss: 12/30 at Eastern Illinois (6-5)

So here we are. Murray State has finished their non-conference schedule and still has not been defeated, they are clearly the best team in the Ohio Valley Conference and will be the favorites in every game they play. But, like I said last week, they will be getting the best shot from every team they play. They will get more TV coverage, more publicity, more everything. I think Murray State will lose a game this year. In fact, I'm nearly sure of it. But I have exactly no idea which game it will be.



Bottom of the Barrel


Run The Floor did a good job breaking down the teams that have yet to notch a victory this year. I suggest you give their site a good-read, but not before you read our stuff first.


Binghamton (0-10)
Next game: 12/28 at Canisius (2-9)
First real chance to win: 12/28 at Canisius (2-9)

Chicago State (0-13)
Next game: 12/31 at Ball State (6-4)
First real chance to win: 1/15 vs. St. Francis (Ill) (Non-DI)

Grambling State (0-9)
Next game: 12/29 at LSU (9-3)
First real chance to win: 1/3 vs. Alabama State (2-9)

Hartford (0-11)
Next game: 12/31 at LaSalle (8-4)
First real chance to win: 1/15 at Binghamton (0-10)

Northern Illinois (0-11)
Next game: 1/2 vs. Roosevelt (Non-DI)
First real chance to win: 1/2 vs. Roosevelt (Non-DI)

Towson (0-12)
Next game: 12/30 vs. No.24 Virginia (10-1)
First real chance to win: 1/2 vs. Northeastern (3-7)

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The Emery Board: Chane Behanan Edition

Dear Louisville freshman Chane Behanan,

Thank You.

Sincerely,

Locker room bulletin boards everywhere


For now, this weekly post will remain as "The Emery Board", but a new title could be coming soon, and it's all thanks to the first-year forward.

You see, Louisville just beat Memphis this weekend in a tough non-conference affair to remain undefeated at 10-0, good enough to land them at No.4 in the AP/Coaches Poll. But according to Behanan, the Cardinals are better than that. His team is the best team in the country:
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The Emery Board

This weekly column is in honor of BYU's Jackson Emery, who, for two straight seasons, claimed his squad would go undefeated and win the National Championship.

College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team that went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March.

The Emery Board: 2nd Edition
11 of the Top-25 teams remain unbeaten, and by the end of the week, that number should be a bit smaller. But as Finals Week approach, the cupcakes get bigger and softer. After the jump we break down the remaining undefeated teams and analyze their chances of staying unbeaten.


No.1 Kentucky (8-0)
Next game: 12/10 at Indiana (8-0)
First realistic loss: 2/10 at Indiana (8-0)

Indiana is undefeated, but there is a reason they aren't ranked. Assembly Hall is likely to be the loudest it's been in years when the Wildcats roll in to town. But all signals point to a pretty big Kentucky win. The Wildcats undefeated record shouldn't be threatened until their Battle for the Bluegrass rivalry game against Louisville on 12/31.


No.2 Ohio State (8-0)
Next game: 12/10 at No.13 Kansas (5-2)
First realistic loss: 12/10 at No.13 Kansas (5-2)

If Ohio State can get past Kansas, which they should be able to do if Jared Sullinger is healthy and effective, then it could be a long time before the Buckeyes suffer their first defeat. They will be tested by Northwestern and Indiana at the end of January but realistically, it could be mid-January before Ohio State loses a game.


No.3 Syracuse (8-0)
Next game: 12/6 vs. Marshall (5-1)
First realistic loss: 12/17 at North Carolina State (5-3)

Thanks to Jim Boehim's cupcake-friendly non-conference schedule, the Orange always have a good shot at being one of the last teams in the country to remain undefeated. Marshall should serve as a stern test, but North Carolina State has a better chance to knock them off. Why? because it will be Syracuse's first true road game of the season. But it's likely that Syracuse will ring in the new year with an unbeaten record.


No.5 Louisville (7-0)
Next game: 12/8 vs. IUPUI (2-7)
First realistic loss: 12/17 vs. No.20 Memphis (4-2)

Louisville should enter it's final non-conference game without any blemishes on their record. But even if they get past Memphis, it's not likely that they stay unbeaten for long. The Cardinals finish up 2011 with games against No.19 Georgetown and No.1 Kentucky.


No.6 Baylor (7-0)
Next game: 12/14 vs. Bethune-Cookman (3-4)
First realistic loss: 12/28 vs. No.18 Mississippi State (8-1)

The question with Baylor continues to be their back-court. Pierre Jackson and A.J Walton haven't been outstanding, but they haven't been terrible either. Starting on 12/22, the Bears have four four straight games against sizable competition (Saint Mary's, West Virginia, No.18 Mississippi State and Texas A&M). As good as Baylor is, I have to imagine they will drop one of those four games.


No.8 Xavier (6-0)
Next game: 12/7 at Butler (4-4)
First realistic loss: 12/10 vs. Cincinnati (5-2)

Xavier shouldn't be undefeated. They should have lost to Purdue. But thanks to Tu Holloway's ridiculous late-game heroics, the Muskies continue on with an unblemished record. If they can get past their cross-town rivals Cincinnati, which is always a pick'em game, it could be a very long time before Xavier records a loss.


No.10 Missouri (7-0)
Next game: 12/6 vs. Villanova (5-2)
First realistic loss: 12/6 vs. Villanova (4-2)

Not many teams have gotten off to as hot a start is Missouri has. Sure, their schedule to date hasn't been grueling, but no team has gotten with-in 15-points of them, including a ranked California team. The Tigers have two more real non-conference threats, and both Villanova and Illinois have the size up front to pose a threat to the Tigers. However, I'm not sure either of their opponents have the speed and talent in the back court to keep up with Mizzou. It's possible this team is still undefeated as we approach mid-January.


No.11 Marquette (7-0)
Next game: 12/6 vs. Washington (4-2)
First realistic loss: 12/6 vs. Washington (4-2)

If Marquette can get past Washington, which they probably should be able to do with relative ease, the Golden Eagles will be able to cruise through four cupcake games until their final non-conference showdown against Vanderbilt, which, if nothing else, should be very entertaining.


No.19 Creighton (7-0)
Next game: 12/10 at St. Joseph's (5-3)
First realistic loss: 12/22 vs. Northwestern (7-1)

The Missouri Valley Conference is just too deep for any team to cruise through it undefeated. But with most of their difficult non-conference games out of the way, the Blue Jays could end up entering conference play with a zero in the loss column. But the end of 2012 will prove a stern test for the Fightin' McDermotts, with games against Northwestern, Missouri State and at Wichita State.


No.24 Illinois (8-0)
Next game: 12/7 vs. St. Bonaventure's (3-3)
First realistic loss: 12/17 vs. UNLV (8-1)

Well, I certainly didn't think we'd be seeing Illinois here this season. But Sam Maniscalco and Myers Leonard have carried the Illini early on, and have been blessed with a soft non-conference schedule so far. But with games against UNLV and at Missouri still looming, Illinois won't be undefeated for very long.


No.25 Harvard (8-0)
Next game: 12/8 at No.9 UConn (7-1)
First realistic loss: 12/8 at No.9 UConn (7-1)

Let's just say for a minute that Harvard beats UConn, which, if Harvard plays A+ ball and UConn brings their C- game, is entirely possible. If they do that, the Crimson's schedule sets up perfectly for them to go 30-0. Now, you have to imagine that they will have an off night, but on paper, it looks like a real possibility. They just have to beat the reigning National Champions before we can start talking about that.


Indiana (8-0)
Next game: 12/10 vs. No.1 Kentucky (8-0)
First realistic loss: 12/10 vs. No.1 Kentucky (8-0)

Sure they're undefeated, but there is a reason they aren't ranked. Their toughest game so far was on the road against North Carolina State, and while Tom Crean does have this program on the up-and-up, the Hoosiers are in for a rude awakening when Big Blue nation rolls into town.


Kansas State (5-0)
Next Game: 12/8 vs. West Virginia (4-2)
First realistic loss: 12/8 vs. West Virginia (4-2)

Talk to me about the Wildcats after their 12/17 game at Alabama. If they are still undefeated at that point, I'll have something to say.


Murray State (9-0)
Next game: 12/11 at No.20 Memphis (4-2)
First realistic loss: 12/11 at No.20 Memphis (4-2)

First off, three of the Racers wins have come against non-D-1 opponents. But still, being 9-0 is somewhat impressive considering they have a new head coach. True, Steve Prohm was an assistant as Murray State before his promotion, but still, I'm kinda impressed. I'll be more impressed if they can knock-off a struggling Memphis team on the road.


Tulane (9-0)
Next game: 12/6 at Wofford (4-4)
First realistic loss: 12/22 at No.3 Syracuse (8-0)

I cannot remember the last time Tulane was even relevant in basketball, let alone undefeated. It's good to see this program succeed, even if it's only for a few more weeks. Once they travel to the Carrier Dome, reality will set in.



Bottom of the Barrel

Binghamton (0-6)
Next game: 12/6 vs. Bucknell (5-4)
First real chance to in: 1/5 vs. Stony Brook (2-4)

Chicago State (0-8)
Next game: 12/10 vs. DePaul (4-3)
First real chance to win: 12/17 at Loyola (IL) (1-6)

Grambling State (0-6)
Next game: 12/18 at Texas Tech (4-3)
First real chance to win: 1/3 vs. Alabama State (1-5)

Hartford (0-8)
Next game: 12/6 vs. Quinnipiac (3-4)
First real chance to win: 1/5 vs. New Hampshire (2-3)

Monmouth (0-8)
Next game: 12/6 at Navy (3-5)
First real chance to win: 12/22 at Rider (1-8)

Morgan State (0-7)
Next game: 12/14 at UMBC (0-7)
First real chance to win: 12/14 at UMBC (0-7)

Northern Illinois (0-7)
Next game: 12/7 at Illinois-Chicago (2-5)
First real chance to win: 12/7 at Illinois-Chicago (2-5)

Towson (0-7)
Next game: 12/7 vs. LaSalle (5-3)
First real chance to win: 12/10 vs. UMBC (0-7)

UMBC (0-7)
Next game: 12/10 at Towson (0-7)
First real chance to win: 12/10 at Towson (0-7)



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The Emery Board: Week 2

College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March. BYU's senior guard Jackson Emery, has made the bold prediction that his team, a Cougar squad that finished with a 27-4 record last season, will in fact go undefeated this season.

We have decided that in honor of Emery's swagger, we will keep a watch on the BYU Cougar's schedule, to see if they can walk-the-walk. We will also keep tabs on any other undefeated teams who try to make a run at the perfect season.

Week 2:
The second game of the season was much more interesting for the Cougars than opener. There was a point where it looked like I might be the most foolish person in the world for wanting to track BYU's "undefeated season".


BYU faced off against Utah State in a battle of Utah's best basketball schools. This was easily one of the best match-ups of the early season and it didn't disappoint.This game had the intensity and crowd energy of a mid season game. The Cougars sank the free-throws down the stretch and were able to knock-off the Aggies 78-72.

Jimmer Fredette led all scorers with 26 points and played 39 of a possible 40 minutes. Taj Wesley, the Aggies leading scorer, had 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting and also had a emphatic rim-rocker

"Mr. Undefeated" Jackson Emery finished with 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting but had three turnovers and was plagued with foul trouble throughout the game.

Next Game: Saturday 11/20 vs. Chicago State

Next Potential Loss: Wednesday 12/1 @ Creighton

Other Undefeated Teams
We'll get back to you when the list starts to whitle down


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Who will be the last remaining unbeaten team in the country?

There are currently 11 teams in the country that have yet to lose - four in the Big East, three in the Big XII, and one each in the Big Ten, SEC, MVC, and MWC.

Of those 11 teams, who will be the first to lose? The last? Can any of them run the table?

Read along to find out:

SETON HALL: 8-0

• RPI (all RPI numbers via RealTimeRPI): 52
  
• KenPom: 49
  
• Early season schedule: Seton Hall has played a very easy schedule thus far (ranked 255th) in the season. They do have a nice road win at Cornell, but that's about it. The Pirates have a talent laden roster and look good on paper, but until we see results, we will be skeptical of their record.
  
• Next five games: Temple, Navy, West Virginia, UConn, @ Virginia Tech
• First loss: I don't see them beating West Virginia on the 26th, but the Pirates better not over look a Temple team that lost to Georgetown by one and beat Villanova. In fact, SHU could easily have four losses by the end of this stretch.
  

GEORGETOWN: 8-0

• RPI: 11
  
• KenPom: 19
  
• Early season schedule: There three wins over Temple, Butler, and Washington are all quality wins, but after that Georgetown has played a whole lot of nothin'. Their schedule strength is 86th.
  
• Next five games: Old Dominion, Harvard, St. John's, @ DePaul, @ Marquette
  
• First loss: Games against St. John's, at Marquette, and against UConn will be tough, but if they get through unscathed, I don't see the Hoyas beating Villanova on the road.
  

WEST VIRGINIA: 7-0

• RPI: 3
  
• KenPom: 4
  
• Early season schedule: The Mountaineers have breezed through the 25th rated schedule so far this season, including wins over Texas A&M and Portland in the 76 Classic and a dismantling of Duquesne. They are still not playing at full strength as Devin Ebanks has yet to come to life.
  
• Next five games: @ Cleveland State, Ole Miss, @ Seton Hall, Marquette, @ Purdue
  
• First loss: The game against Cleveland State game could be a trap game on the road as the Mountaineers have a tough slate coming up. Ole Miss is good as well, but I see WVU losing their first game to Purdue on New Years Day.
  

SYRACUSE: 10-0

• RPI: 7
  
• KenPom: 5
  
• Early season schedule: Tough to believe the Orange have the 61st toughest schedule, as they can claim victories over UNC, Cal, Florida, and Cornell.
  
• Next five games: St. Bonaventure, Oakland, @ Seton Hall, Pitt, Memphis
  
• First loss: Seton Hall could be a tough game as the Pirates have the shooters to force Syracuse to extend their zone, but I think the Orange will be undefeated when they head to Morgantown on January 17th.
  

KANSAS: 9-0

• RPI: 15
  
• KenPom: 2
  
• Early season schedule: Kansas really hasn't beaten anyone this season (101st rated schedule). The Memphis win was solid, but the Tigers are not the same Tigers this season. The win at UCLA isn't what a win at UCLA usually is, either.
  
• Next five games: Michigan, Cal, Belmont, @ Temple, Cornell
  
• First loss: Winning at Tennessee on the 10th is going to be difficult, as will their date at Kansas State on January 30th. But wouldn't it be cool if both Kansas and Texas were undefeated come their matchup in Austin on February 8th?
  

TEXAS: 9-0

• RPI: 13
  
• KenPom: 1
  
• Early season schedule: The Longhorns have beaten Iowa, Pitt, and USC this season, but am I the only one that thinks their win over Western Carolina, who just beat Louisville, is their most impressive thus far? Their schedule ranks 91st.
  
• Next five games: vs. UNC, Michigan State, Gardner-Webb, Texas A&M-CC, @ Arkansas
  
• First loss: We will know a lot more about the Longhorns if they can make it past both the Heels and the Spartans. If they do, I don't think they can make it through a four game stretch when they play Texas A&M, @ Kansas State, @ UConn, and Texas Tech in an 11 day stretch.
  

TEXAS TECH: 9-0

• RPI: 30
  
• KenPom: 50
  
• Early season schedule: Beating Washingotn in OT lent some credibility to their undefeated record, but Tech is still largely unproved as their schedule (176th) has been far from impressive.
  
• Next five games: @ Wichita State, Stanford, @ New Mexico, McNeese State, UTEP
  
• First loss: I don't think the Red Raiders will be able to go into the Pit and beat an undefeated New Mexico team.
  

KENTUCKY: 10-0

• RPI: 24
  
• KenPom: 45
  
• Early season schedule: Kentucky has wins over UNC, UConn, and an improved Indiana squad, but they have still played a schedule ranked 148th. Combine that with some unimpressive performances against teams like Stanford and Miami OH, and their computer numbers have suffered a bit too.
  
• Next five games: Austin Peay, Drexel, Long Beach State, Hartford, Louisville
  
• First loss: Louisville isn't quite on Kentucky's level this year, but we've learned the hard way records don't matter in rivalry games. Going into the Swamp on the 12th will be a tall task as well, especially as they play a road game against good competition for the first time.
  

PURDUE: 9-0

• RPI: 6
  
• KenPom: 6
  
• Early season schedule: Purdue has played the 54th toughest schedule this season, and wins against Wake Forest, Tennessee, and at Alabama back that up.
  
• Next five games: Ball State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, @ Iowa, West Virginia, Minnesota
  
• First loss: WVU and Minnesota will both be tough, especially playing without Lewis Jackson to handle the point against physical defense, but I think Purdue loses their first game when they have to head to the Kohl Center and play Wisconsin.
  

NEW MEXICO: 11-0

• RPI: 16
  
• KenPom: 20
  
• Early season schedule: New Mexico hasn't played a great schedule (104th), but wins over Cal and Texas A&M are quite impressive. But we know they are good at home, can they win on the road?
  
• Next five games: Creighton, @ Oral Roberts, Texas Tech, Dayton, @ San Diego State
  
• First loss: That's a pretty tough five game stretch. Remember, Oral Roberts beat Missouri at home. If UNM gets through this stretch (and that's a big if), I don't think they beat UNLV.
  

MISSOURI STATE: 9-0

• RPI: 21
  
• KenPom: 47
  
• Early season schedule: Missouri State has a win over an SEC team (Auburn) and an NCAA Tournament team (Tulsa) at home, but hasn't played much else beyond that (134th rated schedule).
  
• Next five games: @ St. Louis, @ Arkansas, @ Evansville, Illinois State, @ Northern Iowa
  
• First loss: If the Bears can make it through that three game road stretch, I don't see them getting past UNI on the road.
  

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