Saying Goodbye: Malcolm Delaney

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 seventh installment of "Saying Goodbye" provides a farewell to Malcolm Delaney, one of the best players in the past decade to play four seasons and never make the NCAA Tournament. This post comes to you courtesy of the good people at Gobbler Country, the Virginia Tech SBNation blog. You can hit them up on twitter at @GobblerCountry

If you want to know what it was like watching Malcolm Delaney play for four years, just take a look at Virginia Tech’s regular season games against North Carolina and Duke this past season.

Against the Tar Heels, Delaney was superb, but when the game was on the line took an ill-advised three that ultimately cost the Hokies the game. Against the Blue Devils, he was absolutely atrocious for 35 minutes, then made a clutch three that gave Tech an upset of the nation’s No. 1 team.

It was a season and career of highs and lows for Delaney. And no matter what you want to say about his abilities, you have to admire guy who is always willing to take the last-second shot. You had to take the good with the bad with the kid.

Unfortunately for Delaney, there is one thing he’s going to be known for beyond the clutch makes-and-misses: He never played in the NCAA Tournament. Even though he gave the program several high points it hadn’t seen in decades, there will always be that asterisk affixed to his time at Tech.

Fair or not, Delaney shoulders much of that burden, which he shares with head coach Seth Greenberg. For every last-second make-or-miss on the Hokies’ Late-February-Early-March roller coaster there was Greenberg with another letter to the school paper imploring the students to support the team or claiming a grand conspiracy against Virginia Tech’s basketball team.

Whether by design or not, Greenberg’s grandstanding took the spotlight off Delaney and onto himself. But while a lot the frustrations Hokie fans have felt since an outstanding team (emphasis on team) made the tournament in 2007 can be blamed on Greenberg, there’s at least some that can be projected onto the team’s best player.

Virginia Tech under Greenberg has never really had a discernible offensive system or game plan and that was exacerbated with Delaney as the Hokies’ only real scoring option late in his career. That led to a lot of end-game plays that involved Delaney isolated at the top of the key with the other four Hokies standing around in wide-eyed wonder as Delaney dribbled around for the final 20 or so seconds of the game before committing a game-ending turnover or chucking up a low-percentage perimeter shot.

Things would have been different if Delaney hadn’t been forced to be Superman most of the time. Instead, as a point guard, Delaney had to compensate for a team during his senior year that was depleted by injuries, transfers and suspensions.

The result was an inconsistent team led by an inconstant star that found itself in the NIT for a fourth consecutive season. And that will be Delaney’s legacy. He never made The Tournament and he never made it to New York for the NIT semifinals and what limelight it provides to those who were uninvited.

When you take stock of Delaney’s career you have to weigh what was expected of him against what has come to be expected from a program that is used to one tournament appearance per decade. The Hokies don’t have much basketball history to speak of and Delaney is certainly one of the most talented players to come through Blacksburg in the last three decades.

The flip side is that Delaney was supposed to build upon the foundation that players like Coleman Collins, Jamon Gordon and Zabian Dowdell set with their appearance in The Tournament in 2007. Delaney’s career was supposed to end with three or four trips to the Big Dance, not zero.

So, there were two sides to Delaney. At his best he was a game-changer who was able to recognize when he was having an off night and distribute the ball effectively to those who were and was able to be cold-blooded in the clutch when all seemed lost for the Hokies.

At his worst he was a flopper who didn’t come close to making his teammates better and tried to do too much in the waning moments of close games.

As always, you had to take the good with the bad with Delaney. You have to be thankful for where the program is now compared to the early 2000s and at the same time wonder why he was never able to get the Hokies into the NCAA Tournament.


More from "Saying Goodbye"

2011: Josh Harrellson, Kentucky
2011: DJ Kennedy, St. John's
2011: JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, Purdue
2011: Matt Howard, Butler
2011: Keith Benson, Oakland
2011: Preston Knowles, Louisville


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Conference Play Primer: The ACC

Favorite: Duke Blue Devils

I'm not expecting too much of an argument on that one. Not only is Duke the No. 1 team in the country right now -- even without Kyrie Irving -- but the rest of the ACC has been just pitiful. People are legitimately discussing whether or not Duke has a chance to go undefeated this season, and I guarantee that there are more people that think Duke won't lose a game than think the Blue Devils won't win the ACC.


Player of the Year: Reggie Jackson, Boston College

There are a number of legitimate Player of the Year options in the ACC at this point in the season, but I'm going with Jackson. He's second in the conference in both scoring (19.2) and assists (5.0) while grabbing 4.4 rpg and shooting an obscene 50.9% from three. He's also been the catalyst in BC's resurgence under Steve Donahue, carrying the team to a 10-2 mark here early in the season, which includes a win on the road against Maryland in their ACC opener. As crazy as it may sound, BC might just be the second best team in the ACC. And Reggie Jackson is the reason why.

All-Conference Team:

• G: Nolan Smith, Duke: 17.1 ppg, 5.4 apg, 4.6 rpg
  
• F: Kyle Singler, Duke: 17.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg
  
• F: Chris Singleton, FSU: 14.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.1 spg, 2.4 bpg
  
• F: Mike Scott, UVa: 15.9 ppg, 10.2 rpg (takes Kyrie Irving's spot)
  
• C: Jordan Williams, Maryland: 18.2 ppg, 11.9 rpg
  

Biggest Surprise: Virginia Tech Hokies

Boston College has probably been the only team in the conference that has been a surprise in a positive way. Since I don't want to talk about the Eagles, I'll go the other direction. This was supposed to be Virginia Tech's year to breakthrough. With senior Malcolm Delaney leading this way, the Hokie's were going to have the supporting cast around the ACC Player of the Year as they gave Duke a run for their money atop the conference. That was the plan, anyway. Then Allan Chaney had a heart condition discovered, JT Thompson tore his acl, and Virginia Tech struggled through the non-conference portion of their schedule before finding out that Dorenzo Hudson, last year's leading scorer, would miss the rest of the season due to injury. Without a quality win, and with very few quality wins available in the ACC this year, it looks as if the Hokies will once again miss the NCAA Tournament.

Biggest Disappointment: Harrison Barnes

Since I'm not going to simply answer "the conference as a whole" (because that would be too correct accurate easy), I'll go with Barnes. Barnes has been far from bad this season. He is the Tar Heel's second leading scorer at 12.3 ppg, which, as an incoming freshman, is commendable. The problem is that with the hype bestowed upon this young man this season, "commendable" is not good enough. Barnes was named CBSSports.com preseason national Player of the Year and became the first freshman to ever be named an AP Preseason All-American. Its not his fault that he had this much hype coming in, but he certainly hasn't lived up to those expectations. Its not an issue of talent, it seems more to be an issue of confidence. Barnes is not playing as aggressive as many expected him to, and he certainly isn't shooting the ball all that well. There is still time for him to turn things around. Personally, I'm hoping he will; Barnes seems like a genuinely good kid.


Teams to keep an eye on:

• NC State: Don't write off the Wolfpack just yet. If you remember, last year's leading scorer and rebounder, big man Tracy Smith, is still out of the lineup with a knee injury he suffered early on in the season. With as much young talent as Sidney Lowe has on that roster, missing your best and most experienced player was expected to yield some growing pains.
• Florida State: Chris Singleton is probably the best individual defensive player in the country. With the Seminole's size, they are one of the best half court defensive teams in the country as well. Offense is their problem, as they don't seem to run anything at that end of the floor, but Singleton looked improved on that end at the Diamond Head Classic.
• Maryland: The Terps have talent on their roster, especially in the front court where Jordan Williams anchors an athletic front line. Their issue is in the back court. Two freshmen and Adrian Bowie have been sharing point guard duties, and it hasn't gone all that well. Maryland has four losses, but all four were winnable games that the Terps cost themselves with poor decision making down the stretch.
• North Carolina: There is just too much talent on this team to ignore. Will they put it all together? I don't know. But December is too early to write off a team with seven Burger Boys on the roster.
• Miami FL: Two great guards, a hoss in the middle, and a couple of athletes on the wing? What more does a team need in this conference?
  

Teams to forget about:

• Virginia Tech: Injuries and illnesses have just decimated this team's depth and talent level. Malcolm Delaney is a player, but there just isn't enough on this roster.
• Georgia Tech: The loss to Kennesaw State was bad, as that team as not won a game since then. But then three days before Christmas the Yellow Jackets went to Siena and lost to a Saints team that was without Clarence Jackson and that had a banged up Ryan Rossiter in the second half. Paul Hewitt is lucky he got the contract he did after that Final Four season.
  

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11/30 - College Hoops Week in Review: Feast Week Rehashed

Maybe it is just us, but Feast Week is easily our favorite week of the season outside the month of March.

Meaningful games and twelve straight hours of basketball in November? For an entire week? Can we make this a holiday tradition? Does anyone else like the idea of gift week in mid-December?

All kidding aside, beyond the fact that this week gives us sports fans something to watch when the Lions are getting blown out on Thanksgiving day, college hoops junkies get a chance to see a number of teams that are going to be a factor come March.

(photo credit: ESPN)

Without Feast Week, would you know that Iona has the horses to compete in the competitive MAAC this season? Or that the Gaels have a seven footer named Jonathon Huffman that is a lights out three point shooter? Or that Portland will beat some good teams with their shooting, but will struggle against athletic teams that pressure on the perimeter and crash the glass?

Probably not.

Hit the jump for a recap of all the Feast Week tournaments.

Feast Week MOP: Klay Thompson, Washington State

Thompson has certified himself as the early favorite for Pac-10 player of the year. In three games in the Great Alaska Shootout, Thompson averaged 29.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.7 apg, and 2.0 apg while shooting 56.9% from the floor and going 14-24 from deep. He also spent a lot of time defending the best perimeter player on the floor and was a big reason the Cougars were able to hold San Diego's dynamic point guard Brandon Johnson to just 13 points (on 4-12 shooting) and 2 assists. What is most impressive is that Thompson is doing this while team's know that he is the only guy that is a real threat offensively in the half court. There may not be a more dangerous play in the country coming off of a screen than Thompson, who proved that fact on Saturday night. He set a Great Alaska Shootout record with 43 points against San Diego.

Klay Thompson was on fire throughout the four day tournament.
(photo credit: AP)

First Team All-Feast Week:

• Manny Harris, Michigan: Michigan lost their last two games in the Old Spice Classic, but it wasn't because Manny Harris didn't show up. In the three games in Orlando, Harris averaged 22.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.7 apg, and 2.7 spg. Evan Turner may have a challenger for most complete player in the Big Ten.
• John Shurna, Northwestern: Everyone thought Northwestern's season was a lost cause when they lost Kevin Coble, but this John Shurna kid looks pretty good. He only outplayed Luke Harangody and Craig Brackins while averaging 24 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 4.0 apg in leading Northwestern to a title in the Chicago Invitational. Not a bad introduction to the nation.
• DJ Kennedy, St. John's: Are the Johnnies back? They won the Hoop Group Classic in Philly this weekend, beating Siena and Temple (in what was basically a road game) en route to the title. Kennedy was the best player on the floor for St. John's as he averaged 19 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 3.5 apg.
• Lazar Hayward, Marquette: Hayward, along with his front court counterpart Jimmy Butler, was a huge reason that Marquette was able to make a run to the finals of the Old Spice Classic. In three games in Orlando, Hayward 22.7 ppg and 7.3 rpg, but more importantly created match-up problems all over the court.
  
• Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia: The Mountaineers won the 76 Classic in Anaheim, and Butler was the biggest reason why. Butler averaged 18.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 3.3 apg, which included a 15 point second half that carried WVU to a win against Texas A&M, while earning MVP honors.

Second Team All-Feast Week

• Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga: Bouldin didn't put up the greatest numbers out in Maui, but he consistently made the big plays that helped the Zags bring their first title back to Spokane. He averaged 15 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, and 2.0 spg.
• Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech: Delaney was borderline unstoppable during the Philly Hoop Group Classic, as he averaged 28.0 ppg in two games. That included a 32 point outburst against Temple in a game where the Hokies managed just 50 as a team.
• Jon Scheyer, Duke: Scheyer is never going to put up the best numbers playing the point for Duke, but, as Coach K said after the UConn game, Scheyer is the most important player on the Blue Devils roster. He proved it in two games in MSG this week, averaging 17.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 5.0 apg while committing just his first three turnovers of the season. If you include the two first round games from two weeks ago, Scheyer averaged 16.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 5.0 apg with a 6.7:1 assist:turnover ratio.
• Chris Singleton, Florida State: Singleton won the MVP of the Old Spice Classic as he went for 18 points and 10 boards in the final against Marquette. Not only did he give FSU a huge lift in the second half, he was a big reason that Lazar Hayward struggled to find a rhythm in the final. For the tournament, he averaged 15.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, and 3.0 spg.
• Keion Bell, Pepperdine: Bell earned a national reputation in the fall for being a dunker, but through seven games he has shown he is much more than just his vertical. In three games during the World Vision Basketball Challenge, Bell averaged 26.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.7 apg while winning tournament MVP.

TOURNAMENT RECAPS

76 Classic

• Champ: West Virginia over Portland
• MVP: Da'Sean Butler
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - UCLA's struggles continue as they lost three games in this tournament to mid-majors - Butler, Long Beach State, and Portland by 27.
  
  - Portland, a team some think may be the third best WCC, reaches the finals as they knocked off UCLA and Minnesota, a win that will look very good come Selection Sunday. The same can be said for Texas A&M, who knocked off Clemson and Minnesota.
  
  - West Virginia finally got Devin Ebanks back into uniform, and he didn't disappoint, scoring 14 points and 9 boards in his debut on Friday.

CBE Classic

• Champ: Texas over Pitt
• MVP: Damion James
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Pitt may be without Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown, and they sure are going to miss the four starters that are gone, but the Panthers are going to be able to compete with anyone simply because they play defense and they play hard.
  
  - Texas lost guard Varez Ward for the season with a torn quad muscle he suffered in warmups. Ward was much improved this season, and was a starter for Rick Barnes. The Longhorns are deep in the back court, but losing Ward could still hurt this team.
  
  - How much longer is Todd Lickliter going to be allowed to try and rebuild Iowa?
  

Chicago Invitational Challenge

• Champ: Northwestern over Iowa State
• MVP: John Shurna
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - A lot of people thought Northwestern had a chance to make to NCAA Tournament for the first time ever before Kevin Coble got hurt. With John Shurna out playing Craig Brackins and Luke Harangody, they may still have a chance.
  
  - We know about Craig Brackins, but with Lucca Staiger and Marquis Gilstrap developing into solid offensive threats, the Cyclones may be end up being able to compete in the Big XII.
  
  - Along those same lines, we know what Ben Hansbrough can provide, but will Tim Abromaitis continue to play at this level as the competition increases.
  

Great Alaska Shootout

• Champ: Washington State over San Diego
• MVP: Klay Thompson
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Klay Thompson averaged 29.7 ppg in three games. If he can keep producing anywhere near that well, Wazzu has a shot of getting a bid to the dance.
  
  - Oklahoma lost their first two games in this tournament, and won their third despite Willie Warren being held out by Jeff Capel.
  
  - San Diego picked up two wins in the tournament, including one over Oklahoma. Brandon Johnson looks like he can really play. Can the Toreros win enough games to make the tournament?
  

Legends Classic

• Champ: Florida over Rutgers
  
• MVP: Erving Walker
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - After beating Florida State and Michigan State in the span of a week, Florida should be getting the hype that Syracuse got after their run through the CvC. They won't. They won on HDNet. Syracuse won on ESPN.
  
  - How good is Mike Rosario? He scored 20 in the first half of Rutgers opener against UMass, but he scored just 16 over the rest of the two day tournament.
  
  - Against Florida, Michigan State committed 23 turnovers and made a number of silly, costly fouls down the stretch. Is this really a team coached by Tom Izzo?
  

Maui Invitational

• Champ: Gonzaga over Cincinnati
  
• MVP: Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Cincinnati has the talent, the toughness, and the size to make a run at a top three spot in the Big East. But will they be enough of a team?
  
  - Apparently, Gonzaga has some strength on the interior this season, as Robert Sacre and Elias Harris were able to hold their own against a very big Cincinnati team.
  
  - Greivis Vasquez still has yet to find his stride. He is shooting just 32.9% from the floor and 26.1% from deep on the season, and in the three games this week, he was just 13-37 from the field and 4-15 from deep. He had 11 assists and 11 turnovers.
  

NIT Season Tip-Off

• Champ: Duke over UConn
  
• MVP: Jon Scheyer
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - If Derek Glasser and Eric Boateng can perform like they against LSU, the Sun Devils may just be good enough to make the NCAA Tournament.
  
  - UConn is athletic. UConn can block shots. But UConn is not strong inside, and not a good rebounding team this season.
  
  - Duke is for real this season, as their back court is playing some great basketball right now and their front court seems to be living up to the potential.
  

Old Spice Classic

• Champ: Florida State over Marquette
• MVP: Chris Singleton
• Three Key Storylines:
  
  - Manny Harris, who averaged 22.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.7 apg, and 2.7 spg, looks like he may be having a good enough season to make a run at the Big 10 player of the year award.
  
  - Siena and Niagara may not be the runaway favorites in the MAAC. Iona gave Florida State all they could hand in the opener, took Baylor to OT in the second round, and yesterday knocked off Creighton.
  
  - Xavier goes as Jordan Crawford goes. In the win, he had 22 points on 8-12 from the field and 4-5 from three. In the two losses, Crawford was a combined 10-39 from the floor while averaging 12.5 ppg.
  

Match-ups of the week:

• 12/2 - 7:00 pm: Siena @ Georgia Tech
• 12/2 - 7:00 pm: Pitt @ Duquesne
• 12/2 - 8:00 pm: Northern Iowa @ Iowa State
• 12/2 - 8:00 pm: Arkansas @ Oklahoma
• 12/2 - 8:00 pm: Oklahoma State @ Tulsa
• 12/2 - 9:00 pm: UNLV @ Arizona
• 12/2 - 9:00 pm: Washington State @ Gonzaga
  
• 12/2 - 9:30 pm: Missouri @ Vanderbilt
• 12/3 - 7:00 pm: Washington @ Texas Tech
• 12/3 - 10:30 pm: Baylor @ Arizona State
• 12/5 - 12:30 pm: UNC @ Kentucky
• 12/5 - 3:30 pm: St. John's @ Duke
• 12/5 - 5:30 pm: Wake Forest @ Gonzaga
• 12/5 - 9:00 pm: Washington State @ Kansas State
  
• 12/5 - 11:00 pm: Iowa State @ Cal
• 12/6 - 1:00 pm: South Carolina @ Clemson
• 12/6 - 5:30 pm: Kansas @ UCLA
• 12/6 - 7:30 pm: Villanova @ Maryland
  

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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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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Overlooked Stars

Utah State's Gary Wilkinson averaged 17 and 7 for the Aggies as they won 30 games last season and came a couple possessions away from upsetting Marquette in the NCAA tourney's first round.

Had you ever heard of him?

Dionte Christmas was one of the most explosive scorers in the country as a senior, averaging 19.5 ppg in leading Temple to the Big Dance with a season's worth of performance's like this.

But was he on anyone's all-american lists?

Craig Brackins averaged close to 20 and 10 for Iowa State as a sophomore last season, but I'm willing to bet the first time you will see Brackins play is when the Cyclones play Duke on ESPN2 in January.

Every season, the college basketball landscape is littered with talented kids that, for whatever reason, never make it into the national consciousness. Who will be this season's Overlooked Stars?

Evan Turner, Ohio State: I debated whether or not to put Turner on this list, as most pundits will have Turner somewhere on their all-american teams. I eventually decided to keep him here because, well, to the general public, Turner is still a fresh face. For a guy as talented as Turner is, it is a bit puzzling that he hasn't garnered more of a profile. The reason for that may be because Turner doesn't have a stand out skill. You hear about a guy like Stanley Robinson because he can dunk; Jarvis Varnado because he can blocks shots; Sherron Collins because he is a big time scorer, especially in the clutch. Turner's game is based on versatility - a 6'7" forward that averaged 17.3 ppg and 7.1 rpg, Turner will be playing a lot of minutes as Ohio State point guard this year. Turner is arguably the best all-around player in the country, a guy that deserves a spot as a first-team all-american. It is time he gets that much credit.

Despite being a 6'7" forward, Turner will see time running the point this year.
(photo credit: Times Union blog)

Terrico White, Mississippi: Ole Miss could not catch a break last season. They lost three players (two starters including star point guard Chris Warren) to season-ending knee injuries and head coach Andy Kennedy was arrested after hurling racial slurs, and then fists, at a cab driver in Cincinnati. But if those players had not gotten injured, Kennedy may have never found out what he had in Terrico White. White, who was the SEC's freshman of the year before an impressive performance for the U-19 national team, is a terrific athlete who managed to average 13.7 ppg while playing out of position as the Rebels lead guard. With Warren back in the mix, White's scoring numbers may not make a huge jump, but with an off-season's worth of work, expect White to be one of the best all-around two guards in the SEC.

Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga: Last season, Matt Bouldin played on arguably the most talented Gonzaga team to date. With guys like Jeremy Pargo, Josh Heytvelt, and Austin Daye on the roster, Bouldin played more of a complimentary role, as he is a heady player and a good passer. With those three guys gone, this will be Bouldin's team. Offensively, Bouldin is one of the best all-around wings that you will find. His game is based off of his ability to put the ball on the floor. He has a good mid-range game, is a smart passer that significantly cut down his turnovers last season, and has developed a dead-eye three point shot. While Gonzaga maybe a bit down compared to the last few seasons, don't be surprised if Bouldin posts impressive numbers as the Zags make another NCAA Tournament.

Devan Downey, South Carolina: There are few players in the country that can post the numbers that Downey does - 19.8 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.9 spg. While some of that can be attributed to the faster pace that Darrin Horn's Gamecocks play, it become all the more impressive when you consider Downey is all of 5'9". Downey is a high-risk, high-reward kid. He takes a lot of shots, and a lot of tough shots at that (he often settles for tough threes or forces shots in the lane), but when he is hitting them, he is one of the most fun players in the country to watch. Any given night, Downey can explode for 30.

Kenneth Faried, Morehead State: Faried was one of the best rebounders in the country last year. Despite playing at a low-major, Faried's length, athleticism, and incredible motor has him on NBA Draft boards after averaging 13.9 ppg and 13.0 rpg as a sophomore. Faried's offensive game could use quite a bit of development still, but expect another season chock full of double-doubles. Faried will get quite a test early in the season, as the Eagles open the season at Rupp Arena against Kentucky.

Kenneth Faried made a believer out of Rick Pitino in last year's first round.
(photo credit: MSU Eagles nation)

Matt Howard, Gordon Hayward, and Shelvin Mack, Butler: Sure, you may know that Butler is all over pre-season top 10 lists. But can you name their three stars? Howard is a 6'8" horse on the block that is as good in the low post as anyone in the country. Hayward is a lights out shooter, but as a 6'8" wing with less-than-ideal athleticism, he thrives on a wide variety of shot-fakes, jab steps, and crafty dribble moves. Mack is a tough point guard that defends and rebounds well, but also showed the ability to be a big time scorer for the Bulldogs. These three guys should be household names by February.

Talor Battle, Penn State: While the Nittany Lions did not quite make it back to the NCAA Tournament last season, they were actually relevant down the stretch for the first time in recent memory. A huge reason for that was the play of Talor Battle. Battle's game is based around his perimeter shot, and while he could stand to improve its consistency, one thing that you can't question is his ability to stick shots in the clutch. Battle runs the point for Penn State, and if he can improve on his passing ability, especially once he gets into the lane and draws an extra defender or two, he could be the best point guard in the conference not named Kalin Lucas.

Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt: Taylor was one of the best freshman you never heard about last year. Averaging over 12 points and 6 boards per, Taylor projects as more of a small forward despite playing a lot of minutes as Vandy's four last season. Taylor is one of the most athletic players in the SEC, and will provide the Commodores with defense and energy. But with an off-season to work on developing his offensive game, Taylor could turn into one of the best all-around forwards in the SEC. That potential is a big reason Vandy is picked as a sleeper in a deep SEC East.

Rodney Green, La Salle: A lot of people are predicting La Salle to make some noise in the A-10, and Green is a big reason why. Green is one of the best scorer's in the conference, averaging 17.8 ppg while using his size and strength to get to the rim and draw contact. Green stuffs the stat sheet - 5.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.9 spg, but also 3.3 t/o's, which is a bigger problem when you consider Green spent some time running the point. If he can cut down on some of those turnovers, La Salle could make a tournament run which would put Green in the conversation as the best player in Philly.

Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech: Delaney has been putting up solid numbers for a few years for Seth Greenburg, but he was overshadowed by talents like AD Vassallo and Deron Washington. As a junior, this Virginia Tech team will be Delaney's to lead. Delaney has talent to burn. At 6'3", he has excellent size and athleticism to be a combo guard. His quick first step allows him to beat just about any defender off the dribble in either direction. He also has an excellent three-point stroke, although he tends to force up contested shots from deep. Virginia Tech is down this season, but Delaney is talented enough to carry this team to the dance.

Malcolm Delaney will put up impressive numbers as the star of the Hokies this year.
(photo credit: flickr)

Jerome Randle, Cal: Most people are going to say that Washington has the best guards on the West Coast. While that may be true, there is a pretty good player down in Berkeley that should make some reconsider. Randle (who might be my favorite player in the country) is generously listed at 5'9", but he is blessed with outstanding speed and quickness. It is ability to change speeds, however, that makes him so effective. Difficult to stay in front of as you have to respect his jumper out to 25 feet, Randle is excellent at getting into the lane and finding an open man or finishing amongst the trees.

Others to watch:

• Trevor Booker, Clemson
  
• Aubrey Coleman, Houston
• James Florence, Mercer
  
• Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall
• Troy Jackson, Alcorn State
  

Continue reading...

College Basketball Week In Review: Conference Favorites Emerge

What We Learned This Week: As we get farther into conference season, each league is starting to shake itself out and teams are starting to emerge as front runners for the regular season title. In a lot of cases, these are not necessarily the teams that were picked in the preseason, or even earlier during the season, to sit atop the league standings.

• Big East - What makes the Big East so much fun this year is that seemingly each week, there is a new favorite leading the charge to the conference title. Early on, it was UConn. Then it was Georgetown. Then Pitt. Now, it seems like Louisville is leading the way. They are as talented as any team in the conference and playing as well as anyone in the country after knocking off Pitt and Syracuse in their last three games. Louisville is tied with Marquette atop the Big East standings at 6-0.
  
• ACC - With Wake Forest losing to Virginia Tech, Duke is now the lone undefeated team in the ACC and most likely the #1 team in the country once the polls are released. If Louisville isn't the hottest team in the land, Duke is. They are rolling through ACC competition, which includes a 25 point win over Tech, the team currently in second place. The biggest reason for the rise of Duke to ACC favorite has been the emergence of Gerald Henderson as one of the best scorers in the league. The Blue Devils are 18-1 and 5-0 in the league, 1 1/2 games in front of Wake and 2 games up on UNC.
• SEC - With the underwhelming play of early favorites Florida and Tennessee, the SEC has started to look like a very weak league. Kentucky is the lone undefeated team in the conference, and the Wildcats are quietly having a great season riding the coattails of Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson.
• Big Ten - The Big Ten looked like it was going to be wide open this season as Michigan State and Purdue got off to slow starts and teams like Illinois and Minnesota kept winning games. While the Illini and the Gophers are still in the mix atop the conference standings, the Spartans and the Boilermakers have reasserted their control over the league. MSU is 6-1 while both Illinois (5-2) and Purdue (4-2) are one game back in the loss column.
• Big XII - This league has pretty much remained constant throughout the season, as Blake Griffin and the Sooners have been the favorite from Day 1. Texas and Missouri are both a game back in league play, but perhaps the biggest surprise is that Kansas is also undefeated in the Big XII. They don't look to be much of a threat just yet, however. While OU has beated Texas and Baylor in league play, Kansas has beaten up on the bottom for teams in the Big XII.
• Pac-10 - UCLA has been to three straight Final Fours and returned a number of players that have been to all three. Arizona State returned basically their entire team from last season, which included all-american James Harden. But seven games into the season, the Washington Huskies are now sitting on top of the Pac-10 standings after beating the Bruins as home by 11. Some might call it a fluke (they did beat UCLA at home), but the Huskies look like they may be for real. They have a legitimate beast in the post in Jon Brockman. They get excellent guard play out of Isaiah Thomas and Justin Dentmon. And they have a ton of athletes on the perimeter.
• MVC - Creighton, Drake, and Illinois State were the trendy preseason picks for this league, and both Bradley and Evansville made some noise early in the season. But the team that has emerged as the favorite and the MVC leader has been Northern Iowa. The Panthers are 8-1 in the conference, and their only loss has come to, oddly enough, cellar dweller Indiana State in OT.
  
• MWC - This might end up being the most exciting league to watch down the stretch as six of the nine teams are tied atop the standings with two losses. UNLV might be the most talented team, but BYU, Utah, and San Diego State all have enough to make a run at the title. It should be fun to watch these teams fight it out atop the standings.
  

GAME OF THE WEEK:
Arizona 96, Houston 90 OT
Down 87-78 with just 43 seconds left, Arizona managed to make a marvelous comeback to force over time. Chase Budinger hit a three to cut the lead to six. After Houston made one of two free throws, Nic Wise drove and made a lay-up to cut the lead to five. Houston then turned to ball over, and Jordan Hill was able to knock down a short jumper to cut the lead to three. UA fouled, and sent Kelvin Lewis, who had scored 35 in the game and 27 in the second half, to the line. Lewis missed both, and Nic Wise hit a three to send the game into overtime. In OT, Jordan Hill scored an and-one on the Wildcats first possession, and Arizona went on to the victory. Hill finished with 30 points, while Nic Wise added 23 and Chase Budinger 15.

This game was marred by one of the worst cheap shots I've seen in a while. Derek Vinyard Aubrey Coleman steps on Chase Budinger's face after being called for a charge midway through the second half. In his defense, Coleman has issued a statement of apology (and wrote a letter to Budinger) saying that it was accidental. Regardless, Coleman was issued a flagrant foul and ejected from the game.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech
The Hokies opened up league play by getting blown out at Duke, dropping them to 9-5 and making a NCAA berth seem so far away. But Tech bounced back with five consecutive wins, including two last week over then-#1 Wake Forest and Miami FL. The Hokies are now all alone in second place in the ACC at 4-1. The biggest reason for those wins was the play of Malcolm Delaney. For the week, Delaney averaged 25 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.5 apg, and 2.5 spg. Delaney made big shots in both games. Against Wake, the Demon Deacons had widdled a 16 point lead down to 71-69, but Delaney drew a foul and knocked down both free throws to help hold off Wake. Against Miami, Delaney's three-point with 1:49 left in OT gave the Hokies a lead they would never give up.

TEAMS OF THE WEEK:
Duke and UConn
Both the Huskies and the Blue Devils went 2-0 this week in impressive fashion, as they now look headed to be #1 and #2 in the polls. Duke did it by blowing out two middle-of-the-pack ACC teams. On Tuesday, they knocked off NC State 73-56, using a 27-5 run to close out the game. On Saturday, they blew out Maryland 85-44 in a game that, believe it or not, wasn't as close as the final score indicates (at one point, Duke was up 71-29). Gerald Henderson continued his phenomenal play this week, going for 21 points, 7 boards, 4 assists, 5 steals, and a block (all team-highs) against NC State, while adding 17 and 8 boards against the Terps. Even dating back to last season, I have been saying that for Duke to be considered a national title contender, they need either Henderson or Jon Scheyer to turn into a go-to scorer. With the way Henderson has been playing, it is hard to argue against that right now.

As for UConn, the Huskies beat Villanova 89-83 on Wednesday then ended Notre Dame's home court winning streak at 45 on Saturday night 69-61. Beating two ranked conference opponents in one week is impressive in itself, but what was more impressive was how the Huskies did it. They proved that they could force good teams to play the way the Huskies wanted to and assert their influence on the game. Against Villanova, one of the best defensive teams in the Big East, UConn turned the game into an up-and-down affair, going into half time tied at 48. Notre Dame is a much better team offensively than defensively, but the Huskies were able to force to Irish to play a slowed-down, grind-it-out defensive game. The Huskies look like a completely different team from the one that was blown out by Georgetown at home to start the Big East season.

MATCH-UPS OF THE WEEK:
1/26 - Marquette @ Notre Dame: Marquette looks to stay undefeated in the league, while Notre Dame is looking to end a three game losing streak.

1/27 - Texas @ Baylor: Oklahoma seems to be the clear-cut favorite in the Big XII, but it looks like these two teams are going to battle it out for second place.

1/28 - Duke @ Wake Forest: While it most likely won't be #1 vs. #2, this is still going to be a crucial match-up atop the ACC between two Final Four caliber teams.

1/29 - Illinois @ Minnesota: Illinois is looking to prove they belong in the conversation with Purdue and Michigan State.

1/29 - St. Mary's @ Gonzaga: Is it possible that these are the two best teams on the west coast?

As usual, Saturday provides us with an awesome slate of games:

• Notre Dame @ Pitt
• Georgetown @ Marquette
• Stanford @ UCLA
• West Virginia @ Louisville
• Washington @ Arizona State
• Michigan @ Purdue
• Baylor @ Missouri
  

2/1 - Pittsburgh @ Arizona: Wait, that's football... Continue reading...