Luke Harangody may be done for the season, at least according to Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey.
"There's a chance he would not come back this season. There's a chance he could. I think we're week to week," coach Mike Brey said Monday.
The injury that Harangody has is a bone bruise which, as Rush the Court explains, is exactly what it sounds like:
When talking about a bone bruise of the knee, you're usually talking about a force that goes through the joint, meaning along the length of the bone. In other words, there's been a downward, compressive force that has caused the femur (the big bone in the thigh) to press down on the tibia (the biggest of the two lower leg bones). When that happens, vessels break along the tough, thick outer covering of the bone, leaking blood and other fluid into the bone space. Because of that thick outer covering, that inflammatory fluid tends to build up and stay in that part of the bone — and that's what causes the pain.
The issue is that this kind of injury takes time to heal, and Brey has admitted that part of the reason he is holding Harangody out is to protect the senior's potential as a pro. (Side Note: How many coaches would a) do that, risking a trip to the tournament, and b) admit it to the media?) With how well Carleton Scott and Jack Cooley have been playing, the Irish have bought themselves some time.
Personally, I hope Harangody can get back on the court. Hate him or love him, you have to agree that Harangody has been one of the best players in Big East history. Before getting injured, he was on pace to set the Big East scoring record. It would be a shame to see him end this career on the sidelines.
Portland's Nik Raivio has been out of the line-up since mid-January with an achilles strain. Yesterday, news came down that Raivio, who is the younger brother of former Gonzaga star Derek Raivio and was the leading scorer for the Pilots at the time of his injury, will not be available for the the conference tournament.
Its a big blow for Portland. If you remember back in November, Portland played their way into the top 25 as they made a run to the finals of the 76 Classic out in Anaheim. The Pilots have since come back to earth, finishing third in the WCC, but this was still a team that had the parts to make a run through the WCC and win a game in the tournament. That may still be true without Raivio (they did beat St. Mary's without him in the line-up), it will be a more difficult task.
And last night, Austin Freeman missed Georgetown's game against West Virginia with the same stomach virus that slowed him against Notre Dame, while J'Covan Brown was in the line-up for Texas against Oklahoma. Continue reading...
College, as we all know is nothing more than a booze and testosterone filled popularity contest. At large universities, nobody is more popular than the star athletes. The student sections bow to them, the women love them, and the teachers pass them. But every so often, there is a player that exceeds even the highest level of popularity. They become so popular that they become intolerable by anyone not enrolled at that university.
One of the aspects of college basketball that separates it from other college sports is the creativity of the student sections. It's not just about getting the whole arena to wear the same color t-shirt. There are the Georgetown fans who dress up like animals, The Purdue Paint Crew (named after head coach Matt Painter), the Duke cult icon "Speedo guy", and innumerable others at pretty much every school in the country.
Fans use creativity to feel like they are part of the action. And if a player gives the student section a reason to heckle, razz or chastise, they will be more than happy to do so. All it takes is one isolated incident for student sections across the country to rise up and continue chants and insults started by other student sections.
The following list contains the most vilified hoops players of the past decade. Be warned, because we had to delve deep into the murky depths of student sections, some of the video material might be slightly NSFW. But then again, nothing that goes on in student sections would be considered safe for work. J.J. Redick
There has not been a college basketball player in the last twenty years who was as universally despised as Redick was. He was the type of player that was so good at what he did, that you basically had to hate him. The flashy, brash, and cocky guard who threw up "the shocker" after a made 3-pointer was the main target of every student section he encountered.
After the 04-05 season, Redick appeared on ESPN and had some choice words for opposing fans, who had irritated Redick to his breaking point. It was game-on from there, as rival student sections pulled out all the stops to try and get inside the head of Redick. J.J. was constantly bombarded with insults about his sexual orientation (Terps fans referred to him as "Brokeback Redick"), his works of poetry, and his younger sister. At one point, Maryland and UNC fans got access to Redick's cell phone number. It was said that he received anywhere from 50-75 hate calls/texts a day. In 2006, Travis Clay of CBS Sportsline dubbed Redick as "the most hated current athlete in America". Think about it, Terrell Owens was in the process of destroying his second NFL locker room and Jose Canseco was snitching on former teammates. But nobody was more hated than Redick.
A lot of the hatred towards Redick probably had to do with a couple of things: He played for Duke, he was the best shooter in the country and played for Duke, he was overly cocky and played for Duke, and he got a lot of tail and played for Duke. Needless to say, a lot of his hatred had to do with the fact that he played at the most recognizable program in college hoops history. If Redick was dropping 30 a game at NC State and not Duke, I doubt he would have been tormented as bad as he was.
During Redick's time in Durham, rumors flew around the internet that Reddick was quite fond of pounding a fifth of Jack Daniels before shoot-a-round, and even that he did lines of cocaine in the locker room. While these rumors were nothing more than that, rumors, it did nothing to help Redick's reputation across college campuses.
Think about it. Redick was 6'4" and weighed under 200 pounds, and yet was the best player in the entire country in 2005. Redick did not look like the best player in the country. Part of the reason he was so hated is because he made so many guys across the country jealous. He wasn’t big, he wasn’t strong, nor was he particularly good-looking, yet he was treated like a god. He looked like every other frat member on campus, and still, girls probably broke up with their boyfriends just to have a shot at Redick. That right there is enough to make me jealous.
Greg Paulus
Paulus was lucky that he decided to attend Duke and not Notre Dame (for football). Because during Paulus's freshman year, he got to play in the backcourt with Redick and learned how to be hated from the very best. Paulus was never the outstanding point guard he was recruited to be, but he was good enough to be hated on by every student section in the ACC. Being the starting point guard for Duke carries a lot of baggage, and Paulus tried his best to handle the weight.
Paulus was a victim of posterization multiple times, the most famous being when Virginia Tech's Deron Washington leapt completely over Paulus' head. Not once, but twice.
From here on out, whenever the student section wanted to heckle the visitors, they chanted "Teabag Paulus". The rest of the country was quick to follow suit.
Fans never needed to be too creative when heckling Paulus, because whenever Duke was on the road, it was almost a given that there would be at least one "Teabag Paulus" chant during the game.
Paulus was the quintessential Duke point guard. He had heart and hustle, and to most non-Duke fans, it's enough to make you puke. Paulus was a master of Duke's patented "flop-charge", a maneuver that was more than enough to make opposing fans irate. Greg was never able to overcome all the heckling he received and the Duke teams he played on were never very successful. But to be frank, Paulus probably got it as bad as Reddick did from opposing fans. The only difference was that the fans hated Reddick on an entirely different level.
Eric Devendorf
Eric Devendorf was the bad boy of the Big East for the past four seasons. Every non-Syracuse fan in the northeast had something against "Devo". Maybe it was all the tattoos, maybe it was the line-beards or maybe it was his checkered past, whatever the case may be, if it was 2008, you more than likely were doing some hating on Eric Devendorf. After all, he was named by many media outlets as "the most hated player in the NCAA" for the 2008-2009 season. But obviously, a lot of this had to do with the assault charges filled against him last winter.
If you forget, Devo was said to have allegedly struck a female outside of a house party at 'Cuse. It's pretty safe to say that hitting a women will land you a spot on any "most hated" list. The public image of Devo is that he was a punk. But it wasn't just his off-court antics that landed him the title of "most hated" during the 2008-2009 season. Talking trash was his go-to move, and celebrating after a big three wasn't out of the ordinary either. In fact, Devo almost completely redeemed himself of his negative image by draining the game-winning 3-pointer in the Big East tournament against UConn. You remember, the one where he sank the three then jumped on the scorers table a la Dwayne Wade. Well, unfortunately the shot didn't count, but because of this, we were able to witness perhaps the greatest basketball game ever played.
Was Devo as bad a person as people made him out to be? It's very debatable. However, most of the hate he received was image-based. Nothing about his image said "character". Well, at least that's what most of America thought. But then again, his demeanor on the court certainly didn't say it either.
Ed. Note: We wrote a lengthy column last year defending Devendorf, and stand by what we wrote.
Luke Harangody
Notre Dame, like Duke and North Carolina, have the distinction of being prestigious athletic institutions, and therefore the athletes who represent them are scrutinized under a microscopic lens. In other words, its very easy to hate a Notre Dame athlete. It's obvious that the Irish football squad carries more pull than the hoops team. But when you are a white, Irish, 6'8" 250-pound power forward and not a nose tackle, you tend to attract a lot of attention.
Harangody entered Notre Dame with low expectations. As the largest member of the Irish squad, he was in charge of going up against some of the quintessential Big East bigs: Roy Hibbert, Hasheem Thabeet, DeJuan Blair, and David Padgett. Luke struggled mightily against the bigs, usually winding up on the bench with foul trouble.
I had the chance to see Harangody play during his freshman year in a game against Georgetown and Roy Hibbert. Harangody spent the majority of the time committing stupid fouls and complaining about them. The Georgetown student section was quick to jump on the behemoth freshman.
But Harangody made a huge leap in progress his sophomore year, propelling him into Naismith Award discussions and All-American prospective lists. Having said this, why would anybody hate a player like this?
Well first off, "The 'Gody" looks like the son of actor Gary Busey. Yup that's right, Gary Busey. Then add in the fact that Harangody doesn’t look like a chiseled NCAA power forward. His jump shot is horrendous-looking and he has a tendency to whine and complain about fouls and missed calls. His "all-out" style of play is the type that irks opposing student sections. He was named the Big East POY in his sophomore year, giving fans just another reason to hate the Irish big man. The West Virginia fans were quite fond of tormenting Harangody. It all stemmed from an incident during a ND vs. WVU game in Morgantown when Harangody and WVU's Cam Thoroughman got tangled up under the basket. The Mountaineer student section rode Harangody for the rest of the night. Give a listen to this:
Harangody never did anything off the court to draw negativity from fans (unlike his former teammate Kyle McAlarney, who was kicked out of school for drug possession, before being reinstated.) McAlarney was bombarded with chants of "Drug Dealer" and signs that said "McAlarney slept though D.A.R.E". Nonetheless it was Harangody who attracted much of the hate. He wasn't above throwing a hissy fit on the court, or trying to get in a tussle with the opposing big man. And he sure as hell didn't mind flopping on defense if he needed/wanted to. I'd say that's enough to make student sections chastise a player for 40 minutes.
I mean, just look at him. He looks like somebody you should hate. And most people do. But the one thing you can't hate him for is his productivity. He have averaged 20 ppg and 10 rpg every season except for his freshman year and has been a All Big-East first teamer the past two seasons.
Joakim Noah
Of all the players on the back-to-back championship Florida Gators team, nobody was as vocal as Noah. Nor was anybody as hated as Noah was. The son of a former tennis player and European model, Noah embraced the spotlight, and used his TV time to let opposing players and fans know that he didn't give a damn about what anybody thought about him or the Florida basketball team.
It can be argued that Noah was the least talented of all the players from the Gators' back-to-back title teams (five were drafted into the NBA), but nobody can argue that he was the most important player on the team. He wasn't the most skilled player on the floor, but what separated Noah from the rest was his desire.
Take a good look at Joakim Noah. It won't take long to figure out he's no pretty boy. His looks alone were enough to insight negative banter from the opposing fans. He had a nasty "independent film star" moustache that rivaled the one of Gonzaga's Adam Morrison. He had ratty hair that resembled Sideshow Bob's from The Simpsons. But worst of all, he was the guy that wore a pink tuxedo and bow tie to the NBA draft.
Noah's fame at Florida reached near cult level, but because of his flashy style and "Rodman-esque" on-court flare, he was chastised by opposing fans and the media. Some people hated the hair, some people hated the emotion, some people hated his style of play. But in the end, a lot of people just hated Joakim Noah.
We reached out to good friend, former teammate, and fellow blogger Danny Forcella for help with our Most Hated Players list, and he delivered, including sending a little love the way of JJ Redick.
Tyler Hansbrough
It's one thing to show no emotion at all, it's a whole other thing to be Tyler Hansbrough. This dude showed a lot of emotion during his four years at North Carolina, and every second of it made me want to throw up. There's a reason that his nickname was Psycho T. Hansbrough was a complete nut. His ridiculous actions on the court made me hate him more and more every time I saw him spaz around on the floor for a loose ball.
He was the epitome of getting the most out of what you have. Who likes that? I'm not a Husky fan, (just the first example that came into my head) but I loved cheering for a guy like Rudy Gay who was uber-talented but was labeled as lazy. He knew he was good and therefore didn't have to act like an idiot on the court.
Was he a star in college? Yes.
Is he now a star in the pros? Yes.
Did he ever make me want to throw myself through a window when I watched him play? No.
Tyler Hansbrough had one out of those three aspects.
He's never going to be a great pro, and everyone knew that. Sure he received numerous college accolades, and had the stats to ensure them, but that doesn't mean he deserved those stats. When you play in a manner that many basketball players can't respect, it diminishes your likeability. Falling on the ground every five seconds, pretending that you were fouled, is flat out bush league.
I was a UNC fan growing up. I loved the likes of VC, Rasheed, Stack, Jamison. Tyler Hansbrough single-handedly destroyed my fandom of the Tar Heels and turned it into a hatred for the school I once wanted to attend.
Roy Hibbert
As a generic rule, I usually dislike those that get undeserved high praise. Roy was touted as one of the best players in the country, and was even named Big East Preseason Player of the Year prior to his senior year. This is a dude who at 7'2" never averaged more than 13.4 points or 6.9 rebounds per game. 6.9 rebounds per game and you are 7'2"? His frontcourt teammate at Georgetown, Jeff Green, was miles better than him but got half the recognition.
Hibbert waddled around the court like a penguin. Nobody likes someone who looks so silly when they run. At 7'2" it's going to be awkward getting around a basketball court, but Hibbert did his best to make sure that happened. His shot was goofy, he couldn't jump, but yet this guy was supposed to be a star?
The guy showed absolutely no emotion. He looked half asleep most of the time out there on the court. Showing emotion plays a huge role in whether the public is going to like you, and by the public I mean me. Some people in the world actually enjoy a dude who just goes about his business, but not me. There is risk involved with having a personality though. It may be an awful one.
And finally Hibbert is to be hated because when he finally had a good enough team to make a run through the NCAA Tournament, he let a one man show defeat the Hoyas (and ruin my bracket). Roy put up six points and one rebound in 16 minutes of action while in foul trouble against Davidson.
Adam Morrison
Adam Morrison played at Gonzaga, which is a mid-major in the West Coast Conference. We could obviously talk again about how he was hyped well higher than his skill level, but the normal hatred for this college basketball player ran much deeper than undeserved stats and honors. It really comes down to two things. A moustache and crying.
Morrison was extremely gangly and had a girl's haircut during his years with the Zags. Although both characteristics turned me off, neither caused as much pain as his disgusting quazi-moustache. Here is the thing with facial hair. If you can grow a great beard, you do it at some point in college. Hey, if you want to have the luxury of being able to sport a sweet chin strap before you leave high school, then by golly you shave twice a day when you're a freshman (I actually don't recommend this doing this). A nice goatee or some solid muutton chops can do wonders for you as a young man, but under no circumstances do you let a peach fuzz-esque moustache grow in above your lip. When hair starts to grow on your face, but you can still see through it to your face, you know it's not a good look. Not to mention it is just a straight up stash. Unless you are in the 80s or an old man, moustaches just look weird on white dudes.
In the Zags' NCAA Tournament game against UCLA, the Bulldogs led the entire way only to see their lead slip away to the Bruins in the final seconds. Sure everyone and their brother has cried at one point or another, but it wasn't like Mr. Moustache against UCLA. This dude started balling hysterically before the game even ended! Yeah I've seen some dudes tear up at the post-game press conference. It is an emotional time, and when a player really cares about the team's success, his portrayal through tears can some times be heartfelt. Morrison's tears were not simple. The dude's face was going out of control. He couldn't contain himself. Let me remind you that the game wasn't even over yet. He could've taken it down for a game-winning shot. Did he? Of course not. He just finished filling up a soup bowl with massive tears. You can't play basketball like that. If America didn't detest this kid before that, it sure did him in.
JJ Redick
JJ was hated by so many during his years at Duke. Most people in the world hate Duke and therefore hate everyone from Duke. I, on the other hand, am an impartial observer. I don't like or dislike the men's basketball team at Duke University. I hated Greg Paulus and Sheldon Williams, I liked Corey Maggette and Jason Williams. And without a doubt, I loved JJ Redick.
JJ was a two-time ACC Player of the Year and received numerous National Player of the Year accolades. He knocked down more three-pointers in his college career than anyone in history. He tallied 457 over his four years, and he did it in style. Maybe I'm biased, because I was a three-point shooter, but I loved everything about his game. He ran off screens and J'ed in dudes' faces. And then of course he'd swag his way back down the other end of the court. Sure this was exactly the type of action that increased the public's hate for him, but as others hated on him more, my love for JJ grew larger.
It was this outlaw type of persona that made him such a polarizing personality. Either you hated him or you loved him, but I still don't see how anyone hated him. JJ was the nicest out and he proved it by how cool he was on the court.
Yup, it is December. And as the temperatures outside drop, the heat is rising on college campuses across the country as basketball season kicks into full swing. But December is also a time to reflect on the past year. This December is special, because as we draw closer to the new year, we get closer to the end of the aughts. In the spirit of the holidays, we are going to celebrate the decade past by counting down the top 25 games, players, and teams of the last 10 years with the BIAH advent calender. Each day, we will be unveiling the next on each of our lists, culminating with our gift to you on Christmas Day: the best game, the best player, and the best team of the 2000's.
Here is No. 24:
2003: UConn @ Miami FL: This was back when the Hurricanes were in the Big East and not all that good. UConn jumped out to 14 point first half lead, but Darius Rice was on fire, keeping the Canes within striking distance. UConn found themselves up 69-64 with just a minute left in the game. But the Canes kept scoring. UConn was hitting their free throws, but couldn't stop Miami. After Ben Gordon knocked down two free throws with 8.9 seconds, the Huskies took a 76-72 lead, seemingly icing the game.
Or so we thought:
Darius Rice finished with 43 points, which was the third highest total in Big East history at the time. The next season, Miami moved to the ACC.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame: This may not be a popular pick, but you cannot deny the numbers that Gody has put up in his career at Notre Dame. Lacking god-given physical gifts, Gody has survived due to excellent footwork, a tremendous understanding of his physical limitations, and an understanding of what he needs to do to be successful. After a mediocre freshman season, Harangody exploded as a sophomore, averaging 20.4 ppg and 10.3 rpg, numbers that he improved to 23.3 ppg and 11.3 rpg in conference play, en route to being named the Big East player of the year. As a junior, he was even better, finishing the year averaging 23.3 ppg and 11.8 rpg.
Luke Harangody looks more like a cabbage patch kid than a top 25 player of the decade. (photo credit: Sports Hernia)
If you don't think Harangody deserves to be on this list, consider these career milestones: Harangody needs just 738 in his senior season to break Austin Carr's Notre Dame career scoring record of 2,531 points. He needs 369 points to break the Big East career scoring mark of 1,403 points. If his Notre Dame teams had more success and he had won a Big East title or reached a Final Four, he would be much higher on this list.
2003 Kansas Jayhawks: This Jayhawk team was absolutely loaded. Nick Collison, Kirk Hinrich, Keith Langford, Aaron Miles. You want an idea of how talented they were. Sophomore Wayne Simien, who averaged 14.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg, missed the second half of the season with a shoulder injury, and they still reached the finals of the NCAA Tournament. They went 24-6 en route to a regular season Big XII title, losing to UNC, Florida (7th), Oregon (6th), Arizona (1st), and Oklahoma (5th).
Kansas was this close to winning a title in '03. (photo credit: Hoostvonline)
In the NCAA Tournament, the Jayhawks might have been even more impressive. They beat a Duke team with JJ Redick, Shelden Williams, Dahntay Jones, and Chris Duhon in the Sweet 16 before knocking off an Arizona squad everyone thought was far and away one of the top two teams in the country. (If you remember, this was the last year that the #1 seeds were not ranked because Arizona and Kentucky, who were thought to be the clear cut favorites to win the title, would have met in the national semifinals; neither of those teams reached the Final Four.) In the Final Four, they blew out a Marquette team coming off of D-Wade's triple-double before facing Syracuse in the title game. If it weren't for Hakim Warrick freakish wingspan, Kansas may have ended up winning a first national title for Roy Williams.
It would be the last game that Roy Williams coached at Kansas before leaving for North Carolina. Who could forget this infamous interview with Bonnie Bernstein after the game.
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.
10. Matt Howard, Butler: Howard is a guy that doesn't get a lot of press playing for Butler. But make no mistake, Howard is as good as any four in the country. Howard is what you might refer to as a land warrior - he isn't going to outquick or outjump anyone in the country, but he is so strong. An excellent rebounder with a solid back to the basket game, Howard's strength offensively is his ability to seal and hold position in the post. He is the rock for a talented Butler team.
9. Damion James, Texas: A lot was expected out of James last season, but he didn't quite live up to the hype he received in the preseason. A big reason for that is James was asked to play more minutes on the perimeter with the emergence of a big front line for Texas. The biggest strength of James' game is his ability to rebound the ball on the offensive end and how well he cuts to the basket and finishes at the rim. His back to the basket game is decent, but playing more minutes on the perimeter will limit his touches inside. James is dangerous offensively because he is not only able to shoot the ball, but he has some ability to put the ball on the floor and go around a bigger defender. James is forever a tweener - not really big enough to be a four, but lacking the true perimeter skills to be a three.
8.Lazar Hayward, Marquette: Last year, all anyone talked about when it came to Marquette was their guard play. While those three were definitely talented, Hayward might have been the most valuable player on the roster as the only real big man. Hayward, who is a converted small forward, in dangerous because of his perimeter skills. Without much in the way of a post game, Hayward does his damage shooting the ball and taking advantage of the mismatches when a big forward guards him on the perimeter. Also an excellent rebounder, expect big numbers out of Hayward this year as Marquette's go-to player offensively.
Lazar Hayward is counting to be counted on heavily by Marquette. (photo credit: ESPN)
7. Devin Ebanks, West Virginia: Ebanks is as raw as a prospect comes. In terms of tools, there are few forwards that match him. He has the wingspan of an albatross, can run the floor, has above average athleticism, and plays hard. All of that made him an excellent defender and rebounder, especially on the offensive end. But the rest of his game still needs to be developed. His ball handling ability is not much more than the one or two dribbles it takes to for to get to the rim. His jumper was so inconsistent last year that he himself actually decided that he would not longer shoot outside jumpers. But with Alex Ruoff gone, and an offseason of developing his skills, Ebanks should be ready to turn into one of the best forwards in the Big East.
6. Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest: Aminu is another guy I'm not completely sold on. Right now, he relies almost exclusively on his tools. He is long, athletic, plays with energy, and has excellent body control. Last year he was at his best when he was able to get out in the open court and outrun the defense. His skills were quite raw, however. While his handle and his jump shot no doubt improved with an off-season of working out, Aminu has a long way to go before he can be considered "talented" skillwise and a threat in the half court. All that said, we are talking about a guy that averaged 12.9 ppg and 8.2 rpg on a team with a big front line, Jeff Teague, and James Johnson. Imagine what he will do as the first offensive option.
Al-Farouq Aminu will need to rely on more than just athleticism this season. (photo credit: freewebs)
5. Trevor Booker, Clemson: Booker is one of the best athletes in the country. While there are a number of guys at the power forward position that have more talent than Booker, there are few that play with his aggressiveness and determination. Every second he is on the court, he is going hard - whether it is defensively, posting up, hitting the glass, cutting to the rim. Booker seems to have an endless supply of energy. He doesn't have the best back to the basket game, relying heavily on his physical tools (strength holding position, jumping over a defender) to score. Where he has become more effective, and where he needs to improve to make it at the next level, is in his perimeter game. If he can continue to get better putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket and keep improving his jump shot, Booker has a shot at winning the ACC player of the year award.
4. Greg Monroe, Georgetown: Monroe is the perfect fit for the Princeton offense that JTIII likes to run. Standing 6'11", Monroe has the offensive skills of a point forward. He can use the dribble to get to the basket, he can knock down a perimeter jumper, and he has excellent court vision and passing instincts. There are really three aspects of his game that Monroe needs to improve to become a dominant forward in the Big East. He needs to improve his ability with his right hand - he struggles dribbling and finishing in that direction. He needs to improve his strength and toughness in the paint offensively, defensively, and on the glass. Most importantly, he needs to be able to assert dominance on a game. There are few players with the talent that Monroe has, but how many times last season did you find yourself thinking "Greg Monroe has taken this game over"?
3. Craig Brackins, Iowa State: Brackins, at the college level, is a match-up nightmare. Standing 6'10", Brackins has the ball handling and the quickness to get by bigger defenders that try to come out and guard him on the perimeter. If you don't guard him, or if a smaller, quicker defender is on him, Brackins is a very dangerous shooter out to about 17 feet. Where Brackins has really developed during his first two seasons is with his toughness and his aggresiveness. He came with 17 rebounds of averaging a double-double last season, and has the makings of what could turn into a solid back-to-the-basket game.
2. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky: Patterson proved last season to be one of the most dominant and efficient players in the country. Patterson's just 6'8", but his length, his athleticism, and his strength make him so difficult to handle on the block. He has a solid righty hook and an above average turn around jumper, but his ability in the post centers around how good he is at establishing position. He seals hard, and really understands how to use his body to hold off his defender. He showed some improved ball skills last season, and if he can develop a consistent jumper this season, Patterson will be near unstoppable this year.
Harangody's biggest improvement during his career has been his jumper. (photo credit: basketme)
1. Luke Harangody, Notre Dame: If there is an argument against Luke Harangody as the best power forward in the country, I cannot think of it. The guy can average 25 and 12 this year, and I won't be surprised. By now, you should know Gody's game. An underwhelming athlete, Gody struggles going against bigger opponents with his back to the basket. But over the course of his career, the big fella has developed an excellent face-up game. He has developed range out beyond the three point line (and showed NBA three point range during the draft process). The biggest improvement in his game is his fitness - Gody looked as svelte and in shape as he ever has during the draft process.
Player of the year is usually a tricky award to pick. Is it the best player in the country? The best player on the best team? The guý who had the best season? The most valuable player? (It is actually really easy when a kid takes home each superlative a la Blake Griffin last year).
Case in point: the Michael Beasley versus Tyler Hansbrough debate. Beasley was clearly the more talented kid and was projected by most to be a better NBA prospect. But Hansbrough won a lot of the player of the year awards because he played for a Final Four team surrounded by fellow future first rounders.
Things will probably change as the season progresses, but as of right now the player of the year voting looks to be wide open. Are there enough shots available on one team for guys like Patrick Patterson or John Wall to win? Will Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich split votes? Can Luke Harangody or Craig Brackins lead their teams to a good enough season to be considered? Will freshman Derrick Favors be good enough to compete for the award?
Follow the jump for my five pre-season favorites. 5. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky: 17.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.1 bpg
PP may very well be the post power forward in the country (which is saying a lot given the depth at that position). But he also plays on a team that is very talented and deep, especially in the front court.
Patrick Patterson (photo credit: US Presswire)
John Wall, UK's freshman point guard, is talented enough to make a run at some postseason awards (he was the only freshman in Katz's top 15) while the rest of the Wildcat's front line (Daniel Orton, DeMarcus Cousins, and Perry Stevenson) is good enough to start, and possibly make an all-conference team, just about anywhere else in the country.
Patterson will, no doubt, be the centerpiece of the Wildcats offense, but will there be enough shots to go around? Perhaps the bigger question is how will he perform in Coach Cal's dribble-drive motion offense, an offense in which guards tend to thrive?
Aldrich was a beast in his breakout sophomore season. I'd argue he was the third most intimidating defensive presence in college basketball last year (behind Thabeet and Varnado), and was a much more dominant offensive force than either of those two.
Cole Aldrich (photo credit: You Got Dunked On)
Already a monster on the glass, where Aldrich needs to improve is in his back to the basket game. While he did score almost 15 a game last year, a large majority of that came off of drop-offs, putbacks, free throws, and 15-17 foot jumpers. You rarely saw Aldrich use his outstanding length for a jump hook or turnaround J. If that post game develops this season, he should become college ball's most dominant big man on both ends.
3. Sherron Collins, Kansas: 18.9 ppg, 5.0 apg
Collins really proved his ability to carry a team last year. As basically the only returner (Aldrich played about 8 mpg as a freshman) from a national title team, Collins led the Baby Jayhawks to a Big XII crown and a Sweet 16 berth.
Sherron Collins (photo credit: NY Post)
You can expect Collins to have another excellent season leading KU, and given the wealth of talent on the Jayhawks, a national title is within reach. But when you have (arguably) the best point guard and best center in the country on the pre-season #1 team in the country, it is feasible that the two players could split votes. Given that Collins put up better numbers and took (and made) so maný big shots last year, I'm giving him the nod over Aldrich.
Craig Brackins, Iowa State: 20.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg
Brackins surprised a lot of people back in April when he decided to return to school. After averaging almost a double-double for an undermanned Iowa State team.
Craig Brackins (photo credit: Flickr)
Brackins is a match-up nightmare. He can face-up and either knock down a jumper or put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. But as a sophomore last season, Brackins showed an improved ability in the post, scoring with his back to the basket and showing much better toughness going to the glass. He doesn't have much help on his team, which can be a good and bad thing. While he may put up huge numbers, his efficiency stats will take a hit and his team won't get much national exposure.
1. Luke Harangody, Notre Dame: 23.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg
Yup, I'm going with Harangody as the pre-season favorite for player of the year. Why? Because the big fella is going to put up huge numbers this year for Notre Dame. Seriously, not only would it not surprise me if he went for 25 and 12 this year, but I expect him too.
Luke Harangody (photo credit: Double the Post)
And 'Gody can play. He is fantastic on the block, where he uses his incredibly quick feet (the kid would win Dancing with the Stars hands down) and ability to seal and hold position to counteract his relative lack of height and athleticism. But he has also developed a solid face-up game and now is a threat out to the college three-point line. Given the progress he had made getting in shape for the Draft combine, I would expect him to be in Herculean condition come November.
But more than anything, the bottom line is that he has an actual chance at averaging 25 and 12 in the Big East. And while the Big East may be a bit watered down this year, that is still an amazing number. Continue reading...
During the last couple of days, two of the biggest media outlets have weighed in (albeit from slightly different angles) on the debate over who will be the best player in college basketball next season.
Look, you may not like him, but it is very tough to argue with Herwitt's decision to name Harangody the best returner in college hoops. The guy is coming off of his second consecutive 20 and 10 season (averaging 23.3 ppg and 11.8 rpg in last year's brutal Big East). 'Gody worked his tail off while testing the waters of the NBA Draft and is now checking in at a svelte 245 lb. From what I've read about his pre-draft workouts, Harangody is getting off the floor much better than he was early in his career and has improved his jumper to the point that he can consistently hit NBA three's (watch this video).
Harangody tops the list of preseason Player of the Year candidates. (photo credit: Daylife)
Combine that with his ability to nimbly score in the post, and Harangody is near unstoppable at the college level. With the graduation of Kyle McAlarney, the Irish are going to rely even more on Harangody at the offensive end. Would it surprise you if he finished the season averaging 26 and 12?
It shouldn't.
And if averaging 26 and 12 wouldn't surprise you, than that player has to be in the conversation as the best player. Its that simple.
But just because an argument can be made for Harangody as the best player in the country doesn't mean he is the guy that I would want to build a team around.
Think about it. Last season, Harangody was the focal point of an experienced team with two wings that could go for 25 on any given night (McAlarney and Ryan Ayers) and one of the most underrated point guards in the Big East (Tory Jackson), and the Irish had an incredibly disappointing season, missing the NCAA Tournament.
The way I see it, there are two schools of thought here. You either A) pick a talented and experienced point guard or B) choose a center that can dominate a game offensively and defensively. Lucky for Kansas, regardless of which theory I follow, I'm picking a Jayhawk - Sherron Collins or Cole Aldrich.
Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich will lead Kansas to their pursuit of a second title in three years. (photo credit: ESPN)
Cole Aldrich is the total package at center. While he is not quite at the level of a Jarvis Varnado or Hasheem Thabeet, Aldrich is able to dominate the paint on the defensive end of the floor, blocking and changing shots while controlling the defensive glass. Offensively, he averaged 14.9 ppg as a sophomore, but most of those points came off of face-up jumpers or dunks. With his height, length, and strength, Aldrich has the potential to become a go-to scorer in the paint with an off-season of hard work.
Collins was very impressive as a junior in his first season as a go-to guy for the Jayhawks. His numbers were fantastic (18.9 ppg and 5.0 apg), but Collins brings much more than stats to the table. Whenever Kansas needed a big play, Collins was the guy that stepped up. And it wasn't just hitting big shots (which he did quite often), it was making the smart play in the big moments. He wasn't afraid to dump the ball off the Aldrich or hit one of the Jayhawk wings spotting up if he was covered. A leader and big-time scorer that makes the right plays and has championship experience - what more can you ask for?
With Collins and Aldrich leading a talented group of freshman and sophomore role players, and a star in the making in freshman Xavier Henry on the wing, is it any wonder Kansas tops most pre-season top 25's?
Tyler Smith and Dominique Archie have both pulled their names out of the NBA Draft, which provides a huge boost to both schools.
So with four days left for players to return to school, who are the big names we are still waiting to hear from? - Brian Davis, Chinemelu Elonu, and Donald Sloan, Texas A&M: None of these three guys seem likely to be drafted, and all three should return to school. Elonu is probably the best bet to have a solid NBA career given his size, length, and athleticism. The Two Man Game even compared him Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler, although I think Louis Admunson is a lot closer.
- Austin Daye, Gonzaga: Daye is in a tricky situation. There have been numerous reports about him - that his dad wants him to stay in the draft and that he has been promised in the top 20. Although he really could use another season in college to let his body (and his personality) mature enough to where he is ready for the league, can you really argue with being a top 20 pick and taking the guaranteed money. Reports yesterday have Daye staying in.
- Devan Downey, South Carolina: Downey would likely not be selected into the NBA, but reports have said that he is interested in doing the Euro route.
- Luke Harangody, Notre Dame: As Andy Katz writes, this is a tough decision for Harangody. He has a chance to be the best player ever at a school with a pretty solid basketball tradition. If he leaves now, odds are he won't be a first-rounder and may even end up in the D-League. 'Gody is exactly the kind of player that should come back to school, especially when you consider that Notre Dame, who returns Tory Jackson and Jonathon Peoples but, more importantly, add transfers Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin, will be a good team next season.
- Damion James, Texas: James is a crapshoot. He has not impressed many teams thus far with his workouts, as reports have said he is settling too much for his jumper and not attacking the glass the way we have seen. James could probably use another season developing his perimeter game so he can play the wing in the pros, but there is a chance he is a first round pick. With James back, Texas probably vaults into the conversation as a sleeper for the Final Four with their returning front line and incoming freshman class.
- Jodie Meeks, Kentucky: Meeks, along with Harangody, will probably be a pre-season national player of the year candidate. Unlike Harangody, Meeks has an excellent chance of bringing home a national title next season. The biggest issue I can see arising is that Meeks, who is a borderline first round pick (more likely early second), is going to take a hit in his numbers playing a season with that much talent surrounding him. Does he want to risk it?
- Jeff Teague, Wake Forest: Teague was almost a lock to leave, as he has played his way well into the first round while drawing comparisons to solid role players like Louis Williams and Monta Ellis. But after spraining his MCL last week, Wake Forest fans should be hoping the injury, while not too serious, is enough to scare teams off and send Teague back to school.
- Greivis Vazquez, Maryland: Vazquez should return to College Park. He is not a first round pick, and may not even be drafted. He is simply not athletic enough for the NBA. But what if Maryland lands Lance Stephenson? Can two overpowering personalities co-exist on the same team, especially when both players want the ball in their hands every possession? Vazquez, with his dual citizenship, would be a valuable commodity overseas.
All the fat has been trimmed away, and we are now left with the four best non-NCAA tournament teams, ready to fight it out in Madison Square Garden for the N.I.T championship. BCG might have coached his last game for Kentucky last night, and in the nightcap, San Diego State and St. Mary's battled it out to see who has to make the cross-country flight to NYC next weekend.
Wednesday's Results
- #2 Notre Dame 77, #4 Kentucky 67 - 'Gody sank a three-pointer right out of the tip-off, an indicator of things to come. He finished with 30 points and 11 boards as the Irish continued their dominance at the Joyce Center. Kentucky's Jodie Meeks had only one shot attempt in the first half, as Patrick Patterson had to do most of the heavy lifting. In the second half, Meeks finally got hot, hitting 5-8 from behind the arc, but it was too late. The closest Kentucky could get was within 6, but they had no answer for Harangody, who hit four consecutive foul shots to ice the game. Meeks finished with 21 points, and Patterson had 18 points as well. I'm not going to discuss the future of BCG because, I imagine B.I.A.H will be covering that in-depth in the near future.
- #1 San Diego St. 70, #2 St. Marys 66 - This was the first time I have gotten a chance to watch the Aztecs in action. Unbeknownst (yes this is an actual word) to the Trizzle, this was the biggest game in San Diego State history. Off the bat, the Aztecs opened the flood gates with a 13-0 run, which nearly blew the roof off the Cox Arena. The Gaels slowly chipped away at the Aztecs lead, which held for the entire game. Diamon Simpson and Omar Samhan both logged double-doubles for St. Mary's. But with just under two minutes left Patty Mills picked up his fifth foul and left the game with a team-high 18 points. From here on the Aztecs were able to finish the Gaels off from the charity stripe. Billy White led the Aztecs in scoring with 17 points on 8-12 shooting from the field and three other starters scored in double-digits. When the game ended, fans stormed the court, and Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" blasted through the speakers. This was the first time in school history the Aztecs have advanced past the second round of a post-season tournament. This was just the third loss of the season with Patty Mills in the lineup for St. Marys.
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