Review of "A Game Plan for Life" by John Wooden

I had the good fortune of receiving a copy of "A Game Plan For Life" by John Wooden, and I enjoyed the book immensely.

The book has an interesting format, as the first half is written by John Wooden, and he talks about 7 people that were mentors to him in his life, including his father, his wife, and former coaches. The second half of the book is written by 7 different people, people who were mentored by John Wooden, including former players, NCAA coaches, and his granddaughter.

The book focuses on the importance of having mentors in your life, and in being a mentor for other people. It talks about how you can learn something new from every person and from every day, and it is that continuous learning that helps us grow. People can mentor by the things they say or the things they do, and lessons can be taught at all times.

The book also talks about how you don't have to actually know someone personally to be mentored by them. You can simply read their words, or watch how they lives their lives, and learn from that. For example, two of John Wooden's mentors that he writes about are Mother Teresa and Abraham Lincoln, neither of which he met.

The book is definitely worth a read, especially if you are a fan of John Wooden and his writings (and really, if you have read anything by him, how can't you be?), or are just simply interested in being a better person. Check it out if you get a chance.

NBA Draft 2009 Preview: Point Guards

This article can also be found here.

With the NBA moving more and more towards faster basketball by rewarding the drive-and-kick style of offense, point guards are more important than ever in the NBA. Looking at the impact of guys like Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and even Derrick Rose this year, having a good PG can completely turn around a franchise. In the 2009 NBA Draft, point guard looks like the strongest position, both in terms of talent and the top and depth throughout the first round.

The first point guard off the board will almost certainly be Ricky Rubio, the youngster from Spain. He showed his talent and potential in the 2008 Olympics, where as a 17-year old the Spaniard more than held his own against the best competition in the world. There is definitely a lot to like about Rubio. He is a true PG, with innate ability to lead an offense, get others involved, and take charge and score when his team needs it. He is creative offensively, and can find passing lanes and create plays seemingly out of nothing. He is not a great shooter yet, but he has very good form, and his great FT shooting (80%) suggests he will grow into a very good shooter. To top it all off, he is very charismatic on and off the court, which is perfect in the business in the NBA. He's the best PG in the draft, and he could go as high as 2 to Memphis and no lower than 4 to Sacramento.

After that, things get a little more interesting. The next wave of guys to go look like hybrid PG/SG rather than true point guards. First, there is Stephen Curry from Davidson. He played mostly SG in college (though did transition to PG his junior year), but will likely be too small to play SG in the NBA. But he is the best shooter in the draft, a prolific scorer who can create his own shot or get one off quickly off of a screen, and he will be a potent offensive threat in the NBA. There are some concerns about whether he can effectively run an offense or be a solid defender at the next level, but he did help alleviate some of thos with his play this season.

Next there's Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans, two highly touted one-and-dones with loads of talent. Evans played PG at Memphis last season as a freshman, but the 2 guard might be his more natural position. He can score and defend, but there are certainly some questions about how well he can an offense. Jrue Holiday has all the tools to be a very good NBA player, but his production did not jump out at anyone in his one year at UCLA. He has the tools to be a great defender, but he is not a very natural scorer right now. Also, though he played PG and that looks like his natural position, he didn't play it full-time last year with the Bruins, as they had Darren Collison to help carry that load.

Perhaps the biggest unknown in the whole draft is Brandon Jennings. He was a high prospect before last season, and had committed to Arizona before deciding to spend the year playing in Europe. However, his playing time was sporadic, and scouts really did not get a great chance to watch him play. In addition, they haven't been able to see him in very many workouts either. The talent certainly appears to be there, but there are a lot of unknowns surrounding him, which could cause his stock to drop.

The class is rounded off with guys who produced a lot at the college level, but who have questions about how their game will translate at the NBA level. First is Johnny Flynn from Syracuse. He has all of the physical tools of strength and quickness that you look for, but there are concerns about his height and shooting ability from the outside. Then there is Ty Lawson from North Carolina, who might be the quickest and fastest player in the draft, but again, there are concerns about his height and shooting ability. Eric Maynor was a great college player for VCU, and he is certainly remembered for his game-winner against Duke in the NCAA Tournament. He is an opportunistic defender and good leader offensively, but he doesn't really stand out in any one area. Last, there is Darren Collison, who may have been a lottery pick if he had come out after his sophomore year, but now might struggle to get picked in the first round. You know what you are getting with him... great shooter and great on-the-ball defender. There are some questions about his size, but he should be a productive NBA player.

So the point guard position looks to be the deepest in this year's NBA Draft. With star power of Rubio at the top, and depth throughout the first round, look for many point guards to be taken in this year's NBA Draft. There might not be any future MVP's within the group, but there will be a lot of solid NBA players.

Final Four Picks

I'm getting these up really late, but it's before gametime, so it's legal. I just wanted to be on record with my picks.

First, I'll obviously take UCLA over Memphis. I like the Bruins to slow the game down, and effectively run it when there is something open. Memphis is not great offensively in the half-court game, and I think the Bruins can make it one. The two keys to this one are whether Joey Dorsey can slow down Kevin Love, and whether Josh Shipp can finally get his shooting stroke back, because they are going to need him against a very good Memphis defense.
UCLA 73, Memphis 70

In the next matchup, I think the Tar Heels are just playing a little bit too well right now. Their offense is firing on all cylinders, and Kansas is coming off of a game in which they struggled a bit against Davidson. I don't see the Jayhawks bigs stopping Tyler Hansbrough down low, who should have another big day. The Jayhawks balance will allow them to run with the Tar Heels, but I think UNC is just a little more efficient offensively.
North Carolina 81, Kansas 77

Sweet 16 Predictions

With my bracket sort of in shambles (thanks Pac-10!), it's time to move on and give some new predictions for the Sweet 16. The 8 games look to provide some very interesting matchups and contrasting styles, making it a pretty nice slate of games.

North Carolina over Washington - You couldn't ask for a game with more diverse playing styles. North Carolina likes to run all day, as they have averaged 110.5 PPG in the Tourney. Washington St. likes to slow things down and grind it out, giving up an averge of 40.5 PPG in the first 2 games. As they say, something has to give. Only allowing 41 points to Notre Dame is seriously impressive, and leads me to believe that the Cougars are going to make this game a lot closer than the talent would suggest that it could. Washington St. will be able to slow things down and make North Carolina shoot a lot of jumpshots, but in the end, I don't see them having any way of shutting down Tyler Hansbrough in the post.

Louisville over Tennessee - I picked Tennessee to win this game before the Tournament, but I am changing my vote. Louisville has been a lot more impressive than the Volunteers have so far. Both teams like to play full-court games, and it seems like Tennessee is having some trouble holding onto the ball with some questions at the PG spot (let's just say we probably won't be saying JP Prince start again this game). This should be an extremely entertaining game between two very good, well-coached teams, but I think Louisville is playing better basketball right now.

Kansas over Villanova - The Wildcats have been impressive thus far, but it's hard to see them matching up with Kansas. The Jayhawks guards are good enough defensively to stop Scottie Reynolds, and it seems as if they just have too much depth for Villanova to contend with.

Wisconsin over Davidson - Davidson is the Cinderella team of the Tournament so far (even more so than lower-seeded Western Kentucky), which makes them a bit of a trendy pick here. But I like the Badgers and their stout defense to move on. They have the athletes to throw at Stephen Curry to be able to slow down his open looks (granted, he doesn't need much space for it to be an open look), and they might be the best help defense team in the country, meaning that Curry won't find a lot of space when he drives the ball. Not that Georgetown or Gonzaga were poor defensive teams, but I just think Curry is going to have a much tougher go of it against the Badgers, propelling Bo Ryan's team to the Elite Eight.

Memphis over Michigan St. - Michigan St. will try to slow things down and grind it out, but I don't see them having enough offense to keep up with Memphis all game. The Tigers are a solid defensive team, and I don't see the Spartans having enough playmakers to keep a consistent flow going in the halfcourt offense for Michigan St. I like Memphis here.

Texas over Stanford - A fascinating matchup between two teams that do completely different things (and do them well), I like the Longhorns by a smidgen. The Lopez Twins will be very difficult for Texas to contain, and they will also slow down the penetration of DJ Augustin, but I think the versatility of Damion James will make the difference. He will make the Stanford bigs come out and defend him, drawing them away from the basket. This should be a great matchup.

UCLA over Western Kentucky - Courtney Lee will give the Bruins some problems, but not enough for WKU to overcome UCLA. The Bruins suffered a scare against A&M, but I have a hard time seeing them so unfocused (at least for the first 30 minutes) for 2 straight games under Ben Howland. Kevin Love looked like he was on a mission at the end of last game, and Darren Collison is playing the best basketball of his career.

Xavier over West Virginia - Xavier is a more complete team than the ones that WVU has beaten so far. They can go inside or outside, and the Mountaineers will have some trouble matching up with Josh Duncan for the Musketeers. Meanwhile, I think that Xavier's athletic wing players will be able to slow down Joe Alexander and Alex Ruoff, allowing Xavier to move on.

Not a lot of upsets, but that is the beauty of March... sometimes they're really hard to see before they happen. What do you think will happen this weekend?

Kevin Love = Player of the Year Candidate?

26 points and 18 rebounds on the road in his homecoming game against Oregon. Bruins win 80-75 in a very difficult environment in Eugene.

In addition to the great rebounding numbers (sidenote: Is there anyone that is consistently in better position than Kevin Love? I'm not so sure there is) and low-post scoring, he is also becoming a very good FT shooter and a threat outside. He was 2/2 from downtown tonight, included one contested 3-point shot. He is now shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. If that shot continues to fall consistently, he just becomes even more dangerous.

At this point it appears Kevin Love is the best player in the Pac-10, and he may be joining guys like Tyler Hansbrough, Michael Beasley, and Eric Gordon in the race for the National Player of the Year.

Why UCLA is better this year than last year

It seems like a strange thought... UCLA has gone to back-to-back Final 4s, and after each season they lost a guard in the first round of the NBA Draft. But this is still the best team UCLA has had since Ben Howland got to UCLA.

First of all, this is a tribute to Howland and his system. His emphasis on defense obviously works (for proof, just watch the first half of Saturday's game against #4 Washington St). The Bruins are disciplined and quick defensively. They are not the most talented team in the country right now (not that the cupboard is bare, obviously), but that doesn't preclude them from being considered possibly the best team in the country.

But there are 2 main reasons why I think this year's version of UCLA is better than the past couple of seasons:

1) Kevin Love - Obviously, the hype coming into the year was huge. He was a top 3 prospect, seen as one of the most polished big men to enter college in a long, long time. He has certainly lived up to the hype, looking like he might be the best player in the Pac-10 already. On Saturday he scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, doled out 2 assists, and blocked a couple of shots. He even knocked down a pair of 3-pointers for good measure. On the season he is averaging nearly 17 PPG, 10 RPG, and a couple of assists.

He has an extremely well-balanced game. He can score on the block. He commands double teams, and this opens things up for everyone because he is one of the best passing big men in America. He's very efficient, shooting over 60% from the field (and 8/22 from downtown) and over 78% from the stripe. He is always in control, as rarely has he gotten into foul trouble. He is one of, if not the best big man in the country. Already.

2) Russell Westbrook - This is the overlooked reason for why UCLA has been so good. The injury to Darren Collison to start the season was a blessing in disguise, as it has allowed Westbrook to become a very prolific contributor in his second year for the Bruins. He has now moved to the bench, where he might be the best 6th Man in America. He is averaging 12 PPG, and is leading the Pac-10 in assists with over 5 per contest.

But the numbers don't tell the whole story. He provides another ballhandler to complement Darren Collison. Defensively, he is very quick. He is very tough on the ball, and has quick hands, which is why he averages 1.5 steals per game. At one point on Saturday he picked the ball right from Kyle Weaver and went all the way for a dunk. Even more, Westbrook provides another guy that can be an athletic wing alongside Josh Shipp. He's a solid outside finisher, but he's also strong enough to finish inside. His versatility adds another element to UCLA... he can play the 1 or the 2, and he affects the game so many ways on both ends of the court.

Your thoughts? Is this just homerism? Or is this the best version of the Bruins we have seen so far under Ben Howland?

My College Basketball Top 10 - 1/09/08

Time to give me top 10 in the world of college basketball. This is not based solely on achievement, but also how good I think the teams are right now. It was based solely on achievement then all of the undefeated teams would have to be on top, which is not the case. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. My top 10:

1. Memphis - They have been the most impressive team to me so far this year. This is a few weeks back now, but I thought their win over Georgetown might have been the most impressive win for anyone this year. The way they took apart an excellent team like the Hoyas in the 2nd half was a sight to see. They struggle still in the halfcourt offense, but they are more athletic than any other team, and this allows them to get up and down the court. It also allows them to be a very, very good defensive team. They're tough.

2. North Carolina - Obviously you can't complain about a perfect record, I just think the Tigers are a little better. The loss of Bobby Frasor hurts, as they already struggle some with shooting the basketball from the outside. Still, they have the depth and explosiveness to make a run to the title.

3. Kansas - They have been playing excellent ball, and should only get better as Brandon Rush and Sherron Collins continue to get healthier and better. They have 9 guys that play at least 10 minutes a game. Oh yes, there is lots of depth for the Jayhawks.

4. UCLA - They are behind Washington St. in the polls, but I think they're the better team. They had a bad game against Texas, but that neutral court win against Michigan St. (without Darren Collison or Michael Roll) is starting to look better and better. With Kevin Love averaging a double-double right now, he looks to be a strong contender for Pac-10 Player of the Year.

5. Georgetown - They will probably struggle against teams like Memphis, who play fast and have a big, physical guy to guard Roy Hibbert. But the Hoyas are a surprisingly versatile, talented team. As the excellent freshmen guards continue to get comfortable at the college level, the Hoyas will continue to improve and become more explosive.

6. Michigan St. - I like them a lot. They are great defensively under Tom Izzo. Drew Neitzel hits as big shots as anyone in America, but the little known secret is that Raymar Morgan is their best player. Like many teams near the top, they will continue to get better and better, as they play a lot of freshman that are just getting experience.

7. Washington St. - They remain undefeated, but they are very low on quality wins, which is why I have them down at 7th. But they'll be a tough out. They play great defense, and because of this they are able to slow the game down and make you play at their pace. Just a solid team that doesn't beat themselves.

8. Tennessee - They can beat anyone when their shots are falling, and they can lose to anyone when their shots are not falling. They are obviously extremely difficult to play against because of their fast-paced style. They do not allow teams to get comfortable on either end of the floor, meaning the opponent has to be very disciplined mentally to stick with the Volunteers. Most teams are not.

9. Duke - They have depth and an underrated amount of athleticism. 9 guys play at least 11 minutes per contest, and at least 6 score 8.8 per game. Their trio of Nelson-Singler-Henderson is very athletic, something they really lacked last year. They are well-coached, and can challenge UNC in the ACC.

10. Texas - I'll give them the final spot, though they have been struggling a little of late. DJ Augustin may be the best PG in the country, as he seems to be able to get into the lane at will and get a shot anytime he wants. We know what they have in AJ Abrams, one of the best pure shooters in America. Like last year, Texas' fate rests in the hands of the "other guys," players like Damion James, Connor Atchley, and Justin Mason. They will determine how far the Longhorns go.

Your thoughts? What changes would you make?

2007 College Basketball Predictions

I wanted to do detailed predictions of each conference, but, well, time is a little short these days. So with the season underway, time for me to scrap the rest of those and give my season predictions.

By the way, I am so pumped that college basketball is back. And Gardner Webb shocks Kentucky early... college basketball is the best. Anyway.

All-American Team
Tyler Hansbrough, UNC - Of course. He's on everyone's team, and for good reason. He's a junior now, playing for one of the most talented teams in the country, and he's going to put up great numbers. No brainer.
Roy Hibbert, Georgetown - With Green gone, Hibbert should get the ball more and more down low. He was getting more comfortable in the paint as last year wore along, and should be even more developed. He's got great touch around the rim.
Chris Lofton, Tennessee - He's the best shooter in college basketball, and should get a lot of shots and numbers playing for a team that likes to get up and down the floor.
OJ Mayo, USC - Yes, the freshman sensation should be pretty spectacular in his lone season for the Trojans. He's going to play tons of minutes, get tons of shots, and put up lots of numbers. Oh, and the Trojans should be a pretty good team.
Darren Collison, UCLA - Best pure PG in college basketball. He's a fantastic defender with his long arms and exceptional quickness, excellent penetrator, finisher, and he's even developed a reliable outside shot.

All-Freshman Team
OJ Mayo, USC - See above.
Michael Beasley, Kansas St. - A freakishly gifted athlete, immediately becomes the go-to-guy in the Kansas St. offense. He'll be counted on very heavily for the Wildcats.
Kevin Love, UCLA - Love this guy. He's a great rebounder, fundamentally sound on the block, great passer, and has been called the best outlet passer since Wes Unseld, which should help Darren Collison and the Bruins get up the floor quickly. He's the reason that i think the Bruins offense will be better this year even without Arron Afflalo.
Eric Gordon, Indiana - We've been hearing a ton about the guy, and for good reason... he's going to have a huge impact in the Big 10. He could be in the running for the Conference Player of the Year. He's explosive offensively, and will make a fine duo along with DJ White (and Armon Bassett is pretty good too).
Derrick Rose, Memphis - We've already seen him in a couple games... he's like the college version of Jason Kidd. Just a great all-around player.

Surprise Teams
Clemson - OK, maybe they won't be a huge surprise, but I could see them challenging for the top 3 in the ACC this year.
West Virginia - They're being picked very low, and while I can understand why (they'll be playing a vastly different style), I think they'll be OK. Huggins will bring a toughness to the team on the glass and defensively, and I think the talent and efficiency will remain on offense. I think they'll challenge for an NCAA berth.
Arizona St. - Herb Sendek is turning things around for the Sun Devils. With Jeff Pendergraph and very talented freshmen James Harden in the mix, Arizona St. will be much improved. They might not be ready for the NCAA tournament yet, but they'll be vastly improved from last year's 2-16 Pac-10 mark.


Final Four Picks

UCLA - Of course, I had to pick them. But they'll be really good. As is becoming a Howland Staple, they'll be one of the best teams in the country defensively. They have great quickness on the perimeter, versatile defenders, and lots of depth up front. They were also a very young team last year. They lose Arron Afflalo, but with the return of basically everyone else plus the addition of Kevin Love, I think UCLA will be good enough to make their 3rd straight trip to the Final Four.

Tennessee - Just really like these guys this year. They'll be really talented, deep, and tough to prepare for and beat. They have a unique up-and-down style... if you let them run on you, you will get beat. They'll also immediately add Tyler Smith, one of the best freshmen in the Big 10 last year. With experience (especially after last year's tough Sweet 16 defeat), talent, and a tough style to play against, I like the Volunteers to reach San Antonio.
Memphis - They're really, really talented. I think the addition of Derrick Rose will be enough to push them to the Final Four, especially with guys like Chris Douglas-Roberts already in place and playing well. This will be an experienced group... they should get a #1 seed playing in C-USA (better than it's been in years past, but still not up to par with the Major conferences), and this will lead them on their drive to San Antonio.

Kansas - Like the other teams in my Final Four, they lose one guy (Julian Wright), but everyone else is back, making for an experienced, deep, and talented team. Assuming Brandon Rush is back healthy, they'll be tough to beat. Led by Mario Chalmers, they'll be really good defensively. Another thing to watch out for is the emergence of Darrell Arthur, who should come into his own starting this year in Julian Wright's spot. Bill Self finally reaches the Final Four


National Championship

UCLA over Kansas
OK, shouldn't have been too hard to guess that I'd pick UCLA. But they are going to be a fun team to follow this year.

What are your choices?

College Football Power Rankings and Picks

I'm just going to combine these into 1 this week... hope you don't mind!

First, my top 10:

1. USC - Still my #1... but if they have another mediocre performance (which they'll lose if that happens), LSU has looked mighty impressive so far. Insomniac's Lounge has LSU at #1.

2. LSU - As mentioned above, LSU has been pretty darn impressive. I didn't think Va. Tech would be able to stay too close to them, but I didn't think LSU would be able to dominate that much. This doesn't even really need to be said but their defense is awesome.

3. West Virginia - One bad half isn't going to make me drop them that much... they might have the most explosive offense in the country. Freshman Noel Devine through 2 games: 12 carries, 120 yards, 3 TD. Get him the ball!

4. Florida - I still love their offense. They've got the players for the system, and Urban Meyer is OK as a coach! Thought it will be interesting this week as they finally play a decent team, taking on the Tennessee Volunteers.

5. Oklahoma - They have been mighty impressive so far, but jumping to #3 in some polls is a little much for me. Great win, but Miami isn't that good. They should be able to coast fairly unscathed into the Texas game in early October.

6. Texas - Nice win for the Longhorns last week against a solid TCU team. Colt McCoy continued to struggle, but with some of the talent around him (Limas Sweed, Jamaal Charles, etc) I'm guessing he will snap out of it soon. Like Oklahoma, Texas should go into their game undefeated barring something very unexpected.

7. California - Struggled a bit last week, but I saw too much that I liked against Tennessee to knock them down any.

8. Wisconsin - Another team that wasn't overly impressive last week, as this game was very much in doubt all the way through. Although PJ Hill got on track with over 140 yards, so that is nice.

9. Rutgers - Maybe the best all-around team in the Big East, as their defense is better than West Virginia or Louisville's.

10. UCLA - Beat a solid BYU team... still a bit skeptical because of the coaching, but if things go well they could have an outside shot at competing for the Pac-10 Title.


JUST MISSED:

Louisville - 42 points to Middle Tennessee St? Are you kidding me?

Ohio St. - Give me one more week to be convinced. If they play well against Washington, they can probably enter my top 10.

Penn St. - A very solid team that will be a top contender for the Big 10 title... just don't like them quite enough yet to put them in the top 10.

Nebraska - Nice win over Wake, but I didn't think they played all the well. They were lucky to face an inexperienced QB. Now, if things go well against USC, then we'll talk.


MY PICKS:

(10) Ohio St. @ Washington
Washington should be flying high after a solid win over Boise St. last week. The schedule gets very tough, but they will be in a close one here. I'm not sold on the Buckeye offense yet, but I like that defense at home. I'll take OHIO ST. in a pretty close one.

(9) Louisville @ Kentucky
2 of the top 5 QBs in the nation square in what should be an offensive battle. Andre Woodson could really become a household name (if he isn't already) if he leads Kentucky to an upset win, but I don't quite see it. I like LOUISVILLE in a shootout.

(21) Boston College @ (15) Georgia Tech
Life after Calvin Johnson hasn't been so bad after all. With a balanced offense and solid defensive effort, GT has pummeled Notre Dame (still impressive) and Samford (OK, not that impressive). BC is coming off a struggle against NC State, though they did pull it out. I really like the senior QB Matt Ryan for Boston College, but I like the GEORGIA TECH running game a little more.

(22) Tennessee @ (5) Florida
Should be a great matchup between two solid SEC teams. Tennessee almost pulled off the upset this year, but I don't see it this year. Not in the Swamp. This will be their first real test of the year, but I like FLORIDA to prevail.

(1) USC @ (14) Nebraska
The game of the week. This is a chance for Nebraska to show they have finally taken things to the next level, and to get the signature win that's been missing under Bill Callahan. They have a great chance, playing at home, with Sam Keller getting more and more used to the offense, facing a USC team that looked rusty in its only game 2 weeks ago. Still, even with all of those advantages, I like USC. Just too much talent on the offensive side of the ball.


I wasn't able to get my picks up last week, but I did go 5-0 in week 1. What do you think of the rankings and do you disagree with any of my picks?

Rematch

Well, that sucked.

It kinda looked like a replay of last year's title game. Florida was not as dominant in this game as they were last year, but they were plenty good enough.

Really, it came down to 2 keys:
1) Arron Afflalo was a nonfactor - He scored 17 points, but that was basically all in garbage time. He picked up 2 fouls within 2 minutes, and picked up a 3rd midway through the first half shortly after Ben Howland brought him back. Josh Shipp provided enough offense to keep things interesting in the first half, but with no contributions from their first team All-America, UCLA didn't have the firepower in the 2nd half.
2) Florida hit 3-pointers - After a slow start they finished 9/22, which was a good enough. UCLA almost always doubles the post, so if you can rotate the ball quickly around the perimeter and known down shots, you can beat them. Florida wasn't hitting these shots for the first 8 or 9 minutes, but after that they were real good.

Really, that was the ballgame. UCLA didn't play awful, they were just outmanned. They took care of the ball very well (only 3 turnovers), they just couldn't get shots with Afflalo being such a nonfactor. It sucks, but it was a bad time for the starting backcourt to go 8/28 from the field and 4/15 from downtown. Congratulations Gators.


As for the OSU/Georgetown game, the Buckeyes were better when Oden was out than Georgetown was when Hibbert was out. Obviously that's not the way I thought it would go down, but it did. As is becoming a theme, Mike Conley was really good and he controlled this game. Same old.

On a final note... take a good look Buckeyes fans, because I think this will be the last game Greg Oden and Mike Conley play for Ohio St. I've always kind of been of the opinion that if one was gone, the other would be too, and this Tournament has propelled Conley (most likely) into the top-ranked PG. So with that being the case, I think he'll go, and I'm betting Oden goes with him.

Buckeyes vs. Gators Monday night. We've seen that before.

Final Four Predictions

Only a couple of days away from the Final Four, I figured it was time for my picks, so everyone can laugh at me when I'm wrong see what I think..

Florida vs. Ohio St.
This is a very interesting matchup, if only because Florida beat them so badly last year in the title game. UCLA is a better team now than they were last year, though I'm not sure that Florida is really much better (that's not a knock on Florida, they were just playing GREAT basketball last year at the end of the Tourney).

The big advantage for Florida would seem to be down low, but I don't think it's as bad for UCLA as it seems. I think Mata/Aboya will be able to defend well against Noah 1-on-1, and they will bring a double on Horford with the other post defender. That's risky because Horford is a really good passer, so it's vitally important for the Bruins guards to stay on the outside shooters, especially Humphrey.

That's why, as I wrote a few days ago, I think it's very important that UCLA gets a lot of full-court pressure on the guards and forces Donovan to maybe take Humphrey out of the game and bring in another ballhandler. This would make the kickouts from Horford less lethal and slow down the Florida offense.

So who do I pick to win? Well, if you're a regular reader you know my pick... UCLA.


Ohio St. vs. Georgetown
I think this game will boil down to whether or not Greg Oden can stay out of foul trouble. If he can, the Buckeyes can go to a zone with him as the anchor and have a shot at slowing down the Hoyas. But if Oden does get into foul trouble, I really have a hard time seeing how they'll stop Green, Hibbert, and Ewing. With the way the last few games have gone, I'm a bit skeptical that he can stay in the game.

For the Buckeyes, they'll be in the game because of Conley. He controls the pace of the game and gets everyone else shots. He can get open shots for guys like Ron Lewis, Jamar Butler, and Daequan Cook, and they've got to hit them.

But in the end, I like GEORGETOWN here, I really think that unless Oden plays extensive minutes, the Hoyas are too good offensively. Everyone can score, everyone can handle the ball, and everyone can pass well. That makes them really tough to handle.

UCLA making a return trip to the Final Four!

First, w00t woot!!

In many wins, it wasn't a pretty win, because both teams were a little sloppy at times with the ball. However the Bruins wouldn't have it any other way, dominating the game with defense and timely shooting, and doing enough to beat a fantastic Kansas team. It was clear that no matter how deep and talented Kansas is, UCLA was the better team on Saturday.

The star of the game was Pac-10 Player of the Year Arron Afflalo, who had been in a shooting slump. He was 10-15 from the field (3-7 from downtown) for 24 points, but that doesn't even tell the whole story. At least twice he had the killer "end of shot clock" 3s... the kind where it looks like a guy is just trying to throw a desperation shot up... and then it went in. Those are spirit-breakers.

Meanwhile, Darren Collison did what he always does... he was 4/8 from the field, 2/3 from downtown, 4/4 from the line, and applied constant defensive pressure. Jay Bilas said something about how Collsion has "been every bit as good as Farmar." Well, that's a little off. Collison has been better than Farmar was. He's more efficient offensively, and he's a lot better defensively. Of course, Collison is better defensively than just about everyone.

Other kudos include to Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who was very active on both ends of the floor. Then there's Josh Shipp, especially for that big 3 at the end of the half. I thought Russell Westbrook came in and brought a good spark defensively. Aboya was active on the defensive end. It was a total team effort, especially defensively.

For Kansas, take nothing away from there, because I really think they are one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the country. Mario Chalmers was everywhere defensively. Brandon Rush played a really nice game, and Julian Wright is one of the best multi-skilled players in the country. I have a feeling they'll be back next year, once again playing to get to the Final Four. Heck, even if they lose 1 or 2 guys early, they're still good enough to get back.

So in the end, it was the experience, defensive tenacity, and timely shooting that gets UCLA back to the Final Four. What a game. Now they'll just await for the winner of Florida and Oregon, and knowing UCLA and Ben Howland, they're probably hoping for revenge against Florida.

Sweet 16 Preview

Time for the highly anticipated preview and my picks for the game.

West Region

(1) Kansas vs. (4) Southern Illinois
Obviously the Salukis have the defense to keep this game competitive, but do they have the offensive firepower? I'm not so sure. Jamaal Tatum is their best offensive player, but even he is just a 44% shooter. The defense will keep it close, but in the end, I think Kansas just has too many offensive weapons.

(2) UCLA vs. (3) Pittsburgh
The key is whether or not Pittbrurgh can get the ball inside to Aaron Gray, and whether or not he can finish and get the Bruins big men into foul trouble, because then they're vulnerable. The trouble is, Gray hasn't been all that great lately, and the guards are going to have a hard time getting him the ball in good spots because of the pressuring defense of UCLA's guards. UCLA has to play better defensively than they did against Indiana, but I do like UCLA to pull off a low-scoring win and advance for a meeting with the Jayhawks.

South Region

(1) Ohio St. vs. (5) Tennessee
As I've said all along, I think the Vols will provide big matchup problems for the Buckeyes. Defensively, the Buckeyes are best in a 2-3 zone, because they have a big guy that's pretty good in the middle. The only trouble with the zone is that it basically dares people to shoot from the outside, and Tennessee can do that well. If the Buckeyes go man-to-man, Wayne Chism can pull Oden out from under the basket, clearing the lane for guys like Chris Lofton and Ramar Smith. All that said, I'd love to be a brave man and pick the Vols, but I'll go with the favorite in Ohio St., because for all of the matchup problems Tennessee will cause Ohio St., Oden causes those same problems for the Vols.

(2) Memphis vs. (3) Texas A&M
It seems like a lot of people are just assuming the Aggies will roll into the Elite 8, but wait a minute here. Memphis is good. Real good. They didn't face a lot of competition in C-USA, but a 16 point win over Nevada with Douglas-Roberts only playing 23 minutes is nothing to sneeze at. They're capable of a win, although I do still like Texas A&M for a few reasons: a) It's in San Antonio, 2) Chris Douglas-Roberts might not play, and even if he does he probably won't be 100%, and 3) That Law fella.

Midwest Region

(1) Florida vs. (5) Butler
Admittedly, I am a little surprised that Butler is this far. I didn't think they'd beat ODU, and I definitely didn't think they would beat Maryland. That's how my Tourney picks this year have gone. That said, I'll be completely shocked if they do manage to beat the Gators, because Al Horford is better than anything Butler has inside, but Butler is able to stay with anyone because they take care of the ball (only 9.4 turnovers per game), and they're capable of making a lot of 3s. A nice formula, if you can follow it, and Butler has this year. But Florida is a little too good.

(3) Oregon vs. (7) UNLV
I think this is a bad matchup for Oregon because they like to get out and run and take a lot of shots, and UNLV will slow the pace down. Heck, all you have to do is look at Oregon's first 2 games... they eeked out a win over a deliberate Miami (OH) team, and they handled a good, but fast-paced Winthrop team. I think this will be more like the former, but UNLV is better than Miami. The Runnin' Rebels are back... Lon Kruger, please come coach the Gophers.

East Region

(1) North Carolina vs. (5) USC
The Trojans were able to beat Texas pretty solidly last week, but it helped that they could focus on stopping 3 players, and as it turned out completely shutting down 1 of them was enough to win. That's not going to work against North Carolina, who attack in many ways with many different people. USC's had a nice Tourney run and Pruitt & Young (that sounds like a law firm) have the individual talent to compete, but North Carolina is too good and too deep.

(2) Georgetown vs. (6) Vanderbilt
Sort of like Butler, Vandy can stay in any game because they make a lot of shots... and Foster & Byars are really good. But I'm not sure they can hang with the Hoyas inside. We know what Jeff Green is capable of... but Roy Hibbert was the best Hoyas in round 2, and Patrick Ewing Jr. impresses me more and more everytime I see him. The Commodores will keep it close with shooting, but too much Green, too much Hibbert, and Georgetown advances.

I know I basically went with the favorites, but that's how I see it... what are your picks?

Conference Tournament Predictions

With the major conference tournaments coming up, I thought it'd be good to take a look at a lot of the bigger. So I'll give my predictions for the 8 conference tournaments that I am most interested in. Once again, in Spreadsheet format, because that's way cool.

ACC


Favorite: North Carolina is the #1 seed, and even though they haven't been playing great basketball lately, they still have to be considered the favorite.

Sleeper: Georgia Tech and Maryland have both been playing great lately and both have the talent to win 4 games in 4 days.

My Pick: When playing a lot of games in a short amount of time, depth is key, and nobody has more depth than the Tar Heels.

Atlantic-10


Favorite: Xavier and UMass tied for the regular season crown and both teams are playing equally well, so they're probably the co-favorites.

Sleeper: Charlotte comes in as the 9 seed, but if De'Angelo Alexander and Leemire Goldwire are playing well they can compete with anyone.

My Pick: I really think Xavier is the best team in the conference. They're experience, they're well-balanced, and they're well-coached. I really like the Musketeers this year.

Big East


Favorite: Georgetown completed the Big East schedule with a 13-3 record to get the #1 seed, making them the prohibitive favorite.

Sleeper: Villanova can be a little inconsistent offensively, but as Scottie Reynolds matures they are rapidly becoming a tough team to beat.

My Pick: I go with Pittsburgh here, a well-balanced team that always plays smart. I have picked Notre Dame to upset the Hoyas, leaving a clear path to the Big East title for Pitt.

Big 10


Favorite: With Brian Butch injured, the Buckeyes become the favorite here, though they have looked a little sketchy lately. They certainly are the most talented team in the conference.

Sleeper: Michigan St. is a great defensive and rebounding team, and Drew Neitzel can hit a lot of big shots down the stretch. That all means that they have the ability to keep a lot of games close. With a few breaks, they can find themselves winning the Big 10.

My Pick: I'll go with a little bit of a surprise pick and Indiana. They are solid defensively, and if they can knock some shots down they have the ability to play with anyone.

Big 12


Favorite: Kansas is playing better basketball than any team in the nation. They're the slight favorite, although Texas A&M and Texas are not too far behind.

Sleeper: By beating Kansas and Texas A&M (twice), Texas Tech showed they have the ability to beat anybody in the country, which makes them a possible sleepers if they get some breaks. Jarrius Jackson can carry a team for stretches at a time.

My Pick: I love what Texas and Texas A&M are doing, but Kansas is playing lots of great basketball right now. Hard to pick against them.

Mountain West


Favorite: BYU is the #1 seed, but I think UNLV is probably the favorite. They are 25-6 on the season and have won 6 of 7.

Sleeper: No real sleepers here... I'll be really surprised if a team not in the top 4 wins this thing.

My Pick: I've been pushing San Diego St. all season, and now it's time to officially pick them for something. They've been extremely inconsistent, but if they can put it together like they have a times this year, they are definitely talented enough to win the conference.

Pac-10


Favorite: I know UCLA is coming off of a loss, but they've been the best and most consistent team all season long

Sleeper: Washington is talented enough (Hawes and Brockman on the front line is awesome) and they'll be playing for their season this Tourney. They've been pretty disappointing this year but they have the ability to change all of that.

My Pick: Can't go against the Bruins. Toughness, defense, outside shooting... if they can get anything from Lorenzo Mata they're going to be a real tough out.

SEC


Favorite: The Gators haven't left anyone in awe over the past month, but as the defending champions they should probably be given the benefit of the doubt and be labeled as the favorites.

Sleeper: I really do think Kentucky has the talent to compete with pretty much anyone in this conference. They have good guards, and Randolph Morris is tough in the post. I would label Vandy the sleeper here, but then they are (for all intents and purposes) the 2 seed here.

My Pick: The Vols are playing better and better as this season goes along and the young freshmen posts get more and more experience. My only concern with the Vols is that they play a real uptempo style, and that could get tough playing 4 games in 4 days, which is what it would take to win the Tourney. Still, I'll take them.

What are your picks?

College Basketball Power Rankings

As always, here's my top 10:

(1) UCLA - Arron Afflalo is the favorite for Pac-10 Player of the Year, but Darren Collison is just as important to the Bruins. In the win over Washington St. (two excellent defensive teams there), Collison scored 7 points, dished out 8 assists, had only 2 turnovers, and was in complete control all game on both ends. He's quick as a jet, a good outside shooter, great passer, and excellent on-the-ball and off-the-ball defender. Love watching him play.

(2) Kansas - Kansas might have established themselves as the team to beat. They've always had the talent, and now they're playing consistently at home and on the road. At the very least, I can guarantee they will not be losing in the first round this year.

(3) Ohio St. - They did what they had to do, but beating Wisconsin without Brian Butch at home by 1 wasn't really enough to convince me they should be higher than UCLA or Kansas. Certainly the talent is there to make a run towards the title, but I'm not sure they're consistent enough offensively.

(4) Wisconsin - You could write something similar here as for OSU. The talent is there if it all comes together, but I really don't think they're quite consistent enough offensively to make it to the Final Four. I'd feel a little more confident if Brian Butch was completely healthy. What a shame that is for the Badgers.

(5) Texas A&M - They're coming off of a loss, but losing in double OT at Texas isn't too bad as far as losses go. Acie Law is a first team All-American, but they also have 3 other guys scoring over 12 points per game. They're balanced, they're tough, and they're good defensively.

(6) Southern Illinois - Great defensive team, and they seem to be playing their best basketball of the season. I am a little concerned that they seem to be inconsistent offensively at times, but you can't argue with the defense.

(7) Memphis - They didn't look that impressive against UTEP, but they still won. They're very deep, very athletic, and very talented. Like last year, I have some concerns about them if they get matched up with a physical defensive team in the tournament, but it's hard to ignore 18 straight wins.

(8) Florida - Like UNC, the talent is there (obviously), but they just seem disinterested. I'm not too worried at this point, but if they lay another egg in the SEC Tourney there could definitely be a reason to have some concern.

(9) Texas - Hard to deny them of the top spot after hanging on to beat A&M. So make that 5 straight wins for the Longhorns, who are definitely peaking at the right time. Showdown with Kansas on Saturday will show a lot, but I can guarantee you nobody wants to see Texas in their portion of the bracket. Oh, and don't look now, but DJ Augustin is 4th in the country in assists as a freshman.

(10) North Carolina - They've still got incredible talent, but they have lost 3 of 5. Georgia Tech just tore them up offensively on Thursday night. They can still make a run at the Title, but something is not right.

What changes would you make?

My NCAA Basketball Top 10

Since everyone likes lists (right??), I figured this would be a good place to rank my top 10 in College Basketball right now.

(1) Florida - Despite having the huge target on their back, the Gators have been the best college basketball team in the land so far. Their two losses were in a neutral court game against Kansas by 2, and on the road to FSU by 4. Not bad. On Saturday they played a pretty subpar game (by their standards) and still beat a solid Kentucky team at Kentucky. Don't mess with the Gators.

(2) Wisconsin - They did lose last week, but as far as losses go, losing on the road to Indiana isn't so bad. Overall, they have the same number of losses as Florida (2) , and have some quality wins against Pittsburgh and Ohio St. The national polls seem to have the Buckeyes at #2 over the Badgers, but I don't see it based on their resumes. I'll take the Badgers right now.

(3) North Carolina - They haven't exactly been easing anyone's fears that they are a little too young right now, as they've been a little sloppy in some recent games. Still, the talent is undeniable, and they have more firepower, depth, and athleticism than possibly anyone in the country. Young or not, this is not a team anyone wants to see come Tourney time.

(4) UCLA - They lost at West Virginia, but I'm willing to see that as a game that they flew across country for and lost tight in a game that probably won't matter to them as far as seeding goes. So I'm not too worried about that. What is a little worrisome is that the Bruins still don't have any consistent inside scoring, which could pose problems. Big game coming up this Saturday against a resurgent Arizona squad.

(5) Texas A&M - One of the toughest teams in the country, and one of my favorite to watch. They take hits and they just keep on coming, led by Acie Law. They're a balanced team with 4 players scoring at least 12 PPG, which will serve them well. Also, the fact that they are very well-coached and very good defensively will help.

(6) Ohio St. - The talent is there, with that Oden guy, as well as fellow frosh Mike Conley, who's a bit underrated and is another one of my favorite players to watch. Since Conley doesn't get as much pub, I'm going to use this space to talk about him... he's already one of the best distributors and PGs in America. His A/T ratio is over 3/1, because he averages over 6 APG. He's not a great outside shooter, but he doesn't force things. He's shooting 53% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. Just an excellent, excellent player, and one who doesn't get enough credit for what he does.

(7) Kansas - Still one of the most talented clubs in the country. They have four players averaging in double figures, but its a 5th player (Sherron Collins) that might be their most explosive offensive threat. They responded very well to the A&M loss by just thrashing Kansas St. and Missouri, suggesting this may be a more mature team than last year's first round losers. This is definitely a team that can go all the way if they can put it together when it counts.

(8) Memphis - I think they are flying a little under the radar because they don't have many really great wins and they're not getting competition within their conference, but under John Calipari they don't rebuild, they reload. They have athleticism, depth, ballhandling, shooters, solid inside play, etc. In other words, don't be at all surprised if Memphis is back in the Elite 8 this year.

(9) Pittsburgh - The timing of these rankings were unkind to Pitt, as they did no favors by getting crunched by Louisville on Monday. But they are still 22-4 overall and 10-2 in the Big East, so they're in fine shape. The guy that really makes Pitt go is sophomore Levance Fields, a tough PG that can shoot, distribute, and rebound the ball. If he is playing well, Pitt can make a deep run. If not, they could be in trouble.

(10) Washington St. - I never thought I'd be putting WaSt in a top 10 list this year, but they've certainly earned it. They beat Arizona twice, beat Gonzaga, and lost to UCLA by 3. Rookie coach Tony Bennett has them playing very well on both ends of the floor, and they're only a half game back of UCLA for the Pac-10 lead.

What changes to my top 10 would you make?

Some good college basketball action

There are some other things going on, such as the Red Sox signing JD Drew (a veritable steal in this market if he can stay healthy), but I don't feel like writing a lot about baseball today, and I've been neglecting college basketball. So, a rundown of what happened on Tuesday:

First, LSU beat Texas A&M 64-52. Glen Davis was a beast with 24 and 10, but the determining factor was that Acie Law was not a factor. 1/11 shooting, 4 points. On a day when Joseph Jones was limited to 16 minutes because of foul trouble and Acie Law was a non-factor, LSU didn't even need a miracle like the one Darrel Mitchell gave them last time.

Two decently solid games in the Jimmy V Classic. The first featured Oklahoma St. remaining undefeated a 72-68 win over Syracuse. Obviously its looking like the Cowboys were a little underrated to start the year... they have a very good inside-outside game with Mario Boggan and JamesOn Curry and are well-coached under young Sean Sutton. For Cuse, this was the first time I got to see Paul Harris extensively, and I echo the sentiment of others. His outside shot isn't that good right now, but he's very good going to the hoop, an excellent rebounder for his size (6'5'') and a solid defender. No need for Cuse to panic after 2 straight losses, as the talent is in place for a Tourney run.

The nightcap featured #15 Arizona taking out Lousvilla 72-65 in a strange game. Arziona built a big first half lead, then Louisville came back to take the lead early in the second half, and Arizona quickly pulled back ahead by double digits. Everything you've heard about frosh Chase Budinger is true, but I'm not as big a fan of these guys as some are. Marcus Williams has not looked great, and I still think Mustafa Shakur takes too many bad shots. As for Louisville, could it be another year out of the Tourney for Rick Pitino? You heard it here first.

Another game of note was Washington St. upsetting Gonzaga by 10. Normally a Pac-10 team beating a WCC team isn't an upset, but in this case it probably is. Though Washington St. is 8-1 right now, a record that's probably skewed a little because their schedule has not been very challenging yet. But still a very nice win for them under a new coach.

A final game of note that I mention because I can was UCLA remaining undefeated with a 78-54 win over Cal-State Fullerton. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute struggled, everyone else was good. 7-0.

What do you think was the biggest storyline in college basketball for the day?

Report from Maui

Ok, I'm not actually in Maui... but I did watch the UCLA/Kentucky game and part of the Georgia Tech/Memphis game from the Maui Invitational, and here's what I saw.

- I only saw the last 10 minutes of the GT/Memphis game, and thank goodness for that! I kid you not when I saw the last 10 minutes took one hour real time. Lots of fouls, no flow, etc. A combined 64 fouls and 87 free throws shot. That's awful.

Onto the UCLA/Kentucky game... excellent ballgame all around as UCLA won 73-68. Here's what I noticed:

- Jordan Farmar was excellent for the Bruins last year, but thus far there has been absolutely no dropoff with Darren Collison in the lineup. The numbers were good (10 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), but it's everything else that is impressive. He is FAST, and gets down the court on the break in a hurry. He plays great pressure man-to-man defense (the area of the game where he is much better than Farmar ever was), and he is a very good passer. Backup PG is a little bit of a concern, but Darren Collison is just fine replacing Farmar.

- Ryan Hollins who? Excellent game for Lorenzo Mata down low, with 12 points and 12 rebounds. He flashed some moves with his back to the basket, but more importantly was excellent on the glass and held Morris to only 11 points (though UK guards helped there).

- UCLA is definitely one of the top defensive teams in the country. As excellent as Collison is man-to-man, Arron Afflalo is even better. Down low, they've got lots of depth that all play solid defense... Mata, Alfred Aboya, Ryan Wright, etc. And then there's Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, kind of a hybrid defender... he can block shots down low, and he's athletic enough to get outside and guard. And all of this with the attitude of Ben Howland. They're a fun defensive unit to watch.

- I've heard lots of talk about how improved Kentucky will be this year... and they are... but I think not as much as people think. Randolph Morris is their only real threat on the block, and that leaves the guards to do a lot of dribbling. At times Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford can just become black holes and just dribble seemingly endlessly, and that destroys any flow. I don't see them being higher than a 6 seed in the Tourney at all.

- Kentucky's best player was freshman Derrick Jasper. He scored 12 points (on 4 shots), grabbed 8 rebounds, and doled out 4 assists. He was unselfish, confident going to the hoop, and provided the spark the Wildcats needed to get back in the ballgame in the first half. Very impressive day for him.

- UCLA was 2/19 from downtown and 13/23 from the FT line... and they still won by 5. I don't think Ben Howland can be too upset about that.

UCLA vs. Georgia Tech Wednesday at 9 PM CST for the Maui Invitational Title... I like UCLA's experience and defensive toughness to be the difference here. Once GT slowed the game down against Memphis the Tigers could not handle it... UCLA will not have that same problem.

College Basketball Preview: Awards and Predictions

With the college basketball season upon us, it's time for the final installation of my college basketball previews. In case you missed them, here are my other previews:

ACC Preview
Big East Preview
Big 10 Preview
Big 12 Preview
Pac-10 Preview
SEC Preview
Who is this year's George Mason?

So now it's time to move on to my awards and predictions.

First Team All-Americans
Joakim Noah - Florida - Even better defensively than he is offensively.
Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina - One of the best players in the nation last year as a true freshman.
Glen Davis - LSU - Big Baby is slimmed down and ready to dominate.
Alando Tucker - Wisconsin - Scores in a variety of ways making him nearly impossible to stop.
Dominic James - Marquette - Explosiveness makes him the best PG in the country.

Second Team All-Americans
Nick Fazekas - Nevada - Senior who seems like he's been around forever.
Aaron Gray - Pittsburgh - Him bypassing the draft makes Pitt title contenders.
Jerad Dudley - Boston College - Becomes the leader with the departure of Craig Smith.
Brandon Rush - Kansas - One of the best scorers in the country.
Ronald Steele - Alabama - Extremely durable, reliable in crunch time.

Freshman All-Americans
Greg Oden - Ohio St. - defensive stopper will have huge impact whenever he returns.
Kevin Durant - Texas - good enough to carry the Longhorns at times.
Chase Budinger - Arizona - all-around player will excel in Arizona's system.
Spencer Hawes - Washington - Big man will make huge impact in his one year for the Huskies.
Thaddeus Young - Georgia Tech - Will be the star of an inexperienced but talented squad.

Player of the Year - Tyler Hansbrough - Dominated the ACC as a true freshman, putting up nearly 20 and 10 a night. He's got great awareness and moves around the basket, and is a great finisher near the hoop. He's got a nose for the ball off the glass. Defensively, he's always in solid position. The addition of the trio of talented freshman should help take the pressure and some of the focus off of him, leaving him to put up big numbers.

Freshman of the Year - Kevin Durant - If Greg Oden would be healthy for the whole season, my pick might be different. Then again, maybe it wouldn't. Kevin Durant is probably the second most-hyped freshman after Oden, and for good reason. He's extremely talented, and score from inside or outside. He'll also grab rebounds, play some defense, and pretty much everything else Rick Barnes asks from him. Which will be a lot.

Preseason Top 10
1. Florida - All 5 starters back for the defending champs.
2. North Carolina - deepest and most talented team in the nation.
3. Kansas - right behind UNC in terms of talent and depth.
4. UCLA - one of the best defenses in the country. Josh Shipp's return boosts offense.
5. Pittsburgh - Departure of Carl Krauser was not such a bad thing.
6. LSU - Will be very athletic, and they still have Big Baby to turn to.
7. Wisconsin - Alando Tucker leads solid nucleus.
8. Alabama - Return of Steele and Davidson makes them contenders in the SEC.
9. Ohio St. - even without Oden they're one of the top teams in the country.
10. Texas A&M - there is excitement back in College Station for the basketball team.

Final Four Teams
(1) North Carolina - I just think they'll be too talented and deep to be denied. How do you stop them? Try to shut down Tyler Hansbrough? Then they go to Reyshawn Terry. Or top prospect Brandan Wright. Or top prospect Tywon Lawson. Or one of the many talented guys in the backcourt. Ok, you get the idea.
(2) Kansas - Like UNC, they're just so deep and talented. Brandon Rush is a great scorer, but he'll have lots of help. Julian Wright is extremely versatile. Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson, and frosh Sherron Collins all provide a different look in the backcourt. And the frontcourt, led by Sasha Kaun and Darrell Arthur won't miss CJ Giles at all. I don't think they'll have any problems getting by Round 1 this year.
(3) UCLA - They lost 3 starters, but they could be even better this year. Darren Collison doesn't have the leadership of Farmar, but he's a great on-the-ball defender and will push the tempo. Arron Afflalo is back and one of the best defensive guards in the country. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute should continue his development as a star in Westwood. But the biggest (and most overlooked) story is the return of Josh Shipp. He might have been UCLA's best player last year if he hadn't gotten hurt. He'll provide another scoring punch for this team. UCLA will be a great defensive team under Coach Ben Howland, and should have just enough offense to go along with it.
(4) Texas A&M - Like UCLA, they are very tough defensively. A&M was a late 3-pointer from Darrel Mitchell away from beating LSU heading to the Sweet Sixteen. The same LSU who went on to go to the Final Four. They'll return almost everything for one of the best young coaches in America. Led by Acie Law and Joseph Jones, they have the firepower to make a deep run. They have the depth, the defensive tenacity, the experience... it's all in place for a deep run.

National Championship
North Carolina over UCLA - Too much talent for Roy Williams to be denied his 2nd title in 3 seasons.

What are your predictions?

College Basketball Preview: Pac-10

This conference has generally not been all that strong top-to-bottom the last few years, but times they a-changing. UCLA is back, Arizona is loaded, Washington is young and talented, and Oregon might finally play up to their potential. This will be a very solid conference.

Player of the Year: Last year's winner Brandon Roy graduated, making this a wide open race. The frontrunner is probably Marcus Williams from Arizona, and explosive scorer who flirted with the draft. He came back for his sophomore year, and should be the star on what will be a very good Arizona team. Next there are a couple of UCLA guys... Jordan Farmar is gone, but they could be even better this year, in part due to Arron Afflalo and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (the best name in the country). Like Williams, Afflalo was prepared to test the draft water, but decided to come back, which was great news for UCLA. Afflalo is great in the midrange game, but perhaps more importantly is that he's an excellent defender at the 2 guard. Mbah a Moute impresses as a freshman, and looks to have an improved offensive game this year. He averaged over 8 rebounds per game as a freshman, so if the offense is improved as advertised, he'll be a threat to win the award. For the Oregon Ducks, if Malik Hairston finally lives up to his potential, he can be a Brandon Roy-like player. But for my money, I'll go with the steady Arron Afflalo.

Freshmen to Watch: Most of the talk here surrounds Chase Budinger of Arizona, one of the top freshman in the nation and a guy that Lute Olsen has praised over and over. He should be an excellent all-around player and contributor from day 1. Another big-time prospect is Spencer Hawes for Washington. After getting Jon Brockman last year, they scored another big-time big man, as Hawes was possibly the 2nd best C prospect in the country (after Greg Oden). Quincy Pondexter will also have a chance to contribute early for the Huskies. For UCLA, big man James Keefe should be a nice role player, though he won't have as big of an impact as last year's freshmen.

Breakout Players: Lots of great candidates here, especially among the top teams. UCLA will be getting Josh Shipp back from injury, and he was perhaps their best freshman 2 years ago before missing almost all of last year and receiving a medical hardship. Fran Franschilla called Josh Shipp a "human garbage cleaner" in one of his chats. Now, I have no idea what he's trying to say there, but the point is that Shipp is real good. UCLA also has Darren Collison replacing Jordan Farmar... Collison is very fast with the ball and a great defender. UCLA should hardly miss a beat with Collison replacing Farmar.

For the other frontrunner Arizona, they'll be getting Jawaan McClellan back. He's an excellent outside shooter and scorer that just makes them more potent. There are a couple of sophomores from Washington I really, really like. One is the frontcourt man Jon Brockman. He deferred a little to the upperclassmen last year, but he should be excellent this year and could even challenge for the Pac-10 Player of the Year if all goes well. The other guy I like is PG Justin Dentmon. He started as a true freshman as a PG, which is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. He's got great quickness and is a fine player and one of the key reasons Washington will hardly miss a beat.

What Else to Watch: I love Washington's potential, and Oregon should be much improved, but I think the race between Arizona and UCLA will be excellent. Both have great coaching, great depth, and are going to be two of the top teams in the country. UCLA is one of the best defensive teams while Arizona is one of the best offensive teams. This will be a great battle between two giants out West.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. UCLA
2. Arizona
3. Washington
4. Oregon
5. USC
6. California
7. Stanford
8. Arizona St.
9. Oregon St.
10. Washington St.