Saying Goodbye: JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore

In this world of NBA Draft early entry and one-and-done freshman, it is difficult to become attached to a college star. They simply don't hang around long enough. But when they do, that player becomes the fan favorite. There is nothing like watching a kid develop from a overwhelmed freshman into star as a senior. Those are the players that the fans connect with.

We reached out to some of the blogosphere's best, and over the next couple of weeks we will be running a series of posts saying goodbye to some of the country's best seniors.

Our fourth installment of "Saying Goodbye" is being brought to you by Travis Miller of Hammer and Rails, the fantastic Purdue blog. You can follow the blog on Twitter at @HammerAndRails

This is a bittersweet goodbye, mostly because I always pictured this ending different.

First of all, Scott Martin and Robbie Hummel were supposed to be saying goodbye with these two, not playing for another year at separate schools. Second, It was supposed to be on the floor of Reliant Stadium with a National Championship trophy hoisted above them, cementing their legacy as the team that finally broke through at Purdue.

Instead we’ll remember JJ and Smooge, as Purdue fans call them, as great players that will forever be tagged with the “What If” moniker. They gave Purdue everything they had for four seasons, and for many schools a Big Ten Championship, a Big Ten Tournament championship, and two Sweet 16 appearances would be a great accomplishment. When tiny Butler, less than an hour away, plays in the two National title games these guys were supposed to play in, however, there will always be a what if.

What if Robbie Hummel’s knee doesn’t buckle on February 24, 2010 at Minnesota, derailing a team that was starting to look like a juggernaut with the return of Lewis Jackson from injury? With a healthy Hummel Purdue is a likely #1 seed and might have been able to walk to Indianapolis.

What if Scott Martin hadn’t turned traitor and transferred to Notre Dame after the 2008 season? Martin’s size and ability would have filled in quite nicely for Hummel, and he had a better freshman season than Johnson.

What if Hummel doesn’t tear his ACL again on the first day of practice, ironically as Minnesota was in town for football?

It’s not fair to totally judge JJ and Smooge on these "what ifs", however, Johnson emerged as the player he was this season (Big Ten Player of the Year) mostly because he had to. He became Purdue’s first consensus All-American in 17 years, and will have a banner for that feat hanging in Mackey Arena forever. Moore leaves Purdue third all-time in scoring, hitting a number of huge baskets as a steady producer all four years on campus. He was one of college basketball’s most underrated guards throughout his career, but he leaves as one of just five players in Purdue history to top 2,000 points.

Their career finale’s may not have turned out like Purdue fans pictured, but as individuals they could not have accomplished much more. Both will likely be in the NBA next season. Johnson is expected to be a first round pick, but Moore will likely be more of a second-rounder. That’s fine. The three current Purdue players in the NBA (Carl Landry, Brian Cardinal, and Brad Miller) all exceeded expectations, so Moore can follow the same path.

Purdue couldn’t be saying goodbye to two nicer young men, either. They will be missed.


More from "Saying Goodbye"

2011: Matt Howard, Butler
2011: Keith Benson, Oakland
2011: Preston Knowles, Louisville

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2/27 - College Hoops Week in Review: Derrick Williams, E'Twaun Moore, and Jacob Pullen shine

Game of the Week: Arizona 87, Washington 86

This was about as entertaining as basketball can get. Washington was down by as much as 12 points in the second half, but Isaiah Thomas and Matthew-Bryan Amaning took over in the second half. Thomas finished with 12 points and nine assists with just two turnovers, absolutely shredding the Wildcat's half court defense with a series of gorgeous passes off of a pick and roll. Bryan-Amaning, for the most part, was the guy on the receiving end of those pick and roll passes, as he finished with 18 of his 24 points in the second half while adding nine boards, six blocks, four assists, and three steals.


The ending was just as exciting. Derrick Williams hit a contested three to give Arizona the lead, and after the two teams traded buckets, Washington had the ball on the final possession with a chance to win. Bryan-Amaning was called for a travel, but Arizona turned the ball right back over with 2.2 seconds left. It set up this finish:



Williams finished with 26 points and 11 boards and the game-saving block, but more on him later in this post.

St. John's 60, Pitt 59: The Panthers looked as if they had taken firm control of this game, opening up a 56-51 lead late on St. John's in the Garden. But the Red Storm was not ready to give up. After five free throws tied the game up, Paris Horne grabbed the offensive rebound when Dwight Hardy missed a free throws. He got the ball back to Hardy, who was fouled and knocked down two free throws to give the Johnnies the 58-56 lead. Travon Woodall answered with a three pointer, setting up this final possession:



Now, based on screen caps from the ESPN broadcast using the camera above the back board, it appears as if Dwight Hardy's heels are out of bounds on that last move:


Look at the referee's head in the video. Look at it in the picture. He is staring right at Hardy's feet, standing three feet away. He would have seen if Hardy's heels had touched the baseline. Hardy didn't step out. But he did finish with 19 points and the Johnnies knocked off their fifth top 15 team at home.

Cal 76, UCLA 72 OT: Cal provided another piece of evidence to the folks that believe you should automatically foul when you are up three with under five seconds left. After blowing a 12 point lead in the second half, Cal allowed Malcolm Lee to take a tough, fadeaway three from the top of the key that hit the front of the rim, bounced two feet into the air, and fell through the hoop for the game-tying basket. In overtime it was the Jorge Gutierrez show, however, as he finished with 34 points, six assists, and three steals, including finding Brandon Smith for a three with 14 seconds left that clinched the game.


Players of the Week: Just like last week, there is more than one player deserving of getting credit in this space:

Jacob Pullen, Kansas State: For the first time all season, Jacob Pullen looked like the all-american we expected to see this season. He went for a career-high 38 points in the Wildcat's win over Kansas, a win that thrust Frank Martin's club right back into the NCAA Tournament. Then on Saturday, Pullen had 27 points as K-State knocked off Oklahoma.


Derrick Williams, Arizona: We already talked about the 26 points, 11 boards, and two blocks that Williams had in Zona's win over Washington, but that wasn't his only impressive performance this week. He also went for 26 points and eight boards in a win over Washington State. Throw in UCLA's loss to Cal on Sunday, and Arizona now owns a commanding two game lead in the Pac-10 standings. Williams, to his credit, threw himself into the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick come June.

E'Twaun Moore, Purdue: Moore was good in Purdue's win over Wisconsin, going for 19 points. He was great in their win over Ohio State, however, finishing with 38 points and five assists and 13-18 shooting and 7-10 from deep. More on Purdue and Moore in a bit.

The all they-were-good-too team:

• G: Tu Holloway, Xavier: Holloway had 14 points, seven assists, five boards, and three steals in a win over St. Joe's, but that wasn't his most impressive stat line of the week. Against Fordham, the Xavier junior had his second triple double of the season, finishing with 26 points, 11 boards, and 10 assists.
  
• G: Dwight Hardy, St. John's: Hardy, who is making a late-season run at Big East player of the year, had 28 points, six boards, and five steals in a win at Marquette and followed that up with 19 points and the game-winning layup against Pitt.
  
• F: Kenny Faried, Morehead State: The Eagles notched two road wins this week, and Faried -- as usual -- was a huge reason why, averaging 20.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg. He also passed Tim Duncan as college basketball's all-time leading rebounder in the process.
  
• F: Tony Mitchell, Alabama: Alabama keeps churning out wins in the SEC West and moving closer to an at-large bid. Mitchell had just 13 points and four boards against LSU, but he went for 27 points, nine boards, and about three vicious dunks in 'Bama's comeback win over Arkansas.
  
• C: Nikola Vucevic, USC: Vucevic may be the best big man that no one ever talks about. In two road wins this week, he averaged 20.0 ppg and 12.0 rpg.
  
• Bench: Ramone Moore, Temple (24 points in 73-53 win over Richmond); Norris Cole, Cleveland State (16 points, 10 assists, six boards vs. Wright State, 35 points at Old Dominion); Corey Fisher, Villanova (34 points in OT win vs. DePaul); Jorge Gutierrez, Cal (34 points, six assists in OT win vs. UCLA); Scotty Hopson (averaged 27.5 ppg in a 1-1 week); John Jenkins, Vanderbilt (21 points in final 13 minutes in win over Georgia);
  

Team of the Week: Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue avenged losses to both Wisconsin and Ohio State when they visited Mackey Arena this week. Against the Badgers, Purdue got 20 points and 10 boards out of JaJuan Johnson, but the star was Lewis Jackson, who outplayed Jordan Taylor with 18 points, five assists, and no turnovers in the win. Against Ohio State, it was the E'Twaun Moore show, as he went for a career-high 38 points.


Purdue did two things this week. They threw themselves right back into the mix for a Big Ten regular season title. They are now just a game behind the Buckeyes. Ohio State has a much easier road down the stretch -- they get three games at home while Purdue has to go on the road three times -- but being one game back with four games left is a much easier task than sitting three games back with four games left.

Purdue also legitimized this argument I made back in the preseason. This is still a team that can make the Final four. They have two all-americans on their roster, Lewis Jackson and Kevan Barlow are both developing into quality role players, and guys like Ryne Smith, DJ Byrd, and Travis Carroll are playing more and more valuable minutes. The Boilermakers aren't going to be able to power through opponents to make a Final Four like the top four or five teams in the country, but with some favorable matchups, this is absolutely a team with the horses to make the Final Four. (Do I even need to make the mention of how nasty this team would be with Robbie Hummel? I dont? Good.)

Teams deserving of a shoutout:

• Kansas State: The Wildcats are now right back into the thick of the NCAA Tournament race, as they blew out both Kansas and Oklahoma at home this week. Not only is Jacob Pullen finally playing like the Jacob Pullen we all expected to see this season, the rest of the Wildcats are doing the same. They are playing with energy, they are defending, they are diving on the floor, and they are finally getting some production from their front court. The question will be whether or not this holds up the rest of the season. If you are a college basketball fan, then you hope that it does.
  


• Utah State: The Aggies picked up an enormous win against St. Mary's on Saturday in Bracket Busters. The Gaels, believe it or not, are the first top 90 win that Utah State has earned this season. They are certainly not a lock for the NCAA Tournament yet, but if they win out in the regular season and avoid being upset early in the WAC Tournament, Utah State should be able to feel pretty comfortable about getting an at-large bid.

• CAA: Obviously, the headline of this group is George Mason, who extended their nation's-best win streak to 13 games with a 20 point win at VCU and then going into Northern Iowa and knocking off the Panthers. They have all but locked up an at-large bid as well. A big part of that is that during Bracket Busters, the Colonial separated themselves from the rest of the mid-major leagues. Old Dominion put themselves into a good position to get an at-large bid by knocking off Cleveland State despite a 35 point outburst from Norris Cole, while VCU got a bit lucky in their win over Wichita State on the road. Its possible that the CAA can get three bids into the NCAA Tournament.


• Nebraska: The Cornhuskers may have gotten lucky twice this week, but in the end a win is a win, and Nebraska notched two of them. Against Oklahoma, a game-tying three by Cade Davis turned out to only be a two when his toe was on the line. In a win over Texas, the Huskers were able to hold on despite doing their damnedest to give away a late 11 point lead with turnovers, missed free throws, and fouled three-point shooters. Regardless, the Huskers are now officially in the bubble picture, which is more than anyone expected this season.


• Temple: After knocking off Richmond by 20 points and getting a bit of help from Dayton when the Flyers beat Duquesne, a 2-0 week from the Owls put them all alone in second place in the Atlantic-10.
  

Matchups of the Week:

• 2/21 - 7:00 pm: Syracuse @ Villanova
• 2/22 - 7:00 pm: Illinois @ Ohio State
• 2/22 - 9:00 pm: Tennessee @ Vanderbilt
• 2/22 - 9:00 pm: Michigan State @ Minnesota
• 2/23 - 7:00 pm: Temple @ Duke
• 2/23 - 8:00 pm: Colorado State @ BYU
• 2/24 - 9:00 pm: West Virginia @ Pitt
• 2/24 - 7:00 pm: Marquette @ UConn
• 2/24 - 7:00 pm: Georgia @ Florida
• 2/26 - 12:00 pm: Syracuse @ Georgetown
• 2/26 - 12:00 pm: Missouri @ Kansas State
• 2/26 - 1:00 pm: Wichita State @ Missouri State
  
• 2/26 - 2:00 pm: BYU @ SDSU
• 2/26 - 2:30 pm: St. John's @ Villanova
  
• 2/26 - 4:00 pm: Florida @ Kentucky
• 2/27 - 2:00 pm: Pitt @ Louisville
• 2/27 - 7:45 pm: Maryland @ UNC
  

Continue reading...

POSTERIZED: Jon Leuer excels at ducking dunks

E'Twaun Moore is a great player at the collegiate level.

He's a big time scorer, the kind of player that can do a bit of everything. Crowd him, and he's putting the ball on the floor. Give him space, and he'll knock jumpers all day. While JaJuan Johnson is busy thrusting his name into Big Ten and National Player of the Year consideration, Moore continues to chug along, playing the role of one of the best Robins in the country.

But Moore isn't getting much love from the NBA. Why? Because he's 6'3", he's not a point guard, and his athleticism is not up to the standards of NBA scoring guards.

Last night, Moore set out on his quest to prove that theory wrong, one poster at a time:



The reason this dunk isn't getting consideration for Dunk of the Year?

Jon Leuer avoided total humiliation by opting to protect his vital organs instead of contest Moore's throwdown.

But was it as good as one of these?:

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

Continue reading...

Purdue's win over Michigan highlights the performance of the Boilermaker's 'other guys'

Purdue opened Big Ten play this afternoon with an 80-57 win at Michigan.

Road wins in conference play are always impressive. Road wins by 23 points, regardless of opponent, are something that you don't see too often.

Could it be that the Boilermakers, even without Robbie Hummel, can still compete atop the Big Ten?

The issue, as everyone in the country has said since Hummel went down, will be whether or not Matt Painter can find a third scoring option. And over the last three weeks, Purdue, for the most part, has.


This afternoon, it was Ryne Smith, who had 17 points on 5-6 shooting from three, and Terone Johnson, who added 10, that gave the Boilermakers a boost. Against IPFW, it was DJ Byrd chipping in with 15 points. Against North Florida, Byrd, Smith, Johnson, and Lewis Jackson combined for 40 points.

Purdue is going to rely heavily on the combination of JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore. Johnson is playing the best basketball of his life right now, averaging 25.5 ppg over the last four games. Moore isn't playing quite at that pace, but he has hit double figures in every game this season. Combined, the two are averaging 39.2 ppg and 13.7 rpg.

Against better teams, those two are not going to get any kind space without contributions from elsewhere in the lineup.

But with the defense Purdue has played this season (third in the nation, according to Kenpom), its not going to take much for Purdue to win some games.

If their role players continue to step up, this Boilermaker team is going to be one you want to keep an eye on.
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Purdue lost Hummel, but the season is far from lost

Anyone that hasn't yet read Luke Winn's article on Robbie Hummel, his parents, and The Injury should really do it.

I just finished it.

As usual, its a great read.

But while I was reading it, I got to thinking (which isn't always a good thing). Throughout the entire offseason, Purdue has been one of the three teams (along with Duke and Michigan State) whose name was thrown around as a potential preseason No. 1. Many expected a Big Ten title from the Boilermakers. Anything short of the Final Four would have been a disappointment, and a national title was very real possibility.

Obviously, all of that changes now that Hummel won't be involved. But by how much? Jeff Goodman dropped Purdue all the way to 25th. Andy Katz dropped them to the 23rd spot. Gary Parrish says he will probably rank Purdue somewhere in the 17-22 range, while Winn mentions in the article that he slots Purdue between 15th-18th.

While Hummel is hurt, Purdue still has two all-americans in JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore.
(photo credit: Mancave Sports)

We all remember that Purdue still has two all-americans, right? JaJuan Johnson may just be the best center in the country. At 6'10", he averaged 15.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, and 2.1 bpg on a team with two other stars. He's got a very good finesse game in the post -- knocking down turnarounds and jump hooks consistently -- and has range out to 17 feet. Oh, and the kid that was never strong enough is now benching 315 lb.

E'Twaun Moore is arguably the most underrated player in the Big Ten. He's a prototypical four year back court star. He's not a lights out shooter, but he's dangerous enough that you cannot give him an open look at the rim. He's not lightening quick, but he knows how to get by his defender. He's not the most explosive finisher at the rim, but he gets the job done. Its not easy to score 16.4 ppg in the Big Ten.

With these two stars, Purdue made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to the eventual national champion Duke Blue Devils. Sure, they lose Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant off that team, but they also bring back eight other players that were in Matt Painter's rotation by the end of the season.

Ignore the Hummel injury for a second. Let's pretend that he was never coming back. If I told you that a four-seed that reached the Sweet 16 would be returning eight of their top ten, including their two all-americans and their starting point guard, where would you rank that team? The top five? Top ten?

Kenpom has an even better argument:

Temple was previously 23rd in Katz's list. If you added a healthy Hummel to Temple, I don't think you would consider the Owls to be national-title material. If you think Hummel had some special value to Purdue that he wouldn’t have on another team, leave him out of the argument for a second. Pick any player in college basketball and add him to Temple's roster. He still couldn't make the Owls' the second-best team in America.

Most are going to remember what Purdue looked like in their first few games without Hummel. It wasn't good, that's for sure. But when thinking about performances like their 11 point first half against Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament, keep in mind that Purdue team was forced to learn how to play without arguably their most important piece in the middle of February.

This current team, the one that Matt Painter will have at his disposal for the 2010-2011 season, will have the entire season to perfect playing without Hummel. Painter will have the entire preseason to put in sets to run if they are forced to go small, using Kelsey Barlow at the four. He will have over two months to groom the rest of his front court -- Patrick Bade, Sandi Marcius, and Travis Carroll -- to be prepared to face the front lines of schools like Ohio State, Illinois, and Wisconsin once Big Ten play roles around.

The point that people make against Purdue is that they lose their two most important role players in Grant and Kramer; that the Boilermakers need the inexperienced younger guys on their roster to step up.

What team doesn't? That's the nature of college basketball, isn't it? To have a consistent program, don't you need to have players waiting in the wings that are capable of filling in when seniors graduate?

Is Purdue still a title contender?

That's a stretch.

But I don't think its a stretch to say that this is a team that can still compete for a Big Ten title or, with the right draw, can make the Final Four.
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2010 NBA Draft Early Entrants: Who helps themselves the most by returning to school

The NBA Draft's Early Entry deadline came and went on Sunday. Today, we will provide you with a bit of fodder over how some of this year's decisions could sway the 2010-11 college basketball season. For a complete list of this year's crop of early entrants, click here.

I am not opposed to early entry into the NBA Draft. In fact, I often support the decision of many of these kids to enter the professional ranks. When the opportunity to become a first round pick presents itself, there is no reason for me to protest against a kid pursuing his dream and making a (substantial) living. If you are blessed enough to be an NBA-worthy talent, there is no reason not to cash-in on your ability.

The issue I have is with the kids that stay in the draft when it would suit them best to go back to school for a year. I understand that this season is unique, with a potential NBA lockout looming, but there are still players who may be able to move up draft boards -- and possibly earn themselves a guaranteed contract -- by returning to school.

While it is a less-than-ideal format this year (and believe me, that is putting it lightly, but that is another post for another day), the ability to test the waters is great for these kind of players. In a perfect world, they can work out for NBA scouts, see where they stand in terms of the NBA Draft, and either continue on with their efforts to lock up a guaranteed contract or return to school and work on the specific aspects of their game that need improvement to up their stock as a draft pick.

Which players should pull their name out of the draft? Note that we are only considering guys that we deem potential first rounders one day. There are a lot of players with their names in the draft that clearly need to head back to school, or simply tested the waters because they are a junior.


Chris Wright, Dayton, junior: Wright has always been a sensational athlete. You don't get the nickname "Top Flight" easily. Wright is 6'8", strong, athletic, and built in the mold of the power wing/combo forward that has become a trend in today's NBA. As a junior, Wright finally started to show some flashes of a developed perimeter game, which he will need in order to become an NBA player. Every player in the NBA is an elite athlete. To warrant a first round pick, you need to bring something else to the table.

Chris Wright, if he's smart, will return to Dayton and get up a lot of jumpers this summer.
(photo credit: Dayton Daily News)

But Wright isn't quite there yet. He jump shot, ball-handling skills, and instincts on the perimeter still need some work. If he can put in the work this summer, and develop himself like, say, Quincy Pondexter did this year, he should be able to work his way into next year's first round. This season, it is very likely that he will fall into the second round.


JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, Purdue, juniors: Moore is the obvious one here. While he is a very good player at the college level, he lacks the ideal size and athleticism of an NBA two guard, and he isn't a point guard. Simply put, I'm not sure if the NBA is in Moore's future.

Johnson, on the other hand, has the potential to be a first round pick if he comes back. 6'10" and athletic with a soft touch on the perimeter will catch a lot of eyes. But Johnson's issue is his strength. He's just a slender guy, weighing right around 215 lb with a frame that doesn't exactly look like it can add a lot of size.

Johnson isn't a first rounder this year. If he decides to stay in the draft, he will be in that mix of guys looking to steal one of the last 10 picks of the draft. Given his limitations and the quality of talent in the 20-45 range, odds are good that he slips into the second round. But if he spends a summer in the weight room and showcases a better low post game next season for what should be a very good Purdue team, he would likely be a first round pick in 2011. Johnson has gone from the JV for his high school team as a junior to a potential NBA pick in four years. He clearly works hard and is willing to put in the effort to make himself better. The NBA can wait another year.


Keith Benson, Oakland, junior: Benson, like Johnson, is a borderline first round pick this year. Like Johnson, he is tall, long, and athletic with a soft touch on the perimeter. And like Johnson, Benson lacks the strength that is required to be a post player in the NBA.

The talent is there for Keith Benson.
(photo credit: The Oakland Press)

Benson averaged 17 ppg this past season, but too much of that came from the perimeter. While he does have a foundation that should lead people to believe he can improve -- he has excellent footwork, for example -- he needs to get stronger and tougher. In a lot of cases, he is forced to be a perimeter shooter and a face-up big man not for a lack of post moves, but because he lacks the strength and the toughness to hold position on the block and finish those post moves. The strength and toughness issue shows through on the defensive end as well. Benson has first round potential, but he is much more likely to realize that potential if he waits for the 2011 draft.


Samardo Samuels, Louisville, sophomore: Samuels was a top five recruit coming out of high school, and certainly hasn't failed to be a very good player for Rick Pitino. I don't think anyone can complain when they are getting 15 and 7 out of a sophomore.

The problem is that Samuels doesn't really project as an NBA player. He is only 6'8" (and that may be generous) and is comparatively an underwhelming athlete -- he isn't overly quick or explosive. Samuels can survive at the collegiate level because he is strong, understands how to hold position, and has some effective post moves. But with his lack of a perimeter/face-up game, a 6'8" low post player is a long shot at getting picked in the first round, if at all. If Samuels decides to return to Louisville, he could very well be the best post player in the conference, if not the Big East player of the year.


Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, sophomore: Ebanks is a bit of an enigma. Standing 6'9", he is long and pretty athletic. But the issues with Ebanks aren't his tools, it is how he uses them. At times, he looked like he was capable of taking over games this season, but there were also times he looked absolutely lost.

I don't think Ebanks really understands how to play basketball. There were a number of times late in the season where he simply lost track of how much time was left on the clock, or looked completely lost on the offensive end. There is also the issue of an early season suspension and a perimeter game that is really lacking. Ebanks came into the season as a potential lottery pick, and his stock only dropped during the year. Leaving now, he may even end up in the second round. If he can come back and get people talking about his strengths, not his weaknesses, then he may boost himself back into the lottery next season, especially with the likelihood that his role will be expanded without Da'Sean Butler.

Other notable names who could benefit from an extra year in school:

• Avery Bradley, Texas, freshman: Everyone knows how good Bradley can be defensively, but he had an up and down season on the offensive end. With Damion James and Dexter Pittman graduating, Bradley would have the chance to be the focal point offensively. Its a double edged sword, because another inconsistent year could end up the label of strictly a defender.
• Terrico White, Ole Miss, sophomore: There is a lot to like about White. He has two guard size and athleticism, and has shown the ability to play the point (as a freshman, when Chris Warren was injured). He's a potential late first rounder this season, but could move up into the lottery if he goes back to school and has another good year.
• Manny Harris, Michigan, junior: Harris has first round talent, but it is tough to warrant using a first round pick on a guy that couldn't lead his college team to many wins, especially when the late first round is so loaded. Harris has a variety of skills, ut is still maturing as a player and a person as well as learning the game.
• Kenneth Faried, Morehead State, junior: I really like Faried's game. He's 6'8", he's athletic, he's energetic, he plays hard, he attacks the glass. He's the kind of blue-collar player that is going leave everything he has on the floor. Faried is probably never going to be a go-to scorer, but he doesn't need to be to find a spot in the league. He may not improve his stock all that much if he comes back, but he would likely go higher in the draft next year simply because there won't be as many people in front of him on draft boards.
  

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2010 NBA Draft Early Entrants: The biggest impact

The NBA Draft's Early Entry deadline came and went on Sunday. Today, we will provide you with a bit of fodder over how some of this year's decisions could sway the 2010-11 college basketball season. For a complete list of this year's crop of early entrants, click here.

While we all have issues with the earlier withdrawal deadline, the good news is that there actually is an option to withdraw from the draft. As you all know, players are allowed to test the waters one time -- they can enter the draft, go to some of the workouts with NBA teams, get a feel for where they would be getting drafted and what they can do to improve that standings, and then return to school to improve their overall game.

Who are the guys who can change the landscape of college basketball if they decide to return?


Jordan Crawford, Xavier, sophomore: Crawford had the kind of NCAA Tournament performance that makes a player an NBA Draft prospect. He was nothing short of incredible has he averaged 29.0 ppg in leading a young and relatively inexperienced Xavier team into the Sweet 16. The Muskies return most of that young talent as well, with power forward Jason Love the only player that is graduating.

Jordan Crawford could make Xavier next year's Butler.
(photo credit: Indy Star)

If Crawford stays in the draft, which is something many expect him to do -- he has a shot of going in the first round -- Xavier still should end up being a tournament team. A back court of Terrell Holloway, Mark Lyons, and Dante Jackson combined with a front line anchored by seven-footer Kenny Frease should be enough to get the Muskies an at-large bid. But with Crawford on the roster, is it too much to say that Xavier would be the hands down favorite in the Atlantic 10, and a team that may sneak into some top 10's?


E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, Purdue, juniors: Both Moore and Johnson said back in March that they would be returning to school next season, and like we said back then, you always need to take that kind of statement with a grain of salt. Both juniors have declared for the draft, but both would be better suited by returning to school for their senior seasons.

E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson could lead Purdue to heights they didn't reach this season.
(photo credit: SLAM)

Moore will likely not be drafted. As good as he is at the college level, he lacks the size and the explosiveness of an NBA two-guard. Johnson has some potential, but he still has quite a thin frame and settles too much for perimeter jumpers. Johnson has a better shot of going somewhere in the second round than Moore, but with the amount of talent available in this year's class, Johnson would probably have a better chance of getting that guaranteed contract if he came back.

Purdue has a chance to, once again, be a Final Four contender. With Robbie Hummel coming back from knee surgery and guys like Lewis Jackson, Kelsey Barlow, John Hart returning as well, the Boilermakers have a solid core. If they can get Moore and Johnson back, this is a team that can compete for a Final Four and potentially a national title. If they don't, Purdue may struggle to even make the NCAA tournament.


Gordon Hayward, Butler, sophomore: Butler became the feel good story of the decade in college basketball when they made their run to the national title game in their home city. The crazy part about that run was that it was made a year early. In other words, with the youth on Butler's roster, they have a chance to be even better next season, pending Hayward's NBA Draft decision. Willie Veasely and Avery Jukes both graduated, but the rest of Butler's roster will be back next season, including Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack, Ronald Nored, and even Brad Stevens.

If Hayward does return, Butler could end up being a top five team in the preseason. But he has a realistic shot at being a mid-to-late first round pick. It will be interesting to see what Hayward does.


Demetri McCamey and Mike Davis, Illinois, juniors: Illinois has a chance to be very good next season. The only player of significance that they graduate is Dominique Keller, they return both of their vaunted freshmen in the back court, and bring in a very good recruiting class. This is likely a tournament team if McCamey and Davis stay in the draft. But neither player is a lock to be a first rounder. Davis isn't even a lock to be drafted, while Draft Express is predicting McCamey to go somewhere in the second round.

McCamey really came on down the stretch last season. He has always been a talent at the point, McCamey's problem was shot selection and decision making. He's also had an attitude problem, at one point this season storming off the floor and bumping Bruce Weber as he walked by. Davis simply is not strong enough yet. A 6'9" forward, he does most of his damage on the offensive end with his jumper. That isn't going to cut it in the league.

With these two back in the line-up, Illinois has a chance to compete in what should once again be a top heavy Big Ten. And if McCamey can continue to improve from where he left off last season, seeing Illinois as a potential Final Four team is not out of the question.


Samardo Samuels, Louisville, forward: Let's face it: Samuels is not yet ready for the NBA. He's a bit undersized and not quite as athletic as NBA teams would like. While he does have a pretty advanced post game, he just simply doesn't have the tools that an NBA team is looking for in a post player. He's around 6'8" and 250 lb, but he's more of a center than a power forward. 6'8" centers don't last in the NBA.

Louisville certainly could use him. They lose Jerry Smith, Edgar Sosa, and Reginald Delk, Terrence Jennings has yet to prove he can be a consistent post presence, and Rick Pitino is hemorrhaging recruits. With Samuels, Louisville might be able to steal one of the four byes in the Big East tournament. Without him, they very well could be playing on the tourney's first day.

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No. 6: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Purdue Boilermakers

2008-2009 Record: 27-10, 11-7 Big Ten (t-2nd)

Key Losses: Nemanja Calasan (6.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Marcus Green (4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

Key Returners: E'Twaun Moore (13.8 ppg, 3.0 apg), JaJuan Johnson (13.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg), Robbie Hummel (12.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Keaton Grant (7.9 ppg)

Newcomers: Stevie Loveless, Kelsey Barlow, Dru Anthrop, Kyle Coleman, DJ Byrd, John Hart, Patrick Bade, Sandi Marcius

Robbie Hummel, Chris Kramer, and JaJuan Johnson will lead an experienced Boilermaker team.
(photo credit: Lafayette-Online)

Two years ago, Purdue came out of nowhere to make the NCAA tournament on the strength of three freshmen - Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, and JaJuan Johnson. Last season, those three led a beat-up Purdue team to the Sweet 16. Now fully healthy and returning six of their top seven scorers, the Boilermakers looked primed to make a run at the Big Ten title.

Purdue's team is centered around team play, execution, and defense. There may not be a team in the country that plays better fundamental defense that the Boilermakers. Whether its getting to the charge spot, jumping to help side, or perfectly rotating when the ball swings, Purdue hangs their hat on the ability to make every shot a difficult one. The best defender on the team is Chris Kramer, who won the 2008 Big Ten defensive player of the year. Kramer is tough as nails and routinely defends an opponent's best perimeter player. He even slid down to the four spot defensively when Hummel was injured.

While Purdue is strong on the defensive end, that doesn't mean that they don't have some talent on the offensive end. Their best offensive weapon is probably Hummel. Hummel played last season with a painful stress fracture in his back which forced him to wear a brace on his back, even when he wasn't playing. He is now 100%, which is great news for Matt Painter. Hummel is a versatile offensive player in that skill-wise, he is a small forward but he plays the power forward spot on this team. He stands 6'8", but his is at his best playing on the perimeter thanks to his excellent jump shot. He is mobile and a heady player, resulting in a lot of easy baskets moving without the ball. Where Hummel struggles is when he is forced to put the ball on the floor. He has a decent handle, but his limited-at-best athleticism stifles his ability to get by a defender and finish at the rim.

Joining Hummel up front is JaJuan Johnson. Johnson came into Purdue as a rail thin, 6'10" center, but in his two seasons he's beefed up 40 lbs to 210 and can now bench 285 lbs. Johnson is a shot blocker that has a decent back to the basket game and a solid jumper out to about 15 feet. He is easily the best NBA prospect on the Boilermakers roster, a testament to his development as he played JV as a high school junior. Johnson still could use some added strength to help him battle the Big Ten's biggest and needs to improve his rebounding, especially on the offensive end, but his presence inside will be so important as Purdue does not have much else up front.

On the perimeter for Painter is E'Twaun Moore and Keaton Grant. Moore has led Purdue in scoring the last two seasons. He isn't a flashy player or an overly athletic guy, but he's smooth on the offensive end with good instincts and a better jump shot. He won't blow by a defender every time, but can get to the rim when the opportunity is there. Likewise, he isn't going to be shooting 25 footers all game, but he can knock down open jumpers at a pretty good clip. In short, Moore is a smart player that picks his spots well. Grant had a fantastic sophomore season in '07-'08, averaging 11.2 ppg and shooting 44% from deep. He struggled a bit last season as he, too, was beat up, but one thing that's for sure is that Grant can shoot when he is healthy.

Lewis Jackson will run the point for Purdue. Jackson had an up and down freshman season, but should be expected to come back strong during his sophomore campaign. Jackson is a jet with the ball and should help the Boilermakers get some easy baskets in transition. He proved to be better than expected in the half court, however. Given his diminutive stature (5'8"), he will probably never be a dominant player a la Kalin Lucas. But Purdue doesn't need that. They need a guy that won't turn the ball over and can get the ball to their stars in a position to score. Jackson should be able to do that this year.

I mentioned it earlier, but the biggest issue for Purdue this season is going to be depth. Outside of the six guys I just mentioned, who else will be able to contribute minutes, especially up front? Sophomore Ryne Smith is a shooter, but played just 18 games last season. 6'10" Croatian freshman Sandi Marcius was expected to contribute minutes, but he will be out for about another month with an injury. After that, there are a lot of freshman that will battle for role playing minutes. Patrick Bade, a 6'8", 235 lb forward, may see some reserve minutes up front. On the perimeter, DJ Byrd and Kelsey Barlow are both talented enough to see some time as well.

Outlook: A lot of people had Purdue pegged as a potential Big Ten champion and Final Four team last season. But a rash of injuries kept the Boilermakers from playing at full strength most of the season. With everyone back, and three potential Big Ten player of the year candidates, it is feasible to believe that Purdue could outlast Michigan State and win the conference. If they do, it will be a result of their defense. I'm not sold on them being a Final Four candidate this year, however. Unless they have some interior depth surface, Jackson develops into a more consistent PG, and either Moore or Hummel turns into a dominant go-to scorer, I just don't see Purdue being a team built for March.
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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Shooting Guards

The season is fast approaching. The first games are on Nov. 9th, and the BIAH live blog during ESPN's season kickoff is just two weeks away. So with just a week until actual games are played, we figured the best way to finish up our 2008-2009 season previews is to give you our Top 10 players at each position. You know how much we love a good Top 10 list here.

A few caveats. First, we're talking about how good these guys are as college players, not how well they project as a pro. Second, while it may be too much power for me, I am making the executive decision on what "position" a player is (and it may not necessarily be what he is listed as on a roster). Third, I am not putting the freshman in the list. As much as I've read about these guys and as many Youtube clips as I have watched, I have yet to see many of them play a real game (the all-star games don't count), and I don't think that I could give an accurate assessment until I see them play. Lastly, I love me a good argument, so if you think someone is too low or too high or the wrong position, leave a comment and let me hear about it.

Here are the point guards.
These are the shooting guards.

Best Freshman:

• Avery Bradley, Texas
• Kenny Boynton, Florida
• Xavier Henry, Kansas
• Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati

Best of the Rest:

• Elliot Williams, Memphis
• Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall
• Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State
• William Buford, Ohio State
• Steven Gray, Gonzaga
• Denis Clemente, Kansas State
  

Top 10

• 10. Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas: Taylor is not on this list for the numbers he is going to put up. That would be impossible playing on a team as talented as Kansas this year. But Taylor may be the best team player in the country. He's no stranger to talented teams - his St. Anthony's High School team sent seven kids to D1 schools. Taylor's biggest strength is his intelligence on the court. He makes good decisions with the ball, is an excellent passer (especially feeding the post), and is as good of a defender as you will find at the position. Offensively, he has yet to really show the country what he can do. He picks his spots well, so don't be surprised if Taylor has a couple games where he goes for 25 this year.
  


• 9. Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati: At 6'1", 195 lb, Vaughn is built like a running back, but it isn't his physical tools that make him special. Vaughn can flat out score the ball. He is a streaky shooter, but when he gets hot he can go for 30 on a given night. Vaughn also has the quickness and the handle to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. Simply put, Vaughn has all the skills you could ask for in a scoring guard. The problem the last two seasons has been his supporting cast, as Vaughn was not only asked to be the team's point guard, but to also be the team's only true perimeter threat. With Cashmere Wright back from injury and Lance Stephenson joining the team, he now has that. Don't expect Vaughn's scoring numbers to shoot through the roof, as the addition of Wright and Stephenson will reduce his shots, but do expect to see a better Cincinnati team and a much more efficient Deonta Vaughn.
  


• 8. Jerome Dyson, UConn: Dyson was the overlooked guy on the UConn Huskies last season. With Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet inside, and AJ Price running the show, people forgot about Dyson. It didn't help that he missed the end of the season with a knee injury either. But Dyson is a star in the making. With athleticism to burn, Dyson is at his best when he is slashing to the rim and making plays in the full court. He can knock down a three when he is left open, but his slow release makes it difficult for him to get his shot off at times. The faster tempo that UConn is going to play at this season will fit in perfectly with Dyson's skill set as he is a terror in the passing lanes and always a threat to posterize a defender on a break.

Jerome Dyson will make quite a few posters this season.
(photo credit: daylife)

• 7. E'Twaun Moore, Purdue: Moore isn't a flashy player. He isn't going to wow you with cross overs or dunks. He isn't going to take over games on the offensive end. What Moore does is play a very controlled game. He isn't going to blow by his defender every time down court, but when it is there he can get to the rim. He isn't a gunner, but he is a good enough shooter that you have to contest it (although his shooting numbers dipped quite a bit last season). He's a good passer, a good rebounder, and a very good defender. And to top it off, he has led Purdue in scoring in his first two seasons. He may not be the most athletically gifted at the position, but you would be hard-pressed to find a two guard in the country better suited for the system they play in.
  


• 6. Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga: I love Matt Bouldin's game. He is such a heady, fundamental player. Playing on Gonzaga's most talented team last season, Bouldin was forced into a bit of a complimentary role. But that was more of a result of his all-around ability than a lack of ability. Bouldin can shoot, he can handle the ball, he can penetrate and kick, he can defend - there really isn't a weakness to his game, except for maybe a lack of ideal explosiveness out of a two guard. We shall see this season if he can develop into a star. If he does, don't be surprised if he wins a WCC player of the year award and Gonzaga makes another NCAA Tournament.
  


• 5. Terrico White, Ole Miss: The Rebels caught a devastating case of the injury bug last season, as they had three back court guys go down early with season ending knee injuries. While it put quite a damper on their season, the blessing in disguise was it allowed Andy Kennedy to see what he had in freshman Terrico White. White is an athlete, but he relied a bit too much on that athleticism a year ago. He also had trouble with shot selection and decision making on the offensive end, but a big reason for that was the fact he was forced to play a lot of minutes in a de facto lead guard role with Chris Warren out. Now that Warren is healthy, White will be able to move off the ball, where he shined this summer with the U19 team.
  


• 4. Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech: Delaney has put up impressive numbers during his first two seasons with the Hokies, but playing behind guys like AD Vassallo and Deron Washington kept his profile to a minimum. Don't doubt him though, because Delaney can play. He will likely handle the ball quite a bit this year for Seth Greenburg, but Delaney's at his best when he is looking to score. He is a dead eye three point shooter when he is open, but he has a tendency to force it a bit, although some of that is a result of Tech having a limited number of playmakers. If he can mature a bit in his decision making and shot selection, Delaney has the potential to be a lethal scorer this year.

Malcolm Delaney is a name you will hear a lot of this season.
(photo credit: flickr)

• 3. Isaiah Thomas, Washington: Thomas played a lot of minutes as Washington's point guard last season, but with the addition of Abdul Gaddy to run the show, Thomas will slide over to the off guard spot. Off the ball is where Thomas should be more effective as he is a natural scorer. He is at his best when he is using the bounce to penetrate. He has a tight handle and a tremendous first step, which makes him a nightmare to try and defend. That ability will be magnified as he will be playing in a Washington system that will allow him countless opportunities in the open court. Thomas's diminutive size is his biggest weakness. Standing just 5'9", he was inconsistent as a perimeter shooter when he had a hand in his face, but in the lane it is less of an issue as he has an advanced in-between game - he has an excellent floater and knows how to uses body contact to create space between himself and his defender.
  


• 2. James Anderson, Oklahoma State: Anderson is first and foremost a shooter. His entire offensive repertoire is based on his catch and shoot ability from deep. An excellent athlete, Anderson is also able to use one or two dribbles and elevate over defenders in the mid-range. Where he struggles is with his ball-handling. He is very much a straight line dribbler without the ability to change direction or change speed. While it may be tough to top the 18.2 ppg he posted last season, if he improved this aspect of his game in the off-season, Anderson will be a much more complete player.

Willie Warren and James Anderson will compete for the Big XII scoring crown.
(photo credit: kfor.com)

• 1. Willie Warren, Oklahoma: Warren struggled at the beginning of his freshman campaign, but by the end of the year many considered him a lottery pick. Warren is a fantastic athlete, but what makes him so dangerous is his exceptional scoring instincts. With a quick first step, the ability the change gears and change directions, great body control in the lane, and the explosiveness to finish above the rim, it isn't hard to see that Warren was built to score. The fact that he can handle the ball (he played a lot of point last season for the Sooners) and shoot it from deep (he struggled to start the year, but shot 38% in Big XII play) only makes him more dangerous. With Tommy Mason-Griffin headed to Norman, Warren will be allowed to move off the ball where he can focus on, what else, scoring.
  

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