College Hoops Week in Review: Drew Gordon and Vanderbilt over anything Kentucky

Player of the Week: Drew Gordon, New Mexico

The Lobos have made a push back into relevancy after struggling through the early part of the season. After starting out the year 2-2, New Mexico has now won 10 in a row, including victories against St. Louis, Oklahoma State and Missouri State. This past week, Steve Alford's club went 2-0, but it was the play of big man Drew Gordon that stood out.

On Wednesday, the UCLA transfer helped the Lobos get revenge against New Mexico State. UNM lost to the Aggies back in November at home, but those memories were quickly erased in an 89-69 win in Las Cruces that probably wasn't even as close as the final score would indicate. Gordon has arguably his most impressive performance of the season, going for 23 points and 19 boards against NMSU's Wendell McKines. On Saturday, New Mexico had an even more noteworthy win, knocking off Atlantic 10 contender St. Louis 64-60. Gordon was terrific in that game as well, finishing with 18 points and nine boards.
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Vanderbilt is just painful to watch

I don't like The Office. Never have, never will.

That awkward brand of comedy just doesn't resonate with me. I want something to make me laugh, not squirm in my seat and say to myself "Aww man, c'mon. Why would you? No, just don't. What the hell is wrong with you?"

I'm almost to that point with Vanderbilt basketball.

They just keep inventing ways to blow a game.

On Friday night against at Louisville, the Commodores blew two late leads to the Cardinals in their 62-60 overtime losses. With eight minutes left in the game, Vandy held a 43-34 lead on Louisville. That lead seemed much bigger than nine points, as Louisville could not find any kind of rhythm offensively. The Cardinals had managed just nine points in the first 12 minutes of the second half and hadn't scored a point in over five minutes as they turned the ball over and forced up tough, contested threes.


But Chane Behanan hit back-to-back jumpers and Gorgui Dieng followed that up with a dunk, and while Vandy answered with a three from Brad Tinsley and a free throw from Lance Goulbourne, Russ Smith and Kyle Kuric hit jumpers while Behanan followed that up with a dunk to cap a 13-4 run that tied the game at 47 with two minutes left.

Eventually the two teams would end up going to overtime as they traded free throws. And in the extra frame, John Jenkins knocked down a three and drew a foul and hit both free throws, giving Vandy a 55-50 lead midway through the overtime period. But Behanan scored an and-one and hit two free throws surrounding a pair Goulbourne free throws, and Kuric followed that up with a three from deep in the corner to give Louisville the lead. Three Vandy free throws and a jumper from Kuric would tie the game at 60 with 12.2 seconds left, setting up this play from Peyton Siva:



Another close, agonizing loss for Vanderbilt.

After blowing a double-digit second half lead against Xavier on Monday, the Commodores missed another golden opportunity to land a big-time win, this one coming on the road against a top ten team and a Big East contender.

Frankly, none of this is surprising, but it is disappointing. This group won two close games at the Legend's Classic, and some -- me -- thought that there was a chance it could turn around Vanderbilt's fortunes. Obviously, that hasn't happened. I've written plenty about the reasons for this over the past few weeks, so I'm not going to get into it again.

But at this point, I don't even want to watch Vandy play a tough game.

Its painful.
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Will Festus Ezeli solve the problems that Vanderbilt has?

When it comes to college athletics, calling a team "controversial" generally means that they are playing by the Jim Calhoun rules of recruiting.

Not so with Vanderbilt.

The Commodores, who are probably as clean as a program can be playing at the high-major level, are the most controversial team in the country not because of the way that they landed their three first-round picks, but because of the product that Kevin Stallings puts on the court.

I made the argument a week ago that Vanderbilt cannot be judged as a team until they get Festus Ezeli back, and I still believe it. Festus Ezeli is a first round pick and one of the best big man in the SEC, if not the country. He's a force on both ends of the floor. There is no way that inserting that presence into your lineup won't have an effect.

But the question that can be asked is if Ezeli's presence can fix the flaws of this Vanderbilt team.

Are Brad Tinsley and John Jenkins going to be able to defend a talented back court? For the majority of the Commodore's 82-70 loss to Xavier on Monday night, they did a solid job. While the Musketeer back court of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons finished 13-38 from the floor against Vandy, they made all the big shots and big plays down the stretch. Lyons went coast-to-coast for a pretty, spinning layup to tie the game and force the extra period while Holloway hit two huge threes in overtime that put Xavier up eight points.

The other problem is that a number of the misses from Xavier were the result of over-dribbling and bad shots being forced by those two. Some of that credit has to go to the defense, but a lot of it is also the result of poor decision-making for the first 35 minutes of the game.

A bigger issue, however, is Vanderbilt's offensive execution in the clutch. The Commodores pushed their lead to as much as ten early in the second half, but a flurry of bad turnovers allowed Xavier to make a run and take the lead. Much of that came against Vanderbilt's bench, and once the starters came back in the game, they were able to regain control of the game on a John Jenkins three with 4:03 left that pushed the lead back up to 66-62.

For the next 6:39, however, Vanderbilt went scoreless. Their offense, which is supposed to be their strength, lost all of its flow. When Vanderbilt needed a bucket, the ball ended up in the hands of Tinsley. On Vanderbilt's last possession of regulation, Jenkins wasn't even looked at as Tinsley forced a tough 15 footer that squirted out of his hands. After Vandy had cut the lead to four in regulation, the next two possessions ended with Tinsley threes.

Vanderbilt is not complete. They will get better when Ezeli returns.

But if tonight proved anything, its that the boost they get from their big man may not address the weaknesses that are costing Vanderbilt games early in the season.
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Monday's Pregame Beat: Xavier vs. Vandy, Louisville on upset watch?

Game of the night: 7:00 pm: No. 11 Xavier @ No. 19 Vanderbilt

It may be late November, but there is a surprising amount of good hoops on tonight. It starts with the Musketeers and the Commodores tonight. Vanderbilt will be playing the host, but Xavier has been more impressive this season.

It is going to be interesting to see how Xavier matches up with Vanderbilt defensively. Dez Wells is the best athletes on the team and, generally speaking, will be the best defensive weapon on the perimeter. But he is going to have to matchup with Jeff Taylor because neither Mark Lyons or Tu Holloway have the size to battle with Taylor. That is going to put the pressure on Chris Mack's two best scorers on the defensive end as they take turns trying to slow down Vandy's John Jenkins. Kevin Stallings loves to run Jenkins off of screens and defending that takes away the legs of an opponent. Jared Cunningham had just nine points when he was tasked with chasing Jenkins around for 40 minutes.

For Vanderbilt, it will be interesting to see if-- not how -- they are able to slow down Xavier's back court. Tu Holloway is one of the best point guards in the country, but his scoring load has been diminished this season as Lyons has become a more dangerous and consistent scorer. Jenkins and Brand Tinsley are not known for their defensive prowess.


Who's getting upset?: No. 6 Louisville

I'm a big fan of the Cardinals, I really am. But I think that Long Beach State -- who they tip off against at 7:00 tonight -- is a very good matchup. For those that have trouble following these things -- like me -- Louisville will have Peyton Siva tonight, but they will be without Rakeem Buckles and Stephen Van Treese, who are both dealing with knee injuries. What intrigues me about LBSU is their ability to play in the full court, the talent they have on their perimeter and the number of threats they have from three point range. The 49ers matchup very well against Louisville's press and zone. Ask Pitt what happens when this team gets rolling.

Mid-major matchup of the night: 10:30 pm: Weber State @ St. Mary's

In an event titled the "Shamrock Office Solutions Classic" -- umm, ok -- we'll get a matchup of two of the best teams out west. If you like guard play, you'll want to tune in for this. Weber State is lead by Damian Lillard -- a dynamic, 6'2" scoring guard -- and his sharp-shooting counterpart Scott Bamforth. The Gaels back court is anchored by Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Holt and Jorden Page. This will be a big game for St. Mary's, as they just lost to Denver on the road. That's not a good look for a team that will be fighting for an at-large berth come March.

For what its worth, this game is a return for the game that Weber State scheduled against St. Mary's late last season.


Be sure to keep an eye on:

- 7:00 pm: Akron @ West Virginia: Akron is a quality team out of the MAC. West Virginia already lost to a quality team out of the MAC in Kent State. The Zips have also already notched a quality, non-conference win by beating Mississippi State. If you are into the NBA, keep an eye on Akron center Zeke Marshall.

- 9:00 pm: Oakland @ Tennessee: This will be a good gauge for Tennessee. They competed out in Maui in their first two tests of the season, but they lost to both Duke and Memphis. Oakland is not quite as good as they were last season, but this is still a quality mid-major team.

- 11:00 pm: Pepperdine @ UCLA: Can UCLA finally get their first Division I win of the season?

The rest of the top 25:

7:00 pm: Stetson @ No. 9 Florida: We'll get another look at Florida without Erik Murphy. They'll need all the work they can get without him.

8:00 pm: Jacksonville @ No. 16 Marquette: Marquette looked terrific in their first four games of the season, but they struggled against Norfolk State. Which Marquette team shows up tonight?

8:00 pm: Jackson State @ No. 21 Memphis: After struggling through Maui, the Tigers need to make a statement.

10:30 pm: McNeese State @ No. 23 Cal: We are still waiting to see the real Cal Bears. Was it the team that lost by 39 to Missouri or the one that beat a good Denver team by 21?

Other notables games:

- 7:00 pm: IUPUI @ Georgetown
- 7:00 pm: Long Island @ Iona
- 10:00 pm: Pacific @ Stanford
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Breaking Down: Jared Cunningham vs. John Jenkins

There is little question that John Jenkins is one of the best pure shooters in the country. As Luke Winn described him in a column today, "Jenkins is a gunner with a projectible NBA skill -- the ability to run off screens and drill threes with very little space between him and a defender." The standard cliche involving sharpshooters is that you are surprised when they miss, and there may not be a player in the country this season that proves that axiom more than Jenkins.

We saw Jenkins at his finest against NC State. He finished with 28 points on 10-16 shooting from the floor and 4-9 shooting from beyond the arc, including two jumpers where his toe was on the three point line. But against Oregon State, Jenkins was held in check. He had 14 points on 5-13 shooting and didn't even attempt a shot in the final 6:55 of the game.

"We don't just guard our man, we guard the other team," Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson said after the game. "We're focused on the guys that can hurt us and we try and make sure that everybody's aware of that. And we have Jared Cunningham, Ahmad Starks, Roberto Nelson and Challe Barton, who are four guards that I think I can put on anybody for some amount of time and hold them at bay."


While that sounds nice to say, the simple fact is that for the 71 minutes that Jenkins was on the court at the IZOD Center, the only person that had any chance of slowing him down was Cunningham. Jenkins only scored eight points when Cunningham was on the court: he scored an uncontested layup on a leak out, he hit a three early in the second half when Cunningham lost focus and helped down on a driver and he hit a three with 6:55 left in the game when Barton was forced to switch onto Jenkins when Jenkins beat him down court. The other two threes that Jenkins hit were when Roberto Nelson was guarding him.

In other words, Cunningham didn't allow Jenkins to make one shot in a half court setting when he was guarding him man-to-man. He also collected four of his seven steals by defending Jenkins closely coming off of screens and forced another ball to be thrown away when Jenkins tried to curl tightly off of a down screen.

"He's real good using those screens," Cunningham said. "He's a great player. The team told me to focus in on him and just to stop him early and try to force other players to score."

What Cunningham did best was keep Jenkins from being able to curl off of down screens. He's a terrific athlete with excellent anticipation, meaning that he was able to not only trail Jenkins closely, but he wedged himself between Jenkins and the screener.

The Commodores love to run Jenkins off of double screens, and as you see here, Cunningham didn't give Jenkins any space around either of the screens, forcing Jenkins to catch the ball 35 feet from the basket, forcing a turnover. In the first picture, Jenkins is in the corner. In the second picture, he's running off of the second screen (click the images to enlarge):





In contrast, take a look at how much space Lorenzo Brown, a guard for NC State, gives Jenkins coming off of the double screen:





Jenkins isn't only a catch-and-shoot player. He's improved his ability not only to curl off of a screen and get to the rim, but to use his dribble to create an open look. In this clip from the NC State game, Jenkins hits the first of two back-to-back step-back jumpers:



But against Jared Cunningham, Jenkins wasn't able to use his dribble. In this clip, he ends up turning the ball over. It was the only turnover he had trying to beat Cunningham off the dribble, but it was also one of the only times he actually decided to try and beat Cunningham off the bounce:



These are just isolated examples of what happened in both games, but they are single possessions that represent precisely how each team as -- or, in the Wolfpack's case, wasn't -- able to defend Jenkins.
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Vanderbilt leaves the Legends Classic with two crunch-time wins

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - We cannot yet fully judge this Vanderbilt for their performances on the court.

Until their team is complete and Festus Ezeli makes a healthy return to the lineup, we cannot know how good this team is going to be. Ezeli is a big-time rebounder and a very talented defender around the rim. His presence changes the way that Vanderbilt can defend. The Commodores will be able to gamble more on the wing and pressure more on the perimeter knowing that if they get beat, Ezeli is standing underneath the rim as a safety net.

Is there a possibility could be minimal? Of course.

But he could also be the difference maker. We won't know until we see him out there.


"If any of us get beat, he's a big guy in there," Vanderbilt senior Jeff Taylor said after the game. "He can block shots and even just change shots. [Losing him] is tough for us."

What we can take out of this game -- the tournament, for that matter -- is that the Commodores look more comfortable in late-game scenarios. Against both NC State and Oregon State, Vandy blew leads in the second half before hanging on to win. In their 64-62 win over the Beavers, Vandy had a nine-point second half lead erased.

The is relevant because of the reputation that this group has garnered the past few years: that this is a team that can't win big games, can't win close games and can't protect a lead. In 2010-2011, they were 1-5 in games decided by three points or less, lost another game by four points and dropped an overtime decision to South Carolina when they led by eight points late in the game. They've also been knocked out of the first round of the tournament on three consecutive trips by a mid-major program seeded either 12th or 13th.

Will this year be different?

"We've drawn from those experiences we had in previous years," Taylor said. "We gave up a lot of big leads last year and I think we learned a lot from that. We're an older group of guys so we have experienced this so we know what to expect and how to react in certain situations."

That's a very easy thing for Taylor to say, but its a much harder task to complete.

Winning is a mindset. Being a clutch shooter is a skill. Understanding how to operate in pressure moments during crunch time is a valuable trait for a basketball players. Kevin Stallings knows that. That's why he has his team practice it daily.

"A little bit like a football team, we practice two minutes drills every day," Stallings said. "We're supposed to know what's going on at the end of the game because we practice it more than anybody."

The last few years, John Jenkins has been the guy that gets isolated, the Vanderbilt closer. Jenkins is a sharpshooter with ice-water in his veins, and its usually close to a given that he ends up being the guy that takes, and hopefully makes, the big shot. Against Oregon State, however, Jenkins was the focal point of the Beaver defense. Jared Cunningham, a terrific defender, received the majority of the minutes chasing him around screens, but Roberto Nelson, Ahmad Starks and Charle Barton are all defenders that Craig Robinson feels comfortable "putting on anybody for a period of time".

With the defense swarming Jenkins, the sharpshooter didn't attempt a shot in the last 6:55 of the game.

"John is such a great offensive weapon," senior guard Brad Tinsley said, "that a lot of times, teams just flood to him."

But Jenkins' teammates stepped up. Steve Tchiengang, a backup center, drilled a huge three with 4:26 left in the game before Tinsley came off of a ball-screen and knocked down a 15 footer with 4.5 seconds left that proved to be the game-winner.

"That's why I didn't try to force anything," Jenkins said. :Those guys went out there and hit shots, I didn't need to force anything or try to get anything up."

Vanderbilt leaves the Northern New Jersey swamp with the Legends Classic title, but more importantly, they head out with the confidence that they can win a close game and do so without being carried by their best offensive weapon.

And that, in the long run, is more important than any trophy the Gazelle Group gives them.
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Kevin Stallings refuses to use injured Festus Ezeli as an excuse

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Postgame press conferences are usually filled with generalities and cliches.

Coaches and players -- especially those of the losing team -- see them as a necessary evil. The quotes that are given are rarely enlightening, as the interviewees all too often talk to the questioners as if explaining basketball to a ten year old. Answering questions from a room full of reporters is not what the teams want to be doing immediately after winning or losing a big game.

Every once in a while you'll run into a coach who, for whatever reason, decides to provide the media with a moment of clarity regarding his team. Kevin Stallings did just that after Vanderbilt's 86-79 win over NC State on Saturday night.

And he wasn't happy.


"We have to play better defensively," he said. "We're a pretty good offensive team, but we suck on defense. Until we get better defensively, it doesn't matter who we put out there. We've got to get better defensively. Period."

He's right. The Commodores are not a very good defensive team. But they also are not a complete basketball team right now, and they won't be complete until Festus Ezeli is back in the lineup. Ezeli was supposed to miss the first six games of the season after the NCAA ruled that he had received improper benefits, but that suspension was nullified when he sprained his knee in late October. the injury is bad enough that it could keep him out of the lineup until the calender changes.

Its no wonder that Vanderbilt isn't complete. You take a first round draft pick off of any team and there is going to be a negative impact.

"Festus is a load for anybody," Jeff Taylor said after the game. "He's 6'11", 270 lb, so obviously its a big hole that we all collectively need to fill."

Stallings strongly emphasized that Vandy cannot sit back and complain about the missing piece, saying "we're foolish if we're sitting around and waiting for Festus to all of a sudden show up and cure our problems. We have problems that have nothing to do with Festus and nothing to do with the fact he's not here."

Frankly, he's right.

Vanderbilt got torched defensively. CJ Leslie scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half while Richard Howell finished with 16 points and nine boards inside. Vandy allowed the Wolfpack to shot 50% from the floor for the game (they shot a crisp 60% in the first half) and gave up 45 first half points to a team expected to finish near the bottom of the ACC. That's not good.

"We did what we do a lot," Stallings said. "Letting players get their head up and get in their comfort zone. As soon as someone becomes confident, they become a lot harder to guard."

That's where Festus Ezeli makes a difference for this team. He's an eraser around the rim. He wouldn't have been matched up with Leslie man-to-man, but he would have been hanging around the rim to challenge some of those shots that Leslie got. He would have provided a much tougher matchup for Howell, who carried NC State for stretches during the second half.

By no means is this meant to be a knock of Steve Tchiengang, Ezeli's replacement at the center spot. He actually played pretty well in his 34 minutes. He finished with 11 rebounds, three on the offensive end of the floor, and chipped in six points. Lance Goulbourne, who starts at the four for Vandy, had his best offensive game of the season, scoring 15 points and adding five rebounds.

But neither of them provide that presence in the paint that Ezeli does. John Jenkins had Vanderbilt's only block. He's a 6'4" shooting guard.

"He cleans up a lot of stuff back there, he's a big presence," Goulbourne said. "Offensively, we can throw it in to him anytime and he can score the ball."

Ezeli will make a big difference for this team when he finally does get healthy and back onto the court, but its unclear when that is going to be. Vanderbilt still has plenty of games to play in the meantime, and while pontificating about how good this team will end up being defensively with Ezeli in the lineup is worthwhile for us, thinking about a player that won't be on the court will only be a distraction for the Commodores.

"Festus ain't here," Stallings said. "He ain't gonna be here Monday. He's not going to be playing Friday or the following Monday. He's not going to be playing, so if our guys are -- and I'm not suggesting that they are because I don't think they are and I hope they're not -- if they're sitting around and waiting for him to come back, then we got more problems than just our defense."

"Festus will help that a little bit when and if he gets back, but we better get help before that or we're going to have a bunch of numbers that go in that right hand column that we're not very excited about."
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2011-2012 Season Preview: What's the opposite of a "sleeper"?

Last week, we gave you a list of teams that we believed are primed to have a season that will be better than we expect. But for every team that exceeds expectations, there is a team that fails to live up to the hype. Every season there is at least one team in each conference that underwhelms, disappoints, implodes or regresses. We are here to take a look at the teams we think will do just that this season.

But first, please note that we aren't hating on any of the teams here. We are simply trying to project a teams lack of success based on conference strength, lack of experience, lack of roster depth and so on. We are just trying to do our jobs. After all, not every team can go undefeated, and we aren't here to hand out "participation trophies" to all 346 teams.

Atlantic Coast Conference: Florida State
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 3rd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The only thing working for this team is that the ACC is very thin outside of Tobacco Road. True, they do have Michael Snaer, and talented wing who has flown under the radar for a long time. But who else will step up? Who do they have to replace Chris Singleton? Okaro White should see an increase in production, but who do they have after that? Their back court is weak and their front court is thin. There really isn't anything about this team that makes me think they will be better than nine other teams.


Atlantic-10: Richmond
Preseason Ranking: 5th Place
Where we ranked them: 8th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
After Xavier and Temple, the rest of the A-10 is a jumbled mess. So it is hard to picked a team that will underwhelm this year. But based on all the losses to the Chris Mooney's program, it is hard to see this team being too successful. Outside of Darien Brothers and Darius Garrett, this team doesn't have a terrible amount of talent. With teams like Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure's and George Washington set to breakout this season, Richmond looks like a team that will regress.


Big East: West Virginia
Preseason Ranking: 7th Place
Where we ranked them: 10th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
This one is pretty easy. 1) They play is a 16-team mega-super-conference. 2) They return only three players from last years squad. 3) Eight freshman will suit up this season. 4) They lost their first exhibition game of the season, to Northern Kentucky (DII). West Virginia is going to be good eventually, just not right now. But the thing is, they could be even worse than expected.


Big-Ten: Purdue
Preseason Ranking: The Big-Ten does not release a preseason poll
Where we ranked them: 6th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
What exactly do we know about Purdue? Sure, they have Robbie Hummel, but it's been a long time since he's played competitive basketball. Outside of Hummel, Purdue is full of question-marks. Who is going to be their front-court presence? Will Lewis Jackson finally start to produce? What about their depth? Luckily for the Boilermakers, the bottom of the Big-Ten is pretty dreadful, so a 6th-8th place finish is probably a reasonable expectation;.


Big-XII: Kansas
Preseason Ranking: 1st Place (Tie)
Where we ranked them: 2nd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
If Kansas finishes anywhere in the top three in the conference, Bill Self should win Big-XII Coach of the Year honors. This team has almost no depth whatsoever, and the guys who were supposed to be leaders, Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor, got suspended by coach Self two weeks ago for violating team rules. If teams can properly game plan to shutdown Thomas Robinson, it will be very difficult for the Jayhawks to win a lot of games.


Colonial Athletic Association: James Madison
Preseason Ranking: 5th Place
Where we ranked them: 4th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
It's not like JMU is expected to do great things this season, but due to Denzel Bowles' graduation and Devon Moore's eligibility issue, the Dukes could be in for a long season. They do have Rayshawn Goins and Julius Wells up front, but the CAA should feature a handful of teams with talented front courts. The lack of a solid back court is going to hurt the Dukes.


Conference-USA: Central Florida
Preseason Ranking: C-USA does not conduct a preseason poll
Where we ranked them: 4th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
This team should be good, I think. At least I want to think that they will be. But then I remember about last season's epic collapse, and the fact that they're, well, Central Florida. This team is like a drug addiction. The highs are great, and the lows are absolutely miserable. That's how the 2011-2012 season will play out. Plus, @DanWolken won't stop chirping about UCF, and he's rarely wrong. I think.


Horizon League: Detroit
Preseason Ranking: 2nd Place
Where we ranked them: 2nd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
When Eli Holman left the program two months ago, it was a huge blow to the Detroit program. He was the guy that would put them over the edge this year. Ray McCallum may be the team's star, but Holman was their top front court producer, averaging nearly a double-double per game. In a mid-major conference like the Horizon League, having an elite big-man can put a team over the edge. The Titans won't be terrible this season, they'll be somewhere around the top four or five. But without Holman up front, they will struggle to assert themselves as legitimate contenders for the Horizon League crown


Missouri Valley Conference: Creighton
Preseason Ranking: 1st Place
Where we ranked them: 1st Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
OK, OK, just hear me out. I don't doubt that this team is the best in the MVC, but, like, who is going to play defense this year? Last season they ranked 187th in the conutry in defensive efficiency. Sure, they have more talent than any other team in the conference, but with the expectations that are being placed on them this season, anything less than a perfect conference record would have to be considered a disappointment.


Mountain West Conference: UNLV
Preseason Ranking: 2nd
Where we ranked them: 2nd
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The Mountain West is going to stink this season, and since UNLV will be good, but not nearly as good as New Mexico, I have to list the Runnin' Rebels here. Teams like SDSU and Colorado State aren't expected to do anything special, so it's impossible for them to fail. UNLV doesn't have anything to gain, other than winning a really sub-par conference.


Pac-12: Arizona
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 1st Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
Unless you're John Calipari, it's rather difficult to ask freshman to carry the bulk of the workload for a top-level BCS-conference program, and that's exactly what Sean Miller is going to have to do this season. With Derrick Williams gone to the NBA Lockout, MoMo Jones gone to Iona, and Kevin Parrom still recovering from bullet wounds, the Wildcats are going to need a lot of production from their standout freshman class. But the Pac-12 will be much better than in recent seasons, and it just seems like a tall order for this squad. Plus, they lost an exhibition game to Seattle-Pacific. That doesn't exactly help their cause.


Southeastern Conference: Vanderbilt
Preseason Ranking: 2nd Place
Where we ranked them: 2nd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The Commodores lack that killer instinct that great teams need to possess. Last season, they were 1-5 in games decided by three points or less and and seven losses were by four points or less or in overtime. Factor in the back-to-back first round exits in the NCAA Tournament, and the injury to Festus Ezeli, and you have a team primed to disappoint. This team has serious talent, and have a bunch of experienced players. But the problem is that none of these experienced players have any experience winning close games. You kinda have to be able to do that if you want to keep playing games late into March.


Western Athletic Conference: Utah State
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 3rd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The Aggies have had a stranglehold on the WAC for the last couple of seasons, but their grip could start to loosen this season. While they do return Brockeith Payne, one of the conference's top players, Utah State lost a lot of veteran leadership and front court production. Gone is Taj Wesley, their All-Conference center, Brian Green, their crafty distributor and key contributors like Nate Bendall, Tyler Newbold and Pooh Williams. Even with guys like Payne and forward Brady Jardine, this team has to find out what they have rather quickly.


West Coast Conference: BYU
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 3rd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
They don't have Jimmer Fredette anymore, do they? Jimmer put this team over the top. Sure, they have a solid crop of experienced players in Brandon Davies, Noah Hartsock, Chris Collinsworth and Charles Abouo, but without Jimmer, this team simply wont be the same. This season could turn out to be a huge wake-up call for the Cougars.


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2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 13 Vanderbilt Commodores

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 23-11, 9-7 (t-4th SEC), lost to Richmond in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Kevin Stallings

Key Losses: Andre Walker

Newcomers: Dai-Jon Parker, Kedren Johnson, Shelby Moats

Projected Lineup:

- G: Brad Tinsley, Sr.
- G: John Jenkins, Jr.
- F: Jeff Taylor, Sr.
- F: Lance Goulbourne, Sr.
- C: Festus Ezeli, Sr.
- Bench: Steve Tchiengang, Sr.; Rod Odom, So.; Kedren Johnson, Fr.; Dai-Jon Parker, Fr.; Kyle Fuller, So.


Outlook: Last year was all too familiar for Vanderbilt fans. The Commodores ended up winning 23 games, spent much of the year ranked in the top 25 and eventually earned a five seed in the NCAA Tournament. All in all, things could have been much worse. But they also could have been so much better. Vanderbilt was just 1-5 in games decided by three points or less. They lost another game by four points and also blew a double-digit second half lead before losing to South Carolina in overtime. That is seven of their 11 losses right there.

The good news for Vandy is that they basically return everyone from last season. They only player that isn't back is Andre Walker, who started early in the season but battled injuries late in the year. But beyond that, Kevin Stallings will have exactly the same team he did last year, with the only difference being he adds three talented freshmen.

The first guy you have to talk about with the 'Dores is John Jenkins. Jenkins might just be the most dangerous shooter in the country. As a freshman, he was a spot-up shooter, a deadly three-point sniper that camped out beyond the arc and waited for a shot to be created for him. Last season, however, Jenkins' game really expanded. He became a much more dangerous presence running off of screens and became more adept at attacking a close out, improving his ability to shoot off the dribble and in the mid-range. Jenkins still isn't great at getting all the way to the rim -- and he probably won't ever be -- but he doesn't need to in order to score. He averaged 19.5 ppg last season, and its feasible that number can go up this year.

Joining Jenkins on the perimeter will be Jeff Taylor, who is one of the most athletic small forwards in the conference. Taylor expanded his game as a junior, becoming a threat from beyond the arc, although his jump shot is not yet what you can call consistent. Taylor's best attribute is his ability to make plays on the defensive end of the floor. Starting at the point will be Brad Tinsley, who has a bit of a bad reputation among college basketball fans. He's probably a better player than he gets credit for -- he averaged double figures while dishing out 4.6 apg and shooting 36.9% from deep -- but there are limitations to his game, including his ability to create off the dribble and his limited athleticism, which can make him a liability defensively. Those three all played well over 30 mpg -- Jenkins tops out at 34.6 -- so expect the back court back ups to see limited action, but sophomore Kyle Fuller and freshmen Dai-Jon Parker and Kedren Johnson will be the guys that are called upon when necessary.


The front court will have some question marks, starting with who plays while Festus Ezeli is suspended? Ezeli accepted dinner and a hotel room from booster while he was traveling this summer, which cost him six games to start the season. He'll miss the opener against Oregon, four games in the Legends Classic (the best opponent being Texas), and a visit from Monmouth. The good news is that Ezeli will be back when the 'Dores face Xavier on the 28th of November. Ezeli is one of the most underrated big men in the country. A legitimate 6'11", Ezeli has a solid frame and an even better game. Playing just over 23 mpg last season, he averaged 13.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 2.6 bpg. If he can stay out of foul trouble and on the court, he'll put up some impressive numbers. Steve Tchiengang will be Ezeli's back up.

Joining Ezeli up front will probably be Lance Goulbourne with Rod Odom coming off the bench. Both Goulbourne and Odom are versatile power forwards with the ability to knock down a three, which will spread the floor for Vanderbilt and allow Ezeli more space to operate inside.

The question for Vanderbilt is not whether they bring players back, because there is not question that they have as much experience as any team in the country. The question is just what kind of experience they are returning. Vanderbilt was a mediocre team a season ago. They lost 11 games, earned themselves a five-seed in the tournament, and finished in a three-way tie for fourth in a league that went six deep. That's mediocre. And while they are bringing in a couple of freshmen, those freshmen aren't going to have a significant impact until this crop of seniors is gone.

To complicate matters further, Vandy returns a team that does not know how to win games. Performance in the clutch in a skill. Knowing how to win as a team is a learned trait. Being able to execute down the stretch on the offensive end and getting crucial stops on the defensive end is not an easy thing to do, and the Commodores have not proven that they can do it under Kevin Stallings. The poll makers are going to love Vanderbilt because of what they return, but impressing voters and winning games are two very different things.
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Vanderbilt will be stacked next year, but will they win?

While Kentucky had three players declare for the NBA Draft today, SEC East rival Vanderbilt got word that their big three would all be returning to school.

Fetsus Ezeli and Jeffery Taylor will be back to finish up their collegiate eligibility while John Jenkins will return for his junior campaign. Those three carried the Commodores to a 23-11 season in 2010-2011, earning a five seed in the NCAA Tournament. this news should immediately vault Vandy into the top 15 of every preseason poll. They return ten letter-winners -- including all five starters -- from a team that won 23 games and will have three potential first round picks on a roster loaded with experience.

That doesn't happen often, largely because few players pass on the opportunity to be a first round pick. Taylor could have snuck into the back end of the lottery this season. Jenkins probably would have found himself somewhere in the 20's, and Ezeli likely would have been a borderline first rounder. With how loaded next year's draft will be, its quite possible that these three cost themselves some money with this decision.


Reading through, their statements, however, its pretty obvious that the way Vandy's season ended struck a nerve with these 'Dores:

• Ezeli: "We're going to be a better team next year, and we still have a lot of unfinished business. After the loss in the tournament, I can't leave on that note. There’s no rush for me to want to leave. I want to play here with these guys, I enjoy playing for Coach Stallings and this staff, and I look forward to earning my degree."


• Jenkins: "I'm not too happy with the way the season ended in March. I think we all have a sour taste in our mouths from that experience in Denver. I love playing here, I want to get my education first, and I look forward to being a part of a great team next year."


• Taylor: "While playing in the NBA is a dream of mine, I feel like Vanderbilt is the best place for me right now. As a team, we have unfinished business on the court, and personally, I am focused on my work in the classroom and getting a degree. I love representing Vanderbilt University, and I have a lot of fun with my teammates and coaching staff and playing for the great fans at Memorial Gym. Hopefully, there will be a time when I can fulfill my dream, but right now, I'm focusing on getting better on and off the court here at Vanderbilt."

Will Vanderbilt finally be able to get over the hump?

The past two seasons and three of the last four years, the Commodores have lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a four or a five seed to a team from outside the six major conferences. This year, it was Richmond that beat Vanderbilt. Last year it was Murray State. All three of the players that are returning played in those two games.

So while Vandy will be absolutely loaded from a talent and experience perspective, there is something to be said for the kind of 'experience' that you have.

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- winning is a skill, a learned skill. As is performing under pressure.

Vanderbilt may be talented, but there is a legitimate question mark as to whether or not they are capable of turning that talent into success in the postseason -- and regular season, for the matter.

Only time will tell us whether that happens.

Only seven more months until the season starts!
Continue reading...

Vanderbilt bows out of the tournament early for the third straight season

For the third straight season, Vanderbilt has lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

And for the third straight time, that loss came against a team with a double digit seed -- in 2008 it was No. 13 seed Siena, last year it was No. 13 Murray State, and this year it was No. 12 Richmond.

The Spiders were down for much of the first half and dug themselves a nine point hole midway through the second half, but Kevin Anderson scored nine of his 25 points -- hitting three of his four threes in succession in a 1:41 span -- to lead a 12-0 run that turned a 48-39 deficit into a 51-48 lead.


Vandy had their chances, but they simply couldn't execute down the stretch. The Commodores missed three free throws in the final minutes, turned the ball over with five seconds left with a chance to tie the game, and then failed to get a good look at the rim when down by three on the final possession of the game.

There is something to be said for consistently getting a team to the NCAA Tournament, especially at a school like Vanderbilt where athletics aren't the only thing the school is concerned with.

But eventually, the fact that Kevin Stallings is failing to live up to expectations in the tournament is going to catch to him.

There is also an argument to be made that Stallings is not living up to the expectations of his team, period.

The Commodores have two players that could end up being lottery picks by the time they leave college in John Jenkins and Jeff Taylor. Fetsus Ezeli also has a chance to get drafted. They were all on last season's team that also included AJ Ogilvy (a second round pick) and Jermaine Beal (a first team all-SEC performer). Both teams lost in the first round.

Part of it is bad luck.

Richmond went 13-3 in the A-10, beat Purdue, and won their conference tournament. In a weak bubble year, most thought them better than a 12 seed. Murray State and Siena were both concerned one of, if not the, best low-major automatic bids in 2010 and 2008, respectively.

Vandy didn't lose to cupcakes.

But they still got upset in the first round of the tournament.

Again.

Sooner or later, that is going to catch up with Kevin Stallings.
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POSTERIZED: That's Brad Tinsley!

I'll keep this one short and sweet.

I did not know Brad Tinsley could do that. I don't think Jimmy Dykes or Brad Nessler or anybody in Memorial Gymnaisum knew Tinsley could do that.

And I can gurantee that Chandler Parsons didn't know either.




But was it as good as one of these?:

POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jennings, Louisville
POSTERIZED - Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia
POSTERIZED - Dwayne Lathan, Indiana State
POSTERIZED - Kenny Gabriel, Auburn
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Louisville
POSTERIZED - Matt Dickey, UNC-Asheville
POSTERIZED - Jeff Robinson, Xavier
POSTERIZED - Nyika Williams
POSTERIZED - Jawanza Poland, South Florida
POSTERIZED - Brady Jardine, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Tony Mitchell, Alabama
POSTERIZED - John Williams, UNC-Asheville
POSTERIZED - Peyton Siva, Louisville
POSTERIZED - E'Twaun Moore, Purdue
POSTERIZED - DJ Newbill, Southern Mississippi
POSTERIZED - Scotty Hopson, Tennessee
POSTERIZED - Justin Brownlee, St. John's
POSTERIZED - Tyrone Johnson
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Ross, Washington
POSTERIZED - Justin Tubbs, East Tennessee State
POSTERIZED - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
POSTERIZED - Andre Roberson, Colorado
POSTERIZED - Durrell Summers, Michigan State
POSTERIZED - Phillip McDonald, New Mexico
POSTERIZED - Kyle Kuric, Louisville
POSTERIZED - Anthony Nelson, Niagara
POSTERIZED - Cory Joseph, Texas
POSTERIZED - Will Sheehey, Indiana
POSTERIZED - Tom Pritchard, Indiana
POSTERIZED - Shay Shine, High Point
POSTERIZED - John Holland, Boston
POSTERIZED - Keith Gabriel, VMI
POSTERIZED - Travis McKie, Wake Forest
POSTERIZED - Jefferson Mason, Minnesota State (D-II)
POSTERIZED - Tyler Johnson, Fresno State
POSTERIZED - John Williams, UNC-Asheville
POSTERIZED - Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Hollis Thompson, Georgetown
POSTERIZED - Darnell Wilks, Cincinnati
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
POSTERIZED - Darrius Garrett, Richmond
POSTERIZED - Travis Cohn, Jacksonville
POSTERIZED - Ramon Galloway, South Carolina
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Justin Tubbs, East Tennessee State
POSTERIZED - John Williams, UNC-Asheville
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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1/3 - College Hoops Week in Review: Happy New Year!

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

Game of the Week: Dayton 76, New Mexico 73 OT

In a game that featured far more than its share of big time dunks, New Mexico jumped out to an early 33-21 lead in Dayton. Dayton chipped away at the lead, eventually cutting it to six points heading into halftime on a three from Chris Johnson. New Mexico started the second half off ice cold, eventually tying the game for the first time since it was 0-0 on a thunderous tip dunk from Chris Wright.

After a bucket by the Lobos, Matt Kavanaugh gave Dayton their first lead with an and-one finish off of a pass from Juwan Staten. Dayton would eventually open a 64-58 lead with 3:54 left in regulation, but the Lobos scored six straight points -- the last four on back-to-back jumpers by Kendall Williams -- as they forced overtime.

Dayton took a three point lead late in the first OT, but after a free throw and a stop for the Lobos, Dairese Gary scored with 36 seconds left to force the second overtime. In the second extra frame, Paul Williams hit a three on the first possession. Two Chris Wright free throws extended the lead. New Mexico didn't score a field goal in the second overtime and went 2-6 from the foul line. With with three seconds left they were down 76-73 with Williams at the line. He missed the second intentionally and the ball came right back to him, but his game-tying three came up short.



Christian Laettner 2.0: This finish has to be mentioned. After Richmond choked down the stretch, missing seven of eight free throws in the final 2:58, they still found themselves up 61-60 on Bucknell with 1.7 seconds left. Bucknell had the ball under the Spider's basket. They needed a miracle, and they got one:




Player of the Week: E'Twaun Moore, Purdue

Its not necessarily a surprise that Purdue has gotten off to a 2-0 start to the Big Ten season. This is, in fact, a top 15 team that has two all-americans on the roster. What was a bit of a surprise, however, was the manner in which Purdue got off to their 2-0 start. On Tuesday, the Boilermakers went into Ann Arbor and obliterated the Wolverines, 80-57. And on New Year's Eve, when John Shurna and Northwestern came to town, Purdue looked terrific once again, winning 82-69 in a game that wasn't really in doubt for much of the second half.


Moore was the star for Purdue this week. Against Michigan, he had 21 points, 9 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block while also helping to hold Darius Morris, the Wolverine's star that is averaging 15 points and 7 assists, to just 3-14 shooting. He was even better against Northwestern, hitting five threes in the first six minutes and finishing with 31 points, 7 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, and another block. Oh, and John Shurna, the leading scorer in the Big Ten, finished with just 11 points.

Moore wasn't alone this week -- JaJuan Johnson averaged 20.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg while Ryne Smith added 15.0 ppg. When the Boilermakers are getting that kind of production, they are going to be a tough team to beat. But Moore, however, was the star.

The All-they-were-good-too team:

• G: Nolan Smith, Duke: In Duke's first game without Kyrie Irving, Nolan Smith tried to fill the void at the point, finishing with just 2 points but 10 assists. Since then, Coach K has asked Smith to be more of a scorer, and he has obliged, getting at least 22 points in the last four games. This week, he averaged 27.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 7.0 apg in wins over UNC-Greensboro and Miami FL.
• G: Demetri McCamey, Illinois: McCamey led the Illini to a 2-0 week to open the Big Ten season, knocking off Iowa and Wisconsin. He averaged 20.5 ppg and 8.5 apg in the two wins, needing just 18 shots to score his 41 points.
• G: Corey Stokes, Villanova: Stokes has arguably been Villanova's best back court player this season, as he is the team's leading scorer. He showed why this week, as he went for 24 points and 23 points in wins over Temple and Rutgers, respectively.
• F: Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington: MBA, as we like to call him, was terrific as the Huskies went on their LA road trip and swept USC and UCLA. He averaged 19.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg in the two games.
  
• C: Josh Harrellson, Kentucky: In what was arguably Kentucky's biggest game of the season, the man known as 'Jorts' made a lot of people momentarily forget all about Enes Kanter by going for 23 points and 14 boards in a win over Louisville.
• Bench: Kris Joseph, Syracuse; Jamar Samuels and Curtis Kelly, Kansas State; Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt; Marcus Jordan, UCF

Team of the Week: Oregon State Beavers

Its been an up-and-down season for Oregon State. Well, actually, that's not exactly correct. Coming into the Pac-10's first weekend, it had been mostly a down season for the Beavers. They were 5-6 on the season with five fairly embarrassing losses -- Texas Southern, Utah Valley State, and George Washington all beat OSU in Gill Coliseum while they lost to Colorado, Seattle, and Montana on the road. If it wasn't for the pathetic seasons being had by Wake Forest and Auburn, Oregon State likely would have been referred to as the worst major college team in the country.


It was moronic to think that the Beavers would have a chance to make any kind of noise in the Pac-10, but all of that changed on New Year's Eve's Eve, when the Beavers smacked Arizona State 80-58. Granted, the Sun Devils were playing without Trent Lockett, their leading scorer, but the score looks all the more legitimate after Sunday's 76-75 win over Arizona, a team many believed to be the second best in the Pac-10. More interesting, however, is the fact that Oregon State won without playing well. They shot 42.4% from the field and 2-15 from three. They were bailed out by the Wildcat's penchant for fouling (32 free throws for the Beavers) and inability to hit their own foul shots (13-24).

So one week into conference play, and Oregon State is sitting atop the conference at 2-0. The scarier thing is that in watching the Beavers play, this doesn't look like a fluke. Jared Cunningham is a terrific athlete and defender that is starting to come into his own offensively. Joe Burton is a solid post player that is active and has quick feet. Calvin Haynes and Omari Johnson are seniors playing for a trip to the NCAA Tournament. We all know the story of Roberto Nelson. I don't want to get ahead of myself because this team has, in fact, lost to Utah Valley State at home. But I wouldn't be that surprised if the Beavers hung around in the Pac-10 this season.


Teams that deserve a shout out:

St. John's: The Beavers weren't the only team that surprised some folks with a 2-0 start to conference play. The Johnnies, coming off of losses to Fordham and St. Bonaventure, looked like they were going to fade slowly into the back ground like so many St. John's team before them. But believe it or not, St. John's swept their Big East schedule this week, and more impressive still is the fact that won both games on the road. Against West Virginia, the Johnnies pounded away at the Mountaineers inside while against Providence it was 21 point from Dwight Hardy and a clutch three ball by Paris Horne that won the game. Perhaps we will get a real feel for the Red Storm after tonight's game against Georgetown in Madison Square Garden.

Vanderbilt: After Kentucky's emphatic win over Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center, its tough to argue against the Wildcats being the favorite to win the SEC. Having said that, with Tennessee's struggles, it appears as if Vanderbilt may just be the second best team in the conference. This week, Vandy knocked off a solid Marquette team at home 77-76 on a layup from Andre Walker with 4.1 seconds left despite a 4-21 shooting performance from John Jenkins. On Sunday, they ran Davidson, a SoCon contender, out of the gym 80-52.

Charlotte: Since Shamari Spears was kicked off the team, the 49ers have been a different group. Namely, they have been winning games. Four in a row to be exact, starting with their 49-48 upset of then-No. 7 Tennessee and ending with Sunday's 86-83 2OT win over Georgia Tech. Charlotte is now 8-6 on the season and peaking just in time for conference play, which starts with a Wednesday trip to Richmond.

Dayton: I had all but written the Flyers off. That's what a 68-34 loss to Cincinnati and a loss to East Tennessee State will do to you. But after beating George Mason and New Mexico this week -- and winning at Seton Hall last week -- while trailing by double figures in all three games is impressive. Dayton is now 12-3 on the season and, like Charlotte, peaking at the right now.

Iowa State: Did anyone expect the Cyclones to be 12-2 heading into the New Year? I certainly didn't. And while Fred Hoiberg's group hasn't exactly played a murderer's row of opponents, they did go to Charlottesville and knock off UVa this week. The record needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but at the least this is a nice confidence booster for fans of the Cyclone program.

Cincinnati: The Bearcats still haven't played anyone of note, but they can now add a 2-0 start in the Big East to their 14-0 start to the season.

Portland: Would you believe me if I told you that Portland might have the best chance at earning at at-large bid out of the WCC? They have the best RPI in the league, none of their three losses are bad losses, they've won at Montana and at Denver while beating Boise State, Nevada, and Utah in their last three games. Ok, maybe I wouldn't even believe that, but keep an eye on the Pilots. On Saturday, they head to Gonzaga to open WCC play.

Matchups of the Week:

• 1/3 - 7:00 pm: Georgetown @ St. John's
• 1/3 - 7:30 pm: Michigan State @ Northwestern
• 1/4 - 7:00 pm: UConn @ Notre Dame
• 1/5 - 7:00 pm: Drexel @ VCU
  
• 1/5 - 9:00 pm: Memphis @ Tennessee
  
• 1/5 - 10:00 pm: BYU @ UNLV
• 1/6 - 9:00 pm: Northwestern @ Illinois
• 1/6 - 7:00 pm: Xavier @ Cincinnati
• 1/7 - 7:00 pm: Cleveland State @ Butler
• 1/8 - 11:00 am: West Virginia @ Georgetown
• 1/8 - 12:00 pm: Austin Peay @ Murray State
  
• 1/8 - 3:30 pm: UConn @ Texas
• 1/8 - 8:30 pm: Portland @ Gonzaga
• 1/9 - Minnesota @ Ohio State
• 1/9 - 12:00 pm: Cincinnati @ Villanova
  
• 1/9 - 8:00 pm: Maryland @ Duke
  

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2010-2011 Season Preview Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 30-26

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

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

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


30. New Mexico

• Last Season: 30-5, 14-2
  


• Head Coach: Steve Alford
  


• Key Losses: Darington Hobson, Roman Martinez, Nate Garth, Will Brown
  


• New Additions: Alex Kirk, Cameron Bairstow, Chris Perez, Kendall Williams, Tony Snell, Emmanuel Negedu, Drew Gordon
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Dairese Gary, Sr.
  
• G: Phillip McDonald, Jr.
  
• F: Tony Snell, Fr.
  
• F: AJ Hardeman, Jr.
  
• F: Drew Gordon, Jr.
  
• Bench: Emmanuel Negedu, So.; Jamal Fenton, So.; Alex Kirk, Fr.; Kendall Williams, Fr.
  

• Outlook: The Lobos, who had a disappointing end to a 30 win season last year, lose MWC player of the year Darington Hobson and sharpshooting Roman Martinez. In their stead comes Emmanuel Negedu and Drew Gordon, both of whom were top 25 recruits in 2008. Negedu's nearly died two years ago during a workout while at Tennessee, but he is cleared to play this season. He is a strong, athletic forward that will help New Mexico on the glass and in the paint defensively. Gordon will likely be better. A 6'9" power forward that averaged double figures at UCLA will have spent a full year developing his game by the time he gets eligible in December. Its difficult to imagine that Gordon won't be a dominating force in the MWC. AJ Hardeman, a 6'8" forward that played significant minutes last year, is also back. Freshman Alex Kirk, a 6'10" forward that reminds some people of Wisconsin's Keaton Nankivil, could be the x-factor along the front line, as his shooting touch can spread the floor will make him a nice complement to Drew Gordon inside. With this strength in their front court -- particularly Gordon -- don't be surprised if New Mexico looks to get the ball inside more often this season. The Lobos return their starting back court. Dairese Gary is a strong, athletic point guard who loves to have the ball in his hands late and reminds me a little bit of Chauncey Billups. He was a 1st team all MWC performer, and played his best basketball down the stretch. Long range threat Phillip McDonald returns as well. The issue for this New Mexico team will be developing depth. Will Brown and Nate Garth are no longer on Steve Alford's roster, which means that seldom used returners like Chad Adams, Jamal Fenton, and Curtis Dennis, along with Alford's four incoming freshmen, are going to be fighting for minutes. The Lobos have talent at the top of their roster, and as long as Alford can develop some depth, this team will be in the mix for the MWC title when Drew Gordon gets eligible.
  

29. BYU

• Last Season: 30-6, 13-3
  


• Head Coach: Dave Rose
  


• Key Losses: Tyler Haws, Jonathon Tavernari, Michael Loyd, Chris Miles
  


• New Additions: Anson Winder, Kyle Collinsworth, Stephen Rogers
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Jimmer Fredette, Sr.
  
• G: Jackson Emery, Sr.
  
• F: Kyle Collinsworth, Fr.
  
• F: Charles Abouo, Jr.
  
• C: Noah Hartsock, Jr.
  
• Bench: Chris Collinsworth, So.; Brandon Davies, So.; Anson Winder, Fr.
  

• Outlook: The good news is that the Cougars will bring back Jimmer Fredette, their dynamic point guard that had declared for the draft back in April. Fredette may very well be the most exciting player in the country. He's not overly quick or athletic, but he is a lights out shooter off the catch or the dribble with range for days, he has ankle-breaking handle, and he has a crafty game in and around the paint. The bad news is that BYU loses quite a bit outside of Fredette. Jonathon Tavernari and Chris Miles graduated, the talented but enigmatic Michael Loyd Jr. got the boot, and Tyler Haws will be taking two years off for his Mormon mission. The Cougars do get Jackson Emery, who may actually be a better shooter than Fredette, back for his senior season to join Fredette on the perimeter. Junior Charles Abouo also returns, but the key to the perimeter may be the development of freshmen Kyle Collinsworth and Anson Winder, who were both fairly highly regarded high schoolers. Up front, Noah Hartsock and Brandon Davies will both return, as does 6'10" junior James Anderson, who has played limited to this point in his Cougar career. Chris Collinsworth, a 6'9" sophomore (and Kyle's older brother) that just got back from his two-year mission, will also be back. No one on the Cougar front line has much scoring prowess, but there are some big, physical bodies that will be able to bang on the block with just about anyone. Fredette alone is enough to make BYU a contender in the MWC, but the issue is going to be replacing the pieces they lost. Haws and Tavernari, who played some power forward for the Cougars, were good enough shooters to spread the floor and let Fredette have space to operate. Loyd was a dynamic scorer that was able to complement Fredette and provide Rose with playmaker insurance if Fredette got hurt or tired. The Cougars will be in the mix all season long, but I'm not convinced that this team will be as good as they were last year.
  

28. Vanderbilt

• Last Season: 24-9, 12-4
  


• Head Coach: Kevin Stallings
  


• Key Losses: Jermaine Beal, AJ Ogilvy
  


• New Additions: Kyle Fuller, Rod Odom, Josh Henderson, James Siakam
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Brad Tinsley, Sr.
  
• G: John Jenkins, So.
  
• F: Jeff Taylor, Jr.
  
• F: Andre Walker, Jr.
  
• C: Fetsus Ezili, Jr.
  
• Bench: Steve Tchiengang, Sr.; Kyle Fuller, Fr.; Rod Odom, Fr.; Lance Goulbourne, Jr.
  

• Outlook: Losing Jermaine Beal and AJ Ogilvy, logic would say its difficult to think that the Commodores can make a push to the top of a very good SEC East. That said, there are still some talented basketball players on this roster. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that John Jenkins could turn into one of the best scorers in the SEC by the time his career is over. A former top 20 recruit, the sophomore is one of the most pure shooters in the country, and as the rest of his game develops he will only become more potent as a scorer. Forward Jeffery Taylor is an athletic specimen and a potential first round draft pick. His ball skills need improvement, but he's a good defender and rebounder for his size. Brad Tinsley, Andre Walker, and Lance Goulbourne are all capable, versatile role players. Fetsus Ezeli, Steve Tchiengang, and a couple of freshmen will provide the muscle inside. For my money, there will be two x-factors on this club. The first is at the point, where Beal was the man for the last few years. Who replaces him? Brad Tinsley looks like he will start, but freshman Kyle Fuller should see minutes running the show as well. His importance for Vandy shouldn't be understated. Then there is Rod Odom, a talented 6'8" forward. How good is Odom? If he becomes a capable offensive option to put alongside Taylor and Jenkins, the Commodores may very well end up being a tournament team.
  

27. Texas

• Last Season: 24-10, 9-7
  


• Head Coach: Rick Barnes
  


• Key Losses: Damion James, Justin Mason, Dexter Pittman, Avery Bradley
  


• New Additions: Cory Joseph, Tristan Thompson
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Cory Joseph, Fr.
  
• G: J'Covan Brown, So.
  
• G: Jordan Hamilton, So.
  
• F: Gary Johnson, Sr.
  
• C: Tristan Thompson, Fr.
  
• Bench: Alexis Wangmene, Jr.; Shawn Williams, Fr.; Dogus Balbay, Sr.; Clint Chapman, Sr.; Jai Lucas, Sr.
  

• Outlook: The Longhorns were quite the disappointment last season. A preseason national title favorite that climbed to No. 1 in the country, the 'Horns stumbled down the stretch, eventually being ousted in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Wake Forest. While the Longhorns lose a ton of talent -- Damion James, Avery Bradley, Dexter Pittman, Justin Mason -- this roster was as equipped as any to handle it. In the back court, J'Covan Brown, Jordan Hamilton, and Jai Lucas are back, while Dogus Balbay should be back to full strength after suffering season ending injuries last season. The best Longhorn guard may just end up being Cory Joseph, a top ten recruit out of Canada that could very well be the starter at the point from day one. Don't be surprised is Jordan Hamilton becomes an all-conference player for Rick Barnes. He's a gunner, but if he can learn some shot selection, the kid is talented and can really put up points in a hurry. The front court is a bit thinner than it was last year, with Gary Johnson, Alexis Wangmene, and seldom-used Shawne Williams all back. Like the guards, the best big man of the group will likely end up being Tristan Thompson, Joseph's high school teammate at Findlay Prep and a fellow Canadian. I don't think the Longhorns can win a Big XII title this season, but a top four finish and possibly a Sweet 16 run are not out of the question.
  

26. Utah State

• Last Season: 27-8, 14-2 (1st WAC), lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Texas A&M
  


• Head Coach: Stew Morrill
  


• Key Losses: Jared Quayle
  


• New Additions: Ben Clifford, Leon Cooper Jr., James Walker III
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Brian Green, Sr.
  
• G: Tyler Newbold, Sr.
  
• G: Pooh Williams, Sr.
  
• F: Tai Wesley, Sr.
  
• C: Nate Bendall, Sr.
  
• Bench: Brockeith Payne, Jr.; Brady Jardine, Jr.; Matt Formisano, Sr.; Ben Clifford, Fr.; Antonio Bumpus, Jr.; James Walker, Fr.
  

• Outlook: Utah State is arguably the most underrated program in the country. They've won at least 23 games each of the past 11 years, with nine of those seasons resulting in either a WAC regular season or tournament title and seven seeing them earn NCAA Tournament bids. Last year, USU won 27 games, went 14-2 in the WAC, won the conference by three full games, and earned an at-large bid to the dance. And, for the second straight season, they only graduate one senior, meaning that this is going to be a very good, very experienced group once again. The 2010-2011 version of the Aggies will center around their bigs. Tai Wesley has proven himself to be one of the best players in the conference. He's a high energy guy that can rebound and score in the paint, while also finishing second on the team at 3.3 apg. Joining him up front is Nate Bendall, a 6'9" senior that did an admirable job filling in for Gary Wilkinson last season. Brady Jardine and Matt Formisano should provide solid minutes once again off the bench, while freshman Ben Clifford has the make-up -- 6'8" face-up forward with some athleticism and a jump shot -- to be a solid player in this offense. In the back court, the loss of Jared Quayle, who was arguably the best all around point guard out west last season, is going to hurt, but there are some pieces here to fill that void. It starts with returning starters Tyler Newbold and Pooh Williams. Newbold is more of a shooter while Williams is more of a slasher (and an excellent defender), but both are going to need to be more aggressive and selfish this season on the offensive end to pick up some of the scoring slack. At the point, there are a few options. Brian Green seems like he could slide into the position, while JuCo transfer Brockeith Pane may also be good enough to fill this role. JuCo transfer Antonio Bumpus and James Walker should give the back court a boost in athleticism, while Preston Medlin, EJ Farris, and Leon Cooper will also provide depth. Once again, Utah State is going to be deep and talented.
  

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POSTERIZED: Western Kentucky's Jeremy Evans makes Sportscenter

We mentioned this in this morning's shootaround, but now there is video as Jeremy Evans made it to Sportscenter's top 10.

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